Another route available to students is the twinning programs available at selected private colleges in Malaysia. Students do part of the law course locally and transfer to a foreign university for the final part. There are a large number of universities, polytechnics and colleges offering degrees in law in the United Kingdom. As the Malaysian legal system is founded on English Law it is imperative that students seek only institutions that confer a qualifying English law degree. In addition, all Malaysians, whether foreign or locally qualified, are required to work a 9 months' pupilage in the chambers of a Malaysian barrister of at least 7 years standing, before they can practice on their own right in Malaysia.
Lawyers have a choice of working in the government and private sectors, commerce and industry.
Lawyers in private practice i.e. self employed, can earn a lucrative income but must compete with other lawyers for the availability of work. Other than working strictly in the legal field, lawyers can also work in places such as insurance companies, banks and accounting firms. Here, they work as in-house legal advisors or executives providing the management with legal expertise on matters such as contract, conveyancing, taxation, loans, documentation etc. Although the field is getting crowded there is always room for the newcomer to the legal profession who can display wit, skill and ability, pleasant manners, loyalty, the ability to keep confidences of clients and a general willingness to keep abreast with the niceties of a complex discipline, and finally face the challenges of the twenty-first century.