Cambridge Affiliated

2009 Exam Papers

2009-06-08T20:39:00.002+01:00

PAPER 2. Constitutional Law
1. 'The British constitution fails to embody an adequate conception of the separation of powers; that this is a bad thing can be seen most clearly when on considers the executive's respective relationships with the judicial and legislative branches.' Discuss.
2. 'The rule of law is a legal concept which, in English law, acquires practical effect principally through judicial interpretation of legislation.' Critically assess this claim. To what extent does the interpretative duty of the courts under section 3 of the Human Rights Act 1998 reduce the relevance of the rule of law to the interpretation of legislation by judges?

3. The (imaginary) Legislative Procedure and Human Rights Act 2008 provides as follows:
1. (1) Section 1 of this Act may be repealed or amended only by means of a provision in an Act of Parliament which has been approved by a two-thirds majority of both Houses.
(2) Acts of Parliament may take effect without royal assent.
2. (1) The Human Rights Act 1998 is hereby repealed.
(2) All legislation passed and to be passed shall be valid and enforceable only to the extent that it is compatible with the rights set out in the European Convention on Human Rights.
Consider the following alternative situations:
(a) The (imaginary) Animal Welfare Act 2009, which criminalises certain kinds of fishin, is approved by both Houses of Parliament but does not receive royal assent. Karl, who has been charged with an offence under the Animal Welfare Act, wishes to argue in his defence that the Act is invalid.
(b) Section 1 of the (imaginary) Legislative Procedure (Reform) Act 2009 provides that, 'Section 1(") of the Legislative Procedure and Human Rights Act 2008 is hereby repealed.' Mike, a leading anti-monarchy campaigner, wishes to know whether section 1 of the Legislative Procedure (Reform) Act 2009 is legally valid. The 2009 Act received royal assent and was approved by both Houses, but in both cases by majorities falling short of two-thirds.
(c) Section 1 of the (imaginary) Sedition Act 2009 criminalises, in a way that is inconsistent with Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, criticism of government policy. Julie, a prominent critic of the government, wishes to know whether section 1 of the Sedition Act 2009 could be enforced against her if she were to breach it.
Advise Karl, Mike and Julie.
4. 'It would be futile to attempt to understand the British constitution by looking only at constitutional law. The application of such law is informed - and sometimes radically affected - by constitutional conventions.' Do you agree with this statement? Give examples to justify your answer.
5. Assume that the (imaginary) EC Financial Services Directive requires Member States, by 1 January 2009, to ensure that consumers entering into contracts for financial services and insurance have the right to withdraw from such contracts, without penalty, for a period of 100 days following the formation of the contract (a 'cooling-off period'). Assume further that UK law currently requires financial institutions only to allow such consumers a 'reasonable' cooling-off period, and that this has, in general, been interpreted by domestic courts as meaning up to two weeks.
On 2 January 2009, Gabrielle, a single parent who recently lost her job, signs a contract for a £10,000 loan from Wisteria Loans Ltd at an annual interest rate of 16 per cent. On 2 April 2009, she discovers that she could have obtained a loan from elsewhere at a more competitive interest rate. She seeks to cancel the contract with Wisteria, but they content that she has no right to pull out because the cooling-off period provided for under UK law is now over.
On 2 January 2009, Carlos takes out and pays for a five-year health insurance policy with Fairview, a major high street bank in which the government recently took a 45 per cent shareholding in order to ensure that the bank survived the global banking crisis. On 2 April 2009, Fairview refuses to pay out under the insurance policy to reimburse Carlos for private medical treatment for a long-standing back complaint, pointing out that pre-existing medical conditions are not covered by the policy. Carlos, who had failed to notice the exclusion, wishes to pull out of the contract; the bank refuses to allow him to do so.
Advise Gabrielle and Carlos. What difference, if any, would it make to your answer if, on 1 January 2009, the UK had enacted and brought into force legislation providing that, 'notwithstanding the Financial Services Directive, the cooling-off period for contracts concerning financial services and insurance shall be 14 days'?
6. 'The devolution systems which exist in the United Kingdom derive from, and thus underline, features of the British constitution that are unusual or even unique to it.' How far, if at all, do you agree with this statement?
7. 'Judicial review by English courts shows evidence of increasing judicial activism. This damaging development, which risks judicial usurpation of executive functions, is most apparent from the judges' willingness to embrace the proportionality doctrine and to subject the use of an increasing range of prerogative powers to review.' Discuss.
8. The (imaginary) Credit Crunch Act 2009 authorises the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform to make grants of up to £100,000 to 'small businesses which are experiencing financial difficulties'.
Orson is an independent travel agent specialising in long-haul holidays. With his business on the brink of collapse, he unsuccessfully applies for a grant to the Secretary of State. Orson receives from a junior official in the Minister's department a letter in the following terms: 'I have turned down your application for two reasons. First, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change told me to turn it down: he thinks that long-haul air travel should be discourage in light of its environmental impact. Secondly, your application falls outside the Business Secretary's policy which is to make grants only to firms in the manufacturing sector.' Orson is aggrieved by (among other things) the fact that he requested but was denied an oral hearing prior to the taking of the decision.
Bree, the owner of the UK's largest battery hen farming firm successfully applies for a grant. The Business Secretary and Bree rowed in the same boat when they were students at Cambridge. Rex, a celebrity chef who campaigns against battery hen farming, is incensed by the Minister's decision. Advise Orson and Rex.
9. 'The Human Rights Act 1998 imposes obligations to respect certain rights not only upon public bodies but also, quite rightly, upon individuals.'
Discuss with reference to the way in which the legal protection of privacy has been enhanced at common law since the entry into force of the Human Rights Act.
10. Following a government decision to allow the construction of a new runway at a major airport, the following events occur:
i) A thousand people - at the instigation of Tom, a well known pacifist - gather outside the Palace of Westminster and march towards Downing Street. They come to a halt near Downing Street, impeding the flow of traffic along the main road. The police, concerned that the crowd may contain a small number of hardcore protesters and fearful that they might intimidate government ministers as they arrive for a Cabinet meeting, set up a security cordon around the protesters within which they are all required to remain for several hours. Tom asks to leave but is denied permission to do so.
ii) Kayla, a civil servant in the Department for Transport, leaks to the press a document marked 'top secret' containing advice to the Secretary of State for Transport to the effect that if the new runway is used to full capacity, the UK will definitely not meet its international commitments to reduce carbon emissions. The leak causes a major political scandal, since the Secretary had always denied that the new runway would produce such effects. Kayla later confesses to her boss that she was responsible for the leak but tells him that 'blowing the whistle was for the greater good of the environment'. Kayla now faces prosecution under the Official Secrets Act 1989. Discuss.
11. 'Contempt of court may be used to prevent or penalise an act which prejudices or impedes legal proceedings. However, in order not to violate the right to freedom of expression, particularly in cases involving the press, it is important to limit contempt in relation to statements and publications to cases in which information or views are expressed in unbalanced terms rather than objectively informing the public about the case.' Consider the extent to which this is an accurate account of the current law of contempt of court.

