A row of legal texts

School of Law

Find a course
Find a course

Introduction

At the School of Law, our courses have a distinctive focus on law in action, designed to provide you with a well-rounded, skills-based and professionally relevant qualification.

  • We are the top modern university* in London for Law in the Guardian University Guide 2025.
  • Our teaching standards have been awarded silver Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) status. 

Our courses and facilities

Our impressive on-site facilities include a mock court room, equipped with communications technology such as laptops and video equipment for judges/advocates, and is ideal for student mooting competitions.

Learn more about our highly practical, skills-focused courses and facilities here.

Our research

The mock courtroom at the University of West London

Many of our staff are highly active in research. Our school attracts PhD students from around the world. Our areas of expertise include:

  • international law
  • international commercial law
  • arbitration
  • criminal justice
  • sentencing
  • judicial culture
  • comparative criminal justice
  • criminal law.
Learn more about PhD opportunities at the School of Law

Our staff

School management

  • Philipp Elliott-Wright

    Professor Philipp Elliot-Wright

    Head of the School of Law
    School of Law

    Philipp is Head of the School of Law and Professor, BA (Hons), MA, LLM, PhD, PGCertEd, SFHEA, FRSA, Barrister (NP). Philipp is also responsible for the teaching of undergraduate Land Law and postgraduate Research Methodology.

    Philipp is Head of the School of Law and Professor, BA (Hons), MA, LLM, PhD, PGCertEd, SFHEA, FRSA, Barrister (NP). Philipp is also responsible for the teaching of undergraduate Land Law and postgraduate Research Methodology.

  • Michael is wearing a navy suit, white shirt and blue tie. He has short hair and blue eyes.

    Michael Derks

    Deputy Head of the School of Law
    School of Law

    Michael is Deputy Head of the School of Law and Course Leader for both the LLB and LLM programs. Michael is also the Module Leader for various undergraduate modules such as Constitutional Law, Company Law and International Environmental Law.

    Michael is Deputy Head of the School of Law and Course Leader for both the LLB and LLM programs. Michael is also the Module Leader for various undergraduate modules such as Constitutional Law, Company Law and International Environmental Law.

Student prizes

Student prizes

At the School of Law, we like to reward the hard work of our students. Below is a list of the prizes we offer and what you have to do to win.

  • The Middlesex Law Society Legal Practice Course Prize

    The best performing UWL LPC student is awarded a prize of £100 with a certificate of achievement and the second highest performing LPC student wins £50, along with a certificate of achievement.

    The awards are made by the Middlesex Law Society and help to raise your profile with employers as you search for a training contract.

  • Anna Secreti Memorial Essay Prize

    This annual competition has been established by Michael Mansfield QC in memory of his daughter, Anna, who was a graduate of the University.

    Michael Mansfield is one of the best known barristers in the United Kingdom, variously described as a radical activist lawyer and human rights defender. He was called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn in 1967, became a Queen’s Counsel in 1989, and was elected as a bencher of Gray’s Inn in 2007. He has been at the forefront of the most prominent legal battles between victims and authority in this and the last century.

    For more information on how to apply and competition rules, please contact the school.

Two students at graduation tossing their caps in the air

School of Law scholarships and bursaries

For more information on the scholarships and bursaries available to students at the School of Law, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page.

School of Law scholarships and bursaries

Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)

A female lawyer with a folder in front of an old building

The University of West London is a recognised course provider for the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb). Two modules on this course are currently eligible for CIArb approved status, namely:

  • International Arbitration; and
  • International Commercial Litigation
Two people, smartly dressed, in a mock court room with other individuals in the background.

CIArb is a global centre of excellence for the practice and profession of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), championing all aspects of dispute resolution across arbitration, mediation and adjudication. It is committed to promoting ADR and the benefits it brings to society and economies across the world.

