lawyer

Est. Indicative Total Tuition:

$99,384 AUD (six semesters of study; 2015 fees)

Bond University Law School offers the Juris Doctor (JD) also known as juris doctorate which is a professional, legal qualification designed to equip students for a career in the legal profession, business, industry or government in Australia and overseas. Its combination of excellent teaching, small classes and an extensive legal skills program differentiates Bond University from other institutions. It provides an exciting learning experience that both challenges students academically and prepares them practically for a legal career.

Bond University's 20-component skills program equips law students with the following skills needed to practice law in a modern environment:

- Legal research and analysis

- Legal writing and drafting

- Information technology

- Negotiation and dispute resolution

- Advocacy and oral presentation

- Client interviewing and communication

The Bond JD was constructed to enable graduates to take leading positions in the public and private sectors. Bond graduates are now employed in top law firms throughout Australia and across 38 countries, including the United States, U.K. Canada, M alaysia and Singapore, as solicitors in private practice, barristers, government lawyers, in-house counsel and academics. Students are encouraged to emphasize specific areas of study that they feel will best serve their proposed career paths.

Recognized as one of Australia's top-ranked law schools, Bond Law has earned a reputation for its innovative teaching methods, international focus, skills training, and the outstanding success of its graduates. The Faculty of Law at Bond is widely acknowledged for its strengths in corporate and commercial law, international trade, dispute resolution, intellectual property, information technology and e-commerce.

Bond University Law School's Professor Eric Colvin discusses the law school at Bond University.

Canadian Sidney Rua is currently enrolled in the Juris Doctor at the Bond University Law School, and he sits down with OzTREKK's Matt Miernik to share his experiences

Prof. Stuesser gives you a tour of Bond's Moot Court at the Bond University Law School.

Bond University's Juris Doctor is a graduate-level, extensive skills program with small class sizes. It is an accelerated program, which can be completed in two years of full-time study. The program is offered over three semesters each year.

As well, Bond's Legal Skills Centre is a landmark industry training facility, incorporating the technologies, equipment and teaching capabilities required to meet the needs of the legal profession in the 21st century.

Built at a cost of $10.2 million and modeled on input provided by judges, legal practitioners and the faculty, the Legal Skills Centre is the first of its kind to integrate the full complement of legal-based training facilities, with purpose-built suites designed for mediation, dispute resolution, PLT training, and more. It is designed to give students simulated, real-world experience in practicing their legal skills ensuring that, as graduates, they will be able to walk into any courtroom and feel right at home.

If you complete a Bond law degree, you are eligible to apply to practice law in Canada. It is imperative that you understand the requirements and procedures associated with entering the legal profession in Canada. Contact OzTREKK for information about accreditation, as we keep all students who apply directly via OzTREKK updated about the latest accreditation procedures and changes.

In surveys conducted by the Graduate Careers Council of Australia, Bond's Faculty of Law has ranked No. 1 in student satisfaction a record nine times, with graduates citing the small class sizes and one-on-one mentoring provided by their teachers as a key point of distinction between Bond Law and other law schools. Those same independent surveys show that Bond Law graduates have close to 100 percent success in securing employment.

There is also a Canadian Law Students' Association at Bond University, which is very active on campus!

Check out the Canadian Law Students' Association on facebook !

Read what OzTREKK students have to say about the Bond University Juris Doctor program!

Intake Reviews

"I must say that the Gold Coast weather here is amazing, the sun is always shining, makes doing law school readings a lot more enjoyable. The people are soooo kind and majority of the Juris Doctor students are Canadian, so I feel more at home. So far I have met lots of interesting people and the professors are so approachable."

Intake Reviews

"I love everything. Tuition fees are high but it's common. Bond is the way to go. I prefer this experience over a Canadian law school."

"Not a lot of clerkship. Internship positions catered towards international students (more difficult hurdles for international students to acquire a job placement). Great academics, wonderful profs, prestigious and ranked #5 now on a global scale for Law School, difficult to deal with visa issues with respect to job prospects."

Intake Reviews

"I love the university and program! The teachers are very helpful and campus is beautiful! Australia is a very warm and welcoming place. Study in Australia! It is the chance of a lifetime and you will enjoy every minute of pure sunshine."

