How to know if Law is the right career for you

Several top private law colleges in India offer a variety of degree courses in law, one of the most reputed career fields in our country. Moreover, law is also considered a noble career, as lawyers are known to be the guardians of social justice. However, with so many career options available these days, one is often confused about which one to choose. Since there is so much a stake while making this decision, one may wonder if a career like law is the right option to choose. Here are a few tips that will tell you if law is the right career choice for you:

1.Your Inspiration and Interest: Having the interest to do something is the biggest driving force that you can have to achieve success in that field. Law is a very extensive area of study and requires a lot of dedication, hard work, and patience. So before you choose it as a career option, make sure you have enough interest in law to satisfy the demands of the field. Also, it is important to find the inspiring and motivating factor in a career as it will keep you going in the hard times. So ensure that you have a keen interest and enough inspiration to put in a lot of work into pursuing law.

2. Analyzing your skillset: Knowing what skills you possess is the most important step to consider before pursuing anything. Every career or area of study needs certain skills. Therefore, before you pursue law, you should research the different skills needed to become a successful lawyer. After that, analyze your skills and determine if you have most of the skills needed if not all. You should be ready to work on the skills you lack and develop the ones you have to pursue law, as it is a very demanding field.

3. Realizing your goals: Everyone has certain personal and career goals they want to achieve in their life. It is important to set these goals before you proceed to choose law as your career. You need to keep your goals in front of you and decide whether law as a career is going to help you achieve them or not. In case you aren't able to achieve your goals later on in life, you might regret pursuing law as a career and wish you had chosen a different path. So it is better to make sure that your goals are attainable through the path that you choose beforehand itself.

Some of the best law colleges in Nagpur and other cities around the country have already started their admission procedures. Hence, it is imperative for you to make the decision soon so that you do not lose out any opportunities. You can also take guidance from industry experts or your seniors. Whatever choice you make, always remember to give it your best effort.

Tips Every Law PhD Students Must Remember

Legal Education provides knowledge about certain law principles to enable the students to start the legal profession. Bar Council of India is the regulatory body that regulates the legal profession in the country. This council lays down the curriculum and the teaching methodology that needs to be followed by an institute offering a law degree.

As the higher education system in India is expanding at an increasing rate with growth in the number of universities who are providing PhD research opportunities, PhD in Law in India has emerged as a field of interest for the people who want to make a career in Law. PhD in Law is a two years doctorate course that involves academic and research approach to the study of Law.

As everyone knows PhD is not at all easy, there are some tips which a student pursuing a PhD in Law can follow-

1] Spend time in Literature Review- Literature Review is crucial for research work. Through Literature Review one can gain sufficient amount of information about the area on which he/she wants to conduct research, and it also helps an individual to select the most appropriate method of doing particular research.

Through Literature Review one can find the gaps of the previous studies and can formulate the research questions accordingly to attempt to fill the gap. Along with this, a literature review helps to set a theoretical framework. So, it is essential to invest a reasonable amount of time in the Literature Review to design research aims and conclusions.

2] Write regularly- While preparing a thesis, one should write periodically about the work one has done, the obstructions faced, how he/she has overcome the obstructions and the overall progress. By this, one's ideas get formulated in his/her head. Writing regularly helps an individual to develop his/her writing skills that will be helpful to the individual at the time of writing a research paper.

3] Properly communicate with supervisor- One should inform his/her supervisor about the progress regarding their work. Moreover, it's essential to ask for feedback and clarify any confusion related to the research if it arises. Your supervisor must be clear about the need and the expectation of the individual. This will help to build a good relationship between the student pursuing a PhD and the supervisor.

These are a few tips that a student pursuing a PhD in Law can follow to prepare a superior quality thesis within a short period. In the end, we can conclude, a student who wants to fast track their career growth in this field can pursue PhD in Law from any of the top law colleges in Ahmedabad, Pune, Mumbai or any other city of one's choice.

4 Laws India Should Take into Consideration

India, in the recent past, has come a long way in terms of the evolution of laws. The rape laws, laws against acid attack, anti-terror laws, environmental laws etc. have evolved a lot over the years. The law universities in India and law colleges teach all about our constitution, the rights of the citizens, and everything about the law. India has come a long way if we consider this evolution, but still, there are several laws from around the world which we should consider including in our constitution. Here are a few of them which can help make India better with regard to providing justice.

