Is only the best university good enough?

A friend of mine called me to ask for a favor. His son is applying for university next year and would like to become a lawyer. First, I thought the youngster would like to have some insights into our profession. However, the motivation was more pragmatic. He needed a working credential for his application for a UK university. I was curious to hear, what a Slovak student expected from UK university. The father told me that it is “notoriously known that studying law in UK will make him the best lawyer in town”. What else could parents want for their kids, other than a good quality education and comparative advantage for their career?

I argued with him for a moment. Then I realized why all the non-lawyer parents with best intentions and all the “super motivated” wannabe lawyer kids are often rushing into something that may turn out as dead-end street. No one ever told them how exactly foreign law studies and degree would shape their professional (and private) future. And yet, knowing this could give them the idea why starting the legal career in Slovakia with leaving Slovakia to acquire a reputable law degree abroad is like putting the cart before the horse.

To provide my humble contribution to this discussion, I summarize (and simplify) some of my personal findings. I would be very happy to hear/read more comments from my peers, parents, students and young legal professionals encouraging the public discussion on why, where and how to become the “best lawyer in town”.

Law is not universal; each legal system is country-specific.

Globalisation or free movement of services do not change this old truth much: lawyers live off of application of law which is tightly bound not only with each country, but also with its culture and legal education. Studying law in UK or US (mainly bachelor’s degree) makes true sense only if you want to practice law in a common law jurisdiction. Studying law in a continental law country, including any other EU member state (e.g. Netherlands, Scandinavia) except Czech Republic, does not put you in a dramatically better position, if you want to pursue legal career in Slovakia. An applicant without Slovak law degree usually starts on a lower position in almost any law firm in Slovakia. Moreover, in order to be admitted to the Slovak Bar Association as an associate, one must pass an rather difficult exam on Slovak law.

EU law as an acquired theoretical specialization is generally not sufficient to be practiced in another EU jurisdiction.

EU law is actually an extension to typical legal specialization/field of law like criminal, corporate or employment law. This is even more true in a small jurisdiction like Slovakia, where knowing the respective transposition of the EU law into a very narrow local legal framework is key for exploiting this specialization. The need for a general EU law specialist in a law firm in Slovakia is very limited by the (tiny) size of the legal market. Quite opposite a practice area specialist in national law (e.g. IP law, competition law) with deep insight and overview of EU law in that area is high in demand.

Acquiring an authentic legal specialization during “main” legal studies is difficult.

Being a fan of criminal law, because you liked Perry Mason on Netflix or because the course is taught by the best teacher from the university is “a bit” misleading. Natural and lasting attraction to a legal specialization develops during genuine academic research or working experience in a law firm. Therefore, applying for LL.M. (equivalent of an MBA) straight after finishing the university is too often only waste of time and money. In a small market, specialization also has a lot to do with the commercial utilization. E.g. being a legal expert for product placement in computer games in Germany could, in contrast to Slovakia, make economic sense.

Studying law abroad, just to improve your foreign language skills is a bit of a luxury and expensive as regards value/money ratio.

In a legal profession the language is a very important aspect of a form of an idea. However, in a good law firm substance always prevails over form. These days, English is a must, but being fluent in another foreign language will increase your value on the market. For obvious reasons, do not underestimate the impact and potential of German language in the CEE region. An LL.M. or Erasmus program is a better tool to improve your second foreign working language than working as an au-pair or being busy on a cruise ship.

Enough of the theory.

How does the ideal graduate for our firm looks like and what career path to expect?

He/she is holding a Slovak university degree.

During the studies, he/she developed a genuine interest in a specific field of law that has a commercial or strategical potential for us.

He/she has some working experience (internship with a legal or commercial professional is appreciated).

A social and cultural experience acquired mainly during Erasmus or pro bono work is a plus.

Besides legal English another foreign language (preferably German, because of our network) creates an added value.

Starting as early as an intern with us increases the chances to be offered a permanent job as a associate.

Being an outstanding associate with a genuine interest in a specific field of law in our firm makes you eligible to join the international internship program or to get a fully paid LL.M. scholarship on one of the best foreign universities.

The rest is purely up to you!