Trial Lawyers are legal professionals who are responsible for the defense and the representation of the clients in the court of law. They are responsible for producing evidence in favour of their clients in the court of law and disputing evidence put up against the clients.
Every year, more than 4- 5 lakh candidates apply for this course of LLB or LLM and around 60,000- 70,000 graduates join this Trial Lawyer profession after completing the course.
The trial lawyers are among the highest paid legal professionals in India. In fact, according to legal desire the top Trial lawyers in India charge an average fee between INR 8.5 Lakh to INR 25 lakh for a single hearing.
Some of top colleges for the LLB or LLM degree are- National Law School of India University (Bangalore), Gujarat National Law University (Gandhinagar), National Law University (Delhi), and so on. In the law colleges a student has to spend approx. INR 30,000 to INR 3,00,000 for the law course.
Top law firms in India where the law graduates can be a trial lawyer are, Taneja Law Office (New Delhi), Bhattal Law Attorneys LLP (New Delhi), Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co., Khaitan & Co., etc.
Average salary of a Trial Lawyer is INR 2,00,000 at the entry level and the lawyers with more than 4 years of experience in this field get approx. INR 5,00,000 to INR 12,00,000 per annum. The average salary of Trial Lawyer in India is over 600,000 per annum.
3.2 Civil Trial Lawyer or Litigation Attorneys
- How to Become a Trial Lawyer in India?
- How to Become Trial Lawyer after 12th?
- Courses to Become Trial Lawyer
6.1 LLB
6.2 BA LLB
6.3 BSc LLB
7.1 How to Become a Trial Lawyer in US
7.2 How to Become a Trial Lawyer in UK
7.3 How to Become a Trial Lawyer in France
Quick Facts for Trial Lawyer
| Industry | Govt., Private law firms. |
| Eligibility | 5 years of LLB or 3 years of LLB or 2 years of LLM degree |
| Average starting salary | INR 2,00,000 – INR 5,00,000 |
| Job opportunity | Khaitan & Co., Trilegal, Desai & Diwanji, Talwar Thakore & Associates, Dhir & Dhir Advocates & Solicitors, etc. |
Also Check the Top Law Colleges in India
Steps to Follow to Become a Trial Lawyer
To become a Trial Lawyer one must have to be interested and interested to pursue the course, i.e., LLB or LLM. Some steps must be followed to become a trial lawyer in India.
Make a Decision
Before stepping forward in this career, you must have to make some decisions. Thus think about it thoroughly while studying 12th grade or under-graduate degree courses. Set your goals and purposes to achieve success in this career.
Discuss with your parents and teachers and consider all the future scopes and benefits after pursuing this course.
Choices of Subjects
Choosing a subject to become a trial lawyer is one of the important steps. Candidates who want to become a trial lawyer after Higher Secondary can opt for any stream, i.e., Arts/ Science/ Commerce in their 12th grade.
Candidates who want to pursue this career after completing under-graduate degree can choose any stream or course after passing 12th board exam.
Candidates cannot become a Trial Lawyer with a Diploma or Certificate. So one must have to study H.S. and after that if one wants they can pursue an under-graduate or postgraduate degree to become a trial lawyer.
Entrance Exam Preparation
Interested candidates might have to appear for an entrance to pursue the LLB or LLM course. The entrance may be conducted at college level/ national level/ state level for the aspiring candidates.
Some Entrance Exams to pursue this course are- CLAT (Common Law Admission Test), AILET (All India Law Entrance Test), ULSAT (UPES Law Studies Aptitude Test), LSAT (Law School Admission Test), DU LLB Entrance Exam, etc. These are the law entrances one has to appear for to pursue the law degree from a top law college in India.
College Selection
To become a trial lawyer one must have the ability to choose a good college to pursue this course. A law college with the best academic quality can provide the best education to become a trial lawyer. Hence, before taking admission in any college, consider all the future scopes in that college after finishing the course.
After Qualifying Exam
After qualifying an entrance exam, apply for seats in a good law college. Apply for the course which you want to pursue in that college to be a trial lawyer. If you have cleared the entrance for pursuing LLB then apply for the BA LLB, BSc LLB, BCom LLB, BBA LLB. And if you have clear the entrances to be a trial lawyer after post-graduation then opt for LLM.
