University of Reading for Law

[questioner123]

Hi all,

DD is thinking of insuring this uni for Law, she thinks she probably wants to be a solicitor or barrister (90% likely solicitor) after uni, but is keeping her options open as to careers.

She is very ambitious and a bright student so wants a successful career which she can enjoy :)

What are your thoughts on the Uni of Reading for career prospects or do you have any information regarding the general experience of the uni or Law course there?

Thank you very much!

Ds1 read Law at Reading and has gone on to a very good career as a quantity surveyor - using the commercial law element of his degree, which was his favourite part.

He really enjoyed his time at Reading - and chose to take on student loans for his fees rather than studying in Scotland, where we live and where he wouldn’t have had to pay tuition fees, and he believes that this was the right decision - the quality of the degree course justified the debt he had to take on.

Thank you for your reply- that is very positive and helpful to know.

What's first choice and what is she predicted at A level?

First choice is Bristol. Predicted A*AA/B.

Then I have no doubt she will get into Bristol, but Reading is a good back up as I assume it is a lower offer. I know a couple of lawyers and a hedge fund manager who studied law at Reading.

I graduated in 2014 and loved my time there; in fact I still live near the area!

While Law has arguably one of the most gorgeous buildings, its only used for tutorials and not lectures. The lectures are dotted about the entire campus and the walk from the entrance (if coming from Wantage or Student Village accommodation) is about 25 minutes. If I remember correctly Stenton (?) is the best placed accommodation on campus close to the Law building, Palmer and HUMSS, but is also the most expensive.

For me, I severely lost my interest in 2nd year as I did not like the combination of modules that was set. 3rd year was much better as I could choose. Some of the lecturers were awful for speaking too fast (so you could not write notes) or just read off the booklets you were given. Tutorials are smaller groups were you had set questions to review and would discuss them. At times, there were group presentations.

Law has its own society and promotes mooting and pro-bono work as extras.

In terms of job prospects, I believe a lot of work has to be done individually. She will have to ensure high modules marks in 1st year, to ensure she can apply for good vacation schemes during 2nd year. These schemes are invaluable for both experience, and a chance to get given a training contract. Training contracts are highly competitive and only the best get them. Reading is not a top Law course, so she will experience a lot of competition from Oxbridge, UCL, LSE, Durham etc.

Personally, I have not gone into law itself but into Tax Advisory (through choice) however I do know a number of my cohort became paralegals, and I know of at least one that is now a qualified solicitor (but did a few years as a paralegal first).

Law is fiercely competitive and she will have to try and make herself shine from Day 1 to put herself in the best place to win a training contract.

Then I'd say it's a reasonable back up. My dd is reading law at a RG but put a lower ranking uni as her insurance so that she remained focussed and didn't overly stress if things didn't go to plan.

Reading is a great place though. I go there quite frequently and it has advantages of a city without being too massive.

Where else does she have offers from? Reading would make it difficult if she wanted to be a barrister. So few come from non RG. Bristol is better - DD went there and is a barrister. Where else could be insurance?

I’m a barrister and know quite a few others who went to Reading.

Prof Rosa Freeman teaches there. Extraordinary women, UN human rights lawyer. Profoundly compassionate, honorable, committed to social justice. So if your DD is interested in that aspect it would certainly be worth finding out more.

The latest stats for 2018 regarding successful pupillage applications are 36% Oxbridge, 39% RG so the rest is 25%. So not impossible but not the best odds either. Bristol, statistically, gives wannabe Barristers a better chance.

Other insurance option is Southampton, but it’s onlyone grade lower than her Bristol offer. DD also wants a back up closer to home.

Interesting comments, thank you all. Reading does sound very positive. She is more set on solicitor or barrister and wants to keep her options open.

There are way more training contracts for solicitors than pupillage s Barristers. Last year 3000 applications were received for 230 pupillage opportunities posted on the Pupillage Gateway. The stats are better for solicitors. I think around 6000 opportunities.

Also around 45% of Barristers didn’t study law. As a result law grads from some universities barely get a look in. I strongly suggest she researches which university gets better training contracts or pupillages. For pupillage, Bristol rates much more highly. I don’t know about being a solicitor but the city firms are very choosy too. Again many trainees are not law grads at all. As the competition is fierce, going to the best you can get to increases chances.

I graduated with a 2:1 LLB from Reading Uni and trained as a solicitor in a city firm. Many of my classmates did the same and many were called to the bar. Quite a number are still in those careers having achieved much success. Some of the solicitors now hold Head of Legal in-house. At least one set up a legal recruitment agency.
I had a successful legal career - I went in-house for a large telecoms/media company within my first year of qualifying and stayed many years. I left to change careers. Reading was a fantastic place to do my law degree and the lecturers were, on the whole, excellent. I also did a summer placement at the end of the second year in a local firm of solicitors and indeed spent a year at Reading Uni after my degree teaching law tutorials to the Surveying Students.

It is getting harder now to get training contracts and pupillages but there are alot more Uni places. I had at least 5 offers from accountancy firms to train as an accountant and a law degree is a fantastic degree to have even if you ultimately choose a different career path.
It is a lovely campus, a great sports centre onsite and the town centre a 15 minute walk away with fast trains to London and other towns.
I loved it there and still live in the area.

And how long ago was this? The competition is so much stronger now. It’s a different world!