Lawyers are skilled professionals who offer legal advice to their clients. They also prepare, manage and represent clients in court or before any government agencies. According to Payscale, the average salary of a Lawyer is INR 5.70 LPA. However, after gaining substantial years of experience, the salary of a Lawyer gradually increases to INR 7 LPA – 10 LPA.
Candidates who aspire to become a Lawyer; can pursue various undergraduate and postgraduate Law courses such as BA LLB, BCom LLB, BBA LLB etc from top law colleges in India. Admission to these courses is done on the basis of Law Entrance Exams such as CLAT, LSAT, SLAT and AILET. After completion of the course, candidates must register under the Bar Council of India to get a practising license. Read More: Salary of a Judge
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Salary of a Lawyer in India
Lawyers consult with their clients, study papers, and conduct research into the facts and the evidence before drafting and submitting pleadings in court. They present evidence, question witnesses, and engage in legal and factual debate during the trial. There are a number of factors determining the salary of a Lawyer such as years of experience, skills, academic qualifications, and location. Lawyers basically charge their fees according to their hearing dates. A fresh graduate charges around INR 600 - 1500 per appearance while candidates with experience charge around INR 5,000 - 10,000. The starting salary of a Lawyer is INR 2.02 LPA. Candidates with 5 - 9 years of experience make an average salary of INR 11.33 LPA. Location plays a very crucial role in determining the salary of a Lawyer. Read: Average Salary of a Lawyer
Candidates who are recruited in Law Firms or corporate firms earn a fixed salary between INR 3.50 LPA - 5 LPA. Some of the top law firms offering high salaries are Ernst & Young, Kohler, KPMG, Advaita Law, etc., which offer a monthly pay ranging between INR 50,000 - 1,20,000. Metropolitan cities in India such as Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi offer higher pay to lawyers. While lawyers across cities like Pune, and Chennai get 29% less than the national average.
Salary of a Lawyer: Company Wise
When calculating the average salary of a Lawyer, the company or law firm is to be kept in mind. Law firms like Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, Khaitan & Co, etc are some of the top reputed firms in India. Apart from that, candidates can also work under different lawyers and also start their immediate practice. However, self-practice may require some time to earn you a decent income.
Some of the top companies and their average salaries are tabulated below for your reference.
Name of the Company | Average Annual Salary (INR) |
---|---|
Delhi High Court | 3.60 L |
Khaitan & co. | 9.23 L |
Cyril Amarchand mangaldas | 10.11 L |
ICICI Bank | 6.78 L |
Private Practice | 6.00 L |
LawFirm.Com | 4.04 L |
Tata Consultancy Services | 5.61 L |
Tech Mahindra | 3.60 L |
Ernst & Young | 6.40 L |
ABC | 5.31 L |
Salary of a Lawyer: Skill Wise
Taking up Law as a profession requires candidates to possess certain skills that would benefit them in the long run. According to Upgrad, Corporate lawyers who have corporate governance skills are likely to earn 131% more than the average.
Some of the top skills and the salary structure is tabulated below for your reference.
Skills | Average Annual Salary (INR) |
---|---|
Legal Drafting | 4.30 L |
Client Interaction | 5.15 L |
Legal research | 6.00 L |
Legal Documentation | 4.00 L |
Litigation Case Management | 6.00 L |
Negotiation | 5.20 L |
Intellectual Property | 7.50 L |
Salary of a Lawyer: Specialization Wise
Lawyers are broadly classified into two major segregates namely Corporate Lawyers and Criminal Lawyers. These two are then further divided into various branches and sub-branches depending on the area of study. Some of the most common bifurcations of lawyers along with the average annual salary are tabulated below for your reference.
Specialization | Average Annual Salary (INR) |
---|---|
Environmental Lawyers | 5.56 L |
Family lawyers | 5.61 L |
Labour lawyers | 6.04 L |
Constitutional Lawyer | 7.56 L |
Intellectual Property Lawyers | 7.60 L |
Tax Lawyer | 6.00 L |
Criminal Lawyer | 5.40 L |
Public Interest Lawyer | 5.22 L |
Corporate Lawyer | 5,70 L |
Salary of a Lawyer: Experience Wise
The most important factor determining the salary of a Lawyer is experience. Freshers earn around INR 3 LPA - 4 LPA while candidates with experience of more than 5 years earn INR 8 LPA or even more. Some of the top lawyers in India charge around INR 4 L- 5 L per hearing. So, it is very clear, that lawyers with more years of relevant experience are paid more as compared to others.
