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Studying for the LPC at weekends

Patrick Meaney opted for a weekend LPC so that he could continue working full time and spread his studies over two years.

I was keen to validate the years of work experience I had amassed in contract drafting and negotiating by undertaking the LPC. Cost, location and finding a course that would fit around my job were my top priorities.

An interactive approach

The two-year, weekend course is structured around 11 weekend sessions per year. Although this means I have to sacrifice at least one weekend each month, the setup is a lot more manageable than that of my GDL evening course – I no longer worry about being too tired to get the most out of my lectures after a busy day at the office! The bulk of the teaching is based around well structured and highly interactive group workshops taught on Saturday and Sunday from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm.

The course is very vocational in nature: my tutors encourage me to focus on the core areas of law and the onus is on developing practical legal skills in preparation for my training contract. For instance, I’m getting to grips with interviewing and advising clients through role plays.

LPC: beyond the classroom

Self-study is paramount. I need to be disciplined and put in at least three hours of work per week. This typically involves doing a lot of reading and exercises (eg legal scenario and online multiple choice questions) before and after each weekend session.

Like me, many of my fellow students are in full-time employment – since we’re all in the same boat, we tend to take a conscientious approach to study; this shared focus and the support I receive from my tutors really help me stay on track.

I’d advise those considering the LPC to thoroughly research the structure, cohort sizes and teaching methods – and be aware that higher fees don’t necessarily guarantee a higher standard of teaching.

 

patrick-meaney-weekend-lpcPatrick graduated from Kingston University with a BSc in geography and French, before starting work in project and contract management within the higher education sector. He completed a GDL at the University of Westminster and is now studying the LPC with the National College of Legal Training – a collaboration between the UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF ENGLAND and CENTRAL LAW TRAINING.

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