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  • Jyoti Shekhar, Senior Associate, Legasis Partners on LL.M from Deakin University and work experience in Corporate Law

    Jyoti Shekhar, Senior Associate, Legasis Partners on LL.M from Deakin University and work experience in Corporate Law

    Jyoti Shekar is currently working as a Senior Associate at Legasis Partners, Delhi. She graduated with a B.S.L.LL.B degree from ILS Law College, Pune in 2007. Thereafter she started working at Mindcrest India Pvt Ltd. as a Legal Analyst. She then went on to pursue Masters in Commercial laws from Deakin University, Australia and has thereafter worked with OSC Export Services Pvt. Ltd. and Sahara India.

    In this interview she talks about:

    • Law school experience at ILS, Pune and Deakin, Melbourne
    • Work experience at OSC Export Services Pvt. Ltd. and Sahara India
    • Work as Senior Associate at Legasis Partners

     

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

    Usually, I just introduce myself as a lawyer. I really do take pride in being a part of this industry, however small. Right from my childhood, I have always wanted to do law. Perhaps it had something to do with people telling me to be a lawyer due to my talkative and argumentative behaviour, or perhaps some impression left on me by a very illustrious Supreme Court Judge who was a distant relative and used to tell me stories. Honestly, I don’t know. But I do know that I never had a moment’s doubt about being a lawyer and yes, I still just introduce myself as a lawyer.

     

    Please tell us a little about your law school days at ILS Law College, Pune. How were you at academics?

    My college life was a lot of fun and a lot of hard work too. I was always a topper during my school days. In fact, my school refused to let me elect commerce in high school. Only after I threatened to quit the school, they reluctantly allowed me to take commerce. But I thoroughly enjoyed accountancy and business studies. I started pursuing the C.A. course along with my LL.B. That’s what kept me busy throughout college life. But I didn’t finish CA after all. But honestly, like any college student does, studying law was a last minute preparation for me, cramming all night and sacrificing sleep. I got average grades but I did have my share of fun in college.

     

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    How important would you say good grades are for an illustrious career in legal?

    Honestly, as a student, marks and percentages mean the world to us. However, to be honest, I believe that experiencing the practical world with different kinds of people, different cultures, behaviours etc. is more important in the real world. Of course, a good grade point average is important to get into good schools for further education and to make your CV look better. But honestly, after your first job, the interviews are more about how you handle people and situations. Book knowledge is something you can always refer to, but living in the practical world and dealing with colleagues, bosses and clients is the key. I guess what I am trying to say is that although a good grade is wonderful, but it shouldn’t be your entire focus.

     

    How do you think internships are beneficial to law students?

    I think the best way to learn is to practice. Internships are the best source of knowledge. Looking back, I do wish I had done more internships in college. However, internships should not be just about getting certificates. To get a headstart, try to be inquisitive and learn the knack of research, reading a contract, drafting an email, observing in meetings and courts etc.

     

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    Thereafter, you went to pursue Masters in Commercial Law from Deakin University. How would you describe your experience? What motivated you to go in for the same?

    I had an amazing experience during my masters. Actually, after finishing LL.B, I wanted a good job with a good salary. However, my father encouraged me to think long term. He told me that a good qualification will open up opportunities I couldn’t comprehend at that time. And he also said studying in a different country would expose me to different learning methods and will be a life experience. And he was right. I somehow found the courage to go ahead with the LLM plan and even felt excited by the prospect of experiencing a very different culture and academic system. That’s when the idea of going to Australia hit me. And it turned out to be the best decision of my life. When I went there, I did not know anybody in the country. Everything was completely new and different. I slowly learnt to speak their way, I worked in a grocery store, worked in their deli (and I am a strict vegetarian!!), I learnt their way of studying. We did not have exams, we only had research papers instead, lots of them. It was a whole different approach for me. I also learnt to be among people of different cultures and traditions – Australians, Chinese, Sri Lankans, and Europeans. It was very enriching. I am still active with the university’s alumni association in India. They have a lot of business networking events and activities.

     

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

    There was actually a time when a foreign degree looked good on CVs and that is partly why I went abroad. But as I mentioned above, it became more of a life experience for me. And another plus is that I learnt a lot about research and writing methods. Now actually, when people ask me this question, I really don’t know how to respond, since our academic system has also improved a lot and I feel it is a personal choice rather than a mandate.

     

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    After coming back to India, you joined OSC Export Services Pvt. Ltd. as a Consultant. How did you secure your appointment? How would you describe your experience working there?

    I simply applied to their vacancy ad. They had a series of written tests which I cleared. Of course, it was quite prestigious for me to start working there after my studies due to its association with Clifford Chance LLP. I got an opportunity to work in Clifford Chance London and New York offices which exposed me to international transactions and practices.

     

    Thereafter you joined Sahara India as Manager Legal – Corporate Finance. What led to this shift? What kind of challenges did you face during this job?

    Though I was doing quite well in my current job at the time, I wanted to get some in-house experience, which is what I wanted out of my career then – to be an in-house counsel. When the Sahara opportunity came along, I grabbed it, especially because it required me to be in the finance department, which was fast becoming my forte. Even in Clifford Chance, I was associated with their Banking and Finance department. It turned to be an amazing sea of experience with wonderful projects. Each of us lawyers had to deal with our projects independently. I loved every minute of it. The challenges were plenty; I had to pilot transactions right from proposal stage to post closing stage, of course with the assistance of external counsels, especially in other jurisdictions. We reported to the Corporate Finance Head, who had a surprisingly good grasp of legalese. It provided me with a lot of learning and knowledge.

     

    Currently, you work as a Senior Associate at Legasis Partners. What prompted you to make this choice and what made this shift possible?

    Well, the Managing Partner of Legasis Partners, Mr. Suhas Tuljapurkar, is my absolute role model in this profession. I had interned with him in Mumbai and also worked with him in Pune at the beginning of my career. I jumped at the chance of working with him again in Delhi when the opportunity presented itself. I was planning my exit from Sahara and everything just fell into place.

     

    What kind of work and responsibilities do Senior Associates at Legasis Partners deal with?

    In Legasis Partners, we are given the opportunity to develop ourselves as professionals as per our interests and skill sets. Here, we do not believe in designations and everybody pitches in to help achieve the common objective of growth. It gives me an opportunity to be independent and learn to take decisions and also to explore various ways in which I can be useful to the organization and hence to my own self as a well rounded professional.

     

    Tell us about a case that you are particularly proud of. What steps do you take to prepare for a difficult case?

    Well, a parent is equally proud of all their children. Every project I have done so far, be it small or big or high profile, has made me learn new things.

    To answer the second part of your question, in any transaction, homework is the key. I need to know the entire background before starting a project. And I never hesitate to ask questions, even at the risk of sounding ridiculous. If I have a doubt in my mind, then I cannot do a convincing job.

     

    What is the current scenario of studying corporate law as a career option in India? How challenging is life as a corporate lawyer?

    Corporate law has developed a lot in the past few years. With the new Companies Act in force, there are lots of stringent regulations which necessitate having a strong in-house team in every company. Corporate lawyers can either be in-house or work in law firms. There is no formula for being a successful corporate lawyer, though I personally believe that grasp of legal and contractual language is very crucial to this role. Also important is your negotiation skills which comes with experience. It is also important to understand the business and commercial aspects of the transaction to be valuable to your company/clients.

    Being a transactional lawyer, life can be very hectic while a transaction is in progress. Once I had taken my laptop along on my birthday dinner! But it can be quite exciting at certain times and routine at others.

     

    What are the other related fields where a corporate lawyer can try hand apart from joining law firms and corporate houses?

    There are LPOs for those who like a little more regular timings and good salaries. However, these days, this depends on projects and deadlines too. Legal journalism is another interesting option. We need a lot of good law professors in different subjects. Then there are research related profiles in legal search engine companies. There are law publishing houses for those whose tastes are literary. People now are specializing in areas like legal recruitments, business development for law firms etc. I have just mentioned a few, there are lots more out there waiting to be explored and discovered.

     

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

    I have cherished every stage of my career. I interned with law firms and CA firms. I worked in LPOs. I worked as in-house counsel. I work in a law firm now. Every place has taught me a new perspective in which to look at the law and a new way in which to deal with people and situations.

     

    What are your plans from here on?

    I love doing different things, learning new areas and doing what I love to do. I am initiating myself in giving lectures also, whenever I can spare the time. Let’s see what the future holds. 🙂

     

  • Sirsanya Bandopadhyay, Advocate, Calcutta High Court, on building a career in litigation and experience in Politics

    Sirsanya Bandopadhyay, Advocate, Calcutta High Court, on building a career in litigation and experience in Politics

    Sirsanya Bandopadhyay is a practising Advocate at the Calcutta High Court. He graduated from Jogesh Chandra Choudhuri College of Law (Calcutta University) in 2010.While in college, he was an active participant in the student political body of the University and gradually grew along with it. He became the General Secretary and subsequently President of the Students’ Union. He is also the youngest member to have been inducted into the Trinamul Congress’ Party Core Committee. Currently he practices at the Calcutta High Court.

    In this interview he talks about:

    • Studying law at JCCCL, Kolkata
    • Students’ union and joining politics
    • Building a career in litigation

     

    How would you say your parents or close family members inspired you in taking up law?

    Though my father is an Advocate by profession and several others, from his maternal side, are in the same profession, the decision to pursue law was entirely my own. The same was taken while I was in the 3rd Standard. When I was in my third standard, one fine morning, the first thing that caught my attention was a huge picture of my father in his robes on the front page of the Bengal daily, Ananda Bazar Patrika. And I suppose that impression lived with me throughout my life and each day thereafter I imagined myself in those robes and in that corridor of the High Court at Calcutta. In fact, there have also been times when I wore his robes at home, when he wasn’t around as that gave me profound happiness.

     

    Please tell us a bit about your father, Mr. Kalyan Bandopadhyay’s practice. As a mentor, how did he influence your career? Did you get to hear a lot of legal discussions right from your childhood?

    My father was into business before various events led him to his senior, Late Mahitosh Mazumdar, J., under whom he practised till his senior’s elevation on 17th February 1986. As I have heard from my father, his life as a young advocate was not very easy but he worked really hard to climb up the ladder, gathering and embracing every bit of work that came his way. In his initial days he stayed in a mess with others and after his marriage he and my mother started a family in a one-room rented shelter on the terrace of a house in Dhakuria. From there his hard work has taken him to where he is today. His dedication, diligence and love towards his work has fetched him respect and repute in legal and political fields as well.

    Such stories of hard work are an inspiration in itself and surely they have inspired me to work hard and remain dedicated and grounded always. But my father never dictated what I should do in life, apart from regular reminders that I need to study hard. I must also mention that while nurturing the thought of becoming an Advocate, the stories and works of Late Siddhartha Shankar Ray had influenced me all the more.

    Legal discussions were mostly restricted to his chamber. My sister and I did eavesdrop on his telephonic conversations at home, talking about some matter or some interesting point of law, but they cannot be termed as hearing proper legal discussions.

     

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    Your father is also a  Lok Sabha MP and  a member of  All India Trinamul Congress Party. Did you ever think of joining politics after him?

    I joined politics even before I could realise that I had done the same. When I was fourteen years old, my father contested his first Assembly Elections from Asansol in 2001. I took a month off from school and stayed back in Asansol with him to manage his office work. Whenever I used to feel bored I used to go out with him and be a part of the campaigning. After he won in 2001, I made regular visits to Asansol from time to time and in the process got acquainted with many party workers from that area. While joining JCCLC in 2005 the only advice that came from my father was not to join the Students’ Union. But situations in college had led to factions and I happened to become a voice in the anti-incumbent faction. The students’ election in 2005 was shady and that gave fuel to the anti-incumbent motives. But I tried to abide by my father’s advice by not contesting the elections and not going to political meetings till the year 2006. But gradually the state of affairs worsened in college and it somehow demanded my active participation. I was too scared to tell my father that I was not being able to act upon his advice and contested the 2006 college elections without his consent. However, the same was brought to his knowledge by a so-called leader of the other faction during one of his morning walks. But surprisingly he didn’t tell me anything, probably because he also heard that I too had voluntarily associated myself with Trinamul Congress’s Students’ Wing.

    Stories of our anti-incumbent movement started spreading like forest fire and other colleges started inviting us for public meetings and rallies against SFI, which back then had a strong hold in most of the colleges in Bengal so much so that at one point of time, I had covered almost all the colleges in South Bengal in order to speak against SFI. The factions in rightist wings in college led to the growth of SFI/AISB in my college as well and hence the fight became a full-time job both inside and outside college. After handling matters in college till 12 noon or 1 pm, sometimes I along with my friends or at times I alone used to travel to remote locations and distant colleges in order to carry on our fight against the communist parties. In 2007, during the Singur agitation I was asked by Ms. Mamata Banerjee to speak in a public meeting at Singur to be held on 28th August 2007. The previous night I was at the southern tip of South 24 Parganas but the offer was too lucrative to be turned down and hence there I was, at my first public gathering at Singur in front of lakhs and lakhs of workers and general people who had gathered on the National Highway during Ms. Banerjee’s historic fast. After a string of such meetings I was inducted as a member of the Party’s Core Committee and I was the youngest among all the members. In the meantime, my friends and juniors in my college elected me as the General Secretary and thereafter President of the Students’ Union. The period between the year 2008 and May 2011 was spent in a state of madness. Family, friends and social life took a back seat while I and my friends/associates strived together towards the sole goal of toppling the Communist Government.

     

    Tell us about your years in Jogesh Chandra Choudhuri Law College (Calcutta University). What made your journey at JCCLC worth it?

    My studentship in JCCLC had started off like any other student freshly out of school. The 1st year of college was mostly consumed by fun & frolic. But the shady elections of 2005 planted the seeds of anti-incumbency in me and my friends. From then onwards, a lot of time used to be spent behind political activities. Such political activities continued till my final year in college in the year 2010. When my father came to learn about my active participation in Students’ Union, he didn’t tell me anything probably because a latent rider of good results at the end of each session played in my favour. Thus, studying hard became a ticket to an unlimited time in Students’ politics. But I was never a believer of year-round studies in law courses. Instead I spent some 20-30 days studying before exams and luckily that saw me through with palatable marks. While many of my batch-mates relied upon private tuitions during the five year course, never did I think of any such tuition for myself. What our teachers taught in class and my sister’s notes from Hazra Law College was enough for me. In fact, our Companies Law & Tax teacher Dr. N. Bhattacharya lent his free time and cleared out our doubts in Taxation Laws after college hours in the college library. In the same breath, I would like to say that our Constitution Teacher Mrs. A. Kundu is probably the best in Kolkata. Whatever I have learnt in her Constitution classes still remains a reference point from time to time. The others whom I didn’t specifically name have an equal contribution to the little knowledge I have.

    There is something in the air of JCCLC which is unmatched as compared to any other college. The closed doors between 7-11am breed a feeling of family and camaraderie. The fact that we had nowhere to go once inside the college premises made us dependant on and habituated with each other. I not only give credit to JCCLC, it’s teachers, staffs and students for my legal acumen but also for my much important social knowledge and administrative vis-a-vis leadership skills.

     

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    What were your plans after graduation? Did you consider joining the Civil Services ever? Which career options were available to you as a fresh graduate?

