• Postgraduate

Legal Practice LLM

Overview

Overview

Are you interested in a career as a solicitor? We are now offering the LPC as part of a Masters’ degree – the LLM Legal Practice course. This incorporates both stages 1 and 2 of the LPC – the professional qualification you will need to become a solicitor.

The law school has a long association with a network of local solicitors through the Middlesex Law Society and our LPC graduates who are now in practice. You will also have opportunities to apply for a range of legal work experience opportunities and to take part in the Law School's free legal advice clinic, run jointly with Ealing Equality Council.

We are accredited by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and receive excellent feedback from our students, so you can feel confident in the quality and standards of our course.

Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) - Transitional Arrangements

Please note the Legal Practice course is only available to students who are eligible to qualify as a Solicitor through the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) transitional arrangements, which cover candidates already on their way to becoming a solicitor before the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) was introduced in September 2021. 

Find out more about your eligibility under the SRA transitional arrangements.

female student

Select your desired study option, then pick a start date to see relevant course information:

Study options:
We support flexible study by offering some of our courses part-time or via distance learning. To give you real world experience before you graduate, we also offer some courses with a placement or internship. All available options are listed here. Your choices may affect some details of your course, such as the duration and cost per year. Please re-check the details on this page if you change your selection.

Start date:

If your desired start date is not available, try selecting a different study option.

Why study Legal Practice with us?

Why study Legal Practice with us?

What our students say…

The lecturers are amazing and they're what makes the Law course so successful. They're dedicated and eager to bring out the best in students.

Sandy Duffy
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This course has the opportunity to meet local solicitors
Wide range of legal work experience
Course accredited by the Solicitors Regulation Authority
Opportunity to take part in the Law Society's Free Legal Clinic
Course detail & modules

Course detail & modules

During the LLM course, you will receive training and support in order to become an effective trainee solicitor. In addition, there are opportunities to apply for legal work experience. You will also be able to network with local solicitors through:

You will be able to take part in Law Society’s free legal advice clinic run jointly with the West London Equality Council.

You will start the course with a foundation week early in September. You will be introduced in workshops to the course and the skills of interviewing and advising, legal writing, and drafting, professional conduct and taxation.

Following this foundation week, you will start your study for stage one of the course, which runs from September until February. From March to June you will study stage two. To complete the LPC, you must pass stages one and two within five years.

On the LLM Legal Practice Course, in addition to the LPC modules, you will study Research Methodology and write a 15,000 word dissertation on an area related to legal practice.

Compulsory modules

Compulsory modules

Elective modules run subject to availability and demand.

Optional modules

  • Advanced Litigation (Personal Injury)

  • Commercial Leases

  • Employment Law and Practice

    On this module we will help you to build a foundation from which you will be able to advise and assist employers, employees and workers on employment law, as it applies to each party.

  • Family Law and Practice

    This module will give you the essential knowledge you need to be able to advise and assist clients seeking divorce, financial provision both from marriage and in the context of co-habitation, and with regard to arrangements for children. You will also gain an understanding of the law relating to domestic violence, the powers of the courts and the protection orders available in such circumstances.

  • Immigration Law and Practice

Compulsory modules

For this Master's degree you will have the opportunity to study Research Methodology and to research and write a 15,000 word dissertation on an area related to legal practice.
Entry requirements

Entry requirements

You should have:

  • a qualifying law degree, usually 2:2 or above
  • a Common Professional Examination/Graduate Diploma in Law with an average of at least 50%

Find out more about our processes for recognising previous experience.

Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) - Transitional Arrangements

Please note the Legal Practice course is only available to students who are eligible to qualify as a Solicitor through the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) transitional arrangements, which cover candidates already on their way to becoming a solicitor before the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) was introduced in September 2021. 

Find out more about your eligibility under the SRA transitional arrangements

Suitability Tests for Solicitors

To qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales you need to meet the requirements in the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)'s  Suitability Test.  This ensures that solicitors all have the necessary honesty, integrity and professionalism, and that they do not pose a risk to the public. 

