Lawyer Salary

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Probably. Are there even more than a handful of Malaysians studying in NUS or SMU in the first place? I think there was a grand total of 1 or 2 Malaysians in my NUS batch years ago.

This is a very niche question which probably applies to less than 10 people per year across all 3 local law schools, so you're better off reaching out to your Malaysian peers directly. Furthermore, its hard to say how the market will respond to such a new development.

For obvious reasons and as a matter of policy, entry to the Bar is normally restricted to Singaporeans and PRs. Which is why overseas scheduled law grads must be citizens or SPRs to be "qualified persons".

Your easiest bet is to actually qualify in Malaysia and apply to work here as a foreign lawyer.

Malaysian here. Don't listen the post above - law firms don't discriminate against Malaysians who graduated from local law schools, and the starting pay of B4 now is already more than the qualifying amount for EP.

My learned friend's advice is not correct. I know foreign students from NUS/SMU Law ordinarily getting called and getting TCs in Singapore law firms. There is even a foreign student (valedictorian) from SMU who became JLC. The only restriction on top of my mind is CC's TC where they explicitly admit citizens/PRs only.

There is no policy reason to restrict entry to the Bar. In fact, gahmen already filters at the university admission stage.

So, don't worry mate. Nothing to worry.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

My learned friend's advice is not correct. I know foreign students from NUS/SMU Law ordinarily getting called and getting TCs in Singapore law firms. There is even a foreign student (valedictorian) from SMU who became JLC. The only restriction on top of my mind is CC's TC where they explicitly admit citizens/PRs only.

There is no policy reason to restrict entry to the Bar. In fact, gahmen already filters at the university admission stage.

So, don't worry mate. Nothing to worry.

I am the poster above. Sorry, I shld have phrased it clearer - the LP(QP)R makes it clear that grads holding an OSU law degree have to be SC or SPR in order to be "qualified persons".

Non-SCs and non-SPRs (e.g. Malaysian citizens) NUS/SMU grads can be qualified persons. I agree with your point that the local law sch admissions stage functions as a filter (because how many non-SC and non-SPRs are admitted to NUS/SMU law every year, anyway?).

Taken together, these criteria can indeed be said to be expressions of a policy to limit the eligibility of "qualified persons" largely/substantially to SCs and SPRs, with a limited concession for non-SCs and non-SPRs (but if and only if they have gone through the local legal education route).

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I am the poster above. Sorry, I shld have phrased it clearer - the LP(QP)R makes it clear that grads holding an OSU law degree have to be SC or SPR in order to be "qualified persons".

Non-SCs and non-SPRs (e.g. Malaysian citizens) NUS/SMU grads can be qualified persons. I agree with your point that the local law sch admissions stage functions as a filter (because how many non-SC and non-SPRs are admitted to NUS/SMU law every year, anyway?).

Taken together, these criteria can indeed be said to be expressions of a policy to limit the eligibility of "qualified persons" largely/substantially to SCs and SPRs, with a limited concession for non-SCs and non-SPRs (but if and only if they have gone through the local legal education route).

Actually for JD programs in SMU & NUS, there are many international students (more than 1 or 2) a year

s://sso.agc.gov.sg/SL/161-R15?DocDate=20171130&ProvIds=P1II-#pr5AA-

Saw this on a friend’s friend LinkedIn - I.e. what you find below is not my own and I dont take any credit for it. But it spoke to me and I could not agree more:

Adrian Tan's article on CNA appears to have escaped the attention of commentators here on LinkedIn. This silence is telling.

Perhaps we are quietly ashamed of being guilty of what Adrian identifies as ‘social comparisons and one-upmanship … dressed up as positive posts of career victories and “authentic” confessions of personal struggles’, and we cope by simply ignoring this stark indictment.

But this is an important conversation we need to have.

We live in a world obsessed with comparison and ranking. We are painfully aware that a lot of these are inauthentic, and we battle mightily against them especially when it concerns, for example, the well-being of our children. We decry the ranking of our schools, we lament the impact of academic streaming on students, and we constantly question whether examinations are holistic modes of assessments.

But when it comes to our careers, we cease our revolutionary struggle. We caw loudly when we find ourselves listed in one of the innumerable lists of Top 10, 20, 30, 40 young [insert name of profession]. We want to be recognized as (over)achievers by the cabal of so-called market researchers who feast on our belief that humble bragging is a necessary professional skill and a fundamental first step in business development.

We pat each other’s backs offering “Good work!”, “Well done!”, “Congratulations!” and other perfunctory felicitations when our connections bray about their achievements, fully aware that it is a quid pro quo, and they are expected to do to the same for us.

We tell the world how unexpected it is that we find ourselves on one of those "Top 40 under 40" lists, when in fact the worst offenders amongst us have intensely lobbied their colleagues, friends, families, and connections to help cast a vote in their favor.

If we continue to partake in this frenzy of ego-stoking behavior, this platform will slowly but surely become a repository of embellished tales, a record book of countless results of market surveys detailing the alleged “best of” and “Top” this and that, and a marketplace of manufactured identities.

Can we change this? Absolutely. Let us be authentic. Let us endeavor to only offer insights and opinions that add genuine value to conversations, whatever they may be. Let us think very carefully before using this platform merely as a trophy cabinet to show off all our achievements. Above all, let us be kind to ourselves and to our connections by not fomenting a toxic culture of one-upmanship.

Everybody loves a good comeback story, and everyone wants to root for the underdog. But if you spend your days telling others how you beat the other side, how you overcame such long odds to succeed, and how “humbled and privileged” you are for doing the job that you are paid to do, you have not spent that time making the world a better place.

P.S. The phrase “humbled and privileged” desperately needs to be outlawed, along with its cousins “thoughts and prayers” and “thought leadership”.

Speaking as a client (inhouse counsel), those Legal 500 and Chambers rankings really do factor into my decision and decision from management as to which law firms to engage or appoint to the panel.

Authenticity and genuineness do not.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Speaking as a client (inhouse counsel), those Legal 500 and Chambers rankings really do factor into my decision and decision from management as to which law firms to engage or appoint to the panel.

Authenticity and genuineness do not.

That might work for high street firms servicing the man on the SBS bus, for his divorce and occasional misdemeanour.

For MNCs, I expect that the inhouse dude has an uphill task selling his bosses on why they should go with Tan Ah Kow Law Practice for their US$100m arbitration instead of a B4. The rankings really do help with BD.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi all

I am a Malaysian law student who is gonna graduate from NUS Law soon. Would getting a TC be hard for me? Esp with the increase in qualifying salary for work passes in budget 22

If you're a PR then it's easy. No need to worry. If you're not a PR you need to apply for an exemption just to take Part B, the firm also needs to prove that they have considered other local candidates before picking you. If you're not PR you have a more difficult sell.

would like to ask, what are the main differences between litigation and corp work? uni student looking to apply for TC soon. Thanks

Originally Posted by Unregistered

would like to ask, what are the main differences between litigation and corp work? uni student looking to apply for TC soon. Thanks

What’s the difference between the sun and moon? Aspiring Astronaut looking to venture into space.