Law is not just for lawyers

Law is relevant to everyone, not just those who work within the legal profession. It can be studied as an academic discipline in its own right as well as being the stepping-stone to a law career. Law provides the framework within which society operates, regulating almost all aspects of our lives. It is therefore of direct interest to all of us.

Law graduates enter a wide range of professions, despite the desire to be a lawyer being perhaps the most likely reason for studying law at university. Some of these areas have an obvious link with law, such as the police or prison service. However, the skills you will develop during your study on a law degree are highly valued by employers and transferable to a wide range of contexts such as local government, politics, the civil service, business, management and administration.

Will you enjoy studying law?

Law is intellectually stimulating and a natural choice for anyone who is actively curious about the systems of rules by which society is organised and how these are changed. Studying law often suits people who have a keen interest in current affairs, as much of the news is about either the making or breaking of the law.

Law particularly suits people who enjoy working with words. Much of a law student's time is spent reading legal materials and using the information found to communicate a clear and systematic analysis and application of the law. To succeed in a law degree you will need to be able to think logically, enjoy solving problems and have a good eye for detail.

What skills will you develop?

During your time on a law course you will develop a number of skills which are greatly prized by employers:

• communication, both written and oral, and the ability to construct clear and well-reasoned arguments
• finding and managing large quantities of information from both printed and electronic sources
• thinking clearly and logically to analyse and solve problems
• the capacity for independent thinking and the ability to critically evaluate the law and think about where it needs to be reformed
• organisation and self-direction; the ability to work independently and as part of a team.

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