Super Lawyer

Tag: GLC

  • Natasha Fernandes, Legal Head, B4U Television on a career in Media Law

    Natasha Fernandes, Legal Head, B4U Television on a career in Media Law

    Natasha Fernandes graduated from Government Law College, Mumbai in 2002 and had thereafter worked as in-house counsels of large corporate houses. She currently heads the Law department of B4U Television Network India Ltd.

    In this interview, she talks about:

    • Building up a career in media law
    • Strategies which she used while working with different places
    • Journey from an Assistant Legal Manager to Legal Head at B4U

     

    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?

    Hi friends, this is Natasha Dsouza.. I head the legal for B4U Television Network India Ltd. Been here since 9 years, with a total rich legal exposure of 12 years.I pursued the 5 years law course from Government Law College, Churchgate. Having no family background in law, the hunger for knowledge was the only factor that kept me going. To be honest, Law was not a career stream for me, rather the interest to know the law of the land so that people could not take me for a ride was the motivation to learn law.

     

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    What all activities did you participate while in your college? What were your areas of interest during your graduation?

    College life was very simple, but fun. Did my 12th from P.D Lions College, Malad and then joined GLC, Churchgate for the 5 year law course. I had a lot of fun with friends but within the four corners of discipline. These years have some of the best memories and friends. College was merely education and fun. All the expertise and practical knowledge was post my completion of law.

     

    Did you do any internship during the course of your studies? What kind of work did you come across during your internships?

    No, unlike others I did not take up any internship during college. I started my career only post my graduation in law.

     

    Many lawyers say that the first year after graduation is the most difficult year for young lawyers. How was your first year after graduation?

    I had lived a very simple and protected life, home to college and college to home, never journeyed beyond, rather had always depended on friends or folks to travel to a new place.

    When I joined the law firm after my graduation, I had to appear in all courts all over Mumbai. With no knowledge of routes nor any internship training, had no knowledge about appearing in matters, it was a new world with a plethora of experience, especially with the strict judges who were not very supportive of juniors appearing before them. It was a do it and learn it yourself affair, but a journey that made me independent.

     

    You had started working at P. V Nichani & Co. right after graduation, and thereafter you joined Shapoorji Pallonji& Co. Ltd.. What led to this shift?

    I always wanted to work for a corporate. I started my career with G.P Consultants and Developers immediately after my graduation in law. On working there, I did feel the need to have procedural and court exposure and hence started my journey with P. V Nichani & Co. Worked there for a year, appeared in all Metropolitan courts in Mumbai, Small Causes Court, City Civil as well as in the Bombay High Court. After a year of enriched experience and exposure, I was approached by Shapoorji Pallonji& Co., and I took up the offer on selection.

     

    You left SP & Co. Ltd. to join Star India Pvt. Ltd as a Legal Executive. What motivated this shift? What does it take to get job at Star India at that stage?

    STAR motivated this shift. As far as getting a job is concerned, it’s always a matter of confidently marketing your experience and exposure in a way that suits the need of the Company interviewing you. It is very important to know about the job profile and whether you can handle the requirement and an honest answer to everything. It is always good to confess what you don’t know rather than to beat around the bush or lie. Coz even if you sail through the interview, any lie will make you fall flat on your face when you start work.

     

    Thereafter you started working at B4U Television Network India Ltd. Having been at B4U since 2005 as an in-house counsel, you were promoted to Legal Head; what qualities do you think helped you to achieve this status?

    I joined B4U as an Asst. Manager in 2005 and have been working here since 9 years. My qualities that helped me achieve it, is what every growing employee has..

    • Honesty and sincerity towards work;
    • No saying NO to any work;
    • Constant learning and research. No one knows everything and everyone needs to learn, so never felt ashamed to ask when I didn’t know something. It is better to ask than to make mistakes;
    • Eye to details and re-checking everything that is done;
    • Time management and prioritizing work to achieve within set timeframes
    • And above all my Drafting skills and perfection towards work

     

    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?

    Not true in my case. Actual learning takes place wherever there is an intention to learn. You face various challenges as an in-house counsel and also working with a corporate divides your exposure between litigation and non-litigation. Both give you a lot of learning and learning never ends.

     

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

    • Believe in yourself
    • Be attentive to details
    • Never feel shy to ask what you do not understand
    • Stay positive and self-motivated, focus always on your goal, nothing else matters, no negative comments, no politics, when you know you are working with honest, giving your all, just stay focused, let people not bow you down.
    • Never keep ego at work.

     

  • Pooja Sharma, Senior Manager-Legal, Sony Entertainment on leaving law firm and Media Law

    Pooja Sharma, Senior Manager-Legal, Sony Entertainment on leaving law firm and Media Law

    Pooja Sharma is currently a Senior Manager-Legal at Multi Screen Media Pvt. Ltd. (Sony Entertainment). She graduated from Government Law College, Mumbai in 2007, and had thereafter worked in law firms before joining in-house.

    In this interview she tells us about:

    • Work as an Associate at law firms
    • Leaving law firms and joining as an in-house counsel

     

    Hello Pooja! What would you say brought you into legal studies?

    Firstly, A big Hello to you all! I am Pooja Sharma and I was one of you just a few years back. In particular there is no such incident but something that attracted me towards this vocation was the discipline involved and also the fact that as a lawyer one needs a good sense of clear reasoning.

     

    How would you describe your time at GLC, Mumbai?

    Government Law College, Mumbai was a great place to be in. I can say that GLC as an institution has played a great part in shaping my career, insight and my ambitions.

     

    What sort of internships did you do while in law school?

    I interned under Senior Advocate Mr. Shyam Marwadi in Bombay High Court during my college days. At that time my aim was to understand the practice of law in its purest form i.e., trials, questions of law being argued as and by way of appeals in the higher courts, etc. I strongly advocate and suggest that every law student must take up internship in the formative stages of their legal career; it’s an integral aspect of the profession.

     

    Did you find any difference between the way students of NLUs and non-NLUs take to the legal profession?

    Well, that’s really tricky to answer but I would say hard work gets you where you want to be. There are many examples of stalwarts from “non NLU” status. I think there is an edge attached to the NLU status but it’s a long race ahead, only time can tell who is going to be where. Law books are the same that each lawyer reads, the difference lies in the interpretation of the statue and this gives you an edge, it is interpretation of law that distinguishes a “good lawyer” from “just a lawyer”.

     

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    What brought you towards Media and Entertainment Law?

    Media and Entertainment Law practice happened to me by accident. I was not aware of this arm of legal practice till I started working for Hariani & Co. I was drawn towards the fact that Media and Entertainment Law is a very niche area of practice, along with interpretation of the various statue, it also requires a very sharp and clear transactional acumen. Since the practice is still evolving there is something new to learn every day and I really like this refreshing aspect.

     

    You began your professional career with Hariani & Co. as an Associate Advocate. What did your work profile consist of?

    I did not start my legal career with Hariani & Co., but Manilal Kher Ambalal & Co., as a litigation lawyer. Thereafter, I the quest to learn non-litigation and transactional aspects of law, I joined Hariani & Co., in 2010. I was initially inducted in the firm for real estate practice, however as destiny would have it, I was assigned to undertake trademarks, copyright and media related matters, in short complete intellectual property rights related practice.

     

    You’ve recently joined Multi Screen Media Pvt. Ltd. (Sony Entertainment) as Senior Manager – Legal. How did the switch from Hariani & Co. take place?

    Pre-dominantly the urge to understand the business and legal aspects of broadcasting and distribution of digital contents on various media platforms attracted me to Sony.

     

    How different would you say legal practice is from being an in-house lawyer? How should we choose which role to take?

    I understand by practice you mean litigation. Like I earlier said, every young lawyer/law student must understand Law in its purest form i.e., litigation. By attending courts one learns how to construct facts of the case and how to interpret the law in favour of your arguments. However, times are changing mind-sets are changing, law practice or role of lawyer is not limited to arguing cases in court but much more than that, which is good in a way. Every individual must keep his mind open, listen to the callings of his/her aptitude and then make a choice.

     

    Many law school students aspire to join corporate law. What do you think most are doing wrong, from your observations?

    There is nothing wrong in having an aspiration that is not in sync with the traditional outlook. If a student feels that he/she shall be more comfortable in a corporate job which is like corporate practice, he/she should pursue it. My personal view is that there is no harm in being a corporate in-house lawyer, however training and insight of pure form of law is essential and it provides you with an edge even if you want to pursue corporate in-house practice. Legal/vocational training in courts should be a compulsory part of legal education is what I feel. This will give us better lawyers in future in every field, be it bar practice or corporate in house practice.

     

    What would be your parting message for our readers?

    A simple mantra that I follow is that one should be open to learning new things, work hard and stay focused.

  • Rajni Singh, Associate at Hariani & Co. on work experience in Media and Entertainment Law

    Rajni Singh, Associate at Hariani & Co. on work experience in Media and Entertainment Law

    Rajni Singh is a practicing Media and Entertainment lawyer. She graduated with Bachelors of Mass Media degree from SIES College in 2009. Her interest in law led her to join Government Law College, Mumbai and pursue LL.B. During law school, she participated in various co-curricular activities including moot court competitions, debates, and conferences. She also has a couple of publications to her name. Soon after Graduation she started working as an Associate at Naik, Naik and Co. and has recently joined Hariani and Company.

    We asked her to share her experiences and strategies she used over the years. In this interview, she talks about:

    • Pursuing Law after Bachelors in Mass Media
    • Work experience at Naik, Naik & Co. and Hariani & Co.
    • Work opportunities in media law

     

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

    Hi! I am a practicing Media and Entertainment lawyer. I completed my LL.B. from the Government Law College, Mumbai and prior to law school, I completed my under graduation in media studies. Cinema, travel and world cuisine make up for the remainder of my non-work life.

     

    You are a high distinction media graduate, what led you to pursue law?

    During my Media School days, I learnt the nuances of the media industry including the movie production process, the television broadcasting, advertising, public relations among others. I also interned at various media houses.

