Why Law As A Career In India?

Reader's Digest - If you're looking for a career with many options, you can't go wrong with the law! With a law degree, you can be anything from a high-powered corporate lawyer to a civil judge. So don't let anyone tell you that you have to settle for a boring career - let us guide you on the career options in law!

If you're looking for an exciting career that offers intellectual challenge and professional success, then a legal career could be perfect.

Law is an evergreen profession in India, and with the proper training and qualifications, you can open up a world of opportunity. 

When you choose law as your career, you might have queries like how life is in law school, how to enter law school, career options after law, after LLB career options and more. We have answers for all these queries related to lawyer career options.

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Why Choose Law As A Career in India?

Once upon a time, there lived a young man in India who had just graduated from college and struggled to choose a career path. He had heard about the legal profession and was intrigued, but he hesitated because he felt that it wasn't a very exciting or rewarding field.

One day, the young man decided to go for a walk in the park and encountered a wise old man there. The young man noticed that the old man wore a very impressive black robe and had a giant black suitcase in his hand.

The young man was amazed and asked the old man about his attire. The old man explained that he was a lawyer and had been practising law for many years. He then explained the benefits of choosing law as a career in India.

The old man explained that through the law, one could serve the public, help to build a better society, and even make a comfortable living. He also mentioned that it was a challenging profession and that the rewards were great.

The young man was undoubtedly moved by the old man's words and decided to pursue the legal profession. He became a successful lawyer and was very happy with his choice.

The story's moral is that if you want to make a difference in society, have a challenging and rewarding career, and make a good living; then the law is the best choice in India.

Historical Significance of Law As A Career in India

• Before 1987, you had to join B.A. or B.Com to become a lawyer after the 12th and later join an LLB degree to pursue a law course. 
• There wasn't any entrance exam earlier. However, after 1987, Prof N.R. Madhav Menon bought the concept of merging B.A. and LLB to form a separate degree course specific to the law, i.e., BA LLB (Hons). 
• This new degree is for five years and was initially introduced at NLSIU Bangalore, the top law college in the country.
• Later, many other law schools followed the same concept of 5 year BA LLB degree. 
• Currently, three-year and 5-year law degrees exist, but very few choose a law degree after pursuing a B.A. 

Top 5 Compelling Reasons To Choose Law As A Career In India

Here are a few reasons you should consider law as a career in India:

1. Diverse Job Opportunities: A legal education provides you with a wide range of job opportunities both in and outside the legal field. You can specialize in corporate law, taxation, litigation, human rights, environmental law, intellectual property, and many other areas. Additionally, you can use your legal skills and qualifications to pursue other non-law-related careers such as business management, consulting, and public policy.
2. Professional Growth: With the right qualifications and experience, you can quickly progress in your legal career. There are opportunities to move up the ranks in the legal profession, with roles such as a partner or senior associate at a law firm or judge in a court of law.
3. Great Earning Potential: Lawyers are some of the highest earners because the scope of the law in India is enormous. With the right qualifications and experience, you can command a very competitive salary. In addition, you also have the potential to earn through bonuses, commissions, and other financial incentives.
4. Respectable Profession: Law is respected in India, and lawyers are seen as having great wisdom and knowledge. This allows you to gain public recognition and appreciation for your work.
5. Challenging Work: A legal career is highly demanding and intellectually stimulating. You'll be required to think on your feet, stay up to date with legal developments, and be able to communicate effectively with clients and colleagues.

List of Most Popular Law Entrance Exams

To pursue a law degree, you must appear for law entrance exams conducted every year across the country. 

These Law Entrance Examinations are further classified into three levels :

• National Level
• State Level
• Institutional Level 

There are various entrance exams for law courses, out of which the most popular entrance exams are explained below. 

CLAT (Common Law Admission Test)

• CLAT Entrance Exam is India's top-most exam for U.G. and P.G. courses.
• A consortium of National Law Universities across India conducts it. Through CLAT, you can take admission to any of the 24 NLUs. (*subject to changes)
• The question paper includes a total of 120 questions.
• There are five sections: Logical Reasoning, Legal Reasoning, Quantitative Techniques, English language, Current Affairs & General Knowledge.
• The exam is conducted in offline mode.

Name of Examination	Common Law Admission Test
Short Name	CLAT
Conducted By	The Consortium of National Law Universities
Mode of Examination	Offline
Language Options	English
Courses Offered	5 Year LLB and LLM courses

AILET (All India Law Entrance Test)

• All India Law Entrance Test is also a national-level exam conducted by NLU Delhi for admission into U.G. and P.G. courses.
• A total of 3 sections are included in AILET Entrance Exam: Logical Reasoning, English language, Current Affairs & General Knowledge.
• The question paper consists of 150 questions.
• The total time duration of the exam is 120 minutes. 

