Becoming a lawyer is one of the most rewarding career options both in terms of job satisfaction and potential salary in India. As per Bar Council of India, there are approximately 12 lakh registered lawyers, 950 law schools, 4-5 lakh law students in the Indian legal profession. In India, every year around 60,000-70,000 law graduates enter the legal profession.
Those who dream to become a lawyer, this article acts as a career guide. Eligibility criteria to become a lawyer begins with students achieving at least 60% marks or equivalent CGPA in Class 12th board exams. After 12th, students must appear for law entrance exams like CLAT, LSAT, AILET to get admission into one of the top law colleges in India such as NLSIU Bangalore, NLU Delhi, NALSAR University Hyderabad, IIT Kharagpur, etc.
Law courses to become a lawyer include LLB, BA LLB, BBA LLB, BCom LLB. Post undergraduate or integrated law degree, students can opt for Master of Law Courses like LLM or LLD. As per the chosen specialization, aspirants can start practising the legal profession. It must be noted that candidates must clear All India Bar Examination (AIBE) to practise law in India.
Related Articles: 5 Best Lawyers in India
Difference Between Lawyer and Advocate
Note: Law Entrance Exam: Syllabus, Eligibility, Last date
How to Become a Lawyer: Key Points
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Industry type
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Law, Legal Profession
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Eligibility Criteria
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10+2 (any stream) with a minimum of 60% aggregate marks
Qualify law entrance exams
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Admission Process
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Based on merit and entrance exams
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Specializations
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Civil, criminal, corporate, tax, etc
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Average Starting Salary
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INR 4-6 LPA
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Highest Salary
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INR 80 lakhs to 1 crore
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Job Opportunities
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Lawyer, Judge, Family lawyers, corporate lawyers, etc
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Who is a Lawyer?
A lawyer is a qualified and licenced practitioner who drafts legal documents to administer, prosecute, or defend judicial action. Basically, lawyers are responsible to offer solutions to legal problems of their clients. As per their specialization, lawyers deal with a wide range of cases including divorce, property disputes, matrimonial problems, and criminal offences. They are compensated for the cases that they fight.
Roles and Responsibilities of a Lawyer
Using the legal knowledge, lawyers assist clients in understanding and addressing legal issues. Although the lawyers have different roles and responsibilities as per their area of expertise, most lawyers are work with the following roles and responsibilities:
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Composing legal documents and submitting them to the appropriate authorities and courts
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Accompanying clients at trials and hearings
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Establishing a case, working with the police and investigators, and preparing for trials and mediations
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Reviewing a case and providing clients with legal options
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Presenting a client's case to the judge with arguments
Also Read - Judge Salary in India
Eligibility Criteria to Become a Lawyer
Students must fulfil the following eligibility criteria to become a lawyer:
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Pass 12th Exams with 60% aggregate score or equivalent CGPA
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Clear national and university-level law entrance exams like CLAT, LSAT, AILET
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Acquire an undergraduate or integrated law degree in LLB, BA LLB, BBA LLB, BSc LLB, BCom LLB
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Candidates with LLM degree can also become lawyer
Top Law Colleges in India
Check out the Top Law Colleges in your City:
Check out the Top Law Colleges in your State:
See Also: Top Government Law Colleges in India
Types of Law Specializations
The table below mentions the different specializations that students can choose in the domain of law:
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Civil law
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Criminal law
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Corporate law
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Human rights law
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Family law
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Consumer protection law
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Intellectual property law
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Environment law
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Real estate law
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Tax law
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Administrative law
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Labour law
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Cyberlaw
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Animal rights Law
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Mergers and Acquisition Law
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Qualifications to Become a Lawyer in India
To become a lawyer in India, students are required to complete a few academic qualifications. Aspirants can select and pursue the law degrees to build a career in the domain of law. The law courses are as follows:
LLB or Bachelor of Law is a 3-year undergraduate degree for students who want to pursue a career in law. Students can apply for LLB after 12th or after completing graduation in any discipline. LLB educates the aspirants about law in general.
Integrated BA LLB
After completing 12th, students also have the option to pursue an integrated law course like BA LLB, BBA LLB, or BCom LLB. This is a 5-year course that combines bachelor's in law with a bachelor's degree in any stream from arts to science.
Latin Legum Magister (LLM)
LLM or Latin Legum Magister, which means Master of laws, is a 2-year postgraduate course in the domain of law. This PG program educates and trains law aspirants in a particular specialization as per their interests and preferences. LLM enhances the chances of better job prospects as a lawyer.
Check out: Top LLM Colleges in India
How to Become a Lawyer in India
To become a lawyer in India, aspirants must complete 12th, pursue undergraduate/integrated law courses, and clear the All India Bar Examination (AIBE). Only those candidates who have passed AIBE can practise law in India.
