Hi guys, just want to gauge my admission chances for my application. I am a recent graduate from University of Bristol. I graduated with an average of 68, 2 points shy of a first class.I averaged a first in my final year, obtaining 4 firsts out of 6 modules, with 2 narrow misses. My first year was sub-par, with a 2:2 and an average of 64 in my 2nd year.

I understand that the minimum requirements for the LLM is a first. However, at the end of my 1st year up till the end of the first term of my 2nd year, I was affected by the separation of my parents, which also required me to fly home often to check up on my mother.

I am currently undertaking the BPTC in London. I am gunning for the "outstanding" grade (first-class equivalent). I don't think it will be able to make up for the missing 1st from the LLB, as it is more vocational than academic. However, I hope that getting the grade will show that my first 2 academic years in the LLB do not reflect my overall capabilities.

A Level grades: A*A*A
GCSE equivalent: 6A*4A
Extra curriculars include (not exhaustive): Organising chairman of law reform competition, Pro bono volunteer. Part-time business consultant
Work experience: 2 internships in top 5 law firms in my home country.

Any advice guys?

Hello there, generally I would consider sending the admissions team an email to double check on their latest policy changes. However, here is what I can deduce from their current statement on the LLM webpage:

“A first degree in law (meeting the requirements of the previous paragraph) is the preferred preparation for the LLM. However, in exceptional and rare circumstances, applicants without such a degree may be considered, provided they can demonstrate that academically they are within the top 10% of lawyers in their jurisdiction. Applicants will typically demonstrate this through substantial relevant professional legal experience or having obtained a professional legal qualification with the equivalent of a First Class result.”

First, I gather that there are two types of applicants that meet this condition: 1) those who have a law degree with a first or its international equivalent and 2) those without a law degree but who have passed tha bar and/or have sufficient legal practice. Since you don’t meet the first set of conditions and have a law degree already (thus not falling into the second set of conditions), I don’t think that you will likely qualify. Your other academic achievements don’t add or remove anything from what I just said.

That being said, an email to the admissions team could easily sort this situation for you. Hopefully, they would have made some adjustments to the admissions criteria when the next admissions cycle starts.