What is the law conversion course?

Asked by: Erick Trantow  |  Last update: August 22, 2022
Score: 4.9/5 (27 votes)

The Graduate Diploma in Law, known more widely as the GDL, is a one-year full time law conversion course (or two years part time) which brings students up to date with the knowledge they need to become a lawyer. The course may also be referred to as the Common Professional Exam (CPE).

What is a conversion course?

A conversion course is a programme of study that trains a graduate in a new subject and (usually) prepares them for a specific profession. These are often (but not always) Masters-level courses. However, many are shorter than a full Masters, with a greater focus on practical training in place of a dissertation.

Is a conversion course good?

Many employers find a conversion course student more attractive than someone with only a first degree. They are considered more mature and focused about what they want to do. Leaving work to return to studying demonstrates your enthusiasm for that new occupation."

What is a conversion course UK?

Conversion courses are intensive postgraduate programmes that allow you to pursue a career that your undergraduate degree or professional career hasn't prepared you for.

How do I become a barrister without a law degree UK?

You don't need to have studied law to become a barrister – but it will mean an additional qualification if you did do a different subject. You will have to complete a conversion course or Graduate Diploma of Law (GDL) before you can complete the qualifications/stages outlined for law students.

What to know about the LAW Conversion Course (GDL) - Graduate Diploma into Law.

23 related questions found

What is a barrister salary?

£40,000 - £90,000. General Civil. £20,000 - £50,000. £40,000 - £100,000. Chancery.

Is it too late to become a barrister?

No, you have not left it too late to become a barrister or get work experience. Age wise you're not old at all. Plenty of barristers have previous careers and are into their 40s or beyond when they secure pupillage. In terms of age it is very common for new pupils to be more towards 30 than their early twenties.

How hard is a law conversion course?

Essentially, you'll be condensing three years worth of LLB course content into just ten months, so yes, the conversion course is likely to be difficult! Passing it takes huge commitment and academic talent, so graduating with the qualification is a great achievement.

Is a law conversion better than a law degree?

Studying law is the quicker way to a legal career. To put it simply, completing a conversion course takes up more of your time, while navigating the fairly complicated field of vacation scheme and training contract applications is arguably easier to do from a law degree.

Can you become a lawyer without going to law school UK?

The answer is that you absolutely can. One of the main changes under the SQE system is that to qualify, solicitors do not need a law degree or equivalent. However, to pass the SQE assessments, a candidate will need a thorough knowledge of the law in England and Wales – which is where ULaw's conversion courses come in.

Is LLB or GDL better?

You might consider the LLB if you want a less intensive academic experience and would like extra time to apply for vacation schemes and training contracts. The benefit of the GDL is its shorter timeframe - it enables you to complete the course in half the time and save considerably on costs.

Is it worth doing a law degree UK?

A law degree is a great qualification to obtain employment – law graduates have the 6th highest employment rate - and bear in mind up to 60% of all law graduates chose to use their law degree to gain jobs other than in the legal profession.

Is LLB a bachelor's degree?

The full form of LLB is bachelor of law. LLB is derived from Legum Baccalaureus. Candidates who have completed their graduation in any discipline are eligible to pursue 3-year LLB, The 5-year LLB is an integrated law program that can be pursued after intermediate.

How can I equivalent my degree in UK?

Postgraduate : 4-year Titulo de Licenciado / Licenciatura is deemed equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree. A score of B or 80-89 or 4-4.99 from a well ranked public institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of C or 70-79 or 3-3.99 is considered comparable to a UK 2.2.

Can I upgrade my degree?

There's nothing you can do to change your grade on a completed degree.

What is a graduate conversion course?

A conversion course enables graduates of one discipline to acquire a qualification in a different discipline at Postgraduate Diploma and Masters Level. Having studied a particular degree you may decide that you wish to change your career path and consider undertaking a conversion programme at TU Dublin.

How long is the law conversion course?

How long does the GDL take? The course fits approximately 18 months' worth of content from a three-year law degree into one-year full time or two years part time. Each week you'll have around 45 hours of lectures, tutorials, and self-study culminating in a three-hour final exam on each subject.

What happens after law conversion?

On completion of a Law conversion course, you can start your vocational training to become a solicitor, barrister or advocate, or chartered legal executive.

Can you do a law conversion degree?

The GDL is specially designed as the conversion course into legal study. It is one of the pathways into practice for non-law graduates. If you have completed an undergraduate degree in a non-law field and want to study law at a postgraduate level you'll first need to complete this conversion course.

Can you do a law degree in one year?

Whether your undergraduate degree is in history, biology, cheesemaking or TikTok studies, you can still come to the law via a one-year conversion course, traditionally known as the Graduate Diploma in Law or GDL.

How much do solicitors earn UK?

Salaries for newly-qualified lawyers across the rest of the UK are in the region of £27,000 to £60,000. As a newly qualified solicitor in Scotland, you can expect to be paid around £30,000 rising to £38,000, depending on your area of private practice or whether you're working in house.

Can you do a masters in law without a law degree?

LLM programmes aren't conversion courses

Though you may be able to study a Law Masters without an undergraduate Law degree, the LLM won't qualify you professionally. If you wish to become a lawyer as a postgraduate, you should consider registering for the SQE.

How old is the average barrister?

The average age of practising barristers also increased substantially during the peri- od, going from 38.5 years in 1990/91 to 46.5 in 2019/20. Male barristers in 2019/20 were around six years older than female barristers on average (a difference which stayed relatively consistent over the period of analysis).

Can I retrain as a lawyer at 40?

If you have Gained Sufficient experience in a Legal Environment. Many of those who decide to train to be a solicitor over the age for 40 do so because they have already gained experience in a legal environment.

Can I become a solicitor at 50?

Although there is no upper age limit on people who are training to become a solicitor, it is worth considering the time that training takes, and the expected costs, which you may not be able to recuperate if you are very close to retirement.