Best Law Schools in Australia- Lawyers are in high demand in Australia most especially areas of law like Regulatory law, Banking and Finance law and General Corporate Law. And the interesting thing about Australia is that anyone can study and practice law both nationals and foreigners. There are over 38 law schools in Australia that offers legal education. In this article, you will be getting to know the 6 top best law schools in Australia and what makes each of them stand out. Also discussed in this article are the career prospects for the law profession and then 10 frequently asked questions (FAQs) about studying law in Australia.
List of 6 Best Law Schools in Australia
- The University of Melbourne
- University of Sydney
- Monash University
- Australian National University
- University of Technology, Sydney
- The University of Queensland
The University of Melbourne
The University is a public institution located in Melbourne, Australia. The school that stands as Australia’s second oldest university was established in 1853. Its main campus is located in Parkville with other campuses located in Victoria. The school has 10 academic units including the law school.
Melbourne Law School was founded in 1857. It is one of the graduate schools at the University of Melbourne. It is the oldest law school in Australia.
Programs offered at this law school include: J.D, LL.M, Ph.D., LL. D degrees.
The law school has been the best law school in Australia and Asia-Pacific and the 5th best in the world.
The law school has a number of research Centre some of which are: Asian Law Centre, Centre for Corporate Law, Centre for Employment and Labor Relations Law.
Some notable Alumni from this prestigious law school include:
- Alfred Deakin, the 2nd prime minister of Australia
- Sir Robert Menzies, the 12th Prime Minister of Australia
- Harold Holt, the 17th Prime Minister of Australia
And several other important dignitaries.
University of Sydney
The school is a public institution that was founded in 1850. It is located in Sydney, Australia. It is one of the best universities in the world. The university is categorized into 8 faculties offering bachelor, master and doctoral degrees.
Sydney law school is one of the faculties present at the University of Sydney. The law school started out as a full program of legal instruction in 1890. Sydney law school is one of the best law schools in Australia.
Academic programs in the school include: Bachelor of Law (LL. B), Juris Doctor (J.D)
Higher-research degrees are also offered in the school and they include: Master of Criminology by Research, Master of Law by Research, Doctor of Juridical Science, Doctor of Philosophy in Law.
Postgraduate coursework degrees are also offered which include Master of Laws by coursework, diplomas and non-degree study in special areas of law and government.
Monash University
The school is a public research institution located in Melbourne, Australia. It is the second oldest university in the state, established in 1958. The school has campuses in Clayton, Caulfield, Peninsula and Parkville, all in Victoria. There are also campuses in Malaysia, Italy, India, China, Indonesia and South Africa.
Monash Law School is one of the major research facilities in the University of Monash. The law school was founded in 1963 with location in Melbourne, Victoria and also Malaysia and Italy.
The school ranks as one of the best law schools in Australia and in the world. Admission into this law school is highly competitive.
Academic programs offered at this law school include:
- Bachelor of Laws (LL. B)
- Juris Doctor (JD)
- Master of Laws (LL.M)
- Doctor of Philosophy(Ph.D.)
The law school has a library with a major collection of printed and electronic materials. The school was one of the very 1st law schools in Australia to incorporate Community legal services into its academic program. These legal services are carried out by the law students under the supervision of qualified legal practitioners to provide free legal services and education so as to meet the needs of the community. Some of the duties carried out by the students include; interviewing clients, letter drafting, preparation of will and court documents, appearing in court on behalf of the client, etc. The school currently runs two Community legal services and they include: The Monash-Oakleigh Legal Service and the Springvale Monash Legal Service.
The community legal service Centre provides legal advice in some areas like criminal law, employment law, family law, etc.
