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Career · Law, Policy and Compliance

Corporate lawyer

Also called: Legal counsel

Advises companies on contracts, deals, investments and regulations.

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DemandSteady
Starting pay₹8-18 LPA
Time to first jobOn graduation from law school
Who can enterLLB, ideally from a National Law University
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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)

  1. Read and write a lot; any stream works

Class 11-12

  1. Write CLAT for NLUs (BA LLB or BBA LLB)

College or fresher

  1. Intern with corporate law firms
  2. Learn contract drafting and business basics

Working or switching

  1. 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

NameWhat it is forWhen
CLAT ↗National Law UniversitiesOnce a year
AIBE ↗Licence to practiseAfter 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.

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