How much do litigation lawyers make, where do they practice and more – Results of the 6Q survey

In a recently published interview, senior counsel Gopal Jain described the profession of litigation as “well worth the wait”. In many ways, his description reflects on the nature of Indian litigation, or at least the early years of a litigating professional. .Lawyers from across the country have said that the initial years in litigation are tough, with long working hours and little reward. Senior counsel, and one of Bangalore’s most well-regarded lawyers, Udaya Holla said the only way to build a successful litigation practice is through, “sheer doggedness, sheer hard work”. Hyderabad’s Niranjan Reddy recommends that one has to put in at least three years in the profession to see any results. .Another common perception about litigation is that it is low paying, especially if you compare it to the salaries that are routinely offered by corporate law firms. And this is more so for graduates emerging from the relatively young National Law Universities. In a survey we published last year, only 4% of NLU graduates across a three-year period chose to join litigation..Of course, the long gestation period and low pay are not the only reasons behind this low figure. As National University of Singapore’s Umakanth V notes, the last two decades have seen a “radical transformation” across the Indian legal profession, with a host of newer law firms setting up shop. And it is these firms that have attracted a large chunk of the NLU graduate body. There are some, like senior counsel Aditya Sondhi, who have expressed their unhappiness at the excessive focus on salaries. But by and large, the low salaries that litigation offers is a reason for students to think twice before taking the plunge. .But if you move away from the sixteen-odd NLU’s though, the scenario is completely different. A large section of those who graduate from one of the country’s eight hundred law colleges will choose to litigate. .To put that in perspective, in 2013 more than 21,000 law graduates registered for the national bar exam. This number is expected to double when the exam is held in May this year. Yet, despite the rich heritage and sheer size of the Indian Bar, there is precious little data available on the Indian litigating profession. .Which is where Bar & Bench’s “6 Question Survey” comes in. On February 10 this year, the survey was launched. There were six questions asked covering a range of topics. Participants were asked to provide details on their educational qualifications, their work experience and salaries. In the next four days, we received 924 responses; this is the basis on which the report has been made..You can read the report on Scribd below or download the report.