Leicester Law School

Preparing to study Law

Here are some suggestions for how you might prepare to study Law at Leicester Law School. Learning should be enjoyable, so read what you think you will enjoy. Preview books online and choose one or two that spark your interest, You do not need to read all our recommendations.

Stay up-to-date with news and views

A good law student has a broad awareness of current global affairs, political, moral and legal issues. One of the best ways to prepare for your law degree is to regularly read from reliably objective sources, especially legal news.

Broaden your perspective

Stay informed

Think and work like a law student

We strongly recommend you read this before you begin your degree:

  • ATH Smith, Glanville Williams: Learning the Law (17th edition, Sweet and Maxwell 2020).

It explains the English and Welsh legal system and studying law. As it has been published many times, if you use a second-hand copy, look at a recent edition.

First year teaching assumes no legal knowledge, so we do not recommend specific pre-course reading. The main textbooks are available as eBooks once you start the course. Instead, these books can help you get off to a good start for working and thinking like a law student. 

  • I Moore, C Newberry-Jones, The Successful Law Student (2nd Edition, Oxford 2022)
  • A Bradney, F. Cownie, J. Masson, A. Neal and D. Newell, How to Study Law (8th edition, Sweet and Maxwell 2021)

You may also find it helpful to explore online resources that introduce you to thinking and working like a law student before you start your degree.

  • Law: a student Guide from the Guardian covers what to expect at law school.
  • The Student Lawyer law students and practising professions bring you articles in a style that is ideal for future lawyers, politicians and criminologists.

Explore big issues

You may also be inspired to learn about justice, society and human rights by reading:

  • A Lester, Five Ideas to Fight For (Oneworld Publications, 2016)
  • T Bingham, The Rule of Law (Penguin, 2011)
  • The Secret Barrister, Stories of the Law and How It’s Broken (Picador, 2019)
  • G Robertson, Crimes Against Humanity: The Struggle For Global Justice (Penguin, 2024)
  Insightful YouTube videos and Ted Talks cover big issues in law, politics and crime. These are great introductions:

Podcasts on BBC Sounds cover significant issues of our times and are easy to listen to whenever you want. We recommend in particular:

  • The Law Show – which introduces many issues you will learn about on your degree
  • Moral Maze
  • It’s The Law
  • A Law Unto Themselves
  • You and the Law
  • Political Thinking
  • Thinking Allowed – this covers many topics so pick what interests you

You may also enjoy reading fiction and accounts of real cases with legal themes, such as:

  • Charles Dickens, Bleak House
  • Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
  • Franz Kafka, The Trial
  • Books by John Grisham
  • Thomas Grant, Jeremy Hutchinson’s Case Histories

Improve your language skills

Whether or not English is your first language, reading English materials and discussing them (in English) with your friends or family will be of enormous benefit. Podcasts and language tools can be great fun, refine your English and expand your confidence with some of the crazy things about the English language:

  • The Language Doctor on BBC Sounds
  • BBC Learning English – Free lessons on grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and news analysis
  • British Council – Learn English – Interactive courses, videos, and grammar exercises
  • Cambridge English – Official resources from Cambridge, including tests and exercises
  • Duolingo – A fun and engaging way to build vocabulary and grammar skills

Get ahead with careers guides, employability and experience

The first job after you graduate may feel a long way off but there are great things you can do even before you start your degree. Explore more on:

For careers as a barrister:

Leicester Law School is not responsible for any external sites and some may change the content that is available from time to time.

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