Extraordinarily important: why law should be studied

A law degree opens up a wide range of career opportunities in a myriad of fields. Studying law develops one’s understanding of the levers of power in our society in a way that is even more effective than that of political science.

This is because law is directly concerned with power and reaches into every part of life. For that very reason law is extraordinarily important to the way of life of any people.

1. Law degrees combine theory with practice

Behind the law of the land lies an awful lot of theory and there’s no doubt that students will have to rigorously learn it, but remember law is a fairly defined profession and its tuition has to also be vocational in nature. Some unis go so far as having a mock courtroom, and running moot competitions and pro bono societies, giving students a real taster of what it’s like to practice law.

2. Law and case-based learning goes hand in hand

Even when learning the theory law students will spend a lot of time trawling through cases. Law schools use real-life examples to demonstrate how the theory is applied. Students are left in no doubt as to whether the content they’re learning will have real-life application.

3. Studying law equips students with a variety of skills

Learning to become a lawyer rather neatly means you’ll graduate university equipped with the skills for a whole host of professional paths. Here’s a few of those skills:

Research – through analysis of case studies.

Critical analysis – students read primary sources and make up their own mind.

Synthesis of complex ideas – law students will have to get to grips with a whole new language but they’ll also need to be able to communicate in layman’s terms.
Presentation – student’s often partake in mooting competitions and pro bono societies, offering legal advice to real people.

Writing – you’ll have to communicate all of the above – on paper!
These skills are highly transferable to a number of other industries and sectors, commercial or otherwise.
Making a difference through law reform

Studying law allows a person who has a strong sense of justice to see where there are defects in the system and to work constructively and effectively to change it. In this sense, studying law offers the idealistic person a realistic way to make a difference in the world.

An intellectual challenge

Studying law offers a wonderful intellectual challenge in that it develops the ability to argue from a basis of evidence in a way which can be very hard for non-lawyers to counter. Studying law will equip you with intellectual skills which will give you a decisive advantage in whichever profession you choose.