Introduction to Legal Drafting
Legal drafting is an important skill for lawyers - it involves learning how to draft various kinds of petitions to be filed in court, drafting contracts for clients, preparation of legal opinions or ‘legal memos’ (not moot court memos). These skills enable a lawyer to perform different kinds of billable work for clients and provide them value.
These skills are highly valuable, but they are either not taught or taught in a very limited manner in law school.
Although we have courses focussing on different areas of law, ranging from criminal litigation, civil litigation, contract drafting, business laws for in-house counsels, arbitration, NCLT Litigation, M&A, etc., over the past few years, thousands of learners have asked us for an introductory drafting course which enables them to get started with the practical side of the law.
We have decided to launch this course, keeping in mind such requests.
Legal drafting is crucial for any lawyer to perform client work effectively. As you gain more expertise, you may realize that drafting skills for different forums and different areas of law will differ.
For example, petitions before a criminal court will be different from petitions before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) or from arbitration petitions. Similarly, a shareholders agreement will be very different from an employment agreement.
However, basic legal drafting skills and practice is crucial for performing any kind of client work. When one starts learning, it is important to have a broad foundation. At this stage, it does not matter if you are not sure about which area of law you want to focus on and specialize in.
What do these drafting skills comprise?
Learning how to draft a handful of contracts, civil and criminal petitions. This will enable you to have a preliminary sense of how to provide a service to a client.
These drafting skills and practice will enable you to build confidence and feel equipped to understand and handle a variety of tasks assigned to junior lawyers.
Later, if you want to learn about any specific kind of technical work, you can acquire specialized skills relevant to that area of practice.
How long will it take to learn these introductory skills?
With our unique methodology, we are going to bet that you can learn them in 1-month.
Please scroll down - there is more for you.
You might know of some senior practitioners in your network who are very knowledgeable and talented but who are unable to build their clients. They are not able to enjoy the fruits of their knowledge because not enough people know about their expertise.
Do you know why? They have not created a portfolio of work that is relevant and discoverable by their target audience.
We do not want you to face the risk of a similar fate.
For this reason, article-writing skills are very important in today’s economy. You should have the ability to build a portfolio of expert-level articles in an area of your choice. Further, these articles should engage and be of interest to a reader, even if he or she is not a lawyer. For example, the reader could be a business owner, a working professional or manager, an individual who needs a lawyer or even a potential recruiter.
We are clear that those who develop their article writing skills and create a published portfolio of work will enjoy a huge professional advantage in today’s world. Clients frequently search for young lawyers online, and the COVID-19 lockdown has drastically accelerated this shift.
How can you start on this journey? The journey begins when you write one article in a time-bound manner and send it for publication.
What would it take for you to learn these skills?
Approximately 2 hours of study per day at your own time and 1.5 hours of online classes with us.
We have identified a coaching framework for the same, and we will walk you through the journey of writing an article and sending it for publication, right from the point of identification of a topic to its completion.
Guess what? All this can happen in a few months. Read on to find out more.
In fact, other professionals such as Chartered Accountants, Company Secretaries, etc. and others who advise clients on different aspects of secretarial and accounting issues can also benefit from learning basic drafting skills.
Our Learners
Who should take this course?
- Young lawyers who want to be introduced to various aspects of legal drafting so that they can later specialize in their area of interest
- In-house counsels who frequently negotiate and draft contracts and deal with law firms and litigators at various forums
- Professors who want to develop practical legal skills for teaching their students or to perform client work on the side
- Law students who want to get started with a broad range of practical skills and be equipped to handle tasks ranging from litigation, drafting and advisory work
- Business owners and managers who have to frequently work and collaborate with lawyers in connection with the legal work of their organization
- Chartered Accountants, Cost Accountants, Company Secretaries and others who want to familiarize themselves with the most frequent tasks performed by lawyers
- Individuals who want to personally argue their own case or deal with lawyers more effectively
What is the career potential after doing this course?
- This is a basic course for all lawyers and non-lawyers wanting an insight into the legal industry and a sense of the work performed by lawyers when they serve clients, whether they are working independently, at law firms or in companies.
- Legal writing skills are crucial for young professionals to develop a personal brand for themselves, especially on the internet. You will learn how to write in an engaging way for a target audience. If you continue this approach after completion of the course and author, say, 50 articles, you can be considered an expert in the area you chose. You will also be discoverable online by potential clients, who are likely to write to you. With some skills, you will be able to convert a fraction of these queries into paid assignments.
