One of the interesting sub-plots of the Big Law vs New Law debate is the way in which workers (partners and their equivalents, salaried partners, employees) are motivated.
Clydes, Kennedys and Auntie Beeb latest to back legal apprenticeship drive
Today (7 March) marks the end of the 7th National Apprenticeship Week, an initiative coordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service, which this year has seen announcements about the launch or expansion of legal training programmes by Clyde & Co, Kennedys, the BBC and Oldham Council.
Continue reading “Clydes, Kennedys and Auntie Beeb latest to back legal apprenticeship drive”
Remaking legal education – after 18 years at Europe’s largest law school, Savage confirms retirement
In a career spanning dead-end jobs and the upper echelons of the global legal market, Nigel Savage, the man who almost certainly did more than any other individual to shake up legal education in the UK, has announced his retirement.
In a statement issued today (6 February), Savage confirmed his retirement as the president and provost of the University of Law after 18 years heading the institution. He stands down from 1 April 2014 to be succeeded by chief executive John Latham. Continue reading “Remaking legal education – after 18 years at Europe’s largest law school, Savage confirms retirement”
Commercially minded: Allen & Overy chooses BPP for business-focused LPC
In what constitutes a major overhaul of its training programme, Allen & Overy (A&O) has announced today (16 December) that it will work with BPP law school to provide its young lawyers with an enhanced Legal Practice Course (LPC) with a Masters business component from 2015. The firm has also chosen BPP to run its Graduate Diploma in Law course from September next year.
The change in legal training institution came after a competitive tender process in which BPP was selected over the firm’s incumbent provider, the University of Law.
Continue reading “Commercially minded: Allen & Overy chooses BPP for business-focused LPC”
Price of good education: University of Law unveils first financial results since PE buyout
The University of Law has recorded a net profit of over £14m in its latest financial results, just a year after being purchased by private equity house Montagu Private Equity for £177m.
Accounts filed at Companies House reveal the UoL, formerly a charity, posted turnover of £53.3m over an 18-month period dating from February 2012 to July this year, alongside a retained loss of £7.7m which was attributed to investments made improving college facilities. The education body also paid zero UK corporation tax during this period.
Training for tomorrow – SRA outlines outcomes-focused approach to legal education
‘While the current education and training system has served us well, technology, changing consumer demands and the regulatory system itself are shaping the ways in which legal services are delivered. Legal education and training must adapt to reflect these wider changes.’
So says the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in today’s (15 October) ‘Training for Tomorrow’ report, which proposes moving to an outcomes-focused approach to legal education, with less input from the regulators on how to achieve competence and ongoing training. Continue reading “Training for tomorrow – SRA outlines outcomes-focused approach to legal education”
LETR of the day: education review opts for mum ‘n’ apple pie over radical change
Sarah Downey assesses the much-touted review of legal education
It promised so much and delivered so little. The Legal Education and Training Review (LETR) published its recommendations on 25 June, concluding what was dubbed as the most comprehensive assessment of legal education since the Ormrod report of 1971. Yet the 350-page report has proved an underwhelming end to a process that was supposed to address fundamental problems. Continue reading “LETR of the day: education review opts for mum ‘n’ apple pie over radical change”
BPP awarded university status after ‘rigorous’ review
LPC provider follows arch rival to win university status
It has been a long time coming, but in August BPP finally succeeded in its long quest to secure full university status, furthering the ambitions of the UK’s top law schools.
The decision by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) to award the university title to BPP – which provides undergraduate and graduate business degrees across law, finance and tax and is the sole provider of the legal practice course (LPC) to many of the top City firms – will elevate its standing globally, dean and chief executive Peter Crisp told Legal Business. ‘Firstly, it’s the recognition, the reputation and the standing it gives us worldwide,’ said Crisp. ‘So obviously in terms of our appeal to students both in this country and internationally. It puts us on a par with other universities who also recruit on to the LLB and the vocational legal training practice. Continue reading “BPP awarded university status after ‘rigorous’ review”
We’ll take that: BPP’s university status welcome news amidst challenging times for education providers
With the Legal Education and Training Review (LETR) having just last month thrown down some spiky if not unexpected challenges to education providers, yesterday’s (8 August) news that BPP has been awarded university status was a welcome boost.
The decision by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) to award the university title to BPP – which provides undergraduate and graduate business degrees across the law finance and tax space and is the sole provider of the Legal Practice Course to many of the top City firms – will elevate its standing globally, Dean and Chief Executive Peter Crisp told Legal Business: ‘Firstly, it’s the recognition, the reputation and the standing it gives us worldwide, so obviously in terms of our appeal to students both in this country and internationally. It puts us on a par with other universities who also recruit onto the LLB and the vocational legal training practice. Continue reading “We’ll take that: BPP’s university status welcome news amidst challenging times for education providers”
Guest Post: Legal education review – why everyone is happy and no one is smiling
So the first round of the Legal Education and Training Review (LETR) is complete. Julian Webb et al’s report is out and the dust can begin to settle. The research phase faced a number of problems. There are four I would emphasise:
- a wide, ill-defined brief, not susceptible to original research on the resources devoted to it;
- a long-term neglect of all interested parties to research the links between education, training, regulation and competence; and,
- a political situation which looks a bit like the Game of Thrones, without the erotica; and,
- a regulatory framework that owes at least as much to history and politics as it does to the public interest. Continue reading “Guest Post: Legal education review – why everyone is happy and no one is smiling”