Pursuing A Career In Cyber Law

The Internet has become a necessity in our technology-driven world. Whether it’s making financial transactions, booking travel tickets online, sharing data, or simply chatting with loved ones, we value a secure and private online space. Unfortunately, there has been an increase in online crimes such as identity theft, fraud, trafficking, bullying, harassment, and rule violations. This has created a need for strict laws to ensure the safety of the online world. To address these issues, a specialized branch of law focusing on Internet-related matters was established. Cyber Law, thus, has evolved into a full-fledged career option. Students are highly enthusiastic about studying this subject due to its wide range of applications and lucrative career prospects.

Advocate Puneet Bhasin, who is a Cyber Law Expert practising in Mumbai for the last 14 years further explains the intricacies of cyber law. She says, “Many advocates tend to go for civil law, but criminal law has a lot of potential and it has for years on end. And cyber laws being one of the specializations has great potential.  When you’re a criminal lawyer, either you will choose crimes to body or property-related crimes, or there are advocates who deal only with economic financial fraud offences, whether it may be cheque bouncing, whether it may be other kinds of offences involving financial institutions or money laundering, et cetera. And Cybercrime is also one of the branches.”

Why pursue a career in cyber law?

• If you’re passionate about both law and technology, cyber law is the perfect junction of these two fields. You can investigate intricate legal issues while deepening your understanding of the most recent technological advancements and their legal ramifications. It presents a rare chance to combine your interests in law and technology with your knowledge of both fields.
  
• Cyber law is a fast-paced field that constantly adapts to new technologies and emerging legal complexities. As a result, you’ll frequently encounter novel and unusual issues that call for innovative legal answers. Thus offering a fascinating and dynamic professional path. A career in cyber law allows you to take on unique difficulties and help develop cutting-edge legal strategies.
  
• The increasing digitization of various aspects of society necessitates protection from cyber threats and the assurance of legal compliance. This surge in demand highlights the importance of professionals well-versed in cyber law to safeguard our digital world and uphold legal standards.
  
• High-profile cyber law cases frequently make headlines due to their public attention. As a professional, you might handle cases involving data breaches, theft of intellectual property, cybercrimes, privacy infringements, and international cyber conflicts. These cases not only present intellectual challenges but also a chance to significantly influence society. You can help shape the legal landscape of the digital era and protect people’s privacy rights and organizational security by working on issues like these.
  
• Professionals in the field of cyber law frequently earn competitive salaries as a result of the expanding demand and specialized knowledge needed. You may reap financial advantages as well as the satisfaction of having an advantageous impact in the digital sphere by gaining essential knowledge and expertise. A career in cyber law can provide both financial security and the chance to significantly impact the rapidly changing fields of technology and law.
  
• Cybercriminals are continually upgrading their methods as technology develops. Thus, you may actively fight cybercrime and support victim justice. You’ll be essential to the investigation of cybercrimes, the gathering of evidence, and the prosecution of criminals, all of which go towards making the internet a safer place.

What does the future look like?

The world is transitioning into the digital age, where everything from bills to vacation pictures is now online. While this has made life easier, it has also introduced significant risks. Once a picture is on the internet, even if deleted, it can still linger. As cyber threats and frauds continue to rise globally, the demand for cyber laws has grown as well. Cyber laws offer vast opportunities in corporate, academic, private, and public sectors, including multinational companies. These laws are not limited by geographical boundaries and have tremendous scope internationally. Organizations hire cyber lawyers to safeguard their information and computer software. This field is poised for remarkable growth, both in India and internationally.

When asked about the skills required to get into a career in cyber law, Adv. Bhasin says, “The first thing is a good understanding of criminal law and a good amount of exposure. So it’s very important that they work in mainstream criminal law and gain the ropes, and understand how the whole thing works. Because if they have no idea how to go about those ropes, it’s very difficult for them to really work in a specialized space further from there. So it has to start with the basic subject and then a specialization further from that.”

Cyber Law is becoming increasingly popular due to its promising salary prospects and abundant growth opportunities. In India, rookies can expect to earn an annual package of 5-8 lakhs. While salaries abroad are generally higher, reaching an impressive 20-25 lakhs per year in some cases. Various appealing job profiles are available for those specialising in Cyber Law, including Cyber Lawyer, Legal Advisor, Cyber Assistant, Cyber Security Specialist, Cyber Security Manager, Security Architect, Network Security Engineer, and Cybersecurity Analyst. These roles offer exciting career prospects and the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies while safeguarding individuals and organizations from cyber threats.