Career in Law: What to study, where to study and job opportunities in the future

‘There is no better way to exercise the imagination than the study of law’, said Ralph Waldo Emerson.

When it comes to studying law, it is not incorrect to say that it is a popular, high-paying and challenging career. Law as a profession also produces excellent leaders, creative minds and human beings passionate about a variety of social causes.

Legal education also makes students better researchers and communicators, as well as more analytical in their approach to things around them. Every organisation, whether political, social, or economic, will also have a demand for legal professionals since the law is the axis on which a civilised society turns. In fact, in every institution or organisation, attorneys or law graduates have a specific standing.

Does this interest you in pursuing a career in law? Then you are definitely at the right place. Read on to have a complete understanding of the how and what of a career in law.

What is the difference between Attorney & Lawyer?

Let us start with a basic distinction. Within the legal sector, there are a variety of rewarding and difficult professional choices and the ones we hear about most commonly are attorney and lawyer. These two jobs have certain parallels, but they also differ in a number of ways.

A lawyer typically has less expertise than an attorney or advocate and may not always represent clients in court. They utilise their legal expertise to guide clients in understanding and sorting out legal issues. Advocates, on the other hand, are legal experts who can represent someone else in court, before a tribunal, or in front of a counsellor.

What are the different fields of law?

When you enter the legal field, you also should consider the various legal specialities. The options for pursuing a legal career are numerous. Here is a list of different fields of law for a candidate to choose from.

• Criminal Law
• Business Law
• Real Estate and Property Law
• Cyber Law
• Intellectual Property Law
• Labour Law
• Immigration Law
• Corporate Law
• Bankruptcy Law
• Commercial Law
• Financial & Securities Law
• International Law
• Environmental Law
• Military Law
• Media Law
• Human Rights Law

What to study for a career in law?

To begin your career as a lawyer, you must first complete a law degree course at a recognised university. There are numerous courses available to pursue, such as:

• A 5-year integrated LLB undergraduate programme like BA LLB, BBA LLB, BLS-LLB, BSc LLB, or BCom LLB. Students who have completed their board exams can apply straightaway for these degrees.
• Candidates who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field but want to go into law practice should enrol in a three-year LLB programme.
• Law schools in India also provide a one-year or two-year master's degree in law (LLM), which is followed by a doctoral degree (PhD), for those who choose to pursue a career as a legal researcher.

To be accepted into the top legal institutions in India and overseas, applicants must pass a specific entrance examination. These are usually quite challenging and require some preparation. Some of these are:

• Common Law Admission Test (CLAT)
• All India Law Entrance Test (AILET)
• Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
• Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT)
• Delhi University LLB Entrance Test

Where can you study law in India?

In India today, there is a greater number of students opting to study law instead of pursuing a science or technical degree, especially after completing class 12. If you are also one of those and looking for a law college to study in India then here is a list of some of the top colleges for you:

• National Law School of India University, Bangalore
• National Law University, Delhi
• NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad
• Symbiosis Law School, Pune
• The West Bengal National University of Juridical Science, West Bengal
• Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi
• Amity Law School, Delhi

What are the job opportunities after doing law?

Currently, there is a huge demand for lawyers. This is particularly as a result of the shifting social and economic conditions as well as the government's expanding regulatory role. In addition to being financially rewarding, a career in law can be adventurous and interesting. Here is a list of job profiles to pursue:

• Criminal Lawyer - They specialise in crime and punishment law. Criminal Lawyers represent and defend people who have been convicted of committing a crime. Bail bond hearings, plea bargains, and trials are some of the work they are usually involved with.

• Corporate Lawyer - They work on legal issues of corporate organisations. From business agreements to corporate taxes, they manage it all.

• Civil Lawyer - From personal injury to family to real estate legal issues, all of these are handled by a civil lawyer.

• Public Prosecutors - They are in the employ of the government and represent the government’s interest in various appeals, trials or other processes in court.

• Legal Advisor - A legal advisor is needed to give suggestions and advice on a range of legal matters. They may assist individuals or large organisations.

• Legal Academia - One can teach in Law schools and universities as a professor and impart all their valuable knowledge to aspiring lawyers.

• Legal Journalist - With their expertise in the field of law, legal journalists provide people with news and information related to the law.

Lawyers can be significant agents of change - helping out those who do not have the legal expertise to help themselves, fighting for important social causes, and of course, working for the betterment of society. Someone pursuing a career in law can also be incredibly successful and make a name for themselves. Whatever your reason to pursue law - going at it with dedication and intent can make all the difference.