Internationally, the School of Law, University of Limerick has secured recognition of UL Law programmes (specifically Law Plus and Law and Accounting) by the Bar Council of India thereby allowing UL law graduates to practice law in India. The University of Limerick is one of only two Law Schools in Ireland to offer this recognition. For more information on practicing law in India, students should visit the Bar Council of India website.

Pavan Ramaswamy

The School of Law recently received recognition of its Law degrees – Law Plus and Law and Accounting – from the Bar Council of India. Here one of our recent Law graduates, Pavan Ramaswamy, tells us of his experience and why he chose the School of Law, University of Limerick (UL) to study Law:

“I distinctly remember my first day on the campus at University of Limerick... Attending one of the rites of passage, ‘open day’, I was here trying to make up my mind about where I wanted to study law, post my graduation in economics. The campus is awe-inspiring and of course, the Law School’s reputation precedes it. But what pulled me here was the ‘eight-months cooperative education’ opportunity in the third year that Limerick University has to offer, alongside the employment opportunities for law graduates. In addition to this, University of Limerick also offers Erasmus and exchange programmes, with more than 40 destinations to choose from, and options as varied as Belgium and Australia. The daunting ‘next step’ of choosing a university suddenly seemed like a world of opportunity. If I hadn’t needed persuasion beforehand, I certainly didn’t need it afterwards: UL’s opportunities were unparalleled and it was where I was going to go!

"Undertaking my Law Plus programme, at University of Limerick, I was convinced that I had made the right choice of career path and acquiring professional legal skills. I was impressed with the overall academic content and the diverse variety of modules, the Law Plus programme has to offer. The modules not only deepened my knowledge in law but have assisted me in furthering my professional career as a lawyer in the commercial world and in my entrepreneurial ventures. Completing the Law Plus programme has assisted me in developing my academic and research credentials alongside my practice of law. It was a great platform to build on my existing economic knowledge from my graduate degree: for instance, I gained a better comprehension of the common law system, which will be invaluable in my future career.

The Law Plus programme allowed me to choose elective subjects like economics, politics, history and others, which permitted me to tailor the programme to my own interests. The course also offered various lawyering oriented skill modules, which helped me to acquire written and practical legal skills. The Advanced Lawyering module in the final year, enabled me to understand the alternative mechanisms for solving disputes outside the legal system (ADR), which is an increasingly important area in the modern legal profession.

I appreciate how the Law Plus programme focused both on domestic and international law, specifically, the International Legal Systems module, which introduced me to legal systems from all over the world. The class structure was refreshing and the academics never made learning seem like a chore. My classes facilitated regular interaction between professors and students, which often led to lively debates on relevant legal issues.

In order to motivate the law students, the university offers various scholarships and awards. The law school has a wide range of connections with reputed law firms like A & L Goodbody Solicitors and Arthur Cox Law Chambers, who offer various awards and prizes to law students for their excellence. In support of the international students, the School of Law offers a number of free lectures, introducing students to fundamental areas of the law in Ireland. Further, UL law degrees are internationally recognised. Graduates of Bachelor of Laws (Law Plus) and Bachelor of Arts in Law and Accounting are qualified for admittance to a number of international bar associations including Indian Bar and New York Bar.

The ‘First7weeks’programme initiated by University of Limerick provides strong, enhanced and targeted support to students from the beginning of their university experience. This, combined with the ‘Welcome and Induction’ week, helped international students to get introduced to the services on the campus.  University of Limerick Student Union (ULSU) is a student organisation which also represents and helps students with any problems or issues they might have during their time in college. 

The Glucksman Law Library was one of my favourite places to work during my studies at UL – the online databases are incredible and it’s a comfortable place to study.  The UL academic staff and the lecturers are absolute professionals and are very supportive of the students.

The university prides itself on its ability to create employment for graduates. The Cooperative Educational & Careers Division with a network of 1,6000 employers, helps more than 2,000 students to secure employment. There is an exceptionally high employment rate for students graduating from the School of Law. For instance: Students of Law & Accounting, have an almost perfect 100% employment rate over a 5-year period. The International Division also assists students with their visa application and financial planning.

As a whole, I can say that University of Limerick has a student-friendly environment, where students are provided opportunities and encouragement to explore, learn and grow in their fields of interest. I recommend the Law Plus program at the UL School of Law to anyone interested in a legal career and deepening their legal knowledge.”