study of law

Why study law?

What do you love about the law, Andrew?
I... many things... uh... uh... What I love the most about the law?
Yeah.
It's that every now and again--not often, but occasionally--you get to be a part of justice being done. That really is quite a thrill when that happens.
(Dialogue from the court scene in the motion picture Philadelphia, 1993)

Except for those fortunate ones with lawyers in the family, the rest of us grew up thinking of lawyers as black & white social outcasts chirping the occasional 'mee lord' in B-grade bollywood flicks. Most of us never even contemplated law as a career option when we made those vital decisions of picking careers. However over the last decade the popular perception of the law degree has changed dramatically. Law has become a strong and versatile career option inspired by world class law schools such as the National Law School in Bangalore and subsequently NUJS in Kolkata, NALSAR in Hyderabad, NLU in Jodhpur and NLIU in Bhopal. The older institutions such as the legendary Government Law College in Bombay and the equally famous Faculty of Law in Delhi have responded positively and pruned their curriculum to face up to the challenge. The result - the five year law degree has all the ingredients to make it a excellent career option.

Having been law students we can speak only of our own experiences and learnings. The world has leaders and it has followers. Both serve distinct but critical roles but if you go to India's best law schools then you will learn to be a leader, to bear that responsibility and discharge it faithfully. You will think beyond problems and see the solutions and you will find ways to make those solutions happen and change something for the better - yes, you will bring CHANGE. You could do this whilst standing before the Supreme Court or at the heart of the corporate world - where you are wont make you less of a leader.

Alumni of the top law schools, notably the National Law School in Bangalore, have excelled in diverse areas. They walk the corridors of the Supreme Court, the various High Courts, the top corporate law firms and business houses, agencies of the United Nations and the other stellar organizations. Alumni of these colleges even teach at leading law schools such as Oxford and Harvard. The reason why such a variety of jobs and further study options are available is the versatility of the five year law degree. Civil and criminal law are no longer the principal pillars of the five year law degree as students also study corporate and commercial law, mediation and negotiation, international law, intellectual property law, environmental law and human rights law, just to name a few disciplines. Consequently, the degree equips you, not just to be an accomplished lawyer but also a businessman, bureaucrat, diplomat, social activist or academician. Job applicants amongst the graduating batch at the National Law School this year were recruited at average annual salaries comparable to the top management schools. It goes without saying that financially the profession is hugely rewarding.

What do Lawyers do?

"No brilliance is required in law, just common sense and relatively clean fingernails."

John Mortimer

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 other people must have faced down the ages: people simply do not have nice things to say about lawyers! While jokes, one-liners and snide-asides aimed at lawyers abound, not many people have taken the time to explain in simple words the work that lawyers perform on an everyday basis!

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

Whether it's an intricate issue of constitutional law that will help preserve our fundamental rights, or a matter involving a simple traffic violation, a lawyer is called upon to resolve conflicts between people through the application of simple, everyday, common sense.

Lawyers do this in various places, and through different means. The most familiar image, of course, if of lawyers screaming their lungs out in courts of law, wearing what looks to some of us like a tacky black bathrobe more than anything else! Litigating lawyers, as these lawyers are called, represent their clients in court. Litigating lawyers are called upon to argue various kinds of issues, ranging from property matters to criminal matters, constitutional issues to matters of family law. Black and white and vociferous, these lawyers argue the law to make sure that their clients' interests are represented in the best possible manner before those that will decide matters of a whole lot of importance to a whole lot of people.

Other lawyers work with corporate houses, or in law firms that service corporates. Here, lawyers work mainly as facilitators, helping companies work smoothly, efficiently, and within the boundaries of the law. Lawyers help business work in the best possible manner, and are an extremely important part of any business transaction. Huge mergers, large stock market issues, and foreign investments are all very cool to talk about, but unless you have someone who understands how these things work, and can get them done in the best possible way, all you'll ever do is talk about them! Simply put, without lawyers, many corporates would find themselves struggling to understand how to actually put their ideas in place. Lawyers make it happen!

Lawyers are sometimes also referred to as 'social engineers'. As you would know, our society, the way we live, and what we do everyday, are all loosely bound by a mesh of rules that we call 'laws'. It is the job of lawyers to understand these rules, and to help people live their lives most meaningfully. Many lawyers help people in distress, advocating areas that they are concerned about, such as child rights, women's issues, or the protection of refugees. If you really want to make a difference to people's lives, if you're actually concerned about something, and if you actually want to go out there and get something done right, this is the way to go for you!!!

Aside from these, lawyers today work with people from every walk of life, interpreting laws, applying legal principles, and, above all, helping people tackle problems on every scale. Simply put, an ideal lawyer is a smart, intelligent person who applies common sense to common and uncommon problems alike, and helps people find their paths out of the wilderness.

Thinking about being a lawyer? Good idea!

Career Options

Corporate Counsel

What it's about

Several law students opt to work with the in-house legal department of a corporate after graduating from law school. Legal managers play a critical role in the functioning of a company, and are responsible for drafting, vetting, and in several cases, negotiating contracts for the company, ensuring and monitoring compliance with laws, and handling legal disputes that the company may be involved in. Corporate counsel are required to interact with several different functions in a company, understand business and operations needs, and serve these needs in a manner that is both suitable and legal. Exposure to some of the best legal minds in the country is a given, as corporate counsel 'brief' leading lawyers who appear for the company in courts and tribunals. GE Capital, ICICI Bank, ITC, IBM, Infosys, Satyam, Wipro, Dr. Reddy's, Biocon, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, KPMG and HLL are some corporate giants that frequent law school campus recruitment programmes.

Pros and Cons

Starting salaries are high, and are comparable with those offered to graduates from management institutes. Offers can go as high as nine lakhs a year. In addition, companies often offer various perks over and above the salary: accommodation, club-memberships, vehicles, coverage of medical expenses and soft loans, to name a few. While starting salaries are high, increases in salary are often fewer and far between than they can be in a law firm or in practice. A company job, however, does offer tremendous security and very good pay throughout your career. Hard work is recognised, and is rewarded through growth within the organisation, and you could reach the board of directors of the company. (M. K. Sharma is the Vice-Chairman and legal head of HLL.) Some corporate houses offer the opportunity to take on management and marketing functions to those that display an ability and competence to take on these functions. A degree in management is a great boost to your career if you decide to do so.

The Litigation

What it's about

The traditional career path for a lawyer, is to "go into practice", or join the chambers of a senior advocate as his junior. The traditional image of a lawyer is based on this career option. Regarded by many as the true calling of a lawyer, this option involves arguing in court on a daily basis, and applying your mind to a plethora of different issues in order to win the case for your client. There is, of course, scope for specialisation even in this field - some lawyers practice criminal law, some company law and at a later stage, even constitutional law. A legal practice is much the same as a medical practice - if one serves the needs of clients well, they will return and refer others to you, and one's reputation will grow, so that even more clients are attracted to you. Typically, a junior works with a senior to gain experience, until he is proficient in the profession. After that, one stays a junior, more or less permanently, or, as the more successful ones do, one can either inherit one's senior's practice when he retires, or split away to establish one's own practice.

Pros and Cons

This career option promises the greatest challenges, and the greatest rewards. The most famous lawyers in the country have all followed this career path - K. K. Venugopal, Fali Nariman, and Soli Sorabjee to name a few. Successful practicing advocates make by far the most money in the legal profession. The top lawyers in the country charge Rs.50,000 to Rs. 1 lakh per appearance, in court, and appearances may often last for just a few minutes. Similar fees are charged for rendering a legal opinion on a case. The advocate's juniors usually do most of the research and drafting work, and the senior formulates opinions and arguments. Since each appearance usually does not last very long, advocates can make a number of appearances for a quite a few different clients in each day. Naturally, one has to weigh this against much lesser pay (anything between Rs.2,000/- to Rs.8,000/- per month) in the early years. Law school is a great place to start laying the foundation stones of a successful practice, since you can make contacts and choose the right lawyers to work under here. Despite the fact that the amount that juniors are paid by their senior advocates is quite paltry, graduates from prestigious law schools often fare better in terms of the amount that senior advocates are willing to pay.

Working in a Law Firm

What it's about

A law firm is usually a partnership between lawyers who have come together to offer their expertise to clients under one name. These partners share the profits of the firm as well as the risks (liabilities), and engage other lawyers to work with them as associates. These associates can work at the firm for a period of time, and, provided they establish their competence at work, can even become partners at the firm and share in the profits and management of the firm. Law firms cater to the interests of companies and private individuals alike, though most of the large law firms deal exclusively with corporate houses, i.e. companies. Work at a law firm involves dealing with a wide variety of problems that may or may not be restricted to a particular area of the law (depending on the specialisation and culture of the firm).

