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  • Shubhi Sharma, Freelance Social Media Expert, Cartoonist on law school and pursuing LL.M from King’s College, London

    Shubhi Sharma, Freelance Social Media Expert, Cartoonist on law school and pursuing LL.M from King’s College, London

    Shubhi Sharma graduated from Symbiosis Law School, Pune in 2007. She then completed her Master’s with a focus on competition law, arbitration and finance from King’s College, University of London. She worked at Vahura as a Talent Management Specialist and a Social Media Artist before moving on to working as a freelancer creative social media manager. In this interview, she talks about:

    • Her decision to pursue law
    • Experience at Symbiosis Law School and Master’s at King’s College
    • Exploring her creative side and eventually taking it up as a full-time profession
    • Decision to not pursue a traditional job in the legal profession
    • Balancing work with personal life
    • Following her passion against all odds

     

    How would you introduce yourself to our readers in one sentence?

    I am the ‘mother of Egg-Heads’ (popular name for my cartoon characters), who, after a law degree from Symbiosis Law School and a master’s degree from King’s College London, is now practicing the humorous side of law.

     

    What made you choose law for your graduation? Was there any pressure to join this field?

    Will you believe me if I say that it was an influence of movies and TV shows?  From ‘Meri Jung’ to ‘Ally McBeal’, I was influenced by all of them. However, it was probably my genes that pulled me towards law. My father still is my biggest inspiration and I grew up watching him practice. As a matter of fact, I grew up in an environment where intense discussions were a part of our daily routine. As kids, we were expected to be aware – socially and politically. In addition to that my time at Welham Girls’ School, further enhanced and shaped my debating skills. After winning series of awards in both debating and dramatics, I felt the next best thing was to study law. To be sure, I underwent the necessary career counselling sessions, and my choice of profession seemed in sync with my attributes.

     

    Tell us about your life at Symbiosis Law School, Pune.

    One thing about the five years at Symbiosis Law School, Pune is that they just flew by. We were the first batch of Symbiosis Deemed University and our management wanted us to have the best of everything. The batch of 2007 was extremely special, each one of us came with our own special traits – focused, diligent, unconventional, highly ambitious and a lively bunch.

    Our classes usually got over by noon, which left us with ample time to do things we liked. This was one of the advantages of a non-residential college. While most of my friends spent time in the library, I was busy converting our study material into humorous study notes- something like a story made from the content of the subject. That was my unique way of preparing for exams. In retrospect, I guess that’s where the seed was sown. This content was an excellent way to study, and was often used by my study group as the last minute resort to memorize for exams – you know – no-body forgets a good joke! Probably it was this interesting style of preparation that helped me win the prestigious Ram Jethmalani Award for Excellence in Law of Evidence.  On the other hand, I also utilised my free time by opting to help a new advertising firm with their IPR queries, but instead, ended up working with their creative team.

    Another interesting thing about Symbiosis was its campus. We had other courses running on the same campus. That gave us the opportunity to befriend students pursuing other courses and expand our knowledge.

     

    How involved were you in co-curricular and extracurricular activities?

    A lot more than I was involved with books! I did a lot of theatre and debating in my early years.  Being on stage brings out the best in me, it is therapeutic. I wasn’t called ‘Drama Sharma’ for no reason. On the other side, I was very active in contributing ideas to an advertising firm. I can proudly say that my ideas were used in various ad campaigns in and around Pune.

     

    Why did you choose King’s College, University of London for your Master’s? What was your area of specialisation?

    I was always keen on doing my higher studies outside the country, UK being the priority.  It was about gaining international exposure, meeting fellow students from across the world, and experiencing a different education system. When I was shortlisting colleges, my priority was the ranking of the college, curriculum it offered, and its faculty.  KCL is not only the one of the top ranked colleges, it is also known for its incredible faculty –  Prof Richard Whish, Prof Tennekoon, Toby Landau QC, to name a few. I consider myself lucky to have studied under their guidance.

    My LL.M. was focused on competition law with additional subjects of arbitration and finance.

     

    How was your experience there? What was your biggest learning experience?

    My LL.M. at KCL not only taught me the intricate details of syndicated loans or gave me the in-depth insight on per se rule in EU Competition law, but it also changed the way I thought. The pedagogy followed at King’s is different from the one in India. It forces you to think beyond the regular. It was intriguing to observe the mix of minds in the class; everyone came with their own opinions, experiences and perspectives. Unlike my previous batches from school and college, my class at KCL had a few students who were way senior to me. Learning about their professional lives and experiences made me realise that we, at the start of our careers, restrict ourselves to walk down a particular paved path. Today, when I look at a few of my class mates from KCL, I see a Competition Law lawyer turned into a full time travel photographer and an associate from a Magic Circle law firm as a legal journalist. To cut the long story short- KCL and the people I met there taught me one thing –  to think beyond the regular.

    My LL.M. was not all about the curriculum, it was an overall experience.  My stay in London gave me the opportunity to travel. I backpacked across half of western and southern Europe with students from across the world!

     

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    After completing your Masters, you started working with Vahura, a legal talent specialist firm. Why did you choose to move away from pure law work in a law firm?

