Knowledge platform: Professional Lives and Legal Education

Access to legal professions is changing substantially, from the content of academic courses to work-based learning requirements and corporate structures. These changes impact the wellbeing and career prospects of law students, trainees and newly-qualified lawyers.

Through our research, we’re addressing key challenges. Our specialisms include:

• legal education

• professional training

• access to the profession

• ways to improve the working lives and conditions of aspiring and newly qualified professionals

These are rapidly developing areas of focus and expertise for us.

Our experience

We have a long and distinguished history of research in professional lives and legal education, which dates back to our first Head of School, Dr Stan Marsh.

As well as being a pioneer of research into legal education, Dr Marsh was instrumental in the creation of the Association of Law Teachers. He was its founding Chairman from 1965-1967 and President from 1989-1996.

Our reputation

Our team has advised a wide range of law firms and legal bodies including the Law Society, the Bar Council and the Solicitors’ Regulatory Authority. 

We’ve also formed strong links with organisations such as:

• the Fatherhood Institute

• Working Families

• Fathers Network Scotland

Our teaching

Our research enlightens the courses we teach. It feeds into units such as:

• Skills and Research on our LLM (Master of Laws) degree

• Professional Practice on our:

  • Bar Training Course

  • LLM in Legal Practice at the Bar