The Legal Cheek View
Surrounded by the buzz of London’s financial district, University of Law’s slick Moorgate campus delivers a GDL programme that is tailored towards those pursuing a City career. It’s no surprise that it sees itself as the “corporate choice”, neighbouring as it does global law firm giants such as Linklaters and Simmons & Simmons. In fact, Slaughter and May is literally across the road and students can look out of their windows and see what’s going on inside the all-glass elite law firm. This may or may not be a good thing…
Peep show aside, the GDL at ULaw Moorgate is “an excellent modular course” which is “all about the teachers really”. The lecturers have a reputation for memorable teaching methods. An insider recalls a contract lesson: “She taught us about exclusion clauses by making us inspect her wedding dress receipt — there was a clause about her putting on weight!” Another tutor is “absolutely mad and scares you with crazy stories from her childhood to teach you tort, but who will get you a distinction in her class”. It’s “all about land law” for another Moorgate student: “The lecturer taught us ownership and trusts in family homes by using his wife as an example, as she was the legal owner”.
Study spaces are “sufficient” and while most students enjoy the “modern facilities”, others complain that the “library is always full”. Perhaps the careers service can make up for it, as it’s “second to none”. The course materials elicit mixed reviews, with some preferring the textbooks to the manuals. But a few grumbles aside they are seen as perfectly adequate.
There is some good news for those students heading for one of the law firms with bespoke courses at ULaw because: “in which case the classes are tailored for you and you actually make friends” — this could hint at a possible social life!
But even if it is tailored, like most GDL materials, the “course is taught in a spoon-fed fashion”, but this “made the exams passable so long as you followed the structure”. Exam passing is helped by the quality of the lecturers who ensure that it is, “clear what you have to do”. This should make those tough exams which ULaw is known for a little more bearable. So, as one former Moorgate student advises: “Hold tight and enjoy the ride”.
Scholarships
Law First Scholarship
The Lord Blunkett Widening Access Award
Choose Law Scholarship
Career Changer Scholarship
Charles Russell Speechlys Award
Set for Success Scholarship
Key Info
ULaw offers a total of 2,280 GDL places, full and part-time, across its centres nationally; part-time fees are per year.