How to survive your law conversion course

Do I need to sit a conversion course?

It’s fair to say that the introduction of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) next year has caused some confusion. Will non-law graduates need to sit a conversion course, or is it merely a good idea? And what could the conversion course look like in future? Well, you won’t be required to take a conversion course (such as the GDL course) – but if you’re looking to qualify as a solicitor and haven’t previously studied law you’ll need to catch up with LLB graduates. You’ll need to learn a huge amount of legal knowledge in preparation for the SQE too. That means a conversion course will exist in one form or another. As we write this, it looks like The University of Law’s GDL course will continue as it is, while BPP is turning its GDL course into the ‘PGDL’ course by essentially swapping company law for EU law. Other providers, such as BARBRI, are introducing their own new courses.

Whether it’s called the GDL or the PGDL, a conversion course is essentially the vast bulk of a degree crammed into a year’s worth of studying. Knowing how to navigate through a year of dense legal learning as soon as possible is essential to surviving. This article is here to give you some tips on how to survive.

Get all the support you can

There are plenty of support schemes out there – so get in touch with them! There are several schemes out there which are designed to help students with their studying and careers, such as Aspiring Solicitors. The law has something of a diversity problem (though it’s improved over the years), so thankfully there are other schemes which are designed to help students from under-represented backgrounds, such as Rare Recruitment. LawCareers.Net has a comprehensive list of these diversity access schemes.

At Law Answered we have introduced a new Sponsorship scheme for 2020-21, which provides a grant, free study materials and careers coaching from our experienced team for conversion course students – our scheme is open to anyone but we will give preference to students from under-represented backgrounds. You can find out more about our Sponsorship scheme here.

Go to your lectures and tutorials

Obvious, we know. But we’ve seen it happen plenty of times: you won’t pass the GDL if you skip lectures and tutorials. At the very minimum, you’ll need to prepare ahead of lectures and tutorials as well as simply attending them. Repetition of a topic, whether through hearing it several times, thinking about it over several days or writing sets of notes, is key to learning. You’ll need the basic legal understanding of a topic before you can think about how to prepare the best exam answer. There aren’t too many shortcuts – you need to put at least this minimum level of work in.

Work smart – not just hard

I still remember receiving a delivery of textbooks needed for the GDL: 23 thick books in a suitcase sized box arrived at my door. I almost staggered under the weight of it! Almost every module had three books to look through before each tutorial, along with attending lectures. I gradually came to the realisation that you do not need to read every chapter of every textbook and casebook in depth to do well – there is a smarter way of studying. Below are some tips to help you work smart – as well as work hard!

Work out how you will be assessed – and study accordingly

Different modules are assessed in different ways. Most will use problem question structures to assess you, with a few exceptions: essays on constitutional law and multiple-choice questions on EU. However, this is not always how the tutors will teach you. Some will teach in a more academic style that you might be used to from your university days.

This is all well and good and will add to a well-rounded legal knowledge base. But it is not directly relevant to answering problem questions, essay questions and multiple-choice questions. For that, you will need to work out exactly which pieces of information you will need to know, how to present them and which authorities to refer to support your answer. Answering such questions can often follow a set format. Happily, at Law Answered we have already done much of that work for you – check out our GDL Answered Core Guide (and Case Book) if you want to get straight to the point of what you need to know. We’ll also be bringing out PGDL Answered guides, as well as SQE Answered guides in due course. Check out our site and join our mailing list if you want to be kept updated on when these are released.

Practice, practice, practice

Once you have learned the legal basics, an excellent way to prepare is by practising past papers. Get your hands on as many past papers as you can to understand how certain topics are examined and how you can best answer. Take advantage of all opportunities to get feedback from your tutors on how best to answer mock assessments.

Other ways to broaden your knowledge

Stuck on a commute? Bored at home? Use this dead time to improve your learning through an alternative means. Rather than just staring at your notes again and hoping it will go in, try listening to a podcast. There are plenty of podcasts that are directly relevant to your studies but also many that are indirectly relevant – think of it as an opportunity to broaden your business knowledge, your understanding of current affairs and work on your commercial awareness, by simply listening to something interesting.  Have a browse on Spotify if you’re looking for inspiration.

Keep your career goals in mind

It is very easy to get caught up in the academic aspects of the conversion course. But remember why you are studying. If you are intending to become a solicitor but have not yet secured a training contract, make sure you don’t just study. Set aside time for law fairs and vacation scheme applications. Research and apply to a select list of firms in good time – do not leave it until the last minute to get your applications in.

Use your law school’s facilities

Paying for a conversion course is expensive – and if you haven’t been lucky enough to get a training contract, one of the things you are paying for is the careers and skills services at your law school. So use them! Skills workshops, talks with careers advisors, CV workshops, training contract application reviews, even additional study options and modules. Competition to get a training contract is intense, so get your money’s worth.

Look after yourself

Life does not always go to plan, and the law already takes up enough of it. There may be times when you fall behind with your work or studies or let stress get you down. Try to recognise when you’re under too much stress so that you can get back on track. Talk to your tutor, law school support staff, or friends and family about your feelings. Remember also that many other students with you will be in the same boat. Make sure to put aside time during the day to reset – go for a coffee, a short walk, the gym or a lunch break – these will all help clear your head and keep you on track.

Good luck!

Law Answered’s sponsorship scheme is open for applications until 17 July. If you will be studying a law conversion course in the 2020-21 academic year and would like to be supported via a grant, free guides and careers coaching from our experienced team, check out https://lawanswered.com/blog/sponsorship-scheme. You can also learn more about how students can work with us here.