Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act 1973 as well as Pakistan Legal Practitioners & Bar Councils Rules 1976 are the lawful frameworks that define the requirements for the enrolment of lawyers as well as their qualifications. After passing the exam for LL. B in Pakistan one can be admitted to the Bar Council. An advocate's enrolment is subject to passing the subjective type/multiple selections of the written examination within 2 1/2 years and four attempts, completing six months of apprenticeship and passing the viva voice test.
Bar councils are an official body which regulates the profession of lawyers in Pakistan. the bar is an official member of the bar when they meet certain criteria. The criteria include having the possession of a valid law degree issued by an accredited university, submitting certain guarantees and pay Bar Association fees. If the applicant doesn't have an LL.M degree in Pakistan, then first finish a six-month period of pupilage with an advocate who is a practicing attorney and must have helped on at least ten cases in his/her period of pupilage of six months. The pupilage process is the last stage in the training process to become an attorney and typically lasts up to six months. After the six months, the pupil has to have their advocate accept a certificate of that they have completed their training successfully and submit it back to Bar Council. After that, Bar Council will issue the certificate, which will allow students to write “Advocate" using his or her own name.
Advocate High Court (AHC) is second-level that is qualified to practice in High Courts of Pakistan and below. The license for practice at the High Courts is available following the successful completion of two years of experience in lower courts through an application that are scrutinized by a committee composed of High Court Judges supervised by the Chief Justices of the province and the province-wide Bar Council. The majority of applications that are approved after the successful completion of the required requirements are approved.
Advocate Supreme Court is the third-level court. After completing seven years of practice in the High Courts an application can be submitted for the Pakistan Bar Council for becoming an advocate for the Supreme Court which is reviewed by an advisory panel comprised of Supreme Court Judges headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan. More than fifty percent of of applications that are approved after completing the requirements are approved. Failure to submit a request in one year doesn't prevent the applicant from reapplying for the following year's judicial year.
The highest rank is Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court. It is Pakistan's equivalent to Queen's Counsel in United Kingdom. After 15 years of practicing at the Supreme Court, the application for a position as an advocate senior Supreme Court may be submitted to the committee comprised of Supreme Court Judges headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan. The majority of applicants are not accepted and there are fewer invitations. Attorney Generals get invited by the Supreme Court on their appointment to the position of Attorney General of Pakistan.