Super Lawyer

Tag: Counsel

  • Prachi Vijay, Associate Consultant, Ernst & Young, on law school, internships and work experience

    Prachi Vijay, Associate Consultant, Ernst & Young, on law school, internships and work experience

    Prachi Vijay is an Associate Consultant at Ernst & Young. She graduated from Government Law College, Mumbai in 2013. While in college, she explored various areas of law and has interned in several places including law firms such as DH Law & Associates and Ernst & Young, tax firms, consultancy firms and the Court. Soon after graduation she joined Intellistay Hotels Pvt. Ltd. as a Legal Executive where she worked for over a year before joining Ernst & Young. In this interview she talks about:

    • Law school experience at GLC, Mumbai
    • The importance of doing varied internships
    • Interning and working at Ernst & Young

     

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

    I graduated from Government Law College in 2013 and am currently working with Ernst & Young as an Associate Consultant. I come from a very small town where there are only three types of career options available- Government job, Medicine and Engineering. Anything apart of these is pursued only when you are not good enough to secure one of the three jobs.

    Not wanting to follow the conventional course and clueless about what to do, it was actually my late grandfather who motivated me to pursue law. While studying for 12th Boards, I was staying at my grandparents place. He kept on telling me how honourable the legal profession is. The seeds of legal studies were sown then. Consequently, I entered law school and by the end of first year, I was certain that this is what I was meant to do. So, what started as an experiment became a passion in no time.

     

    Tell us about your college life at GLC. What all activities did you partake in?

    Government Law College was an experience par excellence. Most of the times, students were involved in the co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. Committee meetings were frequent and it was there that the best friendships were made. Throughout the year, GLC holds a wide number of activities including moot court (national and international), debates, sports, study tour, guest lecture, etc. I was in the organizing team of most of the events that the college used to organise; Students Council ad hoc, Magazine Committee, Placement Committee, Alumni Association, to name a few.

    As far as academics were concerned, the practical exposure was immense. The classes would finish by 10:30 a.m. and I was interning full time throughout the year. So, whatever was being taught in class, I had already worked on them at the law firm where I was interning. The concept became clearer. I managed to inculcate theoretical as well as practical knowledge at the same time. This made studying easier and interesting. Five years passed in no time and voila! I was a lawyer already.

     

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

    My areas of interest were Company law, IPR and Arbitration and they still are. During my internships, I worked extensively on these areas. When you are in your 2nd year of law school, you are not taken too seriously and you end up photo copying, scanning and at the most researching, for the entire duration of your internship. So, I would go around the law firm asking people to give me work involving Company law or IPR or Arbitration. As a result I not only researched on the cases at hand but started drafting notices, giving legal opinions, making and filing trademark applications and drafting opposition.

     

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    What kind of internships did you do in your law school? Which internships will you consider to be right at the top and why?

    I am originally from Patna. The first time I came to Bombay was when I got admitted to GLC. So going back home for vacations were the only thing I looked forward to in those days. As a result, my first 2 internships happened back home.

    For 2 months, I interned with a Senior Advocate at Patna High Court, Mr. Keshav Srivastava. I learnt the basics there: Court proceedings, researching, etc. Also, it completely shattered the picture I had in my mind about the Court.

    My second internship was at a CA firm. It was a CA firm but it taught me the intricacies of taxation. As a result, my interest in taxation grew manifold and this helped me in getting an internship at a later stage at TLC, which is a taxation firm based out of Bombay which specialises in Tax litigation.

    However, the internships that played a major role in grooming me and preparing me for my legal career were DH Law & Associates and Ernst & Young. I joined DH Law when I was in my 3rdyear and was subsequently promoted from an intern to a paralegal. Consequently, I was there for more than a year and worked mainly on corporate law, IPR and arbitration. This internship by and far clarified the confusion of most law students: whether to pick corporate law or litigation.

    In the last year of my college, I started interning in Ernst & Young where I dealt with extant state, national and international laws. All in all, I explored almost all the areas of the legal field during my college years.

    I don’t come from a law background. So getting the first internship was difficult. I was dependent upon my grades in college for that. However, after much try once I secured the first one, all others followed quite smoothly.

     

    Did you find that your law school education had prepared you sufficiently for internships and your job?

    Law school is an experience in itself. In GLC everything is student driven. Whether you are organising an event or helping your seniors to get placed. Everything is taken care of by the student bodies which are headed by professors. All the execution work is handled by the students. From getting the bouquets for welcoming the guests at the event to going to law firms to invite them to take part in the placement program, everything was managed by the students. So, GLC ingrained in me a sense of responsibility. And the moment you become responsible and answerable for your work, half the battle is won. Practice years teach you the nitty-gritties of the legal field. But the basics, the concept, the root is learnt during the years of college.

     

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

    The top things that I learnt while interning were patience and how to work under pressure with stringent timelines without compromising on the quality of work.

    If you don’t have a legal background, the only thing that might help you in securing your first internship is a good CGPA.

    When you have contacts, it becomes easier to get into a good law firm for internships from the very initial days of law school. Having said that, contacts may land you into a good internship but whether the law firm is going to retain you or not depends upon your willingness to work hard.

     

    What do you have to say about mooting at law school and legal writing for journals?

    Mooting gives you a picture of what it would be like when you finally step into the legal field as a professional. It improves your researching and your ability to put your arguments in front of others. While mooting improves your verbal skills, legal writing improves your writing skill. Both of these are extremely important for your overall development as a lawyer. I cannot comment on whether they add bonus value to your CV or not but they certainly enhance your capabilities.

     

    How did your appointment take place at Intellistay Hotels Pvt. Ltd.? What worked for you in securing the job? What kind of responsibilities you were entrusted with?

    I’d interned in all possible areas-Court, Law Firm, Consultancy, Tax firm. The only area that was left to explore was a Company. The initial years are the only time when one can experiment and explore so when I got to know that there is a vacancy in a hospitality company for legal post, I jumped at the opportunity. I applied directly through their website and after the telephonic interview, I was called for personal interview. Within a week’s time, my appointment got confirmed and I had to join the following week. I worked there for a little more than a year. I was mainly responsible for the day to day legal issues of the company; for e.g.:- drafting and reviewing legal documents like lease, Contracts, MOUs, etc.; hospitality laws and regulations, liaisoning with various departments like Municipal Corporation, Excise Department, Police, etc. for acquiring various licenses including liquor license, trade license, etc.

     

    What would you suggest a fresh law graduate should do to hold spirit and utilise the opportunities available during the first year of graduation?

    The initial years of a law graduate play the most important role. You are no longer a law student and neither are you an established legal professional. This is the time to learn, to grasp, to get involved and make the most of it. Once you are well equipped with the work at hand, success becomes inevitable.

     

    You currently work as an Associate Consultant at Ernst and Young. What prompted you to make this choice and what made this shift possible?

    I worked at IntelliStay Hotels for over a year. It will always be special because it helped me become independent. While I was very happy with the work entrusted in IntelliStay, when an opportunity came along from EY, I knew I had to take it. The basic aim is to grow. The initial years are the best time to grow.

     

    How did your appointment at E&Y take place?

    I had already interned at EY for almost a year during college days. One of my seniors approached me when there was vacancy. While recruitment happens through the traditional method in EY, since I had worked there before, I only had to go through the telephonic interview. The recruitment was smooth.

     

    We would love to hear about your work profile. Being an Associate Consultant, what are your responsibilities?

    My basic work at EY is to help the clients in executing their plans and business. A normal work day starts with a cup of tea and a briefing of what a particular client wants. Once briefed, time lines are set and everyone gets to work. At EY, no one hovers over your head watching whether you are working or not. Everyone is just concerned about the quality of work and its completion within the stipulated time. So, responsibility comes right from the junior most post. You are responsible and answerable for your own work.

     

    What have been your failures and successes? What were the biggest hurdles and challenges in the first few months?

    Shifting from a Company (where the work is limited to the matter concerning the company) to a Consultancy (where work revolves around the requirements of the client and you are expected to work on a number of issues at the same time) is in itself the most challenging task. The first few months at EY were difficult for the simple reason that people here are very particular about providing nothing but the best service to clients and for that you are expected to go beyond your comfort zone. Fortunately, my seniors were always there to help. The healthy work environment made this transition very easy.

     

    What are the primary professional ethics you follow while at work? How do you deal with mistakes or errors?

    EY has a code of conduct and you are not expected to breach it. Client’s information is confidential and in no circumstances it can be discussed with people that have no business. Social media is to be handled with responsibility. There is absolutely no compromise on the integrity of the firm. At EY, there is hardly any scope for error or mistake.

     

    How do you keep yourself abreast with latest industry news and trends?

    Social media today is so strong that it is not at all difficult to reach the nook and corners of latest industry news.

     

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

    It’s all about the priorities. Once out of law school, the priority is to work in a good firm or a company. The basic idea is career growth. During the initial years, the question of whether one would be able to maintain work-life balance should not seep in. Once the initial years are done and dusted with, there is always a choice to work at your own terms. The career growth in legal field is comparatively fast if you are willing to give your 100%. When I got my first job, I was willing to look beyond the work load and the time schedule. I just wanted to learn and work. I compelled my bosses to give me tasks that no one was willing to take. Within no time, I became indispensable to my company.

    There can never be a work-life balance. You either work or you manage your life. Work is my priority right now too. Five years down the line, may be life will be my priority and I’ll work accordingly.

     

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

    Recruitment at EY happens through the traditional way of interview.

    It’s a three stage process-

    1. a) shortlisting your CV;
    2. b) telephonic interview including HR round; and
    3. c) personal interview.

    EY looks for people who are responsible and responsive and are willing to take charge of things.

     

    Is there any other tip you would like to give to our budding professionals?

