There are more ways than ever to study the LPC – “a necessary hurdle” before a training contract and the start of a legal career – but flexibility, necessity and aspiration shouldn’t cloud the fact that the vocational course is a big commitment, not to be entered into lightly.

The times they are a-changin’

The UK legal market is unconvincingly emerging from a turbulent few years. While the era of mass redundancies and training contract deferrals happily seems to be over, the downturn is still affecting certain parts of the profession, impacting back-office staff hardest and chipping away at the number of available training contracts. Furthermore, the world economy – thought to be back on track – seems be coming off the rails once more following renewed concern over sovereign debt on both sides of the Atlantic. So it remains a tough market out there.

Law schools are also feeling the pinch: in 2010 increased competition for training contracts, the high cost of the LPC and poor retention rates among trainees in 2009 seems to have deterred many prospective lawyers from applying for the course. Smaller university-based providers were hit hardest: Huddersfield University ran its full-time course with only six students. Numbers are rebounding this year but providers are operating nowhere near capacity. This is no bad thing, as the number of training contracts on offer is far outweighed by the number of students exiting law schools each year with a certificate and a dream. In 2009/10, 7,631 students enrolled on the full-time LPC but only 3,914 training contracts were registered with the SRA between 1 August 2010 and 15 March 2011 – exactly when these students entered the job market. Obviously not everyone enrolled on the LPC will complete the course but there is a growing disparity between LPC grads and available jobs, which is compounded every year as the market becomes increasingly crowded.

The SRA claims that it has no power to cap the number of places that institutions are validated for, so effectively there’s practically an open invite, even though the dance floor is already full. Course providers have told us that increasingly “firms [especially smaller outfits] are very keen to take on LPC graduates as paralegals and not offer training contracts,” as trainees are more expensive and smaller firms are not willing to take the risk. “For a small firm, taking on a trainee is an onerous burden and a risk because if it’s the wrong decision, then you're saddled with an ineffective person for a long period of time.” In some cases, paralegalling does lead to a training contract; however the shape of the legal world is changing with increased cost pressures on firms and non-lawyers taking on more responsibility. This means that many LPC grads are left with nothing more than a bunch of new letters to stick after their name, five-figure debts and a weight of regret at their decision to take the course.

The SRA has been concerned about this for a while and is exploring new pathways to qualifying as a solicitor that do away with the need for a training contract. In 2008 it piloted a ‘work-based learning’ initiative, the results of which are still being evaluated. The pilot focused on trainee solicitors, paralegals and students on exempting law degrees who were assessed against a set of eight 'learning outcomes' involving practical legal experience. For example, 'client relations' and 'professional conduct'. The results of the pilot schemes following specialist degree students will be finalised in 2012. We recommend you read the condensed version of the report on the SRA website. In summary, it concludes that practitioners thought work-based learning provided a "fairer system” of qualifying for paralegals, although there were concerns over creating a two-tier system. Paralegals were most enthusiastic about the scheme as it gave them greater exposure to a variety of competencies; trainees were initially less enthusiastic about work-based learning as it involved more work and they were concerned it may be perceived as inferior to the traditional training contract.

Law schools are very proactive when it comes to careers advice for their LPC students, but it is really up to the individual to take a long hard objective look at their prospects of securing a training contract after the LPC. The Bar Standards Board – the body that regulates barristers – is seeking to solve the 'too many graduates, not enough jobs' equation by introducing an aptitude test for the BPTC (the vocational course all prospective barristers must pass before being called to the Bar.) The aim of the test is to assess applicants’ chances of securing a pupillage before spending one year and many thousands of pounds on a qualification they may never use. The BSB is analysing the results of a second pilot and is looking to roll the test out nationally from 2012. So, is this the way forward for the LPC? No, or not yet anyway. Kaplan Law School attempted to introduce a test for its LPC applicants (mirroring pre-course assessment of prospective BPTC students) but was prevented from doing so by the SRA.

The LPC3 was rolled out at law schools in 2009 and 2010 with feedback suggesting that both course providers and students appreciate the increased flexibility of the course and the freedom to ‘tailor’ the LPC towards a specific area of the legal sector, such as corporate. Several have re-engineered the compulsory subjects to reflect the interests and future destinations of their students. Theoretically at least, the option is there to build your very own bespoke LPC. Pretty much anything goes so long as the LPC is completed within five years. The course can be studied full-time, part-time, remotely via online seminars and between seven months and two years or more. Students can even take different parts of the course at different providers. Injecting flexibility into how the course can be studied is intended to widen access to the profession by allowing people to fit the LPC around jobs, families or other commitments.

