Category: Student Achievers

Smrithi Mariam on steps to getting good internships and a PPO
Smrithi Mariam a student of the 2014 batch at RMLNLU has secured a Pre Placement Offer from Lexygen. We asked her to share her experiences and strategies she used over the years. In this interview she speaks about:
- Mooting and its benefits for a law student
- Preparing a C.V. and interviews
- Getting good internships and a pre-placement offer
Why did you decide to study Law? What inspired you to do so?

It took me a while to figure out what exactly I wanted to do after the 12^th and being a science student I wrote all the possible engineering entrance exams. At the back of my head I knew that this wasn’t my thing and I began coaching for the CLAT. That’s when I realized that I could see myself as a lawyer and that most of all studying law would make me happy.

Do you have any lawyers in your family? Do you think having family members with a legal background help in this profession?

I’m a first generation lawyer, but I do have a lot of friends who have lawyers in their families and yes, I do think that it helps to have a family member in the profession to guide you in the and show you the how things work. But, on the other hand NOT having such a person means that you need to stand up for yourself, take charge, be resourceful and figure out the ropes on your own.

What are the extracurricular activities you took part at RML NLU?

Sport has always been an important part of my life and I’ve been a member of the college basketball team throughout my law school life. I have also taken part in Parliamentary Debates, I enjoying ‘JAM’ing, traditional debating and other literary events.

You have taken part in a lot of Moot Court Competitions in college, can you share a few mooting experiences?

My first national moot was the Nani Palkhivala National Tax Law Moot, I was in my third year and we finished runners up at the competition. This moot holds a very special place in my heart and I vividly remember the finals, where we argued in front of Bombay HC Judges on a matter that was actually pending at the ITAT. The finalists at this moot are awarded internships a top tier tax law firms in the country which is a bonus. I also took part in the Stetson International Environmental Law Moot and our team finished semifinalists at the world rounds and we secured speaker and memorial citations. Arguing against law students from schools in Poland, USA, Ireland, etc was enriching and being able to connect with them and exchange stories from our home towns was an unforgettable experience. In my final year I took part in the North India rounds of the Phillip C Jessup International Moot and was part of the team placed third. That was a bitter sweet end to our mooting life, so close yet so far!

Do you think mooting is beneficial for Law students or is it just to make your CV look fancy?

I love mooting and everything that comes with it. The crazy workload, the compulsory reading, the brain storming sessions, the sudden burst of energy when someone comes up with an argument, the list goes on. In my opinion, mooting helps you learn how to work in a team, how to keep your head together and work on a single matter for months together, how to logically work your way out of situations and come up with novel arguments and most importantly it allows you the freedom to learn and explore a new subject at your own pace without a project or an exam deadline breathing down your neck. Yes, mooting may make your CV look good but that’s not why you should take it up.

What are the law firms at which you interned? Which internships will you consider to be right at the top and why?

I have interned at JSA, AZB, AMSS, ELP, Trilegal, Samvad Partners and Lexygen. I enjoyed all my internships, but my stints at Samvad, Lexygen and ELP would be the ones I consider most enjoyable. The work environment, quality of work and most importantly the unbiased nature towards students from ‘lower rung’ law schools in these places really impressed me.

What was the procedure you followed to apply to these law firms?

Continuous emails to the HR of the firms and then follow up phone calls. It’s easier said than done and one has to listen to a number of rejections but it is possible. My college RCC also helped out with one internship.

What was the kind of work was allotted to you during your internships?

Work given to interns depends largely on the firm you are working with and their policy towards interns. Some firms trust interns with meaty assignments and allow them be a part of an ongoing client matter, while other firms hand out a lot of due diligence work. I have had my fair share of both types of work.

You secured a job with ‘Lexygen’ as a ‘PPO’. How many times have you interned there before? How was the experience of that internship (if you did one) and how was it different from other internships?

I have worked with Lexygen on two occasions for a total of 12 weeks. After short listing your CV they conduct a telephonic interview based on which they offer you the internship. The firm offers internships only to 4^th and 5^th year students strictly for the purpose of assessing whether they can be absorbed into the firm after they graduate. Lexygen is a great place to intern at; the firm ensures that interns are a part of weekly training sessions where the latest law or judgment on a particular subject is discussed. The intern has to make a presentation at the end of the internship period and there is continuous assessment of the work done; the intern receives feedback on the completion of every assignment.

