Super Lawyer

Tag: CLC

  • Khusboo Khatreja, Associate, DSK Legal on LL.B after B.Com and work experience at a law firm

    Khusboo Khatreja, Associate, DSK Legal on LL.B after B.Com and work experience at a law firm

    Khusboo Khatreja is a Bachelor in Commerce graduate from Kirorimal college, Delhi University. While in last year of her college, she was placed in Ernst and Young but due to interest in law, she decided to join Delhi University and completed her LL.B. She graduated in law in 2013.

    She has been outstanding as a student and was mainly focused on academics. Being a commerce graduate, she was inclined towards corporate law and therefore pursued her internships accordingly. She also managed to pursue Company Secretary course along with law. Soon after graduation, she started working with DSK Legal, Delhi and her main practice area includes real estate and general corporate law.

    In this interview, she talks about:

    • LL.B from CLC after B.Com from Kirorimal
    • First year of work at DSK Legal, Delhi
    • Managing deadlines and experience of a steep learning curve

     

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

    Hi!! I’m Khushboo Khatreja. A 25 years ‘young’ lawyer, who is endeavouring to perceive this dynamic legal profession. I am currently associated with Delhi office of DSK Legal as an Associate. I graduated from Faculty of Law, Delhi University in 2013 and joined DSK Legal right after completing my professional degree. It has been a great experience so far under the guidance of Mr. Niraj Kumar.

    During this short tenure, I have had a chance to work on various exciting assignments and representing some big clients. DSK gives you ample opportunities to handle the assignments in a manner which backs your personal growth and development.

    At this stage, I look towards learning new things, shaping my knowledge and to expand my horizon. Presently, I am handling assignments related to corporate advisory and real estate. My aim is to keep exploring at this level, and have a specialization after certain level of practice.

     

    Having done B.Com, what motivated you to choose law as a career? Or did it just happen?

    Frankly, I feel this statement is true. I was determined to pursue B.com (Hons.) but that is not the case with LL.B. Choosing law as a career option was not pre planned at all. I got a placement in Ernst and Young during the last year of my graduation. But pursuing LL.B was on my cards, and during that placement period, my cousin motivated me to explore options in legal field. I gave it a thought and tried my luck in Delhi University’s LL.B entrance examination. So, the credit goes to my cousin! And I have no regrets.

     

    As a graduate of Delhi University, have you faced any comparison with NLUs? What would you say to the future graduates of DU regarding this?

    I have heard people giving statements on this ‘inclination towards NLU grads’. Fortunately, I have not experienced such thing. Delhi University was, is still is and will remain the premier institution when it comes to legal studies. What matters is your knowledge and determination and everything else becomes drab should you have these standards. I owe a lot to Delhi University, be it Kirorimal College or Faculty of Law, for who I am today.

     

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

    Being a commerce graduate, my area of interest has always been corporate laws. To explore and have in-depth understanding of corporate laws, I pursued Company Secretary Course as well. It really was beneficial to understand corporate and allied laws theoretically as well as practically through this.  I have to accept that I was a reserved student. I had a limited approach towards my legal studies. I was much occupied during my course on account of handling my CS studies as well.

     

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

    I interned at Khaitan, Sud and Partners, ASA Law Firm and Jindal Steel and Power Limited. At KSP, I worked on matters related to project finance, at ASA, I had a chance to understand corporate debt restructuring mechanism and at Jindal, it was more of drafting and understanding the complexities involved in various commercial agreements (domestic as well as international). As one can see, I have had a diversified experience in my internships. At that stage, I wanted to explore different fields and I was fortunate that I got to work with the aforementioned entities. Further, I was determined to work on corporate side for reasons explained earlier and thus, no litigation experience is on my plate.

     

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    What are your thoughts on activities like mooting, debating and publications in journals? What skills do law students acquire by engaging themselves in such activities?

    They play a double fold role in a law student’s life. Apart from brushing your confidence and knowledge, they provide add on to your CV. One improves his/her drafting and soft skills by engaging into these activities. At a start-up level, they do play a vital role. Many firms place importance in these activities while selecting a candidate.

     

    Did your law school education prepare you sufficiently for the many tasks you were required to execute after graduation?

    Yes of course. Delhi University gives you practical exposure to a particular issue. The curriculum is totally based on precedents. It helps you to understand the real issue at your work place or internships, as the case may be. The theoretical aspect to a particular topic is limited. It’s more of case based studies.

     

    Many lawyers say that the first year after graduation is the most difficult one. What was your case?

    This indeed is true. At this level you are now all alone striving for an opportunity and yes, the expectations are too high at this stage..!!.During my last semester itself, I started looking for placement. The biggest challenge was not having someone who could guide me. Being the only lawyer in my family, I had to do everything on my own and I had no contacts. With the help of friends and understanding the process, things became clear with time. I feel that in this field contacts can get you anywhere. You can expect a call for an interview at least..!!

     

    You started your career at DSK Legal, New Delhi and currently work as an Associate there. What had contributed towards this appointment?

    One of my senior told me about this opportunity and I did not let it escape.Otherwise, one can approach DSK by submitting his/her CV at our website www.dsklegal.com. Depending on the candidate’s profile and DSK’s requirement, DSK approaches the candidate.

     

    What are the main practice areas of Delhi office of DSK Legal? What does your current work profile at DSK consists of? How is a typical workday like?

    We have two partners in Delhi office. One handles litigation and other handles real estate and general corporate practice. My current profile consists of real estate and general corporate practice. It’s a blessing to work at DSK when it comes to ‘work-life’ balance. I start at 9.30 setting out the deliverables of the day first. Work life is pretty comfortable here as my seniors and partner are only concerned with the quality and time line of a deliverable. How I do it, that’s completely my look out.

     

    Are there new challenges everyday or has work settled into a predictable pattern?

    When you are working in a law firm, forget about anything which is predictable. There are new challenges every day which you face and which helps you to grow as a lawyer. No issue is related with each other. Every client has a different issue and their requirement as well as expectations from a lawyer is different. What I find more interesting is presentation and interpretation of law in such a manner which addresses the client’s issue and requirements. It’s a thinking process at all times.

     

    Can you tell us about a few of the most challenging problems you have faced thus far?

    When you enter into the job world in this profession, every day is challenging. Beginning was not easy for me as well. Everyday used to be challenging and hectic. And then there comes a transaction for which you are solely responsible and which is your ‘Baptism by Fire’. After initial 3-4 months of joining DSK, I was given to handle a funding transaction on my own and that’s where I felt that it’s not easy to survive in this profession. That is one transaction which still is a nightmare for me.

     

    How do you deal with mistakes or errors?

    We follow basic professional code of conduct at our workplace. There is no special requirement as such, but yes, there is no compromise on what is expected from you as a professional. Nobody is perfect and mistakes are bound to happen. What matters is how you deal with it and learn from it. I follow the same path. However, mistakes on basic aspects are not acceptable.

     

    Would you say your undergraduate B.Com degree has been helpful in your career?

    It truly was. It’s so easy to read financial documents and to have an idea about true position of a company while conducting due diligence for a particular transactions. In DU, we have contract law and taxation in our curriculum which provided a base to study these subjects and understand it in a more efficient manner for my law degree.

     

    What kind of internship/recruitment application do you think stands out positively and has a much higher likelihood of being accepted?

    Applications which are short yet expressive are the ones any recruiter would love to read. A good professional resume without any bragging ingredient in it acts as a deal maker. Keep applications short and simple. Take it not as a comprehensive list of your career history but as a marketing document selling you as the perfect person for the job.

     

    Would you say that the actual learning takes place in the years of practice? What was the case in your situation?

    This statement is somewhere true. For a practicing professional each assignment is a learning experience. While pursuing a law degree, a student has a limited approach i.e. understanding the legal issue. But at a practicing stage, what should be the approach towards such issue in a cost and time efficient manner is a primary focus. Same is the case with me. My approach towards an issue has changed altogether after entering into what you call a ‘Real World’.

     

    Where do you see yourself ten years down the line? Do you aspire to be like somebody from this field?

    In 10 years’ time, I see myself at a good position, progressing in legal field and earning new skills to the benefit of my clients. I do not aspire to be like somebody, I would like to be ‘ME’.

     

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

    Pursue your dreams and don’t be afraid of failures. Failures are good experiences which help you in long run. People succeed because they failed in their life at some point of time. Keep going is the myntra!!

  • Taniya Malik, Ph.D Scholar, Delhi University, on experience of working at IPR Firm Lall, Lahiri & Salhotra, and teaching at ITM Law School

    Taniya Malik, Ph.D Scholar, Delhi University, on experience of working at IPR Firm Lall, Lahiri & Salhotra, and teaching at ITM Law School

    Taniya Malik graduated in law from CLC, DU in 2009. She is an avid researcher and academician in the field of law. She graduated from Lady Shree Ram College before she decided to join CLC, DU to pursue law.

    After her graduation she worked at Lall Lahiri and Salhotra (“LLS”), one of the most prominent IP firms in India for an year. Thereafter she decided to pursue Masters and therefore joined DU again. With Masters, she managed to clear UGC-NET examination. She also had the opportunity to work as an Assistant Professor at ITM Law School before she joined DU where she is currently pursuing Ph.D. in Water Security in India.

    In this interview she talks about:

    • Law school experience at DU
    • Work experience at LLS and ITM Law School
    • Clearing UGC-NET
    • Pursuing Ph.D. in Water Security in India

     

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

    I am an avid researcher and academician in the field of law. Currently I am pursuing Ph.D. on Water Security in India from Faculty of Law, University of Delhi. Besides this I have taught law subjects at the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi and ITM University, Gurgaon.

     

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

    Honestly, Law was a backup option. In fact after I finished with my graduation at LSR, DU, I was still quite confused as to my future plans. I had zeroed on Law but I was still figuring out things and buying more time to make up final plans. But initial few classes at CLC made me realize that somehow through all this confusion, I had found my true calling. Since those days, I have never had a second thought about my profession.

    Studying at CLC in itself was an eye opening experience. I had just graduated from LSR, a girls’ college and till then I had been accustomed to a much protected environment. CLC changed all that and made me see some hard realities face to face. I got a chance to interact with people from very diverse backgrounds but most importantly I think it was the study of law that brought about a lot of change in my personality. I started becoming more upfront and confident. As far as activities at law school were concerned, I used to participate in various subject specific discussion committees. I also regularly used to attend talks and seminars held at CLC and was an active member of the Placement Committee. I was also got opportunities to work as research associate under few of my professors at CLC.

     

    Soon after graduation, you started working at Lall, Lahiri and Salhotra as an Associate. How did your appointment take place? What kind of responsibilities you were entrusted with?

    Immediately after completion of my LL.B., I got an excellent opportunity to work as Legal Associate at LLS (Lall, Lahiri & Salhotra), a Gurgaon based IPR law firm. It was a regular appointment wherein I had sent across my CV and sat through few interview rounds. I worked in the Trademarks Prosecution department of LLS wherein I was involved with the filing for registering of trademarks applications and attending hearings at Trademarks Registry, New Delhi. It was definitely a good experience for a beginner in the field of IPR

     

    After having worked at LLS for almost one year, you joined Faculty of Law, Delhi University to pursue LL.M. What made you to prefer Masters over job? Did you consider going abroad?

