# Law Degree!



## Scamper (8 Jan 2004)

I intend studying a part time Law Degree, any advice on the following would be appreciated..

Best Colleges for LLB

What are the options if any around fee paying.

Most importantly - what are my options after obtaining the degree in terms of employment apart from the obvious two of Kings Inn and Law Society...whilst still staying within the legal area...

thanks..


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## Vanilla (9 Jan 2004)

*B.C.L./ LL.B*

As far as I am aware, most people regard all degrees which come from NUI colleges to be on an even keel. There may be some extra value attached to a degree from Trinity as this was always considered slightly more elite. However it depends on what you want to do afterwards- if you want to work in the countryside, most people won't care whether your degree is Trinity, NUI or from one of the new colleges offering such courses such as UL etc.In Dublin there may be a possible 'snob' value attached to a Trinity degree. I think I am correct in saying that degrees which come from private colleges through University of London etc are regarded as slightly second-class. However having said that, if you get work experience in the summer holidays or in the day job or if you have already experience in a related field the experience will count far more than where your degree is from.

What could you do with the degree? As with all degrees the skys the limit as long as you are prepared to do further education, training or experience. How about Air Hostessing, journalism, trainee accountant, trainee tax adviser, company secretary, patents, civil service both here and in the EU bodies etc etc. If you know in advance what you would really like to do, my advice is to get experience- even if it has to be unpaid- as this is crucial when looking for the job at the end of the day.


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## Novice (16 May 2005)

*Re: B.C.L./ LL.B*



			
				Vanilla said:
			
		

> ......I think I am correct in saying that degrees which come from private colleges through University of London etc are regarded as slightly second-class. However having said that, if you get work experience in the summer holidays or in the day job or if you have already experience in a related field .


 
Just wondering if others would agree?


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## daveco23 (17 May 2005)

*Re: B.C.L./ LL.B*



			
				Novice said:
			
		

> Just wondering if others would agree?



Yep - entry requirments for private law degrees are not as tough as for NUI Law degrees. Is seen by many as a backdoor into law without having to kill yourself getting the points in the leaving. That said, as mentioned below, experience counts for a lot. I know plenty of barristers and solictors who did either Arts or a private college law degree and got the necessary experience through summer work, study,etc.


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## Novice (17 May 2005)

But once an applicant is over 23 they are considered a mature student abd CAO points are no longer and issue.  All that is required are the standard entry requirements....this isn't even always necessary.

The reason I'm so interested is the it is actually cheaper to do a diastance degree with univerity of London than it is with UCD or DCU and they have much more choice but I'm afraid that it would not be as well thought of as the Irish degrees.  Also University of London seem to have a much better set up for distance learning than DCU/UCD.

By the way, I have a good leaving cert and have an Art Degree already - so not trying to get in the  back door of anything.  Really just comes down to what I'll get the most benefit out of later.


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## Vanilla (17 May 2005)

If you already have a degree, why are you thinking of doing a law degree? You wont need it in order to become a barrister or solicitor, so is it out of interest?


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## Novice (17 May 2005)

I'm not thinking of doing a law degree.  I just added a post thinking of my own plans - sorry should have made that clear - I'm not the original poster


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## black_pearl (20 May 2005)

Hi All,

Theres been a very similar question to yours answered on the site within the last 2 weeks so have a search for it, theres lots of good info there. Im in the middle of my finals of an LLB at the moment.

Novice:

If you have a degree already, you are qualified to sit the FE1 (Blackhall Place)  exams. However, in order to actually pass them (they are a big undertaking, dont take them lightly) you'll have to do some kind of a law course. Possible options are:

1- A post-graduate LLB. UL definately offer a 2-yr full time LLB course. I'm not sure about part-time. I think NUIG also offer one over 2 yrs, Im sure other universities do aswell, but cant speak from personal experience.

2- A legal diploma. DIT and Griffith College offer these. Check the other thread for an in-depth discussion on the merits of each.

3- A revision course. Offered by Griffith College and lots of other private organisations. Some offer distance learning courses (Griffith definately) which, I've heard, are excellent.

To be honest, you have a degree already so youre obviously capable of sitting exams. I'd do the revision course and study at home to sit them. (Bearing in mind that this WILL require 1 year full-time self-motivated study). As part of my degree I did a 7 month placement with one of the Top 10 commercial firms in Dublin, about 3 of the new apprentices had just done Arts degrees, then sat their FE1s. Decent relevant work experience would benefit you greatly though. 

Oh, if you do the University of London course, you'll have to be very careful with regard to Irish law. While quite a lot of major English decisions are followed here, there are also many areas where the Irish courts have totally diverged from the English opinion. Obviously the majority of the statutes will be different also. While Irish students must usually learn the English law first and then study the Irish courts interpretations, I would presume that the Uni of London course will not cover any Irish law, thus even after it you may still feel inadequately prepared for the FE1s. Just some food for thought!

Scamper:

A law degree is not necessarily an LLB, it may also be a BCL. Not sure exactly what the distinction is, rumour has it that a BCL means youve studied for 3 yrs, an LLB for 4. (However, as mentioned above, a post-grad LLB can be done in 2 yrs).

College-wise, IMHO theres really not a huge difference between the universities. Possibly Trinity may have the "snob" factor, but in my experience this is an out-dated opinion. Im in my 4th year of the LLB in Law & European Studies in UL which I chose for three reasons:

1-I wasnt 100% certain that I wanted to study law, this degree allows you study a foreign language and either history, politics or sociology. I didnt want to spend 3/4 years in a degree without having an escape route if I needed it (Luckily I love it so I shouldnt have worried!)

2-As part of UL undergraduate courses, you must undertake a 7-month work placement in a company relevant to your degree. (Mature students are not usually required to do this). I spent mine in an excellent law firm and have an impressive CV along with many contacts for getting an apprenticeship. Handy for a course such as law, especially if you have no ffriends/ relations/ neighbours etc. involved in the legal world. The 2 UL law degrees, as far as I know are the only ones that provide such a placement. (Youre not guaranteed a placement in a law firm, you compete with the other students in your class for them. Many students were placed with banks etc)

3-Its too expensive to be a student in Dublin.

Its probably fair to say that there is less thought of a law degree from a private college as the points requirements are not particularly onerous. Then again, one apprentice in the firm I was placed with had such a law degree.

Hope I've been of some help. As I said earlier, check out the other thread, its full of useful info.


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## kikita (3 Jul 2005)

I´ve been reading carefully all your posts and they are extremely interesting though my situation is really different.

Probably one of you would enlighten the dark situation a little bit: I am already a mature student and don´t have a degree though relevant experience (more than 5 years at a solicitor´s firm[well, probably not so relevant: it was in Buenos Airs]) and attended Law School in Buenos Aires for four years, passed 13 examinations (I should have passed 34).
Is it imperative I get a degree to sit at the exam? Or if I show evidence of this exams that´s fair enough?  if no.... let me know about easiest way to get a degree soon? 

I would really like to do it.


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