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PPE then law conversion??

Hey, im still quite far off applying for uni but im pretty sure I know what I want to do but I need some help figuring it all out.

I really want to do a PPE at Oxford, I think I would love it and would be quite good at it if I could get in.

However, I also want to be a lawyer and I don't know if its better to do law at a uni or do a law conversion.

Will I be a better lawyer if I do a full law course rather than a conversion?
How many years studying is a law conversion?
Will my PPE degree help me in my law and which area of law would it help with most?
Which Uni is best to do a law conversion at?
And if not PPE which degree is the best before a conversion to help me in a law career?

Reply 1

katana10000

Original post by Cccamy

Hey, im still quite far off applying for uni but im pretty sure I know what I want to do but I need some help figuring it all out.
I really want to do a PPE at Oxford, I think I would love it and would be quite good at it if I could get in.
However, I also want to be a lawyer and I don't know if its better to do law at a uni or do a law conversion.
Will I be a better lawyer if I do a full law course rather than a conversion?
How many years studying is a law conversion?
Will my PPE degree help me in my law and which area of law would it help with most?
Which Uni is best to do a law conversion at?
And if not PPE which degree is the best before a conversion to help me in a law career?

If you are sure you want to be a lawyer do a law degree. It leaves you the option of doing an LLM in law and may also make it easier to practice overseas in certain jurisdictions.

Reply 2

Cccamy

Original post by katana10000

If you are sure you want to be a lawyer do a law degree. It leaves you the option of doing an LLM in law and may also make it easier to practice overseas in certain jurisdictions.

Whats an LLM?

Masters

Universities Forum Helper

About 50% of solicitors polled by the SRA didn't do a law undergrad as rhein first degree so clearly its not an issue.

The way it's setup has changed now also so you don't need to do a GDL conversion to become a solicitor you just need to take the SQE, but if you are coming from a non law background you may need to do a prep course similar to the GDL anyway.

You do need to do the GDL to become a barrister but there is no preference at the bar for an undergrad law degree vs non law degree and GDL I gather.

Reply 5

Cccamy

Original post by artful_lounger

About 50% of solicitors polled by the SRA didn't do a law undergrad as rhein first degree so clearly its not an issue.
The way it's setup has changed now also so you don't need to do a GDL conversion to become a solicitor you just need to take the SQE, but if you are coming from a non law background you may need to do a prep course similar to the GDL anyway.
You do need to do the GDL to become a barrister but there is no preference at the bar for an undergrad law degree vs non law degree and GDL I gather.

That sounds perfect.

So I could do a PPE degree and then a GDl and become a barrister??

Reply 6

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Cccamy

That sounds perfect.

So I could do a PPE degree and then a GDl and become a barrister??

Yes, if you wanted to.

Reply 7

Stiffy Byng

Original post by Cccamy

Whats an LLM?

An LLM is a postgraduate degree: Master of Laws. An LLM is usually obtained by taking a one year course after obtaining a first degree in law.

Studying PPE would be a good foundation for a GDL. The GDL is a one year course, taken after the first degree.

Any rigorous academic degree is useful to any lawyer. Studying economics might assist a lawyer working on some kinds of financial work, and might be particularly useful for a lawyer practising in the field of competition law, in which economic analysis of markets can be important, and expert evidence may be given by economists. Cross-examining an economist about economics is not one of the easiest things to do. Ask me how I know! Try also cross-examining investment banking quants about Delta hedging, theta, and all that - you might need a lie down afterwards.

I suggest that you study the subject which most interests you. This could be law - it is a subject worth studying in its own right. But if you get a good first degree in any subject you can be a competitive candidate for a legal career.

Please be under no illusion about the difficulty of obtaining a training contract or a pupillage. Also, being a lawyer is a difficult and sometimes stressful job. It can provide intellectual, social, and financial rewards, but the large sums which some lawyers earn don't come easily.

Study hard, have fun, don't burn out. Good luck!

PS: law degree Alphabetti Spaghetti:-

Oxford has a degree called the BCL: Bachelor of Civil Law, which is equivalent to an LLM.

In the UK, bachelor's law degrees are called LLB or BA. American law degrees are all postgraduate and are called JD: Juris Doctor.

To add to the fun, you can also obtain a PhD or D Phil in law (Doctor of Philosophy, you can get one of those in most subjects), and there is a degree called LLD Doctor of Laws, which is often awarded by universities as an honorary degree to distinguished alumni and others.

(edited 2 weeks ago)

Reply 8

mantle1

Are you sure you're sure on doing Law? Or is part of the reasoning you're considering PPE because you have some doubt and you know that with PPE you can convert to law anyway?

Because if the latter is true then it's true that doing PPE first could be 'safer' in that you'd potentially have an easier route into other industries like finance, whilst still retaining the option of doing law after. (That being said, Law is of course a well respected degree not just in the legal field.)

Also, if you personally feel like you're more likely to get into Oxford PPE than Oxford Law, that might play into your decision too!