Summary:
In this article, you will learn about the Top 7 Career Options in Law In India.
- Criminal Lawyer
- Corporate Lawyer
- Judicial Services
- Legal Journalist
- Legal Analyst
- Civil Lawyer
- Legal Advisor
Read more to know each in detail.
Picking the right career is a very stressful decision. After all, there’s so much to consider. Fortunately, if you’re a law student or aspire to join the law sector, this article will help you.
The law profession is one of the most widespread professions in the country, serving an essential purpose in society. The professionals maintain a balance between the legislature, executive and judiciary.
Law professionals are considered central to the system of the judiciary as they have the skillset and a bent of mind to understand the
A career after law opens various opportunities for graduates where they can apply their skills and create a more significant impact. It is a reputable field where law professionals get a tremendous amount of respect for their work. They interact with various people from every stratum of society and develop a deep understanding of human nature. They can create a rapport with the people they cross paths with that is inexplicable.
There are good job opportunities for law graduates; they should not confine themselves to one domain and explore as much as possible. Some of those job opportunities are mentioned in the article.
We’ve created a list of the best career options in law to help you make a conscious and wise career decision.
Best Career Options in Legal Industry
Law is an expansive sector with various opportunities. You can follow a unique career in this industry depending on your interests and abilities. The following are some of the most prominent and lucrative career options in law:
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1. Criminal Lawyer
Criminal lawyers are responsible for representing their clients in court for criminal cases. They present cases in the court for their client in the local court, High Court, or the Supreme Court. Criminal lawyers argue their client’s case in front of a judge, question witnesses and the people related to their case, and review evidence.
This field requires strong investigative and interpersonal skills. You must also have strong oration skills as you’d need to present your client’s case as strongly as possible. Criminal lawyers are experts at conducting research, performing legal analysis, and interacting with other people.
Criminal lawyers have to be really sharp and possess attention to detail because of the demand of their job. Clients hire criminal lawyers for their extensive knowledge of the law; also, they know how to navigate a case while protecting their clients.
It is one of the good after law career options to pursue. One must be equipped with the right skill set to be better at their job. Some of the in-demand skillset for criminal law are mentioned below-
- Good knowledge of the law
- Adaptable
- Negotiation
- Critical Thinking
- Resourceful
They handle cases of numerous types such as drugs, fraud, domestic violence, abuses of various types and many more. This is why criminal lawyers should have a decent understanding of their environment that activates their rational ability to think critically, which helps their case.
Criminal Lawyer Salary in India
The average pay of a criminal lawyer in India is INR 7 lakh per annum. Beginners in this field earn around INR 2 lakh per annum while experienced criminal lawyers can earn up to INR 30 lakh per annum.
You can join a law firm as a criminal lawyer or start your independent practice. This is a big reason why it’s among the most popular career options in law. If you want a career focused on litigation, then becoming a criminal lawyer would be the most suitable choice for you.
2. Corporate Lawyer
Corporate lawyers help companies in complying with the rules and regulations of their industry. They are responsible for assisting their client with all the legal processes related to a company’s formation and management.
As a corporate lawyer, you’d have to advise your client in claiming liability, and business transactions, and represent in court during a trial. Corporate lawyers help their clients in reviewing and submitting legal documents related to their issues.
Corporate lawyers must be familiar with many subjects including Competition Law, Advanced Company Law, Commercial Contract Drafting, M&A Transactions, Banking, Financial Law, etc.
A corporate lawyer has the responsibility to make sure that the company’s transactions are in compliance with corporate law. They protect the company from any possible legal actions.
Along with that, they are also responsible for the drafting of contracts, negotiations and partnerships done by the companies.
Corporate lawyers should be aware of business studies as they would be working at a corporate. They should align their thinking analytically in order to advise the business better. And most importantly, they should be acquainted with thinking critically and devising strategies.