Another trend is law school expansion. Despite the falling or stagnant number of training contracts, the big two course providers of BPP and COL– collectively dominating 65% of the market – have been opening up new centres up and down the country from Cambridge to Bristol to Liverpool. There have been some setbacks in this strategy: BPP failed to launch in Newcastle in 2011 where low applications revealed student disinterest. More schools outside the major city centres are to be welcomed though as they allow students the less-expensive option of studying from home and they generally cost less than their City counterparts. Nevertheless wherever you choose to do it, the LPC is an expensive affair.

Money, money, money

Unless you’ve been hooked up by a generous commercial law firm that’s sponsoring you, it’s time to dig deep. Full-time LPC fees range from £7,300 for the cheapest course, to £12,900 at the top end. Then you must also factor in living expenses. For a comprehensive comparison of course fees look at the LPC Providers Table. We also have advice on funding. Though law-firm funded LPC students may make their peers green with envy, it’s important to remember that there's no such thing as a free lunch. With each passing year the conditions imposed upon sponsored students become more and more stringent. Especially in the recession, it was all too easy to cut off a future starter for failing an LPC module, which in the past may not have been so critical. Law school/law firm tie-ups are in vogue at the moment. A handful of providers are signing exclusive deals with firms to have their future trainees taught together, following a tailored LPC and in the process becoming well versed with the firm’s style and precedents.

Several grants, discounts and scholarships are available and most providers offer flexible payment of fees, BPP has even introduced a law loan of up to £25k to help its students fund the course. There are equally professional and career development loans available from Barclays and the Co-operative.

There are very few students for whom money isn’t an issue. For the rest chasing elusive training contracts, with scholarships out of reach and loans out of the question, a part-time course may just be the answer. While this option does stall your legal career by another year or so it affords time to continue with a full-time job thereby avoiding the heavy debts carried by the average LPC student. Course providers tell us that part-time enrolments are up and students are migrating back home during their studies.

Law schools are a business: They sell the LPC to prospective solicitors for around £10k and welcome in as many people as they can without compromising on quality. The Law Society and the SRA caution against stumbling into the LPC without considering future job prospects but claim not to have the power to restrict the number of LPC places. A 2:2 degree will pretty much guarantee you a place on a course, but finding a firm that will want to train you afterwards is an entirely different proposition. So before putting down the deposit it’s time to get real: blind optimism won’t cut it in the solicitor’s world, especially if you’re aiming for a commercial outfit – where in today’s ruthless market only a 2:1 will save your CV from the wastepaper bin. Do make sure you've read all the advice in the previous section of this guide and be realistic about your chances. If you worry that you're not a strong candidate then take steps to improve your market appeal.

The nuts and bolts of the LPC

It’s important to remember that the LPC is not an academic course – it’s vocational. Treat it like the first year of your professional life. The LPC requires good time management and organisation. “Do be well prepared for your sessions, otherwise there's not much point in attending,” advises one LPC survivor. Write up your notes as you go along and pay attention to the outcomes of every class (as these are likely exam questions). Some providers have open-book exams, but beware: sitting at your desk with an exam paper in front of you and a leaning tower of textbooks at your side will not help. Keep on top of things as the course progresses, and perhaps even think about sharing the revision workload with classmates.

Many students complain that the “learn, apply, regurgitate, pass” approach of the LPC isn’t as stimulating as an undergraduate degree. It’s not supposed to be stimulating; it’s meant to get you ready to start a training contract. The days of theorising are gone. LLB and GDL essays transform into letters of advice, terms and conditions and points about tax. Forget about that dissertation on Hegelian dialectics or Foucault’s contribution to post-structuralism– the LPC strips everyone back to basics. With classes on semi-colons and spelling, it can feel like you’ve reversed back to school, but you’ll pick up plenty of tricks and tips along the way, including:

• How to conduct an interview (usually a strong handshake accompanied by the offer of a beverage);
• How to sign off a letter – not ‘lots of love’ or ‘peace’, as a rule;
• How to minimise tax exposure – it’s about avoidance not evasion;
• How many directors it takes to make a board meeting – this isn’t a bad joke;
• When litigation documents must be served on the other side – you will curse the day bank holidays were invented;
• Whether you or your landlord is responsible when the roof leaks; and
• Why it’s never a good idea to dabble with clients’ money.

