How to Become a Cyber Lawyer

About Cyber Lawyer

Cyber Law is a domain, much wider than the entire legal domain itself. It is due to the distinguished nature of the internet that the combination of law and technology emerged. Being a public medium, the internet has introduced different risks which are required to be regulated by cyber jurisdictions. This is where a Cyber Lawer comes into play. Cyber lawyers deal with cases of cybercrimes against an individual, company or a government. An outstanding cyber lawyer is required to comprehend the internet activities and the knowledge of the latest technology like cryptocurrency, cybersecurity and so on. He/she must be well-adept at applying the relevant cyber laws while handling cases related to e-commerce, e-contracts and digital signatures, intellectual property rights, cybersecurity, etc.

Eligibility to become Cyber Lawyer

• The aspirant must have passed 10+2 and graduation from a recognised Board of education or university with not less than 50% marks in aggregate.

• Must have a valid law entrance exam score accepted by the college one is seeking admission to.

• There could an age restriction which may vary according to the degree and the institute. 

Note: This shall vary from college to college and degree to degree. 

Types of Job Roles Cyber Lawyer

As mentioned above, Cyber Law is a huge domain that offers a number of job profiles that cyber law aspirants can strive for. List of the same has been given below:

Cyber Lawyer

A Cyber Lawyer is responsible for handling criminal matters on the cyberspace i.e the internet. He/she will be solving cases of cyber-attack related to business houses, law enforcement agencies or private organizations. 

Cyber Assistant

Cyber Assistants are hired to identify and solve potential and actual security problems and protect systems by defining control structures, access privileges, control structures, and resources. They are also responsible for Implementing security improvements by interpreting the current situation, evaluating trends and further anticipating requirements.

Cyber Legal Advisor/Cyber Consultant

A Cyber Legal Advisor shall provide legal advice and recommendations on relevant topics and sub-topics related to cyber law. A Cyber Legal Advisor is expected to know computer networking protocols and concepts along with network security methodologies.

In-House Counsel

In-house counsels shall help single out cyber issues and advocate for a board member designated to be responsible for the cybersecurity of a company. They can be asked to educate the members of the company about the company's cybersecurity vulnerabilities. 

Cyber Law Expert

Cyber law experts work with organizations to help keep their computer information systems safe and secure. They are responsible for determining who requires access to which information of the company and further plan, coordinate and implement all the information security programs.

Cyber Law- Lecturer

An assistant professor or lecturer of Cyber Law must have a wide experience in teaching cyber law courses along with having profound knowledge of the domain. He/she must have a deep knowledge of instructional methodologies related to Cyber Law.

Employment Sector/Industry for Cyber Lawyer

The leading companies that employ cyber lawyers belong to the below-mentioned employment sectors or industries:

• Multi-National Corporations (MNCs)

• Corporate Business

• Government Firms or Public Departments

• Law Firms

• Law Enforcement Agencies

Top Recruiting Companies for a Cyber Lawyer

The top recruiting companies of a Cyber Lawyer not only include IT giants but GoI and renowned legal firms. Find the list of top recruiting companies of a Cyber Lawyer below:

• Trilegal

• Nishith Desai Associates

• Ministry of IT, Government of India

• Cyril AmarchandMangaldas

• Kochhar & Co

• AZB & Partners

• Deloitte

Pay Scale/Salary of Cyber Lawyer

Cyber Law, as of today, has emerged as one of the most demanding career fields in India. Although the pay scale of Cyber Lawyer has been given below, it is to be noted that it will vary according to the job profile, location of the job, academic background and so on.

Note: The figures given in the above table are an estimate and may vary from individual to individual and company to company.

Books & Study Material to Become Cyber Lawyer

Cyber Law aspirants often get confused about which books to rely on while preparing for the subject. It is said that the Gazette of the Constitution of India about IT Act works as the best study material for Cyber Law. However, we have added a list of other recommended books or study material for Cyber Law: 

• Gazette of the Constitution of India about IT Act

• Cyber Laws in India by Farooq Ahmed

• Cyber Law & Cyber Crimes Simplified: with The Information Technology Act, 2000 by Adv. Prashant Mali

• Cyber Laws In India: Fathoming Your Lawful Perplexby Akash Kamal Mishra

• Cyber Law In India Simply In-Depth by Ajit Singh 

Pros of becoming a Cyber Lawyer

• Incomparable emotional and financial rewards.

• A wide selection of career options.

• A scope to learning something new every day.

• Experiencing the satisfaction of preventing cybercrime. 

Cons of becoming a Cyber Lawyer

• The work demands great patience and competition amongst co-workers.

• Rapid changes in the cyber legal system.

• Long hours of work and research.

• The society is still yet to understand the significance of cyber lawyers.