    Patience is a virtue. I was rejected by a number of recruiters before being finally employed. And a year and a half later, I am at a happy place. I look back and I thank them for not hiring me. There is no substitute for hard work-whether you are litigating or joining corporate. Just be passionate about whatever you are doing or don’t do it at all.

    Like Charles Bukowsi said: “Find what you love and let it kill you.”

  • Sheela Yadav, Law Officer, SUN Pharma, on taking out time for LL.M, work in litigation and IPR

    Sheela Yadav, Law Officer, SUN Pharma, on taking out time for LL.M, work in litigation and IPR

    Sheela Yadav was born and brought up in a conservative atmosphere, one that is not very encouraging for girls to study, but that did not stop her from pursuing her dream of studying law. Encouraged by her father, she completed her graduation in sociology and enrolled herself for the three-year LL.B course in SNDT University. Upon graduating, she started working at the chambers of Preeti Shah, and completed an LL.M alongside her work. After developing an interest in IP laws, she switched to Sun Pharma where she currently works as Legal Officer.

    In this interview, she talks about:

    • The initial experiences of her life which made her want to study law
    • Her work in litigation and experience working under Advocate Preeti Shah
    • Her current work profile at Sun Pharma

     

    Why did you decide to study law? What inspired you to do so? How did you get through to SNDT Law School?

    I belong to a place in North India where girls are not allowed to study much but my family gave me a chance to study. One day, the panchayat of my village gave a wrong decision in a dispute regarding division of property. The dispute was between my father and my uncle, and I wanted to say something but wasn’t allowed to, being a girl. There were many other instances like this, which inspired me to study law in order to know the rights I and other girls hold. My father motivated me to join SNDT Law School.

     

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

    During my graduation my area of interest was sociology. Being a sociology student, I had to participate in various surveys where I came to know that there are a lots of people who don’t enjoy benefits of public policies, mainly due to lack of knowledge and awareness about the same. This, again, gave me a push to study a law.

     

    As a law student which activities did you participate in?

    During law school, I participated in various conferences, seminars, essay competitions and workshops which enhanced my knowledge and deepened my interest in law. I have also participated and presented a research paper in the “World Peace Congress 2008” a UNESCO chair program, on the role of youth in promoting the “Culture of Peace in the World” held at World Peace Centre (Alandi), Maeer’ MIT Pune. I was also awarded for participation in Alternative Dispute Resolution project by Indian Law Institue in 2008. In 2010, I secured First Rank in LL.B. examinations in the University.

     

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

    I have done various internships during my law school. However, the internships at Haresh Jagtiani & Associates and Divya Shah & Associates are very close to my heart. These were the internships where I majorly worked with the litigation team of the firms. These firms allowed me to understand the roots of litigation and law.

     

    Do you feel that there is a perception of difference among NLU and non-NLU students?

    Yes, when you are a student from an NLU, everyone treats you like you know everything. While applying for internships, college name plays a vital role. This name gives better and easy exposure to top law firms. It’s because of the kind of education and facilities there. However, in traditional universities, we have to do everything ourselves. They are preferred even when a student from a traditional university is more talented because at the first glance the employers notice the name of the college.

     

    After graduating from SNDT Law School, you started working at the Chambers of Preeti Shah as a Junior Associate. What kind of responsibilities you were entrusted with?

    I wanted to get experience in litigation and court procedure. I heard about her and therefore directly approached her. She appointed me in spite of the fact that I did not have any references. I have learned a lot from her. She has given me lots of opportunities to appear in court and argue matters. She is the best teacher, in a way, because she taught me the basics of post-graduation experience, guided me and supported me in my highs and lows.

     

    You left the Chambers of Preeti Shah and had joined Agnihotri & Jha Associates. What led to this shift? How was your experience working there?

    During my work period with Preeti Shah I found my area of interest in IPR laws and therefore shifted to Agnihotri & Jha Associates. There, I handled IP matters including application of registration for Trademark, Copyright & Design along with other litigation matters. However, this place taught me that everything that glitters is not gold.

     

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    How did you eke out time for the LL.M from Mumbai University while still working at Chambers of Preeti Shah? Please share your experience with our readers.

    As I already said, Preeti Ma’am is one of the best people I have ever met. She supported me at every stage of my career and guided me throughout. I always wanted to do a Master’s and therefore asked her regarding the same. She allowed me, supported me and encouraged me to do so. After finishing my work, she used to ask me to go and attend my lectures. She has been an angel in my life.

     

    Currently, you work as a Law Officer at Sun Pharma. How did the switch from Agnihotri and Jha take place?

    To get better exposure, I wanted to switch and join a new company. As far as I think, FMCG & pharma companies are one of the best places to gain experience in IP laws. I am keen user and follower of LinkedIn and one day, I came to know that there’s a vacancy in Sun Pharma. I wanted to switch and therefore applied through LinkedIn. After various procedures, I was recruited.

     

    What does your current work profile at Sun Pharma consists of?

    My work profile in Sun Pharma is majorly Trademark searches including drafting Applications, Oppositions, attending Show Cause hearings, Special drives, and other follow ups in the registry including Online filings.

     

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

    The first step to deal with your errors and mistakes is to accept them and the fact that you have committed those mistakes. The next time you deal with the same or similar matter, approach it with a clear understanding of the concept and also with the mistakes committed earlier. It will increase your chances of winning.

     

    Tell us about a case that you are particularly proud of.

    Being an employee of Sun Pharma I can cannot disclose information about matters which are still going on. To crack a difficult case, always think from the other side and only then can one understand what difficulties are faced and how to tackle them. To prepare for a difficult case, deep study of the matter including the applicable laws and study of relevant provisions, remedies, penalties as well case laws is required. For example- if you are preparing for trademark infringement case : criteria for analysing trademark infringement required to be known viz. is likelihood of confusion about the origin of the defendant’s goods or service and the plaintiff should first show that it has developed a protectable trademark right in a trademark. The plaintiff must then show that the defendant is using a confusingly similar mark in such a way that it creates a likelihood of confusion, mistake and/or deception with the consuming public. The confusion created can be that the defendant’s products are the same as that of the plaintiff, or that the defendant is somehow associated, affiliated, connected, approved, authorized or sponsored by plaintiff.

     

    What are the key qualities one should possess for becoming an IP and FMCG lawyer? What is the earning potential?

    FMCG law is a new and emerging area which give lots of opportunities to learn new things every day. Deep understanding of the consumers and areas covered under the FMGC laws are the only essential and key qualities which one should possess for becoming an FMCG lawyer. Earning potential depends of the person’s hard work and knowledge.

     

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

    Yes definitely that was true in my case as well. Practical life is totally different from theoretical and college life and day to day practice and challenge expands your knowledge and improves the skills to tackle the situation better.

     

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

    Believe in yourself, and never give up. There is no substitute for hard work and keep patience.

  • Tapan Chauhan, Legal Manager, Nestlé India, on starting out with litigation and work as in-house counsel in FMCG

    Tapan Chauhan, Legal Manager, Nestlé India, on starting out with litigation and work as in-house counsel in FMCG

    Tapan Chauhan graduated from Himachal Pradesh University after completing the three-year LL.B course and started his career by practicing in the various district courts, tribunals and High Court in the state. In 2011 he joined Mondelez India Foods Ltd. as Legal Manager. After four years there, he recently joined Nestle India Ltd. as Legal Manager.

    In this interview, he talks about:

    • How to overcome the intial jitters associated with litigation and build a clientele
    • His work profile and responsibilities at Mondelez India
    • The essentials of making it big in the FMCG industry

     

    Please tell us a little bit about your childhood and your background.

    Hi, it’s a pleasure for me to introduce myself to everyone on this forum. I am a legal professional having a diversified PQE of 8 years in the realm of law. I have my roots in the hill station of Shimla and was born and brought up there. Presently, I am based out of Gurgaon and work for a multinational as an in-house legal professional.

     

    How did you gravitate towards law?

    My inclination towards the subject dates back to my childhood, when I started following famous personalities and found a large chunk of them making up the ladder through their knowledge of law. Gandhiji’s autobiography was one of the best motivations for me and persuaded me further.
    Like everyone else, I was apprehensive about how well legal education could cater to my needs and support me through the initial years of my life but there were many other motivating factors which kept me going. For all those who believe that this profession is not rewarding enough, must rethink, as the rewards are manifold and fulfilling.

     

    Tell us a bit about your days at Himachal Pradesh University

    It started off well as I got through the entrance exam with flying colours. The 3 year LL.B. course at the Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) was a great learning experience for me. The HPU in many ways is an exceptional institution with an outstanding faculty. The institution offers a peaceful environment for one to dwell and progress, with plenty of great scholars associated with it. I enjoyed every day I spent at HPU and owe a lot to the institution.

     

    Soon after graduation, you started practicing before Himachal Pradesh High Court. What were the major challenges faced by you in the initial years of your practice?

    Soon after graduating, I joined the High Court of Himachal Pradesh and started practicing. I assisted a senior counsel for 4 years and embraced the profession. I was fortunate enough to get multiple opportunities to handle and argue sensitive matters before courts ranging from the High Court, State Consumer Commission, District & Session Courts and Consumer Forums etc. However, it all came through with lots of challenges and tough times. The biggest challenge for any new entrant to the Bar is to find out how courts function, that too, as quickly as possible, notwithstanding the fact that even hurry takes some time. Those who intern at law firms should utilize their time to learn how courts function to further expedite their learning when they join the profession real time. Learning in this profession never stops but once you get hold of the procedure, things are a lot easier to understand.

     

    How did you overcome your initial jitters in a courtroom full of experienced lawyers and judges? Tell us about the highs and lows.

    I was jittery and was embarrassed more than once. It takes time for one to get conversant with the court procedure and people more often than not, tend to question you more than necessary. But the key is how well you prepare yourself to face that and never get dismayed with humiliation. It has been a part of everyone’s life, lest they never reached a high! I remember once having a close dialogue with a veteran judge, who while narrating his initial days of practice said that the key to practice is confidence and knowing what’s written in the rule book! Of course, one cannot discount experience, but rule book gives you a chance to garner experience in the right direction. “Be prepared, always!” were his words which I want to emphatically share with everyone here.

