Obtaining your law degree requires hard work and commitment. You’ll remember the sleepless nights and the study sessions for years to come. When it comes to enjoying the fruits of your labour, however, you’ll have to take in considerations certain factors that are out of your hands.
Will Brexit have an impact on the law degree that you’ve worked so hard towards? Some believe it will have surprising upsides while others tend to be a bit more pessimistic.
The Brexit Benefits for Law Students
Certain academics in the legal field believe that leaving the European Union will provide opportunities rather than limitations to UK law students.
Legal students may gain new educational opportunities. This is one of the fields that will be impacted the most by the upcoming political and social changes. Attorneys who are prepared to handle post-Brexit complications and client issues will certainly see an opportunity to build a stable career.
Needless to say, university curricula will have to adapt in order to reflect the new reality and prepare their students for work in a country where serious legislative changes could be expected to occur in the years to come.
Some universities are already taking a deeper look at Brexit-related issues. Law students are getting to choose such electives, which can help for a niche specialisation and the establishment of a successful career.
Law Areas that will be Affected
There are several legal areas that will be affected the most by Brexit.
Tort law, for example, will see some modification. Currently, legislation created by parliament has to comply with the respective EU directive. Repeals of many laws are unlikely after leaving the Union but academics believe that some changes in the area are to be expected.
The biggest change will come in the area of EU law. In this module, students learn more about the EU constitution and the work of the Union’s legislative bodies. Students who want to acquire a certain kind of specialisation may still want to put emphasis on EU law. The scope of its application, however, can be expected to decrease after the Brexit is finalised.
Some believe that the EU module of legal education will remain compulsory. For the time being, it is a part of the curriculum. More information will be provided in the years to come as actual legislative reforms take place.
A Few Practical Tips for Law Students
If you’re currently in law school, you should keep working towards receiving your degree. The degree that you will obtain right now isn’t going to be less valuable than the education that the coming generations of legal professionals will receive.
It’s possible to initiate Brexit-related discussions in class or even write a thesis paper on the topic. Conducting independent research will help you prepare for the legal reform and the manner in which it could potentially affect your career.
Finally, remember that further qualification and training opportunities are available to legal professionals that have already graduated. If you choose a legal field that will see profound changes after Brexit, you can simply enrol in additional courses to acquaint yourself with the new regulatory framework and the manner in which it will impact your job.
Shahram Taghavi is a barrister practising in the United Kingdom. He is a specialist in Judicial Review, Human Rights, Immigration and EU law.