LL.B and the Legal Practice Course (LPC)
The most common degree for a lawyer is the bachelor of laws with an LL.B credential, which stands for Legum Baccalaureus. In many countries, the LL.B is a three-year degree, pursued after the completion of an undergraduate degree-though it may be a first degree in the U.K. Students in India may follow this route or obtain the LL.B after a five-year course embarked upon directly after high school. The Legal Practice Course (LPC) is the next step to becoming a solicitor in the U.K. Law students take the one-year course before entering a solicitors firm to complete a two-year training contract, after which they should qualify as a solicitor. Graduates wishing to qualify as a solicitor but who did a nonlaw degree are required to take the graduate diploma in law (GDL) before beginning an LPC and then continuing with a training contract.
