Yes, the law school you attend in Australia matters for getting your foot in the door, especially for top firms, but it's not the only factor; your practical legal experience, work ethic, skills (communication, problem-solving), and networking often become more crucial for career progression. While Group of Eight (Go8) universities like Melbourne, UNSW, Sydney, and ANU hold prestige and may offer easier access to elite opportunities initially, strong performance and relevant experience from any accredited law school can lead to success, as employers value real-world skills and initiative highly.
The law school you go to does matter to employers but it is not the sole, or even the most important factor. If you have graduated from a leading university or law school, you may be more likely to be selected for an interview.
UNSW Law & Justice has achieved Australia's top position in the 2025 QS World University Rankings by Subject: Law & Legal Studies. This marks the Faculty's first #1 ranking since QS commenced evaluating universities by subject.
Most law students agree the first year (1L) is the hardest due to learning entirely new teaching methods (Socratic, case method), immense reading, unfamiliar legal concepts, heavy competition, and adapting to intense cold-calling; while 2L brings heavy coursework and job applications, and 3L focuses on bar prep and graduation, 1L is the biggest hurdle for most.
Unlike in the US, where going to an Ivy League like Harvard gives you the ultimate leg-up in the workforce, Australian employers aren't really interested in where you studied or how your university ranks. They care more about what you studied, and the skills and knowledge you can bring to their company.
Yes, $70k is a fair salary in Australia, often near the median income, making it a decent living for a single person, especially outside major cities, but it can be tight in expensive areas or for those with high living costs like mortgages, with full-time averages now closer to $90k-$100k.
The hardest universities to get into in Australia are consistently the University of Sydney, UNSW (University of New South Wales), and the Australian National University (ANU), often cited with low acceptance rates (around 30-35%) and high ATAR cut-offs, especially for competitive courses like Medicine, Law, and Engineering. The University of Melbourne also ranks among the most difficult due to its strong reputation and rigorous entry standards, alongside other Go8 (Group of Eight) universities like UQ and Monash.
The second year (2L)
Most law students find their second year easier than their first. By the second year, you know what to expect and you know you're capable of rising to the various challenges.
The lawyers who make the most money typically specialize in high-value areas like Patent Law, Corporate Law, and Intellectual Property (IP) Law, with top earners potentially reaching salaries well into the six figures or more, especially in large firms dealing with complex, high-stakes cases, while senior roles like General Counsel and Judges also command very high incomes.
Typical LSAT score ranges include: 120-147 Low. 148-156 Mid. 157-164 High.
The 2025 Australian HR Issues & Salary Survey Report also found that demand for talent remains strongest for:
Global career opportunities
Graduates from Australian law schools are increasingly recognised on the global stage. Australian-trained lawyers are known for their strong technical skills, adaptability, and ability to operate effectively in diverse legal environments.
The "easiest" law degree depends on your goals, but the Master of Legal Studies (MLS) is often cited as the quickest and most accessible for professionals needing legal knowledge (1-2 years, no bar exam), while a Paralegal Certificate/Associate Degree offers a faster entry into legal support roles (1-2 years). For a full lawyer qualification, a double degree (e.g., Business/Law) can be efficient (around 5 years) by combining interests, but a standard Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or Juris Doctor (JD) is the traditional, rigorous path, with variations in structure (like Victoria University's block model) offering more focused study.
Sydney remains Australia's largest legal hub, where lawyers earn around $112.5k, with higher earnings in top-tier firms and corporate roles. Other strong regional centres, such as Cairns and the Far North, average about $110.5k, offering good opportunities in family, employment, and property law.
99% of the time it doesn't matter at all, as long as it's a real accredited university. Going to a specific university will only ever give you an advantage via networking, like if you have former uni classmates who go on to work at top companies and can get you a good reference or whatever.
The richest types of lawyers are often in Corporate Law, Intellectual Property (IP) & Patent Law, and high-stakes Trial Law (Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice), due to large financial stakes, big corporate clients, and substantial contingency fees, with top earners in these fields, along with specialized Tax Attorneys, commanding massive hourly rates or handling multi-billion dollar cases, often working at large firms or as highly successful solo practitioners.
In the Canadian legal market, the 'Seven Sisters', leading Bay Street Toronto, Ontario corporate firms, continue to dominate the marketplace. They are Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Goodmans LLP, McCarthy Tétrault, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP and Torys.
Here are the schools with the best quality of life, per Princeton Review:
Considering students are generally advised to score a GPA of 3.5 in college to get into law school, a 3.0 is typically considered low.
While most teenagers are still figuring things out, a teen named Sophia Park already achieved her dream of becoming an attorney at the age of 17.
University of the Sunshine Coast Is the Happiest Australian University. Our research reveals that the University of the Sunshine Coast is the happiest university in Australia. This country already ranks as one of the happiest countries in the world, according to the World Happiness Report in 2022.
Students who apply early—whether through binding or non-binding admissions programs—tend to matriculate at higher rates, so admitting a sizable percentage of students early can increase a school's yield.
To become a lawyer in Australia, you generally need a very high ATAR, often in the high 90s (e.g., 97.5+), for direct entry into top law schools, but scores vary significantly by university and prestige, with some requiring 99+ while others accept 80s or offer pathways for lower scores through different degrees or special entry schemes. You can often use lower ATAR pathways, like starting another degree and transferring, or leveraging special entry programs (e.g., UQ's ULAS, Murdoch's Law Start) that consider other factors like disadvantage or strong English marks.