    The original plan was a regular one –  apply to the law firms and make a career. Luckily, I came across Vahura. What really attracted me was their business offering: they are unique in their solutions and the best in the industry. When I met Ritvik Lukose (CEO, Vahura), I was floored by his sense of vision. The concept of Talent Development Service excited me. It was relatively new at that time, and I knew I could contribute a great deal there. I felt I could use my creative side to this project too, which I did. The best part about Vahura was that I could retain my creativity and identity. Ritvik gave us complete freedom to run the show our way and that helped me grow personally as well as professionally.

     

    Did you ever contemplate joining a top corporate law firm, or even become a litigation lawyer, while a law student?

    I suppose we all grow up the same way and compare ourselves with what our friends or seniors are doing. ‘Career’ becomes all about taking up a secure job. I too belonged to this line of thought.  I would be wrong in saying I am not ambitious, it is just that with time my goal changed. I wanted to be successful and be known for what I do best. Even though I tried, I didn’t see myself fit into closed spaces and a structured environment. I needed the freedom to explore and shape my own identity.

     

    Please tell us about your work as Talent Management Specialist & Social Media Artist at Vahura.

    At Vahura I worked for the Talent Development Service, now known as the Mentorship programme. This programme is a series of end to end recruitment preparatory services for law students and young professionals, to help them improve their recruitment potential, and make the right professional choice. Something, we all needed during our final year at law school. We created detailed, comprehensive workshops catering to the core needs of students. These workshops were not long, monotonous, yawn-inducing training sessions. In fact, we made sure that there was a good balance of knowledge, psychometrics test, interview snippets of seniors from the industry, and humour – that’s where the Egg-Heads made their first appearance. I enjoyed this role thoroughly, as a major part of this profile included intense market research, interviews of luminaries from the industry, preparation of accurate content, design and presentation.

    My role with Vahura also evolved. As a team, we regularly plan or modify the strategy. My main deliverable is comic banners created under the pen name Pen-Ultimate. It has been two years since we started! Over this time, Vahura gained immense visibility and Pen-Ultimate & Ultimate Lyre gained popularity.

     

    Why did you leave Vahura?

    The decision to leave Vahura was a difficult one, but necessary at that time. I had started to feel the need of getting into the creative field completely. Although, my profile at Vahura was giving me enough opportunity to pursue that, I wanted more. Honestly, I did not have an immediate plan. But I knew I had to get myself out of my comfort zone to take the step, which, at that time, was completely unknown to me. I was confused but, I never lost focus. I took a much needed break from work, and started figuring out my next career move. I was looking at something where I could use my knowledge of law more creatively. I used this time wisely; I connected with people from the creative industry and took their advice, researched on various options, took a few online courses. Ritvik and Balanand (from Vahura) played a major role in this decision making.  It is they who planted the idea in my head.  Sketching, doodling or just scribbling stick figures has been my stress buster since childhood, and those little puzzles started to fit in together. The creative bug had bitten me by then, and I figured out how to put my artistic brain to good use.

    Currently, I am a freelancer, working as a creative social media manger. I provide creative marketing solutions on various social media platforms. My clientele is mostly from the legal industry, who are either looking at increasing their visibility or targeting to be known in a particular segment of services.

     

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    You are known for your satirical cartoons on the legal field. What is your source of inspiration?

    I don’t have to look for inspiration. It’s all around me- friends, family, former batch-mates, ex-colleagues, former students and my husband. I am a good listener with decent observation skills. I have a mind which sees humour in almost everything. Every work of mine is associated with a real life incident. I use Egg-Heads for my legal cartoons.  I try to depict a general life of a lawyer- working during holidays, dealing with a demanding boss, appraisals, legal subject matter, courts, love lives – and so on.  Other than the usual legal cartoons, one of my personal favourites is a series called ‘Legally Ever After’, showing famous fairy tales with a legal twist. ‘Bollywood’s Special Procedural Laws’ is another very popular series by Pen-Ultimate. Keeping the look and feel of Bare Act, I draft imaginary sections applicable to (in)famous legal system of Bollywood. And they come with case laws too. Chadhha vs Govind 1993. DAM. 32 (Tareek pe Tareek case), State of Bollywood vs Dr. Asha Mathur 1985. MeriJung. 11 to name a few.

     

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    How do you prepare these cartoons?

    Preparing a comic isn’t as easy as it seems.  Thinking of a concept, preparing a script, working on illustrations, all are very time consuming tasks with their own challenges. A lot of research goes into figuring out a concept. Never had I thought that I would be reading articles on legal maxims to get a gag out of it. Once the idea is ready, I write the script. Writing dialogues is a delicate task. A shabby punch line kills the joke completely, and I cannot risk that. Once I have my script in place, I start working on the illustration and presentation. This is the part I enjoy the most, specially working on the character’s expressions. I make sure I add a new style of presentation with each comic. I went from regular one frame cartoon to three-five frame comic.

     

    Are you planning on developing your cartoons into other forms?

    Yes, there is a lot lined up. A full comic book is my next aim. Other than that, I will be soon launching GIFs of my cartoons. Long term plan is to have animated videos of them. I am currently working on other forms of humorous illustrations, with different characters, pertaining to non-law fields. If all goes well, you will soon be seeing Egg-Heads merchandise as well.  Fingers crossed!

     

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    Did you face any problems?

    Of course! It is not easy to make a lawyer laugh. As soon as they saw a cartoon on legal set-up, they jumped into the technicality of it. It took me some time to understand the right kind of humour and presentation to tickle their funny bones. But this was a part of the learning process.

