Super Lawyer

Author: Aashish Ahuja

  • Aayush Chandra, Senior Associate, AMP Solicitors, on work experience in litigation at AMP Solicitors

    Aayush Chandra, Senior Associate, AMP Solicitors, on work experience in litigation at AMP Solicitors

    Aayush Chandra graduated from Symbiosis Law School (2006-2011). At present he is a Senior Associate at AMP Solicitors. His main work includes drafting, briefing, court appearances and research in Civil and Corporate Laws.

    In this interview he talks to us about:

    • His experience at Symbiosis Law School.
    • Role of mooting in a law student’s life.
    • Skills those are critical for a lawyer’s success.
    • How he overcame the initial jitters in a court room full of experienced lawyers and judges.

     

    Please share with us how you chose to study law. Do you have lawyers in your family?

    Coming from a family of Engineers and Doctors, I had to choose a Profession. Being an Engineer or a Doctor was not an option as I hated Mathematics and I could not stand an operation theatre. I remember my father, being an Engineer himself having advised me not to study Engineering as it had become quite common those days. So, I was without a choice frankly and I didn’t mind that (laughs). Then eventually the dots connected, everything fell into place and I became a lawyer by default. Being five years into the profession and still a long-long way to go both in terms of learning and experience, I can safely say that this field chose me rather than me having made a conscious decision.

    My Sister in law and my Cousin Sister are corporate lawyers and are doing very well. I am a first generation lawyer.

    Also, some of the lawyers who have had a major impact in my life are also like my extended family. A special mention for Ms. Pinky Anand, Mr. Sanjeev Sahay, Mr. Balendu Shekhar, Mr. Ashish Kumar, Mr. L.K. Singh, Mr. Rakesh Kumar Matwa and Mr. Jatin Sehgal- I owe all of them a lot.

     

    How was your experience at Symbiosis Law School?

    I think those five years taught me to be disciplined, to be self sufficient, to be responsible and to survive. It basically changed me from a lazy person to a street smart person. Symbiosis was good in the manner that I suddenly went from a zoo animal to a jungle animal and I could survive. The faculty was amazing; the friends were amazing and the over-all environment was great. Made some of my best friends in college, the most admired one being Jayant Dahiya.

     

    What role do you think mooting should play in a law student’s life?

    A very important one!! Since I wanted to step into Court practice, mooting was an important way to be able to learn to talk precise and talk sense before a Judge. Mooting is a very important curriculum that every law student should participate in as it teaches you to research, to be brief and concise in your arguments apart from learning how to address a Court. Actual Court practice is all about having good research skills, good legal interpretation to the facts at hand and then effectively putting this combined skill in a very articulate and humble manner before the Court.

     

    Is there any habit or skills you picked up over the years that you believe is critical to a lawyer’s success?

    Reading your laws, updating yourself on the latest position of law, not restricting yourself to any particular field and the hunger to learn are all part of the homework.

    As far as the class work or effectively putting it before a Court is concerned, I believe a lawyer should be presentable and concise to the Court hearing. One should be calm, no personal remarks against the opposite counsel, certainly no dramatics in Court and the most important skill would be to listen, listen carefully to what the judge puts to you and then answer it precisely rather than beating around the bush. That is where your Court craft comes to the fore.

    A lot of young lawyers get excited and make statements without instructions or without being sure about the factual or legal position, which as per my opinion should be avoided as then the bench doesn’t take you seriously.

    A lawyer being an officer of the Court has the duty and the responsibility to be fair to the Court and not conceal an important fact or document even if it goes against your client. It is also important to be able to draw a line between how a client sees the brief or a particular situation and how you as a lawyer, an expert in the field see it. The idea is to be a lawyer whose word can be trusted, respected and affirmed rather than being a mouthpiece of the client.

     

    What perception of the law and the legal system did you have before going in for an LL.B. and how did the same change through and after your graduation?

    Coming from Allahabad which has a beautiful High Court and having been family friends with some renowned lawyers, to my perception the legal world was and has been full of power, aura and respect. The ability to see a situation from both the sides and the necessary duty to carry the burden of justice on your shoulders are very difficult virtues to stand to.

    I have in my small time here tried to do just that and I sincerely hope that I keep doing that till the time I practice. I have been in effective Court practice since 2011 and luckily for me my life has thrown me into all kinds of storms. So I have appeared from the Tehsildar Court right upto the Supreme Court in different matters.

    My legal aid assignment has taught me the most. It cleared my basics in criminal law; it taught me how to deal with a client independently and how to handle a matter independently. It taught me how to apply my brains to a legal situation and how to win the day. It taught me why the seniors have a good reason to shout on their juniors if the matter is not prepared minutely and effectively.

    Since my practice has been mostly of District Courts of Delhi and the Delhi High Court, I would like to appreciate the quality of Judges we have in these Courts. They are always well versed with the files and the legal position. They are patient listeners totally calm and composed and the most motivating factor is that they promote young talent. It is a very enriching experience to appear in these Courts and every single day, a lawyer learns from it.

     

    What is your workday like? Are there new challenges every day or did work fall into a predictable pattern?

    Once you’re into Court practice, everyday is a new day and an exciting one and more so for me as I am on the Panel of the Legal Aid Scheme (Criminal). I wish my practice and my day never becomes predictable, I would hate it. On a working day, I am working from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm which includes Court appearances, conferences on a daily routine. This timeline is certainly extendable till 9 if a client has some urgency. The vacation days and extended weekends are a much needed part of our profession.

     

    If someone does not go to a top law school, would you say he still has a shot at a great career in law?

    Off course, in the end what wins the day is how much of hard work are you willing to put in to a brief. This career demands a lot of attention, a lot of perseverance and infinite amount of patience. Then slowly you start meeting your clients. This is not where it ends. What distinguishes a great lawyer from a good lawyer is how he conducts himself with his peers, with his juniors, with his clients and in the Court. The most important thing is not to lose your ethics and the trust, standard and proficiency that are expected out of a lawyer and then to be consistent day in and day out.

     

    How did you overcome the initial jitters in a court room full of experienced lawyers and judges?

    Mooting played an important role. But trust me nothing prepares you for your first appearance than the appearance itself. The second appearance becomes the most important then. Luckily for me, I had the full support of my senior in my first appearance, so I felt assured and it went well. The Ld. Judge at the first impression knew a young entrant is appearing and looks nervous and therefore he was very patient. As a fond memory I still have my 500 Rupee note framed with me which I received as my first appearance.

     

    Many students aspire to practice at the Supreme Court and High Courts. Should a student first practice at the trial court to learn the nuances, or is it fine to start at a High Court itself?

    I think the initial two years should be mandatorily in a District Court. It teaches you much more than what you will learn in 5 years in a Senior Advocate’s office. I think you should try to be a cook first before you can call yourself a Chef. You should keep your head down and learn the procedures in the District Court before you can call yourself a decent lawyer who will be able to handle a briefing and effectively brief a senior. This should be the primary aim, to equip your-self with the procedure and to learn to handle or brief a matter both as a whole or hearing wise. High Court practice is also necessary before moving towards the Supreme Court in the later years as it gives you a lot of perspective. It takes your practice to a more refined and polished level.

     

    Do you have any parting advice for all our readers out there?

    Yes, don’t be disheartened if this profession especially litigation doesn’t pay you at the start. No profession does. You have to gradually keep learning and build yourself up to a level and eventually it will all fall into place. Your struggling days and how you react to them will shape you as an individual both professionally and personally. Respect the struggle because it is teaching you.

    Once you hit the headlines for all the right reasons and have a BMW in front of your door, all this struggle and hard work will be worth it.

    But the BMW glamour and the jet setting lifestyle should only be an occupational privilege, don’t make it the only standard for this profession. For our profession is a very noble one. You all have the power and the education to actually assist in imparting justice and that should be the foremost aim. Rest all follows. And trust me this profession demands very big shoes to be filled in, out of which the foremost and the most important ones are ethics, temperament and knowledge.

    To end it, I personally feel that every lawyer should try to help lawyers younger to them and shape them as good leaders and human beings so that the rich and noble legacy of this profession continues.

     

     

     

  • Nem Singh, Secretary of UGESI, on a career in taxation law

    Nem Singh, Secretary of UGESI, on a career in taxation law

    Nem Singh graduated from Dharam Samaj College of Agra University in 1996. At present, he is the secretary of Unison Gyan Education Society of Integrity (UGESI). He is a first generation lawyer and has developed a great interest in the area of taxation.

     In this interview he talks to us about:

    • Importance of taxation as a subject for law students.
    • How can one gain expertise in Direct Tax.
    • His strategy to deal with errors and mistakes.
    • Primary essentials of a Direct Tax lawyer.

     

    Most of our readers are young lawyers and law students. How will you introduce yourself to them?

    I belong to a middle class family from Aligarh. We have an agriculturist background. I completed my masters’ degree in Political Science in the year 1993 and thereafter successfully pursued three year degree in law in 1996 from Dharam Samaj College of Agra University, Agra. I got enrolled with the “BAR COUNCIL OF UTTAR PRADESH” in 1997 as a “Trainee” (as per Bar Council of India Rules) in Taxation. I started my professional carrier from Aligarh with Mr. Rahul Pandit and Mr. Sanjay Pandit, Advocates of CB Prasad and Associates, Advocates, a well known name in legal profession in the state of Uttar Pradesh. My family had a permanent panel of Lawyers to look after its Civil, Criminal and Land Revenue matters in district Courts as well as High Court due to many litigations of the family. I, in the course of time had developed during my college studies, some basic knowledge in the field of civil, criminal and revenue laws and its court proceedings.

    Since I developed great interest in the area of Taxation as a student of law, I wanted to practice in this area. I shifted to Delhi in July 2003 and joined a firm of Chartered Accountants under the title Mr. Dushyant Tyagi and Associates. Mr. Dushyant Tyagi was Ex-Chairman of NIRC of ICAI and independently handled the matters of high profile corporate clients. I also got associated with Mr. Ajay Wadhawa, Chartered Accountant, then president of ITAT Bar Association, and got opportunity to appear before Income Tax Tribunals which was a great learning. For last four years I have worked with O. P. Bagla & Co., a Chartered Accountants firm, as an Attorney, legal researcher and assisted them in appeals before Income Tax Appellate Tribunal etc.

