Our law degree gives you more than an understanding of what it takes to be a lawyer. It’s packed with the types of transferable skills that make a law graduate worth their weight in gold.
By Editorial Team. Published 13 January 2017. Last updated 18 April 2023.
We’re not just talking about any transferable skills either; we’re talking about highly desirable transferable skills that will place you at the top of most employers’ wish lists, both in and outside the legal sector. But what is it about the skills our law qualification gives you that makes you really stand out?
We’ve shortlisted just a few transferable skills you will pick up with our law degree…
Research, analysis and evaluation
This is a three-for-one deal. Employers hold this triumvirate in high esteem because it’s the backbone of any successful business endeavour. With all the essays you’ll write and exams you’ll revise for, your ability to absorb and interpret complex information is going to be useful in any industry. And don’t forget the aptitude to construct a clear argument on the basis of that information.
Communication
Whether it’s writing to a client or colleague, speaking to a courtroom or the press, or negotiating on behalf of a company, as a law student you’ll develop communication skills to adjust to any situation, make yourself understood, and be able to think on your feet.
Problem-solving
As a subject, Law can be very academically challenging. The cases you work on are like lateral thinking puzzles that need solving. As well as giving you wealth of legal knowledge, we also teach you how to identify and process key information to come to a well-crafted conclusion.
Ability to work under pressure
Our courses train you to think and act like a lawyer from the first day so you can expect to be presented with deadlines, requests for immediate information and asked to make decisions quickly. By the end of the course you will know how to keep your cool when presented with these pressures, a skill that is invaluable in any future job.
Team work
A lot of legal work is done in groups, with teams each focusing on a key element and collaborating to reach a common goal. Showing that you can work constructively with others to contribute to a project is always going to be a real bonus.
Conflict resolution
As a student, you'll develop a deep understanding of the decisions made by others. You'll also learn how to view problems from other perspectives and take a neutral standpoint. This leads to an ability to resolve conflicts fairly and effectively, an invaluable skill for management and leadership roles in the future.
Attention to detail
You'll quickly learn to pay attention to details within your assigned reading, as your lecturers will likely test you on specific facts and arguments. You'll learn how to avoid cognitive bias, address weaknesses in your arguments, and spot the flaws in opposition arguments, all essential for a successful legal career.
Understanding the law
It seems obvious that a law degree gives you an understanding of the law, but knowing how the law works is vital in the running of any business, no matter the sector.
Building on your new skills
Once you’ve developed a range of desirable transferable skills, it’s important to keep them honed and continually develop them. Here are three top tips from The University of Law’s Employability Director, John Watkins:
- Take time to reflect after you’ve been in certain situations. What went well and what could have gone better? Which skills did you use effectively and which should you have used or deployed differently?
- Observe how others operate. This is important in building effective working relationships but there’s also the benefit of picking up on areas that impress you. Then try to add these attributes to your own repertoire.
- Always look to improve. Stretch yourself by communicating to a larger or more demanding audience, undertake projects where the problems are likely to be greater, put yourself forward as a team leader. This will fully utilise and further enhance those vital transferable skills.
Find out more about the ULaw courses able to gain you transferable skills.
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