Understanding Lawyer Salaries in India: A 2024 Guide to Legal Earnings

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Lawyer Salary in India: How Much Do Legal Professionals Earn?

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Mayank Mishra

Updated on 17th August, 2024 , 6 min read

Lawyer Salary in India

 

Lawyer Salary in India: Comprehensive Overview

 

Lawyer Salary averages around INR 450,000 per year or INR 231 per hour. Moreover, the lawyer salary in India depends on several factors such as the skills, location of the job, experience, etc. The salary at the Entry-level position starts from INR 363,750 per year. Furthermore, the experienced salary of a lawyer is around INR 1,900,000 per year.

Fresh graduates charge around INR 300- 400 per appearance, however Lawyers with substantial years of experience charge up to INR 5-10 Lakh per appearance. However, on the other hand, the Corporate Lawyer salary ranges around INR 6- 12 LPA.

The salary of the lawyer varies depending upon the sectors too. A private lawyer salary averages around INR 8-20 LPA. However, the Government lawyer salary in India is from INR 1 - 4 LPA. Moreover, to know more about the salary of lawyer in India, read the complete article below.

Lawyer Salary

The details of the salary of lawyer in India is mentioned in the table below:-

Designation

Salary

Lawyer Salary in India (Average)

INR 450,000

Lawyer Salary per month

INR 7000 - 10,000

Government Lawyer Salary in India

INR 1 - 4 LPA

Private Lawyer Salary

INR 6- 12 LPA

Corporate Lawyer Salary

INR 6- 12 LPA

Check out the Salary Breakdown of Different Courses in the section below - 

Lawyer Salary in India: Specialization Wise

The specialization wise salary of a lawyer can be found below:-

Specialization

Lawyer Salary in India

Civil Law

INR 2.5 Lakhs - INR 3.2 Lakhs

Criminal Law

INR 0.5 - INR 3.0 Lakhs

Corporate Law

INR 1.47 - INR 6.9 Lakh

Cyber Law

INR 7,00,000 to INR 15,00,000

Intellectual Property Law

INR 2.8 Lakhs to INR 14.7 Lakhs

Related Law Articles:-

Lawyer Salary in India: Qualification Wise

The qualification wise salary of a lawyer can be found below:-

Qualifications

Lawyer Salary in India

LLB

INR 2.20 - 3.50 L

BA LLBBCom LLBBBA LLB/ BSc LLB

INR 3 - 5 L

LLM

INR 5 - 6 L

LLD

INR 4.5 - 7 L

Check also the salary structure of some of the top engineering courses:

Software Engineering Salary in IndiaMechanical Engineering Salary in IndiaPetroleum Engineering Salary in India

Lawyer Salary in India: Experience Wise

The salary of a lawyer as per experience is mentioned below:-

Experience

Lawyer Salary in India

0 - 5 years

INR 2 - 3 LPA

5 - 10 years

INR 5 - 6 LPA

15 - 20 years

INR 12 - 17 LPA

20 years and above

INR 40 lakh - 1.50 CR

Lawyer Salary in India:  Criminal Lawyer Salary

Criminal Lawyer salary in India ranges between INR 0.3 Lakhs to INR 6.0 Lakhs with an average annual salary of INR 3.0 Lakhs.

Criminal Lawyer Salary: Company Wise

InstitutionAverage SalaryHighest Salary
District Court GhaziabadINR 2.5 LPAINR 4.5 LPA
Self PracticeINR 3.8 LPAINR 6 LPA
High Court LucknowINR 3.1 LPAINR 6 LPA
Jain & AssociatesINR 2.7 LPAINR 3.5 LPA
Allahabad High CourtINR 3.6 LPAINR 4.6 LPA
Civil Court PeddapuramINR 2.7 LPAINR 5.8 LPA
District Court SaketINR 2.3 LPAINR 5.9 LPA

Lawyer Salary in India: Government Lawyer Salary 

Average Government of India Advocate salary in India is INR 2.6 Lakhs per year for employees with experience between 1 year to 9 years. Advocate salary at Government of India ranges between INR 1.0 Lakhs to INR 4.4 Lakhs per year.

Government Advocate Salary in India: Company Wise

Institution NameAverage Salary
Government Institution of IndiaINR 1.0 LPA - INR 4.4 LPA
District Court GhaziabadINR 1.0 LPA - INR 4.4 LPA
Self-PracticeINR 1.2 LPA - INR 7.2 LPA
High Court LucknowINR 1.8 LPA - INR 7.4 LPA
AdvocateINR 1.2 LPA - INR 9.0 LPA
Narayana Processed FoodsINR 30.0K LPA - INR 5.2 LPA

Lawyer Salary in India: Sector Wise

Lawyers are not limited to work in courts or in corporate firms only, but they can also be hired in public sectors as Legal Officers, legal researchers, drafting officers etc. The table will discuss elaborately the salaries that are drawn by Lawyers working for both Government and Private Sectors for your reference.