    Dear friends, I was the first generation lawyer with no back ground /support in legal profession. My experience is that, it is very difficult to succeed despite hard work. However, your confidence, knowledge and zeal to work hard will lead you to achieve success if you have patience and determination. You must strive to get justice to your clients for which you must leave no stone unturned.

     

    What brought you into studying law? Was it a fate or plan?

    It was my quest for having knowledge in the field of law so that I could help people in my native place and my family to enforce their rights in the legal forums and facilitate their access to justice. So I can say that I had a sort of a plan to pursue law as a professor.

     

    How important is taxation as a subject for law students?

    Today, taxation has become an integral part of life due to free trade in global economy and as a major source to augment revenue of the state. It facilitates government to create infrastructure for the society and finance welfare schemes particularly for the needy and poorer sections of the society. This subject must be taught as a compulsory course in the law schools as it is still being taught as an optional subject. Tax laws are very complicated and highly technical and need to be taught by practitioners of tax law. Its interpretation and different judicial precedent create a very difficult situation and unprecedented expansion of law. In coming times each and every global transaction will affect the economic decisions of the state, corporate business houses, Institutions and individual too. It will require rational and simplified legal framework. Its knowledge will explore the exciting and broad field of practice of tax law, nationally as well as internationally.

     

    Which field of law will you advise law students to pursue?

    I want to suggest to you to pursue career in civil law fields because it has broader scope and has relevance in the Commerce, Trade and International transactions. By being a civil lawyer, you can practice in a civil court, consumer court, land revenue court, arbitration court and constitutional court and also to join corporations as legal advisor. Tax laws are very highly technical and a specialized field.

     

    How can one gain expertise in Direct Tax? What does it take to be a good direct tax lawyer?

    You should understand the basic fundamental of computing taxable income by applying provisions of tax law, circulars, and notification. You should have update knowledge of judicial interpretation, their applicability and must be well versed with the facts of the case you deal with. In taxation, your claim should be based on documentary evidence and generally not on oral evidence. If your case is weak on facts and evidence then law can’t help you. The system of direct taxation as it is known today has been in force in one form and another even from ancient times. Manu, the ancient sage and law giver stated that the king could levy taxes.  According to “Shastras”, taxes had to be related with the income and expenditure of the subject. The emphasis has been always on principle of accounting of income and expenditure.

    Besides being a good lawyer, you should have the quality of being a person of integrity & honesty. You must be a hard worker, devoted to duty and honest in your practice before the tax administration. Never ignore the fact that you are not a business man, your job is to advise the businessmen to pay taxes as per the law applicable and avail all the permissible deductions and guide them proper tax planning. To succeed as a lawyer, we should try to study the cases property, prepare them to the best of your almighty and argue the cases with confidence. While arguing before a court, your approach should be to carry the court with you and show great respect to it.  Whenever possible watch the proceedings in the court to read the mind of the court, learn court craft and etiquettes which are necessary to be a successful lawyer. We should study the action and reaction of the parties and courts to acquire the skills of pursuing the case professionally. You should never be afraid of failure because failure teaches you more in life than success does.

    I want to quote here the words of senior stalwart Mr. Fali S Nariman that he learnt a lesson in his life that for a lawyer “it is better to spend more time thinking about a case than merely reading the brief”. He also said that “skill of a practicing lawyer is not flamboyance or verbosity but hard work”. Avoid histrionics and stick to the record, you will find the judge receptive to your pleas”. In the words of senior stalwart Mr. Harish Salve if one wants to be a good lawyer, “You must have the ability and the desire to work long hours with great concentration and enthusiasm. You must keep thinking about the matter and always keep your mind open for fresh ideas. And you must never give up”.

     

    What has been your strategy to deal with errors and mistakes?

    There is a quote that a person who never made a mistake never tried anything new i.e. he who never made a mistake, never made a discovery, said Samuel Smiles. If you have recognized any mistake or error in a case you deal with, take it on priority basis and follow the procedure to rectify or correct it. It will prove that you are honest, dedicated, accountable and credible. Dedication and sincerity are the most important attributes that a good professional should have. It is also beneficial for both i.e. you and your clients too especially when you are practicing in the area of taxation law.

     

    What are the preferred legal issues you like to work on? Do you have any hobbies that help you unwind after a long day at work?

    There will be no problem for me to tackle or deal with any legal issue that arises before me if I am able to understand the concerned law and the issue involved. In my short of span at the bar, I had to deal with different type of issues through my hard work and conducted research with the help of global digital media. In taxation law, there is vast scope of legal issues because it is directly connected with corporate law, general laws, business, property transfer, contract, registration and criminal laws etc. So to lead a successful professional life, it is necessary to study the case in depth and find from all legal angles relevant latest judicial pronouncements on the issues at hand.

    It is my hobby to surf on social and political media, read blogs, make comment or suggestions read judicial decisions of the courts and literature on cultural and religion, examine critical social issues despite long day hard work. This refreshes me and gives me further motivation to excel. I also like to work as a social activist as well.

     

    What would you suggest a fresh law graduate should do to hold spirit and utilize the opportunities available in his first year of graduation?

    He must develop the habit of becoming a prolific reader to build his capacities and to begin with, get attached to a good lawyer to know the procedure and practice required to be a successful lawyer in the years to come.

     

    What are the primary essentials of a direct tax lawyer? What is the current scenario of studying direct tax law as a career option in India?

    You should be registered with the BAR COUNCIL OF A STATE and have the knowledge of Tax Law and accountancy. Studying direct tax law offers you great opportunity of work with big legal corporate houses because there is wide scope of practice before assessing authorities in proceedings of assessment, penalty, prosecution and appeal before CIT(A), ITAT, High Court and the Supreme Court in corporate tax, international tax, transfer pricing etc.

     

    What would be your parting message for readers?

    This profession is to protect the right of the people and to give them correct legal opinion/advise. You must give your professional service to the best of your ability and get you professional charges commensurate with your hard work. I want to remind here the Shlok of Bhagavad Geeta Chapter-II, Verse-47:

    “Karmanye Vaadhikaraste, Maa Phaleshu Kadachana;

    Maa karmaphalaheturbhooh, MaTe sangostwakarmani.”

    Further God is the creator of everyone and we should do our best to serve the people. It gives a strong base to connect with larger section of people of the world and this should be our aim. I am also reminded of a great saint Tulasi’s Ramcharit Manas Chopai:

    “Karm pradhan vishva kari rakha, Jo jas karye so tas phal chakha,

    Hoi hai soi jo Ram rachi rakha, ko kari tarak badhave shakha.”

    One must always have positive attitude towards things and be optimistic. We should not stop thinking of how a new approach or a new angle can make the difference. We should read the book of English Jurist Mr. Edward Abbott Parry’s “Seven Lamps of Advocacy” which are: (1) The lamp of Honesty, (2) The lamp of Courage, (3) The lamp of Industry, (4) The lamp of Wit, (5) The lamp of Eloquence, (6) The Lamp of Judgment and (7) The lamp of Fellowship.

     

     

  • Arush Khanna, Independent Practitioner, on litigation and being the Youngest Indian Scholar at IBPA

    Arush Khanna, Independent Practitioner, on litigation and being the Youngest Indian Scholar at IBPA

    Arush Khanna graduated from Symbiosis International University in 2012. He is an Advocate & Legal Consultant enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi and is a fifth generation lawyer in a family of highly respected lawyers.

    After having worked in M/s Karanjawala & Co. and in the chambers Mr. Sanjeev Anand, Advocate at the Delhi High Court, Arush started his independent practice in New Delhi.

    His principal areas of practice are Commercial & Corporate Litigation, Arbitration and Property Litigation. Arush has been providing dispute resolution and consultancy services to number of private and public sector undertakings in India.

    Arush was also selected as a Scholar to represent India at the Inter Pacific Bar Association (IPBA) Conference in Kuala Lampur in April 2016. He was a speaker at the event and was bestowed with a three year honorary membership of the IPBA. He is the Youngest Indian to be given such an honour.

    In this interview he talks to us about:

    • Why he chose independent practice over secured employment.
    • His experience as a youngest Indian to be selected as a Scholar at the Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA).
    • His journey from Shanghai, 2015 to New Delhi, 2016 (Being a part of The BRICS Legal Forum).
    • Importance of writing for a law student.

     

    How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers? Please tell us about your family background.

    I come from a very typical food and cricket loving Punjabi family. My forefathers (both maternal and paternal) migrated to Delhi from Lahore post independence. My paternal grandfather was a wholesale cloth merchant who worked out of a shop in Chandini Chowk along with his brothers. After having been in the line for over 45 years, he recently took retirement and now spends most of his time with my most doting grandmother.

    From the maternal side, well, you can shake our family tree and a lawyer may fall from it. The four generations preceding mine have mostly been lawyers. My great grandfather was a senior advocate who appeared for a host of freedom fighters during his distinguished tenure at the Bar. My grandfather has been actively practicing law for over 54 years and I would need a separate interview to speak of his accomplishments.

    As regards my parents, my father is an importer of furniture and home decoration products. My mother is a lawyer by profession and was practicing corporate law for over 15 years before switching over to the field of image consultancy and soft skills training.

    I have little twin sisters who are not so little anymore. They are currently working with a talent aggregating Startup Company.

     

    What prompted you to think of law as a career?

    I was a very enthusiastic cricketer during my days in Modern School and like every third boy in India, had dreams of making it big in cricket. However, reality struck me after my 12th board exams and I suddenly did not know what to do in my life. I was never inclined to join my father’s business or sit in Chandini Chowk selling cloth yarns for the rest of my life. It was then that the thought of doing law came to my mind. So, in all honesty, law came in my life more as a last refuge than a first love.

     

    Describe your experience at Symbiosis, Pune as an undergraduate law student.

    As is the case with most students moving out of their hometowns to pursue under graduation, the initial days were difficult, as I had to adjust to life in a new city. Little did I know that they would end up being the most memorable five years of my life. Living in Pune and studying in Symbiosis taught me so much more than just getting a law degree. The thrill of making new friends, living within a budget, taking care of your own apartment, commuting in buses and autos and the exposure to small things was quintessential in helping me gain the confidence and awareness which I would have never got in the comfort of my home or within the four walls of a classroom. I would urge every student or anyone who wishes to pursue further education to get out of their comfort zones/homes for it may very well be end up being the most enriching experience of your life.

     

    Please share your experience at Karanjawala & Co.?

