Name: Why study Law at University if I don't want to become a lawyer?
Uploaded: 2013-04-09T06:12:51.000Z
Duration: 7 min 25 s

My name is Graham Virgo, I’m Professor of English Private Law in the Faculty of Law

我叫格雷厄姆-維果，我是法學院的英國私法教授。

at the University of Cambridge, and I’m going to consider the question why you should

在劍橋大學，我將考慮一個問題，為什麼你應該

study law if you don’t want to become a lawyer.

學習法律，如果你不想成為一名律師。

A lot of people who study Law at University do so because they want to become practising

很多在大學學習法律的人都是為了成為執業律師。

lawyers, whether barristers or solicitors. But it is not necessary to read Law at University

律師，無論是大律師還是律師。但不一定要讀大學的法律。

to become a practising lawyer. Equally, studying Law at University is a legitimate subject

成為一名執業律師。同樣，在大學學習法律也是一門合法的學科。

for academic study even if you definitely do not want to become a lawyer or think that

在學術研究方面，即使你絕對不想成為律師，或者你認為你是一個很好的律師。

you may not become a practising lawyer. That is because the study of Law at University

你可能不會成為一名執業律師。這是因為在大學學習法律

is not a vocational subject; it is an academic subject and an intellectual discipline. Even

不是一門職業學科，它是一門學術，是一門知識性學科。甚至

those students who study Law at University intending to become practising lawyers are

在大學學習法律並打算成為執業律師的學生是：

required to do additional vocational training to prepare them for working either as a barrister

要求他們接受額外的職業培訓，以便為從事大律師工作做準備。

or a solicitor; for them the study of Law at University by itself is not sufficient

或律師；對他們來說，在大學學習法律本身是不夠的。

to train them to become lawyers. So why do such students study law at University and

以培養他們成為律師。那麼，為什麼這樣的學生要在大學裡學習法律和

why do others study Law even if they don’t want to become a lawyer? The answer is fairly

為什麼別人不想當律師也要學法律？答案是相當的

similar in both cases, namely that studying Law at University trains the student to think

兩種情況都很相似，即在大學學習法律可以培養學生的思維能力。

and write logically and clearly; enables the student to engage in the critical analysis

並寫出邏輯清晰的文章；使學生能夠進行批判性分析。

of the law; enables the student to engage in a wide variety of different academic disciplines;

的法律；使學生能夠從事各種不同的學術學科。

and finally, it is interesting and intellectually stimulating.

最後，它是有趣的和智力上的刺激。

Students who study law at Cambridge end up doing a wide variety of jobs, other than being

在劍橋大學學習法律的學生，最後都會從事各種各樣的工作，除了是

a practising lawyer or a teacher or researcher of law. The study of Law enables students

執業律師或法律教師或研究人員。學習法律可以使學生

to acquire and develop skills and knowledge which will be of relevance to business, politics,

掌握和發展與商業、政治有關的技能和知識；

the civil service, charitable organisations, international non-governmental organisations,

公務員制度、慈善組織、國際非政府組織。

banking, finance, journalism and much, much more.

銀行、金融、新聞等很多很多。

So what are the advantages of studying Law at University generally and studying Law at

那麼，大學法學專業一般有哪些優勢，學習法學專業有哪些優勢呢？

Cambridge specifically? First, breadth and depth of knowledge.

具體到劍橋？第一，知識的廣度和深度。

At Cambridge most Law students study 14 papers over three years. Seven of these are the foundation

在劍橋大學，大多數法學專業的學生在三年內要學習14門課程。其中七門是基礎課程

papers which must be taken if a student wishes to practice law, but, even if not, they are

如果學生希望從事法律工作，就必須參加這些考試，但即使不參加，也必須參加這些考試。

papers in subjects which are so fundamental to English law, such as crime, contract and

對英國法律非常重要的課題，如犯罪、合同和法律等。

constitutional law, that they ought to be studied to get a good idea of what the law

憲政法，應該對它們進行研究，以便很好地瞭解法律的內容。

is about. All students at Cambridge also study Roman

是關於。劍橋大學的所有學生還學習羅馬

Law in the first year which is an excellent introduction to legal principles and legal

第一年的法律，這是一個很好的法律原則和法律知識的介紹。

thinking. Law students then have a choice of 6 other

的思維。然後，法學專業的學生可以選擇其他6

subjects from a very wide list of subjects. This enables them to specialise or to study

從一個非常廣泛的科目清單中選擇科目。這使他們能夠專攻或學習

subjects which may relate to other academic disciplines, such as history, philosophy,

可能與其他學科有關的科目，如歷史、哲學等；

sociology, psychology, government and politics, international relations and economics.