    As I said, my plan since childhood was to practise law. I never wavered on that until I actually joined practice in December 2010. In the meantime I did consider every other job/profession/business but honestly the legal profession stood out every single time. In fact, in my Higher Secondary I had opted for Science so that my options post school remain open for every other field, in case I decide not to study law. As far as Civil Service is concerned I never thought I will be able to crack those UPSC or WBCS examinations.

    As a fresh graduate several career options were available like MBA and LL.M as far as higher education is concerned. Management with law is still considered to be a lethal combination. Other job oriented options included Law Firm, LPO, BPO or private practice. While I chose the latter one, several other friends and juniors opted for the other three and are doing well.

     

    As a fresher just out of college, how did you manage to get a mentor for yourself? How important do you think a mentor still is in the arena of litigation?

    Coming from a legal background, I knew several other Advocates whom I could join. Since I used to go to Court sometimes, during my college days, I had my own favourites as well. But choosing a mentor wasn’t quite planned. In the latter part of Part V, I used to attend my father’s chamber but sometime in July 2010, I was badly reprimanded by my father for some reason and my rage made me decide that I wouldn’t go to his chamber anymore. But since I wanted to practise, attending someone’s chamber was important and necessary. While I was fuming with anger, my current senior’s name came to my mind and I rushed to Mr. Kishore Datta’s chamber at Dhakuria. He used to be my father’s junior since 1991/92 till around 2000. His long standing association with our family makes him a part of my family too. Thus, on 16th July 2010 I landed up in his chamber and said “ কাল থেকে আমি এখানেই আসব ” (I shall join here tomorrow).  In his usual unperturbed way he said, “Why from tomorrow? Take the D. D. Basu (on Constitution) and start today.”

    In our generation, many choose to work without a mentor or without joining someone’s chamber because they must be comfortable that way. But as far as I am concerned I will not be able to manage. Though at times when the matter or situation so demands, I appear before the Courts alone, I am extremely dependant on my senior and will like to continue under him as long as I can. In the past four and a half years of my practice under him I have never been able to satisfy my senior with my work, but I believe my perseverance & endeavour to satisfy him with my work is my path to knowledge and success.

     

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

    During graduation there were several favourites. Some because of the teachers who taught the subject while some because of the slim books. Arbitration, Constitution, C.P.C. and Environmental Laws are some favourites I remember from my graduation days. But interest brings with it disinterest. And one subject which totally repelled me was Intellectual Properties. As a matter of fact in one Academic Session I did not attend a single IP class. When my attendance in other six subjects was 80%, I had 0% in IP Classes. But such absenteeism was calculated so that I was not debarred to sit for the final examinations.

     

    After your graduation in 2010, you started practising at Calcutta High Court. What influenced your decision to work in litigation?

    Since the inception I wanted to be in litigation and not in some legal/government job. I always found a desk-job too monotonous and clerical. This is strictly my personal opinion and not meant to hurt or demean anyone. In an advocate’s career no two cases can be similar, just like finger-prints or human ears. The possibility of waking up to a new challenge or going to sleep with a new thought, a new understanding of law, drives me to work day in and day out. Such possibilities are remote in desk jobs. Law firms may provide such an opportunity if one lands up in a litigation oriented law firm, but being dictated by someone is not my cup of tea. And I have always been a bad employee, since the days of part-time-jobs at an event management company. The day I had quit, was probably the happiest day in the life of my boss, Mr. S. Kamal.

     

    A lot of law students prefer corporate jobs over a career in litigation. What is your take on this?

    The corporate sector has no relation to litigation as such. Experience in the corporate sector will not lead anyone anywhere in litigation. Litigation is a different ball game altogether. Corporate skills don’t help when the Judges ask you a question of law out of nowhere. Learning to deal with the Seniors and Judges in court needs a different expertise which takes years. Like all roads lead to Rome, all legal matters lead to Courts. I prefer to be at the juncture of certainty than at the point of probability.

     

    How is the work atmosphere at the Calcutta High Court presently? What have you faced as a fresh graduate?

    Calcutta High Court is like my second home; advocates there my family. No matter how bad the work atmosphere is, I shall always find it rosy. Rather, I believe if 7000-8000 Advocates can come and make a living there, the work atmosphere cannot be that bad. But then again, there is no standard to measure the same. It is as good as your perception and as bad as your negativity. True, that there is room for improvement. Advocates here areunder paid as compared to Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai or Bangalore. There is also a chord of gender-bias. The ratio of male to female advocates is still appalling and the ratio of male to female Judges is not encouraging as well.

    Life as a fresher is still as tough as it was two or four decades back. But back then, a fresh graduate had no option whatsoever to advertise and/or market himself which is readily available these days; courtesy: the social media. The concept of Public Relations was less important back then as compared to this day. Though I myself am quite fresh in litigation, the only advice to the even fresher graduates venturing into the field of litigation will be to be honest and dedicated. It is not about pedigree or clientele. It’s about discipline, dedication and delivery. If one chooses to work in the field of Litigation, one must come to court regularly, whether he/she has work or not. Coming to Court regularly fetches work by itself. Secondly, one must observe. In the field of litigation no one has the time to teach anyone else hands on. One has to learn by himself and for that one has to observe; not only big or high profile matters or Counsels, but everything under the sun. One has to observe the presentation of facts, the law, the other Court-crafts, how one deals with the clients, how one delivers. The domain is so huge that even after five years, I sometimes feel that my learning is worth only of a day. I sometimes feel it was only yesterday that I joined and that leads me to the third most important thing, patience. One has to be patient; patient at every juncture. One has to be patient when there is no work, one has to be patient when there is ample amount of work. One has to be patient in victory as well as in defeat. Lack of patience has driven several fresh graduates out of Court and I do not want the readers of this blog to face the same. Thus, the conclusion I would like to draw is that litigation is not difficult but very time consuming.

     

    What should be the way forward for legal education in India? Doesn’t legal education need a restructuring?

    I do not agree with such a notion. As per my understanding, two industries shall never face the bear, one is religion and the other is legal. To quote my senior Mr. Datta, “This is one place (to be read as legal industry) which has maximum revenue but zero production”.

    The process of legal education is two-folds. One, which is being imparted to law students and the other, which should be imparted to other citizens, lay men, as we may call them. The first, needs to be fortified by current affairs and up-to-date case laws. Not only the Advocates but also the teachers must be well versed with the recent judgements of the Hon’ble Supreme Court and concerned Hon’ble High Courts. A habit must be inculcated amongst the students to be philosophical about law and not just mechanically memorise the statutes. New understanding, new thoughts, out-of-the-box ideas must be given a channel towards public and/or expert gaze. The second, process must be simplified and made accessible. Spreading legal awareness is of utmost importance and the same must be done, with honesty and sincerity and not for the sake of doing it. It is sad that even today, across the world, people have family physicians but not family-lawyers. Law must be made affordable and accessible to everyone.

    The above is irrespective of my dissent in calling legal profession an industry. The lack of processing raw materials and manufacture of goods disallows the legal profession to be termed as an industry.

     

    Do you think having a legal background is a great advantage to flourish in this profession?

    It is a myth according to me. Having a legal background is more of a disadvantage than an advantage.

    First of all, when one joins the profession one doesn’t only inherit friends but also foes. For no reason a fresher is thrown into work politics by some seniors who are double the fresher’s age. In our social structure, an Abhishekh is expected to give the same performance like a Amitabh Bachchan in his very first movie and an Arjun is expected to make the Indian Team and score a century in his very first match like a Sachin Tendulkar. The constant comparison, the loads of expectation and the unending attempts to be pulled down is very unnerving. But as I said, patience & hard work is the only cure all these not so pleasant situations.

    At the same time, having access to my father’s library at wee hours of the night or early hours in the morning as per requirement is definitely an advantage. In a place where everyone is for himself, having someone your own whom you can trust and/or rely upon blindly is definitely a psychological advantage if not anything else. It gives one an internal strength to push through the odds.

    Since I have not flourished in the profession yet, I do not know what it takes to flourish, but what I have learned is that being honest and dedicated fetches you work. It is a continual cycle where you have to be honest and dedicated to receive work and to do the work to the best of your ability for the next and thus the cycle goes on.

     

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

    My workday generally starts at 7.30 in the morning and ends according to the work pressure but definitely not before 12 at night. The hours in between are dotted with little naps, rest and ‘adda’. But in my five years of practice in Court I have not considered my work as “work”. It is more of a hobby than a profession. Even during holidays or days off when I have nothing else to do I go to my chamber and sit down with a journal. My legal profession is my favourite pastime. Everything else seems like work to me. To me, nothing can be more interesting than talking to my clients, drafting new matters, preparing for matters on the day prior to every working day or just reading journals in the vacuum. I reiterate that every matter is different from the other. Every matter requires some other research. Even if two matters are same, the experience gathered from the first makes me research and go to the depth in the second.

     

    What are the difficulties one may face starting out? How difficult would you say it is to build a reputed practice?

    Since I love every bit of my profession I do not think there have been many difficulties apart from those stated above. I have enjoyed work, as well as the phases without work. I am a learner. When I have work, I learn through the work, when I do not have much work, I learn randomly. When I started, I neither had any expectations of income nor did I have any expectation of work. Everything fell into place with time. But to build a reputation, it takes a lot of hard work. One needs to decide how he wants to be known. Since I could not fathom how much knowledge I would be able to gather, I decided to be known as being honest. And I have built on it each day. I have tried to remain dedicated and deliver work as and when asked for. I do not know for sure how many exact years it takes to build a clientele. It may take 10 years to have one returning client or it may take 1 second to lose 100 clients. All these variables of income, expenditure, clients, etc are actually immaterial at the end of the day. Working with honesty and integrity is of primary importance. I repeat, building a profession, a reputation is not difficult, it’s just time consuming.

     

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

    I do not think I am someone important enough to be interested in. But I have taken this process of interview to remember who I am. Amid a lot of work pressure and various events in life, we often forget who we are. This interview turned out to be a good deal of introspection and was a good way to remember what I knew about myself and learn what I didn’t.

  • Tulika Srivastava, Senior Manager – Legal, at L’Oréal, on law school and building a career after graduation

    Tulika Srivastava, Senior Manager – Legal, at L’Oréal, on law school and building a career after graduation

    Tulika Srivastava graduated from Amity Law School in 2005 and had thereafter worked with Crawford Bayley & Co., DSK Legal and Nicholas Piramal India Ltd. She currently works as Senior Manager – Legal at L’Oreal India Private Limited.

    In this interview, she talks about:

    • Law school experience at Amity Law School
    • Work at Crawford Bayley, DSK Legal and Nicholas Piramal
    • Current work profile of Senior Manager – Legal at L’Oréal

     

    What inspired you to study Law? How did you get through to Amity Law School?

    Back in 2000, when I passed out of school, I was at that juncture of my life (which every confused and aspiring teenager goes through) where I didn’t know where to head. However, luckily for me, I got the much needed guidance from my school and parents who helped me realise where my true interest lay. I took a conscious decision based on the subjects of my interest back then and, therefore, it only made sense for me to pursue a career in the field of law.

    I had to take an entrance test to get into Amity. This was 15 years ago and a lot has changed since then, including the admission process.

     

    Tell us about your law school journey from the 1st year till your final year. As a law student which extra activities did you participate in? How important are these co-curricular activities?

    We were the second batch of Amity Law School, and that allowed us to gain exposure in an array of fields. There were no precedents to follow and that only worked in our favour – as we were learning through experimentation and from our own mistakes. We had a sound internal faculty and considering our location and the proximity to the Apex Court of India, we also had a host of legal luminaries as visiting faculty.

    While I was a part of the Internal Moot Court Committee, I also led the Dramatics Society at the same time and won many accolades for my College. Co-Curricular and other activities help you develop an all-round personality, improve your interpersonal skills and also boost your self-confidence. Moreover, law school journey is not an easy one – activities apart from your regular curriculum, therefore, help you refresh the burdened mind as well.

     

    How should one go about the internships? How important it is for a law student to plan out the course of his internships to successfully gain from the internship experience?

    Internship ‘planning’ can be very unique to each individual depending largely on his/her aspirations. It could be a straight jacketed single stream internship pattern or you could chose to get flavours of various fields. There are pros and cons of both. Whichever method you chose, make sure your internships help you design your career path eventually – whether it’s in corporate, litigation or academia.

    The importance of Internships lies in a simple known fact that Law cannot be taught or learnt merely from textbooks. You have to know the applicability and the consequence of each and every act, rules, sections you learn. This is where internships play a vital role, which gives you a real life practice experience while you are in law school. In fact, at times, internships may also give students an opportunity to learn subjects which may not be a part of their curriculum at law school.

    Primarily, as a law student, you will find yourself spending a lot of time in the library (which also includes legal web portals now) doing researches on diverse subjects. So do not expect much more than that in your first few internships. Subsequently, in finalyears of law college, you may be given opportunities to assist the associates in legal writing as well. Do not fret if you do not master the flair of drafting during your short internship periods, because “drafting” is one skill which requires constant polishing and honing. Make the most of your internships, grab as much as you can, do not be afraid to ask questions, because once you are a law graduate you will be expected to have answers to all those questions.

     

    Would you say the ‘NLU’ branding helps its students?

    Yes it is true to a certain extent in my opinion. NLU is a fantastic brand to have on your profile, which will definitely ensure you get the best break in this profession. But at the end of the day, your merits and hard work do play a significant role which take you places.

     

    After graduating you joined Crawford Bayley & Co. as an Associate Trainee. How did the appointment take place? What did your work profile consist of as an Associate Trainee?

    I landed in Mumbai right after I passed out of the Law College, without any leads or contacts, and without any exposure in the Mumbai legal circle. The primary task for me was to chalk out my first Five Year Plan. From the past experiences gathered during my varied internships, I had a fair clue where I was headed. I knew it was imperative for me to start with litigation so as to understand the basics, thereafter broaden my horizon by acquiring knowledge in different streams of law and eventually settle down as an in-house counsel. I, hence, sent my application to a few leading firms specialized in litigation. I got a call back from Crawford Bayley & Co. and an interview meeting was set up with a Senior Partner, pursuant to which I was recruited as an Advocate Trainee in the field of civil and corporate litigation. This was the best start I could hope for because this experience not only helped me create a very strong foundation but also gave me an in-depth knowledge about the City Civil Court and Bombay High Court functioning, its procedures, departments, etc.

     

    Thereafter you left Crawford Bayley& Co. and had joined DSK Legal. What led to this shift? How was your experience working there?

    I was working towards my set target. The second step now was to acquire exposure and knowledge in diverse fields of law. DSK Legal offered exactly that and was, hence, a natural progression for me.

    While I had joined DSK as an Associate in the Litigation Team of the Firm, I was fortunate enough to be able to undertake a wide variety of tasks ranging from Capital Markets, Equity as well as Debt. I found myself exposed to multiple streams, so it was a little intellectually challenging but at the same time extremely gratifying and rewarding. Each transaction and each matter was full of new experiences and opportunities. All in all, I can say that DSK Legal provided me a well-rounded experience.

     

    You thereafter left DSK Legal to start working at Nicholas Piramal India Ltd. as Legal Manager. What did this shift happen? What does Nicholas Piramal do and what was the nature of your work there?

    A move like this was scheduled for a little later in my scheme of timelines. However, I didn’t mind when then this opportunity came my way, as it was a part of the bigger game plan in any case. “Sooner the better” I thought and jumped right in when I got an offer to work for the Indian Pharmaceutical giant Piramal Healthcare Limited (erstwhile Nicholas Piramal India Ltd.).