     

    How did you build up your clientele?

    I did well for myself and have managed a small clientele within these 4 years of practice. I also advised a couple of private companies because of which I got exposed to corporate and labour laws. I found it interesting, however, the opportunities to grow further were getting restricted and though the practice was great, a desire to venture out grew within me strongly.

     

    How did you get an opportunity to work with Mondelez? How would you describe your experience? What kind of challenges did you face during this job?

    In 2011, I was interviewed at Mondelez (Cadbury) and after three intense sessions, was successful in getting an offer for a job. I was conscious of the fact that it would be a paradigm shift for me but the urge to learn more bridged the gap for me. It turned out to be a rewarding decision, eventually. The span of 4 years that I spent working at Mondelez changed me as a person and a professional. I learned how the industry works and what value an in house legal professional can add to business. And if you were to trust me, it’s way too much!

    At Mondelez, my profile offered me exposure to industry litigation, food laws, compliance and contract management. I also partnered with the supply chain by virtue of which I could understand the nuances of the FMCG business. Overall, I transformed as a professional and today consider myself lucky to have experienced two sides of the profession.

     

    What does your current work profile at Nestlé consists of? How is a typical workday like? How has been your experience at Nestlé so far?

    In my current profile, I handle Food Laws, Marketing and Consumer Laws. It’s a very challenging profile especially considering the sensitivity around food laws and enhanced focus of good companies towards compliance of the same. A normal day at work is exciting, challenging and brings to me loads of learning, thereby being completely rewarding.

     

    You’ve recently joined Nestlé India Limited as Manager-Legal. How did the switch from Mondelez take place? Did you get an offer or did you apply for Nestle?

    I have recently joined Nestlé, and about two months of effective working here, I have learnt a lot of new things. It is a great organization with strong values embedded in the people working here and I look forward to progress further both at a professional and personal level. Recruitment at Nestlé happens through a well-defined process with different levels of interviews for different positions.

     

    How well do you think your education at law school prepared you for real world practice?

    Well, like all other courses, there is immense opportunity for law courses to be customized as per the need of the hour. The way business is happening in the country with increasing globalization, academicians need to match the pace. It’s only going to help speed up the learning and would produce world class efficient legal professionals in the country.

    I compliment every young aspirant of the legal profession and would encourage them to pursue it. I have my credentials and coordinates on the networking sites and should anyone wish to contact me, I would be happy to be of help!

  • Reema Das, Legal Manager, Flipkart, on work of an in-house counsel

    Reema Das, Legal Manager, Flipkart, on work of an in-house counsel

    Reema Das graduated from the Bangalore Institute of Legal Studies in 2009. She started working with CK Nandkumar & Associates, but feeling the need for advisory and transactional work, she switched to Majmudar & Co. After working at Majmudar, she switched to Flipkart and currently works as Legal Manager.

    In this interview, she talks about:

    • Getting good grades in law school
    • Working in the corporate department of a law firm
    • The recruitment policy and her work profile at Flipkart

     

    How did you gravitate towards law? Tell us about your college life at Bangalore Institute of Legal Studies. What all activities did you partake in?

    I’d be lying if I said I always wanted to become a lawyer. Growing up, I wanted to pursue many a vocation but law was never one of them. It was only in the 12th standard, after multiple career counselling sessions, that I found merit in choosing law as a career. With a little apprehension, I decided to take that giant leap. However, my first year in Law College convinced me that I made the right choice. And since then there’s been no looking back.

    Based on my ISC (XII standard) results, I got admission in Bangalore Institute of Legal Studies. The college offered good faculty and a robust curriculum. As a student, I always focused on academics (honestly, that was my comfort zone). That apart, moot courts, cultural and literary activities, and towards the latter years, organizing seminars and working for the placement co-ordination committee, etc. kept me engaged during college.

     

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

    Company law and foreign exchange management laws have always interested me – right from the first time I was introduced to these subjects- till date.

    Internships at corporate law firms gave me hands-on working knowledge. Research and reading outside of text books and study material also helped me gain a fair amount of insight into these laws.

     

    You were one of the most exceptional students at Bangalore University. You bagged 4th rank among your batch mates in the B.A.LL.B course. Please give us a few actionable tips on managing higher grades.

    Apart from the cliché of understanding your subject well, I’d say the difference lies in stepping into the shoes of the examiner and delivering what he/she is looking for. Well-structured and precise responses are what examiners generally look for.

     

    You had started working at C.K. Nandakumar & Associates right after graduation, and thereafter you joined Majmudar & Co. International Lawyers. What led to this shift?

    At C.K. Nandakumar & Associates, I was offered a mixed profile of litigation and corporate advisory work. This gave me the much needed exposure to courtrooms. I appeared before various forums and handled arbitration suits, money recovery suits, merger applications, winding up petitions, etc. and at the same time vetted commercial contracts, technology contracts, and provided business advisory.

    I soon realized that my aptitude and inclination was more towards the business advisory and corporate law side. After weighing the choices I took a well-informed decision to focus on corporate advisory work. This led to my shift to Majmudar & Co. At Majmudar, I did corporate advisory and transactional work. It was a great learning experience; giving me first hand exposure to the subjects I loved the most.

     

    Thereafter, you left Majmudar & Co. to join Indus law. What motivated this shift? How did your appointment take place?

    I wanted to do more work in the PE/VC investment space and IndusLaw was the right place for this. I applied to one of the partners at IndusLaw. Thereafter, I went through a round of technical interview followed by an HR interview. During the technical round, my basic knowledge and understanding of transactions and the applicable law was tested. I was also required to submit a write up on a legal topic. I remember submitting an article on the twin Bombay HC judgments and transferability of shares in a public limited company.

    I would like to believe that my clarity on why I wanted to make the shift, my interest in the PE/VC space and knowledge of the why’s and how’s of the transactions that I had worked on, got me the job. At IndusLaw, my work profile consisted mostly of PE/VC deals and acquisitions. A fairly large amount of the clients were in the e-commerce space.

     

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

    Well, no amount of academic knowledge can replace real experience. So yes, I agree with this statement to a large extent. Having said this, I feel the seeds of understanding of law and legal concepts are sown during the law school days.

     

    What qualities do you think helped you for promotion to Manager-Legal at Flipkart?

    Flipkart has a structured appraisal policy in place. If an employee exceeds expectations in his/her key result areas, he/she is considered for a promotion. So I would say it is the overall performance that counts.

    I would like to believe that it is my passion for the work I do and timely delivery of advice/assistance that led to the results.

     

    Please tell us about the recruitment process at Flipkart.

    I will speak for myself. After the initial screening of the CV, I underwent three rounds of technical interviews before the HR round. The first round was with the Director-Legal, followed by the General Counsel of Flipkart and the last round was with the M&A Business Head. Post the interviews, there is usually a calibration done and the decision of hiring v/s not hiring is a collective one based on inputs from the various interviewers.

     

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    Tell us about the nature of work you’re entrusted with therein? Tell us a bit about the company, your typical workday and the overall work/life balance.

    I provide legal support (i.e., advice on structure/strategy/documentation) with respect to financial investments and the acquisitions made by Flipkart.

    Flipkart is a high energy, young company, buzzing with activities. The company is constantly looking for new ideas to explore the unexplored. So on a typical workday, I juggle between 3-4 ongoing acquisitions or investments. Each would be a different stage of completion, requiring my 100% attention. I enjoy the excitement and rush of being a part of such a passionate team. All this keeps me busy.

    As for work/life balance, it is entirely up to the individual. In this day and age, it is in your hands to prioritize and make time for all important and essential activities.

     

    What were the biggest hurdles and challenges in the first few months? What do you think makes a good in-house counsel?

    Domain-wise it is a familiar space, so I did not have many challenges. However, I was new to the corporate world, its internal systems and protocols. It took me some time to understand them.

    A good in-house counsel is one who is in sync/aligned with the relevant business teams and enables business activities and calls out the rights things.

     

    What are the primary essentials of a corporate lawyer? How do you say a fresh graduate can work on building these skills?

    Good understanding of business commercials and knowledge of applicable laws are an absolute must.

    Read and keep yourself updated on the business news and legal developments. Read research papers and analyses available on various critical points in the legal areas that interest you.

     

    Does Flipkart take interns? What is the process for same? What do they look for in their prospective employees?

    I am told there is a policy in place and interns are taken on a need basis. Interested candidates can get in touch with the HR. From what I understand, the qualities they look for are domain knowledge, eagerness, ability to learn and a positive attitude.

     

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

    I love the investment/M&A space and see myself involved in the same space.

    I’d wish to imbibe the best from all my mentors and eminent people I work with/have worked with.

     

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

    There is only one rule – do what you enjoy doing!

     

  • Harshavardhan Jogdand, Senior Legal Manager, Volkswagen, on being an in-house counsel and pursuing an LL.M while working

    Harshavardhan Jogdand, Senior Legal Manager, Volkswagen, on being an in-house counsel and pursuing an LL.M while working

    Harshavardhan Jogdand graduated from Pune University in 2006. He is currently a Senior Legal Manager at Volkswagen Group. After graduation, he joined Pratap Pardeshi Associates immediately while simultaneously pursuing a regular two-year LL.M from Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune. Therafter, he joined Triton Group as Manager-Corporate Legal. He subsequently joined Bata India Ltd. as Legal Manager of the Western Region.

    In this interview he talks about:

    • Pursuing an LL.M while working at Pratap Pardeshi Associates
    • Working at Bata India Ltd.
    • Being Senior Legal Manager at Volkswagen Group

     

    Given that most of our readers are law students and young lawyers, how will you introduce yourself to them? What motivated you to choose law as a career?