The test takes account of issues such as criminal convictions and findings of plagiarism made against you while at university. If this may affect you, we advise you to disclose the issue and be assessed before you start a Legal Practice Course as it could affect your chances of qualifying later on. 

To have your character and suitability assessed early you need to complete the application form and pay a fee. Every case is considered on its merits. 

More advice on the SRA's requirements

Fees & funding

Fees & funding

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The LLM in Legal Practice is eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan of up to *£12,167 from Student Finance England. Students who obtain such a loan will need to complete the full course leading to the LLM qualification or they may break the terms of their loan agreement.

*Subject to government approval

The fee above is the cost per year of your course.

If your course runs for two years or more, you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year. If your course runs for less than two years, the cost above is for your full course and you will need to pay the full fee upfront.

Government regulation does affect tuition fees and the fees listed for courses starting in the 2025/26 academic year are subject to change.

If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

Funding your studies

You may be eligible to apply for a postgraduate loan to cover your course and living costs.

Additional funding is available to some types of students, such as disabled students or those with dependants.

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries, including awards for specific subjects.

Awards for law students are also on offer.

View full details, including conditions and eligibility.

{{ formatCurrencyValue(currentVariantData.field_p_cv_int_main_fee.name) }} per year

The LLM in Legal Practice is eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan of up to *£12,167 from Student Finance England. Students who obtain such a loan will need to complete the full course leading to the LLM qualification or they may break the terms of their loan agreement.

*Subject to government approval

The fee above is the cost per year of your course.

If your course runs for two years or more, you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year. If your course runs for less than two years, the cost above is for your full course and you will need to pay the full fee upfront.

Government regulation does affect tuition fees and the fees listed for courses starting in the 2025/26 academic year are subject to change.

If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

International students - funding your studies

We offer scholarships for international students including International Ambassador Scholarships. 

Further information about funding and financial support for international students is available from the UK Council for International Student Affairs.

 

Teaching staff

Teaching staff

Liz Pugh profile image

Liz Pugh

I was a Solicitor in practice, in a medium size City law firm, with significant experience in the field of Property Litigation. I have extensive experience in legal education, having taught on the Legal Practice Course for over 20 years at London Metropolitan University, as a Senior Lecturer and subsequently as the Legal Practice Course Leader.

I was a Solicitor in practice, in a medium size City law firm, with significant experience in the field of Property Litigation. I have extensive experience in legal education, having taught on the Legal Practice Course for over 20 years at London Metropolitan University, as a Senior Lecturer and subsequently as the Legal Practice Course Leader.

Study & career progression

Study & career progression

court

On successful completion of this course you will be awarded the LLM in Legal practice and will be able to work as a trainee qualified solicitor.

Our Careers and Employment Service provides careers workshops tailored for our LPC students, as well as practical, individual help with applications and interviews for a training contract. You will have this support available to you for up to three years after you complete the LPC, and indefinitely if you join the Alumni association.

How to apply

How to apply

Alumni

Sunil Sheth

Sunil Sheth

Sunil, an alumnus of UWL Law School and a qualified solicitor. He advises clients on international tax and estate planning, wealth management and private funds and in sectors including financial services, real estate, infrastructure, hotels and hospitality.

He is a trustee of the disability rights charity Sense International. He is also the Chair of Anti-Slavery International, a UK charity established in 1839 and regarded as the oldest human rights organisation in the world. He is a trustee of The Hospice Biographers, a charity which offers terminally ill patients the chance to have their life stories professionally recorded on audio for their pleasure and relief, and for their families to hear their voices and memories for generations to come.

He was also a Founder of the Society of Asian Lawyers and Chair of the organisation for many years.

Ilia Martynov profile image

Ilia Martynov

Having completed his undergraduate Bachelor of Laws (LLB) at the University of West London with a First-Class Honour In October 2022 Ilia began his LLM programme and became a Master of Law candidate at the University of Cambridge (Fitzwilliam college).

