Salary.sg Forums - Lawyer Salary

I have accepted NUS Law as insurance. Update is that it will now be a mid-ish five figure loan, as my parents are willing to loan me some extra money and I will be trying to make some of my own money before I matriculate. Does that help make it more “worth it”? Thanks all for the advice thus far.

An additional question is, if I intend to come back to Singapore to practice (take Part A), will I still have an advantage as a Cambridge grad? For instance do I have an edge in securing a TC in an intl firm with a SG office, given that they hire mostly from the NUS/SMU. Thanks!

Unregistered

31-01-2024 09:52 AM

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Originally Posted by Unregistered (Post 267065)

It's a close call. I assume you also have a place in local law.

Normally it'd be a no-brainer to accept Oxbridge law, but if you need to take a loan, it means your family isn't privileged like the typical mid upper class law kid. So there's an added dimension to consider.

Cambridge law is definitely advantageous, but you have to make sure you leverage it for a spot in the higher paying int'l firms. Nothing in life is guaranteed.

A poor outcome in your case would be to go to Cambridge, come back having to pay back the student loan, and start in a Big 4 on a lousy local salary like the rest.

There's an element of risk. But if you're brave enough, I'd say take it. You're young after all.

Yep I did receive offers for local as well. If I’m intending to come back to practice, does Camb law (FCH lets say) still provide leverage to secure a TC in the Singapore office of an intl firm - given that they hire more local grads typically?

In relation to risk, if I am able to reduce it to a five-figure loan, does that make it more “worth it”? Thanks for all the genuine advice!

Unregistered

31-01-2024 12:51 PM

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Originally Posted by Unregistered (Post 267113)

If you can accept uncertainty and is comfortable with that 5-fig loan, then go ahead. In the long term is an added advantage.

Unregistered

31-01-2024 05:58 PM

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Originally Posted by Unregistered (Post 267113)

It's not worth it. As a senior associate in an international firm who has to shortlist CVs and interview candidates for positions, I can assure you that NUS FCH/SMU summa is more than enough to get you shortlisted for an interview. The rest depends on your CCAs and interview performance, and at no point have I ever seen the Oxbridge brand being used a a tiebreaker.

Don't believe me? Just check out the profiles of people working in many of the top international firms here. Lots of people from NUS/SMU.

People need to shed this colonial mindset that it is worth it to get into 5-figure debt just for the Oxbridge brand on your CV.

Unregistered

31-01-2024 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unregistered (Post 267083)

Comparable to B4 NQ since they are getting an extra 1 month bonus on top of the usual package for civil service

I am assuming this is when compared to the current Big 4 NQ pay of 7.5k. If one is not intending to pursue litigation, is there any point in JLC?

Unregistered

31-01-2024 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unregistered (Post 267158)

Agreed with this. Even if you do decide to work in the UK, keep in mind that the taxes for the Magic Circle firms there are 40-45%, and the cost of living in London is far greater than Singapore. All this to say that, the take-home pay compared to working locally at a Big 4 firm is not too different.

The only difference is if you manage to land an international firm in Singapore. And as the poster above has described, it is not too huge an advantage - certainly (IMO) not enough to go into debt for.

Unregistered

31-01-2024 09:24 PM

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Originally Posted by Unregistered (Post 267158)

hijacking your reply to ask - is second (uppers) enough to get an interview?

Unregistered

31-01-2024 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unregistered (Post 267159)

I am assuming this is when compared to the current Big 4 NQ pay of 7.5k. If one is not intending to pursue litigation, is there any point in JLC?

Yes since the Supreme Court is still a good reputational intermediary and will open many doors, especially in the international firms, after your JLC stint. Some of the top corporate and transactional partners in the international firms are ex-JLCs.

Unregistered

31-01-2024 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unregistered (Post 267177)

hijacking your reply to ask - is second (uppers) enough to get an interview?

Yes if you have decent grades and exceptional CCAs (like mooting wins etc).

Otherwise, you can still get considered if you work for a while in a top local team and have gained good experience. But it will be very hard to get hired straight out of law school since there is nothing to distinguish you on paper.

Unregistered

01-02-2024 12:36 AM

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Originally Posted by Unregistered (Post 266508)

What are the best practice areas to intern in at rajah and Tann?

definitely not TMT given the horror stories there.

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