Professional Legal Practice

Entry requirements

Either of the following:

passes in the following Ordinary LLB courses: Public Law of the UK and Scotland, Legal Reasoning and the Legal System, Family Law, Delict, Contract and Unjustified Enrichment, Trusts and Succession, Public Law and Individual Rights, Property, Evidence, Criminal Law, Commercial Law, Business Entities, EC/EU Law (required to graduate but not a pre-requisite for the Diploma), or their equivalents

or:

passes in all the appropriate Diploma pre-requisite subjects if you are an applicant from a university other than Edinburgh, a Law Society or Faculty of Advocates applicant

You will graduate with the degree of LLB or have already done so (unless you are a Law Society or Faculty of Advocates applicant).

Months of entry

September

Course content

The Diploma in Professional Legal Practice is suitable for students seeking to enter the professions of solicitor or advocate in Scotland.

The content is determined by the national Joint Standing Committee on Legal Education, the Diploma Co-ordinating Committee and various working parties, which include representatives of all the universities and members of the legal profession.

The focus is on the practical skills required in the legal profession.

Compulsory courses include:

• Conveyancing
• Private Client
• Civil Court Practice
• Criminal Court Practice
• Financial Services and Related Skills
• Company and Commercial
• Professional Skills and Responsibility

There are also a number of elective courses on offer, ranging from Construction Law to Estate Planning, which take place in February/March.

Students on this programme have a very full timetable in comparison with that at undergraduate level. It entails a large number of contact hours, much of the time in small workshop groups.

Participation in practical class work is regarded as extremely important and attendance is expected. Failure to attend workshops will disqualify students from sitting the final exams.

There may also be the need for substantial preparation for exercises and in-class assessment. There is an emphasis on legal skills throughout.