Major law firms have separate litigation and corporate departments. The litigation department deals with the disputes which the firm's clients are involved in. Working in the litigation department of a law firm or in a firm that does mainly litigation entails interaction with leading lawyers and a feel of the world of court practice. The corporate departments of law firms advise companies on the corporate deals which they are involved in, such as acquisitions of companies, important inter-company agreements, investment in India by foreign clients, financing of massive projects undertaken by clients and so on.

Major law firms, both Indian and foreign, recruit from the top Indian law schools. Among the major recruiters from the domestic legal schools are top law firms such as Amarchand Mangaldas Suresh A. Shroff & Co, AZB Partners, J.Sagar & Associates, and Luthra & Luthra Law Offices. Foreign law firms that recruit from Indian law schools include the UK-based Linklaters Alliance, the Singapore-based Khattar & Wong, and others. Recruits join as junior associates and are promoted based on performance.

Pros and Cons

The top Indian law firms offer salaries that can go as high as 6 lacs a year (with the occasional offer reaching as much as 10 lacs). Foreign law firms (with foreign postings) offer salaries that can go as high as 16 lacs. Some of these numbers include bonuses, which can be quite generous in most instances. You may wonder why the salaries are lower as compared to those offered by corporates - what you must remember is that most law firms keep the recruit on a 'retainer', allowing for more flexible tax management. Furthermore, salaries in law firms rise faster than in companies. An associate with 2-3 years of experience at a law firm is likely to overtake his classmate at a company. At law firms you interact with senior officers of client companies and handle tremendous responsibility at a young age. The corporate culture with its jet-setting lifestyle is an attraction of its own. Competition, and consequently stress, at these law firms is tremendous since a large number of associates compete for very few partner positions. The larger the law firm, the tougher you can expect the competition to be. There is also the possibility of being pigeon-holed in a practice area i.e. being a specialist in one area and losing the flexibility of doing different things.

Social Advocate

What it's about

Law schools often include several courses designed to address relevant social issues in their course curriculum, including gender concerns, caste-based discrimination, employment, working conditions, environmental protection and the marginalisation of various peoples. Most law schools take this a step further: NLS, for example, deals with these matters in detail through the Centre for the Child and the Law (CCL), the Centre for Women and the Law (CWL), the Centre for Law and Economic Analysis and Research (CLEAR) and the Centre for Environmental Law Education Research and Advocacy (CEERA). These centres address such issues through various research projects and action plans. Students work with professors on the same projects and the Government often takes the assistance of these centres. The effect of such exposure is reflected in the fact that a sizeable number of law school students join Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) that work with these issues. Graduates from law school are also offered opportunities to work with international organisations such as the United Nations and with international war and crime tribunals.

Pros and Cons

Tremendous job satisfaction awaits you if you are passionate about working with socio-legal issues. You can achieve a tremendous sense of worth, and can contribute to changing people's lives for the better. Since your contribution directly impacts people, it's relatively easier to find happiness. This career path offers travel prospects and promises interaction with a variety of people. A person adopting this career path will most likely get respect and recognition in peer groups. If you work with an established NGO, you would also be financially comfortable. However, the job entails a degree of financial insecurity because all NGOs are not well funded, and the pay may be meagre. This could be a serious issue if you need to support a family at some point. Further, the experience may be one of disillusionment and frustration if you cannot realise the fruits of your effort because of hierarchies within the organisation and mismanagement of funds. A person wanting to quit this line might find it difficult to get mainstream jobs (firms or companies). For someone really interested in making a difference vis-a-vis a social issue, no other career option can match up to this one. It must also be remembered that one can contribute to social efforts while pursuing a mainstream job.

Business Management after Law

A graduate of a good law school takes away skills that are applicable in 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 dig business management then there is a road ahead! There are three broad routes you could think of - one is gunning for a business management job immediately after law school; the second is making the shift from a legal job to a business management job; and the third is to go do an MBA. There are pros and cons with each choice. Let me list them out for your reading convenience:

a) Applying for a business management job straight after law school:
This is an accepted route to take at the finer law schools in the developed countries. However, in countries such as ours, the process is not so straightforward. Corporates looking for managers in non-legal positions tend to steer clear of law schools on the mistaken basis that law schools can only produce lawyers. They bleep over the fact that first and foremost, law schools produce smart people! The fact that these smart people are equipped with legal skills and knowledge is an additional value-add. Also at fault are law schools and law students themselves - students are usually hesitant to confront a dominant interest in business. 'What's wrong with me? I'm at law school! How can I think business management?' - is probably an accurate guess at the pattern of thinking. The result of this type of thinking is that student or college recruitment committees end up applying only to 'law organisations', thereby ignoring other organisations that may have been interested, had they understood the profiles of students.

The answer lies in facing up to your interests and positioning yourself as a smart, dynamic, creative guy with the added benefit of legal skills and knowledge. Your resume must reflect this approach. Look around for the same kind of recruiters who visit the top B-schools, and show them how you can add value.

b) The shift - from a law job to a business management job

The second option is the SHIFT. Typically, you are in a law firm or the legal department of a company when it hits you that enjoy the 'business side' of business more than the 'law side' or that you want to be more 'involved' in the business. Making this shift is hugely challenging, because firstly, it's likely that you will be perceived as being wired (oriented) to think like a lawyer, and not a business manager, and secondly, you will be leaving a position of tremendous security for a relatively alien situation. You must think through this decision very carefully - follow your passion, but plan the departure carefully with a largish safety net or fallback option. Talk to loads of people before you do it while trusting your passion and instinct. Remember, only fools rush in.

To sum up - to choose the right opportunity and take a sensible decision you must look at the following:

1. What part of business do you like?
2. Is there any industry that you are particularly fond of?
3. How will you position yourself to the company - how will you convince them that you can add value?
4. Are you willing to take salary cuts?

It's advisable to then 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-ex. The decision really turns on how convinced you are. It's advisable to put in a couple of years of work to add value to your resume. You can then leverage your experience in the corporate world as an asset. A foreign MBA, especially a US MBA will require 3-4 years of work experience and you will have to give the GMAT. An Indian MBA can be taken without work-ex and you will have to give CAT and the other management entrance tests. The foreign MBAs are usually more flexible so you can even work around your discomfort in certain areas like Math. An Indian MBA, however, would put you to the test in those areas. Lawyers often find it challenging to come back to the quantitative approach, but challenging does not mean impossible. The law - MBA combination is excellent and recognised the world over as one of the best combinations for any form of business and management.

d) Management Consulting
Of late, renowned management consulting firms such as McKinsey and BCG have begun recruiting from NLSIU, Bangalore for jobs in management consulting that were once considered suitable only for IIT / IIM graduates.

The LPO Revolution has Begun

In the recent few years the global spending on legal services has been estimated to be over $250 billion (of which about two-third is accounted in the United States alone. With such demand for legal services, corporations and law firms need to handle the large volumes while keeping costs in check and maintaining profitability. This is where Legal Processing Outsourcing ("LPO") comes into the picture wherein core legal functions are delegated to external counsel to complete the assigned task on the basis of set parameters and fixed timelines.

India, with its large pool of English proficient lawyers trained in common law, is poised to service 60% of the global Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) requirement, estimated to be $4.5 billion by 2010.

Now you may be wondering, what exactly does an LPO do or more specifically what would you do in an LPO?

Let us first understand the operations of an LPO and the nature of work the do. An LPO is an offshore unit, undertaking legal work assigned by in which in-house legal departments or organisations from areas where it is costly to perform, such as the United States or Europe to areas where it can be performed at a significantly decreased cost, primarily India.

The array of work, which, you may have to undertake while working in an LPO, would range from High-end legal research and drafting briefs, memorandums and commercial contracts to Litigation support work like evidence related work and first level document review.

Research and Academics

What it's about

Now, how many institutions can boast of training a student, right from the moment they step in. How many colleges, have their students make 5-6 presentations every three months, and the fact that these are adjudicated by the best legal brains in the country, it entails for not just the best possible research but also forces them to push the envelope. And when the earnings for the same happen to be in dollars, who wouldnt want do it?

In a National Law School, a law students develops a personality where he not just follows up whatever is given to him, in his zest for learning the rules governing the country, but also digs deep into all possibilities of a given situation, for example when a Union Budget is passed by the Parliament, he wont just go through it and feel okay about how the funds were allocated, rather he will form an opinion, a critical one at times and would not be afraid to air it, by sharing the same with some of the best Publishers, Web portals. Given the high knowledge content and the out of the box thinking pattern reflected in the article, the result is often that it gets published in the National journals needless to say there are obvious incentives attached to such articles.

