Lawyer Salary

now software engineer salary on par with lawyer salary liao ?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I am in-house but I want to quit. Can't fit in. But there's no lower tier to quit to, except to completely give up law.

Then quit. Remember there is no shame in quitting law

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Speaking of JLCs, I have a question. To what extent is being a JLC helpful to one's career? Am on track to get a first class honours but of course things are very fluid and may change since I've not graduated. But wanted to think of options.

Is being a JLC something one must absolutely do if given the chance? If you look at the background of those conferred SCs, appointed to the Supreme Court and even taking higher office in politics, many of them have been JLCs. This is despite only a small number of people becoming JLCs each year, or so my seniors tell me. I'm sure these were ridiculously clever people to begin with as your post above suggests. But does time as a JLC train one's mind in a way that law school and practice does not that gives one an even stronger edge in life and in the profession? And should it be something I should push myself to get if I intend to be in litigation, to academia or even aspire to politics [don't judge me]?

FCH holders from SG should first and foremost apply to be an academic at one of the 3 unis in SG.
Followed by JLC if academia does not accept you.
Then training in baker or CC.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

now software engineer salary on par with lawyer salary liao ?

Associates pay has stagnated for the last ten years while HDB and car prices increase year on year, what do you think?
Fat cats in lawsoc thinks the problem lies with millennial lawyers.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

FCH holders from SG should first and foremost apply to be an academic at one of the 3 unis in SG.
Followed by JLC if academia does not accept you.
Then training in baker or CC.

I can only assume you chose this route and wanted to talk it up to feel better about yourself. Good for you!

But desperately lousy advice informed by your own biases. Anyone who chooses academia straight over JLC is not wrong because to each his own but most would find that the converse is equally good if not much better. And anyone who has a practical bent would be crazy to follow your absurd advice and aspire to academia. As for baker and CC, these are decent options but certainly not for everyone.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I can only assume you chose this route and wanted to talk it up to feel better about yourself. Good for you!

But desperately lousy advice informed by your own biases. Anyone who chooses academia straight over JLC is not wrong because to each his own but most would find that the converse is equally good if not much better. And anyone who has a practical bent would be crazy to follow your absurd advice and aspire to academia. As for baker and CC, these are decent options but certainly not for everyone.

True. Almost all young academics have practised for a little while, if only merely to clock their TC to get called. Even better if you get JLC - a stint with the judiciary is the ultimate portfolio enhancer in the legal industry regardless of whether you're an academic or practitioner.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

True. Almost all young academics have practised for a little while, if only merely to clock their TC to get called. Even better if you get JLC - a stint with the judiciary is the ultimate portfolio enhancer in the legal industry regardless of whether you're an academic or practitioner.

Academia is reserved for top 1-5% of grads.
JLC is reserved for top 10% of grads (your FCH).
Baker/CC in the past used to accept FCH as trainees, but heard standards have lowered recently, so 2:1-2:2 also can.
Practice is essentially open to anyone including the 2:2s.
The poster asked what his choices were as a FCH from NUS.
Academia in SG is prestigious given the high bar and prestige surrounding it (excluding anomalous situations).

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Speaking of JLCs, I have a question. To what extent is being a JLC helpful to one's career? Am on track to get a first class honours but of course things are very fluid and may change since I've not graduated. But wanted to think of options.

Is being a JLC something one must absolutely do if given the chance? If you look at the background of those conferred SCs, appointed to the Supreme Court and even taking higher office in politics, many of them have been JLCs. This is despite only a small number of people becoming JLCs each year, or so my seniors tell me. I'm sure these were ridiculously clever people to begin with as your post above suggests. But does time as a JLC train one's mind in a way that law school and practice does not that gives one an even stronger edge in life and in the profession? And should it be something I should push myself to get if I intend to be in litigation, to academia or even aspire to politics [don't judge me]?

If you want to do litigation, go into academia, or become a politician, then JLC is a must do. It's not just about the branding (which is considerable) but also the connections you make with judges and other top students of the cohort. Btw regarding politics, Desmond Lee was an ex JLC and is now one of the youngest ministers.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Academia is reserved for top 1-5% of grads.
JLC is reserved for top 10% of grads (your FCH).
Baker/CC in the past used to accept FCH as trainees, but heard standards have lowered recently, so 2:1-2:2 also can.
Practice is essentially open to anyone including the 2:2s.
The poster asked what his choices were as a FCH from NUS.
Academia in SG is prestigious given the high bar and prestige surrounding it (excluding anomalous situations).

The original poster never said he/she was from NUS. And it’s quite clear that the initial ‘advice’ was self-interested. Anyone who claims being an academic in ‘one of the 3 unis in SG’ is the most prestigious thing to do can only be assumed to be fielded by a desire to try and promote their own background. Also, any one who suggests that skip JLC to go immediately for academia as the obvious step clearly doesn’t appreciate fully what academia is about and how a JLC stint would go a very long way to helping an academic career in the long run. A quick look at the past experiences of the local academics at our two leading law schools would have demolished that false assertion quite easily. Just as anyone reading the CVs of newer academics will know it is complete nonsense to say that most of them are in the top 1-5% of law school. A fair number of them have 2:1s which makes the point completely absurd. Give advice all you want but at least be honest about it.

So yes, it’s very clear that the initial advice was at best wrongheaded. At worst, promotion of one’s own background at the price of giving dangerous advice to aspiring lawyers.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

The original poster never said he/she was from NUS. And it’s quite clear that the initial ‘advice’ was self-interested. Anyone who claims being an academic in ‘one of the 3 unis in SG’ is the most prestigious thing to do can only be assumed to be fielded by a desire to try and promote their own background. Also, any one who suggests that skip JLC to go immediately for academia as the obvious step clearly doesn’t appreciate fully what academia is about and how a JLC stint would go a very long way to helping an academic career in the long run. A quick look at the past experiences of the local academics at our two leading law schools would have demolished that false assertion quite easily. Just as anyone reading the CVs of newer academics will know it is complete nonsense to say that most of them are in the top 1-5% of law school. A fair number of them have 2:1s which makes the point completely absurd. Give advice all you want but at least be honest about it.

So yes, it’s very clear that the initial advice was at best wrongheaded. At worst, promotion of one’s own background at the price of giving dangerous advice to aspiring lawyers.

Word. Can’t speak to the rest of what is stated above but clearly nonsense to say plump for academia over JLC at the start of one’s career.