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The pointlessness of a law degree

A few sensitive souls who clutch their LLB protectively have been offended by David Allen Green I see! I think Green has an both an LLB and a non-law degree so perhaps he is in a position to comment. Obviously this is intended to be an amusing article but it also raises good points, and not just many non-law degrees can equip one for a career in law just as well as a law degree. Most law degrees seem to have no regard whatsoever to the reality of legal work, except to an extent the reality of legal work as a barrister in independent practice. Since hardly any law graduates in England become practising barristers (check the statistics) it doesn't make sense for LLBs to be seen as gold standard in education for aspirant lawyers. Nothing wrong with academic study as an end unto itself but LLB providers love to market their courses as the gateway to a lucrative career in love to prospective students - and as Green says, the only advantage in this respect that an LLB provides is by saving a year of time and expense. And the LLB in its current form is the excuse for why we all had to sit LPCs or BVCs which are pretty badly designed courses which leech money from us. Of course many lawyers, somewhat vainly, regard law as the ultimate intellectual challenge and believe an LLB reveals intellectual ability and that is why they think LLBs have value... Do LLBs have value? Unless you plan to be a barrister, about as much as other academic degress. No more.

20-Feb-2012

3:51 pm