Description: A overview of the LPC including entry requirements and module breakdown.
What is the LPC and am I eligible to take it?
The LPC (Legal Practice Course) is the final vocational stage of training to become a qualified solicitor. You can study the LPC after the successful completion of a law degree, or other recognised qualifications such as a GDL (Graduate Diploma in Law). If you have already completed a non-legal degree, you can further study the GDL to allow you to proceed to the LPC and becoming a qualified solicitor.
If you are studying the LPC, you will be expected to have some basic legal knowledge including; Contract, Tort, Land Law, Equity and Trusts, Public Law, Criminal Law, the structure of the court system, remedies, offences, causes of action and defences, property interests and EU law. Hence why you must have first completed a Law Degree, GDL or another recognised qualification.
What is included in the LPC?
When studying the LPC there are two stages. Firstly, you must complete the compulsory modules. This will include topics such as; Business Law & Practice, Litigation, Property Law and Practice. Secondly, you will choose three options from a selection of focused modules. These options include; Corporate Finance, Family Law, Employment Law and many more.
Defining topics covered in the LPC:
Business Law and Practice:
You will cover the basics of the law governing businesses within the UK. You will look at business start-ups, companies, partnerships, business finance and more.
Property Law and Practice:
You will have studied conveyancing and/or land law in your previous qualifications. However, this is a more practical look at both residential and commercial conveyancing.
Litigation:
You will cover both Criminal and Civil Litigation but likely with more emphasis on Civil. Criminal Litigation deals with the process of acting for a client from crime and will cover the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE). Civil Litigation will centre around the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR). There will be a large volume of rules to understand and apply to individual cases.
Employment Law:
You will cover statute, Case law and European Law. In addition, you will cover defining an employee, discrimination, dismissal and more.
Corporate Finance:
You will cover core topics and topics of corporate finance including; share dealings, loans and options and preparations for listing.
Family Law:
You will cover Family Law and child protection. This includes; domestic violence, divorce, parental responsibilities and key proceedings under relevant acts such as the Children Act 1989.