“I was always interested to learn about policies and constitution. So I chose the profession of a lawyer and I’m satisfied with my decision,” says Advocate Saroj Pyakurel.
After years of experiences in the field, Pyakurel says that the profession has turned him into an independent and aware citizen who now knows a lot about handling issues related with law. “As a lawyer, I’ve dealt with social and political issues as well as criminal and family issues,” he shares.
“For youngsters, too, studying and practicing law is beneficial at personal as well as professional level,” he observes. Law students can grow up to be stronger persons who can apply their knowledge and skills in different sectors that enhance the development of the nation, he says.
Similarly, Advocate Ashish Adhikari, who is also a Professor at Kathmandu School of Law (KSL) in Bhaktapur, says that in the present world, lawyers are in demand in many sectors.
And he emphasizes that law students have many opportunities as they can choose from a range of sectors after acquiring a license of a lawyer. “For instance, in the government sector, one can go for the foreign affairs, or work with law firms and courts,” he observes. They are also hired in the private organizations as advisors and in-house corporate lawyers, he adds.
Irada Pahadi, who has a Master’s in Journalism and an undergraduate degree in Law, has been working with Ganapati Law Firm in Dilli Bazaar for six months now.
“There weren’t many female lawyers earlier, which was what encouraged me the most to go for the profession,” she says.
“Every citizen should be aware about the laws and constitution of one’s country,” she says. This hunger for knowledge on rules and regulations of the country also attracted her in the profession, she adds.
She observes that people aren’t aware about the rights and duties that are integral parts of one’s own profession, either. This disheartens her and she suggests people should make it a point to have a thorough knowledge about their rights and the existing laws of the country.
About her experiences so far, Irada shares that one has to struggle a lot to establish oneself as a good lawyer. But once one is established and maintains a good PR, the work will get easier.
Regarding the improvement that needs to be brought in the field of law in Nepal, she says, “There are thousands of cases that haven’t been solved in the Supreme Court. This is happening due to the inefficiency of the system and probably due to the lack of more skilled lawyers in the court.” She suggests that this should be checked.
Likewise, Advocate Adhikari says that while preparing students for legal career, they should be provided with more practical knowledge.
“The course should be revised. Students should be asked to analyze as many cases as possible and that too from a variety of issues, ranging from business to social sectors,” he suggests.
The examination conducted by Nepal Bar Council also needs revision, he observes. He informs that the Council issues license to law students after passing a written examination. “But it would be better if the students first practiced with established law chambers and firms for some months and then only go for a full-fledged license,” he recommends, adding that studying law does have a bright prospective.
You can either join LLB after acquiring a Bachelor’s degree in any other discipline or go for a five-year law course directly after completing high school.
source:SUPRASANNA ARYAL, republica,23 june 2014
