(L to R): Professor Adolfo Paolini, Dean of the School of Law, Dr Jessica Walsh, Programme Director, and Chris Howard, BARBRI’s University Partnerships Director
To celebrate the launch of the new LLM SQE programme at the University of Buckingham, Chris Howard, University Partnerships Director at BARBRI, interviewed Dr Jessica Walsh, LLM Programmes Director at the University of Buckingham, to delve into their new Master’s degree offering.
Chris Howard: Could you please tell me a bit more about your background and the teaching and research you do here at the University of Buckingham, Jessica?
Dr Jessica Walsh: I qualified as a solicitor in 2012, having trained in the areas of commercial litigation and corporate law at an international law firm, DAC Beachcroft, in London. Prior to that, I'd worked for several years at a Spanish law firm with international reach in Barcelona.
My experience of several jurisdictions has given me a very broad perspective on our legal systems: what they're trying to achieve and what the roles of various actors are, and how different legal solutions and methods of dispute resolution can serve the interests of clients and, ultimately, of justice.
I was very fortunate to be able to pursue these interests further in academia through research and teaching. My research focuses on courts and dispute resolution. In particular, I focus on Latin America and courts within the context of political polarisation and mistrust of institutions, which is very topical at the moment. In my teaching, I build on this: I teach students lawyering skills – advocacy and negotiation – and I keep the focus on ensuring that students understand the role of a lawyer in various dispute resolution settings.
What Attracted You to the University of Buckingham And What Makes it Different From Other Universities?
The University of Buckingham has a really diverse and international body of students and staff=, which makes for a truly vibrant community. Everyone is valued and encouraged to actively contribute to university life. What we always say is that at the university, the students really are a name, not a number.
We have a small-group teaching model which fully capitalises on this. It forms the bedrock of our highly interactive classes, through which we can ensure that we're providing enough support and feedback to help students develop their skills and understanding. That’s the work I like to do.
Beyond that, of course, Buckingham's also famous for being innovative in its offering – for example, it is the home of the accelerated two-year degree. You can come to Buckingham and gain your undergraduate LLB within two years. Then if you add the LLM with SQE1 on top, it means that within three years you have an LLB, an LLM with an academic specialisation in an area of law of your choice, and you are ready to take – or perhaps have already taken – SQE1. You will also have been coached in many of the skills tested at SQE2.
What Was the Thinking Behind the Development of the LLM with SQE1 Preparation, and why did you Choose to Partner with BARBRI?
We all know that sitting the SQE is very challenging, but it's a very important milestone in the student journey to becoming a legal professional. When we sat down to design this course, we wanted to make sure we kept the focus on the process of developing the professional competences tested in the SQE and necessary to then confidently enter the legal profession.
The technology behind BARBRI, which empowers students to understand where they are at and where they need to get to, was something which was really appealing to us. In addition, of course, to BARBRI’s very well-known name, reputation and great deal of experience in this field.
We felt very confident in partnering with BARBRI and employing these cutting-edge tools to prepare student to pass SQE1 and the training to answer SQE1-style questions. At the same time, it also allows us at Buckingham to focus on supporting students, developing their academic critical thinking and communication skills, and reflecting on how their learning journey as a whole is preparing them for practice.
What are the Other Wider Features of the LLM that Benefit Students on Their Journey to Becoming Solicitors?
We wanted to make sure that our programme is not just about SQE1. We give our students the opportunity to pick a subject specialisation and to delve deeper into an area of law than they would on the standard SQE preparation course, providing students a competitive edge in a very competitive job market.
Our academically rigorous LLM subjects gives students the opportunity to develop a global perspective on current international legal issues and to further develop the critical thinking and communication skills that actually feed directly into the professional competences that are tested through the SQE.
We want to make sure that everything in the process of preparing for the SQE and obtaining the LLM supports their professional development and their readiness to enter the legal profession in a very holistic manner. For example, we don't have any written exams on this programme. We assess students on their engagement and reflection on with the process of developing their professional competences, as well as their ability to present convincing arguments in writing and orally..
We hope this promotes deep learning, a good work-life balance, and wellbeing as they prepare for the SQE1 so they hopefully come to the end of the programme feeling energised and confident to enter the legal profession.
How Does Clinical Study Feature in a Student's Education at the University of Buckingham?
It's a very important feature of the student experience at Buckingham. Julie O'Shea, who heads our clinical legal education programme, collaborates very closely with her academic colleagues and members of the legal profession to bridge that gap between academic study and professional practice. Julie plays a pivotal role in embedding this approach within our academic environment. She has a range of really innovative projects in collaboration with industry that students can get involved in, including Street Law placements, shadowing law firms, judicial marshalling, professional mentoring schemes and guest event speakers.
What Are The Most Important Skills that Students Need as They Enter the Modern Employment Market in A Changing Landscape?
It's very important that they develop the skill of self-reflection and to be able to assess their own abilities and understand where they are at. They need a compass to help guide them and to be fully conscious as to why the skills and knowledge they're developing are important.
It is a really exciting time to enter the legal profession. At the forefront of everyone's mind is the way that technology will disrupt the provision of legal advice, justice and dispute resolution systems.
I don't want to equip students to be passive users of this technology – what I would like to see is our graduates actively driving change and directing the use of new technologies to the aims of justice, client care and the needs of legal practice. They need to understand the role and responsibilities of lawyers and the human-centred needs of their clients, and they need to be able to advocate for solutions that work for their clients and for them in this new technological era.
How Can Students Find Out More and Enrol?
Finding the right course for you is a really important decision. First of all, it's crucial to consider if you're eligible to sit SQE1 and to check the entry requirements for our LLM, which are listed on the programme page on our website.
I would encourage students to come and speak to us if you have any questions or are unsure as to where to go. If it's possible, I'd really encourage you to come along to one of our open days and speak to us and our students. If that's not an option, I would encourage you to contact me or Julie O'Shea directly.
Our website also gives more details about the programme, the curriculum, and the details of the admissions team who are wonderfully supportive.
For information about the University of Buckinham’s new programme, visit their website: LLM Law With SQE1 Preparation.
Find out how we can partner with your school: Global University Partnerships
Get started on your SQE Journey with Us: SQE1 Prep
Interested in reading more? Fill out the form to read the full article.