Do you love watching courtroom dramas like Suits and Ace Attorney? For all the K-drama fans, didn’t you love Vincenzo and Extraordinary Attorney Woo? Aren’t all the trials in these shows exciting to watch?
After watching these shows, did it ever occur to you that you can pursue a career as a lawyer? Did this pique your interest to study the law?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In this blog, we shall be discussing everything you need to know about how you can pursue a career as a lawyer, and a lot more. Read on!
What does a Lawyer do?
To pursue a career as a lawyer, these are the responsibilities you will have to carry.
- Take on a client’s legal issues and speak on their behalf in court.
- Conduct research and analysis on legal issues.
- give their clients information verbally and in writing.
- argue in court on behalf of their clients.
- Legal documents that can be filed, drafted, and prepared include wills, lawsuits, appeals, contracts, and deeds.
- They must communicate with everyone involved in the case, including their clients, judges, and coworkers.
Job roles
The job profiles for a career as a lawyer and an advocate are as follows.
- Mediators, arbitrators, or conciliators- They negotiate a resolution to the conflict between the parties outside of the judicial system.
- Legal assistants and/or paralegals- They support attorneys with tasks like casework, file maintenance, and research.
- Attorneys – Attorneys should ideally represent their clients in court. In addition, they assist with corporate affairs, serve as guest lecturers, etc.
- Judge- The people who make decisions in a dispute are the judge and the hearing officers. They hold pre-trial hearings, evaluate the evidence offered, interpret the law, and render impartial and just decisions.
- Family lawyers- These professionals give their clients legal advice on matters such as child custody, divorce, domestic abuse, adoption procedures, etc.
- Securities lawyers: They advise clients or businesses on how to abide by regulations governing the purchase and sale of stocks while meeting disclosure requirements.
- Environmental lawyers- They work with government organizations and advocacy groups to ensure that all environmental laws are followed when dealing with environmental issues.
- Lawyers who specialize in tax law- They handle a variety of tax-related issues for both individuals and corporations while adhering to IRS regulations.
Career path to become a Lawyer
To pursue a career as a Lawyer, you can follow these 2 paths.
Path 1:
Complete your 10+2 in any stream of your choice. Although, Arts would be an ideal option since you would be studying Political Science. It totally depends on your preference. After your 10+2, you need to appear for a law entrance exam to get admission. Pursue your 5-year integrated law degree, after which you can also study for LLM.
Path 2:
If you have graduated from a course that is not relevant to law, you will have to take the 3-year LLB course, which is an undergraduate degree. You cannot study for LLM, based on any other undergraduate degree.
Salary in different career stages of a Lawyer
This table shows how much you would earn in your career as a Lawyer.
Job Profile | Salary |
Entry Level | ₹1,56,000 |
Mid-Level | ₹4,68,000 |
Senior-Level | ₹40,00,000 |
Skills required to be a Lawyer
- Analytical skills: The capacity of lawyers to conduct in-depth research on subjects connected to the cases they work on is crucial. As a lawyer, you also need to be able to analyze specifics, gather data, and infer context from clients and witnesses, among other analytical applications. Documents, intricate information, and other data are frequently encountered in this line of work.
- Attention to detail: Lawyers deal with a wide range of clients in a variety of legal settings, and they rely on their keen attention to detail to identify discrepancies in their clients’ cases, murky witness information, or other types of information relevant to the projects they work on.
- Organizational skills; Client records, significant documents, and other records are common in the field. In addition to using computer programs to help them keep track of their schedules, appointments, hearings, and other work-related events, many lawyers find ways to keep their important documents and information organized.
- Time management: It’s important to stay on schedule while performing tasks like client meetings, mediation, hearings, and other duties during business hours. It’s critical to efficiently allot time to various job tasks, such as researching, compiling paperwork, or gathering information, in addition to scheduling and tracking time spent with clients.
- Persuasive communication: In their work, attorneys frequently use persuasion techniques, particularly court attorneys (attorneys that appear in court). Even though the goal of persuasive communication is to persuade people to support a cause, lawyers constantly use persuasive strategies to get the best results for their clients.
- Financial skills: Many lawyers, especially those who start their own private firms, are improving their financial literacy skills. When starting your career, you’ll want to be able to balance a ledger, comprehend tax laws and principles, calculate profits, bill clients, and interact with some of this information when collecting payments from clients, among other financial skills.
Is being a lawyer a good option?
The legal profession is gratifying. As rewarding as it is, being a lawyer is quite challenging. Pursuing a career as a lawyer will provide you with the opportunity to help others and bring justice to victims. As far as the pay is considered, being a lawyer, you get multiple cases. So, there is a huge potential for you to earn well. The profession is also very reputable. For many years, a career in law has been associated with prestige. Lawyers belong to a select group of professionals who command respect and epitomize success. They have impressive degrees and some level of authority over others. In addition to having a distinctive professional status, lawyers frequently have a glamorous reputation in the media. After gaining enough experience, you can also start your own firm, which is an excellent opportunity to become an entrepreneur.