    While spending one year at LLS, I had developed a lot of fascination for higher studies in Law as I constantly used to feel that my studies in law were still incomplete. I discussed it with my parents and they also encouraged me to pursue LL.M. Additionally I wanted to explore judicial services as a career option and for these purposes I decided to undertake full time study of Law. As far as pursuing LL.M from foreign universities is concerned, the thought didn’t inspire me much in those days and infact I didn’t try any university abroad. I was happy with pursuing my LL.M from DU.

     

    Tell us about the course structure and specialization of Master of Laws at CLC, DU? What was your topic of dissertation for LL.M?

    LL.M at DU is a full time, two year course and the subjects of specialization can be chosen by the candidate himself. My subjects of specialization centred on Constitutional Law and International Law. My LL.M dissertation topic was on the legal regulation of Money Laundering in India. The controversy respecting Black Money was current in those days and this encouraged me to take up a detailed study on this subject.

     

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

    So far as publications are concerned, I would suggest that the authors must pick up topics that are current. I think that gives a better success rate in publications. Also I would suggest that the authors must attempt empirical study on legal topics as opposed to a doctrinal one. An empirical study of legal issues is more precise and provides more credibility to the research.

     

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

    Publications are of tremendous importance so far as academics is concerned. Infact one excellent research article has the potential to shape your entire career in academics. Apart from academia, although prima facie it seems that publications are not of much importance, but in fact they do. If legal professional wants to stand out in his field, then he must write on his area of expertise. Writing in itself is a profound activity and many of your own concepts about a particular legal topic will become clear once you start writing about it.

     

    You have also qualified UGC NET Exam. Could you please tell our reader about the exam and how did you prepare for it?

    UGC NET exam is a national level eligibility test for college level teachers, which is conducted by UGC twice a year. To secure a regular appointment at University level for the role of Assistant Professor, every candidate must clear the NET exam of the concerned subject. Fortunately I did not have to prepare specifically for NET as the syllabus comprised of all the subjects of law that I had already studied in LL.B and LL.M. I basically revised all these subjects two months before the exam and by God’s grace I was successful.

     

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    You also had the opportunity to work as an Assistant Professor at ITM University, Gurgaon and at Faculty of Law, Delhi University. How did your appointment take place? Please describe your experience?

    My appointment at ITM University as Assistant Professor was a regular appointment. There was an advertisement by the University and I applied. It was followed by few rounds of interviews before the final selection. I was asked to teach Constitutional Law to the students of third and fourth years. Since it was my first teaching assignment, so I found it a bit challenging but in totality it was a great learning experience for me. Whenever my classes went exceptionally well, I always felt so calm and satisfied and that feeling can have no other parallel in the world. My stay at ITM University was followed by another teaching assignment at Faculty of Law, University of Delhi. I taught the subject of Wealth Tax at Law Centre – I. This in itself was a very overwhelming experience for me initially as I was teaching at the same University where I passed out from. I always used to put myself in the shoes of my students. In retrospect, I think I understood by students at DU better but may be this feeling is just psychological.

     

    Tell us about your teaching methodology? What subjects did you teach there?

    So far as teaching methodology is concerned, I try my best to keep the concepts of law simple for my students. I always preferred my classes to be interactive rather than a mere lecture discourse. Also I have always paid a lot of stress in case law analysis because that is what ultimately consolidates students’ understanding. So far I have had the opportunity to teach Constitutional Law and Wealth Tax.

     

    What made you to pursue Ph.D.? What is your topic of research for Ph.D.? What was your motivation behind the selection of that topic?

    When I cleared my UGC NET, I was simultaneously awarded a Junior Research Fellowship by UGC to pursue Ph.D. in Law. I realized it was a golden opportunity for me to solely dedicate myself for research in law in my decided field. Ph.D. today is essential if you wish to thrive in academics. Additionally, I was lucky enough to obtain my registration in Ph.D. at Delhi University in my area of interest i.e. Water Law. Water is basic for human survival, yet so far as India’s water resource management is concerned; we still have a lot of legal and policy gaps. Groundwater overexploitation, among other factors and the threat posed by climate change in near future will seriously endanger India’s Water Security. My research is an attempt to identify these legal issues and suggest proper remedies so that India’s water future is secure.

     

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    Going forward, how do you expect the Ph.D. experience to influence your career?

    I obviously wish to be an accomplished academician and researcher in the field of law. I hope that through my Ph.D. thesis, I am constructively able to contribute so far as the understanding of water law in India is concerned. Further I hope that I come across some good opportunities where I can work with accomplished individuals and organizations in this field. I hope that this Ph.D. thesis will place me amongst the good researchers in the field of Water Law.

     

    What would be your message to law students reading this interview?

    To all the students of law, I wish, first of all, to congratulate them for the career path they have chosen. You are the leaders of tomorrow and within yourselves lie the potentials to positively impact this country in a way that no other profession can.

    Studying law in itself is a very empowering experience and please make most of it. Now unlike other professions, law has a higher gestation period and it will take you sometime to realize your true interest. So in the process, have patience and don’t get disheartened. Success will surely come with hard work and perseverance. Another important thing is to keep yourself updated and acquire excellent communication skills, as this field is very competitive if you wish to carve a niche for yourselves. Further if the circumstances are favourable, do go for higher studies in law. Although LL.B is sufficient to do well in this field but higher studies in law will open up your mental faculties and give you an very analytical and holistic approach towards law. I wish you all the best.

  • Nipun Bhatia, Senior Consultant, Legal League Consulting, on work experience in Law Firm Management and being a C.A.

    Nipun Bhatia, Senior Consultant, Legal League Consulting, on work experience in Law Firm Management and being a C.A.

    Nipun Bhatia is a Senior Consultant with Legal League Consulting, India’s first management consultants to the global legal industry. After graduating in B.Com he pursued LL.B from Faculty of Law, Delhi University, and graduated in law in 2008. Besides being a lawyer, he is also a qualified Chartered Accountant. He has worked with Lall & Sethi Advocates as their Senior Manager – Finance, Administration & Human Resource Development. He has done a Post Graduate Certification Course in IPR from Indian Society of International Law.

    In this interview he talks about:

    • Pursuing C.A. and law
    • Working at Legal League Consulting
    • Law firm management and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

     

    Please introduce yourself to our readers.

    I am a Senior Consultant with Legal League Consulting, India’s First Management Consultants to the Global Legal Industry. While I deal with all aspects of Law Firm Management, my core areas of expertise include Finance, Human Resource Management and Enterprise Resource Planning. Besides being a lawyer, I am a qualified Chartered Accountant, which explains the interest in finance and number crunching. Prior to joining Legal League Consulting, I have worked with Lall & Sethi Advocates (now Singh & Singh Lall & Sethi), a leading IPR Firm, as their Senior Manager – Finance, Administration & Human Resource Development. My first job, however, was with an Ad Agency, which was a subsidiary of Future Group.

     

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    When did you think you were suited to a career in law? How did you get through to Faculty of Law, University of Delhi?

    While studying for the Chartered Accountancy course, our curriculum included studying various laws and to my surprise I used to enjoy studying them. Reading of Acts and their practical application generated a lot of interest and I decided to give the LL.B. Entrance Test after getting through the Intermediate level of CA Course. Surprisingly, I cleared the test and made up my mind to pursue the course. Also, on a lighter note, the family used to always complain that I have this habit of arguing and sharing my views upfront in every matter, so lawyer is the best suited career option for me! Once I got through, they realized that I had taken it a tad too seriously!

     

    After your graduation, you have pursued a Post Graduate Certification Course in IPR from Indian Society of International Law. Was it a professional requirement to enhance your career?

    From college days itself, I found IPR to be a very interesting area of law and something which a common man relates to. Reading about Trademarks, Infringements, and Counterfeits etc. intrigued me and I decided to take up the Certification Course, in order to have a longer stint with the subject. At ISIL, I thoroughly enjoyed the class room sessions since the faculty encouraged live discussions and took up real life case studies. Out of the sheer interest and due to such fabulous class room training, I worked very hard on the project submissions. It also helped in studying diligently, which earned me not only the highest score in the entire batch, but also a gold medal which is my prized possession till date.

     

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

    As mentioned above, during the LL.B. course, I had begun to like IPR a lot. Apart from IPR, I meticulously studied for Jurisprudence as it explained a lot about evolution of law and the rationale behind it. I still remember that my notes used to be photocopied by colleagues and juniors since I used to make very neat hand-written notes, after referring to a lot of books and doing my own research. Till then, the use of typed notes and e-mails was not very common.

    Another subject that was very interesting was Family Law. Being a Hindu, we have always been exposed to Hindu Customs and Practices. Thus, when we were introduced to nuances of Muslim Law, I found it very interesting to read.

     

    You have also managed to pursue Chartered Accountancy. Tell us why did you chose to do it and what is the utility of having a qualified CA degree in your domain?

    Chartered Accountancy came into the picture because my mother always wanted me to take it up as a career. When I cleared Senior Secondary Examination, I managed to score in decent eighties in Accountancy (99.99% score was not the norm at that time, as it is now). So I was told that I should pursue Chartered Accountancy since I have scored decently well and the subject is not that hard as compared to any other pure mathematics based option. So I just filled the form and cleared the Foundation Examination after nine months of study. It was only when I entered the Intermediate level that I realized that it is anything but easy!

    It requires a very disciplined approach towards studies and a belief that one should never ever give up. While I would always jokingly tell the young aspiring students that one should not take up CA as a career choice since it is a very demanding commitment, I would also like to outline here that all the hard work put in through the number of years of studies and all the sacrifices made during this course are really worth it! The kind of respect this profession earns you makes every sacrifice made during the course of journey worthwhile.

     

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

    I did my law graduation from Law Centre – II of Delhi University, the classes of which are held in the evening. Being an evening college, it was a favoured choice for a lot of Govt. Servants and people who have already achieved a stature in life. In the first year, it had a mixed effect on me. I used to feel intimidated by the presence of such stalwarts beside me since all of them were very intellectual and would pose lot of questions in the class. I was also hesitant to make friends with them due to the age gap. However, over the period of time, as the interaction increased, I figured out that there is lot to learn from them. The fact that they were willing to work hard at that age and gain further knowledge despite being successful professionals motivated me to a very large extent. They were not only friendly, but were very helping and tolerant towards our generation.

     

    You have worked for a short period of time with a premier Apparel Brand and got to hone your creative skills over there. How did your appointment take place? What worked for you in securing this job?

    This, being my first job, will always hold a very special position in my life. I was shortlisted through a famous online job portal and was selected after a couple of rounds of interview. After the initial few hiccups, I developed a comfort level with the Managing Director of the Company and worked under him directly. My finance background and my legal knowledge both helped in securing the job since it involved a lot of work with respect to drafting of contracts and agreements, along with regular Financial MIS Reporting. Also, the experience gained during the internships helped a lot since I was able to put the knowledge to practical testing.

     

    Before moving to Legal League Consulting, you have worked with a leading IPR Law Firm as a Senior Manager – Finance, Administration & HR Development for three years. What kind of responsibilities were you entrusted with?