Research in a law school is not just confined to a specific field; today an average law student has to conduct studies and examine issues on diverse fields ranging from Intellectual Property Rights, Environment Law, Space Law, to International Arbitration.

The second stage is publication and presentation of ones works at the International Arena in publications like International Law Journals such as Harvard Law Journal, Oxford University Law Journal etc. which brings along with it recognition on the international arena and $$$$. The incentives and perquisites for your hard work dont just end there, when the countrys top most Corporate, Law firms etc. throng your college, what will make you stand out among you classmates and put you in high stead with these recruiters will be these initiative which you would have taken in your days as a law student. Standing evidence to this is the hundreds of National Law School Alumnus, who are working with International organizations like International Court of Justice, UNICEF, Amnesty International etc obviously because of their inventiveness, but some credits also goes to research conducted by them during their Law School days.

Academics, Pursuing teaching as career option comes good to those who have a desire and a passion for it, National law School Alumnus form the part of countries best faculties throughout the Top National Law Schools of the country.

The Other Side
They say the lack of monetary reward is more than made up by the satisfaction of teaching. Compared to other options available, Research and Academics initially dont offer lucrative pay packages and of course requires a lot of hard work, but then this is true for most careers. Sharp wit and intelligence is required wherever you go.

Academics, Pursuing teaching as career option comes good to those who like it, National law School Alumnus are counted among the best faculties throughout the Top National Law Schools of the country. This career option gives you more flexibility than any other stream; a Lecturer of law is paid on a per-hour-basis. The remuneration being directly proportionate to the experience you carry and the credibility that you gain during your stint as a teacher. Delivering lectures upon any issue and not just matters related to law come easy to Law students given the fact that through out their law school life, they are constantly in touch with the issues governing the society and not to forget their hold over a subject which is omnipresent in the world we live in: Law.

The Living Evidence to this is the Law Graduate and Internationally Acclaimed Leadership Guru and Author of The Monk who sold his Ferrari Robin Sharma.

Pros and cons

When it comes to Research and Academics the initial pay package differ and as far as eligibility goes either you to need to have a Masters degree (LL.M) or else must have cleared the National Eligibility Test. You start off as an Assistant Professor and given your National Law School Background in due course if you take up a Doctorate, you can end up being the Dean of a College. Other than this you can also apply for a Research fellowship with the countries Premier Institutes like National Judicial Academy or Confederation of India Industries (CII).

The options dont end here, incase you have been blessed with or have developed good oratory skills (with the exposure you get in a law school, that is a rule rather than an exception) you can develop your own knowledge unit and start taking individual sessions the remuneration for which has no upper limit and is on a per-appearance fee.

The only drawback with a career in Academia, which we can list here is that this field requires a lot of hard work and a will to research extensively which does not comes easy to everybody. In terms of remuneration, you may have to wait for a while before you can treat your friends who may be corporate lawyers. As far as your personal growth goes it completely depends upon your wit, intelligence and the effort you put in. But then arent these true for all professions: Legal or not?

A career in the judiciary

What it's about

For those of you with an inclination towards public service and/or the trappings of state authority, the judiciary can be a worthwhile option. Not only is it a way to remain closely connected with the law throughout your professional life, but also one that offers the satisfaction of working for the good of society-an intellectually stimulating profession where you shall command the respect of the common man.

There are two avenues open to become a member of the judiciary. The first and better known one is to start a litigation practice and hope to get elevated to the bench. The other option is to participate in the competitive process for the judicial services.

Every High Court has under its supervision the members of the subordinate judiciary of the state(s) over which this High Court has jurisdiction. Members of the subordinate judiciary (popularly known as the judicial service or the PCS (J)-Provincial Civil Service-Judicial) occupy the offices of the presiding officers of various courts right up to the post of District Judge. There are several attractive features of these judicial services including handsome perks and privileges which include among others- rent free accommodation, fuel allowances, subsidized electricity and water supplies, telephone allowances and bursaries for children's education. These are significantly better then those of civil service officers. Add to this the increased remuneration structures of the 6th Pay Commission and you've got a highly rewarding job on your hands-and the best part is yet to come. Unlike administrators or police officers, judicial officers almost always have postings in district headquarters so they never have to serve in remote areas. This allows them to have a reasonably enjoyable lifestyle too.

The judicial services have two entry levels. The first is for fresh graduates through an entrance exam conducted by the respective state public service commissions (UP, MP, Rajasthan etc.) or the High Court ( Delhi). The syllabus for these exams can be found on the website of the commissions and includes law subjects along with English, general knowledge and the local language of the state. An entry through this avenue assures you of time based promotions and a secured employment early on in your career.

The second avenue through which you may join the judicial service is known as the Higher Judicial Service (HJS). This service is open for lawyers with a certain prescribed minimum years of litigating practice, usually seven. Applicants have to appear for a competitive examination for entry to the HJS the syllabus for which is similar to the one described above. The advantage with this option is that if selected the applicant gets posted as an additional district judge which significantly hastens promotional prospects.

The subordinate judiciary has a fixed quota (which varies with each High Court) for elevation to the High Court. Towards this end the prospects of HJS members are better since they get senior posts at a younger age. The flip side however, is that it is relatively more difficult to clear the HJS exam (seats being lesser) as well as to prepare for it. Having practiced for seven or more years, a lawyer may find it tough to prepare for a competitive examination-as opposed to appearing for one just after graduation.

All said and done, you must consider before you take the plunge into the judicial service, that the chances of a member for the lower judiciary making his way all the way up the ladder are rather remote. Hence if you harbour dreams of becoming a Supreme Court judge someday then this may not be the right choice for you. On the other hand, if you want a secure and safe career and wish to be in public service, albeit with a comfortable compensation package-instead of the vagaries of litigation, then the judicial services may well be the right choice for you.

A career in media after a law degree

What it's about

If you're curious and good at communicating, this one's could be you. Working as a journalist is not only socially relevant (which means you can have tremendous job satisfaction), but also carries the promise of being monetarily rewarding.

A legal education already equips you with comprehensive writing and researching skills, besides teaching you to be thorough with facts and figures. You have the option of reporting on legal issues for which you need no additional training, or on a host of other issues for which on the job learning is the best bet. The most attractive aspect about a career in journalism is that a liberal arts education is more than sufficient for this profession.

The skills one picks up at law school are more than sufficient for a journalist-what's more it's on the job learning that matters more. Indeed, employers do regularly conduct workshops for the rookies. As long as you're interested in an occupation that's socially relevant, and willing to pursue a career that is not strictly connected to the law, this is certainly a very exciting avenue to explore. As far as job satisfaction goes, if one speaks to lawyers who have taken up journalism, they say this is something that makes you feel alive, and the very fact that you're doing a service to society is something which holds tremendous satisfaction. Whether or not you mind detaching yourself from the law remains an individual choice. What is clear though is that journalism offers both challenges and rewards, and is an intellectually stimulating experience.

A word of caution is in place- it would hardly be reasonable to expect the same level of financial compensation in the field of journalism as a corporate law job or even a successful litigating practice might offer. This said, it is possible to earn more than enough to have a wholesome lifestyle. The pay scales ultimately depend upon the employing organizations.

There are two things that a law student seeking to pursue journalism must keep in mind. First, expressing ideas and opinions, or the reporting of facts that is required of a journalist is rather different from the kind of legal writing that law students are apt to be used to. A journalist must be able to convey his message in a simple yet effective and convincing manner. Towards this end, it is imperative that you rid yourself of unnecessarily complicated legal jargon and archaic language when you step into the field of journalism. This might sound difficult but it is in fact just a matter of getting out of the habit of using legalistic language in your writings. The second and more important thing to be kept in mind is that unlike the law, journalism is not a zero sum game. As a lawyer one is trained to present one side of the picture with great conviction and powerful argumentation. However, for a journalist objectivity of opinion and viewpoint is of the utmost importance. A journalist has to tell a story, not to win a case. He may have to write about grey areas and sensitive social issues-for which a story and not an argument must be constructed.

There are no prerequisites to be a journalist, and this is especially true if you are a law student. It would help however, if you make a habit of writing regularly, and may be having a publication or two (non legal ones of course). This is to ensure that you have a smooth transition from the law school to the world of journalism.

