First Post

Welcome to LLB Blogging! With any luck, what you will find in this blog should cover several years of law school education. I've decided to begin this blog as I begin my studies. While the main benefit should be to help me retain my sanity and improve my writing skills, with any luck it will hopefully provide others with a small glimpse of one student's experiences and a bit of amusement along the way.

I would imagine, this being the first post, that an introduction should be the first order of business. After several years of slaving away, I've decided to 'go back' to school and get an LLB degree. Sadly, I believe I am what is termed a "mature student" although I will leave you to be the judge of that. I've been living and working in Europe for many years. I have a BA in Political Science that took me ages to get as well as an MBA in International Management. I also work full time in finance.

While I would imagine that if you are reading this you already know, but for those of you who are unaware (as was I until a couple of months ago) an LLB or rather a Bachelor of Laws, or perhaps even more correctly a Legum Baccalaureus to use the original Latin, is the standard undergraduate degree to pursue a career in law in the UK as well as in a number of other common law countries. This type of degree is new to me not so much due to a lack of interest in the law but rather because I am American and more familiar with the JD graduate qualification for the law.

So why would an American what to study for such a degree? Well my reasons are thus:
1) In a cliche to beat all cliches "I have always been interested in the law" but actually it is true, it seems that legal issues are so pervasive in our society you find yourself embroiled in them whether you wish it or not. However, for me it is more than that. Without trying to wax poetic, I've always thought that there was something pure, clean or right about that the law. I know that many of you are probably laughing at that and imagining all sorts of abuses, I will admit there are, but my feeling is more based upon the logic and arguments put forth during cases, the ideals of blind justice and equality of the law. Also from what I have read so far (very little) I have to say that there is a certain elegance to the law and a sense that the law is a civilising element to our society.
2) I've found a programme that allows me study on my own outside of the classroom. Sadly, I am not well-off enough to take time off from work and devote myself to study. However, after a bit of scouring the internet I came a cross a respectable school that offers a distance learning programme at an affordable price. Brilliant!
3) I feel that I need a bit of extra intellectual stimulation. I seem to find that my mind is racing these days down strange pathway in a frantic attempt to find something to wrestle with... so I've decided to throw it against an LLB and see who comes out the winner...
4) Finally there is a vague notion somewhere in the back of my head that I might want to work in the law someday and perhaps change my career a bit, I thought that an LLB might be a good way to see if it the right thing for me...

So here we go...next post coming soon so be sure to tune in...