Bachelor of Laws (Legum Baccalaureus)

LLB Full Form in English, letter by letter

LLB is the Bachelor of Laws, from the Latin Legum Baccalaureus, the basic law degree in India and most Commonwealth countries.

LLB Full Form in Indian Languages

LLB comes from Latin, so Indian languages translate the English name, Bachelor of Laws, rather than the Latin. Here is how the degree is named in six Indian languages.

Why there are two L's in LLB

LLB is short for Legum Baccalaureus, Latin for Bachelor of Laws. The odd double L comes from legum, the genitive plural of lex, meaning 'of laws'. Latin abbreviations often double the first letter to mark a plural, which is also why 'pp.' means pages. So the two L's are not two separate words. They are one plural, and you can write it LLB or LL.B.

If you have seen 'Legislative Laws Bachelor' somewhere, that is not a real expansion. No university and no Bar Council uses it. Stick to Bachelor of Laws in English and Legum Baccalaureus in Latin.

A degree older than most universities

Law was one of the first things universities taught. The University of Bologna began in the twelfth century as a school of law, and the first law degrees were doctorates. The bachelor's degree itself grew out of the medieval universities of Paris, Oxford and Cambridge.

England took a different road. For centuries a would-be barrister learned at the Inns of Court, and solicitors trained as apprentices. William Blackstone gave the first lectures on English common law at Oxford in 1753 and argued that law should be studied at a university rather than picked up through apprenticeship. Over the next two centuries a university law degree became the usual first step, and the LLB became the standard qualification across common-law countries, India included.

Two ways to get an LLB in India

The three-year LLB is the traditional route. You need a bachelor's degree in any subject from a recognised institution, so a B.Com, BSc or BA graduate can switch to law. The five-year integrated course is for students straight out of Class 12. It pairs the LLB with another bachelor's degree, such as BA LLB, BBA LLB, B.Com LLB or BSc LLB. In the first two years you study the other subject alongside basics like torts, contracts and constitutional law. In the last three years law takes over the timetable.

The National Law School of India University in Bengaluru was the first national law school, followed by NALSAR in Hyderabad and the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences in Kolkata. Many other universities now run five-year programmes on the same pattern. The Bar Council of India recognises both the three-year and the five-year degrees for enrolment as an advocate. Entry to the National Law Universities is through the national entrance test, covered on the CLAT page, and other universities have their own tests or take students on Class 12 marks. Rules and eligibility change, so check the current notice of the university or the Bar Council before you apply.

What you study in law school

The core papers are constitutional law, contract law, the law of torts, family law, property law, criminal law under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the new procedure and evidence laws that replaced the older codes, along with jurisprudence, company law and administrative law. Later years bring electives such as intellectual property, cyber law, labour law, tax law or international law.

Most colleges also require moot courts, where you argue a made-up case before a panel, and internships with advocates, courts, NGOs or companies. Take the internships seriously. A lawyer's first clients and first job usually come from people met during these months.

After the degree: becoming an advocate

An LLB on its own does not let you argue in court. The Bar Council of India is the statutory body set up under the Advocates Act, 1961 that regulates legal practice and legal education in India. Graduates with a recognised law degree are admitted as advocates on the rolls of a State Bar Council, and the next hurdle is the All India Bar Examination (AIBE).

Passing the AIBE has been required for a certificate of practice since 2010. One more point surprises many applicants: the degree must be one the Bar Council recognises, and practising as an advocate needs a regular, recognised law course rather than an unrecognised distance programme.

Jobs beyond the courtroom

Not every LLB graduate argues cases. Some prepare for the judicial services examinations that recruit civil judges and magistrates in each state. Others join law firms, work as in-house counsel for companies, handle compliance in banks and start-ups, or move into policy research, legal journalism and teaching. A master's degree such as the LLM or a specialised diploma helps for academic or niche careers.

The same degree around the world

LLB is the first law degree in most common-law countries, but the route differs. In England and Wales it is a three-year undergraduate degree, and a graduate from another subject can convert through a one-year course. Scotland's LLB usually runs four years. The United States moved from the LLB to the Juris Doctor in the 1960s, and Canada followed later, though both treat the JD as a first professional degree. Australia accepts either an LLB or a JD for admission.

If you plan to study or work abroad, check whether your Indian LLB is recognised there, since some countries ask for extra bar exams or conversion courses.

LLB is Legum Baccalaureus, the Latin name for a Bachelor of Laws, and the double L simply marks the plural 'of laws'. In India you can earn it in three years after any graduation or in five years right after Class 12. The degree is the first step, not the last. To appear in court you also need to enrol with a State Bar Council and pass the AIBE, so check the Bar Council's latest rules before you pick a college.

LLB Full Form: Common Questions