For over 40 years, Bristol Law School UWE has been shaping the future of legal education. As a full-service Law School, we deliver a wide range of academic and professional law courses, combining rigorous academic training with the practical skills needed for success in legal practice. We are shaping globally connected legal professionals who are future-focussed and equipped with the skills and mindset to navigate complexity, drive change and meet the critical legal needs of our time.
Our investment in state-of-the-art facilities sets us apart: mock courtrooms, Harvard-style lecture theatres, modern teaching spaces, a Legal Resource Room and a dedicated Business and Law Clinic where students gain hands-on experience through pro bono work supervised by qualified and experienced professionals.
We are ambitious, innovative, and inclusive — and we are looking for talented professionals and educators to join us.
If you are a qualified barrister or solicitor with practice experience in England and Wales who is ready to bring their real-world expertise into the classroom and inspire the next generation of legal professionals, this might be the job for you! This is also your chance to enjoy a better work-life balance that legal practice rarely offers. With flexible teaching opportunities, generous holiday allowances, sector-leading pension, a supportive and collaborative academic community and opportunities for promotion and personal development, this role offers you the space to grow your career while making a genuine impact.
About the role
We are seeking to appoint a permanent Senior Lectures to strengthen our growing the Bar Training Course. We are looking for a qualified barrister and solicitor with practice experience in England and Wales to teach:
- Knowledge and skills on the Civil parts of the Bar Training Course.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Working with an experienced and passionate team of colleagues, you will:
- Teach, assess and support students on the full-time and part-time Bar Training Course and/or Solicitors Training Course. The part-time courses may include some weekend teaching – where weekend teaching is undertaken, colleagues scheduled teaching during the working week will be adjusted accordingly to maintain a fair and balanced workload.
- Undertake module leadership on the Bar Training Course.
- Supervise dissertations/research projects.
- Provide academic and pastoral support to students as a personal tutor.
- Participate in off-campus student outreach and other recruitment activities, including open days, when required.
- Collaborate with the School’s leadership team to advance learning and teaching initiatives and help sustain an innovative, forward‑looking curriculum.
This role also offers opportunities to take on leadership responsibilities, such as being a Programme Leader.
About you:
We are looking for an innovative, inclusive and collaborative individual to join us as permanent Senior Lecturer. You must have current or previous experience of practice as a barrister or solicitor in England and Wales in the following area:
- Civil subjects and related skills on the Bar Training Course.
Experience of teaching in a Higher Education setting is desirable, but not essential.
You will bring excellent communication skills, strong organisation and effective time‑management, with the ability to prioritise confidently across multiple deadlines. You will be skilled at explaining complex information clearly and connecting learning to real‑world professional or commercial contexts. Your interpersonal strengths will enable you to build positive, productive working relationships.
You will be committed to continually enhancing your teaching practice, including a focus on using technology effectively to support engaging, high‑quality learning.
A student‑centred approach and a commitment to high ethical standards are essential. You will also demonstrate adaptability, resilience and the confidence to navigate demanding or changing situations with professionalism and sound judgement.
Where is this role based?
These posts are based at our lively Frenchay campus where we have invested in the latest facilities and resources to give both our staff and students access to everything they need to succeed.
Why UWE Bristol?
We are one of the largest providers of Higher Education in the South West with 38,000 students and 4,000 staff from right across the globe. Based in Bristol, one of the UK’s most exciting and forward-thinking cities, we are regionally embedded and globally connected, with an established network of employer and academic partners.
We offer a wide range of employee benefits including progressive pay rates, generous annual leave and career average pension schemes as well as retail savings, onsite nursery and opportunities for training and personal development.
We also provide a tailored professional programme to support our colleagues in delivering the highest in professional teaching standards.
Add your individuality to ours
UWE Bristol recognises the power of a truly diverse university community.
We are proud to be part of a vibrant, multicultural city that celebrates diversity, we are always looking for talented people from all backgrounds to join us. Our people are our strength, and diversity enhances our creativity and leads to better decision-making and problem-solving. Bring your talent and ambition to our growing community and find yourself in a stimulating and supportive environment where you will thrive.
As a Disability Confident employer, we welcome applications from those who identify as having a disability.
Further information
For further details or if you would like an informal discussion about this role, please contact Shilan Shah, Academic Director of Bristol Law School, on 0117 32 81312 or via email on [email protected] .
Shortlisting is expected to be completed within 2 weeks of the closing date depending on application volumes. We aim to give candidates at least a week's notice to attend interview.
This is a permanent post working full-time on a 1.0 FTE contract. However, this post is available on a job share basis for applicants wishing to work part-time, providing an opportunity to balance teaching with practice.
UWE Bristol is a campus-based University, and it is vital to our success and the delivery of an outstanding experience for our students that our campuses are dynamic and vibrant places to learn and spend time. These roles are therefore campus based with an opportunity to work from home on some days.
The University has a legal responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK. You will therefore be required to provide evidence of your right to work in the UK, please refer to the Home Office Right to Work Checklist for information on which documents are acceptable.
We may be able to sponsor qualifying candidates for this role under the Home Office Skilled Worker visa route. Please read our Skilled Worker Guidance to assess if you will be eligible to be sponsored under the criteria.
Please note that UWE does not cover any visa or health surcharge costs.
Advice to applicants
We would love to hear from you - if you are excited about joining us at UWE, please complete our application form as soon as possible.
Tell us about how your skills and experience relate to the requirements of this role by describing how you meet each of the essential and desirable criteria listed in the Person Specification section of the Job Description and include specific examples wherever possible.
Once we have completed shortlisting, we will let you know the outcome of your application by email, so please check your inbox for updates.