    Media provided me with great exposure and I grew increasingly aware and concerned about my immediate surroundings. Issues such as corruption in the private and public space and global warming really affected me. I felt the urgent need to address the problems in whatever way I could. As a result I co-founded the Socio-Enviro Club in my college. The members of the club would make efforts to bring awareness about the impact of social and environmental challenges being faced at a micro level. I was also actively involved in inter-collegiate debating and socio-political discussions these activities taught me how to think on my feet and how to clearly put my point across. In the process I realised that I wanted to take up something with a wider scope and larger social impact.

    Further, exposure to subjects like sociology, political science, economics and more importantly, media and press laws and ethics also played a very important role in my decision to pursue law. I recount being one of the very few students who actually enjoyed the legal aspects of Media. I ended up presenting my final year project on the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 with legal precedents.

    Towards the end of media school, I had to choose from three available options, working ant a leading advertising agency, a seat at a B-School and confirming my admission for a three year LLB at the Government Law College. I chose to spend three more years into studying the law.

     

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    How would you describe your time at GLC, Mumbai? What are the co-curricular activities you took part in GLC?

    The years spent at GLC were the most memorable years of my life. Amidst the short comings, the College survives because of its meritorious students and active student led bodies. One of the best things about the College was its inclusiveness. No matter what you wish to pursue, you could. Not only was the college very close to the Bombay High Court and all the law firms, but it also offered the Mumbai advantage. One could pursue non-academic artistic and cultural interests. Especially the South Bombay area is very culturally rich.

    I consciously decided to not intern during my first year and be involved in college activities. I participated in more activities than I could take. I was an active member of the Student Council, Moot Court Association and the Legal Aid Committee. I participated in several National and State Level Moot Court Competitions, winning a very few and losing many. I personally enjoyed writing research papers particularly on the subject of Intellectual Property Rights and I also professionally learnt Spanish.

    For all the three years, I was associated with an NGO ‘Public Concern for Governance Trust’. I was actively involved with the NGO for spreading awareness across Mumbai about Right to Information Act, 2005 and also the Anti-Corruption Cell. The NGO gave me an opportunity to script and direct plays in Hindi language on the practical application of the RTI Act. The play was performed before a non-English speaking audience and several colleges across the city. The entire process was thoroughly enjoyable and I do not think I could have understood the RTI Act with this clarity if I were to write an exam on it.

     

    You were heading the Legal Aid Committee (LAC) of the GLC for one entire academic year and you were also awarded the ‘Best Legal Aid Worker’. How do you recall that opportunity?

    That was by far the best decision of my life. The kind of work LAC does, I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to head it. The friendships made while working in the committee will last a lifetime. As a committee, we did some exciting work. To name a few, we started the Annual GLC Legal Quiz which is presently the most loved activity in the College. The idea of the quiz was to test general knowledge of students in creative ways and we consciously decided to un-bore the quiz. To give you an example, we used movie clips in the buzzer round wherein the participants were quizzed on the criminal and civil offences being committed in that particular clip. It was a great learning experience for the organisers as well as the participants.

    We also worked towards the mental rehabilitation of the Juvenile delinquents. My initial years at Law School were spent at the Dongri Remand Home and the Juvenile Court which made all aspects of theoretical legal learning come alive. Members of the LAC also regularly visited the Byculla and Arthur Road Prisons and filed Bail applications for under trails who could not afford legal representation. These bail applications were either for release of the under trails on cash bonds or personal bonds. Can any internship or any law firm give a first year law student this level of exposure? I do not think so.

     

    What sort of internships did you do while in law school? How instrumental were these internships in helping you decide what field of law you wished to specialize in?

    To be honest, I was always clear about pursuing Media Laws transactional or litigation. Therefore, I chose my internships accordingly. However, there is no doubt that internships really open your mind and help you understand what you like to do or sometimes by law of elimination, what you do not enjoy doing.

    I wanted to understand court practice and procedures first, that’s why my first internship was in the chambers of Sr. Counsel S. Venkiteshwaran I was exposed to Maritime laws and various matters related thereto. Pursuant to that, I interned with Vidhi Partners in their Media and Entertainment team, Anand and Anand in their Trade Mark team and thereafter I was selected to work as a long term intern with Naik Naik and Co. throughout my final year and concentrated on Media and Entertainment Laws. I learnt a lot under my seniors at each place of work. I must mention the learning involved both active learning as well as passive. It merely involves observing the seniors deal with clients or appear in the courts. The dedication and toil they put into their work was amazing. There was just so much to learn.

     

    What do you feel about the perception that students of certain ‘elite’ NLU’s have a much easier time in kick-starting their career as compared to law students from other colleges? Is this true at all?

    I feel it is more to do with the person. Unless you put in effort, irrespective of which college you are from, one thing is sure, you will not succeed in the long run. I commend GLC for its encouraging attitude towards Counsel Practice (litigation) which is sadly not a very popular option in other law colleges in the Country any more.

    To answer your second question, unlike other professions, in the legal space, kick starting a career does not guarantee a long lasting one. I see law as a big equalizer in that sense.

     

    What brought you towards Media Law?

    I have been asked this question a number of times and every time I end up saying I don’t know. I will be wrong if I say it is the only aspect of law that excites me. Law is so multi-dimensional, it is impossible to choose a favourite subject. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Constitutional Law, IPR, Law of Crimes, Torts and Contract laws. Therefore, I chose a field of interest in which I could apply all of my above said favourite subjects and cater to the industry I feel I belong and have been exposed to from a commercial/ non-law perspective as well. It really helps me as a Media and Entertainment Lawyer to better understand the industry needs and problems that clients face.

     

    Tell us something about this new and emerging field of law that you practice?

    You chose your words correctly. It is both considerably new and very emerging. Traditional media was disorganised and rather a close knit emotional lot. I say emotional because till date members of media are very cautious of the words they use. The entire industry at one time and to some extent even today, functions on trust and oral arrangements. In fact, in the earlier days, there was hardly any transaction on paper.

    However, the landscape has changed considerably. With corporate houses and studios setting in and with the digital boom, the complexities of the industry, in terms of commercial exploitation of creative content, has grown enormously. With emergence of new platforms, formats and mediums, the dissemination and reach of information is unimaginable. With intermediaries playing an important role, there arising questions such as profit share, royalties and of course the global favourite piracy.

    Media Law includes several statues such as the Copyright Act, 1957, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997, Cable Television Networks Act, 1995, Trade Marks Act, 1999 and nodal agency of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and other self-regulation guidelines such as Advertising Standards Council of India, Indian Broadcasting Foundation and so on.

     

    You have been involved in a few pro-bono matters. What is your opinion on advocates taking up pro-bono matters?

    “Maybe after 35 when I have enough money” is what most of my friends say when we discuss the possibility of taking up pro-bono matters. They are not necessarily wrong, it is their way to look at it. For me, I think it is more selfish, I do it for the satisfaction it gives me.

    The Legal Aid Committee of the GLC always looks for advocates willing to take up matters pro-bono and there are several NGOs and independent practitioners who do take it up.

    I personally feel we should do these matters while we are young, with minimum liabilities and maximum learning curve. I have been fortunate to meet partners of law firms who are willing to spare time into taking up matters pro-bono. I have contributed to a matter on RTE for a minor girl and a few domestic violence matters among others.

     

    What should the students who look for internships actually look for?

    • Small teams: From personal experience I would recommend one must go for a smaller set up or a firm which has team structures. This allows maximum exposure and learning because one gets to do actual work and be involved in the process.
    • Court exposure: I also strongly recommend Judicial Clerkship and at least one litigation exposure as an intern preferably the first internship.
    • Term: Lastly, even though I know it is not always possible, but the endeavour should be to keep the term of your internship as at least for three continuous months so that it is mutually beneficial.

     

    Many law school students aspire to secure a job. What do you think most are doing wrong, from your observations?

    While securing a job is very important, I must mention it is not everything. I see students who start interning as early as 17-18 years of age and from day one, work towards securing a job with top tier law firms and the big pay package, I feel the approach may not be correct.

    Students must realise that they have to work all their adult life so they must pause and take it easy. Spend college time in developing skill sets, friendships, play a sport, learn a language, Moot, even if you lose (you will), even if you are embarrassed (you will be) and even if you do it all wrong (you may), but please Moot. Mooting will teach you the Law, in a way it can never be taught. Framing arguments, research on a moot point and tedious drafting (including formatting) are very critical for ones development as a practicing lawyer.

    Finally, chose a field of law not because it is lucrative financially, but because it interests you and you feel like waking up excited to go to work each day. I remember so many of my class mates took up Corporate Laws because it was “the big thing”. Two years into it, many of them realise that they don’t enjoy it as much they thought and find it rather dry. So think personally, what kind of law you would like to practice and then take it up.

     

    What are the three things a law student should keep in mind while facing an interview or applying for a job?

    From my limited experience, I can say the following:

    1. Comfort: Be comfortable, take it easy, be reasonably confident and strike a conversation, if possible. Also, you can disagree with the interviewer humbly if you don’t agree to what he/she is saying and it’s alright to say ‘I don’t know’ if you don’t know an answer to a question asked;
    2. Keep your CV short and to the point: Know your CV. You need to sound like the same person whose CV you have submitted, so the endeavour should be to keep it in tune with your actual significant achievements and experiences;
    3. Structure your CV in line with the job that you are applying for: For example: if you have a lot of Litigation experience in your CV and you are applying for a Corporate Job, you need to build up your CV accordingly to show that you are actually interested in Corporate Laws. Maybe supplement it with a research paper or a moot on the subject and be ready to face questions accordingly.

     

    What is your take on LLM?

    Right now I am learning my subjects of interest from some really learned seniors at Hariani and Co. and I am not willing to trade that, even for a year. Also, LLM for me is an expensive affair and needs planning. It does excite me a lot, because I enjoy reading the law, however, right now, I think I need to work and improve my craft. Maybe, after a few years I may look at a professional LLM.

    I must add, if any student wishes to pursue academics, LLM becomes a necessity and plays a very important role. The sole determining factor while choosing to pursue LLM should be what you personally want to do in your career and at what time.

     

    How important is scoring well in Law School?

    I think there is no taking away from the students who are academically inclined and are consistently high scorers. I have consistently scored well myself. Law as a field is very academic. One has to spend considerable time reading and therefore, you need to have an academic approach towards the profession. However, I think the profession requires more than just high marks. You have to be increasingly interested in what you are doing beyond answering a mere exam.

