Any words for a disillusioned 4th year student? (1 Viewer)

[jainey]

Hello, my first time posting here I'm a 4th year Arts/Law student, debating whether it's worth applying for summer clerkships and otherwise confused about the future at large. (No, not all law students are clear-headed and ambitious!)

I finished my high school outside NSW and came to Sydney purely because 1) I got in 2) it wasn't as cold as Melbourne. I must say I've always been rather naive - it took me years of reassurances to finally realise that the institution I'm attending is considered 'prestigious'. Anyways, disillusioned by my parents and teachers I originally began as a Commerce/Law major but I truly abhorred Commerce and failed two subjects (I did not attend the final exams because I thought they wouldn't count towards my BA/LLB GPA - very stupid mistake.) I switched to Arts after first session, and since then I've earned first class honours in BA (Politics).

I did an Honours year in a way to delay graduation and explore alternative career paths, because I wasn't at all enthusiastic about law - I've never been. But this experience of semi-academic life was dreadfully isolating and boring. Hence I'm again looking into law, and finding it a bit daunting.

It seems like a career at a commercial law firm is the norm for law graduates, and everyone seems to be applying for summer clerkships. One cannot help but feel somewhat pressured. But I wonder if this wouldn't be a total waste of time on my part. I have a credit average in law, and my best marks in law had been for 'useless' theory subjects e.g. legal theory. Besides, I am not sure how I'd be able to feign my non-existent enthusiasm for commercial law, if this hasn't already been made obvious from my drastic attempts at accounting and maths.

But then, the advice I get from my more successful 'arty' law graduate friends is that I should give it a go no matter what, and that spending some years at commercial firms will give me a good starting point for legal career, and that they are all doing it..

Any thoughts?

 

[Tom Ruprecht]

No doubt the best advice is to choose a career path that you like or an area that you enjoy - i.e. Do what you like.

But in the event where you are unsure as to what you like, it's best to keep your options open. I say, go for clerkships cos you just might get it!

If you don't apply, you run the risk of selling yourself short and denying yourself the opportunity of something that you may come to enjoy.

Keep your options open.

Regarding changing from Commerce to Arts, that does not have to be evidence that you do not enjoy Commerce - you may always say that you wanted to do Arts because you wanted a legal career and was interested in dealing with argument and analytical thinking.

 

[turtleface]

Regarding changing from Commerce to Arts, that does not have to be evidence that you do not enjoy Commerce - you may always say that you wanted to do Arts because you wanted a legal career and was interested in dealing with argument and analytical thinking.

I think Commerce is also very analytical (Finance, Accounting, Econometrics, Actuarial, Marketing) and involves arguments around issues (Economics, Management)

It seems like a career at a commercial law firm is the norm for law graduates, and everyone seems to be applying for summer clerkships. One cannot help but feel somewhat pressured. But I wonder if this wouldn't be a total waste of time on my part.

By getting a few years under your belt at a top firm, if nothing else, at least you will have the experience next to your name. All other things equal, it goes without saying a BA(Hons)/LLB with 2, 3 years experience at a Big 6 firm is much more attractive than without the name of a top firm on your resume.

Also I find top firms are good for networking, that way you get to make many contacts, all the while looking out for opportunities to get out if you really hate it.

Anyway, its a job. I personally believe its supposed to be boring, onerous, and you're supposed to feel like shit going to it every morning...at least in the first few years of your career.

 

[poloboy]

Hmm, where to begin...

1) Do not to do something just because everybody else seems to be doing it. It is a bit cliched, but I've always found that doing things because I want to do them has worked out the best, as opposed to following the crowd and trying to justify decisions based on the perceived status quo (case in point: choosing to do a BA rather than Commerce or Economics with Law, despite many 'opinions' that I'm hurting my chances of employment at a top tier firm). Essentially - do you want to pursue a career in commercial law because you think you'd be interested in it (or enjoy it), or because your definition of 'success' requires the Armani suit and harbour views? And would the latter be enough to sustain you through 13hr days and boring, tedious work?

