Dr. Shashikala Gurpur, director, Symbiosis Law School, Pune
The legal ecosystem has been a popular career choice for a long time. Law in its heyday was a rapidly evolving sector and continues to be the same today, especially for those who have been exposed to it through several generations. Initially, aspirants for the legal profession had to opt between civil law and criminal law but in the 21st century, the sector has become a lot more dynamic and multidisciplinary in nature. Law students can choose from Business Law, Criminal Law, Corporate Law, International Law, Intellectual Property Rights, and many more. Each specialisation has multiple aspects associated with it. For example, students opting for Corporate Law should be well versed in commerce, capital, and finance that to solve cases with a larger perspective. A criminal lawyer must know about human psychology, community education, etc. The law sector is quite vast in nature and has many career prospects that aspirants can add to their resume in order to stand out in the industry.
Legal Blogging
Legal blogging is an emerging career opportunity in the legal space. Various types of legal blogs include business blogs, newsworthy blogs, marketing, and many more. Most blogs provide updates on cases against certain clients that can provide valuable insights to the public and the legal fraternity.
Legal blogging is a straightforward way to share your expertise and expand your perspective. It helps demystify the law and makes it accessible and comprehensible to the audience. Moreover, it provides information that the traditional media might not. Legal blogs also provide accurate reports that open doors to deliberations on issues and cases which helps the general public engage in legal matters. For example, current court decisions, practices, legal technology, the business of law, and many more.
How can potential lawyers benefit from it?
A legal blog is one of the best ways for a legal professional to share practical case experiences with aspiring law students. These journalled insights can help the aspiring students gain knowledge which no academic book can provide. Aspiring law students often look for ways to stay updated with new developments in the industry and one of the simplest ways to do that is to start researching online. To provide niche knowledge through their blogs, legal professionals should focus on writing more about developments in the law sticking to a particular niche and the various career options in the field associated with it. The kind of experience law firms can share through their legal blogs can help students know more about future career prospects. Many blogs focus on issues and questions that might arise at the beginning of your law career, as it comes from a professional perspective. They can also provide insights into various contemporary developments in the field of law within and outside the country. For example, Legal Desire, Law Corner, TLC are platforms that provide knowledge on opportunities in law via legal blogs.
If one writes more about generic information that focuses on the human connection while writing, the blog will appeal to every other person. For example, if the blog has an attractive title and is in a language that can be read by everyone and not just law professionals it can make a mark.
Young law students can also start blogging right from law schools and add the experience to their resumes which can give them an edge over peers. Writing a legal blog can generate a good heated debate, expand your online network, and improve your skills set in more than one way. In addition to academics, students should add value to their resumes by pursuing non-academic interests. They need to demonstrate practical experience, technical skills, and knowledge about the industry.
A law firm can reach out to potential legal clients via blogs by networking and broadening legal connections. The firms can use legal blogs as a tool in marketing their firm and expanding their online presence. Writing blogs in association with a certain law firm can have its own advantages. You can write about the latest happenings like attorney wellness, current affairs, and newsletters.
Potential law professionals can become expert bloggers by identifying their niche in the legal sphere and their target audience. To write legal blogs, one should be acquainted with the SEO techniques and take advantage of the trending keywords. Legal blogging provides several advantages such as starting with a strong foundation, credibility, and good reputation that can help build a career and enable law professionals to becoming thought leaders in the industry.
Also Read: Reimagine the pedagogy of law education in the post pandemic period
Future of legal profession In India