- Drafting skills are crucial to perform well in your internships. You will receive various assignments in your internship which will require you to sift through and proof-read dense documents. In litigation internships, you will need to read pleadings of parties and huge case files. If you know how to draft important legal documents, your ability to comprehend dense information and perform the tasks allocated to you will be substantially enhanced, and you will stand out from your peers. If you do well, you can secure PPOs or a call-back to intern again.
Potential employers
- This is a basic course for all lawyers and non-lawyers wanting an insight into the legal industry and a sense of the work performed by lawyers when they serve real clients.
- Potential employers: If you develop these skills further, you can be employable by companies or other entities for in-house roles and small, medium and large law firms or other professional service firms.
Relevant Industries
- This is a basic course for all lawyers and non-lawyers wanting an insight into the legal industry and a sense of the work performed by lawyers when they serve clients, whether they are working independently, at law firms or in companies.
- You will learn about the nature of work performed by lawyers, whether they work for organizations in the manufacturing, trading, services sector, or represent individuals.
What is unique about this course?
- This course is an introductory course focussing on “drafting” different types of legal documents. It is not based on the reading of study materials or the provision-by-provision study of the statutes. You will learn how to draft a legal document, whether it is a contract, a civil or criminal petition, o an opinion You will learn how to structure your articles and conduct basic research for the same.
- Apart from practical lessons, you will have access to numerous templates.
- You will learn through Lawsikho’s unique teaching methodology, comprising classes, exercises and in-line feedback on your submissions. You will have weekly classes of 1 hour each and perform 2 exercises in each class. Hence, In a week, you will acquire 2 skills instead of 1.
- You will be given an opportunity to work on one writing assignment during the term of the course that shall be published either on the iPleaders blog or any other industry publications if it meets our specifications.
- You will get personal attention and coaching from the trainers, and any doubt regarding a topic shall be addressed within 24 hours.
- In the span of the course, you will need to perform 24 simulation exercises relating to different legal documents and contracts. .
- The course is tough and intensive, you will not be awarded the certificate unless you complete at least 50% of the exercises and the writing assignment. You will also need to attempt an MCQ test to pass. Average study time required is about 2 hours per day, at your own place. If you miss a class, you can watch it’s recording.
- You will be added to a jobs and internships group where career opportunities will be shared with you. Our placement cell will also guide you on your CV and recommend those who have 100% participation in the course for jobs and internship opportunities.
Money-back guarantee
If you take this course, follow it diligently for a month, do all the exercises but still do not find value in it, or not able to understand or follow it or not find it good for any reason, we will refund the entire course fee to you. It is a 100% money-back guarantee with only one condition, you must pursue it properly for a month. If you don’t find it valuable after that, get your entire money back.
Training Methodology
Online 24/7 access
Access study materials via our online portal & via our anroid & iOS apps.
Hard Copy Study Material
You will receive hard copy study material delivered to your address.
Practical Exercises
Two practical exercises every week, each followed by written feedback.
Live Online Classes
Live online classes based on exercises, allowing questions and feedback.
Convenient Class timings
Classes held after work hours, typically on Sundays or after 8 PM on weekdays.
Live Doubt Clearing
Live doubt clearing for support and one-on-one sessions with mentors.
Certification
This course is recognized by the National Skill Development Corporation, a PPP under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship of the Government of India. You will receive a certificate cobranded by NSDC and Skill India on successful completion.
This is how the certificate from NSDC and Skill India will look as per the current applicable format (may change as per the approval authorities):
What will you learn?
- Learn how to capture the requirements and intentions of your client in your contract.
- Perform end-to-end contract drafting work.
- Learn how to add value (rather than impose obstacles) to the deal-making process through your contract drafting and negotiation skills.
- Learn the difference between various contracts, technicalities involved in drafting such contracts.
- Learn how to draft various specific contracts including but not limited to Non-disclosure agreements, Master service agreements and lease agreements.
- Learn how to proofread, review and finlaise the legal documents.
- Learn how to draft different kinds of notices pursuant to contracts and how to amend contracts.
- Learn about the important civil petitions to be drafted for a client.
- Learn about important documents and petitions to be drafted as a criminal litigator.
- Learn how to conduct statutory and case law research on various websites for everyday work at a law firm, at a litigator’s chamber or in a company.