    My work there was a mixed bouquet, which comprised of everything I had learnt till then and much more. I was responsible for end to end legal requirements of the business divisions I was handling, right from litigation, to business and brand acquisition, to intellectual property protection and of course, contract negotiation, drafting and management. The whole transition of switching from a practicing lawyer to an in-house counsel was not as easy as it seemed back then. It was not just a change of job, it was a change in the whole outlook, accountability and orientation as a legal practitioner.

     

    You are currently working at L’Oréal India Private Limited as Senior Manager – Legal. How did the switch from Nicholas take place?

    Learning is constant – that’s the basic premise for a successful lawyer. After 4 years at Piramal, it only made sense to change my industry in order to maintain my learning graph. L’Oréal gave me an opportunity to use my existing skills and apply the same in a different environment. More importantly it offered acquiring new skill sets essential for a corporate lawyer. I was contacted for a preliminary interview which was followed by several discussions with and within the senior management at L’Oréal and which ultimately got me on board.

     

    How is a typical workday like?

    L’Oréal is an atypical workplace. It has elements of erraticism due to its young and dynamic yet very structured nature. There is not a single day which is same as any previous day, and that is what maintains the freshness and keeps me going. However, broadly, a regular workday at L’Oréal for me includes co-ordinating with my Business Divisions in order to close their open issues and contracts, advising them on general legal queries from time to time, ensuring compliance and risk mitigation.

     

    What is your take on the debate of Corporate Practice v. Litigation?

    It has always been a big debate amongst young lawyers – Corporate practice vs. Litigation practice? I am from the school of thought which believes that Litigation is where all the groundwork lies. That’s the reason I started my career with a stint at Crawford Bayley, which gave me a sound experience in the field of civil litigation in Mumbai. I reiterate that this route is an effective way of ensuring a very robust foundation and is an important facet of a career in law. Litigation gives you a huge breadth of areas to work on and learn from. You get to research and innovate strategies in varied fields of law.

    That being said, Corporate definitely increases your in-house marketability. In most companies, there’s more need for corporate activities such as securities filings, corporate governance, contract negotiation and management, etc. Moreover, with the growing number of skilled and expert lawyers, companies are more likely to keep their work “in-house” on the corporate side. If you are irresolute about which area you enjoy more, corporate will definitely provide you more careers options but comes with a bit more risk.

    It is always sensible to choose an area of practice that you are passionate about, where “passionate” is the key word.

     

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

    I am a decade old lawyer today, and my appetite for learning the novelty and unknown is only increasing. Abide by “Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish” – it will take you a long way.

  • Manisha Karia, Advocate on Record, Supreme Court, on quitting law firm and setting up independent practice

    Manisha Karia, Advocate on Record, Supreme Court, on quitting law firm and setting up independent practice

    Manisha Karia graduated from ILS Law School, Pune in 2000. Soon after graduation, she started working as an Associate at Thakker & Thakker, Solicitors & Advocates where she worked for a year. Later she switched to Dua Associates where she worked as a Senior Associate. Thereafter she left her job and started practicing independently before Supreme Court of India, Delhi High Court and other appellate forums at New Delhi. She has been practising independently from last nine years.

    In this interview, she talks about:

    • Work experience at Thakker & Thakker and Dua Associates
    • Co-authoring a chapter in “Electronic Evidence” by LexisNexis, UK
    • Building reputation and clientèle
    • Independent practice and experience of a decade in litigation

     

    You graduated from ILS, Pune in 2000. What was the legal profession like back then? What were your objectives as a law student?

    I always wanted to peruse challenging carrier to have my own identity as professional and at the same time to serve society. My father always aspired me to take up civil services. There were apprehensions and opposition from friends and relatives about a girl taking up law especially when I was to become first generation lawyer. My parents have been a great support for me throughout. I still remember that with great difficulty, I admission in ILS, Pune as that time five years law course was offered by very few colleges.

    My sole objective was to give my best and to do justice to the opportunity and choice I had made. I made library as my second home and worked really hard to overcome language fear as I have studied throughout in my mother tongue till class 10th. In my 2nd year I participated in moot court competition and I was among top 3 that gave me confidence. My professors were encouraging and involved me in research for Hindu Law and Constitutional Law workshops organised by college. That really diverted me from civil service exam preparation and I was more fascinated to peruse law as my law career and took every opportunity coming on my way and in my 3rd year itself. I started attending chamber of a senior advocate, Mr. S.V. Kanitkar in Pune to understand nuances of original side of civil litigation at trial courts. Initially for 6 months after college, I used to attend court, which gave me clarity about original side of litigation, which is still helping me in my practice in Supreme Court.

     

    When you pursued law, not much of an importance was laid upon internships. But the scenario now seems to have been changed. How relevant do you think are internships for a present law student?

    During my student years, we only had one internship in final year. Now almost all law schools give prominence to internship as part of curriculum, which I feel is very vital for every law student. Students have options to work with senior advocates, law firms and individual lawyers, PSUs and NGOs. These opportunities provide students an insight into how each practice of law is different from other and they are better equipped to decide about their career in law profession. Also, internship with the judges of High Court and Supreme Court gives fair idea about decision making processes in the Courts. Today is an era of specialisation. Internships immensely help students to determine whether to pursue corporate or litigation practice either in law firms or with Senior Counsel or individual lawyers and also decide area of specialisation.

     

    How valuable would you say your legal education was at ILS? When did you actually experience the learning curve? What is your opinion when people say that all that they have learnt is in their years of practice?

    As I said, my learning during five years at ILS still helps me every day. Starting from 1st presentation to participating several competitions and workshops and special courses conducted during student days, prepared me to face the challenges of the legal profession. Our professors are still our mentors and guides of lifetime. They treated us as family and guided throughout. We were always encouraged to participate in moot court competitions and many other opportunities for research and presentations. It all depends on how you make best of the opportunities. The Legal Aid Cell helped us to provide practical advice to litigants in early days of student life. The Mock Trials gave us insight into art of cross-examination and in-depth analysis of Evidence Act in practical way, which has become rare in today’s legal education where the subjects on procedural law are being taught in less than six months.

    I believe practicing law is never ending learning process, the older you grow, the expectations and learning increases. Yes, there is no doubt that you learn a lot when you actually start practicing, but if you take student years seriously, that forms a strong base for your further learning. Five years is a long period to built a foundation which none of the law student should miss as once you enter profession with added responsibility and demanding work, one really doesn’t get time improve or devote time to any special skill. I strongly feel that one can only achieve something by investing time and this profession requires dedication in formative years at law school, which can be best used for development of these skills including research, basics of drafting, presentations, debating etc. If the beginning is right, one gets a different level of confidence and clarity in terms of basic knowledge and skills for this noble profession by the time you actually enter the profession.

     

    How was your work as a corporate lawyer at Dua Associates? Please tell us a little about your work profile while working there. What were the responsibilities you were entrusted with?

    After passing out, being eldest in the family, my siblings were still studying. I wanted share financial responsibility of my father and also gain some law firm experience as I had never experienced firm work culture. Therefore, I joined Thakker & Thakker before even final year results were out. I really learnt a lot starting from how to work long hours (12-16 hours a day) and what is billable and non billable hours, maintaining time sheets and pending work list, drafting of several contracts, FEMA, RBI, SEBI regulations and I got to do my first arbitration and learnt a lot about IPR registrations. I also assisted in two big IPR litigations in Bombay High Court and also got opportunity to do some Tax work.

    Thereafter, I joined Dua Associates, Mumbai office and there again it was branch office of Delhi based firm, so I got to do all kind of work including due diligences, property documents drafting, lots of IPR work (mainly worldwide trade mark and patent registration assignments), attending hearings in Trade Mark Registry and IPR litigation in Bombay High Court along with other corporate commercial litigation. Also I had an opportunity to prepare guidelines/manual for police officers for IPR and information technology law related cases as law was new in India. I was lucky to work in this office and concerned partners had given lot of responsibilities and freedom to work as I was communicating with lawyers / firms from almost 40 countries for trade mark and patent work. I worked in Bombay for about 5 years which were tough years as I used to travel 3 hours every day from New Mumbai to Fort and back, but I really enjoyed work culture and those were foundation years of my life, which really taught me many things in all respect and it was a true struggle as first generation lawyer.

     

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

    That’s like a every girl’s story! I got married in 2004 and shifted base to Delhi. I initially worked with Delhi office of Dua Associates for some time. However, I had to take a break for my daughter’s birth and focus on her upbringing. During this period, I contributed and co-authored a chapter on India in book published by LexisNexis, UK on “Electronic Evidence”, which is an authority on the subject. I also started working with my father-in-law, who is a Senior Advocate and Former Judge of Gujarat High Court and started attending Supreme Court on regular basis.

    I considered options of joining back law firms, but to be able to manage both family and career and to strike that right balance, I decided start up my independent practice. One of my friends from Pune referred Special Leave Petition of her sister in which there was issue as regards to interstate transfer of matter from one state to another state by High Court and I got a chance to argue that matter pro bono before Supreme Court where other side was represented by Senior Advocate. I did my best and it was well appreciated by the Hon’ble Judges as well as other seniors present. I became more confident and I knew that when I do what I love and feel passionate about, I will find a way and can handle the family and my profession too. Then, I started taking matters before High Court of Delhi, NCDRC, Company Law Board and other Appellate Tribunals along with the Supreme Court and after having a few years’ experience in the Supreme Court, I decided to appear in Advocate of Record examination. This has been tough experience with multiple responsibilities, but, yes, I had choice to do my own work at own working hours (apart from courts hours) and family was also taken care of. The clients and briefing lawyers have been really supportive and understanding. Today, after years of struggle, I have my own office and am being able to give full time to my practice.

     

    What are your main practice areas? How has been your experience so far?

    As an Advocate of Record in Supreme Court, I handle multidisciplinary practice as one cannot have specific practice area we represent and file every type of matter. I have been handling both civil and criminal Special Leave Petitions, Transfer Petitions and Writ Petitions before the Supreme Court. Off late, I have been doing more of Tax and IPR related matters.

    I have been appearing in Constitutional, Company, Consumer, Property, Service law and Environmental law related matters. My journey as a lady lawyer has been full of ups and downs. Legal profession has been somewhat male dominated, however there a change in past few years. I only know how to put my head down and do my work to the best of my abilities and like to take limited work and do justice to the matters I have taken responsibility of.

     

    As a practising lawyer how did you manage to learn the basics of court room practice? Did you have anyone to guide and mentor you during the initial days of your practice?

    My experience at lower courts during my internship as student gave me real understanding of evidence and procedural aspects and working in a Firm and Bombay High Court really helped me how to handle clients, drafting, preparing for cases and briefing seniors and, yes, I am really blessed to be guided by my father-in-law, who is my mentor and many other seniors who always corrected me and encouraged me. You can really understand court room practice by being vigilant and observant in court rooms and each matter teaches you something new. As young lawyer, in initial days I used to spend lot of time listening to many Senior Advocates arguing in Court during regular hearing days.

    Many things as regards to court room practice, one learns by everyday experience and Supreme Court has wide variety of matters work and has lawyers and clients coming from all over from India. Mastering facts and applicability of law and logical thinking and strategy can really get you through in complicated matters. There is no shortcut and working hard always pays.

     

    How necessary is it to have a mentor/guide to handhold a young lawyer while still in the formative years of the profession? Did you have one?

    It is very important to have able and good guide/senior in formative years as there are so many things which seniors can help you with their vast experience. It is very necessary to work under an ethical senior and proper guidance as many young lawyers hardly work with seniors or organisations and jump into independent practice and find short cuts to earn fast money. In formative years one needs to work on detail, cultivating habit of reading and full research before drafting and arguing new matters. I was always told by seniors to be updated on recent case laws and by reading judgments one can really improve on legal language. I really learnt basics of litigation from Mr. S. V. Kanitkar and Mr. J. V. Thakker and seniors from the Firms I worked with and in Supreme Court my father-in-law made me understand how to go to the root of the matter by marshalling the facts and doing detailed research before drafting or arguing.

     

    What were the difficulties you faced in the early days of your practice? How difficult would you say it is to build a reputed practice? How many years of hard work does it require to build a firm clientele?

    Being leady with added responsibility of family, small baby it was very difficult to start and continue with independent practice and survive in the profession in Delhi. It was difficult to revive contacts and get back the trust to come back full time in practice. It takes about 6-7 years to set up full-fledged practice and one need lot of patience, consistency and dedication. Many clients don’t want to pay the due fees to junior lawyers and one has to really struggle hard. In initial days of practice I could barely mange to recover even expenses and to save on cost and time I had office cum residence.

     

    Did you build everlasting relation with your clients? Please share some of your secret tips on how to boost fiduciary relations with the people we serve?

    Yes, many of my clients and briefing lawyers are old contacts and relations which were developed while working in Mumbai and references from others states. Clients are always result oriented. You may not always get good case, but it depends on how you present it before the Court. If you show your performance by trying your best, many times efforts are well appreciated irrespective of result. I believe in giving clear idea to the clients about favourable and against points in their case and reasonable chance success/failure in the matter before filing any case. Many times this is really helpful and they come back with more work even if the result was not favourable in one of their matters. I have even refused client to file SLP where I felt there was no point when they were advised by others to file the matter. I strongly believe that one has to be honest and sincere to the client. Also being proactive to call or email to keep client updated before they call and to answer queries promptly at any time helps to develop good relations and builds confidence with clients.

     

    The Bar Council of India has recently come out with new Certificate of Practice and Renewal Rules, 2014. What is your take on this?

    I see the logic and I am sure it is in the interest of young lawyers joining the profession. According to me, basic knowledge and experience of trial court and high court is necessary before starting practice in Supreme Court as that gives better understanding, perspective and ability to conduct cases in efficient and better manner.

     

    How is the work atmosphere at the Supreme Court presently? Do you think it has become more difficult for a fresher to be successful compared to a decade earlier? What would you advise a fresh graduate as he enters the world of litigation today?

    In the Supreme Court has lawyers and judges coming from all over India and one gets to see diversity and different level of performance, which makes it a very challenging atmosphere. The numbers of lawyers have really increased in past few years and at the same time elevation of eminent practicing lawyers as judges of Supreme Court has really helped in changing the scene. Numbers of designation of AORs as Senior Advocates by Supreme Court and number of practicing lady lawyers and Senior Advocates have also increased. Many Judges are very accommodative and encourage junior lawyers and AORs to argue matters. My advice to the fresh graduate who enters in litigation is to choose good senior or law firm where you will get variety of work to do, improve your drafting as much as you can in initial years, clear your doubts by discussing with seniors, spend maximum time attending court hearing and read judgements on daily basis and research work without entirely relying on online resources. One should never appear in Court without knowing or reading the brief.

     

    Indian criminal law is, to a large extent, influenced by its British counterpart. Do you think if Indians would have framed our Penal Code, it would have been better?

    Although Indian Penal Code was drafted more than 150 years before it is still effective. Indian laws and entire legal system is largely influenced by English legal system and I do not see that it would have been better if we would have drafted it as over last so many years, we have made several amendments to all archaic laws to meet the changes in society and technology.

     

    When you hire interns under you, what kind of qualities do you look for? What should an intern do to get noticed in a positive way?