    After graduating (with good grades) from law school, I was clear in mind that I wanted to pursue litigation, atleast for the first few years of my practice. I was fortunate enough to get an opportunity to start my career with one of the best litigation firms of the country. During my tenure, I had the opportunity to work on some noteworthy cases like the N.D Tiwari paternity suit and the Lodhi Hotels case and brief eminent seniors like Mr. Mukul Rohatgi and Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

    I will always be grateful to Mr. Raian Karanjawala and all my colleagues at Karanjawala & Co. for taking such an active part in nurturing me during my infancy days in the profession.

     

    How did you decide to work under a Counsel even after getting an offer from Tier I firm?

    This was the toughest decision I’ve had to make in my entire life. As much as I was thrilled to learn that I was offered a job with a very lucrative pay-package, there was a part of me that wanted something more than just money. That urge inside me to go out there and make a mark for myself kept dissuading me from accepting the offer. I always had dreams of setting up my own independent practice and I thought working with a counsel who can encourage that sentiment would be the best platform for me to pursue my dreams. Since I was only 23 years at the time, I thought myself to have the privilege of time to make decisions out of choice and not compulsion so that in the event they don’t work, I could fall back on the secured environment of working with a law firm.

     

    Please share your experience with Mr. Sanjeev Anand, Advocate at Delhi Court.

    They were most enriching three years of my life. Mr. Anand was a true mentor for he made me love my work. When your boss becomes a mentor then your profession becomes your passion and when that happens, success is sure to follow (fingers crossed and touchwood, I’ve barely started).

    He consistently emphasized the importance of sound lawyering. He always told me that a good lawyer must be a surgeon in office and an artist in court. I would often go up to him with my problems and despite his busy daily schedule, he would always make it a point to sit with me and help me out. It’s like holding your child’s bicycle from behind to make sure that he learns before he can out there on his own. So much was our bond that on my last day in his chambers, both of us had tears in our eyes. I want to make him proud one day.

     

    Why did you choose independent practice over secured employment?

    Everyone has a perception of the kind of environment they wish to see themselves work in, one which not only gives them job satisfaction but can also bring out the best in them. I always felt that working independently would give me that kind of satisfaction and feeling of fulfillment. There is no better feeling than having to see someone invest their faith and money in your individual ability to fight their case, however big or small that person may be. I must confess that it is difficult line to choose, but then nothing worth having comes easy. Having said that, I am still very young in this profession and stand to change my views depending on what life has in store for me in the near future.

     

    What are your areas of interest? How did you go about developing expertise and knowledge in these areas?

    I was fortunate to work on a host of Commercial and Arbitration matters during my time with Mr. Anand. His phenomenal command over the original side Civil laws (CPC, Limitation and Evidence etc.), Contract law and Arbitration led to me developing a keen interest in the said areas. I am currently working on some noteworthy arbitration matters and also providing advisory services to companies in contractual matters/disputes pertaining to employment, shareholding and joint ventures. I have done trials (predominantly civil) for over 4 years and it is one of the joys of our profession, I hope to get some trial work coming my way in the future.

    Well, the concept of ‘practice makes you perfect’ does not apply strict sense to lawyers because apart from handling his cases a lawyer must also keep himself abreast with the latest developments in his strata of practice. Even small things like reading the newspaper help a lot. As for myself, I use my limited financial resources to invest in the some journals/reporters/magazines, which I read on a weekly/monthly basis. I also make it a point to attend the various conferences and seminars, which cover topics of my areas of practice. This gives me a chance not only to educate myself and but also get a practical insight from the experts in the industry.

     

    You are the youngest Indian to be selected as a Scholar at the Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA). Tell us about the experience.

    I attended the IPBA Conference in New Delhi in 2012 and since then I always had a desire to take part in it. More than a 1000 lawyers from the Asia-Pacific region meet annually to discuss the major legal issues concerning their respective jurisdictions. There is tremendous scope to broaden ones horizons both in terms of knowledge and network. It was there that I learnt about the IPBA Scholarship for lawyers less than 35 years of age and since the registration fee was exorbitant, the only way I could attend the conference was through a scholarship.

    I applied twice and my application was vehemently rejected stating that my qualifications fell short of scholarly standards. It was only in early 2016 that I got third time lucky and finally got the opportunity not only to attend the conference. While being conferred my certificate at the Gala evening, my name and picture was flashed on the big screen in the backdrop of the Indian flag. That was a red-letter moment for me, one which I will never forget.

     

    Being a part of The BRICS Legal Forum, please share with us your journey from Shanghai, 2015 to New Delhi, 2016.

    This opportunity initially came with a stroke of good fortune. I was a last minute addition to the delegation, since two PHD students from the Indian Law Institute had to cancel their plans last minute. It was a great honor to represent your country especially when delegation is led by a stalwart like Mr. K.K Venugopal.  I also successfully completed a three-week academic program on Chinese Arbitration Law whilst I was in Shanghai.

    As a result of my contribution at the Shanghai conference, The Bar Association of India (BAI) asked me to be a part of the Organizing Committee for the Third BRICS Legal Forum, which was held in New Delhi under the stewardship of Mr. Venugopal and Mr. Rohatgi. I was a part of the team that drafted the New Delhi Declaration for the establishment of an Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Centre for BRICS Countries at New Delhi, which was signed in the august presence of the Chief Justice of India.

    I was recently made a member of the newly formed Youth Wing of the BRICS Legal Forum and I must thank Mr. Prashant Kumar, President-Elect, BAI, for having faith in me and supporting me throughout my association with the BRICS.

     

    Tell us about your publications. What is the importance of writing for a law student?

    I have been authoring articles since 2012. Being predominantly a litigating lawyer, it’s hard articulate yourself in a non-adversarial manner, so I resorted to writing articles on the topics that interest me. Apart from sharpening your ability to research and draft, they also give you some recognition and visibility which is very important in the competitive world we live in today.

    Seeing the mushrooming of publishers/journals(both physical and online), I would strongly encourage all law students and young(er) lawyers to pen their ideas and research in the form of reader friendly articles for it will help them immensely in the long run. Having said that, I hope they help me in the long run.

     

    What are your short-term and long-term goals? Where do you see yourself five years from now?

    I’m at a very nascent stage of my professional life, so every day brings a new adventure and every conversation opens a new box of opportunities. The erratic flow of work and the uncertainty of remuneration keep me on the edge and motivated to do more.

    My short-term goal is to increase the volume of work that I am doing and I am confident that in times to come, more and better work will come my way. Moving forward, I wish to establish a solid niche practice in field of commercial litigation, arbitration and corporate advisory. I am open to exploring the option of collaborating with like-minded people/offices (both domestic and overseas) preferably specializing in different branches of law so that the office can provide more comprehensive services to the clients. Since India is on the cusp of liberalization of the legal services sector, I believe this is time for consolidation, not fragmentation and we stand to gain more by working in teams than in isolation.

     

    What would be your parting message to our readers?

    It does not befit my position to preach anything at this stage of my life. However, from my limited experience at the bar, all I can say is that it very important for a lawyer to constantly grease his wheels of knowledge. It is also very important to be enterprising, whether you are working on your own or with a firm. Try to find a space for yourself in this vast profession where you can enjoy what you are doing without thinking about competing with 1.3 million lawyers in India. Burn the midnight oil when needed but also spend time with family and friends. Don’t get too busy making a living that you forget to make a life.

     

  • Raghav Singh, cracking IBPS and DMRC, on being a Law Officer at State Bank of India and teaching CLAT aspirants

    Raghav Singh, cracking IBPS and DMRC, on being a Law Officer at State Bank of India and teaching CLAT aspirants

    Raghav Singh graduated from Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow (2007-2012). At present, he is the Deputy Manager (Law)/Law Officer in State Bank of India posted at Administrative Office.

    In this interview he talks to us about:

    • Academic as well as extra-curricular experiences.
    • How he prepared for SBI and IBPS exams.
    • His experience while teaching CLAT aspirants.
    • Factors students should keep in mind while building their career graphs.

    How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?

    I would like to introduce myself as a Banker by profession, Lawyer by passion and Teacher at heart. I am also a hopeless optimist who cannot stop himself from laughing at serious moments.

    What was your motivation to study law?

    The motivation mainly came from my father, Sh. Arun Kumar Singh, who is currently posted as a CBI Judge at Rewa(MP). My father was born in a family of farmers and education was a luxury to him, still he worked hard and after a lot of struggle came to stand where he is today. This naturally had a profound effect on me and I developed an interest towards law. Initially I wanted to serve the judiciary but I presume, destiny had a different plan. I learned that a lawyer can contribute in many ways to the institution where he is working thereby impacting his surroundings and it is a great feeling when there is a positive impact as the character of Andrew Beckett has summed up in The Philadelphia, “It’s that every now and again – not often, but occasionally – you get to be a part of justice being done. That really is quite a thrill when that happens.”

    How was your law school journey like- could you share your experiences with us?

    If I am to answer in one word I would call that journey amazing. But law school life deserves much more than one word. As life is much more than just the job you are doing, Law school too is much more than just your academics. It is about the bundle of experiences where everything fits in, be it your success or setback or the journey that you took while reaching there.

    I had a wonderful journey thanks to my teachers, friends, seniors, juniors and everyone who was a part of it. I remember with much fondness how Anshuman hit a four of the last bowl that sealed the Inter batch cricket tournament for us where I was one of the frontline bowlers of the team and at the same time I recall how I bowled 17 times in one over in one of the matches. I remember during the Final year Aditya coming to my room and practicing on guitar for hours and telling me that singing “Smelly Cat” at our Cultural Fest is not a very good idea but I anyway went with it much to the amusement of the capacity crowd in the auditorium where only my Debating committee members were found cheering. At the same time I also remember how everyone appreciated me for the song that I composed and sang on Guitar during our farewell. In addition to the academic life all the trips towards the old city, late night Bun makkhan, watching IPL in the common room, all the Bak*****, etc. are just priceless and I can’t thank God enough for the life that I had in law school.

    Kindly share with us your academic as well as extra-curricular experiences that have helped build your personality? What were your biggest achievements in and outside law school?

    Since we had a semester system so there was lot of time at hand to participate in Extra Curricular. Mooting was one area that caught my fancy, the thrill of arguing your case was enough to make me pursue that interest in the first semester itself. One should keep in mind that Mooting is a team effort; therefore, you need to get the right team. The one thing you should look for before making a team is—Compatibility. Remember, when it comes to moot courts compatibility trumps intelligence. And add hard-work to the equation and result is a brilliant team.