     

    What do you think is your way forward?

    I frankly don’t have a conclusive answer for you right now. However, I definitely want to be a good lawyer in my field of practice and currently I am in the pursuance of the same. Having said that, I have a strong liking and inclination towards legal writing, pro-bono litigation and academics so may be a combination of all.

     

    Do you go back to College?

    Oh yes. Very regularly, I look for opportunities to go there. So whenever I am invited for judging debates, moots or Quiz, I am there.

     

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

    Be open minded about law. There is simply so much that law has to offer. There are academics, research, NGO, policy making, think tanks, litigation and firm practice. Therefore, take your time (you have 5 years) and thereafter but be open to trying and failing and again trying. If you go wrong it’s okay, you can always join the dots backwards and it will all make sense.

    Good luck!

  • Pralika Jain on representing Bollywood celebrities, work at Star India and LL.M in IPR from Georgetown

    Pralika Jain on representing Bollywood celebrities, work at Star India and LL.M in IPR from Georgetown

    Pralika Jain is a media and entertainment lawyer with about three years of experience in the broadcasting and entertainment industry. She graduated from GLC, Mumbai in 2011. Thereafter she worked at Star India Pvt. Ltd. for one year and then with a Talent Management Agency, CAA KWAN as a lawyer to Bollywood Celebrities. Currently, she is pursuing Masters in Intellectual Property Law at Georgetown University Law Centre.

    In this interview Pralika talks about:

    • Work experience at Star and CAA KWAN
    • Choosing Masters over a job
    • Writing an SOP and getting recommendation letters

     

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

    I would say I am a media and entertainment lawyer with about three years of experience in the broadcasting and entertainment industry. In an informal setting I would say that I have been a lawyer for the past three years, worked mainly in the media and entertainment industry, tried experimenting in the start-up space and have a passion for technology and still trying to find a way to amalgamate all of that.

     

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

    The fear of Math made me gravitate towards law. Being inherently inquisitive growing up, I assumed engineering would be the apt choice for me, but then I realised that, only being a lawyer will give me the opportunity to explore all the facets of this world, be it business, media, technology, health care/medicine or aero-space. Being a lawyer would give me the opportunity to learn everything there is out there to learn and what better way than to get paid for it, right?

     

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    How would you describe your time at GLC, Mumbai? What sort of internships did you do while in law school?

    I thoroughly enjoyed my time at GLC on and off campus. The first two years at GLC were spent being involved in committees, as most GLC students do. This is where I think we all built our soft skills that no one teaches you in college. Directly connecting with senior lawyers, judges and other eminent personalities to be a part of our college’s activities taught us a great deal about communicating with people, respecting their time and gave us an insight to their work. This was my first preview into the world of law.

    I also enjoyed attending lectures (definitely a few) by Professor Pithawala, Professor Ratho, Professor, Professor Chuganee to name a few. From around the second year onwards I started interning full-time, like most GLC students do. Although I had a fair mix of corporate, litigation and firm internships, my internship at Disney introduced me to the world of media and entertainment, more particularly the role lawyers play in the media and entertainment industry. This internship amplified my interest in the industry and led me to pursue another internship at Viacom. I believe both these internships played an instrumental role in introducing me to an industry I never would have considered pursuing much less enjoy working there.

     

    You worked at Star India Pvt. Ltd. for a year and at CAA KWAN as a lawyer to Bollywood Celebrities. How would you describe your experiences working there?

    While I had secured a job from the on-campus recruitment at a corporate law firm, I was inclined towards media and entertainment. So I started connecting with lawyers working at various media and entertainment companies and as luck would have it, the then VP of Star and now the General Counsel of Snapdeal, Mr. Ashish Chandra responded to my cold email on LinkedIn.

    I had a quick conversation with him which led to an interview and then my first job at Star. My experience at Star set a strong foundation of law as well as the media, entertainment and broadcasting industry. Using my experience at Star as a springboard, I joined CAA KWAN as the legal counsel.

    Here, I discovered the media and entertainment industry from the other side which was an exciting experience. I was lucky to have the opportunity to work on Bollywood as well as a few deals in Hollywood. Working with celebrities was exciting at first, but it soon lost its charm, as they are your clients at the end of the day. The time spent working will be a memorable one, as I worked with a team of people who were not only brilliant at what they did but also were great mentors to me. The other thing about working in the media and entertainment industry is the informal environment, which I think contributed a lot to my growth there.

     

    Do you think courts in India are equipped to handle entertainment and media law cases?

    With the increase in entertainment and media litigation I think the courts are getting better at handling those cases. To answer your second question, I think law is never up to date with technology. Technology is growing at a rate faster than expected and no legal regime in the world is equipped for it yet.

    Were you in double minds before joining Georgetown University Law Centre? How did you prefer Masters over your job?

    I knew that I always wanted to pursue my masters, but choosing to study after working for three years was the most difficult decision to make. Once you are used to working and have a comfortable lifestyle it is difficult to get dissuaded to pursue further education. The reason I chose to pursue my masters was because my employers at CAA KWAN were very supportive of it and helped me realise the value any higher education would bring to me. I realised that if I missed out on pursuing the opportunity to study now I would get sucked into the black hole of being employed and would regret not pursuing my masters. I would encourage every student who has the opportunity to pursue their masters to do so. It is an invaluable experience and having good education has never and will never be a waste.

     

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    How did you choose Georgetown University over others? How did you go about choosing a university?

    Georgetown Law did not seem an obvious choice to me at first, but after I got admitted I researched the faculty and the subjects offered which drew me towards Georgetown Law. My professors are a mix of Judges, Practitioners, Congressmen and Law Makers. I doubt I would have had an opportunity to be taught directly by the law makers in any other school.

     

    How did you go about writing your SOP? Are there any key factors which one should keep in mind before writing the SOP?

    Writing the SOP was the most difficult bit for me. I was lucky to have a bunch of my seniors from GLC who had followed the same path help me figure how to write a good SOP. I think speaking to people who know you and have been through this process is a good start. Getting your drafts reviewed by others is also very important, as we tend to miss out on a lot of mistakes when we try to proof read our document. Another thing that is good to keep in mind while working on your SOP is being a true reflection of yourself. Writing achievements and stories that do not have a substantial background do not sound convincing.

     

    How about recommendation letters? Who all recommended you to pursue LL.M?

    I got recommended by my professors and employers. Most foreign law schools would specifically state how many letters of recommendation they want and from whom.

     

    How is your experience so far? Tell us about the faculty and facilities. Anything memorable that is stuck in your mind?

    My experience so far is great, and people don’t lie when they say the LL.M is going to be the best year of your life. I have made some great friends; I am enjoying the quality of education as well as the campus located in the heart of D.C.

     

    Where do you see yourself five years from now?

    I hope to be following my passion in the technology world in the entrepreneurial sector or attempting to decipher the media and entertainment industry, all of it as a lawyer.

     

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

    It is a very competitive world out there, so work hard but don’t be too hard on yourself.

  • Ashish Singh, Associate at Luthra&Luthra Delhi’s Litigation Team on work profile and higher studies

    Ashish Singh, Associate at Luthra&Luthra Delhi’s Litigation Team on work profile and higher studies

    Ashish Singh is a graduate of GLC, Mumbai. He had interned at Luthra & Luthra’s Delhi Litigation Team as a Law Student, and therefore right after graduation in 2012, Ashish got a job offer from the same team.

    Right from graduation he has continued to work at Luthra, and he had the opportunity to work independently in various high stakes litigation. He has advised clients on legal issues including corporate frauds, civil commercial litigation, Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, Architect Act, 1972, Copyright and Trademarks and Transfer of Property Act, 1882.

    He has also advised an MNC in the recent Common Wealth Games matters, before the High Court of Delhi.

    In this interview we had asked him to tell us a few things about:

    • Experience at GLC, Mumbai
    • Luthra Delhi’s Litigation work profile
    • Expertise in Anti Piracy litigation matters
    • Utility of Higher Studies in litigation

     

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

    Hi, I am Ashish and I am working with Luthra & Luthra Law Offices in the General Litigation Team at New Delhi. I graduated in the year 2012 from Government Law College, Mumbai.

    I am a go getter who believes that all problems have solution. We only need to find them. Litigation has thus given me an avenue to convert this belief of mine into action. The thrill of arguing in Court and getting relief for my Client is something which keeps me on my toes.

     

    Please tell us about your pre college life and your time at law school. Did you have lawyers in your family?

    Throughout my life I have been in boarding. I joined boarding at a young age of 4 1∕2 (four and half) years. I am thankful to my parents for taking this harsh decision of sending me to a boarding school. I call it harsh because it is one of the most difficult decisions for all parents to send their children of such a young age away from them and let me tell you that unlike today there were no mobile phones at that time and the slow postal services was not of much help either. I still remember that there were times when I used to reach home much before the letters that I had sent asking my parents to take me home for vacation.

    I would say this helped me a lot to shape into a strong, confident and independent person. I learnt that “..there are things which only you can do for yourself no one else can do for you…” You have to learn to do things on your own whatever it is tying the lace of your shoes or the knot of your tie or travelling to an unknown city for the first time (without any technology aid).

    In boarding there are many programmes which are mainly organised and managed by students (of course in the supervision of teachers). I was one of the active participants. This experience not only helped me in my college life in getting sponsorship for different events organised in college but is also helping me now in building Client relationship and even while pitching for new Client.

    My five years at GLC were the most enjoyable and important years of my life. For a boy who comes from Bihar and was under supervision 24*7 in boarding, Mumbai and the freedom at college was a breath of fresh air. I enjoyed every bit of it and lived my life to the fullest.

    I am a first generation lawyer. I firmly believe that when one knows what he/she wants from life and is clear about his aim then it becomes totally irrelevant whether you belong to  a family of lawyers or not. What makes you successful in this profession is your grit, determination and the desire to achieve.

     

    You studied at Government Law College, Mumbai, considered to be one of the premier law colleges in India. Please share with us your time in college.

    I feel blessed to have gotten an opportunity to be a part of an institution called Government Law College (GLC), Mumbai. The college was established in 1854 and has given our country some of the most successful lawyers, finest Judges and the first Lady President of India.

