Law at which?

[stubiff]

Any recommendations for Law from (only) these.
They all have the same tariff, that's why they are grouped.
City/campus doesn't matter.

University of Nottingham
University of York
University of Sheffield
University of Exeter
Cardiff University
University of Birmingham
Newcastle University
University of Southampton
University of Liverpool

Thanks, in advance.

My applications were well over a decade ago now but for what it is worth, I did an LLM at Birmingham. I chose it because at they had a wide range of elective options some of which are quite unusual, which I gather is the case for the undergrad as well. It also has a dedicated law library, rather than a section of the main library, which is good because frankly law students need the library and you're more likely to find a quiet desk. Birmingham also has the advantage of lots of opportunities for legal work experience in the city with annexes of law firms and local chambers, and courts with some really interesting cases, as well as good transport links to London (helpful for interviews, or, if applying for the Bar, banking some Inns dining sessions early). They also have excellent sports facilities which was important to me.

I did not however apply there at all for undergrad for two reasons which you may want to explore if they are still the case if matter to you: One was that at the time they didn't have an international year abroad option. The other was that at the time they didn't guarantee you accommodation if you didn't put them as your first choice on UCAS (and my top two were always going to be Oxford if got in then Bristol or Warwick).

In a professional capacity I have worked with groups of students from Southampton and Exeter unis. Whilst they are comparable academically, the vibes are very different.

Bristol is IMO worth a look. It has many of the same advantages as Birmingham but is a less intimidating/safer city. The course used to have some interesting year abroad options as well - check if still the case.

Nottingham has for a long time had a strong reputation for law, and again the course used to have some interesting year abroad options - check if still the case. However, I was really put off when I went on an open day, and didn't apply: I would say its one to visit.

@stubiff Apologies - DS!

Cant see its derailing anything. However at least I have a DD actually working in law. Not just reading league tables! Or marketing info.

@TizerorFizz
Asking another poster about which Manchester Uni they are going back to from Sheffield, for post grad, is not relevant to the op. Surely you can see that?!

A friend's daughter recently went to Exeter. Loved it and particularly enjoyed access to outdoors activities, water sports etc in the area. She has done very well afterwards, has a pillage in the area.

@Catopia
Thanks for the detailed reply.
We’ll look into the year abroad part.

@TizerorFizz
Direct question to you/DD then.
Did she apply or consider applying to any of the Unis mentioned? For Law or other.
Does she know anyone at her firm that did.
Thanks

@stubiff
Shes barrister in London. As you know. So she’s got colleagues her age from a number of unis. Plus all her bar school friends. However, northern educated tend to stay in the North, as others have said. She converted to law as large numbers do. This makes it more difficult for “good” unis to get law grads into law jobs in London in particular. There is a lot of competition. Her friends are weighted towards Oxbridge and Durham and Bristol but other friends and colleagues I know of are Nottingham and Exeter and Birmingham. That’s why I said them. However many didn’t study law as an undergrad.

DD was also privately educated and some of the unis on the list are not particularly favoured by independent schools, so not on their radar for law. Exeter, Nottingham and Birmingham are.

Some additional potential 'decision filters' for you @stubiff:

Actual A level grades achieved - law recruitment is still heavily fixated on academic performance, so your DC ideally needs to be in a uni cohort where they feel stretched but not overwhelmed. Uniform grades required across the cited courses might belie differences by grade achieved.

Where DC are likely to feel most settled and so thrive - I am a great believer in 'the student drives the uni experience' not 'the uni makes the student'. For example, Exeter, by reasons of geography and culture, attracts a high proportion of SE-domiciled students who can leverage parental homes to more cost effectively break into the London legal scene. The Exeter 'advantage' is therefore less clear cut for those domiciled in, say, the North. So gut feel is actually an important criterion.

