Studying Law in England; The JD/LLB Option Part I

I hope that you will find the information contained in this letter helpful, but this letter provides the information "as is" and makes no representations or warranties of any kind regarding it. I disclaim all liability of any kind whatsoever arising out of your use of this letter and the information contained in it.

‘The following is an statement of opinion not fact.’

I studied Philosophy at the University of Western Ontario and graduated in 1999 with Honors. I am currently enrolled in a four-year program where I spend two years at the University of Exeter, in England and another two years at the University of Connecticut in the U.S. At the end of which time I will have my LLB and my JD.

I am enrolled in what is called a Senior Status LLB that allows anyone with a previous degree to enter into the second year of the LLB program. Most of the Universities in England have similar programs. In the second year of the program you do Tort, Contract Law, Criminal Law and Constitutional Law. After the third year of the program, providing you maintain a high average and you meet the ‘regular’ requirements of admission, you will be enrolled into the JD program at the University of Connecticut. The two programs are independent of each other in two ways. Firstly, there is no automatic entry into the JD program at the University of Connecticut, although a good performance at Exeter will secure you a place. You will normally apply to Connecticut at the end of your first year at Exeter. You may enrol in the University of Connecticut for a year as a visiting student or as an LLM student or if you are prepared to spend a second year you would be eligible for the JD. Secondly, the courses you take at Exeter only count towards your LLB. It is not possible to take courses for credit towards your JD while in England. The fee structures are also independent of one another, so, while you will pay International tuition fees in England, of around £6500 - £7800, you will also pay, as an International student, around $22,000 - $30,000 per year in the U.S. for tuition, books, etc.

To gain admission into a British University or college, you must apply through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admission Services). It is similar to OLSAS except, the application is for all the Universities and Colleges in Britain. It operates as the only central applications service for full time undergraduate courses in the U.K. You can choose up to six courses, but if you are applying for medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or veterinary science, you can only choose four. After reading the prospectuses from the Universities that were of interest to me, I sent in my application and was subsequently accepted into all of my six choices. The institutions assess your application on the basis on your qualifications and therefore it would be particularly erroneous to believe that you have a greater chance of entry into law school in the U.K. based on the fact that you only need your A’ Levels for admission. If your grades are poor, chances are, you will not be offered a place, especially not at one of the top ranking Universities. How do you know which Universities are top ranking? The Times has many articles and rankings of the Universities in the U.K. and you can find that information online to enable you to make a more informed decision.

You must also bear in mind that not all programs are published in the Universities prospectuses. In fact, there was no information regarding this program in the prospectus for the University of Exeter. I enquired about dual degree programs and one of the lecturers at the University of Connecticut wrote to me telling me of this opportunity. You have to do as much research as possible and ask as many questions as you need in order for you to make an informed decision.

You can choose to do a combined LLB/JD such as the one I am enrolled in or you can do the LLB with a year in any country in Europe, some programs even allow you to graduate with the relevant degree from the country of study. Most of the Universities in England have the combined LLB with European study. For example, if you have advanced French, you can choose to spend a year in France studying the law in that country and you will graduate with your LLB with French Law.

The notion that at the end of your four years you should have two degrees and not one degree is particularly apposite in an era where the competition is fierce. I consider any dual degree qualification worthwhile, whether it is your LLB/JD, LLB/MBA, LLB/MA etc. It is important to do your research and figure out where you want to practice law, what general area of the law interests you and then make your decision.

My decision to leave Canada was not an easy one and the choice to pursue my current path filled with trepidation. I originally wanted to enrol in the dual qualification program that was offered by the University of Windsor but its cancellation marked a watershed in my decision making process. For me this decision became increasingly easier the more information I had. U.S. law firms, particularly the larger law firms in states such as N.Y. and Massachusetts, pay graduates a starting salary of $100-$150 K (USD) and during the summer internships you get paid $2400 (USD) per week. That is not including the bonuses, potential for upward mobility and your yearly increase in salary based on your performance. The difference is certainly appreciable between the practice of law in Canada, England and the U.S. With the comparatively low starting salaries for lawyers in Canada, the tax structure, the competition for firms on ‘Bay Street’, and the lack of dual degree jurisdictional programs, my choice seemed like no choice at all.

I chose to do the JD as opposed to the LLM even though I wish to practice in NY because I want to be more marketable. The majority of the states require the JD along with other requirements for the admission to the Bar. The choices are numerous and whatever decision you make will in all probability, bear consequences both positive and negative. Certainly try to place yourself in the best position for future employability wherever you are, bearing in mind what you would like the eventual outcome to be.
Good Luck!

Shelly Mohammed
B.A. Honours