    GLC gives you an opportunity to intern throughout the year, thus helping you learn from the experience of seniors in the profession from the day you start your journey to become a lawyer.  Also various competitions that are conducted in GLC throughout the year give you a rounded personality which makes you a better lawyer.

    I actively participated in the events organised in college and tried to intern as regularly as possible.

     

    Apart from getting engrossed with academic work how else did you spend your time in law school?

    GLC has lot of committees to keep you occupied. I was one of the active members of the Legal Aid Committee and our main work was to provide legal help to the poor and needy which ranged from drafting of bail application, complaint before Consumer Forum, etc to coordinating with different NGOs who work in the same filed.

    Apart from studies, I like acting and directing. I was a part of a small theatre group in Mumbai. I used to spend most of my free time rehearsing and performing at different location and often we used to do street play. I love theatre and lot of time was spent at Prithvi theatre.

     

    Please share with us your views on time management in a stressful law school environment.

    Time management is the key to success in all spheres of life. It is important to maintain a work life balance because attending classes, working as an intern, preparing for various competitions and the exams can take a toll on you. It is therefore important to prepare a time schedule keeping in mind the dates for competitions, exams, etc. Ultimately you cannot be a lawyer unless you have a degree. So it is important to clear all your exams in addition to doing internship.

     

    Please tell us about the work environment at Luthra & Luthra. What all do your work profile consist of?  What is a normal workday like?

    Luthra has a wonderful working environment. As a beginner you need a lot of encouragement and support from your seniors. I was lucky to have a few mentors who made the transition from being a law student to a lawyer easier than it would have ordinarily been. One great thing about working at Luthra is the accessibility to both Partners and Senior Partners.

    As mentioned earlier, I work in the General litigation practice and normally my day begins with a visit to Court with my partner. Once I am back, there is enough research and drafting to keep me busy. Also, discussion with the team working on the brief gives you a different perspective to the matter.

     

    ashish-singh-4

    Anti-piracy and Anti-counterfeit issues being a nascent arena of litigation, please tell us how did you get interested in taking these up as your field of practice?

    I began my practice with the Anti-piracy and Anti-counterfeit (APAC) team but gradually was given an opportunity by the firm to work on a wider range of issues in the General Litigation Practice.

    Yes, APAC is a nascent field and there are limited lawyers working in this area. But, it has a huge potential in the coming decade to become a specific practice area. Many counsels who began practising in this new area five six years from now, are now considered expert in the same. I therefore joined an area which had just begun to warm up.

     

    You have had diverse internships. What advice would you want to give to budding lawyers in regard to internships?

    I took whatever internship opportunities I got. Honestly, choosing internships was not a conscious attempt but in the hindsight it has proved to be an enriching experience. It helped me decide that litigation was my calling.

    My advice to law students would be that they should take their internship sincerely. It is the time when one understands the practical aspects of the subject they are studying. They should try to intern in both corporate and litigation practice so that they can decide to choose one depending upon their interest and liking. Also, internship helps one in forging relationship and getting placements. Many PPO’s are given based on the internship performance. I got this job based on my internship performance.

     

    You have been a part of Luthra for a considerable amount of time now. Please share with us Luthra’s expectations from a budding lawyer and what do they look for in the CV of a budding lawyer?

    I think all the law firms have only one expectation from a fresh law graduate that the person should be open to learning.

    In today’s world people prefer to specialise in their areas of interest and pursue higher studies.

     

    What are your views on higher studies? Should a law student pursue higher studies right after graduation or after procuring some work experience?

    I think what you learn from the practical experience can never be learned from books. Though an LL.M does look good on a CV but from a litigation perspective what is more important is your ability to think quickly and respond to situations as they arise in the Court. One has to think on their legs. This comes more by experience than by LLM. LLM from abroad does gives an exposure and broadens ones horizon but the cost at which it comes is a bit too high. Students spending such amount towards LLM also have expectations of high salaries which are little difficult to get in India. This at times, creates disappointment amongst students and they take up jobs abroad resulting in brain drain, and is a loss of brilliant minds of our country. In any case , I think if one is interested in pursuing higher studies it should be done after experience of couple of years as after working for a couple of years one becomes aware about his area of interest and also the industry requirements.

     

    How should we consider choosing a law firm over litigation or litigation over a law firm?

    I don’t think I have chosen law firm over litigation rather I am doing litigation in a law firm. Working with a top tier law firm gives you a chance to do work with big clients on matters involving huge stakes. It also makes you a good team player as a group of people are working on the brief. In addition to the aforesaid, working in a firm also gives you an advantage of seeking assistance of people specializing in specific areas while preparing and drafting matters.

     

    What would be your message to law students who want to have a smooth transition from law student to law professional?

    Don’t get disappointed/disheartened if in case you can’t secure a job in campus placements. I did not get one either. Work hard and be focussed. There is no replacement of working hard. In the initials years try to work on as diverse fields as possible. This will help you have a better understanding of different areas of law which will make you a complete lawyer. There are no short cuts to success. This profession demands a lot of your time, dedication, energy but it also gives you a lot in return. You just need to be focused and patient.

  • Rishabh Jogani on LL.M from Queen Mary, mooting and work in litigation

    Rishabh Jogani on LL.M from Queen Mary, mooting and work in litigation

    Rishabh Jogani graduated with a B.L.S.LL.B. degree from GLC, Mumbai in 2012. Soon after Graduation he worked at the Chambers of Senior Advocate Pradeep Sancheti, Bombay High Court for one year and then went on to pursue a Masters in Comparative and International Dispute Resolution from Queen Mary, University of London. Thereafter he returned back to India and again joined the Chambers of Senior Advocate Pradeep Sancheti, Bombay High Court.

    In this interview, he talks about:

    • Moot Court Competitions and acing them
    • Pursuing further studies and LL.M from Queen Mary
    • Choosing litigation over other opportunities

     

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

    I would introduce myself as a young junior counsel practising before the High Court of Bombay with a keen interest in Intellectual Property Law & Arbitration. I am working with Senior Advocate Mr. Pradeep Sancheti as his junior.

     

    Though it’s one of the most asked questions but yet, why law?

    The answer to that is with another question, why not? Despite being from a business family I realised that business was not my calling in life. I preferred something more on the professional lines and law was certainly my best plausible choice.

     

    Tell us about your years in law school. What made your journey with Mumbai University worth it? What are the co-curricular activities you took part at Mumbai University?

    I studied at Government Law College, Mumbai (GLC) the oldest law school in the country. Being at GLC itself made my entire time at University worth it considering the opportunities made available to GLC students. I was greatly involved with college activities, the Rotaract Club in particular. I was President of the Club and responsible for numerous events and activites. The College in appreciation of my involvement also awarded me with the Jotimal Chuganee Trophy for leadership.

     

    rishabh-jogani-2What 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 Intellectual Property and Arbitration.

    With regard to Intellectual Property, I did some courses from the World Intellectual Property Organisation and a Masters in Intellectual Property Law from IGNOU, New Delhi. However, the strongest addition to my knowledge in the field was an internship with Mr. Himanshu Kane of W.S.Kane & Co. who is probably one of the most knowledgable lawyers in the IP circles. Working with someone of Mr. Kane’s standing and expertise gave me great exposure to IP issues and provided me with a strong grounding with regard to IP law.

    As far as Arbitration is concerned, working with Mr. Sancheti had me learn about the various intricacies of arbitral law. I was involved with numerous arbitrations and matters arising out of them. Thereafter, I pursued an LL.M in Comparative  and International Dispute Resolution from the Queen Mary, University of London where I studied International Commercial Arbitration and Arbitration in relation to Energy Disputes. My LL.M thesis was also based on arbitration.

     

    Tell us a little about your internship at the Supreme Court of India.

    I interned with Mr. Justice KS Radhakrishnan of the Supreme Court during one of my summer vacations at GLC. The experience was extremely enriching, I would read cases and appeals coming to the Court and then attend the proceedings in Court. In the evenings, along with the other intern, we would have some discussions with the judge about what transpired in Court and what we understood from the cases.

     

    After your graduation, you started working at the Chambers of Pradeep Sancheti. What influenced your decision of working with him?

    My interest in arbitration drew me to Mr. Sancheti’s practice and the learning experience was extremely wonderful. Working with a Senior Advocate like Mr. Sancheti makes one realise that there is always scope to learn more. He is a great senior who besides being extremely nice to his juniors is always willing to answer all queries that come up in our minds.

     

    What influenced your decision to work in litigation?

    As a student I had interned at the High Court of Bombay and the Supreme Court of India as well as a few law firms and eventually joined Mr. Sancheti’s Chamber as an intern. I realised that I was never interested in working in a corporate structured firm and hence chose the litigation sector.

     

    Thereafter, you joined Queen Mary, University of London for an LL.M. At what point did you decide to pursue your Masters? What was your motivation?

    I always wanted some exposure to law on a comparative level and an LL.M was probably the best way to get that experience. After a year into practice at the Bar I decided to go for my LL.M. The zest for learning has probably been my strongest motivator and probably what drove me to the LL.M.

     

    In addition to academics, what did you do during your LL.M year at Queen Mary?

    Whilst at Queen Mary I was involved with ‘qLegal’ a project of the Legal Advice Centre of the School of Law. The work I did was quite interesting, in the sense that I was involved in drafting toolkits on legal issues. I was put in a team which had to draft notes on ‘Company Structure in the UK’ and ‘Trademarks in the UK’ meant for a non-legal audience. It was quite a task to simplify and explain legal terms and concepts but in the end was a rewarding experience.

    I also wrote the Runner Up Prize winning paper of the Preiskel Prize Essay Competition 2013-2014 for an essay titled, “Big data and Marketing – has the law caught up with the new digital reality.”

    Shortly after my exams, I worked with Zaiwalla & Co. a law firm in London. I did some very interesting work at the firm which involved research on English law and drafting litigation proceedings.

     

    How did you choose Queen Mary over other colleges? What was the decisive factor?

    The School of International Arbitration at Queen Mary is one of the best in the world and lets students study and work with famous international arbitration experts like Profs. Loukas Mistelis, Dr. Julian Lew QC, Stavros Brekoulakis and Dr. Maxi Scherer. Coupled with the fact that I wanted to live in London, Queen Mary seemed a natural choice.

