Bristol Law School
Encyclopedia
Bristol Law School formerly known as the Faculty of Law, is a school at the University of the West of England
. It is a member of the Faculty of Business and Law.
Established in 1969 Bristol Law School has since grown into one of the largest law school in England and Wales with nearly two thousand students enrolled (seventeen hundred full time students). The School provides both academic and professional legal studies. Outside Oxford, the School has the best law library in the south of England. It also has a number of mock court rooms.
The Department has a strong tradition of student mooting and debating. The Department's internal competition, sponsored by Lyons Davidson, takes place each academic year from October. The intervarsity West of England Mooting Competition, is sponsored by St John's Chambers, Bristol. BLS students won the Princess Alexandra Cup (an inter-varsity debating competition at Lancaster University
) in December 2006.
A wide range of courses are on offer, including:
In addition, BILP provides consultancy and a range of tailor-made in-house courses for a number of firms in Bristol
, the City of London
and elsewhere in the UK.
, the Home Office
, the Alcohol Education Researhc Council, and a number of police forces. Recent and current research contracts include research for the Legal Aid Board (now the Legal Services Commission) on contracting of criminal defence services, for the Legal Services Commission
on the public defender service, for the Alcohol Education Research Council on changes to liquor licensing procedure, for Orange UK
and for the Home Office on the social effects of car crime. Within the Centre for Legal Research are a number of specialised units:
law clinic, the Community Legal Advice and Representation Service (CLARS). CLARS is a unique collaboration between the law students of Bristol Law School, the Department of Law at the University of Bristol, Bristol Citizens Advice Bureau and practising barristers on the Western Circuit.
University of the West of England
The University of the West of England is a university based in the English city of Bristol. Its main campus is at Frenchay, about five miles north of the city centre...
. It is a member of the Faculty of Business and Law.
Established in 1969 Bristol Law School has since grown into one of the largest law school in England and Wales with nearly two thousand students enrolled (seventeen hundred full time students). The School provides both academic and professional legal studies. Outside Oxford, the School has the best law library in the south of England. It also has a number of mock court rooms.
Departments
The school is divided into two departments:- The Department of Law
- Bristol Institute of Legal Practice
Department of Law
The Department of Law provides a range of undergraduate, postgraduate masters and doctoral level:- The LLB Honours
- Joint honours degrees
- Eight LLM degrees
- PhdPHDPHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
degrees
The Department has a strong tradition of student mooting and debating. The Department's internal competition, sponsored by Lyons Davidson, takes place each academic year from October. The intervarsity West of England Mooting Competition, is sponsored by St John's Chambers, Bristol. BLS students won the Princess Alexandra Cup (an inter-varsity debating competition at Lancaster University
Lancaster University
Lancaster University, officially The University of Lancaster, is a leading research-intensive British university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established by Royal Charter in 1964 and initially based in St Leonard's Gate until moving to a purpose-built 300 acre campus at...
) in December 2006.
Bristol Institute of Legal Practice
The Bristol Institute of Legal Practice (“BILP”) provides professional legal education and training for students and legal professionals. BILP has approaching 1,000 students on its full time, part time, short course and CPD programmes and is recognised as one of the leading providers of professional legal education in the UK. It has over 50 professionally qualified tutors teaching mainly in their areas of practice expertise.A wide range of courses are on offer, including:
- Legal Practice CourseLegal Practice CourseThe Legal Practice Course also known as the Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practiceis the vocational stage for becoming a solicitor in England and Wales. The course is the successor to Law Society Finals and is more vocational in its syllabus. The LPC can be taken in many different formats including...
(full-time) - Legal Practice CourseLegal Practice CourseThe Legal Practice Course also known as the Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practiceis the vocational stage for becoming a solicitor in England and Wales. The course is the successor to Law Society Finals and is more vocational in its syllabus. The LPC can be taken in many different formats including...
(part-time by way of Open Learning) - Bar Professional Training CourseBar Professional Training CourseThe Bar Professional Training Course is a graduate course that is completed by those wishing to be called to the Bar, i.e. to practise as a barrister in England and Wales...
(full-time) - Bar Professional Training CourseBar Professional Training CourseThe Bar Professional Training Course is a graduate course that is completed by those wishing to be called to the Bar, i.e. to practise as a barrister in England and Wales...
(part-time by way of Open Learning) - Common Professional ExaminationCommon Professional ExaminationThe Common Professional Examination is a postgraduate law course in England and Wales that is taken by non-law graduates wishing to become either a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales...
Graduate Diploma in Law (full-time) - Common Professional ExaminationCommon Professional ExaminationThe Common Professional Examination is a postgraduate law course in England and Wales that is taken by non-law graduates wishing to become either a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales...
Graduate Diploma in Law (part-time by distance learning and residential sessions) - LLM in Advanced Legal Practice
- Professional Skills Course
- Continuing Professional DevelopmentContinuing Professional DevelopmentContinuing professional development or Continuing professional education is the means by which people maintain their knowledge and skills related to their professional lives.-CPD research:...
(CPD) Courses and Conferences
In addition, BILP provides consultancy and a range of tailor-made in-house courses for a number of firms in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
and elsewhere in the UK.
Research
Legal scholarship and research forms an important part of Bristol Law School's activity. Many staff in the School are engaged in research of national and international significance. Much of the research activity in Bristol Law School is carried out under the auspices of the Centre for Legal Research - BLS CLR. Staff undertake research in all of the main legal research traditions, and are well represented in both the doctrinal research tradition and socio-legal research. They undertake research for a variety of organisations, and recent and current projects have been funded by the Legal Services CommissionLegal Services Commission
The Legal Services Commission is an executive non-departmental public body of the Ministry of Justice that is responsible for the operational administration of legal aid in England and Wales.-Overview:...
, the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
, the Alcohol Education Researhc Council, and a number of police forces. Recent and current research contracts include research for the Legal Aid Board (now the Legal Services Commission) on contracting of criminal defence services, for the Legal Services Commission
Legal Services Commission
The Legal Services Commission is an executive non-departmental public body of the Ministry of Justice that is responsible for the operational administration of legal aid in England and Wales.-Overview:...
on the public defender service, for the Alcohol Education Research Council on changes to liquor licensing procedure, for Orange UK
Orange UK
Orange is a mobile network operator and internet service provider in the United Kingdom, which launched in 1994. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but was purchased by France Télécom in 2000, which then adopted the Orange brand for all its other mobile communications activities...
and for the Home Office on the social effects of car crime. Within the Centre for Legal Research are a number of specialised units:
- Commercial Law Unit - http://law.uwe.ac.uk/research/commercial-law-unit.cfm
- Criminal Justice Unit - http://law.uwe.ac.uk/research/criminal-justice-unit/index.cfm
- Environmental Law Unit with leading law firm Burgess Salmon - http://law.uwe.ac.uk/research/environmental-law-unit.cfm
- International Law & Human Rights Unit - http://law.uwe.ac.uk/research/human-rights-unit.cfm
CLARS
Bristol Law School is a partner in a pro bonoPro bono
Pro bono publico is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service. It is common in the legal profession and is increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms...
law clinic, the Community Legal Advice and Representation Service (CLARS). CLARS is a unique collaboration between the law students of Bristol Law School, the Department of Law at the University of Bristol, Bristol Citizens Advice Bureau and practising barristers on the Western Circuit.