Super Lawyer

Category: Interviews

  • Awani Yaduwanshi, Manager – Corporate Legal Group, ICICI Bank on work at Banks and other corporate bodies

    Awani Yaduwanshi, Manager – Corporate Legal Group, ICICI Bank on work at Banks and other corporate bodies

    Awani Yaduwanshi graduated with Symbiosis Law School, Pune in 2012. She has an enviable academic record and an excellent series of internships at top law firms. During law school, she participated in various co-curricular activities and also has a couple of publications to her name. She has also been recipient of the Best Legislative Initiator (Female) at Amity Competition on Law Reforms, 2012. Currently, she works as a Manager – Corporate Legal Group at ICICI Bank.

    We have taken this opportunity to ask her about the several decisive moments in her career amongst other things including:

    • Publications and research skills
    • Importance of co-curricular activities
    • Appointment and work experience at ICICI Bank

     

    How did you gravitate towards Law? Tell us about your college life at Pune. What all activities did you partake in?

    As a kid I was quite fascinated by software engineers. However, the credit of me choosing law over engineering goes to my uncle. I had enrolled for a one year correspondence course from Law School Tutorial in my final year of high school. Always an avid reader, by the end of my 12th standard, I was more inclined towards law as a career option, because I thoroughly enjoyed critical/verbal reasoning, staying abreast with current affairs, reading and the logical, common sense approach of law as a field of study, all of which, came more naturally to me compared to everything else. Looking back, choosing law over other career options was a giant leap of faith, a right decision made at the right time.

    I believe we were a lucky lot to spend our college life in Pune. There was a lot to explore and keep us busy at all times. Among other things academic, my time in Pune was spent doing nothing, chilling with friends, exploring places and things to do in addition to writing research papers, attending conferences, participating in client counselling sessions, presenting papers and the like.

     

    What were your areas of interest during your graduation? How did you go about developing command and knowledge in these areas?

    To be honest, I did not have one particular interest area. As a student, I was always intrigued with how every subject, whether, contract law, tort law, international law, family law or something as procedural as CPC and IPC provided for situations, issues, problems and conflict areas. All one had to do was ask questions. The problems were already thought of, anticipated and provided for through a statute or a provision, which was always further, supplemented, debated and interpreted by the several interesting case laws. However, if I was to pick, I would say that I am particularly fond of contract law. The love started ever since I studied Section 27 and continues to date when we end up defending agreements and contracts in litigation.

     

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    What is your take on academics? How important do you say is a good CGPA for an illustrious career?

    Pune is a lovely city which ensured that college life was never just about academics. In addition to studies, five years at law school were characterised by living independently, making friends, understanding ones likes and dislikes, developing hobbies and having a lot of fun. When it comes to grades, though not one of the toppers, I would say that I managed just fine, never being on either extreme end of the spectrum.

    Personally speaking, I acknowledge that really high grades do help you get identified by a third party, usually an interviewer. However, I believe that good grades are a limited measure of how intelligent an individual is, or how successful he or she would be in his career. Good grades are a combination of multiple factors, including ones temperament on the day of the examination, manner of assessment, type of questions and sometimes even the speed in which one writes, whereas success at workplace depends on understanding your basics, knowing fundamentals, people skills, sincerity and diligence. The two should not be interrelated and everyone should focus on knowing what one claims to know thoroughly well.

     

    How did you go about securing your internships?

    I must admit that internships weren’t the easiest to secure. However, the ones that I managed were a combined effort of persistent planning, fretting, good seniors, decent contacts, an almost functional placement cell and some luck.

     

    You have publications in various renowned journals. How should one go about writing papers and getting the same published?

    Write papers when you are genuinely interested in a topic. Quality over quantity is always the rule. If you have identified your interest area, explore issues and angles surrounding it. Ask questions, formulate opinions, analyse existing material, learn about the topic and become slightly better at it than you were before writing the paper. With regards to avenues for publishing your article, lookup online websites and keep a track of conferences and seminars, journals and call for publications from colleges and other institutions.

     

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    Soon after graduation, you joined ICICI Bank as an Associate. How did your appointment take place? What worked for you in securing the job?

    I managed securing a job with ICICI Bank on day zero of placements in July 2011. That year the Bank had picked up 6 of us from close to 72 of us who sat for the placements. There was a two tier selection process comprising of group discussion and a personal interview. One has to understand that working your way through an interview involves explaining concepts and convincing a third person of your point of view rather than just quoting verbatim something from the textbooks. What worked for me, in securing my job, was a combination of focus, composure and knowing my basics well. Having a predetermined goal, coupled with drive and the confidence to push through difficult situations does leave an impact on the interviewer. Knowing your basics well and understanding concepts, seals the deal.

     

    How does your typical work day go at ICICI? What were the obstacles and challenges you faced during the initial days of job?

    My time at ICICI Bank has been fairly rewarding and the work that I have done has managed to keep me engaged and teach me something new every once in a while. The biggest benefit of being an in-house lawyer is that one deals with the commercial as well as the legal aspects of a deal which ends up being more practical and less theoretical, and helps us as transaction lawyers look at the bigger picture. One ends up reading balance sheets, understanding concepts like EBITDA, credit rating and a host of other commercial factors in addition to the legal documentation. I work for the corporate banking group and the special structuring group within the bank. Thus, my work involves documentation and ancillary issues with respect to sourcing new clients as well as focusing on accounts that may be classified as a non-performing asset and working towards restructuring the bank’s exposure in such clients.

    A typical work day at ICICI involves, negotiating with clients and with business groups within the bank who source the clients, finalising documentation, adhering to processes and meeting monthly and quarterly deadlines. Litigations involving recovery and other civil matters, coordinating with external counsels are some other aspects of work that keep us occupied.

    The challenges one may face during the initial days at work may range from settling down in a new city, to understanding your work profile, to dealing with people within and outside your team, to meeting deadlines. What needs to be remembered is that most of the issues are transient in nature and usually not as stressful as they may seem.

     

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    Any tips on how one should go about framing a C.V. and prepare for an interview?

    It may sound cliché, but its best to keep one’s CV simple. Focus on quality more than quantity and ensure that you only put your best foot forward and highlight your accomplishments, and accolades. It may also be advisable to customise your CV to suit the job you are applying for.

    With regards to interviews, it’s important to remember that having a well drafted CV is only the first step. Ensure that you are well prepared to answer and discuss anything that you have mentioned in your CV. Have opinions, remember concepts and remain composed. Confidence and composure are appealing attributes in an individual. Lastly, not even the interviewer expects you to be a walking encyclopaedia. Be sincere in what you have written and what you are trying to convey, the rest usually follows.

     

    How is the work environment as an in-house counsel different from other disciplines of law?

    To be honest, I have only worked with ICICI and thus would not be able to comment with authority on the work environments in law firms. ICICI bank as an organisation has a strong value system in place, which ensures that each employee is treated with respect. The bank follows an open door policy when it comes to addressing one’s grievances and every employee is encouraged to speak up if he feels the need to. I have heard of difficult people and difficult situations, people end up facing in law firms. However, I believe that this is too broad an issue to generalise. There are good days, and there are bad days. There are the difficult people, the self-absorbed people and the ones who are working against a deadline. That being said, a formal framework stipulating acceptable behaviour towards your juniors and seniors, does work in favour of organisations.

     

    How important do you now find your research skills?

    Ignorance of law is no excuse. As lawyers, it is important to stay abreast with the latest rulings and updates in the field of your work. While the frequency may differ, it is crucial to hone your research skills since they will always be of help at any stage of your career.

     

    How has been your experience working with interns? What do you think differentiates a good intern from the rest?

    The kind of attitude with which an intern approaches work really, works in their favour or against them. Enthusiasm, diligence and being earnest at what you do never fail to make a positive impression. Try understanding the bigger picture, get involved and have a good time. Internships are the perfect opportunities to pick up work related experiences; build your people skills, make mistakes, ask questions, understand job roles, all with limited accountability.

     

    Many people believe that working as an in-house counsel affords more work-life balance and is less demanding. Would you agree?

    After 5 years of law school, achieving work life balance, whether as an in-house counsel or as a law firm associate, does take some getting used to along with coping with the pressures of your daily job. Relatively speaking, working as an in-house counsel does afford greater scope for maintaining and sustaining the balance. That however, does not make the job less demanding, at least till you are getting paid for it. It is essential to take time out for yourself and do things that you truly enjoy doing. That more often than not makes up for the slogging.

     

    What are the tips you would like to share with our readers who are mainly students?

    • Enjoy your time at a law school. It truly is the time to have fun, make memories, friends and mistakes.
    • Plan a little and take time out to dream what you want to become in life (or at the end of five years), work towards it and be flexible.
    • Enjoy the journey rather than always worrying about what is to come. There is ample stress to follow. Take less stress when you can.
    • Develop hobbies and find your niche. There is nothing more fulfilling than doing your own thing in your own time. It will serve you well when you seek work life balance.
    • Take risks, and break a few rules. Don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s mostly ok.

     

  • Priyanka Singh, Senior Legal Executive, Tata Elxsi Ltd., on work of an in-house counsel

    Priyanka Singh, Senior Legal Executive, Tata Elxsi Ltd., on work of an in-house counsel

    Priyanka Singh graduated from Bharati Vidyapeeth Law School in 2009. As a law student she has been quite active and participated in many moot court competitions debates, MUNs and conferences. She has a rich experience of working with a law firm, with a multinational financial services corporation as a Contracts Specialist – Legal and has also practiced independently. She has recently joined Tata Elxsi Ltd as Senior Legal Executive.

    In this interview she talks about:

    • Law school experience at Bharati Vidyapeeth Law School
    • Work experience at Tottenham India Law Associates and Fidelity Investments
    • Appointment and work at Tata Elxsi Ltd

     

    Legal studies are still only a backup option for quite a lot of students. What motivated you to choose law as a career? How did you get through to Bharati Vidyapeeth Law School?

    No, I totally disagree that legal studies are only a backup option for most students. There are students who work hard to clear the law entrance exam. I myself, being from a family having legal background, was genuinely interested in pursuing my law degree. Yes, on my part, family was the motivation factor, who supported and guided me throughout.

    Bharati has their own entrance test conducted at university level, after clearing it one gets admission upon counselling.

     

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

    My area of interest was contracts. I ensured that I get to read various types of contracts, the provisions being included therein. I kept myself updated about the recent development in the companies regarding contract. Which now I feel was of great use to me in my profession.

     

    As a law student which activities did you participate in?

    Basically, every law student should participate in various moot courts. I was also not an exception to it. In my first year of college my seniors guided me how to go about studies and other stuff. Throughout my college my seniors and my teachers guided me how to go about studies. For internship, i used to shortlist the law firms name, send them my CV and that’s how use to get the internship.

     

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    What kind of internships did you do while you were a student?

    I interned in a law firm and with sr. Advocates. The area was vast, whether it be company law, family law, civil, real estate or criminal law. When you work on something, you would genuinely have an interest in doing particular work. And that’s what I realised while doing my internship.

     

    What do you feel about the perception that students of certain ‘elite’ NLU’s have a much easier time in kick-starting their career? Is it true?

    Unfortunately yes, to an extent I do agree. But at the same time I also feel that in the end what matters is the knowledge and legal acumen. If you have this of course you can give a tough competition to anyone.

     

    After graduating from Bharati Vidyapeeth Law School you joined Tottenham India Law Associates as an Associate. How did the appointment take place?

    It was campus recruitment! Personal interview and HR round.

     

    You left Tottenham India Law Associates and had joined Fidelity Investments as Contracts Specialist – Legal. What led to this shift? What kind of work did you do there?