    Getting a job with Lall & Sethi (now Singh & Singh Lall & Sethi) was a path breaking move in my life. Ms. Bithika Anand (Founder & CEO of Legal League Consulting and under whom I work currently) was entrusted with the responsibility of finding a Finance person for the Firm.

    Through a consultant she interviewed me and found me apt for the role. Besides CA and LL.B., my certification from ISIL in IPR field also favoured me in getting selected for this role. Since the day I was appointed at the Firm, there was no looking back. Under superb training from Mr. Chander M. Lall, who is a visionary and legend in himself, I was given one challenging role after the other.

    Thus, while I joined them as a Finance Manager, within a short span of two years I was promoted to Senior Manager – Finance, Administration & Human Resource Development. Had it not been for the fantastic grooming I was given under Mr. Lall, I would have still been just an accountant! Also, it is very important to mention here that being a fitness freak, Mr. Lall is an inspiration for a lot of youngsters like me. I joined the Firm as an accountant who weighed 92 Kgs and slowly got into fitness after being inspired by him. Thus, in less than a year, I was able to knock off almost 25 Kgs from my weight. I would not be exaggerating if I say that the Firm and its wonderful people brought a 360 degree turn in my personality.

     

    How did you decide to work with Legal League Consulting?

    I think I have been very fortunate to meet just the right people in my life. As mentioned above, I was initially interviewed by Ms. Bithika Anand, who placed me with Lall & Sethi. I was very sure that whenever I would decide to move on, I would go back to her. Her dynamic personality almost instantaneously surrounds you with a positive and energetic aura. Hence, it was always in my mind to work with her. So when I planned to shift my base to Mumbai, I got in touch with her. At that time Legal League Consulting was already very well known in the fraternity and I almost immediately liked the kind of work the Firm was doing. While later my plans to shift base to Mumbai were shelved, Ms. Anand took me on board and I was given assignments of handling some leading law firms within Delhi. I must also mention that coming on board with LLC was a seamless transition. Right from the very first day I was entrusted with Client Handling and Ms. Anand allowed absolute creative freedom to us in handling the mandates. The colleagues at LLC gave a hearty welcome and were more than willing to help. I always tell Bithika Ma’am that coming back to work with her at LLC was the much destined ‘Home Coming’ for me.

     

    LLC is the first law firm management company in Indian legal industry. Can you tell us something about the kind of work LLC does?

    Legal League Consulting takes pride in being a one-stop solution to all Law Firm Management needs. We assist firms in areas of strategy, acquisition, compensation benchmarking, performance appraisals, human resource management systems, employee retention, partner reward system, training, recruitment, branding and business development, knowledge management, and IT solutions amongst other services.

    Apart from this, we are also actively involved in exploring and securing strategic alliances between law firms. Since more and more firms are moving towards institutionalizing themselves, we play an important role in structuring of firms. We have also been involved in setting systems and processes in place for LPOs and Legal Departments in Corporates.

     

    Tell us in brief about your role as  a  Senior Consultant  in the area  of  Finance and HR Management Solutions at Legal League Consulting.

    All Senior Consultants at LLC work on specified client portfolios, headed by Ms. Bithika Anand herself and supported by a team of Consultants. Having expertise in Finance, I have majorly been involved in improving cash flows in firms. We monitor the timings of inflows and outflows of cash and encourage the firms in budgeting. There is also a substantive internal audit undertaken to identify the financial health of the firms, which is followed by suggesting best practices to be followed. We also conduct thorough checks on the profitability of the firm and compare the same with global standards, Indian standards and industry standards to show a true picture to the firm.

    As far as Human Resource Management is concerned, we ensure that the performance of workforce is constantly monitored and motivation levels are maintained always. Wherever required, benchmarks for performance are set both in financial and non-financial terms, which are followed by appraisals. We suggest and implement strategies for retention of the right people by ensuring that they are suitably rewarded in the firm and their growth needs are taken care of.

     

    You have introduced Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems across various entities to bring all facets of a law-firm in sync with each other. What is this all about? Tell us in brief about this venture introduced by you to our readers.

    My interest in ERP developed manifold while working at Lall & Sethi since they were about to launch their proprietary software called ‘ClickIPR’. It enabled me to bridge the link between the lawyers’ needs and IT Professionals’ delivery. Mr. Chander M. Lall, under whom I was working at that time, used to say that ‘If I can think of it, technology can deliver it’. It is this thought that kept me driving till a particular solution was achieved for every problem at hand. The experienced gained during this stint was really helpful in suggesting ERP for law firms and implementing the same with change management.

    As the firms would grow in size and geographical locations, it would be impossible to rely on paper, human effort and simple software like word and excel files. Hence, the top management understood the need for switching to a common platform where all their needs could be taken care of. Thus, manual procedures are abandoned in favour of automated solutions. ERPs today offer total management of the firm through integrated technology approach. It is your document management system, calendar management system, time-recording software, contact manager, docketing and diary manager and internal work allocation tool.

     

    What is the main agenda of Law Firm Management? How do you think aspiring young lawyers would get benefit from this programme?

    Being a successful lawyer is not just about technical skills. Every profession requires us to be a total package these days. Law Firm Management aims to broaden the horizon of the law students and get them acquainted with aspects related to everyday working of a law firm environment, ranging from billing, client management and handling, supervising administrative staff, understanding cost implication of decisions relating to schedule of fee etc., keeping your resources motivated and how to self motivate yourself, why are smooth cash flows important for survival of firm, etc., to name a few.

     

    We would love to hear about your work profile. Being a Senior Consultant, what are your responsibilities? How is a typical day at work?

    While most of the points relating to my work profile have been outlined above, a typical day at work could be defined as ‘exciting’. All of us at LLC are an excited lot, constantly bubbling with ideas. The day involves meetings at client places, internal meetings for strategy planning and work updates and a lot of sharing of knowledge with each other. There is also a steady flow of e-mails from the clients and we endeavour to get back to them in the shortest possible turnaround time. Team LLC is very well connected with each other and all latest updates are circulated within the team, except any client information which is confidential and sensitive. Ms. Bithika Anand is always approachable by a single phone call and we always keep persons working on a mandate apprised of all developments. Thus, at any given point, all people marked on a mandate are very hands-on.

     

    How challenging is it to advise Top-Tier law firms in India? 

    While most of the assignments are challenging since we deal with human resources (and that’s the fun part!), the pressure is surely large when it comes to dealing with the Top-Tier Firms, since each decision – whether small or big, affects many people. Therefore, before any decision is taken and implemented, there is a proper plan conceptualized and shared with the top management. Upon their approval, and after incorporating any amendments suggested by them, buy-in is taken from all the people from top to bottom so that there is preparedness towards the change. Many times the conflicting views have to be reconciled and moderated, which is a challenging but enjoyable task.

     

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

    Well, I would say that it is not one, but a combination of factors that usually leads to it.  We all are aware that some of the top law firms give handsome packages to lawyers at all levels, yet face a high attrition rate. I believe that at some levels, hoarding of work and not passing on the same to the juniors contributes to dissatisfaction of juniors. The younger lot today want to learn and excel. If there are not enough opportunities extended to them, they tend to leave and find their calling elsewhere. Thus mentoring of juniors and training them to work independently should be encouraged. Contrary to this, where there is too much pressure is put on juniors, making them forcefully compromise with their work-life balance, it is also a culprit. Besides that, it is equally important to maintain calm during the moments of pressure. Unnecessary shouting, scolding in front of peers and juniors, sending stinkers over e-mails and texts are bad practices and build up the urge to walk out of the situation. Thus the organization should aim to achieve a healthy and balanced work environment, with right amounts of work pressure and creating sufficient bandwidth/expertise to handle urgent situations.

     

    What are your thoughts on work-life balance? How do you achieve it yourself?

    I believe work-life balance is a very important but ignored aspect by most of us. I would also like to mention here that some people think that sitting late and working extra hours is a way to impress their seniors. During my practical experience, I have actually seen people from the management having such expectations from their people which is very disappointing. Let me clear a basic premise here. I believe all of us are mature human beings and understand our responsibilities. Sitting late cannot be the measure of someone’s efficiency. I also do not agree with the theory that people who sit late are inefficient since they ought to have finished their work in time (during the day). I do not support either of the views. The management should make their people aware of their responsibilities and should have realistic expectations on delivery. The people, on the other hand, can put in extra effort during the need of the hour or exigency. However, by making it a habit or not speaking up if unreasonable work load is offered to them is also not correct on their part. They should share with the management when the work expectations cannot be delivered in time.

    As regards my work-life balance is concerned, I believe in the theory of work hard and party harder. I am approachable by my clients round the clock and the whole LLC team extends support at odd hours too when there is requirement to help and support a client. That is how we strive to become trusted advisors of our clients and give them comfort to fall back on us at the time of need. However, normally, I hang out with friends and family almost thrice or four times a week. Ms. Anand takes us out every few months for team dinners and get-togethers, where work is strictly not to be discussed. Since my best friend is a lawyer himself, we do take holidays at least twice a year during the court holidays and travel within and outside India. LLC retreats happen every year as well. All this gives us sufficient time to unwind and bounce back with a refreshed mind.

     

    Where do you see yourself five years down the line? What kind of work will you like to do?

    I have to admit here that the legal fraternity has given me a lot and I would always be indebted to it. Therefore, I am very sure that I would like to be associated with this field for all my life. There is so much more to achieve. Law Firms are yet to embrace technology in its true sense. Many firms are yet to implement systems and processes to make their day go day running smooth and more profitable. I view loopholes and problems as opportunities to help and improve. Just as a painter starts mentally conceiving a painting upon looking at the blank canvass, I start thinking of ideas to improve the moment I come across a problem. Thus, I would work in the field of Law Firm Management for years to come. However, it is my desire to get involved in teaching sometime. Anyone from Universities & Institutions reading this article?

     

    Would you like to start your own consultancy firm one day?

    To be very candid, I don’t think I am entrepreneur material! I am more than happy working for someone and realizing my dreams while helping others achieve theirs! I have worked very closely under all my bosses and strived to make their life easy. I think I derive passion out of ‘serving’. Therefore, I don’t think starting my own consultancy is on cards anytime soon, or later!

     

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

    While it may sound very philosophical, I would just say ‘Follow your heart!’ While walking the path, temptations will always come in your way. Sometimes you will overcome them, sometimes they will overcome you, it’s human. But do not let it bog you down. Study, work hard, stay updated and in between take time out for yourself. Spend time with family, make a best friend, fall in love, pursue a hobby, there is so much to do! One very important thing, choose the right people – be it a mentor, or boss, or friend or colleague or roommate. I have been blessed with right mentors, very helpful colleagues, doting friends and an awesome best friend. Our company has a lot of influence on us, so choose people with positive vibes and bright mindset. During the insane moments of your life, these choices will bring you a lot of sanity.

