Law at University of Leeds or University of Liverpool?
Hi, I’m trying to decide between the University of Leeds and the University of Liverpool for Law, and I’d really appreciate some advice.
Liverpool is about 1 hour from home, which is appealing. The city seems quite compact, accommodation is cheaper, and the nightlife looks great. However, I’ve heard that Liverpool isn’t really considered a “target” university by law firms, which makes me slightly concerned about career prospects.
Leeds is a bigger city with good diversity and nightlife as well, but it’s further away around 2 hours and more expensive. From what I’ve seen, Leeds is more commonly mentioned as a target/semi-target for law firms, so I’m wondering if it might offer better opportunities in terms of networking, experiences, and graduate jobs.
One important thing is that I don’t want to work in London. My goal would be to work somewhere like Manchester, Leeds, or generally in the Midlands, so regional prospects matter more to me than London firms.
The rankings between Leeds and Liverpool aren’t massively different, so I’m unsure whether the extra distance is actually worth it.
Another factor is my offer situation:
- Liverpool: BBB (contextual + EPQ)
- Leeds: BBB through Access to Leeds/contextual only if I firm it. So if I don’t firm Leeds, I lose the contextual BBB offer there, which makes the decision more significant.
My main priority is choosing the university that will give me the best opportunities for connections, work experience, and graduate prospects in law, particularly outside London.
Would Leeds actually provide a noticeable advantage over Liverpool for law careers in places like Manchester or the Midlands, or would the difference be minimal? Is it worth the extra cost?
Liverpool is about 1 hour from home, which is appealing. The city seems quite compact, accommodation is cheaper, and the nightlife looks great. However, I’ve heard that Liverpool isn’t really considered a “target” university by law firms, which makes me slightly concerned about career prospects.
Leeds is a bigger city with good diversity and nightlife as well, but it’s further away around 2 hours and more expensive. From what I’ve seen, Leeds is more commonly mentioned as a target/semi-target for law firms, so I’m wondering if it might offer better opportunities in terms of networking, experiences, and graduate jobs.
One important thing is that I don’t want to work in London. My goal would be to work somewhere like Manchester, Leeds, or generally in the Midlands, so regional prospects matter more to me than London firms.
The rankings between Leeds and Liverpool aren’t massively different, so I’m unsure whether the extra distance is actually worth it.
Another factor is my offer situation:
- Liverpool: BBB (contextual + EPQ)
- Leeds: BBB through Access to Leeds/contextual only if I firm it. So if I don’t firm Leeds, I lose the contextual BBB offer there, which makes the decision more significant.
My main priority is choosing the university that will give me the best opportunities for connections, work experience, and graduate prospects in law, particularly outside London.
Would Leeds actually provide a noticeable advantage over Liverpool for law careers in places like Manchester or the Midlands, or would the difference be minimal? Is it worth the extra cost?
Reply 1
Original post
by loyuolHi, I’m trying to decide between the University of Leeds and the University of Liverpool for Law, and I’d really appreciate some advice.
Liverpool is about 1 hour from home, which is appealing. The city seems quite compact, accommodation is cheaper, and the nightlife looks great. However, I’ve heard that Liverpool isn’t really considered a “target” university by law firms, which makes me slightly concerned about career prospects.
Leeds is a bigger city with good diversity and nightlife as well, but it’s further away around 2 hours and more expensive. From what I’ve seen, Leeds is more commonly mentioned as a target/semi-target for law firms, so I’m wondering if it might offer better opportunities in terms of networking, experiences, and graduate jobs.
One important thing is that I don’t want to work in London. My goal would be to work somewhere like Manchester, Leeds, or generally in the Midlands, so regional prospects matter more to me than London firms.
The rankings between Leeds and Liverpool aren’t massively different, so I’m unsure whether the extra distance is actually worth it.
Another factor is my offer situation:
- Liverpool: BBB (contextual + EPQ)
- Leeds: BBB through Access to Leeds/contextual only if I firm it. So if I don’t firm Leeds, I lose the contextual BBB offer there, which makes the decision more significant.
