BPP Law School is set to open up new branches in Cambridge, Newcastle and Liverpool next year, it has been confirmed.

The new law branches will primarily deliver the legal practice course (LPC), which will be taught both full and part time. They will also provide distance learning support classes for the graduate diploma in law (GDL).

The new branches, which will be based at existing study centres used by BPP's other professional services educational divisions, are still subject to validation from the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Currently, BPP Law School has six branches, having opened up in Birmingham and Bristol this year. The three new centres would take the leading law school up to a total of nine branches, one more than the College of Law. Each new BPP centre is expected to initially have between 40-60 LPC places.

The two arch rivals, which have built strong positions among large commercial law firms, have in recent years been moving to expand their networks.

Over the summer BPP College of Professional Studies, under whose umbrella BPP Law School sits, was granted 'university college' status. However, the law school's name will remain the same and no changes will be made to the way it operates.

The granting of the university college title marked the first time a private institution has been awarded the status since Buckingham University College – now the University of Buckingham – was created in 1976.