Commerce, then Masters in Law? (1 Viewer)

[shadowbane91]

Hey guys, I've been thinking about alternative routes I could take if my ENTER doesn't make the cut for Monash Uni's Com/Law degree in Melbourne,so I was wondering if it would be a good idea to do a Commerce degree first and then a post grad, Masters of Law? My main concern is that I may lack the required knowledge concerning basic Legal studies and undergrad law to be able to do well in my Masters. So would it be a sound idea? Thanks for all your answers in advance.

 

[Strawbaby]

You have to have an undergraduate law degree to do your masters in that area.
You can, however, do a postgraduate basic law degree like the JD.

 

[dste6]

It depends what you want to achieve. I assume when you say that you want to do Com/Law, that you want to have an professional entry law degree under your belt in order work in a legally oriented role, or even practice. In this case, you will need to be looking at doing a JD (either at Monash or UMelb), or a graduate entry LLB which Monash offers as well.

An alternative is to do commerce at Monash, and then internally transfer into Com/Law after your first year. It is common for people to do this, but requires good marks (high 70s, or 80+ if you want to be safe).

I know that Monash does actually offer the 'Master of Commercial Law', which is for non-law graduates. But this is a different course to Master of Laws (LLM) specializing in Com, which as Strawberry correctly said requires a professional entry law degree (LLB or JD).

However, if your aim is pursue a career based around your Commerce degree, this 'Master of Commercial Law' could be a useful ace up your sleeve to differentiate you from other Commerce graduates. A 'Master of Commercial Law' will not get you a job as a lawyer, or a legal position in any capacity.

 

[shadowbane91]

Thanks for the insightful replies. I will do some research on JD's however, doing commercial law is definitely something I will consider. I guess it will give me the edge I need to score a job, however if I can get into Com/Law I might still do Masters of Law when the time comes. I'm hoping to enroll in Monash, and transfering is one of my options if I don't make the com/law degree cut. Thanks so much guys!

[EDIT]:Ultimately my aim is for a job in the corporate law sector.

 

[shadowbane91]

Hey guys, since the JD is a basic law degree, would the graduate Bachelor of Law degree be more thorough in terms of coursework and studies?

 

[dste6]

Hey guys, since the JD is a basic law degree, would the graduate Bachelor of Law degree be more thorough in terms of coursework and studies?

LLB (graduate and undergraduate alike) and JD are exactly the same in terms of coursework...you will cover exactly the same core units in pretty much the same progression. However, I can attest to the fact that, at least at Monash, the studies are a little more rigorous in JD than in LLB.

example: in JD, for our first assessment in legal reasoning (intro) unit we had to read Mabo no.2 (220 page landmark native title case) cover to cover and write up a comprehensive casenote on the judgments and a critical analysis of its legal significance to subsequent caselaw and leg, amounting to 5000 words. Now, when my LLB friends saw this, their jaws dropped as they never had to do anything that thorough.

But i'm sure the substantive units are taught more or less the same.

LLB has hotter chics, JD classes are smaller, JD cohort a little older, blah blah blah (i've been through this in other threads).

 

[melsc]

LLB (graduate and undergraduate alike) and JD are exactly the same in terms of coursework...you will cover exactly the same core units in pretty much the same progression. However, I can attest to the fact that, at least at Monash, the studies are a little more rigorous in JD than in LLB.

example: in JD, for our first assessment in legal reasoning (intro) unit we had to read Mabo no.2 (220 page landmark native title case) cover to cover and write up a comprehensive casenote on the judgments and a critical analysis of its legal significance to subsequent caselaw and leg, amounting to 5000 words. Now, when my LLB friends saw this, their jaws dropped as they never had to do anything that thorough.

But i'm sure the substantive units are taught more or less the same.

LLB has hotter chics, JD classes are smaller, JD cohort a little older, blah blah blah (i've been through this in other threads).

I suppose that really depends on on where you do your LLB, in my first year at UWS I had to read Combet a 150page + judgement and do a very similar assessment of 3500 words.

 

[dste6]

I suppose that really depends on on where you do your LLB, in my first year at UWS I had to read Combet a 150page + judgement and do a very similar assessment of 3500 words.

of coarse, I merely answered assuming that he was looking into Monash options specifically. The LLB's here would have done something similar, I'm not exactly sure what, that's just the impression that they gave me.

But I do maintain, the substantive units will almost certainly be taught in the same way and rigor for both LLB and JD.

 

[shadowbane91]

Originally posted by dste6:
LLB has hotter chics, JD classes are smaller, JD cohort a little older, blah blah blah (i've been through this in other threads).

WINNER!!! LoL just kidding. Wow in regards to the workload of the JD, thats a big step up, especially if I'm not used to the legalistic way of thinking, coming straight out of Commerce. However JD is definitely an option for me . The Masters in Commercial Law is intriguing as well as having a Masters under my belt will definitely give me an ace up my sleeve against other commerce graduates, as opposed to a Bachelor degree in law, but I guess that is purely subjective. Thanks so much for your replies!!Really appreciate it!

 

[dste6]

Wow in regards to the workload of the JD, thats a big step up, especially if I'm not used to the legalistic way of thinking, coming straight out of Commerce. However JD is definitely an option for me .

Don't let that discourage you; it was made plain to us that it was meant as a 'baptism of fire'. Like yourself, virtually no one had a legal background before hand, and we all felt like it was the most daunting thing in the world, it really scared the shit out of everyone. But everyone got through it, and now the general consensus is that it was a brilliant exercise and we're better off for it. I recommend it.

 

[shadowbane91]

Thank you very much, I will definitely consider it!

 

[Omnidragon]

Depends if you're in a position to pick them up also.