Lawyer Salary In India

Average Lawyer Salary in India

Lawyers generally charge per appearance, and hence figuring out their salary is tricky. However, they also get hired by corporates, law firms and government sectors and earn fixed salaries.

A fresh litigation lawyer may charge around INR 500 per appearance. In contrast, an experienced lawyer may charge anywhere between INR 5-10 lakhs.

The salary of lawyers also depends upon the area of specialization post LLB degree. Let us look at the lawyer's salary  depending on their sector, experience, qualification and designation in India.

Salary of a Lawyer: Sector Wise

Lawyers' salary depends on the public versus private sector. Do you know that the top lawyers in India charge up to INR 25 to 30 lakhs per hearing?

Both public and private sector companies need to protect themselves from legal hassles, and they have a strong team of legal advisors, consultants and counsels. One can join at different levels, gain experience and climb the ladder.

Let us look at the top employers in both sectors and the average salary they pay.

Public Sector Lawyer (Average Annual Salary)

• Delhi Metro Rail Corporation(DMRC)  - INR 7 -10 lakhs

• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) - INR 12-16 lakhs

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) - INR 13 - 16 lakhs

• Union Public Service Commission of India (UPSC) - INR 10 -14 lakhs

• NHRCL - INR 8-12 lakhs

Private Sector Lawyer

• Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) - INR 9-12 lakhs

• Canara Bank - INR 13-15 lakhs

• Tata Motors - INR 10-12 lakhs

• Indian Oil - INR 18-20 lakhs

• Adani Group - INR 12 lakhs

• Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd - INR 12 lakhs

• Amazon - INR 9-10 lakhs

Salary of a Lawyer: Specialization Wise

During LLB and higher studies in the law field, you need to specialize in a particular area to become an expert. The legal field is vast, and it requires a lot of study and research, not only while pursuing a degree but also at the time of practice.

Hence, it becomes crucial to carefully identify and choose your specialization as it decides how much you earn and grow. While there is a good scope in traditional fields such as civil and criminal law, there is a lot of demand and earning opportunities in new areas such as corporate law, tax law and cyber law.

The below list provides average annual compensation based on specialization.

• Tax Law - INR 7-9 lakhs

• Civil Law - INR 4-5 lakhs

• Criminal Law - INR 5-7 lakhs

• Corporate Law - INR 10-12 lakhs

• Labor Law - INR 3-5 lakhs

• Intellectual Property Law - INR 5-7 lakhs

• International Law - INR 5-6 lakhs

• Human Rights Law - INR 3-5 lakhs

• Cyber Law  - INR 4- 6 lakhs

Salary of a Lawyer: Qualification Wise

The salary of the lawyers also depends on the kind of qualifications they possess and the university they graduated from. If someone has an LLB degree from one of India's reputed National Law Schools, their earnings would be higher than a private college graduate. 

Similarly, lawyers who have gained expertise and acquired exposure in higher studies and research like a Postgraduate degree or a Doctorate in Law, their salary is higher than an LLB graduate. Let us look at the average salary of lawyers depending on the qualification they possess.

• Bachelors of Laws (LLB) - INR 3-4 lakhs

• Integrated LLB ( BA LLB/BSc LLB/BCom LLB) - INR 3- 5 lakhs

• Master of Laws (LLM) - INR 5-7 lakhs

• Doctorate/PhD in Laws ( LLD) - INR 5 - 7 lakhs

Salary of a Lawyer: Experience Wise

The legal profession is unique in terms of salary variance in terms of experience. Your fees keep increasing with the knowledge and reputation you earn in the legal fraternity.

While a fresher may charge  INR 500 per hearing, someone with 5 to 10 years of experience and a name in the industry charge INR 5 lakhs per hearing.  

There is no limit to what one can earn once they are a seasoned advocate appearing in top profile cases. The per appearance fees can exceed INR 50 lakhs to one crore.

Let us look at the average salary of Lawyers depending on their experience.

• 0 - 5 yrs. experience- INR 3-4 lakhs

• 5 - 10 yrs. experience - INR 5-8 lakhs

• 10 - 15 yrs. experience - INR 6- 9 lakhs

• 15 - 20 yrs. experience - INR 14- 20 lakhs

• 20+ yrs. experience - INR 40 lakhs 1.5 crores

Salary of a Lawyer: Designation Wise

Lawyers have different profiles; their job is not limited to representing someone in the court. They can work as legal advisors, teachers, researchers, company secretaries, etc. 

After gaining specific experience, they can also become eligible to apply for the role of magistrate and become Judge.  The earning prospects range depending on the designation and profile you choose.

Here is the average annual salary of lawyers based on designations:

• Law lecturers/Professors - INR 5- 6 lakhs

• Legal Advisor - INR 10-12  lakhs

• Public Prosecutor - INR 14-18 lakhs

• Advocate - INR 6 -8 lakhs

• Company Secretary - INR 16-20 lakhs

• ParaLegal Expert - INR 3- 4 lakhs

• Law Associate - INR 3 - 5 lakhs

Top Recruitment for Lawyers

Once you become a lawyer, you can work in all major sectors, including private companies, public sector organizations and private law firms. All major business houses need legal experts, and hence the job opportunities have grown manifold.

Here are some top recruiters in this field:

• State Bank of India

• TCS

• Amazon

• Indian Army JAG

• Union Public Services Commission of India (UPSC)

• Luthra & Luthra Law firm

• Reserve Bank of India

• Tata Motors

• Adani Group

• Canara Bank

• Tata Motors

• Khaitan Legal Firm

• Trilegal Firm

Advantages and Disadvantages of Becoming a Lawyer in India

Here are a few pros and cons of becoming a lawyer.

Advantages

• Financial Stability

• Creative field, you will never get bored.

• Respectable profession

• Excellent growth opportunities

• You can work in any sector and choose from a range of profiles

• The workload reduces as you gain experience; in contrast, your earnings increase exponentially.

Disadvantages

• A demanding role requires research and patience, and you will need to put in long hours and hard work.

• Lawyers need to keep themselves updated with changing technologies, which means more study.

• It can be challenging to earn in the initial stages of your career.

Conclusion

The lawyer’s profession is one of the most respectable professions in India. You get an opportunity to represent your clients and clear them away from legal liabilities.

There are many specializations to choose from, like criminal law, corporate law, human rights law, labor law, cyber law, etc.

You can start practicing after a bachelor's degree in law and gain relevant experience to make a promising career in the legal field. The salary and growth prospects are immense once you gain experience and expertise. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is a lawyer's salary in India?

There are no fixed salaries for litigation lawyers. However, one can earn a decent salary by joining a legal firm, public or private sector company.  A lawyer can get an average starting salary of 4-5 lakhs.

Q2. Are lawyers rich in India?

The earnings of lawyers depend on various factors, including their specialization, experience, the firm they work for and so on. While a fresh graduate in law may not earn much,  there are a lot of opportunities to get a good salary and grow in their field. Some of the top lawyers in India charge up to INR 30- 50 lakhs per hearing.