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Want to pursue a career in law?
Last updated on: April 23, 2013 07:00 IST
In an online chat with readers Antony Alex, CEO, Rainmaker, an online learning company addressed queries on how to pursue a career in law.
From the courses that are available both in India and abroad to sharing expert tips on how to prepare for the various entrance tests, the chat discussed it all.
For those who missed the live chat, here's the unedited transcript:
neha asked, what types of jobs for law?
ANTONY ALEX answers, at 2013-04-18 16:01:53HI Neha, after you complete your graduation you can get jobs as in house counsel with Indian and foreign companies. You can also find jobs with law firms that support the above companies as well as law firms that litigate. Of course, if you are up for it, you can also litigate in courts after you complete your law
Shikhar asked, Is Indraprastha University Common Entrance Test (BALLB) includes AMITY?
ANTONY ALEX answers, Hi Shikhar, Yes the IP Univ CET also includes Amity as well. Amity has however has a separate campus.
Vidya asked, Hi just read in rediff that I can pursue law after graduation also..is it true?
ANTONY ALEX answers, Yes absolutely. You can pursue a 3 year LLB degree after your graduation
chavan asked, hi how to pursue law after class 10. what stream should i pursue in class 12
ANTONY ALEX answers, Chavan, if you are desirious of pursuing law as a career after your 12th, you can take up any stream after the 10th. For the National colleges, all you need to do is clear the CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) and get 50% or more in your board exams. Most other colleges go by your marks in the 12th.
Manoj asked, I hav done MBA and completed CS Inter, have lot of interest in doing LLB, what are the options available for me? Can LLB done in correspondence?
ANTONY ALEX answers, Hi Manoj, you can absolutely do your LLB by correspondence. You can also do a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Laws that Rainmaker and WB NUJS provide. mylaw.net also provides short certificate courses on M&A, Securities law, IP law that you can take in the convenience of your house with your laptop and whenever you get free time. All great programs that can enhance your employability.
nilesh asked, My son is in 12th Grade doing IB, I want him to study International law, Is there a college or university you recommend
ANTONY ALEX answers, Hi Nilesh, Most law schools in India don't offer a specialisation during the 5 yr programme. He should write the CLAT and the other law entrances and then once he completes his BA LLB he can choose to do an LLM in International Law from India or abroad. Jindal Global Law School has an MA in Law and Diplomacy
Sarvanan asked, Hi Antony! What would a Rainmaker Law course cost?
ANTONY ALEX answers, Hi Saravan, Rainmaker has short certification courses that cost Rs 5000 each. These are specialised courses in distinct areas of law including M&A, Securities Law, IP, Property law, sports law, drafting for practicing advocates etc. Each course has between 15-18 units and each unit has a combination of video lectures, reading materials and practice exercises. You can get more info on mylaw. net.
paul asked, I am 44 yrs old, i intend to pursue LLB 3 yrs course. How do i go about it, including the entrance exam ? pls guide.
ANTONY ALEX answers, HI Paul, You can take the entrance test of the Law Faculty at Delhi University, as well as other Central Universities such as Mumbai University (Govt. College of Law). For the entrance test you can study from the preparatory books and guide available in the market. You'll have to brush up your basics in Math, English, General Knowledge and Legal Knowledge. You can also learn and get certified on specific subjects on mylaw.net. these courses are designed specially for professionals like you. I hope this helps.
Rahul asked, I completed my graduation in Bsc Computer Science nad have an experience of 2 years as a Financial Analyst Can i purse LAW ??
ANTONY ALEX answers, hi Rahul, Yes you can absolutely pursue law. You can take the entrance test of the Law Faculty at Delhi University, as well as, other Central Universities such as Mumbai University (Govt. College of Law) or other state universities and private universities offering 3 yr LLB.
Ravi asked, Hi Alex.What are the best distance,evening programs offered in business laws and sports law
ANTONY ALEX answers, Ravi, mylaw.net's certification courses are perfect for your requirement. They are short certificate programs in relevant business subjects - they even have a course on sports law, which you may find useful. Vijender Singh should've taken it. He may not have landed up in so much trouble. :)
Gaurav asked, What are the fields within Property law that one can pursue after completion of LLB. ex. Is Litigation one of the fields.. Any other such fields?
ANTONY ALEX answers, Gaurav, You can be a successful litigating lawyer that specializes in property disputes. Alternatively, you can decide to focus exlusively on transactional work - meaning you focus on drafting sale deeds, leases etc. Pick whichever you have an aptitude for.
nilesh asked, I was asking about doing Law from a university abroad. - Maybe in Singapore. Will a degree from a university abroad offer better prospects. Further any recommendations on the university itself.
