Super Lawyer

Category: Interviews

  • Arijeet Mukherjee, Associate at Khaitan & Co. on being an ideal student and law firm atmosphere

    Arijeet Mukherjee, Associate at Khaitan & Co. on being an ideal student and law firm atmosphere

    Arijeet Mukherjee graduated from Symbiosis Law School, with a gold medal as the class topper of his batch (batch 2012). While maintaining Rank 1, he won various moot court competitions and has multiple publications to his credit during his five years in law school. As a law student he has been quite active and participated in many debates, MUNs and conferences.By the time he graduated, he had received a PPO from Khaitan & Co

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

    • Maintaining grades
    • Acing moot court competitions
    • Securing a PPO at Khaitan & Co.

     

    arijeet-mukherjee-2How did you gravitate towards Law? Tell us about your college life at Pune. What all activities did you partake in?

    I had a keen interest in matters that impacted the society and law was simply one of them; an option which I could take up as a profession. Looking back, the choice of going to law school was more than anything else, a leap of faith and as it turned out it was an excellent experience.

    Pune is one of the most fun cities to be living in as a student and I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. College life was not just about academics at any point of time, the whole experience of living independently with friends and making the most of it was extraordinary. All in all, college life at Symbiosis was definitely an exciting and memorable one.

    I was involved in various extra-curricular activities and represented the college in Philip C Jessups, Raj Anand and M S Rammiah moot court competitions. I also participated in the HR and RCPNE Model United Nations. However, the activity closest to my heart was the Make a Difference project, which I was involved in as a part of the Human Rights Cell of the college, wherein I used to teach drawing to children who used to live in a nearby slum.

     

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

    I was in a peculiar position where I did not have any one particular area / subject of interest per se, some aspects of quite a few subjects really interested me. For instance, I was not particularly keen on intellectual property rights law, but the aspect of pharmaceutical patents was something that really evoked interest. Overall, I can say that no one single area interested me the most, it was eclectic mix of subjects, topics and ideas which fascinated me.

    In this regard, to develop a better understanding of my likings and gain experience, I interned at quite a few places. These internships gave me an exposure to different fields and organisations. I learnt as much in my internships as I did in college, perhaps even more.

     

    You were one of the most exceptional students at Symbiosis Law School. You bagged a Gold medal for being the batch topper. Please give us a few actionable tips on managing higher grades.

    Grades are an important part of law school life, particularly if you are looking towards a future in corporate or law firms, so grades were definitely on my priority list. However, the cliché law exam clearing method of mugging answers never appealed to me. I had quite a few friends in law school, who spent months and weeks mugging answers and more often than not they were successful in getting good grades, but that was not something that I could have ever possibly succeeded in doing.

    My method of achieving high grades was simply studying smart. It is not the volume of materials that you study that can help you get good grades, but it is your understanding of the concept that matters the most. The way I used to go about preparing for my exams was to first identify the important topics, then conceptually understand those topics and create my own answers in plain and simple language, rather than repeating text book answers. This not only helped me get good grades but also made me conceptually stronger and most importantly, reduced stress levels before exams.

    One has to realise that the manner and method of studying is a personal matter and what suits one in all probability will not suit the other. No one can claim that one method is the best and the other a failure, I believe that everyone should find a way to study that they are most comfortable with and not get tensed over what others are doing. In these matters, it is best that you prepare on your own terms and not let others stress you out.

     

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    You have been the Recipient of various scholarship and awards including Ram Jethmalani Scholarship for Excellence in Law of Evidence, Advocate S K Jain scholarship for topper in B.B.A.LL.B, Advocate Nani Palkhiwala Memorial Trust Award for Excellence in Constitutional Law. How did you go about achieving this?

    As far as the Ram Jethmalani scholarship and Nani Palkhiwala scholarship go, I had developed an interest for topics of constitutional law and evidence law. It was due to this interest that I ended up studying these subjects in greater detail and that was perhaps the reason I was able to receive these scholarships. For the Advocate S K Jain scholarship, I owe it to the study pattern I followed throughout law school of studying smart and not mugging. I must admit that achieving these accolades was not an easy task, but then when one is interested in it the task does not seem uphill.

     

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

    Publications are definitely a way to gain visibility and put out your work for others to view. However, the trend of publishing something for having a fuller CV is not something I believe in. One should not write for filling up columns in one’s CV, but one should most definitely put pen to paper if one is genuinely interested in the topic.Needless to say that the quality of the article depends on the research one puts in. One important thing to bear in mind is that the articles written should not be generic “gyaan”, but the topic should be distinct and innovative, such that it arouses interest. Even if the topic is general in nature, strive to put that one additional thing that will make your article different from the others.

    As for publishing the articles, there are immense opportunities available online, I highly recommend a thorough regular check on the internet for publication opportunities. The regular publishing hotspots usually have an overflow of interest but the unconventional ones or ones lesser known in India are the ones which must also be explored.

     

    Soon after graduation, you joined Khaitan & Co. as an Associate, how did your appointment take place? What worked for you in securing the job?

    I was selected for a one month internship at Khaitan & Co, Mumbai through college. I had interned in the month of March, which typically is a mad rush season for corporate law firms as it is the financial year end. This effectively meant that even as an intern I was exposed to some big ticket transactions and got opportunity to work on some quality matters. I thoroughly enjoyed my internship experience and based on the feedback, after a brief interview, I was offered a PPO in my fourth year.

    Some of the most important factors that helped me get the PPO were my internship feedback, my grades and my previous internships experiences. As an associate now, I think one additional factor which is considered deeply is one’s attitude. Usually interns are simply judged by their sincerity at work, this sincerity only comes if you are enjoying the experience of interning. My earnest advice in this regard is to enjoy the internships as an experience and you will in all probability do well.

     

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

    Keep the CV short and simple, usually no one reads more than a page. Highlight what you think are your big accolades / accomplishments and sieve out the minuscule ones. It is wise to tailor your CV as per the organisation you are applying to, so that the potential employer sees synergy between what they do and what you can offer.

    As far as an interview is concerned, in my experience the most important factor is likeability. One must come across as a likeable person, whom the potential employer would like to hire and make a part of his existing team. This likeability can never be faked, so one must not try to appear something he is not and one must be absolutely comfortable in one’s own skin. Confidence is another appealing factor, if one is not sure about one’s own answer, rest assured he is paving a way for a few very difficult questions ahead. In case you do not know something, admit it and tell the interviewer your limited knowledge on the topic in a confident manner. Some basic technical skills must be polished before the interview, which would off course depend on where you are interviewing.

     

    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?

    Unfortunately, it is absolutely true generally and specifically in my case as well. You soon realise that what you learn on internships and on the job was nothing like what you were taught in law school. This gap between class room teaching and real life practice is unfortunate and the system of theoretical teaching has to undergo a change so that we have more street smart lawyers. Till the time the system changes, as a student one can greatly enhance one’s learning curve by interning as much at as many different places and organisations as possible.

     

    It’s been more than two years of your work experience in corporate law. What would you say contributes to the high attrition rate of the top law firms?

    There are many factors such as stress, pressure, seniors, larger life callings etc. However, the biggest factor that pushes one over the edge is when one stops enjoying what one does. So work in an organisation as long as you enjoy working there, else move on to what you like doing.

     

    In these two years you must have guided a lot of interns at Khaitan & Co. What do you think differentiates a good intern from the rest?  How can an intern make a positive impression in the limited time they have?

    I believe that a good intern is different from the rest on account of his sincerity. This is not to be confused with face time or perceptions, when intern is given a task he should try doing it to the best of his abilities and that all there is to it. Interns are allowed to and even expected to make mistakes.

    I personally have worked with quite a few interns, and have a personal liking for those students who are here to have fun and enjoy their internship experience. I think a fun and relaxed working attitude definitely creates a positive impression.

     

    Life for lawfirmites can be very hectic at times. What is your take on work-life balance? How do you unwind?

    I have to admit that I am struggling with that. As is well known, college life at Symbiosis is very different from work life and it takes some time to get used to working in a law firm. Work levels and stress levels cross danger marks quite often,so one really needs to take a break regularly. As far as unwinding goes, college life at Symbiosis has equipped all of us pretty well on that front.

     

    What would be your parting message to law students who want to be successful in corporate law?

    For being successful in corporate law, you do not need to dwell yourself in books, enjoy the experiences of interning and learning new things. Look out for stuff that interests you and pursue them, and most of all do only those things that you like. This quotation from Warren Buffet pretty much sums it up:

    “There comes a time when you ought to start doing what you want. Take a job that you love. You will jump out of bed in the morning. I think you are out of your mind if you keep taking jobs that you don’t like because you think it will look good on your resume. Isn’t that a little like saving up sex for your old age?”

  • Suhas Baliga, Principal at Innove Law, on quitting Law Firms and starting up

    Suhas Baliga, Principal at Innove Law, on quitting Law Firms and starting up

    Mr. Suhas Baliga graduated from NLSIU, Bangalore in 2008. He thereafter joined Luthra and Luthra and then moved on to Trilegal. His work at law firms spanned a time period of almost 4 years. Thereafter he moved on to co-found Impact Law Ventures in 2012. In June 2014, he started up with Innove Law which focuses on investment and corporate advice to seed, early stage and growth-stage companies, with a team of three associates.

    We asked him to share his deep insights on:

    • Life at a Law School
    • Building up a firm clientele
    • Challenges of setting up a law firm on one’s own

     

    Tell us a bit about your childhood and pre-college life as well as educational background. Did you have lawyers in your family?

    No. I haven’t had any lawyers in my family as such. Is it helpful to have lawyers in the family? Yes. But at the same time it is not necessary. You can also bring in lawyers into the family by marrying into one! The more difficult part of becoming a lawyer can be setting up a law practice from ground up. I wasn’t brave but had the initial good fortune of working in a firm which paid its associates well and which did not privilege family background but this is not the case with law firms in general. There is some preference for families not because we are a feudal country but because the way law firms are organised and ownership is structured, it favours closely held ownership and management, though things are changing. I never imagined myself to be a lawyer. It was a matter of chance that I went to law school. I was surprised and taken aback since that was the only law school entrance exam that I took while looking forward to engineering since that was something everybody did in Karnataka at that time. In hindsight I am happy I didn’t follow the herd.

     

    So did you prepare for a career in technology or medical before that?

    I did not ever think there is only one path. It is more of a question of what I found interesting at every point of time. Apart from being interested in politics, I was interested in pure sciences. In fact when I was in my 12th, I was either watching the news or studying physics. Because in science there were other subjects to study like biology and chemistry I used to enjoy what I used to do.

     

    What made you gravitate towards the study of law at NLS? Was it planned or just a matter of chance?

    NLS turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I was happy that I wasn’t doing engineering like everyone else and doing something different there. The fact that it was an Arts course where there was history and economics was fun. I always liked reading and writing and this aspect of the course was especially attractive. When I joined NLS it used to have a good public law focus. It used to have three constitutional law courses and three political science courses – I think the arts and public law aspects of law courses have great value in moulding an all-round lawyer. A strong grounding in constitutional law, administrative law and arts subjects also makes for a better corporate lawyer given its influence on legal and regulatory issues in general.