It is a well known fact that readership of newspapers and television news channels' audiences are on the rise in India. There is an increasing demand for capable journalists who have a flair for communication and a lot of curiosity. Legal education provides you with these anyways and along with that you gain a skill set that is suited to journalism. As opposed to the United States where the demand for journalists has been going down, India's journalism sector is booming. This means that there is no dearth of career avenues for those interested to take up journalism as a profession.

Locate a law school

RGNUL- Rajiv Gandhi National University Of Law
PATIALA

UPES- University of Petroleum & Energy Studies
DEHRADUN

Faculty of Law, Delhi University
DELHI

JGLS- Jindal Global Law School
HARYANA

RMLNLU- Dr. Ram Manohar lohiya national Law University
LUCKNOW

CNLU- Chanakya National Law University
PATNA

NUJS- West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences
KOLKATA

KIIT- Law school
BHUBANESHWAR

HNLU- Hidayatullah National Law University
RAIPUR

MATS- Law School
RAIPUR

NALSAR- University of Law
HYDERABAD

SLCU- School of Law, Christ University
BANGALORE

NLSIU- National Law School of India University
BANGALORE

NUALS- The National University of Advanced Legal Studies
KOCHI

BVU- Bharati Vidyapeeth University,
PUNE

ILS- Indian Law Society
PUNE

GLC- Government Law College
MUMBAI

GNLU- Gujarat National Law University
GANDHINAGAR

NLIU- National Law Institute University
BHOPAL

NLU- National Law University
JODHPUR

IIL- Indore Institute of Law
INDORE

(1) RGNUL- Rajiv Gandhi National University Of Law
(PATIALA)

(2) UPES- University of Petroleum & Energy Studies
DEHRADUN Click here

(3) Faculty of Law, Delhi University
DELHI

(4) JGLS- Jindal Global Law School
HARYANA Click here

(5) RMLNLU- Dr. Ram Manohar lohiya national Law University
LUCKNOW

(6) CNLU- Chanakya National Law University
PATNA

(7) NUJS- West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences
KOLKATA

(8) KIIT- Law school
BHUBANESHWAR

(9) HNLU- Hidayatullah National Law University
RAIPUR

(10) MATS- Law School
RAIPUR

(11) NALSAR- University of Law
HYDERABAD

(12) SLCU- School of Law, Christ University
BANGALORE Click here

(13) NLSIU- National Law School of India University
BANGALORE

(14) NUALS- The National University of Advanced Legal Studies
KOCHI

(15) BVU- Bharati Vidyapeeth University,
PUNE

(16) ILS- Indian Law Society
PUNE

(17) GLC- Government Law College
MUMBAI

(18) GNLU- Gujarat National Law University
GANDHINAGAR

(19) NLIU- National Law Institute University
BHOPAL

(20) NLU- National Law University
JODHPUR

(21) IIL- Indore Institute of Law
Indore

Choosing a Law School

How does one decide which law school to apply to? Is it the academic standards or the performance in moot court competitions? Is it the reputation of the law school in the industry or the reputation amongst other law schools? Rankings are always harbingers of controversy. Rankings released by different sources often conflict resulting in a fair bit of confusion, to say the least.

Here are the most important ingredients to decide which law school to pick:

1. Industry Reputation
2. Reputation amongst Foreign Law Schools
3. Peer Reputation
4. Academic Standards / Quality of Faculty
5. Recruitment Statistics
6. Location
7. Student Community / Campus Life
8. Hostel Quality
9. IT Infrastructure / Library
10. Quality of Entrance Process

In our opinion, a list of top colleges for 2006 should include the following in the given tier slabs (no rankings within the tier):

Tier 1:
NLSIU Bangalore
NALSAR Hyderabad
NUJS Kolkata

Tier 2:
NLIU Bhopal
NLU Jodhpur
Delhi Faculty of Law

Tier 3:
Christ University, School of Law
ILS Pune
Symbiosis Pune
GNLU Gandhinagar
GLC Mumbai
HNLU Raipur
UPES Dehradun
NUALS Kochi
Amity Law School (IP-University affiliate)
Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune

Tier 4:
Faculty of Law, BHU
ULC Bangalore
Army Institute of Law, Mohali
Kerala Law Academy
KIIT Law school, Bhubaneshwar

The New 'Juris Academia' (Law Schools):
NUALS, Kochi
CNLU, Patna
RMLNLU, Lucknow
RGNUL, Patiala
Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat
MATS Law School, Raipur
Indore Institute of Law, Indore

Note: Why we are competent to release this list?

1. Our interaction every year with several law schools, especially students and alumni.
2. Understanding / assessment of the admission procedures.
3. Knowledge of placement / recruitment statistics.
4. Familiarity with industry opinion of the colleges.

Admission process

The major law entrance exams (based on the number of candidates) are: Common Law Admission Test (CLAT), NLU- Delhi Admission Test, Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET), NLU- Orissa Admission Test, IP University Admission Test and LSAT- India. CLAT is conducted once every year usually on the first Sunday of May. The number of students who took CLAT 2010 was approximately 16,350. Most of the entrance exams are conducted in the months of May and June. The two most important things in your path to entering law schools would be your score in the respective law entrance examination and your senior secondary examination percentage (XII Board examination).

The following national law universities (NLUs) consider CLAT scores for admissions to their under graduate programme:
NLSIU Bangalore
NALSAR Hyderabad
WBNUJS Kolkata
NLU Jodhpur
NLIU Bhopal
GNLU Gandhinagar
HNLU Raipur
RGNUL, Patiala
CNLU, Patna
RMLNLU, Lucknow
NUALS, Kochi

The areas that were tested in CLAT 2010 were:
English
Logical Reasoning
Mathematics
Legal Aptitude (including legal reasoning and legal knowledge)
General Knowledge

Checklist:
The following checklist illustrates the sequence of events in the admission process:
Prepare for the law entrance exams
Research and get acquainted with all the law schools before filling up your preferences
Apply and register yourself via post or online
Receive your admit card number
Take the law entrance exam(s) at the allotted center
Check your score on the website of the respective law entrance examination
Apply to the colleges allotted to you as per your preference
Enter the corridors of knowledge!

If and when there is any change in the pattern of any relevant examination, LST will keep a track of it and inform you well in advance.

Common Law Admission Test, (CLAT) 2010

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2010 will be conducted for admission to the undergraduate programme at eleven National Law Universities.

Eligibility:
- Should have passed Higher Secondary School/Intermediate Examination (10+2) or its equivalent examination with not less than 50% marks in aggregate (45% in case of SC/ST/OBC and persons with Disability).

- Should not be more than 20 years (in case of General/OBC candidates and 22 years in case of SC/ST and persons with Disability) on 1st July, 2010.

- Candidates appearing in the qualifying examination can also appear provisionally. However, they shall have to produce proof of having passed the qualifying examination before or at the time of admission with detailed mark sheet.

- Candidate with compartment/supplementary in any subject in the qualifying examination will not be eligible for admission.

Pattern:
Total Marks : 200
Total number of questions : 200

Subject areas with weightage:

English including Comprehension	40 Marks
General Knowledge	50 Marks
Elementary Mathematics	20 Marks
Legal Aptitude	45 Marks
Logical Reasoning	45 Marks

The important dates for CLAT-2010 candidates

Issue of application forms from all CLAT-2010 members universities and specified branches of State Bank of India
From 11th January , 2010 (Monday)

Last date for submission of filled-in entrance examination application forms
02nd April, 2010 (Friday)

Date of admission test for UG/PG
09th May, 2010 (Sunday) From 3.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.

Publication of result
29th May, 2010 (Saturday)

Last date of acceptance and confirmation of admission by depositing money in SBI specified branches. (List of SBI Branches)
15th June, 2010 (Tuesday)

Completion of admission process
28th June, 2010 (Monday)

Commencement of classes
01st July, 2010 (Thursday)

Contact Address:
The Convenor (CLAT- 2010)
The National Law Institute University,
Kerwa Dam Road,
Bhopal - 462 044 (M.P)
Tele: (0755)-2696965 /70/71, Fax: (0755)-2696972,
E-mail: Info@nliu.com
WebSite: www.clat.ac.in
view the CLAT 2009 results Click here

National Law University, Delhi

The University invites applications for a five year integrated B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) degree programme for the academic year 2010-2011 commencing from August, 2010.

IMPORTANT DATES: Last Date for Receipt of Applications: 10th April,2010
Examination Date: Sunday, 2nd May 2010 (3:00 P.M. To 4:30 P.M.)

