Intellectual Property Law

UK Law with American Law degree?

I have found a UK LLB course which is entitled "LLB Law with American Law". I would apprecaite some opinions on this. I am unsure whether to do a sole English based law degree or the law degree which includes American law. Apparently, even with the Law with American Law degree, you can still qualify to become a solicitor in the UK. You also get to spend a year in the US and study alongside their Law students. So what would a potential employer think of a degree in Law with American Law? Thanks.

Public Comments

1. Some of the benefits of such a programme are said to be: "Whilst the law with American law programme will not permit students to practice in the US without further study, the economic importance of the USA, and the fact that very few English graduates will have a working knowledge of the American legal system, makes this course an attractive prospect for those intending to enter the legal profession. Many leading law firms have offices around the world and undertake work of a transatlantic nature. In addition, employers recognise and value the maturity and adaptability that students develop during their year abroad. Such advantages are equally applicable for those wishing to follow a career in industry, commerce and public sector administration in British and International organisations."
2. As long as study and pass exams in the seven foundation subjects you have a qualifying law degree that satisfies the academic requirement for being a solicitor: * Public Law * Law of the European Union * Criminal Law * Obligations (including Contract, Restitution and Tort) * Property Law * Equity and the Law of Trusts * Legal Research As for whether a year in America would be of any benefit the answer is unclear. Many law graduates get jobs at the top firms even though they never encountered US law in their degree. Indeed a large minority of solicitors have never studied law beyond the basic required by the law society as they took a degree in another subject. I doubt spending only a year will give sufficient knowledge of US law. Many of the law firms will be happy to teach you what you need to know on the job and the international firms will just refer it to one of their American lawyers (many of them work in London offices) if they need to know anything specific. You'll be eligible to take the New York and California bar exams anyway after qualification and a couple of years experience regardless of any previous experience of American law in your degree. A year studying law in a European country is perhaps more obviously beneficial as you improve your language skills and become familiar with an entirely different system of law. European countries have codified civil law systems whereas the English and American system are both common law systems.