     

    Was the shift from science to BA.LL.B difficult?

    Not really. I remember having my first class at NLS where the professor was talking about a ball which was hit by a cricket bat and it fell outside and landed on the head of a fan in the audience, I found it all very flimsy. After calculus and thermodynamics, it seemed pretty thin. Also what puzzled me is that people used to make notes on these things! I never felt the subjects to be extremely challenging although I found some law subjects fascinating, especially where they intersected with arts subjects or where they are grounded in first principles, such as jurisprudence, criminal law, law of trusts, contract and transfer of property. Even after my 3rd year in college I wasn’t sure of doing law. I worked on a literary magazine for the college and everybody knew me as someone who writes and not someone dribbled in the professional life of law. Although I was sad when I was graduating because of not having extremely high grades, I was happy to have used the five years of college to explore varied interests and passions. In my own way at my own pace that was the best thing about college. In hindsight, I feel I took education like education should be taken. If you were to ask me, at the same time I did not take to everything about law school. I found certain aspects mundane, such as “mooting” and debates, even though a large part of my work today involves negotiating, presenting and having conversations with real people.

     

    Law school can be monotonous at times. What different things did you do these five years at NLS?

    I picked up on certain interests I had before but the law school culture certainly played a part by exposing new avenues to explore them, be it music, movies, theatre, women (!), books. There was much to do. I did participate in things recognizing that college is that period of life where you build relationships both professional/personal and expand your mind and explore new ideas.

    Grades certainly may be a significant criterion, yet ironically if an analysis is made between people who scored at the top of their class and their current state of affairs, the result might be surprising. Grades may give one a good push, probably a foreign law firm job but it is not going to make one’s career. In fact, as a lateral higher when you send an application I doubt your grades will be looked at very closely.

     

    Tell us about your internships. Did you get any institutional support for internships from your college? Any remarkable internship experience which shaped up your career?

    So as far as my internships were concerned, my idea was to broad base them and never to do the same thing twice. First year I interned with a newspaper, Second year I interned with Ramchandra Guha, Third year I interned with a litigator, and in my Fourth year I did a corporate internship and oddly it was then that I discovered some interest in the legal profession. My journey as a corporate lawyer started when I was with Lexygen in Bangalore. When I joined them in their first few months, there were only three lawyers there. Lexygen was an amazing place because there was this young team who were trying to build something big. They used to love doing what they were doing and continue to do so today.

     

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    Did you find that your law school education had prepared you sufficiently for the many tasks you were required to execute during your internship?

    Absolutely not. In no way did law school prepare me for an internship. Most of the internships showed me that the work as a lawyer often has little to do with anything that I had studied at law school. One of the major criticisms of law schools today in the profession is that they hardly put any emphasis on analytical and critical reasoning. They don’t learn the method neither do graduating students have an eye for detail or focus on the outcome of what you are doing and what the practical aspects are. You learn some cases and principles and feel very intelligent but the moment there is a real situation before you, you do not know how to react. In India, law practice and academics have been divergent and much needs to be done to bridge this gap. The intersection between teachers and academicians in the university and practising lawyers and professionals is very limited.

     

    What do you feel about the perception that students of certain ‘elite’ NLU’s have a much easier time in kick-starting their career as compared to law students from other colleges?

    It shouldn’t ideally matter which law school you go to. The only difference that I see, not to blow my own horn, is that in NLS during my years, we had to do some 60 term papers out of which 30-40 were serious, so that amount of writing brings in some amount of practice on how to write. So I do give NLS due credit for teaching you how to write. Whether you learn it or not is a different matter. With a lot of other colleges also they have applied the same model but most of the writing they do are for their final exams. I think it is more of a question of rigour and how much work you end up doing and if you are required to do certain amount of work it pushes you to do that amount of work. I think the greatest difference between what is considered a good college like NLS and others are the networks. And that is the only sort of advantage and this is across the board in every industry. In IIM Ahmadabad, your juniors and seniors all of them are from IIM Ahmadabad. It is an old boys club that you can tap into later. And yes there may be a difference in kinds of the professors that you deal with and the kinds of courses that you take up. There were some amazing batch mates and professors during my time with whom I built amazing relationships with. So there are obviously many intangible advantages of going to a good college which may or may not have anything to do with the actual skills that you learn.

     

    Like networking and alumni circle, basically?

    It is not just about alumni, but also the people who come after you in the college and the ability to network across a bunch of lawyers. E.g. I was Roll no 1291. There were 1290 lawyers before me. And now it has come down to 1800 or 2000 or so. There were 2000 lawyers from my college which is not such a huge number and a lot of them were well dispersed across the profession. So now if I want reference in different firms it can be somebody from my college, or if I want to hire people I may send reference to them. So yes it is a network, but more importantly, in terms of your college also you have a residential environment where people engage with each other a lot which has a certain intrinsic value. It is an example of a soft advantage which may not be directly linked what an institution is bringing to them but it is more like an ecosystem wherein it allows people from different spheres to come across, get to know each other and build a professional network. In the long run however, your ability to build networks is dependent on the efforts you put in, and the longer you spend out in the profession the less important your alumni networks become.

     

    So you may agree to the fact that it is more about the student community of the university and not directly linked to the university itself?

    Yes, and that is unfortunate and it is not the ideal situation. The university should contribute to who you are. I am not saying that NLS did or didn’t but there indeed is a lot of scope for improvement, and this is the same thing with an LL.M too. I don’t think a LL.M degree from Harvard makes one a better lawyer as much as give you access to another network. I do not mean to in any way discount the exposure that comes from attending great institutions and taking courses seriously.

     

    After graduating from NLSIU you directly joined Luthra & Luthra. How did the appointment take place? Tell us what a typical day at work was like for you?

    So after my experience in Lexygen, Luthra & Luthra had picked me up for an internship. My internship went well and I liked everything about it. 2008 was a fantastic time, I was interviewed, and they offered me the job. It was a great year even for people like me who were at bottom of my class given that half of my class was taken up by foreign firms.

    Once I joined Luthra and Luthra, I worked with the infrastructure, banking and finance practice. The first six months of Luthra were as or more challenging than five years of law school. Apart from hard work, having to learn very quickly, having to deal with clients, being in situations where you do not understand anything yet you are forced to understand. I was fortunate to have very smart people work with me and that was a fantastic thing to happen in the first year of your career. It was a great place to work at with a comfortable atmosphere and a fair degree of freedom to innovate and yet have high expectations. I used to deal with bureaucrats, anchors, policy issues and policy making, issues in terms of documentation for the infrastructure sector, how contracts should be modelled, high level discussions on how a project can be structured, and in an old fashioned way we learnt to read everything twice, be very thorough. It was also very broad based because there was the corporate side, the contract and commercial side, the legal and regulatory side. After 3 years I felt I needed a change, because I was doing a lot of things which I have done before and I wanted to explore new avenues.

    Trilegal offered me a position in Bombay and ensured that I will have a good mix of work that I had done in the past and what I wanted to do. I was there only for a year so I can’t really judge though I wasn’t really particularly thrilled with the shift as Trilegal had very little work in my practice areas at the time and I wasn’t assigned a stable senior resource to work with. It was in my time there that the bug of enterprise bit me. When I got out of Trilegal, it was clear that I wanted to do something which builds on my experience. It has to innovate and has to be the result of the knowledge that I have inculcated from working with law practice. I also felt there was much that could be done better and decided to move towards setting up my own model.

     

    You thereafter left Trilegal to start your own venture. What were your ideas while quitting Trilegal? What were the challenges you faced starting up with Policy Craft and Impact Law Ventures?

    There was no idea honestly. Like I said my idea was to build on my past experiences and skills that I had like in corporate finance, debt and equity finance, project finance,  and the various skill sets that I had,  and also in terms of building some sort of regulatory practice in terms of being able to do more in research and analysis and advocacy. When I started out the first transaction that came to me, and started working with similar early stage investments, it was 2012 and the early stage market was picking up. In the course of 2012, I learnt what kinds you need to deal with and the kind of market for legal service there is and I think that was very useful when I started working with my partner, Pankaj.

    After quitting Trilegal, there was one month where I borrowed money from my father. Unfortunately I had saved no money! I don’t really see it as a challenge but just me. I have been out on my own for two and a half years now and I see this as a lot less risky as opposed to working with a law firm. Over there, you tick one or two people off and you may just get fired. In a law practice where you serve clients, the relationship is more goal oriented and broad based. It may be risky to have a technology start-up but that is not the case with a law start-up. The latter is built on relationships with clients who trust you, which if maintained well are relationships for life.

     

    You have worked at larger law firms earlier and then after starting your own firm do you feel the work/life balance has changed? Is it more comfortable be your own boss or is the pressure of work almost similar?

    I understand bigger law firms better now that I have seen the business side of having run my own law firm. Most fresh corporate lawyers have an extreme sense of entitlement and typically don’t understand that law firms are a service provider and their clients are service recipients. When you think about the law firm model, or start your own firm, how to pay your employees etc, it gives you a greater insight into how a law firm works. People think if one becomes a corporate lawyer, then one has to draft documents, one would have to read this and that, which is like saying, if I become a Chef I would have to cut bananas! I think creating value for your clients using your abilities to the best you can is the most important.

    So in this profession, if you think that there are some people who get work and some who will do the work, then it means that you don’t recognize that work involves handholding your clients apart from drafting their documents or advising them or giving them memos. I don’t think the way the profession is structured right now; you can really make the distinction and think you are one or the other. If you do you are running a risk. If you can only sell and can’t practise the law, or if you can only practise the law and not sell or manage, either way you would be putting yourself at risk. So ideally, there is no such thing as a rainmaker. There are good lawyers and there are bad lawyers.

     

    Tell us a bit about your current occupation in Innove law.

    One of the things I learnt in the last two and a half years is that there is a community in India that is looking at building businesses which are driven by innovation and explore completely new models, either in terms of technological base or processes or in terms of the kinds of services they are trying to provide to the populations they are trying to serve. A lot of these businesses that are today’s small or that are growing have very interesting entrepreneurs, investors, stakeholders who are trying to build something larger tomorrow and this is the client base that interests me and I feel that the number of people who are starting up or building new businesses, need to go up and they have to do businesses in India in a way that safeguards their interests. So a lot of work that I do and that we intend to do here, whether it is with the clients, or with the policy or regulatory side, is focused on serving this group. We do this by representing entrepreneurs when they are negotiating their investments, represent investors when they are investing, represent businesses when they are growing, give legal advice concerning strategic issues that start-up businesses face amongst other things. This is just a simple way to describe it.

     

    Where do you see yourself in five to ten years down the line?

