In this article, Yash Dahiya, of Amity Law School, Noida discusses the career opportunities in law.

INTRODUCTION

Law sure is an interesting and exciting field to be in. From Mahatma Gandhi to Nani Palhivala who have used this profession has a stepping stone to success. Law before was considered to be a family profession but now it really has globalised around the world. It was said before that those who could not become engineers and doctors take law. Today lawyers have moved many moons away and is among one of the most demanding and sort after profession in the world.

The role of a lawyer has really evolved and law today seems like a very promising career option. Career opportunities for law graduates is diverse. With the increase in globalisation and liberalisation new firms have opened up which demand lawyers.

1. Litigation

After you graduate from law the traditional career path for you is practicing in a court. One must have good analytical skills and the ability to think without being biased. To become an advocate and to practice in a court you have to clear an exam which is conducted by the Bar Council of India twice a year. The question asked ranges from analytical skills and basic knowledge of law. It is an open book exam.

After you clear the exam you will be an advocate according to the Advocates Act 1961. There are mainly 2 areas where an advocate can practice i.e. civil law and criminal law. In civil law the advocate must specialise in civil laws such as taxation laws etc. whereas for criminal law an advocate must specialise in evidence laws, IPC, CrPC etc. In civil litigation one must deal with matters relating to property disputes, ownership, contracts, torts etc.

2. Corporate litigation

Law firms are well organised entity comprising of advocates working for one entity. They provide legal advice to clients, drafting, vetting, negotiating contracts, advising business about their legal rights etc. The partners share profits and losses. There are associates working under them. Big law firms have two departments. A corporate lawyer must be familiar with Companies Act, Employment Act etc.

• Corporate department

It deals with the matters of companies. It advises companies on matters inter cooperate agreements, acquisition of companies, mergers, divestures etc.

• Litigation department

This is when advocates fight in courts. When clients come to them for advice on legal matters and lawyers present their cases in courts.

Top 10 law firms in India

• Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co
• AZB & Partners
• Khaitan and Co
• J Sagar Associates
• Luthra and Luthra
• Trilegal
• S&R Associates
• Economic Laws Practice
• Desai and Diwanji
• Talwar Thakore & Associates

Positions in Law Firms

• Legal Services Director
• Case Manager
• Attorney
• Legal Assistant
• Law Firm Administrator
• Paralegal
• Arbitrator
• Legal Services Director
• Legal Analyst

NGO

Social is another field which to be honest has not been explored much but has huge scope. If you are passionate about socio legal issues then this is the right place for you.  Law graduates also get the opportunity to work in international tribunals such as International Court of Justice, International Criminal Court and international organisations such as United Nations.

JUDICIARY

The judiciary of our country plays a very important role in our daily lives. It is the protector and the guardian of the constitution. It has been rightly said as the shield of innocence and the safe guardian of civil right. The position of judge is the most respected and noble position. They have a huge responsibility on their shoulders.

To become a judge one must clear the state judicial examination conducted by the Public Service Commission of their respective state. Also one must have a law degree from a recognised university. They must be enrolled as an advocate. However the age may vary in different states.

The exam is held in 2 phases

Judicial Service Preliminary Examination where objective type questions are asked. The paper is of 200 marks which have questions relating to General Knowledge, English, Constitution of India, Code of Civil Procedure, Contract Act, Indian Penal Code etc.

Judicial Service Main Examination which is a written exam. This is the 2^nd phase. The paper is of 850 marks which include General Knowledge and Language (250 marks), Civil Law -1 (200 marks), Civil Law 2 (200 marks) and Criminal Law (250 marks).

The minimum qualifying marks for the general category is 60% whereas for the reserved classes such as SC, ST and physically handicapped it is 55%. The candidate who got 40% marks in each written paper and 50% marks in aggregate shall be called for a viva-voce test which is of 150 marks. The marks of viva-voce shall be added to the marks of the main exam (written exam). After you clear the exam you will be appointed as a district court judge by the Governor of the state in consultation with the Chief Justice of High Court. The magistrates are appointed by the central or state government in consultation of the Chief Justice of the High Court of that respective state or states.

ACADEMICS

To become a professor you must hold an LLM degree, PhD degree from a recognised law school. Being a professor you get the opportunity to shape the new generation lawyer, judges, civil servant, associates of this country. If you love teaching law then this is surely a career which promises you happiness and satisfaction. The satisfaction of imparting your knowledge to a new generation and shaping their lives.

CIVIL SERVICE

A career in civil service is directly related to public service. The exam is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. There are 24 services in civil services.