    I was fortunate enough that I had my friends (who stood with me through thick and thin in our mooting journey) as the best team mates anyone can have. So with contributions from Srijan, Akansha Ma’am, Suyash, Mayank, Pallavi, Dhruv and Yash, I was able to win 3 Best Memorials (including 3rd GNLU international Moot court competition) I have also won best mediator in UPES Mediation Competition, 2012 and published few articles, 3 of which with the help of my co-authors Amit Kumar Pathak and Sukriti Guha (Manupatra Competition Law Journal, Company cases, The Practical Lawyer & Environment Law Times).

    Also, I had one of the best times as convener of the Debate & Discussion committee thanks to the members of the committee we were able to organize several debating competitions, helping  streamlining the debating culture at RMLNLU.  After me, the responsibilities of the committee were taken over by talented conveners like Vinayak, Krishna & Aayush.

    In my professional life too, I was lucky enough to have brilliant and hardworking people as my support system especially T K Singh sir, BM Sharma sir, D V Malhotra Sir & Piyush to name a few. While working in Oriental bank of Commerce as a law officer, with the collective effort of the branch managers as well as branch officials, we settled the maximum number of cases in the National Lok Adalats organized throughout 2014.

    Participation in these competitions helped me a lot in building my personality. The more you participate in extra-curricular,the more exposure you get which help you to deal with assignments in your professional life. For instance, in my SBI Deputy Manager(Law) interview, I was privileged to have former Bombay High Court Judge, Justice P D Kode(Famous for his judgment on 1993 Bombay bombings case) as the head of the interview panel and all that I learned in law school did help me to face the board with confidence and score well above 80% in the interview.

    How did you prepare for SBI (Law officer Scale-II) & IBPS (Law Officer Scale-I) exams? What are the subjects one needs to study for its preparation?

    IBPS(Law Officer Scale-1) is conducted for all the public sector banks excluding SBI. So, apart from Law, questions are asked on General Awareness, mostly relating to Banking and current affairs, Reasoning and English. There is a negative marking of 0.25 for every wrong answer. Paper comprises of 200 questions of one mark each. Since I was already preparing for judicial services, I did not face much problem in law and I just went through previous years question papers to know the pattern of the examination and practiced some mock question-papers. I feel reasoning is the deciding factor, since most of the law students just loath anything related to Maths or calculations. So I made a point to practice reasoning. It helped me in clearing Delhi Metro Rail Corporation exam as well.

    Although for SBI, the pattern is somewhat different as there is no General awareness section and other sections like Reasoning and English are merely qualifying in nature, which means that merit list shall only be decided on the basis of the marks scored in law section unlike IBPS. Therefore, the concentration must be on Law. Apart from basic laws such as Contract, Procedures codes, Penal Code one should also focus on the commercial and banking laws like SARFAESI, Banking Regulation Act, Partnership Act etc. Also, the material from Indian Institute of Banking Finance’s on legal and regulatory aspects of banking proved to be very helpful.

    As I was already working with Oriental Bank of Commerce (Allotted through IBPS), I was not having much time to spare on preparation, so I stick to the basics and practiced previous years question papers and IIBF preparatory material.

    For most of the law graduates the syllabus of these exams might appear to be alien where lot of such acts are involved which one might not have even heard before. But one needs to just go through these acts. If somebody is preparing with all seriousness and regular practice even for a short span of 2 months, it can easily be cleared.

    How was your experience teaching CLAT aspirants? What were the challenges you faced? What do you think legal aspirants need to be aware about before they become professionals?

    I immensely enjoyed teaching as it helped me personally to build on my knowledge. As I left my job at Mumbai and was appearing for competitive exams, to do away with boredom and monotony, I thought teaching would be a good experience. Here, I have to thank Bishwajit Sir and Priya Ma’am. They were very understanding and gave me an opportunity to teach the wonderful kids who are now studying in prestigious law universities. The only challenge I faced while teaching, was to simplify the legal concepts for my students. So while teaching, I incorporated this habit of explaining concepts with lots of real life examples, so that it helps them understand the application of these laws in a cogent manner.

    Legal Aspirants needs to be aware of the fact that they belong to the area which is always evolving. Past year CLAT papers have proved to be unpredictable and therefore, one should prepare with an open mind without any preconceived notions on the difficulty level of the paper. Age old formulas like studying regularly, revising timely, practicing lot of mocks and most importantly preparing with the positive mindset should be kept in mind while preparing.

    How far do you see your University as being the contributor in preparing you for what you are right now?

    Whatever I am today, I owe it to my Alma-mater. The opportunities that I got, helped me to understand the difference between and move from ‘good to better’, ‘listening to perceiving’, ‘losing to learning’, ’speaking to arguing’ and most importantly ‘reading to ‘interpreting’.

    Considering the nature and importance of this profession what according to you should be the focus of law students at the law schools? What are the important factors students should keep in mind while building their potential career graphs?

    Building concepts, utilizing the opportunities at hand, improving on research and drafting skills should be the main focus area. Do not get bogged down witnessing someone who is better than you, as 5 Years is a long span of time and one must utilize this to work on their weaknesses. It is okay, if you are not getting an ‘A’ in every subject provided that you understand the subject well you can apply those principles with confidence whenever you have to.

    And most importantly, when it comes to career, one should always be open to new opportunities and ideas.

    Tell our readers about the goals you have set for yourself for the upcoming years?

    Currently, I am striving to serve this prestigious institution, SBI, to the best of my abilities and just like law school, I shall make best use of any opportunity that comes my way. I am satisfied till I am contributing something to this institution, which serves millions of Indians in our country and abroad.

    In the end what would be your three biggest pieces of advices for the students as well as fresh graduates who are all set to begin their professional lives soon?       

    Firstly, do not hesitate to follow your hunch. Even if it says to leave your job which you just got 6 months back and do something which you feel is right.

    Secondly, Life of a lawyer is like a runner in a never ending relay race and not a sprint. So all you can do is try to maintain the advantage, so wherever you are, try to improve.

    Thirdly, it is just the human mentality, that we can never be satisfied where we are, so just stay hopeful, as said beautifully by Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption, “ Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”

  • Nikhil Patel, LL.M. from University College of London, on being a Senior Legal Counsel for DSM Sinochem Pharmaceuticals

    Nikhil Patel, LL.M. from University College of London, on being a Senior Legal Counsel for DSM Sinochem Pharmaceuticals

    Nikhil Patel graduated from Symbiosis Law School, Pune in 2010. He has worked with business teams, as a legal expert, in multiple jurisdictions, including India, Malaysia, South Africa on a variety of corporate and commercial issues. He has also managed litigation in civil, criminal and labour related matters in both India and South Africa.

    Recently, he moved from being the Chief Legal Officer of Cipla Medpro in Cape Town, South Africa to Senior Legal Counsel for DSM Sinochem Pharmaceuticals in the Hague, The Netherlands. He has an LL.M. in Corporate and Commercial Law from the University of London and currently pursuing M.B.A. from the University of Warwick, both through distance learning courses.

    In this interview he talks to us about:

    • Biggest hurdles in the early days of his career.
    • Role of an in house/general counsel in India.
    • Advise for law students on maintaining a good academic profile.
    • What recruiters look for in law graduates.

     

    How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?

    I’m a 2010 graduate of Symbiosis Law School, Pune. I’ve worked with Suzlon, Biocon and Himatsingka in the past, and recently moved from being the Chief Legal Officer of Cipla Medpro in Cape Town, South Africa to Senior Legal Counsel for DSM Sinochem Pharmaceuticals in the Hague, The Netherlands. I have an LL.M. in Corporate and Commercial Law from the University of London and am currently pursuing my M.B.A. from the University of Warwick, both through distance learning courses.

     

    What motivated you to pursue this field?

    I knew I wanted to be a lawyer from a relatively young age, although it was the allure of litigating in court at that point. This quickly changed during my time at college, where I found the intersection between business and law, particularly contract negotiation and creative problem solving, were much more attractive to me. This was particularly evident during my internships, since I enjoyed the in-house internships the most.

     

    What do you think were the biggest hurdles and challenges in the early days of your career? How did you deal with them?

    The biggest hurdle for me was about Law school is great for giving you theoretical knowledge, however it doesn’t prepare you very well for the practical side of being an in-house counsel. This meant a lot of late nights working on drafting styles, negotiation tactics and strategies and most importantly a superior that is willing to invest in training you, which is especially difficult in a typically underfunded and understaffed support team. I can’t stress enough on how important it is to find people in positions above you that are willing to spend time giving you context, exposure and knowledge.

    Practical legal training aside, there were some skills that I needed to learn (and/or bad habits that I needed to unlearn) like empathetic listening, a risk evaluation and mitigation approach rather than risk avoidance and having a thorough knowledge of the business behind the legal agreements I was negotiating.

     

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    What did your work profile at Cipla Medpro consist of and what do you now do at DSM Sinochem? What is the role of an in house/general counsel in India?

    My profile at Cipla Medpro included contract drafting and negotiation, litigation strategy and settlements, labour law, strategic advisory and transactional structuring, competition advice, corporate restructuring, compliance and a little IPR with a strong focus on the pharmaceutical sector in South Africa. The pharmaceutical focus continues at DSM Sinochem, though as a global role rather than limited to a particular geographical area.

    The in-house counsel is first and foremost a generalist. This means that you tend to do a little bit of everything and are expected to have knowledge (a working knowledge, at minimum) of everything. This means that you have to spend a lot of your time being up-to-date on not only the latest business updates of the industry sector, but also on legal updates pertinent to that sector. You play a vital role in the on-going business of your company – through contracts up and down the supply chain – as well as the future of the company by giving input on the strategic direction and advising on risk management and mitigation. Particularly with the rise in costs of external counsel (and reducing legal team budgets), companies are giving more and more responsibility to their in-house counsels, making the role more dynamic and exciting.

     

    What advice do you have for law students on maintaining a good academic profile?

    A good academic profile gives you a ‘foot in the door’. After that, it is up to you to make a great impression in the interview and ensure that you work hard to learn and add value to the place that you work. Of course it always helps that a good academic profile should indicate that your knowledge base is sound.

