Law rules all human activities

The significance of law lies in the fact that there is no part of human activities- family, social, business, road, religion, property- outside the boundary of law. Everyone has a vague idea of what is right or wrong in what he does.

Law as a career

There is hardly anyone who never needed services of a lawyer in one matter or the other. Hence, the legal career is gaining importance. Many people consider that  law means criminal law. However, with growing complexity of human activities, the scope of law has widened. Now we have specialists in Intellectual rights, patents and trade marks, consumer rights, human rights etc. The computer aided crimes have given rise to Cyber Law. Apart from regular LL.B. degree, there are diploma courses in company Law, Taxation and Cyber Law. Thus the career in Law seems to be promising.

The legal career needs language skills

The lawyers in taxation, company law and other fields find it difficult to draft appeals and other legal correspondence for want of adequate language skills. Law is a bunch of Acts passed by parliament and state legislatures. The language of law is complicated. There are long complex sentences and paragraphs. Each section is to be read together with other provisions in same act and other acts. It is essential that anyone aspiring to be an eminent lawyer must first gain proficiency in English. English is the principal language in which the bills are drafted and passed in parliament. The Hindi and other language versions are translated. The English version is considered more authentic in case of any disparity. Howsoever knowledgeable a lawyer may be, he cannot properly understand legal complications if he is unable to interpret legal provisions. It is next to impossible to interpret law unless one is excellent in grammar. Apart from understanding provisions of law, legal drafting requires good language skill and knowledge of grammar. Even a small mistake in drafting will convey different meaning and the client may lose case. All those who intend to enter the legal profession should give special attention to grammar and language skills.

Current events and newspapers

The Law students should read newspapers and other materials keeping in view legal aspect. Almost every event reported in newspaper is related to law. Newspapers contain news of crimes, divorces, family break ups, various disputes etc. The students should carefully read between the lines and particularly study the court news. They should also avail opportunity to visit courts.

How to study acts and various legal provisions

All acts particularly those concerning economic matters and taxation prescribe certain forms. The students as well as practioners must carefully read these forms along with relevant section/ rule. The law is clearer if read along with forms. Submission of various forms at prescribed periods or on certain occasions is an important part of legal practice. Secondly, every act/ rules contain provisions of punishment/ penalties. These may be imprisonment, fine, penalty or some other disadvantage like confiscation of property, document etc. Apart from reading forms, the lawyers as well as law students must make out a list of crimes, offenses, defaults for which punishment/ fine/ penalty/ any other action is contemplated. A client will consult a lawyer for help in submitting forms/ returns and for remedy against punishments. In fact law is nothing but a set of obligations- positive or negative- breach of which leads to punishments. Protecting clients against punishment is the essence of legal  practice. A complainant may need lawyer’s service for enforcing punishment on his adversary. The rules are same.

Law is ever changing

The legal provisions are constantly changing. The parliamentary and state assembly sessions constantly pass new acts or amend existing law. A law student and practioners must keep abreast of  proceedings of  parliament and state legislatures.

Logic and oratory

Every lawyer and law student will find it advantageous to develop debating skills. The legal process is nothing but settlement of disputes. Every case has two or more parties with divergent interests. So, skill of logic, debate and persuasion will be of great advantage

Concluding remarks

As law is very vast subject, detailed discussion is not feasible. An outline of action and requisite qualities of a law professional has only been indicated. .It is expected that the young lawyers and law students will find this discussion of some value.