    I’m a passionate, self-motivated and result oriented legal professional working with one of the biggest automobile companies in the world i.e. Volkswagen. Initially, I admitted myself to the three year law course (LL.B) merely as a backup option, while I was preparing for Civil Services Examination (UPSC Exams). However, since the very first lecture of LL.B. I found the legal profession fascinating and it took me very little time to realise that it was my true calling. I never looked back since then and pursued a career in law wholeheartedly.

     

    Being a science graduate, did you face any difficulties in law school? Can you share with us certain tips to overcome the issues science students face with law?

    That is true to some extent as we Science graduates are not good when it comes to writing long answers. We are tuned to more of 2+2=4 kind of thinking; but on the contrary in the legal field you need to be more elaborative and descriptive. This is the only problem I as science student faced during this change of stream. Apart from this one issue, a science background is in fact a blessing, as Science and Law are both fields which demand logic and analytical skills and Science stream develops these two qualities to their maximum.

    I took help of the technique of creating ‘mind maps’ while studying and preparing notes, which helped me to graphically summarise concepts and laws. It helped me navigate through different concepts and laws, find connections between them and also to comprehend the content from books in a better way. I would also like to say that citing case laws and their Ratio is extremely important and all law students must develop the habit of reading citations and including them while writing answers. This is not only helpful in scoring marks but it is a vital process if you get into litigation as a practising attorney in future.

     

    Tell us something about your college life. Which activities did you participate in? What were your areas of interest during your graduation? How did you go about developing expertise and knowledge in these areas?

    As we all believe college days are the best days of anyone’s life when it comes to fun, but for me those were also intellectually stimulating days which equipped me to face the professional world after my degree. As a law student one must be open to challenging set ideas and indulge into debates to shape up one’s personality. I participated in moot courts as researcher which helped me to understand the importance of thorough preparation and research. Thankfully I had a bunch of friends who were all very strong individuals and we used to have debates on various topics all days long and I must say all those debates in the classroom and even outside of it over cups of Chai helped us to sharpen our articulation skills.

    Amongst all the areas of law, Criminal law was and is my most favourite area of law till date. I was lucky enough to have eminent practicing lawyers from Pune as my teachers who not only taught me the theory of law, but also dissected the laws and uncovered their actual implementation. Their ‘out of the box’ approach of focusing on ‘application of law in real life situations’ helped me to understand the ‘reality’ beyond books. Once I realised my penchant towards criminal law, I started attending court hearings in Pune on a regular basis. Out of the many trials I attended, I remember Charge Framing in Abdul Karim Telgi’s Case very vividly. Law students must grab every opportunity they get to visit courts during their student years.

     

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    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?

    I agree that the first year is the most difficult year financially if you don’t associate with any law firm which will pay you a remuneration and work with individual attorneys but I would like to assert that the first year is also the most enriching year as far as the learning is concerned. For me, the first year was the most exciting period as I learnt something new about the legal field every day and felt the daily thrill of affixing the logo of attorney on my vehicle; wearing a black coat and appearing before various courts truly fulfilling. One of the biggest challenges for me in this first year was to accept the hard realities of the Court system which largely involved the issue of grass roots corruption and I must say it was not an easy thing for me to accept. I categorically avoided becoming a part of any such transaction and used to walk out of court after my part in court proceedings was over so I somehow managed to avoid the corrupt practices that unfortunately exist at the grass roots level of our judicial system.

     

    You had started working at Pratap Pardeshi and Associates right after graduation, and thereafter you joined Triton Group as a Manager- Corporate Legal. What led to this shift? Please tell us about your work experience at both these places.

    I joined Pratap Pardeshi and Associates immediately after my graduation. In fact immediately one week after finishing of final year exam as I did not want to miss out on the excitement of attending courts. Funnily enough, I soon found out that it was the vacation time for Court for transfer of various judges, due to which most of the JMFC (Junior Magistrate First Class) and Sessions courts adjourned matters.

    The two years that I worked with Pratap Pardeshi and Associates were very enriching and fulfilling for me as I learnt the ropes of being a practising lawyer. My time with Pratap Pardeshi and Associates still remains the foundation of my career. It is really critical to get a mentor who will give you freedom and also teach you the nuances of the legal field. I will always be thankful to Mr. Pratap Pardeshi who taught me take my first step in the legal field. My two years as a litigation attorney were full of excitement as I got to become part of various trials as defense attorney including one rare Court Martial proceeding wherein I was associate advocate on record along with Mr. Pratap Pardeshi who was the leading Defense Advocate on records of the proceedings.

    After two years I felt that it was time for me to be practical and become financially stable by shifting to an in-house legal job. Opportunity knocked on my doors in the form of a position with Trition which happened to be a multi-million FMCG Multinational which was in the process of setting up its India Operations. It was the first interview of my life and after two thorough rounds I was selected as the first recruit in the Corporate Legal Department of Triton. I was hired as Legal Trainee and rose to level of Manager Legal within a short span of one and half year. My reporting authority Mr. Vincent Fernandez who is the Executive Director of Triton Group not only gave me the freedom to work as per my conviction but also entrusted me with setting up the entire legal department. I was asked not only to consider the legal aspect of work but also the business side of working. Triton provided me exposure to legal work in a corporate which I was completely unaware of as a practicing attorney. In Triton I was instrumental in setting up Contract Management System, litigation management and standardization of various agreements which included Franchisee Agreements, Non-Disclosure agreements, and Employment agreements for locations outside the geographical territories of India more specifically West Africa and Europe. Obviously I had to identify and work with local attorneys which also added invaluable experience of coordinating with foreign attorneys. Considering the growing ambit of work I recruited one Company Secretary and one more legal professional in my team and we effectively handled the Corporate Legal Function for Triton with guidance and effective leadership of Mr. Vincent Fernandez.

     

    You left Triton Group to join Bata India Ltd. as a Legal Manager of West Region. What motivated this shift? What does it take to a get job at Bata India at that stage?

    After setting up the processes and the entire corporate legal function for Triton Group and working with Triton for more than three years I thought I was ready for a bigger and more challenging position and I was approached for an opportunity with retail giant Bata India, as their Regional Legal Manager (West Region) My two rounds of interviews with Bata were very tough and was a completely different experience from my earlier interview with Triton as the questions were more technical and situation based. I was asked questions based on case studies and it was as they call a “grilling” interview session after which I was selected by then legal and secretarial head of Bata India Mr. A.B. Anand.

     

    At all the three places you worked, was the work similar or did you have to learn new skills every time you joined a new place?

    Work at all these three places has been completely different. At Pratap Pardeshi and Associates, I was working purely as a litigation attorney wherein I had to undertake court appearance, preparing pleadings, interacting with Police and other agencies.

    Triton was a foray into the corporate sector wherein I had to undertake working within deadlines, drafting/vetting agreements, more of non-lit as we call it, wherein I had to focus more on drafting legal documents, legal research, standardisation of processes etc., which was a completely different experience than the litigation experience I earlier had. I had to increase my reading considerably more to understand the nuances of legal drafting and it proved more than helpful in my growth as a legal professional.

    Working with Bata was extremely challenging as my role in Bata involved more of making strategies in existing litigations and handling legal matters in five states namely Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Goa in the entire region. My profile in Bata involved more of labour laws and rent laws related work which I had never done in my earlier career. I had to revisit all the applicable provisions of relevant Acts applicable to understand the nitty-gritty of these litigations and to define strategies for successfully dealing with them. My profile also had a hint of Industrial relations wherein I was required to communicate and deal with various government authorities including the Hon’ble Labour Minister and secretaries of state etc. However, the most challenging yet interesting part of my tenure in Bata was tactfully handling very aggressive Labour Union representatives and successfully avoiding conflicts with them and conducting a long due domestic enquiry.

     

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    How did you manage to take out time for a regular two-year LL.M. from Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune while working at Pratap Pardeshi and Associates? Please share with us.

    I used to visit the University on weekends and meet the lecturers on a regular basis to understand the progress of the syllabus. I relied a lot on self-study, on weekends and also during holidays I would like to mention the role of my mentor Adv. Pratap Pardeshi who was always kind in granting me leaves for attending LL.M. exams. Without his help it would have been very difficult for me to manage practice and LL.M.

     

    What are the highlights of your career till joining Volkswagen? How did you decide to leave Bata and join Volkswagen?

    As I have mentioned above, participating in the Court Martial proceedings as Associate Advocate on record during my days with Pratap Pardeshi and Associates, setting up the entire Corporate Legal Department in Triton, reducing number of litigations in Bata drastically were few highlights of my career till I joined Volkswagen.

    I have always been very passionate about vehicles/automobiles and Volkswagen is one of largest automobile companies in the world so I couldn’t let the opportunity go and Mr. Vijay Kamath who’s the “Legal Head and Company Secretary” at Volkswagen conducted my interview and after a brief interview I was offered position of Legal Manager at VW.

     

    You currently work as a Senior Legal Manager at Volkswagen Group. What qualities do you think helped you to achieve this status?

    Being process driven and result oriented has always helped me a lot throughout my career. The same qualities continue to be driving forces for my work. Also being proactive and taking lead in difficult situations gives me an added advantage.

    One must always remember quality of work is more important than the quantity of work. Hence, the quality of work should never be compromised.

     

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

    It is all about perception and how you look at it. Having exposure to practice is definitely helpful but it is not the only factor that determines the growth of a legal professional. The dynamics of the legal field over the years have changed, the legal field is not only restricted to court room dramas and theatrics therein but it is now also about board rooms and power points. We as legal professionals have to respect both the aspect of our profession. One cannot undermine the importance of other. For me exposure to legal practice is equally important as exposure to in house legal jobs.

     

    What is a workday like for you? Has work settled into a predictable pattern or are there new challenges every day?

