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  • Sahil Yadav, Associate, Ladas and Parry, on IP Law, the New York Bar and working in the US

    Sahil Yadav, Associate, Ladas and Parry, on IP Law, the New York Bar and working in the US

    Sahil Yadav is a graduate in law from Symbiosis Law School, Pune, batch of 2010. After successful stints with Ranjan Narula Associates, IP Gurus, and Sujata Chaudhri IP Attorneys,  he went on to pursue his Master’s degree in Law, Science and Technology. He is an intellectual property lawyer with over five years of experience in trademark and copyright law in India. Since August, 2016, he has also been working with an intellectual property boutique law firm in New York. He is currently Associate at Ladas and Parry, LPP.

    In this interview we speak to him about:

    • Finding his passion in IP Law
    • Clearing the New York Bar, getting a work permit and working in the US
    • The importance of writing consistently

    Kindly tell us something about your school and college days.

    I was schooled at Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram and I pursued the commerce stream although I was always passionate about computing and technology. At Symbiosis Law School, when I first started, I honestly wasn’t sure what kind of a lawyer I wanted to be. That indecisiveness led me to explore internships with various firms to see what piqued my interested. The turning point in my life was an internship at Anand and Anand in my second year of law school as I grew an instant connection with trademark and copyright law there. I never looked back and continued gaining more experience at IP law firms and I would say that was the most important aspect of my law school life.

     

    Tell us something about your summer school experience in University of New Hampshire Law School (formerly Franklin Pierce Law Center).

    The summer school at Franklin Pierce Law Center was a great experience. I applied for the one month program when I was in the fourth year of law school because by that time I had decided that I want a career in intellectual property law. For information, it is possible to apply for the course on the University of New Hampshire’s website by filling an application, preparing a statement of motivation and submitting your transcripts. It is quite competitive because it only lets in, on an average, around 30 students every year.

    The summer school was very flexible and I could complete up to three courses of my liking in over a month. It helped me get a taste of western education and learn about intellectual property laws around the world. At the time, my law school did not have any international and comparative courses on intellectual property law and I believe taking such courses at the summer school definitely gave me a competitive edge in terms of having a basic idea of international laws.

    Apart from the actual studying, the summer school is always great to make connections and networks even before your career has started. A testament to that is the fact that I went on to be hired by an alumni of Franklin Pierce Law Center and later by one of the adjunct professors at the summer school!

     

    What according to you should be an indicator in deciding one’s area of practice post-graduation?

    Based on my personal experiences, I would recommend law students today to intern as much as they can in different types of practices. Law school in India is very different from actual practice and if one tries gaining practical experiences in different settings, one is bound to stumble upon that eureka moment when one knows where their passion lies.

    Having said that, while passion is definitely the most important factor, I would also recommend law students to speak as much as they can to alumni to gauge which areas of practice are hot and which are not. The popularity and earning potential in practice areas varies over the years so as a law student, you want to be sure you’re getting into something that would not only fuel your passion but also match your financial and growth based objectives.

     

    Can you tell us about your internship experience?

    Internships have had an integral role to play in my career. I can’t stress enough how important they are. At the outset, it helped me in honing in on the area of law I was passionate for. Additionally, because I had completed sixteen internships by the time I graduated, I felt I was up to speed with the practical aspects when I started my first job after law school. I felt that my learning curve was more inclined and I was able to excel at what I did initially. I had varied experiences with different law firms. While some were outstanding, some, not so much. The internship programs at some law firms are frustrating as they only entail clerical work which does not aid in enhancing learning while at others you get to work almost at the level of an associate. It is important for law students to research on internship programs at various law firms and read reviews posted by fellow students online before committing to an internship so that it can meet their expectations.

     

    When did you know that you wanted to pursue IP Law?

    To be honest, up until my second year I was still not very certain of which area of law captured my imagination. This was until my first internship at an IP boutique law firm. I remember working on a trademark case involving the Power Rangers, a Disney property. Being a childhood Power Rangers fan, the idea of protecting the brand from counterfeit merchandise was very exciting. It also made me realize that I have a marketing bent and from then on, I focused on trademark law. This just goes to show that the moment you decide which area of law you want to focus on can sneak up on you without you knowing or planning for it!

     

    Do you think that it is important for law students to intern at various law firms in various fields of law?

    This is not a very complicated question to answer. In an ideal world, I would advise law students to experiment as much as they can to dabble in as many different areas of law as possible in the first two year of law school. Hopefully by then, you will have zeroed in on the area of law you want to specialize in. Once you have that, it makes a lot of sense to focus on that practice area and spend the last two years of your law school in an attempt to gain as much practical experience as possible. As someone who has sat in on interviews to hire freshers right out of law school for an IP boutique that I worked for, I can tell you that it is very comforting to see on a CV that the candidate has focused on IP in his or her final few years of law school. The legal environment nowadays is competitive and you need practical experience to gain an edge in the hiring process. Another important pointer for law students is not to go for big names when it comes to internships and focus on workplaces where they will be able to obtain actual practical knowledge. IP as a fraternity in India is a small one and I can say with confidence that firms look for practical experience more than big names on your CV.

     

    Please share with our readers your experience of working at various IPR boutique firms.

    I started my career with IP Gurus, a small sized IP boutique which was eventually acquired by Anand and Anand. This stint holds a dear place in my heart. I had just graduated from law school and after months of struggle, I was hired by the firm on a retainer of INR 16,000 a month. I was unhappy with the remuneration I was being offered and felt like I had been a failure. All that quickly evaporated as I was thrown into the deep end. Three months into my career, I was asked to prepare the first lawsuit on protection of a trade dress in product configuration. The firm was only five people strong and the one year at IP Gurus exposed me to so much in terms of practical experience, I had a new found confidence in my abilities.

    I then moved to Ranjan Narula Associates which is a bigger law firm. This meant that although I handled a lot of matters, life was easier and the hours were more manageable. After a whirlwind of late nights and working weekends in IP Gurus, I thought this was what I wanted. But I quickly realized that I thrive in a more fast-paced environment.

    I moved back to IP Gurus when I heard that an ex-professor from the United States had moved back to India to head IP Gurus. I was given more responsibility and managed the trademark contentious team at the firm. The long hours were back and I couldn’t be happier feeling valued in the organization.

    I eventually moved with my ex-professor to set up her law firm, Sujat Chaudhri IP Attorneys, when IP Gurus was acquired by Anand and Anand. I had similar roles and responsibilities at the new firm but I was part of the process of setting up an entirely new law firm which was exciting and an experience not a lot of people can get at a young age. From choosing office space to deciding what IT systems and docketing software to use to build clients, I learnt how to do it all. After over a year of working with SCIP, I decided to head abroad for my masters degree.

     

    You have worked on the landmark case dealing with the protection of product configuration of the Rubik’s Cube. How would you describe your experience working on it?

    The landmark judgment in this case was recently delivered by the Delhi High Court, six years after I had drafted and filed the suit as a 21-years old right out of law school! It was partially in our favour so I’m excited for my ex-firm!

    It was the experience that defined my career as a lawyer, honestly. As previously mentioned, I was only three months into my career hoping to learn more basic things like trademark filings when I was entrusted with this matter because the only senior associate handling litigation had left without notice. It was my own little sink-or-swim moment. The matter was complicated as it was the first of its kind in India and there were no precedents or authorities to guide me under the Indian law.

    This was an opportunity for me to research on trade dress laws of many different countries to find precedents to support our positions. I had taken international comparative trademark law classes as part of a summer school in the US but this research was still the toughest thing I had ever done. In law school, all our legal research had been limited to Indian case law and this got me out of my comfort zone. It also exposed me to briefing senior counsel at a very young age and all of these experiences combined shaped my career.

     

    What prompted you to pursue post-graduation?

    IP Law and technology are more connected than people think! I always had a passion for technology. I completed a course in C++ as a twelve year old boy outside of school! I chose law, science and technology as my area for a post-graduation as I knew that the course would allow me to hone my already-existing skills in IP law and learn new skills in other upcoming technology law related areas. With the world moving towards artificial intelligence and big data, it is important for IP lawyers to keep abreast of this seismic shift. The course gave me exactly what I needed. I was able to take courses in my core strengths such as trademark and copyright allow. In addition, I also got to learn about very current and hot issues such as artificial intelligence, big data, net neutrality, internet of things, autonomous vehicles, etc.

     

    Is it true that one needs a Master’s degree, preferably from a foreign university, to land a job?

    I wouldn’t say a graduate degree is not enough to land a job in India. Based on personal experiences, I would urge law students to work for a few years before they make plans to study further and gain a masters’ degree. Once you’ve been in practice for a few years, you learn your strengths and weaknesses and know what you want to focus on. If you’re in that kind of a situation, a masters’ degree can be much more beneficial as you go into it with clear goals. If you go for a masters’ degree right after graduation, you’re bound to waste a lot of time dabbling in different things during your masters’ degree to find your niche or identify your goals. That is not what a masters’ degree is for. I don’t think a masters’ degree without any practical experience is that lucrative in India for employers. On the other hand, solid practical experience with a masters’ degree focused on your area of expertise can do wonders for your marketability.

     

    As an experienced lawyer in the field of IPR law in India, do you think that this field will expand/grow in the near future?

    Yes, of course. IP law in India is growing at an exponential rate! When I started working seven years ago, I always felt that Indian companies do not invest in IP as much as foreign companies do. While it is still true, the gap is narrowing. Indian companies are realizing the worth and important of IP to their business and this coupled with a concerted push by the government to make securing IP rights in India easier under the new National IPR Policy, makes me confident that IP in India will continue to grow and become more important in the next five years.

    In terms of the job market, I feel it has become very competitive and crowded. The supply of IP professionals far outweighs the demand. If law students choose this path, they could find themselves battling against a rough start. But as soon as they have some experience, they will find that the profession is very rewarding with multiple opportunities available.

    Practical experience is the single most important factor in landing a job in an IP boutique law firm. I would urge law students to intern with as many IP firms as they can.

    Additionally, I would advise that they look to take additional IP related courses outside their law school. This demonstrates a candidate’s commitment to IP law. The course offered by the World Intellectual Property Organization is an excellent example. They are inexpensive and can be completed from home.

    Tell us about the scholarship you secured at Stanford.

    (While pursuing his Masters at Stanford Law School Sahil participated at INTA’s Annual Saul Lefkowitz Memorial Moot Court Competition and won the annual INTA student scholarship.)

    I represented Stanford Law School at INTA’s Annual Saul Lefkowitz Memorial Moot Court Competition. What’s special about this competition is that it is the only moot court competition which solely focuses on trademark law. I encourage any law student who comes to the US to pursue a masters’ degree to participate in this event. Considering that you will be one of very few Indians in the competition, it is a nice way to pit yourselves against American law students on American trademark law. It gives you a taste of practicing trademark law in the United States and also tells you whether you are in shape to handle it.

    I did also win the annual INTA student scholarship as part of which I was flown to Orlando to attend INTA’s annual meeting. Before going into the scholarship program, I urge all law students interested in IP law to purchase a student membership to INTA. It is very inexpensive and opens up a lot of doors in terms of learning and networking opportunities. As for the scholarship, it is open to INTA student members and it is a brilliant way to get to attend the annual meeting which is usually out of reach of law students because it is held mostly outside India. The scholarship gave me a great opportunity to learn and network and also made me more marketable. As someone who has managed hiring, I can tell you that scholarships such as these on a candidate’s CV demonstrate a strong interest in IP law which is very desirable for a recruiter.

    Tell us about your experience working in the US.

    (Sahil passed the New York Bar Exam in July, 2016, and is currently working for Ladas and Larry, LLP.)

    The New York Bar Exam was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I don’t know what the difficulty level of the Indian Bar Exam is currently, but based on my experience of taking the Indian bar in 2010 and the New York bar in 2016, I can safely say that the New York bar is much tougher to clear. Although this can be a daunting thought, the flipside is that the more difficult an exam is to pass, the more prestigious it is and the more rewards it brings.

    The big difference between the Indian Bar Exam and the New York Bar exam apart from the difficulty level is the fact that the Indian Bar Exam only has objective type questions while the New York Bar Exam has objective type questions in addition to essay questions and practical exercises.

    My advice to law students planning to take the bar exam would be to start very early. You can start playing with the materials and acquainting yourselves with the forma, etc. even one year before you are scheduled to take the bar. Further, I would advise that law students take one of the bar review courses offered by BARBRI, Kaplan or Themis and start studying part-time four to five months in advance with the last two months being full-time study.