Internship or Law Practice
You can go for an internship program after passing the exams of LLM or LLB from a recognized law college or school in India. There are many govt. or private law firms where you can apply for an internship after the course. A student having a law degree can do an internship under an advocate practicing in the High Court of Hon'ble Supreme Court.
| Certificate Course in Human Rights | Diploma in Taxation Law | Diploma in Labour Laws and Labour Welfare |
How Long Does it take to be a Trial Lawyer?
Before choosing the profession, one often wonders how long does it takes to be a trial lawyer in India? The candidates are required to take into account the total number of years that the candidates need to spend in their academics to become a trial lawyer and the associated cost attached with the course.
The duration of becoming a trial lawyer is generally 5-6 years.The candidates can either take up a 3 years LLB Course after the completion of graduate program. In that case the candidates are required to pass a graduation course which is generally for a period of 3 years, hence 6 years in total. Or the candidates can appear for integrated course which can be for a duration of 5 years
The candidates can also take up the LLM program (2 years program) after completion of the LLB course. In that case the duration to be a top trial lawyer may extend from 7-8 years. Though it looks like a lot, the average salary of INR 600,000 is worth every bit of the academic effort put in by the candidates.
Types of Trial Lawyer
A trial lawyer can take different cases after pursuing a law degree and can practice in a trial court. They can practice under a government. law firm or under a private law firm. Some of types of trial lawyer:
Criminal Trial Lawyer
Criminal trial lawyer’s tasks are to gather the records, contact their clients and present their clients in front of court. The main task of these criminal trial lawyers is to defend the person who has been accused in a criminal case. They have to prove their clients guilty or innocent.
A Criminal Trial lawyer can earn INR 20,000 on an average per month and an experienced Criminal Lawyer can make around INR 2,00,000 per month in India.
Civil Trial Lawyer or Litigation Attorneys
Civil trial attorneys or Litigators have to deal with the process of researching the legal cases, making a draft of those legal documents and presenting it before the judge in the court. They have to make appearances in the courtroom to handle the civil cases and to represent the plaintiffs and also defendants in court.
An average salary of a Civil Trial Lawyer is approx. INR 20,000- INR 30,000 per month and an experienced Civil Lawyer earn around INR 80,000 – INR 90,000 per month.
Family Practice Lawyer
Their task is to prepare reports and documents of family cases, such as paternity actions, guardianship, adoption, divorce, separation, etc. and contacting the clients and arguing the case in a trial court. Some family lawyers also have to deal with family estate cases and offer legal advice to their clients.
A Family Practice Trial Lawyer earns INR 30,000 – INR 40,000 per month and monthly salary of an experienced family practice lawyer is INR 1,00,000 – INR 1,16,600.
Immigration Lawyer
Immigration trial lawyer’s task is to oversee the cases related to immigrants to obtain their citizenship, defending them against deportation to their country and to acquire the resident visa for the immigrants.
Immigration lawyer’s starting salary is approx. INR 15,000 – INR 20,000 per month and after having experience of 2-5 years they started earning INR 44,500 – INR 55,000 per month.
How to Become a Trial Lawyer in India?
To become a trial lawyer in India, you need to think about it in your 12th level or in under-graduate level. Because the entrance for everyone is different at different levels of law programs.
School Level Preparation
- If you want to become a trial lawyer after completing the class 12, then you have to appear for the entrance exam after completing the Higher Secondary exam
- You can take any stream (Science/ Arts/ Commerce) in your HS level to pursue law degree after 5 years of LLB
- The entrance are conducted at state/ national/ university level
How to Become Trial Lawyer after 12th?
To become a trial lawyer after passing 12th you have to apply for an entrance exam to pursue the course.
Under-Graduate Level Preparation
- If your choice is to become a trial lawyer after passing 12th board exam, you have to clear the entrance of law
- One can study their under-graduate degree in any course, like, BA, BSc LLB, Engineering, BBA, B.Com
- The duration of under-graduate level LLB is 3 years and 5 years or 6 years
- 3 years LLB degree can be pursue after the under-graduate degree and
- 5 or 6 years of LLB degree can be pursued after 12th grade, the course focused not only in law education but also focused in basic graduation level subjects
Post-Graduate Level Preparation
- Other than taking the law after passing under-graduate exam, one can also pursue the course after post-graduation
- Duration of LLM is 2 years
Courses to Become Trial Lawyer
There are many courses students take up after their 12th to become trial lawyer in India. Some of those courses are discussed below with their admission procedures, entrance exams, eligibility criteria; apply process and preparation to appear for the exam.
