How to Become a Corporate Lawyer

Does the legal side of commercial undertakings interest you more than the pecuniary exchanges themselves? Do you feel intrigued by all those legal formalities and paperwork involved in the fulfillment of a commercial agreement? Does watching a corporate undertaking's back to make sure it doesn't get into legal hassles sounds challenging to you?

Well, that clearly indicates towards your love for ensuring proper obedience to procedures and regulations. If that's true, then I would say you have the callings for a career in the field of commercial law. Mulling over the career prospects of corporate law? Well, you've hit the right page in that case! Read straight ahead to gather all the information you're looking for.

So, what educational and vocational qualifications should adorn a professionally drafted corporate lawyer resume that will fit the requirements of your prospective employer? To begin with, you need an undergraduate certification in any pre-law discipline, management or business administration.

Thereafter, you must get yourself enrolled in a decent law school. In case you wish to pursue a career in the US, make sure the law school is accredited by the American Bar Association. You need to sit for and clear the LSAT with decent scores to get into a good law school.

Besides graduating in law, you also need to have an excellent vocabulary along with good writing and speaking skills. A knack for details, logical reasoning and research is an added advantage.

While you're at it, also make sure you participate in clinical law programs and practice trials as much as possible to hone your skills and gain experience in handling legal situations and cases.

Once you graduate, zero in upon the state where you intend to practice law and take the bar exam that is held for prospective practitioners in that state. Get yourself an internship spot with a reputed firm or a well regarded senior lawyer for more exposure and hands-on experience.

The primary duty of a corporate lawyer is to represent his/her corporate client in all matters that have to do with commercial, state and Federal law with regards to commercial transactions proposed or undertaken by the latter.

Other duties of a corporate lawyer involve overseeing legal aspects of taxes, account statements, acquisition and renewal of various commercial licenses, payment of tariffs, fees and duties, etc.

Supervising and advising the client in matters of labor relations, workmen's compensation, strikes and lockouts, retrenchment and other such matters affecting labor relations also fall within the scope of a corporate lawyer's job description.

Also, keeping an alert eye on copyright and patent issues and overseeing the legality of all commercial contracts (writing them as well) is a part of the corporate lawyer's duties.

Law pays - trust me! On the entry-level, a corporate lawyer can expect to earn an average salary of $65,000 in a year. With an experience ranging between 2-4 years, a corporate lawyer can earn as much as $1,00,000 on an average in a year! As you gain more years in terms of experience in the field of corporate law, the fatter your paycheck gets! Don't believe me?

Well check this - 10 years of corporate law experience equals an average annual income of $3,00,000! How much you earn also depends upon the type of undertaking that hires you. Private commercial corporates are regarded as the highest payers while hospitals and NGOs are somewhat thrifty payers.

Also, instead of being employed at a single undertaking, you can practice as a consultant and offer your legal services to a number of corporate clients, charging a fixed amount of fee for each case/consultation.

So, now that you know how to become a corporate lawyer, go ahead and get studying the right stuff. Trust me, all those long hours of mugging up will pay off handsomely once you graduate with good scores and set your foot in the professional arena!

Perseverance and burning the midnight oil is the key to clicking as high earning corporate lawyer with a formidable reputation in the courtroom! Wish you all the best!