"I like that the program is made so difficult that it forces you to engage with the material to succeed. Law at Bond pushes me to new levels in my education and knowledge. Bond's campus is amazing! It is in a beautiful area with everything you need at an arms reach. The school offers just about every club possible. There is a huge international presence at Bond so you get a chance to meet people from all around the world."

"The profs are very good and approachable. They have made my first law classes interesting and challenging in a good way. Bond has a very beautiful campus, and the bus transport system is very handy and easy to use. I like that uni is close to the beach and shopping centers. If you can afford it, do it. The fact that its only a 2 yr program and that there are so many other Canadians here are definite pros. The campus is small and class sizes are reasonable. The tutorials are really useful because they allow students to discuss the issues of the topics in a close one-on-one setting with the prof. Your classmates become like family basically because you see each other everyday in class, and at first you all "cling" to each other because we're all from Canada and are going through the radical changes together."

"Likes -Environment -Challenging -Friendly -Boxing class -Free lunch on Wednesday. Dislike -Cost -Small gym (weights/machines). In the JD stream it is mostly Canadians. I would estimate around 80% Canadian. Although the content is Australian, I sometimes feel the Australian experience is lost since you are surrounded by Canadians. The program is also time consuming. I had the expectation to go to beach once a week it has not happened. Hopefully I will be able to organize myself better next semester. Definitely a learning curve."

"I don't like how the campus is small and you see the same people everyday. I like that Bond has offers every Canadian elective and that it's a trimester. It's harder because we have assessments that aren't really well explained."

Intake Reviews

"I like how small the university feels, the professors know everyone by name. The University has a legal skills course for each class you take which is nice because you get the hands on experience you will need in the future. Bond Uni is awesome! So far I am really enjoying the program, it is a lot of work but it has been great so far."

"The teacher's are all very helpful and contacting them for further assistance is easy. The university is very beautiful and an inspiring place to study. I do not like the bell curve. The teachers strictly stick to it. It feels like at times the teachers just mark to fill the curve. Could be more quiet study space provided by the university. Amazing learning experience, personal development, and very challenging. It is by no means easy, and anyone taking on the challenge will surely see change in themselves at the end of two years."

"The JD program at Bond caters to Canadian students and there is always mention of Canadian laws in class and even Canadian courses you can take to make the transition more smooth when going home."

"The school puts a heavy focus on learning actual job skills rather than memorizing material, which is far different from how Canadian law schools operate. It really broadens your horizons and opens your eyes to different cultures. Not only will you get to know many Aussies, but there are lots of other international students here, so you're always meeting interesting people and learning about other parts of the world. The school itself is beautiful, well-run, and full of unique opportunities you wouldn't be used to back in Canada."

"Likes - multicultural -fast paced -small class size; dislikes -a lot of young people. "

Intake Reviews

"2 years is a definite plus. -great school, profs are really good."

"Like: - student/staff ratio - tutorial + practically based - excellent online and personal resources Dislike: - Limited study facilities. The JD program is focussed on practical training in law. No matter what your background (mine is in media) the Bond JD program starts with the most basic legal concepts and builds up from there."

"Bond Uni is just the right size. on a daily basis you see familiar faces of professors, tutorial leaders, staff and students. the Uni is far cleaner than any i have seen in Canada. vertually no grffeti or rubbish laying around. the surronding area of Bond does not have the typical uni gettos such as many Canadian Unis particulary Queens University. the JD law program here is intense. as Bond is a private Uni its standards are much higher than typical unis that just meet government standards. Bond has a reputation to uphold as one of the best in the world and they expect students attain a level of excellence. As most law programs it has high standards and big expectations. bond is unique in that they teach skills - part of each course so that the students are prepared to enter the workforce and knew what is expected. these skills are a mandatory part of the law program and they by themselves can be a task. Bond does not expect perfection in the law students but they do demand excellance."

"I like the program style and the courses offered by the university. I dislike the the student accomodations provided on campus by the university. As you can imagine being the sole canadian o a floor of american exchange students is not an enjoyable experience. Especially since a vast majority can not handle more than a breezer at a time. It is awesome program, full of fellow canadian that are willing to help in anyway possible."