To be a Trial Lawyer one must have eligibility. One can be a Trial Lawyer after pursuing 5 years of LLB or 3 years of LLB. Students can also apply for the post of trial lawyer after completing an LLM degree. One cannot become a trial lawyer with a Diploma or certification in law program.
LLB
LLB or Legum Baccalaureus or Bachelor of Laws is a 3 year duration under-graduate degree in law. The candidates can pursue the course after finishing their under-graduate degree in any course or stream (Science/ Engineering/ Commerce/ Arts). Students must complete their graduation from a recognized college or university.
Admission Process
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Admission process is done through an entrance to take this course after under-graduation
Eligibility Criteria for the Exam
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A candidate must pass his/ her under-graduate degree in any program with 50- 55% aggregate marks from a recognized university
How to Apply for the Exam?
- CLAT exam application mode is online
- So, after releasing the application interested candidates can apply for the exam
- Fill all the personal and educational details in the form
-
Upload the documents, i.e.
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10th and 12th Marksheet
-
Scanned passport size photograph
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Scanned signature of the candidate
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Category certificate
-
-
After completing the application filling process, go to next to complete the payment for the exam and then submit it
How to Prepare for the Exam?
- Know the syllabus of the exam before studying
- Practice each and every topic of the syllabus
- Solve previous years question papers and mock test series papers
- If required follow some books for the entrance
Go through the full list of Top BSc LLB Colleges in India.
BA LLB
BA LLB or Bachelor of Arts – Bachelor of Legislative Law is a 5 year duration integrated law degree one can pursue after passing 12th board examination in any stream. In this program one can learn two courses at a time, i.e., Arts and Humanities and Law subjects.
Admission Process
-
Admission is done in this course through an entrance exam which is conducted by law colleges or at national or state level law admission authority
Eligibility Criteria for the Exam
- To seat for the entrance, firstly you need to pass 12th with a minimum of 50%
- Those who are also going to appearing for 12th board exam can also apply for this AILET exam
How to Apply for the Exam?
- Candidates have to do registration by going to the website of NLU Delhi [http://nludelhi.ac.in/ailet2122.aspx
- Then select the law course, which you want to study
- And fill the form with academic qualification details and personal details
- Then upload the scanned passport photograph and signature
- Pay the application fee. candidates can pay fee through either online or offline mode
- After completing the form fill up process submit the form
How to Prepare for the Exam?
- To do well preparation for the exam make a time table for study
- Refer some good study material
- See the previous year question papers and know the pattern and marking system of questions
- Study and practice regularly
Eligibility Criteria for the Exam
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To pursue this course, you need to pass 10+2 with 50% marks
How to Apply for the Exam?
- First go to the website of UPES Law [https://admission.upes.ac.in/apply] and click on apply button on the screen
- Then on the registration page click on the New registration button
- Enter all the required details and click on next button
- And there you need to fill the form with your academic details
- On the next step upload scanned photograph and signature
- Pay the entrance fee
- After that an application number and password will be sent to your registered mail or mobile number
- After that download the submitted application and keep for future references
How to Prepare for the Exam?
- Make a proper plan for the preparation and follow it accordingly
- Topic wise do practice and revise
- Practice the mock test papers
Eligibility Criteria for the Exam
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Candidates must have to pass class 12th with 45% marks (for reserved category 40%)
How to Apply for the Exam?
- Go to the official website of MAHA CET and select the course (3 year or 5 year)
- Complete registration by clicking on registration link
- Fill the form with details which is asked in the form
- Upload recent passport size photograph and also a scanned signature
- Pay the fee and submit the form
How to Prepare for the Exam?
- Go through the syllabus of the exam
- Make a time table to study
- Practice as well as revise regulary
How to Become Trial Lawyer Abroad?
To become a trial lawyer abroad, one must have to complete 3 or 5 years of LLB, then 2 years of LLM.
Check the CLAT Cutoffs for top Law Colleges.
How to Become a Trial Lawyer in US
Admission in a law university in the US is done through a law school admission test.