    I prefer interns who are eager to learn and ready to do any legal work assigned with dedication and without any hesitation. As fresher, one would not know how to go about case, but they should ask relevant questions and understand from seniors the subject matter and scope work and research required. To be noticed in positive manner, reading the brief before conferences and hearings and doing detailed research and preparing note on matter in paramount.

     

    In the last ten years you must have seen the change in litigation field. What would you say about this?

    The litigation field has considerably changed. With e-filing and use of technology, the processes have become easier and faster. It saves time and costs for litigants. Litigation is also becoming very expensive for quality of legal advice. Backlog of cases is increasing every year. With elevation of many eminent lawyers as Judges of Supreme Court and High Courts, the things are really improving. Hopefully, we would see major changes by reducing delays in justice delivery system and making the best legal advice affordable for everyone in coming years.

     

    What would be your parting message to law students who want to litigate just after graduation?

    In the end, I would like to covey to students to make use of their student years to the maximum, develop writing and speaking skills, do as many internship and participate in moot court competitions. It would really help one develops skills of doing right research and work hard in early days of practice. I wish all students a very best luck in their legal pursuits.

  • Shriya Maini on choosing Oxford over Cambridge, Scholarships and the role of higher studies in Litigation

    Shriya Maini on choosing Oxford over Cambridge, Scholarships and the role of higher studies in Litigation

    Shriya Maini graduated first in class from Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar in 2013 with four gold medals, including that of Best Student. Thereafter, she joined the Litigation department of Amarchand Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff, New Delhi as an Associate in their Dispute Resolution Team. After working there for a few months, she paid heed to her calling and is pursuing the Bachelor of Civil Law Programme from Oxford on a full scholarship. In this interview, she talks about the difference in pedagogy between Indian and Foreign institutes and the relevancy of a traditional BCL degree for litigation practice.

    We took this opportunity to ask her about:

    • Experience working in the litigation department of Amarchand & Mangaldas
    • Importance of Internships
    • Choosing BCL from Oxford over LL.M from Cambridge
    • Writing a proper SOP for an LL.M
    • Applying for different types of Scholarships for high studies

     

    Tell us a bit about yourself. What motivated you to choose law for a career?

    If I were to answer this question absolutely honestly, I never really wanted to study law. Though, in retrospect, my family lineage reveals a close legal association (my grandfather retired from the Indian Home Ministry and my father is a practising lawyer), I don’t think I was ever motivated to make a career out of law as such. I was busy exploring the scientific world and was rather intrigued by it. I faired well in my A Levels and decided to follow my mother’s footsteps and pursue a career in medicine. Little did I know that future had something else in store for me! Over one of the many dinner table conversations, my grandfather casually mentioned how a centralized national level entrance examination called CLAT was being organized for the very first time for direct admissions to law school. I did not even know of the existence of National Law Universities until then and was reading their names for the first time on the examination brochure. To me this seemed very alluring, as a back up option, in the event that I failed my pre-medical tests. Besides, the examination (fortunately) had no negative marking. A week later, I was walked out of the hall, immensely proud of the fact that I had attempted every question on board, correct or not. Once the results came out, GNLU fell into my lap. I suppose I got lucky with my guesswork! Being a devoted daddy’s girl, I decided not to walk out on him, packed my bags and took the plunge. Hence, law happened purely by chance and not choice.

     

    How did you plan your internships? Were they all meticulously planned or did they just happen to you as you went through law school? Any tips you would like to share with people who want to intern at top-notch firms?

    As my vita indicates, I didn’t have a strict ‘to-be followed’ normative pattern of internships. However, I consistently endeavoured to intern at each and every place that I possibly could, be it chambers or law firms. I was sure that wherever I interned, I would substantially gain technical proficiency for my knowledge and experience, both were limited. In effect, I knew I had nothing to lose. Hence, on one hand, I thoroughly explored the corridors of the Supreme Court and Delhi High Court and on the other, I vacationed every year with commercial law firms, such as Amarchand Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff, Dua Associates and Jyoti Sagar Associates. Such a wide-range of internship opportunities helped me understand the everyday working and nuances of laws, be it civil, criminal or commercial.

    In the penultimate year of law school, I realized that my calling was only in Court. I was drawn towards litigation and the internships most definitely, opened me to a whole new world. I interned twice in the litigation team of Amarchand Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff, New Delhi under the guidance and supervision of Mr. V.P.Singh, one of the most dynamic partners of the firm. I had a fantastic experience interning with him. He had a galaxy of juniors assisting him who made the experience even more worthwhile.

    Likewise, by the end of third year, I advise all law students to have a fair idea of what they want to do. I believe the last two years are very crucial when it comes to painting career silhouettes, the so called deal makers or breakers. Hence, I strongly advise that if you haven’t already had some form of internship exposure, now is the time to get that on your CV. It would be a good idea to split the law school tenure of five years into a 3+2 structure and avidly apply for varied internship openings until the third year. Explore what you enjoy, much like the hit and trial method. I would also advise all law students to acquaint themselves with the backgrounds of firms, judges, lawyers and wherever they are making Internship applications, so that they can make an informed choice about joining them. The importance of a tailored CV cannot and must not be underestimated at any cost. I would also caution that the fourth and fifth year, being most important could be channelized towards improving one’s CGPA as much as possible. I can now affirm that though top-notch firms do not solely and specifically look for a high GPA, but it makes for a fine impression if your CGPA is more than respectable. It gives you that ‘added-edge’.

     

    Right after graduation you got to join the Litigation team of AMSS. How did the appointment take place?

    I secured a job with AMSS all thanks to GNLU’s Committee on Recruitment Affairs (CRA). As a core college body, CRA annually facilitates students and recruiters, on a rolling basis for on as well as off campus recruitments. I was one of the few lucky ones to grab an internship with the Litigation Team of AMSS, in my penultimate year of graduation. The selection was purely based on class rank. I vacationed once again during the winters and six months later, on the College’s zero day, I was offered a job in their Dispute Resolution Team (Litigation and Arbitration).

     

    What all came under your responsibility at AMSS? How was your first visit to court?

    I was rather lucky to work with some of the most hardworking people in the litigation practice at AMSS. My area of work encompassed commercial litigation and arbitration. Within the team, our supervising partner had allotted a couple of matters to each one of us. I was given an opportunity to work on an international commercial arbitration at a very early stage in my career. I worked under the leadership of some of the best people in the fraternity and handled these matters from scuff. I also drafted the first cuts of Rejoinders for a matter. On a lighter note, if I could pick one responsibility that truly came my way at AMSS, it was drafting e-mails. I learnt the significant skill of ‘written communication’, its necessity and nuances. Though challenging and interesting, these months made me actively re-think my options and pursuits. While I spent hours drafting legal documents and e-mails before a bare computer screen, some part of me began to miss the ambience and actual working of a Courtroom.

     

    Is it true that it is not possible to get a job in a top tier law firm without top grades and being in the top of the class?

    I am often asked this question. Being brutally honest, top tier law firms often filter students on the basis of class ranks and/or scores. Good grades most definitely matter, at least while securing internships. Unless you are offered a PPO based on your performance during an internship, even during recruitment, most top law firms are bound to take grades most seriously. This is purely due to the fact that a high CGPA depicts an academically consistent upward moving graph. However, I believe that moots and publications could also be an equally essential pointer when it comes to specialized interests. By this I mean that for a law student specifically interested in International Taxation, a paper publication or mooting experience at Nani Palkhiwala could silently speak volumes during a recruitment interview.

     

    What prompted you to decide to leave the largest law firm and venture out at as a sole practitioner?

    It was the same year, infact within a span of five months that I decided to leave AMSS and venture into entrepreneurial practice. Amidst sleepless nights and long office hours, I was at crossroads with my passion for ‘learning and living the law’. I would often feel academically stagnated while making document summaries, indexing compilations or drafting e-mails. One of those mundane Monday mornings when I had to report to the office at 8, I turned the wheel to reach Court instead. Yes, I admit that it was rather drastic and bold a call to take at such an early point of my age and career. Friends and family tried convincing me otherwise cautioning how hard-hitting litigation practice could be.

    Had it not been for the latter half of the year when I practised at the Supreme Court and Delhi High Court, I would not have been able to secure a scholarship for the BCL at Oxford. Hence, I firmly believe if you are true to your work, you shall most definitely reap its results, if not today then tomorrow.

     

    Would you say being from a family of lawyers helped you in forming your practice? How did you find your mentor? How important is a mentor in the field of litigation?

    After a brief stint at AMSS, I devoted the next 7 months to independent legal practice. It would be wrong for me to shy away from admitting that my father was the sole reason I could pivot my practice from the position at which I had left AMSS. I was fortunate to land a few cases, which were handed over to me by my father. They were a mixed bag of both, civil and criminal. He gave me a tiny working chair in the chamber apart from full freedom to not only strategize, draft and file matters but also argue them. Before I knew it, I was running a mini-office with 4-5 odd matters.

    So, I didn’t have to find a mentor! He was right there, my father. I think it is very important to have a mentor who would guide you through the myriad experiences of life, especially when we make the strategic shift from law school to the real world of practice, which can be very demanding. The two stages are immensely different and challenging in more ways than one. Law school demands academic mentoring where a guide’s role may be limited to ensuring his student performs well and steers on the right path of intelligible growth. However, at the professional level, especially in the field of litigation which is plagued with cut throat competition, it is rather difficult to perform without a mentor. My father would discuss each and every line of a case with me and always shadow me in Court, even if I was the one arguing. To him, the sole rules of survival in litigation practice were to consistently work hard, be true to your profession and never turn a client back. I hope the same would benefit some of you law students as well.

     

    Which universities did you apply for LL.M? How did you go about choosing which college to go to for your LL.M.? Did you ever consider Indian colleges for LL.M. now that they are also offering one-year course?

    When I began to practice, I realized that to deal with the complexity of legal and social issues, a mere Bachelors degree would not suffice. For law to evolve, it had to be understood and reasoned, not imitated and blindly followed. I decided to pursue my intellectual drive and made applications to three U.K. law Universities, including Oxford and Cambridge. I specifically did not apply to any of the U.S. law colleges for I was determined to stick to a common law background. It is ironical that now I read a lot of American case-laws, in particular contrasting the civil law approaches as opposed to the common law ones. Within the U.K., my most obvious choice was the Ox-bridge duo.

    Though I didn’t personally consider an Indian LL.M, I am sure it has much to offer. However, from my limited experience of studying my undergraduate degree at an Indian law school, I firmly believe that in terms of teaching methodology and content, we still have a long way to go. I understand that cost could be a pinching factor, but an international exposure with the most intelligent minds of the world is totally worth it.

     

    How did you plan your SoP? Please share your SoP with us. Please share some tips for a successful application.

    I’d like to first answer the second limb of the question. There is no set recipe of making a successful LL.M Application. A good idea could be to first zero down on a country and then pick colleges accordingly, depending upon your subject interest and of course, University reputation. You could easily find U.K. University ratings on weblinks such as http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2014/law-legal-studies.

    These could be indeed helpful to begin with. Another piece of advice would be to filter about 5 Universities and make Applications to only those. On a personal note, I spoke to a lot of people, discussing and debating at length how the BCL was different from a conventional LL.M. Hence, I believe interacting with seniors could most definitely be an enlightening experience to help you choose a college.

    Coming to first part of the question now, an SoP should exactly be structured on the lines of the questions you have put forth in this interview. To elucidate, an SoP must explain why you’re applying to a particular University and not any other on the list. Akin matrimonial ads, SoPs in effect are intended to sell oneself in more ways than one, preferably subtle. A good head start could be to divide the SoP into three paragraphs, the first being a general introduction about who you are, where you’re coming from and what you do. The second could be about what you want to do in the future, perhaps stating a subject focus. I also suggest you add a personal touch to an SoP and include a life story or specific incident reasoning how the same prompted you to take up higher studies. For instance, there are a couple of people I know who wanted to specialize in Medical Law and Ethics and they applied to Oxford, describing at length in their SoP a heart wrenching medical story of losing a loved one.

    Another important thing to keep in mind is tailoring the SoP to suit each college. For instance, Oxford SoP must not run beyond two pages. So, an SoP for LSE or Cambridge could be fairly descriptive and detailed, but an Oxford SoP must be very crisp and coherent. You could end your SoP with a paragraph about how you could contribute as an Asian lawyer in the room.

    And yes, I would be more than willing to share my SoP with you all.

    Click here to download the Statement of Purpose

     

    You had decided to pursue BCL from Oxford University over Cambridge. Any specific reasons for that? How relevant would be a traditional BCL degree for your litigation practice?

    Yes, I was fortunate to have been admitted to both, the BCL (Bachelor of Civil Law) at Oxford and LL.M (Masters in Law) at Cambridge. After thorough deliberation and critical evaluation, I decided to pick the BCL over the Cambridge LL.M. Knowing that it is one of the most rigorous taught Masters in the world, I decided to challenge myself yet again. While the Cambridge LL.M is often picked by those interested in International Law or specifically Corporate Law, the Oxford BCL is definitely more litigation oriented. Hence, I naturally picked the BCL. There is another slightly less known course called the MLF (Masters in Law and Finance) which is jointly taught by the School of Business and Law at Oxford and those of you who are keen in a commerce background could definitely have a look at that.

    Another reason why I chose the BCL was the unique teaching method of Tutorials. Every term (we have trimesters at Oxford), our tutor discusses the erstwhile seminars and lectures with each and every student, in person, in effect clarifying and revising the course content. Students are given a list of questions prior to every tutorial, of which they must attempt one in writing and submit to their tutor a day before the personal session. Such an exercise is immensely helpful for students are well prepared to answer questions well in advance of the examinations. The tutorial system of teaching is unique to Oxford and hence, I would advertise the BCL even more strongly.

    I would be better equipped to answer the second question a year later. However, from hearsay sources and personal interaction with ex-BCL graduates, I can assure you all that the degree most definitely gives you a cutting edge, in terms of legal knowledge and presentation. It pushes you to think out of the box and to some extent challenge the existing laws, aimed at the formulation of ground-breaking legal arguments. Hence, the precedent based litigation practice in India could benefit multi-folds from a holistic and global degree, such as the BCL.

     

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    What should one do differently in college if he wants to pursue higher studies after graduation? Would you suggest having a brief work experience before applying for LL.M?

    There is nothing particularly different that one must do as a prospective Masters student. However, in order to get a Scholarship/funding, it is essential that students keep the following in mind. Apart from consistently studying hard and smart for five years, maintaining high CGPAs and participating in a few moots or ensuring a couple of publications, one should apply well in advance if he or she intends to pursue higher studies. Applications open a year prior to admissions and in the U.K. Universities List, Cambridge is the first deadline to be met. Next is Oxford and then the others.

    Each Application has a scholarship column which all Applicants must tick in the affirmative. These ensure that wherever possible, University/college funding would automatically consider the Applicant’s request for scholarship or fees waiver. I was fortunate to have received the Dr Mrs Ambriti Salve Scholarship 2014-15 and the Bodh Raj Sawhny Memorial Trust Scholarship 2014-15 from the University of Oxford, Exeter College and hence, my studies are fully funded. In a nutshell, I would advice all law students to try and procure scholarships, researching well in advance the criteria for each, be it Inlaks, Aga Khan or the Commonwealth and accordingly, tailor your CV during law school.

    I personally believe a year’s work experience was the sole reason for me having made the cut for the Salve Scholarship. I definitely feel more confident, relaxed and sure of myself than I was when I stepped fresh out of law school. The whole Oxford experience could rather be very overwhelming and emotionally take a toll on someone who, fresh out of law school has not ventured into the real world so to say.