    While choosing a University one should look at the specific courses offered, the courses of interest, the faculty and its reputation. One should not choose a University wholly based on rankings because not all courses offered by the top universities would have the same kind of academicians.

    The Universities in the UK employed a more wholesome approach to studying. There was certainly less classroom teaching than India but however not less learning. There was always voluminous pre-class reading that made sure that students came to lecture sessions well aware of the basics of the subject of discussion. There was a free exchange of opinion in classes and students were encouraged to express their viewpoints.

     

    What is your view on the latest trend among law students to pursue Masters abroad? How much of a brain drain do you think this is?

    Having done an LL.M myself I would certainly encourage anyone who can do one to seize the opportunity. No amount of learning is ever wasted and knowledge is something that stays with you for life. Some however, believe that a Masters abroad is easy and nothing but an expensive vacation. I would strongly disagree with that opinion for the simple reason that a Master’s degree from a reputed college is certainly not an easy task. There is a large amount of studying involved to pass the exams and extensive research that one must undertake to be able to write a thesis. If a student spends his time well then the LL.M is certainly an added advantage to his career.

     

    A lot of law students prefer corporate jobs over a career in litigation. What is your take on this? Is it better to work in the corporate sector for a few years before starting litigation?

    Corporate jobs certainly offer more money than litigation in the start and the allure of money is most understandable. Litigation in its early stages certainly is difficult, especially where finances are concerned but one reaps the reward soon after. I think that those students, who choose corporate work over litigation or vice versa, should always make an informed and practical choice, take into consideration their long term career goals and then decide what side they wish to pick. Working at a firm before joining the litigation sector is certainly advisable as it helps you deal with all facets of the profession.

     

    How has your mooting experience been? How helpful has been mooting in litigation?

    I had a tremendous amount of experience mooting for Government Law College. I represented GLC at numerous national and international moots. Mooting gets a law student as close as possible to a real Court room. There is a great deal of research and drafting involved in preparing for a moot which certainly helps one in the future at the Bar. Arguing before a moot Court also helps instil confidence in a student who eventually gets called to the Bar.

    I also had the opportunity to be part of the Queen Mary team at the Oxford Price Media Law Moot Court Competition and successfully managed to reach all the way upto the semi finals. As part of our training for the Oxford Moot, our coach was kind enough to arrange for a practice round before a sitting judge of the Queen’s Bench Divison of the High Court of Justice. Having always seen the buildings of the Royal Courts of Justice as a tourist and read a catena of English decisions the lawyer inside me harboured a wish to be able to address that Court one day. Participating in the moot fulfilled an otherwise impossible wish.

     

    Do you think the law school curriculum at the University of Mumbai requires an overhaul?

    The curriculum certainly needs an overhaul at the University of Mumbai. Students are forced to study some redundant subjects to the extent of even studying some repealed statutes. There is a lot of room for improvement at the University of Mumbai. Also, internships or some sort of work experience should also be made part of the law curriculum.

  • Anirudh Hariani on environment law litigations, LL.M. from Cornell and research skills

    Anirudh Hariani on environment law litigations, LL.M. from Cornell and research skills

    Anirudh Hariani graduated from GLC, Mumbai in 2011, with a BLS.LL.B degree. He later went on to pursue his LL.M from Cornell Law School. During his law schools he had the opportunity to intern with many legal luminaries, and in the midst of all these he had managed to score highly on research work and publications.

    We have asked him to share:

    • How research and publications helped him gain admission to Cornell Law School.
    • His experience interning with major Independent counsels.
    • Experience in environment law litigations and working on pro bono.
    • Law school experience at GLC, Mumbai.

     

    Please tell our readers, what is it that motivated you to take up law right after school?

    I’ve always been interested in two facets of law: argument and problem-solving. This stems from my school days when I participated in Model United Nations conferences. I also enjoy intellectually stimulating challenges, which one is faced with on a daily basis in our profession. My family background in law was also a strong influence on me.

     

    How was your law school experience at GLC, Mumbai?

    The big advantage of GLC is the fact that you can work while studying. Classes usually get over before noon, so most students take up full time or short-term internships during the year, which I found particularly useful. But this advantage may be diluted due to the recent Bar Council circular barring law students from doing internships during the academic year. The impact, if any, the notice will have on articled clerks intending to appear for the solicitors’ exam is also unclear.

    There’s no doubt that GLC has several deficiencies. Attendance at lectures is very low and the lectures themselves are conducted in a haphazard fashion. There are hardly any full time professors. But during my time there were a handful of highly regarded lecturers, including part-timers, whose lectures were always full. We had a professor who is now a Bombay High Court Judge, and other members of the legal fraternity used to lecture frequently. Their practical insights were invaluable.

    The proximity of GLC to the Bombay High Court, which is literally a stone’s throw away, does provide a conducive environment for students to take up litigation. But at the same time, Mumbai is the commercial hub of the country so you will find graduates taking up all kinds of law careers based on their interests.

     

    In GLC, guest lectures are organized on a fairly regular basis and extremely prominent luminaries are invited for the same. What role does that have to play when it comes to a student making his career choice?

    GLC has had a strong tradition of co curriculars, which are all student-run. During my time in college we organized an annual lecture series and had some fantastic speakers come to speak to us, including Mr. Soli Sorabjee, Mr. T. N. Andhyarujina, Mr. Anil Divan, Mr. Harish Salve and non-lawyers such as Dr. Shashi Tharoor etc. GLC, being the oldest law school in Asia, has produced many of the top lawyers in the country, over the years, so many of the speakers who would come to speak were alumni. The debating society would organize an annual debate on the steps of the Asiatic Library, which was a panel discussion with academics and policy makers, moderated by Mr. Aspi Chinoy, a senior advocate. During the D.M. Harish moot, GLC’s flagship moot, a Constitution (5-judge) bench of the Bombay High Court would preside the final rounds.

    These experiences of interacting with luminaries, and hearing them speak about their areas of expertise, or hearing their anecdotes while practicing, certainly develops passion in students’ minds. It’s not only theory that you learn, but also context and history, which motivates students greatly.

     

    anirudh-hariani-2You have done substantial amount of work and research in environmental law. What do you say about it as a field of study? You have also taken up pro bono litigations. What motivated you to take up these not so lucrative tasks?

    In India, despite having been practiced for many years environmental law has not developed into a viable means of full time employment for lawyers. The primary reason for this is that courts do not award exemplary damages, unlike in some countries, and in any case the Bar Council prohibits sharing of the proceeds of a case with the lawyer, so there is little or no incentive for lawyers to take up environmental law full time. Lawyers can’t, as a result, afford to work pro bono all the time.

    I have been involved in a few environmental matters during my time at Hariani & Co., including a major mining case, which was exciting and at the same time humbling experience, though not pro bono. On a smaller scale, I have worked pro bono with environment and animal rights activists, on matters which involve the animal welfare, in the Bombay High Court. The experience of doing such work is extremely rewarding as you can see the direct results of your work.

    I also helped update a book on environmental law, written by a leading senior advocate based in the Supreme Court. While researching for the same, it was remarkable to see the same handful of names being repeated in the cause title of Public Interest Litigations. It appears that there are a small but growing number of litigants taking up environmental causes such as deforestation, irregular development, etc. While environmental law is in its nascent stage in terms of litigation, there is no dearth of laws protecting the environment in India. The main problem is implementation.

    I eventually took up an environmental law course during my LL.M at Cornell. Despite environmental laws in the US being so radically different from Indian law, it was interesting to study the same from a purely academic perspective.

     

    Most of your litigation internships include ones under Advocate and Attorney General and includes late Mr. Vahanvati. Is there any special reason why you chose to work with independent counsels? Please tell us a bit about your internships.

    I chose to work with independent counsel to get a more holistic view of the law. Litigation is probably the purest form of law. With litigation one can come across all kinds of commercial and civil matters without being restricted to a particular area or niche (not that niche practice is uncommon). Working with counsel I vicariously experienced the thrill of appearing in court, which definitely increased my interest level in law per se.

    I was lucky to have worked with some very senior lawyers during my days at GLC. At different times, I interned with both the former, and present (prior to his appointment) Advocate General of Maharastra. Their preparation and thoroughness for matters taught me that there is no room for complacency in the profession, at the very top.

    I also worked with the late Mr. G. E. Vahanvati, former Attorney General for India, who was a very interesting person. He was a hands-on senior with interns. I was permitted to sit in his chamber and he would chat to me about his practice and his experiences at the bar – he too started his career in Mumbai. His general advice was that a student or young lawyer should make sure they learn something new each day. His advice, along with the high profile nature of his briefs, was extremely exhilarating for me, a fourth year intern. His untimely death was truly a loss for the profession.

    Through GLC students were sent to New Delhi, for judicial clerkships with Judges of the Supreme Court. Every lawyer / student must have dreamt at some point of time in their lives of working in the Supreme Court. For me it was no different. Having worked with the Attorney General, it was interesting to see the perspective from the other side of the bar. After court, I would go to the Judge’s house (a beautiful Lutyen’s bungalow) and do research work. It was exciting and somewhat intimidating knowing that your work may eventually appear as part of a judgment of the highest court of the land.

    I also interned with a Judge of the Bombay High Court in my final year, for a six month period. This was truly the icing on the cake, as I had grown accustomed to working in the Bombay High Court and was relatively comfortable in the environment.

     

    You have done an internship at Kanga & Co, which is one of the oldest law firms in India. How was your experience there?

    Kanga & Co. was my first internship as a law student at the end of my first year. Initially I was pretty clueless. But with the help of some good seniors and co-interns I learned quite a lot, even though we had not begun our proper law subjects at GLC.

    I remember that at one time, a partner required a co-intern and I to urgently draft a petition as he was travelling. Being completely fresh, we did our best with the information at hand. We didn’t know at the time that our first draft would eventually be converted into a full SLP which would be admitted in the Supreme Court!

     

    You have also interned in corporate law departments. How different was it?

    I interned with J Sagar Associates, Mumbai for one year, as a permanent intern/ paralegal. As I mentioned, apart from during exams, GLC permitted students to work through the year and many students took up long-term internships. As part of a mixed corporate and real estate team, I worked on several transactions, including performing due diligences etc. It was a proper corporate law experience. The environment was friendly and motivated, and I enjoyed working with the people there. The major take-away from my year at JSA was the large law firm culture, and the professionalism and efficiency of associates and partners which I tried to emulate. It was a good experience overall.