    My area of interest was always to work with a corporate organization. I had joined Tottenham only to learn and have knowledge about litigation, getting familiar with court procedures, as i feel that it’s always easy to move from litigation to corporate but to switch from corporate to litigation is always difficult. After working for a firm for a few years, I thought it’s the time to move ahead in my career and I started looking for a change and got an opportunity to work with Fidelity.

    In Fidelity I was exposed to various kinds of financial services contracts, drafting, negotiation and various types of procurement contracts. Working with a corporate is entirely different from working in a firm. I got lots of opportunity to learn the various aspects of corporate law.

     

    You’ve recently joined Tata Elxsi Ltd as Sr. Legal Executive. How did the switch from Fidelity Investments take place? Please tell us about Tata Elxsi Ltd and the recruitment process there.

    I wanted to try my hands on IT contracts hence moved to Tata Elxsi.

    Recruitment process started with legal round with hiring manager, then with legal head, and then HR round and salary discussion.

     

    What does your current work profile at Tata Elxsi Ltd consists of? How is a typical workday like?

    My day to day work at Tata Elxsi involves reviewing and redlining the contracts, drafting amendments (if any), negotiation, HR related issues relating to employees, drafting of legal notices and co-ordinating with different BU’s for clearing the agreements.

     

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    What do you think makes a good in-house counsel?

    I think that an in-house counsel should be proactively involved with the company and effectively communicate with others.

    They should know that Company is their only Client and they have to work in the best interest of the Company. One should also be familiar with company’s operations, its personnel, its existing past and potential issues.

     

    Does Tata Elxsi Ltd take legal interns? What is the process for same?

    Yes, Tata Elxsi does take legal interns. All such vacancies are posted on the company’s website, one need to apply for it, if the CV gets shortlisted, the HR gets in touch with them and we take the procedure ahead.

     

    What is your advice for law students who are interested in pursuing a career as in-house counsel?

    For every lawyer beginning is always difficult but at the same time it would give you an immense opportunity to learn and get exposed to various aspects of law. Find out what your area of interest is and then as all of us know law is only about reading, so read, learn and apply it practically.

     

  • Mansi Sood, Rhodes Scholar, on application, SoP and LL.M from Oxford

    Mansi Sood, Rhodes Scholar, on application, SoP and LL.M from Oxford

    Extremely capable and skilful, Mansi Sood from NLSIU Bangalore is a student from the batch of 2015. She has been recently awarded the Rhodes scholarship for pursuing higher studies at Oxford University. Interestingly, it has been offered only to a few students in India, Mansi being one of them. This is an interview about her success, outstanding academic records and highly polished CV. She has also provided insights on the application process for Rhodes for the benefit of readers. Needless to say, her accomplishment in the field is incredible, and she goes on to tell us  about her drive and future plans. There is evidently so much to learn from her.

    In this interview she talks about:

    • Rhodes Scholarship
    • Law school experience at NLSIU, Bangalore
    • Mooting and Internships

     

    How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers? Tell us a bit about your background and school life.

    Well, I was born and brought up in Delhi and did my entire schooling at D.P.S. R.K. Puram. I was always involved in a wide range of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities but my passion has been dance. I started learning Kathak from my guru, Smt. Vaswati Misra at the age of 5 and learnt for 13 years till I went to college in Bangalore.

     

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    What was the driving force behind taking up a career in law?

    My parents have always encouraged me to follow my heart and do what gives me joy. One of my cousins went to law school and I used to hear a lot about it from her. So somewhere along the way, her stories inspired me and it seemed like I would enjoy the law. The law is very logical and structured and it’s also a great equalising force. Both of these things appealed to me and I decided to take the chance. I’m just glad it worked out!

     

    How has been your law school experience at NLSIU, Bangalore? What are the best memories of your student life there?

    It’s very difficult to compress almost 5 years into one answer! But frankly, NLS, Bangalore has been a wonderful, wonderful experience. There’s so much to learn, so many opportunities and so many people to inspire you, it’s quite amazing. It is hard work but it’s definitely worth it. The memories I’m taking from here will last me a lifetime, I think.

     

    How do you give credits to your institution for being awarded the scholarship?

    I think the institution, its people and most importantly, its environment, have had a huge role to play in shaping me as a person. Whether it’s professors, friends or peers, they are always so encouraging. And the diversity of interaction makes you broaden your perspectives a great deal. So yes, I would definitely like to thank my institution and all the people associated with it for their support.

     

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    You were adjudged the third best advocate at the South India Rounds of 55th Jessup and there are winning titles for your team in many other moots. You also have many publications to your name. How did you manage and what kind of skills did you acquire?

    I have been involved in a variety of co-curricular activities but as you mentioned, mooting has been the one most dear to me. When I think what all of these activities have taught me, especially mooting, is that there are always two sides to every coin, multiple ways to look at anything. And I think that’s a very important skill for a lawyer. Other than that, they also obviously sharpened my research, legal writing and advocacy skills.

     

    What was your first reaction on learning that you are being awarded the Rhodes scholarship? How was the application process?

    My first reaction was a mixture of joy and relief. I couldn’t believe it for a while, in fact there are still moments of doubt! But to be honest, it’s a great honour and I’m very grateful to have been given the scholarship.

    The application process involves two stages – the written application and the interviews. Once you submit your written application, there is a preliminary interview and then a final one. At each stage, the pool keeps getting smaller.

    I wasn’t always sure that I wanted to study further but once that decision got made, Oxford was the dream.

     

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    How did you go about writing your CV and most importantly, your personal statement/essay/ SOP?

    Writing the CV isn’t tough, you just have to write two pages about the things you have already done. It’s the SoP that takes effort because you have to express your dreams in words and make it sound convincing at the same time. It involves a lot of thinking and introspection, more than anything else. Once you’re clear about your goals, it’s just a matter of putting it down on paper.

     

    Do you need to have recommendations as well? What kind of profile is needed while applying for the scholarship?

    Yes, the Rhodes scholarship requires 6 recommendations – 3 academic and 3 personal. There isn’t a fixed profile that you need or a checklist that you need to have completed but broadly, they look for a well-rounded personality who has been able to demonstrate more than just an interest in the field he/she wants to pursue.

     

    Was there any interview round? If yes, how were you prepared to face the panellists? What kind of questions did they ask?

    Yes, there are two interview rounds. The first one is more ‘technical’, in the sense that it’s usually taken by people from your field who are interested in having a discussion. The final interview is more about you – who you are, what you want to do etc. I was a little nervous both times, more so the second time not just because there were a lot of luminaries on the panel but also because it was my final shot at the scholarship; but both the interviews were a lot of fun and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. They asked a variety of questions, ranging from India’s labour laws to my dance to Kashmir.

     

    What kind of internships have you done? Did you ever plan out your internships?

    I have mostly done litigation internships, aside from the Summer Vacation Scheme at Herbert Smith Freehills. I did plan my internships to a certain extent, but that was mostly in line with what the college prescribes. We have institutional support in the form of an Internship Cell that helps out with contact details etc. But more importantly, seniors and alumni have always been a huge support.

     

    You are keenly interested in research as well. Tell us about it.

    I think research and policy work is an important aspect of legal work in general because often, the changes that we seek to bring about in our laws, come about through that route. I have been involved in research on a variety of subjects, from arbitration to constitutional issues.

     

    What are your plans after your post-graduation? What kind of career do you envisage after graduating from Oxford?

    My interest lies in commercial law, with a primary focus on arbitration and intellectual property laws and that’s what I want to pursue. I haven’t thought about exactly what I want to do but it would be a mix of practice and academia/policy work.

     

    What would be your advice to our young readers who would like to apply for Rhodes scholarship in future? What does it take to have a brilliant CV?

    I am not sure I’m qualified enough to give advice but I’ll say this – Just be honest. Of course, there is work involved in the whole process but the most important thing is to be yourself and talk about the things that matter to you the most. The rest will fall into place.

  • Roshni MS, Associate, Indirect Tax Practice, ELP on a career in tax and Law School experience

    Roshni MS, Associate, Indirect Tax Practice, ELP on a career in tax and Law School experience

    Roshni MS graduated from ILS Law College in 2011. As a law student she has been quite active and participated in various co-curricular activities. By the time she graduated, she had received a job offer from PricewaterhouseCoopers where she worked for nearly three years. Later, she switched to Economics Law Practices and is currently working as an Associate there.

    In this interview, she talks about:

    • Law school experience at Indian Law Society’s Law College
    • First year work experience at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
    • Building a career in Indirect Tax law
    • Appointment and work at Economic Laws Practice (ELP)

     

    Please tell us what motivated you to pursue law as a career? How did you get through to ILS, Pune?

    I did a major part of my schooling in Nagpur, a city that I still hold very close to my heart. Studying at the prestigious Bhartiya Vidya Mandir, I was given ample opportunities to touch base with a lot of facets which could eventually culminate into a career, be it sports, fashion or academics. However, all my life I remember being leaning towards academics despite having a good run with sports. And to choose a profession which marries this interest had to be law, considering my aversion to the numerous doctors and engineers in the family!

    Numbers were a great deal in my family and board exams were euphoria in themselves. I’m sure it is like that in most of yours. The gruelling hours put into studying eventually paid off when I saw my name in the first merit list put up by ILS, Pune. My decision to take it up was well thought and well discussed and I am more than happy to say, it’s the best decision I could have made.

     

    Please tell us a bit about your time at ILS, Pune. Please tell us about the manner in which you approached academics while in college.

    My time at college, by no means of exaggeration, was the best time of my life. The best thing about ILS, apart from other things, was the college timings: the first two years were roughly 3 hours of college and the next three were about 4 hours. You have the rest of the day to figure out things for yourselves. There were the kind who would join language classes, typing classes, work somewhere, join a diploma. I do not think any other college would give you that kind of leverage.

    The first year of college was a mess. You actually didn’t know how to approach your academics. Studying did not help and my scores plummeted. But after two semesters, and speaking with seniors, doing meticulous research, I approached the exams in a smarter, better prepared manner. I would be lying if I said I did not study, honestly I put in 4 times the effort and ended up securing a place in the merit list. And proudly, that continued.

     

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    What is your opinion when people say that all that they have learnt is in their years of practice?

    Legal Education is just that, theory. It definitely gives you a ready reckoner in your head and can guide yourself appropriately to the law. But the problem is when you need to put them to use. Except litigation, where you are given practical experience in the form of moots, corporate practice differs in humongous proportions.

    The learning curve begins at college, but literally curves when you join a corporate. It is indeed funny, but true, when people say all that they have learnt is in their years of practice. The approach the majority takes in college is to clear the exam. Unfortunately, while it helps that time, it does nothing for you at the workplace. There was no one to tell us this when we were in college, but I hope this helps you.

     

    How do you think academic research and writing can be encouraged in Indian law schools?

    Students by their own volition take part in numerous competitions for academic research and legal writing. The drafting and nomenclature which is otherwise used once in awhile in these competitions become a way of life once you venture into corporate life. Hence, inculcating this habit should become a norm.

     

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

    My first year after graduation was more or less like first year of college. You are mighty confused all the time. But the truth of the matter is everyone goes through this phase and it is more than okay to be that way.

    Apart from the learning you need to impart yourselves, another important factor which helped me immensely was the fact that I got to work with wonderful people. The work environment is an important factor which makes you the person you become.

     

    How did your appointment at PwC take place? How was your experience working there? Tell us what a typical day at work was like for you?