ELIGIBILITY
Senior Secondary School Examination (10+2 System) or equivalent Examination with not less than 50% of marks in the aggregate (those who are appearing in the examination in March/April, 2010 can also apply)

AGE LIMIT
Below 21 years as on 1st July, 2010 (23 years in case of SC/ST candidates)

TOTAL SEATS
80 (eighty) [70 (Seventy) seats on merit through All India Entrance Examination and 10 (ten) seats for direct admission to Foreign Nationals on merit]. Foreign Nationals to be eligible should have 65% marks in the qualifying examination.

RESERVATION
15% for SC Candidates, 7.5% for ST Candidates, 3% for Persons with Disabilities.

SCHOLARSHIPS
The University provides liberal financial assistance for the needy and deserving students.

Admission will be strictly on merit through All India Entrance Examination to be conducted at Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai and Patna on 02.05.2010. If sufficient number of applications are not received for a centre, the University reserves the right to cancel the said centre and shift the applicants of that centre to another nearest centre. Interested candidates may apply for admission on the prescribed format of application available on the University website: http://nludelhi.ac.in along with a Demand Draft of Rs.2,000/- (Rupees Two Thousand Only) for General Candidates, Rs.500/- (Rupees Five Hundred Only) in case of SC,ST and Person with Disability (PD) drawn in favour of "REGISTRAR, NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY, DELHI", payable at Delhi along with copies of requisite Caste/PD Certificate. There is no application fee for Below Poverty Line (BPL) applicants of SC/ST category (copy of BPL certificate from competent authority to be enclosed with application). For details visit the University
website: http://nludelhi.ac.in.

Applications complete in all respects must reach in person or by post, to the REGISTRAR, NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY, DELHI, Sector - 14, Dwarka, New Delhi - 110078, on or before 10th April,2010.

Applications received after the last date shall not be entertained. The University will not be responsible for any postal/courier delay.
Pattern of the Test Paper
Total Marks : 150
Total number of questions : 150
Duration of the Examination : 1 hour 30 minutes
Subject areas and marks distribution

English : 35 Marks
General Knowledge : 35 Marks
(Current Affairs, General Science, History, Geography, Economics, Civics)
Legal Aptitude : 35 Marks
Reasoning : 35 Marks
Elementary Mathematics (Numerical Ability): 10 Marks

Test Centres
Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai and Patna

For official admission notification, Click here.

University of Petroleum and Energy Studies - College of Legal Studies

BA LLB, BBA LLB (Five Years Integrated Program) - With emphasis on Energy Laws

Eligibility:
Minimum 50% Marks at Higher & Senior Secondary level (10th & 12th). Students with compartment in 10+2 are not eligible to apply for any program.

Admission Test:
- Admission to either course is based on the UPES Legal Studies Aptitude Test (UL-SAT) the date of which will be announced soon.

- Upto 20% of seats are reserved for direct admissions for students with minimum 50% Marks in Higher & Senior Secondary (10th & 12th) and CLAT ranking upto 1500. They will be exempted from UPES Law Studies Aptitude test and will be invited directly for GD and Interview.

- In the event, less number of candidates meets the above requirement the remaining seats will be filled through UPES Law Studies Aptitude Test (UL-SAT).

How to apply:
Candidates can collect UPES Prospectus & Application form by sending a demand draft in favour of "UPES Fee Account", payable at New Delhi/ Dehradun alongwith request letter or by Cash payment from admission counters at Delhi/ Dehradun/ Mumbai/ Ahmedabad/ Chandigarh/ Kolkata.
Apply Online Click here
Contact Details Click here

Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law, IIT Kharagpur

The School offers a Six-Semester, Three-Year Full-Time residential programme leading to the Degree of Bachelor of Law with specialization in Intellectual Property Rights with the requirements of the Bar Council of India.

Programme:
LLB (Hons) Degree in Intellectual Property Rights

Eligibility:
- First Class Bachelors Degree in Engineering / Technology / Medicine or equivalent or

- First Class Masters Degree in Science or Pharmacy or

- First Class MBA Degree with any of the above

Admission Test: Sunday, 21st March
All India written test for entrance to be conducted at Bangalore, Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad on 21 March, 2010. From the list of qualified candidates from the entrance test, the final selection of candidates will be made on the basis of GD/PI at Kharagpur and other centers.

How to apply:
- The application form is available online from 1 December 2009

- The hard copy of the filled in online form must accompany a draft of Rs.1000/- for General Category or Rs.500/- for SC/ST/PH Category drawn in favour of "IIT Kharagpur " payable at Kharagpur and should be sent to the Dean RGSOIPL on or before 29th January 2010.

- The cover should be clearly marked as LL.B. 2010 AdmissionsThe completed application form must be received, along with a Demand Draft for Rs. 1000/- (for General Category) or Rs. 500/- (for SC/ST/PH) drawn in favour of "IIT Kharagpur".

For details contact:
Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law
Indian Institute of Technology
Kharagpur 721302
Phone: +91 - 3222 - 282237
FAX: +91 - 3222 - 282238
email: admissions@rgsoipl.iitkgp.ernet.in

LSAT India, 2010

The LSATIndia is a standardized test of reading and verbal reasoning skills designed by the USA based Law School Admission Council (LSAC) for use by law schools in India. The LSATIndia will be administered across 16 Pearson VUE test centre locations in India and at select overseas Pearson VUE test centre locations on Saturday, 16th May, 2010. The test will be administered in a paper and pencil format in India and in computer-based testing (CBT) mode at overseas locations.

Eligibility:
For 3 year LLB: Bachelors degree with at least 50% aggregate marks (students graduating in 2010 can apply).
For 5 year BA LLB: 10+2 examination or equivalent with not less than 50% aggregate marks (students passing in 2010 can apply).

Pattern:

Duration	2 hours 35 Minutes (including break)
Questions	Multiple Choice Questions
Logical Reasoning	70 Minutes
Analytical Reasoning	35 Minutes
Reading Comprehension	35 Minutes

Participating Colleges:
The following colleges will be using the LSATIndia scores as part of their admissions criteria for admissions to their 5-year Integrated B.A. LL.B. (or an equivalent 5-year Integrated LL.B. degree course) and/or the 3-year Bachelor of Law (LL.B.) programme and/or LL.M. programme.

- Jindal Global Law School, Jindal Global University, Sonipat (Haryana)
- Law College Dehradun, Dehradun
- MATS Law School, MATS University, Raipur

Test Locations:
The locations for the LSATIndia in India are

North: Chandigarh, Dehradun, Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow
South: Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad
West: Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Mumbai, Pune
East: Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Raipur, Ranchi

The locations for the LSATIndia overseas are Bangkok, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, London, Manila, Singapore, Sydney.

Registration/Student Application Process:
Candidates can register online for the LSATIndia entrance test by logging on to www.pearsonvueindia.com/lsatindia. On completion of their registration all candidates will get an LSATIndia registration number. Candidates will need to mention this LSATIndia registration number while submitting the application forms of the participating colleges.
After obtaining the LSATIndia registration number, the candidate must download/obtain the Application Form from the participating college; the college Admission Application Forms will require candidates to mention their LSATIndia registration number. Candidates must ensure that they write their LSATIndia registration number at the given place in the Application Form of the participating colleges.

Test Scores of all students writing the LSATIndia will be transmitted to the participating colleges.

Registration Fees:
The registration fee for the LSAT-India for candidates testing within India is Rs.3500. For candidates testing outside India, the registration fee is USD 150.
Payment for the registration by test takers in India can be done online (via credit card only) or through a demand draft. The demand draft should reach the below mentioned address on or before 19th April, 2010 either by post or courier.

Pearson VUE c/o Blueshift
21 Abdul Razack Street,
Saidapet Chennai - 600015
Tamil Nadu, India
Phone: 044-42272727
Candidates should write "LSAT-India" at the bottom of the envelope.

Important Dates:

Last date & time for receipt of test registration	registration 19th April, 2010
Last date for registration with late fee	30th April, 2010
Date of the LSAT-India examination	Saturday, 16th May 2010
Announcement of LSAT-India results	Tuesday, 15 June 2010 (Approx)

LST helps aspirants prepare for LSAT-India. Email us your contact information (Name, Email, Mobile phone number, address and educational qualifications) at info@lawentrance.com.
We will contact you with details about your nearest centre.

Aligarh Muslim University

Eligibility:
- Senior Secondary School Certificate or an equivalent examination with aggregate not less than 50% of the total marks.

- Not more than 22 years as on July 1, 2010.

