How to become a lawyer
Applicants without an undergraduate degree
A degree in any subject discipline can put you on the route to qualify as a lawyer in England and Wales. Your first option is a law degree.
We offer three distinct LLBs:
Each cover the core areas of Engish law and academic skills, as defined by professional bodies. Completion of any of these degrees will enable you to progress to the next stages of professional qualification as a barrister or solicitor in England and Wales. If you don't have a degree, a three-year LLB would be a great choice.
However, your alternative route is to study an undergraduate degree in a subject other than law, and then convert to law afterwards. Lawyers come from all kinds of backgrounds, with degrees in a range of subjects, and your breadth of knowledge will allow you to become a confident legal professional.
If this idea appeals to you, you may want to consider our Graduate Diploma in Law after finishing your undergraduate degree. This course will allow you to develop key legal skills and meet the requirements for further legal qualification in England and Wales.
How to qualify as a solicitor or barrister
If you wish to qualify as a solicitor (sra.org) in England and Wales, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) requirements are that you:
- have a degree-level qualification or equivalent
- pass two solicitor qualification examinations (SQE), the SQE1 and SQE2
- complete two years of qualifying work experience (QWE)
- meet character and suitability requirements
An LLB from York Law School will fulfil the first requirement. We'll also enable you to start developing the legal knowledge and skills that are assessed in SQE1 and SQE2. Most students will then take a specific SQE preparation course, such as our LLM Professional Legal Practice (SQE1 & SQE2), before sitting these exams.
If you wish to qualify as a barrister (barstandardsboard.org), the first stage of qualification is to meet the academic requirements of the Bar Standards Board (BSB). An LLB from YLS includes the seven foundations of legal knowledge required by the BSB for the academic component of barrister training. The next stage of barrister training is to complete a Bar Training Course.
Applicants with an undergradute degree in law from the UK wanting to practise law in England or Wales
If you have an undergraduate law degree, then in almost all cases you can go straight to study for the SQE or apply for a Bar Training Course. There are many courses to help you prepare for the SQE. However, students typically do so by studying a one-year LLM focusing on SQE preparation.
We offer a LLM Professional Legal Practice (SQE1 and SQE2). This course has been designed specifically to prepare you for both parts of the SQE. You'll also gain the additional experience and legal skills required for employment in professional legal practice.
Applicants with an undergraduate degree in law from the UK wanting to practise law in an international jurisdiction
In some cases, having a three-year undergraduate English law degree will enable you to sit local Bar exams overseas, subject to local requirements. For example, the New York Bar exams. Our three-year LLB Law is now recognised in Malaysia and our two-year LLB Law (Senior Status) degree for graduates is recognised in Canada.
Applicants with an undergraduate degree in law from another country wanting to practise law in England or Wales
If you have a law degree from a common law country, such as India, Nigeria, Malaysia or the USA, then you will have covered at least some of the core legal subjects needed to qualify for entry onto the LLM Professional Legal Practice (SQE1 and SQE2). This course has been designed specifically to prepare you for both parts of the SQE1 and SQE2. You'll also gain the additional experience and legal skills required for employment in professional legal practice.
If you have not covered all of the core subjects (which include EU law), then we will support you to self-study up to two core subjects assessed in the SQE before you join.
Applicants with an undergraduate degree in law from another country wanting to practise law in an international jurisdiction
Having an English legal qualification is a gateway to a truly international career. English law firms operate all over the world as so many commercial transactions between businesses in different countries are done on the basis of English law. As a result, English-qualified or dual-qualified lawyers are highly valued.
For that reason, many students with overseas law degrees come to York to convert their law degrees via the Graduate Diploma in Law, or go straight onto the LLM Professional Legal Practice (SQE1 and SQE2) or a Bar Training Course if they are eligible.
Applicants with a UK undergraduate degree in another discipline wanting to practise law in England or Wales
If you have a degree in a subject other than law, then our one-year Graduate Diploma in Law will cover the core Foundational Law subjects you'll need to know as part of the SQE exams and to be eligible to apply for a Bar Training Course. Alternatively, if you're interested in studying a broader legal context, our two-year LLB Law (Senior Status) allows you to select from a range of option modules, meaning you can focus on the specific areas of law that interest you and have more of an opportunity to develop practical legal skills.
Applicants with a UK undergraduate degree in another discipline wanting to practise law in an international jurisdiction
Our Graduate Diploma in Law is an ideal stepping stone to a legal career that can take you around the world. The Graduate Diploma in Law covers the Foundational Law subjects you'll need to know as part of the SQE exams and to be eligible to apply for a Bar Training Course. Becoming a qualified legal professional in England and Wales can then set you up for an international career.
Our LLM Law (Juris Doctor) is well suited to those interested in taking the New York Bar exam or Bar exams in other US states. Our Graduate LLB Professional Law and SQE is well suited to those interested in practising law in India. Our LLB Law (Senior Status) is a good choice for those interested in practising law in Canada.
English law firms often operate globally as so many commercial transactions between businesses in different countries are done on the basis of English law. As a result, English-qualified or dual-qualified lawyers are highly valued.
Applicants with an international degree in another discipline wanting to practise law in England or Wales
If you are an international applicant with an undergraduate degree in a discipline other than law, then you will need to study the Graduate Diploma in Law before then choosing either to study the LLM Professional Legal Practice (SQE1 and SQE2) or enrol on a Bar Training Course.
Applicants with an international undergraduate degree in another discipline wanting to practise law in an international jurisdiction
Becoming a qualified-legal professional in England and Wales can be the first step to an international career in Law. Regardless of whether you have a degree in Law, our Graduate Diploma in Law will cover the Foundational Law subjects you'll need to know as part of the SQE exams and be eligible for a Bar Training Course. After graduating you'd also have the option to take our LLM Professional Legal Practice (SQE1 and SQE2), which will help you prepare for the SQE exams.
Our LLM Law (Juris Doctor) is well suited to those interested in taking the New York Bar exam or Bar exams in other US states. Our Graduate LLB Professional Law and SQE is well suited to those interested in practising law in India. Our LLB Law (Senior Status) is a good choice for those interested in practising law in Canada.
English law firms operate all over the world as so many commercial transactions between businesses in different countries are done on the basis of English law. As a result, English-qualified or dual-qualified lawyers are highly valued.