With increasing globalization the dealings amongst different legal systems have inevitably increased and thus the legal industry has evolved by leaps and bounds. It is no more sufficient for a domestic lawyer to know the law of one nation and confine the practice accordingly. International professionals have entered Indian markets and Indian lawyers see various avenues open for them to explore. With exchange in practitioners the legal service is truly becoming a global level competitive market. This has lead to a paradigm shift in the manner law was read and understood. With dynamism inherent in the profession it is of great importance that the education systems evolve at the same pace.
In India the profession is majorly governed by the Bar Council of India and the legal education by University Grants Commission With profession alluring youth the number of students opting law as a career choice started growing. This has an association with the rapid development of law schools as well. The system of educating lawyers though is yet not uniform in India. It is in a lot of traditional universities that three years law degree after a bachelor’s degree is the pattern whereas in all the national law schools and almost all other prestigious legal institutions a five year integrated law degree is offered. Nonetheless institutions are striving hard to maintain the quality of legal education along with the fabric of the course and to keep up with the demands of the profession and competition.
India’s response in enhancing its legal education can be greatly attributed to establishment of law schools in every state and coming up of private institutes of national repute to offer wholesome legal education. This has made the profession accessible and desirable for fresh school pass outs. Having said that, it is only financially viable for few to afford expensive legal education in these premier institutions, others compete for minimal number of seats in those institutions which stand by the quality and have affordable fee structure. And for others, what not so premier law institutions offer is not so satisfactory standard of legal education. This flaw reflects upon the professional capabilities of different individuals depending upon the exposure they have received in their law colleges. This calls for a uniform standard in legal education throughout the country affordable to all.
As for a prospective lawyer the attributes of a legal education include a well equipped library access, professional and dynamic educators, specialized learning experiences, a curriculum inclusive of academic as well as co curricular skill development factors, learning environment and progressive peer group. Along with this technologically advanced infrastructure shall be a perk. Extracurricular activities that now form an integral part of legal education include moot court competitions, trial advocacy, debate competitions, model united nations, extempore discussions, legal essay writing, quizzes, sports, collaborative conferences and seminars along with cultural and recreational programs. It is with a view to equip an individual with all the necessary skills including interpersonal, organizational as well as leadership skills that such activities are now inherent part of learning.
Another most important facet of legal education now is learning through actual practical exposure. It is during the internships amidst the law course that the students taste the real flavor of the profession which enables them to choose the area of work they would end up working in. Thus the law universities now collaborate and link with different professional bodies to entail best internship opportunities to its students. Not only internships but more and more interactions with professionals integrate the education with the profession during the course itself and a lot of students thus secure a pre-placement offer even before they finish the legal studies curriculum.
The possibilities of a lawyer in India with all of this learning range from becoming a private practitioner, a corporate lawyer, an in house council, a judge, a judicial officer in a bank or a public sector undertaking, a judge advocate general, a legal researcher and policy maker, a legal entrepreneur or legal content developer, an arbitrator or a mediator, a public prosecutor, a legal counsel in an international or a national level law firm or a junior to a senior practitioner to becoming a professor in law. As the trend governs a lot of brilliant law students opt for joining a law firm and providing a specialized and quality legal advice to clients. Few others become excellent social service providers and others illuminate the profession further by providing justice or imparting legal education.
At Institute of Law, we make sure we serve the best interest of future legal fraternity by providing wholesome learning experience along with best growth and development opportunities to pupils of law. We believe not only in teaching and training but also in learning and educating.
Author Ms Aditi Vyas