Fresh Lawyer - LPO or Law Firm?

LAW FIRM

Law Firm
 

indeed law firm

Understandably, and rightly so, the preference would be a law firm. Now the same question from a salary and progression point of view. For a fresh graduate, An LPO offers fixed working hours, good salary, better opportunities in terms of appraisal and promotions. Where does a law firm figure in all this? After I requested my friends to inquire if they have openings in law firms (I wanted to join one), from what I have heard from my friends in law firms, although no one debates on the value of the experience, their everyday routine is anything but respectable, which includes,

(Quoting my friends)

* You need to be lucky to get a good senior who is willing to teach you.

*. ...working 12-14 hours a day, with no respect, getting shouted at by the judge, senior advocate for no apparent mistake, put up with seniority of law members, and above all that, all of this for as low as 10K-15K.

* Forget learning anything for the first six months

* why do you wanna join a law firm. are you crazy?

*. Do you have someone in law firm? Things will be easier for you then.

* WIthout work experience, you'll have to sweat it out at a lawyer for around a couple of years and then MAYBE some corporate will pick you up.

This is only meant to deepen the conversation. I never had all this guidance at the time of my graduation so maybe some fresh law grad reading this forum will have both sides of the story to read from .

Dear Tushar,

First let us understand certain basics.  Getting into a law firm is also now a days not that easy.  Apart from having passed LLB, one has to exhibit real talent, and spark to be in a law Firm.  Law Firms are not meant for those 'Also passed LLB categories'.

Every lawyer worth his salt knows that lawyering is not a 9 to 5 job.  It is a tough job.  Each day and each case would present different scenarios and call for hard research to put up a strong fight - if it relates to litigation.  Similarly deep research is necessary for rendering advisory services also.

It is for the self respecting lawyers to learn the ropes, rather than expecting the senior to teach.  Senior is there to extract the work and not for teaching.  At best he would only guide you.  It is not a class room atmosphere.

What do you mean by respect.  Respect will come to any one who has knowledge, who works hard and gains experience in the field.  It is not just enough to say that I am a LLB qualified person but do not possess any thorough domain knowledge in the subject, and yet expect respect.   The more one does original work, the more experience one gains and that in turn earns respect for him.  In short only the work will speak and not bookish knowledge.

You say getting shouted by a judge - when will a judge shout at you - only when you have not done your home work correctly - right?  Why should not one do the home work correctly - especially when the client pays you hefty amounts as fees?

Persons who say "Why do you want to be in a law firm - are you crazy?"  But have such persons left the law firm yet? If not, why not?

As regards "Do you have someone in law firm? Things will be easier for you then.".  All this means at the maximum is that the fellow already in the law firm would tip his friend that there is a vacancy, why don't you apply.  That is it.  Rest all is dependent upon the point 1 mentioned above. 

Coming to the part of salary - it is not at all correct to say that it is as low as 10K-15K.  There is a decent compensation in a law firm.

Ultimately, it is one's personal choice.  If some one wants to take life easy, and be satisfied with routine works, and run a 9-5 office time and make moderate income yes one can go for that.  But if others want to go through the grind in a Law Firm and emerge big, again it is their choice.

If any one decries the Law Firm work atmosphere, I would only say that at best it is the 'lament by the less worthy'.

HARD WORK NEVER GOES UNREWARDED.

Let the debate continue.

LPO means Legal process outsourcing. And "outsourcing" means " acquiring a product or service instead of producing it yourself". So, an LPO job requires one to work for companies of other countries. It is obvious that you will forget laws of this land but will be familiar with laws of other nation. 

A job has to give two types of satisfaction. Monetray and Professional. Basically an LPO job provides the first and and the law firm provides the latter. You cannot expect both types of satisfaction as a fresher. It is true after years of experience in law firm, one can gradually achieve monetary satisfaction also. But an LPO job never gives you professional satisfaction. 

I agree with all the negative points about law firm for a fresher. But unlike other "Professional " courses like Doctors or engineers, one can get a LLB degree with much cheaper rate. But the truth is it takes at least 5 years of "only" work and no recognition while practicing. It takes lots of dedication, hard work, patience to stand in the field of practicing. Other than this, we have seen law graduates from National law schools are absorbed by companies by campus recruitment itself which offer them  high end salaries too. But then, they would have paid lakhs of rupees as fees for their courses. They definitely will not accept practicing which looks unattractive, obviously.

