17 per cent increase in Scottish pupils admitted to law courses

As of today there have been 1,480 pupils in Scotland admitted to law courses at UK universities. This is compared to 2015’s figure of 1,260 — a 17 per cent increase.

In total, 13,410 males in Scotland gained places at university while the figure was 19,730 for females. These numbers each mark a four per cent increase on 2015.

Liz Campbell, executive director of education, training and qualifications at the Law Society of Scotland, told Scottish Legal News that she was encouraged by the figures whether admissions were for “LLB or other law courses such as criminology, which are also covered by the UCAS statistics”.

She added: “The LLB is a great undergraduate degree which provides a good grounding for a wide range of careers and is welcomed by many employers across different industries, as well as being an entry point for qualification as a solicitor. Many students now combine law with other subjects, such as languages or business, which can enhance career prospects after graduating – whether or not they want to pursue a career in the legal sector.

“We have good relationships with each of the universities offering the LLB in Scotland. We organise regular visits to meet students studying both at undergraduate level and who are doing their postgraduate diploma to ensure that they have enough information to make the right choices about their future. It’s important that students know from the start of their studies what they can expect and what they need to achieve if they want to go on to qualify as a solicitor.

“The figures also show that the trend for more women than men choosing to study law is continuing. This is something we are monitoring as we want to ensure that law attracts talented men and women from different backgrounds and that we have a legal profession which reflects our wider society.”