  • Piyush Kumar, Retainer Counsel, Krishna & Saurastri Associates, on building a career in IPR

    Piyush Kumar, Retainer Counsel, Krishna & Saurastri Associates, on building a career in IPR

    Piyush Kumar graduated from CLC, Delhi University. After graduation, he started working with Legal Knights Law Firm, followed by S.S. Rana and Co., a boutique IP firm in Delhi. He pursued a Masters in Business Law from NLSIU while working at S.S. Rana and Co. He later joined Krishna & Saurastri Associates as a Retainer Counsel where he currently works. In this interview he talks about:

    • Pursuing litigation and IPR
    • Working and pursuing a Masters course simultaneously
    • Internship and recruitment at Krishna Saurastri Associates

     

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

    I am Piyush Kumar, a lawyer dealing with cases under Intellectual Property Laws & Commercial Laws and working in New Delhi. My work involves a lot of communication with clients, negotiations and meetings. My role encompasses that of an in-house counsel as well as a litigator because I handle a lot of Court Cases also.  My father, who is at present a District Judge is my inspiration to enter this field to pursue law as a career. I am happy that I could do what I really wanted to do in my career. Motivation according to me is something that is the culmination of your zeal and determination.

     

    How would you describe your time at Delhi University? How important do you think extra-curricular activities are to a law student?

    College times are always the best part of one’s life; so for me it was the best time to learn the basics of the profession. Being in CLC, you have to take part in extracurricular activities such as Moot Court Societies, Seminar & Group Discussions Committee, Legal Aid Societies, Intellectual Property Right Cell, Women Empowerment Cell and other committees. I was Convenor of the Seminar & Group Discussions Committee where we organised seminars and group discussions on relevant topics of law and invited legal luminaries to enlighten us from their experiences. I was also actively participating in Moot Courts, Legal Aid and other Societies of the College.  For law students, extra-curricular activities are very important as it gives them insights / exposure to the work / areas they have to work in the coming future.

     

    A lot of law students promise to take up pro-bono work and do some socially relevant work. Have these ideas ever crossed your mind?

    Pro-bono / voluntary work is always good to do. In law college days I was associated with YMCA, New Delhi and was organizing legal awareness programmes in slums and helping them sort their legal problems. Even today, when I get free time I love to do the same.

     

    How was your first year after graduation?

    In 2010, after completing my graduation I started working with Legal Knights Law Firm as  a litigation advocate. Litigation, which was my first girlfriend of the profession, taught a lot about the profession and helped me a lot in developing myself and articulating myself with new ideas of professional world. Even my seniors in the firm helped me a lot in developing legal skills such as drafting, court appearances, negotiations etc. For me, when you start preparing your brief for the next day, first jot down the defences you have to put forth for the laches you have to provide during the course of hearing. As in litigation, the safest defence is complete preparation of the case.

     

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    How did you appointment take place at Legal Knights take place? How would you describe your work experience there?

    I was lucky enough to get two offers within the last month of our last semester; one from Manupatra as Legal editor for their journals and one from the Legal Knights as Associate, Litigation. As I already said litigation being my first girlfriend, I preferred working as an Associate and joined the Litigation Practice in the firm. Although, that was a difficult move for me being a young law graduate because there was the pain of being paid less in comparison to what was being paid by Manupatra. But now, I believe my decision was right as I started working extensively on Commercial Laws ; further my Seniors also helped me to articulate myself as in In-house work. I started on the balance with In-house as well as Litigation profile.

     

    What contributed towards your appointment at S.S.Rana and Co., a boutique IP law firm in Delhi? How did that go?

    When I joined S.S.Rana & Co.; I was barely aware of the legal technicalities of IP. However, as I was in Court Practice, my basics of law are good. I worked hard to learn the technicalities of IP. Even at present I am learning and developing myself better day by day as you know in this profession you have to learn and develop yourself day by day. As the mantra in this profession is Darwin’s Theory of Survival of the Fittest.

     

    How did you manage to eke out time for pursuing Masters in Business Law from NLSIU while working at S.S.Rana and Co.? Please share your experience with our readers.

    After enrolling myself in the Master of Business Laws from NLSIU, the Mecca of law schools in India, for the first time I felt that working and pursuing a course together are one of the hardest things to do. As you have to work hard for your firm being in Litigation Profile most of the time you have no time for doing other things when you complete one assignment/case you get another. Although MBL is under DED, NLSIU, Bangalore but the same is a tough nut to crack. Since, my basics concepts were clear and I had a passion to be updated on the legal issues the same helped me pursue MBL from NLSIU.

     

    Have you ever considered litigation or starting up on your own?

    I am happy to do litigation as a choice not per force. I may start my own work but there is time for it. Certainly, the law firm provides good opportunities and exposure to a young individual lawyer as you have to deal on variety of issues and more volume of work shall mean more opportunities to brush up one’s professional skills.

     

    After having worked with S.S.Rana and Co. for almost two years, how did you join Krishna & Saurastri Associates as a Retainer Counsel?

    I was made a good offer by Krishna & Saurastri both in terms of exposure and monetisation which appealed to me leading to joining them.

     

    You have specialized in IPR. What made you interested in the same?

    For me, I am not specialised yet. I am in process of learning as I said that in this field you learn every day. Once your zeal/passion to learn ends I think it ends you also.  Since I am a Science Graduate and also my inclination towards science is a bit more, it made me interested in IPR laws as creations of the human intellect fascinate me.

     

    How did you build up your expertise in IPR?

    Having already said “I am no expert”, nonetheless it may be noted that IPR is a niche field with a lot of dynamic areas which are being crystallised with time. I feel most of the IP firms are doing a great job of nurturing their young associates in IP laws.

     

    What is a normal workday like Krishna & Saurastri? Being a Retainer Counsel, what are your responsibilities?

    Handling work of the Litigation & Prosecutions team simultaneously does not have the comfort of workday and times. For me it starts at about nine in the morning and depending upon the work, varies from ten-twelve hours each day. I, along with my able colleagues are responsible for taking care of prosecutions, courts cases, counterfeit actions and related advisory works.

     

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

    Error / mistakes play a crucial role in our professional life, as a counsel’s single mistake sometimes not only ruin their clients but also jeopardises your professional life. As the scope of error / mistake in professional life of lawyer is very negligible they must proof read their work, they must have a checklist to reduce the chances of errors / mistakes. Further, factual position of the drafts must be verified by the clients.

     

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

    I believe I am proud of all the cases I have dealt with because each case / matter teaches me a lot and the same is added to my professional skills. But, I really remember arguing a NDPS bail matter before the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi in my recent days of joining the profession. One has to know the facts and read all the papers/ documents of their case. Also, research on various aspects of the matter is also very important.

     

    What is the current scenario of studying IP law as a career option in India?

    With the development of the Indian economy, competition has become intense with brands bending over backwards to achieve sales.  IPRs are now being used not only as a tool to protect creativity and generate revenue but also to build strategic alliances for socio-economic and technological growth. Industries are now dealing with IPRs in different situations in the competitive world. Similarly, domestic industries are also more watchful to ensure that their IPRs are not infringed in India and in other countries. Hence, there is always a vast option in IP law field.

     

    What is the procedure to apply for an internship and recruitment at Krishna & Saurastri? What do they look for in their prospective employees?

    Students can apply for internship or recruitment by logging on to the link http://www.krishnaandsaurastri.com/?p=careers_employee. Like any other IP firm they look for basics of law especially IP Law. And being computer savvy surely helps.

     

    What would you suggest to someone who is preparing to work with an IPR law firm?

    When you are preparing for the interview you must be well acquainted with the basics such as C.P.C., Cr.P.C, Arbitration, Contract etc. Further, he/she must also be well versed with established precedents and doctrines of IPR law nationally and internationally.

     

    Please give our readers a few tips in order to land a job in IPR firm.

    Sciences combined with law are a great combination for patent and for the other aspects of IP doing internship with IP law firm may also go a long way in getting the coveted assignments.

     

    What would be your parting message to our readers?

    Take positive approach and choose your field as per your personal bent of mind.

  • Avijit Sharma, Associate, Saikrishna & Associates, work at IAMAI, winning moots and balancing studies

    Avijit Sharma, Associate, Saikrishna & Associates, work at IAMAI, winning moots and balancing studies

    Avijit Sharma graduated with a degree in Anthropology from Hans Raj College, Delhi, later he graduated in law from CLC, Delhi University in 2009. While in college, he earned several awards at moot court competitions including the award for the Best Speaker at the 27th National Bar Council of India Moot Court Competition. He was also the Convenor of the Moot Society at Delhi University. He began his legal career as Assistant Manager-Legal Affairs at Internet and Mobile Association of India. He is currently an Associate at Saikrishna & Associates. In this interview he talks about:

    • Balancing academics and mooting
    • Working at IAMAI and Saikrishna & Associates
    • Specializing in IPR Laws

     

    You have a Bachelor’s degree in Science (Anthropology) from Hans Raj College, DU. Could share with us any specific incident which motivated you to pursue law as a career?

    Law was always a career option for me. Law could be studied as a five year program after XII Boards, or a three year program after a graduate degree. Graduate degrees in English, Business Administration, Economics and commerce are considered useful for a career in law. However, after going through the syllabus for B.Sc. Anthropology I felt that it should provide an ideal foundation for a career in law – in no other discipline is one simultaneously exposed to the study of biological, sociological, cultural, economic and political growth of human beings and societies, as well as immediately useful subjects – such as human anatomy and forensic science. For me law was a logical progression from Anthropology.

     

    How was your experience at CLC, DU?

    I had a wonderful time at CLC, DU. The crowd was good. The faculty is great. The intellectual environment is stimulating. I focused on constitutional law, intellectual property and environmental law. I found criminal law fascinating and law of evidence absorbing, but tried not to neglect any major branch. I cannot presume to be able to advise anyone, but would suggest that one should try to explore every major branch of law.

     

    What is your take on academics?

    Academics are very important. A consistently good CGPA is a reflection of one’s attitude and habits of regularity, inner discipline and capacity for organized work. I believe that these qualities are equally essential for a good career in the legal profession. In addition, a good CGPA makes your CV impressive in the eyes of Law Firms and prospective employers.

     

    What skills did you get to hone as the Student Convener of your Moot committee?

    Being the student convener of the Moot Court Society was a cherished moment. The Moot Court Society was all about close looping with the senior and junior batch-mates and learning to present arguments at moot court fixtures. I am greatly in debt to Prof. Alka Chawla for recognising my time management skills, and entrusting me with various important decisions to manage the Moot Court Society.

     

    You have participated and won various moot court competitions. What is your advice to budding mooters?

    Yes, I have won various moot competitions and also won a scholarship and the Best Speaker award in the 27thNational Bar Council of India Moot Court Competition and in a few others.

    One has to be better prepared for the ‘competition’. It requires thinking through both sides of the ‘problem’, being conscious of the strengths and weaknesses of both sides of the case and an anticipation of the possible queries of the judges. In short, one should be prepared enough to be able to argue from any side of the case at a moment’s notice. My advice to a budding mooter would be – never to be aggressive at any moment, but to be assertive at all times. It is important to carefully listen to the arguments of the opposite side and the questions asked by the Judge.

     

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

    My answer would be the same as in response to the previous question. Plus, a winning memo should be crisp and brief, without missing out on anything essential. A great memo would reflect the fullness of legal research, and a keen focus on the essential issues. An average memo would be comparatively lacking in these properties.

     

    How important do you think are co-curricular activities in shaping the legal career of a law student?