What do you think an intern should accomplish during an internship in order to get a “call back”?

Get people to notice your work! There are no two ways about it. Many people seem to think that it is the people you get work from that make the difference, be that as it may, it is important to note that even if you are given work from a junior associate and you manage to impress them and continue to do so, a recommendation may be in the pipeline. A ‘call back’ also depends on a little bit of luck- being in the right place at the right time, etc. For example, interning when there are a large group of interns considerably lowers your chances of getting noticed as the work load splits among all of you.

Did you learn any skills while interning? What are these skills and how did you acquire them?

One skill that most law students acquire while interning is time management. More often than not interns are given a strict deadline by which they need to submit their work and managing your time is very important.

How do you think one should go about writing a CV when they are applying for a job?

I don’t think I should be an authority on the format of a CV but from what I have picked up, while applying for internships one must ensure that you change your CV as per the type of firm you are applying to. For example if you are applying to a Tax law firm highlight the tax work you have done at your internships or a paper you published in tax law journal, etc. Besides that, be clear, precise and to the point in your CV.

How did you go about preparing for your interview?

I was fortunate enough to secure the PPO without an official interview as I had been thoroughly assessed at both my internships. But in general for an interview be it for a job or for an internship knowing all the work that you have mentioned in your CV is the most important thing.

Do the law firms usually provide the candidates with an option to work with the teams of their choice while recruiting?

I understand that most law firms ask the candidate their area of interest, but there is no guarantee that you will be put in the team of your choice. It normally depends on the need of the firm and the vacancies available in their teams.

Many law students strongly believes that getting a job at one of the top 3 law firms is mostly about securing a high GPA. Would you agree?

Having a high GPA is important, but it is not the be all and end all of securing a job at a tier 1 firm. I personally know of people who have been placed at these firms with just above average grades. Especially in the case of PPOs, it is the quality of the work that you do and that is more important than your GPA.

What would be your advice to the law students aspiring to secure a job at top law firms? What do they need to do, how should they prepare in the last 3 years of law school?

As someone who is fresh out of law school, I do not feel competent to answer this question, but I will do my best by telling you my personal experience. Being in a law school that is not considered a ‘top’ one and wishing to secure a job in a ‘top’ law firm is hard but it is possible and I have seen it happen. Ensuring that you intern at the right time and making a mark at your internships can do wonders to your morale as well as your chances of getting a job.

Follow her on LinkedIn: Smrithi Mariam Punnoose
May 14, 2014
Aishvary Vikram, Winner, BCI Moot, 2013, on being a 4th generation lawyer, his mooting experience, and plans for the future
Aishvary Vikram is a fifth year student of School of Law, KIIT University, specializing in comparative constitutional law. His team was adjudged the best team at the 29^th All India Inter University Moot Court Competition, 2013, where he bagged the award for best speaker. He has participated in seven moots at the state and national level.

In this interview he speaks to us about:
- How to start preparing for moots
- How to draft memos
- His internship experience
Why did you want to study law?

Law was never my first preference but ultimately it became my last choice. For a science student there have traditionally existed only two career choices after class 12, either engineering or medicine. Despite being the 4th generation in my family with a formal training in law, I never got the opportunity to see the law in motion. My great grandfather was a lawyer who later became an MLA but I never got to meet him; my grandfather was a judge but his death prevented me from benefiting from his experience once I had joined law school; my father studied law but never practiced it, so I never got a chance to see what the practice of law is. People usually study law to enter into practice seeing their parents or relatives, and later end up in law firms. Or they are inspired by great legal luminaries, or fictional characters such as Alan Shore or Danny Crane (From the Boston Legal TV series), or at best they want to serve society. This was however not to be my story. I gave the entrance exams for law due to my father’s continuous insistence. Not being able to get through CLAT, I appeared for KLSAT and joined KIIT.

What internships have you done so far? Did you receive any assistance regarding this from your college?

