Climate change, forced displacement, and the use of artificial intelligence are only some of the global challenges affecting the legal landscape today. As the legal sector reacts, the need for graduates who are resilient and able to adapt to our changing society is becoming increasingly important.
On this page, we're covering your burning questions, like; how will a law degree benefit my future career prospects? And how will following the degree route help me to succeed in a challenging jobs market? You'll also learn how Essex Law School will help you achieve your career goals through gaining real life experience during your degree.
You'll find information on various career paths for law graduates, and not just traditional routes, but roles and careers that are relevant to today's world, and which tackle pressing issues like our global refugee crisis, and the immense impact Brexit is having on businesses and economies all over the world. We've also got you covered with information on how to become a barrister, solicitor, or licensed conveyancer for example.
As we're immensely proud of the achievements of our alumni community who are fiercely representing around the world, we're sharing some inspiring alumni stories to show you exactly what you can achieve with hard work, determination, and that fearless Essex spirit.
We know the future right now is unpredictable, but it's without a doubt that with a law degree from Essex, you will be ready for it.
Law affects every part of our life from what we can post on social media and the complexities of buying a house, to international commerce and the protection of human rights. The legal sector is vast, and evolving at a rapid pace as it must also respond to the challenges we face as a society. Therefore, employers across a range of sectors will value law graduates who can show adaptability, resilience, and have a critical knowledge and understanding of the law in different contexts.
For example, large law firms will value those with knowledge in family law, employment law, commercial and business law as these areas are booming due to the pandemic. Charities and NGOs working with migrant communities facing displacement will value graduates with knowledge in international humanitarian law, and law graduates who have an understanding of the drastic realities of climate change and a knowledge of environmental law will be key in helping the government, and businesses respond to the global climate crisis.
These are just a few examples of the areas of law that a degree from the School can lead to. The skills you will develop will enable you to successfully transition into a wide range of potential career paths, and be able to respond to the changing, competitive employment landscape.
You could also use your undergraduate law degree as a foundation to study our MA Social Work. You’d then be eligible to apply for professional registration as a Social Worker where on a day to day basis, you’d be advocating for others using your knowledge of law and human rights.
Legal professionals play an important role in helping charities, companies, businesses, and governments respond to the challenges we face today. At Essex, you will be immersed into a broad programme of study, designed to challenge you, develop your knowledge in a range of legal contexts, and prepare you to work with a diverse range of people so that whichever sector you choose to work in, you will be able to demonstrate the necessary skills, experience and knowledge to succeed in your chosen career and help shape the future legal environment.
Those who choose to study joint honours courses will acquire critical, reflective and analytical skills that are common to both areas of law; and will explore the differences between them and the approaches taken within legal and political thought.
There are also many opportunities for law students at Essex, which provides real-life experience working in our Essex Law Clinic, and on human rights projects in partnership with global human rights organisations through our Human Rights Centre Clinic, based in our leading Human Rights Centre.
A degree from the Essex Law School will ensure you graduate with specific knowledge, experience and transferable skills in readiness for the workplace, helping your CV to stand out in what we know to be a competitive industry.
The legal landscape is continuously evolving as it reacts to our changing society. Employers are seeking adaptable and resilient law graduates with a diverse knowledge of the law, across a variety of industries.
You'll have the opportunity to study a distinctive range of courses and modules as an Essex Law School student. You can choose from courses and modules in areas such as commercial law, human rights, maritime law, and corporate responsibility to name a few. You'll have the opportunity to gain knowledge in contemporary issues of cultural diversity, learn about the key features of property law, understand criminal law in England and Wales and explore many challenging questions facing the world we live in today.
The courses are designed to enable you to tailor your study around areas most closely aligned with your career goals, whether that's following a traditional route in becoming a solicitor or barrister, or following a pathway leading you into a career as a policy researcher, a frontline journalist, or even an entrepreneur.
As a student of Essex Law School, you'll be taught how to prepare for a career in the legal profession. You'll uncover a motivation to become an agent for change, and we'll ensure you're equipped with the right tools and knowledge to pursue the fight for justice, whichever path you choose.
In your first two years at Essex, you'll take a career management module alongside other law subjects, where you'll be challenged to think deeply, broadly and strategically about career paths. This module is designed to enhance your employability profile by helping you learn your strengths and goals, and develop an understanding of what employers are looking for, both within and outside of the legal profession.
You'll get to participate in activities, workshops and sessions that help you to develop, whilst building on your skills and competencies, helping your CV to stand out in the graduate market.
