Law and Government

Career in law

The Law and Government knowledge area includes the study of legal codes, laws, court procedures, government rules and regulations, executive orders, and political processes.

Law and government are like two sides of the same coin. The efficacy of the government depends on laws and their proper functioning.  Being bound by rules and regulations is what makes a society stable and peaceful. 

In fact, the presence of laws has been mentioned in all ancient civilizations (Manusmriti in ancient India, the Ma’at in Ancient Egypt, Code of Ur-Nammu & Code of Hammurabi in Mesopotamia etc) giving credibility to the fact that being called civilized itself meant the following of a code of conduct and behaviour. Laws grant us our rights and duties and provide resolution when any of our rights are infringed. 

Law as a study area is one of the most popular choices for students around the world, with people looking to make their careers both in the field of law, and the government.

“Law is order, and good law is good order.”

- Aristotle 

Career Scope in law

Top Careers in Law and Goverment 

Law graduates are open to many opportunities as it is a subject that is mandatorily included in every sector. Be it medical, non-government, property, or any other sector, a legal professional is required to make things function smoothly. Some of the career opportunities in law which are in great demand at present are as follows:

  1. Judges and Judicial MagistrateJudges, Judicial Magistrates and Magistrates advise, adjudicate, arbitrate and administer justice in a court of law. Also sentence defendants in criminal cases as per sentencing guidelines or government statutes. May determine liability of defendant in civil cases. 

  2. Legal Advisor- Legal advisors are consulted by companies in all sectors to help the companies through legal matters like forming contracts and deals. 

  3. Criminal Lawyer- Criminal lawyers are always in demand because of the nature of criminal law. These lawyers help clients by representing them in the court as well as by providing them professional advice.

  4. Intelligence Analysts - Collect, analyze, or evaluate information from different sources to anticipate and prevent organized crime activities, such as terrorism etc. Data may be gathered from sources such as geographic information systems, law enforcement databases, intelligence networks and surveillance devices.

  5. Law TeachersTeach postsecondary law in colleges and universities and may be engaged in both teaching and research work.

  6. Arbitrators, Mediators and Conciliators – These professionals mediate and facilitate conflict resolution and negotiations outside of the court system through dialogue.

  7. Legislators -Legislators are elected officials who develop, introduce, or enact laws and statutes at the local, state, or central level. 

  8. Regulatory Affair Specialists– Regulatory Affairs Specialists coordinate and document internal regulatory processes, such as internal audits, inspections, license renewals, or registrations. They may also have to compile and prepare materials for submission to regulatory agencies.

  9. Compliance Officers--Compliance Officers examine and evaluate eligibility for or conformity with laws and regulations governing contract compliance of licenses and permits, and perform other compliance and enforcement inspection and analysis activities

  10. Political Scientists

The above list of careers is not exhaustive. There are numerous other opportunities in these areas. From government to private, technical to medical, domestic to international, graduates from law are welcomed in every sector and these jobs will not be going out of demand any time soon. Another factor in its favour is that the impact of automation on these careers is extremely low.

Top Courses in Law 

  • Undergraduate Courses- 

  1. LL.B /LL.B (Hons) - This is a 3-year course in law. One should be a graduate in any field to be eligible for this course.
  2. B.A./B.B.A/B.Sc/B.Com - LL.B. - This is a 5-year undergraduate course that can be pursued along with a second stream of the student’s choice. The eligibility criteria for this course are a minimum of 60% marks in 12th standard through any stream.

  • Postgraduate Courses-

  1. Master of Law (LL.M.) - This is a 1-year course to complete a post graduation in law. This course can be pursued particularly in one area of specialization as preferred by the candidate. Some popular options are:

  • International Trade Law
  • Maritime Law
  • Environment Law
  • Business Law
  • Constitutional and Administrative Law
  • Criminology and Forensic Law
  • Intellectual Property Rights
  • Corporate Law
  • Cyber Law
  • Commercial Law
  • Human Rights etc
  1. Master of Business Administration (MBA) – An MBA after a Law degree can be very beneficial, especially for students looking to work in the corporate sector or work as transactional attorneys. It can also be helpful for those looking to set up their own law firms. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Let’s take a look at some commonly asked questions by students.

Law has been one of the most important social institutions. One can practice in subordinate courts, administrative tribunals, high courts and the Supreme Court.

Law has a variety of career options. A student graduating from Law can pursue:

  1. Corporate Law

  2. International Law

  3. Civil Law

  4. Cyber Law

  5. Criminal Law

  6. Legal Research

 And many more 

It is generally thought that the Law graduates have to work under a senior lawyer for some years to get exposure at very low salaries and then only start their own practice. According to traditional thought process law ’Practice’ is the only career for them.

But, with changing times there are lot many roles which lawyers are getting these days according to their interests. some of them are:

  • Corporate Legal Advisor - After law, one can not only cater to legal requirements of the corporate world but also NGO's, Individual firms, industry associations and even government.

  • Work flow managers in Legal KPOs, there are many Knowledge process outsourcing firms which cater to large law firms in US/UK an many other countries. They perform various back office functions requiring legal expertise etc. Thousands of young capable fresh lawyers can make their careers in this field.

  • Immigration Consultancy: Young lawyers can specialize in immigration laws and run high paying and fulfilling careers.

  • Politics /Social activism: If we see closely, most of the top politicians are lawyers. Politics and social activism are sought after careers these days due to name, fame and money. With activism going ahead in full steam, these offer lucrative careers.

  • Teaching - What better than shaping the future of country? Considered one of the best field when you don't need to work for a long hours. You can go for LLM and the take up teaching Law as a subject in the law colleges.

  • Government Jobs - One can apply for the Government sector jobs in the legal department.

  • Higher Studies - If you wish to work in a particular field such as Cyber Law, Labor Law, International Law, Intellectual Property Rights, human rights etc, then you can pursue an added certification for it. The higher studies in any specialized legal fields get you jobs from large international associations and human rights groups.

 Important to remember is that you must choose your college/university with utmost care. It must have a strong track record and teaching pedagogy.


Curated by Team Tucareers.com