JD versus Undergrad

[j-awad11]

Just wondering if the job prospects are better if you do the JD over the undergrad.

[alondouek]

Hi j-awad11, I've noticed you've made a few similar posts recently, such as Undergrad vs JD, Juris Doctor and Jobs. If you could maybe make one thread to ask your questions in so as to decrease forum clutter, that'd be great

[j-awad11]

Hi j-awad11, I've noticed you've made a few similar posts recently, such as Undergrad vs JD, Juris Doctor and Jobs. If you could maybe make one thread to ask your questions in so as to decrease forum clutter, that'd be great

Yeah I have a lot of questions, though I do not consider it clutter.
Anyway I'll probably just stick to this post for further questions.

[zhenzhenzhen]

I'm sure if you searched google for this it would have come up in many forum threads. Not sure if I'm allowed to link.

[99.96Brah]

Prospects for Law grads aren't that great whether its LLB or JD

Apparently only 15% of students undertaking Melbourne's JD got a grad job, just shows difficult and strenuous finding a law position can be.

[Mafioso]

Apparently only 15% of students undertaking Melbourne's JD got a grad job

Source?

[Hancock]

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/graduates-shun-legal-profession-20120519-1yxt0.html

There was ''no way'' law firms could accommodate all the graduates from Australia's 31 law schools, La Trobe University's director of undergraduate studies, Heather King, said. ''It's a well-acknowledged fact that 40-50 per cent will not end up in a traditional law practice.''

http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/news/jobs-scarce-for-legal-grads

http://www.afr.com/p/national/law_degree_the_new_arts_degree_students_1K7jPfP5dRkaZGVazcMAEP

The startling increase in the number of law graduates has been driven by the popularity of post-graduate law courses, where the number of students completing their courses increased 330 per cent from 1635 in 2001 to 7036 in 2012, The Australian Financial Review analysis of university course data shows.

Law students and graduates are now being told to broaden their career prospects beyond becoming lawyers. Carolyn Evans, the dean of Melbourne University’s law school, said: “What I would say is that people should be aware when they go into law school, they’re going in at a time of rapid change.

“There is structural change in the legal profession and uncertainty in the Australian economy,” Professor Evans said. “[Students] can’t assume because they have a law degree, they’ll have a job as a lawyer.”

More:
Students need the truth on legal job prospects:
http://www.afr.com/p/national/students_need_the_truth_on_legal_kSjipIEFZfz8QSXvDr3fHN


It's no conspiracy theory that getting a law grad role in this economic climate is difficult. Also, all I had to type into google was 'law graduate roles australia' and all of this + more came up.

[j-awad11]

I'm sick of people spitting out alarming figures like this without any sort of evidence at all. These comments can actually have a large impact on someone deciding their own future and it'd be an absolute disappointment if you found out you had made a decision based on false information.

Give us a source please.

I agree. I am aware that there are many more jobs out there for law grads that are not in "traditional law firms", but I would just like to hear whether the job prospects are any different if you graduate with a JD over a LLB.

[j-awad11]

http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/news/jobs-scarce-for-legal-grads

It's no conspiracy theory that getting a law grad role in this economic climate is difficult. Also, all I had to type into google was 'law graduate roles australia' and all of this + more came up.

Perhaps you could find figures for Victoria, not SA?

[brenden]

Perhaps you could find figures for Victoria, not SA?

I'm sure you're as equally capable as Hancock is at typing things into a search engine.

[zhenzhenzhen]

+1, I know that these forums are supposed to be a source of help and discussion, but there has to come a point where it just becomes ridiculous like all we can do is search Google for your questions. especially for an aspiring law student where your research skills are so very important.

[Hancock]

Google search is not hard. Every state is feeling the squeeze of so many graduates from so many law schools. Just means you have to be super-competitive if you want that law grad role.

[j-awad11]

I'm sure you're as equally capable as Hancock is at typing things into a search engine.

Thanks for that. The point of me asking here is so I can get some real life opinions from my "fellow" students as to what things entail.
Also, if you have to feel the need to offend or "troll", and not provide a real answer, then there's really no need for you to say anything at all. This forum is for students to connect and help each other out, it's no place for offensive remarks. Thanks.

[brenden]

You're welcome.
Opinions are pretty irrelevant though, as far as employment opportunity is concerned. I mean, there either is or there isn't a difficulty in finding graduate roles as a lawyer. No one's opinion will change that.

I regret that you took what I said to be trolling or deliberately offensive. It was neither. It was an honest evaluation of your capabilities, which you should exercise. "Perhaps you could find figures for Victoria, not SA?" is not asking for his opinion. It's asking him to do what you could do just as easily.

I am aware of the purposes of the forums.

Again, you're welcome.


In answering your first question, the JD technically has better job prospects; it's more recognised internationally than the LLB. That said, they're an equivalent qualification, so I can only imagine the job opportunities between the two are equally as horrible.

[ninwa]

Thanks for that. The point of me asking here is so I can get some real life opinions from my "fellow" students as to what things entail.
Also, if you have to feel the need to offend or "troll", and not provide a real answer, then there's really no need for you to say anything at all. This forum is for students to connect and help each other out, it's no place for offensive remarks. Thanks.

Taking the time to do your own research accomplishes at least two things:

1) You will hopefully find solid statistical data on the job market or, at the very least, far more qualified opinions from actual law firm HR managers (some of whom have been quoted in some of the articles which Hancock linked for you, and which I have linked at the top of my Law FAQ thread which is linked in my signature).

The only way university students would be able to answer your question is if:
- they finished both the JD and the LLB with exactly the same extra-curriculars, co-curriculars and GPA; and
- they submitted the exact same resume and cover letter to the exact same law firms.
... which is obviously impossible (but would be an interesting experiment to do).

You should not be basing any career decision on anything a student says. None of us can possibly know the answer to your question.

2) You will hone your research skills, without which you cannot hope to excel in a law degree.

I hope that did not come off too harshly, and gives you some more insight into why you are not getting very many responses.