Hello everyone. I am a 2023 Undergrad in BA from a local university.
Everyone in my family, friend circle, relative and well wishers are telling me to prepare for government jobs exams like Banking, SSC, Railway, so on and so forth. But, I am very keen on Studying LAW, which they are not allowing me to do at all. So, what I should do? Should I listen to all of their suggestions and start preparing? Or, do law?
P.S - My family is a lower middle class family (read "poor family" ) and it's annual income is less than 1 lac. Also, I have no one in the legal profession. And for studying law, I have to start earning so that I can pay for my law degree as my parents can't and won't.
Studying law is actually the best thing. The problem is with industry. People are pathetic when it comes to pay. Also, figure out whether you would like the work culture in corporate or litigation before deciding on law. If you don't like the tasks involved, you will end up either compromising your life by being forced to choose one, or you will have to move further with higher studies to broaden your options later on. And this is gonna cost you time and money both.
Hi bro, it's your decision ultimately so I would just give insights on what I have seen of law till now. I am also from a non-law background, a middle-class family and parents want me to do govt. job.
Here is my take. Firstly, why are you interested in law? Please don't make the mistake that I did which is thinking law is all about communication(read: debate, elocution) skills. It is not. It is largely reading mundane stuff every other day. It is then about writing, cut copy pasting, (aka drafting) and lastly it is about speaking. That's what law is. So don't judge this profession by movies and shows like suits.
Secondly, litigation (i.e. going to courts ) is still very much family oriented. It will take around upward of at least seven years to be an established lawyer in courts (though there might be rare exceptions). It could go worse as well. The easier options for us all are law firms, in-house counsel, academia and government jobs. That's it ...so much for diversity of jobs.
For academia you have to do llm (mandatory) preferably from an NLU to get a good teaching job in some average law schools. I hate to say "average" but status is a reality. Top NLUs take guys who have done LLMs from abroad which people like us could only afford if there is a scholarship.
Now coming to law firms and in-house counsels, try to get into at least top 4-5 NLUs and other Good Law colleges. Below that chances are very low. Ordinarily average guys (like me) get placed from these NLUs. In other NLUs you have to be amongst the cream. Law firms pay is good but as you and I have heard here (mind you only heard ...not experienced) the work-life balance is pathetic. I won't say to any of my friends to trust law firm salary to pay off the loans considering the toll it might take on me. It doesn't matter how much money they pay, if your health says no, then it means no. Again, that's what I have heard. I heard similar things about NLS when I was preparing for CLAT. It is hard and but not as much I heard. With time, you learn to survive. Things did change for good over the years. I hope I get to see from law firms.
In-house counsels are relatively better in terms of work-life balance and pay is reasonably well even if not as much as law firms. That's what I have heard(again ...heard). For this as well you should try to be in those top 4-5 NLUs and mind you the job opening here is much less. Usually they hire who have work experience in law firms with few years of experience.
Then comes govt jobs : upsc, judiciary, legal jobs in govt PSUs and other bodies like SEBI, RBI etc and other exams like assistant public prosecutor etc. Work-life balance I hear is pretty good and pay is okayish to good depending on your expectation.
Lastly with regard to law schools at least NLS is charging very high fees 4.15 Lakh for one year around is for the coming first years ...equally I guess for three year LLBs. Usually they charge same but you can google it. NLU Delhi also has increased its fees and so do other NLUs. I am pretty sure many of our seniors wouldn't be able to afford NLS at this rate. Do check fee of other good law schools and univs. If you are from M.P. medhavi chatra yojna is a good thing. check that.
Also look up about IDIA . It is basically like super 30 of CLAT. They provide scholarships as well.
Also if you plan to do govt job like state psc and other reputed ones, then you get a sabbatical of few years for studying. You can do 3 year llb from NLS after few years. There are quite a few govt employees above 28 or 30 age who are studying 3 year LLB from here. Placements of the first batch is yet to happen but looking at their quality I have no doubt they will be successful. The age factor of few of these students is what worries me though. Not sure if law firms would be willing to take 27-28 year olds as AOs and whether inhouse counsels would take them without law firm experience (a few like ICICI, Axis, ITC etc do..but largely that's it at least in NLS)
So yeah think through all these ....my suggestion would be to prep for govt exams. If you want to choose law, then Godspeed! You can try cheaper alternatives like GLC or other law colleges in Mumbai etc where you can intern from first year and take advantage of being at Mumbai. I have interned with quite a few local college students while interning at T1 firms in Mumbai. Also you could afford to pay back you relatively less fee by litigating as a junior if you happen to study in these colleges (I assume).