    PricewaterhouseCoopers, Mumbai (PwC) will always be special one for me, not only because I started my career there but because I met a lot of wonderful colleagues there. Be it my contemporaries or also the seniors I worked with and those I had a chance to mingle with. PwC had come to campus during our placement week in college and I was very happy to have made it through. What was challenging though was I did not study tax in college and to join a firm that specialized in Indirect Taxation which was a mighty decision in itself. My time spent at PwC taught me everything I know of Indirect Tax today.

    A typical day started with a quick meeting with my manager and discussing the things to do and the meetings to attend to. Everything was organised and of course, there was that break you had to take for a coffee with your friends at work. Once that was done, we were back on our seats and punching vigorously into our laptops. At the end of the day, I was mighty pleased with the things I worked on and the new facets of law I had learnt. Every day was a learning and I used to look forward to being there. I strongly recommend PwC Mumbai as one of the ideal work places to be in.

     

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    You left PwC to join ELP in their indirect taxes wing. What prompted you to make this choice and what made this shift possible?

    When I moved from Mumbai to Bangalore, a lot of things changed. They say location plays a major role on your work profile. Bangalore, as everyone knows is an IT dominated city and my profile had a major chunk of Indirect Tax compliance related assistance. This was a challenge initially but as I picked up this facade, I realised how important it is to understand the compliance involved in the subject you are working in. I strongly advise that everyone involved in indirect tax advisory must spend some time doing the compliance.

    But after spending a good 11 months in the compliance sector, I wished to move back to the advisory role in Indirect Taxation. And ELP arrived in Bangalore at the precise moment while this thought had initiated. And hence, the shift to move to ELP to join their indirect tax advisory practice.

     

    What kind of work and responsibilities generally an associate at ELP deals with? What should a student do so that he gets placed in a prestigious firm like ELP?

    An Associate at ELP is typically occupied with immense drafting and litigation assistance. You have some interesting legal opinions to work on and draft some meticulous replies to show cause notices and appeals etc.

    Typically, ELP hires post a scrutiny vide your internship and hence it is of utmost importance that you have a chance to intern here.

     

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

    Professional ethics come naturally once you are in the workplace. Some simple terms like collaborate, share, speak, admit and question etc. will help you in a long way. The environment you are at work is what you create of it. If you do commit an error, admit it. But make sure you don’t repeat the same thing again. That will only mean that you are not learning from your mistakes and may tick off the Boss.

     

    How do you say one can gain expertise in tax law? What does it take to be a good tax lawyer?

    There is no substitute to experience. There is no prodigy in tax law. To be a good tax lawyer is not different from being a good lawyer. Be sincere towards the work bestowed upon you.

     

    Is the work significantly different from other transactional lawyers? How much of your work does involve litigation, if at all?

    Indirect taxation strives on litigation as much as other laws do. But what is great is that this subject also demands equal attention for the advisory work which improves your research, drafting and technical skills, ultimately which will help during the litigation.

     

    Tell us about the difference between being an In-house counsel and a Law Firm Associate.

    When I did have the chance to join an industry, this is something I thought about diligently. Being a client facing associate, I was exposed to a variety of industries and accordingly to a vast number of issues. That was something I did not want to lose.

    Alternatively, the clientele you interact with from the companies, be in the Legal team or the Finance team are one of the most passionate and brilliant minds in the legal fraternity. They are the go-to personnel of the Company before any major decisions are taken. That feeling should be irreplaceable.

    However, being in a firm, addressing varied client issues since the start of my career, I will be biased to a Law Firm Associate!

     

    Recently, the Supreme Court declared the National Tax Tribunal as unconstitutional. What is your take on this?

    While declaring the NTT could be construed as a progressive step, what is a matter of concern is the pending litigation for which the NTT was initially set up. This ruling could also affect all similar tribunals set up to decide substantial question of law. Nevertheless, there must be an alternate remedy for the speedy disposals of the pending matters and increase the confidence of the tax payers

     

    You have excelled in your academics, interned at top-notch Indian. How can one excel as a law student and enjoy college life?

    There were some seniors in college who told me that you must intern every vacation you had and there were the others who said that it really did not matter. So I did a bit of both.

    I made sure I did not intern in my first year of college. And that I would do a maximum of only 5 internships in the 5 years I spend in college. But what I did was to intern at different environments. So I interned with an individual lawyer, a company and law firms. This gave me a heads up on what to expect where.

    As for the fun part, I had a lot of time for that. I spent most of my free time with my friends or travelled back home to be with my family. I used to play tennis and would catch up on the game at a sports club nearby or you would find me drinking glasses and glasses of cold coffee in the cafeteria. Yup, definitely the best days!

     

    What do you cherish most about the experience you have had over the past two years?

    My time spent at PwC Mumbai is something that will linger on for times to come. It may not be completely true when someone tells you that you do not make friends at work. But fortunately for me, I was glad to have had that.

     

    What’s next for you?

    There are definitely some plans up my sleeve but for now, I am just going with the flow.

  • Tanmay Patnaik, Associate, Private Client Practice, AMSS, on an LL.M from Fordham and experience in Modelling

    Tanmay Patnaik, Associate, Private Client Practice, AMSS, on an LL.M from Fordham and experience in Modelling

    Tanmay Patnaik graduated from Government Law College, Mumbai. He received the USC Gould School of Law LL.M Scholarship in 2010 and pursued an LL.M in Banking, Corporate and Finance Law from Fordham Law School, New York. He is currently an associate of the General Corporate Practice Team at Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co.

    Most amazingly he also partook in modelling assignments for many big brands such as Cadburys, Samsung, Vodafone, etc. and most prominently as the poster boy of Limca. He also had the opportunity to act in the movie ‘Wake Up Sid!’.

    In this interview he talks about:

    • Taking time out for modelling
    • LL.M from Fordham Law School, New York
    • Scholarship from USC Gould School of Law
    • Private Client Practice at AMSS

     

    Given that most of our readers belong to the legal fraternity, how would you introduce yourself to them?

    I would introduce myself as a ‘trust’ed legal advisor. I am presently a member of the Private Client Practice Team at Amarchand & Mangaldas. The team consists of estate and trust law specialists who have years of experience in advising high net-worth families on a host of matters including succession, estate planning and family governance related matters. I am also a member of the Amarchand Japan desk which is assigned to work on general corporate transactional and advisory matters catering specifically to our Japanese clients.

    I am also an expert in the field of Art and antiquities law. An extrovert by nature, I’ve never believed in defining the boundaries of what a lawyer can or cannot do.

     

    How did you gravitate towards law? Why law and not engineering or medical studies?

    The formative years of my life were spent in the company of the sons and daughters of bureaucrats and judges. The topic of law was ingrained into every dinner table conversation. I was fascinated and truly taken in by the subject. Since math and sciences were never my cup of tea, narrowing down my career choices was that much easier. I’m honestly glad there’s a pen in my hand rather than a scalpel!

     

    Do you think being from a non-NLU has ever proved to be a hindrance for you? What has been your experience?

    Personally, it has never been a hindrance to me as I joined Amarchand immediately after completing my LL.M. from Fordham.

     

    How was your law school experience?  Were you engaged in any co-curricular activities?

    My law school journey has been an interesting one. In the first year of law school, I was honestly a bit lost. I soon found my feet and became very active in the Students Council and the Moot Court Association. I was to become a post holder in both committees for the next 4 years. I was also an active participant in moot court competitions throughout my law school tenure, securing two golds and a silver at the national level.

    However, all this while, I had already decided to break out of the mould of the typical law student and do something different. I had chosen to dabble in the world of acting. Every lawyer has theatrical tendencies brewing in them and I just decided to stir mine. By the end of the fourth year of law school I had managed a fairly decent acting portfolio of print ads, television commercials, music videos and even a role in a Bollywood movie. I soon reached a point where I had to choose to follow through with law or dive into acting full time. It wasn’t easy to drop something that I had invested a fair amount of time in, but I understood that an acting career was fraught with uncertainty. The night I decided to give it up, I decided to work on my LL.M. applications. There was no looking back then.

     

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    You have been featured as the poster boy of Limca! Please tell us more about your career in modelling, how did it start out, and your present involvement.

    I got my first modelling assignment by chance. A close friend of Mr. Piyush Pandey, who is the Executive Chairman of Ogilvy & Mather India had met me over a family dinner and recommended my name for a print ad which required a fresh teenage face. The people at O&M got in touch with me, I auditioned and 4 weeks later my face was plastered on billboards across the city! I was only 17 at the time and and the feeling was overwhelming. I was soon getting alot of casting calls for print ads and television commercials. By the fourth year of law school I had shot for over 30 top end brands including Limca, Colgate, Cadbury, Samsung, Vodafone, 7Up, Bajaj and Nike.

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    I also got the opportunity to travel to Dubai, Mauritius and Kuala Lumpur for music videos and commercial shoots. It was a good breakaway from the humdrum of regular student life. However, it wasn’t always bright lights and easy money. My biggest take away from the world of acting and modelling was learning how to deal with rejection. For every acting assignment I bagged, I was probably rejected for 5 others. This really helped me grow as a person. My last project was a character role in Wake Up Sid which was exciting because I got to be a part of fairly successful Bollywood movie.

    tanmay-patnaikI haven’t disconnected myself from the world of media altogether though. Last year I was featured and interviewed for the fashion magazine ‘GQ’ . The feature was on style conscious professionals in India donning the sharpest suits. I was later informed that I was the first Indian lawyer to get featured in GQ!

    It was interesting because in my own little way I had stayed in touch with the field of media and fashion. Just driving home the point that no matter how hectic life in a top law firm can get, you can still dive into other things.

     

     

    You went to pursue LL.M from Fordham Law School, New York. How did the whole experience turn out to be?

    New York was a game changer. It is truly the city where dreams are made and broken. It is a city which tests your mettle. I had visited New York before and was familiar with what the city had to offer. My time at Fordham taught me to be disciplined, patient and sincere in my efforts. The law school campus is located in the heart of the city and is always bustling with that unique New York City vibe. People often say that an LL.M. has no value for Indian students looking for a job in India. I beg to differ because in my opinion the learning does not start and stop in the classroom. It goes well beyond. Leaving networking aside, it is the softer aspects of the entire LL.M. journey which really equips you for what lies ahead. With your family thousands of miles away from you, you tend to push your boundaries of what you are capable of and this is where your levels of maturity (personally and professionally) start to peak.

    tanmay-patnaik-4The city of New York is like no other. It pushes you to the extreme in every sense. New Yorkers truly value their time and they also respect yours. Located in the heart of the city, being at Fordham afforded you the opportunity to socialize with your peers and other professionals on a regular basis.

    As an LL.M student, it was important that I made the most of the networking opportunities that the city had to offer. This wasn’t restricted solely to lawyers but individuals in the field of media, advertising, corporate finance, investment banking and private equity. There was always something to do, something to explore and people to meet. Being in the city that never sleeps, there was plenty to do once our classes were done and over with.

     

    Please tell our readers about the application procedure and other requirements like CGPA, internships and recommendation letters.

    First and foremost, it is vital that you identify why you want to apply to a particular school (faculty, program, location, etc.). This will help you think through a host of other questions which follow. Your statement of purpose must be an honest representation of yourself. Marketing yourself is well and truly acceptable, but misrepresentation most certainly isn’t. Maintaining a good grade is a must but restricting your achievements to the classroom isn’t the best way forward. Whilst long term internships and strong recommendation letters are an added bonus to your application, it is important that you try to stand out from the crowd.

     

    You have received the USC Gould School of Law LL.M Scholarship in 2010. Did your scholarship provide full funding for your LL.M course?

