Advocate - How to become an Advocate

Who is an Advocate?

An advocate is someone who openly promotes an idea or a cause. An advocate in the legal system represents his client in a court of law. An advocate is the most crucial component of every country's legal system. Through his arguments, he is exclusively accountable for presenting the case and bringing justice to the victim. The facts and arguments offered by him are used by the court of law to render its decision. He has the ability and abilities to either build or wreck a case out of thin air. Because of the critical function he performs in the judicial system, an advocate is often known as an officer of the court.

The advocate develops the case outline only after meeting with the client and learning the specifics of the issue. The final paperwork is created only after properly reviewing the facts and analyzing the relevant legal restrictions. It is the advocate's responsibility to arrange the facts so that they build a solid case in favor of the client.

How to be an Advocate? - Eligibility

Step 1: A Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB)

To become an advocate in India, a person must first obtain his bachelor's degree in law, i.e., LLB (Legum Baccalaureus). A bachelor's degree in law can be completed in three or five years.

a) Three-year program - After graduating, one can pursue a three-year bachelor's degree in the law program. To be eligible for this program, the candidate must have at least a 50% grade point average.

b) A five-year program - After completing his 10+2, a candidate can immediately enroll in a five-year bachelor's degree program. CLAT is one of the most common admission exams for this program (Common Law Admission Test). By passing CLAT, he would be able to get admission to the state's famous NLUs (National Law Universities).

Step 2: Join the State Bar Council

The final step in becoming an advocate is to join one of the State Bar Councils governed by the Advocates Act of 1961. Each state has its own registration procedure. After completing the registration process, the candidate must pass the All India Bar Examination (AIBE). The Bar Council of India administers the test, and successful candidates receive a certificate of practice. The test is designed to measure fundamental analytical ability and legal knowledge.

Criteria for Advocacy Enrollment (As per Section 24 of the Advocates Act)

A person is qualified to be enrolled as an advocate if he meets the following requirements:

(a) He is an Indian national. Provided, however, that a native of any other country may practice only if Indians are permitted to practice in that country;

(b) He has attained the age of 21;

(c) He holds a bachelor's degree in law;

(d) He has paid the requisite stamp duty under the Indian Stamp Act of 1899, as well as an enrolment fee due to the State Bar Council. He must pay 600 rupees to the State Bar Council and 150 rupees to the Bar Council of India. If the individual belongs to a Scheduled Caste or Tribe, he must pay one hundred rupees to the State Bar Council and twenty-five rupees to the Bar Council of India.

The Enrolment Committee of the Council will review the candidate's application. Candidates who match the requirements are chosen to represent SBC in their respective roles. To qualified applicants who desire to be registered as advocates, SBC gives a Certificate of Enrolment.

What exactly does an advocate do?

Through their legal expertise, professionals in this industry assist clients in managing and understanding legal difficulties. Though their responsibilities vary depending on their area of expertise, most advocates do the following tasks:

• Compile and file legal paperwork with relevant courts or agencies.
• Perform considerable study on the subject at hand and offer the court all documents and evidence necessary for a conclusion.
• Help police and detectives with investigations and preparation for trials, mediations, and other events.
• Notify the authorities of any complaint against a court official in order to maintain and strengthen the judicial system.
• Teach and train new attorneys and undertake legal research while adhering to court etiquette and good behavior with opponents and colleagues.

Advocate - Career Scope

A recent law graduate has various possibilities in today's market. From the start of his profession, an advocate can practice privately and independently. He can also specialize as a criminal lawyer, a civil lawyer, a business lawyer, an income tax lawyer, and so on.

Beginners can also join the chamber of older attorneys to obtain practical experience and expertise.

As an advocate, you can also work in government. Bypassing the state judicial services test, one can enter the judicial profession. This might lead to him becoming a Civil Judge or a Judicial Magistrate.

There are various alternatives in the private sector. One can work as a legal counsel at a law firm and get a nice salary for it. Banks are also hiring advocates to handle their claims these days. The activists' overall job is highly intriguing and inspiring.

Advocates in India have a promising future, but they must dedicate themselves to the field in order to attain perfection.

Skills Required to be an Effective Advocate

a) Language proficiency - One of the advocate's most important skills is his or her ability to manipulate words. To succeed in the sector, an advocate must have a strong mastery of the language. He must be able to articulate himself in court in order to persuade the judge of his point of view on the subject.

b) Oratory abilities - A competent orator is required for an advocate. He must understand when to use which tone of voice, how to handle voice modulation, how to appeal to the judge's emotions, and so on. Being a good orator is not for everyone. Being a good orator takes years of practice and self-confidence.

c) The Three A's - Attitude, Aptitude, and Analytical Skills These characteristics enable the advocate to study legal issues and reach a firm decision.

d) Reading Practice - All advocates and attorneys must develop a reading habit. Their reading should be primarily centered on law, but students should also learn about history, sociology, politics, and so on. An advocate should be a voracious reader who enjoys reading as a hobby. A lawyer's principal source of knowledge is reading multiple books, papers, journals, and so on.

e) Persistence - In the early years of practice, an advocate may face several challenges in terms of time management, workload, and so on, but he must be patient in order to obtain the results that he deserves. The continuous struggle for 5-7 years is essential to become a good lawyer.

f) Collaboration / Teamwork - When activists join together, they achieve incredible results. When working with a specific case as a team, they must put their egos aside in order to provide a better client outcome. Working in a group simplifies the case. That is why activists are banding together as associates and operating as a team these days.

(g) Emotional Intelligence - Clients who come to the advocate require emotional support. They should be satisfied that the advocate has fully comprehended their predicament. On the other hand, his colleague needs self-respect and understanding in order to do well.

h) Financial Awareness - Every private advocate is going about his or her business. Every case includes money in some way. As a result, the advocate should be financially literate in order to prevent undercharging or overcharging clients.

(i) Technological Aptitude - To compete with today's age, the advocate must be digitally savvy. All cases, judgments, statutes, and writings are now available online. To have access to all of those, the advocate must be equipped with the necessary technologies.

j) Time Scheduling - To fulfill deadlines, whether in practice, corporate, or the real world, the advocate must understand time management. Time management ensures that everyday tasks go well and that there is enough time to accomplish things other than work.

Advantages of becoming an advocate-

Here are some of the perks of being an advocate:

Rewarding Profession - Choosing from a number of professional pathways in the public and private sectors is one of the many benefits of being an advocate. After passing the bar exam, you can pursue the specialization of your choice. Domestic law, family law, commercial law, corporate law, bankruptcy law, immigration law, criminal prosecution, and estate planning are just a few examples. You can also work with businesses or as a lone practitioner if you have varied legal skills.

Intellectual Advancement - As an advocate, you are likely to experience a variety of mental problems on a regular basis. This may require understanding complex legal theories and predicting possible results for your clients. When you practice law, you employ your mental talents, such as logical thinking and cognitive analysis, every day to help your clients solve difficulties. Because each case is unique, you may utilize your analytical talents to analyze, conjecture, hypothesize, and formulate strategies to assist clients in winning cases.

How much does a Lawyer make?

If you're thinking about a career in the legal field, you might be wondering, "How much does an advocate make?" An advocate's annual pay is 5-10 Lakhs (approximately). Licensed advocates who are on a state's rolls may practice anywhere in the country. An advocate may practice in all states, including the Supreme Court, according to the legislation. The actual wage is determined by a variety of criteria, including geography, educational credentials, years of experience, and talents.