     

    Please tell us about how you applied to these abovementioned scholarships and ultimately got selected for them. What according to you is a good profile for scholarships like these?

    I was fortunate to have received the Dr. Mrs. Ambriti Salve Scholarship and Bodh Raj Sawhny Memorial Trust scholarship for the academic year 2014-15. Following a generous gift made by Mr Harish Salve, a Friend of Exeter College, University of Oxford, the scholarship is awarded each year on the basis of academic excellence to an Indian student reading for the BCL. The Salve Scholarship fully funds my tuition fees, besides granting me a cover for my living expenses.

    No, I did not make any separate Applications for the abovementioned scholarships. In fact, both of them are College linked, i.e. awarded by the Exeter College, University of Oxford. For such scholarships, you just have to tick the relevant box (affirming you want any and all type of funding available at Oxford) within the main Application that you make for the BCL. However, it would be a good idea to browse through the College websites and have a look at specific scholarships, course wise. These could require a separate application or additional documents. For instance, a useful link where you all could start from would be the official webpage of Oxford enumerating the funding options available –

    http://www.law.ox.ac.uk/postgraduate/scholarships.php.

    There is also a similar provision on the Cambridge GRADSAF for Commonwealth and Gates Scholarships, which you must apply for. No separate Application (only another SoP) is required for the same.

    The other kinds of scholarships are the ones offered by Indian organizations and donor trusts, such as Aga Khan, Narotam Sekhsaria etc. These are also worth applying for but require separate Applications to be made once you have received your offer of admission. Hence, call for such scholarships are usually doled out after March end.

    I guess I was lucky and blessed to have received such a mammoth funding award. I cannot pin point and say how the selection process exactly works but I could share with you some indicators, which could be of help.

    Firstly, it is necessary to have good grades and by this I mean, try and maintain a class rank within the first three of your batch. Secondly, it would be a good idea to pursue extra-circulars such as moots and publications in college. These look very attractive on a scholarship profile. I would also suggest that if the scholarship Application requires a write-up, play up your ‘need’ for funds factor.

    Lastly, you must be able to demonstrate why you wish to undertake studies in a particular subject specific to a College/University. I think preparing answers to these questions would be more than sufficient to organically create a decent scholarship profile.

     

    Given a chance to turn back the clock would you have done anything differently from what you’ve done?

    No doubt, I have taken some rather risky decisions to pursue what I truly believed in and felt was right for me then. However, I am very satisfied with each of those and stand by them even today. Having tasted the flavours of the commercial world, I am now actively involved in academia, living the law much closer than I could ever imagine. I am thoroughly enjoying and doing what I best like to – ‘studying’. Hence, even if I was given a hundred chances to turn the clock back and do things differently, I’d never do so.

     

    Lastly, what would be your message to a law student who is yet to decide his/her career?

    My only message to a law student who is at the brink of deciding his/her career would be to have the courage to follow your heart and grit to pull off your plan once you decide to do something different. Just because one of the paths at the crossroad appears financially alluring, it could prove to be rather professionally unpleasant. With age on your side, give yourself a complete gamut of experiences that a lawyer could have without regretting a single decision whatsoever.

     

    Photo Credits: Pratibimb

  • Khushi Pandya, PhD Scholar, University of Westminster, on higher studies, SoPs and Practice at Gujarat HC

    Khushi Pandya, PhD Scholar, University of Westminster, on higher studies, SoPs and Practice at Gujarat HC

    Khushi Pandya is a currently a Doctoral Researcher at University of Westminster. She is an alumnus of Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. She pursued her LL.M in International Commercial Law from University of Westminster. She was a practising advocate before the Gujarat High Court. She has also served as a Grievance Redressal & Legal Consultant at Woman & Child Development Department, Government of Gujarat.

    In this interview she talks about:

    • LL.M and Ph.D from the University of Westminster
    • Tips on SOPs, Recommendation Letters and publications
    • Practising at the High Court of Gujarat
    • Working as a Legal Consultant in a Government Department

     

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

    Hello! I am Khushi Pandya, currently a Doctoral Researcher at University of Westminster, London. I am a proud alumnus of Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India from where I read my law degree – B.A. LL.B.  I have done my LLM in International Commercial Law from University of Westminster, London in 2011-2012. I was a practising advocate before the Gujarat High Court, State Legal Consultant with Government of Gujarat and a proud volunteer engaged with Mahiti Adhikari Gujarat Pahel. I hold an ordinary and average kind of student profile. I belong to Ahmedabad, Gujarat and have completed my schooling in the vernacular.

     

    How did you gravitate towards law? Tell us about your college life at  Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. What activities did you partake in?

    Well, my inclination to pursue law developed as early as Class 10. My father is a journalist based in Ahmedabad and was extensively engaged from 1996 to 2005 covering various feature stories involving human rights issues or rather, I would say, stories which outline the common man’s struggle for getting what they are entitled to under the laws of our country. Hence, from the age of 8-9, consciously or sub-consciously I too, was associated with the thoughts and stories he used to share with his fellow colleagues and it gradually developed my interest in the subject. My father’s profession indirectly provided me a platform to understand that in reality, the struggle for rights has somehow become a part of an ordinary man’s life. By the time I reached Class 9 or 10, I very well understood that law is the mechanism which helps people to redress their grievances against many odds.  I completed my schooling in 2005 and chose MSU to pursue five years integrated law course – B.A. LL.B. I was in the first batch of integrated law course- B.A. LL.B at Baroda School of Legal Studies, Faculty of Law, The M. S. University of Baroda and it had all the factors you come across by being the first batch of any Course and that was mostly related to infrastructure and scarcity thereof. But renowned and experienced faculty members played very a important role during this time to nurture students’ knowledge and perspective as budding lawyers. Having renowned mentors help you a lot in getting insight of practical aspects of law. Faculty of Law, MSU gave many Justices in various High Court and Supreme Court, Advocate General, Government Pleaders, Senior Advocates and it has helped us extensively.

    At the same time, one should remember that MSU is the only residential University of Gujarat and it has its positive aspects. Like any college student, I have enjoyed a lot for five years. As one of my favourite writers C.K. Bakshi has rightly said that, “You learn more from outside of class than from within four walls of a classroom.” MSU provided me many opportunities to explore and expand my vision – be it extensive and intense election process, weeklong Youth Festival or cosmopolitan environment.

    As far as academic activities are concerned, I was ordinarily involved with studies throughout five years. During the first year of study, I was kind of an obedient student but in the following years I have bunked many classes and have spent time in the canteen discussing various developments in legal and political field. I have always scored well in semester examinations without any ATKT. I was overall a good student. Apart from day to day studies I have participated in various Legal Research and Writing Competitions/Seminars/Workshops – both in English and Gujarati language and have performed well too.

    As far as extra-curricular activities are concerned – I have extensively participated in various activities during Youth Festivals like –story and poetry writing competitions, debate or poetry recitation. I topped in Story and Poetry Writing Competition for two consecutive academic years.

    By and large those five years at BSLS, MSU were extra-ordinary in every sphere – it gave me a lawyer’s perspective by observing all facets of University life.

     

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

    Ever since I decided to take up law as a career, my entire consideration was towards issues which affect human life. Hence, during my college days my area of interest remained more towards Human Rights or instead should I say my inclination was towards Human Rights based approach. I was associated with a voluntary group which runs a legal aid clinic and focuses on legal awareness. Stories from people who came to attend such programmes are much more interesting and a kind of reality-check. Expertise come with years of practise but the various internships I undertook have definitely helped me to develop my perspective. Talking with seniors/fellow colleagues/clients, attending office helps you to gain knowledge and practical aspects of legal procedures  and that’s how you understand things. For practising law you need to understand practical aspects more; of course, books do help you but you need to understand what is termed by practising advocates as “Court Craft”.

     

    After graduation, you started practicing before the Gujarat High Court. What kind of difficulties did you face during that period? How did you overcome them? How would you describe your experience as?

    After graduation, I joined the Chambers of Dr. Mukul Sinha at High Court of Gujarat in May 2010 and trained until August 2011. I would say the experience was simply the best in each aspect – the kind of comfort and freedom you get as a fresher, I was made part of all kinds of discussions, I was allowed to participate in all court matters, I had access to all infrastructures and I learnt a lot. The reason behind mentioning all these is that ‘law firm culture’ is not yet developed in Ahmedabad and there are very few juniors – esspecially anyone without a background in the legal profession who get such freedom and liberty and comfort to work with Senior Advocates.

    My experience as a junior member at the Bar was fair enough. I was exposed to a variety of matters in this short span like – matters pertaining to service law, contempt law, furlough applications, constitutional matters and few other matters involving civil rights of people against politically motivated actions.

     

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    What made you pursue your LL.M from University of Westminster, London?  How would you describe your experience as? Tell us about the course structure and specialization of Master of Laws at University of Westminster?

    After working at Gujarat High Court I felt that exposure in foreign country to pursue Masters Degree in Law would be worth it. At the root of making the decision to pursue LL.M from abroad was just to get exposure – both professionally and personally. Also, the idea of going back to the classroom is always fascinating one. I made a decision in May 2011 that I want to study further and started searching for Universities and short listed a few Universities in UK. I got offers from Queen Mary, Nottingham, Durham, Birmingham and Westminster. I was awarded the Taught LL.M Scholarships 2011-12 – a fee waiver scholarship at University of Birmingham. But somehow I finalised University of Westminster to pursue my LL.M.

    The prime reason behind choosing UoW was faculty members – Dr Reza Banekar, Richard Earle, Adam Samuel, Dr Aurora Voiculescu, Simon Newman, John Flood, Joseph Tanega and many more. All of them are oceans of knowledge and I was lucky to have mentors like them. Classroom discussions and lectures were interactive in nature and it helped me a lot in developing a skill to speak up my mind and raising my views to a larger audience.

    LL.M Course at UoW is divided into  7 modules – two compulsory modules and they were : Foundations of International Commercial Law and Dissertation; five  optional modules and I took up : International Commercial Litigation, International Commercial Arbitration, Comparative Commercial Arbitration, Corporate Social Responsibility, Business and Law and Research Methodology. The course is of 180 credits – 6 modules comprising of 20 credits each and dissertation module comprising 60 credits.

    The assessment method is totally different from the one we have in LL.M courses in India. Assessment of one module is divided in two or three parts – open book class room exam, research essay, assignment to finish from morning to afternoon and problem solving questions.  Further, Masters Degree in Law from UoW requires its students to answer their questions within a specific word limit and it nurtures your habit to frame your arguments in a most precise manner. Gradually it developed the skill to reach your audience in few words.

    One of the other reasons behind choosing Westminster was that it is situated in the heart of London – just a minute walk from Oxford Circus tube Station!.

    Most fascinating and important part about studying at UoW was its library service and kind of resources you get for your research – it was simply the best.

     

    What are the key ingredients of a well written SOP? Can you make it personal? Any tip to those making their SOPs? What might be the one mistake that the majority make?

    Well, there is no strict formula to write an SOP. It varies from  need to need and as far as SOP for a course in a University abroad is concerned, they provide you a frame within which you have to explain yourself and that is too general and simple. My personal belief is that a well written SOP should be free of any jargon. When any organisation asks you to write a Statement of Purpose, it has to be your statement behind your inclination to take up something and your objective behind the same can be anything – personal reason, fascination, or just like that. A well written SOP, as per my opinion, can include reason to join a specific course – personal reason or any professional mileage you may get after completing that course. My suggestion rather than a tip to those making their SOPs is: write your SOP at your own, don’t copy from others’ SOP and most importantly – your consultant for higher education abroad is not supposed to write your SOP, it’s you who has to write it and penning down your mind might take up a day or two, but at the end it will exactly reflect your mind and would be far better from a stereotypical SOP written by your Consultant. I would certainly say that majority of students who consult Foreign Education Advisors leave it up to them to write one. Please don’t do so.

    Writing an SOP for applying for a scholarship/studentship equally requires you to pen down your need to seek financial assistance. When the SOP is for a scholarship, don’t embark solely on your achievements or need. All you can do is, collaborate your achievements, need and the benefit you are going to get after completion of the course.

    As far as writing down your thoughts is concerned, to sum up I would quote Friedrich Nietzsche that, “Style ought to prove that one believes in an idea; not only that one thinks it but also feels it.”

    I believe writing down your thoughts and perspective will definitely make a good SOP and  it has certainly helped me to get the Law Research Studentship Award to pursue Ph.D at UoW.

     

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    Do you think that having your recommendation letters written from distant acquaintances with influential position may backfire against you while making your application? What is the proper thing to do instead?

    My opinion is that all you need is a Recommendation Letter and it can be from anyone who knows you well – professionally or academically. Majority of institutes ask for recommendation letters from the last academic institute you have attended and in some cases they allow to have a recommendation letter from your employer. Recommendation letters are to support your application to an institute and the institute does not decide on your application solely on the basis of the recommendation letter – they do look at your grades, SOP, whether you meet  other criteria or not,  etc.

     

    You have publications in various renowned journals. How should one go about writing papers and getting the same published? Please share somehighlights of your best work.

    The first legal research paper I wrote was for a seminar organised by Bhavnagar University and that was in Gujarati language, discussing violence against women coming from culturally nomadic tribes. An important point to keep in mind is – writing what appeals to you is necessary – it may be purely legal, socio-legal, a novel, a story or a poem. It is said that practice does make you perfect and being in a legal profession, the habit of writing at regular intervals help you a lot. Nowadays we are in the era of social media – everything is virtual and so is your presence! As a Doctoral Researcher, during my interactions with many renowned Professors across the world, they have repeatedly advised that writing is the most important element for this profession. Publication indeed is an important factor because what you write or analyse must reach others and that’s how it is channelized across the wider community and that’s what academia actually means.

    I am in the process of producing my best work. But issues on which I have written include – Right to Potable Water in this era, Muslim Personal Law with special reference to Fatwa, scientific methods used in criminal investigation and its impact, right to information, unification of arbitration law, investor-state dispute mechanism under investment treaty regime, interface between human rights law and Bilateral Investment Treaty regime, to name a few. Currently along with my Ph.D research work, I am engaged with the  task of codifying various Government of Gujarat Resolutions along with relevant parts of Land Revenue Code pertaining to agricultural land and associated rights of farmers. I am genuinely looking forward to the outcome of this project and believe that it will be very helpful to farmers in understanding their rights and will bring awareness.

     

    How did publishing affect your legal career? Apart from academia, does it help one to secure jobs at all?

    I would say it boosts your confidence when you see your thoughts or work published in any peer-reviewed journal, newspaper or magazine. If you want to pursue career in teaching, having good publishing record will definitely play an important role and that is one of the University Grant Commission’s requirements too. My opinion is that solely a good publication record really does not help one to secure a job but along with that you are required to meet particular job criteria. If you are looking for a core litigation work area where you would  attend courts and meet clients on weekends or in the evenings, your senior might not be even bothered whether you have any publishing record or not. But I am told that when you are willing to secure a job in top tier law firms, publications during your academic years might be of important consideration.

     

    How do you identify and decide on a topic or area of law to write on? What is the process like? What are the top three things you consider as sine qua non for great research work?

