When deciding where to attend law school, most would-be lawyers only consider the few options in Canada. That’s a real shame, since there’s a sea of excellent law schools around the planet. And studying law overseas has a ton of perks, from developing a global network of connections to experiencing the culture of another country. But that’s not all. Here are four reasons why it’s a great idea to go to law school abroad.
1. Law firms want lawyers with international experience
The pace of globalization in the corporate world shows no signs of slowing, which means most law firms have more international businesses as clients than ever. When Canadians study law abroad, then, they’re one step ahead of the game once they start practising. “More and more, law firms are looking for young lawyers who can connect with clients from around the world,” says Kathy Atkins, an associate dean at Bond. “A global degree has never been more advantageous, especially in corporate law.”
2. Classmates become future business connections
Jordan Assaraf, Bond University Faculty of Law, Class of 2012
“After I left Bond and started working in Toronto, I realized the network it had opened up for me,” says Jordan Assaraf, a 2012 graduate and third-year associate at Gluckstein Personal Injury Lawyers. He knows lawyers across Canada, who he went to school with. The number one perk of a large network: referrals.
3. Living abroad is a great life experience
Moving away from home to get an undergraduate degree is one thing: there’s no more Mom and Dad to help with groceries and laundry. But going to law school in a different country is quite another: students meet people from all over the globe, experience a new culture and broaden their worldview. “I was able to make a life for myself on my own for two years,” says Liana Rossi, a 2013 Bond graduate and third-year associate at Baker & Company. “It was an amazing experience.”
4. Travel opportunities galore!
When living in another country, vacation hotspots that aren’t easily accessible from Canada are suddenly within reasonable travel distance — and much cheaper to get to. With a home base in Australia, for example, jetting off to places like Malaysia, Thailand or Indonesia is easy. Those are just some of the places Assaraf, Rossi and Wadhwa went to while completing their JD in the land Down Under. Because let’s be real: no law student should spend the entire school year with their head buried in textbooks.
This content was paid for by Bond University. Learn more about Bond at bond.edu.au/canada