    Mooting, debating and publication in journals are the best intellectual pleasures for a law student and very effective preparation for a life in law. I’d say that it’s the time best spent.

     

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

    Academics are very important, since they reflect one’s inner discipline and attitude towards work, and it would be foolish to sacrifice them for the sake of anything, including a good performance in a moot court competition. It is to be understood that the theory of law itself has resulted into various codified laws and landmark judgements. The great Nani Palkhiwala attained a tall stature at the bar on the foundation of a strong academic background. In short, one has to excel at both, which requires good time management – an advice which is easy to give but hard to follow. Nevertheless, a good CGPA can never hurt.

     

    How was your first year after graduation?

    The first year after graduation was a tad difficult, since I could not find congenial work at the very outset. It was important to have a proper start by finding a suitable opening with a law firm of repute.

     

    You started your legal career as an Assistant Manager – Legal Affairs at Internet and Mobile Association of India. How did your appointment take place? What was the nature of your work there?

    I applied for a position at Internet and Mobile Association of India (“IAMAI”), and was fortunate to have been offered the said position. I believe that it was due to the combined effect of my academic and extra-curricular record. As the Assistant Manager, Legal Affairs, in addition to the other things, the most interesting part of my duties was to watch and document the developments taking place in the cyber world – in India as well as globally, be they legislative, judicial, social, political or commercial.

    The tipping point came when I as a co-petitioner along with IAMAI decided to move the Supreme Court of India in a writ proceeding, challenging various provisions of The Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Rules framed thereunder. The Writ has recently been decided by the Supreme Court (reported as Shreya Singhal vs. Union of India) and is considered as a milestone in Internet Jurisprudence.

     

    Currently you work as an Associate at Saikrishna & Associates. Please tell us the recruitment process at Saikrishna. Tell us about your induction into the firm.

    S&A is always open to the induction of fresh associates. They look for young professionals having the ability to work smart as well as hard, in keeping with its professional requirements. I assume that in addition to a creditable performance at the graduate and law school level, the firm also gives weightage to the extracurricular as well as professional exposure and confidence in a prospective associate. I came in touch with Mr. Saikrishna Rajagopal and Mr. J. Sai Deepak in relation to my law related responsibilities at IAMAI. S&A and IAMAI were collaborating over several matters of mutual interests, including the above-mentioned writ petition. I must have left a good impression upon them and they were gracious enough to offer me the position of an associate in the firm.

     

    What kind of work and responsibilities does an associate at Saikrishna deal with?

    The Associates in the litigation department deal with subject matters pertaining to IP enforcement, regulatory litigation, competition law litigation, pharmaceutical advisory and litigation, entertainment, media and software anti-piracy campaigns. The gamut of work includes preparing briefs, drafting pleadings, researching relevant case laws, client meetings, court appearances. The firm provides ample work related opportunities, professional exposure and a conducive environment to enable its members to fully utilize their potential to the maximum, thereby enabling them to shape their standing and professional career.

     

    How did you build up your expertise in IPR?

    The study of law is a never ending process. A lawyer remains a student forever and only the finest and sharpest of minds can claim to be an expert in any given department of law. In all humility, I would say that I have been barely able to scratch the surface of IPR Jurisprudence. The primary essential of an IPR lawyer or for that matter a lawyer in any other field of law is his thirst for knowledge and an open but critical mind.

     

    What kind of internship applications do you think stand out positively?

    Interns are meticulously and rigorously coached at the Firm which offers to them invaluable insight into the professional lives of the lawyers conducting cases and appearing before the various courts and tribunals. The interns are given a range of responsibilities which includes research upon various propositions, preparing case notes and attending mediation sessions. The firm has an internal department which evaluates the applications keeping in mind various objective standards. I understand that interns having a working knowledge of the substantive and procedural laws usually do well with the firm.

     

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

    The study and of law and its practice has so far been an exciting journey. It has taught me ways of life. Given a chance, I would want to revisit my graduation days to attend and discuss study lectures of Prof. Kamla Sankaran on constitutional law and jurisprudence.

     

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

    The study of law is more than chalk and talk, so it is important to meet people, patiently listen to their ideas and to socialise. As an advice to law students, I would first stress upon the importance of academics and theory and thereafter making career decisions after evaluating the stream of opportunities which may come their way.

  • Smrity Sudan, In-House Counsel, UD Group, Dubai on her experience in Corporate Law

    Smrity Sudan, In-House Counsel, UD Group, Dubai on her experience in Corporate Law

    Smrity Sudan graduated from CLC, Delhi University in 2007. She holds a B.Com degree also and is a qualified Company Secretary. She has a very rich experience of working in India and Dubai. After graduation, she started working at Bharti Airtel Ltd. and later, switched over to DLF Ltd. Thereafter she moved to Dubai and worked initially at Emirates Legal FZE and then at, Dubai Legal Eagle (Al Dhaheri International). She has recently joined UD Group, Dubai.

    In this interview, she talks about:

    • Working for Bharti Airtel Ltd. and DLF Ltd.
    • Working in Dubai as a Corporate Lawyer

     

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

    I am a Corporate Lawyer having experience globally in legal drafting, compliances and International Arbitration.

     

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

    I decided to do law during my graduation. I enrolled myself for CS in 2003 and acquired interest in law subjects. I always considered CLC to be the most appropriate law college for me. Apart from being a well known university, CLC is the best law college in Delhi.

     

    Having graduated from a non-premier law school, what would you say to the future graduates of DU regarding this?

    Hardly few people manage to do law from the NLS, Bangalore. Only those who choose law as a career quite early in their lives aspire to join NLS. NLS is not the end. Look beyond and see many successful lawyers from other universities. Soli Sorabjee had graduated from Government College, Mumbai. Harish Salve did his LL.B. from Nagpur University, Mukul Rohatgi from University of Mumbai.

     

    Many lawyers say that the first year after graduation is the most difficult year for young lawyers. How did you learn the ropes and what were the biggest challenges you faced?

    Facing challenges means you are alive. You will find it in every step of your professional life. People find being exposed for the first time to the professional world a little challenging. As far as my first year of professional life is concerned, it was pleasant being associated with Bharti, a well-known brand, having great HR Policies and highly professional yet empathetic boss. First year of your work life is the year to learn the most when people are more than willing to help you learn. After that expectations begins and you are considered to be an expert. Learn and learn should be the agenda.

     

    How did you decide to shift from Bharti Airtel to DLF Ltd.?

    As I said, be open to learn the maximum in the initial years. Do not be stuck in the field you don’t find interesting. My reason for change was to learn more of corporate legal work in DLF as my profile was more of secretarial compliances in Bharti. Both are great places to gain valuable experience.

     

    You left DLF to join Emirates Legal FZE, a law firm in Dubai. What motivated this shift? How did your appointment take place?

    It was a personal reason. After getting married I had to shift to Dubai with my husband. He had secured himself a great job in Dubai and we were excited at the prospect of exploring international work life.

    But, only after 6 months of struggle Emirates Legal was the first break I got in Dubai. I felt that at that time finding a suitable job in Dubai was not easy. Despite having more than four years of experience, I was considered as a fresher. Yes, I was a fresher to a Civil Legal System and to UAE laws.

     

    Thereafter you worked as a Legal Consultant at Dubai Legal Eagle (Al Dhaheri International). How did the switch from Emirates take place? How was your experience?

    It was a right decision as I was not satisfied with the profile. Dubai Legal Eagle, an International Law firm gave me exposure to International Arbitration. It is an interesting profile for those who possess analytical abilities, enjoy arguing cases before a Tribunal consisting of members appointed from various parts of the world.

     

    You’ve recently joined UD Group, Dubai. Which events led to your induction into UD Group? Were there any interviews or selection processes?

    Being a Company Secretary and someone who has no interest to litigate, a Corporate Lawyer profile is where I find myself well fitted. Fortunately, the option of UD Group came to me through a consultant and I went through the 3 stages of interviews that lasted for almost 2 months.

     

    What does your current work profile at UD Group consists of? How is a typical workday like? Can you tell us about a few of the most challenging problems you have faced thus far?

    My work profile at UD Group consists of typical in-house counsel profile, which includes drafting of commercial contracts, negotiating transactions, Merger and Acquisitions, Restructuring, compliances etc. The most challenging part is to think on the lines of Civil Law System since my law degree is on subjects based on Common Law System.

     

    Tell us a bit about work culture in Dubai.

    The work culture is equally stressful because of long working hours. Magic Circle Firms and MNCs look for people who have acquired degrees from USA, UK, and Australia etc.

     

    How difficult was the shift to a foreign law firm?

    It was not very difficult rather it poured more confidence to deal with people from different countries and background.

     

    How has been your B.Com degree helpful in your career?

    Yes, my B.Com degree has indeed been quite helpful in understanding the commercial and business aspects of the transactions.

     

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

    Build good CV. Approach consultants and apply directly on the websites of the Companies where you would like to apply. Register on LinkedIn and interact with people. Register on various websites offering services to find jobs like Legalweeks.com, Totallylegal.com.

     

    What made you gravitate towards this field of Corporate Law?

    I have always wanted to be a Corporate Lawyer. I followed my instincts and not the general perception of the society. I am happy to overcome the challenges coming my way.

     

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

    Believe in yourself, trust your conscience and follow your dreams. Be a winner in the field of your interest. That’s what success is.

     

  • Praveen Sharma, Business Head at Interactive Media on opting for LL.B after MBA

    Praveen Sharma, Business Head at Interactive Media on opting for LL.B after MBA

    Praveen Sharma is a Commerce and an MBA graduate from Kurukshetra University. Right after his MBA he opted for an LL.B from Delhi University and graduated as a lawyer in 2013. Most of you would know about CAClubIndia.com, LawyersClubIndia.com and MBAClubIndia.com; Praveen is the Business Head of Marketing & Partnership of Interactive Media Pvt. Ltd., the company which runs these famous websites.

    Praveen tells us about:

    • Opting for LL.B as a professional requirement after an MBA
    • The formidable mix of LL.B + MBA
    • Work as a Business Head at Interactive Media
    • Utility of online legal courses juxtaposed with the 3 year LL.B

     

    Please introduce yourself to the readers? Please tell us a little bit about your childhood and your background?

    I’m a traveller, sketcher, stage actor and a football enthusiast who believes that in life “knowing what you don’t want to do is more important than knowing what you want to”. My father was in the Indian Airforce. I was born in Srinagar where he was then posted. Originally from Jind, Haryana, my childhood was spent in Pune and teenage days lived in Ambala. After MBA I pursued LL.B from Delhi University and since then I am in Delhi. Since my childhood days, I am a keen observer of people and nature. Travelling helped me to build my skill of observation & correlation.  Currently I am the Business Head of Marketing & Partnership at Interactive Media Pvt. Ltd (CAclubindia.com, LAWyersclubindia.com and MBAclubindia.com)

     

    Being a Commerce graduate and having an MBA from Kurukshetra University, how did you decide to pursue legal studies? What motivated you to choose law after MBA?

