“A body of rules of action or conduct prescribed by a controlling authority, and having binding legal force. That which must be obeyed and followed by citizens subject to sanctions or legal consequence is a law” is how the law is defined in Black’s Law Dictionary.

Laws have developed and evolved along with human civilisation. The first law code was formulated by the ancient Sumerian ruler, Ur-Nammu who used if..then.. statements. King Hammurabi of Babylon is credited with being the first person to inscribe laws on a tablet which later came to be known as the Hammurabi Code.

The legal/judicial system includes civil law and common law which are most prevalent across the world today where the law is laid down by the Constitution and Judiciary of the country.

Establishing laws serve many purposes. Establishing standards serves as a guidepost for ensuring acceptable behaviour in society. Maintaining law and order is important for a normal life, The court system provides a platform for resolving disputes which are inevitable in daily life. The disputes could range from individuals to countries. Protecting the rights and liberties of individuals is important for maintaining equality amongst citizens.

Law aspirants can pursue a 3 year Bachelor of Laws (LLB) upon successful completion of an undergraduate degree from a recognized university. The current trend is to pursue an integrated undergraduate law degree after the 12th grade which enables you to get 2 degrees e.g. BA+LLB, B.Sc+LLB, etc. in 5 years and save a year of education. Students have the option of pursuing a Masters in Law (LLM) in the future. AILET, LSAT, and CLAT are the popular entrance exams conducted by autonomous colleges.

Corporate, Civil, Family, Criminal, Taxation, International, Labour, Constitutional, and Patent Law are a few of the popular specialisations in Law. Law graduates are in demand and can explore careers in litigation, law firms, corporate counselling, judicial/civil services, legal process outsourcing, and media to name a few.