    The USC Gould Scholarship for LL.Ms is a merit based scholarship which does not require a separate formal application. Awards are typically offered in the amount of 10% to 50% of the cost of tuition and the student is notified upon receiving admission. Accordingly, when my admission letter arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I had also received a 50% scholarship award.

     

    How did you decide on a specialization in Banking, Corporate and Finance Law? What motivated you?

    I was drawn towards the practice of corporate law ever since I interned with AMSS. The internship was for a period of six months. During this time I was fortunate enough to work under some of the finest corporate lawyers in the country. I had also interned with senior counsels and public prosecutors in the past but I felt that the corporate law environment suited me best.

    I chose Fordham Law over Cornell, Georgetown, George Washington and USC because it not only had an excellent corporate law faculty but it also offered me a chance to study corporate law in one of the financial capitals of the world. Having Professor Richard Squire (who previously taught at Harvard) and Professor Sean Griffith (a former editor of the Harvard Law Review), both celebrated educationists in the field of corporate law, was the icing on the cake. So it was never a spontaneous decision. I had done my homework. The one year I spent at Fordham was invaluable. When I finally graduated, it wasn’t just a degree I was taking home, it was an experience.

     

    How did your recruitment at Amarchand & Mangaldas take place? How far would you say your LL.M experience was instrumental in this opportunity?

    I applied directly to Amarchand & Mangaldas when I returned to India and I was fortunate enough to hear back from them. An interview was set up with Mrs. Vandana Shroff and it went off quite well. I had graduated from Fordham with Latin Honors and this may helped me build my case. The LL.M most certainly gave me the confidence to hold my own.

     

    You are presently working in the Private Client Practice (PCP) team and have been associated with Amarchand for the past 3 years. Please tell us about your areas of practice.

    Our Private Client Practice is based on decades of experience in advising promoter families, high-net-worth individuals and entrepreneurs in relation to structuring and holding their wealth and family businesses, especially in a taxation and succession friendly manner. The team has been handpicked by Mr. Shroff himself and confidentiality lies at the core of everything that we do.

    The services we offer are bespoke to each client’s needs and include amongst other things:

    • Estate and succession planning, including preparation of Wills and Codicils; providing probate and executorship services;
    • Establishment of private family trusts (which may include private trustee companies, professional trustees and/or protectors, as desired); on-going advisory services for established domestic and offshore trusts;
    • Restructuring of existing promoter / family holdings in a tax efficient and succession-friendly manner;
    • Creation, implementation and monitoring of family governance structures, including drafting of family constitutions and vision statements;
    • advice on corporate governance and business structuring from the perspective of family governance, and incidental advice on all corporate matters;
    • Advice on family settlements and partitions;
    • Family dispute resolution either through arbitration, mediation, and/or litigation; and
    • Risk management and regulatory advice, including compliance with securities laws, takeover regulations, exchange control laws, liaising and dealing with regulators (especially R.B.I. and S.E.B.I.), as required.

     

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    People often complain about the highly skewed work-life balance at the top law firms. How do you maintain your work-life balance?

    In any top corporate law firm there are going to be patches of heavy workload. It’s a natural phenomenon and that’s how markets work. The earlier you come to terms with that, the more at ease you will be. However, if you’re perpetually stuck to your desk, you’re doing something wrong. I think at the end of the day it’s upto the individual to make the most of his/her day and the environment he/she is in. I try to start my day early and hit the gym as often as I can. Weightlifting has been a stressbuster since I was in law school. At the end of the day, I try to disconnect with work and connect with my loved ones, being my parents, my beautiful wife and my pet cocker spaniel.

     

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    What would be your message to our young readers who want to join a corporate law firm in the future?

    Joining a corporate law firm is an excellent choice but I would recommend keeping your expectations in check. Harvey Specter and Mike Ross are works of fiction! That’s not how law firms function. As a first year associate in any top law firm, you can expect long working hours and a heavy workload. Therein lies the challenge you must overcome. There will also be moments when you will feel disillusioned but the key is to remain patient and see it through.

  • Shalaka Patil, Senior Associate, Nishith Desai Associates, on work in Dispute Resolution and LL.M from Harvard

    Shalaka Patil, Senior Associate, Nishith Desai Associates, on work in Dispute Resolution and LL.M from Harvard

    Shalaka Patil graduated from Government Law College, Mumbai in 2009. She started her legal career as an Associate at Bharucha & Partners. Thereafter she went on to pursue Masters from Harvard Law School. She has also been a Rajawali Fellow at the Ash Centre for Democratic Governance, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government. Thereafter she worked as a Foreign Associate at Pestalozzi, Zurich. Currently, she works as a Senior Associate at Nishith Desai Associates and her main practice area is Dispute Resolution.

    In this interview, she talks about:

    • Law school experience at GLC, Mumbai
    • Choosing to pursue higher studies over job
    • Bagging the Rajawali Fellowship
    • Work at Nishith Desai Associates as a Senior Associate

     

    How did you decide to pursue legal studies?

    It was fortuitous. I wanted to become a journalist since I had been writing for a number of publications in Bombay from the age of 16. I thought I’d specialize in law so I could report niche cases. But once I enrolled in law, I never looked back!

     

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    Did you take part in moots while at GLC, Mumbai or indulge in academic legal writing? Do you think that these activities should be left to the discretion of students or made mandatory?

    I don’t think anything should be mandatory in law school other than your curriculum and avenues that allow you to test your analysis skills. Some people prefer mooting while others like writing, law counselling or projects. I did a few moots until my third year (such as ITAT and DMH) which really helped in engaging with a legal problem and honing my research skills. From the 3rd year though, I wanted to focus on legal writing and getting as many quality publications out as possible.

    I worked with this aim in mind and I also joined the college Students’ Council and Law Review committee. I participated in and won a few legal essay writing competitions as well during this time. In my view, the work that went into research, critically thinking through and defending problems through legal writing went a long way in building a strong foundation during my formative years. I would recommend it to law students who want to pursue a career in academics or even law firms. Mooting helps you think on your feet, writing helps you take a step back and think through the entire problem and give it your own perspective / defence.

    Other than this, I’d say doing a broad variety of internships helped me eliminate what I did not want to do and focus on areas that interested me (even though this area was quite extensive then). So all through law school I worked largely with disputes firms (I started at Bharucha as a trainee and before that I had interned at other law firms as well in Bombay). In addition, I was keen to gain some experience in the area of public policy as well and accordingly I worked at the Indian Parliament with an MP, at a think tank in Delhi and interned at the Law commission as well as an NGO. All of these opportunities gave me a first-hand experience of how the field really works and how policy translates outside of what I had read.

     

    Right after graduating, you worked for a year at Bharucha & Partners as an Associate and then went for LL.M. Why did you decide to go for higher studies?

    I wanted to study international arbitration and public law. I knew this right from my second year at GLC and I was determined to pursue this goal single-mindedly. The LL.M. was a means to study at a premier institution in an international environment (and one to which I had had limited exposure until then.) I also knew that other than teaching me the nuances of international arbitration and providing me with an excellent network of professionals and academicians, I would also be growing as a person with an exposure to best practices from around the world. The LL.M. proved to be all these things and more.

     

    Tell us something about your LL.M year at Harvard Law School. How did this influence your career?

    It taught me a number of things I know today and love about international arbitration. It gave me the opportunity to work with international law firms. It introduced me to the writing of experts such as Gary Born, Martin Hunter, Jan Paulsson and an opportunity to meet many of these stalwarts. I also studied and learned to view dispute resolution itself as a field outside of the traditional approach of Bombay High Court litigation that I had known until then. I was introduced to (and now love) investment arbitration and the world of Bilateral Invest Treaties. As a student, I was always interested in international law but knew that working in the field has limited opportunities. International commercial arbitration and investment arbitration allowed me to marry my interests of international law with commercial dispute resolution through arbitration.

    At Harvard I took very unique courses such as “Disputes System Design” where we studied ways of customising and designing dispute resolution systems for work places or companies keeping in mind their problems. I also took the popular ‘negotiations workshop’ in the spring semester where we negotiated through a series of problems whether local or international. Through this I was learning the new language of dispute resolution which was as important to me as court briefs and arguing.  My other interest was (and remains) public law / policy and I had the opportunity to engage in this as well through courses at the Kennedy School on the US Congress and law making.

    Needless to say Harvard is a place where at any given time a number of activities are going on and it is a melting pot where one gets to listen to various significant people and interact with leaders across various fields. I think this multi-disciplinary approach has really shaped my thinking as a lawyer.

    Lastly, not everything was nerdy and I did go out a lot too and met people from various countries and with cultures very different from mine!

     

    You were a Rajawali Fellow at the Ash Centre for Democratic Governance, Harvard Kennedy School.  Could you tell us about the experience?

    Kennedy School was a phenomenal experience. My research was focussed on political accountability at the Indian parliament. I interacted with a number of other MPP and MPA candidates. One really fun experience was a class I took with Professor David King on campaigning in the US. Here we studied about campaign finance, super PACs and even campaigned for a local election in Boston where one of the candidates was from HKS. The previous year I had done a class on US Congress so this was a good follow up from there. In any case, I am always keenly following new developments in world politics (the Middle East conflict being my current area of interest) and this class was a stepping stone.

     

    Currently you are working as a Senior Associate at Nishith Desai Associates. How has that experience been?

    I work in the area of disputes (with a focus on arbitration including international arbitration). NDA has given me the opportunity to work with a number of clients across various fields such as infrastructure, oil and gas, private equity and the service sector. It has deepened my understanding of business in these sectors and given me a flavour of trial work (my absolute favourite) since we run our arbitrations independently mostly. At NDA, I started working at the Delhi office and then moved to the Bombay office. Thus, I have had the opportunity to work at various courts other than the Bombay High Court right from the Supreme Court to trial courts in Delhi. NDA has an outward looking focus since a large part of its clientele is international. This is something I always wanted from my career. I was also seconded for a short time to Singapore to another top Singapore law firm which was also a fantastic experience. Having run a few international arbitrations at NDA with institutions such as SIAC, I envision this area of dispute resolution only growing in the coming days.

     

    What’s a typical day at work like? How do you strike a balance?

    A typical day is usually very busy with urgent deliverables, client calls and hearings and sometimes court work. But the rush of deadlines is what makes it exciting. But one has to just put one’s head down and power through the work. Long hours and lost weekends are a part of the process but as lawyers we all know what we sign up for so when you get some free time you should take it wholeheartedly!

     

    What do you feel makes an intern stand out and is very important for him to do to have a chance of getting a call back or even a PPO?

    Hard work, the ability to do a thorough job, thinking through questions and excellent research skills. It helps if you have read the latest decisions in your area of interest and are abreast with the latest developments.

     

    What would be your message to our readers who are budding lawyers and law students?

    Enjoy the process, don’t sweat the small stuff, think big and give it your all.

     

  • Sonal More, Global Legal Counsel at an MNC talks about Corporate Law, Higher Studies and LPOs

    Sonal More, Global Legal Counsel at an MNC talks about Corporate Law, Higher Studies and LPOs

    Sonal More graduated from GLC, Mumbai and thereafter had worked as an in-house counsel at places like Spykar Jeans, Pangea3 and currently at Firmenich (a global leader in perfumes).

    Even as a Global Legal Counsel at Firmenich currently, she has taken time out to pursue the MBL programme from NLSIU, Bangalore. In this interview we ask her about:

    • Importance of learning a foreign language
    • Work at an MNC like Firmenich
    • Pursuing the Masters in Business Laws from NLSIU

     

    Please tell us about yourself. What were your reasons for taking up law?