    Later on, I had a short stint with a medium-sized law firm in London, and my experience at JSA certainly helped prepare me for working with them. The work culture in the UK was more casual than Indian law firms. Partners would interact with interns and ‘trainee solicitors’ more casually, and would occasionally join them at the end of the week, for a drink at the pub.

    Prior to this, as a second year law student, I had also interned in the legal/ secretarial department of a large pharma company. Most of the people in the department were qualified company secretaries. It was my first brush with corporate law, prior to my JSA experience, although from the angle of the client and not the lawyer. It was a mixture of corporate compliances and reading up on company law from the CS angle, which I found quite interesting.

     

    You have been an avid writer and you have had many publications. How important do you now find your research skills?

    As a law student, I thoroughly enjoyed legal writing. Putting your thoughts down on paper not only cements your understanding of the topic, but allows you to go in-depth and to formulate your own analysis. I especially enjoyed researching on developing areas of law, such as copyright law. I always looked up to the GLC law review as a fresher, as I had heard seniors talking about it with reverence. That’s where I submitted my first legal paper, and luckily I was selected to be published.

    In my opinion, both legal writing and advocacy are equally important. But while mooting is given its due, legal writing is often overlooked. The emphasis should be equally on both.

    Even as a qualified lawyer, one is constantly preparing opinions or notes on one topic or the other. So legal research and writing skills are very important and are put to practical use. Also, academic writing establishes an in-depth understanding of that particular area of the law, which may not be the case when studying for exams or doing compulsory projects. Also, the satisfaction of seeing your name in print as a student is tremendous.

     

    After your graduation, you pursued LL.M from Myron Taylor Hall, Cornell University Law School. How helpful did your publications prove to be in gaining an admission there?

    I think my publications definitely helped me gain admission to Cornell Law School. Other things that the admissions officers look at are your statement of purpose, grades, work experience, etc.

    Having pre-existing research skills definitely helps when doing an LLM. In the first week of the LLM, we were given a tour on how to use Westlaw and LexisNexis. Having used Westlaw for an international moot and for articles, my integration was easier. Legal drafting on the other hand was completely different in the US. They have a very informal approach to drafting. While Indian contracts will run into several pages, a contract there would be more concise, informal and to the point. In fact, there was even a whole introductory course offered to LLM students on American legal writing.

     

    Along with research work, you were pretty active in other co curricular activities like being in OCs, debating, MUN etc. How did that part of law school affect your overall personality?

    Co curricular activities such as mooting, debating, MUN, being part of OCs, etc. are important to any law student’s overall experience, and to get to know people in college. I was very active in such activities in my first few years at GLC. My co curricular activities reduced as I got busier with internships.

    GLC has traditionally been a very good mooting school, but in recent years the emphasis is on national law schools. During my time we had some seniors who were fantastic mooters. Watching them moot and trying to emulate their successes was always what we aspired to do. With mooting I also had the chance to meet law students around the country, some of whom I kept in touch with. So, involving myself in mooting and other co curricular activities definitely impacted me positively.

     

    Finally, is there any tip you would like to give to our budding lawyers?

    Experiment as much as you can during your five years at law school. Try to develop your ancillary skills and soft skills while in law school, because you will need them during practice.

     

  • Arvind P. Datar on the job of a Senior Advocate, taxation law and writing authoritative law books

    Arvind P. Datar on the job of a Senior Advocate, taxation law and writing authoritative law books

    Arvind P. Datar is a prominent Senior Advocate at Madras High Court and one of the finest lawyers in South India. He graduated from Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, Chennai. He is also known for his books ‘Nani Palkhivala: The Courtroom Genius’, ‘Datar Commentary on Constitution of India’ and ‘Guide to Central Excise Law and Practice: With Accounting Practices’.

    We requested him to share his deep insights on:

    • Being a Senior Advocate
    • Establishing one of the finest litigation practices in taxation
    • Being the author of leading book on Central Excise and Constitution
    • Advice to young law students and lawyers

     

    Please tell us a bit about your pre-college years, you as a student, your ambitions as a kid. Did you have lawyers in your family or among close relatives?

    After my schooling in Pune, I completed my graduation from Bombay University. Initially, I wanted to join the merchant navy but I was medically disqualified due to a surgery. Thereafter, I continued my science degree and completed B.Sc (Hons.) in Physics and Mathematics. I was very active in debates at Bombay and decided to take up law. Accordingly, I returned to Madras and joined the Madras Law College. My grand -father and great grandfather were lawyers in Pune several decades ago. In the recent past, there have been no lawyers amongst my close relatives.

     

    What were your objectives when you thought about law while still in the preliminary years of Law College?

    After I joined the law college, I really enjoyed the subjects. We had wonderful set of lecturers in the first year. On account of the Emergency, [sociallocker]there were no strikes and classes were conducted regularly.

     

    What were your plans after graduation? Did you think of joining the Civil Services ever?

    I decided to specialize in taxation from the first year itself and, therefore, enrolled myself for the course in Cost Accountancy. I had law lectures in the morning and cost accountancy classes in the evening. I thought that this would help me in my tax practice and, indeed, it has proved to be immensely useful.

    From the first year, I had decided to practice as a tax lawyer and have not wavered even once I never thought of taking up any job or joining the civil service even once.

     

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

    My first year in the law college was very useful and, till this date, the lectures on contract law and transfer of property are still fresh in my memory. In the second year, the emergency was lifted and the Janata Party came to power. Once again, we began to have strikes frequently. In the final year, we had hardly 50 days of college. For example, in constitutional law, the lecturer did not even commence Part III which was fundamental rights starting from Article 12. Therefore, the last two years of Law College were totally useless. Therefore, barring the first year subjects, all the students from my college were self-taught.

     

    How was the court atmosphere before, as distinguished from how it is now? Did judges take kindly to new orators? How was your experience in the first few sessions of the court? Do you think it has become more difficult for a fresher to be successful?

    There is no great difference in the court atmosphere prevailing in the 80s and now. Most judges are kind to juniors and encourage young lawyers who are well prepared and make an earnest effort. I was very nervous in my first few appearances but gradually this disappeared. It is not difficult today for new comers. In fact, there are far more opportunities now because of different and newer branches of law, regulators and tribunals.

     

    arvind-datar

    You have a long and illustrious career as one of the most reputed advocates in India. What are the primary soft skills necessary in order to have a successful career in the legal profession?

    I think no one is successful by accident in any professional career, whether law or medicine or architecture: The essential skills are: a thorough knowledge of the subject of specialization, the ability to work very hard, the courage not to take short- cuts, the patience to wait for opportunities to come our way and, finally, the ability to seize the opportunities when they appear.

    It is also essential to carefully set individual goals and then devise a plan of action to achieve them. It is necessary to have clearly defined goals and carefully plan the manner in which these goals will be attained. For a lawyer, a mastery of the English language is an invaluable asset. We have to acquire skills that are necessary to achieve our goals. For example, if one wants to specialize in taxation, a knowledge of accountancy is very helpful.

    Lastly, the most important thing is the ability to say no. To say “no” to activities that are not in tune with your long-term goals. It will be far more rewarding if one relentlessly pursues the long term goal by systematically attaining short-term and mid-term goals that are congruent with our long term goal. It is also necessary to have just one or two goals and not plan for too many things. Once, the long-term, mid-term and short-term goals are set, it is necessary to periodically review them to determine whether we are on the right track.

     

    People have an impression that it is important to know the judge more than the case. How much truth would you say lie in such a statement?

    This is basically wrong and there is too much loose talk and baseless gossip. There may be exceptional instances where this statement may be true but this is really rare.

     

    The judges are known to have a pre-conceived disposition towards being socialist, rightist, etc. How do you say young lawyers can argue for a matter which is against such disposition?

    If a judge has a strong pre-conceived disposition towards a particular ideology, it would be wrong to bring these notions to the Bench while hearing a case. Unfortunately, this does happen and socialist / leftist / rightist notions do influence the thinking of judges on the bench. Not only young lawyers but even senior lawyers will find it difficult to argue before a judge who has strong pre-conceived notions. It will require great skills of advocacy to persuade the judge not to allow his notion or ideology to influence the outcome.

     

    What were the landmarks of your career which led to your designation as a Senior Advocate? Please share with us the challenges and achievements you came across on your journey from being a fresh graduate to a Senior Advocate?

    There have been several cases which were stepping stones that eventually led to my designation as a senior advocate. I had specialized in taxation and company law and I argued a number of cases before the High Courts, Tribunals and Company Law Board. Further, my articles, books on Central Excise and my editing of Ramaiya’s Book on Company Law also helped to substantially increase my practice particularly in the Company Law Board. Eventually, I was appearing in a number of important company law, tax and commercial cases and this led to my designation as a senior advocate.

    The initial challenges were financial in nature and it took me 11 years to buy my first second-hand car. To supplement my professional income, I took to writing of articles, books and also being a part-time lecturer. This, indirectly, helped in building up my practice as well. By writing and giving lectures, one get’s known in corporate circles and this also increases your practice.

     

    How is it being a Senior Advocate? Do you think titles like this can change one’s recognition drastically? Does it enhance the responsibility? How has your work profile changed as a Senior Advocate?

    A senior advocate has great responsibility. The client and the advocate on record place all their trust in you. In most cases, the advocates on record and instructing counsel prepare the case very well and the senior advocate has then to plan the strategy for presenting the case. This has to be done after detailed examination of the facts, the case-law and the statutory provisions.

    My working profile drastically changed as a senior advocate. I was able to argue in a number of cases outside the area of my specialization. This also helped me to learn several new areas including arbitration, environmental law mining and intellectual property.

     

    You have several best-selling legal books like ‘Nani Palkhivala: The Courtroom Genius’, ‘Datar Commentary on Constitution of India’ and ‘Guide to Central Excise Law and Practice: With Accounting Practices’ to your credit. How important is writing for you?

