REAL EDUCATION ; ;I read the comments of Nigel Savage (see [2000] Gazette, 9 November 9) regarding law degrees with some surprise. Although I had a legal career in mind when undertaking my Bachelor of Laws (LLB), many others will be pursuing such a course with a view to accountancy or another discipline. ;To force law degrees to incorporate a practical element would seem to detract from the academic needs of those not embarking on a legal career. It is my understanding that non-law graduates are increasingly desirable to firms surely then the common professional examination (CPE), directly supervised by the College of Law, would be a more appropriate focus for a combined practical and academic approach? ;While the legal practice course (LPC) includes practical elements, it remains largely academic in nature itself. Indeed, I expected more practical training from my LPC than I actually received. ;I have now come to appreciate that while my education supports my work, it is no substitute for practical experience in the field. ;Andrew Thomas, Yorkshire ; ; ; ;