Master of Laws degree (LLM)

by Deepak Kumar

0 3285

Definition:

LLM means Master of Laws degree. This is a postgraduate law degree which is often chosen by law students who wish to make a career in one specific field of law, such as Banking law or Intellectual Property law. LLM degree is internationally recognized. But in order to practice law, a student must first get this professional degree and pass the bar exam or equivalent test. Hence, the LLM simply adds further qualifications to the candidate's already existing qualifications.

Duration and Eligibility:

Duration:

Course duration is now reduced from 2 years to 1 year.

Eligibility:

Qualification: Students must have obtained a degree in the stream law or social science.

Marks: Students must secure at least 55% in aggregate on graduation in law.

Age limit: There is no age limit for pursuing an LLM degree.

Note: Certain seats are reserved or are allocated to Foreign Nationals.

Admission Procedure:

1) The intake for the LLM Degree Program varies depending upon the institute.

2) The admission procedure may differ but the screening is based on the merit of the candidate.

3) Generally, Universities offering LL.M. course conduct an Entrance Test for admission to the program.

4) Some of the entrance exams are CLAT (Common Law Admission Test), AILET (All India Law Entrance Test) and LSAT (The Law School Admission Test) etc.

5) However, some Universities (like the National Law University, Delhi) conduct their own admission test.

6) The best way to get into this is to clear "The Law School Admission Test", which is already mentioned.

Top LLM college/university in India:

a) National Law University, Delhi

b) NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad

c) Gujrat National Law University, Gandhi Nagar

d) Faculty of Law-Banaras Hindu University, Uttar Pradesh

e) Army Institute of Law, Mohali

f) University of Mumbai, Mumbai

g) National Law School of India University - NLSUI Bangalore

Major areas of study:

Major specialization in LLM is given below:

a) Criminal Law

b) Constitutional Law

c) Taxation Law

d) Insurance Laws

e) Intellectual Property Law

f) Family Law

g) Corporate Law and Governance

h) Environmental Law

i) Human Rights

j) International Trade and Business Laws

k) Jurisprudence

Benefits of doing LLM:

1) LLM candidate can gain specialized knowledge through research in an area of Law.

2) An LL.M. candidate's degree enhances his/her repute as LLM degree.

3) Lawyers can easily find employment opportunities in both private and public sector.

4) It also signifies that a person is qualified to work in a multinational legal environment.

5) Lawyers can easily become an advocate and practice law as a profession.

Career Prospects after LLM:

After completing LLM, a candidate can become:

a) Magistrate

b) Advocate

c) Lawyer

d) Oath Commissioner

e) Notary

Salary of LLM Graduates:

The initial salary for an LLM graduate varies highly upon the sector they work in and the job profile they hold. Below is the average salary for the various job profiles:

Job Profile	Average Salary (in INR)
Notary	6 Lacs
Magistrate/Judge	10 - 12 Lacs
Advocate	6 - 7 Lacs
Oath Commissioner	1 - 3 Lacs
Legal Consultant/Associate	4.8 Lacs
Legal Document Reviewer	8 - 8.5 Lacs