    A typical workday consists of internal meetings with our brand teams (departments) gathering relevant data, information, for preparing pleadings in our litigations as at VW we have a rare practice of preparing pleadings in house which not many in house legal teams follow. It is followed by coordinating with external attorneys and thoughtful and insightful discussions with Mr. Kamath. Work at VW is never short of excitement as the challenges we face keep on changing on a regular basis and hence I would say the feeling of stagnancy has not yet come to surface in last three years.

     

    How do you manage to strike a balance between your personal and professional life?

    On the days when I’m on leave I do not think about my office or work I enjoy family time thoroughly and when I’m in office I do not let my personal life affect professional choices and decisions. I would like to make a special mention of our Human Resource policies and VW and Mr. Kamath who always encourage us to take our entitled leaves so that we can have a proper personal and professional life balance.

     

    How important would you say are business development skills at such higher roles?

    Without business development skills it is very difficult to climb up the ladder. Hence, I would say business development skills are equally important as your technical knowledge. Our work as in house legal professionals must serve the business purpose well and we need to be imaginative and creative enough to alter our advice as per the need of the business within the frame work of regulations.

     

    The question that whether one should specialise in a particular area of law or be more of a general lawyer often comes up before law students. What is your opinion on the same?

    If you see yourself as a practising attorney then it is better to focus on one practice area than focusing on entire legal field. However, if you see yourself as an in-house general counsel you need to be open for doing all the possible work that comes your way.

     

    Is there anything you would like to have done differently?

    There are many things that come to mind with this question but in particular I would have definitely liked to complete my Master’s Degree from any of the universities in the United Kingdom as it would definitely have increased exposure and knowledge levels.

     

    What does Volkswagen look for in their prospective employees and interns?

    At the moment Volkswagen Group does not take interns in the legal department. We at VW call ourselves “VW type” which means you need to be technically good, proactive, result oriented and most importantly possess very a strong ethical value system.

     

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

    Keep your eyes and ears open all the time. Be open to all the new experiences coming your way. Don’t be afraid to challenge set ideas and put forward your opinions strongly irrespective of any amount of criticism you get.

  • Shine Joy, Deputy Manager-Legal, Snapdeal, on work as in-house counsel

    Shine Joy, Deputy Manager-Legal, Snapdeal, on work as in-house counsel

    Shine Joy graduated from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University in 2008 and had thereafter worked with various law firms including MV Kini & Co., Akash Chittranshi & Associates and Ranjan Narula Associates (Part of Rouse & Co. International). He also holds an experience of an Assistant Manager- Legal at DLF Utilities Ltd. He currently works as a Deputy Manager – Legal at Snapdeal.

    Over here, he talks about:

    • The appropriate time in law school to undertake internships
    • Making the switch from a law firm to a company
    • Why it is okay and even desirable to change multiple jobs
    • Working at e-commerce giant Snapdeal

     

    What got you into legal studies? Was it all planned or something that just happened by chance?

    It was pure chance! I come from a typical south Indian family who would have loved an engineer son; so pursuing law as a career option was never on the table as such. However, a chance interaction with a friend made me think about law as an option.

     

    How was your experience at GGSIPU? What activities were you involved in apart from the regular academic curriculum?

    College days can never be anything but good; especially when you are in a law college which is located close to CP, GK and other hot spots for youngsters in Delhi

    (GGSIPU and my college – ‘University School of Law and Legal Studies were located in Kashmere Gate Campus when I was pursuing law; it has since been shifted to Dwarka Sec 14.)

    Apart from regular academic curriculum I was involved with the college Moot Court Society because of which I had the privilege of representing my college in four moots court competitions. I was also a member of the editorial board of the University magazine – ‘Adamya’.

     

    What were your major interests as a student of law? Any suggestions for the law students on how to deal with the Pandora box of laws?

    I was very much interested in Intellectual Property Laws during my college days. Fortunately during those days the law relating to trademarks & copyrights were being constantly debated in the courts across our country. This only fuelled my passion for the same subject.

    I wouldn’t call law a Pandora’s box. It is more of Santa’s sack of toys! What I mean to say is law is such a diverse field with so many subject areas that you have the option of experimenting and zeroing on the one you may fall in love with.

     

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

    Internships are important as what we learn in college does not completely prepare us for what happens on the ground. Internships do give us a glimpse into the life an actual lawyer lives on a day-to-day basis. However, I would suggest undertaking internships from the 3rd year (of the 5-year course) onwards only since by then one would have studied both the substantive and procedural law. This gives you a better understanding of what is happening in the practice of law.  The idea is to enjoy the fun side of college and academics for the first two years of college while you are also acquainted to law as a subject, then go on to intern and eventually work as a lawyer.

     

    After graduation you worked with various firms including MV Kini & Co., Akash Chittranshi & Associates and Ranjan Narula Associates. How was your experience working at these places?

    MV Kini & Co. gave me the opportunity to intern with them and be involved in an Associate’s work profile even before enrolling as a lawyer, so to continue there as an associate after enrolling was an obvious choice. Also, the firm gave me immense exposure to litigation practice, infrastructure and corporate work. However, I had a keen interest in being an IPR lawyer and was motivated me to join Akash Chittranshi & Co. which was a leading firm in copyright laws.

    The time spent at Akash Chittranshi & Co. equipped me and developed my skills as an IPR lawyer. It is then that I got an offer to join Ranjan Narula Associates (which is an associate office of Rouse & Co. International – an international IP law firm). Letting go of an opportunity to work with the best in industry and amazing international clientele was not something I would even dream of doing. My work experience  at each of these firms have enhanced my skills immensely as lawyer and gave me a chance to work under the guidance and with some of the best lawyers in the business.

     

    Thereafter you joined DLF Utilities Ltd. as an Assistant Manager- Legal. What led to the shift from law firms to a real estate company? How was your experience working there?

    While working as an attorney with Ranjan Narula Associates, I had the privilege of interacting with some of the best in-house counsels in the world. These interactions made me realize that often while advising their clients, lawyers have a myopic view of how businesses look at legal issues faced by them. It is imperative that lawyers should understand the business implications of their advice. So when an opportunity came to work as an in-house lawyer for a leader in real estate business and with seniors who are widely respected for their work, it was difficult to say no.

     

    Currently you work as a Deputy Manager-Legal at Snapdeal. How did the switch from DLF take place?

    Currently I work as Deputy Manager – Legal (got promoted in Oct 2014). I live by the mantra ‘what next? I believe that one should always strive to learn more and more and gain as much experience one can get so that one is moulded into a better professional who can give the best possible advice to his client. Therefore, when I got an opportunity work with Snapdeal – which was a pioneer in the e-commerce sector, I thought that it would be an immensely enriching experience for me as a professional. I would also get to deal with issues in a sector which was both new and fascinating.

    As Snapdeal had chalked out plans of expansion when I was offered the job, the offer was more like a door to hands-on work in a plethora of legal issues that a growing entity would be involved in.

     

    How did your appointment take place? Please tell us about the recruitment process at Snapdeal. What do they look for in their prospective employees?

    I was contacted by the HR department of Snapdeal. The company conducts three rounds of interview before extending an offer to a prospective employee.

     

    What does your current work profile at Snapdeal consist of? How is a typical workday like?

    At Snapdeal I am involved mainly in high stake litigation matters, IPR issues and M&A activities. I also advise on issues pertaining to commercial contracts, advertising and real estate.

     

    Are there new challenges everyday or has work settled into a predictable pattern? Can you tell us about a few of the most challenging problems you have faced so far?

    To my understanding and experience a lawyer’s day at work can never be predicted, each day the nature of issues dealt with and work undertaken are different. As to challenges, every day is welcomed with a new one.

     

    What amount of legal work is there? What have been your failures and successes?

    Almost 95% of my work is legal. Recently, we were successful in defending the company against allegation of anti-competition activities before the Competition Appellate Tribunal.

     

    How do you keep yourself abreast with latest industry news and trends?

    I do so by perusing through standard industry journals, following blogs, attending national and international conferences etc.

     

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

    Work is important but having a ‘life’ outside of work is more important.

  • Gaurav Singhal, Director and Principal IPR Attorney, Patracode Services, on his journey from Engineering to Law and a career in IPR

    Gaurav Singhal, Director and Principal IPR Attorney, Patracode Services, on his journey from Engineering to Law and a career in IPR

    Gaurav Singhal graduated with B.Tech degree from UPTU in 2006. His interest in IPR law led him to join Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law (IIT, Kharagpur) and pursue an LL.B.

    While in college, he co-founded Siddhast Intellectual Property Services. After graduation, he was placed at Siemens Information Systems Ltd. as Strategic IPR Counsel.

    Gaurav Singhal is currently the Director and Principal IPR Attorney at Patracode Services Pvt. Ltd.

    In this interview he talks about:

    • Law school experience at Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law
    • Co-founding Siddhast Intellectual Property Services and entrepreneurship
    • Working at Siemens Information Systems Ltd.

     

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

    I’m a techno-legal professional living his dream to be an entrepreneur. My practice largely runs around Intellectual Property Rights, more specifically towards Patents. My approach is always problem-solution. I identify my customer’s requirement first and then give my best to solve it through the tools of law and business consulting. If the client is bootstrapping, I provide him certain lean strategies to protect his business interest, in spite of going pro-bono. Business Rights are commercial in nature, and are quite different from general civil rights, hence I believe that the client should bear the protection cost, as he shall be reaping commercial benefits from it in due course.

     

    Having done B.Tech from Uttar Pradesh Technical University, what motivated you to choose law as a career at Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law?

    My entry to law was well-planned, however the motive to be in law, was never to practise the law. When I was doing my B. Tech, I was an aspiring entrepreneur and had been practising entrepreneurship at a very small level, while still being at my engineering college. A friend and I had tried multiple fields like other engineering students, they were in and around education programmes, technology project installation, website design handling, business consulting, etc. However, none appeared to be lucrative to us as a business. During the same time we were attending various Business Conferences, and a few of them were based on Intellectual Property Rights. We found Intellectual Property Rights quite fascinating and had decided to pursue as our entrepreneurial career. The decision was validated by doing some mock business development activities with real prospects, which were highly successful.

