Depends, on what you want in life.

If you are thinking about Money, Luxury Offices & Cars , then judicial services is not something which you will like. You will get 80K month + Facilities as a fresher. Over the years it can increase to Rs. 150K - 250K per month. Secure life, Assured Salaries & Stress Free Job.

Being from Top 5 NLU's doesn't always mean you can do the T1/2 Law Firm work-taking the responsibility and work pressure and of course long working hours. Judicial Services is good if you want a stress free (it's almost the opposite of a career in a law firm/ even an in house counsel) , guaranteed income till 60's.

You can retire as a Principle District Judge or as a High Court Judge (chances are less) max.

Your peers at law firms start as freshers with almost the same salary. But the difference is, thier salary will/may multiply 10 to 20 times over the course of a few years. Even you Litigating Friends (from Top 5 NLU's) may make upto a crore more than you, while appearing in the same court room where you are preciding.

There are Judge's who sit till night, hear a lot of cases. But it's your option. If you want to sit from 10 to 5, it's upto you. As long as you don't do any - totally illegal stuff chances of you getting suspended/dismissed from judicial services is zero.
Want to take a day off, or less cases per day. No questions asked. Do the same in a law firm, and you will be on the street.

In a Law Firm, you will be having sophisticated work/clients and super smart competitive colleagues with Foreign LLM's. In a Trial Court you are going to work with common people (from every walks of life) Your colleagues will almost never be from a Top 5 NLU. Also, You can't use your stylish Law School English in a Trial Court. You will have to learn the local language- to read and write.

Also there is no common judicial services in India. The working conditions also varies from state to state-everything. Even salary can vary from state to state (from 50K to 100K as a fresher)

So far, Delhi is the most lucrative lower judicial services, even attempted by Top NLU folks.

Even Haryana, Uttar Pradesh Bihar Judicial Services are considered attractive, many ex- Big Law/ Top NLU Graduates are seen going into it. Not the same in Andhra, Telangana or Tamil Nadu, where you will rarely see even an NLU Pass out getting into the service, anyone who get's into Big-Law or even a good litigation chambers wont write the test.

Two of these Jobs (Lower Judicial Services) and T1 Law Firm gives you completely opposite lifestyles.

LJS= Zero Stress, No/Very Little Work (depends on you- if you want to take 100 matters a day, you can, if you don't want no issues) + 10 to 5 job. Decent Salary (80 to 250K), Transfer within the state (except DJS) Can get into LJS in all 30 States in India.

T1 Law Firm Jobs = Competent and Intelligent Colleagues, High Pay & Luxurious Lifestyle, Lot's of responsibility and work pressure throughout life, slack off at work = get kicked out to the street. T1 Jobs only exist in 6 metro cities.

Law firms don't kick anyone out unless you don't work AT ALL. They don't have enough resources anyway. I know too many people who do the absolute bare minimum and still continue because the firms would rather have that person than look for new hires in this industry. I can't even count the no. of people I know who left law firms, but I have never ever heard of a law firm firing someone.

To the person who asked this question-

Is UPSC Worth it?
Is JAG Worth it?
Is Litigation Worth it?
Is XYZ Worth it?

Dude your question doesn't make any sense?

You need to explain further what you want in life so that someone can answer it properly?

How capable you are - Can you work 12 hours a day under stressful conditions till your 50's with a ton of responsibility ?

What is your objective in life - Tons of money/Relaxed Life till retirement?

Etc.

Otherwise your question doesn't even make sense.

Let me try to lend a different perspective here. I come from a family of judges, despite that I chose to be in a law firm. Judiciary is categorised into two buckets, lower judiciary (civil judge magistrate class 2 and onwards) and higher judiciary (additional district judge and onwards). Lower judiciary is through competitive exams. Higher judiciary is same but after spending 10+ years in courtrooms as a lawyer.

