Laura McBrien joins Edinburgh Law School as Director of Diploma in Professional Legal Practice

Laura McBrien has taken up her role as the Director of the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice at the Law School, joining the School earlier this month.

As Director, Laura is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Diploma through co-ordinating and ensuring the successful delivery of the programme. She is also a personal tutor and works closely with students to ensure their voices are heard in her capacity as Chair of the Diploma Staff and Student Liaison Committee.

Prior to joining the Law School, Laura worked in a number of different roles in professional legal education at BPP University in London, most recently as Programme Leader for the Graduate Diploma in Law and as a Lead Designer. This Lead Designer role involved working as part of a focused team strategically planning the redevelopment of Law School programmes in line with regulatory changes to legal education in England and Wales, and ensuring programmes reflect contemporary legal practice. Laura also has experience working in private practice at Eversheds LLP (now Eversheds Sutherland) specialising in Employment Law.

In her new role, Laura will continue the existing strong, student-focused culture on the Diploma, maintaining excellent ties with the legal profession, while providing a first-class learning experience for students to prepare them for future practice in the legal profession. The new Director will also develop and tailor the curricula to ensure it is current and reflects the complexity of modern legal practice and the legal services sector.

On the subject of her new position, Laura said: “I am really excited to begin my appointment at the University. Edinburgh Law School has an outstanding reputation, having delivered legal education for over 300 years. I am proud to take up the role of Director, Diploma in Professional Legal Practice and am looking forward to working with and supporting students on the programme.”