ROLE OF LAWS OF TEACHING AND A LAW PROFESSOR
This blog ’ROLE OF LAWS OF TEACHING AND A LAW PROFESSOR’, written by Tapan Kumar Das, Skill development officer, MIES R M Law College, Kolkata. In recent years, law teachers and law professors have emerged as key pillars in shaping the future of legal education and the legal profession. With the growth of digital learning platforms and modern pedagogical tools, traditional methods of teaching law are undergoing a significant transformation. Therefore, today’s students prefer learning environments that are flexible, interactive, and career-oriented, prompting law educators to adopt innovative and technology-driven teaching strategies.
Unlike conventional classroom lectures that often relied solely on theoretical discussion, modern law professors now integrate case-based learning, virtual simulations, and real-time legal research into their teaching. This dynamic approach not only enhances the academic experience but also equips students with practical skills required in the evolving legal landscape.
At MIES R M Law College, Sonarpur, South Kolkata, one of the best law colleges in West Bengal, students are trained to explore the legal dimensions of emerging media and technology. As a Bar Council of India-approved law college, affiliated with Vidyasagar University, the institution has earned its reputation as a top provider of legal education in India.
The term “LAWS OF TEACHING AND A LAW PROFESSOR”
The term “LAWS OF TEACHING AND A LAW PROFESSOR” refers to fundamental principles that guide effective instruction. Rather than formal legal statutes, with the most prominent set being John Milton Gregory’s Seven Laws of Teaching, which emphasizes the teacher’s knowledge, the learner’s interest, common language, and the art of teaching. Moreover, clear communication of the unknown through the known & the importance of the learner’s mental activity and subsequent review.
John Milton Gregory’s Seven Laws of Teaching
These widely recognized principles offer a systematic approach to the Art of Teaching.
- The Law of the Teacher
The teacher must possess a thorough understanding of the subject matter and the students they are teaching.
2. The Law of the learner
A learner is one who actively engages with the lesson, showing genuine interest.
3. The Law of the language
The communication between the teacher and the learner must use a common language that both can understand.
4. The Law of the Lesson
The lesson must be presented in a way that connects the unknown to the known, making it explicable and relatable to the student’s existing knowledge.
5. The Law of Teaching
Teaching involves stimulating the student’s mind to actively group the material and master the desired concepts of skills.
6. The Law of Learning
Learning occurs when the student thinks through and internalizes new ideas or works a new skill into a habit.
7. The Law of Review
The proof of effective teaching is a thorough review process, which involves re thinking, re-knowing, reproducing, and applying the material taught.
Key principles derived from the Laws
- Active learning
Students learn best through meaningful and hands-on activities that maximize their participation and involvement.
- Student-centered Approach
Effective teaching stimulates the student’s own mind and encourages them to be a discoverer, rather than merely a recipient of information.
- Building on Existing Knowledge
Teachers should build bridges from what students already know to new, unknown concepts to facilitate understanding.
- Clear Communication
The use of clear, common language is crucial for building bridges of understanding between the teacher and the learner.
- Continuous Development
Teachers themselves are encouraged to be lifelong learners, continuously growing their knowledge and skills to become more effective.
How to become a Law professor in India
It takes approximately 11-15 years of teaching experience in law to become a Law professor in India. Therefore, law professors are educators in Law who work in schools/colleges & Universities to teach legal matters to students. Nevertheless, as a Law professor, his job involves providing instructions on ethics, teaching the Philosophy of law, and giving information on legal practices. If he has a passion for teaching and an interest in the legal field, understanding what a Law professor does & the steps to become one can help him decide if it is the right career option for him.
Educational steps to become a future Law professor:
After completing the School of Higher Secondary education (10+2), one can enroll to pursue a five-year integrated Bachelor of Laws (LLB) course, irrespective of any stream, including Arts, Science & Commerce. Then he can pursue an advanced degree, such as a Master of Laws from a reputable Institution under a University.
To become eligible for a teaching career in Law.
One has to pass the UGC’s NET Law examination or the State-level Eligibility Test/Examination. Afterwards, one can gain some experience of teaching in any Law academic institution as a guest lecturer, part-time professor, or instructor to earn some experience and expertise & thereafter apply for the role of a Law professor at different institutes.
Moreover, writing and publishing articles & research papers in Law-related journals & presenting those research papers can be a better advantage to get entered as a professor of Law in any reputed institute/College,/University of Law.
The straits/qualities/skills of a law professor
- Passion for Law & Teaching
- Lesson planning
- Time management
- Patience
- Good communication
- Continuous Learning attitude
- Education-friends relation with the students
- Excellence in the art of teaching to arouse students’ interest of learning.
How many Law colleges are in West Bengal
In West Bengal, there are approximately 75 Law colleges, with inclusive of private, Government, and semi-government institutions. The State is a significant centre for Law Education with numerous private colleges and a well-known Government. Institution of Judicial Sciences (WBNUJS) in Kolkata.
Job opportunities for Lawyers in West Bengal other than teaching in Institutions/Universities.
Lawyer job opportunities exist in both public and private sectors, with roles such as Corporate Lawyers, Tax Lawyers, Intellectual Property (p) Lawyers, as well as positions in Government, Judiciary & non-profit consultant roles. Career paths also extend beyond traditional legal practice into specialized areas like legal tech, policy advising, and corporate counsel.
Lawyers social contribution
Lawyers contribute to society by upholding the rule of Law, promoting access to justice for all, protecting human rights and civil liberties, and using their legal expertise to advocate for social & legal reform and a more equitable system. This includes offering pro bono services, providing legal education to communities, ensuring fair representation, holding institutions accountable, promoting legal literacy, upholding & building trust in the legal profession & Society, strengthening the democratic foundation of society, and contributing significantly to the global economy by providing essential services as well as facilitating fair transactions.
Conclusion :
Learning in any field of knowledge-oriented profession is of multi-various attractions in human life, connected with individually different attitudes, interests, and aptitudes of people. In all the roots of knowledge are sourced from the depth of humans’ inner soul spirit, which makes every learner experience & help gain mastery in a particular field, and which he disseminates to the new learners & he himself becomes a highly esteemed & efficient professor, such as teaching in Law and helps growing learners into Lawyers & Law grooming professors.
