“Coming from a low socio-economic background and being the first of my family to go to university, raising the funds for the LPC [Legal Practice Course] was impossible.”
If this sounds familiar, consider applying to the Law Society’s Diversity Access Scheme.
The Diversity Access Scheme supports people from low socio-economic backgrounds through:
- Funding: a bursary to pursue a Legal Practice Couse [LPC]
- Work experience: placements brokered through the Law Society
- Mentoring support: a professional mentor to help with queries about law careers
The King’s Careers Take: work experience is a great way of enhancing and proving your employability, as it gives you practical skills, practice in a working environment, and a network of contacts you can learn from. Likewise, mentoring is invaluable in learning tried and tested methods for success, and means that you’ll have someone to help you when things get tough. As a King’s student or graduate, you can sign up for mentoring opportunities on King’s Connect, run by the Alumni Office.
Who can apply?
Graduates and final year students are welcome to apply. You must have no more than £5,000 in savings. You must also have:
- had free school meals
- gone to a non fee-paying school
- been the first generation of your family to attend higher education
If you cannot show the above, you must tell the Law Society about exceptional circumstances that have made it hard for you to become a solicitor. These can be linked to your:
- gender and/or gender identity
- ethnicity
- sexual orientation
- disability and/or long-term health condition
- education
- other personal obstacles
Applications open in February 2020 and you can apply through the website! You’ve got plenty of time to make your application as brilliant as possible – make sure to read our application advice on KEATS and previous blog posts, and book an Application Advice appointment on King’s CareerConnect.