Lawyer Salary

Originally Posted by Unregistered

it's just like investing in high risk stocks. is your family able to afford the "risk" of not getting into a big 4? you seem correctly aware of the pros and cons of LSE and NUS. but if you suspect "they won't have any savings left", then my advice is go for NUS. it's the safer route. can't go wrong. you can always go to a UK firm after graduating

I just saw this. Ok this is really simple. (A) LSE doesn't blacklist (B) tell them you want to start at a later date. They will agree. Don't be naiive, just negotiate with them. You give up your place this year there's no guarantee next year.

Money issues - NUS > LSE but you are not going to an international firm without a FCH or top 20% at least. That's being realistic. Big 4, yes. International at the start, no. SG work you just need to be in top 50-60% of NUS.

Not gonna lie, it's expensive. Can't help you there but try to get a scholarship, it is easier since you have an offer for admission and organisations care about who they are bonding. Get a scholarship pls. You have time.

If your goal is B4, NUS hands down. They're absolute machines. But you won't be prejudiced much either way.

Best of both worlds (SG and international) - LSE

Work in Hong Kong or a country other than Singapore - LSE

Global alumni network, international reputation - LSE

Other reasons:

1.Go to a pub on campus for ale and stout and have angmohs mispronounce Professor Saw Swee Hock's name (NUS/LSE Alumni philanthropist who donated money for a building) as Saucy, a place that sells cheap drinks on certain nights. If anyone asks, you came from the same country as Saucy - LSE

2. If you want to quit law and need exit options - LSE is easier to sell. If you want to quit law halfway for another course - LSE. They seem pretty okay with course switching.

3. Find angmoh girlfriend or boyfriend or meet Angelina Jolie outside of Hollywood after Tom Cruise married Scientology - LSE

4. Travel to France or Spain on Easyjet or Ryanair every weekend post Covid, cook your own chicken rice to prorest against expensive Chinatown chicken rice - LSE

5. Wear shorts in winter because you're Singaporean and you a rebel - LSE

Originally Posted by Unregistered

it's just like investing in high risk stocks. is your family able to afford the "risk" of not getting into a big 4? you seem correctly aware of the pros and cons of LSE and NUS. but if you suspect "they won't have any savings left", then my advice is go for NUS. it's the safer route. can't go wrong. you can always go to a UK firm after graduating

Ya I mean ANY SCHOOL cannot guarantee a place. The world doesn't work that way.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I just saw this. Ok this is really simple. (A) LSE doesn't blacklist (B) tell them you want to start at a later date. They will agree. Don't be naiive, just negotiate with them. You give up your place this year there's no guarantee next year.

Money issues - NUS > LSE but you are not going to an international firm without a FCH or top 20% at least. That's being realistic. Big 4, yes. International at the start, no. SG work you just need to be in top 50-60% of NUS.

Not gonna lie, it's expensive. Can't help you there but try to get a scholarship, it is easier since you have an offer for admission and organisations care about who they are bonding. Get a scholarship pls. You have time.

If your goal is B4, NUS hands down. They're absolute machines. But you won't be prejudiced much either way.

Best of both worlds (SG and international) - LSE

Work in Hong Kong or a country other than Singapore - LSE

Global alumni network, international reputation - LSE

Other reasons:

1.Go to a pub on campus for ale and stout and have angmohs mispronounce Professor Saw Swee Hock's name (NUS/LSE Alumni philanthropist who donated money for a building) as Saucy, a place that sells cheap drinks on certain nights. If anyone asks, you came from the same country as Saucy - LSE

2. If you want to quit law and need exit options - LSE is easier to sell. If you want to quit law halfway for another course - LSE. They seem pretty okay with course switching.

3. Find angmoh girlfriend or boyfriend or meet Angelina Jolie outside of Hollywood after Tom Cruise married Scientology - LSE

4. Travel to France or Spain on Easyjet or Ryanair every weekend post Covid, cook your own chicken rice to prorest against expensive Chinatown chicken rice - LSE

5. Wear shorts in winter because you're Singaporean and you a rebel - LSE

One correction - Angelina was married to Brad and not Tom Cruise. Sorry not a celebrity buff

There are many parents who have sent their kids overseas to do law.
Unfortunately, contrary to popular belief that all these parents are rich and affluent, this is not true.