    The real problem I faced is an artist’s worst nightmare. There was a time my cartoons and banners were being used by others. The tragedy was that they would ruthlessly remove my logo and put theirs. It was very disheartening to see my own comic, which took days of hard work, being circulated with someone else’s logo on it.   There were times I received my own work on WhatsApp! I used to be happy and disturbed that the same time. Luckily, things have changed now. Egg-Heads have found their own identity and so has their original creator-the mother of Egg-Heads. Also, my IPR is in place now. So logo-removing thieves, beware!

     

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    You also freelance as a social media expert. Tell us more about your work.

    Well, it is more of a blend between social media marketing and creative marketing. It’s a digital world today, and everyone is looking for ways to utilise it to their benefit. But, with everyone doing similar kind of marketing, the purpose is somewhat lost. That is where I come into the picture.  I prepare a strategy for my client which enhances their USPs and aims at a good rise in their visibility among the target audience. This mostly comes along with creative content. Keeping in mind the target market, client requirement and the social media platforms, I prepare the content. The basic idea behind this is to get the attention of the viewers and to create an image of the client.

     

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    How hectic can this get? How do you ensure wide publicity?

    Oh! It gets hectic. It is a one-man show as of now. I have to do everything by myself- researching, preparing the plan, its execution, communication with clients, artwork, finances, and also getting myself a cup of tea in between work.  The good thing is that I didn’t have to worry about business development. My work did that for me.

    Honestly, I haven’t felt the need of serious publicity for my work. It is getting attention organically. So far, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and even LinkedIn have been working well. I am looking at a gradual growth. Today, people have a very limited attention span, it takes a minute to get noticed as well as fade away. I ensure to have active engagement with the audience. I have also gradually started creating more presence across various platforms.

     

    How do you manage it solely by yourself?

    As of now only one brain is working on this. But with increasing work, I am looking at hiring virtual interns soon.

     

    You have now completely shifted out of the legal profession. Did you face any opposition or dissent from your family regarding this? How easy a decision was this to make?

    It wasn’t easy, not even close to being easy. I was thinking of moving out of a highly sought after career line. In a typical scenario, that is not something a sane mind would do. Judgemental eyes are always following you around. One little change and you are bombarded with questions. Before answering anyone, I had to be sure myself as it was a drastic, high risk shift. Talking about the ‘road less travelled’ sounds good but to actually plan on walking down that path is like planning to walk into a tunnel, not being sure of finding light at the end of it. The most difficult part was to make that decision; and once I was sure, there was no looking back.

    My friends and my family were extremely supportive in my decision to take the leap of faith. Courtesy to my two fairy God ‘mothers’- my brother and my husband. Thanks to them, I went from manual sketching to fully digital.

     

    Do you now regret taking up law for your graduation? Do you feel you would have been better off with a degree in closer connection to your current work profile?

    Not at all! I am a mix of things- my knowledge of law/legal industry combined with my creative expertise makes my work unique. I enjoyed studying law, so have no regrets there. Art and humour come naturally to me. And by God’s grace, I have been able to find a way to combine the two. A degree could help, but then imagination cannot be taught.

     

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    Most law students would hesitate to change their fields like this, majorly because they fear economic instability. What would you have to say to such young students?

    Money is important. There are no two thoughts about that. But how can we be sure that it will come to us by following a certain set path? It is a big world out there, with many opportunities.  Think differently, have the courage to pursue your dreams, but first be sure of your dream. A half-hearted passion will take you nowhere. I often hear – “you are so ‘lucky’ to turn your passion into your profession”. Well, to quote Seneca- ‘luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity’. Cliché as it may be, but there is no substitute to hard work.

    I feel it is more to do with finding your real potential. Had I continued to be a lawyer, right now I would be doodling instead of taking notes during some yawn-inducing con-call. Not a sign of a good lawyer, is it? We’re born with a set of skills and we acquire a few over our lifetime, what matters most is what we make of our unique potential. Money will come eventually.

     

    How can an Indian law student find their feet in an arena such as creative content development or social media/marketing? Since there is no degree to show for these fields, would it be difficult to find gainful employment?

    I won’t deny the fact that the sector is difficult if you are looking to break away from the regular work. On the other hand, people are experimenting with ideas, and are able to make their presence felt. The challenge will always be there if you want to do anything offbeat. The good news is that we are living in a time of start-ups after all! The best part about social media marketing is the freedom an artist gets to be unique, unconventional and at times even bizarre! There is no set syllabus, no rules or guidelines. Your task is to formulate a strategy which catches the interest of the target groups.

    A law student/graduate willing to make a mark in this field can start with mapping the legal industry. In today’s time, all law firms are seeking visibility. But they cannot be in the news seven days a week. So, the next best place to make their presence felt is on social media. When these firms approach the social media experts, they find it difficult for an outsider to understand the mind-set of the people in the legal industry. They want someone who understands the market as clearly as they do. Who would know the legal market as well as a lawyer does? Another lawyer. There! You have a market ready.  I see  great potential here.

     

    How do you balance work and personal life?