"Like- all the amazing people i've met as well as the profs being so helpful. Dislike-how there doesn't seem to be time for anything because you're always working on some form of an assignment. It's been one of the best experience of my life thus far. I've only been here 7 weeks and I've met some people that I can see as being life long friends."

"I have been pleasantly surprised with Bond, its culture, the people and the law program. I am really enjoying all of the extra-curricular things Bond has to offer, and am really enjoying the JD program. Although the JD program is condensed and therefore a lot of work, I would suggest Bond to any students looking to study abroad. I would suggest Bond to any Canadians, especially looking to study law. They have a lot of Canadian students here and really try to accomodate us. They now have 3 canadian law courses that have been approved by the NCA, and they are looking to approve the 4th required course, so this is very beneficial for any students looking to study law & go back to Canada to practice."

"I like the practical skills component of the program, however I think that tutorials are awarded too many marks, at 20%, and that, marked on the curve, it will be difficult to obtain high marks. I wonder if this may make it difficult to obtain a job applying in Canada. I have heard that the average in Canadian law schools are quite a bit higher than the Bond average. That it is definately more expensive to live in Australia than you would expect, that the cost of one subject will be the cost of an entire semester of undergrad in Canada, that the school is very small and that it is hard to escape the 'Bond bubble' as there isn't much around the area. However, it is time efficient, the students here are highly motivated, and it is definately a good school for international networking."

"I like that Bond is an amazing state of the art campus with top notch professors who are dedicated to helping their students. It is a small campus which lends itself to an intimate setting and allows you to get to know people from across many different faculties. My dislikes are few but they would namely be the young LLB students mixed in with the JD classes. It lends itself to an awkward atmosphere as the JD's are focused on their post-grad studies and the LLB students on general do not take their studies as seriously. Overall Bond has been a solid choice for me as I will be finished my law degree a year earlier then if I had stayed in Canada while allowing me to live in a different country and experience Australia."

"Likes: beautiful campus; great professors -- devoted, knowledgeable, supportive; lectures can be streamed online. Dislikes: SMALL campus; on-campus food; mandatory meal plan if you live on campus; not enough quiet studying areas; too many bats. - a lot of Canadian law student support systems - tutorials are great supplementary learning tools - if you're older than 23 years, don't live on campus - this school has a lot of parties, so know when to say 'no'."

"- lots of Canadians - intense amount of practical experience and work - decent lecturers - amazing, clean, accesible, organized campus."

"The University has great facilities. It's very clean. However, as I am a law student, it would be nice to have the law library open later. Its excellent."

Intake Reviews

"Likes: the fact that I can do my law degree in two years instead of three. Bond is pretty good about having an internet oriented campus. I'd say that it's more career oriented than Canadian law schools and the fact that you're out in the work force a year earlier makes the financial burden easier to bear. "

"So far the program is great! The professors and tutorial leaders are helpful and available to talk to. All the reading definitely keeps the students very busy. (That would be my biggest dislike. Some more time to explore the Gold Coast on weekends would be nice!). It's intensive. The first few weeks aren't bad, so try to enjoy those weekends while you have the chance. It only gets busier."

"Like: beautiful campus friendly professors Dislike: too many Canadians. kinda missing the international experience. The campus is absolutely beautiful! The Profs are very nice and helpful."

"I love the physical look of the univesity. more importantly i love the education I am reciving. The professors are very hands on, and realy try to make sure that I am understanding my concepts. Most of my teachers are available to speak to outside of class, and i feel that my professors know who I am, and understand my place within the program. i would highly reccomend other canadians to think about coming to bond. the ability to fast track their degree is a great option. And although the university is pricy, you will be finished your studies that much sooner. i love the weather and the abiltity to be outside every day! its pretty much a hot canadian summer day, every day. its hard to beleive, but its as close to studying in paradise as you can get!"

