With the introduction of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination, the path to becoming a lawyer has undergone a significant transformation. Candidates across the UK are adjusting to this new assessment format, which differs from traditional academic exams. In this article, Jody Tranter, senior director of learning at BARBRI, explores how adopting the right mindset can help you navigate this new exam and route to becoming a lawyer with confidence and clarity.

The University of Law has received a new “gold” rating in the new government-led Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). The TEF panel judged that the institution “delivers consistently outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for its students. It is of the highest quality found in the United Kingdom.”

BPP University Law School has launched a nationwide advocacy competition for aspiring barristers, with scholarships and bursaries the prizes. 

The coronavirus pandemic has so far not led to any delay in plans to change legal education and training in 2021 with the introduction of the new Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE). Here is everything we know about the new exams, from the syllabus, to the format of the exams themselves, to the possible cost for candidates, to the response of law firms, universities, law schools and junior lawyers.

Krishna Patel, managing associate at leading national law firm Stevens & Bolton LLP, shares details of his journey into the legal profession, his area of expertise and the type of corporate finance work he takes on, including M&A, and his advice for you. Read Krishna’s insights in this Meet the Lawyer profile.

I’m qualifying via the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), can I still do a training contract?

At university, if you wanted to become a solicitor, the only route I knew about was private practice. I knew there were a vast array of firms, from high street to the magic circle, but I knew very little about the in-house legal functions in corporations or the public sector.

After a long summer holiday, it can be hard to keep up with fast-paced and intense university life. As a law student, you may be struggling with doing all your reading, seminar preparation and career planning on the side. It’s important to remember that this is normal, that your peers are in the same situation and you'll adjust to your new setting over time. Here are a few tips that aim to help you ease back into university and help with organisation.

I’m in the final year of my law degree – should I do the Graduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice Course after I graduate, or the new Solicitors Qualifying Exam?

At first glance, this might seem like one of those ‘how-tos’ that you’ve read before. Don’t stop reading! I want to highlight some key points that contribute towards drafting a good CV in a more structured way. As a non-law graduate who has successfully secured a training contract, I want to provide a perspective on what a desirable ‘law CV’ should look like, but also how to adapt and make fundamental changes to a CV when converting to law.  

Finn Halton is a corporate tax lawyer at Macfarlanes. Find out why Finn pursued this area of law, how the firm has supported her and Finn’s top tips for aspiring lawyers.

With the start of the new academic year coming up, no doubt your anticipation is intensifying and a sense of responsibility mounting. This final year will not merely test your legal knowledge; it's one of the key last steps before a career in law. This is a period marked by intense academic rigour, critical decision making regarding specialisations and much career planning. Let's delve into what this crucial year entails

A record number of aspiring lawyers enrolled on the Bar Professional Training Course in 2018, with most graduates unable to go on to secure pupillage, the Bar Standards Board revealed.

London is a huge, sprawling city to study in, and is home to several prestigious world-class universities including LSE, UCL and King’s; this guide lays out some of the most important benefits and issues with studying in the capital.

The popularity of podcasts has soared in recent years, with 12.3 million people listening to podcasts each week in the UK, according to the BBC. Here are the 15 podcasts we think all aspiring lawyers should listen to.

UK law firm TLT LLP has created a bespoke and innovative Solicitors Qualification Programme (SQE) in collaboration with BPP University Law School. 

Most trainee-hiring law firms run work experience schemes and events specifically for year 12/13 and first-year students. So, if you’re seriously considering becoming a solicitor, you’ll be doing yourself a big favour by getting involved at this early stage of your career – if not just to identify whether a career in the legal profession is for you. Use this list of law firms offering opportunities to year 12/13 and first-year university students to get you started!

I think the combination of mentors, confidence and consistent hard work is what drove me to the pinnacle of BigLaw. So, to all aspiring socially mobile lawyers, here are my top pieces of advice to succeed in BigLaw.