Legal Journalism is one of the fast pace branches of Journalism getting popularised over the traditional journalism branches. Legal Journalism involves both the work of journalism and law. Legal Journalists frame and curate content, articles, and work for the companies working in coherence with the law. Their are in charge of covering matters that are inclusive of law fields comprising both law firms or corporate sectors. The estimation of employment growth of legal journalists is expected to rise by 4% in the next decade.
In order to become a Legal Journalist, candidates need to have a mandatory degree in Law like LLB and LLM. Candidates can further pursue a Diploma or Certifications in Journalism Courses to know about its aspects. Some of the most preferred Law Courses that can be pursued in order to become a legal journalist are BA LLB, BCom LLB, BSc LLB. Students can pursue these courses from any of the top Law Colleges across the country. Admissions to these colleges are done on the basis of Law Entrance Exams such as CLAT, LSAT, AILET etc.
Candidates should pursue their graduation in Law from BCI (Bar Council of India) approved institutes. The average fee for the LLB program lies anywhere between INR 10,000 to INR 5 Lakhs. The average salary package for Legal Journalists lies between INR 4 LPA – 5 LPA.
- How to Become a Legal Journalist: Quick Facts
- What Does a Legal Journalist Do
- Steps to Become a Legal Journalist
- Types of Legal Journalist
- How to Become a Legal Journalist in India
- How to Become a Legal Journalist in After 12th
6.1 UG Preparation
6.2 PG Preparation
7.1 LLB
7.2 LLM
7.4 Certificate Courses in Journalism
8.1 UK
8.2 USA
8.3 Canada
8.4 Australia
- Benefits of a Career as a Legal Journalist
- Skills Required Become a Legal Journalist
- Salary of a Legal Journalist
11.2 Experience Wise
How to Become a Legal Journalist: Quick Facts
| Industry | Legal Journalism |
| Eligibility | Graduate/Post Graduate in Law from a recognized institution. |
| Average Starting Salary | INR 4-5 LPA |
| Job Opportunities | Legal Writer, Legal Associate, Legal Manager, Legal Executive |
What Does a Legal Journalist Do?
Legal Journalism involves the basic principles of the Journalism and Media industry but pertains significantly to the Legal Journalism field only. Legal Journalism is one of the unique branches of journalism and it counteracts the notion of Law graduates working the corporate and Law firms. The day to day responsibilities of Legal Journalists involves:
- Legal Journalists are responsible for conducting research, collecting information and reporting the collected data to the public. Their focus lies specifically on collecting matters related to the law.
- Apart from being a conventional writer, Leal Journalists can manage corporate and law firms.
- The work includes comprehending the legal matter and conveys it publicly through various social media platforms and conventional platforms.
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They are responsible for updating the public regarding any pertaining legal issues and involving in the matter to resolve it.
Steps to Become a Legal Journalist
For choosing any profession, it is mandatory to know the steps needed to be followed. This helps in achieving the goal with the right use of resources and time. The various steps needed to follow to become a Legal Journalist involves:
Decision Making
- Legal Journalism involves both the aspects of Law field and the Journalism sector. If a candidate is ready to work involving the factors of both these industries, they can opt for Legal Journalism.
- The work certainly involves Law and its principles, but the Journalism factor also plays an important role.
- Candidates apart from having skills needed in Law areas should also have a creative mind, good writing, and communication skills to be a Legal Journalist.
- If one is interested in pursuing Law and has the potential of being in the Journalism field, then the Legal Journalism profession is certainly the best choice for them.
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Candidates must need to understand that their Journalism should entirely be based on Law.
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Subject Choices
- At the School level, there are no particular choices given to pursue the career of Legal Journalism. One can opt for any of the subject combinations, to be a Legal Journalist.
- Candidates can preferably opt-out for the Humanities subjects as the entrance exam for pursuing Law involves the syllabus from Humanities subjects. However, there is no compulsion to take up Humanities subjects.
- Candidates from Science and Commerce stream are equally eligible to pursue the Law course.
