Queen's University Belfast - School of Law

What Queen's University Belfast - School of Law does

The School of Law is an academic department within Queen's University Belfast, a Russell Group public university in Northern Ireland whose origins date to 1845. It delivers a portfolio of Qualifying Law Degrees comprising undergraduate programmes (LLB Law, Law with Politics, Law with a Language), postgraduate taught Masters courses, graduate-degree pathways for non-law graduates, and postgraduate research degrees (PhD). The School reports 54 employees and operates from the Main Site Tower, University Square, Belfast.

Its product surface extends beyond taught degrees to include a structured Mooting programme, an undergraduate Legal Placement Module, the Law Lab research blog, the Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly journal, the Pre-Law Reading resource, and a branded legal podcast. International exposure is delivered through partnerships including the Fordham Summer School (New York), the Utrecht University Summer School, and Erasmus exchanges. Research activity is concentrated in human rights, transitional justice, post-conflict studies, criminal law, and child sexual abuse, leveraging Northern Ireland's devolved governance context.

The School's revenue model rests on tuition fees paid by UK/EU and international students, supplemented by government teaching and quality-related research funding tied to REF rankings (the School ranked 8th in the UK for Law under REF 2021). It is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Bar Council as a QLD provider. Recruitment operates through UCAS for undergraduates, direct admissions for postgraduates, and an international agent network, with community-led outreach supported by the Pathways Opportunity Programme to widen participation.

Name

Queen's University Belfast - School of Law

Legal name

Queen's University Belfast - School of Law

Website

https://law.qub.ac.uk

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The School of Law is an academic department within Queen's University Belfast (Russell Group, founded 1845) that delivers Qualifying Law Degrees — undergraduate LLB, postgraduate taught Masters, graduate-degree pathways, and PhD research — to UK and international students, with regulated pathways to the legal profession in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHABAF

Law & Legal Studies Research Universities

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Private Research Universities

SECONDARYEDAHAIAA

ABA-Accredited JD-Granting Law Schools

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Law Schools

SECONDARYEDAHAIAC

LLM & Post-JD Graduate Law Programs

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Law Schools

SECONDARYEDAHAIAD

SJD / JSD & Doctoral Law Programs

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Law Schools

Keywords

• Legal education
• Law degree programmes
• Postgraduate research
• Mooting training
• Qualifying law degree

Headquarters

HQ city

Belfast

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees (UK/EU and International): Revenue generated from tuition fees charged to domestic, EU, and international undergraduate and postgraduate students studying law degrees.
2. Government Funding (Research and Teaching): Queen's University Belfast, as a Russell Group public university, receives government funding for teaching and research activities, including quality-related (QR) research funding linked to REF rankings.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The School of Law delivers undergraduate qualifying law degrees (LLB Law, Law with Politics, Law with a Language), postgraduate taught Masters (LLM) and Graduate Degree Programmes, and postgraduate research degrees (PhD, postdoctoral) across a wide range of legal themes. It complements degree programmes with structured skills development including a mooting programme and legal placement module, and supports research through the Law Lab, the Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly journal, and projects on post-conflict justice, human rights, and devolved governance.

Product overview

The School of Law offers a portfolio of qualifying law degrees (QLD) comprising undergraduate programmes (LLB Law, Law with Politics, Law with a Language), postgraduate taught Masters courses, graduate degree programmes, and postgraduate research opportunities. The portfolio is complemented by skills development offerings including a mooting programme, legal placement modules, and international summer schools (Fordham and Utrecht). Research is supported through the Law Lab centre, while the Pre-Law Reading resource provides supplementary academic materials. The degree programmes vary in duration, intensity and level to suit diverse applicant needs, forming a unified educational pathway from undergraduate study through to doctoral research and professional legal practice preparation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LLB Law (Undergraduate)
• Law with Politics
• Law with a Language
• Postgraduate Taught Masters Courses (LLM)
• Graduate Degree Programmes
• Postgraduate Research (PhD and Postdoctoral)