    Hunger of diversification motivated me. My interest areas are varied and the yearning to learn more every day whether it is through experience or academia is always present. Marketing and Legal subjects were always my favourite and so I decided sometime during my schooling that I will pursue both. My inclination towards law and MBA was inspired by my dad who is also both – a law graduate as well as a MBA. I find marketing an expressive and creative medium while law is fascinating and insightful. I believe both if combined make an extremely attractive and great combination of skills.

     

    How was your experience studying LL.B from Delhi University? Being a marketing professional how did you manage to take out time for such an intensive course?

    It was rattling, versed and insightful. Delhi University has its own way of treating things. You will find dramatic political scenario during DUSU elections, debate sessions near tea stalls, Haryanvi tea talks and moot court competitions simultaneously. Everything is so self-driven there. Students are mature and faculties are wonderful and make all efforts to justify the course syllabus. Despite the lack of modern infrastructure, I guess the people who teach and study there make the environment conducive to a holistic education.  In evening class you will find people from different background like CAs, IPS-IAS officers, CS, finance and HR professionals who come there to study law. So you can imagine the level of diversity in one class room for one single objective of studying law. Every single individual has different reason and angle of seeing the particular subject of law – imagine how interesting that is!

    As for time, my boss (Mr. Vivek Jain) has always been very supportive, especially during the course and yes, thanks to Delhi metro which made it possible for me to travel 60 km a day on time. When you have passion for something and desire of doing that you find a way to get it done.

     

    praveen-sharma-1

    You joined Interactive Media Pvt. Ltd., as a Senior Marketing Manager while you were pursuing Law in 2011. Please tell us how did this appointment take place?

    After attaining Management degree, I quit 4 jobs in 2 months, including a campus placement and a job in a PSU. I was reading about some legal topic on the web and found “LAWyersclubindia” link there. I explored the website and it was quite helpful. I joined the website and then sent my CV in careers. After a week I got a call from Interactive Media that the founder wants to meet me for an interview. Initially though reluctant, I went ahead and gave the interview. The meeting was scheduled, I reached there and later Vivek (founder & CEO) came in – a 27 year old, young entrepreneur. We had a long discussion/interview at the end of which he asked me to send a small write-up on the company. I did that and same day got a call confirming my immediate joining. Initially I joined simply to meet my expenses, soon I started getting loads of opportunities to cultivate my skills and learn more- the advantages of working in a start up venture. Vivek trusted me and here I am today.

     

    Please introduce Interactive Media Pvt. Ltd. to our readers. What are the main focus areas, and who form your target clientele?

    Interactive media is a company having three brands (websites) i.e. CAclubindia.com, LAWyersclubindia.com and MBAclubindia.com, these connect more than 1.7 million finance, legal and management professionals. By the end of 2015 we hope to reach out to more than 2 million professionals. Our ideology is to connect users, specifically professionals, to provide a platform to share, exchange and distribute knowledge amongst the fraternity. The registration is free of cost for all and anyone can contribute to the community.

    We have also introduced e-learning classes (asynchronous mode) with CCI Online Classes on CAclubindia.com in 2012, followed by LCIlexlearn  on LAWyersclubinia.com and MCI learning corner on MBAclubindia.com in 2014. Currently more than 15,000 students are enrolled with us across the globe. The main focus area of e-learning classes is to provide value addition certificate courses at affordable price for our members.

    We get some revenue to maintain running cost from our ad sales and our clientele include some of the financial and legal giants like KPMG, CIMA, ACCA, Thomson Reuters, Becker, Microsoft, Intuit, NIIT etc.

     

    Being the Business Head of both Marketing & Partnership at Interactive Media Pvt. Ltd. what kind of responsibilities revolve around your job and what kind of activities do you undertake?

    I am primarily responsible for building business partnerships, strategic alliances and branding & marketing of all three portals and sub-brands. I am also involved in new product development & projection strategies. I represent our company on various platforms and am involved in career counselling, motivational and technical seminars, conducting interviews of stalwarts & taking live hangouts. I also take up training classes of the sales and editorial team of the in-house employees & freelancers. In a nutshell my responsibilities revolve around exploring, strategizing & executing the new horizons for various alliances & partnerships and undertaking the holistic marketing activities for a DotCom and e-learning company.

     

    praveen-sharma-3

    How does your knowledge in law help you in your current work profile? How do you think knowing law can help an entrepreneur?

    My studying law has given me a huge advantage at work. Firstly, we have a website ‘LAWyersclubindia.com’, so it’s easy for me to understand and support operational activities on the website. Secondly, we do lots of partnerships with Indian and foreign entities, my education gave me insight and perception to understand the agreements properly, to negotiate fairly, and to be able to ensure that there are no loopholes which might result in our loss and at the same time taking care of the rights and interests of the other party. It also makes it easy for me to handle technical queries and address them effectively.

    As we are a dot-com company and deal with immense user generated content and so we have to deal with copyright related issues, IT laws on content sharing, user terms and conditions etc. When you have one or two lawyers in your team you can be confident while dealing with such issues.

    Whereas in e-learning we deal with content from third party so Intellectual Property Right comes into the play here. My law background helps me to understand and deal with such issues and gain confidence over partners. Thus, having the basic education in law has given me an immense advantage.

    As knowing finance is a must for entrepreneurs so is basics of law which directly affects their business. Understanding the related laws help an entrepreneur to make new product development strategy or starting a new partnership or venture.  It also gives insight in making a marketing policy. New budding entrepreneurs coming up with startups and running SMEs must learn the basics of law and related laws to their business.

    I believe that every individual should have basic education with regard to their rights and duties. For example laws related to protection against domestic violence, rape, road accident. Laws related to insurance, rights of a minor and more. This helps an individual to exercise their rights and get a broader view of the issue at hand. It helps society to mature as a whole. And a matured society develops faster and remains culturally stable.

     

    How do you think this formidable mix of MBA and LL.B can help people working in a similar profile? Would you recommend Management and Marketing professionals to learn the law?

    MBA+LLB is a great combination. It helps you develop a unique skill set which enables you to mitigate complex business situations by understanding the legal issues related to the situation and taking the managerial approach to solve the problem.  It gives you an advantage over your peers. You become aware of the power of words and use it advantageously. There are great career options available in the industry requiring the blended skill set of these two degrees. For example: legal consultancy, social networking, content marketing, legal journalism, business consultancy and many more. I strongly recommend management and marketing professionals to learn law.

    I take care of social media marketing for our brands. Now, I should be well versed with cyber laws, IT and social media laws because I need to deal with related issues in my day to day work. So, one can do small courses to have a better understanding of the areas which deals with his/her job profile.

     

    If there were any part-time online diplomas in Business Laws awarded by one of the top law schools, like the one from NUJS and iPleaders, would you have taken it up?

    Certainly yes! We need to take a pragmatic approach and undertake such certificate and diploma courses to enhance our corporate skills. It is great option for the young graduates and for professionals who are unable to attend full time college due to time and geographical constraints. Online courses are very popular these days and if such diploma course is there online or in my city which gives me flexibility of attending classes I would love to do such course. This kind of certificate/diploma course will have the industry acceptance and it will impart you with updated knowledge and skills.

     

    What are your long term plans? Do you consider getting into a mainstream legal career ever?

    Mainstream legal career, do you mean litigation? 😀

    Whenever you see shows likes Suits, Boston Legal, The Practice, etc. you feel that urge to go into the court house, argue there and win the case with your charming and witty arguments. But frankly, I am quite satisfied with my current job, I love my job and what I get to do. It gives me the space to think out of the box and come up with new things while letting me stay connected to law. I work on numerous projects at the same time, and there is never a dull moment.

    My long term plan is to be happy and enjoy my work… whatever I choose to do or not to do.

    What would be your message to marketing and management professionals who are thinking of taking up legal studies?

    You have to have love for this profession and desire to learn law. Only then you will be able to use the acquired knowledge properly, to grow intellectually, to help others and to share knowledge.

    Marketing and management professionals should definitely study laws which are directly related to their job profile & business. In general also they should have basic legal understanding. For example if you are a social media manager you must understand copyright laws, Social media laws, cyber laws etc. Finally, the core competency for us is to be able to think and work in diverse situations. So it is a must to know something about everything. Don’t be scared to diversify.

     

    काममयएवायंपुरुषइति। सयथाकामोभवतितत्क्रतुर्भवति।

    यत्क्रतुर्भवतितत्कर्मकुरुते। यत्कर्मकुरुतेतदभिसंपद्यते॥

    You are what your deep, driving desire is

    As your desire is, so is your will

    As your will is, so is your deed

    As your deed is, so is your destiny!

     

  • Sandeep Chilana on a career in taxation law and being Principal Associate at Amarchand

    Sandeep Chilana on a career in taxation law and being Principal Associate at Amarchand

    Sandeep Chilana graduated from Campus Law Centre, Delhi University in 2005. Thereafter, he practiced litigation at his hometown, in Rudrapur, and later joined AMSS in their tax team. He continues to work at AMSS, and with his expertise in tax law, he is presently a Principal Associate.

    We have invited him to share his experience and insights with us in building a career in tax law.

     

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

    Hi! to all the readers of SuperLawyer. I am Sandeep Chilana and I am currently working as a Principal Associate at Amarchand & Mangaldas. At Amarchand, I work with the Tax Team and specialize in indirect tax litigation and advisory services. It is pleasure to reach you all through this forum and share my thoughts and experiences.

    I was born and brought up in a small town in Uttaranchal, Rudrapur and I came to Delhi for my graduation in 1999. After graduating in commerce from Kirori Mal College, Delhi University in 2002, I went on to obtain my bachelor’s degree in Law from Campus law Centre, Delhi University in 2005.

    I started my career as a litigator in the chambers of Mr. Rajiv Bansal and worked with him for almost 2 years. Thereafter, I joined my father in Rudrapur who specialises in Income Tax & Sales Tax advisory and compliance services, more than a year. I joined Amarchand in 2008 and have been working in the tax team since then.

    I am passionate about my work and truly enjoy arguing before the courts and handling complex indirect tax issues. Devising an out of box solution or innovating structuring for clients within the realms of law gives me immense satisfaction.

     

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

    [sociallocker] I would not say that law was a natural choice or I always wanted to be a lawyer. While in KMC, I was really interested in pursuing dramatic arts and theatre professionally. After graduation, I realised it was difficult to make a living out of theatre and wanted to have a Plan B to fall back on. Since my father is a practicing lawyer, law was a natural back up plan.

    At that time all my theatre rehearsals took place in Delhi. Therefore, I decided to settle for CLC Delhi University for pursuing law. It was during my days at law school that I developed a keen interest in the subject of law.

     

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

    Not really. I strongly believe that our industry only respects technical expertise and everything else is secondary. It is possible that non-NLU students may feel discriminated at campus placement stage. However, from my experience, I want to tell them that in the long run what matters is their understanding of law, analytical abilities and professional integrity.

     

    Many lawyers say that the first year after graduation is the most difficult year for young lawyers. How was your first year after graduation? How did you learn the ropes and what were the biggest challenges you faced?

    First year after graduation is indeed most difficult year for us young lawyers. However, it is also the most important year of our profession. It is the year which decides whether we have the endurance to make a successful law professional.

    I started my career as a litigator in the chambers of Mr. Rajiv Bansal and worked with him for almost 2 years. That was undoubtedly the most defining period of my career.

