Hi guys! I'm recently graduated from JC, was wondering if you guys think doing law is a good option? Especially with the whole glut of lawyers thing

Depends on what you define as a "good option".

you should be okay if you stay local or come from a branded overseas uni

Hmm, I guess like if the effort put in is worth it? Like the work-life balance I understand is not so good but is the long-term compensation and career worth the effort?

I always hear people saying that it's easier to get first class in uk universities, etc. I think this is very untrue. In uk, you are competing with the British students who are naturally very competent to get a place at law school. You're in a foreign country, and you have to survive on your own for 3 years. It's not easy psychologically. Most people, if they study hard, will end up with a 2:1 - that's true. But to get a first class in law from any uk universities require raw talent, hard work and genuine capability.

Secondly, the proportion of trainees for overseas law grads to local grads is skewed right now. There are more local grads training in bigger firms for every overseas grad. If you don't believe, go and do your research on this. In some firms, overseas grads are nowhere to be found.

Thirdly, Oxbridge law grads regardless of whether it is a phd, bcl/masters or BA are always in demand whether they choose a legal career or not later on. All will eventually become a consultant/partner at some major law firms. Again, do your research. It's very easy with the Internet.

Finally, whether you should do law or not. Yes, law trains the mind. The knowledge in law school will not help in a legal career. The only thing that will help in a legal career is the ability to learn things quickly. If you need to go overseas for whatever reasons, choose Oxbridge, or LSE/UCL. The rest of the universities will eventually be removed as Singapore develops its own legal system. How many years from now? Probably one decade.

Law is not as glamorous as it seems. The hours are long, it's not exaggeration. Saturdays are also part of the deal. You will find that eventually you have no time for anyone. It's like that. Ultimately, many individuals live broken lives. That's the sacrifice you have to make.

It's far easier to get a first or 2.1 in the UK compared to locally, even in UCL/LSE.

NUS FCH (2014/2015): 5%, 2.1: 50%
UCL FCH (2014/2015): 16%, 2.1. 74%

Plus this doesn't include the fact that local grads are typically better muggers than the Brits.

See ://.lawcoursesinfo.com/uncategorized/percentage-of-firsts-awarded-to-llb-graduates-the-table/
s://.ucl.ac.uk/srs/statistics/tables/s/1415

Yeah I suppose the only place where an NUS FCH would be comparable is with Oxbridge FCH? Even then the bell curve at NUS still makes it v tough as Oxbridge grads just have to make a certain grade?

No doubt what the earlier poster said about the difficulties of studying overseas though...can get pretty lonely

As a fellow NUS grad, i must tell you to look beyond things. statistics are merely figures which might not even be true. Furthermore look at the overall cohort percentage then you compare. if NUS FCH were as good, MNC would be fighting to hire them. our local grad had no choice but to stick to CS because MNC doesn't put them on top priority due to our academic structure. Go google UK academic structure and you will see the differences. If CS doesn't want them either, there would be a bunch of unemployment grads. You can choose to be blinded now but still this is the ugly truth. Our cert can survive probably in asia but not overseas.

What's the compensation like now though for the local firms? Is it still around 5-6k? And if you slug it out how many years does it take to become a partner, assuming you have the capability?

Who said anything about whether NUS was better than UK? the point that was made is that it is far easier to get a FCH or 2.1 in law in the UK compared to NUS (and SMU). Whether or not other countries accept an NUS degree (they don't) is a completely different matter altogether.

And why are we talking about MNCs/CSs in a thread that focuses on qualifying as lawyers in Singapore? Where Singapore law firms are concerned, it is quite clear that there is a (slight) bias towards local grads, but IMO this bias may be made up for by the fact that it is easier to get better grades in the UK. So a 2.2 in NUS may in fact be disadvantaged because there is a good chance that he could have gotten 2.1 in Bristol/Nottingham or even UCL/KCL. Plus the fact that it is very possible to get a UK TC if one graduates from a UK uni, which is near impossible to get if one graduates from NUS/SMU, means that going to a reputable UK uni may be the best option if one can afford it.