Failed commerce subjects (1 Viewer)

[lawstudent]

Hi guys, im second year into my com/law degree. I've basically fucked up my first year commerce subjects so despite getting pretty decent marks for last semester im still averaging a very low credit. Im prepared to put in a lot of work to catch up on the marks and i've posted a question in the clerkships thread asking whether or not the law firms care about the commerce marks but i've got no definitive answer. so basically im asking am i fucked in terms of the top tier law firm job prospect wise? or if i manage to get decent marks for law will they still consider me?
Thanks in advance for the comments guys =)

 

[Frigid]

no matter how much you 'fuck up', you've got more understanding of the commercial context than your average arts/law student (no offence to arts/law students).

so the answer is no, non-law marks don't really matter.

 

[Blackacre]

dude, you're in your 2nd year. you should be enjoying your life right now. you got plenty of time to worry later.

but to answer your question. law firms don't care about your commerce marks as much as law marks. that's not to say they don't care altogether. i'd say it's probably something like 80% law marks and 20% (if even) commerce marks.

but seriously dude, don't worry about it. one of my mate's a senior associate at an investment bank's legal division and he's had like 10 fails in his accounting subjects. he's being headhunted by all the top tiers non-stop. did i mention he hasn't even graduated yet? so yeh, don't worry about it.

 

[Cookie182]

dude, you're in your 2nd year. you should be enjoying your life right now. you got plenty of time to worry later.

but to answer your question. law firms don't care about your commerce marks as much as law marks. that's not to say they don't care altogether. i'd say it's probably something like 80% law marks and 20% (if even) commerce marks.

but seriously dude, don't worry about it. one of my mate's a senior associate at an investment bank's legal division and he's had like 10 fails in his accounting subjects. he's being headhunted by all the top tiers non-stop. did i mention he hasn't even graduated yet? so yeh, don't worry about it.

Please explain.

 

[Uncle]

lol failing commerce

 

[Blackacre]

Please explain.

i dont want to go into details. but he got lucky. my point is, you don't necesarily need top marks to do well.

 

[melsc]

The only way they would really care I would imagine is if they look at your overall GPA/WAM but generally I don't think they care as much. No one here can give you a definative answer, what's done is done. No one thing will stuff you up entirely, all you can do your best, work hard and present yourself as a good candidate.

What I have learnt from this years clerkship process that:
1. What the employers say they want is often not what they want (I had an idea that this was true but not to the extent) they may say its not about marks but sometimes it really is.
2. You cannot predict what they will be looking for, sometimes they people they take/reject can seem quite random.

 

[Cookie182]

i dont want to go into details. but he got lucky. my point is, you don't necesarily need top marks to do well.

Not to be argumentative, but unless I'm not understanding, I just don't think your friend would be a senior associate in an IB before even graduating comm/law?

Or are you saying he has finished law + plt, registered on the solicitor's role and not yet finished commerce due to failures?

 

[Omnidragon]

That friend is moi. I'll save the details though.

On track to hit Partner soon though.

 

[Blackacre]

Not to be argumentative, but unless I'm not understanding, I just don't think your friend would be a senior associate in an IB before even graduating comm/law?

Or are you saying he has finished law + plt, registered on the solicitor's role and not yet finished commerce due to failures?

you'll be surprised how far a little bit of *wink* *wink* will take you
im kidding. i'm not really at liberty to disclose any more. he's a discreet kind of guy.

 

[lawstudent]

Thanks guys all the comments been really helpful =)

 

[Cookie182]

you'll be surprised how far a little bit of *wink* *wink* will take you
im kidding. i'm not really at liberty to disclose any more. he's a discreet kind of guy.

I do hate to be in the business of accusations so I'll be silent on whether your a liar, but until you can produce any convincing reason otherwise, I'm going to have to be a respectful skeptic and say I don't believe you.

 

[Frigid]

one of my mate's a senior associate at an investment bank's legal division and he's had like 10 fails in his accounting subjects. he's being headhunted by all the top tiers non-stop. did i mention he hasn't even graduated yet? so yeh, don't worry about it.

so an undergraduate law student is working as a senior associate in an investment bank without a practising certificate?

was that investment bank lehman brothers?

 

[Blackacre]

shrugs. those of us who know him knows why, and it's not for some stupid reason like his dad's the managing partner. it's based on merit.

up to ya'll if you want to believe or not. i'm not going to produce evidence.

but anyways, my original point stands. don't worry too much about your marks, especially in 2nd year. it's the best time of your life. things get worse later so enjoy while you can.

 

[Blackacre]

so an undergraduate law student is working as a senior associate in an investment bank without a practising certificate?

was that investment bank lehman brothers?

lol. lehman brothers isn't dead. it's fighting guerilla war in jamaica along with tupac and elvis.

 

[Omnidragon]

Mate I would work for the new Lehman's any day in Australia. Probably have to wait for the boom in a few years.

Would want to see an enticing offer though.

 

[tofu]

I believe you omni!

Also quickly, do you know how much people earn that work at top tier law firms? just in their first year?

Australian Firms

Dunno how up to date it is.

 

[Cookie182]

Actually my brothers friend recieved a job at the commonweath bank and he hasn't even graduated. All he did was finance. Sometimes if your confident and have a good look they accept you. Hes resume was impressive and just talked himself up about working here and there.


i cannot stress how many subjects he's failed and this is his 6th year in his degree, he has stopped going to uni and is working and earning $100,000 a year. he is finishing his degree over the net.

Sometimes when you know a friend and they know someone, you will be amazed where this can go. my cousin's dad knew a few people and she went to western Sydney, shit marks and everything and she got a job at a top tier law firm. Don't believe me? Later in life you'll see all this shit unfold around you.

its manipulative, it's gay and it sucks. Such is given in life.

This is the part I question.

Given he hasn't even finished commerce, he may have got a job through charisma but possibly what role at the CBA would he have which is paying $100 000 k, to a non-grad!

I mean, that shit is reserved for the lucky few IB gads or engineers...

I'm not saying your lieing, but if its in their financial planning program, I know for a fact it isnt 100 k (two friends who r finance grads work CBA)

And I'm with Frigid- the whole senior associate thing at IB is well, strange. Care to share any details omni?

 

[Frigid]

I'm pretty sure omnidragon is trolling you all, but if I remember correctly he is a brilliant fellow.

I can't confirm finance salaries but first year at top tier is around the $70K mark, give or take $5K. Also, law salaries are frozen across the board at the moment. So good luck to the $100K undergrad.

 

[ninjapuppet]

3 years ago I was a paralegal at a mid tier, helping the receptionist posting away some of the staff pay slips. There were 5 young lawyers and their salaries ranged from 1700 - 2100/fortnight

i think its all peanut money in the first few years of your job regardless of top tier or mid tier. starting salaries aren't a very good indicator of what lies 10 years ahead.

someone who scrapes by uni, then works in a mid tier, then brings in alot of business due to their charismatic networking skills, will become partner quicker than a slave at a top tier working their way up to become partner. marks only help you in the first few years of your career.