What does studying and practicing law actually entail?

[EvangelionZeta]

I know this sounds a bit stupid, but I'd like to know firsthand from somebody who's actually studying Law.  What's it actually like?  Does it offer any interest for a mind that prefers creativity and dynamicism to routine?  Do you have to defend clients who you hate? 

[Akirus]

I'm interested in what kind of uses a law degree has and what skills can be transferred beyond actually practicing as a solicitor.

[Abdi]

I've always wanted to ask that question! great minds think alike! hahaha so you wanna be a lawyer too ay?

[Fyrefly]

*Drum roll for Ninwa*

[EvangelionZeta]

I've always wanted to ask that question! great minds think alike! hahaha so you wanna be a lawyer too ay?

Not quite.  I'm actually more interested in doing something humanities-orientated or political, but Law seems like an intriguing option that serves as the backbone of a lot of politicians' education anyway, hence the interest.  :p

[Abdi]

LOL! agreed!

[ninwa]

Thank you for providing productive procrastination for me so I can get a break from the monotony that is constitutional law >_>

What's it actually like?  Does it offer any interest for a mind that prefers creativity and dynamicism to routine?

I guess so. There's rarely any right answers in a law exam. Most law exams consist of the description of situation, followed by questions like "Advise A as to his legal rights (if any) in relation to <legal principle>".

I guess if you wanted to be creative, you could take an unorthodox view (though some lecturers might not like that), as long as you can defend your answer with statute, legal precedent and to an extent, academic commentary.

There's also policy questions on most exams, which basically ask you to critique an area of the law. So you can really get into giving your own opinions and interpretations of the law there.

If you mean creativity as in theatre/music/art then I can't help you

As for dynamicism, well, the law changes very often... umm... Well, each law subject will have its own idiosyncrasies, although there are of course a common set of principles applicable to all areas of the law. But I would think that were the case for most disciplines.

Do you have to defend clients who you hate?  

I'm not sure, I think as a barrister the court can order you to defend a client. I don't know what the rules are but I have a feeling that if you really hate your client, you could argue that you are unable to act in his/her best interests and therefore you cannot act as their lawyer.

[ninwa]

I'm interested in what kind of uses a law degree has and what skills can be transferred beyond actually practicing as a solicitor.

Problem solving skills, mostly.
Logical reasoning skills.
The ability to think quickly on the spot (if you do mooting, that is).

The ability to bullshit.
The skill of skim reading massive amounts of rambling legalese quickly and being able to extract the principles which are actually useful to you.


The actual substantive law you learn often ends up being useless. Because Australia's legal system is a common law system, this mean the law will change very often as each decision is made by the High Court. Also obviously parliament will change statutes. I get legislation updates at work and every week there are massive lists of new amendments, new Acts and new Bills being introduced into parliament.


Solicitors and barristers are different. Solicitors do the paperwork. Barristers do the standing up in court and arguing and cross-examining shebang. You need to do additional exams upon graduation to become a barrister. Barristers also have a higher chance of being appointed as judges.


A law degree is quite versatile. It's becoming recognised by employers as almost a generalist degree, similar to arts, for example, which teaches a range of skills which can be used in many industries.


There's so many law graduates each year that we couldn't possibly all become lawyers.

[Nelle]

Where abouts do you work Ninwa?

What's it actually like?

I'm studying Commerce/Law at Deakin and I have found studying law to be extremely stressful. It's certainly a degree in which you need to be extremely organised for or else you become overwhelmed with the masses of readings you are behind in. I'm finding it very interesting though and I like the opportunities my degree presents to me either entering something in the commerce area, becoming a lawyer or even a job with a mixture of both degrees.

My tutor said that if have a conflict of interests (he's pleaded guilty and you aren't prepared to represent him) then you don't have to defend him. However, I'm not positive if you can not represent someone purely because you don't like them especially if you're working for someone else. 

Anyway I have finished my last three and a half hour exam today I'm certaintly relieved  to be on holidays!

[ninwa]

Nelle - I work for Lawlex/Anstat.

I'm so jealous! I have constitutional law tomorrow and I'm totally screwed. I completely underestimated how much stuff I had to learn. Blah.

[vexx]

I'm interested in what kind of uses a law degree has and what skills can be transferred beyond actually practicing as a solicitor.

Problem solving skills, mostly.
Logical reasoning skills.
The ability to think quickly on the spot (if you do mooting, that is).

..stuff...

each year that we couldn't possibly all become lawyers.

hmm, would a law degree have any use for the medical professions (ie. medicine ha)? or is it completely useless, and law would ultimately be a waste of time..

[ninwa]

hmm, would a law degree have any use for the medical professions (ie. medicine ha)? or is it completely useless, and law would ultimately be a waste of time..

Yeah sure. There's an elective subject at Monash called "legal issues in medicine" or something and apparently it's very interesting (I have a friend taking it). Also studying stuff like negligence (which is a rather complex area of law) could be quite useful to you if you ever become a doctor and accidentally kill a patient, etc.

I think some head of some hospital has med and law degrees?

[vexx]

hmm, would a law degree have any use for the medical professions (ie. medicine ha)? or is it completely useless, and law would ultimately be a waste of time..

Yeah sure. There's an elective subject at Monash called "legal issues in medicine" or something and apparently it's very interesting (I have a friend taking it). Also studying stuff like negligence (which is a rather complex area of law) could be quite useful to you if you ever become a doctor and accidentally kill a patient, etc.

I think some head of some hospital has med and law degrees?

haha yes.. i'm sure some head of some hospital has done both;)
well i guess knowing legal issues could be good to know if doing medicine anyway, do you cover anything in the early years/subjects that has any relevance, or is it only these more complex 'later' areas?

.. hmm this brings the question of studying law (since it'd just be the basic law degree with biomed) is even interesting for a science student.. is there anyway to find out other than actually doing it?
as i doubt there would be many cases involving medicine which one would be able to get attached to as an aspiring doctor.

[ninwa]

Electives aren't more complex than compulsory units
At Monash you spend a whole semester studying the tort of negligence... there's also criminal law (studying stuff like negligent manslaughter)... we do study a few cases involving medical negligence but not many. There's not a great focus on it, since there's an entire elective subject devoted to it.

You could always sit in on a law lecture there's so many students nobody would know you aren't in uni lol. I can get you a timetable if you want.

[eeps]

LOL. Yeah, could like people post up examples of timetables... on how the electives and subjects work in Uni?.. what would a normal week at Uni be like as a Law student...? I'm hoping to do Law or Commerce/Law at Monash after Year 12!

ISN'T like Negligence and Criminal Law etc. covered in Legal Studies 1/2 + 3/4... wouldn't I just be re-learning what I've learnt in Year 11 and 12. Although, in saying that, it probs goes into more detail at Uni level...

Cheers.