     

    What do recruiters look for in the current crop of law graduates?

    If you are a law graduate fresh out of college most recruiters will test your basic knowledge to ensure that you understand the fundamentals of the law. However, by far the most important aspect, at least from my experience, is attitude and ability. One of my previous superiors once commented while we were interviewing to fill a legal position that everything but attitude and ability can be taught and that those were often the hardest to find.

     

    When and how did you decide to pursue masters? Was it a professional requirement or an endeavor out of academic interests?

    I pursued my LL.M. simply because at the time I was working on a large number of agreements that were international and I wasn’t sure that I knew everything that I needed to know while I was drafting them. While it was difficult to manage my obligations and my studies, the LL.M. was fantastic in my opinion. It focused on teaching me how to apply the legal principals I was learning, and since I was working while I was studying the LL.M., I was able to put this into practice immediately.

    More recently I realised that if I wanted to grow further in the corporate world, purely legal knowledge is insufficient and that you also need an understanding of how HR, Finance, Marketing, Strategy and the other functions within a company operate. This realisation, coupled with the great experience of the distance learning LL.M. led me to begin the Distance Learning M.B.A. from Warwick Business School.

     

    What would be your advice to our budding lawyers?

    My advice would be, once you have decided that you want to practice law (whether in-house, at a law firm or as a litigator), make sure it is something that you truly enjoy doing. You’ll find that makes all the difference in whether you excel at it.

  • Abheek Saha, Amrit Lal Saha & Associates, on building a career in Investment Law

    Abheek Saha, Amrit Lal Saha & Associates, on building a career in Investment Law

    Abheek Saha graduated from M.S. Ramaiah College of Law, Bangalore (2007-2012). With a passion towards investment, he started investing at the age of 16 in the Indian stock market. Later, after the RBI rules were liberalized, started investing in the currency market. With a special interest in Investment laws, during the college days,he concentrated on the various changes – developments of Indian and foreign investment laws, arbitration, investment arbitration, Consumers Protection, Competition laws, etc.

     In this interview, he talks to us about

    • His experience at M.S. Ramaiah College of Law.
    • How did he develop a special interest in Investment Law.
    • His experience as a fresh graduate.
    • Important factors students should keep in mind while building their potential career graphs.

    How would you introduce yourself? Can you please share a little bit of what motivated you to pursue law as a career?

    Law was never a second choice for me. It was always first. The decision to pursue law may be because of both my personal interest and having already seen my father practice for many years.

    Like all 11th – 12th standard school students deciding on a career in law, I too searched for all the various places a law graduate can work after passing out of law college, and the search results the law firm, companies, or in the field of litigation broadly. The prospects looked good and that validated further my interest in law.

    Kindly acquaint us with your college life. What activities you were involved in apart from regular academic curriculum?

    I was in M.S. Ramaiah College of Law, Bangalore, and mostly stayed in hostel all through the 5 years and really lived the hostel life. Among all, the Ramaiah hostel was little exception with limited restriction on movement in the night and thus could explore Bangalore during those hours.

    Sports were quite limited and I only used to go for early morning basketball with hostelites near the Ramaiah Degree college and sometimes for the table tennis after classes in the old college building. Our college building shifted to a new one when we were in final year.

    Moot court was never part of our curriculum except during practical- the final two years. But I took special interest in them and in my second year participated in the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot court competition – the ISRO funding round (NLSIU, Bangalore) and was really happy to see my Speaker score there. This was indeed my first moot court outside college. I also participated in Justice B R Sawhney Moot Court competition at NALSAR Hyderabad. I believe participating in these competition have broadened by research skills and also how to read, interpret and understand law during early days of law college. Apart from these two I have also participated in various intra and inter college competitions. We were Runners-up in ‘Mooting for Success’ organized by Law Department, Garden City College in 2010. My friend Satabish Ajjarapu who is presently a lawyer in Vizag was my Co-Speaker.

    How did you develop a special interest in Investment Laws? Did you have other areas of law that interested you? How did you ultimately choose your field of work?

    Investment related field was always my interest not only during law college days but from my school days. I used to do trading in stock market, later in currency market. So during law college there was a natural affinity towards investment laws. I have also completed a Diploma in Securities & Investment Laws from IIL, Bangalore.

    Presently through our law firm Amrit Lal Saha& Associates, we are advising lot of start-up companies, venture with really beautiful ideas through their conceptual stage to their growth stage. And Bengaluru being one of the best Start-up hub in the world, we get lot of such venture as our client. Sometimes we also cut down on our professional fees to help venture on their legal requirements and to see them in existence and thus enabling these companies and venture grow. As these companies are not all pursuing the same idea, dream and thus their requirements are quite different and these provides us the challenges and the drive to keep going.

    How can I learn to invest in the Indian stock market?

    I may not be the best person to answer this question. I don’t do it any more though. But on a general note I believe everyone can learn doing it.

    Is it a general assumption that the fresher graduates have to struggle a lot during the initial years, what was your experience?

    Struggle is an inevitable part of this profession and during initial years the struggle is definitely more. I believe the decision to pursue law as a career should not be driven by news, knowledge about how much a person is earning after passing out of law school and law colleges but by real passion in this field. I have seen Times of India publishing news about how good the placement was in NLSIU, Bangalore and then students taking decision to study law. At no cost this should be driving the decision to study law as it is not just another profession. Because long hours and focused determination and a desire to move on in the face of adversity, criticism shall bring success in this field.A famous saying of Justice Joseph Story which my father keeps reiterating “Law is a jealous mistress, and requires a long and constant courtship. It is not to be won by trifling favours, but by a lavish homage”. I believe the saying still holds goods but yes now we have lot more resources and a better faster way to search save them which helps the lawyer a lot in the profession.

    I started my career with working at Bhasin & Co., New Delhi. I was very excited then as I had my first interaction in that office with Mr Lalit Bhasin himself who had directed his Partner to conduct interview for me. It was rare to get through the firm without any reference and thus having got an offer to work there without any such references I was more happy. Eventually I have quit the firm due to personal obligations and have started on my own, firstly as a Co-Founder and Legal Counsel of a company and then as a part of Amrit Lal Saha& Associates. Now we have a good client base and things look good from here. But we had our share of struggle and our effort still continues to make things better.

    Tell us about your approach towards the long term and the short term goals you had set during the academic period and how were you able to manage it?

    Our priorities change with changing circumstances and thus I would say not all short term goals were met but slowly working towards accomplishing the long term goals. And it is those long term goals which ultimately decides our working and engaging strategies.

    Considering the nature and importance of this profession what according to you should be the focus of the law students at the law schools? What are the important factors which students should keep in mind while building their potential career graphs?

    I would say students should not be very specific during early college days about corporate or litigation or any other field but should intern and gain understanding of each such field and thus explore. 5 years college time which is a long time and the last 2 years can be spent focusing on the specific sector where they would start working.

    You have several publications to your credit! How do you choose when to write about what? Do you think research and publishing is very important for a law student?

    I have always written only in my areas of interest and choosing a topic I believe becomes easy when a person is keeping track of the changing laws and how it is evolving.

    I won’t say it is very important to write but definitely when a law student writes it helps somewhere and he can also keep track of how the law is evolving.

    Where do you see yourself ten years from now?

    Everyone sets goal and even I have done for myself. In brief I would like to see the firm grow and we are able to address larger issues and clientele.

    What is your parting advice to our readers?

    For law students I will advise not to have a frozen goal for yourself but a dynamic one because we are social engineers and the law changes as the society changes and so should we.

     

  • Pranit Saxena, Founder, lawyerouno.com, on being a Manager at Tata Consultancy Services

    Pranit Saxena, Founder, lawyerouno.com, on being a Manager at Tata Consultancy Services

    Pranit Saxena graduated from Symbiosis Law School in 2011. He currently works with TCS as a Manager in the BFSI-LPS sphere. He is part of the core team setting up GRC expert augmentation for an EU based clearing bank. The task involves the staffed GRC experts assisting the chief compliance officer with BFSI specific compliance across EU, APAC and Americas.

    Pranit is also the founder of lawyerouno.com. Lawyerouno is a social venture that helps clients contact and make appointments with any lawyer for free. It searches the most appropriate lawyer per the client’s needs.

     In this interview he talks to us about:

    • His experience at Symbiosis Law School.
    • Importance of higher studies for a lawyer.
    • com- where clients contact and make appointments with any lawyer for free.
    • His views on international financial situation owing to upcoming regulations and situations.

    Please introduce yourself to our readers, where did you grow up and complete your initial education? How did you decide to take up law?

    Hi, I am Pranit. I am currently working with TCS setting up their international compliance practice. My initial education was across six cities including Bathinda, Nagpur, Pithoragarh, Noida, Pune etc. in Army Public schools and Kendriya Vidhayalas owing to my dad being in the forces. After a lot shunting, I finally passed my 12th from Noida. I decided to take up law based on my discussions with my teachers in school and my penchant for getting in trouble with the system (school system i.e. repeatedly getting in trouble with the school administration) and I guess it had worked out fine till now.

    You have graduated with BBA LLB Degree from Symbiosis Law School in 2011. Tell us about your law school experience. Share some highlights from your college days that shaped you as a lawyer.

    So Symbiosis back in 2006 was unlike any other law school that you would see right now. We had a limited campus, amazing faculty and even a better ecosystem of students from various fields (symbiosis law school was in the arts and commerce campus). This heterogeneity of students gave us a very early exposure to variety of disciplines and opportunities. It was rightly called the Oxford of the East, as the student community in Pune was very strong. They were perineal college festivals, competitions that used to go on and provided me ample opportunities to explore. Symbiosis Pune had no hostel in the campus and we used to live independently in the city, which was a huge learning in itself. The teachers came from a varied background and were very supportive and encouraging. Apart from the obvious knowledge, what Symbiosis uniquely provides every student, is the independent attitude and a corporate ready culture, which most of us would learn post our law school.

    Did you do any internship? What was the work allotted to you like?

    I completed 24 weeks of internship across law firms like Barucha, fox mandal, companies like Larson & Tubro and Supreme Court attorneys like P.P. Rao. The spectrum covered was intentionally larger to experience a variety of fields within the legal industry. The work allocated was usually around the research projects in law firms, case file summarization in Supreme Court and high courts and occasional arbitration work for L&T. The work also included being a part of the client/vendor meetings with the seniors and keeping a note of issues.

