Celebrating 150 Years of Legal Education
This year, we are proud to celebrate 150 years of legal education, a milestone that reflects our rich heritage and our long‑standing commitment to shaping the future of the legal and business professions.
Our story began in 1876 with the formation of the leading tutorial firm Gibson & Weldon, followed by the establishment of The Law Society School of Law. These two influential institutions combined in 1962 to establish The College of Law, laying the foundations for what we are today.
We’ve continued to make history, becoming the first independent institution to be granted degree‑awarding powers by the Privy Council in 2006, a landmark moment that led to the development of our professionally focused LLB and LLM degree programmes.
Our evolution continued in 2012 when we achieved full university status, followed by the launch of our Business School in 2016, which has since expanded across our campuses and through international partnerships. In 2020 we launched ULaw Online providing a high quality and flexible way for students to achieve their ambitions no matter where they are.
Since 2020 we have further expanded our programme offering, launching courses in Criminology, Computer Science and Psychology, along with an MBA programme.
In 2021, we were awarded 5 stars overall and 5 stars for Law in the QS World University Rankings, as well as 5 stars in Teaching, Employability, Online Learning, Academic Development and Inclusiveness, a testament to the excellence that defines our community.
As we mark 150 years of legal education in 2026, we remain at the forefront of professional education and continue to develop the best legal minds and industry leaders.