    I belong to a closely-knit Maharashtrian family in Mumbai. Born, brought up and educated in our financial capital, Mumbai. I have always been passionate about art; the freedom to use colours with no boundaries mesmerized me, contradictory to a lawyer’s profession where rules are the key to our survival. Raised by two teachers, reading was inculcated in us right from childhood. My interest in law began when my father gifted me my first novel, Sidney Sheldon’s Rage of Angels, which was based on an American Criminal Defense Attorney. That was my first step towards law. With time, I started reading articles on prominent Indian lawyers and our legal system. I met one of the criminal defense attorneys for guidance and decided I had to find my way in the legal fraternity somehow; so I commenced my law course with Government Law College, Mumbai. Coming from a non legal background, it was difficult to understand which avenue to take, and after 2 years of initial trial and error in my internships I finally found my passion in contracts.

     

    You have an LL.M and a Postgraduate Diploma as well in Intellectual Property Law. Please tell us how you decided to pursue the diploma also.

    I was introduced to Intellectual Property Law, when I was struggling to decide which area of law I should be focusing on. Being new to the topic, I enrolled myself with National Law School, Bangalore for my Postgraduate Diploma to get more insight into Intellectual Property which helped me simultaneously to prepare for my final year law exams where IPR was my specialization. I pursued LL.M after completing the Post Graduate Diploma; I felt LL.M would give me in depth understanding in comparison to a diploma.

     

    You also completed a Diploma in Cyber Laws from the Asian School of Cyber Law in Pune. Please comment on the quality and structure of the course. How much practical knowledge did you gain from it?

    The course is designed for beginners and to get basic knowledge as to what comprises of Cyber Laws. It is automatically presumed that Cyber Law essentially means Information Technology Act and nothing more than that. This course helps to understand that Cyber Law is much more. The structure of the course is very concise and appropriate for basic level understanding. The course helped me immensely while drafting, negotiating and understanding IT concepts in software license agreements. For someone who is working on software license agreements, this course is highly recommended.

     

    You are currently pursuing Masters in Business Laws (MBL) from NLSIU, Bangalore. It is said to be one of the toughest postgraduate law courses in India with a very low pass percentage. What would you say about the quality of the course material?

    I couldn’t agree more that it is indeed the toughest postgraduate law course, at least amongst the ones I have appeared for. My preparation is mainly based on the NLS course material, for any recent updates to the regulations NLS provides additional notes. I would still recommend research on internet for additional information on updates. The material provided by NLS is very elaborate and easy to understand.

     

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    After completing your studies, you started working at Emmay HR Services Pvt. Ltd. as a Legal Assistant. What is the state of HR Departments in big and small companies?

    Emmay HR which is now Randstad India, is a recruitment company so impetus on HR policies was a given. The role required me to understand the different categories of employments, namely permanent, temporary, staffing and contractual. After being a part of various setups and sectors, I realized that there are pros and cons in big and small setups. In my view the HR departments in smaller companies are more connected to the employees and have better visibility on the employee concerns. Bigger companies have robust systems in place which makes daily activities / functions smoother for sure, but at some occasions lack the personal touch till an issue is brought at the forefront. That being said, the most compliant, organized and connected HR teams in my experience are found in a factory setup. Given the number of regulations and statutory requirements, a factory needs to follow, in terms of labourers/ workers; the HR team manages the HR function and to a certain extent statutory function for the organization.

     

    You then went on to work at Pangea3. How did you secure your appointment? What is an average day of a Senior Specialist like?

    Honestly, like any other law graduate I was not really sure of joining or even interviewing with an LPO at the time. LPO had just stepped in the legal industry at that time and we had no idea how and what the company looks into. A recruiter had reached me several times to consider Pangea3 (which was then not associated with Thomson Reuters) and after having multiple conversations, I finally decided to give it a try and that proved to be a right decision.

    In my role as a Senior Specialist, I functioned more as an extended team member of in house counsel teams for different companies. I was a part of the Corporate Team and more specifically the Contract Drafting Team. Amongst several projects I worked on as a Contract Drafting Attorney, I also worked on some Contract Abstraction projects. Simply put, Contract Abstraction is creating a summary or a snap shot of the executed contract, for the company to refer to. These summaries help the company to keep track of expired contracts and the provisions that were agreed on before; thus giving an insight into the contract without having to read the whole document. An average day as a Senior Specialist would comprise of contract drafting, reviewing and negotiating agreements, depending on the clients we cater to and if on a contract abstraction project, we would have specific targets of reviewing particular number of contracts; pretty much similar to the day of a non litigation lawyer.

     

    After a year and a half, you switched to Hindustan Unilever Pvt. Ltd. How can one make his presence felt in a large company like HUL? What was your work profile like?

    Unilever is a brand that everyone would like to be a part of, and when I got the opportunity I could not resist it. My profile was more of Indian litigation and contracts, where I had to co-ordinate with Advocates and counsels for the court cases and prepare documents. I wanted to try something different than my previous roles, so I had decided to move from a completely non litigation profile to a litigation profile, however after a few months in the system and attending court proceedings I realized it was not my interest so I had decided to return to non litigation. In any company for that matter, be it large or small, it is difficult to make your presence felt. In larger companies, the opportunities to shine are less frequent as you may have to wait a long time to be recognized if you missed one chance but then again if you show your skill you will succeed. I always keep in mind a message one of my seniors had told me “If you are not at the table, you are on the menu”.

     

    Currently, you work at Firmenich Aromatics India Pvt. Ltd. as a Legal Counsel (Global). Please describe your job profile for us.

    My role is primarily focused on drafting, reviewing and negotiating global agreements for all divisions in the organization, ranging from software license agreements, sale agreements, purchase agreements, et al across the globe. As an In House Counsel, I also look into company policies, their compliance, preparing training programs for the teams across all functions and partnering with the business teams to ensure adherence to policies and legal requirements. On an average day, I could be negotiating contracts with companies based anywhere in the world or discussing legal provisions with the commercial teams.

     

    You also hold an Advanced Diploma in Spanish from Instituto Hispania, Mumbai. Does the knowledge of an extra language give you an edge over your peers?

    Being born and brought up in Mumbai, it becomes a part of your characteristic to know at least three languages, which served as a foundation to learn languages quickly. I had chosen Spanish as I felt everyone at the time was focusing on French and I wanted to do something different.

    Knowing an extra language definitely gives you an edge; it opens up different avenues for you as an individual, and exposes you to a different culture. For instance, if one completes all levels of a foreign language, he/she could be an Indian lawyer who can work on a Spanish Contract without the assistance of a translator.

    Although I had to limit myself to three levels due to time constraints, basic proficiency in Spanish helped me immensely when I worked with Latin American clients and peers; and proved to be a training ground for me to deal with foreign accents. I do not think there is any specific foreign language that I would recommend for a law student, however if a student wants to work with European companies, French would be an ideal choice. Learning an additional language will always help you as a lawyer or even otherwise.

     

    You have only worked in the in-house legal department of companies. Why did you never try for a law firm job or a career in litigation?

    In my earlier days of law school, I had tried working for a litigation lawyer and after a month I realized that my interest did not lie there. So I tried interning with a law firm, which functioned as an extended arm of the in house counsel team as it focused on few clients at the time. That structure intrigued me. As a lawyer in a law firm, I was more focused on the letter of the law with no or limited access to the business or the commercial side of the company and I wanted to understand the business more closely, so I chose to work as an in house counsel.

     

    It is believed that the work of an in-house counsel is restricted compared to that of a law firm lawyer but the latter has less (or no) work-life balance. Do you think this is true?

    It’s a common misconception; in no way is the work of an In House Counsel restricted. I feel quite the contrary, as an In House Counsel you are forced to think out of the box and consider real business scenarios. You can no longer sit on the sideline and merely state the law, now you are a part of the decision making process and have a say in commercial provisions. As an In House Counsel, we have to wear two hats, one of a lawyer and the other of a commercial person. It is our responsibility to understand the business and ensure that the company complies with the legal requirements and also meets its commercial targets. An In House Counsel in the true sense is a business partner; attuning oneself to understand the business needs to meet targets is a task which requires business acumen and applying your legal knowledge as a lawyer, which does require us at times to burn the midnight oil and sacrifice holidays. That said, I think work-life balance is a personal choice, whether you are a part of a law firm, a company or working with a litigation lawyer, if we really want to do something we either do it or make excuses. My personal guide to maintain work life balance is Mr Narayan Murthy’s (co-founder of Infosys) letter to his employees on the subject.

     

    What must a law student keep in mind when wishing to pursue a career in corporate law? Is a degree like CS or MBL important for this field?

    While pursuing corporate law, a law student needs to keep an open mind. It is not essential that one can pursue a career in corporate law only in companies, one could gain in depth knowledge also by being a part of a LPO. So I would not restrict one’s aspirations to any specific sector of companies. An additional degree is always helpful, depending on the individual’s interests and future goals. If working as a corporate lawyer or understanding corporate law is the goal then MBL is the course for you, however if the intent is to ensure compliance, statutory related work, one should consider CS.

     

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

    From what I have learnt in the last eight plus years in the fraternity, I would suggest interning in different setups, litigation, law firms, companies, LPOs, et al. Today lawyers are more than just litigation lawyers, and subject matter experts. We are moving towards the new age, where lawyers are entrepreneurs and business oriented. Choose the area you like without any presumptions and prejudice. If you are passionate about what you do, you will create a niche for yourself.

  • Nikhil Singal, Principal Associate at LKS, on all about a career in Tax Law and an MCL from Cambridge

    Nikhil Singal, Principal Associate at LKS, on all about a career in Tax Law and an MCL from Cambridge

    Nikhil K. Singal graduated from ILS, Pune in 2010. Soon after Graduation he started working at LakshmiKumaran and Sridharan as an Associate and then went on to pursue Masters in Corporate Law from the University of Cambridge, U.K. He is also a Company Secretary holding a Licentiate membership of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India. After returning back to India, he joined LKS as a Senior Associate and was promoted to Principal Associate in May, 2014.

    In this interview he talks about:

    • Law School experience at University of Cambridge
    • Interest and expertise in taxation law
    • Growing from an Associate to Principal Associate at LKS

     

    How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers who are mainly law students and lawyers?

    Hi! I’m Nikhil Singal and I’m currently associated with the Delhi office of Lakshmikumaran&Sridharan (LKS) as a Principal Associate. I graduated from ILS Law College in 2010 and joined LKS right after college. It has been a good journey so far, and I hope it remains the same in the future!

    Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work in different teams, handle some very exciting assignments, represent some of the biggest clients, as well as feel good about my personal growth and development. Currently, I’m handling work related to corporate advisory and commercial litigation, along with handling some important tax matters. For a brief period from 2012-2013, I went to pursue my Masters in Corporate Law (MCL) from the University of Cambridge, after which I came back and joined LKS again.

    As a lawyer, my approach has always been to expand my horizon and learn new things. I don’t like to restrict myself to one area of law or one domain. Of course, I understand that it is physically impossible to do everything, or to master everything, and I’m not aiming for that. Instead, I aim to diversify as much as possible and only after a few more years of practice, I will start specializing in a particular field. For me, change is necessary. It gives me a challenge to keep going and to keep exploring. Fortunately, LKS has been very supportive in this approach. As I mentioned, over the years, I’ve worked in different laterals of the firm and in different areas of law. So whether it be work relating to service tax, income tax, contract drafting, transactional work or dispute resolution in any forum in this country, I can very happily do it!

     

    When and how did you decide to study law? Which universities did you consider for your legal studies? How did you settle for ILS, Pune?