    The first year was indeed difficult. I quickly realized that practicing law was very different from studying law. There was enormous work pressure and compensations were also nominal to keep us motivated. To top that, life in the courts was very unpredictable.

    Mr. Bansal reposed great confidence in me and unlike other 1st year associates I was getting lot of opportunities in the first year itself to independently appear before trial courts and handle miscellaneous hearing before High Court independently.

    My biggest challenge in the first year was time management and dealing with stage fright. Arguing before the courts was very different from moot courts and debate competitions in school and college and I needed to adjust quickly. Also, most of the new matters would come in evening with clients or circumstances insisting that the filings be made the very next day. Such short timelines required us to work through the nights to ensure filing the very next day and taught us the art of time management at a very early stage.

     

    You had started working at Bansal & Co. right after graduation, and thereafter you joined Chilana & Chilana Associates. How did you decide to shift from civil and commercial laws to tax laws? Please tell us about your work experience in both these places

    The work at Bansal & Co. was varied. In my short span of time spent there, I handled a variety of matters involving labour laws, family laws, intellectual property laws, land acquisition laws and tax laws etc.

    By end of 2006, I had decided to specialize in tax laws. There was no better place to learn the basics of tax laws than my father’s chambers in Rudrapur.

    Work at Chilana & Chilana Associates was highly focused and involved only tax work. My work at Chilana & Chilana Associates primarily involved preparing tax opinions on income tax and sales tax/VAT issues and drafting appeals or replies to notices.

    Working with my father taught me the importance of having an eye for detail in our profession. It was under him that I also understood the necessity of understanding the business of client. Whenever I got too technical, he reminded me that client needs a commercial solution and not a technical paper of legal provisions. I think this is the best advice a lawyer aspiring to specialize in tax laws can get.

     

    You left C&C to join AMSS in their indirect taxes wing. What motivated this shift? What does it take to get job at AMSS at that stage?

    When I left Mr. Bansal to join Chilana & Chilana Associates, I was hopeful that I would get opportunities to return to Delhi and work with main stream law firms or accounting firms, once I understood the basics of tax laws.

    AMSS happened by sheer chance as if it was destined. I was not aware that AMSS had recently started tax practice.  I was given an offer by one of the big four accounting firms to work in the indirect tax team. On the day I went to collect my offer letter, I bumped into an old college friend who had got a call from AMSS for an interview for a position in the tax team. She was very kind to forward my resume to AMSS HR and get me an interview as well, for the same position.

    Mr. Aseem Chawla, who was the tax partner at AMSS during the relevant time, interviewed me. The interview was primarily focused on work ethics, my litigation experience and the nature of tax assignments I have handled besides the obvious question, why I wanted to leave family practice.

    My father being a tax lawyer appeared to be the biggest challenge for me to crack that interview with AMSS. There was a presumption that sooner or later I would go back to join my father’s practice.

    However, Mr. Chawla identified with my point of view and the career path I had chalked out for myself. To my delight, I got a call from AMSS HR in the same week informing me about my selection. I was to join as a fresher associate in the Tax Team of AMSS.

    I guess my initial litigation experience coupled with my exposure to basics of tax laws worked in my favour. Also, my willingness to discount all my past experience to join as a fresher gave me an edge over the other candidates.

     

    Would you say your undergraduate B.Com degree has been helpful in your career? When did you actually experience the learning curve in tax law?

    Undoubtedly yes. It is almost impossible to specialise in tax laws without having the ability to decode financial statements and juggle with numbers. The B.Com degree gave me exposure to the accounting principles and made me affable to balance sheets and financials.

    I developed interest in tax laws while pursuing LL.B itself. I chose the optional paper of tax in my second year of law school and our professor Ms. Neeru Nakra ensured that everyone in the class enjoyed studying the seemingly boring tax laws. However, the actual learning curve in tax laws happened only after I joined Chilana & Chilana Associates.

     

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

    The only way to gain experience in tax laws is to work with a tax lawyer or an accounting firm. We may not get an opportunity to work with a big firm directly but we must not lose hope. Hone your tax skills with independent practitioners or mid-level firms and wait for the right opportunity.

    Tax is a very dynamic subject. Hundreds of notifications and circulars are issued by the tax department every week. Tax laws get amended almost every year and the courts across India have different points of view on the same question of law. The only way one can be a good tax lawyer is by ensuring that you are constantly evolving and investing atleast 2 hours every week on knowledge management.

     

    Is the work significantly different from other transactional lawyers?

    Yes, practicing tax laws is very niche and significantly different from any other practice. Every litigation and advisory assignment is significantly different from the other. There are hardly any templates to start with. What differentiates a tax practice from regular transactional advisory work is that it never gets monotonous for a lawyer practicing tax laws.

     

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

    My work involves a good mix of litigation and advisory work. I have been appearing before various High Courts, Tribunals and Commissioners across the country on various indirect tax issues.

    Recently, I independently argued a very technical and high stake matter pertaining to taxability of domain name registration before the Customs, Excise & Service Tax Appellate Tribunal, Mumbai, and got a favourable order for client.

     

    Tell us a bit about work culture at AMSS tax team.

    Work culture at the AMSS Tax Team is highly competitive which induces a positive and productive environment. Most of the work handled by Tax Team at AMSS is very niche and high end, which continues to aspire and drive us towards professional excellence.

     

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

    Being a lawyer is undoubtedly a high-stress career that demands far more than fair share of our time. Most of our assignments are urgent and require time bound delivery. Quite often than not, we end up spending more than 12 hours a day in our offices.  However, it is a conscious choice for most of us.

    One of the most important tools to manage work-life balance is time management, the ability to manage and keep a tab on the time and efficiencies, not only of your own but that of your team as well. I do try my best to regulate my time in the most efficient manner possible and spend quality time with my family. However, I must admit that my family understands the kind of pressures I work in and is really supportive of my professional commitments. Without their support, it would have been impossible for me to give my best to my profession.

     

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

    I would want to tell the young readers and budding lawyers that while their seniors would provide them sufficient exposure and training on the subject matter of their interest, the ultimate responsibility for their professional development rests on them only.

    It is not uncommon to feel disoriented in the first year of being a tax lawyer. Unlike other laws, tax laws are highly complex and require sound understanding of basic principles before you can start understanding and enjoying the complexity of the issues involved. Be patient till the time you are sure that you have mastered the basic principles.

    If time permits, a budding tax lawyer must consider attending training sessions and coaching classes organized by Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) on tax laws for aspiring Chartered Accountants. These are really helpful in understanding the basic concepts of tax laws and make a great foundation for any tax professional.

    Once the basic understanding of tax laws is in place, it is important to remain focused and constantly invest time on self-development and knowledge management. It is also important to master the art of understanding the commercial reasons for any transaction to be able to provide a better solution to client.

    Besides legal expertise, it is important to develop the work ethics which are paramount for any professional to be successful, most importantly being, determination, patience and integrity.[/sociallocker]

  • Amit Singh Chauhan on LL.M from Harvard, diploma course from NLSIU and LSE

    Amit Singh Chauhan on LL.M from Harvard, diploma course from NLSIU and LSE

    Amit Singh Chauhan graduated from Delhi University in Economics and Law in 2009. Thereafter he worked at the chambers of Gopal Subramaniam for 2 years and then went on to pursue an LL.M from Harvard.

    He has cracked the New York Bar Exam and is currently working as an associate at the chambers of N. Hariharan.

    In this interview we asked him about:

    • Experience of diploma courses from NLSIU and LSE
    • LL.M from Harvard and cracking the NY Bar

     

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

    I did my schooling from St. Columba’s School, New Delhi.  After the class X boards, I was offered a scholarship by CBSE for securing an almost perfect score (99/100) in science and also received the Vedanta Mehra Memorial award for the same. I chose to pursue science with economics and later on, went on to do B.A. (Hons) Economics from the University of Delhi. Apart from this, I was actively involved in various extracurricular activities. I represented my class in swimming, cricket, quizzing and have also played chess at the state level.

    I do have lawyers in my family. My father, Mr. Ram Singh Chauhan, is a practising advocate in the Delhi High Court and Supreme Court of India and I am also married to a lawyer.

     

    Tell us a bit about your work life, your dreams and aspirations?

    I am presently working with Mr. N. Hariharan, Sr. Advocate and practicing mainly criminal law with him before various judicial forums in Delhi. He ensures that his juniors burn the midnight oil. An average working day for me is 14-15 hours. Whatever little time I get when the courts are on vacation, my father ensures that I help him with Civil Litigation and Arbitrations. Overall, I am a pretty ambitious person. My aim is to be a leading arguing counsel in this country and I ensure that I put in the effort required to be one.

     

    How was your experience of studying in a college that has churned out many eminent lawyers, judges and academicians?

    In one word it was ‘great’. The professors are highly accomplished and recognized nationally as the best in their respective fields. They are easily accessible and always willing to help. Apart from academics, there are a lot of extracurricular activities on offer like mooting, legal aid clinics etc. Further, you are encouraged to participate in social, political and cultural activities which the Delhi University has to offer. I believe all of this helps in the overall development as an individual and in becoming a better lawyer.

     

    After completing your LL.B, you pursued Diplomas from NLSIU and LSE. According to you, what value addition do diplomas do to a law student/lawyer?

    I pursued these Diplomas while I was pursuing my LL.B.  At NLSIU, I pursued a post-graduate diploma in Intellectual Property Rights and at LSE, I attended the summer school for Introduction to Corporate Law & Governance and Intellectual Property Rights.  These Diplomas, apart from providing you an edge in terms of employment, are greatly helpful if you intend to specialise in a specific field.

    My aim in pursuing these Diplomas was a bit different. I always knew that I wanted to be a litigator. I believed that I should be adequately equipped to argue or assist in any and all  kind of matters. It is for this reason I pursued these Diplomas.

     

    You also worked in the chambers of Mr. Gopal Subramanium for more than 2 years. How was the experience of working under such an eminent advocate?

    Working closely with  Mr. Gopal Subramanium, former Solicitor General of India  in advising and representing the Government of India, State Governments in India and major public sector undertakings involved in the Power Sector, Oil and Natural gas, Mining and Extraction, Telecommunication, Insurance and Finance etc., has helped me acquire sound knowledge of different laws and regulatory frameworks in India and abroad. Mr. Subramanium is a great mentor and ensures that his juniors are constructively employed while they are a part of his chamber. He is easily accessible to his juniors and goes out of his way to help them. I consider myself very lucky for having been granted an opportunity to work with him so early in my career.

     

    It is often said that classroom education and college mooting is totally different than actual court practice. What are your views in this regard?

    Classroom education and college mooting are essential in acquiring the basic understanding of law and practice. However, it is also true that Classroom education and college mooting gives you only a bird’s eye view of what actual practice is like. The pressures, stakes, strategies and technicalities of real practice are far more complicated than Classroom education and college mooting.

     

    amit-singh-chauhan-1After that, you went on to pursue LL.M. from Harvard Law School? How did you choose the universities that you applied to? What were the other universities of choice?

