Northumbrias GDL is taught using a practical, student-focused approach providing a solid grounding in the major areas of law.
It covers the foundations of legal knowledge which are taught by means of lectures and seminars. Students are provided with comprehensive study materials and textbooks to support their studies.
At the beginning of the programme students are required to study the English Legal System by means of a pre-attendance package and induction programme.
In addition, students must study the following seven subjects, which are stipulated by the professional bodies as being the foundations of legal knowledge:
- Contract Law
- Criminal Law
- Equity and Trusts
- European Union Law
- Property Law
- Public Law
- Law of Tort
All students are required to undertake research into a further area of law. Past options have included Company Law, Employment Law, Family Law, Evidence, Shipping Law, Space Law and Sports Law. Students receive initial guidance on the subject and advice on how to conduct legal research.
Solicitors Regulation Authority
Studying law? Or thinking of studying law?
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has announced it will be introducing the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). The earliest date for introduction is November 2021.
This will be a national assessment for anyone who wants to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales. It will provide a fair and consistent assessment for all candidates regardless of whether they have taken a law degree or qualified through new routes like the solicitor apprenticeship.
If you have already started your law degree or an exempting law degree, or will do so before the SQE is introduced, you will be able to finish and qualify in the same way as before or qualify under the new system.
Under the current system you must complete both the academic and vocational stages of training as well as meeting the character and suitability requirements to become a solicitor. The academic stage is achieved by either a) a qualifying law degree or b) a non-law degree in a different subject and completing the Common Professional Examination. The vocational stage comprises:
- The Legal Practice Course
- A two-year period of recognised training
- The Professional Skills Course
So what will qualifying look like for solicitors after 2022?
The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) is a new assessment method that all aspiring solicitors will soon be required to pass in England and Wales.
Currently, qualifying as a solicitor requires the completion of a Qualifying Law Degree (QLD), such as LLB or GDL, as well as completion of a Legal Practice Course (LPC) and two years of recognised training (known as a Training Contract). During the training contract, students will also undertake a final assessment as part of the Professional Skills Course (PSC).
The introduction of SQE means this process is becoming more centralised, split into 4 stages. Now, the new qualification route requires:
- You must still hold a degree or equivalent in any subject
- You must have a minimum of two yearsQualifying Work Experience (QWE)
- You must pass the new SQE assessments
- You must be able to show that you are of satisfactory character and suitability
The SQE Assessment is further split into 2 components:
