Jaro Bernart a graduate from the LLM Legal Pratice (LPC) talks about how the LPC course helped him to hit the ground running in his career.

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Posted on: 3 October 2017
By: raymonm
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Filed under: Alumni LPC

Jaro Bernart completed the LPC evening part-time course, graduating in 2016

“The University of Westminster’s convenient location close to my workplace‎ caught my eye first. I asked several qualified solicitor colleagues and friend

s who also studied at Westminster, or had secondhand knowledge of it, and all of them rated it very positively as an institution staffed by down to earth, determined professionals. The fees were also significantly lower than others.

“It was easy to settle in and get to know people in the Law School. Most students on the part-time course already had legal jobs, and were keen to make the most of their time at university. So there was minimum snobbery, and the environment was very healthy.

“The course was very well structured. The materials were logically put together, and sessions tied over nicely to create steady progress and resemble real scenarios. In addition to the University’s own materials, external publications (eg by Oxford University Press etc) were included – that’s not something my friends on other LPCs received.

“I had an excellent relationship with the lecturers and tutors, and I have fond memories of each of them. Those that were more involved in delivering the course stand out, but each person was approachable, and keen to talk. It was clear they had the requisite practical experience to teach on a practical course.

“I had a busy professional, family and academic life during my time at Westminster, so I can’t comment too much on student life outside class. However, the LPC leaders ‎organised many events for us and managed to attract decent numbers. A typical evening out with the tutors and students was a great bonding exercise. If I had had more time, I would have attended more of those events. In class, it was good to mix with students from various backgrounds. There’s no harm in expanding one’s horizon to understand modern society.

“I started to train as a solicitor in September 2016 as planned. A trainee must complete a seat in several legal areas, and Westminster has taught me enough to hit the ground running when I started training in a new seat. It’s a huge advantage to know the procedure when one works in a law firm.

“If someone is thinking of applying to the University and is planning on practising in a high street law firm (ie representing people or small businesses rather than corporations or banks), then Westminster is a no-brainer – it provides everything a high street lawyer needs.

“That’s the type of firm I work in. Bosses don’t care what the course provider is called, but they do want to know that their staff are well prepared. I know some professionals and students seem convinced that only BPP and University of Law hold a recipe for success, but that’s mere propaganda. The University of Westminster delivers everything it promises and more. It’s up to the individual to break into the profession.”