I will confine my analysis between an associate in a law firm and judicial officer forming part of lower judiciary.
(a) as a judge you will be subject to strict transfer policy and will be packing your bags every three years - law firms don't bother you with that, unless you want to shift cities which they are considerate about;
(b) disputes are in abundance in India and accordingly judicial officers are required everywhere - therefore be prepared to be posted at lesser known places (remember only 10% of all judicial officers can be posted in big cities). I know some judicial officers who have spent entire life in villages and small towns - in law firms you will often be living in metros;
(c) postings in villages and small towns would mean poor infrastructure, inadequate human resource and very different quality of lawyers - living in metros would mean higher than normal expenses and unnecessary commute;
(d) there is no respect for merit. you will be promoted basis your rank in the competitive examination and that will decide your fate - law firms respect merit, they love to give you more if you are capable to absorb it and accordingly reward;
(e) while there is some amount of stress in judicial services (you need to dispose off cases as per unit system) but still the situation is not that bad - in law firms your stress will generally be higher and particularly more depending upon the practice area you pick up;
(f) judiciary still follows strict hierarchy, therefore, speaking your mind always may not be the best thing to do. Law firms often admire such people and attempt to have an open environment;
(g) you will be struggling with regular stuff in addition to work (for example, vigilance inspections, responding to corruption complaints forwarded by high court, lawyers tantrums in the court, leaving headquarter protocols) - of course in large law firms you will have to deal with regular politics but if you stay out of it, you wont lose much. May not work for the blue chip client but you would still have clients to service. Client tantrums are often manageable and you will learn the art as you grow in the profession. Till then your partner will shield you.
(g) there is nothing called team work in judiciary. in law firms, you will often see working as a team.

I have not touched upon the money factor, since it is adequately covered in the above posts.

Hope this helps.

Also

As a judge, especially while being a Metropolitan Magistrate. You only have to decide on very very trivial work-petty cases, bail applications.

As a Corporate Lawyer. You need to critically think every hour. Lower Judiciary Judgeship doesn't require that much application of mind. Also accountability is less.

Also the lawyers who come in front of you will be unprofessional. Not knowledgeable and capable.

Quote:

As a judge, especially while being a Metropolitan Magistrate. You only have to decide on very very trivial work-petty cases, bail applications.

Wrong. There are MANY magistrate-triable offences that are important. Critical thinking is required in each of them. Fraud, forgery, robbery are all magistrate triable.

Also, bail applications are not 'trivial'. They matter, are impactful, and are a mini-trial in itself in the level of thinking and deliberation it requires.

Simply not very attractive to those with options/ a metropolitan background. Further, there are practical challenges of living at a tier 2 town (where you'll spend the rest of your youth upon joining lower judiciary)- will there be opportunities for your spouse? Will there be good schools for your kids? Will there be good medical facilities for your aging parents? Not everyone can adjust to a life at a remote location, no matter the designation.

You have used a very pertinent word that people often forget to contemplate about "OPTIONS". A T1 NLU will give you multiple options in life. So if you have the option between a T1 law firm/T1 in-house position and judiciary, you should choose the former if money and city life are your goals. Else you can choose judiciary if stability etc attracts you, but be ready to serve in a small city also. Then there is that category of students who actually do not have the luxury of these OPTIONS. I belong to this category as I am not from T1 NLU and was working in a small firm with dismal pay. For people like me government exams are the only way for a hand at a level playing field. So for me I am trying my hand at judiciary and I think it will be worth it if can make it. I am ready to take a small city posting. If judiciary does not work I am ready to sweat away in tier 3 law firms till I make it to a T1. I think this is how everyone should plan it.

Would be better if someone who left a Tier 1 job (after 1-2 years) and joined LJS answered this question. Especially whether they find the work less satisfying because only less serious offences are brought to their courts, or is this something people who haven't joined LJS say to make LJS sound less satisfying than the law firm's "big matters" work.

What is said about lifestyle, salary, transfers is true.

But the life you have in Judicial Services is opposite to what you will have in a corporate Law firm in all regards.

Also since this is a Corporate Lawyers Website (Legally India) You are very less likely to see anything positive about Judicial Services. I don't think there are any Judicial Officers or Local Court advocates are even reading this page.