    During the initial years, topic or area which appeals to you in some way or the other, you write about it. There is no strict formula or process. You choose a topic and start writing. A good point about participating in legal research paper writing competitions is you are given a specific area to write about and it makes the task easy. I believe that finding a topic to write is bit difficult and most of the time  lapses in thinking about the topic only.

    Three things as sine qua non for good research work are:

    • Interest in the topic – and be clear about three things – what you want to research on, why you want to research and how you want to research?
    • If you are involved with serious kind of research (M.Phil/Ph.D/Post-Doc kind of research) – please be aware of all developments taking place in your research subject, know all big shots involved in this research area and do in-depth reading.
    • Time-table and discipline – be clear about the time frame within which you want to finish your research work because as a human being you may procrastinate and it delays the process. So many developments are taking place and it may happen that what you are dealing with has already been dealt with by many other people just because you didn’t follow your time frame. You need to follow a military discipline at times.

    I used to serve as a Volunteer for Mahiti Adhikar Gujarat Pahel, Ahmedabad from March 2013 until I came to UK, for free Legal Aid Clinic where a number of people across Gujarat come to seek advice about various legal issues they are facing. Many a time, stories from general people help you to find a topic to write an article on. You can very well co-relate the social issues they are facing and the law/rules pertaining to the same and research further and shape it as an article.

    It is not always necessary to get it published in a journal or news paper or magazine. You can put it on your blog and seek a wider audience.

     

    At present, you are a Doctoral Candidate at University of Westminster. What motivated you to pursue a Ph.D.?

    Ever since I took up my LL.M dissertation, I have thought of taking it further to Doctorate research. My interest in the subject was the prime motivation to pursue a Ph.D. Along with that, encouragement and support provided by my Director of Studies who was my LL.M dissertation supervisor too, my professors, my parents and friends motivated me to take up this research project. Since my teenage years I had vaguely dreamt of pursuing a Ph.D before I turn 30; so that factor has also played a role in enrolling for a Doctorate Programme.

    It is not about studying too much. It is unlike a typical study or course and in fact, it is a kind of work i.e. research and writing which you like and that’s how you go further into it. It is a process of evolving during years of your doctorate studies – both personally and professionally. But there is some inner force which keeps on motivating you to take the process further and further. That’s all.

     

    Prior to pursuing a Ph.D , you’ve also worked as Grievance Redressal & Legal Consultant at Woman & Child Development Department, Government of Gujarat. Please tell us about it.

    Yes, I was a Grievance Redressal & Legal Consultant at Women & Child Development, GoG. A walk-in interview was scheduled for the appointment where all candidates had to undergo a written test and if short listed; had to face an interview. As many as 55-58 candidates appeared for the written test and 8 were shortlisted for interview and I was one of them.  Five panellists were there – Principal Secretary, WCD; Director, ICDS and three other top officers of WCD and the interview lasted for 7-8 minutes. They asked a  few general questions about my alma-mater MSU, laws pertaining to prohibiting sexual violence against women, drafting skills and my course at UoW. It was a kind of formal talk after waiting for 7.5 hours at WCD Office at Gandhinagar.

    Being a State Consultant there were many tasks to deal with. My main task was to handle all litigation before High Court and Supreme Court, preparing affidavits in reply, co-ordination with Government Pleaders. Majority of cases were Public Interest Litigation, service law matters and commercial matters arising out of tender process. Apart from that contract vetting was one of  my tasks.

     

    Please tell our readers about the environment of a Government department. How do the daily activities take place?

    Working with a Government Department is a different experience altogether. Important tasks include preparing affidavits in reply, monitoring all Court matters, instructing District Offices about matters pending before District Courts, briefing  higher authorities about any important developments, conferences with GP/AAG/AGP.

    In a Government Department, everything goes on file and you will hear people saying “file chalana padega iske liye”. The working environment is typical and in your initial days it annoys you too. The working style is completely different from the one you have in Chambers or Law Firm.   You keep on searching for a particular file and still couldn’t find because the person who initiated that file was transferred to some other department and the new one would say he actually doesn’t know about this issue because it’s a new subject for him/her. But gradually you learn to handle such situations and get the work done. But at the same time working with top officers of the State is also a learning opportunity.

    I was the only legal consultant in the Department managing all sorts of legal issues and had many responsibilities to deal with. Normal days were packed with work and handling various matters and attending Court. Overall it was a nice experience.

     

    What is your Ph.D research topic.? What was your motivation behind the selection of that topic?

    My thesis deals with the interface between the Bilateral Investment Treaty regime and International Human Rights Law. I show the conflict seen between two regimes of law- Investment law and Human Rights Law and it aims to study the need to balance investor protection vis-a-vis human rights obligations of the state and sovereignty of the state under Investment Treaty regime.

     

    What plans do you have once you finish your Doctoral Research? What do you plan to accomplish in the coming five years?

    I will be looking forward to teaching. But my long term goal is to get actively involved in spreading right based legal awareness in India.

     

    Lastly, what would be your message to law students interested in going for higher studies from India?

    If you have a dream or are willing to pursue higher studies in foreign country, you should absolutely go for it. But at the same time it must be kept in mind that higher studies in foreign country might not guarantee a dream job at the first instance when you return to India simply because you hold foreign LL.M Degree and that’s why your  purpose has to be to explore a new world- academically and personally rather than solely aiming at job employability; and  a commitment to your own self to excel in whatever work you take up would benefit ultimately. Make the best out of your one year LL.M or any other Programme in all aspects and explore a new country – culturally, academically and personally. And at last, be ready to embrace the uncomfortable!

  • Janaki Bhide, Associate, W S Kane & Co., on LL.M in IPR from QMUL and work experience in Intellectual Property

    Janaki Bhide, Associate, W S Kane & Co., on LL.M in IPR from QMUL and work experience in Intellectual Property

    Janaki Bhide graduated from ILS Law College, Pune in 2012. Her interest in Intellectual Property law led her to move to London right after graduation and pursue Masters in Intellectual Property law from Queen Mary University London. She also holds a Diploma in Corporate Commercial Law and Mergers and Acquisition Laws. Thereafter, she came back to India and started working as an Associate at W.S. Kane & Co., one of the prestigious IP law firms in India.

    In this interview, she talks about:

    • Her time at ILS amongst co-curricular activities
    • Deciding to pursue Masters in IPR after graduation
    • Law School experience at Queen Mary University of London
    • Induction and work at a top IPR Law firm: W S Kane & Co.

     

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

    Hi all! I am a lawyer working with W. S. Kane & Co. as an associate for the past one year. I graduated from ILS Law College, Pune in year 2012. Shortly after my graduation I moved to London to pursue my Masters specializing in Intellectual Property Law from Queen Mary University of London. Presently I am working in Mumbai. My career as a lawyer has only just begun!

     

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

    I belong to a family of lawyers. My grandfather and my father are in the same profession. Since my childhood I have had affinity towards law. In school, I particularly enjoyed political science, English literature and science. I was also actively involved in theatre activities, debates and elocutions and cultural activities. I gravitated towards law as it is a very challenging profession. As a lawyer one has to constantly learn and adapt.

     

    Please tell us about your time at ILS.

    ILS is a great college. It has a great legacy. So personally I believed it was the right choice for me. It was a big step since it was my first time outside my hometown. It took me some time to adjust, but after that I ended up having a great time in Pune! I made some amazing friends.

    Apart from the subjects which were part of my curriculum, I also took up short specialized diploma courses in International Human Rights, Mergers and Acquisition Law and Corporate & Commercial Laws.

    I was greatly involved in college activities, the cultural team and the theatre group in particular. I participated in many inter-collegiate drama competitions. As a part of cultural team I was responsible for organizing a lot of activities in college. Five years spent at ILS were very instrumental in shaping my personality and making me the person I am today.

     

    Right after graduating, you went for LL.M. When did you finally decide that you need to do masters? What were the considerations you had in mind while looking at various universities?

    Yes, I went for my masters right after my graduation. I think it is a personal decision. I made the decision after a lot of counselling from home and other senior students. It was general opinion of everyone that it gets very difficult to go back to the learning phase after you start working and making money. I started looking out for good universities in my final year of graduation. I was searching for law schools that offered strong courses in Intellectual Property Law.

     

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    How did you choose Queen Mary over other colleges? What was the decisive factor? How should one go about choosing a university?

    I think it is very important while choosing a University to carefully go through the courses offered, the faculty teaching the courses and its reputation. You must keep in mind that the highest ranking university might not have the best academicians for the course you are interested in.

    I was really impressed by the courses offered at QMUL. Intellectual Property courses at Queen Mary are some of the best in the world and students get opportunities to learn from the best IP practitioners and luminaries in the profession

    I would also advise students to also get in touch with the Alumni or current students from the University you are interested in and find out more about the academic as well as the cultural atmosphere surrounding it. I contacted a couple of seniors from ILS who were then studying in QMUL and through them I got a lot of information about the culture in the University.

    .

    Would you tell our readers about the application procedure and other requirements?

    The procedure for application in a foreign Law School is quite standard. Every university has specific conditions/factors that they consider while accepting students. Be sure not to overlook them and apply accordingly. Since India is not an English speaking country, clearing International English Language tests such as IELTS or TOEFL is an important criterion. Another important thing would be getting recommendation letters from your professors, lawyers you have worked with in the order of relevance to your planned course of study. Next up is getting your Statement of Purpose (SOP) right. Your SOP needs to be properly written. Apart from these things every university would obviously be looking into your academic background, extracurricular/ co-curricular activities etc.

     

    What were your areas of interest while you were an undergraduate student and how have they helped in choosing your subjects/courses for the LL.M programme?

    Your graduation curriculum involves a plethora of subjects that you are required to study during your five years. It is only towards the final two years that you are allowed to choose one subject of your interest in a year. I found Intellectual Property very interesting and entertaining when I attended the first orientation class and I took that up as an optional subject. But of course, studying IP for one semester was way too short a time to understand it completely. It was after that semester I decided that this is the subject I would like to explore more and build my career in.

     

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    Tell us about your time during LL.M. What kind of activities were you involved in over there?

    Time spent in QMUL was very enriching and enlightening. I was exposed to new experiences, new cultures and a new lifestyle! Education system there quite suited my expectations. Universities in the UK have a more wholesome approach towards studies. There is less classroom teaching compared to Indian Universities. Students are given study material for pre-class reading so that all students enter the lecture with a basic awareness of the subject. All the students are encouraged by professors to share their viewpoints. As a student of QMUL I had access to two libraries which included access to IALS, one of the greatest libraries in the world. I was quite relieved to have only 4 classes per week, which ensured that I had plenty of time to read up, participate in extra-curricular activities and take up a part time job.

    I got a chance to participate in the “Oxford Price Media Law Moot Court”. It was an altogether different experience for me to be part of an International moot team and compete with the chosen teams from the best law schools and be judged by experts from all over the world. Participating in the moot made this otherwise impossible dream come true!

    I also wrote a runner up prize winning essay for Prieskel Prize Essay Competiton 2012-13 on “Open Source Free Software: Current Issues in IP”.

     

    Soon after Masters, you joined W S Kane & Co. as an Associate. Tell us about your induction into the firm. What does a normal workday entail?

    Yes, soon after I returned from my masters I joined W. S. Kane & Co. I was keen on working here as it is one of the best firms for IP Law in India. Managing partner of the firm, Mr. Himanshu Kane is one of the most knowledgeable people in the IP circle. Working with someone of Mr. Kane’s standing & expertise is providing me with a strong foundation with regards to IP.

    WSK has a good work culture. People are very friendly and there is a lot of encouragement to new entrants to the profession like me from the seniors. One thing I appreciate the most is their open door policy. Anyone can approach any person from the senior management including Himanshu Sir. People are always willing to help out.

    I am passionate about my work and truly enjoy working in the field of IP. I just finished one year at WSK. My career has only just begun!

     

    Does W S Kane & Co. take interns? What do they look for in their prospective interns/employees?

    Yes, WSK does take interns. I would say sincerity and a genuine liking for the subject is an important criterion apart from a good academic background.

     

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

    I absolutely agree with that notion. I finished my graduation and went straight to LLM, but I would say that my real education begun last year when I started working. All the subjects you studied at Law School, everything you know is put to test every day. You also get to learn and develop valuable skills such as drafting, communicating with clients so on and so forth. Since the field of IP is so dynamic and ever changing, there is always a lot to keep up with. It is also very important to keep reading and updating yourself.

     

    What would be your advice to students interested in Intellectual Property Rights?

    Intellectual Property Law in India is growing at an exponential rate. There is tremendous scope for growth. I would advise students who are interested in making a career in IP to keep up with the latest developments and judgements. They should also try and secure internships with good law firms practising IP. It would also help to take up diploma courses in Intellectual Property. All the best!

    In closing, I would like to thank you and congratulate you for this wonderful initiative that is SuperLawyer. I am sure a lot of young students will benefit from this forum.

  • Saurav Kumar, Administrative Officer-Legal, New India Assurance Co. Ltd., on work and appointment

    Saurav Kumar, Administrative Officer-Legal, New India Assurance Co. Ltd., on work and appointment

    Saurav Kumar graduated from National Law Institute University, Bhopal in 2012. After doing various litigation internships at both the High Court and Supreme Court, he was recruited by New India Assurance Company Limited.

    Among all his academic commitments he played a lot of sports in law school and was prominent member of Sports Committee at NLIU. He had always planned to pursue a career in government sector since his days in law school and is currently working as an Administrative Officer-Legal at the New India Assurance Co. Ltd.

    In this interview he talks about:

    • Studying at NLIU, Bhopal
    • Litigation internships
    • Recruitment procedure at NIACL

     

    How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers who are primarily young and aspiring lawyers?

    Hello, I am Saurav Kumar, 2012 batch graduate from National Law Institute University, Bhopal, currently working as an administrative officer-legal at The New India Assurance Co. Ltd.  I am an extrovert by nature and have likelihood for all things outdoor. I like interacting with new people, exploring new things and travelling a lot.

     

    What motivated you to choose law as a career?

    Honestly speaking, choosing law as a career wasn’t much of a planned move. I was exploring many options after passing 10thand I found law very interesting as a career option.  Initially I was attracted because of fancy newspaper articles related to whole court room drama and other high profile cases where lawyers had very important role to play but slowly after reading more about legal profession my perception changed a lot.

     

    Why did you decide to study law? Did you ever think of alternate career options?

    After my 10+2, I was lucky to have been ably guided by my father and some of his friends who are lawyers of good repute about the various avenues that the field of law has to offer. So despite having chosen science as my stream after 10th, there was always an inclination towards law. Personally too, I was of the opinion that I had a better aptitude for legal studies than anything else.

     

    Tell us in detail about your time at NLIU. Which activities did you participate in?

    My involvement was more in campus activities than the regular stuff like mooting and debating etc. which is the general trend among most of the students in NLUs.  As is often appropriately said that college is not only where you grow academically but also evolve as a person, so has been my time at NLIU. While learning the nuances of law it has made me ever more confident as a person. The memories and the self-dependency that the hostel life gave me are things I would forever cherish.

     

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    At NLIU, you were associated with student committees. What skills did you acquire while serving various committees?

    I was not directly associated with any committees, except sport committee in final year but I always enjoyed working with my seniors and my batch mates in organizing various events.  Working as a team always helps you to learn from others.  It also gave me invaluable lessons in man-management and organizational skills, team-work and keeping others motivated in a unit. I was lucky to get support from students across the batches whenever I needed, which I think was possible only because of one mantra I always followed “give respect to others if you want to get respected by them”.