    So there are two things, in terms of 5 years and Innove law, I would like to see that the clients that we are working with right now and the clients that come to us will grow and will help in pulling the firm along. In 10 years from now, I would like to see myself having published at least one book. It can be fiction or non-fiction. But everyday what drives me is that the people that I work with today own tomorrow. It is fantastic to see your client who was fresh out of college when you first represented him is running a 100 million dollar company. There is nothing like that.

     

    What would be your advice to our readers who may be aspiring to start their own law firms one day?

    My advice to them would be that from day one, build relationships with your clients and colleagues and work hard. Read everything that comes to your desk.  Be imaginative.

  • Divya Mehta, Senior Consultant at Legal League Consulting on Legal Recruitment industry and being a Certified Life Coach

    Divya Mehta, Senior Consultant at Legal League Consulting on Legal Recruitment industry and being a Certified Life Coach

    Divya Mehta graduated from Symbiosis Law School, Pune, in 2008. Soon after graduating she joined Dua Associates as a Trademark Attorney and worked their for about three years, thereafter she left Dua to work at Lall, Lahiri & Salhotra. After working at these two firms she had the opportunity to work as an in-house counsel at Genpact and General Electric in their trademarks and IP department.

    She quit her mainstream career in law and joined LegallyIndia as their Legal Recruitment Head. Currently she is a Senior Consultant at Legal League Consulting and is also a certified Life Coach.

    In this interview Divya helps us to realise the answers of some intriguing questions about legal hires and recruitments.

     

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

    I have always been intrigued by human behaviour and trying to analyze someone’s thoughts is what drove me to study law. I found it exciting, challenging and was adamant from the age of eleven to pursue law as a profession. Although I didn’t quite zero down on a particular field of law back then, I was willing to take the risk and knew that I would eventually figure it out.

     

    Please tell us a little about your law school days at Symbiosis Law School?

    I wasn’t too enthusiastic a student, I rather took a back-seat when I went to law school and a large part of my law school days went in introspection and self-reflection. A part of me felt lost and unsure, that is when I realized, the only way to decide what I really want is to explore different fields of the legal profession. I used to spend a lot of time in Delhi interning in various law firms and independent practitioners, in order to gain clarity on what really interests me.

     

    How were your internship experiences? How do you say interns can get positive feedback in the limited time they have?

    All my internship experiences were diverse and varied from litigation to arbitration, corporate laws, intellectual property, human rights, banking laws, matrimonial laws to infrastructure and so on. My mind suddenly opened and I realized the difference between text books and the practical world of law and sure enough, there was a huge difference! I interned in some of the top firms like AZB & Partners, Luthra & Luthra Law Offices, with some Senior Advocates in the Supreme Court, High Court and made appearances in the lower courts, as well as an NGO – it was all very exciting!

    My experience as an intern taught me that good work never goes unnoticed. As interns we may feel we cannot add value to a firm or an organisation, however, there is always a thirst for good talent and hard-work. The best way to get a positive feedback is to be self-motivated and display enthusiasm towards the work you are given, and if you feel you do not have enough work, don’t feel shy to ask for work, also never say NO to work. The right attitude helps you go places.

     

    divya-mehta-2What were the biggest challenges in the first year of your graduation? How did you deal with them?

    It was surely challenging and intimidating at the same time to take a decision on either taking up a job or pursuing higher studies. I graduated in the year 2008 and was keen on going to London for an LL.M, however, that was the time the recession impacted the U.K and it wasn’t the best decision to make as there were a serious dearth of jobs back then and I wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do, so I dropped the idea and instead took up my first job in 2008 as a Trademark Associate with Dua Associates in Delhi.

     

    You worked for a significant amount of time as a trademark attorney. How did you develop interest in the field of intellectual property law?

    I worked as a Trademark attorney for 3 years + in firms like Dua Associates, which was a multi-disciplinary law firm, and then moved to a boutique IP firm, Lall Lahiri & Salhotra which was more niche and specialised. I also got an opportunity to briefly work in-house at Genpact and handled the Trademarks of GE world-wide. It was a great learning experience for me and I got exposure on various facets of Trademarks.

     

    Tell us about the shift from being a Law Firm Associate to an In-house counsel. How different were the two experiences?

    A law firm is very different in culture and work per se from working in-house. Law firms are more focussed on the ground work and are in constant touch with the law itself. The difference between working in a law firm and working in-house is probably the same as “doing” and “getting the work done” i.e. actual work and supervision of work in most cases. However, there are companies that get a majority of their ground work done in-house. Law firms fall short in terms of designation, salary, and structure etc. However, working in-house ensures transparency and a fixed methodology and constitution, therefore, brings about job stability and predictability in long-term working.

     

    Subsequently, you turned into a legal recruiter and headed legal recruitment at Legally India. How did you decide to make this transition from being a lawyer?

    I believe our profession and the kind of work we do, should resonate with our personality and our passion.  I am a people’s person, social, outgoing and love interacting with different people. When I was offered the role of developing the legal recruitment business of Legally India’s jobs portal, Legally Jobs, it immediately excited me and I felt it was the right move for me to make.

    Although I was told by many well-wishers to be cautious about my frequent career moves and I was warned enough that this risk could leave a black spot on my resume, however, a deeper knowing or intuition told me to go ahead with this and it was probably the best decision I have made for myself, in retrospect.

     

    Having worked in the legal recruitment industry what are the challenges you have faced?

    In India, legal recruitment is still a niche concept. Barring a few well-known specialised legal recruitment consultancies, our minds are still not fully open to the need for specialised legal recruitment professionals in India. A law firm or a legal department are nothing without it’s resource. In order to comprehend the requirement of human resource for law firms and corporates, there is a greater technical understanding and research that is needed, which is why the law degree is extremely useful to work in the legal headhunting industry. However, the value of a specialised legal recruitment consultant is appreciated more overseas and unfortunately, has not fully sunk in with the mind-set of lawyers in India, although, there is scope for it to change in the future.

     

    Would you say an LL.M from a foreign university would increase the probability of getting absorbed in the top law firms?

    I strongly recommend an LL.M should be pursued only if the line of work you choose eventually, should commensurate with your specialisation, although a degree from a foreign university definitely looks fancy. However, to get into a top tier law firm, your LL.B grades and law school ranking matters the most.

     

    What would you say contributes to the high attrition rate of many top law firms?

    Long working hours and the lack of reward and appreciation is how of a lot of lawyers feel. When you sign up to be a lawyer, late hours is also what you sign up for. The concern is the lack of empathy your boss may have towards your hard work which can be a huge de-motivating factor and is one of the major causes for high attrition rate in many top law firms. After realising that burning the midnight oil did not really get them where they want to be, the next ideal move which is preferred is usually an in-house job.

     

    How do you balance your time as a Senior Consultant and a Certified Life Coach?

    My primary work is a legal recruitment consultant. However, life coaching is more of a hobby for the time being, which I pursue during my spare time on weekends mostly. I love meeting new people from different countries and understanding the complexities of human nature.

     

    As a concluding message, what would be your suggestions to law students?

    Thank you Ramanuj and Donnie for reaching out to me and making effort to set up this interview and I thank all your readers for taking out time to read this interview.

    I would like to give one small message to all your readers and all law students especially – it’s okay to be confused! Do not let uncertainties cause hindrance to your goals and career aspirations. Explore as much as you can which you’re in law school whether it is interning in different fields of law, or participating in extra-curricular activities such as moot courts or doing something completely different than what you imagined yourself ever doing, even if it does not pertain to law. That is the only way you will get closer to understanding yourself better. Once you know yourself, the path will automatically be clear. Wishing all the budding lawyers a fantastic and bright future ahead!

     

  • Surabhi Singh, Associate at AMSS, on internship, mooting and work

    Surabhi Singh, Associate at AMSS, on internship, mooting and work

    Surabhi Singh is a graduate from National Law Institute University, Bhopal (Batch of 2014).She has an enviable academic record and has an excellent series of internships at top law firms. She has a noteworthy mooting and debating record.

    With such a dynamic profile and her dedication to work, she bagged a job from AMSS in her 5th year of law school. Currently, she is working as an Associate there. We asked her to share her experiences and strategies she used over the years.

    In this interview, Surabhi talks about:

    • Importance of co-curricular activities
    • Securing internships with top-notch law firms
    • Appointment and work at AMSS

     

    Tell us a bit about yourself. How would you like to introduce yourself ?

    I graduated in April from NLIU Bhopal and am currently working at a law firm. To say more, honestly I spent the most time on this question. Not because I went into an introspection crisis as such questions put you in but I am generally a confused person constantly seeking this or that and mostly rejecting it. Without lauding myself for my confusion, I think aspiring lawyers/ smart individuals would and should identify with this.

     

    What motivated you to choose law as a career?

    When I was done with my Class X Board examination I wanted to be a doctor and today if I think about it I cannot point at why was that and why did I not think of law immediately? Mostly I think it was because I was a teen only focusing on doing well in my school exams and spending rest of my time wondering if I would ever look less ugly. So I am thankful to my father for adding some context to my chaos or lack of it and suggesting I study law. Fortunately I listened to him, read about it, liked it and sat for the entrance two years later.

    I think Law is not as much about a taboo on the field itself but the lack of awareness on the options one can pursue after it. If that is repaired, by some way or the other, this should not be an issue.

     

    surabhi-singh-1Tell us about your time at NLIU. Tell us about the highlights of your college life and your achievements?

    Life at NLIU throughout the five years was about learning, in the classroom, living on your own, participating in a group, the dos and donts of what to do before an exam night, like watching Breaking Bad before a jurisprudence exam will give you some wild ideas but maybe you should have slept instead. In short, NLIU gave me a certain kind of flexibility to live and read what I want and the privacy to do it.

    I tried to do everything while I was in college, badly or otherwise, studying, mooting, debating, writing. In my first year I came across International Law and loved it and discovered its nuances, mooted and researched and realized the trials of those sleepless submissions. Later I went on to intern at different places, PSU, Courts, Corporate firms, attending competitions. I coudn’t pick a favourite to label it an achievement but I have in the last five years seen a lot and read a lot.

     

    You have participated and won various moot court competitions. You have also won Best Speaker awards in few of these competitions. What is your advice to budding mooters?

    I think there is this joy in arguing on something you have read a lot and reasoned it within the scope of the argument you must make. So an important prerequisite is that you read enough and everything that follows your line of argument. Factors such as access to resources, institutional support, luck also matter but mooting requires a strong dedication more than anything, and good coffee, from what I fondly remember.

    If I had to advice in some words, I would say read and discuss, with everyone and anyone who might offer some perspective and make sure you know what you ultimately argue or write in a memo.

     

    How does one make a winning memo? According to you, what is the difference between a great and an average memo?

    A good memo is well drafted and well argued. It is lucid but well researched without sounding pedantic. Also much anguish goes into making it.

     

    What are your thoughts on these activities like mooting, debating and publications in journals? How important do you think are these activities in shaping the legal career of a law student?

    I have always felt that no amount of only doing one thing will make you wise enough to be sure of what you want to do at the end of law school or if that job at the top law firm is what you will want to do the rest of your life. Mooting, debating and other frolics might not be necessarily important for your CV for a job application but they will help you decide better and that is the smarter way to make any decision.

