Pursuing law in the UK enables students to connect with the English legal community and globally recognised legal experts. The twinning courses in collaboration with UK universities are an excellent opportunity to get international exposure and work in British law firms.
The exchange of faculty, the establishment of student exchange programmes, and joint degrees with UK universities not only boost research focus but also enhance global career prospects. Allowing students to complete their final year at an international law school and get a joint degree will give them a launchpad for an international career.
To enable students from National Law University (NLU), Delhi, to study LLM in the UK, the institute has collaborated with Durham Law School (DLS). Speaking to Education Times, Bruce Wardhaugh, professor, Competition Law and Deputy Dean for Internationalisation, Durham University, UK, says, “We want to collaborate with top law schools in India, recognising the importance of Indian law and law schools. National Law University (NLU) Delhi is one of the top-ranked institutions in India and we had some pre-existing relationships with them, which we solidified a few weeks ago when we signed an MoU to foster greater collaboration among academics not just in Durham and India, but throughout Europe. The aim is to establish research focus on Indian law and improve its implementation in India.” The MoU will also facilitate internationalisation of NLU, Delhi by enhancing prospects of global academic tie-ups.
Dual degrees
Besides joint degrees, the partnership will facilitate research on Indian Laws. Prof Wardhaugh says, “We have opened the Durham Centre for Indian Law which is the first of its kind in Europe. Cementing research collaboration with India, we would encourage faculty exchange with our 80 full-time faculty having research interests actively participating in the collaboration. Our staff will closely work with their counterpart in Delhi. Our medium-term goal is to establish student exchange programmes, where students complete their final year at DLS and get dual degrees. They can pursue a part of their LLB programme in Delhi and the final year at DLS.”
In the final year, students can enrol in DLS’s LLM programme. “At the end of their final year, they would be awarded a Durham LLM and would also be credited with an NLU Delhi LLB degree, which will be two qualifications at the same time,” says Professor Wardhaugh, adding that students can choose according to their interests and relevance to their future careers.
The LLM courses at DLS include Corporate Law, European Trade and Commercial Law, Intellectual Property Law, International Environmental Law, International Law and Governance, International Trade and Commercial Law, Medical Law and Ethics and Master of Laws. Experts in international, commercial and European law will teach students at DLS. “Students would have the opportunities to work with the members of the English legal community and connect with colleagues from across the world. The global networking opportunities will help them in their practice later,” adds Professor Wardhaugh.
Practising law in the UK
To become a solicitor in the UK one must have a Qualifying Law Degree (QLD) or a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) and then appear for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) part I and II. Post qualifying for the examination, they need to do training under a qualified solicitor to gain membership in the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) as a qualified solicitor. “The students will be able to qualify as a solicitor in the UK, subject to passing the examinations and receiving a training contract with an English law firm,” adds Professor Wardhaugh.