Why Law Is So Much More Than Reading Big Tomes?

Introduction

Law is a part of people’s lives that is an unseen force but affects us to a great extent. The life of a lawyer is hectic and is all about constantly reading stacks of thick books, as per the uninitiated. However, the law is much more than the prescribed syllabus books.

Law books are, without a doubt, an integral part of the course. It includes case studies to better understand the theoretical material and much more. Even experienced lawyers have to keep referring to the books as and when required for new cases. Universities like the MGU take great care to constantly update their course books to cover the latest topics only.

To get a better understanding of why the LLB courses and syllabuses have been designed as they have, let’s understand what is there is an average law course curriculum.

Read Also: Career Options After LLB

Law Course Syllabus

Undergraduate law courses such as BA LLB are taught over a duration of five years. In terms of semesters, it is ten whole semesters of learning. This might seem like a long time, at an initial glance. However, each semester covers different law subjects such as Company Law, Family Law, Administrative Law, Labour Law, etc.

Thereafter students get the choice of choosing a concentration. Generally, the freedom to choose a concentration is offered in postgraduate law courses. Studies at this level are more advanced and cover all aspects of a particular law field.

Written below are some subjects or aspects of law one can expect to study : -

English Language

Lawyers need to possess strong communication skills and good oratory skills. For this reason, BA LLB courses have the English language. This subject will cover the basics of grammar such as sentence structure, tenses, passives, etc. Students will also be tested on their reading and writing skills by assigning them to write reports and summaries.

In the later semesters, more advanced topics of English are covered. Students would learn how to read and analyze legal cases. Some universities also include literature that is about the law.

Non-verbal communication techniques through body language are also an important part of this subject, especially for lawyers. During classes, students could also get a chance to practice their verbal and communication skills learned as practice.

Political Science

Political Science and Law courses are intertwined. Obviously, if one is to work in law, getting a firm understanding of the Government and politics is essential. The basics of India's political structure, the different organs, and the various institutions are covered. The study also includes the different factors that influence each institute and how each aspect of Government works.

The average individual’s rights and duties should not only be known by every citizen but especially by a future lawyer. This is covered, at the national and international level, in-depth in Political Science. Theories set by Philosophers like Gandhi, Marx, J.S. Mill, Machiavelli and their influence on the present-day law must also be known.

Psychology

Psychology is an entirely different field of study with a completely different end goal and career path. In short, Psychology is about understanding how the brain of humans work and how they should process their emotions. In the law field, knowing basic psychology is a major advantage. Getting deep into the mindset of a criminal or otherwise and knowing how they will respond to different situations will help in nailing the case.

The LLB course will cover the very basics of Psychology. One can expect to learn about the brain and basic biology. Thereafter, the subject will delve into the behavior of deviants, why they commit crimes and how to prevent the said crimes.

Law of Crimes

Before students can go about learning actual law, rulings, and case studies, the first step is to understand crime. The definition of crime is quite wide and includes many facets, depending on the nature of the crime is. Law of Crimes is usually taught over a period of a couple of semesters. It will include the different types of crimes against human bodies, property, women, defamation, abetment, etc.

This subject will introduce students to criminal liability along with the basics of criminal law. At the end of the course, individuals have a strong base to learn more laws and case studies in criminal law.

Property Law

Property Law is about understanding what the legal definition of property is and what are the different laws that govern them in India. Prospective lawyers should know what property rights are for individuals, businesses, etc and how one can go about transferring a property. Some more specifics of property law include sale, mortgage, lease, gifting, easement, transfer, etc.

Besides understanding the scope of Property Law, students should also know what the limitations are. This is especially important so that lawyers are able to work within legal bounds. By the end of the course, students are able to apply property principles and law to different cases and solve a wide range of cases.

Company Law

Company law is one of the most complex yet popular concentrations of the Indian legal system. To start, students will learn about the essential definitions of a company, different types of companies, memorandum of association, articles of association, prospectus, shares, directors, etc. During the initial semesters, one can expect to learn the base of company law to build up more advanced topics later.

Thereafter with the help of past cases, students get a comprehension of what the possible crimes in company law are and how to approach them.

Family Law

Family Law is, per the name, all about individuals and their families. From learning about what the different types of families are, per law, to learning about properties, successions, inheritance, partition, gifting. The law will differ for each type of family in India and should also be as per Hindu, Shia, and Sunni guidelines. Like other law concentrations, family law LLB course details also include several case studies to gain practical knowledge.

There are a lot more subjects that are covered under the BA LLB degree syllabus. Besides the ones mentioned above, there are also labor laws and taxation laws to count a few. Law courses are comprehensive enough to touch all aspects of the law. It is essential for a new lawyer to know all so that they can choose an area of concentration later.