Make the right choice

When and how: Timetables can vary wildly between providers, and while some course providers have taken advantage of the freedoms afforded by LPC3 to condense teaching into three or even two days, either mornings or afternoons, others still require attendance four days a week. Term dates and even the length of the whole course can vary substantially. Students can opt to spend anytime between seven months and five years studying for the qualification. Think realistically about what timetable structure will fit most easily into your life. Also think about whether or not you will need a job during the course. While all providers are reluctant to acknowledge that students will be able to fit in a part-time job, they have an increasing understanding of the economic realities and some timetables are more accommodating than others. If working during the course is unavoidable you may want to consider studying part-time.

The use of e-learning resources has become an increasingly popular method of delivering the LPC. COL, for example, no longer incorporates lectures into its LPC, so instead of sitting in large theatres with 200-odd students being taught in real time by real people, you’ll assimilate the lecture information via online i-tutorials. These are backed up and built upon in face-to-face, small-group workshops. Meanwhile, the use of online learning is becoming even more pervasive at BPP, which is rolling out an entirely remote learning LPC thus rendering physical attendance entirely unnecessary. Students at Birmingham City University can even access work from virtual law firm ‘BCU Solicitors’. Lectures are still available to those that want them, as are face-to-face small-group sessions. Some students thrive on electronic learning methods, and part-time students in particular appreciate being able to fit the work around their already busy lives. However, working from home does require a degree of dedication and self-discipline, so think carefully about what mode of teaching will suit you best before you sign up. Can you actually focus in pyjamas?

Assessments: The vast majority of providers examine their students using open-book exams and written assessments. A notable minority have stuck with the closed-book approach. Think carefully about what method will suit you best. It is easy to feel drawn to the open-book approach, but the time frames are such that you have very little time to trawl through books in the exams.

Facilities: For every provider at which students must search plaintively for a quiet study corner, there is another where they can spread out in blessed peace in their own ‘office’. Take the LPC at a university and you’ll belong to a proper law faculty surrounded by chilled out undergrads and deep-thinking post-grads alike; elsewhere, leather sofas and acres of plate glass might make you think you’ve strayed into the offices of a City firm. Given the importance of IT to the LPC, you should consider whether the institution offers endless vistas of the latest flat screens or a few dusty computers in a basement.

Atmosphere and direction: A large institution may appeal to students keen to chug anonymously through the system. Conversely, the intimacy of fewer students and easily accessible tutors may tip the scales in favour of a smaller provider. Some places are known to attract a very corporate-type destined to be City high-flyers; others cultivate the talents of those headed for regional practice. Still others purport to attract a broad a mix of students, so the commercially minded can mingle with future high-street practitioners. These distinctions are likely to become increasingly pronounced with the variety of courses ushered in by the LPC3, so do consider which flavour you’re after.

Money and location: Fees vary and so do the providers’ policies on the inclusion of the cost of textbooks and Law Society membership, etc. Even if you have sponsorship, living expenses still need to be taken into account. The cost of living in London can be an especially nasty shock. Plenty of students find that tight finances restrict their choice of provider. Living with parents will save you a packet of course, but if you are striking out on your own (or you haven’t lived with The Olds for some time), it’s worth considering what you like or don’t like about your university or GDL provider and whether you want to prolong your undergraduate experience or escape it. Be aware that certain LPC providers are dominated by graduates of local universities. When weighing up providers in large cities, find out whether the campus is in the city centre or out on a ring road.

Extra qualifications: A trend among providers is the offer of a top-up LLM, with students using their LPC credits to count towards a Masters in legal practice. The COL offers its students the chance to study for the JD on completion of the LPC. Certain students will be eligible for a 22-week study programme, where successful candidates will be awarded the JD and may then undertake the New York Bar exam. While the stats for unemployed lawyers in New York are just as depressing as in the UK, COL believes that such a qualification would give students an advantageous extra dimension to their CV. Not everyone is convinced. A handful of providers also have degree-awarding powers turning a GDL and LPC into an LLB.

Social mix and social life: Student-y cities such as Nottingham and Bristol are always a lot of fun, but the bright lights of the capital may be irresistible. Experience tells us that compared to those in other cities many students in London tend to slink off the moment classes end rather than socialise into the evening.

Making applications

The Central Applications Board administers all applications for full-time LPCs. The application timetable has been overhauled in response to the fact that several course providers have introduced January and February start dates. LPC admissions will now be processed on a rolling basis with the application form available from early October 2011. Beginning early November 2011 applications will be sent to law schools week by week and the course providers may make offers to students immediately. Obviously the later the applicant the less secure a place, but it should be remembered that there are more validated places than enrolled students on both full-time and part-time courses. Some of the most popular institutions must be placed first on the LawCabs application form – see the LPC Providers Table – but students can apply for up to three. Check also whether your university, GDL provider or future law firm has any agreement or relationship with a provider. Applications for part-time courses should be made directly to the individual provider.