1. Legalize Same-Sex Marriage

2018 was a landmark year for the LGBTQ community in India as the Supreme Court scrapped Section 377, decriminalizing homosexuality. But it is not to be confused with the fact that same-sex marriages are still illegal in India as of now. Many countries like the Netherlands, England, US, Canada, Sweden etc. have recognized same-sex marriages which is a big step ahead for the respective countries in favour of the LGBTQ community. But since same-sex marriage is not legal here, people still face vast discrimination.

2. Reform of Labour Laws

Labour, in India, is somewhere exploited. There is a need to reform labour laws and bring a certain order and system, that should be appropriately implemented throughout the corporate sector and otherwise as well if need be. In France, no one works for more than 35 hours a week which gives them ample time for themselves and time to spend with family. In fact, any employee is not obligated to answer work calls or reply to emails after 6 pm there. India too, should adopt a similar framework of this law.

3. No Criminals for Politicians

Well, this one is a little tough to implement, since almost all the politicians have criminal records in our country. But taking inspiration from Singapore, we too must consider outing politicians from parliamentary candidacy and withdrawing their power if they have a serious criminal history. This kind of strictness can bring a positive change in Indian politics.

4. Criminalize Marital Rape

As mentioned above, India has evolved laws for rape and is working towards bringing more stringent laws for the same. However, marital or spousal rape is still a decriminalized act in India. Unlike Sweden, India is among the 36 countries who are yet to recognize marital rape as a criminal offence.

These laws, if taken into account, can make India a lot better country than it already is. And if, you want to be one of the lawyers in power who can bring this change, then enrol yourself in the best law universities in India and make it happen!

5 Basic Laws Every Indian Must Know

The Indian Constitution is the longest-written constitution and is also known to be one of the finest and balanced, with equal power distributed between Parliament and Supreme Court. But its length also makes it quite complicated to understand and comprehend, which if you are interested in law, you can learn in several law colleges in India. Not the full constitution, but as citizens, there are some basic empowering laws that we must know about.

1. According to Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, a police officer can arrest anyone driving under the influence of alcohol if he finds 100 ml or more of alcohol in the driver’s blood. In fact, if a person driving refuses to take a Breathalyzer test and the police suspect him/her of being drunk, then they can even legally arrest them without a warrant.

2. Bill Rights Act, Section 23 states that every arrestee has the right to know why or what are they being arrested for. One can ask the reason for which he or she is being detained, and the police must answer.

3. Most people know that to arrest a female offender, a woman constable or officer is mandatory, as men can’t detain women offenders. But you know that they can only be arrested between 6 AM to 6 PM. Section 51 of The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 clearly mentions that if male officers fee    l the need to escort a woman to the police station in case a serious crime is committed, then they would need a written document with magistrate’s signature on it.

4. This may come as a surprise, but if Domestic LPG Consumers face any damage to property or any loss of life because of cylinder explosions, they are entitled to Rs. 40-50 Lakh compensation from the gas agency. One can claim this by sending a copy of the FIR, filed in the nearest police station, to the concerned gas company.

5. As per Automotive (Amendment) Bill, 2016, if a rider has been fined for something once, they can be excused for the same till midnight. Meaning, if you have been fined once for not wearing a helmet while riding your bike, you can present your challan receipt if you’re stopped for the same reason again on the same day to avoid paying challan twice. But it is better not to misuse this law.

These are just a few of the basic rights that can come in handy if need be. But there are several more which lawyers know and work their way around. If you want to know more about laws and rights, pursue law as a career then you must take up a professional degree course from the best law universities in India spread in different states of the country.       

A Shortage of Lawyers Is Delaying Justice in India

Law is considered a highly honourable profession in India, yet India faces a major deficit of lawyers. In fact, this is known to be one of the biggest reasons for about 3 crore cases pending in courts, eventually delaying justice in the country. Other than several best government law colleges that have made a tall reputation for themselves, some top private law colleges in India too have joined the list and are determined to impart quality education to aspiring lawyers.

