Lawyers enforce the law of a nation and law along with other departments such as IPS and others. Lawyers serve as the representative to their clientele (citizens of their country) in order to protect their rights in court of law. Lawyers are of immense importance in the field of law. In this post we walk you through an steps to become a lawyer.
What Does a Lawyer Do?
Lawyers sometimes referred to as an advocate attorney or counsellor is an competent who is qualified to offer legal counsel and assist clients when it comes to legal issues. The main responsibilities of a lawyer are
- Interpreting and researching rules laws and decisions
- Assisting clients in legal matters
- Legal documents such as contracts wills as well as lawsuits
- representing clients in the courts as well as before administrative agencies.
- Settlements and deals to be negotiated
Lawyers are employed in a variety of contexts including private law companies as well as corporate legal departments governments as well as non profit groups. Lawyers are able to choose their specializations when they have completed the LLB degree. It is possible to choose from corporate law criminal law and family law patent law and more.
Eligibility Criteria to Become a Lawyer
To be an attorney in India it is necessary to satisfy the following criteria for eligibility:
- It is required to have @ least an LLB degree or an equivalent law related degree which is recognised as such by BCI. Bar Council of India (BCI).
- The minimum education requirement for you is:
- 10+2 or an equivalent exam
- Bachelors degrees in any field (3 year course)
- It is necessary to be a citizen of India.
- The minimum age requirement is 21 years old.
- You are required to become an advocate in the BCI within six months after you have completed the law school diploma.
- It is mandatory to pass your All India Bar Examination (AIBE) administered by BCI within two years after the date of.
In order to practice law @ the Supreme Court and certain High Courts it is possible that you will need take part in an examination that is conducted by the court of your choice.How to Become a Lawyer
Take these steps to becoming an attorney:
1. Complete 10+2 schooling
The initial step is to complete the higher secondary school or 10+2 education in any discipline such as Science Arts or Commerce. The subjects like politics history science sociology economics and so on can benefit to build a solid general understanding of the law for an upcoming job.
2. Obtain a bachelors degree
It is necessary to hold @ minimum a bachelors degree in any subject in order to get an LLB degree. The most popular option for law school is one of them being the BA LLB integrated law course immediately following 12th. You can also take any bachelors degree that is three years old including BCom BA BSc and so on. before transferring to a three year LLB program. The perfect options for students in the undergraduate level include:
- BA in History Political Science Economics
- BCom in Accounting Business Law
- BSc in Forensic Science Criminology
Pick a path that aligns with your area of expertise such as criminal law corporate law etc.
3. Complete LLB degree
Next step is to finish an undergraduate degree that lasts for three years that focuses on law i.e. LLB. The top law schools in India are:
- National Law School of India University Bangalore
- National Academy of Legal Studies and Research Hyderabad
- National Law University New Delhi
- Symbiosis Law School Pune
- Gujarat National Law University Gandhinagar
Through the LLB program youll learn about subjects such as civil law constitutional laws criminal cyber law family laws tax law corporate law etc. In addition youll develop research writing and analytical abilities.
4. Join the Bar Council of India
After you have completed the LLB diploma you will need to be registered as an advocate in the Bar Council of India (BCI) as the authority organization. It is required within six months following your law school graduation. To enroll you have be able to show:
- Formulary for application
- Copies of LLB degree
- The 10th and 12th marks sheets
- 8 passport sized photos
- Enrollment certificate fee
After approval youll receive a confirmation of your enrollment along with an enrollment number. You can then be a lawyer within India.
5. Appear for AIBE exam
In the first two years after completing your enrollment after completing your studies you must pass in the All India Bar Examination (AIBE) that is conducted by BCI. It is a required exam for continuing to practice law. The exam covers the most important legal subjects and tests your competence. The criteria for eligibility on the exam is that the candidate must have completed 3/5 years of LLB qualification from an institute accredited as such by the Bar Council of India.
AIBE AIBE is a 100 objective exam of 1 hour length. It is required to achieve @ least 40% for passing. The test is held twice per every year in about fifty cities. The successful completion of the AIBE is a way to prove that you are an experienced lawyer who is ready to practicing law under the Advocates Act of 1961.
6. Think about higher law degree programs.
While not mandatory however it is a good idea to think about pursuing advanced law degrees in order to focus and further advance your job:
- LLM This masters program which lasts for two years lets you specialize in specific areas such as the law of corporations IP law criminal law etc.
- Doctoral: This doctoral degree program is focused on research and offers job pathways in the legal academic field.
The top schools that offer LLM as well as PhD degrees in law include NLSIU Bangalore, NALSAR Hyderabad and WBNUJS Kolkata among others.
7. Get practical knowledge
It is crucial to get hands on experience to benefit prepare you for a lucrative legal job. A few options to consider during or following LLB are:
- Work Experiences Summer and winter internships are completed in the courts law firms and firms and courts.
- Moot court: Take part actively the college moot court contests.
- Legal assistance clinics: Volunteer @ college clinics for legal aid.
- Paralegal job: Work as a paralegal assistant in the office of a senior lawyer.
It is going to give an opportunity for you to receive practical instruction on research drafting advocacy and communication abilities that are essential to practice law.
What to Consider When Selecting a Law School
In deciding on the best law school the most important aspects to be considered include:
- Reputation and recognition: Choose an institution recognized by the Bar Council of India and known for its superior law school and in places.
- Faculty and Resources: Look for experienced faculty with a good ratio of faculty to students library moot court facilities etc.
- Specializations in the course: Identify law schools that offer specializations that align with your needs such as commercial law IP law etc.
- Locality: Consider distance from your home the cost of living and employment opportunities in the city.
- Criteria for admission: Check the eligibility criteria the admission exam and process for selection.
- Networks and culture Discover the students events the competitions success and alumni networks that indicate the high quality of peers learning experiences.
- Costs: Compare the cost of tuition scholarships available and loans for education.
Finding a compromise between these factors based on job objectives and financial budget can benefit you select the right law school. The school choice will affect the course of your learning experiences and your job opportunities.
How Long Does it Take to Become a Lawyer?
The period required to become an attorney in India is about 5 6 years following the 12th standard. It is a requirement for education:
- Three years of bachelors degrees (BA BCom BSc etc.)
- Three years to earn an LLB degree
Also be sure take into account:
- 6 months 2 years to gain real world experience by working in training paralegal work etc.
- It takes 6 months to be enrolled for the process of enrollment Bar Council of India after having completed LLB.
- 2 to 3 years of preparation for getting through the AIBE exam.
In law schools that offer integrated programs of 5 years including BA LLB BBA LLB BCom LLB the time period after the 12th grade is five to six years. Beginning your journey to earn a with a bachelors degree until becoming a lawyer will take about 5 to 6 years on average. If you are diligent about preparation dedication and perseverance you will accomplish your dream to become a lawyer in this period of time after the 12th.
occupation options after becoming Lawyer
There are a variety of job options you could pursue following your legal education:
- Practice as an individual: Become an independent attorney handling writing contracts legal opinions etc.
- Legal firm positions: Work as an partner or associate in law firms of every size.
- In house counsel Legal services provided as part of the legal team of businesses.
- Employment in government positions: Work in legal sections of departments within government.
- Judgeship: Become a judge with the necessary experience of an attorney and passing the required tests.
- Legal academics: Teach law @ colleges following the completion of a the PhD.
Alternate careers: Explore corporate management Journalism policymaking and journalism with the law as a experience.
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