Since joining Sterling Law in March 2022 as a Legal Assistant, Ilia started working for Immigration and Commercial departments. At the Immigration department, Ilia is focused on complex immigration matters, asylum cases, and business immigration. At the Commercial department, Ilia is assisting solicitors in companies and charity registration, civil litigation, and other matters. His areas of expertise include:

  • commercial Law
  • immigration Law
  • human Rights
  • intellectual Property
Annetta Jackson

Annetta Jackson

Annetta currently serves as a Program Officer at the Directorate of Gender Affairs with responsibility for Legal and Institutional Frameworks. She is also a Storyteller at Intersect Antigua and a Black Feminist Fund Fellow.

She received a Legal Education Certificate from the Council for Legal Education in April 2022 and was admitted to practice as an Attorney-at-Law of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in Antigua and Barbuda in November 2022.

Annetta oversaw the abolition of the death penalty in Barbados and six Eastern Caribbean States: Dominica, Grenada, St Vincent & The Grenadines, St. Lucia, St. Kitts & Nevis and Antigua & Barbuda.

Kelly Johnson

Kelly Johnson


Kelly has always been interested in business and the work that goes on behind the scenes that allow major companies to grow and reach their full potential.

While living in South Africa, she started her own business which allowed her to acquire real-world knowledge of the challenges that businesses face.

Her extensive background in hospitality has enabled her to quickly build a rapport with clients and efficiently satisfy their requests in a fast-paced environment.

Emma Hughes

Emma Hughes

Prior to beginning pupillage, Emma worked at a leading London law firm; dealing primarily with care proceedings featuring non-accidental injury, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, forced marriage, and radicalisation.

Emma received an Access to the Bar Award and a Jules Thorn Scholarship from Middle Temple. 

Emma is the Head of the Mentoring Programme at Bridging the Bar (BTB),  a charity dedicated to diversifying the Bar’s profile by creating opportunities for those from underrepresented backgrounds. Emma sits on the Bar Council Race Working Group and currently serves as Middle Temple Young Barrister's Association President.  

A man and a woman in suits talking at a table

Shadia Ousta

Shadia began her LLB after completing the LPC in 2007. She began a placement at Howe and Co in Ealing before becoming a paralegal and then a trainee at the firm. After a varied career in private and government practice, she is now the Senior Community Services Solicitor at Islington Council. Her areas of practice include:

  • administrative and public law
  • human rights
  • immigration - nationality and citizenship
  • litigation - general
  • higher courts rights - civil accredited
  • personal injury.

Employability

At the School of Law, we strive to offer valuable opportunities to enhance your employability. We have a module dedicated to employability and professional skills available to all law students at all levels. Last year our students benefited from the following:

A female lawyer with a folder in front of an old building

Opportunities

students attending a legal workshop at Sky studios

Events

  • Careers fair
  • Guidance on CVs and professional qualification routes
  • Sky legal insight day
  • Interviews in the legal sector
An academic conference, during which a speaker is presenting to a large group

Talks

 

Overseas trips

Law students have for many years been offered the opportunity of expanding their knowledge and experience of other cultures and historical sites critical to understanding the development of international law.
Past law students visited:

train track leading to the Auschwitz concentration camp building

Krakow and Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp

The Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp is known as a symbol of the Holocaust and the events that took place there helped trigger the foundation of international legal enforcement of human rights and laws to prevent and punish the perpetrators of such.

During World War I, over 1 million people lost their lives there, primarily Jewish, but also Poles, Romanian, and Russian. The site has been preserved, and students participate in a day-long formal guided tour.

colourful tulips set against the backdrop of buildings surrounded by water

The Hague

Established in 2002, the International Criminal Court has the jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for the international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. Often referred to as the World Court, the International Court of Justice is the main judicial organ of the United Nations. 

Both courts are visited, with official guides and interactive events with court staff. Additionally, students receive a tour and presentation from the staff at the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone. Students also have the opportunity on the day of arrival to enjoy the beautiful city of Amsterdam with its canals and museums.

cobbled road in Nuremberg with tall colourful old building on either side

Nuremberg

At the end of the Second World War Nuremberg was the site of the first-ever international war crime trials that helped lay the basis of all modern human rights legislation. The main trial of 24 of the most central participants in the Holocaust took a year to complete. 

