There is a wide range of courses available for students who wish to pursue a career in law, whether law graduates or not. For those who wish to look in more detail at a particular aspect of law, the options range from diplomas to PhDs.

The options

The Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree is typically (despite its name) a postgraduate degree, usually lasting one year. Most students continue from the LLB degree into the legal profession or to the more specialised LLM programmes. The Master of Laws (LLM) can be done purely by research or by course work and minor thesis. It offers a wide choice of specialisms from criminal law to intellectual property law.

For admission to an LLB or LLM degree course, candidates must normally hold a second class honours BCL (Bachelor of Civil Laws) degree or have other third level qualifications or relevant professional experience. The LLM tends to have higher entry requirements than the LLB. For entry to diploma or conversion to law courses, a background in law is usually preferred but some courses may be open to people with other qualifications or relevant experience.

Job prospects

A postgraduate law degree gives you more expertise in a specialised area of law. These skills are useful for a career in law but are transferable to and respected by employers in many other areas.

For those wishing to pursue a career in law, there are specific entry routes which involve further training and professional examinations. See gradireland Law for more information.

For non-law graduates who wish to train as solicitors, conversion courses are available which will prepare them for the necessary exams. Similarly, non-law graduates who want to take the Barrister-at-Law degree course will need to pass the King’s Inn Diploma in Legal Studies before they can sit the entrance exams.

Opportunities abroad

There are three different legal systems in the UK, with Northern Ireland and Scotland having separate systems from England and Wales. This results in different postgraduate training systems but typically an Irish BCL will suffice for entry if the relevant subject modules have been chosen.

For those who wish to practise as Attorneys-at-Law, there are opportunities to study for the New York or California Bar. Irish law graduates are eligible to apply to sit for the New York Bar exam and qualified lawyers who do not possess a law degree can apply to take the California Bar.

Further information

• gradireland Law – information on careers in law, including entry requirements and training. Available to download on our Publications page or pick up a free copy from your careers service.
  
• The Law Society of Ireland www.lawsociety.ie
  
• The Honorable Society of King’s Inns www.kingsinns.ie
  
• Finding an LLM www.llm-guide.com

Written by Mary O’Flynn, Careers Adviser.
This article appeared in postgradireland 2007.