All India Services

1. Indian Administrative Service
2. Indian Foreign Service
3. Indian Police Service

Group A Services

1. Indian P & T Accounts & Finance Service
2. Indian Audit and Accounts Service
3. Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise)
4. Indian Defence Accounts Service
5. Indian Revenue Service (I.T.)
6. Indian Railway Personnel Service
7. Indian Defence Estates Service
8. Indian Postal Service
9. Indian Civil Accounts Service
10. Indian Railway Traffic Service
11. Indian Ordnance Factories Service
12. Indian Railway Accounts Service
13. Indian Railway Protection Force (Assistant Security Commissioner)
14. Indian Information Service
15. Indian Trade Service
16. Indian Corporate Law Service

Group – B Services

1. Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands & Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Lakshadweep Police Service
2. Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service
3. Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Delhi civil service
4. Pondicherry Police Service
5. Pondicherry Civil Service

The Preliminary examination consists of two papers of 200 marks each. Both of these papers are objective based. Prelim 1 covers subjects like Current Topics, History, Geography, Politics whereas Prelim 2 covers subjects like Comprehension and Analytical Ability.

The Main examination has 9 papers.

There is a personal interview which is of 275 marks where they see your personality. This makes a total of 2075 marks examination process. Students of law get an edge in this examination as there questions about the Indian political system and the Constitution. There are also questions about Law of torts, Mercantile Law and contemporary law developments.

ARMY/NAVY JAG OFFICER

Serving in the Indian Army/Navy is one of the pride services of the nation. The recruitment of JAG is held twice a year.

Eligibility

The candidate must be an Indian.

The candidate should be between 20-27.

The candidate should have a law degree from a recognised university.

The candidate should be eligible for registration with Bar Council of India.

Selection Procedure

On the basis of academic performance the candidates are shortlisted and called to the SSB centers. After that they are send for medical examination.

Training

The training takes place at Officers Training Academy, Chennai where after 49 weeks they are given the rank of lieutenant.

INDIAN AIR FORCE

Being a part of the Air Force is a matter of great pride for an individual. One has to face challenges and difficulty. There are 3 branches in the Indian Air Force which are the Ground Duty Branch, Flying Branch and Technical Branch.

Law graduates are only eligible for Ground Duty Branch. The Ground branch consists the administrative branch, logistic branch, meteorology branch, education branch and accounts branch.

The candidates have to write an AFCAT examination after which they are called for SSB.

JOURNALISM AND BROADCASTING

Now moving to broadcasting is a completely different field. There are newspapers who want journalists who can write on legal cases and give their views as well. One can be a legal correspondent, news anchor etc. Plus law school also helps in improving our communication skills. Legal Journalism covers proceedings in courts, arbitration events, etc. which is shared to the public. Matters related to human rights violations and a social issue has really opened a new career opportunity for law students.

The candidates have to write an AFCAT examination after which they are called for SSB.

LEGAL CONTENT WRITING

Legal content writing also has opened a new opportunity for law students. Many Big Firms are recruiting legal content writers. It enables law students to increase their knowledge and research. Law graduates write blogs related to law. So if you like to research and write then Legal Content writer is a really good opportunity for you.

CONCLUSION

So these are the career opportunities available to law students. PSU companies such as Oil India Limited (OIL), Gas Authority of India (GAIL), Indian Oil Cooperation Limited (IOCL), Power Grid Cooperation of India Limited (NTPC) etc.

There are also many governmental posts such as Government secretaries in assemblies, Staff in higher/ lower judiciary/ Quasi-Judicial Institutions, Judicial member in CAT, Attorney General of India, Advocate General, and Attorney General of India etc.

REFERENCES

[1] Sudarshna Thapa, Job Opportunities for law students after Graduation, Ipleaders (2018), https://blog.ipleaders.in/job-opportunities-for-law-students-after-graduation/  (last visited on Jul 25, 2018).

[2] Chavi Sharma, Top 10 Legal Firms in India that Hire Law Graduates, Shiksha (2017), https://www.shiksha.com/law/articles/top-10-legal-firms-in-india-that-hire-law-graduates-blogId-11504 (last visited on Jul 25, 2018).

 Harshita Rai, Importance of internship at NGO for Law Students, LawOf (2017), http://www.lawof.in/importance-internship-ngo-harshita-rai-law-student/ (last visited on April 6, 2017).

[4] Predicted Delhi Judicial Services Exam Pattern & Syllabus 2018, Testbook Blog (2018), https://testbook.com/blog/delhi-judicial-services-exam-pattern/ (last visited on Jul 25, 2018).

[5] Civil Service Examination Pattern, https://www.careerindia.com/upsc/examination-pattern-c2.html, Career India (last visited on Jul 25,2018).