ANTONY ALEX answers, HI Nilesh, Universities in UK are also a good option. In the US, he will have to take a JD (equiv to our LLB) after doing a graduation from the US. Also I recommend that he does his BA LLB from India, and then do a specialisation course from the US/UK. That way he'll have an option to come back to India and practice in the courts here, if he ever wants. Also the BA LLB from the top 3 NLUs in India are as good as any University abroad.
water asked, IS there a course for 1 year in Law. I am an engineer and want to know the basics of law ??
ANTONY ALEX answers, You can do a post graduate diploma in Business Laws from NUJS and Rainmaker. It's one of India's leading National Law Schools - Visit pgdbl.nujs.edu for more info
chetan asked, What is it that a top law firm seeks for from a fresher in terms of knowledge, attitude and aptitude? (2nd year LL.B, D.U)
ANTONY ALEX answers, Hi Chetan, A top law firm wants to see good internships, basic knowledge of the areas of the law the student says he is interested in, good communication skills and a decent academic career. Apart from this moots and publications also help. With the amount of competition that's out there you need to do something extra apart from what you're learning in law schools. Try to do some extra courses, diplomas, certificate programmes in an area of law you want to pursue. Get your internships figured out, get your grades in order an ramp up your communications skills. Hope this helps.
Waseeq asked, I will be of 25 years of age till I get my certificate of Btech in CSE branch.I wish to ask you the cost of full time law course in a reputed university in India?
ANTONY ALEX answers, Hi Waseeq, The cost varies across different Universities, for e.g. in Delhi University the fee is Rs. 10000 per annum (approx), while a private University like JGLS may charge around 1.25 lakhs per annum (approx)
Anjan asked, Can I do LLB in online/part time/ Correspondence mode to practice law?
ANTONY ALEX answers, hi Anjan, absolutely. The part time or correspondence LLB program can also help you practice. Remember though that you now have to clear the Bar exam conducted by the BCI. So you'll have to clear law and also clear the AIBE.
Jitesh Kumar asked,cHello Sir, Gud Afternoon... M now 29+ years, done my Engineering (2000-04) & back to Family Business (Jewellery cum Finance) I have a long time love for studying Law... Can u plz tell me how 2 proceed for it ? Is there any such correspondence courses ? If yes den which universities / colleges ? how many years courses ? ana any other important information jiteshkumarjain@gmail.com
ANTONY ALEX answers, There are certificate and diploma courses in areas of the law which you can take from various sources. But if you want to practice law as an advocate, you will need to get an LLB degree. You have to decide whether your primary motive is to learn or to practice law. If it's just learning, you can take mylaw.net's certificate courses and really enhance your skills. You can write to us at learn@mylaw.net for more info.
'How can an online programme in law help me?'
Last updated on: April 23, 2013 07:00 IST
nilesh asked, Can you suggest a good university / college in bangalore apart from NLSUI. Thank you and appreciate your answers.
ANTONY ALEX answers, Christ College of Law; Bangalore Institute of Legal Studies, University Law College are some of the good options
pmir asked, i am 35 year old and want to pursue LLB 5yrs course. How do i go for that ? please guide.
ANTONY ALEX answers, The age limit for admission to a 5 yr LLB course is 20 years. You can however pursue a 3 yr programme. Please see my responses on this chat for how to go about it
Jaskaran asked, Sir, do I be from National Law School to be a good Lawyer. many people say no its not like that but having met people from both the halves..national law school n other i must say there is a difference..what do you believe
ANTONY ALEX answers, I firmly believe that good lawyers are born and not made. You can be a fine lawyer irrespective of the law school you go to. Yes, it is true that the National colleges by virtue of their curriculum do give you an advantage. However, if you truly want to succeed and be a lawyer to reckon with , you can get a degree by correspondence and still make it very big. It's all up to you. Remember that Soli Sorabjee, Fali Nariman, KKV, Gopal Subramanium, Harish Salve etc all are products from non-national law schools. I'm from NLS, Bangalore but have had the good fortune to interact with some of the brightest legal minds who are products of non-national law schools.
UMESH asked, Hi Antony, Are their any correspondence colleges in Mumbai
ANTONY ALEX answers, You cannot pursue LLB by correspondence (as per the rules of the Bar Council of India). However there are some colleges in Mumbai that offer evening classes, such as GLC.
mahendra asked, What are the future scopes for IP Law and M&A law ?? Being a Computer Science graduate which area of specialistaion will be helpful in future prospects??
ANTONY ALEX answers, The future of IP and M&A law is very bright. These 2 areas are already quite huge in India. For you IP and Cyber laws would be great fields. Take the IP and M&A courses on mylaw.net. They'll be very helpful for you.
water asked, Can u please give the name of collags / universty freom where I do LLB either part time or correspondence.