    I feel that Indian law students have an advantage with the New York bar exam. A lot of Americans struggle with the bar exam because law schools in the US do not focus on memorization and all of a sudden, when the bar exam comes around, they have to memorize astonishing volumes of material. We, on the other hand, have grown up memorizing material all throughout school and law school. Although this may be identified as a weakness in the Indian legal education system, it works in our favor in this specific context.

    Working in the United States is very different. There are fewer procedural inefficiencies in the legal system which allows lawyers to spend more time lawyering and less time dealing with government offices and courts to get things done. It is a refreshing change and one I’m enjoying. It is also much more financially rewarding compared to working in this field in India. Also, working in India in the IP field largely entails working on Indian law. Working in an international law firm exposes you to matters in jurisdictions around the world. In the short time I’ve been here, I have already handled matters in more than twenty different countries!

     

    Tell us about your interest in blogging.

    (Sahil has contributed to the World Trade Mark Review and is the co-editor of IP blog ipslate.com.)

    Blogging is a habit I inculcated very early on in my career. There was no specific moment that spurred me to do it. It was just me following valuable advice of more-experienced lawyers.

    Blogging serves three purposes for law students. First, in order to blog regularly, you research on current events and keep yourself abreast of all of the latest developments. Second, by writing more articles you make sure that you are constantly evolving your writing skills which is an integral part of being an IP lawyer. Finally, your blogs gaining visibility increases your marketability.

    What advice do you want to give to students and freshers who are planning to visit US for pursuing their Masters program?

    Obtaining a work visa in the United States is an uphill battle. A lot of law students come to the United States to become US qualified attorneys and work here only to get a rude shock when they put in all the effort and money to complete a master’s degree and pass the New York bar to find out they can’t stay in the country.

    My advice to law students would be to comprehensively research on the probability and possibility of obtaining a visa in the United States before deciding to come to the United States for a masters’ degree if they are interested in working here. You should walk into it with open eyes! Also, the key thing to obtain a job and a visa here is to start to work towards it early in your masters’ degree and network as much as you can in addition to exploiting the usual channels such as job postings, careers services office of your law school, etc.  Eventually, even if you manage to overcome all of these obstacles, whether you get a visa or not is still dependent on a random pick of the lottery so one should always be open to exploring other countries and not have all their eggs in one basket.

     

    Where do you want to see yourself ten years from now?

    I have modest goals! I want to see myself happy and doing what I love ten years from now.

     

    What final piece of advice do you want to pass on to law school aspirants, law students and freshers?

    I just want to take this opportunity to tell all of the law school aspirants out there that you have chosen a very well-respected field. With globalization set to affect the Indian legal industry in the next few years, it is an exciting time to be a lawyer in India. Don’t be afraid to think big, work hard, get as much exposure as you can and you will all eventually achieve what you set out to. If someone would have told me I would be a US-qualified lawyer living my dream when I had passed out from law school and started working for INR 16,000 per month, I wouldn’t have believed them! Anything is possible. If you need any guidance related to IP law as a career or becoming a US-qualified attorney, please feel free to reach out at sahily@alumni.stanford.edu and I will be happy to help.

     

  • Abhijit Mittal, Co-founder, ADAZ Law Chambers, on starting independent practice, being a first generation lawyer and his experience in litigation

    Abhijit Mittal, Co-founder, ADAZ Law Chambers, on starting independent practice, being a first generation lawyer and his experience in litigation

    Abhijit Mittal is a graduate from Symbiosis Law School, Pune, batch of 2011. Post Law School, he worked with Mr. Sanjay Jain, Senior Advocate, who is now the Additional Solicitor General of India at the Delhi High Court. Thereafter, he worked at  MNK Law Offices under the guidance of Ms. Anuradha Mukherjee and Mr. Gyanendra Kumar.  After his stint with Mr. Jain and MNK, he decided to take the plunge and start an independent practice, which is when he co-founded ADAZ Law Chambers with his long-time friend and now partner, Mr. Dhruv Rohatgi.

    In this interview we speak to him about:

     

    • Striking a balance between academics and extracurricular interests
    • His diverse and prolific internship experience
    • Starting his independent practice

     

    Kindly tell us something about your college days.

    I pursued the five year BBA LL.B programme where in addition to law subjects (Corporate laws, Civil Laws, Criminal Laws, Procedural Laws, etc.), we were also taught subjects like Business environment & Ethical Practices, Strategic Management and Human Resource Management. While the above management subjects were taught for the first two to three years, the law subjects took the forefront in the fourth and fifth year of the programme. Symbiosis Law School is a fine institution that emphasizes not just on the theoretical aspect of law, but also on the practical aspects of it. It offers various co-curricular and extracurricular activities and I was fortunate enough to be a part of many such activities, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The legal aid, clinical legal and research cells are examples of such cells from where I learnt how to extend help to those who could not afford proper legal aid.  The various initiatives taken by my college not only provided me with the opportunity to showcase my talent, but have also, to a great extent, helped shape my future in the profession. In addition to studies and co-curricular, extra-curricular activities are also given their due. During my college days, I managed my time in a way that I could participate in various sporting events. In fact, I was a part of the college cricket and football team and I represented my college in various inter college tournaments and competitions.   Apart from the life in and around law school, Pune has a lot to offer. Since there are a lot of colleges in and around the city, Pune never seemed dull and was vibrant all day. In my opinion it is one of the best cities in India to enjoy your college life as it strikes the right balance between life inside and outside of a college. After all, there is a reason why Pune is also referred to as Oxford of the east.

     

    How important do you think CGPA is in shaping a lawyer’s career, especially as a litigator?

    While I was in college, we did not have the CGPA system. We only had a set of external exams every semester and there was no concept of compulsory internships or assignments to be undertaken. Our batch was the last batch that passed out from Symbiosis Law School without the CGPA system. However, over the years, I have discussed the CGPA system with a couple of my juniors and interns and upon my interaction with them, I have gathered that CGPA is a good concept. This is because CGPA keeps the learner engrossed throughout five years and emphasizes on practical knowledge that is going beyond the textbooks and instils the habit preparing presentations, research papers and undertake compulsory internships amongst others. Thus, in my opinion, the CGPA approach enables the learner to get a better approach towards the profession, empowers one to think out of the box, prepare the students to step out of their comfort zone in the initial years and gain more practical knowledge alongside theoretical knowledge, which would definitely be a boon in shaping ones career not only as a litigator but otherwise as well.

     

    What do you think matters more; in-depth study or studying to perform well at exams?

    I believe it’s a mix of both.  Aiming to excel at exams would ensure that the learner passes with favorable grades and qualifies for placements and/or further studies. However, anybody who wants to sustain and excel in his/her professional career, will require an in-depth knowledge of the subject. This is where I believe the CGPA system comes into the picture and plays an important role in shaping one’s career.

     

    How important do you think co-curricular or extracurricular activities are in shaping an individual’s career?

    (Abhijit has represented his college in various cricket tournaments.)

    I have been a sports enthusiast all my life. I was a member of the football and cricket teams in school.  Even in college, I was a member of the cricket team which won various laurels for the college at different levels. I believe that being a part of any extra-curricular activity or co-curricular activity plays a very important role in imbibing certain lessons of life in an individual which a textbook simply can’t teach. It teaches an individual how to work in a team cohesively, to handle tough situations which builds in temperament and the ability to manage different things at one time, thereby improving the ability of an individual to multitask and manage time.  Being involved in sports ensures that these facets seamlessly blend into ones character and these are some characteristics which are necessary irrespective of the fact whether you are an independent litigator or working with a firm or in-house.

     

    When did the litigation bug bit you?

    I took up law as a career only because I wanted to be a litigator. I’ve known that I have been cut out for litigation since the time I decided to pursue law as a career. I have always been a very outgoing person and have never shied away from public speaking or conversing with people on any topic.  Which is why my father always told me that law as a profession would probably be ideal for me. Therefore, for me litigation was never just an option but the only choice.

    I believe that a litigator must possess what I call the ‘three Ps’, i.e. poise, perseverance and patience. These three qualities, along with dedication and diligence would make one a well-equipped and successful litigator.

     

    Please tell us about your internship experience?

    (Abhijit has undertaken as many as ten internships during his time at law school, a feat very few students have managed to accomplish.)

    As a student, I always looked forward to semester breaks as I was always very enthusiastic about interning and getting to know what practicing law is really like. This is why I always tried to make optimum utilization of each and every break.  Working as an intern not only helped me get an insight into the practical aspects of law, but also helped me get in touch with and socialize with many of my seniors in the profession, which I always believed would be of great help and assistance and it indeed was.

    I had the privilege of working under Mr. Sanjay Jain, Senior Advocate, very early in my career.  Thanks to his guidance, I was able to steer myself well in the profession.  My first three internships were under him and he took a keen interest in teaching me how to conduct myself in meetings and how to proceed with a case once you open the file. Thereafter, I interned in trial courts which was a totally different ball game altogether. My trial court experience taught me the importance of a trial in a proceeding. The entire stage of conducting evidence and cross examination strengthened my will to become a litigator.

    In the last two years of my college, when we were introduced to IPR as a subject, I developed interest in the subject and since I had already had my share of interning at the High Court and trial courts, I wanted to experience what it was like to do an internship at a firm. Since I had never worked at a firm before, I wanted to intern for the sake of understanding how a firm works and what it takes to be law firm lawyer. Also, during my interactions with briefing counsels in Mr. Jain’s office, I gauged that law firms usually prefer interns from senior batches and that is when they are given good work, taken seriously and evaluated properly.  Hence, it is in my final year that I decided to do two internships with Anand and Anand and K&S.  My internships at these firms taught me to be disciplined in my approach and also taught me why it is important to have a regimented approach.

    My varied internship experience was of great help.  In fact, since I was so used to the environment at the high court and trial courts in Delhi, that by the end of five years when I finally joined as a lawyer, I found it very easy to blend into the space which I created over my five years of internship and I did not feel like just another fish in a new pond.

     

    How will you describe your experience of working as junior lawyer under Senior Advocate Sanjay Jain and as an associate at MNK Law Offices, New Delhi?

    (Mr. Sanjay Jain is currently the Additional Solicitor General, Delhi High Court.)

    My experience at both the places has been wonderful and enriching, to the say the least.  I started my career working under Mr. Sanjay Jain, Sr. Advocate.  His office is very different. He as a boss ensured that all his juniors were up to date with the files. As a matter of principle, the files were called from the briefing advocates a day in advance and the juniors were asked to prepare case notes and do their own research on the issues involved. Another benefit that I derived by working under a senior advocate was that it did not restrict me to a specific field of law but exposed me to several areas of law, very early in my career. The only drawback was that of not having the opportunity to argue in courts, which is why, after extremely enriching initial years with Mr Jain, I moved to MNK law Offices.   After Mr. Jain as a mentor and guide, I consider myself lucky to be nurtured by Ms. Anuradha Mukherjee and Mr. Gyanendra Kumar.  At MNK, I was entrusted with a lot of varied drafting work and was also given the opportunity to argue matters in courts and tribunals. It is at MNK that I learnt the very vital tact of dealing with clients personally, which in my opinion, is of prime importance. It helped oil my engines well in court and provided me with all that I was looking for.  MNK provided me with a lot of intellectual freedom and my seniors had a lot of belief in me, which was a great confidence booster. Working under Mr. Jain and then MNK built the right platform to launch myself independently and if given another chance I would not have it any other way.

     

    You have also been part of many government panels as legal counsel. Kindly tell us about your work profile and experience there.

    After starting my own firm, I was fortunate enough to be a part of a few government panels in the Delhi High Court such as NDMC, AIIMS, Union of India, to name a few. Being part of government panel is not an easy task.  As a matter of practice, the matters reach you around evening and in most cases the matters are listed the very next day.  One has to study the file through the evening and prepare for hearing the next day. What is interesting and challenging at the same time is that you would be in court the whole day and not know what is going to hit you, when you finally get a call from the respective panel litigation section in the evening. Having panel work keeps one on their toes constantly but it also provides an opportunity to learn about a new subject, new statute and a new branch of law on a daily basis. Furthermore, on numerous occasions, there is an MNC or a business conglomerate on the opposite side challenging one or the other actions/notifications of the government and it is not uncommon for them to engage the best senior counsels in the country. Being pitted right opposite these counsels is in itself a thrilling and challenging proposition. Therefore, I believe that being on a Government Panel brings out the best in a lawyer.

     

    How much importance did you give to the suggestions offered by peers and seniors?