    How did you manage internship with studies? How did the practical exposure compliment the theoretical knowledge imparted to you in college?

    Back then in Symbiosis, internships were only allowed during breaks, which made sure there was never and conflict and balancing the internships with the mandatory attendance requirement was never a challenge.

    The court internships really helped in enhancing the nuances of the procedural laws which helped appreciate the theoretical knowledge.

    There is a huge gap between what we study and what we implement as lawyers in practice. With that being said, all the knowledge and experience in college forms a very robust base for what we lawyers are expected to do at work.

    Do you consider pursuing higher studies after graduation? How important is it for a lawyer to go for higher studies? Were you inclined at any time, towards the civil services?

    Not really till now. Although I feel certifications in specialized fields can add a lot of value to the entire candidature for future opportunities. Higher studies in my view, is helpful if you are looking for a career shift like teaching, MBA, etc. Higher studies can also buy you time in case you are inclined towards exams like civil services, judiciary etc.

    A civil services exam is a different ball game and students must start preparation while in law school as the time period of five years is a huge opportunity in itself. No doubt it is a brilliant career choice.

    Tell us something about lawyerouno.com.

    Lawyerouno is my love-child that I started three years back, just to give something back to the community. It is a platform which connects people looking for lawyers to lawyers for free. We have lawyers from over 60 cities on the portal. We started the venture with a social outlook and we are still trying to be true to it. The basic thought, behind the idea was to provide young lawyers who want to set up their practice, an opportunity to connect with clients. We are also planning a few products on the portal to provide competitive pricing advantage to the clients.

    How difficult was it for you to connect and convince different lawyers to register on lawyerouno.com?

    As the registration for lawyers on the portal was free and the intention was to provide them with an opportunity to connect with the clients, I actually did not face any resistance from them, although the technology for some senior lawyers was a challenge, which we circumvented by assisting them with a unique live chat support feature.

    What is the international financial situation owing to upcoming regulations and situations?

    My current role in TCS involves setting up of compliance support practice for financial sector clients. The financial world ever since the 2008 crisis is in a state of flux. The regulatory authorities are driving regulatory dynamism as an instrument of change. The more they want to be in control the tougher it is getting for the companies. The Brexit will spur a marked shift for financial companies trading or headquartered in the UK. The companies are vying for the regulatory advantage and gearing up their compliance departments for various new regulations like Mifid II, EMIR, Basel 3 etc. More the regulations better it is for us! All in all it is looking good for the lawyers in the compliance sphere.

    Would you say that the work environment at an LPO is completely different from a law firm?

    Although my current profile is consulting, my initial experience with Thomson Reuters in the LPO sphere convinced me that whatever notion we as law students have about LPOs is completely unfounded. In fact if you are looking for a career in corporate as opposed to litigation, LPO is a very good option as it provides you with the right learning opportunities, international exposure and a good work life balance. Several of my colleagues are now well-placed in the field of contracts and forensics with various fortune 500 companies and start-ups. Right after my stint with TR in the Compliance department, I was involved with a start-up Mind Merchants for setting up their global compliance practice, which started with 3 people and is now already 45+, hence my experience within LPO spurred my growth as a legal professional. The stark difference between the work cultures that I see between these industries is the autonomy and independence that any year 1-3 associate gets at an early stage in their career.

    What were your objectives and plans in the preliminary years of the law school?

    As any other student in the initial years the motive was to have fun and explore the college life to the Tee. It is the only in the penultimate and the final year, that I decided to chalk out a plan for myself. The plan was to identify what I enjoyed more, hence most of my firm internships were in those years which made me sure that I did not see it as my life choice.

    Lastly, what message would you leave for our budding lawyers?

    I urge students to explore themselves as much as possible instead of following treaded path blindly and choose what is best for them as a life choice rather than a career choice. Try not to be bound by what you hear, but channelize your choices around what you experience. Five years of law school is an opportunity, so use it well. All the best!

  • Biplab Lenin, Consultant, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, on building up expertise in Intellectual Property Rights

    Biplab Lenin, Consultant, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, on building up expertise in Intellectual Property Rights

    Biplab Lenin graduated from Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual property law (2009-2012). He is a qualified attorney with more than 4 years of both law firm and in-house experience in dealing with general corporate and intellectual property matters. He is registered to practice before Indian patent office and currently working with Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas at its Delhi office. His core areas of work include wide range of transactions, general advisory and intellectual property matters. He has acted on some of the significant and complex transactions that the intellectual property team has been involved with.

    In this interview he talks to us about:

    • How he build up expertise in IPR.
    • Primary essentials of a corporate lawyer.
    • Professional ethics one should follow while at work.
    • Basic subjects one should understand before sitting for an interview.

    How would you introduce yourself, given that most of our readers are law students, law aspirants or professionals in the legal arena?

    I am currently working as a Consultant with Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas in New Delhi. My practice areas include intellectual property laws and corporate laws. I am a registered patent agent at Indian patent office. I completed my LL.B. from Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law (RGSOIPL) in IIT Kharagpur Campus and also hold a graduate degree in Biotechnology Engineering.

    Were you always as fascinated by the field of IP Law or was it an acquired passion that set in through your college years?

    Since my father is also a lawyer, I was never a stranger to legal discussions which my father often used to do with his friends over evening tea after a long day in Court. Nevertheless, after 12th standard I followed the crowd of students doing engineering. In the last semester of my engineering, there was a subject called ” Intellectual property Rights”. Somehow, it attracted me quite a lot mainly because it involved both technology and law. That led me to apply for the course at RGSOIPL at IIT Kharagpur. I guess I was lucky to have studied under tutelage of good teachers and in a diverse peer group that IIT offers. Though I had an inclination towards IP subjects, at the same time, I wanted to do my internships on other subjects as well. Hence, I did internships with law firms as well as corporate in the domain of general corporate law, taxation, disputes, technology transfer and intellectual property law.

    How did you build up your expertise in IPR? Tell us about your work experience.

    My first hands on training on practical aspects of law happened in my internship at Monsanto. After finishing law school, I joined Mahyco as an in-house Counsel where I worked on different IP laws like patents, trademarks, plant variety, biological diversity and technology transfer. More importantly, interactions with several eminent scientists and stalwarts in the agri-biotech domain helped me realize the importance of understanding the technical nuances of the technology involved in any IP law. My engineering education helped me a lot in this area.

    After completing three and half  years of satisfying work at Mahyco, I joined Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas at Delhi where I am working on matters related to patents, plant variety, biodiversity, transfer & assignment of Intellectual property and general corporate transactions. On litigation front, I am a part of the team which is handling patent infringement and drugs ban litigation before the Delhi high Court. 

    Tell us about your schooling and early life. What do you think are the habits that you cultivated which help you today?

    I did my schooling from Sainik School in Bhubaneswar from Class 6th till Class 12. I think the values of integrity, camaraderie which are a hallmark of the army, are ingrained in me now. Also, Sainik School gave us a lot of endurance training, which helps me when I have to work for long hours in the Firm! I feel that my school experience was also quite instrumental in putting me at ease in any group with diverse cultural backgrounds, which is helpful for an attorney whose work involves people interaction.

    How are internships helpful for a law student? What are the other options available for someone interested in IP?

    Internships have a role to play in one’s professional career as a lawyer. They help us in learning how the law is practically applied. Also, business aspects of transactions are also better appreciated in internship. Skills like corporate communication are sharpened during internship. For those who are interested in making a career in IP, I suggest doing first internship under a practicing lawyer to get a feel of our justice delivery system. It is also important to look for quality work rather than brand name. There is no point in securing an internship in a big organization where there is little work for an intern. Students can join an IP specialized law firm or corporate for doing internships.

    Having Said that, I also feel that one should not be obsessed with stuffing one’s CV with internships. It is important to remember that in college one is a “professional student”and one’s primary duty as a professional student is to study the law books and the basic concepts. What can be learnt in 10 internships over 5 years in a no-pressure situation can be learnt in 6 months in a pressure situation when one starts actually working after college. Many times these days, interns, who have finished more than 10-12 internships in their first 3-4 years of college, but unclear about fundamental legal concepts, which I believe is injustice to one’s profession as a student.

    How do you maintain your work-life balance?

    I have always had a problem with this concept which pre-supposes that work and life are different and need to be balanced. I believe the first step in achieving work-life balance is to love yourself and love your work. Luckily I do both! Presently my focus is on honing my skills. I believe I’m being paid to learn now so I’m not complaining at all! I also believe that even at a senior level people do get time for themselves while managing work and I feel this should not be a concern for us at least at the beginning of our career.

    Any extra-curricular or co-curricular activities did you take up during your time at RGSOIPL and engineering? How did the same affect your learning experience and prepare you for the legal sector?

    I participated in a few moot court competitions during my college. However, I enjoyed parliamentary debate competitions more and also participated in several case study competitions conducted at IIT Kharagpur. During my engineering days as well, I have participated in several paper and poster presentations.

    However, apart from legal skills, I used extra-curricular activities to build my communication skills and inter-personal skills. I was one of the founding members of moot court society and conducted the first parliamentary debate competition at RGSOIPL.

    During my law school days, I worked as a volunteer in an NGO named “Independent Thought” based in Delhi. The NGO works for the Eradication of Social Disparity and Injustice by promotion of Fundamental and Socioeconomic Rights. I used to assist team in doing research and preparing reports with regard to remedies on issues relating to child labour. This experience showed me the humane side of the law and it still keeps my sensitivity intact and reminds me that beyond all the paper work and legal arguments there are real people who are affected by what I do.

    Generally the first year after graduation is the most defining time of a fresh law graduate. What would you suggest a fresh law graduate should do to hold spirit and utilize the opportunities available?

    I would suggest a two-pronged approach:

    1. Many students are thinking about doing an LL.M, immediately after LLB. I feel that an LL.M. without any work experience is just an LLB with some more semesters and a thesis.
      I strongly encourage fresh graduates to take up some professional assignment of their liking instead of academics, be it with a law firm or corporate or even NGO. You’re bound to be confused, so make sure someone’s paying you in the meantime!
    2. In college, we first pay fees and then we learn. In a job, we get paid to learn. Therefore, as a paid student, learn as much as you can about different areas of law and practice. It is important to remember that most books mention “law” and “practice” separately, for example Banking Law and Practice, meaning thereby that practice is something different from mere legal provisions. This will help you in choosing a particular field or subject for your career.

