What are the Career Opportunities after LLM in India?

Law is one of the most promising careers in every country. A student pursing law has the option to either start practising or pursue Masters of Law on completion of LLB. A Master degree in Law is a post graduate degree in the field of law, offering specializations such as International Law, Criminal Law, Corporate Law among many others. The graduates enjoy the luxury of applying for jobs in numerous sectors that are related to there are of specialization. After the completion of LLM, equal opportunities open up in both, government and private sectors. Students pursuing LLM can build a career as a lawyer/advocate, legal advisor, law officer etc. With so many options, students are often caught in dilemmas regarding what to do after LLM.

Duration- 2 Years

Eligibility- LLB 3 years or BA LLB/ BSc LLB/ BCA LLB 5 years with a combined score of at least 50-60 points.

Entrances- CLAT, LSAT, AILET, IPU CET, BHU PET

Minimum Course Fee- Rs 1,80,000

Average Salary- Rs 8,00,000- 15,00,000

When you decide on choosing an LLM programme, the number of courses that are offered can be initially quite overwhelming. As with the choice for your undergraduate degree, it is very important to select the subject correctly. But this is not the only factor that is to be considered. The Law school, location and the future of your career are also other factors that play a role while choose the programme. Here are a few things that you should consider before choosing LLM:

Subject Interest- Once you look at the subject in your preferred area of law, you will be easily able to narrow down your shortlist of the courses.

Your Strength- Know in which area you performed the best in your undergraduate degree. This will also help in your selection of a course.

Law School- The law school that you choose is never the ultimate deciding factor of your career, but it may make a difference to some of the options in the future.

Future Career- This is one of the most important factors to consider while choosing the LLM course. It is worth taking some time to plan where you see yourself specialising in your career. 

The world that we live in today, requires expertise and skill-based degree programs. There is a wider scope after LLM as it is a specialised degree offering expert and subject-oriented coursework. Most of the law graduates complete their LLM and gain a competitive edge over other candidates, especially when they choose to specialize in a growing and trending field like the Corporate and Financial Sectors. After the completion of the degree, there are several career opportunities in the legal field in both the private and public sectors. Both these sectors hire LLM degree holders with an in-depth knowledge of the subject. An LLM graduate also the option to venture into freelance legal practice instead of working in the corporate world.

Consulting Bodies

Law Firms

Corporate

Finance

Courthouses

Media and Publishing Houses

NGO

Un and UNICEF International Organizations

Real Estate

Some other prominent job sectors include Railway Defence, Marketing, Retail, Insurance and more.

On completion of LLM, several career opportunities open up that are highly valued. The following are the professions that are open to a LLM graduate:

Judge: This is considered to be one of the most esteemed positions in every country’s judiciary system. One must be very well educated with the law of the country in order to become a judge.

Legal Advisor: Contract summarisation, legal study, writing, contract administration is assisted by court partners or associates. If one has expert knowledge in the subject, then they will excel as a legal advisor.

Advocate: An advocate is a valuable specialist in India and abroad. In order to carry out his activities, he must have proper knowledge of the law of the country.

Civil Advocates 

The Lawyer facilitates the settlement of individuals, claims, guardianships and divorce.

Tax Advocates

They deal with all forms of government taxation which includes income tax, sales tax and excise duty.

Corporate Lawyers

They look after the legal work of the corporations, to establish and retain firms, to enter into different government contracts.

International Lawyers

Their work is to negotiate with international relations and customs between the nations and offer them guidance on different projects.

There are numerous opportunities in the government sectors for a qualified LLM student. They are eligible to work as Magistrate, Judge, Legal Advisor, Public Prosecutor. There is also a scope of building a teaching career in private and government universities after clearing the NET or other relevant exam. Here are some of the government jobs that are available to a graduate:

Position 

Average Salary

Law Clerk

Rs 3,60,000 p. a.

Law Assistant

Rs 5,50,000 p. a.

Legal Researcher

Rs 8,00,000 p. a.

Civil Judge

Rs 10,00,000 p. a.

Legal Officer

Rs 8,40,000 p. a.

Public Prosecutor

Rs 5,00,000 p. a.

Guest Faculty

Rs 4,80,000 p. a.

Other than this, some other opportunities that are open for the graduates are Indian Railways, Defence, Excise Department.

LLM graduates have an ample of opportunities when it comes to the private sectors. The following are some of the high-profile law firms in India:

Hiring Company

Average Salary

Khaitan & Co

Rs 17,00,000 p. a.

Luthra and Luthra

Rs 16,00,000 p. a.

Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas

Rs 16,60,000 p. a.

S&R Associates

Rs 21,00,000 p. a.

AZB & Partners

Rs 20,00,000 p. a.

Building a career in the field of law requires an extreme amount of knowledge, skills and zeal. It requires you to be socially aware. However, professional life after the completion of LLM opens a wider scope of subject-specialised sectors. So, if you put in the hard work, you can ensure a bright future for yourself after graduation.