     

    What are the tips and strategies you would like to share with our readers who are currently law students?

    If I say I did okay in academics because I actually like studying and not because I intended to as much, I risk sounding ‘hippie’ but I will take that one. It helped that academics are not very rigorous and demanding unless you are aiming for medals, which is something I never had. I mean medals would have put a huge watt smile on my parents’ face and looked pretty on the wall but I never attached too much weightage to them. As far as strategy is concerned, it is definitely smarter to not fail, not get debarred, not let the average grade drop so you cant apply for that internship you always wanted to because it would be inconvenient to sit for the repeat and hunt for an internship. It might sound cliched but having a strategy helps a lot; fixing time to study for exams and then somehow managing to stick to it.

     

    What skills have you acquired from your internships and how helpful have they been in your legal career?

    What I learn from my internships was both in terms of working methods, knowledge and also how one manages to finish tasks in a social set up especially with large law firms, where there are hierarchies and work delegator and delegatee are often not in very close contact. What working and interning in a professional environment also teaches you is the importance of time and efficiency especially certain places that are so demanding that after working with them you would never send out an assignment before performing n number of checks proofing it. These things later on if you end up working with such a place help you adapt to it better.

     

    You have been a member of multiple committees while in law school. Do you think these enhanced your skill-sets? Please share a few of your memorable experience.

    Certainly! To begin with, in the initial years I would never have imagined asking someone to get something done, planning it and structuring it and executing it. Once as  a part of a competition organized in college I was a part of the committee handling media and writing alive blog and I had some great fun updating it, following up with a set of people. And the perks of these things are that you may start speaking to people in college and appreciating skills you never thought they had.

     

    You secured a job offer from AMSS in 5th year of law school. How did you go about this?

    While I interned with AMSS for the first time I realized how large things are outside the class room and how law pans out differently in so many situations. So that made me sit for the placement rounds that happened in college. To ensure they would consider me for an interview I made sure I had enough work experience on my CV relevant to them, and their firm’s portfolio. So my internships were planned and applied for accordingly.

    Tell us about the interview process and how did you prepare for it?

    I had read everything thoroughly on my CV; made sure I knew the basic law behind it and understood the concepts. I also made sure I was prepared with contract law, procedure and some aspects of corporate law. I scanned the important legal and commercial developments thoroughly. The interview was quite smooth and I was not asked a lot of technical questions but I was fairly confident before it because somehow I knew i wouldn’t draw a blank at anything.

     

    Many law students strongly believe that getting a job at one of the top law firms is mostly about securing a high GPA. Would you agree?

    To the contrary, I think law firms look for well rounded students. I know friends and classmates who have made to some top tier firms because they were smart people who might not have the highest GPA but their grasp on concepts and their ideas helped them through. While there is a great chance that you will work for a good law firm ,sooner or later, you might not get to do that moot or organize that competition ever again, so its better to choose the latter.

     

    If you could re-live your 5 years in Law school, is there something you would do differently?

    No, not a thing.

     

    Lastly, what would be your message for our readers?

    Spend your time doing everything, and don’t regret it.

     

  • Deborshi Barat, Actor and capital markets lawyer on passion for theatre, corporate law and LL.M from Tufts Univ

    Deborshi Barat, Actor and capital markets lawyer on passion for theatre, corporate law and LL.M from Tufts Univ

    Deborshi Barat is a professional actor along with being a corporate lawyer. He had graduated from NUJS, Kolkata in the batch of 2008, thereafter he worked at worked at S&R Associates, Delhi for a little more than two years. Most amazingly he took out time between all these and pursued his passion for acting and theatres.

    His first break was in a national award winning movie ‘Ranjana Ami Ar Ashbona’ thereafter he has acted in many Bengali Megaserials. He is currently pursuing an LL.M and MALD (Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy) from the Fletcher School, Tufts University. He is also an author having his first book in Magic Realism already published!

    Let’s ask him about:

    • His law school experience at NUJS and work at S&R Associates
    • His passion for movies and theatre, and receiving the first break
    • LL.M experience from Tufts University and future plans

     

    deborshi-barat-3How would you introduce yourself? Could you please share a little bit of what motivated you to pursue law as a career?

    I was interested in the humanities subjects in school, History, Pol. Science, Civics, the social sciences. In the latter half of my studies at St. Xavier’s Collegiate School, I was involved in debates and public speaking. Various things converged at a definite focal point, and suddenly I was giving the law entrance exams.

     

    How did you make the initial shift from a science background to law? Would you say it was difficult settling in?

    Not at all. I wasn’t cut out for Science. After a few months into the stream, I realized I would make a shift to something that augured well both for my skill-set and interest. Law was a much better fit for me.

     

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

    NUJS was a lot of fun. I approached the academic aspect of law through logic, common sense, and understanding the broader concepts. Getting to the theories and tenets was half the job, obviously requiring further embellishment, but then what are photocopied notes for? Jokes apart, the environment in a lot of classes was one of inquisitive pedagogy, learning through questions, the old Socratic method, and that helped immensely to sustain interest. Other than academics, debates and dramatics kept me occupied.

     

    deborshi-barat

    You had scored an amazing 119/120 in the TOEFL, bagging the scholarship. How much effort would you say it had required you for this achievement? What prompted you to take this test?

    It isn’t very difficult for someone who’s been taught in English through school and college to secure a high score in this test. It’s designed in such a way that Indians, who are better in English than most other nationalities, can perform well. I was applying for a masters degree and so I took the test. Later, when I was looking for funding, I stumbled across the TOEFL scholarship and applied for it.

     

    When did you start pursuing acting? Was it one of your childhood dreams to act in movies, or did it materialise while at NUJS?

    I’ve been acting on and off through school, especially in the last two years, but it was only after I entered college that I started acting with professional theatre groups. NUJS itself wasn’t a catalyst to pursue acting. Since Calcutta is my hometown and I was enrolled here, I had a lot of time to act, rehearse. Acting in movies wasn’t really a dream, it happened accidentally. I’m mainly a theatre actor.

     

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    You have acted in the National award winning movie, Ranjana Ami Ar Ashbona, and many other movies and series. Please share with us how all of this happened. When did you receive your first break?

    I was working at S&R Associates in New Delhi for a little over two years, mainly doing capital markets work. I quit my job around the end of August 2010 to process applications for higher studies in U.S. universities for the next year. Since I was applying for Policy studies as well, I was required to give the GRE. Around the time of the test, the Airtel Theatre Festival was happening in Kolkata and my friends persuaded me to be a part of it. A panel discussion was organized to promote the festival, exploring the intersection of theatre and films. A friend of mine was moderating the discussion, and reputed director Anjan Dutt was a speaker on the panel, while I was a speaker too. Later, Mr. Dutt approached me to cast me in his next film, which was Ranjanaa. Subsequently, on account of certain pressing personal circumstances, I was forced to defer my admission abroad and stay on in Kolkata. During this time, I got a few more offers in a couple of other films and some megaserials. However, I did these projects as a pastime, not as an active pursuit of the creative arts.

     

    You are the author of a book, ‘The Hunter of Pigeons’, published by Partridge, a Penguin Random House Company. What is this book about? What made you write it?

    This book is a thriller. As a genre, I’ve been deeply fascinated by magic realism, and accordingly, I’ve tried to incorporate elements of it. The book, however, is a fast-paced mass market work of fiction. During the time that I was in Kolkata, after I’d quit my job and was waiting to go abroad, I had some time on my hands and began working on the book.

     

    Please tell us about your experience with FeminIjtihad as a Supervising Lawyer. What were the responsibilities you were entrusted with?

    A friend of mine at the Fletcher School connected me with Natasha Latiff, the founder of Femin Ijtihad, who was then working on a project in Afghanistan. With her, I render legal opinions aimed at strategic advocacy of human rights, especially for women in Islamic countries. I presently work as a Supervising Lawyer.

     

    How was your work as a corporate lawyer at S&R Associates between 2008 and 2010. Please tell us a little about your work profile while working there. What were the responsibilities you were entrusted with?

    I completed an internship at S&R and Mr. Sandip Bhagat, partner at S&R, offered me a job while I was in my last year of NUJS. I greatly enjoyed my stint there. Most of my work involved Capital Markets, with some litigation and M&A work. S&R has a superb work culture, with a special emphasis on quality, attention to detail and thoroughness. I learnt a lot on the job.

     

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    How did you decide to quit your job and start up with your independent practice?

    My plan was to process applications for higher studies abroad after I quit and leave the country. However, I was constrained to stay back in Kolkata for a couple of years thereafter. Apart from certain medical issues, I was helping out my family with some legal matters related to property and allied concerns. This prompted me to practise independently for some time, mainly liaising with other lawyers, briefing counsel, drafting, etc. Not only were the skills required for practice entirely different, the motivation and environment of work was different as well. Among other things, the process was far less efficient, slow, ridden with procedures, frustrating delays, etc. One had to get used to a slow-moving dynamic after the deadline-driven corporate culture of a firm.

     

    How is Masters of Arts in Law and Diplomacy along with a Masters in Law from Fletcher School, Tufts University. Please tell us a little about your course structure. What made you choose this programme?

    I wanted to use my law degree and training as a base and explore the Policy paradigm, including International Relations. Hence I applied to the Fletcher School where the keystone degree, the MALD, suited my needs perfectly. Once at Fletcher, I spoke to a few of my professors and they convinced me to apply for a joint LL.M. degree as well. The International Law course structure at Fletcher is one of the best in the world.

     

    How did you go about the admission process? What are your career plans after the completion of your joint degree?

    The admission process was long and arduous. I took a lot of time picking and choosing the universities/courses for which I’d apply, speaking to many people, researching. The process can be a lot quicker if one knows exactly what he/she is looking for, organizing the paperwork accordingly, focussing on the next step. I have a few career plans, but I’m happy to surprise myself!

     

    Is there a stark difference in the teaching pedagogy between the teaching model followed in law schools abroad and those in India? What are your views on this?

    In principle, they are the same. In effect, it’s quite different. The Socratic Method is followed more strictly in U.S. universities. The reading materials for each class are usually substantial, and one is required to have reviewed them thoroughly before the class, such that all students can engage in a discussion during the class which the professor moderates. Issues and questions are raised, clarified, argued upon. This may also be a reflection of education at the masters level, which assumes a level of maturity. I can’t vouch for all law schools in India, but from what I’ve heard, the teaching model in the country involves a lot of in-class lectures, where the professor ‘teaches’ (as opposed to leading a discussion among students) and students listen.

     

    deborshi-barat-5

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

    I’m still dealing with them! A career as a ‘professional’ actor is one of extreme frustration and patience. Acting is only part of the job, it involves networking, knowing people, haranguing directors, agents, showing up for umpteen auditions, etc. No matter what people say, there’s a huge element of luck. Acting merit is, I think, a very small component of the deal. I am quite bad at networking and following up, so I didn’t do any of it. My bad. My friends and family say I should push more, but I tell them that I didn’t sign up to do all that. I’ve been lucky to get the few projects that I did. Once in them, I tried to do my best. In movies and serials, I haven’t done a major role. So yes, they also serve who only stand and wait.