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Entrance Exam Preparation
- There are many entrance exams conducted for admission into the Law graduate degree. Some popular entrance exams include CLAT, LFAT, PU LLB, and many more institution-specific exams.
- CLAT scores are mostly accepted all over the Law Schools. Apart from it, many institutes conduct their own entrance exam for admission into the Law course.
- The syllabus generally includes the Humanities subjects such as History, Geography, Political Science, and other relevant subjects.
- Candidates can prepare for the entrance exams while keeping the mind the actual syllabus. Along with it, solving previous year’s papers and sample question papers can be of great help.
Selecting Correct Colleges
After getting through the merit list/entrance exam, candidates should focus on the following points while selecting any college:
- Check out the placement section of the Law course.
- Choose a college that has a good ranking across various platforms.
- The choice can be made by seeing the achievements, research work in that particular department made by the college.
- Check out the proper availability of resources needed for your course curriculum.
- Apart from this, try to gather views from students already studied in that particular college.
Types of Legal Journalists
Each profession has its own type depending on the area of work assigned in that particular field. The job profiles and salary may vary according to the level of seniority in the work. The various types of Legal Journalists include:
Legal Writer
- The work of the Legal Writer involves the production of any form of writing needed in the legal industry. Legal Writers typically falls under the category of Technical Writers.
- The work profile includes briefing and writing legal documents such as memorandums and motions.
- Their work includes summarizing laws, case studies, and analyzing different industrial events. They help in reporting and analyzing the news regarding the legal industry.
- Legal writers are responsible for providing web copy for different law firms, online publications and law-related websites.
- The main arena of work is writing on a day-to-day basis for the legal industry on a large scale.
Legal Associate
- A Legal Associate is generally a Junior Attorney practising in any Law firm or corporate sector. The works on various cases for clients which includes conducting legal research, and providing legal services to the clients when in need.
- The other job responsibilities of a Legal Associate include implementing and developing various litigation strategies, supervising legal assistants, and representing clients in the court. They undergo research on different legal aspects.
- They help in supporting overall organizational training. They prepare report submissions for funding and monitoring various agencies. They help in assisting the coordinators and documenting the process wherever required.
Legal Manager
- The legal Manager is responsible for looking after the legal functions of a particular organization. They provide accurate and legal advice to the business, senior attorney and business clients.
- The primary job responsibility of a Legal Manager includes preserving the IP assets such as patents, copyrights, brand names, etc. They prepare and send legal notices to clients for filing civil or legal cases.
- They help in devising contracts with various agents, partners and clients as per the existing laws.
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They also help in employing an HR team for the recruiting and employment generation. They look after privacy and information compliance across the national and international areas.
How to become a Legal Journalist in India?
To become a Legal Journalist, one news to behave the decision making and critical thinking. Along with it, candidates should focus on attaining experience to be a legal journalist.
School Level Preparation
- From the school level, candidates can first of all focus on getting into the Top Law Colleges. The reason behind this is that these institutes have well-established dummy courts, have good exposure with the corporate and law firms.
- Candidates need to prepare for the various entrance exams conducted for admission into the Law courses. Along with it, to improve the legal understanding and working processes, candidates can read famous books on Law.
- Candidates must improve their writing and communication skills to become Legal Journalists. As a legal journalist, candidates can start a small blog to know its working and improve their skills.
How to become a Legal Journalist after the 12th?
The steps to becoming a legal journalist after the 12th are mentioned below:
UG Preparation
- Candidates at their UG level should well maintain and learn all the practical courses. As the Law field, generally requires practice, very well attention should be paid to the practical sessions. Candidates can improve their subject knowledge by meeting various professionals and reading about them, their working process.
- This will help in understanding the core process of working as a legal journalist. Apart from it, candidates can seek internships to make some working experience in this field.
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By pursuing internships specifically in the Legal field can be of great help in getting placed in a good Law firm or Law Corporate.
PG Preparation
- After getting into a postgraduate degree in law, candidates can preferably get a certificate or training in the Journalism sector.
- It is not mandatory to get one, but a certificate in diploma can surely help you know about the basics of Journalism field and can help in building your resume.