As others say, if major regional law firms centred on Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham are a realistic proposition, they are more likely to have a presence at career events at law schools at Notts, Birmingham, Sheffield, York and Liverpool and/or be accessible if firms are holding daytime or evening sessions at their main offices (obvs many do this remotely instead/as well, but a practical point to think about).

Birmingham also has the advantage of lots of opportunities for legal work experience in the city with annexes of law firms and local chambers, and courts with some really interesting cases

This is an important point. Which regions get what type of work and at what level.

Another poster mentioned that a friend of her DC had a pupillage in Exeter where there are only a tiny number of chambers and they tend not to get the interesting cases even in their fields (which are narrow), since these are much more likely to go to the Bristol Bar or firms.

@Pinkissmart I cannot PM you! Please pm me and I can give you info. Sorry to derail OP. Have tried not to.

@PerpetualOptimist
Re location.
Yes, doesn’t make sense, unless there is a big advantage to the uni/course, of choosing Southampton or Exeter say if there is a fair chance that will want a job in the NW/NE. But guess most vac schemes and assessment centres are in the hols anyway as it will be an issue for all firms/students. As you say, a lot is done virtually inc interviews or even recording interviews.
But a consideration.

Are we just talking Chambers here?
If so, that won’t be relevant.
Guess Solicitors (full service) in the main cities will have all types of work but will be the size/profile of the deal which will be different?

Unfortunately whilst the vac schemes are in the holidays the assessment centres anmre generally not. They tend to be in term time so travel to firms and missing lecture for one or more days should be factored in and whether you need overnight stays. Travel expenses can usually be claimed but not hotel fees

No my comment wasn't restricted to chambers. I was responding specifically to the comment about an Exeter pupillage but later in the same sentence I said that interesting cases in the West Country tend to be escalated to the Bristol Bar and firms. If your son wants to be a solicitor then that caveat about more/ less interesting work will be equally relevant. It's a regional thing (specific regions as opposed to the regions v London), not an arm of the profession thing.

@AsTearsGoBy
And how are you/we defining interesting cases?
Which regions cover which areas?
How are you supposed to know this - only when you get into the industry.

I'm defining interesting cases in terms of high/ highish profile or interesting from a legal perspective.

Well, you're asking for information OP so people here are trying to help in terms of which unis in which regions may have more or less to offer after graduation. Presumably you'll pass comments which interest you on to your DS who may then have a few pointers about what to look at before making his decision on where to apply to. Most students will scratch the surface and think a bit about the future before applying. I wouldn't expect a graduate to wait until they joined a firm and found they were bored rigid before realising that other choices might have served them better.

Yes, and we’re grateful for all insight.
Just wanted to clarify what was being said.
Which I think is, that more interesting stuff will more often go to the bigger firms, which by definition are in the bigger cities, e.g. Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester. And based on the stance of a lot of graduates staying in the same area for a job, then Unis around these areas will suit (better).
Will be passing all of it on to DS, whether it interests me or not, as he may have a different take.
Thanks.

@Catopia
Think Bristol may be out as it requires an AStar.

Is your DS in Y12 OP?

If so, plenty of time for predicted grades to go up which could leave options wide open.

@AsTearsGoBy
Yes, Y12. And true.
Think a solid rather than elite would suit better.
Even though the reqs may be AStar,A,A, there will be plenty with higher, partic at those ones.

For those interested, the A* list, excluding Oxbridge, is -
UCL
London School of Economics
King's College London
Durham University
University of Bristol
University of Warwick
Queen Mary University of London
University of Leeds
University of Manchester

UCL is A star too.

UCL is listed first TizerorFizz, right at the top.

At her Oxford interview DD was asked to look at a law report and tell the tutors which court the case had been heard in. She replied House of Lords straight away and the tutors looked interested/ puzzled and asked how she could be so sure. She said because it's written at the top of the page. The tutors laughed and said yes exactly. Apparently very few other interviewees spotted that and talked about the number of judges, important point of law etc etc (luckily for her - the rest of the interview was more tricky).

Apologies for mild derail OP :)