Career Clinic: GDL or LLB?

If your aim is to progress your career and become a solicitor, then I would say do the GDL. It will teach you the basic topics of English law and will allow you to do the LPC. If you are after career progression, do you want to wait six years for it until you finish your part-time law degree?

I am French too and came over here with 2 Maitrise (in Private Law and Commercial Law). I did the GDL, because I did not want to spend another three years at uni doing another degree.

Finding a training contract was not too hard, although smaller firms did not understand my French qualifications, so an LLB may have helped in that respect. But larger commercial firms had no problem with that, as they tend to recruit quite a few foreign nationals.

I hope that helps.

NQ -04 Feb 2010 | 10:08

GDL conversion is the way forward

I totally agree with NQ but would also note that:

(1) Whereas an LLB will allow you to take the NY Bar exam, the GDL will not; and

(2) outside the UK, the GDL will seem less impressive (and understandable) than a more conventional, university-based LLB.

If these two points are not important to you (and it does not sound like they are), then I would not hesitate to recommend the GDL.

Remember: around 40% of City law firm trainees come into law via the GDL.

Hagar -04 Feb 2010 | 15:19

get the GDL and an LLB!

A number of colleges that offer the GDL now have degree-awarding status if you complete another few modules, or complete the LPC at the same college. Best of both worlds! I now have a 2:1 LLB from the College of Law having come from a non-law degree at uni.

Sarah -04 Feb 2010 | 16:49

If your aim is, eventually, to requalify in France, you should make sure that the GDL will be a sufficient academic qualification to allows you to do so under applicable French Bar rules.

Anonymous -05 Feb 2010 | 11:56

GDL

Yes, the College of Law upgrades your GDL to an LLB if you do the LPC with them, but no one seriously considers an "LLB" from College of Law as a proper LLB. Even with BPP, where you actually have to do more modules to get the LLB, it is still not considered the same as a university-based LLB.

That said, a large proportion of City trainees do the GDL (in fact I'd wager that the figure is closer to 50% at top city firms). There is no stigma attached to doing the GDL - but running around with your College of Law LLB and trying to claim it is on par with a three-year LLB is a bit shameful.

Doubtful -06 Feb 2010 | 22:53

Snobbery, anyone?

Oh, do get over yourself, Doubtful. Only one thing worse than the ridiculous snobbery surrounding (particularly legal) qualifications, and that's and perpetuating it...

Kismet -11 Feb 2010 | 15:11

Ignorant

"Claiming a College of Law degree is the same as a three year LLB is shameful"? The above poster sounds a little bitter and ignorant! Anyone who knows about the new LLB courses knows that they consist of a larger number of modules than the GDL crammed into one year. They are on a par with the number of modules completed at a university but are simply completed in a shorter time period. There is of course less personal research involved than a full LLB as the institutions that provide them tend to provide notes. The courses do involve a dissertation and a research module at some institutions.

Having completed the LLB at BPP, I can't comment on the course at College of Law. I've definitely found mine to be useful, recognised internationally and once you've completed the GDL, I would argue that the extra modules are little extra pain for far more gain.

Anonymous -11 Feb 2010 | 15:31

GDL - qualifying in France

Hi,

I'm currently doing my GDL in the UK and it is my intention to qualify in France. I notice that there is some discussion as to whether the GDL is recognised internationally. Does anyone know where I can find concrete information on this?

Also, I notice that the first couple of posters are French individuals. I wonder if either of you would have any information for me regarding how someone with a UK law degree would go about qualifying in France?

Thanks so much!

Samina -07 Mar 2010 | 12:01

Does the GDL + LPC qualify internationally?

Hello all, I've just graduated from university with a BA Hons in Communication with a 1st but have realised that I want to pursue a career in law. I have been accepted to do a conversion course at BPP and the College of Law to do the GDL but I've also been accepted from the University of Southampton to do an LLB all over again.

My question is, what would be the right choice in this case if I want to work in Europe, specifically in Belgium? Does the GDL with an LPC or BVC qualify me or should I go with the LLB just to be safe?

Thanks for your help!

Tatiana -08 Apr 2010 | 13:09