Students visit the original courtrooms as part of an official guided tour including interactive workshops and presentations. Nuremberg itself is a beautiful walled medieval city complete with a castle and students have a day to enjoy its shops and many attractions.

Guest lecturers

Michael Mansfield profile pic

Michael Mansfield KC

One of the best-known barristers in the United Kingdom. A radical activist lawyer and human rights defender.

He has variously represented the Guildford Four, the Birmingham Six, individuals wrongly convicted of IRA bombings, the Angry Brigade, Ruth Ellis (the last woman to be hanged in Great Britain) in a posthumous appeal, Stephen Lawrence’s family, Barry George at the Inquest of tv presenter Jill Dando, Arthur Scargill, and striking miners, Mohamed al-Fayed in the inquest of his son Dodi and Diana Princess of Wales, the families of Charles de Menezes, and of Mark Duggan, both shot by police, the families of the Hillsborough stadium disaster and those bereaved by the sinking of the Marchioness, and the Bloody Sunday shootings.

Recently, he was engaged by the family of Emiliano Sala, the footballer who died in a plane crash on the way to join Brighton Football Club. He is also representing the survivors and bereaved of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Image attribute - Brian O'Neill, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

image of andrew ballheimer

Andrew Ballheimer

Andrew joined A&O in 1987, became a partner in 1994 and has over 32 years of post-qualification experience in mergers and acquisitions and in capital markets (both international and domestic). His client base includes FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 companies and banks in the UK and major public and private corporations and financial institutions outside the UK.

Andrew Ballheimer is a Senior Advisor with Teneo. Prior to joining Teneo, Andrew was the Global Managing Partner of Allen & Overy LLP (the 550 partner, 6,000 person, global elite law firm with 43 offices around the world).

Tan Ikram profile pic

Tan Ikram CBE

Tan qualified as a barrister in 1990 and as a solicitor in 1993 becoming a partner in IBB solicitors defending complex fraud. He moved into a judicial career in 2007, starting as a deputy district judge, postgraduate medical education and training board, then a legal assessor for the nursing and midwifery council. In 2017 he was appointed Deputy Senior District Judge authorised to hear extradition and terrorism cases. Since 2015 he has also been an associate judge and HM Coroner of Her Majesty’s Court of the Sovereign Base Areas, Cyprus.

Clive Coleman profile pic

Clive Coleman

Drawing on his years as a practicing barrister, Clive covered a vast range of domestic and international legal stories and issues including 2019’s momentous Supreme Court prorogation case, Brexit, the growing courts backlog, the Barclay brothers ‘Ritz’ dispute, GDPR, the VW emissions scandal, phone hacking, Sir Cliff Richard v BBC, and the Hillsborough tragedy inquests.

Prior to becoming BBC Legal Correspondent, Clive was for six years the presenter of Radio 4’s flagship legal analysis programme ‘Law In Action’, and presented a raft of BBC programmes including Panorama ‘The Death of Kiss and Tell’, on the rise of privacy protection under the Human Rights Act.

Important notes for applicants

Disclaimer

*Modern universities - defined as higher education institutions that were granted university status in, and subsequent to, 1992.

**The National Student Survey 2022 and 2023 - Based on an average of all 27 questions. Excludes specialist institutions.

Testimonials - our students or former students provided all of our testimonials - often a student from the course but sometimes another student. For example, the testimonial often comes from another UWL student when the course is new.

Optional modules - where optional modules are offered they will run subject to staff availability and viable student numbers opting to take the module.

Videos - all videos on our course pages were accurate at the time of filming. In some cases a new Course Leader has joined the University since the video was filmed.

Availability of placements - if you choose a course with placement/internship route we would like to advise you that if a placement/internship opportunity does not arise when you are expected to undertake the placement then the University will automatically transfer you to the non-internship route, this is to ensure you are still successful in being awarded a degree.