A new £1.2 million College of Law will open in Bristol in September.

The college will occupy some 20,000 sq ft on the ground and first floors of Temple Circus – an office building within a few minutes walk of Bristol Temple Meads Station.

This will be the College of Law's first centre in Bristol, creating 40 new jobs serving the whole of the West.

It provides postgraduate professional legal education and will also offer courses for qualified lawyers.

Nigel Savage, chief executive of the College of Law said "The Temple Quarter site is ideally situated for the college, being so close to the city centre and within walking distance of Temple Meads station. Students will also be close to many of the city's leading law firms.

"We have seen a real need for an improved postgraduate law education offering in the South West, and we anticipate the new Bristol centre will generate strong interest from prospective students across the region. Law firms and aspiring law students are increasingly drawn to our flexible approach to legal education and training and our experience in Birmingham and Manchester has been that a strong College of Law presence helps the professional service sector retain the best talent and helps build a sustainable legal services sector."

Jane Oakland, a partner at law firm Clarke Willmott said: "As a former student, I am delighted that the College of Law is coming to Bristol.

"The college is the leading provider of professional legal education and training in Europe and its arrival in Bristol will reinforce the city's position as a major centre for legal excellence and will encourage young graduates to stay and practice in the region.

"Bristol's Temple Quarter is an established centre for law firms and therefore an ideal location for the college."