Only the lawyer or an advocate is a person who can become a judge in Pakistan. So, now if you want to become a judge then first you have to become a lawyer, it’s a noble profession and highly-respected job in Pakistan moreover in the world. Among other reputable professions, the lawyer is also considered a prestigious profession, many families in Pakistan encourage their sons, daughters to become a lawyer or judge.
The process of becoming a lawyer is simple but a little bit tough and lengthy, In general, it takes five years of study, then several years of practice to become a competitive lawyer. However, after this lengthy process of study and practice, it’s often a rewarding career for any student.
So, if you’re a student of secondary or intermediate and interested in becoming a lawyer or judge, then this article is for you in a simple language and easy method to become a lawyer or a judge.
Here are all the steps you should for becoming a lawyer or an advocate in Pakistan.
- Matric with any subjects, any marks
- Inter with any subjects but more than 50% marks
- Pass LAT test which is conducted by HEC
- Apply for entry into a university or law college which is recognised by HEC.
- Complete your LLB in five years with hard work.
- Submit an intimation form before completing the degree
- Then pass the GAT test conducted by HEC.
- Do six months internships with a senior lawyer.
- Then you can get a licence to practice law in lower courts.
- After two years of practice, you will become a high court lawyer.
- Then ten years of experience, you can handle supreme court cases.
All the above steps of becoming a lawyer is now discussed briefly in the following;
In secondary or matriculation education or most come (class 9th – 10th) most of the students ask what subjects should I choose?
You don’t have to worry in this stage, no matter which subjects you choose, you can choose what is easy for you and it depends on you whether you like to choose science or arts or even commerce group, but remember that good marks in matric can attract reputed universities and law colleges but do not think these marks will be considered for selection in LLB. So, your matric results don’t affect your selection in any law colleges in Pakistan.
After secondary education or matric, there is a new stage which is intermediate education or (class 11th, 12th) in this education your results may affect your selection, as you have selected the group of science or arts but your results should be more than 50% which is the least merit in many universities and law colleges.
After clearing your intermediate exams, the next step to becoming a lawyer is appearing for the law admission test (LAT). This is a standardized test conducted by the Higher Education Commission (HEC). The law admission test is a requirement for applying for an undergraduate degree in law.
The LAT consists of a personal statement, essay, and MCQs in the following areas: English, general knowledge, Pakistan Studies, Islamiat, Urdu, and Mathematics. Students can prepare for the test according to the intermediate syllabus. Thus, thorough exam preparation for the intermediate exams will be useful for appearing for the law admission test. You have to score at least 50 out of 100 marks to pass the law admission test (LAT).
Upon clearing the law admission test with 50% marks, students can apply for an undergraduate degree in law. In Pakistan, this is known as a Bachelor of Laws, or LLB. This is a five-year study program. There are many universities offering a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree. Be sure that the university is HEC-recognized before applying.
Once you gain admission into an LLB program in a reputed university or law college, you will pursue the degree for five years. Generally, this will consist of 10 semesters. Here you will study a range of subjects, including some BA’s english, urdu, political science, psychology and from introduction to law, constitutional, contracts, corporate, litigation advocacy, criminal, civil, family laws and jurisprudence.
Before two months of the completion of your Bachelor of Laws (LLB) undergraduate degree, you have to submit an intimation form at the bar council, After this intimation and completing the degree, law students must appear for the law graduate assessment test, also known as the Law GAT. The purpose of this examination is to evaluate the competency of law students to become a member of the bar council.
This test is more complex than the LAT, so thorough exam preparation for this is a must. In this test students have to get at least 50% marks to pass it, Upon passing the Law GAT, students may be eligible to get their license from the Bar Council.
The final step to becoming a lawyer in Pakistan is obtaining a license from the Bar Council. In order to get the license, students must pass the Law GAT and a minimum of 6 months of internship experience working under a senior lawyer. Once these requirements are met, the student can obtain their license from their respective regional bar council.
Newly graduated lawyers must work for a minimum of 2 years at lower level courts before they can receive a license for working at the high court. Moreover, a minimum of 10 years of work experience is required before they are eligible to handle supreme court cases. After several years of work experience and excellence in the field of law, a lawyer may be promoted to judge.
Now you know the steps to becoming a lawyer! It is a long process, but if you are passionate and willing to put in the hard work, then it can be a very rewarding career for you. If you have any queries regarding this blog you can ask us at our question & answers portion.