Professional Legal Practice

The Diploma in Professional Legal Practice is a postgraduate, vocational qualification which if completed, will allow you to pursue a career in the legal profession in Scotland, either as a solicitor or advocate.

The course is primarily delivered by practising solicitors and acts as a bridge between the academic study of law and the requirements of legal practice. We teach you the practical knowledge and skills needed for practice, as well as introducing the values and ethics of the legal profession in Scotland.

On successful completion of the course, you will be eligible to take a two year traineeship within Scotland and qualify as a solicitor. If you want to practise as an advocate, you must complete additional training.

All of our teaching is based on achieving the outcomes set by the Law Society of Scotland. These outcomes emphasise the development of practical legal skills within a backdrop of ethical and professional behaviour.

You will consolidate and build on black letter law and the research and analytical skills that you acquired as undergraduates and apply them to practical situations through interactive learning.

This course is flexible and you can be tailored to suit your needs and other commitments over the two year period of study. You will study alongside full time students and study over two academic years.

As part of this course, included in your fee, you will receive:

• an iPad (model to be confirmed) 
• the textbook "Conveyancing Practice in Scotland"

Typically we can consider a Bachelor's degree from a well-ranked institution.

A score of

• 75-91% (GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0) is considered comparable to a UK 2:1 (Upper Second-Class Honours)
• 63-74% is considered comparable to a UK 2:2 (Lower Second-Class Honours)

This course will give you the skills necessary to work as a solicitor or advocate.

We have close links with employers and we offer programmes to support and develop your employability.

The Law School runs an annual Law Fair which attracts law firms and employers from around the UK and further afield. Law firms also regularly visit the law school on an individual basis for recruitment purposes.