Law conversion / GDL

Can someone explain what this is please? I'm not doing an LLB course at undergrad but was considering a "law conversion" to follow a career in law. I've only heard very little about it, so I would appreciate if someone can explain what this means.
Thanks

Reply 1

17Student17

If you want to be a barrister you have to do this course. If you want to be a solicitor it is best to do the law conversion too (although if you need a student loan doing the combined law conversion with SQE1 masters for the masters loan with someone like BPP may be best). Even better is during your non law degree apply to law firms who recruit years ahead from undergraduates for vacation schemes and training contracts and if you get one they pay for all the courses and pay you after that during your 2 years of being a trainee solicitor with them (if you want to be a solicitor).

What a law conversion means is the core modules of a 3 year LLB done within one year so basic important subjects like contract law, tort, criminal law, public law but not some of the additional subjects I also did on my 3 year LLB.

You apply via the Central Applications Board (which is like a UCAS for law) and you can apply from September of the last year of your first degree or a bit later if you prefer)

(edited 3 months ago)

Reply 2

UniofLaw Student

Official Rep

Original post by Pisceanprince

Hi @Pisceanprince

A law conversion is the route a lot of qualified barristers/solicitors choose to take when becoming a lawyer. What it means is you do a different undergrad (non-law) and then you apply to the PGDL (which is the current name for the law conversion). This is a one year course (so if you start Sep, you would finish in May) and covers the 8 core legal areas in UK law. Therefore, you would study Contract, Criminal, Tort, Equity & Trusts, Land, English Legal Systems & Constitutional, Administrative & Human Rights and Business law. Once you have completed the course and passed all of your exams, you are supposedly at the same level in knowledge for these topics as a LLB (law undergrad) student. Therefore, having completed the law conversion you can go on to train as a solicitor or barrister.

I did an English Lit degree at undergrad and then did the MA Law (conversion) (another conversion course) at ULaw last year and really enjoyed it. I am now doing the BPC and hope to practice as a barrister in the future.

I hope this has helped a bit and good luck!

Sophie 🙂