How to Become a Lawyer

Renowned courtroom drama like Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” has represented the mighty power of law in serving justice, making characters like Atticus Finch a folk hero of the real world. But as superficial as it may sound that a fictional black defendant succeeded in upholding the law, there are many such heroes out there in the real world like Amasa Coleman Lee, Abraham Lincoln, Mary Jo White who have vindicated people of false allegations and served in the court of law. So, if you are zealous enough to stand up, take the reins and boldly steer discussions in a particular direction, then, you must follow a career in law. And if you are confused about how to maneuver in this direction, then, we are here to your rescue! Through this blog, we would help you with the question of how to become a Lawyer. 

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Understanding The Role of a Lawyer 

While finding the answer to how to become a Lawyer, one should begin by understanding exactly is the role of a lawyer. As regarded by the Preamble, a lawyer is an officer as well as a public citizen having the responsibility to educate his clients regarding their legal rights and obligations, zealously assert the voice of his clients and seek justice. Moreover, a lawyer negotiates in the favor of his client, mediates and advises at the time of conflict, and acts as a spokesperson in legal affairs. Being a competent lawyer, he progresses staying within the legal bounds and harnesses his powers for legitimate purposes. Additionally, a lawyer seeks to identify ways to amend the legal framework and strengthen our governing body to rule out the deficiencies in the administration of justice. 

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Responsibilities of a Lawyer

Our blog on how to become a lawyer would be incomplete without highlighting the salient responsibilities of a lawyer. Hence, check out the significant responsibilities that a Lawyer must fulfill after entering the legal profession.

• Take up client legal matters and represent them in court.
• Conduct legal problem analysis and study.
• Present information to their clients both vocally and in writing.
• Argue on their clients’ behalf in the court of law.
• Wills, lawsuits, appeals, contracts, and deeds are examples of legal papers that can be filed, drafted, and prepared.
• They must communicate with their clients, judges, and colleagues who are engaged in the case.

How to Become a Lawyer: Simple Steps to Follow  

Becoming a lawyer is a process that involves rigorous training and hard work that one needs to put in in order to establish competence and efficiency. Hence, with patience, perseverance, and tenacity on your side, move swiftly on the path to become a lawyer and make a successful career in law.

Step 1: Choosing a Stream after Class 10th

The very first and most important step in learning how to become a lawyer is to select the appropriate stream after graduating from high school. Fortunately, there is no special path necessary to earn a degree in law, and individuals from various backgrounds are welcome to apply. Students who wish to study law after their 12th grade usually major in Humanities or Commerce. Popular disciplines for law students include political science, legal studies, economics, history, and psychology. These topics are suggested because they assist build a foundation for the subjects taught in law schools, and some of them are useful in providing school pupils with an understanding of our country’s legal system.

Step 2: Complete your Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB)

The next stage in learning how to become a lawyer is to earn a graduate degree in law. You can study this immediately after graduating from high school or after graduating from any other subject.

Option 1: Completing Law Degree after Class 12th (5 Years)

If you are serious about a future in law, you should enroll in a 5-year integrated program. 5-year LLB degrees teach you fundamental graduation courses as well as legal subjects, with the most frequent course combinations such as:

• BA LLB
• BBA LLB
• BTech LLB
• B.Com LLB
• BSc LLB

The advantages of 5-year programs are that you gain early exposure to Law courses (along with your graduation), providing you deeper insights into the fundamental subjects of Law, and you save a year of study when compared to Law after graduation. The top entrance exams for integrated law degrees are as follows:

• CLAT
• LSAT India 
• AILET 
• SET

Option 2: Completing Law Degree after Graduation (3 Years)

There are occasions when students complete their graduation in another subject but subsequently decide that they wish to pursue a career in law. In this situation, you can still pursue a law degree through a three-year LLB program directly after graduation. The main difference between a 3-year LLB and a 5-year LLB program is that the former exclusively teaches core Law topics, whilst the latter additionally teaches fundamental graduation subjects in addition to core Law subjects. The key entrance exams for pursuing 3 year LLB program are as follows:

• LSAT
• DU LLB
• MH CET 
• BHU LLB

Note: The above-mentioned exams require a minimum score of 50% or above for admission to law schools. If a student fails to reach that score, he or she should study even harder the next year and reapply for the exam because there are no time limits.

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Step 3: Apply to a Law School 

Furthermore, the next step on our list of how to become a lawyer is to apply to a law school to either study a 5-year integrated law program or a 3-year bachelor law program. The top law institutes and colleges in India are mentioned below:

• National Law School of India University, Bangalore
• Nalsar University of Law, Hyderabad
• West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata
• National Law University, New Delhi
• National Law University, Jodhpur
• National Law University, Bhopal
• Gujrat National Law University, Gandhinagar
• Jindal Global Law School, OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat
• Symbiosis Law School, Pune
  Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, New Delhi
• Faculty of Law, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
• Government Law College, Mumbai
• ILS Law College, Pune

Here is a list of important documents that students must have before applying for the law schools of their choice:

• Credential Assembly Service (CAS)
• Official transcripts and test scores 
• Letters of recommendation
• Short essay 
• Cover letter 
• SOP 

When applying to law schools, you should consider the following factors to ensure admission to a higher law school:

• Examine the legal schools that have been authorized by the UGC and the BCI. If you do not receive any authorized law schools, try again to prepare well.
• To discover a better law school for your results, use your CLAT/LSAT-India or another admission score approved by an Indian law school, as well as your percentage.
• Before you choose a law school, look at the employment rate.

