Law

Course overview

Compulsory papers on the Law course include Roman Law, Tort Law, Criminal Law, Contract Law, Land Law, and EU Law and Equity. These will be spread throughout the student’s three years of study. Each of these subjects will give the student a strong grounding in those subjects essential to legal practice while also stimulating their intellectual development. Optional papers which can be taken in the second and third years range from exciting subjects such as Criminal Procedure, International Law, Family Law, Labour Law, Intellectual Property Law, Company Law, and Human Rights Law. In their third year, students also have an opportunity to write a dissertation.

For more information about the course and its modules, visit the University website.

What is it like to study Law at King's?

Law students at King’s will usually have two to three hours of lectures each day in the Law Faculty, and will spend the rest of their day either reading and/or writing essays and problem questions, or attending a supervision. Students have one supervision every two weeks in each paper they are taking, which usually means two to three supervisions per week. They are expected to spend the rest of their time engaging in independent study, whether in their rooms, their libraries, or in a coffee shop of their choice!

During supervisions, students will have an opportunity to ask questions, and to engage in intellectual debate about the issues raised by the lectures and/or reading. In most cases, students will be asked to produce two pieces of written work per term for every subject they are studying (so usually around eight to ten pieces per term).  A typical supervision is one hour long. It will usually begin with a brief discussion of the topic of the supervision, and an outline of what the student needs to know, before students are given an opportunity to ask questions. After that, the supervisor will usually take the student through tricky issues/cases, and/or encourage them to think beyond the boundaries of the reading and engage in broader debate. In some cases, supervisors might take a student through a problem question or essay, and/or discuss their own written work with them and explore how they might improve.

At King’s, we usually admit four to five students per year.

What do we look for in an applicant to Law?

The best law students are intellectually curious, have analytical minds, and are extremely precise in their use of language. They have good attention to detail and are adept at abstracting principles from fact patterns so as to engage at a conceptual level. They are self-motivated, self-disciplined, and eager to challenge themselves. They will also often have a strong background in essay-based subjects and a flair for constructing persuasive arguments.

Requirements

A Level: A*AA

IB: 42 points overall with 7, 7, 6 at Higher Level

Subject requirements: None required

Admissions assessment: National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT)

Written work: None

Admissions assessment

Candidates for Law must take the LNAT, which is a pre-registration required test. For more information about the test, please see the University website.

At King’s, we are particularly keen to see the quality of a student’s essay in the LNAT, and, in particular, how well they construct an argument, how well they structure their writing, and the extent to which they are able to engage in analytical reasoning.

Careers and graduate opportunities

While many students who study Law either become a solicitor or a barrister, a Law degree is an entry point into a range of professions. Legal-regulatory knowledge is highly transferable and the analytical skills cultivated by a Law degree can be of use in many contexts. Past graduates who have not become solicitors have gone into teaching, publishing, banking, consulting, and academia (to name just a few).

What is the best thing about studying Law at King's?

The Fellows are some of the friendliest and most supportive in Cambridge; they always have time for you.

A top tip for applicants to Law at King's

Start reading as widely as possible now, and thinking critically about the different legal issues/dimensions to different texts. You don’t need to confine yourself to non-fiction or the newspaper. Even books like Harry Potter raise legal issues/have legal implications. The sooner you can start thinking like a lawyer, the better!