Lawyer Salary

Hey guys, would a legal education be better locally or overseas if cost isn't a problem? I'm leaning more towards UCL at the moment but apprehensive about having to take both part A and B of the local bar exam should I return to SG upon graduation. Can anyone shed some light on the likelihood of staying in London/UK to work, and how career prospects compare to SG's? Thanks!

Originally Posted by Unregistered

International firm pay so much more because 1 month in an international firm - the intensity and the size of the deals is as if you spend 6 months in a big four.

So actually a person with 2 years in international firm (the certain firm in MBFC) actually is the same as someone who spends 6 years in the big four law firm.

Er.... If u actually have friends in mc/ws, u will know that some of them ( tho not all) can draw 14 to 18k and still end work at 7-8pm on average daily, barring high peak periods)..

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I’m not the OP. But I guess you’re from an international firm.
You can’t share specifics and I understand.

But may I ask how did you get an international?
I have received so many calls from recruiters but my cv doesn’t seem to be shortlisted by the international firms’ hr depts

Really want to move to an international

Best chance is to be from big 4, SLB or the hybrid MBFC I firm. If at a tier below, then go get uk bar to increase competitiveness of app.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hey guys, would a legal education be better locally or overseas if cost isn't a problem? I'm leaning more towards UCL at the moment but apprehensive about having to take both part A and B of the local bar exam should I return to SG upon graduation. Can anyone shed some light on the likelihood of staying in London/UK to work, and how career prospects compare to SG's? Thanks!

Why not Oxbridge? If you want to work in MC in London straight out of graduation, you need either oxford or cambridge. Any degrees from Oxbridge (including history, PPE, etc) would suffice. As you go down the tier, UCL, then lower and lower, your chance of getting MC decreases exponentially

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hey guys, would a legal education be better locally or overseas if cost isn't a problem? I'm leaning more towards UCL at the moment but apprehensive about having to take both part A and B of the local bar exam should I return to SG upon graduation. Can anyone shed some light on the likelihood of staying in London/UK to work, and how career prospects compare to SG's? Thanks!

Securing a gig anywhere within Canary Wharf for a non-Brit is near impossible. Like what the previous poster said, an Oxbridge/LSE brand will heighten your chances but it’ll still be an uphill task to get a firm agreeing to a visa sponsorship.

Have you did your undergrad? If you have, I’d suggest enrolling for SMU’s J.D programme if you’re starting out in the legal profession.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Securing a gig anywhere within Canary Wharf for a non-Brit is near impossible. Like what the previous poster said, an Oxbridge/LSE brand will heighten your chances but it’ll still be an uphill task to get a firm agreeing to a visa sponsorship.

Have you did your undergrad? If you have, I’d suggest enrolling for SMU’s J.D programme if you’re starting out in the legal profession.

Doesn't mean can't be done. A senior of mine (ex JLC) is now at Gary Born's firm in London earning 190k pounds (higher than SG white shoe scale)

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hey guys, would a legal education be better locally or overseas if cost isn't a problem? I'm leaning more towards UCL at the moment but apprehensive about having to take both part A and B of the local bar exam should I return to SG upon graduation. Can anyone shed some light on the likelihood of staying in London/UK to work, and how career prospects compare to SG's? Thanks!

If your only metric is the prospect of working in London / UK, then it is definitely better if you study in the UK. Who knows you might meet someone in uni, get married after graduation, get permanent residency, then you literally can work in ANY job in the UK. I know a few of my British batchmates who took the paralegal - trainee route to becoming a solicitor, which is really only available to people who have the right to live / work in the UK. You will still need to have above average grades though.

Otherwise, if you are looking at getting sponsored for a visa by a top law firm then of course you need to be brilliant, like everyone else has pointed out.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Doesn't mean can't be done. A senior of mine (ex JLC) is now at Gary Born's firm in London earning 190k pounds (higher than SG white shoe scale)

Yes but odds are low. I know who you're talking about

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Yes but odds are low. I know who you're talking about

I went to one of those schools mentioned above.

My suggestion is to take SMU. You have maybe a 30% chance if you go to UCL, not because you're not good, but because you're Asian and it takes a certain type to work there. Your traineeship takes 2 years as opposed to 6 months if you take SMU.

Post taxes and expenses pay is meh. I believe it's 40% tax for 100k GBP and above. This consensus was held amongst many of my peers, some of whom have gone on to work in MC/US and live there. What are you going to tell your family on being abroad for 5 - 7 years?

Is it really worth the struggle? Is it worth 200K (enough to buy a pretty decent house) on a single person? I mean, if you do medicine, sure. But not law.

If I could rewind time, part of me wishes I didn't choose 'prestige' over money. Remember, they're selling a brand.

[ABCD1234]

What do you mean by "you're asian and it takes a certain type to work there"?