Best Universities for Law in the UK - 2024

The law is a system of rules recognized by specific countries or communities that have the role of regulating the actions of their members to maintain order and safety. Breaking the law is often strictly discouraged by imposed penalties, therefore people studying and practising law are essential in society. Studying for a law degree, especially at one of the Best Universities for Law in the UK, involves studying the intricacies of these law systems and theories and also an understanding of applying this knowledge in real-life circumstances. Law is a diverse study area, and such are law degree options. The most popular law degree is the LLB, which is a Bachelor of Laws. However, law can be studied alongside a plethora of other subjects such as history or criminology.

Studying for a law degree is a great step towards becoming a barrister or solicitor. While these are the most common career choices, a law degree offers a great deal of career-specific as well as transferable skills. Therefore, there are many more career options outside the law, in the administrative and business domains, and many others. If any of these opportunities excite you, UAPP has made the first step in your journey by selecting the top contenders for the Best Universities for Law in the UK. We have examined the information provided by these universities and are ready to offer you a comprehensive guide for your application process.

Best Universities for Law in the UK: Highlighting Top Institutions

1. University of Cambridge

The first university on the list of best universities for law in the UK is Cambridge University, where law has been studied and taught for over seven centuries, with prominent alumni across history holding the highest judicial positions in Europe. Cambridge currently has one law programme, Bachelor of Laws, which focuses on taking an interdisciplinary approach to law studies, as it examines their relationship with economics, ethics and other domains. 

Cambridge is especially supportive of its law students through the events and opportunities its Law Society offers, such as moots and pro bono projects. Mootings are helpful as they are mock trials offering precious practice for law students. Pro bono work is also helpful for law students, as it allows them to do voluntary work, which is relevant to their studies, and also has a positive impact on society. You can find more about how Pro Bono Work helps vulnerable people and is also a great addition to one’s career. Moreover, the university has impressive facilities, as its Squire Law Library has one of the finest academic law collections in the country and Cambridge University Library possesses one of the world’s oldest university libraries.

2. University College London (UCL)

Another option that is significantly different from the one mentioned earlier but still an impressive Law faculty is UCL. As one of the best universities for law in the UK, the law faculty at UCL prides itself on providing an inclusive and diverse experience for students, where competitiveness and care are balanced to encourage every unique individual to achieve their full potential. UCL also offers opportunities for pro bono work and emphasizes teaching students a critical view of the legal system. 

This university aims to develop students’ individual study skills, as it provides not only the main legal theories but also critical discussions and examinations of how law can improve society. Their facilities are located in the heart of London, which offers students the unique opportunity to visit nearby courtrooms and meet potential employers at professional networking events held by the faculty. Students also have the chance to connect to influential alumni through the Bentham Association, which was established over six decades ago with the intent to support relationships between former students, colleagues and friends of UCL Laws. This association has been led by many distinguished figures such as Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury who served as President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom from 2012 to 2017. 

3. London School of Economics and Political Science

Another university with a highly advantageous setting is LSE, as it is close to London’s historic legal district and multiple prominent law firms where their Law Society and Inns of Court regularly organise events. As one of the best universities for law in the UK, they offer a variety of degrees such as a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), a double degree LLB/JD (juris doctor) programme with Columbia University Law School, and a Bachelor of Anthropology and Law. This degree offers students an exploration of law theories from a social science perspective, as it especially examines its impact on society, politics, economics and business. 

This university course strives to improve students’ overall transferable skills, but also give them all the knowledge and skills needed to progress to the first stage of the Solicitors’ Qualifying Exam (SQE), and the Bar Professional Training Course. Their Law Society is highly active and successful, being offered awards for Best Mooting Activities by the LawCareers.Net Student Law Society Awards. While it has the popular Pro Bono and Mooting activities, this society has some divisions less common in other law societies, such as the Division of Lawyers Without Borders and their Podcast Division, which enable students to explore human rights and rule of law violations, and respectively to experiment with creative outlets for the legal sphere enthusiasts. Check an entertaining introduction to the law world by an LSE’s On The Case podcast.

4. Oxford University

Oxford University, despite a slight recent decline in rankings in 2024, is still one of the best universities for law in the UK. They offer a Bachelor in Jurisprudence, equivalent to LLB that other universities provide undergraduate students. There is another law degree option, the BA in Law with Law Studies in Europe, an extended version of their usual BA Law programme which involves an extra year spent at one of their partner universities in continental Europe. 

Oxford Law offers a unique study experience, as it focuses on familiarising students with first-hand study of legal sources in their original reported form, which is well-known to be complex and lengthy. Thus, teaching students to understand such material, and use it to make good legal arguments is a highly important skill. To ensure that these rigorous academic requests are completed successfully, this university teaches students by tutorials, where they meet up in groups of two or three with a tutor, receiving particularly intensive training in the art of argument. The facilities are also prestigious, as Oxford’s Bodleian Library is one of the UK’s most important research libraries. 

5. King’s College London

Lastly, another Institution that has been considered one of the best universities for law in the UK is King’s College London, which, similarly to its London competitors, also has a highly advantageous location for its law students with the Royal Courts of Justice, Law Society and Inns of Court being within walking distance. The options for law studies are varied at this university, as it offers the traditional Bachelor of Law programme as well as degrees which combine English law and American Law or Hong Kong Law. 

This university’s course focuses on the theoretical aspect of law studies and ground-breaking research. They pride themselves on the job prospects of their graduates, as the University states that the majority of their law graduates end up working at Law Firms from ‘The Magic Circle’ which is formed of the five most profitable multinational London-headquartered law firms. Their research facilities are also excellent as the Maughan Library, holds over 750,000 publications.

While explaining the reasons behind the rankings of the best universities for law in the UK was hopefully a helpful read for you, we realise that when choosing a university there are a lot more aspects unique to everyone to take into account. While the internet is full of information about this topic, searching and finding trust-worthy information can be an overwhelming process. If you find yourself struggling, don’t hesitate to ask for help from the educational experts at UAPP , who can simplify this process, and guide you towards a path that is uniquely suitable for you.  Book a free consultation with one of our educational consultants!