India needs lawyers and not MBAs and Engineers because apparently, there are only 15 lakh attorneys currently working in India against an essential demand of 45 lakh lawyers. Every year, about 58,000 to 60,000 students take CLAT exams, and lakhs of students apply for other law exams for private colleges. And the ones who clear the cut off marks go on to study law in various colleges across the country.

Since, law is not just limited to criminal and corporate domains, its other expanding branches like human rights law, environmental law, family law, entertainment law, intellectual property law, etc. have been seeing a steep rise in the number of applicants with time. This high demand also means that there is huge scope for law in India. The 3-Year LLB course after graduation or a 5 Year BA-LLB integrated course after 12th both hold equal importance. Every sector requires its legal department and post this course, opportunities at sectors like banking, insurance, entertainment or at big law firms, government agencies, corporate businesses, can be grabbed.

But if, after graduation, if a student aspires to cont    inue the law studies, they can take up the LLM course which is Master of Laws, a postgraduate law degree as well. This is an internationally recognized degree which is not compulsory for lawyers to practice law in India but sure is an added star. This is mostly pursued to gain expertise and advanced studies in a particular specialization, for e.g., Tax Law. Like any other Master’s Degree, this too gives you an edge over others.

The duration of the LLM course could be one year or two, varying from institution to institution. Presenting an abundance of career opportunities in law, LLM College in India like National Law School of India University (NLSIU) - Bangalore, Symbiosis Law - Pune, Indian Law Society (ILS) Law College - Pune among many others are opening doors for the ones who aim to achieve big in this service aiding profession.       

Tips on Surviving Law Schools With Ease

Pursuing a degree in law can be very demanding, competitive and stressful. You may pass the entrance exams and get into the best law universities in India, but to survive three years of college can seem a bit daunting, given the broad curriculum and internships. Students often struggle to cope up with the syllabus and the hectic routine that follows it. However, the end reward is the plethora of diverse opportunities in the field of law which can open up exciting career avenues after graduation.

As a law student, it is essential that you include efficient planning in your learning methods and follow a stringent study timetable. In an effort to put aspiring lawyers on the path to success, we have compiled a list of tips that will help you to ace law schools with ease -

Read as much as you can - It goes without saying that a career in law requires a lot of reading. Since you will be needed to cover a broad curriculum in a short time, reading just before exams or assignments are not really going to help. You should be on par with readings assigned for your courses and make sure that you don't fall behind as you may waste a lot of time catching up later.

Attend lectures regularly - Most of the discussions in class usually follow the assigned readings, and you may not feel the need to attend lectures. But there might be times when your professor may introduce new concepts that are not included in the syllabus. To ensure that you don't miss out on important information, you should attend lectures, workshops and seminars regularly.
   
Partake in moot courts - Instead of just wanting to mug up theoretical concepts, you would want to learn to apply that knowledge into practice. Participating in moot courts will help you to develop new skills which in turn will help you to excel in exams. Make sure to participate in debates and moot courts to gain valuable learning experience.

Form study groups - Interacting and studying with students who are well-prepared for class and share the same academic goals can prove to be very beneficial. You can consider building study groups with such students to increase your understanding and retention of course material.

Take notes - When you attend lectures, there may be numerous things which professors say. It is not possible to retain each and every information. Make sure to note down essential pointers during classroom discussion and review these notes before exams and assignments.

Lastly, do not stress out. Maintain a healthy sleep and diet schedule. You don't want to fall sick and miss out on important lectures. A career in law can be very exciting yet demanding. We hope this article helps to make your journey in law universities in India a fruitful and stimulating experience. All the best!

Know Why the Institute of Law, Nirma University is a Perfect Place for Law Aspirants!

With a strong vision to promote higher education and provide excellent educational facilities to students, Padmashri Dr. Karsanbhai K. Patel, the founder of the Nirma Group of Industries, established the Nirma Education and Research Foundation (NERF) in the year 1994. The Institute of Law, Nirma University, was established to offer newer dimensions in legal education with a focus on delivering high-quality law education. The university aims at incorporating international standards and create an environment for innovation. Embracing the fundamentals of legal knowledge, excellence, and professionalism, the institute imparts quality education to produce skilled new generation lawyers, leaders, and policymakers.