     

    What kind of internships did you do in your law school? Which internships will you consider to be right at the top and why? Did you have institutional support for procurement of internships?

    Most of my internships have been litigation based, which I got by applying directly or through personal contacts.  I interned with advocates of High Court and Supreme Court but the one I would put on the top is with Mr. Rajiv Sinha, advocate at the Civil Court.  Lower Court is a court of fact as opposed to HC and SC which are essentially courts of law. It is the first stepping stone. I gained valuable experience in drafting, pleading, framing of arguments, research work etc.  Also there is a lot of court procedure one does not simply learn through the procedure codes. Now that I am working on field, my work mostly involving supervision of lawyers, I can vouch that the nitty-gritties learnt at the trial level have been very handy to me.

     

    You are currently working at the New India Assurance Company Limited as law officer. How did you go about getting a job there? Please tell us about the recruitment process at NIACL.

    I was preparing for the judicial services examination, notification for most of the state judiciary was delayed that year. In the meanwhile I came to know about notification for recruitment of legal officer in NIACL. Recruitment process is similar to most of the PSUs.  There are two stages, written test and interview. Recruitment process in all four public sector general insurance company was not conducted as it was required in last few years, resulting into shortage of officers in various departments.  Many of the seniors officers are at the stage of retirement in next few years, therefore these companies are planning to recruit a large number of officers in upcoming years.  There are vacancies for legal officers in most of the offices; it is a very good opportunity for new graduates.  Our batch was first in that process and it will continue for at least next 2-3 years.

     

    What does NIACL look for in prospective employees? Is the induction process any different from Law Firms?

    I don’t know much about the induction process in law firms; people working in law firms can guide you better. After joining NIACL we had attended 12 weeks training program in Pune. During our induction training basic information regarding various departments was given by respective department heads.  In the last stage of training special session was conducted for practical knowledge.  As a legal officer they expect us to be well-versed with the basic concepts of procedural laws and some other important subjects like tort, contract etc.  Most of us were not good in insurance related laws but at the time of training they spent enough time on these subjects.

     

    Tell us about your job interview. What kinds of questions were asked? Do you remember any of the questions? How did you prepare for it?

    Before the interview, we were asked to fill a sheet which consists of questions regarding academics, co-curricular activities and some other general questions.  They asked a few question based on whatever I had written on that sheet, after that they asked questions from Evidence, CPC, Contract, Torts and IPC.  I remember most of the questions; they asked a few hypothetical questions related to vicarious liability, strict liability, defamation, void agreement and voidable contracts. They also asked direct questions related to topics like res judicata, estoppel, injunction, and general defences etc.

     

    What kind of work do you have to do there? How is the experience so far?

    I got posted in the divisional office, my work is mostly related to motor third party claims, consumer cases, workman compensation cases etc.  We  also represent the company in matters of arbitration.  In higher offices like regional office and head office people also have work related to ombudsman cases, agreement drafting and other corporate related work.  Up to scale 3 normally officers handle the department in which they are specialized but after that they will have to take additional burden of other department. In my office I am the only legal specialist, therefore the workload is more than what I was expecting at the time of joining.  As a young officer we are getting support from the higher authorities but at the same time expectation is also very high.  There are pros and cons in every job but my experience is very satisfactory till now.

     

    Does NIACL take interns? What is the process for same?

    NIACL is not taking interns but during our training program many new officers have suggested the higher authority to start taking interns to get better quality and giving opportunity to the students to understand actual work in general insurance sector which I think is very limited at present.  This will help both, the company as well as the students.  Our General Manager (HR) has responded positively, we are hoping that NIACL will start taking interns like other PSUs in coming years.

     

    Many law students strongly believe that getting a job while in law school s mostly about securing a high GPA. Would you agree?

    Not necessarily. It largely depends on the sector you are aiming for. As far as the corporate sector goes, good internships and publications weigh equally. As for the public sector and government jobs, a minimum percentage stipulated by them respectively is sufficient. A high GPA might always help you getting good internships though.

     

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

    One could always say that something or other could have been better but as far as I see it was perfect and given a chance to live another  5 years at NLIU, I would live them the same way I did 3 years ago.

     

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

    Always try to make decisions on your own, taking advice or sharing experience is good but at the end you should feel comfortable in whatever you are doing.  Something can’t be right or wrong only because majority is in favour of that.  Instead of complaining, try to make the most out of the opportunities which you are getting during 5 years in law school.  Lastly and most importantly enjoy every moment and contribute as much you can to the place where you are spending the most important half decade of your life.

  • Nilanjan Banerjee, Senior Consultant, Ernst & Young on being a research assistant at SC, work at CPA Global and Lexplosion

    Nilanjan Banerjee, Senior Consultant, Ernst & Young on being a research assistant at SC, work at CPA Global and Lexplosion

    Nilanjan Banerjee pursued his LL.B degree from Hazra Law College (Department of Law at Calcutta University). Thereafter, he pursued his LL.M from WBNUJS, Kolkata. After graduation, he worked at the Supreme Court as a Research Assistant. He then worked at CPA Global followed by Lexplosion. Currently, he is a Senior Consultant at Ernst & Young.

    In this interview, he talks about:

    • Studying at Hazra Law College, Kolkata
    • LL.M from WBNUJS, Kolkata
    • Being a Research Assistant at the Supreme Court
    • Working at CPA Global, Lexplosion and Ernst & Young

     

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

    Well, my childhood was like that of any other kid of my generation. Being born in the early part of the 80’s had its own share of advantages and to some extent some minor glitches too. We were not from the internet generation which guys born in the 90’s had access to. Our access to knowledge and the outside world were initially limited to the classroom teachings imparted in our school and through news series like “The World This Week” aired on Doordarshan during those days.

    Having said that, I did my schooling from one of the best schools in my hometown in Durgapur, St. Michael’s School and was among the rankers in my school. Passing the ICSE in 1999, I was still not sure about my future and did my Higher Secondary in Science in 2001. It was then that I was at crossroads, with very few people at that time sticking to higher studies in Bengal and opting for Engineering and Microbiology courses (which was a craze at that time) from states like Karnataka and Maharashtra, my dad asked me to pursue law. I am the first lawyer in my family and initially I was sceptical about the idea of pursuing law

     

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    What brought you into legal studies? Did you face stiff opposition from your friends about becoming a lawyer? What were your objectives while still in the preliminary years of Law College?

    Well as highlighted in the previous para, my foray into legal education was not planned at all. My parents felt that it would be the ideal educational background for me since I was always good in elocution and analytical skills from my childhood days. They thought that potentially I could be a good lawyer and hence I went by what they suggested like any other typical kid during my days in early 2000.

    While most of my friends went outside to places like Bangalore and Aurangabad to do their further studies in the field of science and engineering, I joined a traditional college to do my law which was one of the least coveted professions during my time. It was more so since there were no good law schools (recall NUJS had only started in 2000 and no one could predict the prospects of doing law from the same since it was early days for the institution), and law as a profession was meant for people who had no other option during those days. My friends and relatives were apprehensive about my decision and so was I.

    To be honest, I could not figure out what I wanted to do after completing my five years of legal studies during the first three years of the LL.B. course. I was not sure about the entire course structure, about the way it was taught and about the career prospects since most of the people doing law during those days were not aware of the law firms and law was supposed to be meant only for practicing advocates who were in the field of litigation. But I was sure of one thing, that I would not be a part of the struggling litigation community in Kolkata.

     

    In Kolkata, universities are always charged up with a political atmosphere. How was your experience as a student of Calcutta University?

    My initial few days in the college where I studied law was more of a cultural shock coming from the background where I belonged to. I studied in a convent co-ed school in Durgapur where things were well planned and structured which was quite opposite to the scenario I faced in Hazra Law College which is the Department of Law of Calcutta University. The college had an active Union affiliation and all the newcomers in the First year were forced to be a part of the same. I dreaded going to college for the first few days since I always avoided political affiliations during those days. To be honest, my experience as a student of the college was not so good during the first couple of years. But I stood my ground and I was firm about the fact that studies were a priority for me since I had come away from my hometown to do the same. Things fell in place from the third year of my college life and seniors could understand that I could never be a part of their group and join in the political discourses that they wanted me to join.

     

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    What were your plans after graduation? Did you think of joining the Civil Services or litigation ever? How did you decide to pursue LL.M?

    As I previously mentioned, I had no plans or intention of joining the domain of litigation. My father though wanted me to give the Judicial Services examination but I did not want to join the same. Hence, I decided to do my LL.M since by that time I had developed an active interest in the field of law and wanted to pursue my higher studies from a reputed institution to sharpen my understanding and skills in the same. Somewhere at the back of my mind, I knew that I might want to pursue Ph.D and settle in the education sector at a later stage of my life. Hence, the decision to do my LL.M course.

     

    How valuable would you say your legal education was?When did you actually experience the learning curve? Would you agree with people who say that all that they have learnt is in their years of practice?

    Well, not all was bad in Calcutta University. We had subjects which were quite elaborative in nature and there were some good professors who would take the pain and effort to teach us law in the way it should be taught. Further, owing to the fact that the college where I studied had its own tradition and history behind it, I got to know some legal luminaries and gained valuable insights from them.

    I do believe that what you learn in your college days is just a small part of it. The actual learning is on-the-job learning that you gain while either during your years of practice or in the sector that you work in when you start your career. It is true that the college helps you to build your base and foundation and helps you to decide where you want to head after your education is over. But true learning and potential is realised once you start working.

     

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    How difficult would you say it was cracking the CLAT for Masters at WBNUJS, Kolkata? Which universities did you consider for your post-graduation?

    Well for me, it was not difficult at all to be honest. I knew I had to do masters and I also knew I was not in a position to move out of the state at that time. So the only good option for me was NUJS and I did give the CLAT during that time. Luckily for me, I fared well in the entrance and during the interview and group discussion that we had and the rest followed.

     

    How do you recall the academic setting of NUJS? How was your experience with the faculty and facilities of NUJS?

    For us, being a part of the LL.M fraternity in NUJS, things were easier for us vis-a-vis our interactions with the faculty members and easy access to them. What I could realise during my early days in NUJS was that the university wanted us to be a part of them after we passed out and we were treated accordingly. The set up was completely different from what I had experienced during my LL.B at CU. The library, the infrastructure, the course structure, classroom lectures were of the top notch and far different from my previous college. It was only during that time that I really enjoyed going to the college and attending the lectures of the faculty members of NUJS.

     

    Right after your post-graduation you started work at the Supreme Court as a Research Assistant. How did this happen? What was the application procedure and profile requirement?

    Well, I would say that I had been lucky throughout all these years. I got the right break at the right time and maybe that helped me get the little bit of success I have achieved so far. I remember that we were the first LL.M batch of NUJS to have framed our own Placement Committee and I was the co-ordinator of the same. Initially, the University was a bit apprehensive of the idea since LL.M students were supposed to join the University as faculty members and we were asked to do the same. But thankfully all my batch-mates were of the similar opinion that they did not see their future in litigation. It was during that time that we got to know of this opportunity that the University had received from the Supreme Court Registry for LL.M. candidates who were willing to join the Registry as a Research Assistant. We were asked to apply for the same after which our profiles were shortlisted. I was the lucky one to have got a chance and I happily accepted the opportunity that came through

     

    After serving the Supreme Court how did you get appointed at CPA Global? How did you adjust to a different work profile? What were your typical workdays at CPA like?

    My LL.M dissertation was on Intellectual Property Rights. To be precise, my dissertation paper was on the non-obviousness or inventive step requirement which is one of the patentatibilty requirements for a successful patent application. It was during my days at Supreme Court in Delhi that I got this opportunity from CPA Global which is the largest Intellectual Property Service Provider in the world. Knowing very well that I did not see my future in the domain of litigation and that I always had interest in IP, I happily took up the offer that I got from CPA.

    CPA was an out an out professional organisation. It was my first major corporate experience. The work culture, colleagues, set up and everything was so different from that of Supreme Court and I thoroughly enjoyed my experience. Adjusting to the set up was not difficult majorly owing to the team and colleagues I was working with. Having a good background and knowledge in Intellectual Property helped me as well. Working with CPA was fun and enriching. The work life balance was amazing with holidays on weekends. Typical workdays were from 9 am to 6 pm and we had all the facilities that we wanted.

     

    You have also worked at Lexplosion for about two and a half years right after quitting CPA. How did this transition take place? What did your work profile consist of at Lexplosion?

    The major turning point of my career came when I was forced to shift back to Kolkata due to family obligations. It was then that Lexplosion happened. Lexplosion, by that time, had developed into a major player in the Legal Compliance sector and was one of the few good companies in Kolkata. Lexplosion helped me to use my analytical and legal skills to their complete potential and the clients that I was catering to further helped me to grow myself as a lawyer in the legal domain.

    My major responsibilities included among others:

    1.  to maintain and manage the regulatory legal compliance of major Indian Clients through extensive research on existing laws and preparation of an extensive and comprehensive compliance inventory;
    2. To work closely with the in-house legal teams of client and their legal counsel on matters relating to labour disputes, appeals to the appropriate forum and guide them on the future course of action;
    3.  Leading the process of end to end compliance management for top Indian companies and MNCs through the dedicated compliance management software of Lexplosion- “Komrisk”.

     

    Currently you are a Senior Consultant at Ernst & Young. Would you say your experience at CPA and Lexplosion helps you at your current job?

    EY is a different ball game altogether. At EY you always have to be on the money and perform at your highest competence level. Obviously working with a brand like EY has its own major advantages. The exposure that one gets, the learning opportunities and the challenges that you face all put you in good stead as an individual and a professional. The professionalism and international exposure that I gained working with CPA has immensely helped me deal with the MNC clients at EY. Further, my knowledge of Indian laws and regulatory compliance matters which I have carried forward from Lexplosion is a niche skill set required of my job responsibilities at EY.

     

    How did your appointment at E&Y take place? Were there traditional interviews and short-listing procedures?

    I had got a call from a recruitment consultant who had mentioned about the opportunity with EY. I accepted the opportunity, interviews were scheduled and it was a smooth process thereafter. Since my resume was forwarded by the recruitment consultant to EY from the job portal, I would not be able to comment on the shortlisting part of it, because I am not aware of the same. But the entire process was smooth and did not take much time.

     

    Many young lawyers at corporate firms complain about the work being too exhausting, and that maintaining a work-life balance is just not possible. Could you share any tips on this?

    I personally believe that it all depends upon you, how you approach your career and where you want to head. I believe that if you are confident of your abilities, and have the experience required, the organisation would recognise your abilities and you can have your say when required. Work-life balance is a matter of perspective and there can be no straitjacket formula or answer on how to tackle issues pertaining to the same. But you have to be focussed and realise that organisations which provide you with the right opportunities and have the right learning curve for your career would expect you to deliver. When there is more work, there are more opportunities, and when there are more opportunities there are more ways to progress in your career. It’s a matter of choice for an individual.

     

    Do in-house counsels have it easier than lawfirm employees?

    I personally don’t feel that it makes any difference now in the competitive market that we are in. Law is no more a profession limited to the area of litigation and there are so many opportunities and versatility this domain has now. Thus, it provides equal opportunity to all. If you are good in what you do, the companies would hire you since there is a requirement at every level for good, competitive lawyers. While in-house counsels typically bring their experience working on issues pertaining to a specific industry they cater to, lawyers from law firms have their own versatility since they are not limited to a specific industry or domain. Further, I believe law firms owing to their structure teach you to absorb pressure and challenges. Again, as I mentioned, I would want to reiterate that it all boils down to one’s own abilities and skill sets.