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

SLAT

• Symbiosis Law Admission Test is conducted for admission into Symbiosis Pune, Noida, Nagpur and Hyderabad.
• As per the SLAT paper pattern, the entrance test shall be conducted online.
• The question paper consists of 60 questions for 60 marks.

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

Maharashtra Common Law Entrance Test

• MH CET Law Exam is a state-level entrance exam conducted by Maharashtra to get admissions into law programs like LLB and Integrated LLB that have a course duration of 3 and 5 years, respectively. 
• To crack this exam, one must prepare for Legal Aptitude & Legal Reasoning, G.K. & Current Affairs, Logical & Analytical Reasoning, English, and Maths.
• The online exam has 150 multiple-choice questions to be answered in 120 minutes.

Look at the table below to learn the brief highlights of the MH CET Law Exam Pattern 2024:

Exam Name	Maharashtra Common Entrance Test - Law
Exam Frequency	Once a year
Courses Offered	BA LLB
Exam Mode	Online
Exam Duration	2 hours
Accepting Colleges	140
No. of Seats	3-year LLB - Around 16000 seats & 5-year LLB - Around 10,000 seats

Law School Admission Test India

• The LSAT India exam is administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) on behalf of Pearson VUE 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.
• To crack this entrance exam, you must prepare for Analytical Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension.

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

Several other law programs are also conducted at the college, national, and state levels. 

How is Life in Law School After Choosing Law As A Career?

Law school can be an enriching experience, but it's also a lot of work and stressful. After getting admission to law school across India, you must study BA LLB (Hons) for five years.

• In these five years, you study all the laws present in academics. 
• You can experience the actual court, known as mooting, in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. 
• The room is designed as an actual courtroom. You are given a situation or case and judged practically here. 
• Not only the theory, but you also need to be strong in your practicals. 
• Next is client counselling which lets you experience counselling for clients. 
• Article writing is another activity trained during the 5-year course and academics. 
• Debating is also an activity that can be experienced in the course. Depending on the situation, your debating skill is tested.
• Mediation is slightly different from the court. Out of the court, this mediation happens. Two parties come to you, and you need to solve the situation.
• An internship is a must for law students. You can visit law firms, NGOs, or other law-related offices to understand the work.

Exciting Opportunities After Choosing Law As A Career in India

It is no secret that a law degree opens up career opportunities for graduates. After graduating with a law degree, many individuals choose to pursue a career within the legal profession, but this is not the only option available to them. Many other exciting career options are available to those who have earned a law degree.

Here are a few prominent careers that most students have chosen after pursuing a law degree:

• Job in the Public Sector: A law degree can open the door to various public sectors jobs, such as working for the government, a non-profit organization, or a public interest group. You can start practising from the lower courts or higher courts, and most students choose lower courts as their preference.
• Job in the Private Sector: Law school graduates may also find employment in the private sector, such as in a law firm, a corporation, or a business.
• Job as an Independent Consultant or Entrepreneur: Law school graduates can also pursue a career as an independent consultant or entrepreneur. You have to handle all the law issues and litigations associated with the company.
• Job as an Educator: Law school graduates can pursue a career as a professor or lecturer at a law school or university. You can also work on research papers (PhD), academics, and writing books. Around 10-15% take up core academics.
• Job in the Judicial System: Law school graduates can pursue a career as a judge, magistrate, or court administrator. Judge post has a lot of pride and honour. Learn more about Upcoming Judiciary Exams.
• Job in the Media: Law school graduates can pursue a career in the media, such as writing for newspapers, magazines, or television networks.
• Job in Politics: Law school graduates can pursue a career in politics, such as as a lobbyist, political adviser, or campaign manager.
• Civil Services: To join civil services, you must clear UPSC, state-wise PSC. You must be well versed in all the laws to pass entrance exams. 
• Legal Process Outsourcing: Other countries give work to outsourcing as they charge less. 

Don't Miss - How to become a Lawyer

Law As A Career in India - Myth vs Reality

Myth 1 - There is a lot of reading involved in law:

• This myth revolves around law courses, but in reality, the law involves minimal reading and researching. By seeing the books behind a lawyer, you may conclude that law involves much reading.
• But this is not true. A lawyer reads their cases and makes arguments, but this is almost in all careers like Engineering or Medicine. Even they do involve reading.
• Reading doesn't mean for life long, but it enhances your skills and improves knowledge about the subject. Thus, if you wish to become a lawyer, you must like reading.

