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Pathways to Law is an innovative widening participation initiative providing opportunities for students with no family history of higher education, who are interested in a career in law. Research shows that 68% of UK-educated barristers and 75% of UK-educated judges attended fee-paying schools. This is despite the fact that only 7% of young people are currently educated in the fee-paying sector. Pathways to Law was launched in 2007 with funding from The Sutton Trust and The College of Law to provide a programme of activities for students in year 12 and 13, including;

• Ementoring
• Lectures and seminars delivered by academics, research students, university graduates and members of the legal profession
• A 3-night residential conference
• A 3-5 day law firm placement
• A ‘graduation’ ceremony

The scheme’s ementoring enables participants to access up-to-date careers and university advice, receive regular news feeds from the legal world and benefit from the specific experience of their mentor. Mentors are undergraduate law students in one of the Pathways to Law partner universities:

• London School of Economics
• University of Leeds
• University of Manchester
• University of Southampton
• University of Warwick

Who it helps

Pathways to Law offers opportunities for students who satisfy most, if not all, of the following criteria:

• Will achieve mostly A*, A and B grades at GCSE
• Are coming to the end of their Year 11 studies
• Have an interest in studying law and/or pursuing law as a career
• Have little or no family history of higher education
• Are enthusiastic and willing to commit to the programme
• Are studying at a state school

The Pathways programme commences for each student cohort in September of year 12 and finishes in April of year 13.

Get involved

If you are at school and are interested in getting involved in the Pathways to Law programme, you can find more information about signing up on the Pathways to Law website.