Why Choose Law As A Career After Graduation in India?

Reader's Digest—Are you considering a career in law after graduation? If yes, you've come to the right place! In this blog, we will discuss why a career in law is an excellent choice for graduates and how to make the most of your legal education. So, let's start exploring the advantages of obtaining a law degree!

The decision to pursue law as a career after graduation in India is a major one, and the path to becoming a lawyer is long and winding. When is the time to decide what to do with your degree after completing it? Choosing law as a career after graduation is a big decision requiring much thought.

The first and foremost thing to consider is whether or not you are passionate about law. If yes, do you want to help people and make a difference? If so, how determined are you to achieve this and succeed in the field? 

Once you decide to pursue law after graduation, the next step is determining the type of Lawyer you want to become. There are multiple options, and each offers unique challenges and rewards. 

Law as a career after graduation is not limited to Corporate practice and litigation. Instead, it opens multiple options.  Some of them are listed below:

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Why Choose Law As A Career After Graduation in India?

Choosing a career in law after graduation in India can be compelling for several reasons, as it offers a blend of intellectual challenges, the potential for a significant impact on society, and diverse career opportunities. Here’s a breakdown of why law can be an attractive career path:

1. Diverse Opportunities

• Legal Practice: You can become a lawyer specializing in different fields, such as criminal law, corporate law, family law, tax law, and environmental law.
• Judiciary: After gaining some practical legal experience, you can aim to become a judge through exams like the Judicial Services Examination.
• Academia: A career in legal academia is an option for those interested in teaching and research.
• Corporate Sector: Companies often require legal advisors to navigate corporate law, mergers, acquisitions, intellectual property rights, and other issues.
• Public Service: Legal professionals are in demand in various government departments, NGOs, and international organizations.

Learn: How to become a Lawyer

2. Intellectual Challenge and Continuous Learning

• Law involves critical thinking, problem-solving, and continuous learning about laws and legal systems. It's intellectually stimulating and requires keeping up with new regulations, judgments, and legal precedents.

3. Financial Rewards

• Experienced legal professionals in private practice, corporate sectors, or as legal consultants can earn substantial incomes. Success in high-profile cases or as a corporate legal advisor can lead to lucrative earnings.

Learn: Difference Between Lawyers & Advocates

4. Social Impact

• Lawyers can advocate for justice, influence public policy, and contribute to societal changes. Legal professionals play a critical role in defending human rights and environmental protection and ensuring the fair administration of justice.

5. Prestige and Respect

• The legal profession is often viewed with respect and prestige in India, given its contribution to upholding justice and the rule of law. Successful lawyers and judges are highly regarded in society.

6. Entrepreneurial Opportunities

• Lawyers have the flexibility to start their law practice, offering services directly to clients. This entrepreneurial aspect allows for independence and the ability to build a personal brand in the legal field.

7. Global Perspectives

• With globalization, there’s a growing need for legal professionals who understand international law, treaties, and cross-border regulations. This opens up opportunities for work involving international law firms, multinational companies, and NGOs.

Top 5 Compelling Reasons To Choose A Career In Law After Graduation In India

For many students, graduating from college can be exciting and intimidating. Choosing the right path can be challenging with so many career options. However, it can be a wise and rewarding choice for those considering a career in law.

Here are some of the reasons to choose a career in law after graduation:

• Challenging and rewarding profession: Law offers a challenging and rewarding career that allows you to use your knowledge and skills to help others.
• Financial security: Lawyers typically earn a good salary and have the ability to work independently.
• Variety of career options: There is a wide range of career options within the law domain, from corporate to tax to civil, criminal and family law.
• Intellectual stimulation: The law is constantly evolving and changing, providing lawyers a stimulating job.
• Prestige: Becoming a lawyer carries a certain level of reputation and respect.
• Job satisfaction: Lawyers often find job satisfaction in helping their clients achieve justice and solve problems.
• Ability to make a difference: Lawyers can make a difference in society by advocating for their clients and protecting individuals' rights.
• International opportunities: Becoming a lawyer can open up global opportunities, such as working abroad or with multinational corporations.