PAPER 4. Tort Law
1. Either a) Explain how far the law of tort allows a claim in respect of i) exposing another person to a risk of future harm and ii) causing another person to lose the chance of a benefit.
Or b) 'The English law of libel makes it unreasonably difficult for the media to report honestly on matters of public interest and importance.' Discuss.
2. Stichus was employed for 10 years by Aulus. In 2007 he left to set up in business on his own, but things did not work out, and in 2009 he sought employment with Balbus, who offered him a job 'subject to satisfactory references'.
Consider the possible tortious liability of Aulus in each of the following situations:
i) Aulus refused to provide a reference for Stichus and in consequence Balbus decided not to employ him.
ii) Balbus approached Aulus for a reference; Aulus, being irritated with Stichus, wrote him an unfairly bad one, and in consequence Balbus decided not to employ him.
iii) Aulus wrote Stichus a glowing reference, on the strength of which Balbus employed him; in fact, as Aulus was well aware, Stichus had left Aulus's employment under a cloud, having been suspected of theft and fraud; Stichus abuses his new position with Balbus to steal a large amount of money, which he is unable to repay.
3. Grump, aged 80, who is in the early stages of dementia, lives in a flat in sheltered accommodation, run by Blankshire County Council. Grump, who is wealthy, pays an allowance to his adult son, Leech, who aspires to be an artist. Leech tells the warden, Mopp, that the hot water in Grump's flat is intermittently overheating, so creating a risk of scalding. Mopp reports the fault to Hopeless Heating Ltd, with which Blankshire has a maintenance contract. Hopeless sends an engineer, Wrench, to call on Grump, but Grump, taking against him, falsely tells him that all is well and sends him away Wrench reports this to Hopeless, who tells Mopp that the problem has been resolved and Mopp takes no further action. Shortly afterwards, Grump severely scalds himself in the shower because the water has once again overheated, and dies in hospital a week later. On Grump's death Leech loses his allowance, but inherits most of Grump's wealth.
a) What claims in tort (if any) may now be brought by Leech (either personally, or as the executor of Grump's estate)?
b) Would your answer be different if, in breach of the service contract, Hopeless had failed to send an engineer to check the fault?
4. Strop, who suffers from epileptic fits, is warned by his doctor, Wuss, that, if he persists in driving Wuss will inform the police. Strop replies 'If you do that I shall sue you under the Human Rights Act' which induces Wuss not to carry out his threat. Some weeks later Strop has a fit when driving and collides with a van belonging to Chris, an interior decorator and designer, and driven by Chris's employee, Pete. Pete suffers various injuries, including a head injury that would probably have been avoided if he had worn a seat-belt. Six months later Pete is diagnosed as permanently unfit for work, and leaves his job.
Advise Chris and Pete on their possible claims in tort, given that:
i) Chris's van has been destroyed; his business has suffered in consequence of the absence of Pete; and partly because Chris has a history of depression, the resulting worry has caused him to have a severe nervous breakdown.
ii) Not only is Pete unemployed, bu his head injury has caused a change of personality, making him irritable and violent; so that when taunted on his facial scars resulting from his accident by Yob, a fellow drinker in the Boozer's Arms, he strikes him with a bar-stool and kills him - thereby incurring a 5-year prison sentence for manslaughter.
5. 'The Consumer Portection Act 1987 would be more accurately called the Act for the Persecution of Producers.' Discuss.
6. Discuss the possible tortious liability of Jaron, a dishonest dentist, in the following situations:
i) anxious to increase his work, he falsely tells a gullible patient, Dave, that he needs twenty fillings, which he then carries out and charges for, drilling and filling twenty previously good teeth;
ii) he has an affair with a married patient, Slapper, failing to inform her that he is suffering from Hepatitis B; when she contracts the disease from Jaron, he rich husband, Peeve, discovers the affair and promptly divorces her, leaving her in reduced financial circumstances.
iii) despite being struck off the Dental Register for professional misconduct because of i) and ii) he continues to practice, thereby committing a criminal offence against the Dentists Act 1984, the statute regulating dental practice; during this period he gives innovative dental treatment to Richard; although Jaron carries out this procedure with due care, an unfortunate side-effect is that Richard suffers a permanent loss of sensation in his mouth.
7. Lord Snooty, having fallen on hard times, turns his ancestral home Bunkerton Castle into an amusement park, which the public are invited to enter on payment for admission. On the advice of his solicitor, Desmond, and of his insurer, Welsh, he puts up a notice at the entrance saying 'Warning, all visitors enter at their own risk', and has the same words printed in small type on the back of the admission tickets. Consider Snooty's possible tortious liability in the following situations:
i) In the grounds there stands a lake where, at first, visitors were allowed to swim and dive. After a health and safety inspector warns Snooty that it was unsafe to swim there, Snooty puts up a large notice saying 'no swimming' and engages a contractor, Laches, to remove the diving-board. Before Laches has carried out the work, Darren aged 12 and illiterate, enters the park without payment through a hole in the perimeter fence. Darren dives into the lake from the board, breaks his neck and is now paralysed.
ii) In the stables are horses which visitors can ride under the supervision of Snooty's employee, Forelock. Tracy, aged 11, is injured when the horse that she was riding, Bronco, rears in fright because Forelock's dog, which he has brought to work with him in breach of orders, snaps at Bronco's heels. Bronco is normally docile, but like many horses, will rear if he is scared by a sudden noise behind him.
iii) In a paddock Snooty keeps a herd of llamas. Venge, a disgruntled keeper employed by Snooty who has just given him a week's notice of dismissal, deliberately lets them out. Some of them wander into Bill's garden, where they trample his lawn and eat his vegetables, and others escape onto the road where Ben, swerving to avoid them, falls off his motorcycle and breaks his leg.
8. In Effluent Road, Stretchford, there stands an empty warehouse, owned by Weird. Next door there stands a building which Shifti, in breach of planning permission, uses for the bulk storage of polystyrene, having bribed Bakanda, an inspector employed by the Stretchford City Council, to turn a blind eye. Further down the street there is a gym, owned and run by Truss. Behind all three buildings stands a market garden, owned and occupied by Green. One winter, Weird's warehouse is occupied by squatters, whose drunken and disorderly behaviour in the street causes many of Truss' clients to stay away, so damaging his business. Truss complains about this to Weird, who does nothing. When the weather turns cold, the squatters take it upon themselves to reconnect the gas supply. Their amateur gas-fitting is incompetent, so that the building later fills with gas, causing an explosion and a faire. The fire spreads to Shifti's warehouse, where his polystyrene is ignited and burns furiously. The fire in Shifti's warehouse rapidly engulfs Truss' gym next door, which is totally destroyed. Clouds of poisonous smoke and fumes from the burning polystyrene pollute Green's market garden, ruining his crops, and causing injury to Brown, Green's head gardener, who inhales fumes when trying unsuccessfully to rescue Green's truck, which despite his efforts perishes in the flames. Discuss the tortious liabilities that arise.

