One quick questionWhere are you right now? Pick one and every career page opens with the path for your stage, and the right Compass career assessment for you.

Studying

School (Class 8-10)Choosing subjects and a streamCompass Junior Class 11-12Choosing a degree and entrance examsCompass Senior College students and freshersFinding a first job or higher studiesCompass Campus

Working

Working professionalsGrowing or moving upCompass Pro Changing careers mid-wayMoving to a new fieldCompass Pro Returning after a breakComing back after a breakCompass Pro

Just exploringShow me every path. I can pick a stage later.

Career · Law, Policy and Compliance

Corporate lawyer

Also called: Legal counsel

Advises companies on contracts, deals, investments and regulations.

Would you actually enjoy being a Corporate lawyer?Find out now

DemandSteady

Starting pay₹8-18 LPA

Time to first jobOn graduation from law school

Who can enterLLB, ideally from a National Law University

Compass career assessment

Picture yourself as a Corporate lawyer five years from now. Happy?

People grow fastest in work that suits who they are. Compass shows where your strengths, interests and values point.

Instant report
Your top career fits
A fit score on every career here

I am in:Class 8-10 Class 11-12 College or fresher Working or switching

Pick your stage. Each Compass edition is made for it.

What the work is

Corporate lawyers help businesses do deals and stay within the law. They draft and review contracts, advise on mergers and acquisitions, fundraising, banking, real estate and disputes, and help companies follow rules from SEBI, RBI and others. In-house counsel do this inside a company.

Top law firms hire mainly from National Law Universities, and pay at these firms is high from the start.

A typical week

Draft and review contracts
Advise on deals and investments
Do legal due diligence
Ensure regulatory compliance

It suits people who

Like detailed reading and writing
Enjoy business and finance
Work long hours on deals

Your path to get there

School (Class 8-10)Class 11-12College or fresherWorking or switching

School (Class 8-10)

Read and write a lot; any stream works

Class 11-12

Write CLAT for NLUs (BA LLB or BBA LLB)

College or fresher

Intern with corporate law firms
Learn contract drafting and business basics

Working or switching

CAs and CSs often combine with an LLB for corporate law

Returning after a break?

Start with a skills refresh of 6 to 12 weeks: one short course and one TalentMeter assessment to show where you stand today.
Use returnship and second-career programmes; many large employers in India run them for people back after a break.
Explain the gap in one honest line on your CV and LinkedIn, and list what you did in it (caregiving, freelancing, courses, volunteering).
Contract, part-time and freelance roles are a common way back in; they turn into full-time offers often.

Exams and certifications

Name	What it is for	When
CLAT ↗	National Law Universities	Once a year
AIBE ↗	Licence to practise	After LLB

Exam names, eligibility and dates change. Always check the official website for this year's notice.

Job market

Job titles to search

Associate (law firm)Corporate lawyerLegal counselIn-house counsel

Who hires

Law firmsCompanies' legal teamsBanks and fundsStart-ups

Where the jobs are

MumbaiDelhi NCRBengaluruChennai

See openings on Naukri ↗See openings on LinkedIn Jobs ↗See openings on Indeed ↗

These buttons open a live search for "Associate (law firm)" on each job site. TalentMeter does not list or vouch for the jobs there.

Know which careers fit you

Create a free account, take the Compass career assessment for your stage, and every cluster and career here will show how well it fits you.