A trial lawyer is an individual who is responsible for presenting a particular client in front of the court and jury as well as defends them by brinings various proofs to prove them non-guilty. The major work of a Trial lawyer is to counter and argue with his respective client’s case with their ability and legal findings in their hand.
Candidates aspiring to pursue the career of a trial lawyer need to come through a long study duration of 7 years. This includes four years of study in bachelors level in college, along with three years of study in a law school. Candidates earning the degree of a juris doctorate from a recognised educational institute, they can secure the license and start their career as a trial lawyer.
To become a trial lawyer, exploring the field of law is a must. Candidates must take law as their honors subject in their bachelors level.There are a total of 1170 law colleges in India, with 807 being private, and 363 government colleges. Some of the top law colleges in India are Symbiosis Law School, Lloyd Law College, Army Institute of Law, etc.
Who is a Trial Lawyer?
- A Trial Lawyer is a person who proceed to prove the innocence of his client in courtrooms.
- Trial lawyers come into play when their clients have been dragged into court proceedings.
- Trial lawyers gather all the information required and needed to prove their client innocent.
- They might meet with witnesses, parties involved in the case, friends, family members, etc. to gather all the collective information that can be used to strengthen his/her client’s innocence.
- Trial Lawyers also meet with judges, argue motions, prepare scheduling orders, etc.
What Does a Trial Lawyer Do?
Apart from being present in the court premises and fighting for the innocence of his client a trial lawyer also performs many other tasks. Some of the things that a trial lawyer does are as follows.
- A trial lawyer meets with the witnesses.
- A trial lawyer sets up the documents that may be required during the court proceedings
- A trial lawyer meets with the family members and friends or close ones of their clients.
- The trial lawyer tries to collect all the pieces of evidence to prove his/her client innocent
- The trial lawyer visits the places that are under examination to find more related to the case.
- The trial lawyer also meets with the concerning parties to get more detailed information about the case.
Roles and Responsibilities of a Trial lawyer
The trial lawyer performs the following roles and responsibilities.
Representation: The trial lawyer represents the client to fight the case for them. They try to make the case strong in order to prove the client innocent.
Study and Research: Trial lawyers study laws and judicial decisions that may be relevant to the case. They also study previous trials that can be fruitful in this case.
Meetings and examinations: Trial lawyers meet with the clients regularly and keep them updated about the proceedings. They also cross-examine the witnesses and present the case of the client in court.
Collecting Evidence: They gather evidence and rigid points that can be helpful for their clients to prove them innocent.
Advice: Trial lawyers also discuss other viable options with the clients that might be adopted during the trial. They advise some of the best possible measures to be taken to win the case.
Skills Required to Be a Trial Lawyer
A lawyer should have some of the skills that can outsmart him from other lawyers and to become a Trial Lawyer
| Negotiation Skills | Writing Skills |
| Social and Personal Communication skills | Trial Skills |
| Presentation Skills | Trial Preparation skills |
| Researching skills | Pre-Trial Motions |
| Advices | Mediating skills |
| Issue Spotting skills | Storytelling skills |
Trial Lawyer Top Recruiting Companies
Many top organizations hire Trial lawyers with good experience that can add value to their organizations. Some of the organizations are listed below.
| Advani & Co. | Fox Mandal & Co | Linde Engineering |
| Adani Ltd | Future Generali India Insurance Co. Ltd. | Mindcrest India Private Ltd |
| Amarchand Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co. | GIDC | O.P. Khaitan & Co. |
| ANM Global | GNFC | Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University |
| A R Gupta & Associates | GSFC | Pangea 3 |
| AZB Partners | GSPC | Platinum Partners |
Salary of a Trial Lawyer
A trial lawyer is a person who works for the innocence of his client in courtrooms. Trial lawyers after gaining the required skill and knowledge along with the experience can always level up and can get promoted along with earning higher salaries.