    I am of the opinion that in this profession it is very important to be guided by the expertise and experience of your seniors and as stated above, I have been fortunate enough to have that kind of guidance and support from my seniors.  Since this profession is very vast, entailing many intricate procedures to be followed and these procedures changing with the drop of a hat, the suggestions and guidance of not only your seniors but your peers are of great significance. Having said that, I also feel that one should always evaluate the suggestions and/or opinions before blindly following them and also rely on one’s gut every now and then.

    What prompted you to start a law firm of your own?

    (Abhijit’s law firm ADAZ Law firm was nominated at the IDEX Legal Awards in the category of best startup law firm of the year 2015-2016)

    I got into this profession with the vision of being an independent practitioner one day. After having gathered experience of both, a senior counsel office and a law firm, I realized that given the vastness of this profession and the numerous forums to be covered, in today’s time, it is extremely tough to have an independent practice, especially if you are a first generation lawyer. I also gathered from my initial practice years that the client (whether an MNC or medium to small business setups) is looking for a one stop shop, for all  sorts of legal queries.  Accordingly, I decided to establish a firm setup, which would serve both the purposes, i.e. being independent and at the same time would be worthwhile of teaming up with like-minded professionals enabling us to scale our practice areas.  Accordingly, I teamed with Mr. Dhruv Rohatgi, who brings varied set of skills on the table, enabling the both of us to work in tandem.

    Thereafter, in just eight months since its inception, we were nominated for the best startup law firm in India by IDEX legal awards, 2015-16. Even though we did not win the award, it made us believe that we are on the right track and if keep moving ahead, we would definitely be able to carve a niche for ourselves in this profession.

     

    How will you describe your experience working for the firm you have co-founded?

    The experience of having your own setup is a mixed bag of emotions. It is sometimes exciting, challenging, rewarding and can sometimes get demoralizing too. Each day brings with it a new opportunity and a new challenge. However, slowly and steadily, we have been successful in providing quality output to our clients and with almost a year and a half into the game, we have become wiser in our decision making and seem to be heading in the right direction.  As of now, we have a simple plan to stay focused, consolidate and strengthen our existing core practice areas which is dispute resolution (litigation & arbitration). We do, however, intend to widen our scope and venture into the corporate space in the coming months.

     

    How will you describe your journey from being a law student/legal intern to an associate to the owner of the firm?

    Well, after having spent more than five years in this profession I have realized that even though it is not an easy task to make your mark in this profession, especially as a first generation lawyer, however, it is not impossible to do so. I believe that even if one is a first generation lawyer, it is very important to be determined and focused from the beginning of law school and have able guidance and support from your seniors and your family. I was fortunate enough to have able support and guidance from not only my family but also my seniors Mr. Jain, Ms. Mukherjee and Mr. Kumar, who believed in me, at all times. I also strongly feel that if one keeps a professional approach and is determined to make it somewhere, this profession has enough space for everyone, provided one is extremely focused and has the hunger to grab on every opportunity one gets.

    My journey from a law student to an associate to a co-owner of the firm has nothing been less than a roller coaster ride, it has been interesting and challenging at the same time and continues to be.

    What does it take to start a law firm?

    I am of the opinion that for starting any kind of business, whether it is a law firm or anything else, having the drive and passion to do what you want and to believe in yourself is of prime importance.  Furthermore, it is very important to have the ability to understand and be prepared for the fact that there are going be failures at some stage or the other (lots of them probably).  The key is to not get bogged down by such failures, but to get up and fight it out.

    It is an established fact that a professional’s life is mostly busy and also that’s the way it should be. However, at the same time it is imperative to strike the right balance between one’s personal and professional life.  Come what may, I make sure that I hit the gym whenever possible and on weekends, I ensure that I play cricket as well as soccer, but never at the cost of work.

     

    What final piece of advice do you want to pass on to our readers?

    Well, just to keep it straight and simple, I would like to quote Bob Dylan and this is something, I always tell our juniors and interns, “What’s money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do.”
    I feel that this encapsulates everything.  Of course, money is important and the fuel of life. But if an individual does what he or she wants to, he or she will do it to the best of their ability and eventually get the due recognition and reward for it, in whichever form it may be.

     

  • Shobhit Agrawal, Legal Manager, Mahindra World City, on being an avid negotiator, his experience thus far, and the secret to his professional accomplishments

    Shobhit Agrawal, Legal Manager, Mahindra World City, on being an avid negotiator, his experience thus far, and the secret to his professional accomplishments

    Shobhit Agrawal graduated from Gujarat National Law University, batch of 2011. Being an avid participant of negotiation competitions, Shobhit has represented his university at various national and international platforms. During his time as an undergraduate, he has interned with Wadia Ghandy & Co., Paras Kuhad & Associates and Economic Laws Practice firm. After his successful stint as Associate, Corporate Affairs at Porsche, Shobhit is currently Manager of Legal Affairs at Mahindra World City. His role entails drafting, vetting, reviewing, summarizing contracts, tenders, agreements, work orders, financial agreements, Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs), lease deeds, letter of intent, sale deeds, non-disclosure agreements and various other agreements.

    In this interview we talk to him about:

    • Representing his university at numerous international competitions
    • Preferring negotiation competitions to moot court arguments
    • His experience as Legal Manager

    How would you like to introduce yourself? Tell us a bit about your co-curricular interests during college life.

    I am an introvert. But owing to the nature of my profession, there has been a change. However, I continue to remain the same person at the core. During my college days, since it was a five year course, the first year went unnoticed as I took a bit of time to get myself accustomed to the demands of the college. But in my second year I made it a point to do something good for myself as an intellectual. I wrote an essay for the very first time in my life for Manupatra in its Essay Writing Competition and got 4th prize at a National Level which boosted my confidence and then there was no looking back. There were critics who said it was merely a stroke of luck, but it was this criticism that pushed me harder.

     

    Please share your experience at Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar. Why do you prefer negotiation competitions to moot court competitions?

    Ours was the third batch of the college and was therefore in a very nascent stage, so things were developing slowly and steadily. In my college there were some social pressures which made mooting necessary. So initially I participated keeping this core philosophy in my mind & also since it was mandatory, but I realized very soon that it’s not the correct approach so I changed my thinking. I failed at my first two attempts, but eventually succeeded on my third. I was then viewed as a promising candidate, but after participating in a National Moot and getting the best researcher award and third best mooter, I realised that it is not that interesting. The verdict depends completely upon the judge or the presiding officer and you cannot be yourself when you present your case. So I tried for a negotiation competition which is more lively and spontaneous and tests your capability to the highest degree. I got to know about the Negotiation Competition, applied for the same, got assistance from my senior and mentor and cleared various rounds as a team nationally and internationally.

    That success triggered a new path and boosted my confidence. It was a constant effort and choice which I made over moot court–which I continue to have great appreciation for–but I still feel that the amount of poise, charm, enthusiasm which is there in a negotiation or arbitration is not often seen in a moot court. It’s my personal opinion and I love arbitration, negotiation more than the moot court.

     

    ­­­­­­­­

    What motivated you to pursue law?

    Well, I am from a science background and was about to join a premier engineering college in Bangalore thanks to good rank in AIEEE. But at that time, I also gave law universities exams and luckily got selected. So there were two options to choose between and I chose law as I felt like it would help me engage with society is a more insightful manner. I come from a family of engineers, so I was also tempted to venture into something new.

     

    Tell us about the significance of pursuing diploma courses.

    It is indeed important to increase your knowledge and for professionals, it is imperative to be updated as in your professional life. You don’t get enough time so these diploma courses give you an insight about the nuances of law and give you an extra mileage and bite over others. It helps groom your personality and also adds value to your CV.

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

    It’s a common question which is asked and I have a very simple view on this. For any profession, the one most imperative attribute to have is honesty. If you are honest to your work and are dedicated towards the organization you are in, you will definitely come out victorious. To be a manager, the most important thing is to understand the psyche of your team and to make them comfortable. So, it’s important to have a caring attitude towards your team and have a mixed blend of flexibility and firmness. It is alright even if you are no very well versed with the technicalities. Knowledge will definitely come in provided you have opened the window so basically. You just need to keep an open mind and manage your team well. A healthy mind and a pat on someone’s back can do great wonders. So it’s basically an affable attribute which you need to carry with yourself and try to give your team the respect which they truly deserve and then 90 out of 100 times, it will fall in your way.

     

    What is the secret to your professional accomplishments?

    (Shobhit has received the “Rising Star” trophy from the top management at Mahindra and received various “Champ of the Month” awards)

    Well, it’s basically some hard work, meeting deadlines and tying up loose ends which had helped. It’s a proven fact that when you try hard honestly and give your best, the management also looks at it positively and gives appreciation which can form as a monthly Champ Certificate or a “Rising Star” trophy. The simple mantra is that you either perform or perish. Performance will only come when you do the work sincerely and diligently without making a fuss of situations or excuses.

    What was your experience like as an Associate at Shreyans Group?  

    As an associate with Shreyans group, it was completely a different feel all together as it was my first job, there was a lot to learn and a lot to do. As it was a core company in the automotive sector, my work varied from resolving disputes regarding consumers, custom matters etc. But in Mahindra, I was aware of the sector and its rich values so I tried constantly to be a part of the family in a more subtle manner and I assume I  achieved it too. At Shreyans, I had the luxury of doing work on customs, meeting influential and renowned people as organization dealt with cars like Porsche, Ferrari, Lomborghini etc. But in Mahindra it was a different story all together due to different stream and the area. Here it’s more of drafting agreements, discussions on company policies, lease deeds, labour matters, land matters, company matters etc. and has its own challenge. But I need to be honest that the amount of love and respect which I have received at Mahindra was not the same in my first job. Maybe because I was new and still trying hard to understand the requirements of the job.

     

    Could you educate our readers about the significance of learning to draft in law schools and writing research papers?

    It’s an important exercise and one has to devote time to it. It is a key skill wherever you go, whether you join a law firm, work as an in-house, NGO or join academics. Writing research papers is more of an art, I would say, as it’s not just cut and copy but its more about understanding the subject matter and interpreting it in your own way, while also checking for plagiarism. Understanding the subject matter as a whole is the key and once it’s there, other things do take their own course naturally.

     

    Tell us about the experience of representing the country at various international competitions.

    (Shobhit was part of the delegation from the Prime Minister’s office which represented India at the International Negotiable Forum as a team member and the youngest coach in Copenhagen, Denmark)

     It was a moment of great pride. It is exciting, but one must also tread with great caution. It was the competition of a lifetime and I need to mention here that I got the support of all with whom I have interacted. Initially, as I mentioned earlier, people thought that was a fluke but when we again went and did spectacular work, it was answered and the air was cleared. I need to thank my team members who supported me unconditionally. It’s an experience I will cherish till eternity.

     

     

    Please give our readers some tips regarding picking the right courses, interning at the right places and activities to undertake to build their CV?

    Let me answer this part by part:

    About picking the right courses – There will be a lot of conflicting advice and opinions from various quarters. Focus on your strengths, interests and made an informed decision.

    Interning at the right places – Before you aspire to work for the higher courts, start with the lower courts. Starting at the grassroots level gives you a hands-on understanding of the law and how justice is dispensed. Lower courts will teach you the basics, which you can later use to your benefit at higher levels of the judiciary, or at law firms.

    Activities to build CV – First and foremost, academics is very important. Focus on research papers, moot courts, negotiations (if you have an interest), attend conferences, seminars and learn. The more you learn the better it will be.

    Keep working hard and never give up. Law is a noble vocation as one gets to serve society. Never deter from giving it your best and you shall succeed.

     

    Lastly, what would be your message to our readers who are mainly young lawyers and law students who wish to build a career in negotiations?

    Regrets are the worst. Whatever you do, give it your best and be honest to yourself. Negotiation is challenging, tricky but interesting. Focus on discussions by which you can increase your listening ability, be a patient listener, try to understand the psyche of a person, try to get hold of his mental state, try to understand his query, his problems and then device a win-win situation which caters to both parties’ needs and aspirations.

    In law colleges, you get various opportunities to do negotiations, arbitrations at an internship level, attend conferences where you can be in a panel discussion, attend seminars, be in policy making body as lawyer etc. These are some random ways you can get hold of the system and its core demands. It’s more about understanding the individual and once the meeting of minds is there, more chances are in your favour.

     

  • Sambhav Ranka, Partner, IC Legal, on his experience, studying in London, and dealing in M&A

    Sambhav Ranka, Partner, IC Legal, on his experience, studying in London, and dealing in M&A

    Sambhav Ranka is a graduate from ILS Law College, Pune, batch of 2005. He subsequently went on to pursue his Master’s degree in Law from Queen Mary, University of London, with a focus on international corporate and commercial laws. Since then he has worked at Morgan Walker Solicitors, LLP and Nithish Desai Associates. He is currently Partner at IC Legal, Advocates & Solicitors and heads the M&A, Private Equity and Venture Capital practice at the firm.