Hey bro, thank you so much for taking out time and giving me a really good picture of what a career in law really entails.
My interest in law came through some landmark cases that took place last year in the Supreme Court. It started with the Same-Sex Marriage Case, then the Abrogation of Article 370 Case, then the Electoral Bonds case, and lastly, Sec 6A of the Representation of People's Act case, where many senior advocates like Mr. Mukul Rohatgi, Miss. Menaka Guruswamy, Miss. Arundhati Katju, Mr. Kapil Sibal, Mr. Shyam Divan, and many other eminent jurists have argued before the SC. Also, from April 2023 onwards, I have been watching videos on Livelaw on various developments in the legal affairs of our country (Shows like Courts Today and Courts this week of Live Law) and also, and I have read a few things on the Livelaw website regularly. So, over the months, I got fascinated by law, and the more and more I explore and read, I get more fascinated by it. I feel law is a great tool for social transformation. So, I believe it's good to have as a tool.
Now, coming to my action plan of becoming a lawyer, firstly I am going to continue with my government job prep and get a job ASAP. After that, I will work on that job for 2-3 years and save as much as possible then join NLS for their 3-year law degree with the help of a loan. By that time, the program would have gained some traction, and would be easy for us to make our careers. Plus, my PSU Banking Job experience and some banking & finance certifications would help me get into corp law jobs in law school.
So, that's it. I hope to make it as I have planned.
I don’t think law is a good career in India now. Too few well-paying jobs and a pretty terrible industry stuck in licence raj days. My advice would be to study STEM or economics or management or accountancy.
Yes, this is true to some extent. So, I am thinking along those lines as well. Let's see after getting a job in a PSU bank, I will go for some banking courses at IIBF and thereafter I will try to pursue a CS course. Then, I will do LLB (3Y) from NLS.
You have the best English for anyone I've seen with a family annual income of less than 1l. Kudos from me I guess you're cut for the amount of sweat and struggle already. All the best.
Hey, thank you very much for the compliment. Much appreciated.
Actually, I am very much inclined towards the English language and for the same reason, I even did my undergraduate degree in English Honours. I keep on learning about new things daily.
Everyone in my family, friend circle, relative and well wishers are telling me to prepare for government jobs exams like Banking, SSC, Railway, so on and so forth. But, I am very keen on Studying LAW, which they are not allowing me to do at all. So, what I should do? Should I listen to all of their suggestions and start preparing? Or, do law?
P.S - My family is a lower middle class family (read "poor family" ) and it's annual income is less than 1 lac. Also, I have no one in the legal profession. And for studying law, I have to start earning so that I can pay for my law degree as my parents can't and won't.
Please kindly give your valuable suggestions. TIA
Mod, please help.
I am trying to learn that now by reading a lot of things about the law. Let's see how things work out.
Here is my take. Firstly, why are you interested in law? Please don't make the mistake that I did which is thinking law is all about communication(read: debate, elocution) skills. It is not. It is largely reading mundane stuff every other day. It is then about writing, cut copy pasting, (aka drafting) and lastly it is about speaking. That's what law is. So don't judge this profession by movies and shows like suits.
Secondly, litigation (i.e. going to courts ) is still very much family oriented. It will take around upward of at least seven years to be an established lawyer in courts (though there might be rare exceptions). It could go worse as well. The easier options for us all are law firms, in-house counsel, academia and government jobs. That's it ...so much for diversity of jobs.
For academia you have to do llm (mandatory) preferably from an NLU to get a good teaching job in some average law schools. I hate to say "average" but status is a reality. Top NLUs take guys who have done LLMs from abroad which people like us could only afford if there is a scholarship.
