provided that the universities you preferred are listed as their associated unis.

BAR COUNCIL ETHICS PAPER

Just to add a short note for those law graduates who are about to sit or are sitting the Ethics paper (its the last paper they need to pass before they are eligible to be called to the Malaysian Bar).

As a former examiner of the legal ethics paper set by the Bar Council , I can well testify to the fact that many law graduates do not seem to be able to read or understand instructions.

The main examination instruction is quite simple, you can either answer the paper all in English or all in Malay. You are not allowed to answer part of the paper in English and part of it in Malay. Guess what? Many do just that, answering part of the paper in English and part of it in Malay. Others go further, answering part of a question in English and Malay. What do you get? A big fat egg, 0! If you can't read and understand simple exam instructions, how on earth are you going to receive and understand client's instructions?

There's worse to come. Many law graduates do not seem to understand the questions. They will give all types of answers but not the answer the question wants. Let's not say how terrible the answers were in English, grammatically or spelling, but that they were equally as bad in Malay. Worse of all, it was obvious that many could not string a sentence together in English but they persist in answering in English!

To cut a long story short. My passing rate used to amount to only about 10-15%. In other words, about 10-15 papers out of a 100 that I mark would actually pass. I used to get short letters from the Bar Council saying that many of the ethics papers I mark were being sat by law graduates who were repeat sitters. I replied that if my marking or grading were wrong, please point it out to me and I will remark accordingly. They never did! And they still kept sending them to me every year.

Here are some tips:

1. Read the instructions carefully and understand them fully. If you cannot do so, than you would be unable to take and understand client's instructions. Which in turn could lead to a professional negligence suit against you as a lawyer if you cock things up for your client.

2. If the instructions tell you to answer the paper all in English or all in Malay, do so. What is so difficult in doing that? Why is it, many law graduates seem to continue to show their lack of comprehension by persisting in answer some questions in English and others in Malay, or worse still, part of a question in English and part of it in Malay?

3. If your English is bad, answer in Malay. I cannot understand law graduates who persists in answering in English when it is very clear from the very first sentence that they are not fluent in English at all. You do not gain any additional points in answering in English!

4. Check your grammar and spelling, whether it is in English or Malay. Why should any Judge want to read your submission, be it in English or Malay, if its riddled with grammatical and spelling errors? He would probably think you are an idiot and many Judges have been known to say that to a lawyer's face! Learn to be professionally minded at the start of your career.

5. Please, please, please give the answer that the question is asking for! Do not give an answer that you think it wants or worse still, give an answer that has no relevance whatsoever to the question. Many examiners, including myself, have no patience whatsoever with idiots who give answers that have no bearing whatsoever to the question. We will just give you a ZERO! However, if you do give an answer which the question ask for, we tend to be generous in our marks. You would be surprised to know how many law graduates seem to be quite ignorant and gives answers that floats all over the place.

6. Quite a number of the examiners of the ethics paper, including myself, believe in marking the paper on a very strict and on an international standard. We believe that Malaysian lawyers can be of an international standard and we mark accordingly. We do not believe that Malaysian standards are not of an international standard.

This post has been edited by xenotzu: Sep 15 2012, 03:50 PM

yup dnt go to colleges with little recognition.....unless u dnt have a choice....will regret..

*What is the legal field job available for a fresh graduate law bachelor without CLP ?

if u're looking to gain some experience while studying for CLP, paralegal is an okay choice since u'll gain exposures your working experience and also ur higher ups.

However, if you're looking to skip CLP all together, corporates, banking industry, human resource, insurance is the few areas that u can consider. not to forget there are still bunch of career opportunities for law graduates.

*Does he need to complete CLP first in order to enter the legal career?

to practice as a lawyer, definitely

Im sorry if there's repeat question for this. What are the benefits of taking BPTC instead of CLP.

according to some of my seniors while they were exchanging opinions and experience on BPTC and CLP,

I would say most of them agreed that the cons for CLP is that it is very paper based and as such, practical advocacy, argumentative, presentation skills are not learnt properly or at all untill their chambering period.

Different from CLP apparently BPTC provides better practical training and in some of their opinion, a harder course to get through.

