Partnership between DRA & BPP University

Non-law graduates living in the UAE and wider Gulf can now make the switch to a career in the global legal profession more easily following a partnership between the Academy of Law for the DIFC Dispute Resolution Authority (“the Academy of Law”) and the UK’s BPP University Law School.

The two organisations will work together to deliver the Graduate Diploma In Law, also referred to as the GDL Conversion Course, across the region. Open to anyone with a non-law bachelor’s degree in any subject, the diploma conveys the equivalent status of a law degree and entitles holders to complete the additional academic and on-the-job training required to become either a Solicitor or Barrister.

In addition to preparing non-law graduates for international commercial law practice, the GDL will also appeal to civil law practitioners in the region who want to increase their competency in the English common law system, which is the main system for resolving international commercial disputes.

David Gallo, Director of the Academy of Law, said, “This partnership is the latest step in our mission to provide legal education opportunities with real global value. Broad legal competencies are required for lawyers to effectively represent the needs of global clients who operate in multiple legal systems and statutory regimes. Our joint mission with BPP University Law School is to help GCC residents develop these skills and to put them on the path towards joining the global legal profession.”

The programme will blend the best of BPP University Law School’s technology-enabled educational tools with the Academy of Law’s local social learning and practical skills development activities.

For the first time, region-specific components will be available to GDL students. Students will primarily learn via BPP University Law School’s online classroom, with the Academy of Law facilitating additional online and live training from its base in Dubai. Planned localised training opportunities include lectures by DIFC Courts’ judges, forums with UAE-based lawyers, and shadowing lawyers involved in the Academy of Law’s Pro Bono scheme.

Andrew Chadwick, Deputy Dean and CEO of BPP University Law School, added, “BPP University Law School is delighted to be working with the DIFC Dispute Resolution Authority Academy (Academy of Law) and to be delivering our world class Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) in Dubai. BPP’s GDL gives students an excellent grounding in the principles of English Common Law, an understanding of which is not only essential preparation for qualification as a solicitor but is also invaluable for practice in the DIFC and its unique legal and regulatory framework.”

The Academy of Law, which will help to shepherd people through the application process, is now accepting applications for the next course beginning in 2017. Students can study at their own pace by choosing between the full-time one year or part-time two years programme options. Course pricing will be announced shortly but applications made through the Academy of Law will benefit from preferential rates.

BPP University is the UK’s only university dedicated solely to business and the professions. It is the exclusive training provider to over 60 leading UK law firms due to of the professional relevance of its education and the high standard of its teaching, facilities and materials.

The Academy of Law is part of the Dispute Resolution Authority, which also comprises the DIFC Courts, DIFC Wills and Probate Registry and DIFC-LCIA Arbitration Centre. Its core functions include training and regulating lawyers, publishing Court law reports and academic literature, and providing free legal advice for people in need through the region’s first Pro Bono Programme.