    Even though I work from home it does get a bit difficult to strike a balance between professional demands and daily household tasks. Well, as they say, creative minds are not very good with time management. I can vouch for that, my brain doesn’t understand 9-5. An idea can strike at the oddest hour and if I do not work on it at that moment, there is a high chance I will lose the essence of the entire concept. Living outside India comes with its own challenges; biggest one being to do everything on your own with no help whatsoever.  But I have no complaints at all. I have a great support system in my better half. Honestly, I don’t know how we do the balancing trick, but at the end of the day, everything is taken care of.

     

    What is the one advice you would like to give young law students?

    Do not fall into the trap of ‘what will people think’. The day you master that, you will feel free from distractions and obstacles which stop you from reaching your true goal. On the other side, get inspired by success of friends/ acquaintances. Jealously, comparison, and bitter competition will only do one thing- take away your peace of mind.

  • Divyakant Lahoti, Advocate on Record, on quitting law firm and setting up independent practice

    Divyakant Lahoti, Advocate on Record, on quitting law firm and setting up independent practice

    Divyakant Lahoti graduated from University School of Law and Legal Studies (GGS Indraprastha University, Delhi) in the year 2008. At present he is a third generation lawyer, an Advocate on Record, a dedicated and driven lawyer with an LL.M. qualification in International Commercial Law earned at King’s College London and experience within a wide range of settings.

    In this interview he talks to us about:

    • His experience working with Justice R.C. Lahoti, Former Chief justice of India.
    • The procedure to apply in King’s College, London.
    • Why he specialized in International Commercial Law and IPR.
    • The biggest hurdles in his early days of independent practice.

     

    How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?

    I am a third generation lawyer and an Advocate on Record. Since my childhood I was sure that there is no other enterprising and satisfying career option than law. From the early days of my childhood, my career aspiration was to become a true lawyer having a sound knowledge of socio-legal disciplines and related proficiencies so as to make a positive impact on society by taking up a responsible position in the legal practise. My father Justice K. K. Lahoti’s hard work yet smooth-sailing lifestyle as an advocate and then as a High Court Judge appealed to my childhood dreams. My perspective on life changed when I closely observed my father work as an advocate in his office attached to our house. I could closely observe an advocate’s profession and his life. What drew me to this profession was the respect one earns and the satisfaction one derives from advising his clients and securing them justice. Both as an advocate and later as a judge, in my father I saw live-in-action honesty, integrity and devotion to duty, giving me an opportunity to imbibe these rare qualities.

    My entrance into this profession began after pursuing 5-year LL.B. (Honors) from my alma mater University School of Law and Legal Studies (GGS Indraprastha University, Delhi) in the year 2008. My quench for specialised legal knowledge persuaded me to attain an LL.M. from King’s College London, one of the top universities in the World.

     

    How did you go about your application to King’s College London (KCL)? How different was the study environment in that university?

    In a fiercely competitive environment, the only thing which looks simple is the procedure to apply. You need only three things at that time – an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Score of 7.5 and above out of 9, a Statement of Purpose (SOP) and Curriculum Vitae (CV) along with the Application Form. However, each of them requires days, if not months, of preparation and persistence –to revise, review and refresh.  IELTS is easy to crack for those who are fluent in English and had English as a medium of instruction in their school and/or college. A few days of preparation is good enough to score the benchmark. The problem lies in drafting, structuring, tailoring and reviewing the SOP and CV. The entire labour lies in presenting a SOP and CV that can stand out and catch the eye of the University who is screening thousands of such equally good and well written SOPs and CVs. However, the procedure keeps on evolving and students are advised to read the updated procedure and policy before applying to the law school.

    One can choose a particular area of expertise which is taught by leading practitioner(s) in that field. The advantage of being taught by such Professors/Practitioners, who are considered authorities in their fields of law, is to provide the student with root information along with innovative and problem solving methods with a focus on a comparative and international outlook.

    At King’s College, the LL.M program offers a wide range of modules that enables the student to grasp a thorough knowledge of the increasingly important areas of law and their concepts and application. King’s College London is a place which is inspired and instructions are imparted by leading experts and the student receives outstanding cultural, research and career opportunities in the very heart of London.

     

    Which one would you say is better – LL.M from abroad or from India?

    Well, that’s a matter of personal choice coupled with the budget of the student. One of the key reasons for me to pursue LL.M. abroad was its duration of one year. Now, many leading Colleges in India are offering LL.M. programmes of one year. Since this duration gap is bridged, the second question that comes to mind is the quality of education and the expenses for pursuing such a course from India or abroad. Undoubtedly, going abroad is more expensive because of the high College Fee, rent for accommodation and living expenses. The student needs to choose the university wisely depending on multiple factors like the area of specialisation, the professors imparting the specialised knowledge, the university ranking and job prospects after completing the course.

    I personally believe that any College, which has an intellectually rich faculty, a formative environment and rigorous campus discipline on one hand and is collaborative on the other, together with the student’s passion and commitment, is an ideal recipe for success and accomplishment. A graduate from a mediocre college may shine and reach the pinnacle of his profession while a student from a leading college may find it tough to earn even a comfortable living. It all depends on how the student capitalises on the given opportunities during the course and develops himself as a professional. Of course, learning in a good educational institution and from good faculty do have their impact.

     

    Please share your experience working with Justice R.C. Lahoti, Former Chief Justice of India.

