An LLM For Working Professionals (Master of Law) is a postgraduate-level legal degree program that is offered by various universities and institutions online. The LLM is usually structured for people who are law graduates and want to take their legal career further by specialising in a specific area of law by gaining expertise in a particular legal field. The content and structuring of an LLM For Working Professionals course are very similar to a traditional LLM degree, teaching a huge range of different law-related subjects and more. Let’s find out about LLM For Working Professionals courses in detail:

Key Features of LLM For Working Professionals

Here are some distinguishing features of an LLM For Working Professionals course that make it a desirable choice for many legal enthusiasts:

• Flexibility and accessibility: Since it is an online course, students can pursue their lectures and complete their assigned assignments from any part of the world at any time as long as they have a sound internet connection. This flexibility allows students to pay heed to their other work or personal commitments in life. 
• Global Approach: the coursework in an LLM degree attracts students from various corners of the world and includes specialisations in matters that are not just specific to a country but the larger world, hence allowing students to know and interact with people and events outside their native country. 
• Research and Writing: due to the extensive written material that is required during an LLM For Working Professionals degree, students gain essential skills such as critical thinking and analytical writing and end up learning how to write high-quality persuasive legal articles by the end of this course. 

Subjects/Syllabus

The specific course subjects and the syllabus of an LLM For Working Professionals course will differ from university to university and the different kinds of specialisations offered by them. Here is a general outline of what an LLM For Working Professionals course will mostly look like in different semesters:

Semester 1 

• Jurisprudence
• Legal research and methodology
• Law and Social Transformation in India
• Constitutionalism
• Practical training
• Dissertation- I

Semester 2

• Finance law 
• Law of crimes
• Administrative law
• Law and technology
• Research Methodology- II
• Specialisation subject

Semester 3

• International law 
• Public utility law
• Privileged class deviance
• Mass media law
• Specialisation elective- II

Semester 4

• Report work and publication
• Fieldwork
• Specialisation elective- III
• Specialisation elective- IV
• Viva's voice

Application Criteria 

Following are the criteria you need to fulfil in order to be eligible to pursue an LLM For Working Professionals course: 

• You should have completed at least 12-13 years of your school life (10+2) and should have completed a bachelor's degree in bachelors of law (LLB) degree or an equivalent degree from a recognised university. 
• Most universities settle at the minimum percentage of 45% for undergraduate law degrees for their applicants. 
• Some universities may conduct an entrance exam for admission to its LLM For Working Professionals course to check if the students are eligible to pursue this prestigious degree. 

Course Duration

Most LLM For Working Professionals degrees are two-year courses. These two years are divided into four semesters each, with each year having two semesters. The aggregate score of all the marks gained in all four semesters is considered to calculate the final percentage.

Admission Process

Here is a step-by-step application process that confirms your admission to your desired university for an LLM For Working Professionals course. 

• Fill out the application form: check out universities and institutions offering an LLM For Working Professionals course in the desired specialisation that you would like and fill out the application forms of those universities that align with your goals and requirements by giving out basic details like your personal information, academic scores, financial stability, etc. 
• Submit important documents; after successfully filling out the application form, submit some important documents for verification to your desired university, for example, identity proof, academic grades, transcripts, original bachelor's degree, mark sheet, etc. 
• Entrance exam and interview: some universities may follow their personalised procedure of admitting students, which may include an entrance exam followed by an interview which helps them know the student better. 
• Pay the necessary admission fee: after you have completed all the above-mentioned steps, complete the application form by successfully paying the admission fee, which may include registration fees, tuition fees, lab fees, etc., to confirm your admission. 

Fee Details

If you are willing to study at a government college, the fee will be anywhere between INR 5,000 and INR 15,000. And if you wish to study at a private institution or at one of the reputed NLUs, the fee will range between INR 1,00,000 to INR 2,00,000. 

Specialisation

LLM For Working Professionals aspirants can choose from the following specialisations in an LLM For Working Professionals course:

• Family Law: This specialisation covers topics such as Hindu law, Muslim law, personal law, child custody and guardianship, property rights, and inheritance, marriage and divorce laws, etc. 
• Constitution Law: This specialisation focuses on the Indian constitution and its evolution, federalism and centre-state relations, fundamental rights and directive principles of state policy, constitutional amendments, etc.  
• International Law: This specialisation focuses on public international law, international trade law, international criminal law, etc. 
• Environmental law: This specialisation focuses on environmental governance and policy, climate change governance and policy, conservation of biodiversity and wildlife protection, etc. 
• Criminal law: This specialisation focuses on the Indian penal code and criminal procedure code, victimology and rights of the accused, types of criminal offences and their elements, etc.  

