The Litigator |
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The traditional career path for a lawyer, is to "go into practice", or join the chambers of a senior advocate as his junior. The traditional image of a lawyer is based on this career option. Regarded by many as the true calling of a lawyer, this option involves arguing in court on a daily basis, and applying your mind to a plethora of different issues in order to win the case for your client. There is, of course, scope for specialisation even in this field - some lawyers practice criminal law, some company law and at a later stage, even constitutional law. A legal practice is much the same as a medical practice - if one serves the needs of clients well, they will return and refer others to you, and one's reputation will grow, so that even more clients are attracted to you. Typically, a junior works with a senior to gain experience, until he is proficient in the profession. After that, one stays a junior, more or less permanently, or, as the more successful ones do, one can either inherit one's senior's practice when he retires, or split away to establish one's own practice.
This career option promises the greatest challenges, and the greatest rewards. The most famous lawyers in the country have all followed this career path - K.K. Venugopal, Fali Nariman, and Soli Sorabjee to name a few. Successful practicing advocates make by far the most money in the legal profession. The top lawyers in the country charge Rs.50,000 to Rs. 1 lakh per appearance, in court, and appearances may often last for just a few minutes. Similar fees are charged for rendering a legal opinion on a case. The advocate's juniors usually do most of the research and drafting work, and the senior formulates opinions and arguments. Since each appearance usually does not last very long, advocates can make a number of appearances for a quite a few different clients in each day. Naturally, one has to weigh this against much lesser pay (anything between Rs.2,000/- to Rs.8,000/- per month) in the early years. Law school is a great place to start laying the foundation stones of a successful practice, since you can make contacts and choose the right lawyers to work under here. Despite the fact that the amount that juniors are paid by their senior advocates is quite paltry, graduates from prestigious law schools often fare better in terms of the amount that senior advocates are willing to pay.
A peek into the mysterious word of litigation; through an article written by Jayanth Srinivasan. (Courtesy: Rainmaker)