    In this interview we speak to him about:

    • Being a third generation lawyer
    • His diverse work experience
    • Challenges in the field of Mergers and Acquisitions

     

    How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?

    I come from a family that has been part of the legal industry for generations now. I too am in the legal profession, but by my own choice, not because it is an evident conclusion. I believe that I belong to a generation, which has broken free from the past practices of following the footsteps of the family profession/business and ours is the generation that has started the practice of having the right to decide the career path of interest and choice. I say this as I had all the liberty to choose a different career path. However, the glory and passion towards the legal field brought me where I am today.

     

    What motivated you to pursue law?

    My grandfather is a Senior Advocate, Rajasthan High Court. My father is a Judge, Jaipur Bench, Rajasthan High Court and my brother is a counsel. Growing among legal professionals all my life, legal articulation was in my genes and vision. Besides this, meeting and interacting with legal luminaries and legends all throughout my childhood and being in awe of their wisdom, solidity and art of exhibition, I was always inspired to imbibe the same.

     

    Share with us your experiences as a law student at ILS, Pune.

    ILS Law College laid the ideal foundation for me to join the noble profession of law. The best experiences at ILS Law College were the times invested in the extracurricular activities and looking beyond hard-core academics, which led to a holistic development. All my classmates were from different geographies (even beyond India) which further expanded our horizons. Needless to say, the faculty has always done above and beyond to help us out. Participation in various competitions, events and simultaneous internships at different fora aided in shaping the legal professional in me.

     

    How did you develop the skills necessary for academic writing?

    The best way to build up the skills for academic writing is by doing ample reading, and more importantly, reading the right content. As lawyers, our profession is anyway built around reading legislations, commentaries, articles, orders, etc. At times, it is helpful to read content that is not related to the legal profession. For example, I make sure that I find time to read the opinion pages from the NY Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and the like. In addition to building vocabulary, such write-ups help in opening the horizon of thoughts and imagination. This helps a lot whenever I try to author any article or write-up myself, as the devil is in the detail.

    In my early days, I was advised about two principles that I believe and follow: 1) Never feel shy in raising any query, whether to a senior, in a meeting or even at a public gathering. No question is stupid. Effective solutions can be arrived at only by questioning everything. Also, not clarifying the fundamentals will make you more susceptible to making bigger mistakes in the future. 2) There is no end to learning, knowledge and education. Even legends in the legal profession (and even beyond) would agree to this. The extent of knowledge that is out there to learn and grasp is enormous, so, it is up to you to capture as much as possible. Among others, these principles have helped me in developing my drafting skills in the legal profession as well as to author articles, etc.

     

    Tell us about life after college.

    Immediately after college, I pursued my LLM from University of London, U.K. in International Corporate and Commercial Laws and soon thereafter, I was lucky to get into a city based law firm in London called Morgan Walker Solicitors, LLP. The firm had Indian partners and had adequate Indian clientele and work, which I was exposed to. I handled all forms of client work possible, including litigation, corporate, consultancy, etc., which helped me in identifying my interest areas to a great extent. I had a stint of close to a year and a half at the firm in London. This period was immensely important to identify where my interests lie and what areas of law I wish to delve into deeper.

    I started with the London firm as an intern and pursuant to that, the partners were confident to take me on board for a full time position. I have felt that work experience in any form brings in a lot of different perspective than what we typically see or think as a student. Having done my internships at different forums has been tremendously helpful to me to understand the sophisticated work atmosphere that revolves around in a law firm, a chamber or beyond.

    Tell us about your work experience at Nishith Desai Associates.

    NDA has been remarkable in building the foundation years of my legal career. The foremost importance that has been given at NDA is continuing education for the firm members. Everything else in developing an individual concentrated around this principle. Among other practice areas, my initial focus at NDA was in the alternative investment fund space and I gained experience in setting up onshore and offshore funds. Over time, I developed interest in transactional practice and got involved in M&A and private equity investments space. The first three to four years at NDA were focused mostly on two aspects- strengthening the legal and technical knowledge and developing control on different laws relevant to the practice areas, and developing and enhancing the drafting skills for drafting agreements, memorandums, legal opinions, etc.

     

    What prompted you to pursue an LLM  from the University of London?

    The twofold advantages of pursuing LLM are the in-depth and comparative knowledge that you attain in your area of interest, and the exposure that you gain by learning alongside with students from across the world. These were precisely the reasons for me to pursue higher education and with the recognition that the University of London has, among other top institutions globally, clubbed with the experience of living in the city of London made my decision easier. The common legal system prevalent in India and the United Kingdom made it easy for me to understand the legal processes and hierarchies of the UK legal system. Further, as many key Indian legislatures date back to the British era, the basic tenets of legislations in both the jurisdictions are very similar. Courtesy my LLM, today I have friends in the legal fraternity from all over the world and I have had the privilege of working with quite a few of them in the past years.

    What has your experience of working at ICL been like?

    IC Legal is a young, vibrant and a growing firm compared to many other established firms in India. Two years since I joined them, the firm has grown to almost three times in terms of head count. This speaks of the growth trajectory that we are witnessing here. The firm currently is close to 40 lawyers with seven partners and the team composition is mostly young people. Most of the senior team members have had experiences with leading firms and thus the collective experience ensures that we deliver top quality work to our clients and generate value for them. My other partners at IC Legal are likeminded and we make a great team and passionately enjoy the work that we are doing.

     

    What are the most challenging parts of being a partner at a law firm? How do you manage to maintain a work-life balance?

    Partnership is all about multi-tasking, and doing all such multiple tasks in the best way possible. As for responsibility, one needs to keep an eye on several aspects in addition to client facing and client deliverables. Business development, firm administration, personnel management, marketing pitches, knowledge management, etc. are some of the regular coups one has to go through.

    Balancing oneself between the professional and personal life is of utmost importance. It does get strenuous at times in the legal profession; however, balancing it with the personal and family time is absolutely critical to bring fresh perspectives to things. Importantly, we all strive to start the day early so that we get off also early and get time with family. It is also important to take off for rejuvenating holidays at regular intervals. Separately, we also do regular firm lunches/dinners, firm weekend outings and annual firm offsite so that there is no overrun of professional life over the personal life.

     

    What does a typical day of work at ICL look like? What are your roles and responsibilities as Partner at IC Legal?

    There is no fun in doing something unless you passionately enjoy doing it. This has been the mantra for us at IC Legal. We enjoy the work that we all are undertaking. This means also having a bit of fun and laugh during the working hours. Unlike most of the other law firms, we try to keep a light atmosphere at the work place. Cracking jokes, talking movies, discussing sports, etc. keeps us going all throughout the day. However, this does not call for any form of sacrifice to the client work and the respective roles and responsibilities of the firm members.

    Other than developing my own practice area and team, it is important for me to ensure that we are trying to do a holistic development of all the firm members. The objective is to make everyone a better professional and evolve them into swiftly undertaking work under different hats. We try to work from a perspective that everyone in the team should have a basic knowledge of all the practice areas and the related laws and regulations and at the same time one should be an expert in his/her own practice area and knows all the complexities surrounding it. People management, speaking at conferences, practice area development, firm management, administrative concerns, etc. are some of the key roles and responsibilities that I jointly oversee at IC Legal.

     

    How does one develop an aptitude for a portfolio as diverse as yours?

    We have believed that it is important to develop a sector or industry knowledge for legal experts. Nowadays, clients engage us for not only legal acumen, but also for the strategic inputs and industry familiarity that we are able to contribute. In addition to legal expertise if we generate value for the clients by advising them on additional considerations keeping in mind their specific industry, it goes a long way in cementing the relationship. To develop the knowledge pool for different industries, we regularly keep ourselves abreast with all the latest developments, trends, issues, considerations, etc. affecting different industries so that we can devise innovative solutions and implant such knowledge in our work.

     

    What are the challenges you face as a lawyer dealing with contentious areas like cross border investments and M&A?

    Cross-border transactions are mostly a complex interplay between laws and regulations of multiple jurisdictions. As an Indian qualified lawyer, we are supposed to be well acquainted with the Indian laws; however, at times, certain transactions require you to analyse and ascertain the best possible solution keeping in mind the laws of other jurisdictions. It then becomes necessary to work closely with attorneys of other jurisdictions on such transactions. The other challenge that at times is faced is with respect to the numerous legal and corporate compliances that the clients have to undertake to ensure that the transaction complies with all the laws and regulations. Given the cumbersome requirements under the Companies Act and the Rules thereunder in addition to the various requirements under FEMA and the regulations thereunder, it becomes challenging to ensure that nothing is missed out from a compliance standpoint. Thus, one needs to keep an eye on the smallest of considerations involved and at the same time keep a solution-oriented approach to achieve efficient outcomes.

    What would be your parting message to our readers?

    First and foremost, it is imperative to know the basics and to make the foundation strong. I have always believed that the initial four to five years in our profession should be dedicated towards building the legal and technical knowledge. Second, concentrate in developing the drafting skills. As a lawyer, drafting agreements, petitions, memorandums, legal opinions, etc. are vital. Capturing the essence accurately is the key. Third, in the initial years of practice, be open to experiencing multiple practice areas and undertake variety of work, until you identify where your interest lies. And, fourth, have patience in whatever you select as your career path. Dedication and hard work will pay off at the opportune time.

     

  • Prantika Sengupta, Legal Executive, Coastal Marine, on Maritime Law, studying in Singapore and working pro-bono

    Prantika Sengupta, Legal Executive, Coastal Marine, on Maritime Law, studying in Singapore and working pro-bono

    Prantika Sengupta is a graduate from Symbiosis Law School, batch of 2011. She then went on to pursue her Master’s degree in Maritime Law from the National University of Singapore, with a focus on Admiralty Law, Carriage of Goods by Sea, Conflict of Laws, International Commercial Arbitration, Maritime Law, International Regulation of Shipping,  Maritime Insurance, Charterparties, Contemporary Indian Legal System and Comparative Tort Reform. Since then, she has served as Legal Officer at Global Law Alliance LLC, and is currently Legal Executive at Coastal Marine Pte. Ltd.

    In this interview she speaks to us about:

    • Being a first generation lawyer
    • The difference between universities in India and universities abroad
    • The importance of pro-bono work

     

    Tell us something about your school and college days.

    I graduated from La Martiniere for Girls, Kolkata which is one of the most prestigious schools in Kolkata. Being from La Martiniere, there was always a huge pressure to excel. However, I wasn’t the most motivated or competitive kid around. I was the happy-go-lucky kind and took life as it came. My grades weren’t the best and neither did I make any effort to participate in school activities. I would be considered as the average kid, who sometimes got into trouble for talking in class. The best part of school was that I made some great friends and most of them inspired me to do well in various ways. By the time I was graduating from school, I did pretty well in my ISC exams and I became more motivated and focused, ready and excited to study law.

    Any Symbiosis Law School student will tell you that college days were pure fun. The first few months were the honeymoon phase with new friends, new environment, new culture, new curriculum and a new approach to life. Only after the initial six months does one realize that it’s not all fun and games, as you suddenly hit the wall called semester exams. Unsurprisingly, I did poorly. It really stressed me out. I thought I was finished and no law firm would offer me a job. However, my dad who is from IIT told me that it was not a big deal and that I could get where I want to in life if I worked hard. After that, I started putting in diligent hours into my studies and maintained consistently decent results. I tried my best to attend lectures diligently at 7:30am and was never part of the TNG list. Surprisingly, I became that person whose notes were distributed amongst batch mates before exams. Rest of the time, it was a joyride through college days.

     

    What motivated you to pursue law?

    I took up law for an amalgamation of several disjointed and funny reasons. For most of us, when you graduate from school, it’s impossible to know what you really want to do. For me, I knew what I didn’t want to do. I was always very poor in math and science, so there was no way I would pursue a career in anything related to these two subjects. At the same time, I was greatly influenced by one of my school teachers who perceived life in a unique way and somehow I was inspired (maybe even in a naive way) to work towards the greater good and well-being of society. So my option was to study law and pursue a career in human rights. Moreover, given that my father, who has a huge influence in my life preferred that I pursue a professional career, law seemed to be the best-suited option. Also, I am notorious in my family for being the argumentative kind so even my family agreed that law seemed to be the most apt option for me. So I happily pursued it and managed to secure a seat in Symbiosis Law School.