Some have indeed borrowed heavily from the banks, pledged their houses as collaterals, in order to take out a loan to fund their child’s LLB and LLM in UK.
This is very true. Some have even withdrawn all their CPF monies at 55 to pay for their children’s overseas education.

Among my friends, most of their parents have actually downgraded from a landed/condo to a HDB as a result of this commitment.

When quizzed why they do this, a few variations in replies but a common thread throughout.

They want to help their child fulfill their ambitions to become a lawyer.
At the end of the day education beats inheritance, for instance.

The sad thing is that most of these parents do not know how cutthroat the legal industry is.
Everyone assumes that those who go overseas are rich, this is plainly untrue.
In fact a good number of them have sold their cars, their property in order to fund their children’s overseas education.

They believe that an overseas education would give their child greater exposure.
For the young parents out there who are lawyers yourself, and provided you love your kids, you’ll also someday want the best for them. It may be a stretch to send your sons or daughters to Oxbridge/LSE but you’ll still do it nonetheless.
That’s a parents’ love.

Whether it adds to job prospects, that’s a different issue. But acknowledge that whether there is a competitive advantage or not, or whether it makes you worse off, the clear fact is that parents are just helping their children fulfill their ambitions.
Guys at 21 and girls at 18 still view the world as unadulterated, pure, innocent and simple.
You think they know what is PTSD, burnout and depression?
They can read of it, but going through it in practice is different from reading about it.
If not why do people talk about experience, about walking through life and having regrets, etc. It’s a cycle of life.

Yet 50% of degree mill students fail Part A lol

Originally Posted by Unregistered

There are many parents who have sent their kids overseas to do law.
Unfortunately, contrary to popular belief that all these parents are rich and affluent, this is not true.

Some have indeed borrowed heavily from the banks, pledged their houses as collaterals, in order to take out a loan to fund their child’s LLB and LLM in UK.
This is very true. Some have even withdrawn all their CPF monies at 55 to pay for their children’s overseas education.

Among my friends, most of their parents have actually downgraded from a landed/condo to a HDB as a result of this commitment.

When quizzed why they do this, a few variations in replies but a common thread throughout.

They want to help their child fulfill their ambitions to become a lawyer.
At the end of the day education beats inheritance, for instance.

The sad thing is that most of these parents do not know how cutthroat the legal industry is.
Everyone assumes that those who go overseas are rich, this is plainly untrue.
In fact a good number of them have sold their cars, their property in order to fund their children’s overseas education.

They believe that an overseas education would give their child greater exposure.
For the young parents out there who are lawyers yourself, and provided you love your kids, you’ll also someday want the best for them. It may be a stretch to send your sons or daughters to Oxbridge/LSE but you’ll still do it nonetheless.
That’s a parents’ love.

Whether it adds to job prospects, that’s a different issue. But acknowledge that whether there is a competitive advantage or not, or whether it makes you worse off, the clear fact is that parents are just helping their children fulfill their ambitions.
Guys at 21 and girls at 18 still view the world as unadulterated, pure, innocent and simple.
You think they know what is PTSD, burnout and depression?
They can read of it, but going through it in practice is different from reading about it.
If not why do people talk about experience, about walking through life and having regrets, etc. It’s a cycle of life.

A saddening post, but true nonetheless. It is also true for NUS. 50K course fees + expenses doesn't just fall from the sky you know. Particularly if you're already struggling to make ends meet i.e. 80% who live in HDB. Still not so painful if you get a scholarship.

I will one day hope to send my kids to Oxbridge/LSE. Not because NUS isn't good enough but I want that for my own children - the benefit of overseas exposure and the ability to work anywhere in the world should they choose to do so. It is a Singaporean dream.

Generally speaking if they get Oxbridge/LSE they should be able to secure scholarships. Tons of them do.

Obviously the course must be worthwhile. Don't do accounting and end up in Big 4. Don't do law and end up churning your life away through billable hours.

I would NEVER let my future kids do law. This is a real thing. Just not worth the trade-offs.

