'Law' is the major part of our constitution. Law is one of the popular fields of education and there has always been great enthusiasm among students to become a lawyer. Legal studies are in contact with almost every area of human life, reaching issues related to economics, politics, human rights, environment, business, trade and international relations.

Also Read: What is the pattern of CLAT?

The law education in India is a three-year degree program. This three-year degree program is called LLB (Bachelor of Laws), LLB is an abbreviation for Latin word ‘Legum Baccalaureus’. For further education or post-graduation, students go for LLM (Master of Laws) which is an acronym for ‘Legum Magister’. The admission into law college in India is through Common Law Admission Test (CLAT). Some colleges conduct their own entrance tests.

There are broadly two options available to pursue law degree in India-

• Undergraduate: This is a three-year LLB degree, which one can do after graduation i.e. BA/BSc/B.Com etc. LLB is a professional degree.
• Integrated Law: One can do a five-year integrated law course directly after class 12^th. There are many course choices like BA LLB/BBA LLB/B.Com LLB/BSc LLB/B. Tech LLB.

Now we’ll look at the process of getting our name enrolled in a prosperous foreign university to get a degree in law.

• A majority of foreign universities take into consideration the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score of the candidate. LSAT exam tests reading comprehension, logical, and verbal proficiency.
• One must also give an exam of English proficiency like IELTS or TOEFL.
• Entrance in a renowned university depends not only on entrance exams but also on the extra-curricular activities and overall personality of the candidate.

The type of law degree which an individual can pursue varies with the countries. In the US, Canada, and Japan you can pursue a three-year Judicial Degree (JD) often called Juris Doctor (JD) and then afterward you may go for a one-year post-graduate degree called LLM (Masters of Law). In the UK, Australia and New Zealand, you can study an undergraduate law degree called LLB (Bachelor of Law) and then go for masters.

Now let us look at some pros and cons of studying legal studies abroad. Firstly, why pursuing law abroad is better than India?

Read Also: What are the different course options for further study after completing LLB?

1. A vast majority of Indian law schools lack encouraging critical thinking and independent reading. The law schools in foreign countries motivate students towards critical thinking.
2. A majority of Indian law schools do not pay much attention to plagiarism in the journals submitted by law students. Producing original work is very important in a foreign university as your coursework is checked through a plagiarism This indicates the quality of legal education of countries abroad.
3. You get to study the law of the country you are studying in as well. This helps you greatly in future if you work in a large law firm which has branches in various countries.
4. The specializations of law offered in foreign law schools are much more than those offered in Indian law schools. LLM is of just one-year in most of the foreign universities as compared to two-year in India.
5. American and British law schools enjoy prestigious reputation worldwide. If you hold a law degree from an American or British law school then you will be welcomed to practice law in almost every nation.
6. Most of the law degree programs abroad allow students to join a law clinic. In these law clinics, students are put in real life situation and are asked to solve their client’s problem. This type of experience acts as a great asset for a law student’s career.
7. Studying legal studies in a foreign country ensure diversity of students, you interact with people of different nations, which enhances your communication skills.
8. You can choose to study a subject other than law also, which is unheard in India.

Now let us refer to some cons of studying law outside India

Read Also: What are the best colleges in Delhi to pursue Law? What is the procedure to get admission in them?

1. If you are planning to practice law and teach in India then you must not study abroad as the foreign law will produce a confusion.
2. Pursuing law from a foreign law school is highly expensive. You will get a burden of the loan on your head, but you can be lucky if you get a scholarship.
3. You get to study from renowned professors in a foreign country but those professors are not easily available when you come across doubts. Indian professors are in your reach most of the time.

These were some advantages and disadvantages of pursuing law from abroad. It depends on an individual’s priorities and interests that from where he/she wants to pursue law.

For further queries and related information, you can approach the Professional Experts at CareerGuide. Hope this will help you!