    Learning from, and working with, a living legend is a dream come true. I had the golden opportunity to work with him, on various arbitration and opinion matters, after his retirement as the Chief Justice of India. I have not only learnt the art of advocacy but also lessons of life from him. Success in your profession gives name and power but the qualities of character give a good name and reputation. A gentleman professional is respected and remembered. Such success can be reached by different paths but not by changing paths along the way. According to him, reading spiritual, motivational, inspirational books and biographies/autobiographies is an essential source to augment the knowledge and improvise one’s own personality.

    As a student and then in the early years of my professional career, I had the opportunity of living with Justice Lahoti as a family member. I have closely watched his routine and working style. Working and reading are his passion. He reads a lot, both literature and law. He is an early riser. From the morning till late in the evening, he is busy studying, preparing for arbitration matters which are coming up, dictating orders and awards, and checking and reviewing the dictation well before circulating the same to fellow arbitrators and parties. He has earned recognition for his oration. His speeches and social lectures, cultural and educational event are also prepared by him in advance. The lessons which I have learnt from him are: (1) work is worship; (2) it is never too late to learn; and (3) if you have accepted an assignment, put your heart into it; never compromise on anything less than the best.

     

    What are the basics of a legal notice and how can one learn to draft one?

    A Legal Notice is the first step to set the civil justice system into motion. Drafting a legal notice is an art and needs the same skill as drafting a suit. It demands legal knowledge, expertise and experience. You need to understand the entire factual background, evidence in hand, the need of the client and the law(s) involved. Once this preparation is done, then the lawyer must proceed to draft the legal notice. A notice is a way which lays down the foundation for future attacks or defence. The tenor and tone of the notice should be proper – not too aggressive. A properly drafted Legal Notice or its reply can avoid litigation or the same could help the parties settle the matter through mediation at a pre-litigation stage or can assist the court in adjudicating the matter. On this subject, one of the must-have books for every lawyer is Mogha’s Law of Pleadings in India.

     

    How did you decide to specialize in International Commercial Law and IPR?

    In this growing economy, it is indispensable to keep abreast with latest developments in  financial and commercial law to deal with the changing market conditions. Needless to say, to practice law in the corporate and commercial markets today demands niche and specialist knowledge, robust common sense, analytical and problem solving skills with the ability to deliver pragmatic solutions to the clients. Moreover, LL.M. in International Commercial Law provides an impetus for developing the ability to understand, analyse, and solve complex and unprecedented problems. In a corporate and commercial environment, a close proximity with leading legal systems is sine qua non which can be gained by pursuing specialisation course(s). Specialization in IPR was out of sheer interest. I was awarded the Microsoft IPR Scholarship during my graduation for authoring an article on copyrights. Thereafter, I studied an Advance Course on Copyrights and Trademarks from the World Intellectual Property Rights Organisation (WIPO). Pursuant thereto, WIPO had offered me a full scholarship to pursue a 2-year course in Specialisation in IPR from the University of South Africa (UNISA) and WIPO which I completed in the year 2011.

    The knowledge gathered from these specialised courses is immensely helpful in advising clients, and drafting commercial contracts.

     

    Describe your experience at Luthra&Luthra Law Offices. What led you to shift from the corporate sector to Independent law practice?

    Luthra and Luthra had provided me with an action packed litigation experience, be it 2G or Defence Scam, from heavy stake commercial arbitrations to high profile telecom litigation. Under the able guidance of Mr.Rajeev Luthra, Mr.H.S. ‘Bobby’ Chandhoke, Mr. Siddhartha Datta and Mr. Manu Yadav, I sailed smoothly through the pressures of strenuous and complex litigation. Irrespective of such work pressure, the environment in the firm was always conducive, cordial and friendly. I have made many friends for life at this place and learnt many lessons of professionalism and client interaction. Indeed, it is a Tier 1 Law Firm which values the work and sincerity of its members and also feels concerned for their life and career.

    The Firm gives you the necessary skills and experience to commence an independent legal practise. However, what you would require is to hone your entrepreneurship capabilities. It was a well thought of decision to switch from a leading Law Firm to open up your own firm, though it is a life changing event as it comes with much heavier responsibilities which are all on your shoulders. One of the major advantages of going independent is that there are more opportunities to appear and argue the matters yourself before the Court/Tribunal and make yourself a brand. Such an opportunity is rare in leading law firms where there is a tendency to engage senior advocates even for simple issue(s).  Moreover, in an independent practise, you tend to handle more clients simultaneously unlike in a firm where you would be assigned limited matters/clients. Undoubtedly, there is more flexibility in an independent practise as compared to working in a firm. You are the master of your own time and have the choice of choosing the matters to involve yourself. However, in the initial years of practice, you tend to do whatever comes your way to sustain a living. Once you are established, then you have an option to do or refuse to do certain matters or develop a specialised area of practice.

     

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    What do you think are the biggest hurdles and challenges in the early days of independent practice?

    One of the biggest hurdles, in setting up your own independent practice, is to have an office, with the amenities and library, preferably near the Court Complex. The purpose of having an office close to the court would be to ensure that you reach the court on time and travel time is minimised so that you can use that time in more productive and meaningful work. The next step is to pitch yourself by informing your friends, acquaintances and your professional colleagues that you have started your own independent practice and your services are now available for private clients. Then, hiring a suitable clerk who has reasonable knowledge of court procedures and filings.

