Faculty of Law

Overview

Excitement is the most important part of choosing a programme of study and a university. If a subject or a teacher excites you, the hard work and intellectual effort necessary for achievement will come naturally. If you stay excited, you will find yourself 10 years into a fulfilling career without even noticing how it happened.

The Victoria Law School is a great place to study law:

? We have a long established and internationally recognised reputation for excellence in teaching law. Our staff care about their teaching and see students as a priority. We welcome students of all backgrounds – diversity is an intellectual and social stimulant. I am personally committed to providing a welcoming environment for Maori and Pacific peoples in particular.

? We are located in an amazing place: the renovated Government Buildings in downtown Wellington, steeped in the history of New Zealand law and policy-making and surrounded by the three branches of government. We have a lively interchange of ideas with government and the legal profession that offers a learning experience unique in New Zealand.

? Victoria's law curriculum is carefully structured to teach the essence of the legal perspective - how to think legally – as well as to provide a good grounding in the important subject areas of law, including public law, commercial law and criminal law.

? Wellington City offers a vibrant and exciting environment for law students, socially and culturally as well as intellectually and politically.

Everyone knows about the potential financial rewards of practising law. But studying law offers more than that. Law is a vital window on society's politics, economics and culture. It offers you the opportunity to contribute to these dimensions of life in innumerable ways, in New Zealand and internationally. Our past graduates include those at the highest levels of the law, politics, the public service, business, and social activism. I urge you to take full advantage of your opportunity at Victoria Law School to think, to learn and to build an enduring foundation for your career.

Degrees

The Faculty administers the following undergraduate degrees:

Bachelor of Laws [LLB]

Bachelor of Law

Law is about relationships, about our connections to each other. Our society, culture, and economy, our family ties, and our international allegiances all exist within a legal framework.

Graduates with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree contribute to every aspect of life in New Zealand, whether practising as lawyers or working in government, business, or the community. They are equipped to both uphold and challenge the principles that govern our daily lives.

Victoria's Law School is housed in the beautifully restored historic Government Buildings. Its downtown location is at the hub of New Zealand law-making, opposite Parliament and close to the courts, research libraries, and the central business district. This unique environment attracts top staff and students from around the world.

High-achieving LLB students may be invited to join the LLB Honours programme at the end of the second year, and graduates with an LLB can continue on to Masters and PhD levels. As well as training graduates for a career as a lawyer, a Law degree can lead to a range of careers in business, government, and the community.

To be eligible for admission to the legal profession in New Zealand, Law graduates must complete a practical professional legal studies course called “professionals”. Two organisations offer this training in New Zealand, and the Law Faculty can advise students about this requirement.