  • Benefits to students

    Students who successfully complete the modules above are entitled to apply to become an Associate member of the CIArb and, if accepted, can:

    • Display the globally recognised and respected ACIArb post nominals, demonstrating outstanding commitment to achieving the highest level of knowledge, skills and behaviour in ADR.
    • Promote their professional skills and experience publicly through the CIArb’s Membership Directory.
    • Access CIArb’s global professional standards, guidance and law updates.
    • Develop their knowledge and skills through CIArb’s world-renowned training, events and resources.
    • Build their network through CIArb’s international and inclusive community of members.
    • Keep up to date with industry and CIArb’s news and opinion through its newsletters, digital magazine and journal.

Contact us

Contact us

To get in touch with our School, please contact Ana Velasquez Dias - Ana.VelazquezDiaz@uwl.ac.uk

To contact us about applying for a course, please get in touch with our Admissions team:

  • courses@uwl.ac.uk
  • 0800 036 8888 and select option 2 - free for land line and mobile users
  • +44 (0) 20 8231 2468 for callers from outside the UK.

Supporting our students

We take great pride in supporting our students throughout their academic journey, providing tailored resources and assistance to ensure they reach their full potential. Our student support services encompass academic, wellbeing, and career support, to help students achieve their personal and professional goals.

See below for some of the support currently available to our students:

A student and a tutor a looking at the laptop in the library during their academic workshop session

Interview training workshop

Assessment centres have become an increasingly vital tool in the recruitment process, with an estimated 70% of companies now utilising them, particularly for graduate roles. To secure the career of your choice, you may have to excel at a recruitment assessment centre or a sequence of interviews and tests. These examinations of your qualities and skills can be demanding and stressful. However, having the opportunity for training and practice in assessment centre techniques will undoubtedly increase your prospects of success.

To help our students prepare for life and work beyond university, we have developed a workshop providing you with tips and practice, so that when you attend an assessment centre or interview, you will have the best chance of success.
 

A student sitting in a cafe next to her laptop and holding her phone.

Recruitment via social media workshop

Are you aware that prospective employers are scrutinising your social media accounts as part of the hiring process? Find out how to optimise your professional profile on Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and utilise social media for effective professional networking.

A male student studying with a lecturer looking on

PwC Skills Sessions

UWL students can benefit from a PwC recruiter session. The skills session is aimed at building confidence in the PwC graduate recruitment selection process.
PwC have a wide range of graduate opportunities within different sectors. The session will also cover graduate opportunities offered at PwC and tips on applying.  
 

A waiter carrying a meal to customer at the Pillars Restaurant (Ealing)

Law School Dinner

The School of Law holds an exquisite annual dinner every March, complete with a sumptuous three-course meal, opening reception featuring delicious canapés and sparkling wine, and all for a reasonable price of £40 per person.

At the most recent dinner, we had the honour of listening to speeches from distinguished guests including the Head of the Home Office and Immigration Division at the Government Legal Department, Lee John-Charles CBE, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of West London, Professor Peter John CBE, and the Head of the School of Law.

Students at the University of West London are provided with a Student Hub - a network of services to cater to their emotional and physical wellbeing as well as providing academic support.

Our Student hub provides confidential help, support and guidance on:

  • Careers, Placements, Jobs and Volunteering

    Providing support to students on:

    • career planning
    • placement information
    • job search
    • volunteering opportunities

  • Student advice

    Students are able to gain advice on a range of topics including:

    • money
    • funding
    • immigration

  • Student welfare

    Our welfare team provides support for students on a range of issues including:

    • personal and emotional problems
    • dealing with crisis situations
    • those who have previously been in the care system
    • Estrangement

  • Disability and mental health

    We provide support for:

    • a range of disabilities and mental health conditions
    • those needing an individual support plan
    • those claiming Disabled Student Allowance

     

  • Counselling

    We offer free counselling sessions 

Disclaimer

* Modern universities are defined as higher education institutions that were granted university status in, and subsequent to, 1992. UWL received the rankings listed above when compared to all other modern universities ranked in the guides / surveys cited.