    I actually didn’t decide to study law. As a kid, I was always interested in doing something related to science. I spent three years in Tanzania where my father was posted as a diplomat. I studied in an international school there and loved their teaching approach. I loved all the science subjects. When I came back to India, I found it difficult to cram non-application based science subjects from voluminous books. That is not what I wanted. So I pursued commerce and thought I’ll end up doing Economics from a good college in Delhi. When I finished schooling in 2005, I had an option of going to Hansraj or Venkateshwara College in Delhi. At that time, my father also insisted that I fill up the forms for ILS and Symbiosis, Pune. So I did!

    Ultimately, I had all four options in my pocket and had to make a choice. After much counselling at home, I decided to go ahead with ILS. My parents persuaded me that law is a great field, and with my analytical approach, I would be happier being a lawyer. So honestly, the credit goes to my parents! Nevertheless, I haven’t regretted the choices I’ve made. ILS is a great college, has a great legacy, and personally I believe it was the right choice for me. I enjoy being a lawyer, and I owe a lot to ILS for who I am today.

     

    Do you think being from a non-NLU has ever proved to be a hindrance for you? Many non-NLU students complain that they feel being discriminated against during career opportunities. What has been your experience?

    Not really. I think what matters the most is what and whom you let influence you, no matter which college it is. ILS has the best of reputation, the best of faculty, and a very good mix of academic and non-academic focus. I admit that everything is not positive, but that is the same in every college or university. In ILS, I met some of the brightest individuals, some of the most dynamic, some radical, some conservative. All of them are doing very well right now, and not all of them have chosen to remain a lawyer. Personally, I believe if you can prove your worth, you eliminate, or substantially reduce your chances of discrimination. This is how my experience has been. I’ve met many Partners from firms in India as well as from London and New York, and all of them know and appreciate ILS as an institution.

     

    After graduating from ILS, you joined LakshmiKumaran and Sridharan as an Associate. How did the appointment take place? What comprised your work at LKS?

    I did two internships at LKS. The first internship was in the international trade division and the next one was in the service tax division where I focussed on GST. Both my internships were very fruitful. They liked my work and by the end of the second internship, I was offered a pre-placement offer. The placements in college had yet not started, so I was one of the first ones in my batch to get a job! I took the offer knowing very well that the work will be mostly tax oriented, of which I had very little knowledge (though it was interesting indeed).

    Initially, I was assigned to the tax litigation team and focussed on Service Tax and VAT matters. I did this for about a year. It was a good learning experience as the service tax law is still nascent and evolving. I dealt with some very challenging cases, and as any lawyer, there was a lot of grinding! But there was a lot of focus on knowledge enhancement and understanding the working of the law, rather than just doing something mechanically.

    In my second year of work, an option was given to the Associates to opt for shifting in other practices of the firm. I was the only one who opted for a change and I opted for Direct Tax where I spent another year. This was a great opportunity and a great learning experience. I was also doing some service tax work alongside. By doing this, I got the opportunity to understand Indian tax scenario holistically and in totality. This also helped me to understand why and how many commercial decisions are made in businesses around the world. On many matters, I worked directly with Mr. V. Lakshmikumaran and other Senior Partners and all of this ultimately paved my way to get to Cambridge to do my Masters!

     

    nikhil-singal-2

    Thereafter you went on to pursue Masters in Corporate law from University of Cambridge. Was it a professional requirement to grow expertise in your career? How would you describe your experience as?

    As I mentioned, my tax experience helped me to understand the working of businesses and the reasoning behind various commercial decisions being taken. I was very interested in understanding the rationale behind these business decisions as well as understanding the legal factors which affect the functioning of these businesses. I thought the best way to do this is to study further, and apply that knowledge in my working. I discussed this with Mr. Lakshmikumaran and though this was not a professional requirement, he encouraged me to apply and study further. I thought the time was right and with some professional experience, I went ahead to apply in select Universities in UK and US.

    Cambridge offered me the perfect course and the perfect platform for what I wanted. Ever since I was in ILS, I had it in my mind that I wanted to study in Cambridge for at least a year, and this became a reality! My year at Cambridge was one of the best years I’ve had. Every day was a learning experience, and I met some of the most intelligent and fun loving people from around the world. I don’t think I need to say anything about the quality of education and the faculty etc, as the reputation of Cambridge speaks for itself.

    The course was rigorous, VERY rigorous! The good thing about the course was its practicality. Many of the modules were taught by Barristers and Partners of law firms in London. We worked on live deals and cases. Not only was there a lot of personal development from Cambridge, but this course also greatly helped my transition to being a commercial lawyer, along with having a strong tax background.

     

    Thereafter you joined LKS as a Senior Associate and currently work as a Principal Associate there. What does it take to be appointed as a Senior Associate at LKS at that stage? How did your promotion happen?

    I had actually never given my resignation in LKS before going to Cambridge. My one year at Cambridge was considered as part of my job profile and was counted towards my work experience. LKS was very considerate in doing this. I met Mr. Lakshmikumaran and the HR upon my return and started working in the corporate advisory and commercial litigation division of the firm. Along with this, as I also do now, I also handled some important tax matters. This profile complemented my experience as a tax lawyer, as well as my academic qualification as a corporate lawyer.

    Therefore, to answer your question more specifically, my promotions were based on my past experience, my academic qualifications, as well as of course the fact that my work was appreciated by my Partner in charge as well as the senior management. The same criterion applies to all Associates in LKS. At times the promotions are “fast-tracked” depending on the performance of the individual, but that is ultimately the decision of the management. In all this, what is most required and appreciated is the hard work coupled with a positive outlook to learn!

     

    How do you say one can gain expertise in tax law? What does it take to be a good tax lawyer? Is the work significantly different from other transactional lawyers?

    Tax laws are vast and the jurisprudence relating to these laws is very extensive. Within the ambit of tax laws, you can specialize in Direct or Indirect Tax. Even within these categories, you can specialize in corporate taxation, international taxation, service tax, VAT so on and so forth. What is more interesting is that even within these specializations, you can super-specialize in one area. All these specializations and super-specializations are rewarding. In tax laws, it is generally understood and accepted that expertise can be gained by specialization in a particular area over a period of time. This is because each area has its own extensive background and jurisprudence. I’ve also seen and experienced that once you are able to deal with one area of tax laws confidently, dealing with other tax laws and areas becomes much easier. And once you are comfortable in dealing with different tax laws, dealing with non-tax laws becomes much easier. This has been my experience.

    Of course the nature of work done by a transactional lawyer and a tax lawyer is different, but that difference comes mainly at the level of the law and the procedure involved. I know many transactional lawyers who super-specialize in one area within a broad area, whether it be one leg of financing, or a specific type of private equity transaction. The same rules apply in both these contexts.

     

    How much of your work does involve litigation, if at all?

    Around 60 percent of my work is litigation, a lot of which is commercial litigation and as I mentioned, I am still handling certain important high value tax matters. The good thing here is that I get to do all kinds of litigation, in all forums, and at all levels. The other 40 percent is corporate advisory work.

     

    Tell us a bit about work culture at LKS and the life of a Principal Associate. What is your current work profile like? Please tell us about the responsibilities you are entrusted with.

    LKS has a good work culture, people are friendly and there is a lot of encouragement to junior Associates by seniors. One thing I appreciate the most in LKS is the ease of access and the open-door policy. Anyone can approach any person of the senior management, including Mr. Lakshmikumaran and Mr. Sridharan. Resources are ample, and people are always willing to help out. This is a big plus point of the firm.

    As I also mentioned above, I am currently dealing with corporate advisory and commercial litigation, along with handling some important tax matters. Many of these matters are dealt directly with Mr. Lakshmikumaran, and many a times with the guidance of Mr. Sridharan. Since LKS is now a full service law firm, the work varies a lot. I’ve handled matters ranging from tax to environment to electricity to competition. The clients I deal with are diverse, ranging from the world’s biggest social networking site to the biggest spiritual society, and LKS allows you to be the point of contact and deal with them directly relating to the matter. There is of course a lot of responsibility on the shoulder of a Principal Associate. Along with mentoring the juniors and ensuring the quality of work, you become responsible for any negative consequences also (though this is all a part of the profession!). There are times when tough decisions are required to be made, and even though LKS allows this freedom to a Principal Associate, the decisions may not always be correct. All of this is nevertheless looked at in positive light by the firm, and is part and parcel of growth process in the firm.

     

    You must have guided several interns. How would you say that an intern can generate a positive feedback in the limited time they have?

    The most important thing is dedication. You are right about the fact that there is very limited time which the interns have, but many-a-times the interns spend this time doing non-productive work. I’ve mentored interns who were not at all interested in working, no matter how simple the task or proposition was. On the other hand, there have been some interns who have gone a step further and taken the responsibility of the work. Ultimately, if the intern is able to demonstrate that he/she is a team player, willing to accept an assignment, and complete the assignment with diligence and good legal research, the fact that the intern has limited time does not matter.

     

    What has been your strategy to deal with errors and mistakes? How would you suggest a young associate to deal with them?

    One should always accept and own up to errors and mistakes. Making mistakes is part of the professional learning and without making mistakes you cannot grow in this profession. Nobody is born a good lawyer. But one must always learn from their mistakes, try and reduce the consequences (damage control is necessary!), and try and ensure that the same mistake does not happen again. Sometimes, mistakes in this profession can cost you and the client a lot, and therefore, one has to be extremely careful. This is one of the stress factors of the profession. Nevertheless, all this should be taken in a positive light and part of the growth process.

     

    People often complain about the highly skewed work-life balance at the top law firms. What is your workday like? How do you maintain your work-life balance?

    Regular work days are always varied, from answering to various clients at the same time to running between different Courts. Work is the only constant, and workhas considerably increased as I’ve progressed in the profession. I’ve definitely learnt to deal with it in a quicker and more efficient manner, and this has helped me to take time out for myself and my family. LKS as a firm also has a good culture of promoting a work life balance and spending time with your family. Of course there are many days when I don’t get to know when the sun rises and when it sets, but this is more than normal in a profession which demands precision and quick turnaround. I have to do some form of physical exercise at least once a day, without which my day is not complete. This keeps me more active at work also. I am also very spiritual and like to read books in this area. Apart from this, I love travelling and watching movies. I spend whatever time I get with my family and try and catch up with friends as often as possible, whom I prefer to be non-lawyers (makes conversations more interesting!).

    I’ve heard quite a few bad stories about different law firms in India, but I honestly think that even there a decent work-life balance can be maintained. Some firms look down at their Associates if they leave on time. This is quite discouraging! Work, if done efficiently and with focus, can be completed in half the time which one normally takes (the Germans are expert at this!). I think this can easily be emulated and unnecessary time wasted in office should be spent on personal development and on something more social and productive!

     

    What would be your message to our young readers who want to pursue a career in tax laws?

    Pursuing a career in tax laws may sometimes seems intimidating and sometimes boring. This is the impression which I have got from a lot of undergrads. This is actually not the case. On the contrary, it is a very interesting area of law and can be very rewarding once you cross the initial hurdle of understanding how the law works.

    There is a lot of procedure involved and the substantive questions of law are inextricably linked to the procedural part of tax laws. One should always consider this as a positive challenge. Also, as I mentioned above, once you become comfortable with practicing in tax laws, understanding the working of other laws becomes easier. Many of the best counsels in India started off their practice in tax laws and many of them still invariably take up important tax matters.

    Once you start off with your practice as a tax lawyer, there is always a scope for expansion. Even transactional lawyers cannot proceed without understanding the tax position from tax lawyers, and I’ve seen many deals being changed on this count. Tax lawyers are also highly sought after internationally.

