Why Study Law?

Why Study law? 

Valuable skills  

By studying law you’ll develop a catalogue of desirable skills that you can apply to any career path. Many of these skills can be applied outside of your career too, many of these ‘soft’ skills can lead to huge personal growth and satisfaction as well as professional.  

• Become a problem solver: a law degree gives you the skills to think through problems clearly and come up with solutions in a methodical and analytical way. This sort of level-headedness can be an asset well beyond your profession.  
• A great researcher: When you study law you’ll learn to research effectively. You’ll explore what makes a good resource, how to spot the bad ones and how to use different information types to your benefit. You’ll also develop the tools to assimilate relevant information to deliver well-structured, developed, and thorough responses.  
• Refine your communication skills: When you study law you’ll become an expert in negotiation, you’ll learn how to effectively deliver oral presentations and you’ll develop your written communication skills to a high level too.  

Earning Potential  

Studying law in the UK may be challenging, requiring hard work, dedication, and commitment to the field. But, the earning potential that a law degree can unlock acts as a good motivator for many with some prestigious London law firms offering first-year trainee lawyers salaries in the region of £47,0500 to £50,000. 

Meaningful job opportunities   

Income will likely be an important factor when planning for your future, but it shouldn’t be your only motivator. A law degree gives you the knowledge and skills to take on careers that can make a difference in people's lives every day.  

If you work towards becoming a solicitor or barrister your work will find that the work, you do will shape people’s everyday lives. When you study law, you have the skills to make a real impact with the work you’ll go on to do. You might be drawn towards the charity sector, working in human rights and policy, or working with vulnerable people, there are plenty of ways to make a difference.

Clear Pathways for development 

Whilst a law degree can stand you in good stead for a strong future on its own there are many options for further development should you want to progress to be a barrister or solicitor.  

If you aspire to become a solicitor or barrister, Northumbria Law School can help you take those next steps toward entering the legal profession.  

You can study towards a 3 or 4-year LLB (Hons) degree on its own or, join integrated Master of law programme routes.  

The M Law programme route if you want to pursue a career as a Solicitor.  

The M Law Exempting (Bar Course) route if you want to pursue a career as a barrister.  

At postgraduate level, you can access law courses and bar courses to support you in gaining the necessary knowledge and practical skills that are essential to practice at the modern Bar.  

What course options are there to study law? 

Most law degrees are offered as LLB and LLM programmes and Northumbria is no different, offering stimulating undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. There are qualifying law degree options for both undergraduate and postgraduate, as well as many degrees aimed at deepening your legal subject knowledge.  

Subjects include:  

• Policing   
• Criminology  
• Mental Health Law  
• Criminology  
• Surveying  
• Cyber Law  
• International Commercial Law  
• Data Protection Law  

Explore all options to study Law at Northumbria University.  

What jobs can you get with a law degree? 

Studying law at university is a gateway to becoming a solicitor or barrister.  

However, if that isn’t for you, and you change your mind there are plenty of other jobs you can get with a law degree.  

What jobs can you get with a law degree that aren’t solicitor or barrister?  

Popular alternative careers include:  

• Arbitrator  
• Barrister's clerk  
• Chartered legal executive   
• Company secretary  
• Costs lawyer  
• Detective  
• Licensed conveyancer  
• Paralegal  
• Mediator  
• Political careers  
• Judge  
• Coroner  
• Civil Servant  

Starting salaries for law graduates depends on the field you choose to go into, if you choose to become a lawyer (anyone who is a Licensed Legal Practitioner) then  

The Law Society recommends a minimum of £22,794 for those training in London and £20,217 for trainees elsewhere in the country. Many starting salaries for trainees exceed this minimum.  

If you choose to live and work in London, you could access a higher earning potential with London's five most prestigious law firms currently offering first-year trainee salaries in the region of £47,0500 to £50,000. Elsewhere in the UK trainee salaries for regional law firms range from £20,000 to £40,000.    

Whether you’ve got the law firm of your dreams picked out, or need some help on deciding what to do with your career, Northumbria University can help you get the future you want.   

Why choose Northumbria University for Law? 

Law at Northumbria University sits within the Northumbria Law School, one of the largest law schools in the UK, with a national and international reputation for excellence in legal education for those interested in studying law courses.  

Global Reputation  

• We’re 7th amongst UK law schools for research power in REF 2021.  
• Law at Northumbria is rated in the Times Higher Education’s World Rankings (2022) as being in the top 125 universities worldwide  
• Our research-active academics are some of the leaders in their field. The law school organises its research within three signature research areas: Evidence and criminal justice, legal education and professional skills and law and society.  

State-of-the-art facilities 

• Our £70 million city centre location provides an outstanding learning environment with professional facilities including courtrooms, an onsite law practice library, and a multi-award-winning law clinic.  

Practical teaching

• Law at Northumbria gives you a strong foundation in legal theory and various opportunities to develop your practical skills.  
• Access to on site courtrooms and mock court experiences are built into your programme, giving you the opportunity to practice the theoretical elements of your degree.  
•  The award winning Student Law Office at Northumbria gives you access to live client experience. With the help of the Law School’s expert staff students have the opportunity to offer vital legal services and pro bono advice to the public.  

Find out more about the Northumbria Law School and how we can support you and your future. 

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