LAW LLB UNDERGRADUATE STUDY
LLB English Law & French Law THE DICKSON SCHOOL OF POON LAW SCHOOL OF LAW
2014
Law at King’s
Our long-established Law LLB degree is a highly regarded programme, recognised around the world for its teaching excellence, renowned academic staff and unparalleled location in the heart of legal London. We place great emphasis on making sure that you settle in to life as a law student and make the most of the opportunities available to you, which is why our School has consistently scored amongst the highest student satisfaction ratings in the National Student Survey for Law within the Russell group of top 20 British universities since 2005. Our strong connections with the world’s leading legal firms and close proximity to the City, government and legal institutions provide exciting opportunities for you to learn and to consider a wide range of career options.
The programme focuses on the study of law as an intellectual discipline, and can either form the first step towards qualifying as a solicitor or barrister or as preliminary training for a range of other careers where legal knowledge is an asset. It also offers you the opportunity to study abroad as part of your degree, with one of our many leading partner universities.
THE DICKSON POON UNDEGRADUATE LAW SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME The programme is the largest scholarship programme for Law in the UK and Europe. With up to 75 scholarships available, it is aimed at supporting the brightest and the best students and worth from £18,000 to £36,000. The prestigious and generous Scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit and open to all who apply to study Law at King’s and who are offered a place on one of our LLB programmes in 2014-15. See our website for further details.
CAREERS King’s Careers & Employability exists to help you plan your future and make the most of your time at King’s. We provide tailored employer events, skills development programmes and one-to-one support to ensure you understand your options, know what employers are looking for, and can effectively demonstrate that you have the skills they need. Whatever your career goals, our labour market knowledge and expertise around work experience, internships and graduate recruitment can help you find and apply for opportunities from the first year onwards.
• Legal Careers Week Legal Careers Week is our biggest law careers event of the year. Hundreds of law and non-law students turn out for daily workshops, lectures, and
networking events with employers, alumni, law schools, and SRA and Bar representatives. The flagship event of the week is an Alumni Panel Discussion & Networking Event, organised in conjunction with our Alumni Office to give students and employers an opportunity to meet in an informal setting.
• King’s Law Fair The Law Fair brings seventy or so employers to campus over three days, allowing students to talk with associates, solicitor and barrister trainees, graduate recruitment offices and other professionals to learn more about the opportunities they offer.
• The Law Careers Development Programme The Law Careers Development Programme is a series of timetabled workshops held in the
autumn and spring terms and aimed at helping you develop your career skills as you approach the job market. The workshops are tailored to address your specific employability concerns in a timely and relevant manner. Sessions are often presented by our law-dedicated Careers Consultants, though employers are also brought in to share their perspectives on what makes a good candidate. In this way, the LCDP is not only a skills programme, but also a great way to engage directly with legal employers.
• One-to One Services Includes a number of opportunities for personalised assistance, such as: ‘Quick Queries’, ‘Career Discussions’ and ‘Practice Interviews’.
Student life
We have two highly active student-run law societies as well as King’s award-winning students’ union, KCLSU, which organises a wide variety of social, sporting and cultural activities. Both the King’s College London Law Society (www.kcllawsociety.org. uk) and Bar Society (www. kclbarsociety.org.uk) organise a number of social and career-oriented functions; internal and external mooting competitions; skills workshops; mock interviews; lecture series with prestigious barristers and other legal practitioners; the Annual Black Tie Dinner; the Inaugural Freshers’ Party. The Pro Bono Society (www. kclprobono.org.uk) support and promote legally-related volunteer work and education to the community, and run a number of exciting projects for students; StreetLaw; Amicus;
Law Mentoring; The Legal Clinic (assisted by esteemed City law firm Speechly Bircham). Involvement with the society is a great way to contribute to the community as well as looking great on your CV due to the skills gained in the process. The Law Council/Forum meets throughout the academic year with student representatives, senior academic and administrative members of staff attending, including the Dean. The Forum plays an important part in maintaining good relations between staff and students.
‘I’m impressed with the employment and networking opportunities (for instance, with Magic Circle firms). I particularly enjoyed having dinner at Lincoln’s Inn with a variety of Barristers and Judges in my first year. I’ve explored London’s riches whilst enjoying a wealth of incomparable academic and social events.’ Ramzi Law LLB
LAW WITH EUROPEAN LEGAL STUDIES LLB Students on the Law LLB programme may apply during their first year to transfer to this programme. The LLB with European Legal Studies is an exciting four-year degree offering you a fantastic opportunity to spend one year studying law abroad at one of our 11 partner universities in Europe. The programme structure involves three years of study at King’s (years 1 + 2 and year 4), while year 3 is spent abroad at a partner university. Our list of partner universities currently include: • University of Bologna, Italy • Comillas University of Madrid and IE Law School Madrid, Spain • University of Strasbourg and L’université Toulouse 1 Capitole, France
• Heidelberg University, Germany •U niversity of Zurich and University of Neuchatel, Switzerland • Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium •L eiden University, Netherlands • Uppsala University, Sweden At the latter three universities and at IE Law School in Madrid all modules are taught in English. Otherwise, applicants who wish to spend their third year abroad, must have a very high degree of competence in the relevant language of the host university.
‘There are plenty of possibilities to tailor your own experience and it is important to own your King’s moments. From pursuing King’s Leadership Award, through volunteering in Africa and working at the Council of Europe, I was always surrounded by inspiring mentors and knowledgeable advisors.’ Klaudia Law with European Legal Studies LLB
Study Options
LLB ENGLISH LAW & AMERICAN LAW King’s School of Law operates a joint LLB/JD degree programme with Columbia University in New York City, USA. Columbia Law School is considered one of the premier US law schools, formally established in 1858 and internationally renowned as a leading centre of legal scholarship. Selection for transfer to this programme takes place after the completion of the first year of the Law LLB, and only two candidates are chosen each year. Selection is based on academic performance during the first and second years at King’s, making it a highly competitive process. The first and second years follow the pattern of the Law LLB degree, while the third and fourth years are spent studying at Columbia Law School.
