Since its establishment, the Faculty of Law and Government at HELP University has produced numerous top graduates who have gone on to build successful and lucrative careers within the legal and other industries. The academically excellent and value-added curriculum of the Faculty allows law students to develop a wide berth of skills that makes them versatile and highly employable in the job market.
One of the many illustrious alumni is Ravinder Singh Dhalliwal, a UKDTP alumnus who is currently running his own practice in Malaysia. Ravinder initially read law in one of the local city colleges but then decided to enroll into the UK Degree Transfer Programme (Law) (UKDTP) at HELP Institute (as it was then). He later transferred and completed his studies at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth (currently known as Aberystwyth University). Upon returning to Malaysia, he worked with two prestigious law firms, and eventually started his own practice in 2010.
“I can say with absolute certainty that today, many of the graduates from HELP University play vital roles in society and in the Malaysian Bar. Many of them serve on Bar Committees, are employed by some of Malaysia’s largest and most prominent firms and some have opened their own practices.”
Another notable alumnus of the Faculty is Chen Yu Szen, who graduated in 2013 and served his pupillage in one of the top law firms in Malaysia. He currently serves as a senior associate and legal practitioner. During his studies, Yu Szen first completed his A-levels at HELP Academy, pursued his UKDTP at HELP University, and eventually transferred to University of the West of England, Bristol.
“The whole strength behind HELP is their lecturers. The choice of lecturers that HELP provides is good and diverse, as it is not just one standard broad brush of lecturers. Our lecturers encouraged us to think outside the box, a practice that I believe is good and that university lecturers should adopt. I was also prepared well for my studies in the UK as the exams in HELP were of similar standards to that in the UK. By the time I reached the UK, the third year was very manageable and I did not have any problems adapting to the UK system,” said Yu Szen.
“Making good judgments and taking the extra mile at work are some of the very important values that I learnt when I was in HELP and they were instilled in me by my lecturers. They also taught me that the answers are not always in the four corners of what you read but rather they can be discovered outside,” he added.
Another successful law alumnus is Shabana Naseer who chose the unconventional path of working for the National Consumer Complaints Centre (NCCC) instead of seeking a career in the legal industry. Shabana received a scholarship from HELP University and graduated in 2014 with the HELP’s Bachelor of Laws (LLB). In only three years, she rose to become a senior manager in the Legal and Policy Department of NCCC.
“I developed a passion to serve the public and NCCC gives me the platform to contribute to works that uphold consumer justice. It is important to understand that one may not necessarily have to go court to settle their disputes. I have learnt the skills of negotiation, mediation and lawyering skills in my Legal Skills and Legal Practice modules during my HELP University days and I wanted to serve the public and put my studies to good use,” Shabana said.
“As a law student in HELP, I have learnt and gained many valuable skills and values. For example, I have learnt to value individual opinion in a team and take advantage of their individual strengths to complete tasks at hand. This proves to be important in my line of work – where we work hand in hand to solve complaints and produce the best resolutions. Time management, communication and leadership skills are also some of the skills that I have gained from HELP.”
The successful careers of these alumni are testament to the high standards and education quality of the Faculty. The Faculty offers two well-established and reputable programmes: the UK Degree Transfer Programme (Law) (UKDTP) and the Bachelor of Laws Honours degree (LLB).
HELP University has the privilege of being the first private university to introduce the UKDTP, which has been recognised by prestigious and reputable universities in the UK. The Faculty has nine partner universities in the UK, which include Cardiff University, University of the West of England, Bristol, Aberystwyth University, University of Liverpool, University of Manchester, University of Sheffield, Northumbria University, University of Hertfordshire and the University of Leeds. The UKDTP also received full accreditation and is recognised by the Malaysia Qualifications Agency (MQA).
To date, the Faculty holds a sterling record of producing more than 50 First Class Honours Achievers for the UKDTP. Students who choose to pursue the UKDTP will finish their first year at HELP University, and will then be given the option to transfer to one of the partner UK universities for their second and/or final year. Upon completion of their Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in the UK, students may choose to pursue the UK Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) or the Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP) in Malaysia.
In 2009, the Faculty introduced its own Bachelor of Laws Honours degree, which has received full accreditation from the MQA. Students who pursue HELP’s LLB can complete their degree locally in three years before embarking in their career and industry of choice.
In an effort to produce all-rounded students who are well-versed in various areas of legal practice and current issues, the Faculty also conducts Professional Development Courses and Guest Lectures, which are facilitated by eminent practitioners, professors, retired and foreign judges on topical areas of the law. Other regular law activities include research and publications such as the HELP Law Review and HELP Student Law Journal.
The Faculty’s teaching system and curricular modules focus on grooming employable lawyers. The Legal Skills and Legal Practice modules prepare students with fundamental lawyering skills. Hence, HELP law graduates who progress into chambering are already well-trained on the basics, proficient in the legal language used by practitioners and are able to conduct research well.
HELP’s law programmes are offered in the Damansara Heights campus. For more information on the law programmes at HELP University, contact 03-2716 2000 or visit www.help.edu.my