Corporate Lawyer (1 Viewer)

[The Thinker]

Hi all

Just wondering whether it really matters what commerce 'majors' you choose if you want to become a corporate lawyer. As a commerce major, i'd love to do human resource management. Would it be advisable though to complete commerce majors in for eg, finance and accounting, or will the law degree itself qualify me into corporate law?

 

[thegovernator]

was wondering the same thing. i'm doing straight law but i think corporate law is where the $ is

 

[melsc]

I'd chose the degree and major that interests you most and reflects your abilities. Remember those degrees and units of study will be what you have to put up with for the next 5 years! No one will want to hire someone who has done com/law but done really badly because of lack of interest or ability. Surely you don't have to have to do com/law to get into that area but then again I'm not sure because thats not my area of interest. I would make sure that you do well in the cores and electives that relate to the area you want to enter into.

 

[= Jennifer =]

Hi all

Just wondering whether it really matters what commerce 'majors' you choose if you want to become a corporate lawyer. As a commerce major, i'd love to do human resource management. Would it be advisable though to complete commerce majors in for eg, finance and accounting, or will the law degree itself qualify me into corporate law?

It does not really matter what commerce major you do. The law degree itself will qualify you, there are certain mandatory core units such as revenue law, commercial law, law of business associations and the like which will aid you in qualifying for this.

was wondering the same thing. i'm doing straight law but i think corporate law is where the $ is

You should not pick something where the money is but rather where your interests and passion lie because you will get bored and not entirely enjoy your job. Unless, you are money driven and that drives you to enjoy it then go for it

 

[The Thinker]

Thanks for your help everyone...that certainly cleared things up!

 

[RogueAcademic]

I generally agree with what melsc and Jennifer said about choosing the subjects in which you have a genuine interest in.

But in saying that, the graduate law employment market is very competitive and sometimes having the right subjects on your academic record may play a role in the selection process for employment. For example if you were neck-and-neck with another applicant, the law firm might decide to select the applicant with a track record (and the inferred interest) in commercial law subjects, rather than the applicant with a more obvious interest in human rights subjects. And in the same vein it helps a little to have complementary subjects reflected in your commerce degree.

But the most important thing is academic performance to get you through the first steps of the application process.

 

[The Thinker]

Well i have an interest in doing human resource management as one major and i'd have to choose between accounting or finance as the other major...that would be on the right track to corporate law i hope...

But i'm a bit confused with the 'business law' major in a commerce degree. Would that allow you to become accredited as a corporate lawyer or just a person working alongside a corporate lawyer (a paralegal i think)?

 

[RogueAcademic]

Well i have an interest in doing human resource management as one major and i'd have to choose between accounting or finance as the other major...that would be on the right track to corporate law i hope...

But i'm a bit confused with the 'business law' major in a commerce degree. Would that allow you to become accredited as a corporate lawyer or just a person working alongside a corporate lawyer (a paralegal i think)?

I'm confused about the business law major as well, I was asking about that somewhere else on this forum. It's not like you're able to practice commercial law after graduation. If you're already doing a law degree with commercial subjects then I really can't think of any beneficial reason to do business law in the commerce degree.

 

[Frigid]

at UNSW they do not let you major in Business Law in the Commerce/Law program.

this is because business law is a generalist major allowing Commerce/Business students to become acquainted with aspects of commercial law. it is insufficient in making anybody a lawyer.

 

[RogueAcademic]

at UNSW they do not let you major in Business Law in the Commerce/Law program.

this is because business law is a generalist major allowing Commerce/Business students to become acquainted with aspects of commercial law. it is insufficient in making anybody a lawyer.

Maybe you can answer the question I posed in the other thread - what can a commerce graduate do with a business law major?

 

[Frigid]

the simple answer would be: anything but a lawyer.

the more complex answer would be: given that most straight commerce degrees contain two majors, I suppose our reasonable graduate would work in a field related to his other major. the business law knowledge acquired might be useful, but entirely ancillary. i note that UNSW B. Commerce lists Business Law as a co-major onlyhttp://www.handbook.unsw.edu.au/undergraduate/programs/2008/3502.html. what a co-major is I have no idea.

 

[RogueAcademic]

the simple answer would be: anything but a lawyer.

the more complex answer would be: given that most straight commerce degrees contain two majors, I suppose our reasonable graduate would work in a field related to his other major. the business law knowledge acquired might be useful, but entirely ancillary. i note that UNSW B. Commerce lists Business Law as a co-major only. what a co-major is I have no idea.

The thing that throws me off is that you can actually major in business/commercial law in an MBA.

 

[The Thinker]

I'm starting to see that there is no point of doing business law as a major now lol

 

[Frigid]

The thing that throws me off is that you can actually major in business/commercial law in an MBA.

better off doing a LLM?

i reckon MBA/LLM http://www.law.unsw.edu.au/Future_Students/postgraduate/mbaLLM.asp is worth doing, but it's 2 years full time.

 

[hfis]

better off doing a LLM?

i reckon MBA/LLM http://www.law.unsw.edu.au/Future_Students/postgraduate/mbaLLM.asp is worth doing, but it's 2 years full time.

Not to mention the restrictive entry requirements for the MBA. It seems you need to be pretty well established in your career before you can even think of applying - a pity really, because I'm looking for an excuse to stay at uni and it seemed ideal.