Step 4: Gain Practical Work Experience via Internships.

The next step in learning how to become a lawyer is to obtain work experience. Every law graduate is obliged to have completed an internship with a senior advocate or a legal firm, as specified by the university from which they are graduating. In general, internships last at least one month, and you can intern while still in school or after you graduate. Individuals might also conduct 2-3 internships with various advocates or companies to get a broad understanding of the issue.

Step 5: Go for Masters in Law with Specialization 

A Masters’s degree with a specialty is not only the icing on the cake, but it will also help you improve your subject expertise and strengthen your CV or academic qualifications. A Master’s degree in Law is required to specialize in a certain subject of law (LLM). for all the young aspirants who are reading this blog on how to become a lawyer in the future, it is always advisable to go for a master’s degree like LLM after LLB. Some of the most popular specialties chosen by attorneys are:

• Civil Law: often known as common law, is a legal system that is available to everyone. It deals with conflicts between persons in areas such as infringement of rights, breach of contracts between parties, property law, and family law.
• Criminal Law: Criminal Law is concerned with situations involving criminal offenses. A Criminal Lawyer thoroughly studies the history of the case and must communicate with clients, police, and witnesses in order to gather genuine facts and evidence to defend their client.
• Intellectual Property Law: An IPR Lawyer advises clients on how to preserve their intangible property, such as inventions, literary and creative works, symbols, names, pictures, and designs utilized in business, and so on.
• Tax Law: This area deals with the study of a country’s numerous tax laws and focuses mostly on several forms of taxes, such as income tax, property tax, estate tax, franchises, and inheritance concerns.
• Environmental Law: It is concerned with laws that assist to safeguard the environment by regulating the influence of human activities on the environment, such as land, air, and water pollution, wildlife protection, and so on.
• Corporate Law: Corporate Law is the study of activities and laws that pertain to a corporation. Corporate attorneys counsel businesses on their legal rights, duties, and privileges, as well as deal with employment law concerns, contract disputes, the protection of the company’s intellectual property rights, and so on.

Step 6: Enroll with the State Bar Council

The next step on our list of how to become a lawyer deals with enrolling yourself with the State Bar Council and clear the All India Bar Examination conducted by the Bar Council of India.  Once you pass this exam, you will be issued a certificate of practice, allowing you to practice law in court.

Step 7: Advance your Careers as a Lawyer

Lawyers can develop their careers in a variety of ways. Freshman attorneys typically begin as associates, working closely with more experienced lawyers to develop their skills. Attorneys may advance to become partners in a firm after several years of successful practice, while others may choose to establish their own legal firm. Some may leave the practice of law to become judges or public officials. Lawyers can also continue their studies at the masters and doctorate levels. For lawyers interested in jobs requiring research and academic studies, the Master of Laws (LLM) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) are two popular options.

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Skills Required 

The top skills that are necessary and are required for aspirants to pursue a career in law are as follows:

• Eye to details
• Quick responsiveness
• Good debating skills
• Critical thinking
• Sound communication skills
• Good listener
• Persuasion skills
• Analytical skills
• Problem-solving skills 
• Deep knowledge of legal terms and concepts
• Time management

Employment Opportunities for Lawyers

Lawyers can find a range of job possibilities in a variety of industries. The following are some of the top industries that recruit attorneys or legal advisers:

• Engineering firms
• Information Technology companies
• Universities and Colleges
• Corporate businesses
• MNCs
• Finance companies
• Consulting Firms
• Media and Entertainment houses
• Political Parties

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Salary of Lawyers

A lawyer’s pay will vary depending on the specialization in which he or she works and the amount of experience he or she has. It typically rises as a result of exposure, time, and knowledge expansion. A Lawyer’s average pay has been calculated to be Rs. 5,00,000 (approx.) The following are some salary figures for lawyers at various levels of the profession.

Level of work experience	Estimated average salaries of lawyers/attorneys in INR
Fresher	1.5 lakhs to 3.5 lakhs per annum
Mid-level	4 lakhs to 12 lakhs per annum
Senior-level	15 lakhs to 40 lakhs per annum

Pros of Becoming a Lawyer

• Lawyers are among the highest-paid professionals in the country, thus income potential is high.
• Lawyers have a lot of reputation and authority, which leads to respect and success.
• They are given the chance to assist others and work toward equality in all aspects while adhering to the law.
• There are several options in the subject of law, including family law, business law, financial law, civil law, and criminal law.
• Lawyers can supplement their income by acting as consultants, guest lecturers at law schools, public speakers, and so on.

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Cons of Becoming a Lawyer

• Lawyers may be required to work under pressure while adhering to deadlines, client expectations, changing legislation, and so on.
• Another downside of pursuing a career as a lawyer is the very competitive employment market.
• Lawyers’ workload frequently translates into extended working hours, which can contribute to weariness and health concerns.
• Each case necessitates extensive study and due diligence, which translates to a large quantity of information that you must deal with on a daily basis, in addition to lengthy working hours on average.
• As the number of law schools increases, so does the number of law graduates. This has increased competition, and you must prove your value to be labelled the greatest.

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Hopefully, you’ve become familiar with how to become a Lawyer. So, if you feel that debating is your forte and you have the urge to change the way society functions, then, follow your heart and move towards making a career in law. If you need career-related help, talk to our mentors at Leverage Edu and seek from them career-related guidance.