Law graduate destinations

A degree in Law continues to be very attractive to a wide range of employers from both the legal and non-legal sectors. As well as displaying a high academic ability, University of Bristol Law students develop a range of skills including analysis, problem solving, and precise written and oral communication skills. Employers are impressed by the broad spectrum of transferable skills graduates have developed during their course and through their extra curricular activities.

Data obtained from

  • Single and joint honours Law courses (LLB), including those with study abroad
  • Graduates from the UK 

Responses were received from 138 UK graduates from 2019/20; this is a response rate of 57.7%

Destinations

Most important activityPercentage of graduates
Paid work for an employer 60.9%
Self-employment/freelancing 3.6%
Running my own business 0%
Developing a creative, artistic or professional portfolio 0.7%
Voluntary/unpaid work for an employer 0.7%
Engaged in a course of study, training or research 18.8%
Taking time out to travel 1.4%
Caring for someone 0.7%
Retired 0%
Unemployed and looking for work 8.7%
Doing something else 4.3%

Sector information

Of the students who decide to continue in the legal profession, the majority become solicitors practising in London as well as a range of provincial centres.

Employment sectorNumber of graduates
Legal activities 36

Other information service activities

3

Regulation of the activities of providing health care, education, cultural services and other social services (not social security) 

4

Advertising agencies

2
General public administration activities 2
Other sectors (30 sectors) 40

Other graduates choose to enter careers that do not require a specific degree, as around 70% of jobs are open to graduates of any discipline.

Examples of employers

  • Magic circle law firms: Clifford Chance LLP, Freshfields Bruchhaus Deringer LLP, Linklaters LLP and Slaughter and May
  • DAC Beachcroft LLP
  • Goldman Sachs Group
  • Ministry of Justice
  • Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Examples of occupations

  • Paralegal
  • Trainee Solicitor
  • Legal Assistant
  • Audit Executive
  • Human Resources Assistant

Further study

Qualification typePercentage of graduates

Higher degree, mainly by research (e.g. PhD, DPhil, MPhil, MRes)

0%

Higher degree, mainly by taught course (e.g. MA, MSc, MBA)

43.2%

Postgraduate diploma or certificate (including PGCE/PGDE)

16.2%

Professional qualification

35.1%

Undergraduate degree (including integrated master’s degrees) (e.g. BA, BSc, MBChB, MEng)

2.7%
Other undergraduate diploma or certificate not specified above 0%
Other qualification 2.7%
Not aiming for a formal qualification 0%

Connect with alumni

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