Published on May 23, 2017 by Laura

Are you currently studying the Legal Practice Course (LPC)? Do you want to get top grades in order to get that training contract? If so, this blog is for you! Our writer, Dorothy, tells us her top LPC tips to achieve a distinction.


I can still remember walking into Law School. Budding lawyers whizzing around with excitement in the air. I overheard the incredible work experiences, the already gained training contracts and the excellent universities students attended. I could only hope that I would do well on this course and one day start a contract. I was then allocated to my first class, where I was provided the initial books to start the course. I stared at the biggest book in horror. Tutors recounted devastating stories of students who notoriously failed. I made mental notes, telling myself that I would not be the unlucky one.

3 LPC Tips: Part One

1. The LPC is not an academic course

The way in which your law degree was taught will not be the way the LPC will be taught to you. You will need to abandon old habits of cramming cases last minute and still managing to pass. You will need to have a practical understanding of every subject. What steps does a solicitor or trainee take in this case? What advice would you provide? In your law degree, essay-style answers in exams may get you good marks, but in the LPC you’ll write as a trainee or solicitor.

2. Build rapport

I was a part-time student and had to attend classes at the weekends as I worked during the week. It was vital for me to make friends that I knew were serious about doing well on the course. I could text them and contact them during the week for help or just to talk. Don’t be that person who misses a deadline because you forgot!

Regular contact with friends will minimise this risk. Make the effort to know others. It’s not a waste of time. I definitely preferred to work alone but I still had regular discussions with friends regarding deadlines, good books to read and so on. I had a small community of students to talk to about the course.

Also, build trust with your tutors. Be that student that answers questions in class. The LPC is a very interactive course and you are often called upon unexpectedly to answer questions. Be prepared – you may need a reference from a tutor and it may be difficult to write one if they hardly heard your voice all year!

3. Make it clear that you don’t get it!

This is one of the most important LPC tips. Often I would leave the class at the start of the course, after a 6 hour group session and think, ‘Now I have to consolidate – I don’t get it!’ Email your tutor if you’re confused, or try talking it through with your friends.

See if you can meet with your tutor for them to explain the information again. If it’s a tutor that doesn’t seem particularly friendly, ask for a resource that would break down the information. Don’t stop pursuing answers! A particular topic you find challenging may be the reason you drop a grade in the exam, so don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Words: Dorothy

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