2) Don't set yourself up to fail - if you can see that you're going to hate working in commercial law, then why bother? I completely disagree with the proposition that the first few years of working should be boring or onerous - of course people will find aspects of their work tedious, but the good should always outweigh the bad. If not, then burnout and failure are almost inevitable. Having said that, you haven't graduated yet, and it sounds like you haven't experience in working in commercial law. Hence...

3) Make an informed decision. Doing a clerkship at a commercial law firm could be the perfect opportunity to get a real sense of that vaguely-defined concept of "firm culture". I think the saying 'don't knock it til you've tried it' is pertinent in this case Similarly, it might be an idea to get some experience in other areas of the law. Having done Politics for your BA, have you considered getting experience at the Attorney General's Office, or another public legal environment? There are also heaps of opportunities for penultimate students to get involved with the Australian Law Reform Commission or community legal centres.

I wish you the best of luck and hope that you're not disillusioned for too long. You will have a fantastic degree when you graduate and heaps of opportunities at your feet - just make a decision that you can live with

 

[Omnidragon]

I like the 'keep your options open' idea. Give it a shot and worry again when you get an offer?

Also... a clerkship is short - one month maybe? It might be a good opportunity to see whether a commercial law firm is even 'the thing' for you.

No need to close your options so quickly ^_^

 

[takehomecopy]

I like the 'keep your options open' idea. Give it a shot and worry again when you get an offer?

Also... a clerkship is short - one month maybe? It might be a good opportunity to see whether a commercial law firm is even 'the thing' for you.

No need to close your options so quickly ^_^

Summer clerkships in sydney are 3 months usually.

 

[law_stud]

Hello, my first time posting here I'm a 4th year Arts/Law student at UNSW, debating whether it's worth applying for summer clerkships and otherwise confused about the future at large. (No, not all law students are clear-headed and ambitious!)

I finished my high school outside NSW and came to Sydney purely because 1) I got in 2) it wasn't as cold as Melbourne. I must say I've always been rather naive - it took me years of reassurances to finally realise that the institution I'm attending is considered 'prestigious'. Anyways, disillusioned by my parents and teachers I originally began as a Commerce/Law major but I truly abhorred Commerce and failed two subjects (I did not attend the final exams because I thought they wouldn't count towards my BA/LLB GPA - very stupid mistake.) I switched to Arts after first session, and since then I've earned first class honours in BA (Politics).

I did an Honours year in a way to delay graduation and explore alternative career paths, because I wasn't at all enthusiastic about law - I've never been. But this experience of semi-academic life was dreadfully isolating and boring. Hence I'm again looking into law, and finding it a bit daunting.

It seems like a career at a commercial law firm is the norm for law graduates, and everyone seems to be applying for summer clerkships. One cannot help but feel somewhat pressured. But I wonder if this wouldn't be a total waste of time on my part. I have a credit average in law, and my best marks in law had been for 'useless' theory subjects e.g. legal theory. Besides, I am not sure how I'd be able to feign my non-existent enthusiasm for commercial law, if this hasn't already been made obvious from my drastic attempts at accounting and maths.

But then, the advice I get from my more successful 'arty' law graduate friends is that I should give it a go no matter what, and that spending some years at commercial firms will give me a good starting point for legal career, and that they are all doing it..

Any thoughts?

Jainey - here are some words - don't feel too bad!

I'm a 4th year Media/Law student at UNSW. I started by doing commerce/law and transferred [thank god!].

I'm NOT going to apply for a summer clerkship this year. Next year, yes.

Just because 'everyone is doing it' doesn't mean that YOU have to. Many of them are wasting their time, but do it if you feel you'll learn something from it.

Peace,

LS

PS: Ever consider a non-law career?

 

[El Misterio]

I'm NOT going to apply for a summer clerkship this year. Next year, yes.

If you're eligible to apply for a summer clerkship now, are you certain you'll still be eligible next year? You're only eligible to participate in the scheme if you still have "at least two but not more than four whole semesters" left on your law degree...

 

[law_stud]

If you're eligible to apply for a summer clerkship now, are you certain you'll still be eligible next year? You're only eligible to participate in the scheme if you still have "at least two but not more than four whole semesters" left on your law degree...

Thanks for the heads up, El Misterio

Yes, I am certain I shall be eligible next year