Over the last few years, the legal profession in India has undergone a paradigm shift. In today’s industry, women are at par with their male counterparts. Like all other industries, the work of women knows no bounds. Today, other than a court presence, career opportunities in corporate houses, law agencies, litigation and administrative services, the presence of women has gone higher substantially.
It will not be out of place to mention that women in the legal field have succeeded in establishing themselves at par with some of the distinguished stalwarts of this profession. The achievement of women in this field is not just limited to being designated as senior advocates. Women — because of their dedication, hard work and acumen — have been elevated to the positions of judges and even appointed as Additional Solicitor General of India like Pinky Anand and Maninder Kaur Acharya. Justice M. Fathima Beevi was the first woman judge of the Supreme Court of India and the legacy has continued since then. Honourable Justice Indu Malhotra became the first woman to be elevated as Supreme Court Judge from the Bar in April 2018. Indira Jaisingh and Vrinda Grover have also established a distinguished name for themselves in this profession. The opportunities are immense and it depends on the dedication with which one dives into the profession.
So, after acquiring your degree in law there are ample opportunities available. Skill sets such as attentiveness to minute details, logical interpretation and details, perfect judgement along with the professional skills help in gaining entry into legal organisations. Expressing concern, The Bar Council of India felt that fresh graduates usually do not join the Bar as they tend to explore other opportunities. A close watch on the market dynamics reveals that several international firms are opening their offices and branches in India and a fair number of fresh passouts are being absorbed for back office work. In addition, LPOs are on a hiring spree for graduates. In fact, the dynamics have expanded so much that even people from other professional backgrounds are seeking admission to short-term courses in allied fields having a fair amount of legal understanding.
Legal career: status quo
Gone are the days when people believed that in order to become a lawyer, you are required to have one at home. In the beginning of their career, lawyers face several difficulties and it is suggested that they should train under a counsel having a fair experience in the field. Learning law is a continuous process and the art to assimilate high volume of information and knowledge should be developed in the initial phases. Strong communication skills and good grasping abilities are the key to success.
The choice of courses available under law starts from pursuing a LL.B. and goes up to a doctorate in law. LL.B., LL.M. and diploma courses in various branches of law such as civil law, taxation, arbitration, law of contract, criminal law, IPR, companies law and so on, the doctorate in law— the choice is wide and phenomenal. Professionals from other streams also pursue courses covering law and legal aspects to be aware and up-to-date with developments in law and to have an edge.
Women can practise as an advocate in a court of law and appear to argue cases. It is worthwhile to mention that Indian women were denied the privilege to practice law until the High Court of Allahabad took the lead and allowed the application of Cornelia Sorabji by its major judgement of August 24, 1921, to practice law. She was the first woman who was enrolled as an advocate in India.
As a result, women lawyers have ample opportunities today. They can practise law as an independent lawyer, join the judiciary, join a firm, join an LPO, work as a legal advisor/consultant or counsel for corporate houses, pursue teaching in law, work with NGOs and more. Gone are the days when the choice in the profession was restrictive and predominantly dominated by men.
Pay packet
The expression, ‘The sky is the limit’, is true for the legal profession. While one should not expect big money from day one, as one gathers experience and utilises the skills to invite and attract clients based on legal acumen and hard work, there is no limit to earning in this profession. While a fresher may earn ₹10,000-15,000 initially, a lawyer with fair experience of seven to 10 years can expect to earn more than ₹1,00,000 per month. The pay packet grows exponentially with experience and quality of work which needless to say is dependent on the sector one is into.
Women have proved that they are equal in all aspects as compared to men. The dedication and sincerity along with the ability to handle their domestic front as well as the professional front with the utmost zeal make them successful and worthy of all the praise.
The writer is an advocate.
