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Are you a firm believer in justice?
Do you dream of being able to help and protect the rights of individuals?
Does the judicial system intrigue you?
If you said “yes” to all of this, then perhaps a Law degree just might be the right path for you. Read on to see what is law while exploring how and where you can study Law in Malaysia.
What Is Law?
Law is a set of rules and regulations established by the government to regulate the behaviour of the community it governs. These regulations are set in place to ensure citizens’ rights are protected, so that the community may be able to live a safe and peaceful life. Essentially, the law’s job is to make sure that its people are safe from harm and carry out consequences to offenders who break the law.
Why Should You Study Law In Malaysia?
You Want to Help People
One thing that the lockdown from recent years had highlighted was the importance of regulatory oversight. The applicability of certain laws were tested when conditions had to be adjusted to protect the greater society.
As a legal practitioner and the knowledge you would have attained from your studies, you have the opportunity to become the voice of the people in need. In this profession, you will be given the chance to protect those who need to be protected, either by representing them in the court or even challenging the systems in place through legal proceedings.
Flexible Career Options
Your knowledge of the law gives you the flexibility to be part of any industry. When you study Law in Malaysia, you will be required to use your skills in critical thinking, communication, and commit to reading a large number of texts that you will need to analyse. In addition, you will acquire several transferable skills as well.
You will gain invaluable knowledge
The education you will undergo as a student who study law in Malaysia will not only land in a wide field of demand, but also dispense you with a paramount of knowledge. By studying the rules and regulations that govern your country, you will be able to gain a better understanding of society as a whole.
Additionally, you also have the opportunity to focus and specialise on the various fields of law, which allows you to develop your academic skills further.
Common Fields For Those Who Study Law In Malaysia To Explore.
Like many professions, there is a broad range of fields you may choose to specialise from. Here is a list of a numbered few available when you study Law in Malaysia.
Animal Welfare Law
The main objective of this field is to protect animal rights. The primary focus is to protect animals from mistreatment, neglect, and illegal sale of wildlife.
Banking and Finance Law
This field deals with the legal proceedings involved with bankruptcy, debts, and so on. The main responsibility is to help clients make sound decisions while paying off or assessing their financial crisis.
Human Rights Law
Lawyers working in human rights aim to create a balance between government institutions and the individuals of society. Their job would consist of ensuring that everyone receives equal treatment. They are the shield against discrimination that may infringe upon the individuals’ basic human rights.
Constitutional Law
Constitutional law is essentially what defines the roles and powers of government branches among the rights of the people.
Lawyers in this field fight to protect and defend their clients’ rights and liberties against the government.
Corporate Law
Essential for businesses and organisations to operate, corporate lawyers are there to ensure a business complies with the necessary laws.
In corporate law, it encompasses handling mergers, patents, and various legal compliance.
Criminal Law
This field of law deals with those whose conduct/actions are deemed threatening or harmful to the public, property, and moral welfare.
Penalties and rehabilitations are often presented to those who commit a violation of the law. In this field, you can choose to represent the government as a prosecutor or represent an individual as a defence attorney.
Employment Law
Lawyers working in this field represent workers’ rights and the relationship between employers and employees.
Their main objective is to assist individuals with matters related to the workplace.
Environmental Law
This field is responsible for overseeing environmental issues. Thanks to lawyers in this field, Mother Nature is protected against exploitive use of natural resources, pollution, deforestation, and seeking alternative energy sources.
What Are The Popular Pathways To Study Law In Malaysia?
Read this to help you: Must Knows Before Choosing a Pre-U, Diploma or Degree
Setting your mind to study Law in Malaysia is the first step. Next is to find a path that fits your capabilities, budget and needs. Here is a rundown of how you can become a qualified lawyer in Malaysia.
Pre-university courses
Once you have completed your SPM or O-Level examination, you may enrol on a pre-university course before you study Law in Malaysia. The programmes available include Foundation in Law, A-Level, AUSMAT, STPM, and SACE.
As such, you will need to fulfil these entry requirements:
- SPM / O-Level: min. 5Cs including Bahasa Melayu
- UEC: min 3Cs, including English
The course can take up to 2 years to complete and costs from RM 14,000. After completing this, only then may you move on to a Bachelor of Law.
Diploma in Law
Alternatively, a diploma course is also another alternative route to help you study Law in Malaysia.
You will need to meet these entry requirements:
- SPM / O-Level: Minimum 3Cs
This diploma takes up to 3 years for you to complete and costs RM 34,000.
Once you have completed your diploma programme, you can enter the second year of a law degree.
Degree in Law
There are 2 types of degree programmes for students to study law in Malaysia.
The duration for most degree programmes is 3 years, and they require students to sit for the Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP) exam after graduation.