     

    How do you think law school has shaped your personality?

    Honestly, we are too young during our first three years in law school. It’s only from the fourth or fifth year that one realizes that the party is almost over and we will be out of our protected bubble soon, thrown in the real world. Everybody starts realizing the importance of securing a good job. Some of us decide to pursue a career at a law firm for the big bucks, some decide to join some serious litigation practice with a minimal stipend and then there is a bunch of us who believe in human rights related work. So yes, I do think law school plays a role in shaping one’s career but it’s not the law school or the professor’s advice that makes the difference. It is you who has to pick the right legal line which interests you. It is more of a self-awareness that comes from interning and interacting with peers.

     

    How important is it to engage in extracurricular activities?

    (Prantika has been very active in extracurricular activities while in college. She won first prize in the Symbiosis International University Intra-university Sports Meet, she represented the swimming team of Symbiosis Law School Pune, was a participant and fund-raiser for Help Age India activities, nominated member of Student Council of Symbiosis Law School, Pune, student coordinator of Placement Cell, Symbiosis Law School, Pune. Apart from this she has participated in a number of debates, stage-plays, elocution and recitation competitions)

    I was too shy to moot which in retrospect was a bad idea. Mooting is crucial. It helps the young lawyers form an idea of how to prepare arguments and submissions for hearings. Isn’t that the most important quality of a lawyer? I strongly advice every young lawyer out there to moot as much as is possible.

    I was involved instead in a lot of extra-curricular activities such as swimming for the Symbiosis Law School team, working for the Placement cell, Student Council, working for the annual fest and also participating in other college fests. Being actively involved in college events and activities helps one develop their personality and makes one more outgoing. In a way, the exposure helps in building ones confidence level and self-esteem, teaches you to accept and work on long term commitments and most importantly makes your CV look good. As they say, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.

    Tell us about your internship experience.

    (Prantika has interned at firms dealing with financial and commercial law, as well as marine law, both India and abroad. Prantika has interned at Global Law Alliance LLC Singapore, Hill Dickinson LLP Singapore and Bose & Mitra & Co. among various internships she did.

    Initially I did the usual Amarchand – Barucha internship in the corporate sector. I interned at Amarchand, Kolkata, at the end of my first semester. That time, the Amarchand office had just been set up in Kolkata. There was plenty of work and I was lucky as an intern to get quite a few assignments, which were mainly research work. The topics for research seemed like Greek to me and basically I didn’t understand anything then. But over my internship period, I learnt new things and sharpened my research skills because the young associates and senior associates brimming with life, experience and enthusiasm took the time to teach me the fundamentals. I went back to interning at Amarchand in my third year again because my first experience was very good.

    I interned every time during semester breaks because I enjoyed the learning experience. I interned at various other places but another memorable experience was at Bharucha and Partners in Mumbai during my third year. Initially they slotted me in the corporate department. I didn’t enjoy the corporate work at all because I found it dry, researching on boring topics related to banks and company law. So I transferred to the litigation department and that was when I realised that my calling was definitely not corporate law. I was lucky to have done some amazing work there.

    I enjoy reading and writing, so drafting legal submissions and long letters seemed more challenging. I was also intrigued with maritime law which is not a subject offered in the course work in law schools. So I interned at Bose & Mitra, which was a great experience. The maritime laws and admiralty practice is a different ball game altogether. My internship at Bose & Mitra made me realise that I wanted some more experience in the maritime industry. That is why I opted to study Maritime Law as my specialization for my Masters’ degree.

    Once I was in NUS, Singapore I continued to intern during semester breaks instead of going back home. Since I was already pursuing maritime law, it was only appropriate to pursue an internship in maritime law. Interning at an international renowned law firm like Hill Dickinson gave me the much needed exposure in terms of the kind of practical work involved in the shipping industry. Hill Dickinson has a huge client base of the most renowned shipping companies. Thus, dealing with various shipping matters was a great experience.

    The turning point was my internship at Global Law Alliance LLC-Litigation Department in Singapore where I eventually secured full time employment as a Legal Officer. I was given lots of independence to deal with matters on my own and was basically thrown into the deep end to swim through and manage work. Given that it is a litigation firm, I had to learn the Singapore Civil Procedure on my own to understand and manage the work.

     

    Can you take us through the application procedure to law firms in Singapore?

    I have been one of the lucky few who managed to secure a job right after completing LLM from NUS with no prior work experience. There is no special or different way of applying for jobs in Singapore. My advice for those interested to work here would be to apply if they (a)are settled in Singapore or (b)have pursued an LLM degree from Singapore. From my experience it seems that the recruiters usually prefer to hire only those who are residing in Singapore. Why I suggest pursuing LLM degree from Singapore is because one can intern during their semester breaks and gain some Singapore experience that can be added on to their CV. However, it is not usually easy for a non-Singaporean to secure a job in Singapore because of government policies that encourage employers to hire a Singaporean first.

     

    Can you describe your experience studying in Singapore?

    My experience as an LLM student at NUS has been tough, challenging and exhilarating. It was nothing like my LLB days at Symbiosis. The course work was hardcore, difficult and mature. The classes were three hours each in the form of seminars and interactive sessions, not like teaching a chapter a day. The best part of the curriculum was that the professors interacted with the students (both LLB and LLM) as adults accepting their points of view. The professors were approachable at any time of the day and the general vibe of the law campus was more educational. The students were competitive which was both a positive and a negative quality. The exams held, during my time, were 24 hours take home exams where the question paper would be released online. The questions were scenario based and it was up to the student to tackle the problem and give their answer in the form of a solution to the question within 24 hours. For me, this sort of question pattern was a new experience all together and surprisingly I did well because I had the liberty to tackle the question problem in my own way.

     

    How do you think are universities abroad different from those back home?

    Like I mentioned earlier, the vibe in NUS was always studious. The focus was always on studies and extra-curricular activities first and then entertainment. It is not like the students were always studying but they definitely spent more time in the library than the canteen. This is unlike a scenario in Symbiosis at least where students are usually found chilling with their cup of tea at NCC canteen. But at the end of the day, a Symbiosis student and an NUS student will do well and go ahead in life. While the course work is probably similar, the method of teaching is different. But then again, I don’t believe in comparing both the systems because ultimately those graduating from Indian universities are doing just fine.

     

    What other than Maritime Law is your area of expertise?

    I am thankful to Global Law Alliance LLC for giving me the opportunity to practice different fields of law. Medical negligence cases were one field I dealt with extensively. After dealing with so many types of medical negligence cases, I think this is one upcoming subject and very interesting. Law students may consider exploring the option of pursuing a career in this field. Besides Medical negligence, I dealt with lots of insurance work and workman’s compensation act. Dealing with migrant worker’s work injury cases was a real eye opener.

    Now I am back to corporate law mainly drafting and reviewing the various contracts such as Bareboat Charter Agreements, Sale and Purchase Agreements, Non-Disclosure Agreements, Protocol of Technical Acceptance, Reservation Agreements, Commission Agreements, Shipbuilding Contracts Joint Ventures, Collaboration Agreements (and many more).

     

    How must one go about choosing their university to pursue their Master’s degree?

    If you wish to pursue not just an LLM degree but also a career in that foreign country, it is important that you choose a country for your LLM wisely. The factors that one needs to take into consideration are the (a) country of choice for LLM (b) the LLM subject (c) ranking of the University in the country of choice (d) option of securing a job in that country of choice. For example, if one wants to be in the U.S. then it is important that you do your research on the NY Bar, the universities that are good in the coursework which you want to pursue, and whether there are placement options. Even if the University doesn’t offer placement options, at least you can pursue internships and get a fair understanding of the places you can apply to.

     

    How would you describe your volunteering experience at TWC2?

    I cannot begin to stress on the importance of young lawyers taking up some pro-bono work that is close to your heart. Even in my busy schedule, I have taken out some time to volunteer at TWC2 in Singapore. TWC2 works on a number of different fronts, ranging from engaging with policy makers to frontline assistance for migrant workers in need. I volunteer in providing social work assistance and advocacy to the migrant workers in need of some help and advice. I provide answers to workers who are in need of advice and prefer face-to-face meetings as they are mostly not aware of their legal rights. Like me there are other volunteers who can help explain to them what recourse they have given their situation.

    It was during the time I represented insurance companies in claims of migrant workers for work injury cases the I was made aware of their plight. Earlier I considered these migrant workers only as plaintiff or knew their name by file numbers. But since I have been interacting with them, I realised how tough life can be and serving these helpless migrant workers or even making 1% difference in their lives, makes me feel a lot more accomplished.

     

    How important is pro-bono work?

    Pro-bono work can provide early opportunities for substantial, meaningful and direct interaction with your clients and provides young litigators the opportunity to develop skills through experiences that would not be available to them from paid work and gives independence and allows you to think of the solution independently. And most importantly, it provides you with self-satisfaction that you have done something meaningful and made a difference in some one’s life, isn’t that the main job of a lawyer?

     

    How do professional body memberships help lawyers?

    (Prantika is a member of West Bengal Bar Council India and Singapore Institute of Arbitrators)

    Being a member of various professional bodies helps in networking and often these places hold seminars and conferences on a burning and live legal issue. Attending those seminars and conferences helps one stay unto date with the latest that is going on in the legal fraternity.

     

    Can you tell us about your experience at Coastal Marine Pte. Ltd.?

    Since Global Law Alliance was my first job right after internship with them, Global Law will always have a special place in my heart. That is the place where I learnt to be a professional, learnt how to handle clients, draft legal papers and basically learnt to become a lawyer. The firm’s directors treated me as their child who they moulded into an argumentative confident lawyer. Then with their blessings, I moved on to being an In-house lawyer because the working hours of an in-house lawyer are better than a law firm lawyer (so I have been told).

    My experience at Coastal Marine since has been an experience where I am learning new things each day. It is a team of four lawyers and we basically do everything under the sun for the company-be it drafting of crucial legal contracts and agreements or simple letters to parties. The highlight of this job is that I get to travel on work. The travelling schedule is very heavy and I usually have to travel every two months to different countries in South East Asia to negotiate contracts with potential partners/buyers or sellers. I am presently giving this interview from Mexico. There is a lot of independence given to you to work.

    I have also always been extremely lucky to have great colleagues who are helpful with no politics involved. My colleagues are also my dear friends.

    Prantika with the team at Coastal Marine

     

     

     

     

    How do you manage to strike the work-life balance?

    The key to have a work-life balance is to know how to manage your own time. In my initial career years, I had no control over my time and I was basically always in office trying to get my to do list done and by the time I would be back home late night, I wouldn’t have the energy to get my house chores done and laundry kept piling up. But after a point, once you reach a certain level in your job and have more control on your files, it’s easier to get things in control and have a good work life balance.

     

    Any final word of advice to our young readers?

    To all the young lawyers, don’t fret! This is your time. Enjoy law school while it lasts because these five years will be the best five years of your life before life hits you. Everything falls in place so chill if you don’t secure that perfect grade or that perfect pre-placement offer, or in fact the perfect job, Things will eventually work out the way you want them to. Don’t be impatient. Time management is the key to success and once you have that in control you will be sorted. If you follow these rules then your life as a lawyer will be sorted. (All this free advice comes from personal experience.)

     

  • Nitika Mehra, Associate Manager, Jindal Stainless Steel, on litigation, corporate law and work-life balance

    Nitika Mehra, Associate Manager, Jindal Stainless Steel, on litigation, corporate law and work-life balance

    Nitika Mehra graduated from Symbiosis Law School, batch of 2010. Since then she has worked at D.K. Sharma and Co. and HCL Infosystems Ltd. She is currently Associate Manager at Jindal Stainless Steel. Her role involves reviewing , drafting and negotiating varied contracts such as Service Agreements, Authorized Service Provider Agreements, Procurement Agreements, Reseller and Distribution Agreements, Software License Agreements, End User License Agreement, Transport and logistic Agreements, Annual Maintenance Contract and Warranty Agreements, Teaming Agreements, Agreement CUM Orders, among others.

    In this interview we speak to her about:

    • Transitioning from litigation to corporate law
    • Striking a balance between work and home
    • Her plans for the future

     

    How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?

    “In search of knowledge it all began and found refuge in finding always something new, till the time came for me to realize that the true wisdom is only known to a few.”

    I am a very ordinary human being trying to appreciate the extraordinary in all of us, reaching out each day to live life like a dreamer, a lawyer, a girl, a woman and most importantly, a good human being.

     

    Tell us a little about your time in Symbiosis Law School.

    My time at Symbiosis was enthralling. It helped me shape my personality and gave me a broader perspective on life. At Symbiosis I met some great people who very quickly became my friends and are very much like family today.