Understand: The types of Lawyers In India

List of Most Popular Law Entrance Exams After Graduation

If you are considering a career in law after graduation, you must qualify for the law entrance exam. Law entrance exams assess applicants' knowledge, skills, and abilities so they can be placed in the correct law school.

These Law Entrance Examinations are further classified into three levels :

• National Level
• State Level
• Institutional Level 

Here are some of the law entrance exams:

CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) UG

• Minimum Age requirement- Candidates of all age groups above 18 are eligible to appear in this exam.
• The minimum qualification required for appearing in the CLAT exam is Class 12th from a recognised board. The minimum score is 45% for General category candidates and 40% for SC/STs.

CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) PG

Go through some of the information about CLAT PG:

• What are the minimum age and maximum age requirements for the exam? There is no restriction on the lower or upper age limit; the only limit is being qualified for a Bachelor of Law.
• What is the minimum qualification required for the exam? A bachelor's degree in law (LLB) with 50% marks is required to apply for this exam. 
• Can I apply for the exam if I am a final-year LLB student? Yes...  Definitely!

Mode	Offline
Medium	English
Duration	2 hours (120 minutes)
Question Type	Objective (MCQs)
Total Questions	120
Total Marks	120
Negative Marking	0.25 marks for every incorrect answer

AILET (All India Law Entrance Test) PG

Note that the exam pattern has slightly changed for this academic year. Consider this before you start with your preparations. 

• The AILET LLM has 100 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) for 100 marks that must be attempted in Section A, along with a few descriptives. This section also has a negative marking of 0.25.
• The broad syllabus for 100 MCQs will be from all significant law subjects like Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, Law of Contract, Jurisprudence, Law of Tort, International Law, etc.

Name of Examination	All India Law Entrance Examination
Short Name	AILET
Conducted By	National Law University, Delhi
Mode of Examination	Offline
Language Options	English
Courses Offered	BA LLB & LLM courses

Symbiosis Law Admission Test (SLAT)

• Symbiosis Law Admission Test is conducted for admission into Symbiosis Pune, Noida, Nagpur and Hyderabad.
• The entrance test shall be conducted online per the SLAT paper pattern.
• The question paper consists of 60 questions for 60 marks.
• The SLAT exam has three sections: the Symbiosis Law Admission Test (SLAT), the Writing Ability Test (WAT), and the Personal Interview (PI).
• Minimum Age requirement- Candidates of all age groups above 18 are eligible to appear in this exam.
• The minimum qualification required for appearing in the CLAT exam is Class 12th from a recognised board. The minimum score is 45% for candidates of the General category and 40% for SC/STs.

Name of the Examination	Symbiosis Law Admission Test
Common Name	SLAT
Conducting Body	Symbiosis International University, Pune (SIU)
Mode of Exam	Online
Courses Offered	BA LLB & BBA LLB
Total Seat Intake	1080
Participating Institutes	SLS Pune, SLS Noida, SLS Hyderabad, SLS Nagpur

Law School Admission Test India (LSAT)

• The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) administers the LSAT India exam twice a year.
• The LSAT Entrance Exam is required for admission to a 5-year integrated LLB, 3-year LLB course and 1-year LLM program in India's law schools.
• The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) administers the test, which is accepted worldwide.
• You must prepare for Analytical Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension to crack this entrance exam.

Conducting Body	Law School Admission Council
Medium of Exam	English Only
Question-type	Multiple Choice Questions
Number of Subjects	3
Courses Offered	BA LLB, LLM, or Integrated LLB

Top Opportunities After Choosing Law As A Career After Graduation

With dynamic changes in legislation, it is more necessary than ever for businesses to get legal professionals to address new requirements in various industries.

Law as a Career is one of the most popular career options among students. Many career options are available after law graduation (LLB/BBA LLB/BA LLB).

The following are some of the most popular fields in which aspirants seek jobs after completing a law degree:

• Practice of Law
• Judiciary
• Armed Forces
• Private Sector Jobs
• Government Jobs

Law As A Career After Graduation - Litigation/Advocate

Traditionally, a law graduate's career path has been to practice in court. Before practising law in a court, aspirants must meet specific prerequisites.

These include passing the All India Bar Exam (AIBE) and registering with the local Bar Council where you intend to practice. 