     

    How do you manage to divide and manage your time effectively? Have you thought of pursuing a career in acting fulltime?

    If there are multiple interests, one usually finds time for each of them. Of course, one has to have the right circumstances, and I’ve been lucky that way. Often, the time is divided into stages. For example, when I was working at S&R, I didn’t do any theatre. After I quit and I was on my own, I had more freedom, more flexibility to dabble in other stuff, things of interest, writing, acting, theatre. I’ve thought of pursuing acting full-time, and upon careful deliberation, I’ve decided against it. Eventually I would love to be a full-time writer though, god willing.

     

    As a concluding message, what would be your advice to law students who would innately want to try their time in acting?

    Law and acting have very little in common. It’s tempting to draw parallels but it isn’t true. Courtroom dramas are good for books and movies. If anyone wants to pursue acting, one should be prepared to give it a lot of time. Besides, law students already have the option of lucrative careers, meaningful work, by dint of their education. In that scenario, it is even more difficult not to crack in the middle of a frustrating wait for acting projects to come along.

  • Jay Sayta, Founder Glaws.in, on how he became an authority in Gambling Laws

    Jay Sayta, Founder Glaws.in, on how he became an authority in Gambling Laws

    Jay Sayta would be graduating in the 2015 batch of NUJS, Kolkata. In his words he is just like ‘like any other normal student who likes sports, movies and music’, but to the contrary and most amazingly he is already considered as an authority in gambling laws in India.

    In his 2nd year of law school he bought the domain glaws.in and had started researching and writing on gambling related issues from then on. Quickly enough, his work and enthusiasm in this niche area of law got noticed by the media and from then on he continues to receive a lot of audience. The readers of his blog who are bureaucrats, entrepreneurs, lawyers, corporate professionals, etc. regularly write to him for his opinion on gambling laws. He is currently planning to join Luthra&Luthra after graduation, and in the near future he plans to publish a commentary on Gambling Laws in India.

    In this interview you will get to learn how he started off with a simple passion to write on gambling laws and how he grew up to become an authority in it.

     

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

    I am a fifth year law student at NUJS Kolkata interested in gaming, commercial and public policy. I love reading and writing on legal issues as well as general socio-political issues. Apart from that, I would say that I am like any other normal student who likes sports, movies and music.

    As for why I decided to pursue law, I was always thrilled by courtroom dramas in movies and John Grisham novels. Another reason is also that my elder brother is a lawyer from NLS Bangalore (and now a corporate lawyer in London) and watching him make a career in corporate law and exploring opportunities across the globe inspired me to pursue law. Since I belong to a family of business persons or professionals, it was natural to pursue a career option which gave a chance to pursue social sciences, public policy(which I was always interested in) and commerce.

     

    Given that a significant number of our readers are law school students; would you please tell us a little about your experience so far at NUJS?

    I have had a fantastic experience at NUJS so far. It is one of the most chilled out and laid back colleges but yet gives you an opportunity to pursue your passion and ideas. I have got an opportunity to interact with many prominent personalities from various spheres such as politics, social service, journalism, bureaucracy, judiciary etc. Apart from that I have been fortunate to have learnt law from some top academics and fine teachers.

    NUJS is one law school which gives you the option of deciding which career path you wish to pursue and has all kinds of students- you could either decide to study hard, participate in moots, debates and other extra-curricular activities or pursue your own entrepreneurial goals or just sit back, chill and enjoy college! I decided to do a bit of everything and tried my hand at mooting, debating, writing research articles and also enjoying college life.

     

    Do tell us about the kind of internships that you did while in law school. Did you work on gambling laws while at your internships?

    Due to my instincts in business and commerce which come naturally because of my family background, I decided to pursue corporate law. However I have tried my hand at different types of organisations from an NGO to a litigating lawyer to a start-up.

    In my first year I interned with Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) Mumbai and it was a fascinating experience to understand the basic functioning of trial courts (especially criminal courts) and understand problems faced by poor litigants. After that, I interned with Kian Ganz at Legally India to get a taste of legal journalism as I always enjoyed writing. I learnt the basics of legal research and writing, how to look for interesting stories and got really interesting insights on the way law firms function and make deals.

    After my first year, I largely focused on interning at law firms, apart from one internship with a Senior Counsel. I worked with various firms such as Nishith Desai Associates, JyotiSagar Associates, Khaitan& Co etc. on different matters mainly in corporate law, securities law, cyber law etc. I have done some gambling law related work in my law firm internships but that has not really been my focus since my main purpose of doing internships was to learn as many new areas of law as possible.

     

    You’ve been cited as an expert on gaming and betting laws by many newspapers in the media. Please tell us as to how did you develop an interest in this niche area of law?

    In my first year at NUJS, I used to play a bit of poker and other games on the internet (mainly on social media). I was curious to know about the laws applicable to gambling and why gambling is an activity which is viewed as illegal and frowned upon in society. I did a basic internet search and could not find much information.

    Thus I did a bit of my own research and approached Ramanuj Mukherjee, one of my seniors on whether I should write a research paper on the subject.

    Ramanuj suggested that it is best to continue working on the area and start my own website. Once I started my website and wrote a couple of posts, I started receiving comments and mails from lot of persons asking for my opinion on various aspects as there was a dearth of information online. This resulted in me digging for more information and even today I try reading more about the subject and every day learn something new.

     

    Have you published research papers on gambling laws? Do you foresee yourself writing a book?

    I have plans to write a commentary on Gambling, Betting and Lottery laws in India. I have given the idea some thought and already started work on it. However for various reasons I have not been able to find much time to complete the research and manuscript. Hopefully I will be able to find the time and focus on this to write a book soon.

     

    You founded the widely known website named glaws.in while you were in your 1styear of law school. How did you come up with this idea? Tell us a little about this website.

    Like I said earlier, the idea of starting glaws.in came since I was curious to know about gambling laws and could not find enough material online. Once I started writing, I got more ideas and never left the zest to know more about the subject. Perhaps it is because I am fascinated by the subject. The gambling instinct in human beings never fails to marvel me and hence I have continued to write for four years.

     

    What is it like to maintain a website that exclusively deals with gambling laws in India? Please tell us about the reach of your website. Who comprise your target audience and readers?

    Gambling laws is an obscure area which people like to wish away. However there is considerable interest in gambling specially in a country like India which loves cricket (and betting on it comes as a logical extension) and entertainment/thrills. Thus, there are enough number of people who would like to know the legality of gambling and betting, updates about what is happening in the gaming industry as well as a forum to urge the government to change its current policy to prohibit gambling and bring reforms in the current archaic set of gambling laws. Glaws.in is thus meant for any average reader of ordinary intelligence to know and understand the issue of gambling in India holistically and be abreast with legal developments. I avoid complicating issues and try to write in such a manner that all readers can understand legal developments.

    Having said that, glaws.in is closely followed by journalists, bureaucrats, businessmen, entrepreneurs, lawyers, law firms, politicians and students and I try to ensure that they have to look only at one place for any new developments or updates in the field of gaming law.

     

    Has anyone approached you for advice on gambling law? Please tell us about it.

    Of course during the course of the past four years, there have been several entrepreneurs, businessmen, law firms/lawyers, journalists etc. who want to know more about the subject and have been unable to find enough information. I always try to interact with as many readers as possible and know their perspective and share my inputs as well. I believe that it is only on exchanging information and views that one is able to improve and develop one’s thoughts.

    Thus, I have helped various persons associated with the gaming industry formally and informally and in fact provided ideas to some of them, which has helped them build legally sustainable business models. .

     

    How do you research for the content on your website? From where do you get the topics to write on?

    I try to read news and updates about the subject through the internet and media. Apart from that, I also go through academic and business journals on the subject, books, commentaries etc. However apart from these traditional sources of information I believe it is imperative to communicate with as many people as possible and interact with readers. On many occasions, readers have supplied me with exclusive documents and information which no journalist or lawyer has, only because I have a rapport with my most people in the gaming industry and have helped them with their legal issues. The most important thing however is to have a zest for more information and keep digging for more. It is important to not have the feeling that one knows everything that is out there to be learnt.

    What I know about gaming in India is probably only a fraction of the total information available. I try to be inquisitive and never be satisfied despite doing research for the past four years.

     

    What are your future plans? Do you wish to get inducted into a law firm or work with a litigator in this niche area of law?

    I have received an offer from Luthra&Luthra Law offices and would be joining the firm after college. I will try to learn more about corporate law and build a career as a law firm lawyer. However, gaming law will always be my passion and hopefully, I will be able to continue reading, writing and learning about it even after college.

     

    It must have been a great experience starting up with glaws.in and taking it to a level of authority. Please share with us any memorable experience you had with glaws in all these years.

    There have been quite a few memorable experiences for me. The fact that top legal luminaries, gaming company executives, journalists etc. have contacted me and appreciated my work has kept me going. However the invitation by FICCI to be a panelist at ICE Totally Gaming India Seminar (ICE is the world’s largest gaming exhibition held in London every year) was one of my most memorable experiences. It was truly wonderful to speak at a global forum such as ICE and interact with top gaming executives, policy makers, entrepreneurs and lawyers.

    Another fond memory which pleasantly surprised me is an email from a Joint Secretary in the Union Home Ministry who invited me to share my views on an ongoing matter in the Supreme Court on games of skill and rummy. It was a great experience to visit the Home Ministry office and present my thoughts to top government officials.

     

    As a concluding message, what would be your suggestions to law students?

    My suggestion to law students would be to pursue their passion and not think in a straitjacketed manner. It is important to think innovatively and follow one’s dream as ultimately that will be the only thing which will give you satisfaction.

    There is no one way to pursue a good career in law and there are various avenues available for budding law students. It would not be correct to say that one will only succeed if one gets excellent grades or wins moots and debates or publishes a dozen papers. Law is one field which gives so many diverse opportunities and it is up to the students to choose any path. However, it is important to be focused, dedicated and show a desire to continue learning.

  • Subhojyoti Acharya, Team Manager at Credit Suisse Trust on work with Clutch Group, LPOs and HSBC

    Subhojyoti Acharya, Team Manager at Credit Suisse Trust on work with Clutch Group, LPOs and HSBC

    subhojyoti-acharya-2Subhojyoti Acharya graduated from Faculty of Law, University of Calcutta in 2008. He is a Certified LPO Professional (CLPOP) from Lawave. He is also a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Expert (CAME) and Forensic Accounting (CFAP) from Indian Forensic. Additionally Subhojyoti is member of ACFE (Association of Certified Fraud Examiner, TX, USA) and member of ACAMS (Association of Certified Anti Money Laundering Specialist, FL, USA). He is also member of Indian Council of Arbitration (ICA) and Bar Council of India (BCI).