    However, at that time, we were not sure about how to get the required skills to be in the area of Intellectual Property Rights. We knew that many LPO’s and KPO’s, even law firms take engineers as associates to practise Patents. But, we were sure that for a broader perspective we must do law. At that same time during 2006, IIT Kharagpur started the law school for technical graduates and science post-graduates. I considered that this law school was the right avenue for me to change my career’s direction.

     

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

    Getting through to IIT Kharagpur’s law school is another dramatic story. If certain  incidents had not occurred then, may be my career path would have been absolutely different.

    When I made the application for Law School, my final semester engineering exam schedule was not out yet. Had it been out, I would not had applied for Law School at all, as one of my final semester exams was in conflict with the Law School entrance exam dates. Once the schedule for final semester exam was out, I came to know about this conflict. I was almost hopeless at that time. However, suddenly some Public Sector Unit had announced their employment examination date, which was conflicting with my final semester exam date, which was conflicting with Law School entrance examination date.

    Hence, under pressure from lot of students, the UPTU had shifted the conflicting examination date to a later one. Now, the dates were not conflicting, however another problem was still there. The Law school entrance examination was being held at IIT Kharagpur, which was atleast 24 hours away from Ghaziabad, where my engineering institute was based. And between two final semester examinations, only 3 days were there, which means less than 72 hours. The law school entrance examination was placed exactly at one day’s gap from the end semester examination. So 48 hours of train journey, written examination, group discussion, personal interview of Law school entrance examination, and preparation for the end semester examination had to be done in less than 72 hours. A very tight situation was there. Even few hours of delay of anything may have jeopardized my future in some way or another. I had decided to take this risk and was eventually successful in both my end semester examination and as well securing a seat for me at Law school.

     

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

    During law graduation, my area of interest was purely mostly on Intellectual Property Laws with emphasis on Patents. Even the college was more focused on IP Laws and division of a number of permanent faculties towards other laws and IP Laws was also like giving a weightage to IP Laws. As IP laws, especially the case laws, are more matured in the US, our focus during studies was more towards studying US laws. Even for practical scenario understanding, we had a few visiting faculties coming from US too.

     

    As a law student which activities did you participate in?

    One of the prominent activities which I supported was a student group called Technology Transfer Group whose focus was enabling transfer of technologies developed by professors and researchers at IIT to the industry. One of the aspects of this group was that it supported increasing Patent filings from IIT Kharagpur, which dramatically increased during the year I was handling it. To practise IPR laws and especially patent laws, the guidance was very limited, as we had very limited exposure to practising IP Lawyers during graduation. Even my internships was planned by myself.

     

    What kind of internships did you do while you were a student? Tell us about your law school journey.

    I had been through a total of three internships. The first two were at a small IP services firm, Siddhast Intellectual Property Services, where I was a co-founder and had founded it during first year of Law School itself. After the first year, it was an obvious decision to do an internship in my own venture, because the business was not shaped up.

    I was still two years away from my Law school graduation, so it was obvious that we cannot start with legal services or legal support services. Hence, during those 2 months, my focus was to turn it into a technology transfer company.

    However, in the first 15-20 days itself we started getting the notion that India is still too immature for transfer of patents and technology. So, a steer of focus was required. We required choosing something, where legal services were not involved at all and even legal support should not be required, even it should be close to IP laws and allied area. At that time, we did a lot of market research of the Intellectual Property market and identified an area where legal support was not required, and it was Intellectual Property database, more specifically patents.

    At that time, there was not much competition for Patent database in Indian market and few players had not even entered the market. At that time, we carried out partnership development exercises with a few players and boiled down to Questel Orbit. I worked out my next internship too at Siddhast after 3rd semester’s end. By my second internship Siddhast was running as resellers to Questel’s database and starting getting recognition in National market too.

    However, for my summer internship after 4th semester, I decided to do it in legal services, as by that time I had received substantial exposure to IP Law. This internship I did at Marico’s legal department. When I entered as intern, the legal department was looking towards me more as an expert, as the in-house team was more focused to general commercial laws and very minutely to IP Laws. During these two months, I utilized all my knowledge gained at law school to structure their Trademark portfolio. However, for Patents, there was exposure, which was quite minute.

     

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

    My education at law school had surely prepared me for various activities at my internships and at my job. However, at my job with Siemens, I had to undergo a specialized traineeship to work as Patent drafter and prosecutor, which was my major responsibility. For advising on IP Laws and managing other IP portfolios, like Patents and Designs, my education at Law school had helped me a lot.

     

    How has your mooting experience been?

    Mooting I did majorly as part of college curriculum. However, mooting exposure had helped me to develop and present arguments, which as a practitioner I have to do in day-to-day business.

     

    You started your career at Siemens Information Systems Ltd. as Strategic IP Counsel. How did your appointment take place? Please share you experience with our readers.

    This phase was equally dramatic.  Siddhast, the company which I had co-founded was doing well, rather to say it’s turnover was around 50 Lakhs in 2008-09. I was in double-minds, whether to get an industrial exposure and then join Siddhast or shall I do it right away after school. I had not even applied for the campus placement program. During that time, I was just enjoying the placement process of my classmates.

    On 3rd or 4th day of the process, it was announced that one of my classmates and I were selected for the placement process of Siemens. I was quite amused about it. I was not expecting it, as I have not applied for the process at all. I had moved to my placement coordinator faculty regarding it, to which he mentioned that Siemens was looking for someone who has done graduation in Computer Science and there were only 2 profiles in school, including mine.

    As it was the first year for the college and it was about college’s reputation building, he wanted me to take part in the recruitment process of Siemens. He mentioned that after 6 months, if I do not like it, I may leave Siemens and join my own outfit. At that time, I thought if it is for my alma mater’s reputation, I will take part in the process and also perform. From Siemens, we were told that we shall be tested on Patent Claim drafting. We studied it academically; however the exposure was surely very limited to clear such test. To practise it, I had read through Landis on Patent Claim drafting thoroughly.

    On the test day, we were provided with a test based on European Patent Agent Qualifying examination. Surely, it would have been difficult to do it, if I hadn’t not read well. Almost after 15 days of writing the test, I received a surprise call from the Head of Intellectual Property Department, India of Siemens early at 7:30 am. It was a wakeup call which made my day. I was asked to visit Bangalore for final processing and it was a sponsored trip with flight tickets also sponsored. It was my first exposure to flights. Really, Siemens had given so much to me, at that time; it was not possible for me to say “No”. And, in this way my final induction into Siemens happened.

     

    Later, you switched to Patracode Services Pvt. Ltd. and currently work as Director and Principal IP Attorney. How did your appointment take place? How has your experience at Patracode been so far?

    I am entrepreneur at heart, and that is the reason a Corporate like Siemens was not able to hold me back for long. When I was on the verge of completing four years, I was sure that my further development shall be inhibited in a controlled structure of a Corporate and then I decided to leave. However, Patracode was started much earlier. After leaving Siddhast, I was in touch with our first employee at Siddhast, Kavita Poddar, who was also leaving Siddhast soon after her marriage. Kavita wanted to start an outfit and she was interested to partner with me for that. With Siemens Policies, I was not seeing a harm to start with her, I had nodded “Yes” to her with a condition that I shall be only able to invest, but may not be able to provide much input beyond Management inputs. So, in Patracode, for few years I was just an investor and later on I actively joined it as part of the Management and its Principal IP Attorney.

    In Patracode, I am a free bird and able to steer my ideas easily. Exposure to bootstrapping startups has also given another variation to my advice which are now more lean and yet unconventional. Even my learning path is quite stronger now. I am doing lot more new things every day.

     

    What kind of work and responsibilities does the Director and Principal IP Attorney of Patracode deal with?

    I would say that there isn’t a typical day, as we are very client specific. Someday, I shall  have a full day meeting with clients and attend conferences, some days I am with clients solving their problems, some days I shall be at office training my staff, or planning future strategies. The activities are too diverse and may even involve technical or business consultancies to the client.

     

    What type of cases do you deal with? What amount of legal work is there? How often is legal work outsourced and in what type of cases?

    The cases which we deal with are generally non-contentious and revolve around filing and prosecuting Patent, Trademark, Copyright and design applications. We do not outsource our work in general. However, where we provide legal support, we may outsource it, like in the case of legal and patent translations. We work almost as in-house IP Counsels to our clients.

     

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

    Yes, we do take interns. The process is simple. A candidate should apply with his aspiration to achieve during the internship period. If we feel that we can do justice to his aspirations, we may accept him, based on space available with us.

     

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

    As they say, it is very correct that learning happens when you do it. However, grooming for receiving that learning happens at law school, where your gurus enable you with the tools to be a receptor of that learning.

     

    If you could list out 3 activities which on a scale of priority, should be at the top in any law student’s school-life what would those be?

    • Make your passion your career.
    • Be disciplined in following your passion.
    • Till the time you have tried very hard, don’t believe that you cannot achieve it.

     

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

    Just don’t dream, live them. I am sure success lies in living your dreams. Also, don’t do anything which may look career promising, rather just make career in what you like to do. If you will live your passion, success shall follow.

  • Zameer Nathani, Director-Legal, Raymond, ex-Head-Legal of Balaji Telefilms on being an in-house corporate lawyer

    Zameer Nathani, Director-Legal, Raymond, ex-Head-Legal of Balaji Telefilms on being an in-house corporate lawyer

    Mr. Zameer Nathani is one of the most notable legal luminaries within the corporate fraternity. He holds a Master’s Degree in Law and Certifications from World Intellectual Property Office Academy, United Nations.