My main priority is choosing the university that will give me the best opportunities for connections, work experience, and graduate prospects in law, particularly outside London.
Would Leeds actually provide a noticeable advantage over Liverpool for law careers in places like Manchester or the Midlands, or would the difference be minimal? Is it worth the extra cost?
Liverpool is about 1 hour from home, which is appealing. The city seems quite compact, accommodation is cheaper, and the nightlife looks great. However, I’ve heard that Liverpool isn’t really considered a “target” university by law firms, which makes me slightly concerned about career prospects.
Leeds is a bigger city with good diversity and nightlife as well, but it’s further away around 2 hours and more expensive. From what I’ve seen, Leeds is more commonly mentioned as a target/semi-target for law firms, so I’m wondering if it might offer better opportunities in terms of networking, experiences, and graduate jobs.
One important thing is that I don’t want to work in London. My goal would be to work somewhere like Manchester, Leeds, or generally in the Midlands, so regional prospects matter more to me than London firms.
The rankings between Leeds and Liverpool aren’t massively different, so I’m unsure whether the extra distance is actually worth it.
Another factor is my offer situation:
- Liverpool: BBB (contextual + EPQ)
- Leeds: BBB through Access to Leeds/contextual only if I firm it. So if I don’t firm Leeds, I lose the contextual BBB offer there, which makes the decision more significant.
My main priority is choosing the university that will give me the best opportunities for connections, work experience, and graduate prospects in law, particularly outside London.
Would Leeds actually provide a noticeable advantage over Liverpool for law careers in places like Manchester or the Midlands, or would the difference be minimal? Is it worth the extra cost?
Hi @loyuol,
It sounds like you've really thought this through and I certainly remember the difficulty of having to choose between universities - here are a few factors you could consider which may help with your decision:
1) Course Structure - while both universities may offer the same degree, the actual syllabus and module breakdown may vary between the two. I'd highly recommend doing a deep dive into their websites and module guidebooks to see the specific topics you will be studying each year - if you find one syllabus more appealing than the other, that's certainly one reason to favour that university. You should also make sure to check how the modules are assessed and which may better suit your needs - some universities are more heavily exam-based, for example, while others may favour coursework or group presentation. Although this is unlikely to be a deciding factor (and law firms are more likely to favour strong work experience rather than a perfect academic record), it may be worth considering for your personal enjoyment and interests.
2) Employability - you're right to consider graduate prospects, however I would argue that the university name itself doesn't have such a significant influence as you might think. Rather, it's more important you choose a university with a strong employability team - this will be hugely valuable once you start making applications for internships and, eventually, graduate positions. For example, I've found the employability team at ULaw incredible for both guiding me through application processes and also connecting me to potential employers. Have a look on each university's website to see what application support they offer, and whether one university may be in a more favourable location for doing work experience than the other. This doesn't have to be legal experience specifically (I got my training contract offer having only done one vacation scheme!) - the skills you can develop through retail, hospitality and commercial roles (such as in business or marketing) will also be highly beneficial to a legal career.
3) Student Experience. To avoid burning out and ensure you have the best time at university, the social side will be just as important as the academic! Though most universities typically have similar core sports teams and societies, there may be some differences between Liverpool and Leeds; you may also find the facilities at each campus vary. I'd highly recommend having a look at both universities' websites and attending their post-offer visit days to get a proper feel for what student life is like (this can also be an opportunity to check out the local attractions, cafes and any other places of interest!)
Ultimately, it sounds like you might already leaning towards a preference. I completely agree that you want to choose a university that's best for your career, but there's no reason to pay more and be further away from home just based on what you've heard about 'target' universities - make sure you're actually basing your decision on proper research into both universities' employability services and statistics! Overall, both are fantastic options that will open plenty of doors, so take your time to weigh up what matters most to you and trust your gut.
Best of luck and let me know if you have any more questions 😊
Holly - PGDL Student
University of Law
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