Hi all !!
I'm a greek undergraduate student at the Uni of Athens, but i would like to continue my studies and finally work in UK after I take my degree.The problem is that greek legal system is based on Roman law,not Common law.For that reason I wonder whether i should have a two-year LLB and then an LPC -just because Common law is totally different from Roman law- or have an LLM and then LPC.
I had a seminar of legal terminology in english legal system and my tutor (who has an english law degree and is a solicitor) recommended me the LPC or QLTS without mentioning any problems I may have at the exams due to the difference of the two systems..
I would like everyones' suggestions about this!!
Also,I searched about unis which offer a two-year LLB and they are not that many!Except for Oxbridge (cause i won't have the required grades) which else do you suggest?
I estimate i would have a 2:1 degree.
Thank you all in advance for your help!!

Dear fellow Greek,

Unless you obtain a british (first) law degree you are not elgible for LPC. Even if you do an LLM here, you will still have to undertake the convertion course, called Graduate Diploma in Law. This lasts one year and thereafter, you may commence your LPC. Therefore, you have to study 2 years due to the fact that you do not hold a qualifying law degree awarded by a common law jurisdiction.
Upon (or before) completion of your GDL and LPC you will have to find a law firm that is willing to offer you a training contract. Training lasts 2 years. So you need 4 years before getting qualified.
Advice: do not rely on a career in a City Law Firm if you dont hold a british LLB. Mos law firms dont recruit civil lawyers (unless they own offices in the respective countries). Unluckily, Greece does not fall into this category.
All in all, if you wanna practice in the UK, go for LLB (obtain a 2:1 degree), do the LPC and you will enhance your chances.

I see..
First of all,thank you for your advices!

So,you recommend i go either for LLB or GDL.
I wonder if a two-year LLB will be equal to a three-year LLB and if you know between a GDL and a two-year LLB which one is mostly prefered by law firms.

Personally, without having any idea ,so i may be wrong ,i was thinking that it wouldn't matter if i had a two-year LLB since i have already studied law for four years and i just want to learn the Common law system.I mean that i have legal knowledge,i don't begin from the start.What is your opinion?

Also,in order to go for a GDL i should have had a LLM so as to convert the course?I mean..GDL is only for convertion of other degrees like LLM or a non-law one?

Thank you again!

I don't really think it makes a difference. If you get the GDL you will be treated as a non-law graduate. Which is fine, half of each Law Firms' intake is usually non-law grads, but they have a strong first degree, regardless of field. Thus, if you don't have a really good first degree, you 'd better go for the LLB. However, you can still acheive very high grades in GDL which will be appreciated. You should also bear in mind that prospective trainees apply 2 years prior commencement of training. If you do GDL next year and apply for a vacancy, training will begin in 2015. You will do your LPC and you will still have one gap year. If you apply now for a vacancy (ie commencing in 2014) they will probably not call you for interview because you currently dont have anything they want - just some years of greek legal education.

As for the GDL you dont need a british LLM to do this. More importantly, you dont have to be a laywer at all. Bear in mind, though, that tuition fees for GDL and PLC are somewhat higher than LLM and LLB courses (around 12.000GBP)

Thank you so much for everything!!