- Additionally, candidates can join a part-time job in their vacations or shifts to get to know the working of a legal Journalist.
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Getting some internships do help in getting some good jobs as you gain prior experience by working under the different firms.
Courses to Become a Legal Journalist in India
The popular courses to become a legal journalist in India are mentioned below:
LLB
LLB is a 3-year undergraduate degree program for pursuing a career in the Law field. To be a Legal Journalist, it is mandatory to have a bachelor’s degree in Law.
LLB Admission Process
- LLB Admission 2023 is based on merit or entrance exam conducted at State/National/Institution level.
- Candidates can appear for the entrance exams such as CLAT which is the National level entrance exam, BCECE, LFAT, PU BA LLB for getting admission into the good law colleges/universities.
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Candidates need to qualify for these entrance exams for admission into these institutions. Apart from this, candidates must meet the eligibility criteria for admission into the LLB program.
LLM
A postgraduate law degree is known as an LLM. The Master of Laws (LLM) program has a duration of two years. Aspirants to the Master of Law program receive an in-depth understanding of a certain discipline of law through intensive research in that field.
LLM Admission Process
- In most of the top universities, LLM Admission 2023 is done based on an admission exam. Universities will accept a candidate's score on any national or university-level entrance exam that he or she has taken. Universities that offer LLM programs require applicants to take an admission exam.
- For securing admission into the LLM Program, candidates must have completed their Bachelor's degree in law with 50% aggregate from a recognized college/university.
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To assure admission into a particular college/university, candidates must meet the eligibility conditions along with meeting the necessary admission formulations.
Post Graduate Diploma in Law
The PGD in Law, also known as the Post Graduate Diploma in Law, is a one-year programme. Students get an understanding of advanced legal topics through the course. Some of the themes in the course are intended for in-depth legal study, while others are just extensions of concepts covered in undergraduate studies.
PG Diploma in Law: Admission Process
- The admissions process that an individual will go through when applying for a PGD in Law can be on a merit or entrance exam basis.
- The admissions procedure differs from one institution to the next and from one college to the next.
- The initial stage in the PGD in Law admissions procedure is to meet the eligibility requirements.
- The second step is to complete the application form, which may be done either online or offline. The admission into the Postgraduate diploma is done based on the last qualifying examination.
Certificate Course in Journalism
The journalism certificate program is a one-year program. This course is for students who want to acquire and improve their skills in communication, journalism, and related disciplines. It also enables working professionals to improve and update their expertise while earning a formal degree in the process.
Admission Process
- The student's entrance to the course is contingent on his or her performance on the exam and counseling.
- Before final selection, candidates may be required to give a personal interview. Usually, there is no entrance exam conducted for admission into the certificate course in Journalism.
- The admission is generally done based on the scores obtained in the last qualifying degree or examination.
How to become a Legal Journalist Abroad?
To become a legal journalist abroad, one needs to have mandatory a law degree from a recognized college/university. Apart from it, many test scores such as LSAT, IELTS, TOEFL iBT are accepted for admission into the law program. Additionally, candidates can have a certificate or experience of working in a law firm to be a legal journalist abroad.
How to become a Legal Journalist in UK?
The admission process to become a legal journalist in UK is mentioned below:
- 34 points is a typical International Baccalaureate requirement.
- AAB is a common requirement for A-levels.
- IELTS standards are typically 6.5 overall, with no component below 6.0.
- State or national board criteria are often 65 per cent or higher.
- For enrollment to the LLB for Graduates programme, you must have a 2:1 or equivalent in a non-law degree from a recognized university.
- For the Master's course, Applicants must have a strong Honours degree in law or a degree in another area plus a passing score on the Common Professional Examination.
Top Colleges
| College Name | Average Annual Fees (INR) |
|---|---|
| Nottingham Trent University | 44,19,000 |
| University of Sheffield | 20,41,000 |
| Cardiff University | 16,91,000 |
| Oxford Brookes University | 15,02,000 |
| Newcastle University | 19,19,000 |
| University of Leeds | 21,56,000 |
| University of East Anglia | 17,05,000 |
| University of Westminster | 16,44,000 |
| University of Kent | 16,28,000 |
| Brunel University | 16,70,000 |
How to Become a Legal Journalist in USA?