    After working with Mr. Gopal Subramanium for over two years I went on to pursue my LL.M. at Harvard Law. I wanted to pursue a General LL.M. so  I chose the universities in the following order: by their rankings, the subjects which I intended to study, and the faculty. In the UK I had applied to Oxford and Cambridge, and in the United States, I had applied to Harvard, Stanford, Cornell, Columbia, UPenn, and NYU. My advice to people who intend on applying for a LL.M. is that not only the subject you intend on studying matters but also, the overall reputation of the university.

     

    How was your experience and what courses did you study at Harvard?

    From day 1, Harvard was overwhelming in terms of academics and the sheer amount of activities which were on offer. You would wake up in the morning with emails from different societies and departments informing you about the events/guest lecturers for the day. Even if I wanted, I still could not attend to all which I wanted to. My only regret is that I did not have more time at Harvard.

    I studied courses on Constitutional Law, International Arbitration, Mergers & Acquisition and  White Collar Crimes amongst others. The teaching methodology involving mock transactions, trials and investigations greatly enhanced my abilities in understanding the finer points of a legal transaction. I went on to receive Honors in my International Commercial Arbitration class and my Paper on White Collar Crimes.

     

    Did you consider taking up a job in the USA itself? What were the opportunities available to you?

    I was always keen on coming back to India and practice. However, the only time I did consider taking a job in USA was after the Bar exam, which by all standards was late.  I did manage to get interviews with a couple of leading law firms in New York and Washington, D.C..

    LL.M. students have the New York job fair in January. However, most are looking to hire from countries whose legal market is open unlike India. For an Indian, it is double the effort if he/she is looking for a job and even after that there is no surety.

     

    You have also done B.A. in Economics (Hons.) from Delhi University? Has this specialization in Economics helped you in any way in your legal studies?

    Yes, I have. It was particularly helpful to me while developing or considering policies/laws and their impact on individual and society while working with the Solicitor General.  It also comes in handy from time to time, when I am involved with Banking, Finance or other commercial matters.

     

    You have recently cleared New York Bar Exam, it is said to be the world’s toughest bar exam. How strenuous would you say it was preparing for the exam? What are the rules and strategies you followed in order to crack the exam?

    It was quite strenuous especially as I started late and I knew it was my first and final shot at it. Further, it becomes more strenuous by the fact that you have about 50 days after you graduate to prepare 56 subjects/topics. I would actually give credit to my wife, Shikha, who was there to support me and ensured that I kept my cool.

    To prepare for the Bar I took classes offered by Barbri. There are others like Kaplan etc. who offer preparatory classes for the Bar. I followed their schedule as much I could and also, ensured that I had enough time for left for self study.  Since, I started my preparation later than others I had to put in 14-16 hours a day to prepare for the Bar. People who are serious about the Bar should start preparing immediately after the exams to ease the pressure.

     

    What are the minimum educational qualifications for an Indian to be eligible for the New York Bar exam? What are the job opportunities available after clearing it?

    I believe a year of education from ABA accredited institute is the minimum qualification for an Indian. Also, you are required to study specific subjects and have a minimum number of credits before you can sit for the Bar. I think people interested in taking the NY bar should check the New York Bar website for the pre-requisites.

    (The requirements could have changed. Kindly check with the NY Bar/website for the exact requirements)

    Your chances of securing a job improve greatly. However, this does change the fact Law firms prefer J.D. students and international students from countries whose market is open. Thus, for Indians it will still be difficult.

     

    What would be your advice to law students from traditional universities who want to do well in their career?

    I am going to keep it short as I am too young to advice anyone. My advice would be to work hard, work smart and be creative in your approach. Test your limit every time you think you have done your best.

     

  • Nivedita Guha, Consultant, UNICEF, on human rights law, child protection services, and her experience

    Nivedita Guha, Consultant, UNICEF, on human rights law, child protection services, and her experience

    Nivedita Guha graduated in law from CLC, Delhi University, in 2009. Thereafter she pursued her LL.M. from NLU, Jodhpur. She has been involved in a lot of socio-legal work in multiple non-profit organisations. She has worked at HelpAge, Kalyan Ashram, MARG, HRLN and currently she is working at UNICEF.

    In this interview we speak to her about:

    • Pursuing LL.M from NLU, Jodhpur in furtherance to a career in social work
    • Work at different domestic NPOs and at UNICEF
    • Advice to students who want to pursue a career in Human Rights

    How will you introduce yourself to our readers?

    I am a human rights lawyer presently working as a Consultant with the UNICEF office, West Bengal. My area of interest is child protection and women’s rights. Work is my favourite pastime and I believe it is very important to do what you love and not fall prey to the conventional way of life, satisfying societal standards.

     

    How did you gravitate towards law?

    My grandfather was an Income tax lawyer practicing in the Calcutta High Court. I was in awe of him. I was brought up in Chandigarh and as a kid when I used to visit him in Kolkata during my summer vacations, I used to minutely notice the way he talked. His command over language was impeccable. I used to spend hours flipping through the legal journals stocked in his big law library. His personality had a deep impact in my formative years which I think later instilled the desire to pursue the legal profession in me.

     

    Do you think that being from a non-NLU made any difference to your career?

    It did not make any difference to me as I was always inclined to work on humanitarian issues and since human rights law is a very unconventional area of law, I always knew that I will have to carve my own way. There are ample job opportunities for corporate lawyers with companies and firms offering good pay packages to them but human rights law is a less sought after area and it was a struggle to choose the right career path. I do not think my struggle would have lessened if I was an NLU graduate.

     

    How was your experience at HRLN, Kolkata?

    After I left my job in MARG, Delhi, I was looking for jobs in Delhi and Kolkata. A cousin of mine informed me about the vacancy at Human Rights Law Network, Kolkata and I immediately applied for the position. I was called for an interview, I appeared and was selected.

    My work at HRLN involved defending the rights of the victims of domestic violence by filing cases under the Protection of Women from the Domestic Violence Act, 2005, defending the Juveniles-in-conflict-with-law in the legal cases in the Juvenile Justice Boards, I have been in-charge of the Prison Project in HRLN where providing legal aid to the inmates in the prison, parallel to the state machinery, maintaining effective collaboration with the relevant government departments like the Department of Correctional administration has been an integral part of my work. Issues like no physical production of prisoners before the courts, illegal detention of the inmates in Section 107 and 109 of the Criminal Procedure Code 1973 cases in the prisons, inhuman prison infrastructure, improvement of the condition of women and their children in the prisons are some of the issues which have been addressed through fact finding, research and litigation during my tenure in HRLN. I have also trained police officials on the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and the Protection of Children from Sexual offences Act, 2012.

    Working in HRLN for three years was very enriching. Though one has to put up with lot of difficulties while working in an organisation solely run by lawyers as administration is not their forte but HRLN surely knows how to extract the best from you and the experience one gains is worth all the struggles.

     

    What was your motivation behind pursuing LL.M.?

    Once I was sure that criminal justice system is my area of work, I immediately started looking for courses on this area of law. I was looking for distance learning courses as I did not want to leave my job and LL.M. in Criminal law, Criminology & Forensic Science at NLU Jodhpur seemed like a very good option. LL.M. from foreign university is there in my mind but only after few more years of work experience.

     

    What brought you into Human Rights?

    Not any incident but the character of Atticus Finch in the book, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee inspired me greatly. Atticus Finch is a white American lawyer who defended a black man who was falsely accused of raping a white woman. He fought for racial inequality during the times of apartheid in America. His character, integrity and principles inspired me greatly.

     

    What inspired you to work with MARG and how did you go about applying to them?

    MARG was my first job after completing LL.B. and I was working there as a legal trainer. I did an internship with MARG as a law student and after I completed LL.B., they approached me for this role which I gladly accepted.

    My work primarily involved training grass root level NGO workers on various important laws in the States of Bihar, UP and Jharkhand.

     

    What has been your most memorable incident working for these Non-Profit Organizations?

    While I was working in MARG in Delhi, I was on a field trip at a village in Haryana. It was a legal empowerment program and I was assisting my senior in sensitising the women of the area to get trained as paralegal volunteers. During the visit, I noticed that in almost every household I went, I met a woman wearing the traditional red and white bangles which is a sign of a married woman in Bengal. They all spoke fluent Bengali and I was told that their parents live in West Bengal and most of them were from the Sundarban area. They were all married to the families in that village of Haryana. I was perplexed as I did not understand the reason why women from the interiors of Bengal will be married to Jats of Haryana. Soon these women cleared my doubts and very explicitly told me that their families in Bengal were poverty stricken and their in-laws in Haryana are providing for their families in Bengal. So basically, by marrying, they are helping their family back home in getting food to eat and also to live a comfortable life. There is a dearth of girls in Haryana so the families in Haryana go searching for brides in Bengal alluring the families of brides with money.

    I was shell shocked to witness the vicious cycle of atrocity occurring so flagrantly. It was my first stint with reality and concept of cross cutting issues. It was an eye opener.

     

    What is it like working for an International Organization like UNICEF?

    It has been absolutely amazing to work in UNICEF as working with organisations like UNICEF widens your horizon as you are no longer look at resolving individual cases but you are thinking about the larger picture. I feel more responsible as I know that my work will now impact the masses and not just two or three people. It is also the first time that I am working with the government as UNICEF is a partner of the Ministry of Women and Child Development and I have to work very closely with the Department of Child Development, Women Development and Social Welfare in West Bengal. It is a very different experience from working with NGOs.

    It has only been four months that I am working in UNICEF, I can handle the stress till now.

     

    Do you think remuneration is a serious impediment to such work?

    Anyone who needs a “higher pay package”, should not even think of getting into the development sector because when you decide to get into this sector, it is not money which drives you but a desire and passion to connect to the masses and serve the people. Yes, initially money is a serious impediment in this field.

     

    Where do you suggest one can intern or apply for an opportunity if she is interested in working for Human Rights issues?

    For lawyers or law students, Human Rights Law Network and Lawyer’s Collective are great organisations to work and learn. The summer and winter internship program in National Human Rights Commission is also very good. Amnesty International India is also a good place to learn and grow.

     

    What is the best possible course of action for a law student who aspires to work for international non- profit organizations?

    I would advise students to involve themselves in various humanitarian causes like by volunteering or interning with NGOs and groups working on human rights issues. This way one understands if working on humanitarian issues is their true calling or not. Thereafter, they should focus on understanding issues and think how as a lawyer they can contribute for that particular issue.

    If one is specifically eyeing for international organisations than a foreign degree might help and one has to keep an eye on international vacancies and opportunities but what I have learnt from experience is that the most important thing is your ability to understand issues and build skills to intervene as a lawyer and activist, which is possible only by working extensively in the field.

     

    Where do you see yourself by the end of the coming five years?

    For the next three years I am solely focusing on my work at UNICEF. I want to complete the work assigned to me successfully. Thereafter, I would want to pursue higher studies abroad.

     

    Lastly, what would be your message to people who want to have a career in human rights?

    Please do not opt for a career in human rights because you feel it is glamorous to be working in a NGO or United Nations or any other international organisation. There is much much more to it. One has to survive the initial grill with lot of patience and perseverance but if you are driven by the right reason primarily the desire to serve, it will be worth it. Reiterating, the need for a passion to serve does not necessarily means to work without money but when you are passionate to serve you will understand the importance of what you are doing and the great impact it makes.