The attractions of law
Law as a subject and a career continues to appeal to new generations of Malaysians. doctorjob finds out about the work options available to graduates and new specialisations within the profession.
According to the Bar Council’s earliest available records, there were just 540 practising lawyers in the country in 1966. In contrast, May 2011 statistics indicate that today, the legal profession comprises 12,336 practising lawyers in Malaysia.
An average of about 1,028 law graduates are admitted to the Bar annually, bearing testimony to the fact that law continues to be a popular career choice.
Qualifying as a lawyer
There are a few routes to qualification, for lawyers in Malaysia. Law graduates of foreign universities in countries which practise similar legal systems (the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries) can either sit for professional examinations in Malaysia (Certificate in Legal Practice) or in the respective foreign country. These examinations are usually for a one-year period.
Upon completion of professional examinations, law graduates who wish to practise in Malaysia are required to undergo a compulsory nine month term of practical training called ‘chambering’ or ‘pupillage’, under the supervision of a senior lawyer. After the nine-month term, the graduate would be admitted to the High Court of Malaya as an advocate & solicitor ie a full-fledged lawyer. Another phrase for this admittance is ‘being called to the Bar’.
Graduates of public universities in Malaysia need not sit for professional examinations as components of the examinations are included in their degree studies. They only need to undergo the term of pupillage and then, be called to the Bar.
See the chart below.
Route to qualification
Work options for the law graduate
Government Sector
- Judicial Service - Magistrate, Judge, Senior Assistant Registrar.
- Attorney-General’s Chambers - Deputy Public Prosecutor, State Legal Advisor, Legal Advisor to various Ministries and Parliamentary Draftsman.
Private Sector
Many options are available eg practice as an Advocate and Solicitor, Company Secretary, and officer for non-governmental organisations.
Regulatory authorities
- Bar Council
- Malaysian Institute of Accountants
- Bank Negara
- Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd
- Securities Commission
Specialisations of law in Malaysia
A majority of practitioners are involved in general practice which involves a mix of contentious and non-contentious work. Contentious work normally relates to criminal law, civil law and commercial law matters whereas non-contentious work relates largely to corporate or conveyancing matters. There has been increasing interest in specialisation over the years in areas such as intellectual property, maritime law, public international law, arbitration and mediation.
New and emerging areas of law
Islamic law
With Malaysia’s desire to establish the country as the new Islamic economic hub, the interest in Islamic law is growing. As the world's largest Islamic banking group recently unveiled an aggressive plan to expand its operations in Malaysia to 50 branches by 2010, it is foreseen that more lawyers will be expanding their practice to this new area.
International human rights
There has been strong interest shown in international human rights advocacy in the country since the widespread publicity of the Anwar Ibrahim trial in 1998. Matters concerning human rights and public interest are coming to the forefront and these include refugees’ rights, the freedom of religion, freedom of expression and detention without trial.
Private equity and venture capital
Renewed interest in the technology sector spurred by recent growth in the telecommunications and media industry has made private equity investment a crucial form of working capital for upcoming technology driven companies. A new breed of lawyer who understands the complexities of techno-jargon has emerged for this niche sector.
Laws relating to biotechnology
The Government is embarking on aggressive plans to develop the biotechnology industry. Areas that may require legislation (if legislation does not already exist) include:
- Genetically modified organisms
- Proprietary rights to breeders of new varieties of plants
- Human cloning
- Research involving human embryos.
Competition laws
Malaysia does not currently have a comprehensive competition law but recognises that a competition policy is an essential component of modern policy infrastructure in the global economy.
What makes a good lawyer?
Hard work and determination The legal profession is very challenging and requires hard work and determination before you can call yourself a competent lawyer, and are able to provide adequate representation and sound advice to clients who place their trust in you.
Highest ethical standards A lawyer is required to maintain the highest ethical standards and to always keep up with changes in the law.
Continuing legal education Even after a pupil has been admitted to the Bar and is in legal practice, he will have to continue his legal education by reading legal journals and other materials, attending seminars and conferences, and developing good research skills.
Good people skills, an eye for detail & a good orator A lawyer will also have to have good people skills, be able to pay close attention to detail and be a confident public speaker.
Aspiring and fresh lawyers should also look to the Malaysian Bar for inspiration as it epitomises the legal fraternity’s quest to uphold the cause of justice without fear or favour, and further public interest by frequently taking a public stand on issues affecting society and their rights.
doctorjob thanks the Bar Council for contributing extensively to this article.
This article first appeared in doctorjob's coursesNOW! Business 2007.