社會學、心理學、政府和政治、國際關係和經濟學；

Students with an expertise and interest in modern languages can also apply to go to one

對現代語言有專長和興趣的學生也可以申請去一

of four European countries between the second and third year of their legal students and

歐洲四國的法律專業學生在第二年至第三年期間的學習情況，以及他們的學習情況。

study law in that foreign country, either in France, Germany, Spain or Holland.

在法國、德國、西班牙或荷蘭等外國學習法律；

Secondly, learning to think like a lawyer. Law is an academic discipline which enables

第二，學會像律師一樣思考。法律是一門學術，它能

students to think like lawyers. This means that they need to develop skills in thinking

學生要像律師一樣思考。這意味著，他們需要培養思維能力。

logically; in identifying issues in practical problems; in assessing evidence and in reaching

在邏輯上；在確定實際問題中的問題；在評估證據和達成協議方面；

judgments. These are all skills which are of significance to a wide variety of different

判斷。這些都是對各種不同的技能具有重要意義。

jobs and professions. The advantage of the small group teaching system at Cambridge means

工作和專業。劍橋大學小班制教學的優勢意味著

that students get a great deal of support from their teachers in being able to think

學生從老師那裡得到了很大的支持，使他們能夠思考。

and analyse the law. You also get a great deal of support in developing legal writing

並分析法律。您還可以在發展法律寫作方面得到大量的支持。

skills, which emphasises clarity of expression, conciseness and precision in the use of language;

技巧，強調語言表達的清晰、簡潔和準確。

again, skills which are of real benefit to many careers.

同樣，這些技能對許多職業都有實際的好處。

Thirdly, encouraging critical engagement. One of the real benefits of studying Law at

第三，鼓勵批判性參與。學習法律的真正好處之一是在

university is that the law is not taken at face value as something which is unchanging,

大學是，法律不是表面上看是不變的東西。

but rather is something which can moulded and developed. This may be through careful

而是可以塑造和發展的東西。這可能是通過仔細

interpretation of the rules or through careful assessment of old precedents to see how they

解釋規則，或通過仔細評估舊的先例，看看它們是怎樣的。

can be applied to new problems. But Law students also engage in discussions and thinking about

可以應用到新的問題上。但法學專業的學生也會對以下問題進行討論和思考。

more radical reform of the law. Law students are encouraged to reflect on the law, to think

更徹底的法律改革。鼓勵法學專業學生對法律進行反思，思考

critically about the law, to consider whether the law is satisfactory, to identify the policies

批判性地看待法律，考慮法律是否令人滿意，確定政策。

which underpin particular rules and to suggest alternatives. Law is consequently a very important

它是特定規則的基礎，並提出替代方案。是以，法律是一個非常重要的

and useful subject for students to study if they are interested in questions of justice,

如果學生對司法問題有興趣，可以學習這個科目。

rights, social policy and law reform. Fourthly, intellectual engagement.

權利、社會政策和法律改革。第四，智力參與。

Finally, students who study Law at University engage in an academic discipline with a very

最後，在大學學習法律的學生從事的是一門學術性很強的學科。

long pedigree. They discuss the work of ancient philosophers and modern theorists; they examine

悠久的血統。他們討論了古代哲學家和現代理論家的工作；他們研究了

the meaning of justice; they consider the operation of financial markets, corporations

公正的意義；他們考慮到金融市場的運作、公司的運作

and commerce; they engage with the operation of law in a European and in a global arena;

和商業；它們在歐洲和全球範圍內參與法律的運作。

they analyse social policy and change. Aristotle said that the ‘Law is reason free

他們分析社會政策和變革。亞里士多德說過，"法律是沒有理由的。

from passion.’ He was half right. The law is reason, but it is full of passion.

"因為激情。他說對了一半。法律是理性的，但它充滿了激情。

If you want to find out more about studying law at the University of Cambridge, you can

如果你想了解更多關於在劍橋大學學習法律的資訊，你可

find a lot more information on the Law Faculty website.

在法學系的網站上可以找到更多的資訊。

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Why study Law at University if I don't want to become a lawyer?

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