Also

Any questions related to Lower Judiciary and Trial Court practice, you are very less likely to get an informed opinion here. Don't call me biased.

If you are asking about complex SEBI regulations and FEMA issues, Law Firms Matters this website will help.

But I don't think majority of Legally India readers have even stepped out of thier Air Conditioned Campuses (Private/NLU) and High Rise Offices in Mumbai/BLR. I don't think 80 % of people here have even visited a Trial Court in thier entire lives or even know what is a bail application.

So to ask about Lower Judiciary, it's better to talk to people who are in the service in your state - It's completely different depending on your state. Because a person sitting in a high rise building in Mumbai is less likely to have even seen a Judicial Officer or a Trial Court.

Salary part: please do not get misled by the salaries being quoted here. A fresher, if the commission's recommendations are implemented, would draw anywher close to 140k. Being posted in some rural part of the country, the inflated adjusted figure would be around 2 lakhs in a city like delhi or Bangalore or Hyderabad. 2 lakhs is a sum a senior associate at a good law firm would draw in his first year as a senior associate. Therefore, the salary part should not be disconcerting, to say the least.

By the time the commission's recommendations are accepted and implemented, inflation would ensure that the actual increase is not much. That's how it works for government jobs. People are yet to get their arrears from the 7th CPC in full in all the states, and it's halfway to the next pay commission.

As said before a starter pay of even 1.4 lakhs can't match the firm pay.

I don't don't know from you got the 1.4 figure, since a lot of Judicial Magistrates will still be making far less than 1/2nd - Less than 60K, even in the future.

Also even if the salary starts at 1.4. It can maximum double to 2.5 in 30 years.

But in a Tier 1 firm the starting pay maybe 1.4 per month. But for a person who is there for 30 years + would be a Senior Partner making 5 to 10 crore +

Not trying to compare two completely different salaries. Just putting it to perspective that starting salary in Judicial Services doesn't matter at all.

Wow, such a eye opening revelation ! You are speaking of a mere possibility of making five crores ? But, at what cost ? Your life. Who would want to make five crores when you look back in time only to realise that you have had no life at all. Also, an A3 makes about 18 lakhs in a tier one. He lives in a metro, unlike in the case of a judicial officer.

The figures i get from are the commission's recommendations. They will get implemented by 2023.

The salary part, alteast now, should not be a variable dissuading us. Barely one percent of who start at a law firm may end up making five crores after thirty years. But, years of toil is not just worth it.

Okay,

5 to 10 crore maybe an exception. A person who is able to continue in Tier 1 should be able to make atleast a few crores +

Also after the initial 10 to 15 years, have heard that workload substantially reduces in Tier 1. Again, there is no comparison between work pressure in Judicial Services and Firm jobs, as the former is atleast 3 times less stressful throughout your life.

A Tier 1 A2, if they leave and go to LJS. They will be having cultural shock of a lifetime.

From bluechip Private Equity, Cap Markets clients (SVP & General Counsels) they have to hit the ground running and speak to the most vulnerable members of the society and see that justice is done, read local language - not clearly written petitions and hear arguments (not even properly made by advocates) that they wouldn't ever imagine.

They have to abandon thier interior designer crafted centralized-Ac South Mumbai office with great coffee, custom software MacBooks & ThinkPad and work in a village 100's of kms away.

Most of the courts in rural areas have bad infrastructure (you can experience beautiful rains when you are presiding a matter) Also running through 10 year old dusty files is not like doing in a due diligence on an already perfect word file.

So if anyone from these firms want to leave for LJS, be ready to expect some of what's explained here. Otherwise (if you are frustrated in LJS for a lifetime) you will be doing injustice to the society at large.

If you are not properly working in a firm, you will be fired. It's hard/impossible to fire a LJS Officer. So a frustrated Tier 1 Lawyer in LJS maybe angry at wrong people (innocent public) for thier frustration-even if they don't work properly they will be in service till 60's.

