How to Become a Civil Lawyer - Salary, Qualification, Skills, Role and Responsibilities

Learn how to become a civil lawyer in India with the required qualifications, skills, salary, and career prospects

How to become a civil lawyer? Students who want to pursue their career as civil lawyers in different specialized areas like family law, property law, contract law, civil rights, and more first need to complete their BA LLB or LLB degree.

Students, after having the basic educational requirements, need to have practical experience in the field through internships and clear AIBE (All India Bar Exam) to start practicing as civil lawyers. AIBE-19 application forms are expected to be released soon.

Students looking to improve their career prospects can further enroll in advanced courses like LLM in civil law and certification courses for professional development. The article talks about various qualification requirements, required skills, career opportunities, and the average salary in India for a civil lawyer.

Qualification Requirements to Become a Civil Lawyer in India

To become a civil lawyer in India, a student needs to fulfill various criteria and steps, such as basic educational requirements, passing the entrance exam, having required skill sets, etc. Listed below are the detailed qualification requirements to become a civil lawyer in India:

Step 1: The student should have completed 10+2 (high school degree) in any stream with a minimum of 50-55% for unreserved category students; there is a 5% relaxation for reserved category students.
Step 2: After completing a high school degree, the student needs to enroll in a 5-year BA LLB integrated course by qualifying for the entrance exam like CLAT, LSAT, AILET, etc.
Step 3: Students who have not opted for integrated courses can enroll in a 3-year LLB course after completion of their undergraduate degree by qualifying for entrance exams like BHU LLB, DU LLB, etc.
Step 4: During the LLB course, the student needs to do a mandatory internship or training in the specialized area. The internship can be done in a legal firm, senior civil lawyers, the corporate sector, etc.
Step 5: The student needs to enroll in the state bar council after completing the LLB degree to be eligible to practice as a civil lawyer in India. Students are required to submit necessary documents like degree certificates, internship certificates, etc.
Step 6: Along with enrolling in the state bar council, students need to clear the All India Bar Examination (AIBE) to obtain a certificate for practicing as a lawyer.
Step 7: Students can start practicing as junior civil lawyers by working under senior advocates or law firms. To improve their career prospects, students can further pursue LLM, specialized courses in human rights law, intellectual property law, etc.

Read More: Top Career Options in Law

Skills to Excel to Become a Civil Lawyer

To become a civil lawyer, a graduate needs various skills like negotiation, client management, research skills, ethical judgment, and more. Listed below are some of the key skills required to become a civil lawyer:

Client Management: A civil lawyer should be able to maintain client relationships by addressing escalations, making them understand the legal procedure in easy language, updating them about the case progress, and more.
Problem Solving: The civil lawyer should be able to solve the problem by evaluating various options and developing an effective strategy to get the best possible result for the legal case.
Legal Writing: This is the most basic skill a graduate should have to become a successful civil lawyer. The graduate should be able to draft legal contracts and other documents that are clear and concise.
Analytical Skills: Analytical skills are required to solve complex cases by evaluating multiple options and developing a strong argument in favor of the client.
Communication Skills: Civil lawyers should be able to explain complex legal terms and procedures to the client in simple terms, along with persuasively presenting their case in court.
Legal Research Skills: The graduate should be aware of various legal resources and databases to identify and interpret the case-related law and various legal implications.

Career Prospects for Civil Lawyers with Roles and Responsibilities

Graduates after obtaining a license to practice as a civil lawyer can find employment in academics and research, government agencies, corporate legal departments, etc. Civil lawyers can work in different areas, ranging from family law and contract law to property law.

Below are career opportunities for civil lawyers with job responsibilities and an average entry-level salary in India:

Career Prospects for Civil Lawyers with Roles and Responsibilities
Job Role	Job Responsibilities	Average Salary (INR)
Junior Civil Lawyer	They help senior lawyers in the case by drafting legal documents and doing necessary legal research.	20,000 Per Month
Litigation Lawyer	Represent the client's case in civil court on various matters like contract breach, property issues, etc.	37,000-38,000 Per Month
Family Lawyer	Represent the case in family court and address issues like child custody, divorce, and other family matters.	22,000 Per Month
Civil Rights Lawyer	They work on cases related to discrimination, wrongdoing by the police, or violation of freedom of speech. Also, helps in public policy reforms.	21,000-23,000 Per Month
Contract Lawyer	They look after drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts and handle contract breach-related cases.	20,000-25,0000 Per Month
Tort Lawyer	Defends clients in matters including medical malpractice, product liability, and personal injuries.	20,000-30,000 Per Month