     

    Are there any lawyers in your family?

    I come from a business family, I am a first generation lawyer.

    What sort of activities did you participate in while in law school? Were they mainly academic in nature?

    Symbiosis Law School is not a college where one would learn from the text books alone, but also through the co-curricular activities. I took part in debates, story writing competition, Model United Nations Assembly, essay writing competitions, throw ball competition etc. My batch mates and I started a legal aid cell called “Kilkari” to help underprivileged children and took part in a workshop in OSHE (Occupational Safety, health, environment science).

     

    What field of law are you most interested in?

    I am interested in Corporate Law. After approximately two years of litigation, I wanted to try corporate. To me corporate was a better match for my personality and what I wanted out of my career. Transactional work appealed to me as I was attracted to its complexity, and I felt that the skills and knowledge I would acquire were more tangible. I realised that corporate law is a vast field with its own niche, providing an individual flexibility to choose from the sub fields one wants to excel in.

     

    Talk to us about the transition from student to working professional.

    The transition from a student to working professional was very different and initially difficult as well. From being a graduate to being entrusted with responsibilities of cases such as civil as well as criminal was a challenge. However, it was not an impossible task. With the right amount of effort, hard work and a positive attitude one can achieve a lot. It did not take me much time to realise that the practical is very different from the theoretical taught to us and with the amount of reading one needs to do as a lawyer, they are always on their toes.

    As a student one starts off with limited knowledge and understanding however as you grow and years pass one develops the understanding of their field of practice. Since I have litigated in the formative years of my profession, I have a better understanding of the contracts as well. While negotiating or drafting, I am well aware of the actual practice and the repercussions of the clauses in case of litigation. Thus it makes it easier to foresee the consequences of a clause in a future dispute.

    What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

    A typical day would be a mix of reviewing and drafting contracts along with negotiations with respect to the contracts. Support to the cross functional teams in understanding the transaction from legal point of view as well as everyday advice/responses on the queries of the business. Apart from this my profile also involves apprising the external advocate on the cases, reviewing the plaints/submissions/ written statements and other legal documents drafted by the external counsels, actively involved in briefing the senior counsels, as well as court visits.

     

    If you weren’t in the legal field, what other profession do you think you would have taken up?

    If I were not a lawyer, I would be a life coach or a business woman. Coming from a business family, I was intrigued by the fact that law played the basis or an important part of almost all professions. Before starting any new venture or expanding the already existing one, one needs to check the legal modality of that venture. Upon my interaction with the existing lawyers at that time, I realised that in the coming years an effective legal department will prove to be the backbone of a company, as well as help in risk mitigation.

     

    Why did you switch from litigation to matters pertaining more to contracts and companies?

    I am a person who believes in hard work but I also believe in work-life balance. During my time in litigation I realised that it was difficult for me to balance my hobbies while litigating. Even though my professional life was booming, my personal life had taken a backseat and I was not able to devote much time to it. Hence I decided to choose an in-house counsel over litigating counsel. As an in-house counsel along with the reviewing, drafting and negotiating contracts I get to engage the services of an external counsel who litigates in the matters with respect to the company I am associated with. An in-house counsel is an interface between the company and an external counsel, which pretty much keeps you in touch with the litigation (only with respect to the company though).  One is also required to review the legal documents drafted by the external counsels, however, in some firms the legal documents are drafted by their in-house counsel itself.

     

    In your opinion, what are the skills and qualities that have helped you reach where you are?

    A combination of certain skill sets are required to excel as an in-house counsel such as the ability to see things from the business perspective, strategise and anticipate risks for the company, strong communication skills as one needs to connect to a variety of audiences, from external stakeholders to the heads of different departments or colleagues from other functions. Also, there is a need to communicate complex legal terms in layman terms, as well as explain legal concepts and limitations relevant to the tasks at hand.

     

    What are some goals that you’ve set for yourself in the professional sense?

    The professional goals that I have set in for myself are to expand my domain further by enhancing my knowledge on laws of other countries and take part in international negotiations.

    On the personal front I do a little charitable work such as educating people of their rights, donating blankets etc., however, I would like to provide a platform to the destitute to learn and display skill based knowledge and help them in attaining employment.

    Where do you see yourself in five years?

    In five years I see myself starting something of my own wherein I would be able to give back to the society and provide employment to people.

     

    Is there any message you would like to leave for our readers?

    Your career will be over before you know it. What do you want it to look like in twenty years? 30 years?  Do you want to be known as a person of integrity, a person who keeps his/her word? A person who follows through? Please ask these questions before making any decision, figure out your ultimate goal.

     

  • Anas Tanwir Siddiqui, Advocate, Supreme Court, on enabling access to justice, heading the Legal Aid Committee, and practising in the Supreme Court

    Anas Tanwir Siddiqui, Advocate, Supreme Court, on enabling access to justice, heading the Legal Aid Committee, and practising in the Supreme Court

    Anas Tanwir Siddiqui graduated in law from RMLNLU, Lucknow, batch of 2012. He has since then served as Convener to the Legal Aid Committee, working in areas of free legal aid, RTI, infocracy, child rights, consumer protection, juvenile justice, etc. He is currently advocate at the Supreme Court of India, with over four years of litigation experience. A first generation lawyer, Siddiqui believes that enabling access to the legal system lies at the core of his practice. He has also just begun independent practice.

    In this interview we speak to him about:

    • Deciding to pursue law despite family pressuring otherwise
    • His life, curriculum and extracurricular engagements in RMLNLU
    • His tremendous contribution to the Legal Aid Committee, and setting up a paralegal system of assistance in his university
    • His belief that at the core of litigation lies the intention to enable access to justice for all

     

    What would you like to say to our readers in the manner of an introduction of yourself?

    I am just a struggling lawyer who has faced and is still facing all the struggles that a young lawyer faces during his initial days.

     

    What inspired you to take up law? Did you have to deal with any resistance from family or friends while making that decision?

    Law was never really my first career choice. As any other teenager, I was pressurized into taking science at 10+2 level. So I also opted for PCB and as a natural progression I appeared for medical entrances, couple of which I miraculously cracked as well. However, I was never really interested in becoming a doctor. My family, especially my mother and my uncles, were really supportive, although my father had his apprehensions. The main idea behind opting for law as a career choice was that it gave me the freedom to read and know everything. A law student is never limited to reading law only. Law as a course satisfied my intellectual craving.

     

    Tell us about your life as a law student at RMNLU.

    Life in RMLNLU was more fun than work. I was never a studious student. However, law school gave me a platform which shaped my personality. When I entered law school there wasn’t much “law school culture”. As we were the second batch and the admissions were not through CLAT back then, the law school culture was absent. There wasn’t any mooting culture or any co-curricular activities. I had resolved from the very first day in RMLNLU that I will utilise every opportunity that this place provides. Much credit goes to La Martiniere Boys’ College, Lucknow, also for giving me the confidence to take initiatives. So with time things got streamlined and RMLNLU was a strong force among the law schools. We were fortunate to have some really good faculty like Prof. A.P. Singh, Prof. K.A. Pandey, Prof. Manwendra Tiwari, etc. The then Vice Chancellor Prof. Balraj Chauhan was also very supportive of the students. We started participating in mooting activity without much guidance. We learnt from our mistakes. In a nutshell, the life at RMLNLU gave me the confidence to lead and be vocal about my opinion.

     

    What are the causes you feel strongly about? How have you used you legal expertise in working towards them?

    So when I was forced by my father to leave Lucknow and practice in the Supreme Court, he asked me to be a means for the poor to access the highest court of justice. He told me that I should never say no to a brief just because the client cannot afford to pay fees. I myself having been involved with the free legal aid movement felt strongly about the same. So today most of the cases I fight are for those who generally don’t have the resources to access the justice system. I frequently represent the people declared as foreigners by Foreigners Tribunal in Assam. I also feel very strongly about the arbitrariness of government or its failure to control the fringe elements hell bent on destroying secularism in our country. Same is my view about the nepotism that is prevalent in the judiciary even though I myself belong to the same fraternity. So in this regard I have filed, strategized and appeared for causes pertaining to the same.

     

    Throughout your time at college you have enjoyed authoring essays and papers. How did you find an affinity for legal writing? How do those skills help you in your career today?

    The affinity for legal writing stems mainly from my interest in literature. I read a lot and a natural progression of reading a lot, is writing. Honestly, most of the essays and papers authored by me were more because of the pressure from a friend or for building up a strong resume. So the skills that I developed in law school now help me in drafting. Before becoming independent I have worked with three Advocates On record. The major part of the job profile while working as a junior to an AoR is drafting and this is where my prior experience of legal writing came in handy. Also, before writing any article or essay one needs to think a lot on the issue along with researching, these two skills are very important while drafting an SLP or Writ.

     

    You have participated and placed in several MUNs, moots and held several organizational positions during your time at law school. What did you learn from these activities?

    Mooting taught me to think like a lawyer and it took out the fear of public speaking or appearing before courts. In moots as well as in courts, you need to have spontaneity, an ability that developed due to my participation in moots and MUNs. I was lucky that I got the opportunity to appear before the Supreme Court in my initial days and I was not hesitant about arguing a matter anywhere. As far as holding organisational positions is concerned, I learnt leadership as well as being a team player from the same. The underlining factor of my participation in different committees was the idea of giving back to the institute. Any educational institution is known by its students and it was just a duty upon us to take RMLNLU forward and create a brand.

     

    What do you think the present status of legal aid is in India?

    (Anas has served as convener to the Legal Aid Committee for three years, working in areas of free legal aid, RTI, infocracy, child rights, consumer protection, juvenile justice, etc. )

    Last evening I had a chance to watch the video directed by Prakash Jha promoting legal aid in the country. NALSA is reinventing itself and is doing a great job. Having said that, it is very disturbing that most Indians even today don’t have access to justice. People are scared of going to courts or dealing with lawyers. This issue needs to be resolved and it can only be done by making people aware of their rights. My initiative was mostly inspired by the fact that as a kid I used to attend the legal aid clinics organised by various District Courts in Uttar Pradesh under the aegis of UPSLSA. My father was also a member secretary and their motto was “Nyaya chala Nirdhan se Milne”. I was greatly helped by Justice Sudhir Saxena who was then the Member Secretary of UPSLSA when we were trying to establish the Legal Aid Committee. As far as students’ contribution is concerned, I am really happy to announce that the Legal Aid Committee at RMLNLU has started a paralegal program and many students have joined the same. They sit at the assigned place right outside the university campus daily and provide legal aid to the needy. If the same model gets implemented in all law schools, it could be revolutionary.

     

    Could you share with us some of the highlights from your experiences as an intern during your legal education?

    I was lucky to intern in three major sectors like NGOs, corporate houses and litigation. The three sectors are very different from each other. While interning at Aman Biradri, I got a firsthand experience of the suffering of the street children. During my stint under Mr. Yashowardhan Swarup, I learnt about the intricacies of litigation, especially how to deal with a client.

     

    What motivated you to choose litigation over your other options?

    I am very old school. Litigation was my first choice. I firmly hold the belief that litigation is a service, and not a business. The idea that my skills can be utilised for those who have no access to justice was in itself a great motivation.

     

    As a litigating lawyer having worked on several cases, could you share with some of the judgments you have read that have shaped you as a lawyer.

    It may sound clichéd but the minority judgment of Justice H.R. Khanna in the ADM Jabalpur Case had a profound influence on me. Another Judgment that I find to be of great motivation is that of Brown vs. Board of Education, a judgment rendered by the U.S. Supreme Court ending racial segregation in educational institutions. Apart from judgments, two books that I feel every lawyer, especially young lawyers must read is Roses in December by the inimitable M.C. Chagla and Before Memory Fades by living legend Fali.S. Nariman.

     

    The first few years after graduation are considered to the most challenging . How are you coping with these challenges?

    It’s true that the first few years after graduation are most challenging especially if you’re in litigation and are living away from family. I remember travelling in DTC buses for two years and trying to cut expenses. Work is hard to come by, money even harder. Also, law school is a very protected environment whereas the world outside is harsh. Survival is a challenge. I have seen my friends and colleagues leaving litigation for good in their initial years. The only way to cope with these challenges is by constantly reminding oneself of the objective that one has in mind. One must also not let anyone dissuade you from your aim. When you enter litigation you earn much less and work harder than your friends working in a law firm or a corporate house. It becomes difficult to not give in to frustration and despair. One must remember that patience and perseverance is the key.

     

    You have argued before the High Court and Supreme Court.  How do you prepare yourself before an appearance?

