Student testimonials
Find out what it's like to study the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice at Edinburgh Law School from our current and former students.
Chelsea
The Diploma at the University of Edinburgh gives a revealing insight into the world of law in practice – quite a change from the theoretical work studied throughout the undergraduate degree.
Moving from an undergraduate law degree to studying the law diploma will always require a shift in outlook and working style, but entering the diploma during the first year of the pandemic provided extra hurdles and challenges for us all to face.
The entire team of staff were tireless in their efforts to accommodate us in ever-changing circumstances, doing their utmost to ensure that the necessary replacement of face-to-face workshops with online courses was minimally disruptive. Our courses remained of the highest quality and we were always encouraged by the Diploma staff to strive to achieve our very best.
The tutors themselves are highly accomplished, with combined decades of experience within various sectors of the legal profession. Their teaching, therefore, combines high-quality academic education with ‘life lessons’ from their own experiences that have been instrumental in improving my work as a trainee solicitor.
Alongside the core required courses, there are a wide variety of optional courses to suit everyone’s personal skills and interests, ensuring you always have something engaging to study. I particularly enjoyed the court practice courses, both criminal and civil, which gave me first-hand insight from seasoned professionals on how advocacy is conducted and the skills necessary to present cases at court hearings – an invaluable skill for trainees assisting with court work.
I would highly recommend the Diploma at University of Edinburgh – it is a very rewarding course that feels inclusive and tailored to individual needs. It provides a grounding in the broad range of skills required to secure a traineeship, and to succeed there once you have, along with other skills transferrable to any field or profession.
After graduating, I was even fortunate enough to be asked to help with updating and reworking some Diploma courses over the summer with the fantastic and enthusiastic diploma team and tutors, an opportunity for which I am very grateful.
Chelsea studied the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice in the academic year 2020-21, graduating in 2021.
Studying the Diploma at the University of Edinburgh was an intense but highly rewarding experience. It truly prepares you for life as a solicitor.
While Edinburgh University might sound big and daunting, the Law School's Diploma course was small and welcoming.
With the Diploma, you can expect highly practical work - weekly assignments, presentations, group work, and plenty of oral advocacy.
This was a contrast to the Undergraduate Law degree which focuses on autonomy and essays which allow for months of preparation. The Diploma gears you for the deadlines and expectations that come with being a solicitor.
What I found most refreshing about the Diploma was how everyone was keen to participate. Regardless of how silly the question, every tutor was encouraging. They take on board your understanding and iron out areas of confusion. I often found that the seemingly simple questions that I had, everyone else was pondering the same question. It was this environment of likeminded people who were as eager as me to learn that really brought the Diploma to life.
My favourite experience with the Diploma was the opportunity to take on a real-life legal aid case. We were taken through the case management software, Clio, and taught about client confidentiality. Then, we practiced our interviewing skills with actors that came in. This was great preparation when it came to managing our clients' expectations as well as responding appropriately to their emotions. I found the experience so rewarding that I joined Edinburgh Law School's Free Legal Advice Centre. I have since advised clients in contract, family and tenancy Matters. This was a huge contribution to my personal development, CV and confidence as someone who had entered the Diploma without a legal traineeship.
Once I completed the Diploma, I secured myself a job as a legal assistant, and thereafter, a traineeship. Overall, I highly recommend Edinburgh for your Diploma. You develop at a fast rate in a very short space of time, and you can make great connections along the way.
Tulsi studied the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice in the academic year 2020-21, graduating in 2021.
Alison
Deciding where to do the diploma can be a difficult decision and with the luxury of hindsight I am now very glad to have undertaken mine at Edinburgh University.
Having not secured a traineeship when I applied. I feel that the skills and experience I gained on the diploma made me stand out extremely well as a candidate when making traineeship applications.
The tutors were very approachable and the diploma at Edinburgh in particular offers a great networking opportunity with practitioners from a range of backgrounds. The tutors at Edinburgh were also very good at creating a space where I felt comfortable pushing myself, particularly when practicing oral advocacy. I was able to approach tutors about questions that I had about the subjects as well as for career advice.
The diploma office were very accommodating and were always there to resolve any issues that arose. As a young carer I felt listened to and well supported. As my personal tutor, Laura really went above and beyond her duties to support me and manage my anxieties.
I’m only a few weeks into my traineeship and have used a combination of skills and knowledge from a wide variety of the courses I undertook. The diploma at Edinburgh prepared me for life as a trainee and has provided me with the skills necessary to be entrusted with a lot of responsibilities from an early stage in my career.
Overall I would recommend the studying the diploma at Edinburgh to anyone looking for a solid base for their career as a trainee that provides a seamless transition from academic to professional life.
Alison studied the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice in the academic year 2020-21, graduating in 2021.
Rhea studied the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice at Edinburgh Law School in the 2018-19 academic year. Here she talks about her experience of studying on the Diploma.
Ruby studied the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice at Edinburgh Law School in the 2018-19 academic year. Here she talks about her experience of studying on the Diploma.
Gregor studied the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice at Edinburgh Law School in the 2018-19 academic year. Here he talks about his experience of studying on the Diploma.
Kirsten talks about her experience of studying the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice, part time, at Edinburgh Law School, the University of Edinburgh.
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