    Establishing your own brand, among the clients and court-rooms, is the foremost real task. An independent practice encompasses not only getting new clients but also retaining them and recover your outstanding fees from them. It is a challenge in itself. A lot of productive time is wasted in recovering the professional fee which is also important or else, your labour is wasted. Another hurdle is running around different courts and forums for the matters listed on the same day. To overcome this hurdle, the only possible solution is to engage competent junior lawyer(s) who are willing to prepare and argue the matter, if the need arises, before the court.

     

    What would be your message to our readers?

    There are ample opportunities for every lawyer and youngster who should strive for such opportunities and excel. The profession offers humongous prospects for those who are willing to sacrifice their comfort and leave their complacency to make their mark in this field. Due to the changing economy, the chances of young lawyers are enhanced as new chambers are being opened up or existing chambers are merging resulting in larger clientele, bigger premises and pooling of resources such as libraries. These chambers are looking for enterprising younger lawyers who can whole-heartedly devote their expertise and time for productive, qualitative and quantitative work.

    However, youngsters are advised to do their research on such chambers/firms, make enquiry into the status of the lawyers/partners of the chamber/firm and the kind and amount of work they are handling. Some of these chambers may not offer good prospects. For those who are looking forward to litigation practise, it is indispensable for them to join such chambers which have matters regularly before the courts/tribunals so that they can gain experience in court crafts and the art of advocacy from their seniors apart from learning necessary drafting knowledge, the art of cross-examination and the art of addressing judges.

    After choosing the right chamber/firm, the next step is to enhance the ability to communicate.  The objective is to make the Judge understand the case. Youngsters should practice speaking up clearly with modulation. Simultaneously, they should also be able to present the case to the Court/Forum lucidly and with brevity in a humble way, eschewing irrelevant facts and irrelevant arguments.  Undoubtedly, courtesy towards the Judge and court manners, including wearing clean and presentable robes, are of paramount significance.

  • Abhishek Sinha, Associate Partner at Khaitan & Co., on how to gain expertise in Corporate Law

    Abhishek Sinha, Associate Partner at Khaitan & Co., on how to gain expertise in Corporate Law

    Abhishek Sinha is a dual qualified (England & Wales and India) corporate lawyer with a post-qualification experience of more than ten years. Prior to joining Khaitan, he was working as a ‘Partner’ at Shardul Amarchand, Mumbai. He started his career at a leading law firm in Mumbai (DSK Legal) and later joined the Mumbai office of AZB & Partners. In the year 2012, he was seconded to Morrison & Foerster, Tokyo as an ‘International Visiting Attorney’.    

    Abhishek has been leading transactions involving corporate and commercial laws. Abhishek has wide-ranging experience in advising on private equity matters, as well as structures requiring India entry strategies. He has been involved in various acquisition matters (both domestic and cross-border), contract negotiations, and has regularly advised his clients on investment strategies, joint ventures, strategic alliances, regulatory compliances, exit options and general corporate matters.

    To satisfy his academic inclination, in addition to his legal practice, Abhishek has been a visiting lecturer at ILS Law College (Pune), KC Law College (Mumbai) and Government Law College (Mumbai). He has also handled various academic assignments at several law colleges, including HR College (Mumbai) and the National University of Advanced Legal Studies (Cochin). He has on numerous occasions spoken at several seminars and conferences, including the Institute of Company Secretaries of India and the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Pune on issues pertaining to foreign direct investments, due diligence, companies act, the law relating to contracts and related subjects.

    In this interview he talks to us about:

    • Life, law and the choices he made while pursuing it.
    • The work entailed in his position, and the field of corporate law dealt with.
    • The importance of grades at the law school.
    • Importance of socializing in career progression.

    Tell us something about yourself. Where did you grow up and attend school?

     

    Hi! This is the much-dreaded classic question: “Tell me about yourself”! It reminds me of a quote from ‘The Office’ (I think season 5): “Sometimes I’ll start a sentence, and I don’t even know where it’s going. I just hope I find it along the way.”

    I’m a dual qualified (England & Wales and India) corporate lawyer with a post-qualification experience of more than ten years. I graduated from ILS Law College, Pune in 2006 with dual bachelor degrees. Presently, I am working in the Mumbai office of Khaitan & Co, as an associate partner, primarily focusing on private equity transactions. Prior to re-joining Khaitan, last year, I was a corporate partner at Shardul Amarchand, Mumbai. For me, my first office will always remain special, and it must find a mention in this “know me” segment. I started my career at a leading law firm in Mumbai (DSK Legal) and later joined the Mumbai office of AZB & Partners. After a stint of approximately two and a half years at AZB, I joined Khaitan. I have also spent a fair amount of time at the Tokyo office of Morrison & Foerster as an ‘International Visiting Attorney’.

    I grew up in a small town, Ranchi (yes, the same place as Dhoni!) and completed my schooling from DAV Shyamli (yes, the same place as Dhoni!!). Just for my SoBo friends, Ranchi is the capital of Jharkhand (and yes you can google for Jharkhand).

    What brought you into studying law as your profession?

