The City University/Inns of Court School of Law (ICSL) has seen its legal practice course (LPC) upgraded from 'very good' to 'excellent', becoming one of only six providers in the country to receive the top accolade.


Melissa Hardee, director of the LPC at ICSL, said: 'The rating is pretty remarkable. The course has only been going for four years - since 2000 - and has managed to improve its rating with each visit.'



She said the Law Society inspection panel had pointed to raised standards of teaching, the City University's quality assurance programme, and the quality of ICSL's facilities, such as its lecture theatre, as factors behind the upgrade.



Commenting on recent LPC developments such as the College of Law's tailor-made courses for City firms Linklaters, Allen & Overy and Clifford Chance, and rival provider BPP's agreement to create a course for a group of five other large City firms, Ms Hardee said she personally thought such moves were 'misconceived'.



'You do not need that specialisation so early - what firms need is a good lawyer, who has good practitioner skills, can write, knows the law and thinks logically,' she said.



'We are a broad church, preparing people to go to City firms, the high street, or government practice. What is always lacking is trainees' understanding of what they are going into.'



Ms Hardee, who was a partner at City firm CMS Cameron McKenna prior to taking up her post in March this year, said the ICSL course aimed to give students that understanding as well as greater commercial awareness.



Nottingham Law School, meanwhile, has been handed an excellent rating for its LPC for the eighth consecutive year.



Course director Bob White said: 'We are preparing to launch new course offerings in response to the exciting opportunities arising from the Law Society's training framework review. We're now in an ideal position to capitalise on these opportunities.'