Myth 2 - You need to have substantial argument skills:

• This is not true, and you need to make a point argument, not lame points which are meaningless.
• Arguments involve speaking at the right time and a fact-based argument with correct evidence.
• If you think you are good at arguing in the debating society, then it is not in the case of a lawyer. 

Myth 3 - Lawyers always spend time outside the court without any job:

• Well, in the current generation, this is not the situation.
• We have come a long way in the journey of law as a career.
• After completing the degree, law students work in higher courts, go towards corporate law, and work in MNCs. This is the reality. 

Myth 4 - Only Humanities stream students take up Law:

• This is another common myth. But, any student interested in this field can take up law as their course.
• Every year, 30-40% are from Humanities, 30-40% from commerce, and 20% from Science background will opt for law courses, as there are many law career opportunities after graduation.
• The law doesn't have connections with the stream. Anyone with interest can choose this career. 
• Don't go by any movie and think lawyers do this job.
• You can watch real-time videos of how a lawyer works or seek expert suggestions about the career to know more details if you have any doubts. 

Also Read - Salary Difference Between Average Paid and Top Paid Lawyer

Salary Options After Choosing Law As A Career 

• If you've decided to pursue law as a career, you're likely already aware of the potential salary you can expect.
• Salaries in the legal profession vary widely depending on the field, the location, and the employer.
• Depending on your experience level, education, and the type of firm you're working for, you may be able to earn a very comfortable salary.

To give you an idea of the salary range, the below table shows the pay scale of lawyers at different levels:

Job Profile	Starting Salary per annum (in INR)	Mid Level Salary per annum (in INR)	Senior Level Salary per annum (INR)
Lawyer/ Attorney	₹1,56,000	₹4,68,000	₹40,00,000

Check Now: Best Law Colleges in India

Does Law As A Career Suitable For Me?

A career is mainly decided based on your interest and skills. If you are currently studying in the 10th standard, you must determine what your skills are and where your interests lie. 

Two ways can help you realize if you should study law as a career.

• Do you love or like reading? Just reading doesn't decide your skills. However, reading is critical if you choose law as your future. The law includes a lot of reading and research. If you get bored after a few minutes of reading newspapers or books, then maybe law is not your career. 
• Do you like making sounds? You should love making sound arguments that don't mean loud answers or not a continuation of arguments. Give your opinion, which gets a back answer, not an ending opinion. 

These are just two significant parameters required to pursue law as your career. 

Read More: Top Law School to Choose for P.G. Courses

Conclusion

Choosing law as a career path offers a multitude of benefits and opportunities for personal and professional growth. Here are key points that highlight why pursuing a career in law can be a rewarding choice:

1. Diverse Opportunities: Law graduates have a wide range of career paths available, including but not limited to practicing as an attorney, working in corporate law, engaging in public service or policy, and specializing in areas like environmental law, intellectual property, or international law.

2. Intellectual Challenge: Law offers continuous intellectual stimulation and challenges. Lawyers often deal with complex problems that require critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovative strategies, making it an ideal career for those who seek mental engagement.

3. Impact on Society: Law professionals play a crucial role in shaping society and protecting individual rights. Whether through advocacy, legislation, or judicial processes, a career in law offers the chance to contribute positively to society and uphold justice.

4. Financial Rewards: While financial outcomes can vary, law is traditionally seen as a lucrative profession, especially for those who excel in their fields or work in high-demand specialties. It offers the potential for a comfortable lifestyle and financial stability.

5. Personal Development: The practice of law fosters significant personal growth, including the development of strong analytical, communication, and negotiation skills. These skills are valuable not only professionally but in personal life as well.

6. Global Perspective: Law increasingly operates on a global scale. This offers lawyers the opportunity to work on international cases, understand global legal systems, and address cross-border issues, providing a broader perspective on the world.

7. Professional Prestige: Law is a respected and esteemed profession. It carries a level of prestige and respect, owing to the rigorous education and licensing requirements, as well as the profession's commitment to ethical standards.

8. Opportunity for Self-Employment: Law provides a clear path to entrepreneurship. Many lawyers eventually choose to open their own practices, offering flexibility in terms of specialization, client types, and work-life balance.

9. Dynamic Environment: The legal landscape is constantly evolving with new laws, technologies, and societal changes, making it a dynamic and interesting field to be a part of. This ensures that a career in law is never stagnant but always evolving.

10. Lifelong Learning: Law as a profession requires continuous learning and adaptation. Lawyers must stay updated with the latest legal developments, making lifelong learning a key component of the career.