A career in law

Subramanian K. looks at the field in detail with special focus on educational and career options in India

While searching for the perfect quote to begin this explanation of what lawyers really do, I faced the same problem I'm sure a lot of others have faced down the ages.

While jokes, one-liners and snide asides aimed at lawyers abound, not many have taken the time to explain in simple words the work that lawyers perform everyday.

Fortunately, you won't have to look much further than the quote above. Essentially lawyers apply common sense to everyday and extraordinary situations alike. If you're smart, think well on your feet, and love proving your point, a career in law is for you.

Kinds of lawyers

The familiar image we have is of lawyers screaming their lungs out in courts of law. Litigating lawyers, as they are called, represent their clients in court.

Other lawyers work with corporate houses or in law firms that service companies as facilitators, helping them transact business efficiently and within the boundaries of the law.

Lawyers are sometimes referred to as ‘social engineers' as they guide society on how to live within the framework of rules, which are enshrined as the laws of the country.

Career options

Can be classified into five major areas:

1. Corporate counsel/consultancy
Many law students opt to work with the legal department of a corporate house after graduation. Legal managers are responsible for drafting, vetting, and in several cases, negotiating contracts for the company, ensuring and monitoring compliance with laws, and handling legal disputes.

Exposure to some of the best legal minds in the country is a given, because as a corporate counsel you will be expected to brief leading lawyers who appear for the company in court.

Pros and cons: Starting salaries are high and comparable to those offered to graduates from management institutes. Offers can go as high as Dh75,000 per year. In addition, companies often offer various perks: accommodation, club-memberships, vehicles, medical coverage and soft loans to name but a few.

While starting salaries are high, increments in salary are often fewer than in a law firm or in practice.

A company job offers tremendous security. Hard work is recognised and rewarded through growth within the organisation. You could even reach the board of directors.

Some corporate houses offer their lawyers the opportunity to take on management and marketing functions if they show an aptitude in these areas. A degree in management can be a great boost in such a situation.

2. The litigator
The traditional career path for a lawyer is to "go into practice" or join the chambers of a senior advocate as his junior. This involves appearing and arguing in court on a daily basis. There is, of course, scope for specialisation - criminal law, company law etc.

Typically, a junior works with a senior to gain experience. The more successful ones go on to either inherit their senior's practice or establish their own practice.

Pros and cons: This career option promises the greatest challenges and the greatest rewards. Those who prove successful make by far the most money in the legal profession.

Top lawyers can often command any price to appear in court or to render a legal opinion. His juniors usually do most of the research and drafting work, while the seniors formulate arguments.

Those interested in taking this route should lay the foundation in law school. Here you can make contacts and choose the right lawyers to work under.

As a junior, your pay might not be very good. In this respect, graduates from the more prestigious law schools often fare better.

3. Working in a law firm
A law firm is usually a partnership between lawyers who then offer their expertise to clients under one name. They engage other lawyers to work as associates, who can, in due course and provided they prove their competence, become partners in the firm.

Law firms cater to the interests of companies and private individuals alike, though most of the large firms deal exclusively with corporate houses. Work may or may not be restricted to a particular area of the law.

New recruits join as junior associates and are promoted based on performance.

Pros and cons: Good salaries, which could include hefty bonuses. Salaries are likely to rise faster than in companies.

You often interact with senior officers of client companies and handle a lot of responsibility at a young age.

But competition, and consequently stress, is tremendous since many of associates compete for very few partner positions.

There is also the possibility of being pigeonholed in a practice area i.e. being a specialist in one area and losing the flexibility of doing different things.

4. Business management after law
A graduate of a good law school acquires skills that are applicable to almost any walk of life.

Skills such as good communication, problem solving, risk identification, and dispute resolution are priceless in the world of business. If you prefer business management then there is a road ahead.

You could (a) try for a business management job after law school; (b) you can make the shift later on after you have practised for some time; (c) you can go in for an MBA.

Each choice has its pros and cons:
a) This is an accepted route to take at the finer law schools in developed countries. But in countries such as India, corporates looking for managers tend to steer clear of law schools on the mistaken basis that law schools can only produce lawyers.

The answer lies in positioning yourself as a smart, dynamic, creative guy with the added benefit of legal skills and knowledge.

b) Making the shift is hugely challenging, because first, it's likely that you will be perceived as being wired to think like a lawyer and not as a business manager. Second, you will be leaving a position of security for a relatively alien environment.

Ask yourself:
(i) What part of business do I like?
(ii) Any industry I am particularly fond of?
(iii) How will I convince companies that I can add value?
(iv) Am I willing to take salary cuts?

It is advisable to go through a recruitment firm or manager.

c) The MBA. You have the option to do an MBA immediately after law school or after putting in a few years of work. The second option is advisable as it will help beef up your resume.

An MBA from the US will require three-four years of work experience and you will have to give the GMAT (General Management Aptitude Test).

An Indian MBA can be taken without work experience; you will have to give CAT (Common Admission Test) and the other management entrance tests.

The law-MBA combination is excellent and recognised the world over as one of the best combinations for any form of business and management.

5. Social advocate
Law schools often include several courses designed to address relevant social issues, including gender concerns, discrimination of any sort, employment, working conditions, environmental protection and the marginalisation of people.

Many law schools often set up centres to address these areas and conduct research projects. Students work with professors on these projects and often go on to join various organisations that work in these ar