A qualifying law degree is a first step on the road to becoming a solicitor. It will exempt you from the common professional exam (CPE) provided it covers all seven ‘Foundations of Legal Knowledge’ – obligations I (Contract) & II (tort); criminal law; equity and law of trusts; law of the European Union; property law; and public law. Once completed, and within seven years of graduation, you can apply for the Legal Practice Course (LPC).

Academic results are important and, with a few exceptions, a 2:1 is pretty much a minimum requirement (see law firm table), whether you have a law degree or not. Firms may not be as Oxbridge-dominated as they once were but most of the larger ones are still more impressed by ‘red brick’ graduates than those from the new universities and former polytechnics. GCSE and A-level results are taken into account as well as degree performance, but if you do have a good non-academic reason for choosing a new rather than an old university, this may be taken into account.