How To Make A Career In Law
Today’s society has become more aware about the legal system thus opening up promising career opportunities in the field of law. The following article takes a quick look at the same.
Introduction
The Devil’s Dictionary describes the lawyer as someone who is skilled in the ‘circumvention of the law’. A layman would describe a lawyer as someone who is skilled at finding loopholes in the legal system. Over the years, eminent personalities have donned the role of a lawyer; from Abraham Lincoln to Franz Kafka and Mahatma Gandhi―all have served as lawyers at some point in time or the other.
Legal System in India
The existence of a legal system is India can be traced back to the ancient times. Later, Hinduism had a strong influence on the legal system of the country. Treatise like Manusmriti and Kautilya’s Arthashastra were greatly responsible for shaping the country’s legal system.
Later invasions by the Mughals and the British led to several changes. Post 1947, the country’s legal system was refurbished partly following the lines of the British legal system.
Legal Education
Today, law continues to be a major profession pursued by thousands of young Indians. Even in an era when management and technology courses are the talk of the town, the top law colleges in India have several takers that go up every year.
Initially students could specialize in two types of law – Civil and Criminal Law. Gradually with changing times variations began to be incorporated and today students can specialize in fields like corporate law, cyber law, patent law and many more.
Courses and Job Description
Those who are interested in pursuing a career in law must start early, that is right after they have completed their schooling. However, some can also opt for a degree in law after completing their graduation. There are several law colleges spread across the country that offer BA LLB degrees. Students can choose from law colleges in Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Delhi and others. It has been noticed that, of late the three-year degree course in law has also become quite popular. However, those who are serious about making a living out of law, must opt for the traditional 5-year BA LLB Program.
The Bar Council of India is responsible for regulating the course content of LLB. Students interested in specializing in any kind of field, may opt for pursuing an M.Phil or a PhD. Upon completing higher degrees students can take the task of teaching in a law college.
Somewhat typical in nature, the profession of law demands dedication and immense hard work. One has to spend hours learning about laws. It also requires excellent communication skills coupled with a strong faculty for critical analysis. Usually a student starts off as an apprentice to a senior lawyer while some work with law firms.
Expenses and Job Options
As far as cost of a course in concerned, a BA LLB course would typically cost somewhere between INR 40000 to INR 50000 per annum. A three year-old course would cost somewhere between INR 25000 to INR 30000. However, if a student is pursuing the course by putting up at the residential college, hostel expenses are to be bore separately.
Law graduates can choose from a plethora of career opportunities. They can choose law firms, corporate law firms or simply work as advocates. Law graduates can move on to become judges by clearing examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). They can also work as legal advisors; serve as public prosecutors and solicitor generals.
Remunerations
As far as remunerations are concerned, an apprentice can earn somewhere between INR 5000 to INR 6000. Nonetheless, depending upon the advocate he or she is working with, an apprentice can sometime draw more than INR 10000. Lawyers associated Legal Processing Outsourcings (LPOs) can earn a good package ranging between INR 25000 to INR 30000.
Some of the top law colleges in India are:
- National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata
- National Law School of India University, Bangalore
- Faculty of Law, University of Delhi
- Symbiosis Society’s Law College, Pune
- ILS Law College, Pune
Author Bio: Zara Smith is a professional writer and a passionate blogger. Currently she is writing content for several websites such as Shiksha.com that cover latest trends related to education in India such as law, engineering as well as other fields.