Australian National University
The school is a public institution founded in 1946 in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The school is one of the best university in the world. The school is categorized into 7 colleges with each one being active in both teaching and research. These colleges include;
- Arts and Social
- Asia and the Pacific
- Business and Economics
- Engineering and Computer Science
- Law
- Medicine, Biology and Environment
- Physical and Mathematical Sciences
College of Law at Australian National University
It is located in Canberra, Australia. The college of law was established in 1960. The law school is ranked the 4th best nationally and 17th best in the world. The school offers a range of undergraduate and post-graduate law programs and also co-curricular activities like mooting, negotiation, client interview competitions, etc.
University of Technology, Sydney
The school located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia was founded in 1988. It is one of the best schools in Australia and globally.
Faculties include:
- Business
- Communication
- Design, Architecture and Building
- Engineering
- Health
- Information Technology
- Law
- Science and Mathematics
- English Language Programs
Law School at University of Technology, Sydney
The law school at the university of technology, Sydney is a dynamic and innovative school that offers quality education and research in Law. It is the only law school in New South Wales, Sydney. The school has strong connections with community and legal professions in town. Graduates of this prestigious law school get to practice law in top law firms both internationally and locally.
The University of Queensland
The University of Queensland is a public university that was established in 1909. It is located in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The school is one of the best schools in Australia. Faculties in the school include:
- Faculty of Business, Economics and Law
- Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
- Faculty of Health and Behavioral Sciences
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Science.
The law school at Queensland
The school is the sixth-oldest law school in Australia. The school established in 1936 is currently the most-mentioned law school in Australia. The school is Queensland’s premier law school.
Academically, Queensland law school is one of the best law schools in Australia. Some of the publications of the law school include University of Queensland law Journal, LAWASIA Journal, Australian and Zealand Maritime Law Journal.
Career Prospects for the Law Profession
As someone with education in law, you can get to work in the following capacities:
- Lawyer
- Solicitor
- Barrister
- Policy Adviser
- In-house counsel
- Human rights advocate
- Business executive
- Politician
- Diplomat
- Entrepreneur
- Management Consultant
- Research Officer.
Ten (10) Frequently Asked Questions about studying law in Australia
#1 Are lawyers in demand in Australia?
Yes, the demand for lawyers in Australia is very high, ranging from two to five years’ experience and upward. Corporate and transaction work is specifically in high demand.
#2 What type of lawyers earn more in Australia?
General-in-house lawyers earn the most with an average salary of about $128,988 followed by construction lawyers with an average annual salary $124,041.
#3 What area of law is in highest demand in Australia?
There is high demand for the following areas of law; Regulatory, Banking and Finance, General Corporate Law.
#4 Can a foreigner be a lawyer in Australia?
Yes. But you have to first register with the local state or territory authority as an Australian-registered foreign lawyer.
#5 How much does it cost it cost to study law in Australia?
This varies from one institution to another.
Cost of undergraduate studies range from $15,000 to $33,000 AUD
Cost of Master’s degree range from $20,000 to $37,000 AUD
Cost of doctoral degrees $14,000 and $37,000 AUD.
#6 How can International Students study law in Australia?
- You must have completed a law degree or its equivalent
- You must have undertaken a Practical Legal Training (PLT) program, that leads to the award of the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice.
- You should be mentally and physically sound
#7 What is the hardest category of law to study?
Constitutional Law and Civil Procedure is the hardest, this is because it is more abstract than other types of law.
#8 What are the 7 areas of Law?
- Public and Private Law
- Civil Law and Criminal Law
- Substantive and Procedural Law
- Municipal and International Law
- Written and Unwritten Law
- Law and Equity
#9 What is the highest rank of a lawyer?
The highest rank of a lawyer is a principal. A principal is an executive-level attorney which is synonymous to a chief executive officer.
#10 What is law school like in Australia?
LLB is a four-year course while Juris Doctor (J. D) is a three-year course. Both the degrees are well-recognized for the practice of law and other countries.
Conclusion
As an international student, you can get to student and practice law in Australia. You just need to find and a good law school and get some legal education. Australia is actually a good place study because of its high-ranking institutions, high standard of living, ease of obtaining student visas and some unbelievable job opportunities!
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