Studying the Legal Practice Course (LPC) part-time while holding down a full-time job is becoming an increasingly popular method of qualifying as a solicitor; part-time study enables future solicitors to finance their studies without amassing the large debts often associated with full-time study and provides the financial security of existing employment while seeking a training contract. Additionally, to promote wider access to the profession, the fees for the part-time LPC at some institutions are significantly cheaper than those for the full-time course. When applying for a part-time course check that the fees for the second (as well as the first) year of the course are fixed in advance, otherwise you might end up paying more in the second year than anticipated.
Part-time students come from diverse backgrounds ranging from professionals looking for a career change to paralegals or legal secretaries seeking full qualification. For example, it is not unusual to find a doctor, a police officer, a surveyor, a local government employee and a secretary in a part-time class.