Helpful hints and links

2009-06-08T19:48:00.004+01:00

Answering a Constitutional question

1. Read the question

Carefully read the rubric to define precisely what the assessor wants. This is usually to be found at the end of the problem scenario and consists of 'Advise Mr and Mrs X' or the curt 'Discuss', a command that can be interpreted to mean 'advise all the parties referred to'. If you are asked to advise Mr and Mrs X then you need only consider their position and should not waste time by referring to the position of other parties mentioned in the problem scenario.
Occasionally, you may be asked to concentrate, or even avoid, just one aspect of the law, for example, 'address/avoid the issues of natural justice which arise in this problem'. Always be wary of a 'sting in the tail' of the question which might add a new element to the facts of the problem, for example, 'Would your answer be different if the decision-making body was not a public body?'

2. Read the scenario

It is important to read through the whole scenario in order to gain an overview of the issues raised. Once you have a general feel for the problem, you can turn to the specific sentences to see what issues of law arise. If you are asked in the rubric to advise more than one party, then read through the problem scenario again looking for the specific issues which relate to the particular party in question.
It is worth remembering that problem scenarios involving judicial review traditionally require the formulation of grounds for making the application for judicial review, from the facts given in the problem scenario, whilst problem scenarios involving civil liberties traditionally require reference to statutory powers and procedures. If the information you have received from the assessor is incomplete or ambiguous, then it is your responsibility to identify it as such and utilise that fact in your legal reasoning.

3. Identify the relevant legal issues

In formulating your advice for a judicial review problem question, you might work from the following checklist to identify all the relevant issues:
A) Identify the 'decision or action' which is to be challenged
B) Consider whether the body making that decision is a public body and/or whether it is the type of decision against which a challenge can be made
C) Moving on to the grounds of the application, has the decision-making body acted beyond its powers, in that it had no jurisdiction to make the decision or otherwise acted with illegality?
D) Has that decision-making body abused its powers, in the sense that it has acted with procedural impropriety or irrationality?
E) What will be the appropriate procedure to use when making the application - noting the inherent issues of locus standi, leave and delay contained within the Order 53 procedure?
F) What remedy is it that the party you are asked to advise should seek, namely a public law remedy and/or a private law remedy of declaration, injunction or damages? Your answer to this is likely to be of primary importance to the party you are advising.

Answering a Tort question

1. Identify the duty (Capara v Dickman only needs to be used when a duty is not established)
2. Identify whether the duty has been breached (A. Note the standard and B. see if they breached it)
3. See whether there is causation (Either factual, the 'but for' test; or legal, whether the chain of causation has been broken by a novus actus interveniens)
4. Assess remoteness (was the type of damage caused reasonably foreseeable under Wagon Mound II?)
5. See what damages (if any) are owed.

Links
Constitutional
How to answer a constitutional question
A useful explanation of the government and Parliament
Some notes on politics
Online resource for Constitutional and Administrative Law
Law Express
More Constitutional and Administrative Law
Judicial Review

Contract
Law of Contract Summarised
Australian Contract Law resource page

Land
Land law information

Tort
Simple Tort summary
Model answers to some Tort problems
Negligence answer model
Selected excerpts from Tort Q&A

General
Acts and Statutes list
Case law search
List of Pearson Law companion websites
Electric Law Library
Free 'Unlocking the Law' model answers and multiple choice questions
American 'First Year Law Review' blog
Mike Shecket Law Notes
Oxford University Press online resources for Law

UPDATE

2009-05-28T12:34:00.006+01:00

Stand by for an update some time next week including:

- Further information on Cambridge's replacement for the LNAT: the Cambridge Law Test
- 2009 exam papers for Constitutional, Contract, International, Land and Tort
- Useful and FREE online resources for the above subjects

LNAT Scores 2007/8

2008-09-27T14:57:00.006+01:00

I have been getting a reasonable number of hits for LNAT scores (I think most probably for straight undergraduate law), but in the spirit of helping out not only those people who might wander across this blog, but also assisting anyone who is applying to Oxford or Cambridge (the latter's need for the LNAT becoming defunct after 2009), I am reproducing not only the aforementioned keywords (as sic), but a list of statistics helpfully collated by the members of one of the most well-frequented internet student forums.

Obviously these are flawed due to them firstly not having the same number of entrants for each institution, and that some of the scores are repeats due to individuals applying to two or more LNAT universities, but still, they make interesting reading. All of the scores mentioned received offers, aside from the Cambridge entry which includes colleges, interviews, poolings and rejections. Those for whom no extra information was known have no brackets following the score.

For all other queries, my LNAT FAQ is available here.

Keywords
average LNAT scores for Oxbridge
oxford senior status need to take LNAT
lnat tution in birmingham
how much do i need to score for cambridge LNAT
oxford lnat average
LNAT hertfordshire
lnat average score nottingham
senior status law cambridge lnat
LNAT tuition birmingham
does nottingham trent uni require lnat
lnat statistics

Universities and Scores
Birmingham
20, 21, 14, 23, 20, 17, 21, 22, 22, 23, 19, 20, 25
Average = 20.5

Bristol
16, 24, 27, 22, 23, 25, 20, 18, 14
Average = 21.0

Cambridge
Accepted - 24 (Hughes Hall), 21 (St Edmund's), 24 (Downing, pooled to Fitzwilliam), 21 (Queens', deferred), 21 (Queens'), 22 (Downing), 19 (pooled to Sidney Sussex), 17, 16
Rejected - 19 (Christ's), 18, 17, 17 (King's, invited to interview), 20 (Selwyn), 21 (not known, invited to interview), 24 (Emmanuel, pooled to Churchill), 20 (Robinson, pooled), 24, 18, 16, 22 (Christ's, invited to interview), 16 (Corpus Christi, invited to interview)
Average Accepted = 20.6
Average Rejected = 19.4

Durham
22, 20, 20, 26, 23, 19, 23, 23, 22, 18, 14, 22, 18, 21, 14, 24, 15, 20
Average = 20.2

Exeter
21, 21, 18, 21, 17, 23, 17, 19, 23, 20
Average = 20.0

KCL (King's College London)
22, 20, 26, 17, 21, 19, 23, 24, 18, 20, 18, 20, 17, 15, 19, 22, 18, 19, 17, 21, 16, 18, 20
Average = 19.6

Nottingham
22, 23, 22, 18, 18, 27, 24, 21, 18, 21, 19, 18, 19, 23, 17, 22, 19, 20, 22, 17, 19, 20, 20, 20, 14, 21, 21, 23, 21, 13
Average = 20.1

Oxford
27, 26, 21, 20, 19, 18, 22, 23
Average = 22.0

UCL (University College London)
24, 21, 18, 26, 20, 19, 21, 22, 14, 21, 25, 20, 22
Average = 21.0

Cambridge opts out of LNAT (article)

2008-09-07T15:45:00.003+01:00

*I will be leaving the LNAT advice in the Cambridge FAQ for now, as it is still relevant for 2009 candidates*

"In 2004, the University of Cambridge, along with a number of other universities, introduced the Law National Admissions Test (LNAT) as part of its admissions process. It was hoped that it would help with admissions decisions by providing additional information about applicants‟ aptitude for legal study. The intention was that LNAT performance would constitute one of several factors which would assist in the difficult task of distinguishing between the many outstanding applications which Cambridge receives every year from prospective Law students.