How to Become a Lawyer After 12th
After 12th, students must take up entrance exams and law courses to become a lawyer:
UG Courses: Students must enrol in undergraduate law courses like LLB, BA LLB, BBA LLB, or BSc LLB in order to become lawyers. However, students must pass law entrance exams like the CLAT, AILET, LSAT, etc. before enrolling in these programs. The top scorers on these entrance exams are accepted into almost all first-tier law schools.
PG Course: After completing LLB or related courses, students can enrol in LLM course to become a lawyer in a particular specialization. For masters of law, students must attain a valid score in law entrance exams like CLAT PG, LSAT, etc.
How to Become a Lawyer: Stepwise Process
In this section, we have elaborated on the step-by-step process to become a lawyer in India:
Step 1: Complete Higher Secondary Education
It is important to pass your higher secondary education (10+2) from an accredited school education board to be eligible to pursue bachelor's degree in law. Students with any stream can opt for law undergraduate courses.
Step 2: Apply for Bachelor or Integrated Course in Law
After passing out from school, students must apply for a bachelor's or integrated degree course in the field of law to become a lawyer. The Bachelor's in law (LLB) is a 3-year UG course. Other options include integrated courses in law such as BA LLB/BBA LLB/ BCom LLB/BSc LLB. All of these are 5-year courses, and these programs allow students to choose a specialization.
Step 3: Register, Appear and Clear Law Entrance Exam
Most colleges and universities grant admissions into law courses based on the entrance exams. Yet, there are a few colleges that allot seats based on merit.
Popular Law Entrance Exams to get admission in law colleges are:
Step 4: Apply to Law Schools
You can start applying to law schools as soon as you obtain your results from the legal entrance exam. Most students submit applications to many law schools, giving them a variety of possibilities. You must supply official documents, law entrance exam results, letters of recommendation, and additional information with each application you submit.
Step 5: Complete a Degree in Law
After getting admitted into a college, students have to study and pass wide range of subjects in law like civil law, criminal law, family law, tax laws, etc. It must be noted that the students must pass all the subjects to become a law graduate and appear for Bar Council Examination.
Step 6: Pursue Law Internships
Lawyer is a practise-based profession, and internships play a vital role in providing the students with the knowledge of practical proceedings of law in India. Students can intern under advocates or participate in moot discussions or legal aid to learn about law practices and legal system.
Step 7: Register with State Bar Council
After bachelor's or integrated degree, law aspirants must register with the State Bar Council to appear for AIBE exam to become a lawyer. Candidates have to pay the fees and documents to obtain the provisional certificate that will permit the candidate to practise before the Court of Law.
Step 8: Clear All India Bar Examination (AIBE)
As per the guidelines issued by the Government of India, law aspirants must clear the AIBE exam to become a lawyer and practice before the court. AIBE is conducted on annual basis, and provisional registration is mandatory step to sit for the exam.
Step 9: Practise Law and Gain Experience
After passing the AIBE exam, candidates get the license to practice law and officially become a lawyer in the court of law. To acquire experience, candidates can join any private or government firm or even start their own law firm.
How to become a lawyer after Engineering?
Engineers already have the undergraduate degree; they can directly opt for three-years Bachelor of Law (LLB) program, instead of a five-year integrated course. This will save a lot of time for you to practise and gain experience.
Eligibility Criteria: Students must have a BTech/BE degree with a minimum of 45-50% aggregate from a recognized university/college.
Let us know about the step-by-step process to become a lawyer after engineering:
Step 1: Apply and appear for the law entrance exams like CLAT, LSAT, etc.
Step 2: After clearing the entrance exam, get admissions into a reputable college.
Step 3: Pass all the exams and acquire LLB degree.
Step 4: Register for the BAR Council Examination.
Step 5: Pass the All-India Bar Examination (AIBE) to become eligible to practise law.
Step 6: Do internships and jobs to gain experience in the field.
How to become a lawyer after Commerce?
Candidates can opt to become a lawyer after commerce by applying for a 5-year integrated course. This includes an undergraduate degree as well as a Bachelor of Law degree.
Eligibility Criteria: Students must have completed 10+2 with a minimum of 50-60% aggregate from a recognized board.
Mentioned below is the step-by-step procedure to become a lawyer after commerce:
Step 1: Register and sit for the national-level like CLAT, LSAT and university-level law entrance examinations like DU LLB, SLAT, etc.
Step 2: Pass the entrance exam to get admission into an esteemed college/university.
Step 3: Pass all the examinations and earn an integrated law degree.
Step 4: Register for the BAR Council Examination.
Step 5: Pass the All-India Bar Examination (AIBE).
Step 6: Work through internships and employment to develop your professional network.
How to Become a Lawyer: Pros and Cons
Becoming a lawyer has its own advantages as well as disadvantages. We have compiled the list of pros and cons about lawyer as a career to help you make an informed career decision:
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Pros
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Cons
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One of the highest paid professionals.
