Is Law your true calling?
Do you have a strong sense of what's right and wrong? Interested in helping other people fight their corner? Are you appalled by social injustice and aspire to be a catalyst of change? And while doing so, earn lots of money? If the answers are yes, you have landed at the right place! Law is one of the traditional three professions (along with Medicine and Engineering) you can get into, and there are many areas you can specialise in.
Those who have performed well in communication, organisational and analytical thinking skills in their career assessment tests may want to take a look at professions in the legal field. Occupations in this field are plenty and can offer great rewards to those who pursue them. Many law firms pay on the upper scale and can be a great career for those who love making a difference in other people's lives or for those who make excellent arguments and have convincing skills. From a Corporate Lawyer negotiating high profile mergers and acquisitions to Employment Lawyers handling work-related disputes or Media Lawyers dealing with rights and sponsorship deals, there are abundant opportunities to choose in this prestigious field. However, aspirants have to keep in mind that the Legal Profession demands intense dedication and sacrifice of personal time.
Current Scenario:
In these days of globalisation and liberalisation, Law has become a promising career option. To start early, many aspirants opt for the five-year BA/LLB course right after Class 12. In addition to the traditional branches such as Civil, Criminal, Corporate, sn, Labour and Election Law, there are new areas such as Cyber Space, Intellectual Property and International Laws. A number of courses are now available in fields like Human Rights, Intellectual Property Rights, and Cyber Law. Studying Law is completely different from what it was twenty years ago, thanks to the world-class education imparted by leading law colleges in India like Campus Law Center, Delhi University and National Law Universities (NLUs). Today practising in court is not the only option left after you complete a law course.
The most advantageous point about this field is that it is not restricted to a specific background of a student in his senior secondary classes. Be it a student having non-medical, medical, commerce, or humanities background; he can comfortably pursue a graduation in Law. Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is the most prestigious and competitive entrance test for getting into the sixteen National Law Universities. NLU Delhi, however, conducts a separate entrance test which is known by the name of AILET (All India Law Entrance Test).The most exciting part is that a student from any background can prepare for these tests. Thus when you enter into a good law college, you have people from different backgrounds competing with you. This adds different perspectives to your knowledge bank.
At present there are more than 6 lakh advocates in India and the number is swelling with 15,000 new enrolments every year. Lawyers are held in high esteem in a civil society as they render valuable service to all segments of the society by getting their constitutional and legal rights enforced through courts- civil or criminal, at all levels of the judiciary, that is, Trial Court, High Court, Supreme Court or Quasi- Judicial Institutions. Persons holding a Law degree or other higher legal qualifications have ample employment opportunities in private as well as public sector.
Below is a list of popular legal careers. While this list is not exhaustive, it represents a broad sampling of the various career opportunities that exist in the Legal Industry;
Lawyer (also called Attorney, Counselor, Solicitor, Barrister & Advocate):
Lawyers are usually the first that come to mind when people think of legal careers. It continues to be an attractive occupation because of the prestige and the financial gains usually associated with it. Lawyers constantly experience the excitement of being able to go to court and defend various clients. Those who find fulfilment through the expression of ideas and arguments are likely going to fit well in this occupation.
Lawyers can work as Legal Counsels and Legal Advisors for Corporate Sector, firms, organisations, legal persons, individuals and families. They can work as trustees of various trusts, as teachers, law reporters, company secretaries and so on. Additional law qualification along with other degrees offers scope for a wide range of employment opportunities. One who desires to become an advocate and practice law as a profession in India must have obtained basic law degree. S/he should get enrolled with the State Central Bar Council as per provisions contained in the Advocates Act, 1961. Besides, he/she is also required to qualify in the entry test recently introduced by the Bar Council of India.
As advocates, they represent either the plaintiff (the party filing the lawsuit) or the defendant (the party defending the lawsuit), advancing their client’s case through oral argument and through written documents such as motions and briefs. As advisors, lawyers counsel clients on how the facts of their particular case apply to the law.
Being a lawyer, however, has its own drawbacks. While they are paid handsomely, they are also the ones that handle the maximum responsibility. Many lawyers do not normally work the regular 9-to-5 shift. Instead, they work whenever they are needed.
Harish Salve, who has defended Mukesh Ambani in the Reliance Gas Dispute, continues to be hailed as one of the most eminent lawyers in the country. His other influential clients include Tata Group, ITC Limited etc. Another popular name in the Legal Field would be Arun Jaitley, who is now the Union Finance Minister of India. With an extensive legal background, he has implemented various law amendment acts in the Constitution of India. During his illustrious legal career, he has defended prominent figures like Madhavrao Scindia and L.K. Advani. He has also appeared on behalf of giant multinational corporations such as PepsiCo and Coca-Cola and in various other cases in India.
