Law is a basic concept which governs the working of any society. It provides people with hope of equality and justice. Unlike science, law doesn’t have specific dimensions or empirical evidence, it is instead more focused on governing various aspects of a society. Therefore, on the basis of the evolution of concepts, the field of law keeps on evolving and progressing with time and society. Law governs our everyday lives. From simple traffic jams to crimes, law manages everything and brings justice to people to avoid chaos in the society.
Indian law has seen a long history, evolving from religious regulations and conventions to the proper constitution and legal system that we have today, surpassing the secular legal system and common law. The common law system which basically is a legal system based on recorded judicial precedent came in India with the arrival of the British East India Company. After the first war of independence, a new shift was seen in the legal system wherein the existing mayoral courts were replaced by supreme courts and the British crown became the ruling authority.
Almost two years after independence, the Constitution of India was formed which acts as the guiding light for all administrative, legislative and judicial affairs in the country. The Constitution of India is a living document that evolves and adapts to new circumstances even if it is not formally amended.
From the tricks of colonial rulers, India’s legal system has developed into an important part of the world’s largest democracy, and it is also a key front in safeguarding the natural and inalienable rights of every citizen.
With the increase in complexity and size of the world’s largest democracy, the need for law and order is ever increasing.
The absence of law provides an opportunity for people to go against the general foundation of society. The fear of punishment and rehabilitation is necessary to maintain order and justice in the society. Hence a society needs many well-minded and hardworking people going for a career in law.
Reasons to pursue a career in law:
1. Intellectually challenging, professionally satisfying and financially:
Due to its intellectually challenging nature, law stimulates a person’s mind. For people fascinated with mysteries with an interest in solving puzzles, it is an ideal career path. Problem solvers, systemic and innovative thinkers will enjoy the intellectual challenges and the rigor a legal career holds. It deals with complex problems concerning ethics, morals, and philosophy. Most of the cases don’t have an easy clear cut justification and no two cases are the same, so one has to usually go deep, think out of the box, and experiment with different perspectives to consider a case in its entirety.
The legal profession is one of the most lucrative industries in today’s job market. The rapid growth in recent years has produced healthy revenues and rising salaries.In India the students who have just graduated can earn upto 5-10 lakhs per annum in this field.
2. Growing employment opportunities: As per the US Bureau of Labour, employment for lawyers is projected to grow by 9% in the coming decade.
The complexities of the legal system and the rising conflicts in the world has created hundreds of career options in the legal field that includes both core and off-stream roles. A career in law is challenging but it also equips you with multiple transferable skills. No matter how the economy of a country is performing, there’s always a need for lawyers, hence the career can also be thought of as a ‘recession-proof career.
If you don’t want to be a lawyer, you still have diverse options to choose from which includes being a judge, a mediator, a secretary to some prestigious institution, a paralegal, or even someone that just provides legal consultation services.
3. Well defined courses and various specialized fields to choose from both in India and abroad
The syllabus of the course is designed in a way to train the students to specialize in different fields of law. The students are trained to deal with various processes related to law with the syllabus’s aid.
The course structure of the law is well defined and hence covers a variety of subjects ranging from criminal law to family law to international law and many more.
The increased segmentation and specialization in the legal profession has created a growing number of legal specialities and subspecialties that cater to almost every legal interest. Professionals who seek a career in litigation can specialize in criminal law, employment law, products liability or dozens of other practice areas. Legal professionals who prefer a career in corporate law can specialize in tax law, mergers, and acquisitions, real estate, finance or another corporate practice area.
4. Contributing to the society/ Making a difference – Every career comes with its perks; high salaries, the chance to travel to various places etc. but there are very few careers which also gives you a chance to do something for the betterment of your society.
Law has many purposes, but the main one is to give justice to the people in society. A legal profession is the best way to protect people’s rights and liberties.
When you pursue a career in law, you will not only be working for yourself or the company but would also be fighting against the injustice and protection of fundamental rights of the people which is an incredible work of service.
This career comes with a large amount of responsibility and power to initiate a change in the society.
5. Diverse nature of jobs: There is diverse nature of jobs available in law due to varied specializations offered in the course. A person can go in any of the following fields :
judicial services,
corporate lawyers,
Animal Law
Admiralty law or Maritime Law
Banking and Finance Law
Bankruptcy Law (criminologist),
Solicitor
litigation supporting professionals,
paralegal, banking and insurance etc.
Law concerns the lives of everyone in the world. It is an honour to serve in the legal industry and deal with life-changing and incredible cases.
Opting for a legal profession, you are in a unique position to help individuals, groups, organizations and companies solve legal problems and find solutions to many complex issues. Upholding the rule of law is a privilege, and as a lawyer, you will become a champion of this important public interest. You cannot choose a more challenging and valuable career to pursue. Becoming a lawyer will most certainly change your life while rewarding you both financially and intellectually.
Written by: Yukta Joshi
