The battle of becoming a successful lawyer that too whilst being a first-generation lawyer is not so easy, especially in a country like India. Making a sound career in law has never been an easy job, be it for a lawyer having a prior legal background or a first-generation lawyer, however, one cannot deny that the individuals born in law-related cultures and backgrounds are placed at much better place than a first-generation lawyer. The reasons for this are the archaic model of practicing law and the special treatment given to a person born with a golden spoon of legal background. A person being born in a law family is well adept with the fundamentals of law, has exposure in managing legal concerns, and has an indirect encounter of handling the clients. Being a lawyer in the family of lawyers or judges passes the skills that are required by a law student to master in their career, even clients also get passed on to the next generation. Usually, a lawyer with legal lineage gets the benefit of their family background, where they don’t have to build new connections or do much hard work as compared to the first-generation lawyer because they have good guidance from their family members.
On the other hand, first-generation lawyers have to build new connections in the legal world and they don’t have much networking skills or knowledge to adapt to the legal aura. They are also without guidance or negligible guidance. Inadequate information and legal connections are the main keys that every first-generation lawyer lacks. One of the most important aspects of the undertaking and specializing in legal matters for one should be making a connection by his own practice. These connections for a first-generation lawyer take years to come by or once in a while assembled gradually.
Another part of the viable battle for a first-generation lawyer happens within the courtroom. Having the son or daughter of a high-profile lawyer prior to responding to complex issues and portrayal in the courts has been a culture that many of us are familiar with. Without any difficulty, such lawyers mark their presence in the court and get the useful mastery of handling courtroom proceedings in some amazing cases and earn their name in the legal world. Such lawful portrayal since watched by a large number of legal associates, senior and junior individuals from the bar, such authentic advantage and handling of issues alluded through an age of a customer most likely lacking amongst the first-generation lawyers.
The recruitment obstacles for first-generation lawyers remain one of the most cumbersome procedures to survive in legal space. Writing from a personal experience, the process of hiring in several law firms requires a solid connection or a reference to get into an ideal post. Even, grasping the internship in the law school needs strong connectivity in the profession. Hence, the reality remains the same that there are some tedious and unending challenges for a first-generation lawyer to realize his/her dreams of pursuing law.
There are various challenges faced by First Generation Lawyers which are as follow:-
- Financial burdens that constrain first generation lawyer’s career choices: Those people who are financially strong can reach their goal by selecting passion able profession. Some cases are like they are financially strong but in case Lawyer profession is not their passion but some cases are like they are financially weak but Lawyer profession is their passion. Due to lack of finance or money, they are not able to select their path which leads them to away from success.
- No support from Family: This is the main problem faced by new generation lawyer as they feel isolated at work due no support from family member in their profession.
- Lack of Confidence: Confidence level which is from parental boost the Lawyer to reach their goal. But Lack of this confidence may make Lawyer to come forward in market. Because their confidence is zero. This is also a major problem of New Generation Lawyer.
- Economic disparities and differing educational, social or cultural backgrounds: First Generation Lawyers feel isolated or different who have backgrounds with economic disparities, different educational, social or cultural background, which may undermine their confidence.
- A Lack of Acculturation to expectations in a Professional setting: A Lack of acculturation which means lack of work experience from home is main problem faced by First Generation Lawyers. Lawyers with no Law background face this problem because they are not able to grab the knowledgeable things from home.
- Lack of Knowledge of Resources: Knowledge of Resources play a very vital role in New Generation Lawyers because in order to reach their goal, every Lawyer must have knowledge. Lack of Knowledge creates many obstacles toward the success of Lawyer. Every first-generation Lawyer must aware of current awareness what is going on around the world not in term of law but also economic, social and many more. A good Lawyer is one who has habit to read newspaper on daily basis just to increase their knowledge.
- Inside and Outside the firm: First Generation Lawyer face challenges inside and outside the firm. Like they have no knowledge or Experience to work inside the firm. Experience count in term of confidence, nature, patience level, way to behavior toward senior etc. so he may face this kind of problem in his/her routine life.
- Sense of insecurity: First Generation Lawyer have an amazing skill to become Lawyer. They are goal oriented but they belong to very poor family or they are from poor background where narrow minded people are living. In this case also there is sense of insecurity arise in first generation lawyer. They are not able to meet their expenses which are for education, after degree expenses incurred on application for licence, after licence, expenses incurred for set up of office in market. So, there is some insecurity which a new generation lawyer may face in his career.
- Family Mentality: First Generation Lawyer have to face this problem, as today is advance world. New technology adobted in every field. Which may lead toward mental mind of the people. If family mentality is not support new generation lawyer then this also leads to obstacles in life of mew generation lawyer. As we know, in today area, every person face family mentality problem as family thinking toward profession can never be changed which create problem in new generation lawyer.
- Family help in litigation or profession: Family help also pay more reliable for lawyer to reach at success. As we know lawyer have to work for late night so if there is help from family then new generation lawyer may feel relax from their issues. Family help in work or other make relaxation to new generation lawyer. This also an obstacle toward their path to reach at success.
These are the problems which are being faced by New Generation Lawyer.
So, from the aforesaid it is clear that the New Lawyer Generation is just like a body without backbone. As we all know there is a lot of struggle incurred to get a success for every professional. Like body without backbone cannot do anything in the same way without a strong backbone, without a strong support, no lawyer can build his career. In this Article I demonstrate my idea or view toward the problems faced by First Generation Lawyer, how first-generation lawyer face obstacles in his/her field or path toward success. Instead of these problems or obstacles, new generation lawyer has capability or confidence to beat these problems in order to reach at their goal. They must be practical not theoretical based.
Blog by Indian Lawyers Association