If there ever was a profession that evolves with time, it’s the legal field. In the last decade alone, we have seen many new fields like Entertainment law and Bankruptcy law come into prominence. Students who have an inclination for such courses of study, have a lot of job opportunities. Dr Ambuj Kumar tells you that law has had a makeover and students should benefit the maximum
From Mahatma Gandhi to Barak Obama, law professionals emerged as the top influencers in the 20th and also in the 21st century. After the globalisation of trade and economy, law is one of the most sought-after career options for today’s youth. Opportunities for law graduates are enormous as they are in demands of the society and industries too. Be it the judiciary, corporate governance or business consulting firms, law professionals work in the top level of every big and midsized organisation.
If one is fuelled with dedication, hard work and determination then no obstacle can stop him or her in achieving that dream job which brings name, fame and huge earnings. But, don’t forget to polish your written as well as verbal communication skills and develop an aptitude for analytical reasoning. If you are willing to carve a distinct niche for yourself then start grooming your personality from day 1. When you become a law graduate, you will be conferred upon with many challenges and responsibilities in your selected law fields.
At this point, you are faced with a quandary — which fields of law should you choose to make a career inIJ Today, law is not restricted to courts and corporate, it is widening with the development and changes in the society and business. Thirty years back no one would have ever imagined that there would be lucrative career options in the Cyber law and Entertainment law fields. But the times they are changing everyday.
The growth of ‘law’ as a subject and career option is directly proportional to the advancement in human society. Alike victims of crime and atrocity, law expert in this era are advocating for the rights of gays and transgenders. Therefore, it is totally depends on the interests and inclinations of a law student that in which field he/she going to start their career.
In the current scenario, there are many new fields under law that has been introduced. This opens up the opportunities for law students.
Admiralty (Maritime)
This branch of law deals in marine trade issues pertaining to regulation of economic transactions and property disputes. But, one should not get confused with the law of the Sea that comes under international public law.
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy law includes issues like insolvency of individuals and businesses as per the constitution of India to save the people from crisis. In India, there are two Acts that govern insolvency: the Presidency Towns Insolvency Act, 1909 (PTIA), and Provincial Insolvency Act, 1920 (PIA). The PTIA is applicable in Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, while the rest of the country comes under PIA.
Business
It is one of the most favourite law fields for youth these days because of the high remuneration and good monetary rewards. Corporate law as the name depicts deals in legal aspects of corporate such as mergers and acquisitions, industrial relations and settling legal disputes with competitors.
Civil Rights
This field deals with ensuring the constitutional rights of the civilians and social groups. A lawyer in this specialised area protects victims against discrimination and maltreatment based on colour, race, origin, caste or religion.
Criminal
Advocates of this particular field save the society from illegal practices of criminals and law perpetrators. He/she understands better what is legal and what is illegal as per the constitution of the country. Both prosecution and defence are the expertise of criminal lawyers.
Entertainment
This is one of the most evolving law field in the present time. Entertainment law mainly tackles the issues such as Intellectual Property Right (IPR) and licensing in industries like films, music and television.
Health
This field is all about legislations related to health care. Health advocates protect the rights of patients, clinics, insurance firms, hospitals and doctors. Besides these, other prominent fields are Environmental law, Property law, Family law, labour law and International law.
The writer is director, Institute of Professional Studies and Research