The admission process to become a legal journalist in UK is mentioned below:
- An undergraduate degree with a high-Grade Point Average (GPA) in any field of study is required.
- Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score is also required. They range from 120 to 180 at law schools, with an average LSAT score of 150.
- An average score of 75 is required in TOEFL for international students.
- For admission into the LLM course, a bachelor's degree in law is essential. Foreign students must have completed a legal education equal to the American JD, i.e., a law degree that qualifies them to take the bar exam and/or practice law in their native country. Although some institutions give preference to students having full-time legal job experience, it is not usually needed.
Top Colleges
| College Name | Average Annual Fees (INR) |
|---|---|
| New York University | 58,19,000 |
| Cornell University | 57,29,000 |
| University of Chicago | 56,15,000 |
| University of Southern California | 56,09,000 |
| Northwestern University | 55,85,000 |
| University of Virginia | 55,54,000 |
| Yale University | 54,79,000 |
| University of Michigan | 55,55,000 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 68,13,000 |
How to Become a Legal Journalist in Canada?
The admission process to become a legal journalist in Canada is mentioned below:
- A three-year bachelor's degree from a reputable university is required.
- An LSAT score of around 160 is considered good.
- The requirement of score in IELTS is 7, 600 in PBT and 100 in TOEFL.
- The documents considered as essential to get into Law College include 2 copies of official transcripts, a 700-1000 word personal statement Letter of recommendation, and a CV.
Top Colleges
| College Name | Average Annual Fees (INR) |
|---|---|
| University of Toronto | 27,62,000 |
| University of British Columbia | 5,77,000 |
| McGill University | 15,98,000 |
| University of Montreal | 15,97,000 |
| University of Alberta | 2,22,000 |
| University of Calgary | 9,53,000 |
| Queen's University | 7,90,000 |
How to Become a Legal Journalist in Australia?
The admission process to become a Legal Journalist in Australia is mentioned below:
- An undergraduate degree is equal to a bachelor's degree in law from Australian Universities.
- Students with bachelor's degrees in other subjects are also eligible to apply if they meet the additional requirements.
- 2 years of work experience is required (especially when the student is from a different discipline).
- TOEFL iBT scores of more than 75 while a minimum of 6.5 scores in IELTS is a necessity for pursuing Law in Australia.
Top Colleges
| College Name | Average Annual Fees (INR) |
|---|---|
| Australian National University | 1,61,00,000 |
| University of Melbourne | 1,64,00,000 |
| University of New South Wales | 1,72,00,000 |
| University of Sydney | 1,75,00,000 |
| University of Queensland | 1,59,00,000 |
| Monash University | 1,72,00,000 |
| University of Adelaide | 1,87,00,000 |
| University of Western Australia | 1,40,00,000 |
| University of Wollongong | 1,17,00,000 |
| James Cook University | 1,17,00,000 |
Benefits of Career as a Legal Journalist
Apart from offering a good salary, being a legal journalist offers a unique experience and inculcates various skills in a person. The benefits of choosing a career as a legal journalist are mentioned below:
Salary
- Being a legal journalist offers a good salary package. The average starting package for a fresh candidate can lie between INR 4-5 LPA.
- Upon gaining experience in this field, one can easily get a salary package of INR 8-9 LPA.
- The salary package also depends upon the experience, skills, and organization with which a person is associated.
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Corporate positions do tend to pay more than the other industrial sectors concerning the legal journalist Job sector.
Job Security
- Because the number of positions in the legal sector is expected to rise dramatically over the next decade, Legal Journalist should expect job security.
- In general, the greatest employability will be found in the field of Legal Journalism due to its forth going popularity in the approaching years.
- If a person is placed well within an established corporation or company ensures his/her job security.
Unique Experience
- Individuals interested in a career in legal journalism must be quick-thinking, adventurous, and curious people.