Altternatively, you can also find 4-year law degree programmes to choose from. These programmes include a professional year and offer students exemption from CLP.
You will need to fulfil these entry requirements for the law degree programme:
- STPM: min. 2Cs
- A-level: min. 2Es
- AUSMAT/SACEi: min. ATAR 50
- UEC: min. 5Bs
- Foundation: min. CGPA of 2.00
Degree courses cost RM 39,000.
After taking your CLP, you may begin chambering or pupilage at a law firm. This stage is your internship phase, and it lasts for 9 months.
Once you’ve finished with your chambering, congratulations, you are a step closer to your lawful career! Then, you will be summoned to the Malaysian Bar to receive your official admission as an advocate and a solicitor.
What Are The Skills Required To Study Law In Malaysia?
There are no set rules to tell you what soft skills you need to study Law in Malaysia. However, you may find many skills that can come in handy for your interest in pursuing this exciting field as your degree.
Communication: You must have the ability to communicate effectively. Whether to your peers, faculty, the judge, or your client, this skill is vital to convey all factual details of a case.
Research: As a student or a lawyer, you will need to rely on your research skills to create a strong foundation for your argument. Thus, lectures train learners to be proactive in fact-checking.
Critical Thinking: One of the vital skills to acquire is the ability to look at facts, information, and other sources objectively. When you study law, form a judgement from it.
Reading: Part of a lawyer’s time is spent reading mountains of documents. From case studies, past judgements, or research papers, you will need this skill to assist you in managing all vital information.
Organisation: Good organisational skills are the key to handling large amounts of material and paperwork. It reduces the chances of making a mistake that can affect your case.
Top Universities for You To Study Law In Malaysia
Taylor’s University
Taylor’s law school is recognised by the Legal Profession Qualifying Board of Malaysia.
Its faculty and student body members are committed to generate public benefit through legal education and make Taylor’s Law School to be the country’s leading private law school.
Enrol to this Taylor’s degree to study law in Malaysia:
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
Brickfields Asia College
Recognised as the most popular institution for Law, Brickfields Asia College (BAC) has a track record of producing more than 10,000 law graduates. It is one of the only two private institutions that run the CLP course and test.
Among the courses offered by BAC for you to study law in Malaysia are:
- Foundation in law
- LLB (Hons) (3+0), University of London International Programmes
- LLB (Hons) (1+2) UK University
- LLB (Hons) (2+1) UK University
UOW Malaysia KDU University College
UOW Malaysia KDU is recognised by the Legal Profession Qualifying Board of Malaysia, and also considered to be the “gold standard” of undergraduate law degrees.
It has a world ranking of 171- 180 in QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020.
If you are keen to study law in Malaysia, this institution offers the following programmes to kickstart your legal journey.
- Foundation studies (Art and Technology)
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB) (3+0) External with University of London UK
Things You Need To Know About A Law Career
As mentioned above, you will need to complete a professional exam before you can be considered a qualified lawyer.
Certificate of Legal Practice (CLP)
The Certificate of Legal Practice (CLP) is a 9-month course with 5 papers. These include General Papers, Civil Procedures, Criminal Procedures, Evidence, and Professional Practice.
The Legal Professional Qualifying Board of Malaysia conducts the CLP exam that happens in July. If you were to fail two subjects in this exam, you would need to sit for all 5 papers again.
Note that you are only allowed to sit for the papers 4 times before having to re-register for CLP and pay for the full tuition again.
Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC)
BPTC is a course taken in the UK for students aspiring to be barristers in England and Wales, as well as an advocator and a solicitor in Malaysia. Full-time students can complete the BPTC in 1-year.
To be an eligible candidate, you will need a qualifying Law Degree, a 7.5 score in each section of your IELTS, registered with one of the Inns of Court, and have passed your Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT).You must pass all your units in this course and the 12 sessions with your Inn (see Inns of Court above).
After this, you may begin your pupilage in the law firm of your choice, where you will gain knowledge and experience by shadowing a senior lawyer. In addition, you must also complete a course on Ethics and Professional Standards while providing 14 days of legal aid.
Some law firms value the BPTC more than the CLP, which aligns better with their objectives. Hence, you need to pay close attention to each law firm’s requirements.
Popular Law-related Jobs
When you have graduated as an official advocate and solicitor, you are now free to apply for your preferred choice of employment.
According to JobStreet, here are a few positions currently available for Law graduates:
- Legal Executive
- Junior Legal Executive
- Audit Junior
- Junior Admin Clerk
As you enter into the world of legal profession, you can expect to have a lot of hard work cut out ahead of you. However, as you continue to gain experiences and build your own reputation, you may be able to apply for higher paying jobs.
Payscale has observed that the average base salary you can expect to earn in a year as a lawyer can start from RM 41,437.
We hope you found this article helpful to help you study Law in Malaysia!
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