Why choose our BVC?
Becoming a barrister is hard work, very competitive and shouldn’t be undertaken lightly. Even when you’ve completed your BVC, you’ll be up against stiff competition for the limited number of opportunities available.
We don’t just aim to help you secure pupillage – we want to give you the all-round skills and expertise to be a first-class barrister. They’re skills you can apply at the Bar or beyond and past students have gone on to work for the United Nations, the European Parliament, the Civil Service or become solicitor-advocates.
Putting learning into practice
Our BVC has been designed to resemble working life as a barrister as closely as possible. During your course you’ll have ample opportunity to put your skills into practice:
- practitioner evenings to allow you to demonstrate your advocacy skills in front of practising barristers and get feedback
- mock trials staged in front of sitting judges and senior barristers – our students have won numerous competitions for this
- visits to the Magistrates’ Courts, the Crown Court or other courts reflecting your areas of interest
- mooting, negotiating and advocacy – teams from the College have competed successfully at a national and international level and many students have been offered a pupillage on the strength of their performance
- opportunities to represent real clients before various tribunals or become a panel member with the Youth Offending Service
Tailored training
You’ll receive a very high standard of training at the College, tailored to suit your academic needs and career aspirations:
- most of your learning will be in small groups – many in groups of as little as four
- you’ll have access to a realistic courtroom setting for mock trials and moots
- you’ll benefit from our ELITE interactive learning support system and access to our online library
Expert guidance and support
All our BVC tutors have practised as barristers, solicitors or even sat as judges. You’ll be able to track your progress throughout the course via mock assessments, regular oral and written feedback, and one-to-one meetings with personal tutors. All of our tutors are also contactable by phone or e-mail, so they’re available to offer support when you need it.
Get ahead of the pack
If you’ve already passed your GDL at the College and go on to attain your BVC with us, you’ll graduate with a Bachelor’s law degree – LL.B – a clear demonstration of your abilities to prospective employers.
And we can award our LL.M in Professional Legal Practice to those students who pass the College BVC plus three additional modules and an assignment. So our BVC graduates are already a third of the way towards our Master of Laws.
