Glasgow leapfrogs Oxford in latest law school rankings
Cambridge tops table
Glasgow has overtaken Oxford in new rankings comparing law degree programs at over 100 universities.
The University of Glasgow’s law course was ranked in second after the University Cambridge, according to The Times’ Good University Guide 2023. Oxford came in third followed by University College London (UCL) and King’s College London.
Other Scottish universities that performed well in the latest rankings were the Strathclyde (6th), Edinburgh (=7th) and Aberdeen (10th).
Seven out of the top twenty universities for studying law were located in Scotland with the University of Dundee placing 15th, the University of Stirling coming coming in 17th and Glasgow Caledonian University taking up joint 20th.
Top 10 UK universities for law
| Ranking | University |
| 1 | University of Cambridge |
| 2 | University of Glasgow |
| 3 | University of Oxford |
| 4 | University College London |
| 5 | King’s College London |
| 6 | University of Strathclyde |
| =7 | University of Edinburgh |
| =7 | University of Durham |
| 9 | London School of Economics and Political Science |
| 10 | University of Aberdeen |
Outside of the top 10 rankings, Lancaster and Warwick came in 11th and 12th respectively, whilst York took 13th position. Other Russell Group unis towards to top of the table were Bristol (14th), Leeds (16th), Exeter (=17th), Nottingham (19th) and Queen’s University Belfast (=22nd).
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35 Comments
Bored
That’s great, but until I see the kids of partners and QCs choosing to go there over Oxbridge, I think it wise to follow what they do.
I think a lot of legal career advice seems to be aimed at reducing the competition for the kids of partners and QCs.
Aspiring servant of the Crown
Correction – KC
Pedant
KCs*
Anon
Rumour has it all the firm’s are cutting all their Oxford college dinners now and are organising 3 day benders in Glasgow instead to attract the “top talent”.
This has to be the most ridiculous list I’ve seen in a while 😂
Glasgow Alumnus
As a recent graduate from the University of Glasgow, it is slightly surprising that it is ranked above Oxford once again, but I’m not surprised at all to see it ranked in the top 5. There seems to be a strange assumption from some students that top-tier Scottish universities will always be of a lower quality than top-tier English universities, but that simply isn’t the case.
The curriculum and LLB program at UofG is of a very high quality and widely respected, and Glasgow is a beautiful and friendly city with relatively low living costs and plenty to do as a student. Firms also seem to view UofG students as highly employable, as I and several other students in my cohort secured multiple TC offers across several MC/SC firms.
anon
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Glasgow Alumnus
Get lost. No one asked you to comment.
Not Glasgow alumnus
To be fair, no one asked you to comment either.
average oxford student
pretending glasgow is on par with oxbridge is almost as bad as the doxbridge lot
Doxy on the Bridged
D-Ox-Br-idge, you mean!
Don’t forget Bristol…
Anon
These rankings are useless. For undergraduate degrees it will always be seen as oxbridge then the rest by employers.
Anon
Yes, and rightly so.
Hadrian
So Oxford and Cambridge are ranked 1 and 2 among English speaking universities.
Oxonian
Please don’t turn this into a Scotland vs England isse. Oxford is a top-tier British university. It directly competes with Glasgow and all other universities throughout the country.
Bistonian
Oxford does not “compete” with Glasgow. Oxford “competes” with Cambridge, Harvard and Yale. And really that is more peer respect than competition. I’m sure Glasgow is lovely, if you can’t get into Edinburgh for law. Though with Glasgow having to learn the local language would be an effort.
Ha…
…ha ha.
Glasgow is considerably harder to get into than Edinburgh for law and very consistently outranks Edinburgh overall in the yearly law rankings – just look at the entry requirements column/overall score on ANY law school ranking table from the last ten years.
Lots of English folk think Glasgow uni must not be very good because their mum once told them Glasgow is dangerous and frightful (while Edinburgh is nice because it has a pretty castle and it’s where Aunt Beatrice got that lovely tartan shawl).
N.B. – the “local language” (Scots) is not some self-derived savagery (as is commonly supposed by sneering Englishmen in boat shoes, such as yourself), but rather a sister language of standard English that evolved separately from Early Middle English.
Archibald Gemmill
As a Scot I can confirm the post above is prejudiced dross.
1. Edinburgh is number 1 for law and just about everything else. The ranking tables mean nothing.
2. The rest of Scotland can’t understand the Glaswegians.
Mmm
Where’s the evidence for that? If Edinburgh is the best in Scotland for law, can you point to a single law school ranking from the last decade that says so? The fact is, Glasgow has consistently outperformed Edinburgh in law, as is borne out by representation at the bar, in the judiciary and in the top Scottish law firms.
When you say “the rest of Scotland”, you of course really mean Edinburgh (which is essentially part of England, to which it is in thrall both culturally and linguistically).
Judicious jock
Tbf, fact that Glasgow’s law school is the best in Scotland not even news at this point:
https://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2022/sep/24/the-guardian-university-guide-2023-the-rankings
Jambo
All nonsense form Mmm. The legal establishment is heavily Edinburgh and Oxbridge centred. 3 out of the 4 Scottish Supreme Court justices went to Edinburgh, all of them went to Oxbridge. The rankings are nonsense, just look at no 6 on the list.
Cantabrigian
2 and 1.
Warwick alumni
To be frank, Oxbridge is so overrated. That’s why they all work at MC firms earning below average salary whilst the non-Oxbridge are making mouthwatering bees and honey at elite US shops.
Concerned
How did you feel the day you got your Oxbridge rejection letter?
MC Senior Associate (Oxon)
Oxbridge graduates work at MC firms because they want (and deserve) first rate training.
I have come across a handful of Warwick graduates. While they are normal human being, I wouldn’t go so far to say that they are better than Oxbridge graduates (who are by default high achievers and have been deeply challenged as part of their courses).
Law School
“Law School”
Jim
Wonder how they rate Glasgow’s Common law program or if they just focus on their Scots law program, or a combination
Deep Fry Everything
No-one cares. The ranking is obviously pointless and does not reflect reality.
Mr Angus Nal
I entirely agree with most of the above
Lol
Bogus ranking – everyone knows this
Anon
Sep 21 2022 10:45pm: Warwick is achingly third rate. You really have to be spectacularly dim to go to Warwick.
Tellit
Warwick exists so that those at Durham can take comfort they are not the dullest cohort of Oxbridge rejects.
Jeff
These rankings have no credibility in the real world.
Glasgow better than Oxford. Strathclyde better than LSE.
I can assure you practising lawyers are not checking annual rankings.
Tan JK
what about Glasgow’s Engineering ranking? can display?
Anonymous
Here in Scotland itself, one of the talking points is that Strathclyde is ranked above Edinburgh. No more the ‘Strathclyde Tech’ jibes…(as an alumnus of both)
Jambo
All that shows is the rankings are nonsense. Just look at the list, it is a joke.
Comments are closed.