JOIN USCareers in criminal justice
A criminal defence lawyer represents an individual or a group of alleged offenders as their defense counsel in various courts including the Sessions Courts, the High Court and the Supreme Court. Lawyers who are part of the prosecution team defend the state and their duty is to see that the guilty are brought to book.
Anurag Kumar, a New Delhi-based Supreme Court advocate, says: “Criminal Law practice is interesting because each case is unique; the application of criminal law is based on facts of the case.”
Course details
Students who wish to specialise in criminal law must have a Bachelor’s degree in law. They may then follow this up with a Master’s degree in Criminology. An LLB course is typically a three-year degree or a five-year integrated Honors course in India.
Some of the colleges that offer a Bachelor’s degree in law are:
* National Law School of India University, Bangalore
* Symbiosis Law College, Pune
* Faculty of Law, Delhi University
* ILS Law College, Pune
* NALSAR, Hyderabad
* Mumbai University Law College Colleges in India that offer a Master’s in Criminal Law include:
* Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University, Chennai
* National Law Institute, University Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
* Faculty of Law, Delhi University
* NALSAR, University of Law, Hyderabad
* Faculty of Law, Pune University
A Master’s course in Criminal Law covers specific topics such as Criminal Law, Specific Crimes, Criminal Law — Practice & Procedure, Code or Criminal Procedure, Criminology, Criminal Jurisprudence Concepts, Criminal Jurisprudence — Theory of Law, Human Rights Law (Part of Criminal Law) and Law of Evidence in India.
To become a prosecution lawyer, one needs to have at least seven to 10 years of experience as a defence counsel. One is then graded based on performance and chosen by the state government to work as:
* Government Advocate
* Government Pleader
* Standing Counsel
* Additional Public Prosecutor.
To be chosen as Advocate General of the State, one needs at least 10 years of experience. Criminal Law graduates can either join a legal firm after giving the Bar exam or start their own practice. They work at the Trial Court, Sessions Court or the High Court. A good way to get ahead would be to work for a reputed firm or lawyer.
Remuneration: A law graduate who joins a legal firm can expect a salary of Rs 5,000 to 7,000 a month. One who opts to work under a senior lawyer may not earn as much in the beginning as payments are made on a case-by-case basis.
Work is challenging and interesting in equal measure, says Tripti Shetty, a Mumbai-based criminal lawyer. “Criminal Law can be a tough career. One should master the art of cross-examination, understand the psyche and the emotional state of the witness, and know not only what to ask but also what not to ask,” she explains.
One must also be skilled in negotiation and handling litigation. Counselling skills are a must. A sharp memory, legal acumen and an analytical mind are definite plus points.
Most students choose to do internships while pursuing their degrees. They enroll for part-time work with enforcement agencies, NGOs, forensic labs, investigative agencies or even a law firm.
There are several specialisations that postgraduates students of law can now pursue in India:
* Criminology and Forensic Science
* Human Rights
* Cyber Crime
* Domestic Violence
* Sexual Abuse
* Murder, robbery, theft and kidnapping
* Crime against Women
* Criminal Trial & Criminal Appeal
* Bail (Anticipatory & Regular), Criminal Revision, and Criminal Quashing
* Anti Hijacking Matters & Anti Terrorist Matters