Promoting the Fight; The Fight for Legal Diversity

Consider the blossoming of posts as of late, one would assume that the action taken by myself would result in the production of some results.

I had thought the same.

Alas, a week into the campaign and there is little sign of the BPP Law School responding to the criticisms and the arguments which continue to limit the potential of students.

Truth be told, I have sent two e-mails to their business, one which was given to me through their 'Contact Us' page and the other was provided in a generic automated response which informed me that, if I do not receive a response in twenty-four 'working hours', I should contact them at this address.

Having received no response, I contacted them through this e-mail.

No word thus far.

In fact, it appears that the business is attempting to avoid the actual knowledge that people oppose this decision and there is little logic to it.

Regarding the campaign itself, there has been little progress as of late. Eleven signatures thus far over a period of one week. I have decided to move to a paper campaign and attempt to gain the community's support.

The local media is running it as one of their stories for the week, which is a promising sign.

There are other agencies which could be contacted in regards to this problem; the College of Law, the arch-rival to the BPP Law School. Kaplan Law School have also decided to increase their fees.

Over the course of the next few weeks, I will be contacting these agencies in order to understand, and perhaps dissuade, their decision to act in this manner.

It was reported that there are few law firms that are concerned about the increase in fees, however, one must accept that, in the economic climate, there could be a decline in the offering of scholarships, grants and support for the Legal Practice Course.

What we must remember is that most law firms are of a moderate size and cannot afford to invest in such courses, especially when fees have increased. The likelihood of businesses continuing this course of action, considering the general incline of fees, is quite low.

The First Response; The Fight for Legal Diversity

This is the first response which I have had from those whom I have contacted, which include two training directors at law firms in the county, a local radio station, the local MP and numerous other people.

What a surprise...it's generic.

Thank you for emailing BPP College of Professional Studies Admissions Department. 

You will receive a reply to your email within 24 working hours, in the mean time you can contact our Admissions Department on 0845 077 5566 or find out more about BPP's programmes at www.bppuc.com

In the interest of improving our service to you, if you do not receive a response to your email within this time, please forward your original email to noreply@bpp.com, and this will be addressed immediately.

Many thanks

Admissions

BPP College of Professional Studies

68 - 70 Red Lion Street

London

WC1R 4NY

Tel:  0845 077 5566 
Fax: 0207 404 1389
Web: www.bppuc.com 

Disclaimer This e-mail contains proprietary information some or all of which may be legally privileged and/or is confidential. It is for the intended recipient only. If an addressing or transmission error has misdirected this e-mail, please notify the author by replying to this e-mail. If you are not the intended recipient you must not use, disclose, distribute, copy or print this e-mail. 

Asking the Right Questions; Fight for Legal Diversity

Today, I wrote an email to the BPP Law School asking questions about their decision to increase the fees for the LPC and BVE whilst also questioning their ethics in regards to students, scholarships and how they could change.

To whom it may concern,

 

I am writing to enquire as to the recent publication by The Legal Week which reported that law schools across England and Wales, notably yourselves and others in the London district, decided to increase fees on average of 9%, following the line of trans-Atlantic law schools in their decision to do the same.

 

Below, I have included an extract from The Legal Week which highlights what I see as an error in judgment in making this decision.

 

“Three of London’s law schools have considerably increased their Legal Practice Course (LPC), despite the widespread cost-cutting measures currently being implemented across the profession. BPP Law School has hiked annual fees for its London LPC students by more than 9% to £12,500, a move that means it remains the country’s most expensive law school. The college’s branches in Leeds and Manchester will see a more modest increase of 4.7%, from from £9,550 up to £9,995. Meanwhile, arch-rival The College of Law is set to introduce a fee increase of 8.8% as of September, meaning the LPC will set back a trainee lawyer £11,250, up from £10,340….”

 

This decision seems to mean illogical considering the fact that it was reported that the last quarter produced profits beyond expectations and there has been a general decline in the economic boom, therefore suggesting that the law schools should decrease their fees in order to help students gain better access to the law profession.

 

Instead, it appears as though your company is attempting to create a system which rewards wealth and power above intelligence and hard work. The few scholarships that you do provide are often available to only one student. I appreciate that you are a business but that does not give you the right to manipulate the system to your own end.

 

You seem to forget that it is the students who continue to fund your business and provide you with the profits and this decision has outraged many people, particularly myself.

 

The Cohen Scholarship Programme which is one of the few that was offered to more than one person but it comes with two catches. Students have to study the Legal Practice Course and the Graduate Diploma in Law and they have to be working for it at either Leeds or Manchester. What about London students?

 

It is, in essence, further limiting access to law.

 

People who have studied law are left at a disadvantage by the few and far between scholarships that are offered.

 

I would have thought these students should be the priorities.

 

What I fail to understand is how this can be the case.

 

Why are you increasing your fees?

 

Have your costs increased?

 

By the very nature of law itself, one would assume that demand has decreased for the law profession. I do, of course, know that last year alone, thirty thousand students applied for three hundred pupilages. Furthermore, eighty thousand students studied law despite the current demand being around the fifteen thousand mark.

 

It suggests that demand is increasing.

