The study of law
Law is a diverse subject that can provide a grounding for a career in law or other careers that utilise the skills you learn. Law is an incredibly competitive field of study and you’ll need to work hard to secure a place. When you do, you’re on the road to one of the more rewarding degree courses around.
You’ll study civil law, criminal law, torts, contracts, and a whole lot more.
Be prepared to work hard, though, as courses are very demanding!
What careers use a law degree?
A law degree is just the beginning of a career in law but can be the gateway to become a solicitor, barrister, clerk or something outside of the courts.
Many business careers benefit from law degrees as they prepare students for many aspects of the working world.
That includes negotiation, arbitration, international relations, policymaking, scientific fields, trade, law enforcement, finance, insurance and a whole lot more.
The best law universities in the UK
Here are what we consider the 10 top schools for law in the UK.
Oxford University
No surprise that Oxford University, with one of the oldest law colleges in the country, is regarded as one of the best law schools in England. Education is top notch and the overall student experience is not to be missed.
Oxford University offers six law degrees including BA (hons) jurisprudence, law with law studies and various languages.
Oxford is a fascinating place to live and study. It’s a laid-back city that has evolved around the university and students play a huge part in local life. That means there are lots of amenities for students and the entire local economy is built around delivering the services you want.
UCL
UCL, University College London, is ranked as one of the best unis for law in the UK. It’s an excellent university that ranks regularly in league tables for a wide range of subjects.
University College London offers nine law degree courses including LLB (hons) law, law with languages, law and professional policing and law with art and science.
UCL is in Bloomsbury in London, which is an amazing place to spend your student years. It’s close to Euston Station, The British Museum and other famous locations. It’s full of bars, cafés, museums, galleries, parks, shopping, dining and entertainment.
Cambridge University
It should be no surprise to see Cambridge University in this list of top law schools in the United Kingdom. It’s as well-established as Oxford and is a regular in the top three universities overall.
Cambridge University offers one law degree course: BA (hons) law. Despite being a BA, it’s the same quality as LLB in other universities.
Cambridge is a thriving city north of London. It’s another city built around its university with the local economy reliant on students. That means you’re never short of things to do, see, eat, drink, watch or participate in.
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics is one of the most famous universities in the world aside from Oxbridge. It is known for the quality of its teaching and for delivering students ready for leading roles around the world.
The London School of Economics, LSE, offers two law degree courses: LLB (hons) law and BA (hons) anthropology & law.
LSE is in the centre of London by King’s College and Covent Garden. It’s just as amazing to be a student here as you imagine it to be, if not more so. There are all the amenities you could want on your doorstep or a short bus or tube ride away. It’s an expensive place to live but you’ll never be short of things to do!
Glasgow University
Glasgow University is another esteemed Scottish institution, one of three universities in Glasgow. It is known for delivering superb teaching within highly regarded surroundings close to the city centre.
Glasgow University offers 35 law degree courses including LLB (hons) law, LLB (hons) Scots law, and a mixture of languages and business courses.
Glasgow University is just northwest of the city centre, a short walk or bus ride into town. The city itself is large and sprawling, very welcoming to students and has a lot to see and do. The city has seen a lot of regeneration, which makes it a great place to spend time in.
King's College London
King's College London, KCL, is another college in the capital that is one of the best law universities in the UK. It doesn't often appear in our top 10, but for law it more than earns its place thanks to excellent standards of teaching.
King's College London offers six law degree courses including LLB (hons) law and languages as well as politics and philosophy of law.
KCL is on the banks of the River Thames close to Covent Garden and Waterloo. It’s a vibrant part of the city with lots of parks, leisure amenities, shops, markets, restaurants, bars, galleries and plenty to see and do.
Durham University
Durham University is a regular in our top 10 university lists and is also one of the top law schools in the UK. It’s a very highly regarded institution where the quality of teaching and student satisfaction is always high.
Durham University offers two law degree courses, including LLB (hons) law and an LLB foundation course.
Durham is a northern city a short distance from Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough. It’s a great town in its own right but the proximity to those cities adds an extra element. Locals are friendly, there are lots of student-friendly amenities and you have lots of surrounding areas to explore.
Solent University
Solent University is a newcomer to our top universities list but has one of the highest-rated law schools in the country. The Guardian rated it #8 in the country for law and we wouldn’t disagree.
Solent University offers 4 law degree courses including LLB (hons) law, LLB sandwich and LLB foundation.
Solent University is in Southampton city centre. The city is a nautical city with close ties to the sea, shipping and trade. It’s a cosmopolitan city with lots of students and a welcoming character that makes it easy to fit into local life.
Leeds University
Leeds University is another of our best law universities in the UK. It’s also highly regarded overall, regularly placing within the top 20 of most university league tables.
Leeds University offers eight law degree courses including LLB (hons) law, legal studies, international studies, criminal justice and languages.
Leeds is an amazing city to be a student. It has all the amenities of a big city with the friendliness and inclusiveness of a small town. There is a lot of shopping, dining and entertainment, wide open spaces and a strong food and drink scene too.
Aberdeen University
Aberdeen University is also rated as one of the best unis for law in UK league tables. It’s a northern university on the east coast of Scotland and is renowned for the quality of its education across many subjects.
Aberdeen University offers 29 law degree courses including LLB (hons) law, languages, legal studies, international relations, politics and more.
Aberdeen is a thriving port city in Scotland known mainly for oil. It has a large university and student population and is geared up to support that. The city is a decent size with lots of amenities and is a great place to spend your student years, as long as you don’t mind the cold!