GDL Needed?

[Internationalsolicitor]

Hello,

I am an international lawyer and I have completed my law degree in an Indian law school. I am filling out a training contract application which requires me to select:

'Is this a qualifying law degree (i.e. one that exempts you from the GDL)?'

Having completed my law degree in India, would I be exempted from appearing for the GDL? Apologies if this is a straightforward question but I was not very sure.

Thank you

@AvniD
@Jessica Booker

 

[IRO]

Hello,

I am an international lawyer and I have completed my law degree in an Indian law school. I am filling out a training contract application which requires me to select:

'Is this a qualifying law degree (i.e. one that exempts you from the GDL)?'

Having completed my law degree in India, would I be exempted from appearing for the GDL? Apologies if this is a straightforward question but I was not very sure.

Thank you

@AvniD
@Jessica Booker

Unless your degree is in English law, not Indian law it won’t be a qualifying law degree and you would need to do the GDL.

 

[Internationalsolicitor]

Unless your degree is in English law, not Indian law it won’t be a qualifying law degree and you would need to do the GDL

I was under the misconception that passing the SQE would be enough for me to convert my Indian law degree to the English system. Will look into GDL. Thank you

 

[IRO]

I was under the misconception that passing the SQE would be enough for me to convert my Indian law degree to the English system. Will look into GDL. Thank you

Passing the SQE will be enough for you to convert to the English system. However, if you get a TC with a firm they may still require you to do the GDL/PGDL, so the answer to the application question is ‘no, it’s not a qualifying law degree’ meaning you likely would need to do the GDL if you got a TC with that firm.

However, if you accept at TC with a firm that doesn’t require the GDL/PGDL, or if you decide to sit the SQE and secure QWE without doing a TC you wouldn’t need to do the GDL

 

[Internationalsolicitor]

Passing the SQE will be enough for you to convert to the English system. However, if you get a TC with a firm they may still require you to do the GDL/PGDL, so the answer to the application question is ‘no, it’s not a qualifying law degree’ meaning you likely would need to do the GDL if you got a TC with that firm.

However, if you accept at TC with a firm that doesn’t require the GDL/PGDL, or if you decide to sit the SQE and secure QWE without doing a TC you wouldn’t need to do the GDL

This clarifies it! Thank you!

 

[IRO]

This clarifies it! Thank you!

You’re welcome! Apologies for not being clear in my original reply.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

I was under the misconception that passing the SQE would be enough for me to convert my Indian law degree to the English system. Will look into GDL. Thank you

It technically is the case now that you don't need to do the GDL to qualify as a solicitor in the UK if you don't have an English qualifying law degree.

However, many firms are still asking prospective trainees who haven't studied English law to do the GDL as a prep course for the SQE.

 

[Internationalsolicitor]

It technically is the case now that you don't need to do the GDL to qualify as a solicitor in the UK if you don't have an English qualifying law degree.

However, many firms are still asking prospective trainees who haven't studied English law to do the GDL as a prep course for the SQE.

Right, got it thank you!