 

Where has the logic gone?

 

If you could provide me with some answers, I would be most appreciative.

 

Yours sincerely,

Ian Caithness

Urging Action; Fight for Legal Diversity

This evening, I contacted the local radio station, LincsFM, to inform them of the current problem that I am having.

This is a fight which I will not stop.

This is not right!

To whom it may concern,

I thought it might be appropriate to contact you in regards to atrocities that numerous businesses have been committing in regards to the legal profession.

Last week, The Legal Week (a legal profession magazine), reported that numerous law schools were increasing their fees, despite the slowing economy. It was reported that some of the law schools in London were increasing their fees by 9% to £12,500.

Considering the fact that Lincolnshire's local university, the University of Lincoln, soon plans to offer the Legal Practice Course (a course designed to train people to become solicitors), it is of great importance.

What does this mean for Lincolnshire's students and prospective students?

Furthermore, what does it mean for local law firms?

Students will be forced to fork out more than is necessary for a course which is being criticised for its varied teaching standard. One of the problems that this course is not state subsidised and thus people must find their own means to pay for a course that, on average, costs around £10,000.

Law firms have been offering grants and scholarships to help ease the financial burden. Wilkin Chapman offered a grant of £5,000 to students wishing to take the Legal Practice Course.

If fees increase, there will come a point when the firms will no longer see the value of the investment and stop helping students.

Students will be left to burden the cost.

I have written to Douglas Hogg MP, appealing to him that the Government should act on this particular course of action by the law schools.

Furthermore, I have created a petition which can be accessed at http://www.petition.co.uk/the_fight_for_legal_diversity

I would like to appeal to your good nature to publish this information to students, or allow a small portion of your time to allow someone to talk about the problems and what it means for Lincolnshire.

Yours faithfully,

Ian Caithness

Thought becomes Action; the Fight for Legal Diversity

This evening, I wrote a letter to the local MP, Douglas Hogg, regarding the recent decision to increase the cost of the Legal Practice Course and the Bar  Vocational Exam. Below, I have copied the letter I wrote.

Dear Douglas Hogg,

I was quite distressed to learn of the numerous law schools and their
decision to increase the fees regarding the Legal Practice Course and
the Bar Vocational Exam.

The Legal Week reported that law schools in London were raising their
fees by 9% to £12,500. Others suggested that an increase of between
4.7% and 9% were being introduced.

What I fail to understand is how, considering the economic climate,
these businesses can continue to operate under such pretences.

One must assume that these businesses are attempting to return to a
Victorian view of law which assumed solicitors, barristers, magistrates
and judges were all high-class citizens who upheld the law and fought
on the side of justice.

It is presenting itself as a creation of an elitist judicial system
that rewards wealth and power, much rather than intelligence and hard
work.

How are students of lower class backgrounds expected to enter into a
profession which is working so hard to promote 'diversity' when each
hurdle they overcome shows another one in sight?

As a barrister yourself, I would hope that you would be concerned about
this. How is the Government going to respond to this injustice?

Is it out of your hands?

I have created a petition which I hope will gain support over the
coming weeks and I would like to add your name to the list of
supporters.

If you wish to visit the petition, I would be eternally grateful.

http://www.petition.co.uk/the_fight_for_legal_diversity

Yours sincerely,
Ian Caithness

This is a serious matter. 

We must act now.

We cannot allow ourselves to be dictated according to the whims of these businesses. If we stand as a collective audience against these prices, we can make a difference.

The Fight for Legal Diversity

It was recently published by several law magazines that the schools of law have decided to increase the cost of the Legal Practice Course (LPC; designed for solicitors) and the Bar Vocational Exam (BVE; designed for barristers).

One such magazine, The Legal Week, reported the following:

“Three of London’s law schools have considerably increased their Legal Practice Course (LPC), despite the widespread cost-cutting measures currently being implemented across the profession. BPP Law School has hiked annual fees for its London LPC students by more than 9% to £12,500, a move that means it remains the country’s most expensive law school. The college’s branches in Leeds and Manchester will see a more modest increase of 4.7%, from from £9,550 up to £9,995. Meanwhile, arch-rival The College of Law is set to introduce a fee increase of 8.8% as of September, meaning the LPC will set back a trainee lawyer £11,250, up from £10,340….”

This is a substantial increase and shows the lack of common sense in those whom have considered this course of action appropriate. As reported, the law schools have seen an increase in profits during the last quarter and the decrease in inflation suggests that prices should be decreased, not increased.

What this represents is a symbol of the legal profession once more wishing to return to an elite number of professionals whom have supported themselves throughout their education. It is singling out those who have potential but are discouraged because of their background.

Law firms are offering grants and sponsorships but if the price of the courses continues to rise, how long will it be until the law firms state that enough is enough?

It could happen.

Sign this petition to prevent this from happening.

The Fight for Legal Diversity

Video Accounts of Reflection

Below, I have posted two videos which are part of a series I am creating, looking at the economic climate and current cases which are being followed in the media. I will attempt to create some humour and provide people with a chance to see the satirical side of politics.

The Pirate Bay Case

Political Anonymity and the Crisis