The LNAT consists of two parts: a multiple-choice section and an essay section. The University considers the opportunity provided by the LNAT to obtain written work produced by applicants under examination conditions to be a valuable one. But a view has been reached following a recent study commissioned by the Faculty of Law and the Cambridge Colleges that the numerical scores awarded to applicants in the multiple-choice section of the test do not provide sufficiently distinctive and useful information within the Cambridge admissions process to justify applicants being required to sit the LNAT and pay the fee involved in doing so.

The University is committed to using the LNAT in the forthcoming admissions round but is today announcing that the test will not be used thereafter. Applicants applying for entry in 2009 (or deferred entry in 2010) will therefore, as already advertised, be required to take the test, but applicants in subsequent years will not. The University will also withdraw from the LNAT Consortium Ltd, which runs the test and of which the University is a founder member. The Faculty of Law and the Colleges propose to work together with the aim of implementing new arrangements for the 2009-10 admissions round and thereafter. It is envisaged that applicants who are offered an interview at Colleges participating in the new arrangements would be asked to write an essay under examination conditions. As with the essay in the LNAT test, no knowledge of the law would be expected, and the essay questions would be designed to give an opportunity to demonstrate the ability to write clearly and construct logical, balanced arguments. It is intended that applicants attending for interview would write the essay in Cambridge as part of the interview process, and would not be required to pay any fee.

The Director of Admissions for the Cambridge Colleges, Dr Geoff Parks, says the decision to phase out the LNAT has been based on criteria which may be unique to the university:

“The University of Cambridge has made the decision to stop using the LNAT based on its own assessment of the usefulness of the test in the context of Cambridge‟s admissions process, which is distinctively different from those of other universities. The University appreciates that the test may be very helpful as part of different admissions processes in other universities, and its decision to stop using the test should not be taken as an indication that the test as a whole is unhelpful in those different contexts.”

http://www.law.cam.ac.uk/news/article.php?section=25&article=712

Reading Lists/Introductory Books

2008-08-26T20:26:00.004+01:00

Although by no means necessary, it is always useful to have read a few books on or about law before considering a conversion course, attending an interview, or beginning one's degree. Below are a selection of colleges' reading lists and introductory texts that are sent to potential students. By no means is reading these books compulsory, but these are some pieces of literature which have been chosen for their friendliness to the law layman, as well as being (relatively!) enjoyable to read.

Downing
Learning the Law - Glanville Williams
What About Law? - O'Sullivan & Virgo
Letters to a Law Student: A Guide to Studying Law at University - Nicholas McBride

St Edmund's
Discovering the Law - Sean Butler (editor)
Letters to a Law Student - Nicholas McBride

Queens'
A
Learning legal skills - Simon Lee + Marie Fox (2nd ed 1994)
Learning legal rules - James Holland + Julian Webb (1991)
Studying law - Phillip Kenny (4th ed 1998)

B
An introduction to Roman Law - Barry Nicholas (1962, 2nd impression 1975)
Constitutional reform - R Blackburn + R Plant (1999)
Tort Law - Tony Weir
Understanding Criminal Law - CMV Clarckson (1987, 2nd impression 1989)

C
Advocates - David Pannick (1992)
Judges - David Pannick (1992)
Eve was framed - Helena Kennedy (1992)
The politics of the judiciary - JAG Griffith (4th ed 1991)
The law machine - Marcel Berlins + Clare Dyer (3rd ed 1989)
The discipline of law - Lord Denning (1979)

Practice Questions

2008-08-15T21:01:00.013+01:00

Law applicants to the one, two or three year course at any institution may find these questions both useful and interesting to mull over, as well as a practice tool with which they may put themselves in the analytical mindset that they will have to apply in an interview or test situation.

Kindly supplied by a St Edmund's applicant.

“The day before your interview you will be given a written test. It should take no more than about 1 hour (and so is likely to be about 500-800 words), it does not involve the use of any books. The test is not designed to test knowledge as such, but more your ability at critical thinking, analysis and presentation.
You will receive the questions by email, and return your answer by email, and you will have about a day to return your answer.”

PLEASE ANSWER ONE QUESTION ONLY
DO NOT USE ANY BOOKS IN PREPARING YOUR ANSWER.
DO NOT SPEND MORE THAN ABOUT 1 HOUR ON YOUR ANSWER, (WHICH IS THEREFORE LIKELY TO BE ABOUT 500-800 WORDS)

December 2007
1. Discuss whether capital punishment is ever justified?
2. Is international law really 'law', or simply national behaviour given the title 'law' in order to imply order, structure and precedent?
3. Under what conditions may the State suspend parts of 'the rule of law'? How should that suspension be limited?

December 2005
1. What do you think are the key elements of a sound legal system?
2. How much freedom should judges have when interpreting the law?
3. When should an activity be made a criminal wrong, and when a civil wrong?

December 2004
1. When should the law restrict freedom of speech?
2. Just because something is described as a court does not give it moral or legal validity unless it has the attributes of a proper court. What are those attributes?
3. How far should the law regulate our private activities which do not harm or affect others?

December 2003
1. A charity has collected, over many years (and mostly in small amounts), the sum of $500,000 "for the purpose of protecting the Scottish porpoise" which was indigenous to an area of Northern Scotland. Despite their efforts, the porpoise is now extinct. What should they do with their funds?
2. How would you appoint judges, and what criteria should we be looking for in judges?
3. Are you entitled to disobey a law which, by 'universal standards' is unethical?

December 2002
1. What rights should employees have, with respect to their employment?
2. In what ways is it right to limit a person's right to freedom of speech?
3. When is theft reasonable?
4. Why do we have laws; could we do without them?