     

    Law, happened to me, just by chance and not the choice. I was a science student and didn’t score well in the entrance test to grab an MBBS seat. My rank in the CBSE PMT was just enough to get me through BDS, and I never wanted to spend my entire life looking inside someone’s mouth. My dad wanted me to join the BDS, and I was just looking for a way out. India Today magazine came to my rescue; ILS was ranked 2nd in the law colleges ranking that year, and I applied because that was the only college where the admission was based on class 12th marks. Mine was the last name in the 1st merit list. But the real motivation to pursue my law degree seriously happened in the 3rd year of my college. The only good thing about myself (I am just being modest, there are a lot of good things about me), is that once I take things seriously, I take it seriously. I worked hard and topped the Pune University in my 3rd and 4th year of college (that’s a different thing that both the years, after re-evaluation results, I was ranked 2nd). Haha!

    After joining the profession, I had the benefit of having some amazing mentors, and I think my ‘student mode’ will continue for a long time as there’s a lot to learn and I have just started.

    What were the activities you were a part of?

     

    I was a very active student in college. Name the ‘cell’ or the ‘committee’, and I was there in it. Apart from all the college activities, I was associated with several NGOs and experimental leadership training groups. I used to enroll for every other diploma/certificate course, thinking it may help me in getting a job. Today, the students have a lot of avenues to get information and then decide what is right for them. For me, it has always been the harder way of “hit and trial method”, but I am not complaining at all.

    Apart from the above, I used to teach in a school in Pune over the weekends and go for my long mountaineering trips by cutting down on my internship period by 10 days (well every internship), sell newspaper subscriptions and insurance products (yes I was an insurance agent from 2nd year to 5th year of college and surrendered my license, right after getting placed).

    If today, I am asked to give a list of top 3 things which is essential apart from attending regular classes, the list will look like this: (i) participating in moot courts, (ii) self-reading and writing articles or research papers; and (iii) internships.

    Tell us about the nature of work you are entrusted with and what’s a typical day like?

     

    Apart from merely leading transactions, involving corporate and commercial laws, I advise on private equity matters, as well as structures requiring India entry strategies. Just to give a quick flavor, my work profile includes advising on various acquisition matters (both domestic and cross-border), contract negotiations, financial investment strategies, joint ventures, strategic alliances, exit options and general corporate matters.

    A typical day at work is the same as any corporate lawyer- attending to client meetings and conference calls; internal meetings, reviewing the documents, responding to emails, etc. However, I make sure that I take out the “me time” for reading the legal updates, chatting with seniors and taking my coffee (and stamina-sticks) breaks.

    To satisfy my academic inclination, I teach at ILS Law College, KC Law College and Government Law College, Securities Law Course, the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (seminars) on issues pertaining to foreign direct investments, due diligence; companies act, the law relating to contracts and related subjects.

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

     

    There’s no strategy or science behind becoming an expert in any area. If you like the subject, half the work is already done.

    I will digress a little bit, but it’s important. Most of the interviews, students are able to answer (to perfection), the questions, which are out of their regular curriculum (like questions on FDI Policy, FEMA). However, a simple question on contract act, sale of goods act, companies act, will make them scratch their ear.

    The short point is, the basics of law need to be absolutely clear. This cannot be compromised if you want to excel (I am not talking about being an average corporate lawyer). All the other fancy laws can be learnt while working. Always remember, Indian Contract Act 1872 is the “mother of all laws”, and you must know it and know it all.

    Having said all this, please make a note that just by knowing the law (or so called being an expert) will not make you a good corporate lawyer. You need to be a team player, learn to logically articulate your point/ position and never be disrespectful in an argument (unless the other person is a bully). Everything else will fall in place.

    How do you maintain a work-life balance? Are there any specific time management tips you would like to share?

     

    Though this is tricky, it’s critical for me. Life of a corporate lawyer is very demanding, so one has to make a conscious effort to maintain this balance. For last several years, this has worked for me (not saying that it has worked all the time):

    • maintaining an effective to-do list (and prioritize matters)
    • effectively delegating and keeping the working team on the same page, up-to-date with the matter so the person next in line can take charge whenever required
    • Learning the art of saying “no.” Sometimes this is the key (Caution: use with care).  

    Most of my friends wake up, shower, and go straight to work. They all complain about having no time to do anything. I make sure that I get at least 3 hours for myself in the morning.This makes me more productive and helps in having a peaceful workday.

    Tell us about your journey from being a student to a partner. Whether life changes after being a partner?

     

    For me, this journey was a natural process. I kept my focus on doing good work and left all other things to my mentors (who never disappointed me). My agenda was to complain only when I wasn’t getting challenging work

    (but that never happened).

    Life doesn’t change if you like your work and have the same vision as the firm. Just be prepared for the responsibility.

    Tell us about your international secondments. How important are these secondments?

     

    The six months I spent in Tokyo with Morrison & Foerster, provided me with a very different kind of exposure. Japan as a jurisdiction is a unique, distinct and process oriented. I sincerely believe that such secondments are very important for everyone who is on track for a leadership role.

    How to excel in what you do? How to become the star of the firm?

     

    There’s no rocket science in excelling in anything you do. You:

     

      • have to be passionate about what you do. If you aren’t, change
      • should keep your focus on quality work
      • shouldn’t get bothered about what people say behind your back (just remember, they are either jealous or simply jealous and that means you are doing good)  
      • Interact with your seniors. You will get to learn a lot, even in a mere 2 min conversation
      • teach a subject at some law school. You will be amazed to see how this will change things in your work life

    select a stream/ segment and be the champion in that enjoy your life.

    • If you keep taking the stress and working all days, weeks and months- what’s the fun in being a star.   

    What is the difference between a hard worker and a smart worker?

