An advanced law degree offered to
qualified solicitors in Ireland through a collaboration between Northumbria Law
School and the Law Society of Ireland has celebrated the success of its first
graduates.
The LLM Advanced Legal Practice
programme attracted its first 20 students in 2015, and has grown in popularity
with larger cohorts each year since. A celebratory evening to mark the success
of the first graduates was attended by students and representatives from both
the Law Society and Northumbria.
The two-year degree, delivered
primarily through distance learning, has attracted many students in Ireland looking
for a flexible programme designed specifically for solicitors. It provides a
career-building qualification directly relevant to the needs of a modern legal
practice, including the opportunity to develop existing expertise and
knowledge, and to build research and writing skills
The programme was also selected by
the Quality
Assurance Agency, which safeguards and improves standards in higher
education, as a case study on transnational education. The report concluded the
partnership was ‘very successful not only in numbers but in the fit and synergy
of the relationship’ noting Northumbria’s reputation for ‘innovative learning
methods’. The report also praised the high caliber of the graduates of the
programme, which included a Circuit Court judge.
In addition, Northumbria Law
School’s collaboration with the Law Society was strengthened further last year
with the introduction of an LLM Employment Law in Practice programme. Again
aimed at qualified solicitors in Ireland, take-up has been equally impressive.
Gemma Davies, Senior lecturer and
Director of International Development at Northumbria Law School, said: “We have
worked closely with our colleagues at the Law Society of Ireland to develop and
deliver both the Advanced Legal Practice and the Employment Law programmes in a
way that offers accessible learning opportunities and positive career outcomes
for the students. Growing demand among solicitors in Ireland for the programmes
shows we are offering a highly relevant qualification with an approach to
learning flexible enough to accommodate their existing busy careers.
“Our collaboration with the Law
Society of Ireland continues to develop and we’re delighted to share the share
the first graduation ceremony event with them, and of course the students.”
T P
Kennedy, Director of Education at the Law Society of Ireland said
“We have
been very pleased to collaborate with Northumbria University on the provision
of this innovative programme. It’s been gratifying to see the level of
interest in it and the variety of research proposals submitted.”
For more information on the
Advanced Legal Practice LLM, as well as the other Law courses Northumbria
offers please click here
