I am seriously considering doing my JD at the Uni of Melbourne this coming Feburary 09. I am going with the full intention of settling in Melbourne and working there after completing the degree.

My question is, what is the legal market like in Australia? I have been told that with a JD from Melbourne I should do very well in the market there.

If anyone could please provide some extra insight on the legal market in Melbourne and Aus and the reputation and reach of the Univeristy of Melbourne it will be greatly appreciated.

If it matters, I am currently in Canada and have my BA from the University of Toronto.

Hi there,

The reputation of Melbourne University is top-notch in Australia. I would say that it is one of the leading ones and it is definitely ranked top 3 in the country. As you are probably aware, it is also the first and only 'Graduate' law school in Australia starting this year.

In relation to the Australia legal market, there are actually quite a large supply of Australian law graduates so firms generally do not hire foreigners (unless your grades are superb). What is most important is whether you have the right to work in Australia or not. I would suggest you look at whether you are eligible to apply for permanent residency visa through your own application or you would require your prospective employers to do it for you. For the latter, it would greatly decrease the jobs available to you because most employers are not willing to do that.

I hope that this helps!

Cheers
Greg

hey thanks for the response,

i believe i could get PR through the point system, i looked it over and i think i should be able to garner enough points. do you have any knowledge on how long it might take for that process though?

i was told that maybe some mid sized or smaller firms will be willing to take me up and give me work visa, where as bigger firms will rather not. is there any truth to this?

EDIT: i forgot to ask, does the JD count as a 'masters by coursework' for visa purposes?

Hello,

Here are my replies to your questions but do double-check:

1. If you have sufficient points, it will take around 12 months for your application to be considered since you are an 'offshore' applicant. 'Onshore' applicants will only need to wait 6 months but these people have done 2 years of study in Australia prior to lodging their application in Australia.

2. I can't comment on mid sized or smaller firms but your point on bigger firms not applying for work visa is correct. I guess the general principle is that they wouldn't apply a visa unless you have a special expertise which they require.

3. Yes, a JD would count as a Master by Coursework for Visa Purposes.