There are numerous types of legal professions in India, and because the country has a hierarchical and complex legal system, there are many specializations. Every type of lawyer has his or her area of operation and deals with different problems and tasks. Moreover, the remuneration of these legal professionals may differ due to the nature of the specialization, experience, and region of the country. This extensive study is done about different categories of lawyers in India, their roles & responsibilities, and their possible revenues.
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1. Criminal Lawyers
Responsibilities:
Criminal lawyers play an important role in the legal department of the country. They help in defending individuals and organizations accused of criminal activities. Some of the roles of lawyers include offering legal advice to their clients, drafting legal documents, and bargaining of pleas. They also investigate, collect evidence, interview the witnesses, and make adequate defense strategies among other activities.
Salary:
Entry-level criminal lawyers may earn between INR 2 to INR 5 lakhs per annum. Further, with experience and reputation, criminal lawyers can earn INR 15-20 lakhs per annum or even more. Lawyers who successfully handle such cases can further increase their income and prominence primarily given the high-risk nature of such cases.
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2. Civil Lawyers
Responsibilities:
Civil lawyers work in cases that involve people and entities of society through cases that do not fall under crimes. These disputes could be in the area of property, contract, divorce, child custody, etc. They frequently use mediation and arbitration for the resolution of the conflict out of the court. Civil lawyers require knowledge of civil law, business-like negotiation skills, and good analytical skills to obtain solutions to legal issues.
Salary:
The initial pay of civil lawyers ranges between INR 3-6 lakhs per annum. As they gain experience and expertise, their salaries may rise up to INR 10-20 lakhs per annum. Corporate lawyers, personal injury lawyers lawyers practicing in specialized courts, or lawyers working in large law firms can earn even more.
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3. Corporate Lawyers
Responsibilities:
Corporate lawyers are usually referred to as corporate counsels and they focus more on business law. The main responsibilities of corporate lawyers are preparing general and special contracts, contracts review, mergers and acquisitions, compliance, and litigation for companies. Corporate lawyers are the legal advisors who protect a company from legal threats, reduce legal liabilities, and facilitate business processes.
Salary:
Corporate lawyers are often paid considerably more than lawyers specializing in other fields because of the increased difficulty and the consequences that can stem from corporate law cases. Salaries start from INR 6-10 lakhs per annum for corporate lawyers who are fresh to the industry. They can earn as much as INR 15-30 lakhs per annum or even more with experience.
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4. Intellectual Property (IP) Lawyers
Responsibilities:
IP lawyers, as the name implies, conduct practice in the area of IP and deal particularly with patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. Some of their functions include helping clients to file for registration of their intellectual property, representing them in court against infringement, and advising clients on how to optimize returns on their assets which are in the form of intellectual property.
Salary:
IP lawyers are valued by firms because of the high demand in sectors such as technology, pharmaceutical, entertainment etc. The starting salary may range between INR 5-8 lakhs per annum while a lawyer with significant experience and specialization may earn around INR 15- 25 lakhs per annum or more.
5. Family Lawyers
Responsibilities:
Family lawyers solve legal problems that involve families including divorce cases, child support, spousal support, and adoption. Family lawyers offer legal advice, help solve conflicts and act on behalf of a party in a family law case. Their duties include preparing legal documents, reaching settlements, and counseling the clients in such times.
Salary:
The starting pay for family lawyers is around INR 3-7 lakhs per annum. Depending on the work experience, they are capable of earning between 10-20 lakhs per annum. Lawyers with significant reputations and skills can earn more.
6. Environmental Lawyers
Responsibilities:
Environmental lawyers may specifically deal with laws and regulations in the environmental area. Some of the employment areas of lawyers are cases related to pollution and conservation, and legal matters concerning environmental laws. The role of environmental lawyers involves working with various government organizations, non-governmental organizations, and even firms to uphold environmental laws and lobby for environmentally friendly practices.
Salary:
Environmental law can be considered as a developing branch in the Indian legal system due to rising consciousness about the environment. Fresh environmental lawyers can earn between INR 4 lakhs and INR 8 lakhs in a year. The experienced and specialized professionals in this sector may receive between INR 12-20 lakhs per annum.
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7. Tax Lawyers
Responsibilities:
Tax lawyers have a specific focus on taxes and taxation laws. Some of them assist people and companies in comprehending the tax legislation, defend their clients’ rights in disputes with tax agencies, and offer counsel on how to manage taxes properly. Thus, tax lawyers ought to be aware of the newly enacted taxes and have a full appreciation of both domestic and international taxes. Some of the tasks that these lawyers perform are the formulation of tax statements, consultation on taxes, and even representation in legal cases concerning taxes.
Salary:
The skills of tax lawyers are considered valuable due to their knowledge of the taxation laws and their ability to translate them into practice. The salaries of junior tax lawyers range between INR 5-8 lakhs per annum. After gaining some experience, their income can go up to INR 15-25 lakhs per annum. Employees who work with top law firms or multinational companies may earn even more.
Conclusion on Types of Lawyers in India
Therefore, there is a great and rich opportunity for specialization of the legal profession in India. The responsibilities, as well as the salaries, depend upon the selected branch. Criminal lawyers defend criminal suspects in court while corporate lawyers advise firms that operate in different parts of the world. While beginning with the practice of law, the initial salaries could be comparatively low, but with experience and knowledge, a person can be satisfied with the legal profession.
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