Tabulated below is the salary of a Lawyer based on the years of experience gained.
Experience | Average Annual Salary (INR) |
---|---|
0 - 2 years | 3.02 L |
3 - 6 years | 6.00 L |
7 - 10 years | 10.20 L |
11 - 15 years | 24.00 L |
16 years & above | 37.00 L |
Salary of a Lawyer: City Wise
Location plays an important role in determining how much a lawyer makes. Some of the locations in India offer higher salaries than the national average. Some of the highest-paying cities include Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, and Bangalore.
Tabulated below is the salary of a Lawyer across different cities for your reference.
Name of the City | Average Annual Salary (INR) |
---|---|
Delhi | 5.70 L |
Pune | 5.67 L |
Mumbai | 7.19 L |
Hyderabad | 6.20 L |
Chandigarh | 7.70 L |
Bangalore | 8.00 L |
Kolkata | 6.08 L |
Salary of a Lawyer: Country Wise
The demand for lawyers is not just restricted to India but has wide demand and popularity globally as well. Some of the top-paying countries include the USA, UK, Australia, and Canada. The average salary of a Lawyer in different countries is tabulated below for your reference.
Country | Average Annual Salary (INR) |
---|---|
USA | 40.57 L |
UK | 47.92 L |
Australia | 54.50 L |
Canada | 60.63 L |
Germany | 66.62 L |
Japan | 54.88 L |
Skills Required to Become a Lawyer
In order to be a successful Lawyer, the candidate must possess the following set of skills which will be useful for them in the long run. Some of the skills are mentioned below for your reference.
Knowledge of Law | Knowledge of recent legal developments | Legal Drafting |
Negotiations | Contract Management | Client Interaction |
Corporate Governance Skills | Time Management | Communication skills |
Top Recruiters of Lawyers
The top companies that hire fresher, as well as experienced Lawyers, are given below for your knowledge.
Lucknow High Court | Delhi High Court | Khaitan & Co. |
Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan | Cyril Amarchand Managaldas | ICICI bank |
LexisNexis Legal | Anand & Anand | Supreme Court of India |
Salary of a Lawyer: FAQs
Ques. What do Lawyers do?
Ans. The duties of a Lawyers include:
- Protect their client’s rights while upholding the law
- Draft legal documents
- Conduct legal research and gather evidence
- Counsel their clients in a professional manner
Ques. How many types of Lawyers are there?
Ans. There are many branches of Lawyer:
- Corporate Lawyer
- Divorce Lawyer
- Civil Rights Lawyer
- Public Defender
Ques. What are the skills required to be a Lawyer?
Ans. The skills required to become a Lawyer in India are
- Communication skills
- Rational thinking
- Time Management
- Research skills
- Problem-solving skills
Ques. Who are the top recruiters for Lawyers?
Ans. Some of the top recruiters for Lawyer are
- Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co.
- AZB & Partners
- Khaitan & Co.
- J Sagar Associates
Ques. What are the course fees to become a Lawyer?
Ans. The course fees to pursue Lawyer courses in India are around INR 50000- 1.50 lakh per semester. It is also dependent on which course he is pursuing and the institution whether government or private. The course fees are comparatively less in government colleges than in private colleges.
Ques. Which are the entrance exams to appear in order to get admission to top law colleges?
Ans. The entrance exams for getting admission to top law colleges are :
- DUET
- CLAT
- LSAT
- SLAT
Ques. Is any internship experience required to become a Lawyer?
Ans. Yes, internship experience is required to become a Lawyer. However, it is not compulsory but it is preferred that candidates have some practical understanding of the role. The candidate can pursue an internship while pursuing a Lawyer course or they could opt to do it afterwards.
Ques. Can a student from an arts background become a Lawyer?
Ans. YES, a student from an arts background cannot pursue a course in Law. Candidates who have completed 12th in any stream can pursue their career as a lawyer.
Ques. Can we pursue a Lawyer course from distance learning?
Ans. No, recently, BCI has released a notification that candidates who have pursued law from a distance cannot practice.
Ques. What is the highest salary of a Lawyer?
Ans. According to Glassdoor, the highest salary of a Lawyer can range between INR 10 L- 16 LPA.
Ques. What is a Lawyer’s Salary in India?
Ans. The salary of a Lawyer in India ranges between INR 1 LPA - 8.80 LPA, with an average annual salary of INR 3.55 LPA.