Opinion Post II - Choosing a college (Cambridge)

2008-07-28T10:54:00.007+01:00

Part of coming to Cambridge is becoming a member of its collegiate system, hence a key part of the application process is choosing which college you would like to belong to. In the case of affiliated students, the choice structure is nearly identical to undergraduates, in that you select one college, or submit an open application (no college selected). The only difference is that now mature colleges will be open to you if you are 21 or above by the time you hope to come to Cambridge. Graduates are slightly different in that they are able to choose a first and second choice college from the outset. In both cases, if your first (or second) choice college is unable to offer you a place, but deems you suitable for study at Cambridge, you will be placed in the pool, where there is the chance your application can be taken on by another college.

For affiliated students, it is easy to be seduced by the better known 'prestigious' colleges when making a selection. However, one should consider not only the perceived advantages of gaining admission to one of these, but also the potential difficulties along the way. Most of the undergraduate colleges specify that you must have, or be on the path to achieving, a first (sometimes a 'good' first) in your degree to apply, or receive an offer from them. At the same time, there would only be a maximum of one or two affiliated law students at these colleges. Even the mature colleges only take on a small number of affiliated undergraduates in law (although larger amounts in total), so it stands to reason that the numbers elsewhere will be greatly decreased. One should consider what this means; is it important to you to be living amongst others who are doing the same course as yourself?

This document provides statistics of the total number of affiliates for the graduate colleges. Other things to consider are: What size college would you like? Are you in need of any bursaries/extra funding? It is fair to say that most of the mature colleges are amongst the smaller ones at Cambridge, and although all of them do have some provision for grants, they are certainly not the richest colleges.

However, at the same time, one must weigh up the 'risks' in selecting a 'popular' college. If you are not accepted there, would you be extremely disappointed? You can be consoled with the fact that if you are good enough to be admitted to Cambridge, you will be given a college, but it may not be your first choice. In choosing, think carefully about your chances, and how you would react to pooling. Ultimately, remember that studying at Cambridge itself is the goal, and colleges are mainly halls of residence.

Conclusively, if you are clear with what you desire from your college, you should be able to easily eliminate those who fall outside your wishes, and create a shortlist from those that are left. At the end of the day, if you have taken into account the factors that surround your application (offers etc), as well as the environment that the college will provide for you, then your selection is likely to be a well thought through, and educated one. Good luck!

The Mature Colleges

The graduate colleges tend to have a reputation for being a mixing-pot of international and Home students, as well as having tight-knit communities due to their smaller size.

Clare Hall - Only accepts applications for graduate qualifications.
Darwin - Only accepts applications for graduate qualifications.
Hughes Hall - Law Society.
Lucy Cavendish - Women only, Law Society.
St Edmund's
Wolfson

Alternative Prospectus (contains HH, LC, SE & W)

Cambridge Interview Experiences and Offer Statistics

2008-07-15T10:03:00.022+01:00

Much like the undergraduate route, two year conversions at Cambridge are expected to attend an interview before they receive an offer. These interviews are a crucial part of the path to an offer, as it allows the college staff to assess someone based not only on their personal statement, but their attitude toward, and aptitude for, the course. The interview process is a chance for potential candidates to sell themselves in person.

Interview Experiences

Hughes Hall
I remember that I sat my LNAT as soon as I was able (scored 24) and sent my UCAS form off on the first day that the cycle opened. In fact, when I had to ring up the helpline for some reason, the person on the phone told me I was the first in the whole country to submit! Whether this was true or not, I don't know... I was subsequently invited for an interview in December. Where I was travelling from meant it would have been rather difficult for me to go down in the morning, so I was able to stay overnight in college accommodation. This was nice, as I got to see a bit of the college and also didn't have to worry too much about being late in the morning due to trains, or having to get up early and therefore not being in the best shape.

I had already been told that I would have a General and a Subject interview, but that there was no need for me to do any special preparation for the latter. The first one I attended was the General interview, who I had with the Senior Tutor and another member of staff. It was quite relaxed; they asked me some questions about my personal statement and what I hoped to achieve in five years, as well as how I thought I would adapt to being in a collegiate university.

A little later I was called to the Subject interview; this was with the Director of Studies for Law and the Undergraduate Admissions Tutor. First the Admissions Tutor told me a bit about what would happen if I received an offer, as well as making sure that I was aware of the monetary cost of the degree and whether I could afford it. Then the DoS explained to me a summary of a legal case and asked to interpret 'reasonable doubt' for the prosecution, defence, and then decide what verdict I would give.

Both interviews took until about lunchtime, having started at about 9.30, but there was also quite a bit of waiting. I left feeling as if I had done my best, but I wasn't sure whether I would get an offer or not. I received a general 2.i offer from them in January which I was very pleased about.

St Edmund's
I found the LNAT rather straight forward and scored a 21 - not great but it did the job. I actually found out about the the test towards the tail end of the test year, about a week before the application deadline. Adrenaline kicked in at the right time and I was able to sit the test on Oct 30. When I was invited to interview, I could not attend in person because I applied as an international student from Pakistan. I was told to write an essay and submit it 24 hrs before a telephonic interview conducted by the Director of Studies (DoS) of my college.

On 11/26/2008 I was sent an email stating that the college would like to interview me on 12/6/2008 at 0900 GMT. The email contained essay prompts from previous years to help me prepare. I was also told to provide a telephone number so that the DoS could call me on a date and time set by the college.. They mentioned that I could find useful info about the interview here (more detailed information about the St Edmund's test, as well as a list of example questions, can be found here). Essentially, the test was very similar to the written section of the LNAT, different only in that I was allowed an hour to complete it compared to the LNAT's 40 minutes.

I answered question #3 and emailed it to the office of admissions and the DoS as requested. The following day the DoS called bang on time and most of the interview was centered on my essay response. After questioning me on various parts of the essay, he answered personal questions about Cambridge, and more specifically, the affiliated law degree. I was told that the interview could last anywhere between twenty minutes to an hour. Mine lasted about 20-25 minutes, 80% of which was dedicated to questions about my essay. I was asked to extrapolate parts of my essay response which he may have found unclear.

I was quite nervous during the interview, partially because it was conducted via telephone - obviously I couldn’t read the DoS’s body language when he responded; further, he maintained a very neutral tone which was disconcerting as my answers often felt inadequate. Possibly, the reason why he didn’t press me too much after the majority of my answers is because he found them satisfactory; however, at the time, it certainly felt like he wanted to get over with the interview and move on to a ‘better’ candidate. Being rather tongue-tied and shuddery throughout the interview, I felt pretty bad afterwards. I think I would have done better had I interviewed in person.

The DoS actually called me on 12/24/2008 (18 days after the interview) informing me that I had been admitted to read law at St. Edmund’s. Maybe my post-interview anxiety was unwarranted but certainly it wasn’t my best experience or performance.

Lucy Cavendish
I took the LNAT on Oct 31st in London, although I had sent in my UCAS applications much earlier, sometime towards the end of September. The college had initially told me in an application confirmation email that they would write to shortlisted people by mid-November.