- Learn how to structure and write a legal advisory opinion. Advisory work is extremely important in corporate law firms. Litigators also frequently issue advisory opinions to clients. In-house counsels use similar skills to prepare internal memos for business teams.
- Learn how to structure, write and publish an original article. This is the first step to start building your portfolio of work and demonstrate expertise.
Our Learners
Specific Learning Objectives
- Learn about the structure, different components and the clauses in any contract
- Learn about the interpretation of a contract and how to make your contracts idiot proof
- Identify the most hotly negotiated clauses of a commercial contract and the positions taken by lawyers to protect the client’s interest and save the deal
- Learn how to review and draft various clauses in specific contracts including but not limited to Non-disclosure agreements, Master service agreements and lease agreements.
- Learn how to format your document appropriately for a professional look and feel so that you can charge a client
- Learn about execution of contracts
- Learn the difference between a leave and license and lease/ rent agreement
- Learn how to draft different effective notices pursuant to contracts
- Learn how to amend contracts when the commercial deal is subsequently revised/ re-negotiated
- Learn how to draft criminal complaints in a manner to maximise likelihood of investigation by police or cognizance by a magistrate
- Learn how to draft persuasive bail and anticipatory bail applications, to prevent your client from getting arrested
- Learn how to incorporate case laws, arguments in the applications to be filed before the courts.
- Learn the difference between revision applications and appeal
- Learn how to draft a notice to invoke a dispute
- Learn how to draft a plaint and identify appropriate interim reliefs in a temporary injunction application for immediate victory
- Learn how to represent a client when you are acting for a defendant
- Learn how to draft probate petition
- Learn how and when to use a writ petition under Article 226 to approach the High Court
- Learn powerful research techniques to quickly find targeted information from public websites (important for corporate lawyers)
- Learn how to identify an audience-focussed topic for your article and create an intuitive and reader-friendly structure for it
- Learn how to author an original and engaging article
- Learn how to complete an article and ‘ship’, and avoid drowning in a pile of research
What kind of recruitment and placement support will I get?
- Unique Training Method: We're the sole organization in India offering comprehensive, exercise-based courses.
- Employer Recognition: Many leading employers, law firms, and companies actively seek our high-performing students.
- Career Opportunities: Success in our courses can lead to job placements, internships, and assessment internships in esteemed law firms, with renowned lawyers, and various companies.
- Empowering Learners: We focus on empowering learners with not just knowledge and skills, but also real-world opportunities.
- Dedicated Support Team: Our dedicated team is here to assist you with placements, internships, and freelance opportunities.
- Proven Success: Between April 2021 and June 2023, we've helped over 21,000 students secure job and internship opportunities.
- Media Recognition: Our achievements have been featured in respected media outlets like The Hindu, Business World, and India Education Diary.
- Impressive Value: Our students have secured over Rs. 2.7 Crore (USD 330,000) worth of work, with records of INR 30 LPA (USD 37,500) domestically and INR 50 LPA (USD 62,500) internationally.
- Comprehensive Support: From day one, our placement team guides you in setting goals, crafting standout CVs, enhancing interview skills, and supporting your critical first month on the job or during an internship.
- Trusted Recruiters: We've built strong collaborations with recruiters who prefer hiring our well-trained students.
- Competitive Edge: Partnering with us gives you an edge in the job market and opens doors to exciting career prospects.
List of Weekly Assignments having 2 different Exercises each
- Basics of Contract Drafting, Contract Checklist & Reviewing of a Contract
- Draft a Service and Materials Supply Agreement
- Draft a Non disclosure agreement
- Draft a Master services agreement
- Draft a leave and license agreement
- Proofread, Review and Finalise legal documents
- Draft a Legal Opinion
- Drafting a List of Dates and Events; and Affidavits
- Draft a Plaint along with its ancillary applications
- Draft a complaint in writing to the SHO and the Magistrate
- Draft a bail application and anticipatory bail applications
- How to structure and write an Article
All participants will also be trained on writing and publishing 1 article
Industry Academia Panel
COO and Co-Founder, LawSikho
CEO and Co-Founder, iPleaders and LawSikho
Here are some of our faculty members
Note: This is an indicative list of our guest faculty members and not an exhaustive list. We may change the faculty members at any point based on availability.
Course Plan
Above prices are inclusive of all applicable taxes and charges.