ANTONY ALEX answers, You can do an LLB with evening classes but not part time or correspondence - Delhi University Faculty of Law and some colleges in Mumbai (you can look up for options on the internet) offering evening classes or early morning classes for working professionals
ritesh asked, Dear Sir...This question is a little different..Can you please tell is there any way through which a person retired from a state government job pursue a career in law except private practice in courts? Generally it is very tough to get a job in private sector after retirement as they think that person would not be able to work according to today's time even if the person is capable enough..
ANTONY ALEX answers, Dear Ritesh, depending on what you were doing at the time of retirement, there are plenty of options provided you have an LLB degree. Private employers are always looking to hire lawyers with specialized skills and expertise. if however your experience isnt relevant to the job you are looking for, then practice in courts might be the best option
Samir asked, Hi! I'm 43 years old and am pursuing my 3-year graduation from Mumbai University(Final Year). Can I take up law after my graduation? Is there an age limit?
ANTONY ALEX answers, hi Samir, you can absolutely take up law after graduation. the 3 year course in GLC in Mumbai is probably the best option for you.
anil asked, hi sir is it possible to do law along with my work.
ANTONY ALEX answers, absolutely. You can do LLB with evening classes but not part time or correspondence - Delhi University Faculty of Law and some colleges in Mumbai (you can look up for options on the internet) offering evening classes or early morning classes for working professionals
MADHU asked, My daughter is in class XI. She wants to crack CLAT and take admission in one of law colleges in India. How to prepare for CLAT. Any specialzed book or institute for preparing the entranct exam.
ANTONY ALEX answers, Hi Madhu, There are many private coaching options available for CLAT - Career Launcher, IMS, CLAT Possible are some. Also, books on CLAT are easily available in the market such as from Universal Publications; Lexis Nexis All the best.
Debdut asked, Hi Antony, I am a practising Advocate in the High Court for the last 3 and a half years. I obtained the BALLB degree from Calcutta Univerty, West Bengal. What should be my approach if I wanted to have ajob in the Corporate Sector?
ANTONY ALEX answers, Dear Debdut, to start with you should try to do as much corporate litigation as possible. This means that you will have to position yourself as an advocate in the Calcutta High Court who is an expert in areas that are important to corporate litigants. This of course, is a wide spectrum that covers everything from intellectual property laws to white collar crime. You should simultaneously work on improving your communication skills and your command of the latest business laws. For the latter, you can rely on the Post Graduate Diploma in Business Laws, from NUJS and Rainmaker (pgdbl.nujs.edu). You can also do short corporate focussed certification courses like M&A on mylaw.net.
mg1965 asked, Hi. Does Amity offer 3 year law course which one can do after graduation? If yes, how does Amity compare with the few top universities of the country? Thanks
ANTONY ALEX answers, Yes Amity University has a 3 yr course. It's a good university and ranks amongst the top universities in Delhi along with DU.
sandy asked, Hi,I am an working professional..I have completed my Law 6 months back..Recently i came across an article about 1 year LLM course....Can you guide me on the same..
ANTONY ALEX answers, Hi Sandy, The 1 year LLM will be introduced from July 2013. Currently very few universities will offer it such as NLS Bangalore, NALSAR, Amity University. Keep an eye on those universities' websites for more info.
sh29597 asked, Good Evening Sir, I am presently a student of 11th standard and wish to pursue a career in law .What subjects according to you help most while preparing of law ? What stream should i go for - Science with Economics , Commerce or Humanities ?
ANTONY ALEX answers, Dear sh29597, To be a good legal professional, you need to have a well-rounded personality. Part of having a well-rounded personality is that your grasp of the sciences should be as good as your grasp of the humanities. None of the streams in your eleventh and twelfth will give you an big advantage as a law student or as a legal professional. I would suggest that you take the stream that you want to study from school but that you also keep up your reading of the subjects that you don't take up for school. Apart from developing your knowledge and personality in all directions, this is also a helpful strategy for the law entrance examinations. Brush up your general knowledge and also start focussing on news related to law.
hari krishan asked, Sir i am currently in BILS 1st year... can i change university in 2nd year since i am struggling with the habitat???
ANTONY ALEX answers, Hari, you will have to check with your university. Quite a few Universities do not allow transfers and you will have to restart from 1st year. Do check your univ rules though.
anushka asked, how can an online programme help me in law ?