Choosing to undertake a law degree at Essex will give you the opportunity to participate in some fantastic opportunities to gain real-life legal experience throughout your studies. It means that when you join the graduate jobs market, you'll be able to demonstrate an aptitude in legal knowledge in a range of contexts, and be able to put this into practice.
You'll be able to:
You'll also be invited to an exciting programme of research seminars, reading groups and mini-courses led by your lecturers, members of the Human Rights Centre, academics across the University and visiting speakers, all with global perspectives and insights into law and justice. Attending these events will expand your philosophical knowledge beyond what you learn on your course.
Our undergraduate law degrees can include an optional placement year, where you can gain professional experience with a relevant company. We also work with the University's Student Development Team to help you find out about other work experience, internships and voluntary opportunities. Carrying out a placement or a voluntary position helps you to gain experience working in a professional legal environment, it gives you the opportunity to explore areas of law you may be interested to pursue a career in, and provides you with key contacts within the legal sector, giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market.
Students have previously interned with Amnesty International, Anti-Slavery International, Article 19, The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions, The Council of Europe, JUSTICE, The International Commission of Jurists, The International Service for Human Rights, INTERIGHTS, Minority Rights Group International, REDRESS and UNHCR to name a few organisations.
Learn more about placements
We have partner institutions all over the world who are excited to welcome you, so if you're keen to study abroad for a year, have the itch to travel, and want to make life-long memories, this is the perfect opportunity for you.
Our Careers Services will support you from the moment you join us at Essex, through to graduation and beyond. Our staff understand the challenges of finding work, and can help you explore your options and identify your opportunities, whatever stage you are at in thinking about your future.
The Careers Services provides a range of services, such as:
Many graduates of Essex Law School will decide to continue their studies at Masters or PhD level. This is an excellent idea if you are interested in focusing on a particular area of law and want to acquire the in-depth knowledge and skills needed to specialise in your chosen field. Our postgraduate students come to Essex from all over the world, to learn from our expert scholars, and benefit from our global education.
If you're interested in pursuing a career around some of the pressing challenges our world faces today, you may be interested in studying our LLM International Trade and Maritime Law, LLM International Commercial and Business Law, International Humanitarian Law, or even our LLM Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. These are just a few of the specialist courses you could study with us. Browse our full list of Masters courses to find your advanced area of study.
Whichever course you choose, having an advanced skill set when it comes to understanding our worlds most significant challenges, will be attractive to employers across the globe who are looking to overcome the many challenges our society faces in a post-pandemic era.
There are often scholarship and funding opportunities available for students within the Essex Law School. Browse our scholarship finder for funding opportunities which may be available.
If you are a graduate of the University of Essex, studied abroad here, or have a spouse or partner studying here as a full-time international student paying overseas fees, we'll give you a loyalty discount of up to 33% on the tuition fee for your first year of postgraduate study at Essex.
For more information, please visit our scholarships and funding page.
In Essex Law School, we're proud to continue our lifelong relationship with our graduates all over the world. You'll also remain a member of our incredibly vibrant University alumni network, a community which welcomes all graduates of Essex throughout our history.
Your exclusive membership will give you access to discounts, networking events and so much more. You can hear inspiring stories from other members of our global alumni community, and use our Friend Finder Service to reconnect with your old friends. Here at Essex, we value the advice and knowledge that our alumni have soaked up along their journey's, so we are eager for our alumni to come and volunteer at Essex, and help make a difference to the next generation of graduates.
Law graduate Chad Blackman has been made Barbados' Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Other International Organisations in Geneva. Ambassador Blackman graduated with an LLB in Law and an LLM in International Trade Law and has since forged an impressive career.
Our graduates continue to make us proud and are inspirational representatives of the Essex Law education. Essex law School graduates have gone on to a wide variety of careers in international and intergovernmental organisations or employment with governments across the world, in commerce and banking, in non-governmental organisations and, as might be expected, in the legal profession and the judiciary.
Our graduates have gone onto work in companies such as the Home Office; The Guardian; National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children; World Health Organization; and The Institute of Public Finance, securing roles such as National Protection Officer for UNHCR; an advocate for Refugees International; a lawyer for the Registry of the European Court of Human Rights; and a trade promotion manager at the Department of Trade and Industry, to name a few.
“I have gained skills in professionalism, employability and commercial awareness. It taught me discipline, perseverance and has aided my decision to pursue law further.”
“Being an active member of the Essex Law Clinic, I have enjoyed the opportunity to put the legal skills I learnt in lectures at Essex into practice, offering legal advice to people who may not have had access to it otherwise.”
“Letter writing, practical legal research, interviewing clients, note-taking and providing oral advice - these skills take years of practice and training. Partaking in work at the Essex Law Clinic gives such a great head start.”