    He started his career with Clutch Group LLC in Due Diligence services, Legal Research and Compliance, Legal Off-shoring, Document & Contract Review, Contract Management, Legal and Compliance Research & Writing, Litigation Support, ediscovery, Document Redaction, KYC research, Due Diligence and Legal & Regulatory Compliance Services, Competitor Analysis, Anti-Fraud Investigations and AML compliance.

    Later, he joined HSBC ‘s Global Banking & Markets acting as Senior Associate in Due Diligence & Regulatory Compliance Service (KYC) on behalf of HSBC Bank globally.

    Now he is associated with Credit Suisse’s Private Banking Wealth Management Division catering Credit Suisse Trust as Team Manager. He is responsible for Legal Research, Market intelligence, regulatory, legal and tax environments, AML and Anti-Fraud Analysis.

    He is familiarized with Legal and Regulatory Compliance (KYC / Due Diligence) norms, Legal & Regulatory Research and Analysis. Anti-Fraud and Anti Money Laundering monitoring, Customer Due Diligence (CDD), Sanctions Reporting, PEP Screening etc.

     

    Tell us a bit about your childhood. How did you decide to study law? Did you have lawyers in your family?

    I belong to a closely-knit Bengali family in Kolkata, I have always fancied the idea of becoming a wildlife photojournalist contrast to any sort of corporate captive, not to mention my keen interest in the outdoors and nature’s wonders. However, my ideas changed with time and maturity. I was enlightened further by an article ‘Career in Legal Industry’ sometime when the national law schools were making their way into the legal education system – I was hugely motivated by the fact that studying law not only meant a career in litigation in the courts, it’s far beyond, it’s open and high-minded.

    I will also like to include here my grandfather who was a renowned advocate in the Calcutta High Court which, I assume, to have further contributed to my thin line of inherited passion for the subject eventually leading to a career choice.

     

    Do you think having family members or mentors with a legal background help in this profession?

    Strictly speaking having a strong legal background, although is not a condition precedent to excel in this industry, nevertheless it is always a cushion of comforts for the individual planning to embark on an independent practice to have a legacy to fall back on, in terms of knowledge, exposure and ready-reckoners during the initial rough days. Standing at this juncture of time, I strongly feel that the time has come when law is not just a profession; it is a challenging career option requiring demonstration of high entrepreneurial abilities and resourcefulness.

     

    You have graduated with B.A. LLB.(Hons.) degree from Calcutta University in 2008. Tell us about your law school experience. Share some highlights from your college days that shaped you as a lawyer.

    Like any other govt. funded institute, Department of Law, University of Calcutta had its own pros and cons. But I had been extremely fortunate to rub shoulders with rather a few well-versed lecturers and some highly ambitious and well-informed fellow mates who were keen to explore the diverse career opportunities after graduation from a global stand point.

    As a student, I voluntarily pursued a number of internship opportunities in various environments, like, law firms, NGOs, corporates, IP attorneys and finally in the Supreme Court of India. This not only provided me with the required level of perceptibility and confidence but also helped me to align myself to a specific career objective that I was not too certain of, until then.

     

    What do you feel about the perception that students of certain ‘elite’ NLU’s have a much easier time in kick-starting their career as compared to law students from other colleges? Is this true at all?

    Even in the era known for the thriving presence of various National Law Schools, I consider myself privileged to be part of Department of Law, University of Calcutta. There were definitely challenges with regard to infrastructure, quality of academics, overall growth and development as compared to National Law Schools or any privately managed institutes; conversely these have always helped me in becoming a thoroughly self-motivated, highly innovative and painstakingly diligent – I could discover myself having stupendous entrepreneurial abilities at a grass root level.

     

    After graduating from University of Calcutta, you joined Clutch Group as a Legal Associate. How did the appointment take place? What comprised your work at Clutch Group?

    After graduation I had almost made my mind to be a part of the dynamic corporate world and to achieve this I was looking for a global brand, something that would provide an exposure and some networking opportunities with legal attorneys outside India.

    In 2008, LPO was still a developing concept in India but I thought to take a plunge and taste the untasted. One of the project leaders of Clutch had come across my profile in LinkedIn and put up a call with me for an evaluation discussion which resulted into her being persuaded by my enthusiasm, interest and hunger to learn.

    In Clutch, I started with document reviewing, much later, I shifted to contract management, legal research and quality analysis of perennial projects as a part of pre-litigation motions in US court of Law.

    It was my first company and I was overwhelmed with the opportunities to work closely with US licensed attorneys (as I initially thought, or rather dreamt) and I was learning to understand their code of professional ethics and culture.

     

    Thereafter you worked as a Senior Associate in the Due Diligence & Regulatory Compliance Service at HSBC Bank. What was the nature of your work over there?

    HSBC was a giant leap – indeed a turning point of my career, which in due course mended ways for me to venture into the world of regulatory compliance and Anti Money Laundering framework – something I find hugely interesting.

    The business, at that point of time, required a legal expert who could leverage upon his analytical and logical reasoning skills requiring a lot of decision making in the end. The role demanded attention to details, strong networking abilities, unparalleled risk assessment skills, a thorough understanding of various international and well as local policies, rules, legislature and global economy.

    My role revolved primarily around Client Due Diligence, KYC Screening, AML Checks and Risk Analysis for the investment banking clientele of the bank. The clients included a diverse list of body corporates, FI, NBFC, ministries, funds, SPV, trust, partnerships, charitable units and etc. across various jurisdictions.

     

    In the meantime, you have pursued two Diploma courses. One is from NALSAR, Hyderabad with a Post Graduate Diploma in Media Laws and another is from Symbiosis, Pune with a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration. What is the reason behind pursuing these courses? Was it a professional requirement to enhance more in your career?

    In short, as a professional from a dynamic industry, one always needs to constantly update and upgrade his skills, level of specialization and expertise in order to fit into any competitive environment and from a business perspective, to maintain a consistent edge over the others. A modern day business demands a multitasker along with specialised and diversified knowledge.

     

    You did couple of certificate courses throughout your career. Do you think these certifications have sharpened your skills more as an LPO professional? You are also a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Expert. Please tell us something about this certification in to our readers.

    Any certifications have two fold objectives. Firstly, it upgrades your basic knowledge to a specialised skill and secondly it presents one’s specific potentials under an acceptable standard to the rest of the world.

    LPO certification was achieved during my last leg of graduation which I believed to have provided some kind of superiority at the time of my on-boarding procedure in the very first organisation.

    I am a Certified Anti Money Laundering Expert (CAME) from India Forensic and also I hold individual membership at Association of Certified Anti Money Laundering Specialist (ACAMS) from the U.S. This is closely related to what I do now and it has helped me developing my improved understanding on the subject.

     

    subhojyoti-acharya-3Currently, you are pursuing a Certificate course in Wealth Management. Please tell us about this certification to our readers.

    I have completed my Certification in Wealth Management from the Association of International Wealth Management of India (AIWM).

    This certification may help the professionals (who are part of NBFC or Banking Industry) to understand the financial market and the nature of various products that are on offer, regulated and used from a general standpoint in order to be familiar with the wealth planning industry and requirement of HMWI/UHNWI.

     

    You thereafter left HSBC to start working at Credit Suisse in their Legal & Regulatory Compliance Research, Private Banking & Wealth Management as Legal Head. What prompted this switchover?

    As mentioned earlier I was catering to the Investment Banking sector in HSBC and was curious to understand the Private Banking landscape of a global financial service sector. As all know Credit Suisse is world’s most admired private bank hence I considered myself blessed to get an opportunity to exploit the area, to know the spirit and functioning of a Swiss Bank and the legal and regulatory environment in which the business operates.

    This was again a calculated risk to relocate from Bangalore to Mumbai, which eventually paid off in style.

     

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

    Currently, I lead a team of lawyers from Mumbai office of Credit Suisse Trust, which is wholly owned subsidiary of Credit Suisse Group head quartered in Zurich, Switzerland. Credit Suisse Trust a is part of Private Banking and Wealth Management Division of the bank which provides tailor made inheritance and tax planning services to its HNWI/UHNWI clientele.

    The team collaborates with trust lawyers and legal & compliance officers of the bank and supports them with complex tax research, AML alerts, trust legislation updates, data protection and privacy laws monitoring, FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act) legislation implementation and in the area of AEOI (Automated Exchange of Information).

     

    You are a certified LPO professional. Would you say that the work environment at an LPO is completely different from a Law Firm?

    LPO is a complete different set up as compared to a regular law firm and therefore drawing a comparison chart between these two industries will be unfair and unjustified. A young law graduate before choosing from either of these two dimensions needs to decide how he or she wants to shape up a career in law. A frequent switch between these industries may make one’s career foundation frail, therefore not advisable.

     

    Any plans for an LL.M abroad? What are your long term goals?

    Right now I don’t have one as my current area of expertise and specialities may not demand the requirement of a LL.M degree, but I have kept the option open for future and would love to do that from a foreign university, but of course on a distance learning mode.

     

    Lastly, what would be your message for our readers?

    Well, from whatever I learnt and experienced from my six plus years of professional career is if someone can identify what he loves doing and if he can transform that dream to reality as a source to earn his living hood then sky will be the limit for him and happiness would know no bounds.

  • Albin George Thomas, Associate at Trilegal’s International Capital Markets Team on quitting ICICI Bank

    Albin George Thomas, Associate at Trilegal’s International Capital Markets Team on quitting ICICI Bank

    albin-george-thomasAlbin Thomas graduated from NLIU in 2012. He has an enviable academic record and an excellent series of internships at top law firms. He has been associated with Legal Edge Tutorials as a content developer since his college days. Soon after graduation, he started working as an in-house counsel at ICICI Bank, Mumbai where he worked for almost 2 years. He is currently working as an Associate at Trilegal.

    In this interview, he talks about:

    • Work experience at ICICI Bank Ltd.
    • Switch from in-house counsel to law firm associate
    • Work experience at Trilegal

     

    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 NLIU?

    Yes, back in 2007 (the year in which I decided to pursue law) legal studies were still considered a backup option for most students. However, I think times have changed and law as a career has now become a preferred choice for most students. Personally, being from Bhopal and due to the presence of a national law university in the city, I had opportunities to interact with students from the college and their experiences motivated me to take up law.

    Like most aspiring students at that time, I enrolled myself at Law School Tutorials, which gave me a solid platform to clear law entrance exams for various national law universities, including NLIU Bhopal.

     

    How did you fare in your academics at NLIU? Would you say a great CGPA is a necessity to kick-start a good career in the legal profession?

    A law university offers a student with a plethora of prospects that include curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. I did reasonably well in academics, however, my sole focus was not to merely secure top grades, but to utilize the numerous opportunities that were offered at NLIU to further my abilities. A good CGPA can act as a stepping stone for a good legal career, especially for advanced studies and for securing jobs at top-tier law firms. However, practical application of law is vastly different from what is taught in classrooms. Therefore, it would be incorrect to say that a good CGPA is necessary to kick-start a good career.

