Course overview

LLB Law (Commercial) at Keele covers the seven foundations of legal knowledge required by The Bar Standards Board and provides the opportunity to explore a range of commercial and business related modules. You will engage with a critical approach to legal education and develop an understanding of how law applies to the commercial world including finance and trade law.

On this programme, you will discover the major principles of English and EU law, enabling you to develop a clear understanding of how law operates in a commercial context through both theoretical and practical experience.

Throughout this programme, you will demonstrate your research skills and ability to provide reasoned judgements and arguments, making use of appropriate evidence to support your findings. You will develop your communication and public speaking skills by sharing your opinions with academics and peers, and engaging in rich discussions reflecting on what you have learned and its application to real-world scenarios.

In your first year you will explore a range of underpinning legal subjects, including contract, tort, constitutional law and property law. Alongside these modules, you will be encouraged to develop core skills such as legal writing and research skills.

Throughout your second year, you will build on your knowledge, exploring modules such as criminal and EU law and choose from a suite of optional modules, which allow you to tailor your degree to your personal interests and career aspirations.

In your final year, you will study the law of trusts and write a contemporary care law critique, in addition to choosing from a range of commercially focused optional modules.

Preparation for your career

During your studies, you will learn how to research, read and analyse case law and statutes. You will develop your problem solving skills by analysing and applying the law to factual scenarios, and develop your analytical skills by exploring and critiquing a range of legal issues.

We offer a variety of additional opportunities for you to prepare for your career including Legal Advice Clinics, our CLOCK initiative and legal skills competitions. These are valuable, practical experiences that will allow you to demonstrate your knowledge and apply your learning to real-life scenarios.

We also have links with partner organisations including the Citizens Advice Bureau, the Crown Prosecution Service and law firms in Birmingham, Manchester and London.

Legal Advice Clinics

At Keele, we have dedicated Legal Advice Clinics where, upon successful application, you will be trained and supervised by experienced Solicitors to deliver legal services, from the start of the client enquiry through to the resolution of their query. You will learn how to interview and advise clients, research the law using practitioner databases, and give practical legal advice. You may be involved in drafting legal documents and court forms as well as advising clients in writing and in meetings.

This valuable legal work experience will be advantageous to your professional development. You can record your experience on HEAR (Higher Education Achievement Report) to showcase your volunteer work at university and use as your portfolio when you graduate.

• Divorce Clinic - You will meet clients and advise on eligibility to divorce, and continue to help them navigate the various court forms required. You will research the law, draft divorce proceedings, court documents, and gain real life experience of helping clients at a difficult time in their lives. You will be responsible for keeping the client updated throughout the proceedings, learning in a safe, supervised environment.
  
  We offer our services online and in person so have a variety of clients across the country.
  
  
• Commercial Clinic – Based online and at the Smart Innovation Hub (SIH) at Keele University, you will work with small businesses, entrepreneurs and employers to provide advice on a variety of areas of commercial law. You will advise on how to trade, for example as a partnership or company.
  
  You will advise on the duties of directors in a company as well as drafting and amending terms and conditions of business for a variety of businesses. This commercial legal work experience provides an introduction to the work commonly done by general commercial lawyers at many law firms and provides a valuable legal service to start ups and SMEs. You will have the opportunity to have direct links with businesses in a working environment.

Community Legal Outreach Collaboration Keele (CLOCK)

Community Legal Outreach Collaboration Keele (CLOCK), co-created a multi-agency collaboration with the Stoke Family Court, law firms, mediators the Citizens Advice Bureau, Domestic and Sexual Abuse survivor support services, to design the unique and innovative role of the Community Legal Companion to assist litigants in person through the court process.

This opportunity is available between your 2nd and 3rd year of study where, upon successful application, you will be trained by court staff, solicitors, barristers, mediators and domestic abuse and sexual abuse support services to understand the complex needs of litigants in person, in a variety of civil legal issues, including:

• Child arrangements
• Suspending evictions
• Non-molestation order
• Small claims

You will be trained by the partnership as a Community Legal Companion to signpost for legal aid and where not available, assist within the remit of the McKenzie Friend principles to assist:

• Filling in court forms
• Arrange court paperwork
• Accompany in court proceedings
• Note taking

Mooting (A mock appeal hearing on a point of law)

Challenge your peers through mooting competitions and showcase your knowledge through practice. You will apply your research, writing and presentation skills in a staged legal environment and may make use of our moot court room. This experience will help you to build confidence when working independently and as part of a team. You will learn how to work effectively under pressure and how to meet deadlines. You will also develop and refine your public speaking skills and ability to convey robust arguments which is critical within the legal profession.

You may have the opportunity to get involved with national and international mooting competitions which you can document and use to support future job applications. Such events sometimes attract members of the bar and legal academics, providing a great networking opportunity.

Stand out from the crowd

Placement Year

Taking a placement year between 2nd and 3rd year is a valuable opportunity to make connections and build a network of professionals within your chosen field. Your experience will help you with deciding upon your career path and allow you to showcase your abilities in the workplace. We will support you as you seek to find an appropriate placement and help you prepare for it.

International Year

Enhance your career prospects with an International Year at one of our partner institutions. Utilising this opportunity between 2nd and 3rd year can help in your employment search to stand out from the crowd and broaden your horizons, potentially working across the globe.

You will evidence your experience with a project submission and on successful completion of all modules across the year, you will graduate with an enhanced degree title. Given the international demand and necessity for legal professionals, this opportunity can be highly beneficial in demonstrating your awareness of the international legal context but also your ability to immerse yourself into a different culture. You can find more information here.

Learn a language

Discover languages at Keele. Whether you are a complete beginner or already have a foundation of knowledge, we offer a flexible and guided route to developing your skills. We currently offer British Sign Language, Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish. Upon successful completion of a series of elective language modules, you may have the opportunity to gain an enhanced degree title.

Being multilingual can assist with your career prospects and encourage you to stand out against competition, as well as increasing your employment prospects overseas. This is also a fantastic opportunity for your personal development where you can practice your reading, writing and oral skills and build key characteristics such as time management, adaptability, and motivation.

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