The City Law School, which is part of City University London, has announced that it has joined the Law Society’s Diversity Access Scheme (March 2011). From now on the School will offer a free Legal Practice Course (LPC) place to one candidate per year. This will be effective from the 2011/12 academic year.
The aim of the scheme is to boost social mobility in the legal profession through supporting prospective young lawyers who face personal, financial and social obstacles to gaining a qualification. Previous scheme entrants have included those who have overcome disability, people formerly in care and someone who had resisted a forced and arranged marriage.
Candidates who are shortlisted will be interviewed in London this July (2011). Last year almost 175 applications for the scheme were received and 25 of those candidates were successful. This year 40 places will be up for grabs, with a plan to offer 50 by next year.
Amanda Fancourt, LPC Director at The City Law School, commented: “We are delighted to have joined such an important scheme at a vital time both for aspiring lawyers and for legal education in the UK and beyond. This Law Society project enables those who have endured a wide variety of challenging circumstances to pursue their goal of becoming a lawyer and we hope to welcome our first student in September.”