Selection Procedure:
Candidates shall be selected for admission to B.A.LL.B. on the basis of the marks obtained in the Admission Test of Two Hours duration consisting of objective and short answer type questions of a standard expected of students having passed the SSSC Examination. The question paper of the Admission Test shall comprise of :

1. General English
2. Current Affairs/General knowledge (with emphasis on legal issues)
3. Reasoning and Aptitude

Last Date for application	22.3.2010
Date of Test	22.5.2010

Contact Address:
Office of the Controller of Examination
Administrative Block,
Aligarh Muslim University,
Aligarh-202002 (UP) INDIA

For Admission Related Queries:
+91-571-2700935, 2700922 -1161 (Extn.)

Phone/Fax:
2700922 1109(Extn.)
Fax: +91-571-2702331,

E-mails:
Controller: amucontrollerexams@gmail.com
Research Unit: research.controller@amu.ac.in

Christ University, Bachelor of Laws

Admission Guidelines
Kindly note that only ONE application form would be accepted for each Candidate.The application for BA.,LLB and BBA.,LLB is same. Candidates need not apply separately for each program. Application Process
Application forms are available in the online format on our website www.christuniversity.in from February 15, 2010 until 8 pm of April 17, 2010.

Student seeking admission through Foreign National Student category has a different application process

All candidates seeking admission through Indian National Category should apply through the following steps:

Step 1: Download the SBI Application Fee Challan from the link given in Step 4 and fill-in all fields in the downloaded SBI Application Fee Challan and prepare two photocopies of the same before submitting to the bank.

Step 2: Submit the filled-in SBI Application Fee Challan in triplicate to the any Core Banking Branch of SBI.

Step 3: After the transaction Collect Two Copies of the SBI Application Fee Challan from the Bank.

Step 4: Ensure that the Journal number and Date of Transaction is entered by the Bank Cashier.Note: Separate SBI Application Fee Challans have to be downloaded for separate Courses

The SBI Application Fee Challan Click here

Step 5: To fill in the application form, you must have:
- A copy of remitted Non- refundable SBI Application Fee Challan of Rs 1000/- from any Core Banking Branch of State Bank of India

- A valid email ID for further communication

- Copy of statement of marks of X, XI and XII( if result awaited, marks available currently)

Step 6: Enter the, SBI Application Fee Challan Reference Number, Journal Number and Date of Transaction and other details on page one of the online Application Form .

Step 7: Once the above information is entered you will be led to the next page. Fill-in correct information in all the required fields of the Online Application Form after which you should Click the option on "statement of agreement and understanding - "Yes or No".

Step 8: Click Submit/Ok after viewing the preview page. After submitting, You will get an "printable application form".

Step 9: Kindly print the application form first and sign the application after filling in further details and sent along with the supporting documents mentioned below.

Step 10: Candidates sending the following supporting documents through "India Post" should send in an A4 size envelope only marked as "BA.,LLB Admissions 2010" to:

PO Box No 2920,
Hosur Road, Bangalore - 560029

1. One copy of the SBI Application Fee Challan,
2. 2 passport size (1.5 " x 2 ") photographs. Enter your name and application number behind the photographs.
3. Copy of statement of marks of X, XI and XII ( if result awaited, marks available currently)
4. The filled-in printed application form duly signed by the parent/guardian and the candidate
5. Transfer Certificates and Migration Certificates if available (candidates from outside Karnataka)
6. Copy of passport and Visa Page if from Outside India

Or

Candidates sending the above documents through "Courier Service" should send in an A4 size envelope only marked as "BA.,LLB Admissions 2010" to

The Office of Admissions,
Christ University, Hosur Road,
Bangalore - 560 029

The above supporting documents should reach us within 7 days of submitting the application, online.
Candidates must mark the application as 'BA LLB Admissions 2010' on the top left hand corner of the A4 size envelope only to facilitate faster processing.

Eligibility:
A pass in Class 12 (10+2)/ PUC or equivalent with a minimum of 45% marks at the final examination is the minimum eligibility for appearing for SLCU Law Entrance Examination. The candidates should also be below the age of 20 years as on July 01, 2010.Eligibility

Date	Time	Particulars/Events	Venue/website
February 15, 2010	00:00 Hrs	Application available online	www.christuniversity.in
April 17, 2010	8:00 pm	Last day of submitting the application online	www.christuniversity.in
April 20, 2010	4:00 pm	Last date for receiving Supporting Documents	Christ University Bangalore
April 25, 2010	As per your Entrance test E-Admit card	Entrance test mandatory for BA.,LLB & BBA.,LLB	Various Centres in India (Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkatta)
April 25-27, 2010	Will be intimated at the entrance test venue	Personal Presentation & Personal Interview	www.christuniversity.in
April 29, 2010	10:00 am	Publishing of Final selection list	Christ University Bangalore

Candidates seeking admission are requested to take these dates into consideration and make their travel arrangements well in advance.

Selection Process
Kindly refer the Christ University website for important dates section or the Admit Card for the exact timings of the above Process

Process	Particulars	Date	Venue/Centre
Entrance Test	Mandatory test for BA.,LLB & BBA.,LLB	April 25, 2010	Various Centres in India
Micro Presentation & Personal Interview	Micro Presentation for 90 sec/ student during the Personal Interview and Personal interview for 15 minutes for each candidate by an expert panel	As per the E-Admit card	Various Centres in India
Academic Performance	Assessment of past performance in X, XI and XII ( if result awaited, marks available currently) during the Personal Interview	As per the E-Admit card	Various Centres in India

KIIT Law School

5 Yr BA LLB, BSc LLB, BBA LLB - Entrance Exam on 2nd May, 2010

Eligibility:
Candidate should have passed the 10+2 or equivalent in any stream with at least 50 % marks. For BSc LLB (Hons.) candidates should have passed 10+2 or equivalent in the science stream with at least 55% marks; and Not completed 21 years of age as on 1st July 2010.

Entrance Exam (KLSAT)
Admission to the five year integrated BA LLB, BSc LLB & BBA LLB (Hons.) programs will be through a common all-India entrance test (KLSAT). The entrance test will be of three hours duration. The test will consist of multiple choice questions to test Legal Acumen, Logical and Analytical Reasoning, Mathematical and Numerical Ability, and General Knowledge.

The examination is scheduled for Sunday 2nd May, 2010 (2:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.).

Important Dates:

Apply Online or download application	31st Januray 2010 to 31st March 2010
Last date of submission of forms	Wednesday, 31st March, 2010
Date Of KLSAT 2010	Sunday, 2nd May, 2010 (2:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.)
Declaration of Results	Tuesday, 25th May, 2010
First round of admissions	Sunday, 13th June, 2010
Notification of vacancies	Tuesday, 15th June, 2010
Second round of admissions	Sunday, 27th June, 2010

Application process
Apply Online through kiitee.ac.in or kls.ac.in
Download and print the filled in form and send it to The Director, Admissions
KIIT University
Koel Campus, P.O.- KIIT
Bhubaneswar-751024

National Law University, Orissa - May 10, 2010 Entrance Exam

Admission for the 5 year BA LLB (Hons.) and BBA LLB (Hons.) programmes are now open. Entrance test:
Admission is based on merit through an All India Entrance Examination which will be conducted at centres in Bangalore, Bhopal, Chennai, Cochin, Cuttack, Gandhinagar, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jodhpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, New Delhi, Patiala, Patna, Raipur and Jaipur on 10th May, 2010 (Monday) from 3.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. The University may cancel a centre and shift the test applicants to the nearest centre if sufficient applications are not received for that centre.

Intake and reservation:
Total seats: 60 seats each for B.A. L.L.B (Hons.) and B.B.A. L.L.B (Hons.). Scheduled Tribes-14, Scheduled Castes-10, Persons with disabilities-4, Foreign Nationals-4, NRI/NRI Sponsored-10.

Eligibility:
Senior Secondary School Examination (10+2 System) or equivalent examination with not less than 50% marks in the aggregate (those who have appeared for the examination in March/April 2010 are also eligible).

limit:
Applicants must be below 21 years of age as on August 1, 2010 (23 years for SC/ST applicants).

How to apply:
The application form can be downloaded from the University website www.nluc.org.in. The form should be filled up and sent along with a Demand Draft for Rs.1500/- (Rs.1000/- in the case of SC/ST applicants) in favour of "The Registrar, National Law University, Cuttack ", payable at Cuttack. Copie of the requisite caste certificate or disability certificate, as applicable, must also be sent along with the payment. The DD, application form and any other supporting socuments must be sent to the address given below and should reach no later than April 30, 2010. Late applications will not be accepted.