     

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

    During my graduation, I took keen interest in securities law, general corporate law, banking and finance. To further my capabilities in these specific areas, I focussed on three aspects: writing research papers on current issues, participating in moot court competitions that catered to my interest areas. Internships with various banks/financial institutions and law firms helped me gain practical insights to develop an understanding of these subjects.

    In my initial years of college, I realized that I wasn’t inclined towards litigation and therefore my focus was always on enhancing my expertise in corporate laws.

     

    During your college days, you had worked for Legal Edge Tutorial as a Content Developer. How would you describe your experience as?

    Legal Edge Tutorial was founded by one of my close friends, Harsh Gagrani. I was in my final year of college when Harsh was starting this venture. The biggest challenge we faced initially was to develop our course material that was unique and easily comprehensible, especially since this space was already dominated by established players. I thoroughly enjoyed preparing the course material, (especially the law based material) because the task of explaining legal concepts to young students who were new to the subject in a simplistic manner through illustrations was challenging.

    However, the most satisfying aspect of my stint with Legal Edge Tutorial was my teaching experience. Interacting with my students and motivating them to overcome their anxieties was a completely new experience for me.

     

    You were the convener of Centre for Business and Commercial Laws, NLIU during your 5th year in law school. What skills do you get to hone while managing such a responsibility?

    Starting out as a member of the Centre for Business and Commercial Laws (CBCL)from its inception and going on to become the convener was a fulfilling learning experience. At CBCL, we published regular e-newsletters, organized workshops on latest business and legal developments. Our aim was to ensure that students had easy access to corporate-related information.

    As convener of CBCL, I was grateful to have the opportunity of hosting a University Grants Commission (UGC) sponsored seminar for academicians and students on “Critical Issues in International Commercial Arbitration”. The seminar saw intense discussions on arbitration-related issues, and was thoroughly appreciated by participants. Based on these discussions, we submitted a list of recommendations to the UGC on changes to the arbitration legislation. Additionally, we also published a book on the subject which was a compilation of the finest seminar papers.

    During my tenure as the convener, I was given a chance to improve my leadership and management skills. Now when I look back, these organisational skills have come in handy in my professional life.

     

    albin-george-thomas-2

    After graduation, you joined ICICI Bank as an in-house counsel. What had contributed towards this appointment? What did you take away from your experience at ICICI?

    My interest in banking & finance coupled with internships at financial institutions played a critical role in my appointment with ICICI Bank.I joined the Corporate Legal Department of ICICI Bank at its headquarters in Mumbai. My work profile included general corporate finance, debt restructuring, e-commerce and priority sector lending. The transition from being a student to a professional was exciting. As an in-house counsel, my role was two-fold: Firstly, documentation and advisory work for transactions. Secondly, I was also required to act as a transaction manager in various cross-border and high ticket financing deals. This involved liaising with offshore counsels, negotiating with clients along with bankers to ensure timely execution of the transactions.

    What I liked most about my role as an in-house counsel at ICICI was that it gave me an opportunity to directly negotiate and manage transactions at a very early stage with limited hand-holding. During my tenure, I also interacted with a lot of senior people of the legal and business fraternity that gave me useful insights into the banking and finance industry. Apart from developing my technical skills, I also worked closely with bankers that enhanced my understanding of commercials, a skill set that I believe is fundamental for transactional lawyers.

     

    After having worked at ICICI for more than 2 years, how did the shift to Trilegal take place? What does your current work profile at Trilegal consist of? How is a typical workday like?

    Being involved in the banking and finance sector for more than two years as an in-house counsel, I wanted to broaden my expertise in the field of finance. Therefore, I joined Trilegal’s International Capital Markets practice group as an Associate. Unlike how it is generally perceived, for me the transition from an in-house role to a law firm was smooth.

    Capital markets practice is vastly different from the banking practice that I was involved in for the past two years. Our team advises clients regularly on a variety of capital markets transactions including debt and equity investments, initial public offerings, further public offerings, qualified institutional placements and other related transactions as well as regulatory advice. Being a heavily regulated sector, this practice area requires lawyers to stay abreast with the latest regulatory developments. Further, due to my prior banking experience, I am also involved in the banking and finance practice of the firm specifically transactions dealing with corporate debt restructuring.

    A typical day at Trilegal involves client meetings, negotiations with opposing counsels, managing matters and drafting and review of documents.

     

    You have had the opportunity to judge theNLIU International Mediation Competition. What did you specifically look for in the mediators?

    Alternate Dispute Resolution has become a key tool in resolving commercial disputes.The NLIU International Mediation Competition is a perfect platform for law students to develop their skills especially since most leading law firms and corporates today have a vibrant disputes resolution practice. My interest in this subject stemmed from our participation at the International Negotiation Competition organised by Harvard Law School and Leipzig Graduate School of Management at Leipzig, Germany. This was a unique competition where students from leading business schools are pitted against law students to negotiate on complex hypothetical commercial disputes. This was a very enriching experience for me. While judging at the mediation competition my prime emphasis was on the temperament of the mediator, his clarity of thought and presence of mind, especially in situations where parties got aggressive during discussions.

     

    Lastly, what would be your parting message for our readers?

    Please don’t just chase grades, make use of all the opportunities your college provides and remain dedicated to your interests. As far has listing 3 activities are concerned, I would say focus on your choice of internships, read as much as possible on your areas of interest and develop public speaking abilities.

  • Kalpana Garg, Deputy Manager-Legal at Hero MotoCorp on studying law after engineering

    Kalpana Garg, Deputy Manager-Legal at Hero MotoCorp on studying law after engineering

    Kalpana Garg graduated with B.Tech degree from GGSIPU in 2009. Her interest in law led her to join  Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law (IIT, Kharagpur) and pursue LL.B. During law school, she participated in various co-curricular activities including moot court competitions, debates, conferences. She also has a couple of publications to her name. Soon after Graduation she started working as an in-house counsel at Hero MotoCorp and currently works as a Deputy Manager-Legal there.

    In this interview, she talks about:

    • Pursuing Law after Engineering
    • Law school experience at RGSIPL, IIT Kharagpur
    • Appointment at Hero MotoCorp

     

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

    An engineer and a lawyer working as In-house IP counsel for a leading two wheeler manufacturer for the past 2.5 years handling matters related mostly to IP laws. My hobbies involve reading, writing, and traveling. I believe in Carpe Diem philosophy and live every day to be inspired by anything or everything. I love debating for hours together and gain knowledge and build my opinions over matters with diverse topics.

     

    Legal studies are still not a mainstream career option for a lot of students. Having done B.Tech from GGSIPU, what motivated you to choose law as a career? How did you prefer Law after Engineering?

    Before pursuing Law, I was an engineering student and quite good at that, trust me. Discussions related to varied things happening around such as criminal cases, company related matters and other legal matters during college hours and hostel hours made me realize my acumen towards legal matters. Saying I preferred law over engineering would be a misstatement as I didn’t choose law over engineering. I preferred to apply the knowledge of engineering concepts and law to understand things from a novel perspective. I completed my B.Tech from GGSIPU in 2009 and post that, joined law school (Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law) at IIT Kharagpur.

    During the tenure of my engineering days, till the third year, I was inclined towards pursuing higher studies in the field of my engineering. During fourth year of engineering, few subjects of second last semester were dedicated towards teaching How Patent regime affects the technological scenario; the significance of prior art and the patent system in general. Further, that was the time when TVS vs. Bajaj was in full swing, and the papers would be full of the detailed analysis of how patents were going to be the game changer. And, being an avid and voracious reader, the more I read about it, the more it convinced me that I would like to work in a field where working within IP regime would describe my passion in one sentence line.

     

    Were you in double minds before joining Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law?

    Before joining any college, any course or doing even an internship at an organization, an applicant must be sure of what he/she wants from the course/college/organization and how much the course/college/organization would be able to provide. With Rajiv Gandhi Law School, I was convinced that there would be no dearth of learning and opportunities suiting my requirements.

     

    How did you get through to Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law?

    Rajiv Gandhi School of IP Law at IIT Kharagpur conducts an extensive process to select its candidates for future at Law School. Initial rounds involve a written test with three sections Aptitude and analytical Test; Domain-based Test and Essay writing. Post that, GD/PI session is conducted for the students selected out of the written test. Group discussion round involves sharing your opinion regarding a particular legal scenario and defending your opinion in the discussion panel. Personal Interview round involves questions based on your educational domain, the reason behind aspiration to join legal fraternity, etc.

    For admission to Law school at IIT Kharagpur, the applicant should possess one of the following degrees with or without work experience.

    Degree Requirement:

    First-class Bachelors Degree in Engineering/Technology/Medicine or equivalent;

    Or, First class Masters Degree in Science Or Pharmacy or equivalent;

    Or, First Class MBA Degree with any of the above.

     

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

    During law school, I was more inclined towards Intellectual property law, Constitution and economic perspective towards law. Expertise is developed over the years and it’s an ongoing process. However, knowledge in a field is developed through committed persuasion involving writing detailed articles, papers, participating in moot courts and interning in the field of interests.

    For gaining knowledge, I participated in a National Moot Court involving IP case problem, wrote several articles for college law journal and other journals. I interned with IP law firms and IP cell of companies for understanding the nuances of IP law. Furthermore, awareness regarding the changes in IP regime related to law and disputes was one of the goals and for such perspective, followed IPAB Case directory, Finnegan case updates were my bookmarks. Try to participate in national and international conferences as the interactive environment boost your knowledge and lets you defend your opinion and make new ones in the process.

     

    kalpana-garg-1As a law student which activities did you participate in?  Tell us about your law school journey from the 1st year till your final year. Did you have any guidance on how to go about your academics, co-curricular activities, and internships?

    During my tenure as a law student, I always believed in maintaining a steep learning curve in lecture rooms as well as outside them. I participated in National Moot Court competition, Parliamentary debates, essay writing and conferences mostly. Experience at Law school was full of excitements ranging from extra-curricular participation to organizing moot court within the campus, from classroom assignments to attending guest’s lectures by famous legal scholars. Every activity inside and outside the law school leaves you with a quest to learn more and achieve more.

    During law school, the unparalleled support and guidance from Professors and seniors led me to expand my horizon towards academic and extra-curricular activities. Support and guidance from batch mates and friends shouldn’t go without notice.

     

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

    Internships for a law student are as important as practical classes for a theory session. I interned with practicing lawyers, law firms and companies to gain exposure of the kind of legal work involved. Internship in law firms and with practicing lawyers gives hands on experience on litigation, case studies and how to do legal research for case laws.

     

    Did you find that your law school education had prepared you sufficiently for the many tasks you were required to execute during your internships and later at your job?

    Theoretical experience always differs from practical experience. Law school education prepares you for a lot of things but job or internship comes with scenarios where working involves thinking on feet, working on deadlines and sometimes explaining legal interpretations to people with non-legal background. Preparing for such scenarios begins early these days wherein internships and summer projects narrow down the gap of learning between law school and job.