My track record with internships is really poor. Lost in my own ideology to learn from internships rather than collecting certificates, I have spent a lot of time at BHU, the Allahabad University and the faculty of law library for which certificates were however not provided. Nevertheless, I have done a total of seven internships. Out of these internships, one was under an NGO in my first year, two in a district court in my second year, two in High Courts in my third year, one under Prof. Faizan Mustaffa, Vice Chancellor of the NALSAR in my fourth year and the last under a senior advocate in the Hon’ble Supreme Court in my fifth year. The college has always provided us with great assistance in getting internships and now it has opened various programs to provide internships to the students in accordance with the fields they are interested in.

Which internship experiences will be right at the top and why?

I have very little to say about my internships due to my inexperience. I find myself an incompetent person in this regard. However, as a piece of advice I would like to say that I have always disliked the working style in law firms due to the non-participatory nature of work where one is only asked to find the law and given no opportunity to relate it to the facts. Sitting on a chair the whole day and finding material is like being Google, which has never interested me (this is my personal opinion and people reading this, are free to discard it).

Tell us about your mooting accomplishments.

The first page of the BCI moot chapter started with a phone call from my friends Nitesh Ranjan and Navneet Sahey. Both were in college and were planning to take part in the 29th BCI Moot court competition. Unfortunately their third team member Satyabratha Das was at home, planning to come a little late due to her internships. The 29th Bar Council Moot was something I never planned for. Really, being in the fifth year, people don’t do this moot at this stage. But no other team was ready to do this moot as our vacations had just ended and the date for the open challenge was not suitable. So we made a plan to do this moot just to pass a month, as very little was there to study and our friends were not back from their internships. After the problem was released, we realized that it is far more difficult to research. We had actually done many moots earlier, but for the first time we realized how tough it is to research for four moot problems in a month. We divided the four problem in three groups— Nitesh Ranjan, the lead researcher was to deal with the first problem with Neha Tripathi, an additional researcher provided by our college, Navneet Sahey was to deal with the second problem with Vikash Chandra Shukla, another additional researcher, and I was to deal with the third and the fourth problem. This is how our memorials were prepared. The biggest contribution to our success was from our friend, Abhinav Gupta, who not only assisted us in drafting but did the formatting of the moot memorials, even though he was the convener of the First KIIT Conference on Intellectual property rights and Bikash Shaw, who was always there with us online, downloading the cases even when we were in MITS giving our orals. This moot was more than a moot; it was a litmus test for the bond of friendship we have. Knowing the fact that only participants will get the certificate, our friends as our additional researchers were always with us. The moot experience in terms of orals was extremely good. The teams we faced were well prepared. In preliminary rounds we faced Christ Law College; in he quarters we faced BHU; in the semis we faced NLSIU and finally we faced NLU Bhopal. All the teams were excellent and well prepared. This success wouldn’t have been in our hand if our lead observer, Akshay Rajpurohit was not with us. From printing the compendium, compiling it to bringing snacks and cold drinks, he was always there with us.

What factors do you think contributed to this success?

My senses are too weak to see the whole picture of support and contributing factors towards my success. My words of appreciation about their contribution would be such a small description of their help that it will be an insult to the sources. Therefore, without specifically narrating all the assistance I got, I will generally thank my teachers and friends for always assisting me and my parents for always holding my hand.

What separates a great memo from an average memo?

I will give due credit to my law professors for this, as unlike traditional law universities, our professors have always prepared a course structure taking into consideration laws and practices of different countries to the extent that it doesn’t affect the basic structure. Specifically our Constitutional Law general and specialised papers conducted by Prof. Kumar Kartikeya has taken a further step by incorporating not only the foreign principles or case laws referred to by the Indian judges but has designed the structure in such a way so as to give us a short idea of the constitution in four countries, namely US, Australia, India and unwritten constitution in UK. Due to this comparative approach it was easier for us to research and find case laws and statutes in various countries. If one refers to our memorial, specifically the third and the fourth memorial, one would find foreign case laws and doctrine, which I failed to find in the memorials of other teams in the semi-finals and finals.

Speaking skills or knowledge of law, what is more important?

It is important to marry the two. The knowledge of law is like an armour which one may use to protect his case while, speaking skills are a spear to rupture the judges’ sarcasm and leave a long time impression on a judge’s mind.