By the very last week of Nov I still hadn't received anything in the post. I emailed the admissions officer on November 25th, who responded immediately and said the letter had gone out on November 17th. In fact, I received a big envelope only on the 27th, which was a week after they had posted the interview offers, most probably due to postal delays.

I answered question #3 and emailed it to the office of admissions and the DoS as requested. The following day the DoS called bang on time and most of the interview was centered on my essay response. After questioning me on various parts of the essay, he answered personal questions about Cambridge, and more specifically, the affiliated law degree. I was told that the interview could last anywhere between twenty minutes to an hour. Mine lasted about 20-25 minutes, 80% of which was dedicated to questions about my essay. I was asked to extrapolate parts of my essay response which he may have found unclear.

As soon as I received my interview offer, I contacted the college for accommodation, and I was lucky to receive a free accommodation for the night before the interview.

My interview date was set for Tuesday, Dec 9th. I had 2 written tests in the morning at 9:15am, and I started my 2 interviews at 2:40pm. Unfortunately, there really isn't a way to prepare for these tests and interviews. The tutors made sure that there were no trick questions involved. They were testing our ability to think and argue persuasively rather than our knowledge of the law. The admissions tutors were friendly so they made me feel very comfortable during the 2 interviews. I received my offer in early January.

Even if your interview does not go as planned, it does not mean that you will not be offered a place. Cambridge operates a 'pooling' system, which means that candidates which are deemed able from their chosen college interview, but are unfortunately not able to receive a place there, can potentially be offered a place at an alternative college by their applications being placed in the 'pool', to be 'fished' out by other colleges.

NB. Applications for the two year course at any institution aside from Oxbridge do not have to undergo an interview.

Offer Statistics

Hughes Hall
2004 2005
Applications - 23 19
Offers (from Pool) - 4 (0) 5 (0)
Admissions - 3 4

2006 2007
Applications - 17 25
Offers (from Pool) - 6 (0) 10 (0)
Admissions - 4 NA

Lucy Cavendish
2004 2005
Applications - 24 17
Offers (from Pool) - 10 (0) 4 (2)
Admissions - 8 2

2006 2007
Applications - 23 19
Offers (from Pool) - 10 (2) 8 (1)
Admissions - 7 NA

St Edmund's
2004 2005
Applications - 35 35
Offers (from Pool) - 8 (0) 6 (1)
Admissions - 7 4

2006 2007
Applications - 19 24
Offers (from Pool) - 5 (2) 6 (2)
Admissions - 6 NA

Wolfson
2004 2005
Applications - 32 15
Offers (from Pool) - 5 (0) 4 (0)
Admissions - 5 3

2006 2007
Applications - 15 22
Offers (from Pool) - 3 (1) 7 (2)
Admissions - 3 NA

Opinion Post I - Reputation

2008-07-14T23:39:00.009+01:00

Iago. "What, are you hurt Lieutenant?"
Cassio. "Aye, past all surgery."
Iago. "Marry, Heaven forbid."
Cassio. "Reputation, reputation, reputation! O! I have lost my Reputation. I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial. My reputation, Iago, my reputation."
Iago. "As I am an honest man I had thought you had received some bodily wound; there is more offence in that then in reputation. Reputation is an idle, and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving."

Othello, II.iii

It is undeniable that in such a competitive world as law that other factors aside from degree results may play a part in ensuring candidates obtain work experience or jobs. Great emphasis is put on acquiring relevant legal work experience in the form of vacation schemes or mini-pupillages, working as part of a team via sports or other group exercises, and developing other hobbies or interests. Nonetheless, what part of these unquantifiable values is made up of the reputation of the institution that the applicant comes from?

Although it has become rather un-PC in recent years to 'rank' universities above one another, there is undoubtedly a hierarchical academic structure that has remained. Each year broadsheets print league tables, which are of course roundly criticised for various reasons, only for the practice to continue on the following annum, and so on and so forth. For as long as further education has existed in Britain, there has been an understanding that some universities are simply 'better' than others, normally a ruling based partly on how long they have been established and supplemented by how rich the institution is.

When reviewing modern or typical vocational subjects such as media or management studies, rankings become rather farcical, seeing as it is mainly the ex-polytechnics who offer these degrees. However, in viewing them through the filter of legal lens, they do serve an important purpose. It is no secret that a large percentage of the Bar or members of Magic Circle firms are made up of Oxbridge graduates, hence the opportunity to study at one of the best two universities in Britain is not to be missed. The fact that they both offer the two year course is something that should be taken very seriously by those wishing to apply, if they are confident of gaining at least a solid 2.i (Upper Second) degree.

Other respected universities are also available for review - Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, Leeds, Leicester, Sheffield and QMUL following suit with Senior Status degrees. Although most ask for a "good Honours degree", Birmingham has one of the lowest offers (2.ii) across the board, meaning that for someone who is prepared to dedicate themselves to legal study, even after perhaps achieving less than they would have liked at undergraduate, opportunities to avail themselves of the invisible power that reputation carries are still open.

As mentioned in a prior post, one of the major disadvantages of doing the one year course is that - if taken at the majority of institutions which offer it - candidates are unlikely to be marking themselves out as extra-special, unless they excel during their studies. One must continually remind oneself of the fact that many applicants proceed onto law conversions each year - how will you help yourself stand out amongst the crowd? If the chance comes for you to go to a 'better', more 'established' institution, it would be my advice that you grasp the opportunity with both hands.

This whole concept may seem snobbish, or even ridiculous, but in a sphere where ideas, statutes and codes of speech and dress that were created centuries ago still hold sway, the possibility that reputation (alongside academic ability) may have some impact on a candidates' future options is not at all improbable.

University Rankings for Law

2008-07-14T12:15:00.019+01:00

Times Online
1. Cambridge
2. Oxford
8. Leicester
12. Bristol & Queen Mary, London
18. Birmingham
21. East Anglia
23. Exeter
24. Hull
25. Keele
26. Kent
27. Liverpool
30. Leeds
31. Essex
34. Aberystwyth
35. Sussex
36. City
38. Brunel
40. Sheffield
43. Nottingham Trent
45. Central Lancashire & Northumbria
47. Oxford Brookes
49. Swansea
52. West of England
53. Manchester Metropolitan
55. De Montfort
56. Hertfordshire
57. Kingston
58. Glamorgan
59. Staffordshire
62. Sheffield Hallam
63. Bournemouth
64. East London
65. Huddersfield
66. Brighton
67. Southampton Solent
68. Westminster
69. Coventry
70. Plymouth
73. Birmingham City
74. Wolverhampton
75. Middlesex
78. Lincoln & Bangor
81. London South Bank
84. Bradford
85. Leeds Metropolitan
87. Thames Valley

