Career guides Law

Law in the UK

• The UK has long held a significant political role in world affairs, with English remaining one of the principal global languages of communication, and the main language for international law.
• A law degree from a UK university means that you will be expertly prepared to communicate, negotiate and transact with partners and clients all over the world. 

A system that is centuries-old

• The UK’s common law system dates back more than eight centuries, and forms the basis for legal systems in many English-speaking countries around the world. 

A global reach

• English commercial law is often the governing law in international contracts.
• Four of the world’s ten largest law firms are headquartered in the UK, and hundreds of international firms have offices here.

An expert education

• The 2024 Times Higher Education World University Rankings for law as a subject area ranked five UK universities in the top 20 — University of Cambridge and University of Oxford came 3rd and 7th respectively, UCL was ranked 12th, University of Edinburgh 13th and LSE was ranked 14th.