Professional Legal Practice

Entry requirements

To be a candidate for the Diploma you must;

1. possess a law degree from a Scottish university, or a qualification accepted by the Senatus as equivalent; or
2. have passed or obtained exemption from the professional examinations of the Law Society of Scotland in all subjects required under the Admission as Solicitor (Scotland) Regulations 2011.

The Law Society of Scotland’s professional curriculum at the University of Glasgow, which is usually completed during the first two years of an LLB, currently includes the courses listed below. Other professional courses may be required, depending on when you started your LLB.

• Business organisations
• Commercial law
• Criminal law and evidence
• European Union law (required but not included in the ranking criteria)
• Family law
• Law and government
• Property law
• Introduction to legal study/legal skills for graduates
• Constitutional Law 1
• Obligations 1A
• Obligations 1B

Applicants are ranked by grade point average, according to their performance in the professional curriculum outlined above. This ranking is used by all Diploma providers to allocate places amongst them.

Months of entry

September

Course content

The Diploma provides you with the necessary qualification to pursue a legal traineeship. Undertaken after obtaining your LLB, it is the next step towards a career as a solicitor or advocate in Scotland. Our aim is that the Glasgow Diploma comes to be regarded as the trademark of excellence, ensuring that you are not just employable but actively sought after by employers. It will equip you with the hands-on skills necessary to practise law as a “day one ready trainee”, as well as excellent opportunities to develop your own professional network to support you throughout your career.

WHY THIS PROGRAMME

Our programme aims to bridge the gap between academia and professional legal practice. Designed and taught by practising lawyers, it replicates the work you will do as a trainee.

Our extensive network of highly experienced professionals, drawn from all sectors of the legal industry, support you through mentorship, as well as attendance at our networking events.

We work with employers to ensure that our programme meets their requirements, enabling you to commence your traineeship with the skills and knowledge these employers' value.

Tutorial groups are small (12 students maximum), enabling you to become assured and confident in communicating, orally and in writing, to a variety of audiences. You will receive one-to-one, in-person feedback from tutors on every course.

We employ around 150 tutors, all of whom are highly experienced legal practitioners. They are dedicated, enthusiastic and keen to share their knowledge with you, the next generation of lawyers.

You will benefit from our library of filmed resources, developed in collaboration with the judiciary and our tutors. Filmed scenarios include numerous civil and criminal court hearings, judicial review, mediation, negotiation and collaboration.

You will attend Glasgow Sheriff Court and appear before a sheriff to deliver a plea in mitigation.

We run internal heats and deliver training for students to participate in various national and international competitions throughout the year. These range from client interviewing to negotiation and mediation, to help you enhance these skills as well as your CV.