Law

Why law at Sussex?

Welcome to Sussex Law School

We are delighted to welcome you to Sussex Law School. Law is central to modern life. At Sussex, learning about the law means developing the tools to understand and think critically about the law and communicate your knowledge and ideas clearly. It means that you develop the transferable skills that make Sussex Law School graduates highly employable.

For all our students, we are committed to giving you an enriching and rounded education that will prepare you for your future, and doing this to the very highest academic standards whilst being an open, warm and friendly place to learn.

We offer a range of qualifying law degrees to suit you

As a top Law School, (ranked 23rd in the UK - The Guardian, 2019), you will learn from award-winning experts, develop career skills through national and international legal competitions and pro bono projects, and study in state-of-the art facilities, with access to a range of law focused resources.

All our courses are qualifying law degrees, meaning you can progress to train as a solicitor or barrister after your course, or to a non-legal role where knowledge of law is essential.

Undergraduates

As an undergraduate student, you can focus exclusively on law or combine your law studies with other subjects, including American Studies and languages, giving you the opportunity to study abroad for a year at an internationally renowned university.

See our undergraduate prospectus.

Postgraduates

If you are a postgraduate you will be able to study a variety of research-led law courses, focusing on both UK and international law. Many of our law courses can be studied part-time, allowing you to fit your studies around your work and life commitments.

We offer courses in more traditional areas such as International Law, International Commercial Law and International Trade Law, as well as several cutting edge areas including International Human Rights Law, Information Technology and Intellectual Property, International Financial Law, and Criminal Law and Criminology.

See our postgraduate prospectus.

Graduate conversion courses

If you are a non-law graduate, but want to progress onto a legal career, or gain knowledge of legal systems, you can study one of our graduate conversion courses:

  • one-year Masters in Law. This fast-track, intensive course focuses on the key areas of the law in England and Wales. It provides a solid foundation for preparing for the first stage of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), paving the way for a number of career options. 
  • two-year Law Graduate Entry LLB. This course will allow you to fast-track your studies and gain a qualifying law degree.
We prepare you for your future career

With 100 per cent of our graduates in work or in further study 6 months after they graduate (Destination of Leavers in Higher Education 2017), we ensure you receive the best possible training for your future career.

As a Law student at Sussex you will develop legal and transferable skills through your timetabled studies but also by taking part in national and international mooting, client interviewing, criminal advocacy and negotiation competitions. Our Law Clinic hosts a series of real-world law projects which allow you to gain experience giving supervised legal advice and assistance in the community.

We have an extensive Employability programme that runs across all years of your degree, giving you access to local and national law firms, and training on how to present yourself to future employers in both the legal and non-legal professions.

Many Sussex students have achieved great success in these competitions, competing in legal competitions in India and Puerto Rico, and winning the Mayo Wynn Baxter Junior mooting competition in 2014.

With many of these competitions sponsored by leading law firms including DMH Stallard, you will network with law firms and even win work experience opportunities. You will also attend workshops and training sessions run by legal experts to help you prepare for the competitions.

You can also take part in Sussex Clinical Legal Education, which hosts a series of real-world law projects which allow students to gain experience giving supervised legal advice and assistance in the community.

We have world leading researchers who will teach and support you

You will be taught by enthusiastic and expert faculty, who are committed to research and teaching excellence, and have won awards including the CareersNet Lecturer of the Year. 

All our teaching draws on this world-leading research, with research centres in Human Rights, Gender, Sustainability, Trade Policy, Crime, and Information Governance, and expertise across areas including family responsibilities, corporate social responsibility, environmental law, intellectual property, terrorism and violent extremism, and international law.

Find out more about our research.

You will work in state-of-the-art facilities

The Sussex Law School is based in the Freeman Centre, The centre contains six seminar rooms, PC cluster room, study spaces for both taught and research Advocacy Competionstudents, and social spaces. You also have access to our specialist mooting room to help prepare you for competitions.

Sussex Law School library offers an extensive range of books, journals and other materials essential for your studying and research success. 

You will also benefit from access to three leading law databases – Lawtel, LexisNexis and Westlaw – which are available on or off campus. Most academic law journals are also available in electronic form.

To help you make the most of the law materials, we provide training in research skills and there is a specially trained support student, funded by Lawtel and Westlaw, available to help you.

Come and visit us on an Open Day.

"I’d always been interested in law and chose Sussex because of its reputation of having one of the top law schools.

"Sussex boasts teaching staff who manage to make even contract law seem fun and who are always supportive.

"During my time here I’ve been involved in mooting, negotiating and legal interviewing competitions. Winning the legal interviewing one and representing Sussex at the regional heats has definitely been one of the highlights so far.

Ally Farnhill LLB Law

"My decision to pursue a career at the Bar was strengthened by my mooting experience at Sussex. I started the Graduate Diploma in Law with an open mind around going down the solicitor or barrister path.

"The extra-curricular activities help you make this choice. I was in the final of the 2012 mooting competition held in the Supreme Court, London, in front of Lord Wilson of Culworth. The problems are generally set on the core subject areas.

"Mooting brings the law to life, takes you to interesting places and introduces you to a new way of thinking about a legal problem. Your first mooting experience is nerve-wracking; however, it could be the special ingredient needed to secure a training contract or pupillage."

Liam Edwards Law

Discover Sussex Law School

Freeman Centre foyer

Advocacy Competion

Essex Court Moot

Blackstone Career Talk

Law Award Winners 2013