NR. London Metropolitan

Guardian

1. Oxford
2. Cambridge
9. Birmingham
11. Queen Mary
12. City
16. Bristol
19. Essex
20. Exeter
26. Leicester
27. Leeds
28. Kent
29. Nottingham Trent
30. Liverpool
31. Hull
33. Brunel
34. Sussex
37. East Anglia
40. Brighton
41. Plymouth
42. Northumbria
44. Aberystwyth
45. Oxford Brookes
48. Sheffield Hallam
49. Bradford
50. Sheffield
51. Manchester Metropolitan
56. Swansea
58. Staffordshire
60. West of England
61. Westminster
62. Thames Valley
63. Kingston
64. Coventry
66. Glamorgan
67. Birmingham City
68. Leeds Metropolitan
69. Bangor
71. De Montfort
72. Central Lancashire
77. Bournemouth
78. Southampton Solent
79. London South Bank
80. Lincoln
81. Huddersfield
82. Hertfordshire
86. Wolverhampton
87. Middlesex

NR. London Metropolitan

One or two year conversion?

2008-07-14T10:57:00.016+01:00

There are many different reasons why most potential students of law choose the one year CPE/GDL over the two year conversion, but there are pros and cons for both:

One year conversion - CPE/GDL
Advantages

Completion of the academic stage of one's legal career in one year is the quickest choice available to a non-law graduate.
As such, it is also the cheapest way to gain a qualifying law degree.
One can choose to study it at either a university, or one of the franchised institutions across the country, meaning there is plenty of choice regarding location.
If needed, the course can also be taken over two years if studied part time.

Disadvantages

Having to condense three years of study into one means that the course is extremely intensive in terms of both time needed to devote to attending, and study outside of class.
Due to the time constraints, teaching is strictly on a 'must know' basis, meaning that applicants who are interested in broadening their legal horizons beyond the minimum may be disappointed. Hence, there is not the range of scope within legal study that is available to a two or three year undergraduate.
Similarly, teaching quality may be affected as the aim of the course is to impart the knowledge needed to students, with little or no discussion outside of the guidelines.

Two year conversions - Affiliated or Senior Status
Advantages

There is more time than the GDL to study around the basics of the law, as well as the opportunity to develop legal skills and critical thinking further.
Due to the extra year, there is far more time to relax into both your course and where you are studying.
There may also be the option of choosing additional modules in your second year, meaning you are able to investigate specific areas of law you have a personal interest in.
Two years of study affords candidates extra time to consider whether they actually want to practice law, and if they do, then to arrange work experience, training-contracts or admission to an Inns of Court.
As all two year courses are taken at universities, it is likely that the student will benefit from whatever reputation the institution has when seeking training contracts or pupillages.

Disadvantages

The largest factor is that tuiton fees and living expenses for two years is likely to substantially more than the GDL, unless the student is living at home whilst studying.
No student loans or public funding are available for Home students, so the only extra money one could attain would come from postgraduate bursaries or awards offered by the individual universities.
Depending on where the course is taken, it can be as intensive as the one year GDL, except this is drawn out over two years.
For people eager to begin the vocational part of their legal careers, it is an extra year they have to spend studying.
The course is only offered at 17 university locations across the country, so choice is restricted compared to the GDL.

One would ascertain that the reason most candidates decide to take the CPE over a Senior Status degree is chiefly over the issues of money. Most people will already have accrued a debt of their student loan, and so are keen to minimise the time they have to spend in further study.

For students on a CPE/GDL they are awarded the LLB, as are students on a two year course anywhere apart fom Bristol, Cambridge or Sheffield. These three award an MA in Legal Studies, a BA (which is eligible for the Cambridge MA) and a MA (Law) respectively.

Applying for a Law Conversion

2008-07-13T23:40:00.008+01:00

Nowadays, law conversions are a popular route for graduates of all disciplines. If you have managed to, or are about to attain at least a 2.ii (Lower Second Class) in your degree, there is a strong possibility you could be accepted onto a large number of conversion courses which run across the country.

Many people decide to follow the one year course, otherwise known as the CPE (Common Professional Examination) or GDL (General Diploma of Law) which gives you the basics of a legal education in a intensive twelve month period. These courses can be taken at several universities, or more commonly at franchised institutions such as the College of Law or BPP.

Fewer people apply for a condensed undergraduate degree, something which fits the three years of a typical law undergraduate into two, and is commonly known as 'Senior Status' or 'Affiliated' law.

I've got a 2.ii in my degree - is there any point in my taking a conversion course?

Although several courses admit candidates with a Lower Second Class degree, the hard truth is that it is going to be difficult for someone with a 2.ii in their undergraduate to compete in an extremely tough and overpopulated career sector. It is not impossible, but one will need to perform well in whichever course is chosen, and subsequently in their LPC or BVC.

The former route will certainly be easier to follow in terms of rural firms, but as the Bar and Magic Circle are notoriously competitive, one wishing to stand a good chance in pursuing a career as a Barrister or a London solicitor after a 2.ii is likely to have to excel in both their conversion and BVC in order to even stand a small chance.

However, if one is more interested in smaller non-commercial firms, then there may well be various job opportunities available. Obtaining as much legal work experience as possible to supplement a lower degree will also help greatly in any case.

LNAT FAQ

2008-07-13T22:36:00.011+01:00

LNAT scores 2007/8 post

Will I have to take the LNAT?

If you are applying to either Oxford or Cambridge as an affiliated student then you will still be required to take the LNAT. It is important to note that the other universities which offer the two year course and also require the LNAT for standard undergraduates (Birmingham, Bristol and Exeter) have waived it for affiliated applications.

What is the LNAT?

The LNAT, or National Admissions Test for Law, is (to quote Wikipedia) "an admissions aptitude test. [...] The test taker is allotted two hours to complete an essay and 30 multiple choice questions aimed at measuring reading comprehension and logical reasoning skills. The reading portion contains ten sets of between two and five questions based around a respective short reading passage. The questions typically ask for terms and arguments from the reading to be defined by inference. The essay lasts for 40 minutes and involves the candidate answering one of five available essay questions. The questions are open-ended topics typically about student related issues or other well familiar subject matter. The reading section is scored out of 30 and the essays are individually marked by proctors at the respective universities."
There is also a limit of 750 words to the essay part.

How can I prepare for it?

The official LNAT website updates with one past paper each cycle, and there are some sample questions in this Guardian article. There are many companies out there offering 'LNAT tuition' or selling books as to how to pass/obtain a good score, but the LNAT website itself cautions you against purchasing these. It advises that the only extra 'revision' you need do for it is to read a "quality newspaper" every day. Even this is not a necessity - certainly not for the multiple choice part which is more testing of your linguistic ability than any knowledge of current affairs - but it may be useful to familiarise yourself with the topical issues of the day, as they are often pertinent to the essay section.