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Types of industries hiring Lawyers
There are numerous job opportunities for lawyers in various industries. The list below includes some of the top industries that employ attorneys or legal consultants:
- Consulting Firms
- Corporate businesses
- Engineering firms
- Finance companies
- Information Technology companies
- Media and Entertainment houses
- MNCs
- Political Parties
- Universities and Colleges
Top legal firms in India
- Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co
- AZB & Partners
- Khaitan & CO
- J Sagar Associates
- Luthra & Luthra Law Offices
- Trilegal
- S&R Associates
- Economic Laws Practice
- Desai and Diwanji
- Talwar Thakore and Associates
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Courses to upskill as a lawyer
If you want to enhance your knowledge and upskill your career as a lawyer, here are a few certificate courses that you can pursue after you pass 12th.
Courses | Duration |
Advanced certificate on Companies Act 2013 | 3 months |
Certificate in Anti-human trafficking | 6 months-2 years |
Certificate in Business and Commercial Law | 3 months |
Certificate in Human Rights | 6 months- 2 years |
Certificate course in Immigration Laws | 4 months |
Certificate Course in Infrastructure Laws | 4 months |
Certificate in Intellectual Property Law | 3-6 months |
Certificate in International Trade Law | 4 months |
Certificate course in Law of Financial Services | 4 months |
Certificate course in Solid waste management and law | 4 months |
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Educational qualifications to be a lawyer
Here are a few undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs you can take in India if you want to pursue a career as a lawyer.
Degrees in India
Undergraduate law degrees in India
- LLB
- BCom LLB
- BBA LLB
- BA LLB
Postgraduate law degrees in India
Courses | Duration |
LLM | 2 years |
Degrees abroad
Here are a few undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs you can take in India if you want to pursue a career as a lawyer.
Undergraduate law degrees abroad
- Juris Doctorate
- LLB
Postgraduate law degrees abroad
Courses | Duration |
LLM | 2 years |
References
Famous lawyers in India
- Ram Jethmalani
- Soli Sorabjee
- Fali S Nariman
- Mukul Rohtagi
- Ashok Desai
Books you can read
The following are some of the top books and study materials for those who want to pursue a career as a lawyer.
- Best For Aspiring Activist Attorneys: The Story of My Life by Clarence Darrow
- Making Your Case: The Art of Persuading Judges by Antonin Scalia and Bryan A. Garner
- The New Lawyer’s Handbook- 101 Success Strategies They Didn’t Teach You in Law School by Karen Thalacker.
- Tomorrow’s Lawyers: An Introduction to Your Future by Richard Susskind
- The Rule of Law by Tom Bingham, Baron Bingham of Cornhill
That’s all you needed to know about the field of law. We hope this blog helped you and answered all your questions about how you can pursue a career as a lawyer, what to study, and where you can work. Good luck!
FAQs related to the career as a Lawyer
How do I become a lawyer in India after 12th grade?
How to Study Law After Science in the 12th Grade: A Step-by-Step Guide
Registering for a law entrance exam is the first step.
Step 2: Choose the appropriate law course after 12th-grade science.
Choose the top law school for your legal studies in Step 3.
Step 4 is to either join the State Bar Council or continue your education.
Where do lawyers work?
Consulting Firms
Corporate businesses
Engineering firms
Finance companies
Information Technology companies
Media and Entertainment houses
MNCs
Political Parties
Universities and Colleges
What is the difference between a lawyer and an advocate?
Anyone who has graduated from law school but has not yet aced the bar exam is considered a lawyer. Advocates have licensed attorneys who have passed the bar exam and are qualified to represent clients in court. Although many people use the terms interchangeably, not all lawyers are advocates; however, all advocates are lawyers.
How long does it take to become a lawyer?
After completing your higher secondary education, becoming a lawyer requires five to eight years of full-time study. Your particular amount of time depends on the career path you have chosen. After completing your 10+2, if you decide to study integrated law, it will take you five years to obtain a law degree. But if you continue your education in law after you graduate, it might take you six or eight years to finish. Three to five years of undergraduate study are followed by an additional three years in law school.
How much does a lawyer earn?
The salary range that law firms in India offer ranges from Rs.25-30 lakh per year to Rs.150-200 lakh. There is a wide potential range from between Rs.5-10 lakh per year to Rs.18-20 lakh per year, even for lawyers who have just graduated from college.
Is an LLB sufficient to practice law in India?
To become a lawyer, students must enrol in undergraduate law courses like LLB, BA LLB, BBA LLB, or BSc LLB. Before enrolling in these programs, candidates must pass law entrance exams like the CLAT, AILET, LSAT, etc.