Acumen+giving+you+the+edge

A&O unveils fast-track LPC despite fears over two-tier system

2 December 2010 | By Husnara Begum

  • Print
  • Comments (5)

Related Articles

Allen & Overy (A&O) has become the latest City law firm to launch a fast-track LPC despite student concerns that such courses run the risk of creating a two-tier training system for would-be lawyers.

The magic circle firm is slashing its LPC, which is run in conjunction with the College of Law (CoL), to just seven and a half months with effect from January 2012.

Training principal and partner David Campbell said: “This is good for our trainees and good for the firm. The accelerated course helps us be a more efficient organisation, but without sacrificing the quality which makes us successful. It means less time between recruiting our new lawyers and having them start with us, and allows our trainees to join us right after the final stage of their studies, which means greater continuity for them.”

A&O’s decision to roll out an accelerated LPC comes just months after rival magic circle firm Clifford Chance announced a similar offering for its future trainees (read article).

Following Clifford Chance’s revelation many students questioned why condensed courses are only available to a select group of students who have City training contracts.

Former CoL LPC student Usman Malik said at the time: “Without giving all students the choice between a fast-track and full-length course, the creation of a two-tier system is inevitable.”

Undergraduates also hit out against only making the accelerated LPC available to students with City training contracts. University of Kent Law Society president Zainul Jussab said: “I think accelerated courses are elitist. Just because you join a certain type of firm, why should you finish the LPC more quickly than everyone else?” (read more).

The only other firms that also offer the fast-track LPC are Linklaters, which is another CoL client and those in the City LPC consortium comprising Herbert Smith, Hogan Lovells, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Norton Rose and Slaughter and May. The City LPC consortium’s fast-track LPC is provided by BPP Law School.

A&O will run two courses in each calendar year – the first in January and the second in July.

See all Related Jobs, Briefings & CPD/Events

Readers' comments (5)

  • Anonymous | 2-Dec-2010 1:17 pm

    I think a fast-track course is brilliant but every firm should offer it! Once I had completed three years at Uni with around 10 hours face-face class time a week, I was desperate to go back to school hours and get the qualification fast! I wanted to get out of education and into 'the real world' - so many students say the course could easily be fitted into 7 months so what is the harm of offering this choice to everyone?

    Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment

  • LawyerNot2B | 2-Dec-2010 1:36 pm

    Agree with Usman - a two-tier system is now inevitable. I just hope the SRA does something about it as it's an insult to non-City students to suggest they wouldn't cope with a shorter course.

    Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment

  • Jo Bloggs | 3-Dec-2010 9:11 am

    Why does everyone want to rush into work? Take the full year, relax, enjoy it, spend the maintenance grant... Because once you have started work there's NO looking back.

    Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment

  • Max (University of Birmingham) | 3-Dec-2010 7:16 pm

    Lawyers will always come out and say that we are not elitist and open their arms out to everyone. Are they not being elitist here?...Surely having the GDL was bad enough for those that go through the traditional "Johnny Law Degree" system. Now it seems as though NOT going to London is a detriment.

    What if I care about my family life and am not driven by money? - Why should my peer who is willing to work till the early morning be able to go on a course which will take less time than me? As with everything in life, the longer you take on something the better. If anything the accelerated LPC will only mean everything is rushed, so not properly trained. You only need to look at the GDL students to realise that they are rushed off their feet.

    They say that law is about fairness, but it looks as though lawyers are unable to live up to that billing, possibly because they are too bothered about "billing" and not so much fairness.

    Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment

  • Anonymous | 5-Dec-2010 4:36 pm

    I think the 7 month LPC should be made available to my uni, London Met. by 2013 for me to take the advantage of it.

    Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment

Have your say

Mandatory Required Fields

  • Print
  • Comments (5)

Most popular

Most commented

Most emailed