    What are the primary essentials of a corporate lawyer? How do you say a fresh graduate can work on building these skills?

    I think honesty towards the client and one’s colleagues is of utmost importance. One may be low on information about a legal concept, which can be gained, but honesty must come from inside. This of course is a basic human requirement in any profession, so all law graduates must also try to imbibe these values.

    Patience is also a vital asset. One must not get affected by looking at how others are doing in the profession.

    What are the primary professional ethics you follow while at work? How do you deal with mistakes or errors?

    I believe that honesty is the best policy. If there is a mistake, one should admit immediately. Mistakes are bound to happen especially in areas where human effort is involved. In face of mistakes, first requirement is to maintain a cool head, accept a mistake has been made and then immediately start working on a solution. When I’m the team lead, I own the mistakes of my team. I think clients too appreciate such candidness.

    What are the basic subjects which one should read and have understanding of before sitting for an interview?

    From point of view of legal concepts, basic understanding of the following 5 subjects is a must for any civil lawyer regardless of any interview:-
    1. Contracts (including sale of goods and specific relief)
    2. Transfer of property
    3. Evidence
    4. Registration and stamp duty (basic concepts not details)
    5. Constitution (basic concepts)

    Thereafter, one may try to gauge the requirements of any specific interview and prepare accordingly.

    Where do you see yourself ten years down the line?

    Hopefully still on the line!! Jokes apart, my first aim is to build my expertise in my domain, which is more of an internal process. I haven’t really given a thought to any particular designation as such. But I would like to be a lawyer who has earned atleast two things – complete trust of  clients which  allows them to sleep peacefully as far as their legal worries are concerned; and respect from seniors and peers in the profession regarding my professional ethics and competence. Apart from this, designations are trivia!

    Please compare RGSOIPL with other law schools.

    RGSOIPL is a unique law school because admission itself requires a degree in technology or medicine. Being a part of IIT Kharagpur campus, it has an IIT-style admission process with entrance test, group discussion and interviews, which is a great learning in itself. It attracts students from all over the country, which helps in enriching one’s culture and view of life. Also, studying law in the IIT Kharagpur campus in the midst of the crème-de-la-crème of India’s technical brains, gave me 2 important lessons –

    • Law is an instrument to facilitate business and technology;
    • Law cannot be learnt or applied in isolation without an eagerness to learn the technical dynamics of any business.

    RGSOIPL also benefits from the infrastructure of IIT. We had access to major online legal resources like Westlaw, Manupatra and Hein online apart from books.  There are various co-curricular activities which one can pursue to unwind from demanding course schedule.

    How is your experience in working as In house and then shifting to law firm?

    Being an In-house counsel helps to learn the significance of law as a toll for business. However, I would advise to have law firm and court experience at the initial stages of the career and learn court proceedings and allied matters and then shifting to in-house.

    Shifting from In-house to a law firm is tough from a work pressure point of view. Also, subject experts are readily available when you are working in-house, which may not be the case in a law firm full of mostly lawyers. Anyone who wishes to develop a very particular specialization should work in in-house IP department. Law firm gives you a more diversified work. Needless to say, law firm working hours are more strenuous. However, learning as well as growth is much speedier in a law firm.

    What would be your parting message to our readers?

    An excellent CGPA is always good. However, it is important to co-curricular and extracurricular activities as well. Read as much as you can. Take risks when it is required. It is not necessary that every risk you take will result in success. There will be failures too.

    It is important to not think too seriously about oneself and one’s so-called reputation etc. while taking professional decisions. I think the most vital part is that one should feel good both as a human being and a lawyer.

     

  • Ajar Rab, Partner, Rab & Rab Associates, on Dual degree LL.M. and MBA from Germany, NLSIU graduate, on setting up Uttarakhand’s first law firm

    Ajar Rab, Partner, Rab & Rab Associates, on Dual degree LL.M. and MBA from Germany, NLSIU graduate, on setting up Uttarakhand’s first law firm

    Ajar Rab graduated from National Law School Of India University, Bangalore(2006-2011). At present, he is a partner at Rab & Rab Associates LLP, Dehradun and his work ranges from civil litigation, arbitration and corporate transactions.

    He is also an international policy consultant at Lexidale and a Non-Resident Expert at Vidhi where his work includes review of existing laws, policies and regulations, drafting of policy documents, amendments, rules and regulations and research on comparative policy.

    In this interview he talks to us about:

    • His experience at NLS, Bangalore.
    • His decision to pursue with a dual degree- LL.M. and MBA from Germany.
    • Skills one must require to become a legal consultant.
    • His views on how Indian Universities may improve the education regime.

    How would you like to introduce yourself? Tell us a bit about your childhood and pre-college life.

    I am a lawyer who grew up in the small hill station of Mussoorie where I studied at St. George’s College. My school lay great emphasis on extra-curricular activities and I was an active debater and loved playing sports. I was very lucky to find good friends with whom I have the fondest memories.

    What motivated you to choose law as a career?

    My parents are also lawyers. My father is a designated senior advocate at the High Court and my mother has spent over 37 years at the trail courts. I guessed I absorbed things like a sponge, never really seeing the big picture directing my interest in law. Though my parents never told me to become a lawyer, somehow their experiences and narrations about court cases and clients generated a keen interest in law.

    Please share your experience at National Law School of India University, Bangalore, especially as the first student to be elected as President of the Student Bar Association in absentia.

    I feel very lucky and privileged to have had a chance to study at NLS Bangalore. The place changed me for the better and I feel I am an entirely different person, pre and post college. One of my seniors, Nizam Pasha, who was in his final year when I joined, told me “Law School is a land of opportunity” and I don’t think I have better words to describe the place.

    My election to the SBA, while I was on exchange, was sheer benevolence of my batch and my close friends. I am truly grateful to all of them for believing and in me and convincing the others who did not at the time. My term at the SBA was full of various highs and lows. I have no hesitation to admit that it changed my world view forever. I learnt a lot about strategy, politics, negotiation and public perception – something we have to deal with daily as lawyers.

    Why did you decide to pursue higher studies? What was your motivation?

    Working for the general corporate team at Amarchand, I developed an interest in corporate law and transactions. During my time at law school, I always believed I wanted to do only litigation but after working for year, I realized I did not know enough about transactional lawyering so I wanted to pursue higher studies to educate myself.

    Why did you pursue with a dual degree- LL.M. and MBA from Germany? Why Germany and not some IVY League University?

    I chose the Master of Law and Business program at Bucerius Law School/WHU Otto-Beisheim School of Management, which to my mind, was a unique blend of law and business management, geared towards international commercial transactions. The faculty profile included some of the biggest names in academics and industry and the course outlines were structured as practical applications of concepts rather than mere theory. I guess that seemed like the right fit to learn more about the ins and outs of transactions, both from a legal as well as a commercial perspective.

    Do you think that the Indian Law Universities need a change to match up to the standards of foreign Universities? What can be done in order to make NLUs more conducive for learning? How do you think Indian Universities may improve the education regime?

    Definitely, the gap between Indian Law Universities and foreign universities is quite big. I feel our traditional style of classroom instruction is out dated with the dynamic application of concepts we learn in class. Exercise oriented class room discussions are far more fruitful for understanding the theory and applying them. At my masters, our professors gave us case studies which are used in IVY league institutions and we were tested on our analysis and conclusions, rather than simply answering theoretical questions in an examination. I think our universities can adopt a similar approach, but my caveat is that our system of school education should also change to accommodate that kind of learning.

    What are the skills one must acquire to become a legal consultant?

    I think every lawyer is a legal consultant to some extent. The distinction here is more on lawyers who handle litigation in Courts and those that are involved at policy levels or at the level of legal strategy. I don’t think the skills required to become a legal consultant are very different or unique, just that as a consultant, especially a policy consultant, needs to have the broader picture in mind with respect to the ramifications of their advice in various areas.

    Share your work experience as the first law firm of Uttarakhand.

    I consider myself lucky that our firm has had very versatile experience, in terms of the nature of work and the kind of clients. It is not so say that we did not struggle at the beginning but my seniors and friends have been very kind to refer various matters and as a result though it has been only 5 years since my brother setup the law firm, we have represented some of the biggest names in the country such as the Aditya Birla Group, Birla Tyres, Hyatt group of hotels, Rakesh Roshan, Viom Networks etc., for litigation as well as corporate transactions.I guess the cliché holds true “I get by with a little help from my friends”.

    What were the reasons behind leaving Amarchand&Mangaldas and moving to Dehradun?

    I learnt a lot at Amarchand but left to pursue my masters. Moving back to Dehradun is a question I am regularly asked about and have been defending since the time I left Amarchand. My brother had already setup a law firm,Uttarakhand was a promising State and there was scope of transactions here. With my experience, I felt moving back would add to our areas of practice and we will be able to service clients within Uttarakhand and outside if we provide quality legal advice.

    What kind of work you are entrusted with as a non-resident expert?

    My stint with Vidhi has been brief but I was part of a team which was drafting amendments to the Food Safety Act and its Rules.

    Many law students aspire to secure a job. What do you think most are doing wrong, from your observation? Please give our readers some tips to nail an interview.

    I think sometimes we tend to over sell ourselves and also forget that the person who is interviewing us has also been on the other side of the table. There is no substitute for sincerity and honesty in an interview. One other thing is that students tend to estimate their value by the size of the pay package being offered. I don’t think that is necessarily true. A pay package is a management decision considering various other aspects and costs than just someone’s qualifications and value. Moreover, freshers applying for a job tend to forget that even though they did really well in law school, practicing law in real life is a different ball game altogether – an experience they definitely lack. The aim early-on should to be take a job which allows maximum exposure and experience, rather than a fat pay cheque.

    Lastly, what would be your message to our readers who are mainly young lawyers and law students?

    Law is a field which requires immense patience and experience. We all aspire to be like Mr. Nariman, Mr. Singhvi or Mr. Rohtagi, but we forget how long they have been in practice. They have a name and charge a fee after decades of being in practice. Students today tend to want a similar lifestyle straight out of law school, which leads to frustration. If the aim is to grow your knowledge of law day-by-day, be better lawyers and work towards your clients’ best interests with utmost dedication, I think we all may land up being where the big names are, but only in due time.