Corporate Lawyer Salary in India
The average salary of a corporate lawyer in India is INR 6.9 lakh per year. As a beginner, you can expect to earn INR 1.47 lakh per annum including the base salary and the offered bonuses. The upper limit for this profession is quite high and your pay can go up to INR 20 lakh per annum. This field is among the best career options in the legal sector in terms of growth opportunities and income potential.
3. Judicial Services
A judge presides over court proceedings. They give the final verdict on a case after hearing arguments from both sides and evaluating the legal situation of the case. Judicial services are among the most respected careers in India.
To pursue a career in the judicial services of India, you would need to appear for the state-level exam for judicial services.
Judiciary is one of the pillars of Indian democracy that keeps a check and balance between the legislature and executive. It is one of the highly revered positions, where the judge gets enormous responsibility to deliver justice to people seeking it. That brings a lot of respect from society.
While working in the judiciary, the professional should have the following skillset-
- Reasoning
- Analytical Thinking
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Empathy
- Rational Thinking
- Leadership
- Honesty
Judicial Services Salary in India
The salary of a High Court judge in India is INR 2.2 lakh per month. Similarly, the salary of a Supreme Court judge in India is INR 2.5 lakh per month. As it’s a government job, it offers many additional allowances and perks.
4. Legal Journalist
If you have a knack for writing, then you can pursue a career in legal journalism. Legal journalists attend court hearings and report the facts directly. They write articles for publications that could be online (blog, website, and social media) as well as offline (newspaper, magazine, etc.).
Legal journalists might take part in discussions on legal issues as they have a strong understanding of the law and current affairs.
This field requires strong communication skills and writing skills. However, it’s also possible for a legal journalist to work in visual media (television, YouTube, etc.) instead of being limited to writing. It’s certainly a unique career with a specific set of opportunities and challenges.
Legal journalists have creative freedom and have the tool of words they must use very consciously. They document the hearings and create articles to be published to the broader public.
Some of the below-mentioned skills are important that legal journalists should possess-
- Active listening
- Good writing skills
- General Knowledge
- Current Affairs
- Shorthand
Legal Journalist Salary in India
The average salary of a journalist in India is INR 3.7 lakh per annum. Beginner-level professionals in this field earn around INR 1.6 lakh per annum however senior-level professionals can earn up to INR 9.89 lakh per annum. It’s among the best career option in the legal industry for creative people.
5. Legal Analyst
Legal analysts are responsible for researching and reviewing legal issues while making recommendations on the same. They assist legal teams and lawyers in performing research, gathering evidence, preparing legal documents, and performing various tasks to help the lawyers perform their duties.
Legal analysts are also known as paralegals, or litigation analysts, and their work can vary a lot depending on the case they are working on and who they are assisting. They are responsible for handling tracking systems and databases while collating, tracking, and reviewing important documents.
They work during the usual business hours but might have to work overtime while working on big cases. Moreover, they might have to travel for researching more on their cases. Legal analysts must have a basic understanding of the law, legal documentation, research in law, and management.
Legal analysts should have the skills to research, analyze, and have good research skills. Having good time management and organizational skills are also crucial skills that one must possess.
The answer to common apprehension, “Is law a good career in India?” would be yes. It is an excellent career in India, where there is high pay and various paths one can choose post-completion of their course.
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Legal Analyst Salary in India
The average salary of legal analysts in India is INR 4.14 lakh per year. It’s an attractive field for beginners in the legal industry who want to get hands-on experience. The pay of a legal analyst in India can go up to INR 9.8 lakh per annum.
6. Civil Lawyer
Civil lawyers handle non-criminal litigation, but their duties are the same as criminal lawyers. Civil lawyers take over the litigation once a defendant hires them. A civil lawyer is responsible for all the case-related tasks such as communicating with the other party’s lawyers and the judge, interviewing the people related to the case, filing motions, hiring expert witnesses, presenting the case, and much more.
There are many specializations among civil lawyers so the field is quite diverse. Common specializations in this field include divorce law, taxation law, excise law, etc.