    All in all, being a tax lawyer is a highly rewarding, and I highly recommend pursuing a career in tax laws!

  • Soumya Saxena, Activist at NCAS, on Joint European Masters in Int’l Humanitarian Action from Ruhr, Groningen and Monash

    Soumya Saxena, Activist at NCAS, on Joint European Masters in Int’l Humanitarian Action from Ruhr, Groningen and Monash

    Soumya Saxena is currently working at NCAS (National Centre For Advocacy Studies). She graduated from NLIU Bhopal in 2009 and had worked at different places before joining NCAS. She holds a Joint European Master in International Humanitarian Action Ruhr University.

    In this interview she talks about:

    • Work at different NGOs in India involving Civil Rights
    • Joint European Masters from three different European Universities
    • Work at United Nations and Transparency International
    • Current role at NCAS (National Centre For Advocacy Studies)

     

    Given that most of our readers are law students and young lawyers, how will you introduce yourself to them?

    First of all, thank you SuperLawyer for this opportunity to let me speak about my education, career and experience. My name is Soumya and I am currently working with National Centre for Advocacy Studies in Pune as a Programme Officer. My work is oriented towards promoting people centred advocacy. It revolves around enabling the marginalized sections to raise their voice for their causes.

    I basically come from a family of bureaucrats, army men or you can say anyone who works in the public services! I was not much oriented towards pursuing competitive exams so I had two options: either do Bachelors in History or English. Yet I was somehow pushed into study law.

     

    How did you gravitate towards law? Tell us about your college life at NLIU, Bhopal. What all activities did you partake in?

    I was not really interested in taking the law entrance tests. Rather I was oblivious of the law universities around the country. Although I was keen on doing a B.A. in History from Delhi University, my parents insisted that I must take the entrance tests, so I applied for a few and got through Bhopal. It appeared at that moment the best option so I dropped the idea of studying History.

    NLIU was fun. It is like a small community of students in a sort of a stranded village and therefore interaction and a feeling of fraternity is quite strong. I was a part of Law and Economic Cell and the Environmental Law Cell and took part in the events they organized. I would like to mention our library is quite good and I did spent a lot of time there.

     

    You have interned with a national newspaper “The Hindu’’ as a staff correspondent. What was your job as a staff correspondent?

    It was one of my best internships. I loved every single day of it. At first I was totally unaware about what I was going to do, but then later with the support of other journalists around I improved quite a lot. I use to cover various events that were happening in the city and then write about them for getting reported in the paper next day. I was lucky to have met Mr. N. Ram and have a discourse about journalism and media for a while. The newspaper always made sure that they give the interns good and responsible work. I remember assisting the senior journalists in doing important stories that were to go on the front page. I also did stories on current issues and asking opinions about it from public. This was a good experience because you got an opportunity to randomly interact with different people.

     

    After graduation, you got the opportunity to work with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) at their New Delhi office as a trainee where you worked for 6 months. Please tell us about it.

    I had previously worked with WWF in 2005 as an intern. I knew certain people there so I wrote to them if there could be a possibility of an internship. I was lucky to have received the opportunity again as they were urgently looking for people to work on a grant proposal. I was working in Centre for Environmental Law cell. I was involved in writing the grant proposals and the diploma course which they ran on Environmental Law. It is a very nice organization to work at they have a lot of projects and programme, and being the headquarter in South Asia, offices from Nepal, Bangladesh also Pakistan also report to them. So their work is not just limited to India but is varied. After working there, I realised I must work in the non profit sector as a career option.

     

     

    When did you decide to pursue higher studies? What was your motivation behind doing an higher studies?

    I did my Masters in International Humanitarian Action. During the course of my internship, I wanted to pursue my Masters either in Human Rights or International Relations. I came across this fantastic course in Humanitarian Action which was run by Network on Humanitarian Action (NOHA), an organization based in Brussels, Belgium in collaboration with seven universities all over Europe. When I went through its course structure and other opportunities that it provided I knew I wanted to do this course.

     

    Tell us more about this Joint European Masters in International Humanitarian Action from Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, University of Groningen, Netherlands and Monash University, Melbourne (Australia). 

    Humanitarian Action is a diverse course. It does not teach you a single aspect for working in the non-profit sector but it gives you a quite a holistic background of working there. I looked at it as a complete package of learning and practicing everything I wanted. The course had modules on Project Management, Anthropology, Geopolitics, Human Rights, etc. so I was learning everything which I did not. It was enlightening! I learned about so many issues, about different countries and cultures which I had no idea about. It was like coming out of the well.

    They made the students travel a lot! We attended the Red Cross Humanitarian Congress in Berlin, also had a simulation exercise organized by Red Cross Germany, where we were put in a situation that we are kidnapped by a militant organization while working in a conflict country. They gave us an insight that what should we do when we are in such a situation. It was spooky!

    From Groningen University we went on a field trip to Georgia. It was very interesting. I had never been to Eastern Europe and the situation there was similar to what I feel is in Kashmir; the ongoing separatist movement and the conflict of separatists and the central government. We visited the refugee camps there and spoke to people about how they feel. It was very enlightening; I can write an entire paper about it. But on a lighter note, Georgians love Bollywood! Since many Indians do not visit there, people were very happy to see me. They used to greet me and ask about films and songs. It was wonderful.

     

    Please take us through the application process for Joint European Masters in International Humanitarian Action? How did you go about writing your SOP?

    Application process was tough. You have to keep in mind that people from all over the world will be applying here. So you would have to be very precise in what you write. I do not have my SOP with me but it was in the lines of my career interest, my previous education and what I wished to do in future.

    I believe you do not have to write what they want to here but what you want to tell them. Many regular SOPs are repetitive, so when I wrote mine I explained that how in India there are Humanitarian issues but there are no studies to educate people in this field. This is sadly, true. There are hardly any courses in India that would prepare people for humanitarian work specifically. I am sure many people must have written that too. It partly depends on your luck as well.

    I approached my university professors for the recommendation letters and they were very supportive of giving me as many as I required. I applied at over 10 universities in Germany and Sweden, so you can imagine I would have needed so many recommendation letters.

     

    What was your topic of dissertation for Masters? Why did you choose that subject for research?

    My dissertation was titled, ‘Reviewing U.S. Policy on use of Torture and Detention in Guantanamo Bay Prison during Afghanistan Conflict, 2001-2003’. I wanted to work on a topic related to human rights and humanitarian law, and this topic came up as something that caught my interest. There have been a lot of research on this but still what existed was a grey area. The humanitarian laws cover the rights and interests of armed forces but do not apply to ‘unlawful soldiers’ like the Taliban, so they were open to inhuman torture. Most of them were not even terrorists and in this situation they were without any sort of remedy. So I took up this topic where I gave the suggestion that since many conflicts in today’s world are between the State and ‘unlawful soldiers’ or militants, we need to re-frame the international laws on it. Recently, after the Senate report on CIA torture came out just a day before Human Rights Day 2014, it just becomes more relevant. I understand people in general do not have sympathy of any sort for terrorist of anti-state militia but what happened in these prisons was beyond inhuman. It is not about treating the terrorists, it is more about the lowest level of sadism where humans can fall.  And all the perpetrators went scot free. No one was tried for torturing and killing innocent people.

    Writing my thesis was really hard on an emotional level, for the readings I did left me quite numb. I am still working and writing on this issue. I keep attending seminars and webinars and participate in forums where this issue is discussed.

     

    Does Ruhr University Bochum and Monash University provide students with scholarships? Are there any other institutions, which provide scholarships?

    My course was under this European education certification called Erasmus Mundus. I did have living stipend of Euro 300 in Germany and Holland but it was not extended in Australia because it was a non-European country. There are many institutions that provide scholarships in Germany. You can check their programmes and opportunities as suited to you at www.daad.de

     

    How was your time in both of these universities? How is the academic workload there?

    Work load in Germany was different from that in Holland. The course in Germany was very intensive but they plan it very well and divide the work load equally. We just had one written exam and the rest were vivas, so it was more of reading and learning so that you can answer what the teacher questions. The one written exam that we had was also an open book exam, so it all depended what how you studied all through the semester. It was more focused on capacity building, reading and learning things rather than making notes or taking exams. In Holland there were no exams at all! All we had to do was work on two papers on a particular topic each for the entire semester. This was quite interesting because it improved my research and writing skills. I worked on a paper based on the political situation in Myanmar.

    At Monash in Australia, we had no classes. I only worked on my dissertation and was free to attend any lecture which I was interested in. They had given a list of lectures to us beforehand.

     

    During your Masters, you worked as a Project Trainee of United Nations Development Programme Iraq, Amman. How did you go about achieving this United Nation Development Programme at Iraq? Would you like to share any remarkable experience of this programme?

    It was a cultural shock of its own kind! To start with, I landed in a country I had no idea about, I didn’t know anyone. I didn’t know the language and all that in the middle of the Arab Revolution. It was hard but fun altogether. I worked with UNDP Iraq on two projects: ‘Rule of Law’ and ‘Family Social Justice’. The experience was very different, because as a lawyer we are taught how to acquaint ourselves to the adversarial judicial system. But it was inquisitorial in Iraq, and I spent weeks understanding how that works. The project focused on improving the rule of law situation in Iraq post conflict. The family justice program was developing a law against domestic violence, which I worked on really hard but the authorities rejected many of its provisions which were essential. It was dismaying but we have to understand as foreigners it is hard to bring in radical changes in other countries. It cannot happen overnight it takes time and the participation of the local people is important. My learning from here was that there are different countries and culture which are not similar. We may not agree with many things that they do or are doing (it definitely goes against international standards) but that does not mean that to prosper they should become like the Westerners. Nor do the westerners have the duty to change their situation by imposing our value system. Change will come in due time but from their own people. I am waiting for that day. J

    U.N. does a lot for its staff and its security. We were always connected with their central system through cell phones. They sent us alerts and warning about where to go and which areas to avoid. Also they spent a lot in our capacity building. I did courses in Arabic there for free; they had trainings on CPR, first aid and other relevant things. It was overall a great experience.

     

    After Masters, you worked with Transparency International (TI) Secretariat at Berlin (Germany) as a Team Assistant in their Asia Pacific Department (APD) for one year. How did you secure your appointment? How would you describe your experience working there?

    After coming back from Jordan, I lived in Bonn, Germany and learned German while looking for jobs. I applied to every place in the world possible but it is hard to get a good job as a fresher. I saw this position, applied and forgot because I applied at so many places that it was hard to keep a track. I heard back from TI one pleasant morning. I had to undergo two rounds of interviews with them and a written test and got through. The experience was of course great and I was constantly learning. German standards of working are really high because they are organized and keeping up with them is a task in itself. They attach high importance to deadlines and you always have to work keeping that in mind. It was a little tough initially but you get used to it. Our team was multinational. My colleagues were from all over Asia, including China, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. I worked on various projects and research work. To name important ones I would mention our advocacy efforts in Afghanistan, Bhutan and Myanmar to set up an office of TI in these three countries apart from organizing the Anti Corruption Conference in Brazil and Cambodia. It gave me an opportunity to travel with work and meet people from all over 100 chapters which TI had.

    Living in Berlin has its own charm. I find it similar to Delhi where you have both history and modern world living together.

     

    Thereafter, you came back to India and worked with “Shrivastav Law Associates” as a Research Associate for a year. What were the responsibilities as such?

    I was outside India for more than three years. I wanted to live and enjoy at home for a few months, so I did not look for a job. I worked in a local firm where I had worked previously. The work here was similar to any law firm. Honestly, I did not enjoy much because I was not willing to work in a law firm but it was an effort to regain my legal know-how a bit which I became a bit ignorant to.

