Maria Abramova, a paralegal at Gates & Partners, is suing the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice (OXILP) for £100,000 after she failed the LPC.
Abramova graduated from Oxford University in 2004 before starting the LPC at OXILP. However she failed her exams in 2005, which she claims was because she was not given enough instruction in exam technique*. However, she sailed through her retakes, with only one slight hitch - the devilish Property Law and Practice - which she buggered up again.
Her next step was an attempt at the New York bar. However, the spectre of her LPC tragedy loomed large and she "found it psychologically difficult to take legal examinations following [her] experiences...at OXILP". And so she failed that one too - and now claims that OXILP were "clearly negligent" in failing to teach her how to sit an exam and "inadequate" in preparing her for the retakes.
A spokesman for OXILP - which denies all liability - told RollOnFriday that the institution's "service to students is rigorously scrutinised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and a system of external examiners. At all times since 2004, the year Maria began her course, it has consistently been graded "very good" or as is the case now "Commendable" - the top grade. Of the 357 other students that studied that year more than 99% went on to pass the paper at the heart of the litigation.”
So that's Abramova and another 2.57 people who - having paid through the nose for a qualification of limited value - left with nothing.
The case continues.
*LPC Exam technique: (1) cram contents of course manual into brain; (2) vomit same information all over exam paper before hand cramp sets in.
Tip Off ROF
Abramova graduated from Oxford University in 2004 before starting the LPC at OXILP. However she failed her exams in 2005, which she claims was because she was not given enough instruction in exam technique*. However, she sailed through her retakes, with only one slight hitch - the devilish Property Law and Practice - which she buggered up again.
Her next step was an attempt at the New York bar. However, the spectre of her LPC tragedy loomed large and she "found it psychologically difficult to take legal examinations following [her] experiences...at OXILP". And so she failed that one too - and now claims that OXILP were "clearly negligent" in failing to teach her how to sit an exam and "inadequate" in preparing her for the retakes.
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Maria Abramova spies an exam paper yesterday (artist's impression) |
A spokesman for OXILP - which denies all liability - told RollOnFriday that the institution's "service to students is rigorously scrutinised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and a system of external examiners. At all times since 2004, the year Maria began her course, it has consistently been graded "very good" or as is the case now "Commendable" - the top grade. Of the 357 other students that studied that year more than 99% went on to pass the paper at the heart of the litigation.”
So that's Abramova and another 2.57 people who - having paid through the nose for a qualification of limited value - left with nothing.
The case continues.
*LPC Exam technique: (1) cram contents of course manual into brain; (2) vomit same information all over exam paper before hand cramp sets in.