When you get the problem, what is the first thing you would do?

Read it (I believe this satisfies this question literally), but on a purposeful note, one should read the problem until he is aware of the purpose of each and every single line. It may happen that a part of the problem may seem to be introduction, but later on one realises that even though the particular fact instigates no law finding but, is of peculiar importance to support the formulation of arguments or argues on the basis of the fact.

Share your formatting secrets.

A mooter must prepare multiple arguments amalgamating reason and logic. Prepare multiple arguments, so that you may never run out of options. Using rational and convincing arguments with the spirit of law is of utmost importance. Instead of quoting a number of case names or details of the cases and presenting a thesis, one must try to formulate reason, practical and theoretical as to why his argument must be accepted by the court. I have seen people whose memorials consist of hundreds of cases and thousands of authorities but lacks reason or logic. Merely taking a particular statement from various books without knowing the reason or its relevance is of no use. If one may cast a look on best memorials in international moots, one will find my observations true.

Why is mooting important?

Actually, I have not yet tasted the flavour of advocacy so I hardly know how it will contribute to my skills as a lawyer. Mooting has been an accident for me. When a colleague could not make it to a moot, my best buddies Vikash Shulka and Abhinash Barik approached me and convinced me to moot with them. So from the first year itself our mooting started and slowly it engulfed me in its charms and beauty. From first year till now, we have done a number of moots. The incentive to start off my mooting carrier goes to my friends but the continuation of this goes to my seniors and my parents who were always there to help me and always motivated me to carry this extra load.

What is your opinion on your intra-college mooting system?

The intra moot court system in our college is really good. Thanks to my friend Abhinash Barik, my teachers, Asst. Prof. Kasturi Bhagat and Asst. Prof. Kumar Kartikaya whose imaginative thinking has brought various changes to the system of mooting. There is no favouritism, nor can anyone dominate the moot court society and this includes the Director as well. The moot court competitions are divided into two segments, all national moots except the Bar Council of India and B.R Sahany moot are allotted according to the results of the intra moot court competition and the international moots and the two moots listed above, are open to open challenge. The transparency and student welfare is the fabric of our moot court society, which leaves me with no comments for improvement.

If I have never mooted in my life, but I want to, how should I get started?

Getting started is really simple as there is no competitive written exam which one needs to qualify to call oneself a mooter. Trying out for national or international moots is also mooting, but continuing the academic practice of mooting is very difficult, as there is always a tilt towards running away from the extra burden a student has conferred upon oneself. Every attempt may not bear a fruitful result and add to that, the extra burden of college good reputation which is a constant pressure for the team, which may bring efficiency but in many cases forbids creativity. One has to have a strong determination if he so intends to enter into the arena of mooting and use his creativity, as judges in various moot courts are not always looking for the case laws in support but the extent of artistry and understanding of law that has been put to the problem. Further, one thing must be really clear before one even attempts to call himself a mooter that mooting is not always among the equals, there is no Article 14 application here. It has always been between students irrespective of their institution, quality of teachers and extent of their support, the year in which one is, no consideration is given to these facts. The thing which every mooter possesses is the moot problem, the library and his creative mind which one has to solely amalgamate and, support of teacher may serve as a catalyst but can never be the basic foundation.

How important is the role of a researcher in a moot team vis-à-vis the speakers?

Well, in our team, all were researchers seven days prior to the moot and it is only after the preparation of the memorials that we decide who all will be the speakers. The role of speakers and researchers are equally important but I also feel that speakers have a slight edge above the researcher in oral presentations and in sharing the fame, if they so win a moot. There is no “I can do better or it’s not good for me” game in mooting, there is always “What is good for the team and who can better serve the team in orals.” It’s very rightly said that if one wants to travel faster he may run alone but if one wants to survive longer, walk with someone– try to apply this in mooting as well.

What message would you like to share with our readers?

