This article has been written by Anindita Deb, a student from Symbiosis Law School, NOIDA. In this article, she discusses the opportunities available to a person who obtains an LLM degree from a top university and how the CLAT PG entrance can help you get into one.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Law as a career option is up and rising and has claimed a high demand for the profession in the market. From litigation to corporate law or legal advising, there is a plethora of opportunities available to a person who holds a degree in law. Law aspirants can either pursue a 3-year LLB course after they have completed a bachelor’s degree or can opt for an integrated 5-year LLB course. Although the opportunities available to a graduate in LLB are no less, the availability of career opportunities with lavish salary packages increases substantially after one completes a course in LLM, which is a master’s degree in law.
LLM degrees can open up a whole new horizon of opportunities for someone looking to reach heights in the field of law. Students who get an LLM can work as legal counsellors, lawyers/advocates, solicitors, or legal writers, advisors, and so on. This article will help you explore what opportunities are available to an LLM graduate.
Professions that can be pursued after completing LLM
Upon completion of an LLM, a number of high-value professional possibilities become available. These careers provide not just financial security, but also ensure that employees are satisfied with their jobs. The following are some of the jobs that an LLM graduate can pursue:
- Judge – Every country’s legal or judiciary system holds this position in extremely high regard. To be a judge, one must be well-versed in the subject matter and have relevant experience. The salary of a Junior Civil Judge ranges from Rs. 27,700-47,700.
- Legal advisor – Court partners or law associates assist with contract summarization, contract management, legal study, writing, court cases, and analytical pertinent projects. If you have prior knowledge in the field, you can succeed as a consultant and earn very well. The average salary for the role of Legal Advisor in India is Rs. 32,900.
- Law examiner – Different types of legal paperwork may be discussed and evaluated by an assessor or an equivalent. A review of a legal record includes legal documents like comments and documentary evidence. Law examiners are mostly paid on an hourly basis starting from an average of Rs. 600 per hour.
- Advocate – A lawyer is a valued specialist in the field of law, whether in India or overseas. To carry out his or her duties, he or she must have a thorough understanding of the country’s laws. The average salary for a Lawyer is Rs. 19,718 per month in India.
- Oath Commissioner – “Oath commissioner” is a term used to describe the oath officer. The task is done by a freshly qualified lawyer who is named by the High Court Registrar in accordance with the principles of law. The starting salary of an Oath Commissioner is Rs. 1,80,000 per annum.
Opportunities for LLM graduates in the public sector
For a trained LLM student, there are several prospects in the government sector. They can work as a Magistrate, a Judge, a Legal Advisor, or a Public Prosecutor. After passing the National Eligibility Test (NET) or another equivalent exam, there is also the possibility of pursuing a teaching career at both private and public universities. Following is a table presenting the jobs available for LLM graduates in the public sector along with their corresponding salary packages:
| Position | Average Salary |
| Law Clerk | Rs 3,60,000 p. a. |
| Law Assistant | Rs 5,50,000 p. a. |
| Legal Researcher | Rs 8,00,000 p. a. |
| Civil Judge | Rs 10,00,000 p. a. |
| Legal Officer | Rs 8,40,000 p. a. |
| Public Prosecutor | Rs 5,00,000 p. a. |
| Guest Faculty | Rs 4,80,000 p. a. |
Apart from these, several career opportunities are also available in the Indian Railways, Defence and Excise departments.
Opportunities for LLM graduates in the private sector
When it comes to the private sector, LLM graduates have a lot of options. There are a number of private law firms in India which have high-profile clients and pay handsome salaries to their employees. The following table represents the top law firms in India and the average salary paid by them:
| Hiring Company | Average Salary |
| Khaitan & Co | Rs 17,00,000 p. a. |
| Luthra and Luthra | Rs 16,00,000 p. a. |
| Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas | Rs 16,60,000 p. a. |
| S&R Associates | Rs 21,00,000 p. a. |
| AZB & Partners | Rs 20,00,000 p. a. |
Besides law firms, NGOs, consultancies, media and publishing houses, and international organisations like the United Nations (UN) also hire LLM graduates at highly paid positions. The job of Company Secretary (CS) has come up as a very valued position for LLM graduates. Companies prefer to hire CS who have a legal background as being a CS involves dealing with the company law. The starting salary package for a CS in India is around Rs. 2,50,000 per annum.
CLAT and its role in the admission to a top university for pursuing LLM
The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is a national level entrance exam conducted by the Consortium of NLUs and administered by the Bar Council of India (BCI). In India, most private law schools also use these scores for enrollment. CLAT Post Graduation (CLAT PG) scores are used by public sector companies in India such as ONGC, Coal India, BHEL, Steel Authority of India, Oil India, and others to recruit for jobs in their legal sectors.
Thousands of people take the CLAT exam every year. Many candidates, however, are undecided about whether or not to take the CLAT PG exam after completing their undergraduate degrees. Many candidates are unsure about the advantages of taking the CLAT PG exam, while others consider how it might help them advance in their careers. There are a number of reasons why one should choose to attempt the CLAT PG entrance exam in order to get into a top National Law University (NLU) for getting their LLM degree. Some of them are stated below:
A chance of getting into top law colleges in the country
CLAT is the only exam in India that provides one with the opportunity of being admitted to the prestigious NLUs. The NLUs, sometimes known as the “IITs of Law,” are India’s top-ranked law schools. The National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore, was the first NLU in India, founded in 1986. There are currently 23 NLUs in India, with 22 of them offering admission through the CLAT exam.
Top-notch placements
CLAT gives you the chance to work for some of the best firms in the world, national and international. According to NLU placement reports, NLU students receive placements ranging from Rs 4-16 lakh per annum at the end of a law course.
CLAT scores are used not just for LLB and LLM admissions, but also for recruitment in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). Those who take the CLAT LLM exam stand a good chance of getting hired in legal positions at leading public sector organisations. Some of the well-known PSUs that hire law graduates are given below:
- Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)
- Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL)
- Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL)
- Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)
- Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
- National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC)
A brand new kick start to your career in law
CLAT PG is an excellent initial step toward a successful legal profession. You can take the exam as soon as you complete your Undergraduate degree to gain admission to an LLM programme that specialises in your preferred field of law. When you get an LLM degree, you have a variety of opportunities.
Conclusion
A career in law demands a significant amount of knowledge, skills, and zeal. It involves social awareness. Professional life after completing an LLM, on the other hand, offers up a wider range of subject-specialized areas. So, if you put in the effort, you can guarantee yourself a successful future after graduation.
References
- https://educationasia.in/article/what-are-the-career-opportunities-after-pursuing-llm
- https://blog.finology.in/recent-updates/career-options-after-llm
- https://www.shiksha.com/law/articles/top-5-reasons-to-take-clat-exam-blogId-68473
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