Company Wise
Different companies hire Trial Lawyers with law knowledge for different profiles at different pay packages. Some of the best companies that offer jobs to Trial lawyers are listed below.
| Company | Average Salary (per month) |
|---|---|
| Khaitan & Co. | INR 1,24,000 |
| ICICI | INR 50,900 |
| Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan | INR 51,000 |
| Mindcrest | INR 25,000 |
| J. Sagar Associates | INR 1,00,000 |
| Anand and Anand | INR 60,000 |
| Kochhar & Company | INR 65,000 |
| DMD Advocates | INR 30,000 |
Gender Wise
The company that hires candidates with at least basic knowledge of Law offers different salaries to each gender. The companies have almost 100% male employees.
| Gender | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Male | INR 4,40,000 |
| Female | INR 3,90,000 |
Experience Wise
Persons are offered higher roles with better pay as they have the desired experience. A person with more relevant experience in the field will always occupy top spots. These experienced professionals are always in demand. The below table enlists the average salary a person can get along with his number of experiences.
| Experience (in Years) | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Early Career (0-4) | INR 2,00,000 |
| Mid-Career (5-9) | INR 4,00,000 |
| Late Career (10+) | INR 10,65,000 |
Trial Lawyer Responsibilities FAQs
Ques. What are the roles and responsibilities of a Trial Lawyer?
Ans. The roles and responsibilities of a Trial Lawyer include
- Studying laws and judicial decisions that may be relevant to the case.
- Meeting with the clients regularly and keeping them updated about the proceedings.
- cross-examining the witnesses and presenting the case of the client in court.
- Gathering evidence and rigid points that can be helpful for their clients to prove them innocent.
Ques. What are the Qualities of a Trial Lawyer?
Ans. A Trial Lawyer should have the following traits
- A Trial Lawyer is Self-Disciplined.
- They know which task should be prioritized.
- They have a detail-oriented work style.
- Trial Lawyers bring their theoretical knowledge to practical use.
- They have the ability to complete the work with logic and creativity whenever required.
Ques. What are the future prospects of a Trial Lawyer?
Ans. According to BLS, the job outlook of Trial lawyers is expected to increase by 9% from the year 2020 to 2030.
Ques. What are the employment sectors for Trial Lawyers?
Ans. Trial Lawyer mostly works in the Legal sector but can also work in Banking Sector, EdTech, Electrical Equipment Manufacturing Industries, Legal Websites, High Courts, Supreme Courts, Business Firms, Universities, etc.
Ques. Which books can I refer to for learning Trial Law from the basics?
Ans. Following are the books you can refer to for learning Trial Law
- Jury Decision Making, The State of the Science
- The Art of Cross-Examination
- The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human
- In the Interest of Justice – Great Opening and Closing Arguments of the Last 100 Years
- Closing Arguments – The Last Battle
- Cross-Examination: Science and Techniques
- Reptile: The 2009 Manual of the Plaintiff’s Revolution
- Win Your Case: How to Present, Persuade, and Prevail, Every Place, Every Time
Ques. How do I prepare for the Trial Lawyer Job Interview?
Ans. Having a detailed knowledge of the company’s work will always be advantageous for you. Be thoroughly knowledgeable about the company’s working, dealings, etc. learn about the changes and appointments in the company. Be thorough about the knowledge you have gained while studying the course.
Ques. Can I learn courses related to Trial law Online?
Ans. Yes. Many Institutes have started online courses in Trial law. Also, various platforms such as Udemy, Coursera, Edx, Futurelearn, etc. have numerous teachers on their platform teaching trial law.
Ques. Can I learn trial law for free?
Ans. Some aspects of the law can be studied online but if you want to gain in-depth knowledge of the course it is better to opt for a bachelor course.
Ques. Can a Trial lawyer work independently?
Ans. Trial lawyers can work independently. But gaining some experience with working in an organization and then starting working independently can be an added advantage for you.
Ques. What challenges will I have to face as a trial lawyer?
Ans. After becoming a trial lawyer you may have to interact with stubborn clients, meet the deadlines, give attention to details, prepare reports, etc.
![Sangam University - [SU]](https://images.collegedunia.com/public/college_data/images/appImage/25844_SU_NEW.jpg?tr=h-150,w-320,c-force)
![Sangam University - [SU]](https://images.collegedunia.com/public/college_data/images/logos/16539797645755551117259377041753052610490313738813440n.png?tr=h-30,w-30,c-force)
![Desh Bhagat University - [DBU]](https://images.collegedunia.com/public/college_data/images/appImage/25780_dbu_app.jpg?tr=h-150,w-320,c-force)
![Desh Bhagat University - [DBU]](https://images.collegedunia.com/public/college_data/images/logos/1432977866Desh Bhagat.jpg?tr=h-30,w-30,c-force)
Comments