The Registrar,
National Law University,
CB - 8, Cantonment Road,
Cuttack - 753 001
Orissa

Scholarships:
The University does provide financial assistance to needy and deserving students based. Contact the University for more details.

Important dates:
Last date of submission of filled in application form: April 30, 2010
Admission Test: May 10, 2010
Commencement of classes: July 5, 2010

Symbiosis Law School -5 Yr BA LLB and BBA LLB

Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET) is a common written test for the admission processes of undergraduate institutes of Symbiosis International University. Each Symbiosis institute (including Symbiosis Law School) has its independent selection process. The Law paper will be in the morning session (9:30 A.M.-12:00 Noon).

Eligibility:
The candidate should have passed 12th (10+2) examination from any recognized board with minimum 50% marks (45% for S.C./S.T.students) in first attempt (No Compartment). Students who have appeared for their H.S.C finals and awaiting results are also eligible to apply, subject to submission of passing certificate by the announced date.

Candidate should be less than 20 years of age at the time of appearing for SET as on 2nd May 2010.(2 years relaxation for SC/ST candidates i.e. 22 years)

Intake and reservation:
The total intake is 200 seats (Inclusive of 150 seats of BBA LLB and 50 seats of BA LLB).

Subject to statutory approval, seats will be available in the BA/BBA LLB program on Noida Campus, Delhi by June 2010

Reservation of seats:
Scheduled Caste: 15%
Scheduled Tribe: 7.5 %
Sponsored Category (Management Quota):15%
Physically Handicapped: 3%
Wards of Serving/Retired Defense Personnel: 5%

Over & above sanctioned intake:
Kashmiri Migrants: 2 seats per Programme
International students: 15 % (including PIO and NRI)

Exam Pattern:

Section	No. Of Questions	Total Marks
Logical Reasoning	30	30
Legal Reasoning	30	30
Analytical Reasoning	30	30
Reading Comprehension	30	30
General Knowledge	30	30
Total	150	150

Important dates for SET:
Online Registration For SET Starts: Feb 26, 2010
Online Registration For SET Closes: Saturday, April 10, 2010
Payment For SET Closes On: Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Admit Card Available On SET Website: April 21, 2010 to May 2, 2010
Last date for applying and payment to Institute: Saturday, May 12, 2010
Symbiosis Entrance Test: Sunday, May 2, 2010 (9:30 A.M - 12:00 Noon)
SET Result: Saturday, May 15,2010

Important dates for Symbiosis Law School(SLS):
Last date for online application to SLS: Saturday, May 8, 2010
SLS will publish the list of the short listed candidates [only if they have applied for Symbiosis Law School]: Thursday, May 20,2010 (5:00 P.M.)
Group Discussion & Personal Interview of the Short listed candidates: May 31, 2010 to June 02, 2010
Ist merit list wil be published : Monday, June 7,2010
IInd merit list wil be published : Monday, June 14,2010
IIIrd merit list wil be published : Monday, June 21,2010
IVth merit list wil be published (if required): Monday, June 28,2010
The commencement of classes: Monday, June 28,2010

Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET):
Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET) is a common written test for the admission processes of undergraduate institutes of Symbiosis International University. Each Symbiosis institute (including Symbiosis Law School) has its independent selection process. The Law paper will be in the afternoon session.

Application process:
Register online at www.set-test.org for the Law paper in the morning session.
You need to upload a scanned photograph of yours at the time of registration.
Follow the instructions for payment of Test fee of Rs. 1400/- on this website. This includes charges for a prospectus of the undergraduate programmes at Symbiosis International University.
After the closing date of Payment, print the Admit Card directly from the website.
Bring the Admit Card and a Photo Identity to the Test Center.
The SET website allows a facility to directly apply online to an institute. Candidates may apply also from the institute website. To apply to an institute, a candidate must register for the relevant SET paper. For example, to apply to Symbiosis Law School, register for Law paper at SET.
Symbiosis Law School will have its own weightages for arriving at a cutoff, depending on its focused field as mentioned in the prospectus of each constituent institute. The institutes will then announce a short list for attending further selection process.
The SET Score card will be available on the website for a period of one month from the date of declaration of results i.e. May 15, 2010.
Those candidates paying through cash or DD, should ensure that
1. Axis Bank (formerly UTI Bank) Challan for cash payment, OR
2. Demand Draft along with Payment Advice Form for DD payment reaches Symbiosis Test Secretariat at,

Symbiosis Test Secretariat,
Symbiosis International (Deemed University)
Gram: Lavale, Tal: Mulshi, Dist: Pune - 411042
website: Click here

LLM Courses

CLAT - 2010

8 National Law Universities take admissions to their 2 year LLM courses through CLAT.

NLSIU (Bengaluru)
NALSAR University of Law (Hyderabad)
National Law Institute University (Bhopal)
West Bengal National University of Juridicial Sciences (Kolkata)
Hidayatullah National Law University (Raipur)
Gujarat National Law University (Gandhinagar)
Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University (Lucknow)
Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (Patiala)

For NLU, Jodhpur and Cochin, candidates are required to apply separately to that University.

Eligibility Criteria:
A candidate should have passed LLB/BA LLB degree with at least 55% aggregate marks (50% for reserved categories). Those who are in final year can also apply.

Examination Pattern:
Duration - 2 hours
Total Marks - 200 marks
Subjects - Law of Contracts, Law of Torts, Family Law, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law & Legal Theory.

The questions will be divided as follows:
1. Objective Type: 50 questions of 1 mark each
2. Short Questions: 10 questions of 5 marks each
3. Essay Type: 2 questions of 50 marks each

Important Dates:

Issue of application forms	From 11th January, 2010 (Monday)
Last date for submission of forms	02nd April, 2010 (Friday)
Issue of Hall Tickets	From 12 April, 2010
Date of admission test	09th May, 2010 (Sunday) from 3.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.
Publication of result	29th May, 2010 (Saturday)
Completion of admission process	process 28th June, 2010 (Monday)
Commencement of classes	01st July, 2010 (Thursday)

For any further clarification and information regarding CLAT- 2010 please contact at the following address:
The Convenor (CLAT- 2010)
The National Law Institute University,
Kerwa Dam Road,
Bhopal - 462 044 (M.P)
Tele: (0755)-2696722 /23 Fax: (0755)-2696724,
E-mail: info@nliu.com , helpdesk@clat.ac.in
website: www.nliu.com www.clat.ac.in

Common Entrance Test (CET Law), Punjab

Punjab CET Law is an entrance examination conducted for admission to undergraduate courses in law in Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar; Punjab University, Chandigarh & Punjabi University, Patiala. The various undergraduate law courses available through Punjab CET Law are BA LLB, BA LLB(Hons) & LLB. These three are the main universities in Punjab provding candidates in Punjab various law and other courses.

85% of seats in these universities and the institutes affiliated to these universities are reserved for Punjab domiciled candidates. The BA LLB & BA LLB(Hons) courses are of 3 years and for 10+2 passed students while LLB course is of 3 year and for graduate students.

Courses offered:
- Five Years B.A. LL.B. (Hons.)
- Five Years B.A. LL.B. and
- Three Years LL.B.

Eligibility Criteria:
For BA LLB a candidate should have passed 10+2 or equivalent examination with atleast 45% aggregate marks-50% for BA LLB Hons. (40% for BA LLB for reserved categories-45% for BA LLB Hons). Those who are appearing for class 12th exams in 2010 can also apply. Also a candidate should be under 20 years(22 years for reserved categories) before 1st July, 2010.

For LLB a candidate should have done graduation(or be appearing for final year) with atleast 45% aggregate(40% for reserved categories).

Note: For detailed eligibility for all the three universities please refer to the admission notification.

Important Dates:
- Commencement of Availability of Application Forms: May 3rd week, 2010
- Last date of submitting completely filled application forms: June 1st week, 2010
- Date of Entrance Test: June 3rd week, 2010
- Declaration of Result: June End, 2010

Centers for the Examination:
- Abohar
- Bhatinda
- Amritsar
- Sangrur
- Patiala
- Ludhiana
- Jalandhar
- Muktsar
- Chandigarh
- Ambala Cantt
- Delhi
- Jaipur
- Lucknow
- Pathankot
- Pune
- Sikandrabad
- Kolkata

Examination Details:
Question Paper will contain 300 objective type questions to be answered in 3 hours divided as follows:
Mental Ability-50 questions
General Knowledge and Current Affairs-100 questions
Aptitude for Law-100 questions
General English-50 questions

Each question shall carry 4 marks. 1 mark will be deducted for each in correct response.