My inexperience and little knowledge will to some extent make my views premature and short sighted but nevertheless, some of the things I learnt are:
1. In moots don’t go for law in the strict sense, always try to use creativity and imagination, don’t see the judgement but look behind the judgement and try to focus on jurisprudence than on case laws.
2. Prepare the brief and arguments and take notes of the judge’s name and para number to some extent, to show your level of preparation.
3. Try to formulate multiple arguments for the same proposition.
4. Avoid difficult words.
5. Show respect for the judges but no flattery.
6. Be confident and never emphasise on a wrong proposition for the sake of argument.
February 27, 2014
Aonkan Ghosh, student, GNLU, on bagging high profile internships, application procedures, and how to convert them into jobs
Aonkan Ghosh graduated in law from GNLU, batch of 2009. He has had a series of successful internships during his time an an undergraduate.

In this interview we talk to him about:
- Approaching the right firms for internship opportunities
- Trying to get a versatile internship experience
- Building contacts and converting internship opportunities into prospective jobs
What have been some of your internships so far?

Well, I have interned at JSA, Gurgaon, Luthra & Luthra, New Delhi, Kachwaha & partners, New Delhi and Wadia Ghandy, Bangalore.

What is the procedure to apply to these law firms?

In your junior years I would say, it’s more about luck and persistence but apart from that, I think you should apply to as many places as possible 4-6 months in advance, follow up in general by calling and sending them emails, so that they feel that you are really interested in interning with them and just hope to get an internship!

What was the kind of work allotted to you during your internships?

I have to say, these law firms have a lot of work and a bit of that chunk is allotted to interns. I have dealt with matters related to due diligence and private equity transactions. I was asked to make research notes and opinions on the aspects of company law. While interning in these top law firms, I even got exposed to indirect taxes and learnt a great deal about arbitration, especially at Kachwaha. I worked with the corporate team and the litigation team both, so I got a chance to experience both kinds of work. Through my internships I have developed a fondness for the subject!

How has your internship experience been?

The experience was really thrilling. I got to interact with a lot of people and I was lucky to learn a lot from the associates. In law school you read the law but while interning you get to apply it, so overall I got to learn more about law and its application from my internships.

What is the kind of work environment that you experienced in law firms?

The internships were an incredible experience. The partners and the associates were extremely hardworking. Interns are also given a lot of work which might not be interesting but at the same time you get to gather a lot of knowledge and I personally did not face much of a problem in working for long hours because a lot of us are used to pulling off all-nighters in law school.

What are the things an intern should keep in mind to get a call back?

Diligence at work is the most important thing. You can’t be afraid to take initiatives. As an intern you are allowed to make a few mistakes but at the same time you are expected not to repeat them. The conduct of an intern is expected to be highly professional because it is something which is strongly taken into consideration.

What do you think is important to convert a good internship into a job?

It usually takes more than an internship to secure a job at a particular law firm. For an intern it is extremely important to be patient and wait for the right time to come. Try getting exposed to as many practise areas as you can and not just one. Another important factor is that as an intern you have to be presentable. If you keep all these things in mind then I think you should keep your fingers crossed and hope for a job.

Which was the best law firm internship you have experienced?

Nothing in particular; as in I won’t single out any firm but I learnt a great deal from all my internships. The experience was very pleasing and I was amazed at the professional conduct of the law firms.

What do law firms consider the most while hiring?

The pre-requisites are usually display of good academic record, your ability to work hard, then… how well you can apply your mind to situations, your ability to grasp and your awareness of current legal issues.

Do the law firms usually provide the candidates with an option to work with the teams of their choice while recruiting?

Well… definitely they ask you about your preference but the final decision is with the firm. They hire as per their requirements. Usually the recruiters decide the department which they think would suit you the most, so that you can grow as a professional and succeed.

There is this general notion about AMSS being a GPA oriented firm. What is your take on that?

They do take your GPA into consideration like other law firms but apart from the GPA they take your resume into consideration as a whole. I personally think that this notion is misplaced because the interviews for the top law firms are very stringent and even your extra-curricular activities are taken into consideration!

What would be your advice to the law students who aspire to secure a job at top law firms?

I think that the aspirants should develop the habit of reading. It is very important to build a knowledge base because it helps a lot in the future and if it is done passionately, then you can push yourself to the limit. Hard work is something very important, whether it is an exam or an internship, so keeping these things in mind is essential to be best prepared for an opportunity.
October 7, 2013