Our law graduates are highly regarded by employers both within and outside the legal profession and there will be many opportunities open to you when you have completed your degree.
The Law School employability team is here to work with you throughout your time with us to ensure you can make the most of these opportunities when the time comes.
Official statistics consistently show a comparatively high proportion of our students go on to graduate level employment or professional training after graduation. Indeed, we see many of our graduates going into the legal profession, including at some of the most prestigious law firms in the country. The most recent HESA Graduate Opportunities survey showed a significant increase in the percentage of home full-time first degree law graduates in professional or managerial occupations or further study 15 months after graduation.
Career opportunities, support and advice
The Law School’s Directors of Employability worked as solicitors for many years before joining UEA and have the experience to provide you with the advice and support that you need.
Many of our students go on to work as solicitors, and we work closely with a wide range of law firms based in Norfolk, the wider region, and also some of the most prestigious law firms in London.
We also advise those students who want to become barristers, with support from a barrister colleague.
Transferable skills
Employers look for evidence that candidates are confident, practical and have good work-related skills. For that reason, from the outset of your course we will work closely with you, law firms and other employers to help maximise your employment opportunities.
Our students also have great career opportunities outside the legal profession. Law students develop transferable skills which make them attractive to a wide spectrum of employers. Within the Law School we do organise events for law students where they can explore careers for which a degree in Law is a particular advantage. We also work closely with the UEA Career Central team, which has vast resources and expertise to support students who are looking for careers outside the legal profession.
We know that employers are not only looking for students with good academic qualifications. They also want students to have developed the skills and experience which will enable them to adjust well to the workplace. UEA Law School provides the perfect environment for students to develop those skills.
The UEA Law Society
The student run UEA Law Society provides a welcoming environment for like-minded students from all subjects. Members will develop their skills such as mooting, negotiation and interviewing clients. You’ll have the opportunity to take part in competitions, workshops and attend talks throughout the year. Academic events aside, you’ll also have plenty of social events to get involved with, including the anticipated Winter and Spring balls.
The UEA Law Clinic
Many UEA Law students gain invaluable work experience by doing voluntary work with the UEA Law Clinic, a collaborative venture between our students, the Law school academic staff, external agencies and members of the local legal profession. The partnership provides free legal advice and assistance to clients in a wide range of subject areas. Those students who do voluntary work with the UEA Law Clinic gain work experience skills which consistently prove a huge asset to them as they apply for jobs. They also of course make a meaningful contribution to the lives of local people who need legal advice.
Experiencing the law in action is increasingly acknowledged to be a vital part of a law student's education. It enables students to appreciate the complex interplay of legal rules and principles in real- life situations, to develop a critical awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the law, and to acquire a wide range of transferable skills that enhance their employability. Working in the Law Clinic enriches our students, and helps to prepare them for life after University.
Employability activities
Our programme of employability activities includes events with law firms and barristers as well as other organisations that recruit law students (for example, the public sector). We believe that 1-2-1 support can be particularly valuable, and our Directors of Employability can work with students on that basis, and also help to link up students with members of the legal profession (often former UEA law students) for informal discussions.