Program Overview

Understanding Legal Practice PGDip/Professional Legal Practice LLM

Course Overview

Our professional legal practice preparation courses are designed for law graduates or those who have completed a Principles of Law PGCert or similar course.

Choose to study the Understanding Legal Principles PGDip or undertake the Professional Legal Practice LLM course, which includes an additional Case Study Project and results in a master’s level qualification on successful completion.

• Prepare to take the professional qualifications required to pursue a career as a solicitor or a Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) lawyer.
• Develop your ability to apply legal knowledge and skills, to both the theory and practice of law using real-world scenarios.
• Understand professional ethics requirements of a legal practitioner based upon the Code of Conduct of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives.

What You'll Study

Learn key subjects such as business law, dispute resolution, property law and wills, all aligned with the SQE and CILEx requirements. You'll also develop essential professional skills, including advocacy and negotiation.

If you choose to progress to the Professional Legal Practice LLM degree, you’ll have the opportunity to work on a project based on a real-world legal case study.

Modules

• Business Law and Practice – 20 credits
• Dispute Resolution – 20 credits
• Property Law and Practice – 20 credits
• Wills, Administration of Estates and Trusts – 20 credits
• Solicitors Accounts and Tax – 20 credits
• Civil and Criminal Litigation – 20 credits
• Case Study Project – 60 credits (compulsory for Professional Legal Practice LLM only)

How You'll Learn

Teaching and learning methods may include:

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Tutorials
• Presentations
• Group projects
• Workshops
• Practical laboratory sessions

Teaching Contact Hours

As a full-time postgraduate student, you will study modules totalling 180 credits each academic year. A typical 30-credit module requires a total of 300 hours of study. Study hours are made up of teaching contact hours, and guided and independent study.

Entry Requirements

Typical entry requirements:

• UK: A UK law degree (minimum 2:2), the Graduate Diploma in Law (or equivalent law conversion course) or a PGCert Principles of Law from Coventry University.
• International: A UK law degree (minimum 2:2), the Graduate Diploma in Law (or equivalent law conversion course) or a PGCert Principles of Law from Coventry University.

Alternative qualifications or work experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Fees and Funding

Student | Full-time | Part-time ---|---|--- UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man | £11,200 LLM | Not available EU | £11,200 LLM per year with EU Support Bursary** | Not available International | £18,600 LLM | Not available

Facilities

Develop your advocacy and courtroom skills in our moot room. It is used to simulate mock court trials where you and other students can role-play as barristers, sharpening your legal skills and knowledge.

Use the legal clinic to develop your practical legal skills and help you stand out in your future career. You will have access to 'real' clients and work with supervisors who are currently working in practice and who are experts in specific areas of law.

Careers and Opportunities

Our professional legal practice course prepares you to enter the legal profession as a solicitor or CILEx lawyer, equipping you for professional-level assessments in both fields.

Upon successful completion, it is anticipated that you'll be ready to undertake the necessary assessments and transition into your chosen legal career, meeting the requirements of relevant regulatory bodies.

Additionally, the skills you develop are highly transferable, opening up various other career opportunities.

On successful completion of the course, you will be able to:

• Understand and critically evaluate knowledge of legal principles, concepts and theories as they apply to professional practice.
• Demonstrate the professional legal skills required for professional legal practice.
• Understand the professional ethical requirements for the legal profession and apply ethical decision-making.
• Draw reasoned conclusions through the application of legal principles and knowledge and legal practice to complex authentic problems, whilst tolerating ambiguity and recognising alternative legal and practical outcomes.
• Communicate effectively and professionally, by conveying and explaining legal information, ideas and arguments in appropriate contexts to a range of specialist and non-specialist audiences e.g., supervising legal professionals, clients.
• Identify and critically evaluate relevant information from primary and secondary legal sources, using both digital and non-digital resources, whilst adhering to principles of academic integrity.
• Demonstrate self-management, including through reflective practice, make effective use of feedback, and work independently or collaboratively as appropriate.
• Develop and apply a range of practical professional legal skills through a hypothetical authentic case study, evidencing professional conduct and ethical decision making.
• Understand the role and responsibilities of the various branches of the legal profession and how the UK legal qualifications apply both in the UK and around the world.

Where Our Graduates Work

Previous law graduates from Coventry Law School have gone on to work at a wide variety of organisations and firms including:

• DAC Beachcroft
• NFU Mutual
• PwC
• Deloitte
• Linklaters
• Countrywide Tax and Trust Corporation
• Oracle
• Squire Patton Boggs
• Stobbs
• Co-op Legal Services.

Further Study

After completion of this course, further graduate level study such as a PhD may be considered.