- Get Sample Material in your inbox
- Regular career guidance on email
- Sample Exercises
- Five very useful lessons
- No Certification for Free Material
Printed study material (by courier)
1 online live class/ week (12 weeks)
2 practical or drafting exercises per week (12 weeks)
Get digital access to entire study material
Access on LMS, Android & iOS app
Instructor feedback on assignments
Doubt clearing on Discord, LMS & classes
Instructor led course with online live classes
Online exams (give exams as per your convenience on given time slots)
Certificate (by courier)
CV enhancement
Guidance on professional networking
Training for writing and publishing articles on iPleaders
Internship & Job Support
Interview preparation guidance
Networking with other students & alumni
Access to updated content online for 3 years
Doubt clearing within 24 hours
Top students are recommended to law firms and companies
Internship and job support available
Access to all of Lawsikho.com's courses for 4 years (including new courses launched in this period)
Immunity from future price increases for 4 years
Complimentary access to members-only paid Facebook group for exclusive career opportunities and content
Inclusion of templates and lessons on your request on a priority basis
Priority pass for personal coaching, doubt-clearing, customer-support
Free passes and invitations to all Lawsikho events and meet-ups across India
Personal feedback on as many assignments as you want
Access to Lawsikho alumni network
Priority processing for articles submitted to iPleaders blog and Superlawyer interview recommendations
Syllabus
FAQs
We ensure that class timings enable a maximum number of students to participate and take out time from work or college while at the same time they are feasible for experts.
Classes will be of 1-hour duration and will be held in any of the following time slots:
- Weekdays: 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm IST
- Saturdays: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm IST
- Sundays: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm IST
You will be informed of the class timings for the relevant week at least 48 hours before the class via email notifications and WhatsApp messages. We will also add it to your Google calendar.
We will ensure we have fixed timing for this class to schedule your day well in advance according to it as far as possible.
Recordings of class sessions will be made available on the online learning management system for accessing within 48 hours of the session conducted.
Those who complete the course successfully will be awarded a LawSikho certificate. The certificate will be dispatched within 45 (forty five) days of course completion.
Please check the course guidelines for more details.
The course is designed keeping in mind the schedule of practising lawyers, working professionals, entrepreneurs and full-time students. The learnings are well spread out over a long period. There would be a specific learning objective every week, accompanied by assignments. It takes about 8-10 hours for a person of average intelligence to complete all course activities every week. You need to take this course one week at a time.
We do not guarantee that you will pass the course without putting in reasonable effort or attention. Still, the exact amount of time you would need to dedicate depends on your ability to grasp the material.
Yes, knowledge of the law is not a prerequisite for deriving value from the course. It is possible that what you learn in this course is entirely independent of any other course you have probably pursued or are pursuing. The course is designed keeping in mind that there will be many non-lawyers taking up this course. The only knowledge we assume is what one would expect to know after completing higher secondary school. All modules are reviewed from a high school graduate's perspective and ensured that they are effortless to understand.
You only require knowledge of the English language and basic computer skills to understand the concepts.
An active placement assistance program is available to students, including CV-writing, career guidance, and sharing of relevant job and internship opportunities. Job and internship opportunities will be shared with students on the WhatsApp group from time to time. Students who complete the exercises and perform well in those exercises and classes can be recommended to law firms, lawyers chambers and companies for jobs and internships. However, we do not guarantee any job or internship.
We have also started a career clinic for the benefit of our students. Students can visit our office in Delhi or seek career-related insights over phone or video calls on pre-designated days. More than 2000 positions have been shared with our students to date, and hundreds have got placements and internships through us. Our students have been placed in various law firms and other organisations as full-time employees and have obtained multiple opportunities for internships under the programme. How many opportunities you get will depend on your efforts in the course, and if you do the course well, you will be able to find jobs on your own.
We will also provide you with a career development course free of cost if you need it. Just ask our customer support if and when you need it after participating in at least three months of classes.
We also help you enhance your CV by writing and publishing articles and giving you networking exercises and coaching to build your professional network. Creating your professional network can make excellent opportunities available to you that you cannot even imagine today.
For more details, please see the placement assistance guidelines given on the course page.
How will you clear my doubts and help me if I am struggling to understand or learn a concept?
- In our live classes, you can ask questions, share your screen, receive personal feedback, and have your doubts cleared.
- If you need more help after getting feedback on an assignment or want career advice, you can schedule a private one-on-one call. Our evaluators and mentors are here to assist you and give you advice that's tailored to your needs.