    Zameer’s corporate career began when he joined Mallar Law Consulting right after graduation. Thereafter, he was the Digital Businesses Associate Vice President-Legal at Reliance Entertainment. He later joined Balaji Telefilms where he worked as Head-Legal. In the meantime he has managed to pursue an Executive MBA from NMIMS.

    While at Balaji, he had personally handled the case for the movie “Dirty Picture” and won before Bombay High Court making it a landmark judgment on brand name, a judgment in the film industry after 1977 Movie “Sholay”.

    Zameer is currently the Director-Legal at Raymond Limited and is also the Honourable Chairman of Entertainment and Media Section at Indian National Bar Association.

    In this interview he talks about:

    • Pursuing an executive-MBA from NMIMS
    • A career in corporate law as an in-house counsel
    • Working at corporates like Reliance, Balaji and Raymond

     

    Given that most of our readers are law students and young lawyers, how will you introduce yourself to them? What motivated you to choose law as a career?

    My inspiration, that which made way for my decision to choose law as a career was marked by a small yet significant incident, whereby my father made me sign a contract at the age of 21 years for a business property and it made an everlasting impression on my mind of just one sentence that “Everything is about Law”.

    I then decided to pursue a career remarkably different from my family business and that has made me the ‘self-made’ man, I am today. I started working at an early age of 25 and marked the beginning of my career timeline with a lauded law firm and facilitated legal assignments for clients across diverse industry categories.

     

    Tell us something about your college life? Which activities did you participate in? How did you go about developing expertise and knowledge in your areas of interest?

    Apart from academics, I have had a flair for extracurricular activities always. I used to participate and have won awards for the best speaker in moot court competitions at different levels, best organizer in various inter-college moot courts, quiz contests and compeered college festivals. Developing expertise comes through practice and expediency, and it has been no different for me.

     

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    Generally the first year after graduation is the most defining time for a fresh law graduate. What would you suggest a fresh law graduate?

    Be dynamic, you have to push yourself to make sure that you grow in the profession. Be wise, learn to prioritize and distinguish between what is relevant and irrelevant. Be patient and success and growth will come gradually.

     

    What led to your shift from Mallar Law Consulting to Reliance?

    It is not that I wouldn’t prefer working in a company. Once you have grown as an external counsel, you can have a good role as an In-House Counsel. It is a different business environment with different challenges, but you still deal with the legal affairs of that Company.

     

    Thereafter you joined Balaji Telefilms as Head-Legal. What does it take to get the position of Head-Legal at that stage?

    When you have a challenging role in India’s conglomerate, you are able to pursue new challenges and thereby seamlessly take care of legal affairs as Head-Legal.

     

    Recently you have joined Raymond Limited as Director-Legal. What qualities do you think helped you to achieve this status?

    I would take the liberty to shorten it into three words, which are: Experience, knowledge and expertise.

     

    We would love to hear about your work profile. Tell us about the nature of work you’re entrusted with at Raymond.

    I work towards growth and dynamism in managing the legal affairs of this iconic and the historic group, which is the day to day management. My work profile is to supervise and manage legal affairs of Raymond Limited and its Group Companies.

     

    What changes has being Director-Legal brought into your life? How do you manage to strike a balance between your personal and professional life?

    I join any corporate considering the opportunities and challenges, and I love that. Work is at par with positions till date. I get up at 4:30 am, meditate and maintain a healthy life and food with a morning walk and begin the day very early for work to be completed by 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. I do not let lethargy set in and come in the way. However, I schedule a vacation once a year with my family. I even organize office outings once in six months where we socialize and have team building exercises.

     

    What are the primary essentials of a good corporate lawyer? How do you say a fresh graduate can work on building these skills?

    Be prepared to face challenges that come your way. Always absorb challenges and face problems as opportunities.

     

    Have you ever considered litigation or starting up on your own? Would you say the opportunity a firm provides for a young lawyer is worth the trade off in building a reputation?

    I have been a litigation lawyer in the past, which gives me an experience even when I am in the corporate fraternity in strategy making and arguments. No plan right now to start my own law firm.

    But yes, a reputation in my law firm earned me a job at Reliance- ADAG at a young age.

     

    In the meantime, you managed to pursue Executive MBA from NMIMS. How do you think an MBA can prove to be useful in a lawyer’s career in the current as well as future market?

    The importance of MBA is to know business management, financial management, team management and alignment of your leadership skills to team up with business.

     

    So for you, why did you feel MBA is a good option for a lawyer and why now?

    Because understanding overall management skills and functioning is necessary, especially when you are at a leadership position.

     

    Would you recommend Management and Marketing professionals to learn the law?

    Some knowledge of law is essential for every professional in business management.

     

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

    Get your law education from good Indian and/or foreign Universities (U.K, U.S.A etc). Be dynamic, upright, and energetic. Get knowledge from wherever you can. Pertaining to local and international laws, attend seminars organised by Lex Witness, meet new people, and get on international forums for discussion on various laws (local and foreign), and I am sure growth and success shall follow.

     

     

  • Ayesha Nair, Senior Manager-Legal, Hexaware Technologies, on work experience

    Ayesha Nair, Senior Manager-Legal, Hexaware Technologies, on work experience

    Ayesha Nair graduated from Mumbai University in 2004 with a B.LS. LL.B. (Hons.) degree. While in college, she worked as a paralegal trainee with Bilawala & Co., after which she joined Sony Pictures Entertainment as Legal Counsel. Thereafter, she joined Hexaware Technologies Ltd. as a Legal Executive and she currently works as Senior Manager-Legal. In this interview she talks about:

    • Studying at Mumbai University
    • Working at Sony, Hexaware and Lehman Brothers
    • Internship and recruitment tips

     

    How would you describe your legal education? Did your legal education prepare you for the reality of legal practice?

    The legal education I received is the foundation on which my future is built. I would definitely state that the perception of the profession and the education system has changed over the period of years. Students have been keen on exploring other areas of law falling outside the purview of general practice, like corporate laws, intellectual property experts etc. My legal education gave me a better understanding of the actual application of the legal practice in my chosen profession. Having said that, I would also say that one does learn a handful while on the actual job.

     

    You have graduated with B.LS. LLB.(Hons.) degree from Mumbai University in 2004. Tell us about your law school experience. Share some highlights from your college days that shaped you as a lawyer.

    I did the five year law course which was a new option for aspiring lawyers during that time. I would state that it not only allowed me to complete my education a year earlier than what it would have taken me if I did the three year law course after B.A., but also gave me 5 wonderful years in the law college. The Moot courts were an excellent way of motivating students with actual court room scenarios and building their confidence essential for the profession. One lecture and Professor from Government Law College one would never give a miss, I am sure all students from GLC will agree with this one, Prof. Pithawala – Contracts & Company laws. I think this was one subject that gave me insight and focus to pursue corporate law as a profession today.

     

    You started your career at Sony Pictures as Legal Counsel and later joined Hexaware Technologies as a Legal Executive and currently work as Senior Legal Manager Legal there. Please tell us about your journey till now.

    As a matter of fact, my first job was in 2002 while I was completing my law education. I worked as a paralegal trainee with a legal firm – Bilawala & Co., pursuant to that in 2004 I joined Sony Pictures Entertainment as Legal Counsel. However there were not too many legal or complicated issues to handle here. I got my appointment in Hexaware through a Manpower placement agency and was initially appointed as a Legal Executive. The journey from a Legal Executive to being a Senior Manager – Legal meant hard work, sincerity to the profession, responsibility and most importantly the focus to reach where you want to. Subsequently, as the Company progressed, so did my career and I continued to deliver my job with dedication, commitment and customer relations.

     
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    You’ve been at Hexaware for nine years. What would you say has contributed towards your long stay at Hexaware?

    As a matter of fact, I did have a break of a short period in my career at Hexaware. That was when I explored working for a very brief period on the customer front with Lehman Brothers, but the job didn’t raise my adrenalin as much as in Hexaware. The customer front ending, the numerous challenges and the independence to work were all missing. Fortunately for me, Hexaware were unable to get a suitable replacement and they called me back. I was only too happy to rejoin. So in the real sense, if we don’t consider my four months short stint with Lehman Brothers, I will actually complete 10 years with Hexaware.

     

    Tell us what your typical work day is like. What kind of work and responsibilities do you deal with as Senior Manager – Legal? How has the journey at Hexaware been so far?

    We have a very small team of three legal professionals. With the technical title of Senior Manager – Legal, I functionally head the Legal Dept here. I report to the CFO. My colleagues are competent in their work. Basically the Legal team examines the terms and conditions of all contracts that the Company enters into around the world. There are penalty clauses, arbitration arrangements and certain conditions which are stipulated by different customers. Each contract is to be studied separately from the legal angle. Often we are required to directly interact with the Client’s Legal Department to arrive at mutually acceptable conditions. Apart from contracts we look into various other legal issues related to employees, property, intellectual property and litigations to name a few.

     

    What type of cases do you deal with? At Hexaware, how often is legal work outsourced? Tell us about a case that you are particularly proud of.

    We primarily deal with corporate laws and contracts, litigations are very rare. Fortunately, we have not lost any contract due to inability to resolve differences with clients and have never endangered the interests of the Company.

    Legal work is outsourced on case to case basis on rare events. I perceive each customer as a critical account and closure of the contracts with each of them brings a sense of pride in me, so it is really difficult to just name one.

     

    What are the primary professional ethics you follow while at work? How do you keep yourself abreast with latest industry news and trends?

    Protection of my employers interests within the legal parameters of the country. I keep myself abreast with the latest industry news and trends through the internet and various legal news letters. For Client counselling, understanding what the customer wants should be the primary focus.

