A-Levels for law that don't include History

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DD is predicted all 8/9s at GCSE, she wants to study Law at uni but is having a hard time picking A-Levels.
She is set on English Lit and French (her best subjects by far), her careers advisor is pushing for history, she's expecting an 8 but doesn't enjoy history at all, she says it's among her least favourite.
She likes Religious Studies and Business Studies a lot and is expecting a 9 in Maths but doesn't really love it (very good at it just not her favourite), she hates science with a passion!
Her GCSE subjects are English Lit and Lang, Maths, French, Business, Religious Studies, Combined Science, History and Music. The last 3 are expecting 8,8 , 8 and 8 again, the first are all predicted 9s.
They are encouraged at DDs school to pick 4 A-Levels then drop one if they wish for Y13.
So far she is considering

• Politics
• Religion
• Economics
• Business

She is keen to try economics and Politics but is worried she won't like them as has no experience. She is also worried that compared to History they aren't looked on as fondly by Universities.
She's been encouraged by school to consider Oxbridge when the time comes but in DDs word "that's not my vibe" she is more keen on London Unis (UCL, Kings and LSE) but I know this could change.
Any advice?

I did law at uni and did maths, art and psychology A-levels. I had no idea what I wanted to do afterwards when I started my A-levels and so just picked a combination of subjects I enjoyed (art), found easy (maths) and something a bit different that I thought would challenge me (psychology). I think the balance of them worked together well. Even though they weren't really the conventional subjects done by law students, it didn't affect getting into uni or my ability to study it. As others have said, it's more important to do subjects that she finds interesting at this stage, I definitely wouldn't recommend doing a subject she finds boring as she simply won't want to study it. I would focus less on what subjects might work best for law and look more at what she wants to spend 2 years of her life learning more about.

She doesn’t need to justify not doing History.

As I’ve said above, her choice doesn’t really matter for Uni - but it might help her to read ahead regarding the preferred A’ Levels for whatever career / job she’s hoping to progress to. Lawyers often have only essay based A’Levels and scant STEM ability - which can hold one back.

Frankly she will find a lot of law is very dull too.

but anyof the subjects she is considering will be fine apart from business.

I did Psychology, Media Studies & French A Level then Law and French at university. Psychology was really good for case studies - much like studying cases in law. Media Studies good for essay writing. English or anything with essay writing, constructing an argument would be good.

Any of the ones she would like are absolute fine. Religious Studies would be a good fit.

Lawyers often have only essay based A’Levels and scant STEM ability - which can hold one back.

And, I fear, in some cases inadvertently result in miscarriages of justice. I sincerely hope lawyers all have to gain a basic grasp of statistics nowadays.

Just been chatting to her and she's now saying she does enjoy maths but her careers adviser said maths is more effort than it's worth for law. But she would consider Maths and Economics.
Is maths too much work for what she wants to do?

Nonsense. Only a fraction of lawyers do litigation or criminal work anyway. I'm a commercial contract lawyer, if I end up in court then things have gone very wrong. Though I agree criminal judges and barristers lack diversity, particularly in terms of class. That's to do with background not subjects studied.

My law degree taught me to question everything - far more than practically any other subjects. And a lot of law is very specialist. I've never used anything I learned in STEM subjects after the age of 14 for work. You need a specialist knowledge of the law and an excellent grasp of language, not a technical knowledge of other subjects. But FWIW I know of a lot of solictors with STEM first degree subjects.

If you are good at maths, it is less work than many other a levels. Less rote learning of facts and if you get your head around the concepts, then you can just solve stuff.

Do maths if you enjoy maths. Don't do it if you don't. DD1 got a 9 in GCSE Maths but would rather poke herself in the eye than do it for A-Level. She changed schools to avoid ibacc and having to carry on with Maths and science subjects, and she got 8s and 9s for all three sciences too.

That probably just indicates the careers adviser found maths hard!

My friends DS has just got 5 offers for law at good unis (Liverpool, Leeds, Nottingham etc) and he's doing maths, English language and biology.

Law is incredibly boring, it isn't like the American dramas you see on TV!

If she doesn't enjoy History, it's best she doesn't take that to A Level. Humanities are complimentary to Law, so I'd suggest to continue the RS or pick up Sociology if that's an option.

Any of the A-levels she’s considering are good. Any humanities are relevant. The skill she needs to practice as a good foundation for law is basically memorising a huge amount of facts and names and dates then coming up with a strategy and writing out an argument.

(I’m a lawyer, my A-levels were Art, English and Politics.)

I’d maybe suggest avoiding maths and sciences.

She sounds a teeny bit arrogant concluding that Oxbridge isn’t her vibe when she’s never been there. That’s fine, arrogance is a useful trait in a lawyer, I’m arrogant too ;) but an Oxbridge degree opens doors in the legal world like nothing else so I’d strongly suggest she at least go to an open day at Cambridge (more left wing and funky than Oxford). London’s ok too but much more expensive and not quite as useful a degree as Oxbridge for the legal world (or Harvard even better). By useful I mean in terms of how seriously you get taken by senior KCs and law firm partners.

My older son applied to and was declined from oxbridge, she came with us on the open days and hated it. DD loves the city so I'm ok with her saying she isn't fussed on oxbridge since she did have a look.

Do what she enjoys. Any “traditional” subject is fine. However I would avoid business studies it’s not seen as particularly rigorous. Economics is good. As is Maths, any language, science would all be fine and would leave doors open.

Definitely don’t advise doing history if she’s really bored by it! I’d go with religion - I got into a Russel group uni (to study Law) with performing arts, sociology and English language so I wouldn’t worry too much.. main thing is to show passion and critical thinking.

The subjects won't matter, her grades will though so focus on things she'll enjoy and do well in.
Business will give her a huge headstart on business law. I did Business Studies at A-level, law at uni and a masters in law. The stuff I learnt in A-level Business Studies is the only stuff from my A-levels that I've ever used again, it came in handy in several business law modules at undergrad and on my masters.

Also, just to add, I hated history in school and no aspect of my law studies or law career have ever reminded me of school history classes.

I studied both Economics and Politics at A level . Both useful going forward and gave me an understanding of how the world worked . I went on to study Law

I'm a lawyer but didn't do a Law degree. Any A level subject which encourages critical thinking will be good. Religion is a great choice, especially if she loves it. If she's good at maths then that would be excellent too. I know many lawyers with a science/maths background and it stands them in good stead for various fields of legal practice. I was a linguist. History is a popular choice but by no means necessary. Philosophy, English literature, politics, economics, geography (especially if she has an interest in environmental law), all great options.

One of my DDs refused to apply to a certain university based on her perception that all the students she observed on a visit were dressed like complete dorks. To be fair, the university does have a reputation for being the place where fun goes to die, but heyho... She did eventually end up there - and was known for her sense of style - and loved it, having found a few kindred spirits, and grown up a little.

My point is that the impressions of someone aged 15-16-17 are not necessarily written in stone, and young people can sometimes be persuaded to give a university a second chance. Having said that, her preferred universities are very well regarded.

Politics may be useful for then doing constitutional law in the degree.

Lots of the law degree I did recently was boring -i can't imagine enjoying land law at 18 but it was relevant to me at 47, having rented and bought leasehold properties.
Eu law was dull full stop.

Dd has applied for law and French. At Edinburgh they said it’s a good course if you like maths Latin and chess.

I chose my sixth form college entirely on its history syllabus (20th century history not being my thing at all). Hope she finds something she loves