Your mood swings/anger will not harm your Tier 1 client. But if you vent out your frustration at a poor villager, you will be hurting thier livelihoods.

A Tier 1 Lawyer only requires a maximum of 1 year of preparation to get into LJS, it's easy for you guys. But think whether you are ready for the latter job.

So join only if you want to. Please!

I agree^. This glorification of the luxurious law firm life really overlooks that most associates are sleep deprived, lack a social life, and have little personal autonomy over their lives. People around me, esp seniors, don't have the time/energy/social circle to enjoy the money in their accounts. The burnout is axiomatic. Also, what's this 'highly intelligent colleagues' bs on this conversation. I work in a tier 1 law firm myself, and no, some of my colleagues and a lot of law school batchmates who joined other tier-1 firms are just your regular corp lawyers (maybe so am I?)- No one extraordinary works here, though we might be better than tier 2 firms (obviously). Even if we are better and get better deals than the rest in the market, the trade-off of autonomy is questionable, esp from a long-term perspective. Sure, the partners are definitely brilliant at what they do, but that is any leader in any field.

I think what we are not considering is amount of salary increase that government employees get, including judges, by way of dearness allowance. Every year, the government increases the salary by 6 - 7 percent, currently, the DA is at 31 percent of the base pay set in 2016. Accordingly, the salary of judges, regardless is likely to double every 10 years. That happens with all government employee to be honest. On the other hand, law firm salaries don't depend on inflation. For instance, the starting of judicial officers 10 years back was around 30000, today it's around 80000 and basis the commission's recommendation, it would 140k, when they apply.
Thus, I don't see a wide difference in terms of salaries of judges and Corporate lawyers. Of course, you would earn much more as a partner but apply the maths, 10 years down line you would earn more than 2.5 - 3.5 lakhs per annum (considering additional increase with promotions) and 20 years, double this amount.

I know a lot of people would believe me at first but just check the salaries of government employees in the past 20 years and you would realize the level of increase. IAS used to earn 27000, 10 years back, now earn 70000, as their starting pay. Thanks to DA.

Law firm salaries increase by a factor much greater than DA or annual increments. A person becomes a partner from an A0 in 10 years and the increase in salary as a result is more than substantial, I assure you. In addition, if you make equity partner, there is literally no limit to what you may earn, depending on the firm's business. There is just no comparison with government job in terms of salary. Of course, there are other factors involved.

Dude we do not even know when exactly this commissions recommendations be implemented. Even if they give a date, in India things often remain in the pipeline for years to come. Hard to base life decisions on a pipeline thing. Even if they make it to say 120k or 140k the highest slab will only be like a double of this per month. While law firm partners and general counsels can theoretically make crores per year. So it is unwise to compare money angle of judiciary to these well paying jobs, as salary wise obviously these corporate jobs beat judiciary by MILES. But there is one thing that nothing can beat ; my passion for judiciary and the respect for judiciary. In India these things matter. So if it is your passion, welcome to the club.

Look, I'm a litigator and I've seriously considered this. No sane human being becomes a judge for the money or benefits, in fact if someone does, they end up being terrible judges. I've been across the lower court spectrum long enough to have seen both kinds and the quality of their work.

Being a judge is a heavy burden. You have to live in a society yet preserve your independence by remaining aloof from the rest of society cause tomorrow you may be a judge in their cause. Imagine this, your neighbours could be fighting with each other and you may have to judge that dispute. The son of the local celeb would get arrested and you have to sit and do that bail. Becoming a judge means a complete end to your social and public life. No more going out drinking. You can't go to the cinema with friends anymore. You have to maintain an unimpeachable character, one that is not just logically so, but also seen by others to be so (no living with your partner before marriage etc, no Facebook, no LI, no Twitter).

The worst thing is in the LJS and HJS you don't just report to the HC/SC, the State Government and the Central Governments have a large control over where you go. So being independent is always going to be a tough call. That's why High Court's these days tend to grant bail when two courts below have sometimes refused. The two judges below, have too much at stake within the system. Courageous Magistrates are rare. So you'll need a lot of courage.