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked 3rd in UK for Law Graduate Prospects (Complete University Guide 2026)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fordham University (Fordham Summer School)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe School of Law offers a Fordham Summer School programme in partnership with Fordham University School of Law (New York). Students can study at Fordham Law and the experience is documented by participating students on the student blog. This partnership provides an international academic exchange opportunity for Queen's Law students.
• Utrecht University (Utrecht University Summer School)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe School of Law facilitates student participation in the Utrecht University Summer School programme focused on law and sustainability held in Utrecht. Students share their Erasmus and summer school experiences on the student blog.
• Baker McKenzieminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBaker McKenzie provided a placement opportunity for a Queen's Law student, who documented the experience as 'From Classroom to Career: How a Baker McKenzie Placement Shaped My Law Journey' as part of the School's employability programme.
• Middle Temple (Inn of Court)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Middle Temple Access to the Bar Award 2022 recognises Queen's Law students aspiring to the Bar. Middle Temple is one of the four Inns of Court and plays a key role in the qualification pathway to the Bar in England and Wales.
• ESU / Essex Court Chambers (National Mooting Competition)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerQueen's School of Law participates in the ESU-Essex Court National Mooting Competition, which is jointly organised by the English Speaking Union and Essex Court Chambers. The competition provides mooting and advocacy experience for students.
• Philpot Curran (Novice Moot Competition)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerQueen's Law students participate in the Philpot Curran Novice Moot Competition hosted at Maynooth University, Ireland. International student Yi Kang Choo shared his experience of the competition.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• University of Bristol Law School: Russell Group law school competing head-to-head in UK undergraduate and postgraduate rankings, with comparable QLD provision, mooting programmes, and graduate employability outcomes in the same legal services recruitment market.
• University of Edinburgh Law School: Russell Group UK law school with comparable LLB, LLM, and PhD portfolio, similar REF standing, and equivalent exposure to UK regulatory and ranking dynamics. Most directly comparable on Russell Group research ranking, qualifying law degree provision, and international recruitment mix.
• Durham University Law School: Russell Group UK law school competing in the same domestic league tables (Complete University Guide, REF), offering qualifying law degrees and postgraduate research programmes with a comparable student-experience and employability proposition.
• University of Liverpool School of Law: Russell Group law school with comparable LLB/QLD provision and postgraduate research portfolio. Competes for similar domestic UK applicant pool and overlaps in professional pathways, SQE preparation, and Inn of Court engagement.
• University of Glasgow School of Law: Scottish Russell Group law school with broadly comparable LLB, LLM, and PhD offerings and similar REF/research standing. Competes for the same UK-wide and international postgraduate law cohort, particularly students seeking UK-qualifying degrees outside England.
• Newcastle University Law School: Russell Group law school with overlapping regional UK positioning, similar qualifying law degree portfolio, and direct competition in the same Complete University Guide and REF league tables for law.
• University of Leeds School of Law: Russell Group law school with similar QLD, LLM, and PhD portfolio, comparable placement and moot infrastructure, and overlap in Complete University Guide and Times rankings - competing directly for both domestic and international applicants.
• University of Manchester School of Law: Russell Group law school with similar LLB/QLD portfolio, similar placement and mooting infrastructure, and direct overlap in REF 2021/THE rankings league. Comparable scale, employer engagement model, and international student mix.
• University of Nottingham School of Law: Russell Group law school with a comparable qualifying law degree, LLM, and PhD portfolio and similar placement-driven employability strategy. Direct competition in REF and Complete University Guide law rankings, especially for postgraduate taught cohort.

Regional players

• Trinity College Dublin School of Law: Ireland's leading law school, geographically close to Belfast with shared common-law jurisdiction. Competes for international (particularly North American and Asian) students who might otherwise consider a UK Russell Group law school, and overlaps with the cross-border academic partnerships in the region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC8Da288mPu0JfmeEoC9LNRg
• Facebookfacebook.com/qublaw
• Instagraminstagram.com/qublaw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/qub-law

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Queen's University Belfast - School of Law