Civil lawyers support their clients by maintaining a good hold of their cases. They look into the dispute and devise necessary strategies to achieve success.
Various domains fall under civil law, such as property disputes, family, business, and many more. Civil lawyers have the knowledge and mind to look through the details. They make a lot of research and effort to save the legal rights of their clients.
Some of the skills required in the field of civil law are mentioned below-
- Persuasion
- Communication
- Writing
- Knowledge of law
- General knowledge of society and current affairs
- Empathy
Civil Lawyer Salary in India
As we mentioned before, there are many branches civil law, so it’s rather challenging to determine the average civil lawyer salary in India. Different specializations offer different salaries as divorce lawyers earn INR 10 lakh per annum on average, while Intellectual Property lawyers might earn considerably more than the former.
The pay in this field depends primarily on your experience. The more experienced you are, the better is your understanding of the country’s law and litigation process. The answer to the common apprehension of “Is lawyer a good career in India?” would be yes, it is a very good profession.
7. Legal Advisor
One of the most career options in law is legal advisor. As a legal advisor, you’d be responsible for advising your client on legal issues, preventing litigation, and taking care of contractual and regulatory problems.
Legal advisors have to negotiate with the other party to resolve disputes and analyze contracts for their organization. Organizations rely on legal advisors to prevent legal disputes. Legal advisors usually offer advice to the upper management of a company and work with them to resolve any legal disputes that arise.
Prominent skills in this sector include Legal Research, Contract Negotiation, Contract Management, and Litigation Case Management.
Legal Advisor Salary in India
The average salary of legal advisors in India is INR 5.9 lakh per annum. Freshers in this field earn around INR 2.73 lakh per annum. However, with sufficient skills and experience, your pay can go up to INR 40 lakh per annum. It’s certainly one of the most lucrative career options in law, and if you’re interested in a corporate career away from litigation, then you should definitely give this field a try.
Conclusion
As you can see, the legal sector offers various career opportunities. You should pick one of these careers according to your interests and aspirations. For example, if you’re a creative person who loves to write then pursuing a career in legal journalism would be best for you. On the other hand, if you have strong interpersonal and oration skills, you can become a civil lawyer.
With so much variety available in the law sector, it can get quite daunting to choose one particular stream. Be sure to consider all the factors while making your selection so you can make an informed decision regarding your career.
Which field is best in law?
Some of the high-paying fields in law are mentioned below- a) Law firms, b) Specialisations, c) Judiciary, d) Academia, e) Litigation,
What kind of lawyers are most in demand?
Among the other demanded fields, corporate lawyers are seen tone high in demand for their knowledge of contracts, tax law, bankruptcy, intellectual property law and many more. They are being highly paid as well.
Is being a lawyer worth it in 2022?
Yes, being a lawyer is very helpful in today’s times as lawyers get to represent their clients in court and create a more significant impact on society. The lawyers being paid well can be another important factor behind choosing this field.
What law field makes the most money?
Some of the high-paying fields in law are mentioned below- a) Litigators, b) Corporate Lawyers, c) Civil Lawyers, d) Criminal Lawyers, e) Trial Attorneys, f) Intellectual Property Lawyers, g) Judiciary
Which law is best to study?
Some of the exciting and high-paying content that the lawyers can study are mentioned below- a) Civil Law, b) Corporate Law, d) Property Law e) Intellectual Property Law f) Healthcare g) Blockchain h) Tax Law i) Environmental Law
What to do if I want to study law?
There are two options either go for B.A LLB right after completion of 12th or finish graduation in any field and go for LLB. After that, enroll yourself in college, some colleges have entrance exams, and some offer direct admissions. The paths to studying law are not that complex.
Which law has more scope?
Some of the critical law fields that have more scope are mentioned below- a) Intellectual property law, b) Civil Law, c) Tax Law, d) Real Estate Law, e) Family Law, f) Criminal Law, g) Corporate Law,
