Law focuses on the fundamental issues of governing structures, personal liberties, basic human rights, and justice. It is a field of study which contributes to ensuring the system of rules governing a country are adhered to and enforced by imposing penalties on lawbreakers. Law majors advocate for, represent and advise individuals, government and business agencies on legal matters.
If you wish to pursue a career in the legal sector and become a practising barrister or solicitor, a Law degree is the best option for you. Read on for more information about the course, possible career paths, and specialization.
Law is a collection of rules formulated by governing systems such as state authorities. Generally, law or legal studies equip students with knowledge concerning the various aspects and fields affected by statutes such as businesses, economics, human rights, trade, international relations, the environment, among other areas.
Law students learn how to tackle challenging and outwardly irresolvable issues or conflicts in society concerning ethics. The teaching of this program will be through a set of seminars, lectures, class debates, mooting sessions, presentations and more.
Law degrees are typically offered by universities under the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) program which then allows students to take the national Bar or qualification exams to venture in the legal sector. However, in some regions, this course is offered under the BA of Law (BL) or BSc in Law programs, in which case students are allowed to take additional modules from various subjects, with a focus on humanities or social sciences. Find the best universities for a law degree here.
Applicants should have a strong background in English, research, and analysis skills to qualify for a law program. Additionally, students will be required to submit a personal statement that provides information on relevant work experience as a volunteer or intern, proof of reading specific materials, research skills and memberships of related clubs such as debate club.
What are the key skills for Law?
There are several branches of law for students to specialize in depending on their interests. During the first year of the program, students learn the core subjects and the overall overview of the law. Below is a list of the topics you’re most likely going to cover:
Here are some specializations:
Business law
This program deals with aspects of law within commerce and industries from trademarking, licensing and liability. Business law further branches out into small business law and corporate law.
Admiralty law
This program is also referred to as maritime law and focuses on statutes revolving around navigation, shipping, water, insurance, piracy, among others.
Criminal law
Criminal law studies governmental prosecution of individuals who’ve committed crimes against public law.
Constitutional law
This program focuses on the preservation of relationships between states and federal governments and how to protect the rights of the individuals as well.
Environmental law
This program studies federal enactments to protect the environment from private and public actions.
Healthcare law
Healthcare law programs cover topics on licensure, medical malpractice, patient rights, bio-ethical policy, among others.
Intellectual property law
This category of law focuses on the acquisition and enforcement of copyrights, patents, trademarks. Generally, this branch of the law covers the exclusive rights to registered names, ideas or products and hence prevents unauthorized use of property or plagiarism.
Family law
Family law deals with legislation relating to family issues such as child protection, divorce, civil partnership, adoption, human rights, cohabitation, among others.
Islamic law
Islamic law also referred to as Sharia, comprises of topics both in the secular law and contemporary society, in areas such as politics, economics, family matters, marriage, among others. This program will equip students with knowledge on the history and establishment of sharia law and its application in current jurisdiction as well as in various parts of the world.
European Union law
European Union law encompasses the legislation and treaties that have an indirect or direct impact on the laws of the member states of the European Union (EU). This program will cover the structure, processes and institutional functioning underpinning the establishment of EU laws.
Law degrees provide graduates entry qualifications into a variety of industries both in and outside the legal sector. Those who major in law can get legal jobs in various fields, including:
1. Solicitor
A solicitor or attorney is responsible for providing legal advice or acting on behalf of their clients on commercial and personal matters. Solicitors can further specialize in various fields such as family, property, litigation, tax and so on.
2. Law firm administrator
Law firm administrators are responsible for overseeing the administrative activities of a firm including analyzing and managing information systems, monitoring all non-attorney staff, managing finances, assisting in the marketing of legal services provided by the firm and so on.
3. Legal editor
Legal editors are responsible for evaluating existing legislative text and procuring complex information from this text, editing and publishing the new information as well as working with other legal editors to tackle different tasks and so on.
4. Barrister’s clerk
These professionals are responsible for overseeing the administration and business activities of barristers’ chambers. They manage the scheduling and practice, marketing and developing the business to ensure a constant supply of work, ensures compliance with accreditation and standards and so on.
5. Paralegal
Paralegals are responsible for supporting lawyers by managing, organizing files, drafting documents, calling legal witnesses, conducting interviews and research, preparing presentations and more.
6. Arbitrator
Arbitrator and mediators assist people in resolving disputes outside the court system by facilitating dialogue and negotiation between the parties involved.
7. Politician
Politicians recommend, support, and develop policies or laws that govern the land and its people. They represent the general public by addressing issues that affect the society and enact laws that protect the public at various levels such as local, state and national levels.
8. investigator or detective
Detectives and investigators look for facts by evaluating information on financial, legal, and personal matters. This information can then be used by the police or other institutions to solve crimes, verify people’s background, among others.
9. Lawyers/Barristers
Lawyers represent clients in civil, criminal, and other legal proceedings, draft legal documents, advise clients on the legal transaction, among others. Lawyers or barristers can specialize in specific areas of law including commercial law, sports law, environmental law, criminal law, common law, and so on.
10. Company secretary
Company secretaries are responsible for ensuring that companies comply with financial and legal requirements. They also provide maintenance of high standards of corporate governance, assists in positioning governing operations within an organization and acts as a point of communication between directors, shareholders and executive management.
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