LLB LAW WITH TRANSNATIONAL LEGAL STUDIES The four-year Law with Transnational Legal studies degree programme at King’s is exciting and novel in bringing together participating institutions from a range of countries and traditions to focus on transnational legal studies, rather than purely upon international law. As a King’s student on this programme you will be able to study global issues with students from top universities in the United States, Germany, Australia, Switzerland, Israel, Singapore, Brazil, Italy and Canada, at the Center for Transnational Legal Studies (CTLS) located at High Holborn, in central London.
The CTLS, a global partnership spearheaded by Georgetown University Law Center, received the 2011 Andrew Heiskell Award for International Partnerships from the Institute of International Education. You apply to transfer during the first year of the Law LLB, and only up to around 10 students are selected to spend their third year at the CTLS each year.
‘The year I spent at the CTLS was a once-ina-lifetime opportunity which I would not have had anywhere else. It allowed me to learn about different legal systems around the world, and was an excellent platform on which to springboard my legal career.’ Xun Law with Transnational Legal Studies LLB
Study Options
LLB ENGLISH LAW WITH AUSTRALIAN LAW Transfer takes place after completion of year one on the Law LLB, and the third year of the four-year programme is spent at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. Monash Law School is one of the largest and most prestigious law schools in Australia and is ranked within the top 20 in the QS World University rankings by subject 2013. Based on academic performance, seriousness of purpose and maturity, only two students are selected from the School each year. The LLB degree is classified on the basis of the English degree results only, although students must pass the year abroad to be awarded the English Law with Australian Law LLB.
ABOUT THE DICKSON POON SCHOOL OF LAW The Dickson Poon School of Law at King’s College London is one of the oldest law schools in England and recognised globally as one of the best law schools in the world – ranking in the top 10 in the UK and 16th worldwide. It was established in 1831, and has played an integral role in the life of King’s College London since the College was formed almost 200 years ago. The School was renamed after the £20m donation from Mr Dickson Poon CBE, the Hong Kong based British philanthropist and was formally opened by Her Majesty the Queen in February 2012. Mr Dickson Poon’s donation to the Law School is part of a £40m
transformation project for the School which aims to further its reputation as one of the top law schools in the world and setting new standards in legal education and research. It has one of this country’s most distinguished research and teaching reputations – staff are active in research and among the leading international experts. This helps us to continue to push the boundaries of academic thought and to innovate across disciplines. Most recently, Professor David Caron was appointed as the new Dean of The Dickson Poon School of Law. David Caron was previously the C. William Maxeiner Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley. Located in the heart of the British
legal and political world and surrounded by major global law firms, The Dickson Poon School of Law offers you invaluable interaction with the wider legal community and opportunities to establish links with your peers and a wider professional network.
Programme structure
All our single or dual law degree programmes consist of a combination of the seven qualifying law subjects and a range of optional modules. The Law LLB programme is structured as follows:
YEAR ONE • Elements of the Law of Contract • Criminal Law • Public Law • European Law
YEAR TWO • Law of Tort • Law of Property • Law of Trusts • One module or equivalent from a list of options
YEAR THREE • Jurisprudence & Legal Theory • Three modules or equivalent from a list of options
‘With the Royal Courts of Justice merely a stones throw away, I still find it remarkable that, come the afternoon, I might be watching the drama of a live case unfold in court only to have been discussing it hours earlier during a morning seminar.’ Philip Law LLB
Optional modules • Advanced Constitutional Law • Anti-discrimination Law • Commercial Arbitration • Commercial Law • Company Law • Competition Law • Copyright & Designs • Criminology & Criminal Justice • Environmental Law & Policy • Family Law • Human Rights Law • Labour Law • Law and Social Theory • Law of Personal Taxation • Media Law • Medical Law • Moral Philosophy • Public International Law • Russian Legal System • Trademarks & Passing Off
Note: King’s reviews its programme structures and modules on a regular basis, in order to continue to offer innovative and exciting programmes, and these listings are therefore subject to change.
USEFUL WEB LINKS SCHOOL OF LAW www.kcl.ac.uk/law ONLINE PROSPECTUS www.kcl.ac.uk/prospectus ONLINE VIRTUAL TOUR OF KING’S www.kcl.ac.uk/virtualtour INTERNATIONAL WEB PAGES www.kcl.ac.uk/international
STUDENT SERVICES FUNDING www.kcl.ac.uk/study/ug/funding ACCOMMODATION +44 (0)20 7848 2759 www.kcl.ac.uk/accomm CAREERS SERVICE +44 (0)20 7848 7134 www.kcl.ac.uk/careers THE COMPASS (GENERAL ENQUIRIES) +44 (0)20 7848 7070 www.kcl.ac.uk/thecompass INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SUPPORT (INCLUDING IMMIGRATION ADVICE) +44 (0)20 7848 6858 www.kcl.ac.uk/advice STUDENTS’ UNION – (KCLSU) +44 (0)20 7848 1588 www.kclsu.org
UG Law Admissions Centre for Arts & Sciences Admissions Room K0.30 King’s College London Strand, London WC2R 2LS Tel +44 (0) 20 7848 2503/7212 Email law-ugadmissions@kcl.ac.uk www.kcl.ac.uk/law/study/