Public law is a field of law that covers the government’s relationship with the citizens it oversees and it also considers the relationships between citizens that might have an effect on society. If the government makes a questionable decision on the rights of the individuals in society, or does not act within the law, this is where a specialist lawyer in public law might step in.
This legal area can involve:
As a public lawyer, you will have to cover a broad range of legal sectors that coincide with your work. Cases challenging a government decision can be initiated by a citizen who is unsatisfied with the authority or who asks the court for judicial review, which will oversee, evaluate and rule on the citizen’s claim.
Public law tends to be a compulsory module at university and you can go on to study it in an LLM, at master’s level. You can then go on to qualify in the sector and practice as a lawyer. It can also be referred to as ‘Administrative Law’ at a professional level.
On a day-to-day basis, you might have to:
One of the main benefits of working in public law is that if you have a genuine interest in politics, how leading authorities govern society, or protecting citizens from unfair policies that infringe their rights, you will get to experience all of these.
Public law is a fusion of different sections of the law, as well as public policies, government and citizens’ rights. It is a fast-paced, academically challenging profession.
The top UK private practice firms specialising in this area of law are:
A candidate that has a genuine interest in how the government sets policies to govern society or a more general interest in how the governing body functions as a whole, would suit a career in public law.
As a professional in the public law sector, you will may have to challenge or defend policies or actions of the government and its citizens. Thus, it’s important that you are certain it is an area you want to specialise in.
If you aren’t studying law as an undergraduate degree (where you will most likely study public law in your first or second year), then you could consider politics as an undergraduate degree. As a result, firms will see this as an advantage due to your preexisting knowledge of the subject.
Some examples of work experience that would look good for this future career are:
The typical steps to becoming a lawyer in this field are:
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