How to become a lawyer in Pakistan?

Becoming a lawyer in Pakistan is probably one of the most sought after and respected professions in the country. This pays a big respect to all lawyers in a country, where socio-cultural norms usually dictate what professions, one opts for. In a country where cases range from land ownership cases, to corruption cases and to crime cases, the need for lawyers and modern lawyers especially, has never been higher. The Law of Pakistan hasn’t necessarily yet seen the benefits of AI in the law industry, but that soon could change through casebook. There has also been a recent surge in the coverage Pakistani cases have received domestically and some even internationally. Hence, the requirement for lawyers to be competent and up to date with technology also has risen.

The process of becoming a lawyer is usually time-consuming but it’s a vastly rewarding profession, even in Pakistan. There are several hurdles one goes through before becoming a full-time practicing lawyer.

Similar to Matric, in Pakistan there aren’t specific courses offered for Law in O levels. Students can opt for science (biology or computer sciene) or for business subjects in this level. Students who again have higher grades have a better chance of getting into the legal progession in the future.

For Advanced Level education, students can opt for Law as a subject which really helps them prepare for exams following their A levels graduation. The law subject offered is quite comprehensive and relevant to what students aspiring to be doing LLB require.

Following the completion of previous levels (Matric/Intermediate, O’levels/A’levels), students have to appear for the LAT. The LAT is a standardized test accepted by universities all over Pakistan for LLB admission. The test is set by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and this is a necessity.
The LAT contains basic skills such as English and Mathematics along with general knowledge, Urdu, Pakistan Studies and Islamiat.

Certain universities have their own requirements, especially higher ranked ones. For example, Lahore University of Management and Sciences (LUMS), has a requirement for the SAT as well.

Depending on the scores obtained in the LAT, students can now apply to universities for their undergraduate degree. LLB stands for the Bachelor of Laws. The law degree is set for five years of education, assuming everything goes to plan! LLB courses include a variety of subjects such as litigation, political science etc etc.

Moreover, University of London LLB courses are being offered in various locations. Students are enrolled in Pakistan, however, are offering standardized exams based in the UK. This is becoming a popular choice among students who might want to pursue their law career abroad in the UK.

Law Graduate Assessment Test & Licensing

Upon completion of the LLB degree, students have to appear for the Law GAT. This is the main examination that assesses a student’s capability of becoming a full-time lawyer. This exam is what stands in between the aspiring lawyer and the license needed to be obtained. Proper preparation for this test is necessary and can’t be taken easy by any means. It’s a lot more sophisticated and specialized than the initial LAT.

When this test is cleared, students need to work under a senior lawyer for about six months minimum. Some junior lawyers prefer working under a senior lawyer for longer as it provides them with necessary experience for when they take the court-room themselves.

There are still certain hurdles that come in between lawyers who wants to see themselves eventually become a supreme court lawyer. On average, ten years of experience is required to monitor Supreme Court cases. All in all, it’s quite a long procedure but worth it. A lawyer must be passionate to get to the top, and looking to provide justice to the people of the country which they desperately seek. Honest and competent lawyers can go very far in the country, especially one’s who will equip themselves with AI in the law industry.