     

     

    Do you offer internship opportunities at E&Y? What are the elements you would look for in a cover letter and C.V.?

    We have internship opportunities at EY, but to be honest it is not explored to that extent owing to the confidentialities and ambit of operations that we have.

    A resume should highlight your strengths, the areas that you have worked on and your professional experience. I have noticed that many a time a typical resume focuses too much on your academic laurels and publications. While I believe those are necessary, but in a professional set up like EY we focus more on the work experience and versatility of work profile of a candidate.

     

    Lastly, what would be your message to an Indian law student who wishes to have an illustrious legal career after the five years of law school?

    I would suggest that once a person decides to invest his five years for studying law, it is of paramount importance to indentify the institution from where he wants to study. There is no short cut to success as everyone says and that is more so correct for this profession. Law is a coveted profession now and there are multiple opportunities in the legal domain. Owing to the complexity of an organisation and the transactions/business opportunities that it caters too, there is an ever increasing need of legal professionals to deal with intricate and complex issues that these organisations face. Hence, any budding law student must focus on the area of law that interests him/her and accordingly must prepare for achieving the success that he/she dreams of.

  • Sneha Nainwal, on BCL from Oxford, work at LKS and moving to the UK

    Sneha Nainwal, on BCL from Oxford, work at LKS and moving to the UK

    Sneha Nainwal graduated from Symbiosis Law School in 2010. Soon after graduation, she went on to pursue BCL at University of Oxford. She has a very rich experience of working in India and United Kingdom. She then worked at LakshmiKumaran and Sridharan for about two years.

    Being a tax specialist she also has a keen interest in opportunities involving commercial litigation and arbitration.

    In this interview, she talks about:

    • Law school experience at Symbiosis and University of Oxford
    • Work experiences at LKS, SGH Martineau LLP,
    • Experience as a Contract Attorney at Bird & Bird, Hausfeld and Pinsent Masons
    • Work culture in India and the UK

     

    How would you like to introduce yourself? Please tell us about your pre-college experience.

    I am a dreamer by faith and lawyer by profession.

    My brother and I had a fairly modern upbringing that offered a unique blend of traditional values and liberal outlook. My father is a judge and my mother is a home-maker. We were always encouraged to find our own inspiration in life and so we did. While I followed my father’s footsteps and joined the legal field, my brother is now a user interface designer with Facebook in California.

    As part of our family tradition, I was sent to a boarding school in Nainital at a very young age. The 7 years spent at St. Mary’s Convent, one of India’s finest residential public schools, have had the greatest influence on my life. With its focus on an all-round education, character building and the belief that one’s competition is only with oneself, the years spent at Ramnee gave me the courage and integrity to be myself. My stay at Symbiosis Law School, on the other hand, gave me the opportunity to interact with fellow aspiring legal professionals and an inspiration to succeed. I made some great memories, and even better friends!

    I read for the BCL at the University in Oxford in 2010-2011. I then worked at Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan, Attorneys in New Delhi for about 2 years. Pursuant to my appointment at SGH Martineau LLP, an international law firm in London, I moved to the UK in 2014 and am currently qualifying as a Solicitor in England & Wales. I reside in London with my husband, who works in investment banking.

     

    When and how did you decide to study law? How did you settle for Symbiosis Law School?

    With most of my family being reputed members of the legal fraternity, law has always had an impact on my life. My father has served the Indian Judiciary for over 25 years. The sight of those red and black books with their slightly musty smell in his library, his typewriter and his black gown always held a strange charm for me. I was an inquisitive child, easily dissatisfied with popular reason and superficial explanations.

    At school, this nascent curiosity developed into a lively quest for academic research and love for debates. Being naturally good with numbers, I enjoyed subjects like maths and accountancy and took up the commerce stream for my ISC Levels. I came to realise that my skills were best suited for a career which demanded potential for research, logical aptitude and commercial acumen.

    The choice was between business school and law school. It was then that my father told me about the dual program in business and law (B.B.A.LL.B), being one of a kind at the time, offered at Symbiosis. It was an ideal opportunity to pursue my interest in business and law simultaneously. I took the entrance exam and there has been no turning back.

     

    When people say “Law school”, they look no further than the National Law Universities. As a graduate of Symbiosis, have you faced any such bias? What would you say to the future graduates of Symbiosis regarding this?

    It depends on who your audience is. The university league tables and rankings have created a very competitive educational environment and it’s hard to avoid its impact on one’s academic experience. An element of prestige is definitely associated with leading institutions, be it the Ivy League, Red Brick Universities or some of our very own NLUs but it isn’t a prophecy of professional success. The two things that truly matter are – what your university has to offer and what you make of that.

    Symbiosis offered me a rich gamut of opportunities, both academic and personal, and I plunged headlong into making the most of it. It was an intellectual adventure that I thoroughly enjoyed (and that’s not something you’ll hear a law graduate say often!). Those five years so moulded me that there was little room for any bias or prejudice and my career trajectory bears testimony to this fact. In addition to securing top internships and winning national moot competitions, I was offered a place at two of the most competitive law programs, BCL and MLF, at the University of Oxford and have since worked at leading national and international law firms. Similarly, my peers went on to do their LL.M at Harvard, Cambridge, NYU et al and are now working with leading law firms. The point I am trying to drive home is that meritocracy should not be underrated by us.

    To the future graduates of Symbiosis – pride and prejudice are volatile social forces and often over-rated. Your biggest competition is yourself and it is only when you don’t realize your true potential that you fail. These five years could define you – make sure you choose the definition wisely.

     

     

    Many lawyers say that the first year after graduation is the most difficult year for young lawyers. What was your experience? What were the biggest challenges you faced?

    It was a very different experience for me as I went on to do my LL.M after graduation. For me, that one year was truly inspiring. The biggest challenge was of course the BCL! It was like an intellectual roller coaster, marked with alternating phases of ingenuity and despair, but nevertheless, exhilarating. I was thrilled to interact with some of the finest minds from across the globe, in a setting that presented a confluence of cultural diversity, and was thus, a privilege in its own right. That year taught me a lot about self-discipline, time management and social networking – skills that have greatly helped me on the professional front. The year was also very enriching in terms of my social experience – I was the International Student Representative for my college, I performed at the Oxford Playhouse in a student production by ‘Chutney and Chips’ and I also shared the screen with Akshay Kumar in a scene from the Bollywood movie ‘Desi Boys’ (it was shot at Oxford)! On the personal front, too, it was an exciting year as I met my husband, Simon, in Oxford. He is the Feinstein Scholar from the Department of Economic History and we studied together at St. Catz.

     

    What prompted you to opt for BCL from University of Oxford soon after graduation? How difficult would you say it was gaining admission? What advice would you like to give about the application process?

    My reasons for pursuing the LL.M were purely intellectual, which is why I started working on my applications in the penultimate year of law school. As my focus was more on common law centric courses, I was keen on pursuing my LL.M in the UK. I only applied to Oxford and Cambridge, as they were my dream institutions, and was offered a place on two graduate law programs at Oxford – BCL and MLF. My keener interest in the subjects of Restitution and Jurisprudence, which the Oxford Law Faculty enjoys an unrivalled reputation for, led me to choose the BCL over MLF.

    The competition for any world class university is naturally fierce. The selection panels are keen to identify well rounded individuals demonstrating a balanced set of academic and extra-curricular accomplishments. While strong academic credentials are vital, a sustained participation in other co-curricular activities significantly enhances the merit your application. Personally, I see my admission into Oxford as a culmination of all past achievements throughout my academic career. Over the years, I had actively participated in internship programs, moots, sports, debates, dramatics, and pro-bono activities and every single stint was a building block in shaping my application. Having said that, I must also stress the importance of a compelling SOP. Yes, SOPs are read and taken very seriously (while being offered a place on the MLF at Oxford, I was personally told that the admissions committee was specifically impressed with my SOP). It had taken me over a month to finalise that SOP, which was proofread by all my friends and edited with painstaking attention to detail by my elder brother (in whose literary skills I have immense faith!). My recommendation letters, two academic and one professional, came from professors and a senior judge who knew me well to give a detailed and personalised account of my skills, accomplishments and personality. I must add here that the faculty at Symbiosis, particularly our then Vice Principal – Dr C.J. Rawandale, was extremely helpful throughout the process. I also submitted a written piece of work. The entire application process is quite time consuming so it is advisable to start well in advance and follow a methodical approach.

     

    sneha-nainwal

    Did you apply for any scholarships? How was the academic culture at Oxford?

    I was shortlisted for the Rhodes Scholarship but did not win it. The BCL at Oxford is popularly known as the academic Everest and rightly so, for it is by far, one of the most gruelling law programs in the world. The rigour of the course may vary, to some extent, with the combination of subjects. For instance, subjects like Jurisprudence, Restitution, Conflicts, Corporate Insolvency and Evidence, amongst others, are considered to be more voluminous and exacting, but if they float your boat, then Oxford is the best place to study them. I studied restitution and loved it! What is unique about the academic environment at Oxford is that it celebrates independent thought and intellectual freedom – it makes you think! You start to look beyond the letter of the law to conceptualize ideas, challenge legal philosophy and interpret case laws in ways that you would otherwise think were not even possible. The traditional Oxford tutorials, which are not common to other graduate law programs, are an excellent opportunity to have one on one academic interaction with the faculty. Needless to say, the library resources and facilities are world class. Oxford is the city of modest geniuses and a great place to be inspired!

     

    After finishing your BCL you started work at LakshmiKumaran and Sridharan. What prompted you to join LKS? Please tell us about your days at LKS.

    I completed an internship program with LKS in the final year of law school and was offered a pre-placement offer, which I had to defer to take my place on the BCL. On my return from Oxford, I joined LKS as an Associate at their Delhi office. My reasons for joining LKS were twofold – its unrivalled reputation in tax and the work environment. In my opinion, tax is the most dynamic, multi-faceted and exciting field of law. Personally, it offers a unique opportunity to combine my core strengths in the fields of maths and accountancy with my aptitude for legal analysis in a commercial setting. I was keen on tax specialisation and LKS, with its proven expertise, was the best place to do it. LKS also has an impressive work environment, where it offers every advantage of a big firm, yet retains an originality and personal touch that is often lost in the rigid corporate culture of its other competitors. I found that very refreshing.

    My stay at LKS was personally enriching and professionally gratifying. I started out in the Indirect Tax Litigation team where I mainly dealt with excise duty matters. There was ample opportunity to take true ownership over my work under the guidance of experienced seniors. I drafted replies to show cause notices, filed appeals before higher forums and argued matters before the commissioners and tax tribunals (CESTAT). I also advised clients on tax benefits and exemption issues. I was very fortunate to work directly with the partners on some very high profile matters, particularly the excise duty demand against Cadbury India. In my second year, I was promoted to the position of Senior Associate and was also appointed as the Officer on Special Duty reporting directly to the Senior Partner. The new position offered exposure to a wider range of matters including VAT, Service Tax, Sales Tax and Income Tax. LKS will always be a very significant chapter in my career history, where I met some inspiring lawyers and made great friends.

     

    What led to your decision to leave LKS and move to the UK to join SGH Martineau LLP? How was the selection process? Please tell us about the conversion course and funding options.

    My decision to move abroad was inspired by my desire to work in an international environment and my growing interest in the field of international taxation. My love for England, however, can be traced to the influential works of Jane Austen, and my husband, Simon Holmes.

    I was looking for an international law firm that could offer early responsibility, good exposure and accelerated career development. SGH Martineau LLP was then in its post-merger phase and looking to recruit two trainees for its London office. It was a good time to join in and participate in the high-paced growth and strategic expansion of the Firm. There is something inherently rewarding about working at a firm that is in such an exciting phase of its growth. As there were only two positions available, the level of competition was very high. I made an online application and was invited to attend an assessment day, followed by a partner interview, in London. After being offered and signing the training contract, I then secured a partial exemption from SRA (Solicitors Regulation Authority) in respect of the GDL/LPC (the conversion course). I was required to submit elaborate documentation in support of my undergraduate studies but once again, the faculty at Symbiosis was extremely supportive. I am currently enrolled at University of Law where I am completing the remaining modules on the conversion course. As for the funding, most training contract offers include sponsorship for GDL and LPC.

    The training providers, too, offer scholarships and bursaries of their own. I won the Law First Scholarship in 2014, which is a merit based funding for postgraduate students at University of Law. I also have a sponsorship from SGH Martineau.

     

    You have recently worked with Bird & Bird LLP, Hausfeld and Co. and Pinsent Masons LLP as Contract Attorney – how was that experience? How this stint proved to be helpful here? What were the events that led to your induction? Were there any interviews or selection processes?

    As I hold a partial exemption from the conversion course, I have been working as a Contract Attorney alongside my studies. I have completed projects at Bird & Bird LLP, Hausfeld & Co. and Pinsent Masons LLP. The work portfolio has been pretty diverse, ranging from cartel pricing cases to financial fraud investigations. It has been a good opportunity to work alongside foreign lawyers and experience the work culture at different law firms. These projects are lucrative, flexible and a great platform for professional networking. Applications can be made either directly or through placement agencies. The selection process varies with the firm in question and may include an assessment day or interview. All of my placements were finalised by my agents and did not involve any interview. I was selected on the basis of my CV and previous work experience.

     

    Tell us a bit about work culture at law firms in the United Kingdom. How is it different from the Indian LLPs?

    The work culture would vary depending on where you are working. However, there are some general points of difference. There is a clearer distinction and finer balance between professional and personal lives. Punctuality is taken more seriously and workdays usually start early and end early. Working on weekends, if at all, is a rare exception. The interaction with seniors is less formal. The relationship with colleagues is less personal. There is greater global diversity.

     

    How difficult was it for you, as a lawyer who had theretofore been used to the Indian legal system, to adjust to the environment of a foreign work place?

    It has been a very refreshing change for me. The conversion course has been an excellent opportunity to solidify my theoretical knowledge of English Laws, which has translated well to practice and made the transition rather smooth. The short term projects have provided a real insight into the work culture and practice areas at different law firms. As for my Indian experience, it offers a natural advantage in terms of domestic expertise while working on cross-jurisdictional matters that involve Indian laws. I am still getting used to the differences in procedural laws, legal jargon and even the general work culture but so far, it has been rather exciting than overwhelming.

     

    Can you give us advice on applications and interviews, especially with foreign law firm?

    “Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe” – Abraham Lincoln

    The key to success is preparation. It is always a good idea to do a fair bit of research on the Firm that you are applying to – its background, operational structure, work ethos, practice areas and recent deals. This will make your application less generic and highlight your interest in the Firm. Know your resume inside out and be prepared to explain/defend it. The recruitment process typically involves preliminary stages such as online psychometric tests, assessment centre and written tasks. A lot of information, useful tips and sample exercises are available online so use that to your advantage. Research your interviewer well, where possible, and ask intelligent questions. Competency based interviews are extremely popular in the UK so identify the core competencies for the role that concerns you and practice answering behavioural questions. I cannot stress enough how important this is! And now for every recruiter’s favourite buzzword – ‘commercial awareness’! Most law firms will test you for this competency at one stage or another – make sure that you are prepared to deal with it.

     

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

    Follow your heart, not the conventions.