The Legal Cheek View
Founded in 2015 by Luke Gittos, partner at the criminal law firm Murray Hughman, the Freedom Law Clinic focuses on providing students with the necessary Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) alongside their legal studies. Students gain experience by working alongside the clinic’s solicitors on a variety of pro bono matters, ranging from complex criminal cases to housing and welfare claims.
The Clinic offers an array of online courses for its budding lawyers. This includes programmes focused on preparation for the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE), courses purely for gaining QWE, as well as those which are a mixture of both. When it comes to pure exam prep, students need look no further than the Clinic’s SQE1 or SQE2 Preparation Courses. Taking place part-time for eight hours a week, thee year-long prep courses are ideal for students wanting to fit studies around other commitments. We hear on the grapevine that a ‘Fast Track’ variant is also in development by the Clinic, which will see aspiring solicitors undertake intensive studies for the SQE exams over just 30 days.
The SQE courses with integrated QWE enable students to acquire real legal experience while pursuing their studies. In both SQE1 and SQE2 Preparation with QWE Courses, the Clinic offers at least two hours of structured QWE each week. Running part-time for a year, aspiring solicitors will make significant progress toward qualification by the time they complete the course.
The Clinic also offers additional courses that focus solely on QWE, which can be completed alongside other studies or work commitments. These courses allow aspiring lawyers to address a variety of pro bono matters, such as housing and welfare, under the supervision of qualified lawyers. Students on the course will undertake a minimum of two QWE hours each week, allowing students to fit their caseload around existing commitments. The design of the course allows its participants to accrue six months worth of QWE over the duration of the programme, built with the flexibility to accrue these QWE hours when it most suits its students.
The Criminal Appeals Programme, on the other hand, focuses on complex criminal casework. Over the duration of this seven-week programme, students get stuck into reviewing case papers; analysing evidence; practicing oral advocacy; and drafting skeleton arguments.
The Clinic takes a novel approach when it comes to course fees, with the majority of the Clinic’s courses paid for via a subscription service. Citing a goal to break down barriers to accessing legal education, enrolled students can drop in and out of courses at the Freedom Law Clinic depending on their monthly requirements.
Courses
SQE1 Courses
SQE1 Preparation Only Course
Best for law graduates and those in full-time employment looking for QWE, the SQE1 course takes place part time with eight hours of online lectures each week. Taking place over 12 months, students on the SQE1 programme at the Freedom Law Clinic will have access to lectures and course materials on all core legal subjects for the SQE1 exams.
Part-time: eight hours per week for 12 months.
Cost: £2695 (£495 course materials fee plus a £200 per month tuition subscription for 11 months).
Application Deadline: Applications are rolling; students can sign up whenever works for them and slot into the programme. All lectures are recorded and the Clinic have a rolling term timetable where students can catch up on any lectures they have missed.
SQE1 Preparation with QWE Course
With QWE built in to the structure of learning on the SQE 1 & QWE Combination course, students on this course can work towards self-qualification throughout the programme. Eight hours of online lectures a week are complimented by two hours of structured practical work experience and industry engagement. This course is aimed at law graduates and those in full-time employment looking for QWE.
Part-time: 10 hours per week for 12 months.
Cost: £3740 (£495 course materials fee plus a £295 per month tuition subscription for 11 months)
Application Deadline: Applications are rolling; students can sign up whenever works for them and slot into the programme. All lectures are recorded and the Clinic have a rolling term timetable where students can catch up on any lectures they have missed.
SQE2 Courses
SQE2 Preparation Only Course
The best course for those looking to sit the SQE2 with no need for QWE or QWE supervision, the SQE2 preparation only course includes five hours of scheduled SQE 2 teaching per week.
Part-time: five hours per week over 12 months.
Cost: £2695 (£495 course materials fee + £200 p/m tuition subscription for 11 months)
Application Deadline: Applications are rolling; students can sign up whenever works for them and slot into the programme. All lectures are recorded and the Clinic have a rolling term timetable where students can catch up on any lectures they have missed.
SQE2 Preparation with QWE Course
With QWE built in to the structure of learning on the SQE 2 & QWE Combination course, students on this course can work towards self-qualification throughout the programme. Five hours of of scheduled SQE2 teaching per week are complimented by two hours of structured practical work experience and industry engagement. This course is aimed those who have completed SQE1 looking for QWE whilst intending to sit the SQE2 exams.
Full-time: 7 hours/week for 12 months
Cost: £3740 (£495 course materials fee + £295 p/m tuition subscription for 11 months)
Application Deadline: Applications are rolling; students can sign up whenever works for them and slot into the programme. All lectures are recorded and the Clinic have a rolling term timetable where students can catch up on any lectures they have missed.
Criminal Appeals Courses
Criminal Appeals Programme
This seven-week course gives its students the opportunity to work on a real-life criminal appeal case. Over the duration, students on the course can get hands-on experience reviewing case papers; analysing evidence; practicing oral advocacy; and drafting skeleton arguments.
Full-time: seven weeks.
Cost: £295
Application Deadline: Applications are rolling; students can sign up whenever works for them.
QWE Courses
QWE Course
The Freedom Law Clinic’s QWE course allows students to gain work experience outside of their other studies. Working on the clinic’s pro bono cases, students on the course are supervised by solicitors working on matters relating to housing, welfare, civil liberties, complex criminal appeals and tort law.
Full-time: To be confirmed.
Cost: £195 per month tuition subscription & supervision fee
Application Deadline: Applications are rolling; students can sign up whenever works for them and slot into the programme. Students will be allocated an introductory piece of QWE straight away to gauge legal analysis.
Scholarships
Scholarships with the Freedom Law Clinic will be introduced in September/October of 2024. Students can register their interest at hello@freedomlawclinic.org.
Locations
- Online