The institute believes that teaching law involves more than just articulating and delivering a set of rules to the public. In order to scrutinize the various intricate issues related to understanding and applying the law, it is essential to adopt a multidisciplinary approach. The institute focuses on imparting education in law, language & humanities, and management & accounting. The university offers both undergraduate programmes (BA LLB/ B.Com LLB Hons.), post-graduate programmes (LL. M. - Criminal and Security Law/Constitutional and Administrative Law), and Executive Diploma programmes along with full-time and part-time doctoral programmes.

Listed below are some reasons why a student should consider pursuing a degree in law from the Institute of Law, Nirma University-

Sterling infrastructure-

Spread across the sprawling 115-acre wi-fi enabled campus, the Institute of Law, Nirma University boasts a myriad of institutes for various fields. With smart amphitheater classrooms equipped with multimedia and audio-visual equipment, spacious seminar halls, moot court halls, and state-of-the-art computer laboratories, the university offers all necessary amenities to students. Along with educational facilities, the university also offers two ATMs, three hostel buildings with a capacity of 800 students, mess and canteen, sports infrastructure, yoga hall, gymnasium, student corner, and a well-appointed library. The college also offers a competitive exam corner for students to encourage candidates to work hard in their area of competency and make a successful career out of it.

Accreditation, Rankings, and Collaborations-

Accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), the Institute of Law, Nirma University has received the grade “A,” the highest grade awarded to an institution of higher education by NAAC. The institution meets the standards of quality set by NAAC in terms of educational methods and results, curriculum, teaching-learning, faculty, infrastructure, and other educational aspects. The institute has received many rankings and awards for its outstanding performance in education. It has been ranked fourth in best private law colleges among the western zone in India (2018) by The Week.

Along with this, it also ranked eighth in best law college among the private law colleges in India (2018) by The Week. The college also offers student exchange and research collaboration programmes to engage students in the global learning process. The institute boasts tie-ups with foreign universities and organizations like Pennsylvania State University(USA), HOF University(Germany), Chartered Institute of Arbitrators(London), and many more. This provides students an opportunity to take up skill-based courses at foreign universities that help them to gain extensive global legal knowledge.

Research Centres-

With an aim to enhance research and analytical skills in students, the institute has established various research centres for different fields. Students are divided under these research centres based on their area of interest in which they deliver research projects pertaining to different subjects. This provides students the opportunity to widen their knowledge under the guidance of skilled experts and also sharpen verbal and analytical abilities. The research centres inculcate reading habits in students that help in the growth and development of the legal domain. Engaging students in empirical and doctrinal research work in distinct areas of law, the institute empowers students to study substantial laws in-depth and identify loopholes to suggest ways for effective implementation.

Placements and Recruiters-

In addition to imparting high-quality education to law aspirants, the institute also aids in providing excellent career placements. The campus recruitment cell of the college invites reputed companies to the campus, thereby assisting students in exploring job opportunities. The recruitment cell not only helps students to build a successful career for themselves but also nurtures soft skills by conducting several workshops and personality development sessions. Along with assisting the students in finding excellent jobs in their area of interest, the institute also encourages internships and summer training to prepare students for future challenges.

Pedagogy and Curriculum-

Following a meticulously designed curriculum, the Institute of Law, Nirma University has adopted an Outcome Based Education Model to support the holistic development of students. The pedagogy ensures that students gain knowledge through a constructivist approach and not just by receiving erudition from others. Aiming to enable students to develop a multi-disciplinary perspective towards law, the institute also offers a distinctive enrichment program and professional training module that functions simultaneously with the regular curriculum right from the first year of graduation. Further, the institute also offers several workshops such as mock trials, moot courts, research writing, experiential learning, field visits, and many more to help students gain a better insight into the legal world.

The Institute of Law, Nirma University is undoubtedly the perfect place for law aspirants who wish to make it big in the legal profession. The institute aims at honing both legal expertise and soft skills in students, therefore, making them competent enough to handle the challenges of the law industry. Striving to inculcate a sense of responsibility towards society in students, the institute is surely a pioneer in delivering the highest standards of education.