However, bear in mind BPTC cost up to 5,6 times compared to CLP.

only if you pass CLP in the first few attempts. If keep failing, then the time and money wasted... etc?

Hi guys, need some advice.

Currently in alevels. Planning to further studies to UK for LLB (all 3 years in UK). Possible? How do I apply ?

1. However, finance is abit tight. Wondering if the unis provide scholarships for international students ?

2. Heard from a few friends regarding good unis. Including King's College, UOL and etc. Pls advice on which unis is better and perhaps, Asian friendly ? XP

3. Went to the website of King's College and UOL earlier today. There are other courses other than the "normal" LLB; including english law and french/ australian/ american law, Politics, Philosophy & Law and other combinations. Any advice would help.

Thanks

I looking for contract and criminal textbook. Would be glad if anyone can sell it to me? Pls pm me or so thanks.

Yup, it is possible for you to enrol to UK for 3 years provided that you're financial capable or else under scholarship. If I not mistaken, 3 years will be around 300k.

1. You need to check out each uni which they providing scholarships for international students. But bear in mind that Malaysia gov. only recognized 30 UK's unis LLB, therefore you can just look through the 30 unis in the list. But of course, you able to seek for funding from external sources.

2. Just google their ranking and check their website out. King's, LSE is quite reputable.

3. For this, you need to check properly whether the title is LLB or BA. For BA, only Cambridge or Oxford uni is recognized by Malaysia government. The other 28 unis at least need the title LLB in order to enrol into professional courses such as CLP/ BPTC.

My advice to you is calculate your financial before make up you mind enrol into UK uni's for 3 years. Alternatively, you can try consider UK Transfer Program which is 1+2 or 2+1 in order to maximize your chances to secure scholarship and then if possible, try enrol into BPTC as it is more practical and valuable than CLP.

Just 2 cents.

CLP result will be released tmr, am so scared

I am sorry if this question is repeated many times before.
There are several paths for my younger brother to becoming a lawyer:
1)MMU
2)Degree in UK
3)Degree in Australia

Which one is the best and most recognized? My bro is currently taking Chinese Education and is taking UEC examination this year. His English is good (I consider).

For Australia degree, I found this in the Malaysia Bar website : * Note: In the cases of Australian and New Zealand degrees listed above, apart from having to pass the final examination leading to the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree, the graduate must also satisfy additional requirements as prescribed in the relevant Gazette.

What does it mean?

Hahaha for his situation, the best part is enrol into UK degree if financial is okay. MMU is suitable for those feel like want to skip CLP. Australia degree is very famous for their double degree which UK uni's not really keen into doing that.

unrelated but just so happy wanted to share..

i passed my clp on first attempt

really really lucky.

Congratz. Good luck on your chambering.

thank u.. im now very blur because i never did any research on law firms (never expected to pass).

so now have to ask around my seniors for their opinions etc.

how about u? any advice u have for me..

haha, maybe you can try send out your application starting from large law firms to medium firms. But mostly depends on you want diverse in which category. Banking or criminal. As I know, top 5 law firms only 1 is doing criminal litigation.

Lol. I'm just a first year law student. Next year going to do my 2nd attachment at Skrine. So far I still can't get into Shearn Delamore which they are most probably one of the criminal lit. firm. Going through career fair is one of the best method to know more about the firm. Btw, you're law student from which college before this? Maybe you're my senior

Sorry to interrupt the conversation, but I have a question. What is the criteria to be selected by one of the big law firms for an attachment or for chambering? Is it solely based on the results you obtain or do co-curricular achievements matter too?

Thanks in advance.

Haha, for the above 2 attachment, I just send them cover letter and CV through e-mail. But some other small firm and Sunway Group requested either interview or at least 1st year result. Maybe you can try opt with Cover Letter and CV then it will be enough. But of course CV need to be impressive as Shook Lin & Bok only accept few person in a month. And most important is show them how serious you are by sending them the e-mail at least 3-4 months before that. Hope this helps

i was from brickfields college.

omg first year law student and you're already so well equipped with all these knowledge.

for me i didn't really bother to ask around/prepare myself for working life because i told myself to pass the exams first THEN only go look around for what to do next. haha