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Long working hours
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Enjoy esteem, power, and respect
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Work under strict deadlines and stress
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Have the opportunity to work for justice in the society
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Highly competitive labor market
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Can earn extra income as advisors, professors, speakers, etc.
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Deal with a lot of information and facts on a daily basis.
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Multiple specializations to choose from.
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Intellectual and challenging profession
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Recommended Books to Become a Lawyer
Students must prepare well for law entrance exams to get admission into a reputable college. It is important to choose the right books and resource material to clear the exams. Here, we have listed the best books to help you in the preparation of becoming a lawyer:
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Tomorrow's Lawyer: An Introduction to Your Future by Richard Susskind
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The Rule of Law by Tom Bingham, Baron Bingham of Cornhill
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The New Lawyer's Handbook- 101 Success Strategies They Didn't Teach You in Law School by Karen Thalacker
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Best for Aspiring Activist Attorneys: The Story of My Life by Clarence Darrow
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Making Your Case: The Art of Persuading Judges by Antonin Scalia and Bryan A. Garner
Skills Required to Become a Lawyer
Mentioned below are the skills required to become a lawyer in India:
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Discipline
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Self-Confidence
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Legal Documentation
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Legal Knowledge
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Legal Research
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Presence of mind
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Drafting
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Litigation
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Good Communication skills
Difference Between Advocate and Lawyer
Basically, an advocate is a category under the term lawyer. Advocate is used for those lawyers who can conduct a case on behalf of their clients. Here is the difference between advocate and lawyer in tabular form:
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Advocate
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Lawyer
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Has cleared the bar exam
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Has not cleared the bar exam
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Can represent clients in a court
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Cannot represent clients in a court
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FAQs: How To Become a Lawyer
Q1. How many years will it take to become a lawyer?
Ans. It takes approximately 6-7 years to become a lawyer in India. Different countries have diverse requirements to become a lawyer with shorter law schools, practical courses and undergraduate law education.
Q2. What is the qualifications to become a lawyer?
Ans. How to Become a Lawyer
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Students must pass 10+2 with a minimum 60% aggregate score or equivalent CGPA
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Students must clear entrance exams like CLAT, LSAT, AILET
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Aspirants must complete bachelor's or integrated course in law
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Candidates must clear AIBE exam to practice law
Q3. Is lawyer a good career?
Ans. Lawyers are one of the highest paid professionals with high earning potential. They enjoy prestige and power leading to success and respect. Lawyers get the chance to help people and work for justice in the country.
Q4. What is the salary of lawyer in India?
Ans. In India, a lawyer earns anywhere between INR 3,00,000 and INR 5,00,000. The specialisation and experience of a lawyer will determine their compensation. As lawyers gain experience and expertise in a particular specialization, they can charge compensations as high as INR 5,00,000 to 1 crore.
Q5. Can I study law after 12?
Ans. Yes, you can. Students after 12th with science, commerce, arts stream can apply for graduation in law to become a lawyer.
Q6. How to become a lawyer after 12th?
Ans. After completing 12th, students must apply for law entrance exams like CLAT, LSAT, etc. Based on the entrance exam score, they can get admissions into LLB, BA LLB, BBA LLB, BCom LLB or BSc LLB. After graduating, they can apply for All India Bar Examination (AIBE) and clear the exam to start practising as a lawyer.
Q7. What are the subjects in law?
Ans. LLB subjects include constitutional law, human rights law, international trade law, tax laws, family laws, real estate laws, etc.
Q8. Is there any age limit to become a lawyer?
Ans. As per the Bar Council of India (BCI), the maximum age for general category students to pursue Bachelor of Law Course is 20 years, and for SC/ST category, the age limit is 22 years.
Q9. How do I prepare for the bar exam?
Ans. To prepare for the bar exam, students prepare a proper study schedule. They should find good resource material as per the syllabus and study well to clear the exam.
Q10. What type of lawyer is the highest paid?
Ans. Corporate lawyers are considered the highest paid in India. Amon others, Tax attorneys and patent lawyers are also paid well in the legal profession.
Q11. Is law school difficult?
Ans. Law schools are hard as compared to other colleges and universities in terms of workload, stress, and commitment. However, with dedication and determination, law is an attainable subject as almost 60,000-70,000 lawyers graduate every year in India.
Q12. Is law a high paying career?
There many top law firms that pay handsome salaries to their employees. Tier 1 Law firms pay as high as 10-17 LPA salary packets to fresh graduates, which can rise up to 80 lakhs to 1 crore.
Q13. Who is the No 1 lawyer in India?
Ans. Topmost lawyers in India are:
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Ram Jethmalani.
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Soli Sorabjee.
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Fali S Nariman.
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Mukul Rohtagi.
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Ashok Desai.
Q14. What should I study to become a lawyer?
Ans. Students can take up and study law courses like LLB, BA LLB, BBA LLB, BCom LLB, etc to become a lawyer. To get admission in law schools, students have to clear entrance exams like CLAT, LSAT, AILET, etc.
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