• The All India Bar exam is held twice yearly and tests applicants' legal knowledge and analytical skills.
• Trial advocates represent their clients in litigation from the district to the Supreme Court. They could use these representations for a civil or criminal case.
• After graduation, one can begin their law career by working with a well-established lawyer and gaining experience before deciding to freelance.
• Alternatively, one can also join a large firm and work through it.

Learn more: The salary difference between average and top paid lawyer

Career In Law After Graduation - Corporate Field

The corporate law sector is a great place to work. A corporate lawyer ensures compliance with the law by the corporation and follows the company's policies and obligations.

• As a corporate lawyer, one would counsel corporate clients concerning liability and business disputes and represent them in court during trials.
• Corporate lawyers must know a wide range of topics, including Competition Law, Advanced Company Law, Commercial Contract Drafting, Banking, Financial Law, etc.
• Taking up exams such as LPC and BPTC establishes your position in the industry and gives you a decisive edge over competitors.

Career In Law After Graduation - Judicial Services

The judiciary is another excellent career option for law graduates. 

• To become a judge, you must appear for the Upcoming Judiciary Exams conducted by the Public Service Commission/High Court of the particular state.
• The exam includes questions about current affairs, English, substantive and procedural civil and criminal law, property law, contract law, etc.
• The civil judge exam involves prelims, mains, and the interview round. All three stages are qualifying in nature.
• As a result, you can become a Magistrate at the District level, and further promotion to higher courts would require specific qualifications, such as experience and age.

Career In Law After Graduation - Civil Services

• A lucrative career in civil services is a common choice among law graduates.
• The Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) is a central recruitment agency that conducts examinations for appointments to union services.
• All these examinations consist of Group A and Group B of the central services.
• Since a significant portion of the exam curriculum (law-related) is covered in the undergraduate law program, law graduates have an edge in the civil services examinations.
• If the aspirants qualities the examination, they will be eligible to join the Air Force, Indian Army, or the Navy. 
• Law graduates can take the IAS (Indian Administrative Service) test organized by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
• After clearing the UPSC examinations, aspirants can take administrative roles in various segments of India's executive body. 

Learn:- How to serve Indian Army As a Lawyer

Career In Law After Graduation - Academia

Academics and research are also essential components of a law career in India, including pursuing an LLM and a PhD in a specialized field of choice and becoming an Assistant Professor of Law.

• Students with impressive academic ability and the ability to explain and narrate complex topics to a group are ideal candidates for this field.
• One can pursue an LLM either domestically or internationally. If interested in pursuing an LLM in India, aspirants must appear for the CLAT PG Entrance Exam.
• However, one must appear for an English proficiency test (such as TOEFL or IELTS) and apply to the respective colleges/universities to pursue a law degree abroad.

When one is familiar with the complexities of law and procedure, can comprehend its intricacies, and has a flair for writing and research, one can publish and author law books, legal commentaries, law reports, and journals.

Read More: Types of Civil Litigation

Career In Law After Graduation - Legal Journalism

Media and journalism are other options for law graduates. A legal education helps them gain writing, narrative, and research skills, which are essential to journalism. They write articles for publications online and offline.

• Legal journalists may be invited to participate in legal issues because they possess knowledge of law and current affairs.
• Law graduates who work in journalism will promote legal awareness among the citizens of a country.
• In addition to writing, legal journalists can also work in visual media, such as television, the Internet, and YouTube. This profession offers unique opportunities and challenges.

Read More: Civil Vs. Criminal Litigation

Career In Law After Graduation - Higher Education

If aspirants wish to gain better knowledge in a specialized area of law, they can choose one among several options available for higher studies in Law.

They can do research work or LLM or PhD in the following fields:

• International Law
• Constitutional Law
• Labour Law
• Cyberlaw
• Family Law

Conclusion

The legal field offers many opportunities and can become very competitive. Therefore, picking a profession based on one's interests and aspirations is essential. For example, if you are a creative person who loves writing, you may want to pursue a career in legal journalism.

On the other hand, if you have strong interpersonal and oration skills, you may choose to become a civil lawyer. Once that's done, you need only excel and develop whatever profession or area of law you choose.