Educational requirement
- Firstly the interested candidates must complete a bachelor degree course
- Then they have to pass the law school admission test
Other Requirement
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A law passed graduate must have experience to become trial lawyer in US
Top Colleges in USA
| College Name | Courses Available | Average Fees (IN INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard University, Cambridge | Masters of Legislative Laws | 50.3 Lakh |
| University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia | LLB Law and society | 50.59 Lakh |
| Yale University, New Haven | BA legal studies | 49.83 Lakh |
| University of California, Berkeley | LLM US Legal Studies | 42.75 Lakh |
| Columbia University, New York City | MA Criminology | 57.44 Lakh |
| University of Washington, Seattle | BA legal studies | 19.81 Lakh |
| University of Michigan, Ann Arbor | LLM US Legal Studies | 24.75 Lakh |
| Emory University, Atlanta | BA legal studies | 44.26 Lakh |
| Boston University, Boston | MA Criminology | 44.11 Lakh |
| University of California, Davis | MS Criminal Justice | 37.53 Lakh |
How to Become a Trial Lawyer in UK
To become a Trial Lawyer in the UK, one must have a under-graduate degree or post-graduate degree and experience in cour
Educational requirement
- A students must have to complete an under-graduate degree
- After that they can apply for fast track 2 year LLB Senior Status Programme
- The LLB degrees in UK are accredited by Bar Council of England and Wales and the Law Society of England and Wales
Other Requirement
- To get admission in a law college in UK, candidate must have to score minimum of two A levels with three A levels and A grades to pursue a course
Top Colleges in UK
| College Name | Courses Available | Average Fees (in INR) |
|---|---|---|
| University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh | LLM Law Commercial | 30.29 Lakh |
| University of Manchester, Manchester | LLM in European Law | 27.42 Lakh |
| University of Glasgow, Glasgow | LLB | 29.18 Lakh |
| University of Birmingham | LLM Law Commercial | 11.91 Lakh |
| University of Bristol | LLM in European Law | 24.25 Lakh |
| University of Warwick, Coventry | LLB | 23.11 Lakh |
| University of Oxford | LLB | 49.92 Lakh |
| Durham University | MSc in Law and Finance | 22.90 Lakh |
| Queen’s University Belfast | LLB | 20.74 Lakh |
| University of Liverpool | LLM in European Law | 23.71 Lakh |
How to Become a Trial Lawyer in France
To become a trial lawyer in France, first one needs to complete a law degree, i.e., Master’s degree after completing a 4 years of university training program in Law and after that they have to pass an entrance of the law school of the local bar association of France.
Admission Process
Admission process in Law school in France is done through an entrance test conducted by the law school of the local bar association.
Educational requirement
- One need to complete a four year university degree in training program in law
Other Requirement
- The interested candidate also need to complete a 18 month of traineeship in a law school
Top Colleges in France
| College Name | Course Names | Average Fees (IN INR) |
|---|---|---|
| University of Paris | LLM in International Tax Law | 5.24 Lakh |
| CEIPI- University of Strasbourg | LLM in Law and Business | 22,000 per credit |
| Queen Mary University of London | LLM in International and European Business Law | 18.20 Lakh |
| Catholic University of Lyon | LLM in Business Contracts | 7.0 Lakh |
| Jean Moulin University | LLM in Law and Business | 8.74 Lakh |
| Hautes Etudes Appliquées du Droit (HEAD), Paris Law School | LLM in International and European Business Law | 12.93 Lakh |
| Universite Toulouse, France | LLM in International Tax Law | 2.42 Lakh |
| Sciences Po Law School, Paris France | LLM in Law and Business | 12.92 Lakh |
| Universite Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne- Sorbonne Law School, Paris France | LLM in Business Contracts | 2.41 Lakh |
| EDHEC Business School, Roubaix France | LLM in International and European Business Law | _ |
Benefits of Career as Trial Lawyer
A trial lawyer’s job environment is very challenging but exciting too. They have to deal with many different cases every day. One must have to be argumentative and good communicator to become a good trail lawyer. They must have the quality to see every little matter in a case and in order to give justice to the client they have to be a good lawyer.
Good Salary Package
The salary is high as the job is also in demand in job market. An 10-15 years of experienced lawyer make about INR 24-30 lakh per year from this career. And the fresh graduates or the trial lawyer make around INR 2- 4 lakh in a trial court.
