What is the LLM LPC?

2013 is the first year of the LLM LPC. It is currently only offered by The University of Law.  

Though the LPC is a postgraduate course, it is not classed as a Masters qualification. It’s also a vocational course, preparing you for practice as a solicitor. Completion of this course will enable you to progress to the final stage of solicitor training: the training contract.

 An LLM, on the other hand, requires in-depth academic study of an area of law. Unlike the LPC, It is not compulsory to have studied an LLM in order to apply for a training contract.  Aspiring solicitors will most frequently gain a Masters qualification in law by studying a year-long LLM course, perhaps before beginning their training contract.

The LLM LPC however allows you to effectively unite these two qualifications into one period of study.  

The programme structure requires you to select modules to transform your resulting qualification into either the LLM in International Legal Practice LPC or the LLM in Legal Practice LPC.

In order to fill all requirements to earn the Masters part of the course, you’ll also have to produce a dissertation in legal practice too.  This means more research, and ultimately in-depth knowledge of a subject – handy if you want to start developing your specialisms early.

Is the LLM LPC worth it?

The LLM LPC will allow you to cover both qualifications more quickly than if you were to take them separately. The two birds/one stone approach will possibly save you money too; you won’t have to fork out for an extra year of living expenses too in this sense.

The combined course is new to the legal world, and it remains to be seen how receptive firms will be to it. Would the time you would spend working on a dissertation be better spent gaining more legal work experience?