ANTONY ALEX answers, In many ways. If you're a law student, online programmes can bolster your knowledge about areas you're already learning. Also, there are several areas of the law which are not taught in law schools like M&A, Securities, Banking laws, Sports Law etc. These areas are essential when you start working in a law firm or practicing in courts. Also certification in certain areas of the law ramps up your CV and helps you get you a great job. Try the myLaw.net programmes. They are being taken by several law students, lawyers and professionals in different walks of life.
hereinvizag asked, i wanted to know if a foreign llm or llm in our own country will do
ANTONY ALEX answers, Both have their merits. If you can afford a foreign LLM , go for it. The exposure will surely help you. An LLM in an Indian univ will also be of tremendous value.
ritesh asked, Dear Sir..Can we complete masters of Business Laws(MBL)through distance education if we are doing MBA(regular) or any other regular course?Is it legal?
ANTONY ALEX answers, Yes absolutely. Good luck though with managing all these tough courses simultaneously.
Jitesh Kumar asked, after graduation (B.E. Bachelors of Engineering), is there any 1 year or 2 years duration courses, in part time / correspondence courses ?
ANTONY ALEX answers, You can do a one year post graduate diploma in Business Laws from NUJS and Rainmaker. It's completely online and you don't have to attend regular classes. It's one of India's leading National Law School - Visit pgdbl.nujs.edu for more info.
Mayank asked, What is the scope of doing Master in Business Law from Distance Education Program for an engineering graduate? Is there any value addition to the career? I'm working in technical field for past 5 years.
ANTONY ALEX answers, Bolstering your CV with academic qualifications always helps. But ensure it's a reputed organisation/institution so that you dont end up wasting your hard earned money.
Sarvanan asked, How interactive is the course? Will there be additional assistance in case of difficulties?
ANTONY ALEX answers, Rainamker's tech team will be there to support you in case of difficulties. You can also ask your questions and doubts to the faculty through the discussion forum. There are also webinars and skype discussions in the pipeline.
kartik asked, Can you suggest colleges for studying part time/correspondence 3 years LLB ??
ANTONY ALEX answers, You can do an LLB with evening classes but not part time or correspondence - Delhi University Faculty of Law and some colleges in Mumbai (you can look up for options on the internet) offering evening classes or early morning classes for working professionals
bhavesh asked, Sir, I have completed Law graduation in 2011. which course of law suit for my carrier i am working as an accountant.
ANTONY ALEX answers, You can pursue the mylaw.net online course on Banking and Finance Laws; Mergers and Acquisitions Laws or other programs depending on what you are doing on a day to day basis. All the best.
jay asked, i have done llb but i want specialise in corporate laws. Whats in the offering
ANTONY ALEX answers, Jay, depending on your interest, take any of the following courses on mylaw.net. M&A, Securities law, Banking and Finance law.
Vaibhav asked, How are the prospects of carrer in Law along with MBA?
ANTONY ALEX answers, They are excellent. Several companies look for candidates in managerial positions who also have a good knowledge of the law for everyday transactions.
anudeep asked, IS THERE ANY LL.B AGE CRITERIA FOR 3 YEAR COURSE SIR?
ANTONY ALEX answers, no upper limit. Go get your degree.
loliya asked, Do you provide different courses for students of different streams? Like a different curriculum for those who are management students and those who are in the legal field of studyy
ANTONY ALEX answers, Our programmes are taken by law students, lawyers, MBAs ans people from different professions. Our courses are designed to be accessible to anyone from any academic background - you don't need to be a law student/ lawyer.
samir parab asked, i want to pusue career in Law i have completed my BCOM & MBA .I am looking for part time law college in Mumbai
ANTONY ALEX answers, Samir, you can do either early morning or late evening classes at GLC or KC Law in Mumbai. All the best. You cannot do part time or long distance for law.
ritesh asked, Respected Sir...Thanks a lot for your reply..My father is B.A.LL.B. and he was working as a superintendent in Sub-Divisional Magistrate court..Now he is eager to start his second career..So what you suggest where he can start the work in private sector..
ANTONY ALEX answers, Dear Ritesh, it sounds like your dad would be perfectly suited for a career in criminal law including white collar crime. You should research to see which companies have openings in this area.
Jitesh Kumar asked, my family business is Jewellery cum Finance.. & after completing my enginnering, m into it full tims.. so, are there any courses in LAW for the same ? How to deal with police, wrong recovery cases, wrong robbery cum sale cases, etc ?
ANTONY ALEX answers, Jitesh, the programme from NUJS and Rainmaker in Business Laws (Corporate Law, with subjects like Banking and Finance Laws) will help in your Finance Buiness. Or you can do short 6 months courses on myLaw.net in Banking and Finance Laws; Securities Laws.
ANTONY ALEX says, Thank you very much for participating in today's chat. I hope i have responded to all your queries. In case you want additional information about Rainmaker's programmes, please write to us at learn@mylaw.net or visit us at mylaw.net. Thank you and all the best. Antony