"Things that I like about Bond and the JD program: 1) The campus is beautiful and it is easy to get around. 2) The staff at the school are very friendly and helpful, therefore if you have a question they are always willing to help. 3) My Professors this semester are helpful. Whenever we have any questions it is easy to approach them and ask for help if it is needed. 4) The law program is very interesting. 5) The tutorials allow us to apply what we have learned. What I dislike about Bond: 1) They need to raise there admission standards for Canadian students wishing to study law. I feel that this will give the law school a better reputation in Canada. 2) Bond Cafe needs a better variety of food. The law program is wonderful and that they (Canadian students) will learn a lot from the professors here."

"Everyone is really nice, and my teachers seem intent on providing a top notch legal education. I would tell them that if they could afford it, it is a great opportunity and has the possibility of opening a great number of doors, while allowing you to play on the beach."

"I love the diverse student Bond here at Bond. Its been a great experience thus far meeting and discussing facts on legal perspectives with such a mutli-faceted group of young people. I like the fact that the campus is small and a more intimate setting where profs are easy accessible. I dislike the high costs of tuition but understand that the funds are used to improve the university. The faculty here at Bond seem 100% committed to helping students achieve their goals."

"I love the professors- they actually care about their students. - the facilities are amazing i hate the hours of the food court and that it takes 10 mins to get a cup of coffee because its all expresso- not filtered coffee. If you want to get out of the dreary canadian weather- come down to OZ."

"I like that profs are thorough and concise. I like how the program is taught. Staff are very friendly and approachable. I don't like 4pm deadlines, I don't like how there is not a lot of emphasis on issue-spotting because I feel that is an important tool to have engraved in budding law students. It's a good university, well-known and distinct."

"Like very hands on and practical 2 year accelerated program canadian community here Bond caters to canadians they offer canadian courses the lectures are streamed so you can watch them later if you miss one taking notes is easy with most profs as they give you good instructions and slides to take notes from. cons many of the jobs and post graduate offers are for people intending to stay applying for a job here as a international student is a great disadvantage, employers typically don't hire internationals. Its a great program at bond for law as it caters to canadians and there is a large abundance of them. Because its a 2 year program it makes it quicker to graduate with the rest of canada where the law program is 3 years. The program is very well structered and manageable with work and the lectures are very practical."

"First of all, the uni is beautiful and it's a smaller campus so it's easy to walk from one end to the other in 10 minutes. The staff at the university are very helpful and dedicated to your success. In the few months I've been here, I've been amazed with how many opportunities I've had to meet with faculty, program advisors, and career development counselors who are all eager to help you get what you want out of your degree here. The career development staff have really impressed me; they organise many networking events for students to meet potential future employers. The faculty of law itself here is really impressive. They organise many practical legal skills competitions each semester for students from mooting, to negotiating, to witness interviewing. And the tutorial classes are really small, so its easy to get one on one attention from your professors. For a smaller university, there is surprisingly always something to do. There is every club you could imagine. There are always interesting events being held. The gym and pool facilities are fantastic as well. The juris doctor program is great! I'm just excited that we finish the program in two yrs. And there is a Canadian Law Student's Association here that work hard to give you all the up to date information you need to have about going back home and getting accreditted. As far as things I dislike, I guess I have a love hate relationship with the small size of this university. It's nice academically, because all your professors know you, compared to the larger uni I went to at home where I could hide in the back of a class of 600. However, the small student population is made up of almost by half of international students, many of whom are Canadian and law students. But, that's just forced me to get out there and get involved so that I can meet Australians and non-law students (it can be exhausting to only have friends who are law students :) ) Bond University is dedicated to their students' success. The Faculty of Law is committed to excellence and they provide you with practical legal training that you don't get at other law schools. The Gold Coast is beautiful. Once you're here, you won't want to leave. If you have to spend the next few years studying, there is no better place to do it! And all the programs are fast-tracked! So you get a better quality education, and in a shorter period of time! Bondies are amazing! You really become part of the family. The ambition and dedication of the staff and students here is infectious! I love it!"

Applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree in any discipline. Students who have not yet completed a bachelor degree may apply, as long as they will have graduated prior to commencing the Bond J.D. program. In common with most other Australian universities, Bond University does not use the LSAT as an entry criterion. Two reference letters are required.

Every student who applies (and accepts) via OzTREKK and commences his/her studies at an OzTREKK Australian university will receive a $500 scholarship from OzTREKK.