I aggree with Mr.R.Ramachandran. He has given reply very well and in detail and rightly said

"HARD WORK NEVER GOES UNREWARDED" One should think about long term gain and shorterm gain. There is no short cut way to achive prestige, respect and hounou in the way of legal world.

The so called bitter? things and experience as listed by Tushar is every where in this world in any profession.

If anybody has real knowledge then s/hecan shine everywhere.

The LPO may give more monetary benefits initially but not all the times

The Law firm gives self respect, esteem, or simply say a profession, though it may give initially some bitter things. On later stages, it will give both monetary and profession.

So I am of the view, for freshers, Law firm is good.

The points made above indeed are strong points in favour of law firms. So LPO is good for money and not for experience and law firm is good for experience and MAYBE good for money (that is if you are hard working, talended, get enough experience, "go through the grind"). All these qualities that are attributed to lawyers is the same for every profession. Be it a CA, CS or an MBA. They all go through the grind too. But the end result for CA CS, MBA is assured jobs and a guaranteed future. Wheareas or lawyers, they have to just take the risk and stick to a law firm hoping that whatever they are learning will earn them dividends in later years. The points about the cheapest professional degree, and "very lawyer worth his salt knows that lawyering is not a 9 to 5 job.  It is a tough job.  Each day and each case would present...... is necessary for rendering advisory services also." are indeed valid points, are bang on the point and indeed a big plus for law firms.  NO doubt that the knowledge of my friends who are experienced in law firms is amazing and invaluable, but i see them working for a pittance. Does that mean that they are not talented or is it just sheer lack of opportunity.  The friends who do not have any family backing or god father in law firms are still struggling after more than 3+ years.  Whereas some of them who decided to join LPO are making as much as some of the well known lawyers in Mumbai make from their independent practice. It is this disparity that irks me.  It is this big "if .." or "it depends" that baffles me when making a choic.

On the other hand, the biggest drawback is that my LPO friends are always under the perpetual threat of layoffs and "no project" days and have to depend entirely on US market forces for doc review projects. In fact, as far as I know, except for a few big LPOs, most of them are just one hit wonders and end up laying off people once their projects are done.  LPOs offer amazing money and growth as long as there are projects. But once they are gone, you are left with years of useless experience. Whereas in law firms, whatever you do is indeed a whole new experience in itself. The debate goes on.

Mr. Tushar,

for those who want to start their won practice ,it is always advisable to enter into a law firm. it is only here that a fresher will learn the practicle aspects , actual procedures,dealing with clients and the staff of the court.slowly you will be recognised as practising advocate and you can have your won clients in the long run. In LPO you will be simply an employee with proffesional degree.

Dear Tushar,

During the it boom all students ran behind the money.  That was the time when lpo's born.  Many law students did choose to join lpos for the sake of money.  Those who joined earlier are having experience in their cv's which is not considered as 'experience' by any other company or industry except lpo.  Now a days students got realised and even not attending to walk in interviews of top lpo's.  For this, many lpo's are conducting walkin interviews, at metros other than where they have established offices, for recruiting law graduates.  Best examples are quislex, cpa global.  Law graduates who have even one year experience with a law firm are given priority at corporate company interviews.  You are right that world is looking at law graduates of india.  The time is at our forefront when indian advocates get priority to be employed by western companies/ multinationals.

If you are willing to work as an vendor in the future then LPO is not a bad option. One can work  at max 2 years in an LPO gain the knowledge an start working as an smallvendor.

Once you start working as small vendor and capable enough to handle small projects which makes you capable of earning your bread and butter , you can enter into Indian litigation and simaltaneously work in both the fields.

Not a tough job, i am working same as  i mentioned above and i am happy.

Gagan

I think the LPO firm is good for fresh lawyers both in salary ponit of view and form experience/working point of view.

Regards

Pashyanti

 every fresher has different capecity some wants to join l.p.o and some law firm.

and now  a days the working style of both sector r similar.

so, better go there where is mental satisfaction.

but my choice law firm.