     

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

    Errors and mistakes do happen in all walks of life. However in the legal profession one has to be extra cautious. If a lawyer is defending a person in Court on a murder charge there is no room for error or mistakes. It could make a difference of life versus death. However in the Corporate world there is one question that the fresher has to learn and retain with him/her during their entire career. Ask yourself that if you were the owner of the Company, what you would have done in a difficult situation that is presented before you. You will always get the correct answer.

     

    What is the procedure to apply for an internship or recruitment at Hexaware? What are the qualities which they look for in one and his/her CV?

    The best approach is to contact the HRD of the Company and ask for permission to submit the CV. One needs to also explain the type of job that he/she is looking for. For freshers, it will obviously be as a trainee only. The CV has to be neatly typed with all the relevant information. A more comprehensive CV is required only when the person is applying for a Senior post.Normally a fresher would needs to keep a watch for vacancies advertised in the newspapers. Manpower placement agencies may not be a good source of employment for freshers.

     

    What do you think differentiates a good intern from the rest? How can an intern make a positive impression in the limited time they have? What skills would you say is a sine qua non for an intern who wants to excel at work?

    A good impression is created by your presentation. Dress smartly, have a neat and logical CV and keep abreast of the news around the country. The fresher needs to read newspapers every day and watch News programmes on TV. This not only sharpens the mind, but also impresses the interviewer that he is looking at a person who knows what he is talking about. Also never give false information or use guesswork. If you do not know the answer or have not understood the question, they should clearly say so. Speech is also important. As the interview will be in English, the fresher should be proficient in the language.

     

    What do you cherish most about the experiences you’ve had over the past ten years?

    I cherish and value the growth and the challenges that I have lived through each day in the last ten years. The new challenges with a new day give my excitement levels  a new boost.

     

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

    My focus for the last four years have been on my son and office. I haven’t got the time out, but yes, in the future I wouldn’t mind exploring some other options. One area that interests me is Marine Law.

     

    Lastly, what would be your message for our readers?

    Stay focussed, believe in yourself and anything is achievable.

     

  • Kritika Kapoor, Assistant Manager – Legal, Reliance Broadcast Network, on work profile and experience

    Kritika Kapoor, Assistant Manager – Legal, Reliance Broadcast Network, on work profile and experience

    Kritika Kapoor is a graduate from Pravin Gandhi College of Law. She has interned with Advocate Rajesh Bijlani and SPN Law Associates under the mentorship of Advocate Satish Nagvenkar. After graduation, she started working at B4U Television Network. Meanwhile, she also pursued a Masters in Intellectual Property Rights from Mumbai University. She is currently an Assistant Manager – Legal at Reliance Broadcast Network Limited.

    In this interview she talks about:

    • Life at Pravin Gandhi College of Law
    • Working at B4U Television Network
    • Being Assistant Manager – Legal at Reliance Broadcast Network Limited

     

    How would you introduce yourself to our readers who are primarily budding lawyers? Did you belong to a family of lawyers?

    Hello Readers!  I come from a family with a strong science background. My father is an engineer, my sister is a dentist and my mother is a homemaker who has a degree in home science. I too, was keen on entering the medical profession and hence took up science in junior college.  It was during my junior college days that I was drawn to the legal profession whilst working on a personal property dispute. I believed pursuing law would be a challenging and intellectually rewarding career option and would complement my personality and skill sets.

     

    Tell us about your five year journey through law school. Share some highlights from your college days that shaped you as a professional.

    The faculty at Pravin Gandhi College of Law encouraged both academics and extra-curricular activities and the college was always buzzing with action and excitement. I participated in various activities like moots, debates, crime scene investigation competitions, essay writing competitions, etc., and the experience indeed helped me refine my research, analytic and reasoning skills.

    Signing up for various courses relating to consumer protection, property transactions, professional legal communication, etc. helped me add on to my knowledge base. I did a 4-month course on intellectual property from NMIMS which really helped me get an in-depth understanding of IP laws.

    Students should be encouraged and provided a platform to take up research papers and dissertations.

    As President of the college’s Sports Committee, I represented PGCL in various tournaments organised by law schools across India. I won individual titles in Table Tennis & Carrom and team trophies in throwball in various sports tournaments such as: ‘Yuvardha’ organised by National Law University, Jodhpur; ‘Symbhav’ organised by Symbiosis Law School, Pune; and ‘Spiritus’ organised by NLSIU, Bangalore.

    I was in-charge of managing 50+ members contingent on these trips and that truly honed my leadership, time-management, and interpersonal skills. Sports helped me imbibe essential qualities such as sportsmanship, teamwork, respect, integrity, dedication and crisis management. Above all, sports taught me how to be perseverant during times of failure and to remain humble in success. I learnt that you may not always win, but you must play the game with all your heart.

     

    Did you take up any internships or work during your college days?

    Throughout law school I kept myself busy with one thing or the other. I had 5 years of education ahead of me but still wanted to be occupied and financially independent.  In my first year, I took up a job at Intelenet and was working as a Sales & Service Manager for an inbound call process for Barclays Bank, UK, servicing bank accounts and up-selling banking products.

    My first legal internship was with a practicing criminal lawyer, Advocate Rajesh Bijlani. I assisted in research and drafting on contentious cases relating to murder, rape, etc. Thereafter, I worked with SPN Law Associates, under the mentorship of Advocate Satish Nagvenkar who has a strong practice in property law. It was during my stint at SPN that I acquired a good grip on drafting and pleading. A few months before my final semester exams I got placed at B4U Television Network and started working there.

     

    How did you secure your appointment at B4U? What did your work comprise of?  How would you describe your experience working there?

    Like all other enthusiastic final year students, I enrolled for the college placement program and simultaneously started hunting for opportunities myself.  I was contacted for an opening at B4U, which is one of the world’s leading Bollywood television networks, by a consultant who found my resume on an online job portal. I had to undergo two rounds of interviews, first with the Legal Head, Natasha D’Souza and the second was with the Chief Financial Officer, Sandeep Gupta. In the first round I had to answer a few pertinent questions related to property laws, drafting and copyright in order to verify the veracity of my resume and was then asked to draft a reply to one Public Notice. In the second round I was asked a few more questions to identify my individuality and to see if I was fitting to the company and team.

    Working at B4U, I was exposed to the niche practice of media laws. My work primarily involved drafting specialised agreements related to film acquisition & distribution, hiring of transponders, channel distribution, hiring talent, corresponding with government authorities and administrative bodies like MIB, TRAI, FDA, DAVP, IPRS and ensuring regulatory compliance. During my stint at B4U, I undertook extensive research on TRAI Regulations, content laws and the amendments to the Copyright Act. The company provided me a great learning platform and I was fortunate to work with veterans like Sandeep, Natasha and Manisha, who were extremely kind to invest their valuable time in mentoring and training me.

     

    Tell us about your work as an Assistant Manager – Legal at Reliance Broadcast Network Limited. How has the journey at Reliance been so far?

    Reliance Broadcast provides me with simultaneous exposure to the radio & television businesses. I am blessed with a young and vivacious team of lawyers, company secretaries, Charted Accountants, etc. with whom I closely work. My job requires me to juggle between various duties such as drafting & negotiating contracts, regulatory compliance, litigation management, liaison with counsels, intellectual property management & protection, research & strategy, setting SOPs, providing opinions, prescribing S & P procedures, corresponding with government authorities on business and policy related issues. At the office, I’m always on my toes and that’s one of the reasons I love working here.

    The exposure I’ve gained at Reliance has helped me grow professionally as well as personally. My work has been recognised and appreciated due to which I was recommended for a promotion to Assistant Manager within a few months of joining.

    While working under the leadership and able guidance of Asheesh Chatterjee, our Chief Financial Officer, I have been able to develop a strong commercial acumen and now have a more pragmatic & business focused approach. I am very grateful to my bosses – Asheesh Chaterjee, Gururaja Rao and Shikha Kapadia, who always reposed their faith in me and motivated me to perform better.

     

    Please tell us about the recruitment process at RBNL. What do they look for in their prospective employees?

    I have observed that employers are looking for candidates who are eager to learn and are optimistic about work. They want someone who is hard-working and a team-player.

     

    Tell us what your typical work day is like. What kind of work does an Assistant Manager – Legal at Reliance Broadcast Network generally deal with? How has the journey at Reliance been so far?

    A normal day at work would involve one or more of the following:

    • Drafting Agreements
    • Legal Research
    • Regulatory Compliance and correspondence
    • Opinion to S&P Team
    • Due Diligence
    • Court Visit
    • Strategy meetings
    • Liasoning with counsels

    At RBNL, I learn something new each day. I am often assigned tasks that are completely new to me and there is always scope for improving as a professional.

     

    In the meantime, you managed to pursue Masters in Intellectual Property Rights from Mumbai University. Was it a professional requirement to enhance your career?

    Since I was working in the media industry, I thought it would be prudent to pursue a Master’s in Intellectual Property. Besides, I’d like to be a guest lecturer of law, few years down the line.

    How can one apply for an internship at RBNL? What qualities do you look for in an intern?

    The desire to learn and basic understanding of legal concepts are qualities we look for. Usually and candidates pursuing CS and Law are preferred.

     

    What do you think of the young law graduates/students and the standard of education in the field currently?

    I think young law graduates feel inadequately equipped in their initial years of practice. The legal education system should be revamped so as to prepare students for the skills required in practice. Various internships during college years should be encouraged, giving students exposure to litigation, corporate set-ups, judicial jobs, research roles, etc. Once a student is aware of the various options available after graduation, he can make a more informed decision regarding his career path.

     

    Lastly, what would be your message for our readers?

    Well, considering my target audience is a group of aspiring lawyers I’d like to say, please make the most of your time during law school and explore the various options available to you. Don’t be swayed into choosing a path just because many of your colleagues are opting for it.  Know your own strengths and weaknesses and figure what is best suited to you. Set goals for yourself and work hard towards achieving them. Remember if you are passionate about your dreams and pursue them diligently, success will inevitably follow.