Law School Aspirants

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Final year students strike back – Bar exam proposal may unravel

BCI’s initiative proves ghastly for this year’s final year students. 2010′s to-be graduates challenge BCI’s authority and ask for the exam to not be applicable to them.

Final year students oppose All-India Bar Examination

• Students passing out in 2010 strongly oppose Bar Council of India’s proposed mandatory All-India Bar Examination on Dec. 5
• This year onwards, fresh grads will have to pass the Bar exam to practice in courts.
• Student representation to Union Law Minister Veerappa Moiley claims decision to introduce exam was hasty.
• Students feel there was no prior information about the paper – no guidelines from BCI or State Bar Councils.
• Student representation points out this year’s graduates passing out in June will be left jobless for seven months until Bar exam results are declared.
• Many companies, law firms and offices are revoking their placement offers, citing the exam. They face zero future guarantee of placements.
• Student delegation wishes for Mr. Moily to take up the matter with BCI to declare the Bar exam as inapplicable for the 2010 batch.
• Further, it wants the government to appoint a high-power committee to investigate and recommend whether the BCI was empowered to prescribe norms, conditions and rules for enrolling in the Bar; and whether the BCI’s decision was within the legal framework or if it was unconstitutional.

Nobel as the intent of the initiative was, BCI’s laxity in its approach, which may end up causing much grievance to students all across the country, seems atrocious. Students are rightly up in arms and may very well have the BCI positioned at the receiving end of the stick. The old adage, familiar to 99.9% people who have ever sat for any exam, “a stitch in time saves nine” may very well come around to haunt the BCI.

Posted in News Summary | Tagged Law Schools, NLU, NLS, NLUs, National law schools, law graduates, law career, lawyers, law education, LLB, LST, BCI, Bar exam | Leave a comment

New exam before legal practice

Your law school finals won’t be the last paper you give before starting your practice. An all India Bar has been introduced for the purpose of maintaining intake quality.

Fresh graduates must take all-India Bar exam

• Law graduates intending to take up legal practice will have to pass an All-India Bar Exam, conducted by BCI
• The exam will test skills and basic knowledge critical for the profession
• The examination will be held twice a year. Those failing in the first test may re-appear.
• Rainmaker – a legal consultancy firm will help conduct the test in 9 languages, and will charge Rs. 1,300 per candidate.
• Mr. Subramaniam (BCI chairman) said: “The Indian legal profession consists of approximately 11 lakh registered advocates, around 1,000 law schools and approximately 5 lakh law students. Every year, approximately 60,000 law graduates join the legal profession.”
• Bill on legal education
• BCI is opposed to entry of foreign lawyers – unlike in other countries, in India there was a standard of practice maintained by lawyers and they were not governed by earning money alone.

Source: The Hindu

If all goes as planned, the new exam, set in capable hands, will help hold up quality and fend off inequality. Here’s hoping it lives up to expectations.

Posted in News Summary | Tagged Law Schools, NLU, NLS, NLUs, National law schools, law graduates, law career, lawyers, law education, LLB, LST, BCI, law exam, new exam law |

Law schools to get in line or get out!

BCI chairman wields the whip on slouchy law schools. Sets tasks and deadline.

BCI asks law schools to fall in line

• Bar Council of India (BCI) asks 930 law colleges to either conform to set standards or be barred from admitting students post 2011.
• BCI has directed colleges to start paying university Grants Commission approved pay-scale, to attract more talented faculty.
• Also, law schools ordered to revise educational curriculum as per BCI prescribed modern standards.
• BCI chairman Mr Subramaniam speaking on concept of a mandatory entrance test before being permitted to practice in courts: “This entrance test is going to be a great homogenising effect. If a student from a rural law college passes this entrance test and qualifies to become an advocate along with a graduate from a prestigious national law school, it will have a great balancing effect and remove disparity in attitude.“

Source: TOI

Go BCI! Cheers!

TOI

Posted in News Summary | Tagged Law Schools, NLU, NLS, NLUs, National law schools, law graduates, law career, lawyers, law education, LLB, LST, BCI, Bar exam |

LPOs and the West-tackling a nightmare

While Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) units arrive as an apparent blessing in the East, the West faces the ugly flip side of the coin.

Outsourcing: It’s Not Just About the Money

• LPOs are providing services at a fraction of the usual costs and are gaining attention from private equities. They are sure to blossom for a while.
• In response, the smarter law firms are finding new ways to stay in the market without getting into futile price battles with LPOs.
• Some are positioning themselves as the primary legal advisors – liaisons to the client, who direct the allocation and assignment of legal work – thus blocking direct connection between LPOs and clients.
• Others are in search of innovation – ways to carry out legal work more effectively and efficiently. They view this as more valuable than providing services at low cost.
• This leaves junior associates in a tough spot – they don’t have enough experience to serve as ‘valued councils’ for billion dollar clients, and are too expensive to provide raw manpower.
• Smart firms are directing the grunt work to LPOs while serving at the echelon of the legal machinery, rendering junior associates obsolete.

Source: Above the law

While cunning legal minds at the top of the pyramid are quick to adapt, the ones at the bottom, as usual, get the sour end of the deal. Look up the concept of ‘creative destruction’ (talk about an oxymoron).

Posted in News Summary | Leave a comment

Democratizing justice

Reaching out to the have-nots.

Legal Services Clinic-Law students giving back to the community

• GoI appointed a Committee for Implementating Legal Aid Schemes (CILAS) to monitor and implement legal aid programs across India.
• CILAS is responsible for the set up several legal aid and advisory boards in States and Union Territories.
• Advocate R.P. Bansal who has been serving at Delhi High Court Legal Aid Cell for past 35 years speaks about the lawyers serving at the cell: “These lawyers don’t get to be a part of this cell just because they want to help but because they possess the intellect to do – not being rich is no reason why you should have a poor lawyer“.
• He laments that talented law students choose top law firms over Legal Aid Cells for internships and law schools don’t provide sufficient encouragement to reverse the trend.
• Students say they are driven to prestigious law firms or senior advocates to polish their resume due to fierce competition.
• The cell has delivered justice on cases relating to dowry, domestic violence, divorce, etc and the work provides much moral satisfaction.
• Bhargavi Mudakavi, fourth year student and Joint Convener of the LSC, NLSIU, Bangalore, on primary purposes of LSC: “a) provision of practical knowledge, training and development of skill sets, b) socially sensitization of students, and c) creation of low cost, dependable legal counsel and an awareness of the law in socio-economically backward sections.”

Source: Bar & Bench

Silly and witty lawyer jokes aside, one has to admit there is some very commendable work being done by a section of the legal society that looks beyond just paychecks, and wishes to make a difference. Some of them prove that fighting crime and bringing justice to the wronged isn’t a concept reserved only for caped heroes in comic books. Cheers to the idealism of youth and those who manage to preserve it!

A major catch 22 in today’s legal world

Some interesting conundrums facing the legal world that you should be aware of.

Increase in cases due to knowledge of law?

• Massive spike in number of criminal and civil cases due to mass legal knowledge and liberal interpretation of law.
• In spite of amendments to simplify procedures, ordinary criminal trials take 15 years and civil matters extend across generations.
• While legal costs involved in establishing new laws may be significant, there is a definite need to expedite processes by reducing wordy legal documents to more crisper form.
• Some feel there should be an assessment of the cost burden associated with each new bill or legislature, along with provision for such costs.
• Another conundrum – new enactments may hinder legal processes that existing litigants would be involved in. In effect, subverting their rights for convenience of future litigants.
• Madhavan Menon, founder-director of the National Law School of India in Bangalore: “15,000 judges dispose of 1.5 crore cases annually. Add another 15,000 judges and you can comfortably wipe out the arrears in 2 years.”
• Systematic national legal surveys can forecast litigation demand and consequent court workload variations.
• Surveys can help predict future workload, and additions to the judicial machinery can be made accordingly.
• Similarly, experimental study on litigant response to a draft legislation before its introduction in parliament can assess litigation demand.

Source: DNA

A catch-22 situation neatly dissected and presented. But one wonders if such a simple answer alludes great legal minds of today, or whether there is more than meets the naive eye.

Online social networking for the visually challenged!

Here’s a great example of law school grads at their entrepreneurial finest!

Website for those who cannot see

• Inclusiveplanet.com – A social-networking site exclusively for the visually challenged!
• Replete with all functions such as – blog, share files, create profiles, comment, etc.
• Text-to-speech software reads out content and browsing is customized for the blind.
• Site started in October 2009 by 3 former National Law School students.
• The website, built in 3 months flat, now boasts 4,000 members from 78 countries!