    Writing is extremely important for me. In the earlier years, writing of articles and then writing of a book on Central Excise was critical in building my practice. The writing of books forced me to carefully study the statutory provisions and case laws. You have to understand the entire Act and the relevant subordinate legislation. You have to always keep in mind the object or purpose of the enactment. This understanding will not come even if we prepare extensively for a case. The writing of a book helps to understand the structure of a particular statute. One has to compare similar provisions in other enactments and development of law over several years.

    I have always told young lawyers that they must write a commentary in the area of their specialization.

     

    What do you look for in your interns when they apply for a position to work with you? If there is someone who wants your guidance, what should he/she do?

    Since substantial part of my practice relates to taxation, I insist that the interns should have completed a course in taxation. If they do not have a basic knowledge of taxation, their internship will not be fruitful. Whenever younger lawyers wanted my guidance /advice, I have always tried to help the young lawyers to the extent possible.

     

    There have been quite a few booms and busts in the legal industry. What do you think about the future of legal education in India? How do you say a student can manage to stay ahead of the ‘rat race’?

    I think that the future of legal education is not bright because there are too many law colleges and very few lecturers. It is not possible to have competent lecturers for all these institutions. Earlier, many lawyers were part-time lecturers. We had a number of successful lawyers who taught in the morning or in the evening. This excellent practice has unfortunately been discontinued. There must be a complete halt to any new law college as the supply far exceeds the demand. There must also be a strict entrance exam so that a minimum qualification standard is maintained.

    Students can stay ahead of the rat-race by constantly reading books, keeping abreast of the latest developments. Students must also make full use of their internship so that they can decide their area of specialization.

     

    What would be your advice to young law students? Whether they should join a firm or practice at bar? How should they approach the legal career?

    Young lawyers should join civil offices where there is extensive trial work. In my view, the best thing is to work for one year in civil office and another year in an office specializing in criminal work. This will give young lawyers an excellent foundation in basic civil and criminal laws. Thereafter, he can specialize in any subject. They can choose to become solicitors or focus on chamber practice. Alternatively, they can go into litigation. The two years spent in civil / criminal practice, will be very useful in dealing with a wide variety of cases and should be treated as a long-term investment.
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  • Puneet Bhasin, Cyber Law Expert, Cyberjure Legal Consulting, on mooting, pursuing cyber law, and plans for the future

    Puneet Bhasin, Cyber Law Expert, Cyberjure Legal Consulting, on mooting, pursuing cyber law, and plans for the future

    Puneet Bhasin, graduated from  GLC, Mumbai in 2011. During her time as an undergraduate, she has interned with the likes of Fox Mandal Little and Advani & Co. In 2012 she went on to pursue a postgraduate diploma in Cyber Laws. She is currently a master candidate in the University of Mumbai, specializing in business laws with a focus in e-commerce laws and compliance.

    In this interview we speak to her about:

    • Winning the Surana & Surana Int’l Technology Law Moot
    • Choosing to pursue Cyber Law
    • Her internship experience

     

    How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?

    I am an advocate practising in the area of Cyber Laws. It is a new and growing field. I started practice three years back after I graduated from Government Law College (Mumbai) with the B.L.S.LL.B. degree.  I was interested in this field from my first year in law college, and I did the Diploma in Cyber Laws from Asian School of Cyber Laws. This basic course made me realize that I wanted to pursue a career in this field and that is when in my second year in law college I became a Certified Cyber Crime Investigator. Subsequently, I did my Post Graduate Diploma in Cyber Laws in the fourth year of law college. Additionally in my final year, I did short courses in Intellectual Property Laws, Hacking & Cyber Security and E-Commerce Laws. I passed out from college in 2011 and started practicing on my own.

     

    Why did you decide to study law?

    While in school, I never thought of pursuing law, though many of my family members are lawyers and in judicial services. However, after the 12th Board exams, I came across the prospectus of Government Law College, and the subjects appealed to me. I read up more about them, and decided I wanted to pursue law; and within the first week of law college, I realized that this was probably the best decision I made in my life.

     

    What does it take to be a great mooter?

    (Puneet has won the Best Student Advocate Award at Surana and Surana International Technology Law Moot Court Competition.)

    It was God’s grace that I got many opportunities to participate in moots in college. Surana and Surana International Technology Law Moot Court Competition was one of the most memorable one for me. I was selected to represent GLC in this moot in my second year, and it gave me an opportunity to research on main law subjects, as till the second year we had only pre-law subjects. The moot problem surrounded a very interesting premise of “legal liability in cases of Augmented Reality”, which means that who is liable if a computer with artificial intelligence does something wrong.

    It is very important to be open to learning in order to excel in moots. Good research skills are a must along with excellent oratory skills. However, the more you participate in moots, the better you become.

    Moots give you practical experience to some extent. More than anything else, they teach you how to handle success and then deal with defeat also. When you win many moots and then you lose in a moot, it is a big set-back for your self-confidence, but it is very important for you to experience this as this is what real world litigation practice is all about. Winning and losing cannot affect you much at all as it is a part of practicing law. You learn to dissociate feelings of self-worth from practice.

     

    puneet-bhasin2Share some of your memorable mooting experiences.

    Surana and Surana International Technology Law Moot was a very memorable experience, and I was judged by the Director of Asian School of Cyber Laws in one of the rounds in that moot in 2008. Surprisingly, she remembered me even in 2011 and got in touch with me to teach Post Graduate Diploma in Cyber Laws in their institute. Moots definitely give you recognition and help build contacts.

    I participated in the Kanga Moot Court Competition in 2010 and we won the Best Team award along with Best Memorial. The moot problem was based on arbitration, and that is where I got interested in Arbitration and interned in this area of law also. One thing about mooting is that it gives you a chance to read up extensively on different subjects of law, and this helps you to know where your interest for practice lies.

    The Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa moot was my first moot and it was in Ahmednagar. That was the first time I had gone to stay in the interiors of Maharashtra, and the simplicity of the students there was very impressive. I loved the experience of interacting with the law students there.

     

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

    I interned in Fox Mandal Little and Co.  under Senior Partner Mr. Pal. He specializes in Shipping laws and I assisted him in matters. However, this experience made me realize that shipping laws was not my cup of tea. Then I interned under Managing Partner Mr. Khatlawala in Corporate Law arena,, and I did like it. I got to learn a lot. Under Junior Partner Ms. Rajni Divkar, I got the opportunity to assist in the drafting of Rules under a State Act.

    But soon Arbitration caught my fancy, and I landed up with an internship under Mr. Hiroo Advani, who is an expert in Arbitrations. I really liked working on arbitration matters and attending arbitration proceedings. In Advani and Co. I even worked on couple of Due Diligences, but soon realized that typical corporate law work like due diligence is probably not made for me.

    The internships gave me a clear insight on what I love doing and what I would prefer to avoid as a career choice with respect to legal practice. They made me more confident along with helping me build good networks in the legal fraternity.

     

    Do you think participating in extracurricular activities like MUNs is essential?

    (Puneet has been awarded Honorable Mention in Human Rights Council of GLC Model United Nations.)

    Any extra-curricular activity teaches a lot and mere participation makes us a better person and equips us with skills we did not have before. I used to actively participate in Debates, Moots and MUNs in college, and I felt that they made me more confident and improved my analytical and logical thinking skills.

    Students must participate in extra-curricular activities, not just to win, but to gain meaningful experience.

     

    How did you become interested in a career in cyber law?

    I realized that I had a profound interest in Cyber laws in my first year in law college, and I pursued this interest by doing further courses so that I could equip myself well to be able to practice in this area of law.

    Academic skills of cyber laws you can learn by doing courses on this subject, and practical skills you will learn only on the job.

     

    What were the difficulties you faced in shaping up your career as it stands today?

    Cyber law was a very new field at that time, with very few people practicing it. This had many advantages, as unlike many fields of law where seniority, experience and age matters, in cyber laws there was less competition three years back, and there was no question of seniority as it was a very nascent and new field.

    However, the major difficulty faced by me is that there are victims of cyber crimes everywhere, but they are ignorant of the law and don’t know that they can seek legal recourse.  I started blogging on cyber laws on http://indiancyberlawyer.wordpress.com and http://blog.ipleaders.in to create awareness about cyber crimes.

    In the initial stages of your career, patience is the key.

     

    A lot of people don’t understand the specialization of cyber law. Why do you think is this the case?

    Cyber laws are a very specialized field. A cyber lawyer is a techno-legal lawyer who is well-versed with technical aspects of computers, computer networks, communication devices and has complete legal knowledge including the special laws and rules applicable in techno-legal matters. Most evidence in criminal cases is obtained from cell phones or computers, and a cyber lawyer is the only one who can help in proper appreciation of such evidence or to find loop-holes to make such evidence inadmissible. Also, with the advent of E-Commerce, the concept of e-contracts and digital signatures has emerged, and only a cyber attorney would be able to advice with respect to the same. Intellectual Property Rights in cyber space is also a growing arena which requires lawyers proficient in technical aspects.  Cyber security standards are also governed by laws in India, and a cyber attorney is the only person who would be able to give sound advice on the same.

     

    Tell us something about being an Associate Member of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIARB), UK.

    Affiliation to CIARB (UK) requires you to attend the course conducted by them and then submit your research on the topic given by them. The research paper is graded and if you get above B grade then you are qualified to pay the requisite fees and become an Associate Member of CIARB. This is the first step to become a Chartered Arbitrator.

    Lawyers who are interested in this should visit the CIARB website and enrol for their course in India.

     

    How do you go about teaching?

    (Puneet is also a faculty for Post Graduate Diploma in Cyber Laws at Asian School of Cyber Laws.)

    I love to teach cyber laws, and being a faculty gives me that opportunity. It keeps you in touch with the subject and also helps you to contribute to the growth of this field in India, by training lawyers and IT professionals in this field. Practicing law is very satisfying and lucrative, however, life as a professor is not as lucrative but it has a very feel good factor to it, as your students look upto you and you get a chance to shape their careers. Teaching is a very humbling experience.

     

    How important is social media engagement?

    Lawyers cannot advertise, and in specialized fields like cyber laws, it is impossible for people to know about the services you offer. Social media and blogging play the role of the bridge between a legal professional and potential clients.

     

    Where do you see yourself after five years from now?

