23rd May 2019

What we do

The Foundation Degree in Law provides an exciting and challenging curriculum which addresses major concepts, values, principles and rules within the legal sector, including: the English Legal System; Criminal Law, Contract, Constitutional and Administrative Law and Tort Law. Depending on the pathway you choose, you will also study aspects of business and management organisations or aspects of the theory behind criminal behaviour and the criminal justice system.

 

What we are planning to do

Before Christmas, the students spent a day at Exeter Combined Courts, where they were able to observe a number of hearings including: sentencing and part trials. Two external speakers (from a local Solicitor’s firm and Devon and Somerset Law Society) also came in to speak with the students, giving an invaluable insight in to qualification and the reality of practice. At the end of January, the students took a residential trip to London where they visited: The Houses of Parliament; The Supreme Court and the Royal Courts of Justice as well as taking part in a guided walking tour of historic legal London. At the beginning of May the students will also be going to Amsterdam to visit the International Criminal Court in the Hague as well as exploring the wider culture available. During the remainder of the academic year the students will be encouraged and have the opportunity to enter the ‘South Devon College Mooting’ competition. Mooting is a useful for developing legal skills of analysis and interpretation, but also personal skills of argument and public speaking. Most importantly of all, it is great fun. The scenarios to be argued could include criminal law, human rights and tort.

 

Our industry is growing

Analysis by the Law Society shows that:

• 8,000 new jobs are created and £379 million is added to the economy for every one per cent growth in the UK legal services sector
• Each £1 of extra turnover in the sector stimulates £1.39 in the rest of the economy
• Every 100 extra jobs in legal services supports a further 67 jobs
• The sector grew by 8 per cent from 2014 to 2015
• An estimated 370,000 people are employed in legal services in the UK. 63 per cent are solicitors or employed by solicitor firms
• Growth in the legal services sector has averaged 3.3 per cent every year for the last decade – outstripping UK economic growth rate of 1.2 per cent
• Net exports of legal services have grown by an average of 5.6 per cent per annum over the last 10 years, to £3.6 billion. Look at: http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/support-services/research-trends/a-25-billion-legal-sector-supports-a-healthy-economy/