江雨按：如这篇文章报道，新加坡也终于出现了法学院毕业生供大于求的现象，颇为令人惊讶。不像在中国和美国法学院遍地开花的现象，新加坡自从1957-2007五十年间只有一所法学院，即现在的新加坡国立大学法学院。2007年新加坡管理大学开办第二所法学院，但也仅是以商法教育为主，并非一个全面的法学院。记得2005-06年左右关于是否要建立第二所法学院的讨论很激烈，很多人反对（但是国大法学院的老师们大都支持，因为又多了一个去处），当时的司法部长贾亚库玛在国会说，新加坡存在缺乏律师现象，必须有第二个法学院。转眼几年，竟然斗转星移？我的学生，不管是已毕业的还是要毕业的，在这方面对政府颇为不满，认为政府在这方面决策失误。说人才短缺也是你，说人才富裕也是你，那些找工作面临压力的，找谁说理去？

Surge in law grads: Foreign degrees 'more affordable'

Competition for jobs likely to rise as more locals head overseas to read law

Published on Sep 6, 2014 1:02 AM

http://www.straitstimes.com/sites/straitstimes.com/files/imagecache/ST_REVAMP_2014_STORY_PAGE_640X360/20140906/ST_20140906_AMLAW05_638607e.jpg

Lawyer Janis Leong (centre), 31, and her sister Rachel, 24, are law graduates of the University of Liverpool. Their brother Gary, 25, is now pursuing the same degree at the university. -- ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN

By Amelia Teng

MS RACHEL Leong, 24, is not the only one in her family to go overseas to study law.

Her older sister graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2005. Ms Leong finished her own degree at the same British university in 2012, and, their brother is now studying there.

They are part of a surge of locals going abroad to pursue a law degree. In Britain, the number of Singapore law students more than tripled from 350 in 2008 to 1,142 last year. The number going to Australia has also risen - from 303 in 2011 to 386 last year.

Because of this rise, returning graduates are facing far more competition - a point stressed by Law Minister K. Shanmugam recently.

He said the legal industry is not growing as fast as the number of students heading overseas to study law, which means a growing proportion may not get a job as a lawyer here.

Between 2009 and last year, 70 per cent of returning overseas graduates secured training contracts - a requirement before being called to the Bar.

"Families have become more affluent and they set aside more for their children's education," said Ms Angeline Joyce Lee, the previous president of the Singapore Corporate Counsel Association, and a lawyer for 23 years.

"And if their children do not meet the entry requirements for our local universities, they would consider overseas. Law remains a highly respectable profession that is coveted."

Starting salaries for young lawyers have also risen. Last year, top law firms were offering monthly pay packages of between $5,800 and $6,400, up from $5,200 in 2010. The average starting salary for local graduates last year was $3,200.

This has prompted many parents and students to believe that a law degree is a worthwhile investment. Overseas degrees have also become relatively more affordable in recent years, although tuition fees at British universities have been rising.

Ms Leong paid £8,700 annually but her brother is paying £10,000 (S$20,000).

But the pound has weakened, making studying in Britain cheaper. The fees, which would have cost Singaporeans about $30,000 in 2007, now cost around $20,000 due to the strengthening Singapore dollar.

Local household incomes have also increased by at least 10 per cent since 2007.

"My sister was one of three Singaporeans in her course. When I was there, it was about 10," she said, adding that the figure has risen to more than 20 in her brother's batch.

The number of foreign universities approved by the Government for the study of law has grown from 15 in 1994 to 35 now, giving students more choice.

National University of Singapore law dean Simon Chesterman believes the number of students going abroad to study law may not "continue to rise - and could fall", given that prospects are getting tougher.

"Parents may now think twice about spending money on a law degree abroad," he said. "Students have to manage their expectations, unless they have a first- class honours degree from Oxford or Cambridge."

But former Hwa Chong Institution student Lee Wei Sheng is sticking to his decision to read law overseas.

The 18-year-old, who completed his A levels last year, hopes to earn a spot at Cambridge or one of the other British universities.

"If I get a place, I will work extra hard so I can do well, especially now that I know there's so much competition and the talent pool is a lot wider," he said.

ateng@sph.com.sg

Background story

LAW SCHOOLS OVERSEAS

Original list of approved universities in 1994

• 15 in Britain, including University of Cambridge, University of Leeds and the London School of Economics and Political Science

Later additions 2001

• Britain: School of Oriental and African Studies at University of London, University of Liverpool, University of Sheffield, University of Warwick

• Australia: Monash University, University of Melbourne, University of New South Wales, University of Sydney

• New Zealand: University of Auckland, Victoria University of Wellington

2003

• Australia: Australian National University, Flinders University, University of Queensland, University of Western Australia

2005

• Australia: University of Tasmania, Murdoch University

2006

• US: Harvard University, Columbia University, New York University and University of Michigan

The Singapore Institute of Legal Education, a statutory board tasked with an ongoing review of this list, will submit its report soon.

- See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/singapore/story/surge-law-grads-foreign-degrees-more-affordable-20140906#sthash.sHMBVM2I.dpuf

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