How important is it to my application?

Truthfully no-one really knows which parts of the LNAT are used in admissions criteria, or how much credence it is given. The average score on the multiple choice section in the 2006/2007 cycle was 16.8, so it stands to reason that most candidates who are successful in attaining an interview will meet or exceed this. However, there have been people who scored less than the average and still received an invitation to interview, and a subsequent offer.
The importance of the essay section is even harder to judge, as obviously its reception by the tutors at each respective university is completely subjective. Overall, it is not clear how much weight is given to the LNAT in the whole of a candidate's application; nonetheless, doing well is normally a positive indicator that you will be invited to interview, whilst a less than stellar score is not necessarily a reason to despair.

When and how can I apply for it?

The cycle opens every year on the 1st of September, and runs until the 15th of January. It is advised that affiliated candidates seek to book a test as soon as the cycle opens so that they can meet the Oxbridge UCAS deadline of the 15th of October.
All bookings have to be made online through the official website, which only accepts payments via credit card or electronic voucher. If you do not have access to an international credit card, or someone who pay on your behalf, you can purchase an electronic voucher code by printing out a form and attaching a cheque, or alternatively emailing the form and initiating an online bank transfer. It can take up to 10 days for voucher to be issued on sending a cheque, or five with the bank transfer so candidates should be aware of the delay between payment and ability to book test dates if they plan to leave their test until closer to the deadline.

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Cambridge FAQ

2008-07-13T20:16:00.040+01:00

Can you do a law conversion at Cambridge?

Yes - at Cambridge it's known as a 'Senior Status' Law degree (B.A.), and it condenses the three year undergraduate into two. At the end of the course, you'll be qualified to the same extent as a normal undergrad. (provided you take certain modules) meaning you can go straight on to take the one year LPC (Legal Practice Course for solicitors) or BVC (Bar Vocational Course for barristers). It's also eligible to turn into the Cambridge MA.

How do I apply?

Unlike other universities, for the Senior Status the application process is not done through a separate online or paper form, but instead through UCAS, using the same course code (M100) as the three year undergraduate. Before 2009, applicants were required to fill in a CAF (Cambridge Application Form) as well as the UCAS, but these have been discontinued. Now applicants will submit their UCAS, and then be sent a Supplementary Application Questionnaire (SAQ) will fulfill a similar purpose - this is how applicants will specify they wish to follow the two year course, rather than the three year route.

What are the admissions criteria?

For Home students, you must have already completed/be in the process of completing an undergraduate degree. Different colleges ask for different degree classifications - most of the undergraduate colleges specify a 1st class, whilst others have no information on their websites - but the minimum offer is likely to be at least a 2.i. You will have to organise two referees to provide references and you must also sit the LNAT (National Admissions Test for Law) before submitting your UCAS, the latter of which must be received by the 15th of October.

My GCSEs/A-levels aren't really 'Cambridge standard' - do I still have a chance?

Definitely, offers are based completely on what you should/have achieve(d) in your degree; A-levels and GCSEs play no part in the selection process, although you will have to disclose them in your UCAS application and SAQ.

What are they looking for in my personal statement?

There is nothing particular that one should mention; if you sell yourself well, and can express your interest in the law/why you want to study it then you have a good a chance as any. There is no need to have any legal work experience to gain a place, although this obviously looks impressive if you have bothered to try and attain some before applying.

Which colleges can I apply to?

You are free to apply to any of the undergraduate colleges or to make an open application (specify no particular college).
If you will be 21 by the time the term starts, then you may also want to consider applying to one of the four graduate colleges which house affiliates; Hughes Hall, Lucy Cavendish (women only), St Edmunds or Wolfson. Clare Hall and Darwin are the remaining two graduate colleges, but they do not offer the affiliated course.

How should I go about choosing my college?

The best way to narrow down which colleges you may be interested in is to create a list of your priorities - do you want to be guaranteed accommodation for the duration of your course?, do you want to be near to the law facility?, do you want to be with others of a similar age?
If you wish to be with other affiliates, the best option is to apply to one of the graduate colleges as they will have the highest number of applicants. You can view the statistics for the past four years here although it will only work for the graduate colleges, as no distinction is made between the three year or two year course for the undergraduate ones. This is also a useful document.
Everyone has different reasons for choosing their college; if you are sure to research all the possibilities, then you will be able to make the best choice.

Will I have to go to interview?
Yes, if you are a Home student; regardless of which college you select, you will have to be invited for interview before an offer is made. Interview procedures differ from college to college, but it is likely that you will have both a General and a Subject interview. The former may explore questions raised by your personal statement, your interest in Cambridge and what you hope to achieve in the future; the latter will deal solely with law and legal issues, it is highly probable that you will be set some sort of test or asked to interpret something.
This is nothing to worry about however; your college will inform you of the interview set-up, and it is likely that you need do no more special preparation for this part than you would do for the LNAT.

If you are an International, depending on where you are situated, you may still be required to come to Cambridge for an interview, or it could be conducted over the phone. It again depends on the individual college.

Can I get funding?
Unfortunately, there are no student loans available for a second undergraduate degree. For international/EU affiliates, a small number of awards are made by the Gates Cambridge Trust but for Home students there is no official funding, aside from investigating the various bursaries and awards that are offered by individual colleges.

What are the mandatory modules you mentioned?
Year 1 (Tripos IB)
1. Constitutional Law
2. Law of Tort
3. Law of Contract
4. Land Law
5. Equity or EU Law

Year 2 (Tripos II)
1. Criminal Law
2. Equity or EU Law
3, 4, & 5. Various options

In terms of fitting two years work into three the website says, "...the usual pattern would be to take Tripos IB at the end of the first year and Tripos II at the end of the second year"; instead of the regular undergraduate route, "Law IA is taken at the end of the first year of residence. Law IB is taken in the second year by those who have passed Law IA, or by those changing into law from another Tripos."

Law II is only for those who have passed Law IB, so it seems that the first Tripos is omitted completely. However, it could potentially be combined as the page also says, "Law IA and Law IB cannot be counted as two separate Tripos examinations to qualify for the B.A.".

You haven't answered my question here, what should I do?

If you're an international student, or have a specific question I haven't covered, the best port of call is going to be the specific college you hope to apply to - they will be the authority on admissions criteria, interviews etc, so the easiest thing to do is to send them a short email with your query.

Things to remember

Be aware of LNAT opening deadlines; they are very close to the October UCAS closing deadline, so you should sign up as soon as the LNAT opens in September.
Be aware of the date that the UCAS for your year of application opens. It's easy to accidentally start filling in the form on the old (year before) build, not realising they haven't released the new one yet.
Think about your personal statement.
Start researching colleges.
You might want to prep. your two referees for the references that you'll need. As you'll be applying as a private student, you have to do the work of organising references for yourself.