University: The University of Western Australia

Postgraduate Degree: Juris Doctor

Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Law and Society and Political Science and International Relations

School Subjects: Mathematics Methods, Literature, Chemistry, Human Biology, Music, Chinese

____________________________________________

My Journey into Law

Growing up, I always had an interest in law, particularly in human rights. This fascination likely stemmed from watching the news, which exposed me to injustices around the world. Fast-forward to high school and uni, I initially pursued a STEM-focused pathway. I completed STEM ATAR subjects and gained direct entry into the Master of Pharmacy program at UWA.

However, during my 1st sem of my 1st year, I quickly realised this pathway wasn’t for me. I didn’t enjoy the long 3-hour chemistry labs, and I found myself far less engaged with the content compared to high school. During this time, I took a Law and Society unit as an elective, which I found incredibly compelling. I loved how ‘real’ it felt as it connected social issues with the law. This experience prompted me to switch to a double major in Law and Society and Political Science and International Relations (as I believe the extra time and effort for a double major is worthwhile). Since then, I have thoroughly enjoyed my studies, and my affinity for the law continues to deepen now that I am undertaking the Juris Doctor (JD).

Juris Doctor (JD)

One aspect of the JD program I appreciate is the evident passion that Unit Coordinators and Professors bring to their teaching. Their enthusiasm makes learning the content more enjoyable, which aids my already genuine interest in the material taught. Another aspect that I enjoy about JD is the sense of community within the cohort. It feels similar to a school cohort, and I highly recommend making friends – whether it’s during undergrad or in the intensive week at the start of JD. I found that having a supportive network makes the entire journey far more rewarding and communal.

An unpopular dogma of JD that may discourage some from pursuing law is the large amount of reading required. While this is true, I believe the workload is justified. If you wish to excel in your JD studies, completing the recommended readings is essential. On average, I read about 150 pages per week. While this may seem overwhelming, being proactive and setting weekly goals transform these readings from a last-minute rush into an integrated part of your learning process, just like how you would do practice questions for maths rather than only reading the textbook.

One challenge I encountered with JD was managing the workload, which is much easier said than done. Like many postgrad programs, the jump in difficulty from undergrad is huge. More content is taught in a shorter timeframe, and the material itself is far more complex and analytical. Often, you’ll need to spend time to ‘sit’ on the same content and analyse different ways to approach the same word or phrase. As such, I found it crucial to develop efficient note-taking skills early in the JD program to stay on top of the workload.

Assessment-wise, you’ll mainly get written responses to complete for your assignments and exams. Sometimes, you’ll do practical work – in particular, you do a simulated moot in Torts – LAWS4106. But more often than not, it is mainly written responses.

Law and Society and Political Science and International Relations

Although they both focus on law, the Law and Society major and JD are vastly different. As the name suggests, Law and Society examines the intersection between law and society – specifically, how societal factors influence particular laws. As such, the content is more theoretical and surface-level compared to JD, which is more in-depth and practical. Despite the dissimilar content, the transferable skills gained from completing Law and Society are invaluable, specifically in assignment writing.

Interestingly, I found Political Science more engaging because it felt both grand and relevant. For students considering Political Science, my advice is to consistently keep up with current events and the news. One piece of advice I have for students who are completing one of these two majors but not the other is to consider doing a double major in both Law and Society and Political Science. This is one of the most popular double majors students take before starting JD, so it serves as a great opportunity to meet like-minded people and start forming early friendships.

Advice for Prospective Juris Doctor Students

If you are a high school student looking to pursue JD, my advice is to remember that there are many pathways to enter the program. You don’t necessarily need to complete a pre-law major to succeed in JD, as there are many students with unrelated undergrad degrees who are thriving in JD currently. Similarly, if you are not on the assured pathway, don’t let this discourage you. With a bit of time and effort, getting a 5.5 GPA in your undergrad (which is the admission requirement for JD) is very achievable. Ultimately, I found uni to be more relaxed, fun, and exciting than school, and I hope you will all feel the same!