    I read. I read my brief at least two to three times before standing at the bar. Also one must learn from what to say and even more importantly, what not to say in court. This is something that only comes with experience. Also one must always prepare case notes and do independent research beyond what is given in the brief. The art of advocacy is very much like acting. You need to get into the shoes of your client. You need to imagine all the possible queries from the bench. In the Supreme Court, you don’t get much time to put your point across so you must be very careful while choosing your opening lines.

     

    What has the experience been like working at the office of Adv. Ejaz Maqbool?

    Ejaz Sir was my first senior. He is known to be a hard taskmaster. He was very particular about grammar and I learnt whatever little drafting I know from him. He believes that the only way to work is by actually doing work, which is why he would often push us into difficult spots, just so we may learn in the process. I was lucky to have been a part of some very important cases like the Sohrabuddin Encounter case, Gujarat Lokayukta Case, etc. Ejaz Sir’s office is rife with opportunity.  Most importantly, I was lucky to have some really good senior colleagues who taught me a lot. I owe to them much more than I owe anyone in the profession.

     

    Tell us a bit about the nature of work you did at the office of Adv. Fuzail Ahmed. What does a typical work day look like for you?

    Fuzail Ayyubi’s office was like a home to me. I worked there for more than three years. Fuzail Sir’s office gave me the freedom and confidence to trust my work. Also the variety of work there was a huge factor in developing my legal acumen. I have never seen a lawyer as calm as Fuzail Ayyubi. In my three year long stint in his office I rarely saw him angry. A typical work day started with going to the Supreme Court to attend the matters and coming back to office and working on the matters to be prepared and drafted.

     

    Congratulations on starting your independent practice as of 2017! What prompted you to take that step?

    It was the motivation of Fuzail Ayyubi and support of Mr. Sanjay Hegde, Senior Advocate, that gave me the confidence to start my independent practice. Sanjay Sir has been really magnanimous to let me operate independently from his office under the British Chamber System. This is a very novel experiment that he is conducting and is a really good opportunity for young lawyers like me. I have been practicing exclusively in Supreme Court for a long time and now I intend to practice in other courts and tribunals. I will continue with my social justice litigation alongside commercial litigation and arbitrations.

    What would you like to say to our readers who are mostly students and young lawyers, as a parting message?

    To students I would like to say that the opportunities that you get in law schools shape your personality. Do everything that law school offers. Participate in moots, write research papers and get them published. You’ll never get such an opportunity again. To lawyers younger than me I’ll tell them that lack of means is no excuse. Anyone who works hard will eventually succeed.

     

     

  • Souvik Paul Mazumdar, Partner, ALMT Legal, on his journey to the top, his inspiration, and managing multiple verticals

    Souvik Paul Mazumdar, Partner, ALMT Legal, on his journey to the top, his inspiration, and managing multiple verticals

    Souvik Paul Mazumdar graduated from M.S. Ramaiah College of Law in 2005. He joined ALMT Legal soon after. His corporate practice includes advising and assisting corporates and promoters in private equity investments, mergers and acquisitions, cross border corporate structuring and capital market transaction. He has advised clients in international offerings before AIM (Alternative Investment Market) in London. He has also been closely associated with various sports management and celebrity management companies as a legal advisor and is currently concentrating on developing and building the Sports, Media and Entertainment law practice of ALMT Legal.

    In this interview we speak to him about:

    • His journey from being an Associate to Partner at ALMT
    • His experience working under varied verticals, under a host of capable mentors
    • Taking his father’s legacy of legal practice forward

     

    Was law always the career you wanted to take up? What inspired you to pursue law?

    To be very honest, yes, law was always my first choice. I did try my hand at the National Defence Academy by filling the form and was also fascinated by the Navy, but these were fleeting interests. Law has always been my constant passion

    My father was a senior lawyer in the Guwahati High Court. He inspired me to pursue law. I remember being in awe of his extensive collection of books and watching him read all day. Unfortunately, I never got the chance to practise under him as he passed away while I was in school. But the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, does it. I feel connected to him through my practice of law. I love challenges and in a profession like law, every day is a new experience. The learning never stops when you are a lawyer. There is a new problem each day and with it emerges a new solution every time.

    You graduated from M.S. Ramaiah College of Law; tell us a bit about college life at BU.

    My time in college is unforgettable. Apart from just academics, those five years taught me to be independent and face the world on my own; to be able to overcome any hurdle. Coming from a small town, I had a bit of a culture shock, but managed easily. Apart from studying, my main interests were sports and motor biking. I used to play every possible sport, especially cricket.

     

    How did you come to join ALMT? What was your experience there like?

    I was supposed to intern with ALMT Legal along with my friend Debosree Paul during our final year. Unfortunately, that never crystallised. But I was acquainted with the ALMT Legal team. Mr. Arvind Kamath (my professor at Ramaiah College and now Partner at ALMT Legal) knew Mr. S.R. Arun (Senior Partner) and Mr. Prashant Popat (Senior Partner) personally. He suggested that I meet them for an interview and the rest is history.

    I believe that a fresher should concentrate on learning during the early years of their professional life and should not bother about packages. As my senior Mr. Vachan always use to say, “for a lawyer, the first ten years is learning, learning and learning, after ten years, the ‘L’ goes off and it is earning, earning and earning”. A fresher should decide what he/she wants to do and accordingly take a call to decide the right place. Work quantity and quality is very important.

    My experience over the first few years was very interesting. I made mistakes and learnt from my mistakes, I was too enthusiastic about many things. I started my career as an immigration and IP lawyer and moved to proper corporate law, employment law, sports law and media law gradually.

     

    ALMT was your first job and continues to be your workplace. What are things that you enjoy most about working here? How have you seen the firm grow during your twelve years here?

    I enjoy everything about the place! The people, the learning, the atmosphere, the seniors, the associates, the work culture, the bonhomie, everything. Most of us have been here for years and just love to be here and work and contribute towards ALMT Legal’s growth each day. I have grown from a fresher associate to a Partner.

    The firm has grown in diverse ways. It started in 2003 in Bangalore and I joined in 2005. When I joined, we had three partners and six associates (including me). Today we are twelve partners with almost 40 associates.

    We have grown in terms of clientele and also expertise. Many practice areas have developed in front of me. Today, we are a full service law firm and can assist clients across the globe and through different verticals.

     

    Have you had a guide or mentor in the industry? Do you think it important to have someone to look up to and take advice from in shaping a successful career?

    At ALMT Legal, I had many mentors. They were always around to guide me. Rajat Bopaiah and Junia Sebastian were always around to help me as friends. They corrected my mistakes. I have learnt to be meticulous with Dhanya Menon’s training. Rakesh Prabhu was my first senior and helped me grow over the years. Mr. Arvind Kamath is like a teacher to me. Mr. Prashant Popat’s teaching made me a better human being. Over the last twelve years, I have changed a lot; I’ve learnt to be a better person, and that is because of Mr. Prashant Popat.

    Last, and perhaps the most important is Mr. S.R. Arun. People who know me are aware of his influence in my life. He has been a true mentor to me in honing my skills as a lawyer. Everything I know has been taught by him. If I end up being even half the lawyer he is, I would consider that a huge accomplishment. I think having a mentor definitely helps you a lot. It is a huge benefit.

     

    As one of the most sought out after places for internships in Bangalore, what does ALMT look for in prospective interns and employees?

    What we look for is dedication, the hunger to learn and discipline. If you have these attributes, the sky is the limit.

     

    Your body of work includes cases dealing with M&A, Capital Markets, Sports Law, Entertainment and Media Law, Private Equity, Labour Law etc. How did you manage to build such a diverse repertoire?

    It is the hunger to learn that drives me. It is not that I decided to take up all these areas of practice. It happened and I decided to flow with it. I love challenges and these were challenges.

    One morning in 2010, I was in Mumbai to assist a client with his media law and sports law related requirement for the next eight months. It was the first time that I was dealing with something like that. The firm trusted me and I trusted my confidence. And that’s how the journey of sports law and media law started.

     

    What are the tricks to good legal drafting and advising clients successfully? What are the rookie mistakes that can be avoided?

    What you need to do is read well, be well prepared about your client’s background so that he need not give you the entire story, be a good listener, make notes for everything, have an eye for detail, think from a devil’s advocate perspective, avoid copy-paste and if you do so, please read it again to verify, keep things crisp and to the point, as this is not an examination paper where you think of filling up pages, and above all, be patient

     

    As a partner at ALMT, what does an average work day look like for you? Our readers would be very interested in understanding the roles and responsibilities of someone in your position.

    Average work day is anywhere between ten to fourteen hours of work. During transaction and deadline deliverables it can go upto 24 hours also. It is a personal choice that you make.

    Responsibility of a Partner is like the captain of the ship. You need to drive the client attorney relation. You are the person responsible. Be attentive, review everything, motivate your associates and when required do some fire fighting too.

     

    Outside law you have several interests including reading, painting and sports. How do you manage your time effectively between work and your hobbies?

    I try to keep my weekends free. Dedicate time to my beautiful wife, my adorable dog and to my hobbies. A busy man always finds time for things that can keep him busy. I was one of the co-founders of Justice League Cricket Club and have been actively involved in organising the Law Firm Tournament in the past and also participating in many Corporate T20 cricket tournaments.

     

    Where would you like your career to take you in five years?

    I have never been an astrologer trying to see the future. I take each day as it comes so probably enjoy what I am doing and touch base on some newer verticals of law.

     

    What is your advice to fresh graduates who aspire to work at law firms as Associates?

    Be yourself and the world will accept you, but yes, you have to be focused, develop new interests, be dedicated and diligent, and control your arrogance.

     

    What would your parting message be for our readers, given that most of them are young lawyers and students of law?

    Be good and do good. It is a lovely profession and there is so much to learn. Just follow your instincts and believe in destiny. When I was in school, I believed that I was destined to study law in Guwahati and practice litigation in Guwahati High Court. Look where I am today. Don’t get too hassled and paranoid with events happening around. Stay calm and as my senior Rakesh says, “keep walking”.

     

  • Dr. Anindya Sircar, Intellectual Property Professional, on getting two doctorates, his journey from science to law, and the scope for IP law

    Dr. Anindya Sircar, Intellectual Property Professional, on getting two doctorates, his journey from science to law, and the scope for IP law

    Dr. Anindya Sircar has a unique distinction for holding two Ph.Ds, one in science and the other in law. He got his doctorate in Intellectual Property Law from NALSAR, Hyderabad, in 2007. After pursuing a doctorate in industrial microbiology, Dr. Sircar had a long stint heading the Intellectual Property Department at Biocon Group, which he was also instrumental in setting up. He is currently engaged in consulting, strategizing, teaching and conducting training programs in the field of Intellectual Property management. His last employment was as AVP and Head of IP with Infosys Limited where he was responsible for all IP activities of Infosys Limited and its subsidiaries. Additionally, he is visiting faculty on Intellectual Property to several universities and law schools.

    In this interview we talk to him about:

    • His journey from science to law
    • The scope and prospects for intellectual property law in India
    • His teaching experience and what he would like law schools to do differently in their approach to IP law

     

    You were deep rooted in science and got into the field of law for your Ph.D. How did you manage to acquaint yourself with legal terms and processes after being in the field of science for so long?

    I had started off my career in scientific research after my Ph.D in Microbiology. In fact, I had joined the API research unit of Biocon Limited. Exposure to Intellectual Property at that stage was limited to only reading and understanding patents. Moreover, IP was not looked upon as a viable career option in India in the late 90s. It was at that time that the company got involved in an IP issue with another leading pharmaceutical company and I was asked by the CMD to handle the case with the help of external counsels. That was the first time I got an insight into the world of IP. The heat of the case died soon but my passion for IP continued to only grow.

    I went ahead and started an in-house IP Department for the company. I had spent a lot of time with leading IP practitioners of the west. I stared reading relevant stuff and also took up courses, which finally ended up in my 2nd Ph.D. – in Law, specializing in IP. It was around that time Indian had joined the PCT and so there was some buzz in the air. The transition to IP had been quite smooth and my background in science has always been an added advantage in handling complex technical issues that often arise when dealing with IP. In fact it has been a lovely journey and the journey is still on.

     

    After being involved with Chemistry and Microbiology at the graduate and post- graduate level, at what point did you decide to go for a Ph.D in Intellectual Property?

    I had been heading the IP Department of Biocon at that time and was also teaching in leading law schools and management schools. My days used to be completely engrossed with different facets of IP, both business and academic. Additionally, my reading habits continuously kept feeding me with the recent developments in IP. At this stage, I happened to see an admission notice for Ph.D. and decided to go for it. The then Vice-Chancellor and Registrar of NALSAR were both extremely helpful and in fact the former ended up as my research guide.