Job Security
The career in this field is challenging so one must have to be qualified enough to hold a good position in this job, because the cases always goes to those lawyers who have good quality.
Positive Impact of the Career
The trial lawyers are responsible for collect the documents, prepare reports and arguing in front of judge to give justice to their clients.
Higher Studies
After doing LLB/BA LLB/BBA LLB/BSc LLB one can do LLM or PhD in Laws in their interested area. The students who are pursuing doctoral level course can be a professor or lecturer in a college or university.
Unique Experience
Trial Lawyer job is one of the unique job and highest paying job. The job has a demand in market.
Own Industry or Company
After having experience in this field one can open their private law firm.
Skills Required for Trial Lawyer
Skills required to become a trial lawyer are as follows-
| Good communicator | Good analytical skill |
| Experienced in the field | Good listener |
| Interpersonal skills | Good negotiator |
| Verbal and written communication skill | Argumentative skills |
Salary of Trial Lawyer in India
The salary of the trial lawyers vary, here we have represented the salary basis various parameters.
Average Annual Salary
| Name of organization | Average annual salary |
|---|---|
| Govt. | INR 3,60,000 |
| Private | INR 2,00,000 |
Salary Trend Graph
Specialization Wise Salary
| Specializations | Salary (per annum) |
|---|---|
| Criminal trial lawyer | INR 3,00,000 |
| Civil litigator | INR 3,40,000 |
| Family practice lawyer | INR 6,00,000 |
| Immigration lawyer | INR 8,70,246 |
| Junior attorney | INR 2,44,168 |
Salary Trend Graph
Salary Trend Graph
Experience Wise Salary
| Experience | Salary (per annum) |
|---|---|
| Fresher | INR 25,00,000 |
| Experienced | INR 4,50,000 |
Salary Trend Graph
After the Trial Lawyer
Higher Education
- After pursuing the course, one can step forward to become a Lawyer
- Or other than that also can go for studying the LLM (Masters of Legislative Law) for 2 years
- And students with a LLM degree can do PhD in Law or Doctor of Laws
- The PhD in Law duration is 3 years which is for doing specialization in an area of law
- For PhD in law, there will be an entrance exam conducted at national or university level
Start job
- For the job seekers in Law court, this is a good career
- A graduates in law can practice in trial court before becoming a full fledge lawyer
- This trial lawyer can practice under a govt. or private law firm
- And the average fee they gets is INR 2,00,000 to 4,00,000 in an year
How to Become a Trial Lawyer: FAQs
Ques. Can I become a Trial Lawyer after a Diploma course?
Ans. No. You must have to complete HS or Under-graduate degree to become Trial Lawyer.
Ques. What is the fee in LLB?
Ans. Average course fee in LLB in India is INR 1,00,000 to INR 2,90,000
Ques. Is entrance exam must to pursue Trial Lawyer course?
Ans. Yes. Entrance is must to pursue a law degree.
Ques. How much one can earn in the career of Trial Lawyer?
Ans. In India, a trial lawyer make around INR 2 to INR 4 lakh per year.
Ques. Can I do BTech LLB?
Ans. Yes. You can do a 6 years of integrated BTech LLB.
Ques. Can I become trial lawyer after doing LLM?
Ans. Yes. You can become a trial lawyer in India after completing LLM or Master’s in Legislative Law.
Ques. Is the entrance exam of law courses tough?
Ans. Every exam is difficult but it is not that difficult for them who are dedicated and willing to study the law course. So do hard work and do practice and revise regularly to pass the entrance.
Ques. What is the minimum percentage required to study the B. Tech LLB program?
Ans. To pursue B Tech LLB you need to score minimum 55% marks in your class 12th level with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as a main subject and English as a core subject.
Ques. What is the salary of an entry level Trial Lawyer in India?
Ans. At their entry level the Trial Lawyers make around INR 1,80,000- INR 3,60,000 on yearly basis.
Ques. Can I pursue LLM right after completing my under-graduate degree?
Ans. No. You cannot do LLM after finishing your under-graduate degree in other subjects. To pursue the LLM course you must have to pass the LLB degree/ BA LLB/ BBA/ BSc LLB etc.
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