- Even though the industry has changed dramatically in response to the rise of online news consumption, the basic job structure of journalism remains intact.
- As a legal journalist, you learn something new every day, which is what makes the job so satisfying.
- You can even work independently as a writer by creating your own legal blogs. Though there are many types of legal journalists, one can get a chance to travel if the work demands, be it an international or national trip.
Skills Required to Become a Legal Journalist
The skills required for being a good legal journalist are mentioned below:
- Verbal communication skills
- Written communication skills
- Critical thinking
- Decision making
- Persistence
- Media production knowledge
- Analytical skills
- Public speaking
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Logical Thinking
Salary of a Legal Journalist in India
On average, a legal journalist can earn anywhere between 4-5 LPA depending upon the organization chosen and their experience in their field. It can also vary with the expertise of a person, knowledge in his/her, and experience gained in the legal journalist.
Average Annual Salary
| Name of organization | Annual salary |
|---|---|
| Government | INR 5-6 LPA |
| Private | INR 7-8 LPA |
Experience Wise Salary
| 0 - 2 Years | INR 4-5 LPA |
| 3 - 4 Years | INR 8-9 LPA |
| 10+ Years | INR 15 LPA |
After the Legal Journalism Degree
After deciding on a career as a Legal Journalist, one might seek further education in the sector or look for new work and internship opportunities.
Higher Education
- A Bachelor's degree in the relevant discipline is required to work as a Public Relations Specialist. If one pursues higher education, such as a postgraduate degree, a postgraduate diploma, or a doctorate, they will have numerous options to work for larger corporations.
- Higher education allows students to learn the intricacies of a subject in addition to their fundamentals. Apart from having their fundamentals cleared, one learns the specifics of a subject.
- Higher education in the subject of Law can assist in gaining access to new legislatures’ knowledge and the rapidly changing nature of law firms and corporate industries.
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The knowledge of the issue is also enhanced, allowing one to achieve more success in the field of Legal Journalism.
Start Job
- After earning a bachelor's degree in Law, one can immediately apply for a job. However, one must be aware of the issue and demonstrate their abilities to make an impression on the firm.
- It is often good to do an internship in the same sector before starting a job. This will not only help you get experience, but it will also familiarise you with similar working situations.
- Interning for a few months can help you gain more work experience for your resume as well as some extra cash. Internships can help you gain some good employment at well-known law firms and corporates.
How to become a Legal Journalist: FAQs
Ques. What is the minimum educational qualification required to be a Legal journalist?
Ans. Candidates must have pursued an LLB degree or equivalent Bachelors degree in law from a recognized institute. An additional certificate in Journalism and a Postgraduate degree in law can help achieve more good firms.
Ques. Name a few of the best colleges in Australia that offer law programmes.
Ans. Some of the top universities in Australia that offer legal courses to international students are the University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, University of New South Wales, and Australian National University.
Ques. What types of jobs are available for legal journalists?
Ans. Legal journalists are employed by both digital and print media outlets. Newspapers, periodicals, digital content providers, news channels, and law firms are all popular places for legal journalists to work.
Ques. What are some of the benefits of working as a legal journalist?
Ans. Some of the benefits afforded to legal journalists include the creative freedom that other law graduates who continue to practise law generally do not have. A Legal Journalist's employment allows them to gain a broader understanding of the field.
Ques. In India, what is the typical wage for a legal journalist?
Ans. A Legal Journalist can expect to earn between Rs. 4 and 5 lakhs per year on average. Professionals with more experience in the sector might earn more than Rs. 12 lakhs every year.
Ques. What is the role of a legal journalist?
Ans. A legal journalist is an expert in the field of law reporting. They grasp a legal issue and communicate it to the general public in a manner that they can comprehend using a variety of venues. They write on legal issues and cases and tell their readers the narrative.
Ques. What are the skills required to be a Legal Journalist?
Ans. The skills required to be a Legal Journalist includes excellent communication skills, writing skills, decision making, logical thinking, Decision Making, Critical thinking and Analytical thinking.
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