    I would like to believe that with the growth of Cyber laws in India even my career will reach new heights in the next five years. Hopefully with God’s grace I would be able to make a lasting mark in the legal fraternity in the area of cyber laws.

     

    Do you accept interns with you? How does one apply?

    I do accept interns. I even take interns on a distance mode basis for research work. Anyone interested can apply with their resume to contact.cyberjure@gmail.com.

     

    Last but not the least, what would be your message for aspiring law practitioners?

    Law is an amazing field, and if you aspire to enter this field then you are definitely going to love it. Law involves a lot of human interaction, which is the best part of it. You get to learn new stuff about human nature each day, and in the process you change for the better each day. Good luck for your wonderful journey of becoming a lawyer!

     

  • Sneha Ashtikar a GLC Grad on LL.M from Sciences Po, Paris and internship at Gide Loyrette Nouel, Paris

    Sneha Ashtikar a GLC Grad on LL.M from Sciences Po, Paris and internship at Gide Loyrette Nouel, Paris

    sneha

    Sneha talks about the unparalleled flexibility available at GLC with regard to pursuing internships. She explains how her knowledge of the French language coupled with the ease of obtaining a French scholarship and lower living costs makes higher studies in France an attractive option. She clarifies on the application procedure and common misconceptions about the contents of an LLM degree in France.

     

    Tell us something about yourself.

    My name is Sneha and I am pursuing my Master’s degree in Law from Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences-Po) in Paris. Previously, I studied law in Government Law College in Mumbai. Currently, I am on a gap year to gain practical work experience as an Intern in Gide Loyrette Nouel, Paris.

     

    Though it’s one of the most cliché question, but yet, why law?

    Let me give you a candid answer to that question. Since school, my interest in languages motivated me to participate in essay competitions, elocutions and most importantly – debates. Math and sciences were never my strong subjects. Hence, narrowing down my career choices was easier. My love of languages and debates naturally drew my interest towards law and here I am.

     

    What about your LLB years? What did you guys do for fun? 

    I started studying in GLC in 2007, I must say I had lot of fun; I met some of my best friends there. For fun, we participated in lot of different college committees, moot courts, Model United Nations conferences, etc.  We represented GLC in Harvard Model United Nations in Boston and that trip was the most memorable!

     

    GLC is located in sort of hub of all the law firms giving students ample opportunity to do running internship, yet a lot of people complain about irregular classes and infrastructure. What do you think are pros and cons of GLC?

    GLC has consistently produced excellent legal talent in the country. No other institution can claim to have such an impressive number of outstanding lawyers. Recently, in light of the development of legal education in past few years, students require an all-round CV to get past a challenging interview process at the law firms or to be able to cope with the competition at the bar.

    GLC curriculum is unique in this respect and provides for an all round development of a lawyer. Students typically intern for 4-5 years almost on a full times bases prior to graduation. This is a huge advantage for GLC students as opposed to students from other law schools in the country wherein students do limited internships during the 5-year programme. Additionally, the moots, other extra-curricular activities and the freedom that GLC provides to its students is incomparable to other institutions.

    That said, one major complaint that students have at GLC is its lack of infrastructure and resources. Relatively speaking, Shortage of good faculty is another concern at GLC. At the same time, it is also remarkable to see that we have students from other colleges coming to attend Professor Pithawalla’s lectures. I think GLC’s rich library is also one of the impressive assets to mention, our library has the original copy of the Indian Penal Code drafted by Lord Macaulay in the year 1886 and also many rare books, which cannot be found in any other library in India. GLC’s physical location is on one hand a huge advantage to its students while on the other hand there is no space to expand in the most sought after area of Churchgate, Mumbai.

     

    What made you go for higher studies so early in your career?

    Initially, my plan was to stay and gain experience for a few years, however, one of the deal breakers was to get admitted to a good law school and I managed to do it along with a scholarship. So, here I am, studying in Paris.

     

    Paris is a dream to-go-to place for many people and you happen to be studying there. How does it feel like?

    It feels amazing! I always dreamed of visiting Paris but I must say I never thought that I would end up studying here and walking by the Eiffel and the Louvre every day. Paris is undoubtedly one of the best international cities and it has so much to offer you on many different levels. On each and every corner of Paris, there is a special monument with a remarkable history attached to it. I feel privileged to be able to live in Paris and at the same time I have the advantage of visiting neighboring European countries any time I want as everything is within two hours by flight!

     

    Why did you choose to study in Paris?

    I chose Paris for my love of the language French. I started learning French at Alliance Française de Bombay when I was in the first year of GLC. French is such an elegant language and you start feeling glamorous even while learning it.  I had several opportunities to meet eminent French personalities, participate in activities related to France or their language, I remember we had a treasure hunt competition in South Bombay in which all clues given to us were in French!

    So basically, I fell in love with the language first and then I decided to even take my main career along with me to France.

     

    How did Sciences Po Paris happen? What other colleges did you apply for?

    I was contemplating between doing a JD in the US or something as different as Sciences-Po Paris. In my final year, I studied to give the LSAT, by the end of the application process; I was comparing my career options between doing a JD against a Master’s degree from Sciences-Po. Sciences-Po definitely sounded like an out of the box kind of an idea and at the same time, it also carries a strong reputation of famous schools alike such as Harvard or Oxford University. It has traditionally educated France’s political and diplomatic elites including the current President Mr. Hollande. I was completely amused by the idea of studying at an institution that carries a strong worldwide reputation for specializing in social sciences.

     

    Did you get any scholarship to study there?

    Yes, I was given the French Government’s scholarship. The French government is very welcoming of its foreign students and there are many institutional scholarships as well as one other government scholarship that gives priority to law students.

     

    How long is the LLM course over there? How is it different from LLM in popular countries such as US and UK?

    It is a crisscross two year program between LLB and LLM, it is called ‘Master in Economic Law’ with a specialization of your choice in second year. It enables you to study more subjects than in LLM offered in other countries and you can still pursue a specialization, which is normally offered by an LLM course. So I think it is a fantastic course and also fits the expectations of law graduates coming from India. You also have an opportunity of participating in famous moot court competitions such as Willem C. Vis and Jessup. Sciences-Po has an excellent faculty of full time professors as well as a prominent visiting faculty including professors from foreign law schools, several partners, and lawyers from international law firms and so on. At this point, I would also like to mention that all classes are offered English and based on Common law in comparison with the basics of French/Civil law. A common perception is that I am studying only civil law of France which is not too useful for common-law lawyers but I hope this clears the cloud. I personally find it extremely useful to get to know the basics of this civil law system, especially when Indian law firms are starting to have many European clients.  You can also take an year off from the school and pursue two internships over the period of ten months or apply for exchange programs to law schools including NYU, Harvard University to study one semester there and then pursue one internship of five months. Even if you decide not to take the year off, during your second year, there is Columbia law school exchange program in which, you spend a semester at Columbia and return to Paris to finish the last semester. This course also makes you eligible to pass the French bar exam which is in French (if you work hard on your French, you can take it!)

     

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

    I would suggest sending in the application on day 1 of starting date. Sciences Po doesn’t have a particular early decision system like American law schools but since it is rolling application process, earlier the better. No prior knowledge of French language is expected from the applicant student, which is very comforting to those who do not speak French at all. You can start learning the language with your law classes. I had many students in my class who did not speak French at all so it is common.

    Of course, knowing French language can prove useful because you live in a francophone country so for day to day life it is easier if you speak French but I also know of many people who get by without speaking any French. It really is up to the person if he/she wants to embrace a new language. I remember how thankful I was to be able to speak French when I called a French plumber and explained him the leakage problem in my apartment! If you love challenges, this course and this place are for you!

    Most importantly this course isn’t as expensive as the LLM in US or UK. In fact, the tuition fee of an LLM in the US or the UK is equivalent to 2 years of fees and cost of living of the course that I am pursuing. Also, being one amongst the rare 3000 (approx.) Indian students in France gives you a good chance to score a scholarship.

     

    How would you describe your typical day?

    Since I am working now, I wake up early in the morning, have a shot of espresso like a true French national to start my day and by the end of the day have dinner, sometimes with a glass of one of those special French wines and some good jazz music to overcome the exhaustion! I share my apartment with a French lady so we discuss random things happening around (oh yes, in French). I really think you have to integrate yourself in the local culture so you don’t feel home sick; instead you end up making a new home for yourself.

     

    You are interning with Gide Loyrette Nouel which is one of the leading international law firm. How is your experience there so far? How is it different from an Indian law firm? Is there any specific requirement for working in law firms over there?

    My experience so far has been extremely positive, I feel absolutely incredible to have an opportunity to work with them. I speak French with most of the associates and partners and they absolutely appreciate it! The team that I work with is so diverse and you have an immense scope of learning literally every day. The clients are so international that at times, I have found myself looking up the Company laws of African countries. I also got to learn the practicality behind French corporate laws. It is an extraordinary experience for a common law lawyer. I noticed the firms here are very well organized and very particular about their filings, billing hours etc. In addition, big firms like Gide Loyrette Nouel have intense training and a welcome program for interns to help them integrate well into their working style.
    There is no specific requirement as such to apply, they even give opportunities to freshers but being a student of Sciences-Po definitely helps you to compete with other law students applying from other universities such as Sorbonne.

    The firm is also sending me to Beijing to work for the summer so I have a chance to gain professional experience in Asia. I am very excited to discover China!

     

    What are your future plans?

    I would love to work in an international law firm like Gide after graduation but it is not so easy since it is a very competitive market for lawyers in Paris. Hence, after the completion of my postgraduate studies, I will aim at finding an associate’s position. Hopefully my current work experience will help me achieve it.

     

    What would be your advice to law students who plan to go for higher studies or want to get into academics?
    Since we all are still facing the post-recession consequences, it is extremely important to be innovative in your career options. If you pursue a Phd in law, you could also become a professor afterwards and it will be good to have some fresh, young faces into academics.

     

    Last but not the least, what would be your message for law students?

    I would say that use your time to your advantage. Manage your academic scores well and at the same time, make your portfolio colorful and convincing with a wide range of internships and work experience. Use every experience to learn about yourself and make a decision about the future based on the lessons you learn. In the end, own up to your decision. Never keep any regrets. The most important thing is to make sure you have fun no matter what you do. Last but not the least, learn a new foreign language!