Legal Practice Course (LPC)
Solicitors Regulation Authority Rating: Commendable Practice
Location: School of Law, Regent Street (Oxford Circus, Central London)
Modes offered: FT and PT
- (FT) Stage 1 & 2 (September to June). Fees: £9,450
- (FT) Stage 1 (September to February). Fees: £7,800
- (FT) Stage 2 Fees: (3 electives: £1,800 ) ( 2 electives: £1,200) ( 1 elective: £600)
- (PT) Stage 1 & 2 (2 academic years) Fees: £4,725 per academic year
- (PT) Stage 1 & 2 (new flexible weekend study course 2 academic years) Fees: £3999 (2009/10 fees)per academic year. Fees for 2010/11 to be confirmed shortly.
Fees and Discount(s)
Full-time applicants: There is a £500 discount available for students taking stage 1 and 2 with a UK 2:1 Law Degree (or better) or a Commendation (or better) at CPE/GDL level. A further discount of 5% is also given if the relevant course fee for Stage 1 (only) or Stages 1 & 2 (in full) is paid in full by 30 September 2010. NB. This discount applies after the £500 qualification discount if applicable.
PT Applicants: There is a 250GBP discount (per academic year) available for students with a UK 2:1 Law Degree (or better) or a Commendation (or better) at CPE/GDL level. A further discount of 5% is also given if the relevant course fee for Stage 1 (only) or Stages 1 & 2 (in full) is paid in full by 30 September 2010. NB. This discount applies after the £250 qualification discount if applicable.
Notes
Part-time tuition fees are per annum and are likely to increase inline with inflation. Tuition fees are inclusive of all course materials, books and examination fees.
All applicant who accept an offer to study the LPC with the University of Westminster are required to pay a holding deposit of £120 which is over and above yearly tuition fees.
About the LPC Course
The Legal Practice Course (LPC) course is usually taken upon completion of a qualifying Law degree (LLB), the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) or ILEX. The LPC is is the vocational stage for becoming a solicitor in England and Wales. The LPC course at the University of Westminster was the first course to be awarded the highest possible grade of 'commendable practice' under the Law Society's grading scheme.
Our newly validated LPC started in September 2010. We are running a 1 year full time day LPC and a 2 year part time evening LPC. The course is now divided into Stage 1 (the core subjects) and Stage 2 (the electives). Please see below for further information.
Stages 1 and 2 will be covered in a year (September to June). Alternatively, you can take Stage 1 and take Stage 2 later on at a time convenient for you. You might like to check out our very interesting range of LPC electives offered at Stage 2.
From September 2009, we introduced a new flexible part-time LPC (distance learning and weekend classes) in association with Central Law Training (CLT) and the University of West of England. (Click here for more details and how to apply via CLT).
You can add a Masters in Legal Practice to your LPC by taking a one-year add on course.
Finally you should note that the Law School has recently introducted a 4 year exempting law degree that is specifically geared to professional practice in a law firm with fees that are consistent throughout the course, rather than nearly tripling at the LPC stage.
Entry Requirements
Each student must satisfy the following requirements prior to commencing the LPC:
- A minimum of a lower second class honours in a qualifying law degree or equivalent such as the GDL or ILEX
- Applicants must have a sufficient command of English to sucessfully complete the course
- Enrolled as a student member of Solicitor Regulation Authority (deadline of the 1st August applies)
- Obtained by September 2010, a Certificate of Completion of the Academic Stage of Training from the Solicitor Regulation Authority
Course Structure
Stage 1: Core Practice Areas
- Business Law and Practice
- Civil Litigation
- Criminal Litigation
- Property Law and Practice
Course Skills
- Advocacy
- Interviewing and Advising
- Legal Drafting
- Legal Writing
- Practical Legal Research
Other Areas
- Professional Conduct and Regulation
- Taxation
- Wills and Administration of Estates
Stage 2: Electives (choose three)
Private Client Electives
- Family
- Employment
- Housing
- PI & Clinical Negligence
- Immigration * - LPC students undertaking this elective will be given the opportunity to complete the Level 1 of the Immigration Accreditation Scheme
Commercial Electives
- Commercial Litigation
- E-commerce
- Corporate Finance
- Private Acquisitions
- Employment
- Entertainment & Media
- Commercial Property
- Commercial Law
Clinical elective - we will also offer a Work Placement Clinical Elective through our pro bono unit and the CAB.
Notes
* LPC students opting for our Immigration Law elective will have the opportunity to study and sit for Level 1 of the Immigration Accreditation Scheme. The Legal Services Commission (LSC) requires all advisers (including solicitors) who conduct publicly funded immigration and asylum work to be accredited under the scheme. (read more)
Please be advised that the cost of undertaking the Level 1 of the Immigration Accreditation Scheme will be a separate charge over and above student tuition fees for the LPC course.
Please note that our ability to run Stage 2 electives is subject to demand (i.e. a minimum number of students usually 10 - must choose to do the elective). It is important we make clear that we are unable to guarantee in advance whether any individual elective will run or not.
LPC Applications - September 2010
SRA Registration
The follwoing forms needs to be filled in by all applicants and sent to the SRA, please see www.sra.org.uk
Other downloads from the SRA
Application Summary Points
With limited places, The University of Westminster has one intake per year in September. Please see the table below for a summary of the LPC offered by the University of Westminster. Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to secure a place for September start.
| Course Summary Points | Full-time LPC | Part-time LPC |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Oxford Circus | Oxford Circus |
|
Vacancies |
120 |
64 |
|
Tuition Fees 2009/10 |
Stage 1 & 2 |
Stage 1 & 2 |
| Study days | Mon, Tues and Thurs | Tues, Wed or Thurs * |
|
Study time |
10.30am - 4.30pm |
5:45pm - 8:45pm |
|
Application deadline (s) |
1 Dec 2009 (1st round of applications - ongoing thereafter) |
15 August 2010 |
| Submitting an application |
|
Apply to the PT course |
* Part-time students are required to attend two evenings per week. Evenings will be allocated per student during the first foundation week of study.
Contact Infomation
| LPC Course | Telephone | Email address | Fax number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full time LPC queries | 0207 911 5000 Ext 5017 | lpcadmin@westminster.ac.uk | 0207 911 5844 |
| Part time LPC queries | 0207 911 5000 Ext 2500 | M.S.Kelly@westminster.ac.uk | 0207 911 5844 |
| LPC tours | 0207 911 5000 Ext 5017 | lpcadmin@westminster.ac.uk | 0207 911 5844 |
| All other Law courses | 0207 911 5000 Ext 5088 | lawregistry@westminster.ac.uk | 0207 911 2616 |
Postal address
The University of Westminster - The School of Law
The Department of Professional Legal Studies
4 Little Titchfield Street
London W1W 7UW