Why study at the BLC?

The BLC is the oldest foreign-law school at the University of Warsaw. We have a deserved reputation for attracting the highest-quality students and producing the most long-lasting results. This is possible thanks to our unique teaching program and methods.

We  are fortunate to teach the law of a legal system which is, at the same time, both historic and cutting-edge (see more below). However, it is the way in which the BLC teaches which truly distinguishes us from other law courses.

• Developing core legal knowledge

We teach a wide range of commercially-relevant subjects with which you are likely to have the most contact in your professional careers. In many cases, the English law you learn will have been extremely influential in the drafting of documents, contracts, EU law or international treaties which you come into contact with at work.

• Developing core legal skills

One painful truth of being a lawyer is that the law changes. Learning what the law is at any particular moment in time is simply not enough to make you a good lawyer. For this reason we ensure that, alongside your substantive law learning, you also acquire core legal skills which will stay with you forever, regardless of how the law changes. The legal skills portfolio you develop will mean that you feel comfortable advising clients from a range of nationalities and backgrounds.

• Expert teaching team

Our teaching team comprises resident, native-speaker tutors who guide you through the various modules and legal skills. They provide individual feedback on how you are developing, to ensure you achieve your goals. Their support is supplemented by visits of guest lecturers from the University of Cambridge and other eminent UK Universities, partners and associates of leading global law firms, and experts from the EU’s institutions or elsewhere.

• Small group work

All students receive small group classes in which they work together to resolve real-life disputes and provide advice to clients. Small classes enable us to provide a more personal and detailed focus to each student’s individual needs, and to work in a practical, hands-on way which is not possible in large group lectures.

• A practical approach

Another painful truth is that, whether you are advising clients or preparing business strategies, your audience will generally expect practical solutions and not abstract, theoretical philosophising. Our approach ensures that you are trained to meet these expectations by providing clear, logical advice to problematic issues on a range of subjects.

Put simply, the BLC Diploma is a rewarding, worthwhile and positive experience for everyone. Whether you are a student looking to add an interesting element of comparative law to your regular studies, someone wishing to improve their English vocabulary or someone who is currently seeking or performing work that requires you to advise others, the BLC can help you achieve your goals. With so many law graduates on the market, you need to do something to stand out from the rest of the pack  – let us help you to do that and make you more employable.

These are just a few of the most important features which distinguish the BLC’s program from other law courses. If you wish to discuss further how the BLC can help you achieve your goals, please contact us.

Why study English law?

With an increasing number of foreign-law courses available on the market, it is sensible to ask yourself why you should choose English Law. As mentioned above, one reason is that the BLC uses English law as the backdrop for teaching the legal skills you will acquire during the Diploma course. However, even putting aside the benefits of studying at the BLC, English law has a lot going in its favour.

• Commercial law benefits

English law has the strongest claim to be the world’s commercial law. Whether you plan to work as a lawyer, translator or businessperson, it is almost inevitable that you will come into contact with documents which are based on, or heavily influence by, English law and terminology. Furthermore, a huge number of countries still base their law on English common law. Equally, many of your clients will prefer to communicate in English, regardless of their nationality. English law has a rich history, but it is also cutting-edge and remains the most commonly chosen law in international contracts. Whether you are asked to analyse a document, advise a client, liaise with English-speaking lawyers or conduct litigation before an international arbitration tribunal, a knowledge of English law and terminology is a major advantage in the modern commercial world.

• Comparative law benefits

Studying a foreign law helps you to better understand the way in which your own legal system approaches different legal issues. The English legal system is probably the most far-removed from the civil systems with which our students are familiar, so if offers the greatest extent of comparative law analysis. Whether negotiating and structuring transactions, preparing submissions to court, identifying potential business opportunities or debating how the law should be developed, the greatest enemy is stale and constrained thinking. The new insights you obtain by studying English law will give you fresh perspectives and challenges.

• Professional opportunities

There are thousands of law graduates on the job market each year, but a much smaller number of jobs available. Anyone who can demonstrate that they have a working knowledge of key commercial issues in English law will find it easier to get employment, whether in Poland or abroad. Moreover, it has never been easier to qualify as an English lawyer without having studied in the UK, so the BLC Diploma can help you to prepare for this without ever leaving Poland. Alternatively, you may prefer to stay in Poland but represent clients before international arbitration tribunals. In that case, you will be looked upon more favourably by clients if you are already experienced in English law, which is the most likely to have been chosen as the applicable law in international transactions. Alternatively, if you wish to study abroad you will have more success if you are able to handle English law materials and display the abilities you acquire from the BLC’s skills portfolio.

• Understanding legal language

Many people study a foreign law in order to master the underlying language, and English law is no different in this respect. However, legal terminology can only truly be understood by knowing and working with the law which underlies those words and phrases. Otherwise anyone who learned the contents of a legal dictionary would become a great lawyer, which is clearly not the case. Whether you are interested in practising law, translating English legal texts or simply understanding legal vocabulary better, it is crucial to have an underlying knowledge of the law itself.

Whichever way you look at it, a knowledge of English law is an extremely valuable asset. By studying English law on the BLC Diploma, you not only acquire knowledge of the world’s most influential commercial law but also develop skills that are relevant in most jobs.

Invest in yourself and your future by joining the BLC.