Lord Grabiner QC Appointed President of The University of Law

LONDON, August 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

The University of Law (ULaw) today announced the appointment of Lord Grabiner QC as a non-executive director and President. Lord Grabiner took up his new role on 1st August 2015, ahead of the new academic year.

As one of the country's most prominent lawyers, Lord Grabiner will contribute to the oversight and future development of ULaw. He brings long experience as a distinguished barrister, having practiced continuously as a member and head of chambers of One Essex Court, where he represented large commercial and public sector clients. He has also served as Deputy High Court judge in the Chancery division and Commercial Court, and was the Treasurer of Lincoln's Inn for 2013.

Lord Grabiner has been a life peer of the House of Lords since 1999.  Educated in Central Foundation Boys' School in Hackney, he graduated in 1966 with a Bachelors in Laws (LLB) from the London School of Economics (LSE), where he also completed a Masters of Laws (LLM) in 1967.

As well as an experienced practitioner, he has had a significant career in academia. He lectured in Law at LSE and Queen Mary College, University of London, in the late 1960s and early 1970s. From 1998 until 2007, Lord Grabiner was Chairman of LSE's Court of Governors. He is currently Master of Clare College, Cambridge.

The appointment was welcomed by the current staff, management and the board.

Rt Hon David Blunkett, Chairman of ULaw, commented: "I am very pleased indeed that Lord Tony Grabiner has agreed to contribute his experience and wisdom to the board of ULaw and I look forward very much to drawing on his expertise in driving the University from strength to strength in the years to come.  His long history and accumulated knowledge of the law and the legal profession will add to the range of talent which we now have round the table and will be of benefit to students and staff alike."

Dame Fiona Woolf CBE, Chancellor of ULaw, commented: "Lord Grabiner brings a wealth of experience and a widely recognised skill-set and reputation in legal practice to our university. His passion for law coupled with his desire to impart knowledge, both to our management team and in assisting with the direction of our academic focus, makes him the ideal President for our institution as we continue to put our students at the very heart of everything that we do. I would like to echo David's comments and wish Lord Grabiner every success in his new role as our President."

Lord Grabiner explains:"This is an exciting time in ULaw's rich history and I am very delighted to take up this Board position - I look forward to working with the management team and also to imparting my knowledge to assist my academic colleagues continue to offer the very best learning experiences to the lawyers of the future. ULaw has an excellent market reputation and I will continue to uphold everything that makes ULaw the leading legal academic institution."

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF LAW 

The University of Law (ULaw) is the largest and longest established provider of professional legal education and training in the world with centres in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Chester, Guildford, Manchester and Leeds as well as offering some courses at The University of Exeter.  Previously The College of Law, it was granted university status in November 2012.

• ULaw recently announced it would be offering an Employment Promise to students starting their LPC in 2015 offering 50% tuition fees money back guarantee if they don't secure a job nine months after graduation. Further information can be found on http://www.law.ac.uk/postgraduate/employment-law-promise/
• In 2014, more ULaw students commenced training contracts with leading global law firms than any other legal education provider.
• It is committed to the employability of its students: 97% of full time LPC students who graduated in summer 2014 had secured employment within nine months of graduation, with 91% employed in law (based on recent destination figures).
• ULaw is the chosen legal training provider for nine out of the top ten leading global law firms, and has exclusive training relationships with over 30 leading law firms, including Linklaters, Ashursts and Trowers and Hamlins.
• Its LL.B law degree, focused on employability and professional legal skills was ranked joint second for satisfaction in the 2014 National Student Survey.
• In February 2015, it launched an MSc in Law, Business and Management, designed in conjunction with Linklaters.  
• All of ULaw's tutors are qualified solicitors or barristers with practice experience.
• ULaw is the only UK university which has been granted an ABS licence
• It also offers the UK's largest pro-bono programme with over 3,600 opportunities for students.
• It offers an Apprenticeship scheme in partnership with Further Education Colleges as part of its mission to widen access to the legal profession, http://www.law.ac.uk/apprenticeships/.  
• For further information about ULaw please visit http://www.law.ac.uk.

Lianne Robinson or Sarah Evans-Toyne, Broadgate Mainland
Telephone: +44-(0)20-7726-6111
Email: theuniversityoflaw@broadgatemainland.com