Career Opportunities

LLM For Working Professionals graduates can choose from an array of job opportunities available in the job market. Since it is a specialised degree, LLM For Working Professionals graduates can embark on a variety of careers where their skills and expertise are needed for a variety of personal and societal matters. Here is a list of different occupations LLM For Working Professionals graduates can consider taking up after completing their degree:

• Government legal advisor: LLM For Working Professionals graduates can find opportunities to work in government legal departments and agencies, where they provide draft legislation, help with regulatory compliance, provide legal counsel, etc. 
• Corporate Counsel: LLM For Working Professionals graduates with specialisation in corporate and commercial law can become corporate legal advisors and work as in-house counsel for corporations and businesses, where they advise on matters such as legal issues, risk management, negotiation contracts, etc.
• Academia and teaching: many LLM graduates also turn up to teaching after completing their degree and become professors or teachers of the law in universities or conduct legal research in research institutes. 
• Environmental Lawyer: LLM graduates with environmental law as their specialisation can work as environmental lawyers, working with environmental organisations, government agencies, and corporations, providing advice on tackling environmental issues lawfully and choosing to take up greener, sustainable practices. 
• Human Rights Advocacy: many LLM graduates specialising in human rights can work with human rights organisations such as NGOs and advocacy groups to promote and protect human rights, especially of the marginalised communities. 
• Mediator or arbitrator: some LLM graduates end up becoming arbitrators or mediators for people, helping them resolve their disputes and differences outside the courtroom. 
• Intellectual property Specialist: LLM graduates with their specialisation in intellectual property law and work with businesses, corporations, and law firms and help them handle copyright matters, patents, trademarks, etc. 
• International Organisations: LLM graduates with international law as their specialised field of study can work with big international organisations such as the United Nations, World Bank, and international NGOs to help resolve global legal matters and disputes. 

Top Hiring Firms

After completing their degree in an LLM For Working Professionals course, graduates have a huge number of doors opened to them from various parts of the world. Since this is a specialised degree and almost everyone from common people to big organisations needs legal advice and suggestions in different matters, LLM For Working Professionals graduates are always in high demand. Here is a list of examples of various global companies and corporations that frequently hire LLM graduates for their legal matters: 

• International law firms such as Clifford Chance, White & Case, Baker McKenzie, etc., hire LLM graduates to advise on complicated legal matters. 
• Consulting firms like Bain & Company, Deloitte, and McKinsey & Company hire LLM graduates to provide expert consulting services to their clients. 
• Multinational corporations such as Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, etc., hire LLM graduates to handle their legal affairs, such as intellectual property, contract negotiations, and regulatory compliance. 
• International organisations such as the World Bank, United Nations, International Monetary Fund, etc. hire LLM graduates to help work on international legal issues and policy matters. 
• Investment banks and financial institutions such as JPMorgan, Citigroup, HSBC, Goldman Sachs, etc., hire LLM graduates for legal advice on regulatory matters and legal financial transactions. 

Mode/Type of Courses to Opt

Here are some other options available if you wish to pursue an LLM degree:

• Offline or regular LLM: The offline LLM degree program requires the students to visit the colleges in order to attend lectures and also give the examinations at the physical centres. No part of this degree involves the online mode.
• Distance LLM: The distance LLM degree program differs from an online degree in the fact that the students may have to visit the university to appear for the examinations and also that the lectures are usually pre-recorded. This ensures that students can study at their convenience and at their own pace. 

Top Universities 

Here is a list of some popular universities you can apply to when choosing to pursue an LLM For Working Professionals course:

• Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
• National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore
• NALSAR University, Hyderabad
• KIIT School of Law, Bhubaneshwar
• Tamil Nadu National Law University (TNNLU), Tiruchirappalli
• Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University (RMLNLU), Lucknow

What Are The Reasons For Choosing LLM Online?

Let us now have a look at the reasons why you should pursue an LLM For Working Professionals degree:

• Convenience: The LLM For Working Professionals degree gives you the flexibility and convenience to learn at your own pace and from the comfort of your home. Hence, you will be able to fulfil other personal commitments (if any). This is also an ideal course for working professionals who want to advance their careers.
• Cost-effective: being an online course, LLM For Working Professionals does not require the additional charges that are required in a traditional on-campus LLM degree, apart from the tuition fee and network expenses, which are minimal when compared to a physical degree, which add up a lot of other expenses such as travel charges, library fees, etc. 
• Career advancement: an LLM degree gives you a better lead over all other job seekers who have only completed their bachelor's in the field as it imbibes you with expert knowledge and skills that a bachelor's degree holder would lack. 

Why Should You Opt For An Education Loan For LLM Online 

While an LLM For Working Professionals degree is way more cost-effective and pocket-friendly than a traditional on-campus LLM degree, it does require some charges, such as tuition fees, high-quality internet expenses, etc., for two years straight. All of these reasons make taking an educational loan for an LLM For Working Professionals degree an advisable option, as such educational loans are easy to pay back, have lower rates of interest, and also give students time to find jobs and pay the loan back later. 

Conclusion

An LLM For Working Professionals offers the flexibility and ease of convenience to its students that a regular LLM degree is not able to provide, as it allows students to study from the comfort of their homes at any time that might be feasible for them, without any need to attend physical classes on campus. An LLM For Working Professionals course makes use of several technological tools, such as video lectures, video conferencing, online discussions, etc., to carry out its classes and student-teacher interactions. To pursue a career in the LLM field, students can check the universities mentioned above.