Law

Law Studies Overview for Students

Introduction to Law Studies

Law studies offer a profound understanding of legal principles, systems, and their applications. Pursuing a career in law opens doors to various opportunities, ranging from courtroom advocacy to corporate legal advisory roles.

Entrance Exams

Admission into prestigious law schools in India often requires candidates to clear competitive entrance exams. Some notable entrance exams include

Common Law Admission Test (CLAT)

The CLAT is a national-level entrance exam for admission into undergraduate and postgraduate law programs at 22 National law universities. It’s a computer-based exam with a duration of 2 hours. The exam includes 5 sections, which are General Knowledge and Current Affairs, Legal Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, English Language and Logical Reasoning. To be eligible for the exam, students are required to have 45% in the general category and 40% in the reserved category.

The CLAT 2024 exam pattern is as follows

Exam Mode Pen and paper exam

Exam Duration

Two Hours

Language

English

Type of Questions

Mutliple-Choice Questions

Subjects

5 subjects (English Language, Current Affairs including General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Techniques)

Total Questions

120 MCQs

Maximum Marks

120 marks

Marking Scheme

+1 for correct answer, -.25 for incorrect answer

As CLAT 2024 exam dates are not released yet, here is the schedule of CLAT 2023

Exam Schedule

Events Dates

Applications Open

1 July 2023

Last date for receiving applications

10 November 2023

Last date to edit test centre preferences and corrections

12 November 2023

CLAT 2024 Exam Date

3 December, 2023

All India Law Entrance Test (AILET)

AILET is a national-level entrance exam for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate programs at 18 National Law Universities in India. The exam is conducted by the National Law University (NLU), Delhi. Students who have completed 12 years of education are eligible to take the exam.

Law School Admission Test (LSAT)

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a standardized test conducted by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) for admission to law schools in India. This exam evaluates candidates based on reading comprehension, logical reasoning skills and analytical reasoning. Candidates must have completed a bachelor’s degree to take the exam.

Symbiosis Entrance Test for Law (SET Law)

Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET) is a national-level entrance examination for admission to undergraduate law programs at Symbiosis Law Schools. Some law schools which accept this exam are Symbiosis Law School (SLS) Pune, Symbiosis Law School (SLS) Hyderabad, Symbiosis Law School (SLS) Nagpur and Symbiosis Law School (SLS) Noida.

Specializations in Law

Law studies encompass various specializations, allowing students to focus on specific aspects of the legal system. Some popular law specializations include:

Criminal Law

Criminal Law is a body of law that deals with crime. It defines crimes and sets punishments for them. It includes various kinds of crimes such as homicide, robbery, theft, burglary, fraud, assault, arson and drug offences. Criminal law is further divided into three types: International Criminal Law, Military Criminal Law and Juvenile Criminal Law.

Corporate Law

Corporate Law is a body of law that governs the rights and conducts of persons, businesses and organizations. It includes various topics such as the operation of corporations, mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcy law and securities law. The professionals proficient in corporate law are known as corporate lawyers or commercial lawyers.

Constitutional Law

Constitutional Law is a body of law that defines the powers and limitations of government. It encompasses concepts such as separation of powers, checks and balances, rule of law and judicial review. Top exams for constitutional law are CLAT UG, LSAT, KIITEE and AP PGLCET.

International Law

International Law is a set of rules and standards that govern the relationship between nations. It establishes norms for various domains such as war, diplomacy, economic relations and human rights. Some examples of international law are The United Nations Charter, The Geneva Conventions, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and The Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Family Law

Family law deals with family relationships and domestic matters. It covers a diverse array of topics, such as divorce, child custody, adoption, domestic violence, reproductive rights, prenuptial agreements and guardianship. It protects the rights of family members such as children, spouses and unmarried partners. Under family law, one can work as a Family Law Attorney, Mediator Guardian ad Litem and Social Worker.

Environmental Law

Environmental law is a field of law that regulates how humans interact with the environment. It addresses with a wide range of issues, such as air pollution, water pollution, land use, hazardous waste management and endangered species protection. Different types of environmental law are air quality law, water quality law, hazardous waste law, land use law and endangered species law.

Job Options in India

Completing law studies opens up diverse career paths in various sectors. Some common job options for law graduates include:

Lawyer/Advocate

A lawyer is someone who has a law degree and can practice law. Their services include providing legal advice, drafting legal documents and negotiating settlements. An advocate is a specific type of lawyer who is qualified to represent clients in court. According to the area of law, lawyers are divided into different types, such as Civil lawyers, criminal lawyers, government lawyers and corporate lawyers.

Corporate Counsel

A corporate counsel provides legal advice to a corporation. They are responsible for providing legal advice, drafting legal documents, advising the corporations and managing the corporation’s legal department. A good corporate counsel is proficient in skills such as communication, interpersonal and problem-solving.

Judicial Services

Judicial services include various institutions and personnel responsible for upholding the law within a jurisdiction. Various people involved in judicial services are Judges, Magistrates, Clerks of Court, Paralegals and Court Interpreters. Judicial services are important for protecting individual rights, promoting public confidence and contributing to social progress.

Legal Consultant

A legal consultant provides guidance to individuals as well as businesses. They are also known as legal advisors. Their work includes providing expert advice, drafting documents and resolving disputes. They provide general guidance on legal topics. To become a legal consultant, the required skills are problem-solving, communication and analytical skills.

Public Prosecutor

A public prosecutor, also known as a state prosecutor, represents the state in criminal proceedings. They are responsible for investigating crimes, filing charges, preparing for trial and enforcing penalties. Must require skills in a public prosecutor are reasoning skills, research skills and public speaking abilities.

Legal Researcher

A legal researcher is someone who assists lawyers in finding information to support their work. They conduct research using various resources, including statutes, regulations and case law. They have to handle a wide range of responsibilities, such as analyzing legal information, summarizing legal findings and drafting legal memoranda.

Conclusion

Law studies provide a comprehensive understanding of the legal system and its applications. Students can choose their desired program from a wide range of specializations offered under the law which suits their capabilities and career goals.