Nottingham at Kaplan, College of Law miss out on 15m LPC contract

Nottingham at Kaplan Law Schools London ambitions have been delivered a severe blow just weeks before it launches in the capital after the City LPC Consortium decided to renew its contract with BPP Law School.

The five-strong City LPC consortium, which comprises Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Herbert Smith, Lovells, Norton Rose and Slaughter and May put the 15m contract to provide the year-long vocational course to its future trainees out to tender in February.

The Bristol Institute of Legal Practice, College of Law and The City Law School also pitched for the lucrative deal. Meanwhile, The City Law School turned down an invitation to participate in the tender exercise.

Nottingham at Kaplans new chief executive Giles Proctor said: It was nice to be asked but were not entirely surprised given the timing.

Nottingham at Kaplan is launching a new campus with an intake of 100 students in Londons Borough Market next month. The law school currently has one law firm, Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw on its roster.

The College of Law, which is behind the bespoke LPC, is the choice LPC provider to a string of firms including Allen & Overy, Berwin Leighton Paisner, Clifford Chance and Linklaters.

The colleges chief executive Nigel Savage said of the consortiums decision: It depends on what you want in your wardrobe - a bespoke made to measure suit or one that fits four other people.

BPP will continue to run the LPC for the City consortium for a further two years while it develops a new course for the five firms to start in September 2009. The new contract is expected to last until 2012.

BPP chief executive Peter Crisp said the consortium was impressed by quality of what the law school offers. We understand our clients strategic and business needs and where we can add value. We also offer flexibility, added Crisp.