Lawyer Salary

Originally Posted by Unregistered

If the job market in Singapore is very good I can see these being issues (but is the job market very good)?

Just don't get why so I see so many people worrying on a micro-level about hiring and firing in the same few Singapore firms, but not even considering casting their net a little wider.

That's because law graduates are by and large cut from the same cloth and think the same way. By-the-book, good at exams but not very bold, creative or imaginative. And always treading the same tried and tested path.

The local law students all mostly come from RI or HC. That's as cookie-cutter as you can get.

Those not smart enough to get into local law, usually from lower ranked JCs, but can pay their way overseas, aren't bright or hardworking enough to cut it.

The true visionaries, dreamers and mavericks have long cut their losses and run after graduating law school, or getting called or at most spending 1-2 years as a junior associate. Tan Min Liang is a prime example.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

That's because law graduates are by and large cut from the same cloth and think the same way. By-the-book, good at exams but not very bold, creative or imaginative. And always treading the same tried and tested path.

The local law students all mostly come from RI or HC. That's as cookie-cutter as you can get.

Those not smart enough to get into local law, usually from lower ranked JCs, but can pay their way overseas, aren't bright or hardworking enough to cut it.

The true visionaries, dreamers and mavericks have long cut their losses and run after graduating law school, or getting called or at most spending 1-2 years as a junior associate. Tan Min Liang is a prime example.

Those true visionaries, dreamers and mavericks you mentioned have no losses to cut in the first place because they hail from wealthy backgrounds. Anybody can be a visionary, dreamer or maverick when their capital is funded by their parents.

To them, studying law is like sampling food. If they don't like it, they can always try others. But how many associates possess this privilege? Those from humbler backgrounds are taking a huge gamble if they leave the legal profession, with a fragile safety net beneath them.

The claim that a law degree opens many doors is an exaggeration. Employers in other industries aren't going to be impressed with a Bachelor of Laws, what they seek is relevance. Unless the candidate has connections of course.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

...
The claim that a law degree opens many doors is an exaggeration. Employers in other industries aren't going to be impressed with a Bachelor of Laws, what they seek is relevance. Unless the candidate has connections of course.

This is very true. Don't trust what blatant lies school deans, professors or ministry mouthpiece tell you about law opening doors to any industry. Let's be honest, anybody with a decent IQ and good command of English can do anything a lawyer does and we there is nothing special about being a lawyer apart from holding that license.

Law firms know that the bulk of their trade don't require actual lawyers holding a PC, that's why junior lawyers and fresh graduates are shunned from the job market:
1. Experienced paralegals can do the same fee-generating work at half the pay
2. Foreign experienced lawyers from Malaysia and Philippines can do the same work as an "executive" or "consultant" at NQ salary
3. Ministries and stat board rarely hire junior lawyers
4. International firms rarely hire junior lawyers
5. Free/cheap labour from interns and trainees
6. Consulting firms can do transnational and regulatory work without needing lawyers

Come on everyone, don’t be too stressed. Life is all about perspectives and there is no cookie cutter formula of how one’s career will play out. From years of practice, I have seen associates with FCH from the highest tier Uni who don’t do well and leave the practice for average salary jobs (i.e teaching). On the other hand, I have seen associates with a more diverse background who made it to partners at young age. My point is that just do your best, be humble and have the grit to pull it through. Also understand that there is no one way formula of how someone’s career will play out.

To all you youngsters out there, the world is your oyster. In the worst case scenario, just marry rich if you can.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

The claim that a law degree opens many doors is an exaggeration. Employers in other industries aren't going to be impressed with a Bachelor of Laws, what they seek is relevance. Unless the candidate has connections of course.

This is very true. Don't trust what blatant lies school deans, professors or ministry mouthpiece tell you about law opening doors to any industry. Let's be honest, anybody with a decent IQ and good command of English can do anything a lawyer does and we there is nothing special about being a lawyer apart from holding that license.

Law firms know that the bulk of their trade don't require actual lawyers holding a PC, that's why junior lawyers and fresh graduates are shunned from the job market:
1. Experienced paralegals can do the same fee-generating work at half the pay
2. Foreign experienced lawyers from Malaysia and Philippines can do the same work as an "executive" or "consultant" at NQ salary
3. Ministries and stat board rarely hire junior lawyers
4. International firms rarely hire junior lawyers
5. Free/cheap labour from interns and trainees
6. Consulting firms can do transnational and regulatory work without needing lawyers

"The post-pandemic world will be a good time to hire the brightest legal brains because there will be a glut of lawyers," Ms Yuen-Thio said.

Lol what?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

"The post-pandemic world will be a good time to hire the brightest legal brains because there will be a glut of lawyers," Ms Yuen-Thio said.

Lol what?

Good luck to their HR having to sieve through thousands of CVs from unemployed lawyers.

Any support group for those cannot find RLT/TC, cannot find NQ assoc job, retrenched lawyers?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

...
The claim that a law degree opens many doors is an exaggeration. Employers in other industries aren't going to be impressed with a Bachelor of Laws, what they seek is relevance. Unless the candidate has connections of course.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

...
The claim that a law degree opens many doors is an exaggeration. Employers in other industries aren't going to be impressed with a Bachelor of Laws, what they seek is relevance. Unless the candidate has connections of course.

This is very true. Don't trust what blatant lies school deans, professors or ministry mouthpiece tell you about law opening doors to any industry. Let's be honest, anybody with a decent IQ and good command of English can do anything a lawyer does and we there is nothing special about being a lawyer apart from holding that license.

Law firms know that the bulk of their trade don't require actual lawyers holding a PC, that's why junior lawyers and fresh graduates are shunned from the job market:
1. Experienced paralegals can do the same fee-generating work at half the pay
2. Foreign experienced lawyers from Malaysia and Philippines can do the same work as an "executive" or "consultant" at NQ salary
3. Ministries and stat board rarely hire junior lawyers
4. International firms rarely hire junior lawyers
5. Free/cheap labour from interns and trainees
6. Consulting firms can do transnational and regulatory work without needing lawyers

Originally Posted by Unregistered

...
The claim that a law degree opens many doors is an exaggeration. Employers in other industries aren't going to be impressed with a Bachelor of Laws, what they seek is relevance. Unless the candidate has connections of course.

Let's be honest, anybody with a decent IQ and good command of English can do anything a lawyer does and we there is nothing special about being a lawyer apart from holding that license. Law firms know that the bulk of their trade don't require actual lawyers holding a PC.

1. Experienced paralegals can do the same fee-generating work at half the pay
2. Foreign experienced lawyers from Malaysia and Philippines can do the same work as an "executive" or "consultant" at NQ salary
3. Ministries and stat board rarely hire junior lawyers
4. International firms rarely hire junior lawyers
5. Free/cheap labour from interns and trainees
6. Consulting firms can do transnational and regulatory work without needing lawyers

Originally Posted by Unregistered

That's because law graduates are by and large cut from the same cloth and think the same way. By-the-book, good at exams but not very bold, creative or imaginative. And always treading the same tried and tested path.

The local law students all mostly come from RI or HC. That's as cookie-cutter as you can get.

Those not smart enough to get into local law, usually from lower ranked JCs, but can pay their way overseas, aren't bright or hardworking enough to cut it.

The true visionaries, dreamers and mavericks have long cut their losses and run after graduating law school, or getting called or at most spending 1-2 years as a junior associate. Tan Min Liang is a prime example.

The proportion is mostly right but there are also fellow RI or HC kids with 2.2s, whether they are bright or hardworking enough you be the judge