PCCLGPRA - PG Certificate Legal Practice (SQE1)

RATIONALE FOR THE COURSE

This programme has been specifically designed to cater to graduate law students who wish to qualify as solicitors by taking the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). This will be an intensive course designed around the SQE Parts One, which comprises two centralised tests, operated by Kaplan on behalf of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), testing functional legal knowledge as prescribed by the SRA.

The syllabus and assessments of the course will exactly mirror those of the professional examinations, so that successful students will both obtain a university award and gain practical training for the external SQE Parts One assessments. The course may be taken either full-time or part-time, and either on-campus on online, including blended learning to meet your individual needs. This should enable participation by both recent graduates and those in full-time employment.

LEARNING TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

Overview

You will be taught by a combination of workshops, lectures, interactive seminars, one-to-one supervision, and self-study. You will be encouraged to read from specified practitioners’ books. You will be supported in undertaking on-line research using electronic law databases and encouraged to use on line legal resources on a regular basis. There is a virtual learning environment (VLE) containing handbooks, lecture notes, weblinks, discussion groups, study skills materials and assessment criteria.

Experiential Learning

The nature of the SQE aspects of the course is entirely experiential and employment focused.

You will be encouraged to respond to realistic case-studies relating to the sector, choosing which of several alternative solutions to a given problem would amount to the best advice to give a client, in exactly the way you will be required to do both in the SQE Part One examination and in professional legal practice.

You will also be able to participate in the extracurricular experiential learning offered within the Law School, including the Pro Bono Clinic and the Mooting Club. Work within the Pro Bono Clinic may also afford you credit towards your SRA required Qualifying Work Experience.

Study Support

You will have regular access to module tutors by email and by one-to-one meetings and video conferences to support your studies. You will also engage with one formative assessment for each module, with opportunities for feedback either by email or individual online discussion.

LEARNING RESOURCES

You will have 24/7 access to the extensive online law library, including the professional primary and secondary source data-bases of Westlaw and Lexis Library. Blended learning pervades the delivery of the module and is actively encouraged as you will engage with digital materials, use on-line discussion groups and achieve a competent standard of digital literacy during your studies.

MARKET DEMAND AND EMPLOYABILITY FOCUS

The course is entirely centred on the employability needs of law graduates who wish to practise professionally as solicitors. It is specifically a preparation course for the SQE Part One and Part Two.

The cohort of law students who started their studies in 2021 were the last group who are able to qualify as solicitors by taking the Legal Practice Course. Now they all have to take the SQE, and it is therefore expected that demand for this course will increase exponentially over the next few years

The purpose of the course is to deliver an academically rigorous programme of study, which will provide you with the opportunity to do study the ‘Functioning Legal Knowledge’ subjects prescribed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, and prepare for an assessment of this knowledge by way of a multiple-choice test, as per the SQE Part One assessments of the SRA.

The programme promotes the use of a range of teaching, learning and assessment methods, which develop your intellectual abilities, self-confidence and ability to study independently.

The course has been devised with reference to the subject benchmark statement for Law and the requirements of the Solicitors Regulation Authority in relation to the Solicitors Qualifying Examination

The course will equip you with the skills and attributes that will enable you to compete with success in the complex and challenging legal sector and employment market.

On completion of this course, you should be able to do the following:

LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. To demonstrate extensive knowledge and understanding of a broad range of areas in civil and criminal practice.

2. To synthesise relevant case and statute law in order to resolve arguments.

3. To apply the law to problem scenarios relevant to aspects of civil and criminal practice.

4. To demonstrate the ability to apply creative thinking to practical problems.

5. To have the confidence needed to take leadership decisions in challenging situations.

6. To possess the analytical and organizational skills to translate creative ideas into operational solutions in the context of the course curriculum.

ULO: To demonstrate confidence, resilience, ambition and creativity and to act as inclusive, collaborative and socially responsible professionals in your discipline.

Law

ASSESSMENT STRATEGY

Summative assessment of the modules on this course will be by way of two multiple-choice tests, to reflect the assessment regime of the centralised SQE Part One examination.

In line with our policy on facilitating formative feedback to students, the assessment strategy is designed to provide formative feedback on a piece of contributing summary assessment before another summative component is due to be submitted.

The course may be taken either full-time (one year) or part-time (two years).

To gain the Legal Practice (SQE 1) PG Certificate, you must pass the following modules

LQ7001 and LQ7002.

Every module on this course has embedded within it reflective learning components and personal development planning relevant to the year of study. It will be encouraged in module handbooks and self-study questions and through assessment methods. You will be directed to reflect on knowledge specific learning, personal and employability skills development. You will be encouraged to engage positively with all feedback opportunities and to reflect and learn, resulting in the developing of further learning strategies.

We also aim to enable you to become reflective practitioners by taking as our model the SRA Learning and Development template and the new ESJF Toolkit.

https://www.sra.org.uk/solicitors/resources/continuing-competence/templates/

https://www.londonmet.ac.uk/about/centre-for-teaching-enhancement/education-for-social-justice-framework/

SRA assessment requirements for the SQE

London maintains a solid position as one of the world’s leading centres of law and is unrivalled in European terms. Although there have been some major challenges in the sector over the past few years, London remains a strong legal services provider and a strong recruiter. Students graduating from this course are likely to be recent graduates or those working in the legal sector, looking to enhance their careers by qualifying as a solicitor.

This Postgraduate Certificate in Legal Practice course is specifically aimed at students who wish to qualify as solicitors, although the knowledge gained throughout the course would benefit anyone working either within the legal or business sectors in any capacity.

You will be required to have:

• an undergraduate UK law degree with at least a 2:2 classification; or a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) from a UK university (with a Grade Point Average of at least 50%)

If you don't have a law degree or the Graduate Diploma in Law, both courses are available to study at the University.