Civil Services/Judiciary:
In the Judiciary, the lowest judicial cadre posts of Magistrate or Sub-Judge are filled up by recruitment through public service commissions or otherwise under the supervision of the High Court. Basic qualification for all these posts is a degree in Law (professional), besides a degree in Arts / Science / Commerce etc. These officers can become District and Sessions Judge by promotion and can also be elevated to the office of a Judge of the High Court and the Supreme Court subject to their seniority and suitability. Earlier, District and Sessions Judges were promoted through services amongst the practising lawyers but now in most of the states, they are being recruited through competitive examinations conducted by State commissions / High Courts. Some prominent judges who have delivered landmark judgements include Justice RS Sodhi, Justice A.N. Grover, Justice Hans Raj Khanna etc.
The most coveted and also the most difficult to crack is the UPSC Civil Services Examination. But even the UPSC officials in many of their briefings have agreed that law students are most likely to take benefit of their study pattern which is similar to the Civil Services Exam pattern. Thus after studying Law, one can prepare for this prestigious exam in a better way. In a sense, law students always have an edge as compared to the students from other fields. This is because law students study many of those subjects which are required for the preparation of this examination. Moreover, their familiarity with the current affairs makes it easy for them to prepare. Thus those students who are laborious and see themselves as future civil servants in the country should opt for law as a profession.
Jobs with NGOs:
Studying Law at a good institute develops in you a social bent of mind. You start thinking about the society. Some of the students currently in their senior secondary classes must be aspiring to work for the social development or other allied issues. It has a very high fame potential because you might emerge at the national or even international stage. A study in law gives you immense scope for such kind of jobs. Indian civil society has expanded substantially in the last fifteen years, opening thousands of job opportunities in various NGOs. These organisations prefer law students because of their familiarity with the local laws and also due to their research potentials. Many law students gather work experience at an NGO during their years in law school itself.
NGOs deal with a broad variety of issues affecting people, including the environment, human rights and poverty. Work is often done in adverse conditions, where the government is unconcerned, uncooperative or sometimes hostile. The law school experience also has the effect of sensitising students to social issues, and a large number of law students work with NGOs during college vacations.
Those who go on to build careers in these organisations are willing to forego the pay packets of the corporate world in exchange for work that changes people’s lives.
Legal Writer:
If one is familiar with the complexities of law and is in a position to understand the intricacies of case law and has a flair for writing, he/she is fit to be a Legal Writer. Legal Writers produce a wide range of written materials for the Legal Industry. From legal newsletters, brochures and marketing copy to feature articles, web content, legal blogs, news reports and attorney profiles, legal writing can take many forms. A few of the most common types of legal writing are outlined below;
Corporate Writers - They develop, write, edit and design a broad range of business materials for the legal industry, including press releases, brochures, leaflets, web copy, newsletters, profiles, marketing copy, business letters, presentations, reports, white papers and academic materials.
Legal Analysts - They summarise case law, prepare news summaries and analyse industry events for online legal information vendors.
Brief writers - They perform research and draft briefs, motions, memorandums and other legal documents for law firm clients on a contract basis.
Web Writers - They research, write and edit web content for online publications, law firm websites and law-based Internet sites. They must also be familiar with HTML, SEO, keyword research and online content management systems.
Legal Writers must have an excellent grasp of the stylistic and mechanical aspects of writing and the fundamentals of English grammar and usage. They must be able to express ideas in a clear, organised, concise and logical manner and meet aggressive deadlines. Legal experience or in-depth knowledge of the legal industry is generally necessary.
Cyber Law:
In today’s digital world our lives revolve around the internet. Having deeply penetrated in our lives, the internet has led to a major transformation in the society. With this explosive growth, the frequency of internet Cyber Crimes has also increased. Cyber Crime refers to illegal internet activities such as Hacking, Cyber Stalking, Virus Dissemination, Software Piracy, Credit Card fraud, Net Extortion, Denial of service Attack and Phishing and much more.
This led to enforcement of Cyber Law for securing computer material against unauthorised access. Therefore a stringent law has been introduced to prevent cyber crimes which not only helps to keep the internet safe but gives a strong and secure Internet system. There is an increased demand for Cyber Forensic Professionals in India. To be a Cyber Law Expert one should have a combined Knowledge of Information Technology and Law. Therefore you have to acquire qualification to work as a Cyber Security and Law Specialist.
The primary duty of Cyber Lawyers is to take care of all sorts of illegal activities and malpractices that happen over the internet. In order to pursue a career in Cyber Law, one should be observant, analytical and possess the ability to assimilate. For a Cyber Lawyer, the world of computer is his/her workstation and hence his wit and intelligence come into play while tracking down a criminal. This is a relatively new branch of Law and lately more and more aspirants are opting for this particular profession. Cyber Lawyers can find employment in software companies as well as Government Organizations like Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
The Legal Industry is thriving and now is a great time to embark on a legal career. The delivery of legal services is a complex process that requires a team of skilled professionals to provide quality and cost- effective service. As a result, the legal field holds an array of career options encompassing a diverse range of skills, experience and education. Developments in Law and Technology are also creating new legal career opportunities.