Now coming to law firms and in-house counsels, try to get into at least top 4-5 NLUs and other Good Law colleges. Below that chances are very low. Ordinarily average guys (like me) get placed from these NLUs. In other NLUs you have to be amongst the cream. Law firms pay is good but as you and I have heard here (mind you only heard ...not experienced) the work-life balance is pathetic. I won't say to any of my friends to trust law firm salary to pay off the loans considering the toll it might take on me. It doesn't matter how much money they pay, if your health says no, then it means no. Again, that's what I have heard. I heard similar things about NLS when I was preparing for CLAT. It is hard and but not as much I heard. With time, you learn to survive. Things did change for good over the years. I hope I get to see from law firms.
In-house counsels are relatively better in terms of work-life balance and pay is reasonably well even if not as much as law firms. That's what I have heard(again ...heard). For this as well you should try to be in those top 4-5 NLUs and mind you the job opening here is much less. Usually they hire who have work experience in law firms with few years of experience.
Then comes govt jobs : upsc, judiciary, legal jobs in govt PSUs and other bodies like SEBI, RBI etc and other exams like assistant public prosecutor etc. Work-life balance I hear is pretty good and pay is okayish to good depending on your expectation.
Lastly with regard to law schools at least NLS is charging very high fees 4.15 Lakh for one year around is for the coming first years ...equally I guess for three year LLBs. Usually they charge same but you can google it. NLU Delhi also has increased its fees and so do other NLUs. I am pretty sure many of our seniors wouldn't be able to afford NLS at this rate. Do check fee of other good law schools and univs. If you are from M.P. medhavi chatra yojna is a good thing. check that.
Also look up about IDIA . It is basically like super 30 of CLAT. They provide scholarships as well.
Also if you plan to do govt job like state psc and other reputed ones, then you get a sabbatical of few years for studying. You can do 3 year llb from NLS after few years. There are quite a few govt employees above 28 or 30 age who are studying 3 year LLB from here. Placements of the first batch is yet to happen but looking at their quality I have no doubt they will be successful. The age factor of few of these students is what worries me though. Not sure if law firms would be willing to take 27-28 year olds as AOs and whether inhouse counsels would take them without law firm experience (a few like ICICI, Axis, ITC etc do..but largely that's it at least in NLS)
So yeah think through all these ....my suggestion would be to prep for govt exams. If you want to choose law, then Godspeed! You can try cheaper alternatives like GLC or other law colleges in Mumbai etc where you can intern from first year and take advantage of being at Mumbai. I have interned with quite a few local college students while interning at T1 firms in Mumbai. Also you could afford to pay back you relatively less fee by litigating as a junior if you happen to study in these colleges (I assume).
That's all I know
Pax!
My interest in law came through some landmark cases that took place last year in the Supreme Court. It started with the Same-Sex Marriage Case, then the Abrogation of Article 370 Case, then the Electoral Bonds case, and lastly, Sec 6A of the Representation of People's Act case, where many senior advocates like Mr. Mukul Rohatgi, Miss. Menaka Guruswamy, Miss. Arundhati Katju, Mr. Kapil Sibal, Mr. Shyam Divan, and many other eminent jurists have argued before the SC. Also, from April 2023 onwards, I have been watching videos on Livelaw on various developments in the legal affairs of our country (Shows like Courts Today and Courts this week of Live Law) and also, and I have read a few things on the Livelaw website regularly. So, over the months, I got fascinated by law, and the more and more I explore and read, I get more fascinated by it. I feel law is a great tool for social transformation. So, I believe it's good to have as a tool.
Now, coming to my action plan of becoming a lawyer, firstly I am going to continue with my government job prep and get a job ASAP. After that, I will work on that job for 2-3 years and save as much as possible then join NLS for their 3-year law degree with the help of a loan. By that time, the program would have gained some traction, and would be easy for us to make our careers. Plus, my PSU Banking Job experience and some banking & finance certifications would help me get into corp law jobs in law school.
So, that's it. I hope to make it as I have planned.
Again, thank you so much.
Actually, I am very much inclined towards the English language and for the same reason, I even did my undergraduate degree in English Honours. I keep on learning about new things daily.
Just kidding, He's really having a good command.