The Dickson Poon School of Law

Located at the heart of the British legal and political world and surrounded by major City law firms, The Dickson Poon School of Law tempers its academic excellence in the fires of real world experience. Engagement will be at the forefront of your learning experience with the School. Researchers with international reputations will be delivering your lectures and leading your seminars, and you will engage with peers on your programme and with the wider academic and professional communities in London through our extensive programme of public and private lectures and international law firm and alumni sponsored events.

Whether you undertake study in medical ethics, competition law, international commercial law, human values, construction law or criminal justice, you will find that London is the international centre for work in these fields and that the work carried out at King’s is at the cutting edge.

Our renowned academics create a vibrant intellectual community that will include, inspire and challenge you. There are opportunities for you to collaborate closely with them on research and current issues and to engage in an informal sharing of ideas.

The East Wing of Somerset House will be the new home for the School. The building is being restored to its original status as a landmark London public building, and refurbished to the highest standard with its architectural harmony enhanced.

Interaction with the community and preparation for work are the key features of induction and training at the School. Getting settled in and having a productive start are the aims of the induction. You will be introduced to the basic concepts of law relating to your area of study. We will train you in how to access learning materials provided electronically; we will train you in the use of modern information gathering and information management techniques. In addition, you will be invited to attend social events as well as events sponsored by the School or alumni, or City law firms as appropriate. Many of these events represent valuable opportunities for you in respect of establishing links with your peers and with a wider professional network. If deemed necessary, you will be able to undertake additional specialist training through the College. Research students also have access to the Graduate School Researcher Development Programme.

Digitisation of key texts is a priority for the School so that students can access learning materials from home. Our provision in this area supplements the expansion of e-resources and we are committed to training you to use these facilities; the same facilities which major law firms often employ. The College’s Maughan Library provides impressive teaching, learning and social facilities. It contains a comprehensive collection of the latest legal texts, reference materials, journals and datasets, and is equipped with online databases such as Westlaw UK, Lexis, Justis, PLC and KluwerArbitration. Other library spaces available to you include the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, the British Library and Senate House, University of London. The East Wing of Somerset House will house master’s and PhD student common rooms, shared workspaces, social spaces, seminar rooms and a moot court room, as well as academic and departmental offices dedicated to the School of Law.

Two Master of Laws (LLM) studentships are offered each year: one covering home/ EU fees and the other covering international student fees. Research scholarships for UK/ EU and overseas students are periodically available from the School and are advertised online. Students are also eligible for Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funding. Please see our website for the latest information on scholarships. Funding may also be available through the Graduate School.