Allan James Myers AC, KC (born 17 October 1947) is an Australian barrister, academic, businessman, landowner and philanthropist, and the previous Chancellor of the University of Melbourne.
Richard Scruggs
He is known as the "King of Torts." Scruggs is a graduate of the University of Texas. He later went on to become the highest paid attorney in the United States and was also named the top personal injury lawyer in the country by the National Law Journal for seven consecutive years.
In the same period, the entire cohort of solicitors has grown 32,272 to 90,329. The majority of solicitors (67 per cent) still work in private practice, despite strong growth in the corporate legal (104 per cent) and the government legal sectors (108 per cent) over the past decade.
Top-tier law firm King & Wood Mallesons topped the rankings for federal government contracts for the second consecutive year in 2021-22, as rivals MinterEllison and Clayton Utz slipped down the ladder.
Since then, women solicitors comprise 53% of the legal profession, with the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory reflecting the highest numbers of women lawyers - at 61% and 60% respectively. According to the NSW Law Society, 54% of the profession are women.
Ranked as the best university in Australia, the University of Melbourne is also ranked 1st as the best Law school in Australia by QS Top Universities Rankings 2022. QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022 also ranks Melbourne Law School as number 12 in the world.
Lawyers specialising in any of the key practice areas (banking and finance; corporate, commercial; energy, resources, projects; construction; IP, IT, telecoms and to a lesser extent commercial litigation) will usually find their skills in demand.
A principal is an executive-level attorney, equivalent to a chief executive officer, according to employment website Indeed.
Gerry Spence is widely considered one of the most successful trial and criminal attorneys in America. He has never once lost a criminal case — either as a prosecutor or a defense attorney — and he hasn't lost a civil case since 1969.
However, on average, the data shows that doctors make more than lawyers. To the surprise of some, the reality is that the discrepancy is not even close. Specifically, the average doctor makes $208,000 per year, while the average lawyer makes $118,160.
One of the biggest cons of studying law in Australia is that it is not an easy process. You have to pass a bar exam, and if you do not do well on this exam, then you will not be able to practice law.
While not everyone who graduates with a law degree works in a law firm, this is often the first career option most law students think of. And with good reason: here in Australia, law is a solid career choice with services that are in strong – and increasing – demand.
Standard entry
You can study law (via the Juris Doctor) by completing a bachelor's degree after high school. You also need to complete your studies with the equivalent of a Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 5.5 (out of 7.0), across all completed tertiary studies.
The cost of law studies in Australia varies depending on the institution as well as the degree. Undergraduate studies range between $15,000 and $33,000 AUD; masters degrees range between $20,000 and $37,000 AUD and doctoral degrees can fall anywhere between $14,000 and $37,000 AUD.
Typically, a Bachelor of Laws course takes four years to complete in Australia. After finishing Year 12 or completing an equivalent qualification, students can enrol in either a single degree course or a combined degree course. The combined degree course takes around five years to complete.
On average, the duration of LLB in Australia will be of 3 years. However, exceptions could be there university-wise and it may extend to 1 to 5 years.
In Australia, the 'attorney' or 'attorney-at-law' term is not common except in the case of 'trade mark attorney'. Instead, 'lawyer' or 'solicitor' is more common. For example in the US, an attorney is a general term for a lawyer that has passed a bar examination and can practice law in a particular jurisdiction.
The mean age of Australian solicitors (42 years) has remained relatively consistent over the past seven years, due to the growth in the number of younger lawyers aged 25 years or less entering the profession.
Over the last three decades law has become a popular study choice in Australia, with the Council of Australian Law Deans saying around 7500 law students graduate annually (although some argue the figure is double that, at 15000).