Global careers

Pursuing a law degree in the United States can have a number of potential benefits for students from India. For those interested in a globally oriented career in law (e.g., working at a major international law firm), attending one of the top US universities can provide invaluable knowledge and experience about another country's laws, international legal systems, and global developments and reforms. In addition, the opportunity to interact with faculty and students from around the world can inculcate a greater appreciation of how the law functions in different environments and enable students to probe more deeply into its theoretical underpinnings and institutional contexts.For those who wish to work at a law firm in India after graduation, a number of clients are likely to have transactions and interests across borders (in cluding global investment opportunities and project finance) and areas of practice that share similarities with those in the US (such as capital markets or securities regulation). Studying at a US university can be helpful in obtaining a better understanding of these areas of law and of the kinds of issues such clients are likely to face.In addition, for those interested in a career in litigation in India, the experience of learning how another country runs its dispute resolution systems can be both fascinating and informative.There is a trend towards greater globalisation in legal studies, increased use of practicums, externships and technology as well as a sharper focus on changes in law practice and on newer courses targeting the growth of the regulatory state, among others.Before deciding to study for a degree abroad, students should consider their goals, the reputation of the institution, tuition and boarding costs, the opportunity cost of being overseas given their other objectives and their interest areas.Satvinder Juss Professor, Dickson Poon School of Law, King's College LondonIndian students who wish to study law overseas should look to apply to world-class institutions. The study of national law should be combined with global themes and perspectives because this drives the development of law.Students going to such law schools will optimise their chances in the international jobs market. Competitive law schools encourage students to adopt an interdisciplinary approach to help them view their subject matter through the lens of different normative orders and to discuss issues of jurisdiction, legal pluralism and indigenous law.Students can expect intensive interactions with experts from global practice and academia.The range of subjects offered is vast, stretching from public law and human rights to family and criminal law; and from labour law to corporate governance and commercial arbitration.Indian students with a law degree from an overseas institution could go on to a range of careers. Work options are not confined to law and the legal profession but also encompass fields as diverse as business, politics and the civil service. Students can work in major law firms across the world, as well as in government bodies, NGOs and human rights agencies.Many international law schools offer a wide range of Master's and doctoral programmes that allow an LLB graduate to specialise in a particular field such as competition law, transnational law, international dispute resolution, international tax law, medical law and construction law, to name a few.