You'll get a decent pay. But the thing is you won't be able to spend it cause you're life is pretty isolated. If you're a good District Judge, you may get elevated to the High Court and that's a once in a life time opportunity if you have this personality. You get to make law like that Louis Litt fellow says in Suits. When you retire, you can get a big house and go back to private practice. It will pick up good cause of your ex judgeship. In the HC you may even be a shoe in for a Senior Counsel position.

You won't need to work though cause like you would have saved a lot of that money and have a good private pension to top up your Government pension (which with NPS in some places you can now link to the markets and get market returns).

You'll have enough money for your kids to get a quality education and your family will be covered by Government healthcare with a form of coverage for life post retirement (usually a group premium for cover post retirement). Kids will also get scholarships and wherever you go, you'll probably be put up with other judges (where there is more than one court etc) in some colony or apartment building, so it's not like there won't be a sense of community

I like have a social life. Going for a drink etc. This life is not for me. Is it for you?

Judicial Service salaries at the entry level are comparable to the T1 pays adjusting the cost of living in metro vs Tier 2/3 cities.
Also,even if you compare Delhi Judicial Service with a T1 offer in NCR, DJS pays 90k-tax-pf-nps+employers share to pf+pension+medical reimbursement+petrol allowances+accomodation (monetary value of which may be estimated to be atleast 25k here in Delhi)+Child Education Allowance etc etc, taking into account the perks and allowances,the monthly gross income for an entry level magistrate is no less than 130k.
Also,those complaining about the late implementation of pay commission.True,the current pay commission is pending since 1st February 2016,but,the day it is implemented,all officers would be compensated with arrears with effect from 2016, so I don't understand how late implementation makes a difference here.
The current Basic+DA of a District Judge (almost 15-20 years of service) is around Rs 3 lakhs + kaafi bada bungalow+ free petrol wali chauffeur driven car+ 2 Personal Security Officers + 5 armed guards outside the residence+ 2 orderlies at residence+ Jai hind sir wale salutes wherever you go,now calculate the monetary value and compare it with that of a 15 PYQ partner at T1.
Net salary might look incomparable but the cost of a T1 on a partner and that of government on a Principal District Judge is not incomparable if you add the monetary value of the Bungalow and the staff and other perks provided.
Also,the pension,my grandfather is also a retired District Judge and he draws a pension equivalent to 50% of the salary of a district judge in his pay scale which amounts to almost Rs 1.3 lakhs,grows with inflation and subsequent pay revisions since OROP in judiciary.

BHAII! Judiciary ko glorify nii kar rha,bs batana chahta hu ki paise Kam nii hain idhar bhi,life choices pe depend karta hai.
Quality of life bohot zyada alag nii hone wali for the lack of money.
Haaan maybe aap har vacation foreign na jaa paao but then har weekend family ke sath quality time spend zarur kar sakte ho.

Working in any branch of government is more that just a regular job. It is matter of prestige and responsibility to be part of system. I am from a tier 1 NLU and many of my batchmates and seniors have opted for judiciary and cleared it. If you consider yourself someone who is learned and skilled enough to be part of India’s judicial system then you should not be discouraged and be proud of such choice. You are asking on a platform full for corp salves.

However, you must be ready to live in small towns and districts. If you crave for a life in a big bungalow with policemen as your bodyguards and driving in a jeep with a name plate, then you will surely be happy and stress free. All your necessities will be taken care of, you dont have to struggle in traffic, paying high rents, living on 27th floor of some building near a slum, working under constant pressure of seniors and billables.

However, there will be certain restrictions on your social life and permissions may be required for travel outside district and country.

Plus those labelling and degrading people in lower courts as normal, Indian language speaking and non-fancy, wake up! you live in India which is much bigger than your 5-6 metro cities. You are just tiny ants with mental health issues, substance abuse and sunday life hanging in a small room of random floor of a building. Itna padh likh lia h to desh k lie kuch kro, beyond monetary interest.