     

    You received your doctorate in Intellectual Property in the year 2007. We are in 2017 now. Can you see significant developments in this area over the decade?

    There has been tremendous development in the field of IP both in India and rest of the globe – more so in India. In India at the policy levels there have been several amendments to existing Acts, compliance with TRIPS, India becoming an ISR, the IP Policy, CRI Guidelines and many more. Needless to say, numerous workshops, conferences and awareness programs focusing around IP have taken place. The most encouraging fact is that today many students are coming forward to study and specialize in IP and there are several courses available too. The biggest achievement in India is that today people consider it a viable professional choice and the field is being sought after.

     

    If Intellectual Property must be properly understood, what are the factors that one must necessarily have knowledge of? For instance, in studying law, politics plays an important role. Is there any such thing that goes hand-in- hand with Intellectual Property and Patents Law?

    In today’s world there are several super-specializations in Intellectual Property – prior art analysis, drafting and prosecution, analytics and intelligence, infringement studies, audits and due diligence, opinions, free and open source management, contracts, M&As, litigation and a few more. The requirements are really not the same for each of them. A proper blend of scientific and technical understanding and relevant legal knowledge can always prove beneficial. There is enough scope and space for representatives from both scientific/technical and legal fraternities to coexist.

     

    You are visiting faculty to a number of law schools and you have also had the experience of working in corporate companies at top positions. What is the difference between the academic learning of IP and Patents and its practical application?

    Most law schools have now incorporated IP in their curriculum. This is very encouraging but several needs of the industry in terms of skills do not get adequately addressed. Internships, which are mandatory in law schools, are an effective means of bridging some of these gaps. Some law schools run specialized courses in addition to the regular undergraduate and postgraduate degrees focusing on some of these skills. Many of the sessions in such courses are taken by industry representatives and practitioners. I am personally connected to some of them and strongly feel that some of the skills needed by the industry get taken care of. But requirements of the industry are obviously much higher.

    There might be disputes between companies that are incorporated in different countries. Where does adjudication of the matter happen in those cases?

    This is primarily as per the statute or as governed contractually.

     

    Do disputes arising out of IP & Patents Law violations resolve through negotiation and arbitration predominantly?

    Statistically, most of these IP disputes land up in the court. Some may get settled out of court, similar to litigation in other areas. Arbitration however is not very common in IP disputes.

     

    A purely academic question- what are the grey areas in the framework of IP & Patents Law in our country that need immediate attention and rectification?

    The framework and the statute for IP in India have been constantly evolving and more so in the last decade. Although, the CRI Guidelines are out, there are several ambiguities in the document. Additional clarity is desired, the faster the better. This will be of immense help for the ICT and related industries.

     

    Students of law typically prefer working in corporate law firms or decide to get into litigation. How does the application of Intellectual Property differ in these career platforms?

    There are numerous Corporate Law firms which deal in Intellectual Property. In fact there are several firms which specialize in IP and handle only IP matters. Corporate Law firms mostly deal in all aspects of IP, including litigation. However, the main focus for IP Law firms remains IP prosecution and IP management. Litigation involving IP in India currently is not very high. There are quite a few trademark cases but those involving patents or copyright are low. Additionally, corporates too employ a sizable number for their in-house IP departments.

     

    You were AVP and Head of IP Cell at Infosys, and have earlier been Global Head – IPR at Biocon Limited. What responsibilities do these roles entail?

    There could be a detailed JD made available for this. Primarily as a head, one is responsible for the overall and complete IP management of the company and its subsidiaries. In layman terms, this involves – IP Value Management, maximising the IP value for the company, and IP Risk Management, minimising the IP risk for the company. I was lucky that in the organizations that I worked, I always had a brilliant team which not only made my work easy but interesting too.

    Assuming that you have to make hiring decisions for in-house or ad-hoc roles, what do you look for in a lawyer’s profile?

    This will primarily depend on the role for which the hiring is being considered as the work scope and expectations will differ greatly. More than academic records I am keen on the internship learnings when it comes to a fresher. Another aspect which influences me is the ability, and more so the interest to learn. There is no room for short-cuts.

     

    As part of your work profile you must have had to talk to practising lawyers on IPR. Did the thought of practising law ever cross your mind?

    I have been interacting with several practising lawyers for the last two decades and in fact many of the leading lawyers of the country have become good friends. I find the world of IP very absorbing and challenging and never thought of practicing law yet. Now that you have asked this question, I may start thinking.

     

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

    Decide which branch of law you would like to practice, make an early choice, and stick to your choice. Choice of branch should be only on liking and passion and not any other criteria. You can’t do well in something if don’t love the same, hoping that you will be practising that branch every day for the rest of your life. Growth and success are bound to come. And most importantly, there is no short-cut to reach the top.

     

  • Kushal Kumar, Associate, Central Government Standing Council, on looking beyond NLUs and the importance of debating

    Kushal Kumar, Associate, Central Government Standing Council, on looking beyond NLUs and the importance of debating

    Kushal Kumar is a graduate in law from Law College, Dehradun, batch of 2013. He subsequently went on to pursue a postgraduate diploma in International Trade and Business Law from The Indian Society of International Law, Delhi. Kushal has always been an avid debater and public speaker, representing his alma mater at numerous national level events. He currently serves as associate to the Central Government Standing Counsel.

     

    In this interview we speak to him about:

    • His alma mater and breaking the NLU myth
    • His extracurricular accomplishments and how they have contributed to his skills as a lawyer
    • The importance of internships during law school

     

    How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?

    I would like to say that I am a passionate litigation lawyer. I have been enthusiastic and passionate for arguments and addressing the court. Therefore, I have argued in almost every jurisdiction. I have wanted to be a spokesperson for the people and debate from a very early age. My insatiable curiosity makes me knowledgeable in fields besides law as well. I feel strongly for the disprivileged, which is why I have fought numerous cases pro bono, and will continue to do so. I feel. As a national debater I have been fortunate enough to articulate my thoughts in different parts of the country. I want to thank my parents and especially my elder brother who has always supported me for whatever I have done.

     

    What has your experience with legal education been and how has a degree from a relatively smaller law school, if at all, affected your career prospects?

    I have always been a passionate public speaker who is well read about current affairs. I always wanted to be a lawyer as I wanted to be a voice for the voiceless. Legal education is the best education I feel in this world. In my college, I was one of the more meritorious students and very close to my teachers and my fellow students. It was a central university so getting good grades was very tough. During my law education I got to know about my rights, values and responsibilities towards society. I used to have stimulating political discussions with my friends and we used to study together before exams which helped me to learn about team management. My favourite subject was Political Science and I used to help my peers in the same as well. I would like to use this platform to extend my heartfelt gratitude to some of my teachers who have been a great source of inspiration. Mr. Ashutosh Kumar, Dr. Poonam Rawat and Dr. Chandra Bhushan Nagar have had the most profound influence on me. I am honoured to have known them and be taught by them.

    My college had a strength of approximately 2000 students. The point is, irrespective of the name of the law school, what matters most is your personal effort and hard work. I would like to say that I got ample opportunities to showcase my skills. What matters more than the stature of the college is the environment it breeds. What matters is what you want to be and how much effort you are willing to put in to achieve that. I have represented my college at several national level events such as debates, moots, etc. and even emerged victorious as these competitive events.

    When you are arguing in court before a judge what counts is not how reputable your college was, but how adept you are as a lawyer.

     

    What differences, if any, would you say there are between lawyers from well reputed NLUs and the rest?

    It depends largely on your area of interest. The only difference it makes, to my knowledge, is the that the exposure an NLU offers to its students far outreaches the exposure a student at a lesser known college gets. But as a litigation lawyer, your alma mater plays only second fiddle to your competence as a lawyer. When you are in court, it is your mastery over the law and your command over the language that eclipses your academic credentials. All great lawyers of India are not from NLUs.

     

    What internship experiences do you believe are crucial? From personal experience, what can you tell us about the exposure an internship during college gives a student?

    During one’s time as an intern, they understand the decorum of courts and the interaction between judges and advocates. They are a learning curve for aspiring and young lawyers.

    When a law student is involved in any judicial internship, the intern should make the most of it as exposure to court room sessions teach young students a lot. Being a part of client-advocate meetings are also a great experience. I would like to say that I was awarded with the ‘Best Intern award’ during my internship with Biz and Legis, Kerala.

    As a student with average grades, how would you say academic excellence or the lack thereof in an institution translates to the professional workspace?

    I feel academic excellence is just a part of your CV. Being a student of a central university, one just needed to pass the examinations to earn the degree. What matters is being diligent, being kind and sensitive, respecting your peers, seniors and your subordinates. It is these qualities that make you a good person and a good lawyer. Good grades don’t make you an efficient worker or a good team player, it is your personality which does.

     

    As an avid debater, what would you say your greatest learning is from the activity? How has it impacted your career trajectory if at all?

    I tend to get quite competitive when it comes to debates, which is why my friends and families keep telling me that I should join politics, as I never want to lose.  When I was younger I used to deliver the inaugurating speech at Ram Krishna Mission Ashram on their National Youth Day. I have been awarded as ‘Best Sanskrit Speaker’ for one of my speeches. I recall that my childhood friend, Pratika Shankar who is also a Lawyer, and I, used to win all the prizes in debates at various platforms. I am honoured to have met former President of India Late Shri Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam during my school days and I got an opportunity to speak about my school and state in front of him.

    During my college days, I was fortunate enough to represent my college at national debate platforms, which I think were close to sixteen in totality. I am very grateful to my college that they gave me a chance to adjudicate the first National Parliamentary Debate in my college. I helped my fellow students in debates and used to explain to them the technique of delivery. These opportunities and honours have moulded me into the lawyer I am today, confident and diligent.

    I correct people whenever they get their facts wrong. Many young lawyers hesitate to speak up. To this I would like to say that when you are on stage or at the podium, one must speak from the heart and say everything that they have to say. Keep trying and you shall be able to accomplish this. Practice makes perfect.

     

    Between your work experience at United Lex, S.L. Gupta & Partners, and Monika Arora & Associates, what was your greatest take away from each of the experiences?

    Every work place has its own pros and cons. But ultimately what matters is what you earned and implemented in your life. Unitedlex was my first job. It was an LPO, but since I was among the few fortunate who got placed from my college, I considered it a blessing. I worked there for a few months but then realised that LPO was not my cup of tea. Therefore, I decided to move and went to another law firm where litigation was practised more seriously.

     

    As an associate to standing counsel for NCTE, UOI, etc. at various levels of  the judiciary, what have been the defining moments of your career so far?

    To be honest, there have been several instances which played a key role in shaping me as a lawyer.  But I think working for the Union of India is a key factor for me. We have lot of cases marked everyday and there are a lot of appearances before different courts daily. I have been a part of many landmark judgments, the latest being the matter of Sushil Kumar, the wrestler who was trying hard to get through the Rio Olympics but coudn’t. Apart from that I have been actively working for NCTE, MCDs and various other panels. It is a simple formula; the more you appear in courts the greater experience and exposure you get. Furthermore, I would like to say to all those who want to pursue litigation as a career, first go to district courts as you learn the basics of advocacy only at the grassroots level.

     

    As a lawyer who is constantly exposed to the bare functionings of legal systems across India, what would you like to share about the same with aspiring law students and those looking to pursue a career in the same?

    The exposure to the legal functioning of courts across India is more or less uniform.  The only difference is with the jurisdiction of the courts.  As a lawyer, one should have great respect for the Bench and should maintain the decorum of the court. This is the most important thing which is to be learned by lawyers and law aspirants. One should know his facts accurately but state them without a shred of arrogance. That would be my only suggestion to young lawyers.

     

    Finally, do you have any other advice for our readers, most of whom are college students?

    I would like to say to college students that one should not forget to enjoy college life in the race to secure good grades. The day you get a degree in law and you became a lawyer, that is when the real struggle begins. You face challenging situations and undergo difficult times. But it is your passion for law that makes you exceptional. A law student has to understand four steps of advocacy in particular, i.e. a lawyer must know the facts of the case, make a good draft on the basis of those facts, make a thorough research of judgments, and then deliver his argument in court. I would like to add that as it happens with me, when you appear in court it doesn’t matter who is on the other side. It is important to not be intimidated by seniors and renowned advocates. All that matters is communicating your end of the argument to the judge through foolproof research. In conclusion I would like to say that fortune only favours the brave.