  • Ojasvita Srivastava, Senior Manager – Legal, Reliance Communications, on LL.M from QMUL, writing journals, and Project Abhimanyu

    Ojasvita Srivastava, Senior Manager – Legal, Reliance Communications, on LL.M from QMUL, writing journals, and Project Abhimanyu

    Ojasvita Srivastava graduated from V. M. Salgaocar College of Law, Goa University (2005-2010). She is a qualified lawyer and an experienced in-house counsel with experience in litigation, arbitration and corporate compliance. She is presently a Senior Manager in the Legal department at Reliance Communications where she deals with Telecom Litigation.

    She pursued an LL.M in Commercial and Corporate Law at the Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary University of London, where she served as the Communication and Media Coordinator of her specialisation- Commercial and Corporate Law.

    Ojasvita was also the Co-Founder and Chief Editor of the ‘The Sophists’, Queen Mary Law and Business Journal, which publishes articles on Law, Business and Politics. She contributes articles on Indian economy and legal developments to this journal. She also edits and contributes articles to the monthly Postgraduate Newsletter of the Centre for Commercial Law Studies, London.

    In this interview she talks to us about:

    • Challenges associated with being an in-house counsel.
    • Project Abhimanyu – providing free guidance to law students who do not come from a law background.
    • Services provided under the project “Abhimanyu”.
    • Skills and qualities that helped her achieving the current position.

     

    How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?

    I work as a Senior Manager in the Legal and Regulatory Department at Reliance Communications in New Delhi. I handle cases related to telecom, broadcasting and infrastructure disputes before the Supreme Court, various High Courts, the Telecom Tribunal (TDSAT) and various arbitrators, while occasionally getting involved in M&A work and contract vetting. I have a keen interest in litigation and have previously practiced before the Supreme Court, the Delhi High Court, and various District courts in Delhi.

     

    What made you choose the legal profession as your career option?

    Pursuing law as a career was a last minute decision. I was a student of the Science stream till class XII. Like the rest of my class, I too wrote the AIEEE and did well. I had a state ranking of 37 in Engineering and 7 in Architecture. However, I disliked Chemistry and didn’t want to read a word of it ever again in my life. As I was trying to figure out what to do with my career, I met my mentor, Adv. Vilas P. Thali. He is the former Additional Advocate General of Goa and is a specialist in election laws. After meeting him I was inspired to pursue law. I wrote the entrance exam for V. M. Salgaocar College of Law on 14th June, 2005 and joined his office as an intern on 15th June, 2005. I interned there for more than 3 years spending close to 6 hours a day in his office and visiting courts, meeting clients as well as attending sessions of briefing senior counsels (even though I was just a 12th pass student). I topped the entrance exam at my college and continued to perform well. As a result, I was awarded the merit scholarship throughout my LLB course and paid nothing in tuition fee! Although the joy of saving money was more than offset; thanks to my LLM at Queen Mary, University at London.

    As I am a first generation lawyer, my family was not in favour of me pursuing law as a career. However, I convinced them otherwise and became the only girl in my entire batch at school to join law.

     

    What were your objectives and plans in the preliminary years of law school?

    Right from the first year, I had a deep interest in litigation and I had a clear mind that I wanted to make a career in this field. Therefore, in my initial years at law school, I aimed at participating in as many moot courts as possible and gave every moot court my best. I won the best lady advocate at a national level moot court competition and the best memorial award at an international moot court, while doing fairly well in all moot courts that I participated in. My mooting experience not only helped me hone my research and oratory skills but more importantly helped me develop a keen attention to detail, which is absolutely essential to win any case.

    Besides this, I interned throughout the first three years of the course; part time when the college was in session and full time during vacations. As my college timings were from noon to half past five in the evening, I could easily dedicate three hours in the morning and in the evening. During the morning sessions, I usually attended proceedings at the Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court or the District Court, where I gained practical experience in court skills and procedure. Evenings were usually dedicated to practising legal research, drafting and attending client meetings. Often students learn these essential skills only after passing out of law school. So I am very grateful to my mentor for hand holding me and making sure that I learnt these skills while still at college.

     

    What are the challenges associated with being an in-house counsel? How do you handle them?

    There are in-house counsels specialising in various areas of legal practice. I will only talk about the challenges faced by in-house counsels working in the dispute resolution field.

    As an in-house counsel specialising in dispute resolution, the volume of work is more though the in-depth involvement in legal research is limited. Also, one is involved right from the pre-litigation stage of litigation-avoidance correspondence till the execution of the decree, including serving notices, drafting, vetting and settling petitions, briefing senior counsels, attending arguments and then following up for the execution of decrees. During this process, one also needs to keep the management of the company informed about the on-going proceedings almost like the eyes and ears of the management in the court (AKA Sanjay from the Mahabharata).

    The challenge revolves around balancing the volume of work. As an in-house counsel, I have been assigned more than 65 cases. My colleagues, who are senior to me, handle even more cases than me. Thus the responsibility is to keep a tab of all your cases in all the courts across the country and to make sure that the interests of the company are effectively secured. Further, as an in-house counsel, one also needs to understand the technicalities of a case well enough to be able to explain them as her own case. Thus I, for example, have to understand complex science revolving around telecom engineering to be able to explain it to the external counsels on behalf of the company.

     

    Tell us something about “Project Abhimanyu”.

    ‘Project Abhimanyu’ is a pro bono and voluntary initiative that I recently started. It aims at increasing access to career opportunities in the legal industry by providing free guidance and career counselling to law students who do not come from a law background.

    It endeavours to increase awareness about career options available in the legal profession to students. It works assiduously with students from colleges that do not have a fully functional placement cell and also assists and contributes to the existing services available at academic and professional institutions that are working towards guiding students. It does so by sharing knowledge and seeking guidance from highly trained and experienced professionals in the legal industry who are willing to voluntarily mentor students in their free time. In the long run, Project Abhimanyu will work towards enriching the talent pool available to the legal profession.

     

    Why have you named it Project ‘Abhimanyu’?

    Abhimanyu was Arjun’s son from the Mahabharata. On the 13th day of the Mahabharata war, he successfully intercepted the Chakravyuh formation created by the Kaurava army, and saved the Pandavas from imminent defeat. What is particularly interesting about this episode though is that Abhimanyu obtained this knowledge of penetrating a Charavyuh formation as a foetus in his mother’s womb. Thus Abhimanyu was born with the knowledge of how to penetrate a Chakravyuh.

    The legal industry is like a Chakravyuh, complex and vast. It would be Project Abhimanyu’s endeavour that, just like Abhimanyu, law students graduating from various colleges must learn to successfully navigate the legal industry. They should be able to make informed career decisions and achieve success proportionate to their calibre and hard work; and they should never get left behind because of a lack of guidance.

     

    Why inspired you to start this initiative?

    To answer this question, I would first like to give a little context. I graduated in law from V. M. Salgaocar College of Law, Goa in 2010 and later acquired an LLM in Commercial and Corporate Law from Queen Mary, University of London in 2014. In the intermittent period, I worked at a multinational French Pharma company in Mumbai and later practised at the Supreme Court, Delhi High Court and District courts in Delhi, while simultaneously writing the civil services examination. In 2013, I appeared for the interview round of the civil services examination; however, I missed by a narrow margin and thereafter decided to continue my career in law.

    All along this journey, I had little guidance in terms of how to go about making my career in law. As a result, my career grew more in a trial and error fashion. Thankfully, I have reached a comfortable place now, and therefore I want to help other students who are in a similar position.

    Law is a difficult profession not only because it is a complex industry but also because it requires one to really slog to climb up. That said, it becomes all the more difficult when you are a first generation lawyer. The idea behind Project Abhimanyu is to guide first generation law students so that they get a better shot at making a smooth transition from being a law student to becoming a lawyer. Over the past few years, I have been guiding students studying in various colleges in Delhi, Noida, Lucknow, Pune, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Patna, Mumbai and Goa. But there are still a lot of students who need guidance and this is what got me motivated to start this platform to reach out to more students across the country.

     

    How difficult was it for you to connect and convince different lawyers to register on this project?

    It wasn’t difficult at all. Everyone I approached has been very receptive and appreciative of Project Abhimanyu. We have the GCs of MNCs, law firm partners and highly successful litigators on board as Mentors at Project Abhimanyu. In fact, most Mentors at Project Abhimanyu had already been guiding and mentoring students. Project Abhimanyu is only providing them a platform to reach out to more students from across the country. I am very grateful to everyone who has joined this initiative and is sparing time from their busy schedules to help the future generation of lawyers.

     

    What kind of services do you provide under this project?

    Students can write in to ask any query related to the legal career. These could be about improving their CV, internship applications, job applications, career guidance, civil services examination, higher education abroad, CA/CS courses, working in-house or any other information related to law. They simply need to drop an email to project.abhimanyu@gmail.com and they would be assigned to a mentor who would answer their queries.

     

    Where do you see this project five years from now?

    In five years, I want Project Abhimanyu to be a self–sustained, fully automated system. We are working towards building a network of lawyers specialising in different areas of law who are voluntarily willing to guide students. Eventually I want Project Abhimanyu to develop into a platform where any law student from any corner of the country could just go to our website, choose a Mentor in a particular field of law from an entire range of specialists and write a message that would directly be received by the Mentor and answered by her/ him. We are also working towards compiling and publishing the advice given by the Mentors for the benefit of other students. I want the advice to be free and fair and therefore, Project Abhimanyu shall always remain a pro bono, voluntary and a not-for-profit organisation.

     

    What skills and qualities do you think have helped you achieve your current position?

    I think hard work, attention to detail and a passion for reading are essential qualities for anyone aspiring to make a career in litigation. Besides that, the training I received from my mentor and the guidance of my teachers has helped me tremendously. I will be failing in my duty if I forget to mention the complete liberty and unflinching support given to me by mother in shaping my career.

     

    What would be your advice to our readers?

    An ex-President at Reliance, whom I respect like a father, once passed a remark that struck the very core of my conscience. He told me that ‘your profession (the legal profession) is rather feudal’. What he was inferring was that it is easier for people from a law background to excel in this industry.

    Project Abhimanyu is trying to break free from this notion about the legal industry in India. I would advise every student reading this article to take full benefit of Project Abhimanyu. It is an opportunity for everyone to get a fair shot at law and to make informed career decisions. I would also request every legal professional reading this article to join Project Abhimanyu and help the future generation of lawyers in our country become more productive and efficient.