     

    You started your career at Hero MotoCorp and you currently work as a Deputy Manager there. What had contributed towards this appointment? Please tell us the recruitment process at Hero MotoCorp.

    Recruitment process at Hero MotoCorp involves on campus and off campus placements and the overall process is consistent and transparent. I was selected by Hero MotoCorp in their on campus drive.

     

    Many lawyers would say that the actual learning takes place in the years of practice. What was the case in your situation?

    Litigation and working in-house are too different grounds and involves different levels of learning. Though in my personal opinion, it actually boils down to one’s passion towards a field and field of interest. I won’t say one is better compared to other however; the pace of learning is different.

     

    Lastly, what would be your parting message for our readers?

    First and foremost, do not pursue law as a backup option or do not pursue it because the family is full of lawyers. Pursue legal studies because you desire to be a lawyer and see yourself as no one else. And, be respectful and honest towards this profession as it gives you the power to bring justice, to bring a change in the society.

  • Anuj Sah, Principal Associate at Khaitan & Co., on a secondment at Debevoise & Plimpton and a career in corporate law

    Anuj Sah, Principal Associate at Khaitan & Co., on a secondment at Debevoise & Plimpton and a career in corporate law

    Anuj Sah is a Principal Associate at Khaitan & Co. (“KCO”), he is currently working on an international secondment at Debevoise & Plimpton. Anuj graduated from ILS, Pune in 2006, thereafter he worked at Desai & Diwanji and AZB Partners, and finally he joined KCO in 2010. His main practice areas at KCO are related to acquisitions, PE transactions, corporate restructuring, etc.

    In this interview we asked him about:

    • Secondments and their mechanism
    • Work exposure at Debevoise & Plimpton
    • Growing from an Associate to a Principal Associate at KCO
    • Life in a corporate law firm

     

    How would you introduce yourself? Please tell us a bit about how you gravitated towards law.

    Hi! I am Anuj and I working in the corporate team of Khaitan & Co. (KCO), Bombay. At present, I am on a secondment at Debevoise & Plimpton. Like other corporate lawyers, the assignments that I work on are related to acquisitions, private equity transactions, corporate restructurings, advising on regulatory issues and so forth. I graduated from ILS Law, Pune in 2006 and I joined KCO in 2010.Before KCO, I worked at AZB and also briefly at Desai & Diwanji.

    For me, the real motivation to pursue corporate law as a career happened pretty late. In my early years in the profession, I wasn’t too sure whether I wanted to pursue a career in law/ corporate. So even after I started working after law school, I continued to wait to find my calling. I had the benefit of having good seniors and mentors which helped in learning the ropes. The real motivation to pursue law as a career occurred after joining KCO. At KCO, I got the opportunity to work with some of the lawyers whom I most admire in this profession. It was from them that the purpose of being a corporate lawyer started becoming apparent. I got to see first-hand the value that lawyers could bring on transactions and also the trust being reposed by clients in lawyers. As a corporate lawyer, you work on deals where you may be representing an Indian promoter who is selling all that he has created in his entire lifetime. He puts his trust in you for the sale of his most valuable asset and relies on you to get him a fair deal. On some days, you represent a foreign investor, who rely on you to ensure that he is not short changed while entering a new market. So, it is a lot of responsibility, and when you do your job, there’s also a great sense of satisfaction.

    Although a bit philosophical, I think being a corporate lawyer also in some way provides an opportunity to be of service to the businesses of our country. Businesses create employment, promote growth and lead to development. As a corporate lawyer, whether you represent the foreign investor or the Indian promoter, there is a role to play in ensuring deals are concluded in precise terms so that businesses continue to flourish. Only, when businesses grow, it will be a win-win for everyone involved. I think as purpose became clear, motivation followed.

     

    Please tell us a little about your law school days at the University of Pune? How were you at academics?

    Law school has some of the best memories. I made some of the closest friends, learnt new things (good and bad), got introduced to the world of legal practise and learnt my basic concepts of law. On academics, we had a robust curriculum, and the standards were pretty good. I think I was a fast learner, which helped.

     

    How important do you say is a good CGPA for an illustrious career in legal?

    I wish I could say that CGPA is not crucial, but unfortunately, [sociallocker]that’s not the case. Law practice is getting more and more competitive. Although there’s a good demand for corporate lawyers, there’s also good availability of great talent. Earlier, opportunities were limited, and you needed a reason to hire someone but now the quality of talent available in general is so good that you may struggle to find a reason to reject someone. It’s best not to have a poor CGPA as a weakness in this competitive environment. Also, a good CGPA is an indication of the fact that you have good understanding of the fundamental concepts of law that you are expected to know if you choose to join a law firm.

     

    How do you think internships are beneficial to law students?

    I think internships are an excellent opportunity to get an insight into the functioning of a law firm and its various practice areas. It could help one in deciding if this is what he wants to pursue in years to come. Besides, most law firms I know of ensure that interns are well utilized during their internship and are provided with opportunities to get involved in transactions. One can  be prepared for what he is expected to do if he chooses to join a law firm. Also, for the law students who are trying to get corporate law jobs, I hear of several PPOs being offered to interns all the time.

     

    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?

    For me, the first few years after graduation were the toughest years – you are put straight into the frying pan. I know some junior lawyers go through the same situation. Perhaps, like me, you can also keep reminding yourself that ‘this too shall pass’. I say my first few years have been the toughest because those are the years when you have very limited understanding of the matters that you are working on and also of what is expected of you. Also, there’s so much in corporate law practice which you don’t learn in law school but while working which adds to the challenge. Now when I look back, I think it’s not very difficult to deal with those challenges – read a lot, observe a lot, ask questions, find the answers and work hard. You will get better at the job very quickly. Remember corporate law is pretty simple stuff but requires a lot of commitment and hard work. Once you are good at your job, it will be a lot of fun.

     

    A lot of law students would be keen to know about the mechanism of a secondment. Please tell us a little bit about your secondment at Debevoise & Plimpton.

    It was  a cross – secondment with Debevoise. A lawyer from Debevoise came to KCO for a secondment for six months, and I came to Debevoise. While, I am primarily based in the London office of Debevoise, I recently also spent few weeks in their New York office. It’s a great opportunity. Debevoise is one of the most reputed firms globally. Corporate law in this part of the world is quite evolved. Capital controls are less of an issue, and the regulatory environment is more light touch in comparison with India. I am working at Debevoise with some of the most acclaimed lawyers, and it’s such a wonderful opportunity. Also, it is a lot of investment by the firm that sends you on a secondment, so it’s a great feeling that your firm considered you suitable for the opportunity.

     

    How important is it to take the lead in business development while also being a principal associate?

    I think it is very important. The good part is that if you are good at your work, this will happen without much effort. Several clients will start approaching you for their repeat matters. Also, once you are good at your work, and clients realise that, several of them will be your ambassadors and will do this for you.

     

    How do you maintain a work-life balance? Are there any specific time management tips you would like to share?

    This is a tricky one. The profession is very demanding and requires a lot of commitment. Developments on assignments that you are working on will control your calendar. There will be instances when you may have to cancel a long-planned holiday or skip a friend’s wedding. However, it’s important to have a healthy work-life balance so that you are at your best when working on assignments. Some of the tips I have been using to get better at this are:

    (i) prepare a to-do list every morning of things that need to be completed, this keeps away distractions and reminds what needs to be prioritized;

    (ii) When delegating work, try to give proper background and instructions – this helps in receiving a better work product;

    (iii) try to keep your team members involved in discussions so that they also have the background of what is expected to be delivered, a lot of leakages otherwise could happen in communication from one person to another;

    (iv) longer vacations are not always easy to plan so I prefer taking small unplanned vacations whenever workload is light to spend time with family;

    (v) also, there will be occasions when you will be provided with lots of documents and information to review, keep reminding yourself the objective otherwise it’s easy to get lost with all the excess information available.

     

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    Tell us about your growth from an Associate to a Senior Associate and then becoming a Principal Associate at Khaitan & Co.?

    I think this is pretty much a natural process. At least at KCO, I have seen that as you get ready for senior roles you are moved up. There is an objective evaluation process where feedback received from partners, clients and other members of the firm is considered. There are also external consultants who are engaged to test softer skills and give feedback. In general once you like your work and are passionate about what you do, moving up will be a by-product. Also, it is important to have an outlook that matches with that of the organisation – sometimes I see lawyers who are good at their work, but suffer because of this drawback.

     

    What is your current work profile like? Please tell us about the responsibilities you are entrusted with.

    My current work profile broadly includes the entire spectrum of corporate law. Most of the work relates to acquisition/investment transactions where sometimes I represent the buy side and sometimes the sell side. I also do a fair bit of regulatory work which involves advising clients on regulatory issues and outlook of regulators on various policy issues. The gamut of corporate law is pretty wide, and one needs to have basic understanding of several laws including taxation, anti- trust law, real estate, IP laws, etc.

     

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

    Yes, I have seen many interns during my career. It’s so good to see several of them working in various firms and doing extremely well. Interns could consider some of the following tips to generate a positive feedback in the limited internship time:

    • When you are assigned work, try and get clarity on what is expected from you. Also, attempt to meet the time line. Sometimes the answer to the work that you will be assigned will be readily available on the internet but don’t stop there. Assume that the person assigning you the work wants you to find more in-depth information than that is easily available on the internet;
    • Ask questions when in doubt. Utilize this time to get your queries clarified;
    • Try to reach office in time, may be a bit earlier than the office start time. It shows good seriousness on your part;
    • If you get free time, spend some of it in the library or going through available precedents of past transactions.

     

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

    Unfortunately, the profession is demanding, the stakes are high and it can be harsh on the one making mistakes. But then it’s only human to make mistakes, and everyone will make mistakes at some point or the other. So the best strategy is to follow the conventional wisdom – learn from your mistakes and try not to repeat your mistakes. I think if you have made a mistake and as long as you can ensure that you will try your best not to repeat it again, you will be ok. Also, try not to cover your mistakes. Own up to your mistakes, feel the pain and try not to repeat them.

     

    We thank you for participating in this exercise. We’re sure the readers of SuperLawyer would find this interview beneficial and insightful. As a concluding message, what would be your suggestions to law students/younger corporate lawyers?

    Entirely my pleasure! I hope I have been able to provide some insight to law students looking to make a career in corporate law or younger lawyers in law firms. If I have to give some suggestions, it will be the following:

    –           read a lot and keep yourself abreast with the latest developments/transactions;

    –           be solution oriented;

    –           try to be good at finance/commercials/numbers;

    –           try to write in simple English. Write documents and emails keeping the client in mind. Know a lot but it’s not necessary to tell the client all that you know. Remember Mark Twain said, ‘If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter’;

    –           no point competing or comparing with others. Every person has different likings and strengths;

    –           learn from your seniors – they have a wealth of experience to learn from;

    –           always keep a positive outlook;

    –           and most importantly, be humble and continue to be humble as you walk up the ladder. There are several others who may be as talented, but didn’t get this wonderful opportunity of being in your place.

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