A lawyer is someone who wishes to hold a license to practice law. They are the people who advocate on behalf of their clients. To become a lawyer, the aspirants should qualify for the necessary exam and then obtain the license to be a lawyer. The road to being a lawyer is quite challenging, so the candidate should start preparing at an early age.
How To Become A Lawyer?
A lawyer is a respectable person in society because it is the lawyer who brings balance in society when there are any disputes. A lawyer should be aware of the laws of the land, the culture, and the hierarchy of society. He should also have a basic idea of human psychology.
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What is the role of a lawyer?
Lawyers are found in both the private sector and the public sector. Lawyers are the one who represents their clients, helps them understand the law, and also pursue the course of action which is helpful to their client’s position.
They also give advice to their clients on how the law applies to their client’s case to represent in the courtroom. Lawyers will prepare legal documents, interview witnesses, conduct depositions, argue court motions, and conduct court trials.
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How to become a lawyer in India?
If the candidate is thinking about how to become a lawyer, then he/she should follow the below steps:
- Get an undergraduate degree
To get admission to top law schools, the law aspirants should have a bachelor’s degree from a reputed college or university. Most of the law schools will not require specific major prerequisites. Candidates who are interested in intellectual property law will benefit from an undergraduate degree in math or technical science to prepare for the patent bar exam. Most of the law schools will look for top students who have a minimum of 3.0 undergraduate GPA.
- Get Admission
The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is the pathway to the National Law Schools. Many other colleges will also give admission through the Law Schools Admission Test -India (LSAT-India). Also, there are institute-specific entrance exams like the All India Law Entrance Test (AILET) for admission to NLU, Delhi, and Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET), besides state-level entrances.
- Get A Law Degree
A lawyer’s requirements will include a graduate law degree from a reputed law school. Most of the states require that the students should obtain a law degree before attempting the bar exam. The law school will require three years of full-time study, and later many graduates should complete a one-year clerkship.
- Attempt & Pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE)
Before attempting the Bar exam, the candidates should write and pass the MPRE – Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination. The exam is for two hours, there are 60 MCQs developed by NCBE which is offered three times a year. The candidate should write the bar exam in all jurisdictions except the three U.S. jurisdictions Maryland, Wisconsin, and Puerto Rico.
- Pass the Bar Exam
Finally, the candidate should write and pass the bar exam. The bar exam is not that easy to clear. In some of the states in India, the passing rate of the aspirants is just 40%. This exam will consist of MCQs and essay questions to evaluate the candidate’s knowledge of state law and their ability to apply the law to various scenarios.
Skills required to become a lawyer
The skills required to become a lawyer is as follows:
- Oral communication
- Written communication
- Client service
- Time management
- Analytical and logical research
- Legal research
- Knowledge about the present technology
- Knowledge about the laws
Qualities of a Lawyer
The important qualities of a lawyer are as follows:
- Communication skills
- Ability to make judgments
- Analytical skills
- Research skills
- People skills
- Perseverance
- Creativity based skills
Duties of Lawyer
Lawyers should follow the below duties:
- Attending court hearings
- Drawing up contracts and legal documents
- Explaining the law and giving general legal advice
- Settling disputes and supervising any agreements
- Researching and gathering evidence
- Analyzing legal documents
- Supervising legal assistants
- Handling cases like a diplomat
- Backing up with accusations with evidence
- Defending and Prosecuting
- Heeding to the Plaintiff’s demands and requests
Lawyer Salary In Hand
A lawyer in India usually earns between 3 to 5 lakhs. Based on the specializations and experience, the advocates will charge from 5 lakhs to 1 crore for one court appearance. The criminal lawyer usually earns 6,00,000 to 8,00,000 per anum and the intellectual property lawyer earns up to 3,00,000 per anum. A corporate lawyer earns an average of 7,00,000 per anum and the Legal manager earns an average of 8,00,000 per anum.
| Types of lawyers | Average Salary | Minimum Salary | Maximum Salary |
| Corporate Lawyer | 6.95 lakh | 1.45 lakh | 20 lakh |
| Attorney Lawyer | 4.45 lakh | 1.77 lakh | 30 lakh |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q). How to become a lawyer after 12th?
A). After passing in the 12th standard, the candidate should write the CLAT exam to get admission in top law schools to pursue their career in law.
Q). How to become a government lawyer?
A). The procedure for the government and private lawyer is the same.
Q). Is it enough to write only the CLAT exam?
A). Yes, the top NLUs will consider the CLAT scores. Also, there are various other exams to enter the top law schools.
Q). Who is a lawyer?
A). A lawyer is a person who has a license and represents his/her clients in the courtroom.
Q). How to become a lawyer in India?
A). The candidate should follow a step-by-step procedure to be a lawyer in India - Get an undergraduate degree, Get admission in top law schools, Get a law degree, Attempt and pass the MPRE, Qualify the bar exam.