Medicine, yes. Dentistry, yes. Economics, yes. Business, yes. Yes, yes, yes. Computer science, sure, take my money. Not law. Not accountancy. Both are stupid choices - I write that without an ounce of resentment or bitterness for my own choices. It is the weekend and I'm working, just like last week and the week before.

I'm pretty sure a lot of us would agree that law is not worth it.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

A saddening post, but true nonetheless. It is also true for NUS. 50K course fees + expenses doesn't just fall from the sky you know. Particularly if you're already struggling to make ends meet i.e. 80% who live in HDB. Still not so painful if you get a scholarship.

I will one day hope to send my kids to Oxbridge/LSE. Not because NUS isn't good enough but I want that for my own children - the benefit of overseas exposure and the ability to work anywhere in the world should they choose to do so. It is a Singaporean dream.

Generally speaking if they get Oxbridge/LSE they should be able to secure scholarships. Tons of them do.

Obviously the course must be worthwhile. Don't do accounting and end up in Big 4. Don't do law and end up churning your life away through billable hours.

I would NEVER let my future kids do law. This is a real thing. Just not worth the trade-offs.

Medicine, yes. Dentistry, yes. Economics, yes. Business, yes. Yes, yes, yes. Computer science, sure, take my money. Not law. Not accountancy. Both are stupid choices - I write that without an ounce of resentment or bitterness for my own choices. It is the weekend and I'm working, just like last week and the week before.

I'm pretty sure a lot of us would agree that law is not worth it.

To OP who is choosing - both are really solid choices. You can't go wrong either way. Maybe just make sure you're ready to work 24/7 for the rest of your life. Your parents shouldn't have to give up their life savings, though, so apply for a scholarship on the basis of your admission letter. This will help out tons, thank me later.

Look at PSC, Chevening, etc.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

A saddening post, but true nonetheless. It is also true for NUS. 50K course fees + expenses doesn't just fall from the sky you know. Particularly if you're already struggling to make ends meet i.e. 80% who live in HDB. Still not so painful if you get a scholarship.

I will one day hope to send my kids to Oxbridge/LSE. Not because NUS isn't good enough but I want that for my own children - the benefit of overseas exposure and the ability to work anywhere in the world should they choose to do so. It is a Singaporean dream.

Generally speaking if they get Oxbridge/LSE they should be able to secure scholarships. Tons of them do.

Obviously the course must be worthwhile. Don't do accounting and end up in Big 4. Don't do law and end up churning your life away through billable hours.

I would NEVER let my future kids do law. This is a real thing. Just not worth the trade-offs.

Medicine, yes. Dentistry, yes. Economics, yes. Business, yes. Yes, yes, yes. Computer science, sure, take my money. Not law. Not accountancy. Both are stupid choices - I write that without an ounce of resentment or bitterness for my own choices. It is the weekend and I'm working, just like last week and the week before.

I'm pretty sure a lot of us would agree that law is not worth it.

Not gonna disagree with you on what law is like, but I would argue that business and medical degrees are just as bad if not worse.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

To OP who is choosing - both are really solid choices. You can't go wrong either way. Maybe just make sure you're ready to work 24/7 for the rest of your life. Your parents shouldn't have to give up their life savings, though, so apply for a scholarship on the basis of your admission letter. This will help out tons, thank me later.

Look at PSC, Chevening, etc.

Also, you're not prejudiced on the SG law aspect as much as you think, I know one B4 that is staffed by lots of LSE graduates, starts with A. Some B4s fly over for recruitment drives. This is in addition to every UK firm having a recruitment drive on campus, with the poor associates having to take out billable hours to teach you how to apply to their firm.

I saw a fellow Alumni respond to post by OP, quite right on the statistics. You're absolutely not prejudiced by choosing LSE over NUS in terms of local prospects. You are favoured by choosing LSE over NUS for international prospects / international side / inhouse / other prospects / alumni network.

if you go to LSE...and (1) you don't get a UK law firm offer or (2) you are not a scholar who's just collecting certifications ....there won't be any point. met some LSE law folks myself and the ones who came back to Singapore to work aren't exceptionally brilliant (like smarter than NUS law brilliant)...