Lawyer Salary in India: Public Sector

Job Profile

Lawyer Salary in India

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd

INR 12 - 15 L

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation

INR 7 - 10 L

UPSC

INR 10 - 12.50 L

Reserve Bank of India

INR 13 - 15.70 L

NHSRCL

INR 8 - 12 L

Lawyer Salary in India: Private Sector

Job Profile

Lawyer Salary in India

Indian Oil

INR 20 L

Canara Bank

INR 13 L

TCS

INR 8-10 L

Tata Motors

INR 10-12 L

Lawyer Salary in India: City Wise

The average salary of a Lawyer across various cities are tabulated below for your reference,

Name of the CitiesAverage Annual Salary (INR)
Delhi6.25 L
Mumbai7.75 L
Kolkata6 L
Bangalore7.20 L
Pune4.50 L
Hyderabad6 L

Lawyer Salary in India: Designation Wise

After completing LL.B, there are various career options which the student can opt for. Candidates can opt to prepare for Judicial Service and become a Judge after clearing the Judicial Service exams.

Tabulated below is the average salary of a Lawyer across various designations for your reference,

DesignationsAverage Annual Salary (INR)
Legal Advisor9 - 10 L
Public Prosecutor14 -18 L
Judge20 - 24 L
Company Secretary16 - 20 L
Advocate6 -10 L
ParaLegal2 – 3.50 L
Law Lecturer4 - 7 L
Law Associate3- 5 L

Lawyer Salary in India: Factors that Influence Salary

There are many factors that influence the salary of lawyers in India. Some of them are explained below:

Lawyers with extensive experience get more salary. Senior lawyers are paid well in India. Junior lawyers or fresh graduates begin their jouney with less salary but with experience, they can improve their salaries. 

Law Practice and its type also affects salaries. If you are specialized in corporate law, intellectual property, or international law, you will get more salary. In-demand areas and specializations have high potentiality of earning. 

If you are working for top-tier law firms, multinational corporations, or high-profile clients, you will get more salary. Those who work for smaller firms or as solo practitioners, they get modest salaries. 

Location also affects lawyer salary in India in some way or the other. Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore is the hub to practice and earn more. If you are working in rural areas, you may get less salary. 

 Your educational background substantially affects your salary. Students from National Law Universities (NLUs) and top law schools earn more. 

Note: The revenue of independent contractors or freelancers might vary greatly. The volume of cases they take on, their success rate, and their capacity to draw in well-paid customers all affect how much money they make. Even though some solo practitioners might have difficulties at first, individuals who have a solid reputation can make good money.

Lawyer Salary in India: Other Income Sources for Lawyers in India

Consultation Fees: Providing legal consultations is a common way for attorneys to augment their revenue. These costs per hour can vary from INR 2,000 to INR 20,000, contingent on the experience and standing of the attorney. 
Writing Legal Books and Articles: Some attorneys also teach law at universities or write legal articles to supplement their income. These pursuits help them build their professional profile in addition to earning extra money.

Lawyer Salary in India FAQs
Q. How much do lawyers get paid in India?

A. Fresh Graduates: INR 3 lakh to INR 10 lakh per annum

Mid-Level Lawyers: INR 8 lakh to INR 20 lakh per annum.

Senior Lawyers and Partners:  INR 20 lakh to INR 1 crore or more annually.

Corporate Lawyers:  INR 15 lakh to INR 50 lakh per annum

Q. What is the LLB salary in India?
A.  INR 1 lakh to INR 11 lakh annually, with an average of INR 4.6 lakh, depending on experience, location, and specialization.
Q. Who earns more, CA or Lawyer?
A. The typical annual beginning compensation for legal companies is between 10 and 14 lakhs, which is less than the 7-8 lakh average salary for chartered accountants. Compared to a three-year LLB, the CA tests are harder, need more attention, and require a three-year articleship.
Q. Is law a good job in India?
A. In India, the legal profession is regarded as one of the best and safest to enter, offering great compensation and a variety of chances.
Q. Who is the richest lawyer in India?
A. Gopal Subramaniam is one of India's wealthiest lawyers. 
Q. Which is better MBA or law?
A. If one wants to work in law, they should earn an LLB degree; if they want to work in administration or management, they should get an MBA degree. An MBA should be pursued if a student has a greater aptitude for management; if not, an LLB degree should take precedence.

Lawyer Salary in India: Top Recruiters

There are several private companies, government organizations and different law firms that keep hiring law graduates on a regular basis. In the below table, we will see who are top recruiters for legal profession:

Luthra & LuthraIndian Army JAGReserve Bank of India
Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co.Khaitan & CO.State Bank of India
AmazonUPSCSAIL

Lawyer Salary in India: Lawyer Jobs in India

The job of a Lawyer is to provide justice to their clients and apart from that they have several other duties that need to be fulfilled by a Lawyer:

  • Provide legal guidance to the clients
  • Prepare legal documents 
  • Taking statement of witnesses
  • Collecting evidence and presenting them to the court
  • Preparing contracts and legal drafting

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the lawyer salary in India?

Ans. The lawyer salary in India is from INR 1.0 Lakhs to INR 11.0 Lakhs.

What is the highest salary of a lawyer?

Ans. The highest salary of a lawyer is INR 11 LPA.

What is the Government lawyer salary in India per month?

Ans. The Government lawyer salary in India per month is INR 8, 000 - INR 33, 000.

What is the Criminal Lawyer Salary?

Ans. The Criminal Lawyer salary ranges from INR 2.5 LPA - INR 5.9 LPA.

What are the course fees to become a Lawyer?

Ans. The fee of the course to become a lawyer ranges from INR 50000- 1.50 lakh per semester.

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