     

    You left SLA and joined National Centre for Advocacy Studies at Pune as a Project Officer of Transparency and Accountability. How did the switch from SLA take place?

    I was looking for an NGO based job after a few months and got this opportunity. I saw their advertisement and it suited me as I have worked on anti-corruption before I applied and got a call for interview for which I travelled to Pune. I cleared the interview and joined recently in August.

     

    What does your current work profile at NCAS consists of? How is a typical workday like?

    National Centre for Advocacy Studies (NCAS) is a social change resource centre working with social action groups, public interest professionals, and people from all over India and the Global South. NCAS engages a participatory, people-centred policy that enables people from all levels of the society to advocate for human rights and social justice. My profile currently deals with two projects; one is Mainstreaming Advocacy, where we act as resource people and educate people/organization/students about advocacy and its modules. Secondly, I am also working in the issues of Urban Poor, where we focus on the concept of the 100 smart cities which the Modi government has promised and see how it includes the BPL population in these schemes. When we build a good city it must be with the inclusion of the poor and marginalized and not by excluding them.

    NCAS recently celebrated its 20 years and has been dedicated to work for the marginalized. I request the reader to read about us on our website http://www.ncasindia.org/

    My work here is quite enriching. It is my first time working in a people-based NGO in India. I learn everyday about issues which often do not get main stream highlight. We actively work on land rights and forest rights for the tribal.

     

    Many lawyers would say that the actual learning takes place in the years of practice. How far would you say it is true? What was the case in your situation?

    I agree to it. It is like you read a recipe on the internet but how you make it in the kitchen is an altogether different issue. Even as a humanitarian worker I know all the laws and good practices but while working, people make horrendous mistakes and only learn through experience. To give the perfect example is of UNDP Ira. I knew all the international laws relating to women and anti-domestic violence laws. I could draft a perfect legislation for the Iraq women, but what I forgot was their cultural context. Our draft was only accepted in parts, so I learnt that having all the knowledge but not knowing how and where to use it could lead to disastrous results. When we are working with people and for people, our knowledge plays an instrumental and administrative role. What matters more is what people want and how we can provide it to them harnessing on their own efforts. The NGO field as often people think is not very easy to work with. If we do not work efficiently, we can create a lot of problems for everyone. Therefore apart from having knowledge, having a sound perspective of the people you are working for is what is required.

     

    What would be your parting message for our readers?

    I was delighted to see this website. It is something that has always been missing for the legal fraternity. As far as a message is concerned I would say that the legal field is huge and has many facets which the students are free to explore. When I was studying, everyone simply aimed at getting a placement in a law firm, which is fine as everyone has their own priority but I was not convinced to work the similar way. I just want to tell the students who do not aspire to work in law firms or courts that as a lawyer you have various other options you can explore. It may not necessarily be an NGO or the non-profit sector. Legal studies gives you a holistic knowledge of everything under the sun, therefore you have the advantage to take up any career option later on.

  • Parineeta Srivatsa, Associate, ALMT Legal, on LL.M from NUS and Corporate Law

    Parineeta Srivatsa, Associate, ALMT Legal, on LL.M from NUS and Corporate Law

    Parineeta Srivatsa graduated from Symbiosis Law School in 2011, and thereafter she had the opportunity to pursue higher studies from the National University of Singapore. While at law school she had huge achievements in mooting. She also has rich experience of interning at top-tier Indian and foreign law firms. After returning to India, she joined MD&T Partners as an Associate. Later, she switched over to ALMT Legal.

    We asked her to share:

    • Her experience while pursuing an LL.M from National University of Singapore
    • Internship experience at foreign law firms including Allen & Overy and Allen & Gledhill
    • Work at ALMT Legal

     

    When did you decide to take up law as a career? Being a law student, were you only focused on academics? How was the academic pressure?

    I chose a career in law as a matter of elimination. I’m a first generation lawyer in my family and had no background in law apart from a general (albeit misinformed) idea from Perry Mason and John Grisham novels and the Practice marathons. I was always interested in civics, administration and constitutional studies (as part of history) in high school. In the 11th Grade, I chose to opt out of science and engineering and chose to study accounts, economics and political science. Over the course of the two years, law became a career choice and with the support of my family, the right choice. Symbiosis Law School was a game changer. In those five years, I developed a synchronous relationship with everything life in law school had to offer and the learning and un-learning that I did in those five years were the most crucial towards contributing to where I am today.

    I imbibed and absorbed everything I could from what was taught, discussed and happening around me. I will cherish my time there the most. Academics weren’t the only focus but a lot of emphasis was paid to the same. Unlike school, undergraduate school suddenly burdens you with the responsibility to make your own decisions and this takes a while to get used to. The academic pressure, too, depends on how much you opt to do and how self driven you are. I had a great support system to make sure I stayed grounded and focussed despite the million distractions per minute.

     

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    How was your LL.M experience from National University of Singapore? Did you always have higher studies in your mind? If not, what motivated you to go in for the same?

    The LL.M. at National University of Singapore was fascinating for me in every aspect. Renowned and accomplished professors, state of the art facilities, new country, hard working and dedicated students and challenging colleagues were just some of the many facets to my year in Singapore. I was more motivated than ever before to make the most of my year there and the facilities available at my disposal. The teaching style at NUS was more discussion based and there was abundant reading to be done for each class to encourage students and professors alike to bounce ideas off one and other. Focus was on peer review rather than peer to peer competition. The professors stimulate the discussions as moderators providing direction, valuable inputs, insights and opinions on a range of topics. This was different than what I’d been used to in class in India. Personally, I found writing papers more challenging than writing exams because I had to modify / un-learn my working style in order to cope with the level of detail and analyses required for each module.

    An LL.M. was always on my mind. As an undergraduate student, I was given an introduction to all fields of law and I wanted to hone my interest in corporate and business laws with further in-depth studies on the topics and gain a global perspective on the same. I ended up making some great friends and memories in the process, as well.

     

    During your days at Symbiosis and NUS, you interned with various foreign law firms like E Line Ventures, Joyce A Tan Partners and Allen & Gledhill. How are these foreign firms different from top-tier Indian law firms?

    My first foreign internship was with a children’s educational games based company in New York called E-Line Ventures. It was a small company and quite an informal environment with many creative and dynamic people. I was their only in-house legal intern at the time and I would help with research on Intellectual Property Laws, the Children’s Online Protection Policy Act and basic trademark searches. While at NUS, I had the opportunity to work with local Singaporean firms as well as foreign firms based in Singapore. From my experience on both sides of the fence, I would say that the integration into a firm and the amount of responsibility in terms of work is more qualitative in Indian firms than in foreign firms. Having said that, foreign firms are more systematic in the training provided to interns.  Associates and partners often conduct training sessions / seminars in the different fields of law and provide a general insight into the field of law that interns would be working in during the tenure of their internships.

     

    Could you please share with us on applications for internship and interviews, especially with foreign law firms?

    A strong yet crisp C.V., internships, especially in your area of interest, published articles / papers, if any, knowing your C.V. inside out (which is why it is important to have specific points and areas you’ve researched on in your C.V. instead of a general overview on the topic), and most importantly, confidence and a calm demeanour. When it comes to interviews, experience is the best tutor. Re-evaluating each interview after it’s done and picking up on all those points that I thought I’d not answered or could’ve answered better has always worked for me in the past. Also, honesty and sincerity is paramount. An interviewer will know immediately if you’re trying to guess the answer to a question you’re uncertain about.

     

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    You have also interned at Allen and Overy as an intern. Given that you had already graduated and were pursuing Masters what sort of work did you get? How would you say your legal education helped you in this internship?

    At Allen and Overy my scope of work involved drafting / reviewing closing documents and options agreements and management services agreements, among others. I attended training programs on banking transactions and general corporate and mergers and acquisitions transactions. These helped in future assignments as I wasn’t completely thrown off guard when trying to grasp agreements, jargon and more importantly, the reasoning behind the same. I also researched on enforceability of non-compete and restraint to trade clauses under Singapore laws. My LL.M. was in corporate finance and business laws, so I was equipped with a basic understanding of financial and transactional concepts in law. This helped me in some of the areas of research I was expected to do during the tenure of my internships. I also had a few practical sessions in NUS where corporate lawyers from renowned firms would provide us with problems mimicking day-to-day transactional law situations. These helped a great deal in understanding documents from a transactional perspective for future interviews and work.

     

    Do you think it makes sense to students to go overseas to study law when they want to practice in India?

    I have been asked this question many times and my answer is, monetarily and as a value add to your C.V. you can get into a top law firm without an LL.M. and more often than not people have. But purely from an academic standpoint, it is definitely a value add in terms of academic depth and learning. Further, due to flexibility, it provides you with an opportunity to explore subjects that you wouldn’t normally learn in an undergraduate degree. This may have opened doors for people who didn’t think they’d be interested in that particular field / subject of law. One of the optional modules I signed up for during my LL.M. was entertainment and celebrity law, with no background or interest in the field. It turned out to be the most interesting and engaging modules that semester. These, from an academic standpoint, may open doors for a prospective student that he/she otherwise wouldn’t have foreseen.

     

    For those students who are planning to go for higher studies, what do you think would be better- going right after graduation or going after having gained some work experience?

    I would suggest considering an LL.M. after a couple of years of work experience. Having said that, going right after your undergraduate studies has its advantages. You’re still inclined to learn and you’ve gotten used to studying and facing and tackling academic pressure. Many peers who’ve intended to break off for an LL.M after a couple of years of working have not been able to do so due to many reasons, including but not limited to secure jobs and steady incomes.

     

    Currently, you are working as an Associate as ALMT Legal. What prompted you to make this choice? What kind of work and responsibilities does an Associate at ALMT Legal generally deal with?

    I was a lateral hire in ALMT Legal from MD&T Partners. I had wonderful teachers in MD&T Partners and in my short time there I was able to absorb more than I had expected to, thanks to their guidance. Thereafter, I made the shift to ALMT Legal as I found the same to be more streamlined with my interests. My work at ALMT Legal ranges from everyday general corporate research to private equity and mergers and acquisition transactions. I enjoy working in ALMT Legal and don’t think of the work environment with dread. This is important for anyone who intends to develop a career in corporate law. It is as interesting as you make it. And thus far, in ALMT Legal, with the support of a fantastic team, I have been given responsibilities and have interesting work coming my way so I stay engaged and focussed.

     

    What is the current scenario of studying corporate law as a career option in India? What are the key qualities one should posses for becoming a corporate lawyer?

    I see courses and seminars and other reading material being offered every other day for practical courses in corporate law. It is definitely a good time to enter the field as a corporate lawyer as India is looking to emerge as a global and market-friendly economy. As regards key qualities, I would say reading and keeping abreast of developments in any field of law, whether by self or through discussions with colleagues and peers and using the resources available at one’s disposal are some of the ways in which one may have an edge over others.

     

    Do you ever feel that you missed out on the fun part of your college life?

    Symbiosis Law School ensured that fun was never neglected. As for managing with academics and ‘extra-curricular activities’, I was surrounded by brilliant peers who knew exactly how to manage that. We were young and malleable and learnt to inspire, challenge, and push each other’s limits without realising how much of it we were involuntarily absorbing for the better.

     

    Last but not least, what’s next for you?

    Exploring and pursuing interests and learning inside and outside of work. Knowledge is easily accessible these days so if you don’t know something, you have only yourself to blame. I also enjoy scuba diving, driving and travelling and discovering new places, things and people and I intend to continue to explore that as well.