     

    A hard worker is a like a horse with blinkers, just running in one direction without a long-term goal. A smart worker will have a 360-degree vision, will prioritize things and effectively manage his time. No one wants to be in office over the weekends!

    Please note that there’s a difference between ‘shirking away responsibility’ and the ‘art of delegation’. As you go up the ladder, you have to be a smart worker, taking the team together towards the collective vision through effective delegation, prioritizing things and being responsible for team’s action.

    How important are the grades at a law school?

     

    If a survey is done, this question will top the list of every law student. We should remember one simple point, anything that reflects on ‘what all and how’ have you done things in your five years (or 3 years) of college life- is relevant, very relevant. I am not in any way looking away from the known concerns on curriculum, a pattern of examination and marking strategy. I am just trying to say things are relative, isn’t it the same for every student taking the exam? So you have to be relatively the best! Period.

    Having said this, I don’t believe that just a good grade is an indication of strong fundamental knowledge of the law, but it’s enough to bring you to the other side of the table for an interview. Isn’t that the first hurdle, which you want to cross anyway.

    Is it important to be people’s person for career progression?

     

    Well, this is a very tricky question. Let me answer this little differently.

    You cannot give importance to a bi-product. However, sometimes, certain bi-products are equally valuable, just like the final product itself. Therefore, the entire process force has to be directed towards the final product, and all other things will fall into place.

    I won’t say that being a people’s person is a critical criterion. But everyone likes to work in a team, which is aligned towards one goal.

    What is the importance of socializing on career progression?

     

    We need to understand that ‘socialization’ as a construct is not a skill-set, which needs to be developed. We are born with it. The entire premise of civilization and society is based on socialization. Ross (well…not Mike Ross!) defined socialization as “the development of the we feeling in associates and their growth in capacity and will to act together.” Gone are those days where a star corporate lawyer used to steal the show! It’s the era of “we & all” and only collective effort of the team makes an individual and the firm successful.

    Please note that socialization in this context doesn’t mean eating, drinking, smoking, partying and/or gossiping together. It means more than this! Having a meaningful conversation with everyone, greeting them, and being there when they need you (work or otherwise) is the construct, which helps you attain that maturity and stability in the system. Having said this, you shouldn’t confuse this with ‘acting in a manner to please others’.

    I feel that today, a firm may be ready to lose a star lawyer who is not a team player rather than a perfect team player. Productivity and effectiveness are directly proportionate to the collective efforts. The standards these days are so high that every other lawyer has same or similar skill-sets as far as the technical/legal skills are concerned. What will differentiate a good lawyer from the rest are the leadership skill and the ability to make team members a part of transaction/ matter they are working on. In my experience, productivity and learning agility of an associate increases exponentially when he/ she gets a feeling of “my matter” rather than “partners’ matter”.

    What message would you like to leave to our readers?

     

    Especially for the young corporate lawyers, it’s important that they:

    • learn to write/ draft in simple English;
    • understand and appreciate the commercial construct of transactions, and
    • understand, the client wants a solution-oriented approach.  

    I am not highlighting the obvious that they need to know the law and keeping abreast with the latest developments/transactions.

    I genuinely believe that I am a risk taker. I know that if I don’t take any chances in this short life, I will have a dull and boring life.Who wants a boring life anyway? Having said that, it doesn’t mean you will succeed every time. In fact, you will fail most of the times, but the good part is the experience you get and the fact that you will never regret “not doing it”. Regretting about things ‘that you never tried’ is worst than trying and failing.

    The short point is that you should do whatever you want to do in life if you feel it’s the right thing for you. Period. Whatever you do in life (good or bad), people around you will speak about you. It’s fine, because, at the end of the day, you are here for the experience and not to just please people around you.

    Also, if you’re good at what you do, there’s no reason you can’t brag about it.

    Always remember, we all ‘work to live’ and not ‘live to work’. Being dedicated is one thing and being in office 24/7 is another. Go out, meet with friends, travel, do something for yourself, and patiently hear everyone but listen to just yourself.

    Fitness is not just an important aspect; it’s essential if you want to enjoy your work as well as your personal life. You just can’t ignore it. I don’t need to explain what needs to be done. Everyone knows it, so don’t be lazy, go out and sweat.

  • George Pothan, Legal Consultant, Ministry of External Affairs, on work experience, LL.M from King’s College and studying law at JSS, Mysore

    George Pothan, Legal Consultant, Ministry of External Affairs, on work experience, LL.M from King’s College and studying law at JSS, Mysore

    George Pothan Poothicote graduated from Christ College, Bangalore with a B.Com degree before going on to complete his LL.B from JSS Law College, Mysore by 2010. While in law school he interned at several places including Ernst & Young and High Court of Kerala. He pursued an LL.M from King’s College, London and finished his masters by 2012. Immediately after completing his LL.M he came back to India and was appointed as Legal Consultant to Legal and Treaties Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India, New Delhi and he is currently working there.

    In this interview he talks about:

    • Law school experience at Mysore University.
    • LL.M from King’s College, London.
    • Internships, recruitment and work at Ministry of External Affairs

     

    How would you introduce yourself? Tell us a bit about your pre law-college years. What motivated you to study law?

    Born in Mysore, I spent my early childhood dividing time between Mysore and Wayanad, and thereafter left to board at Montfort School, situated in Yercaud, a hill station in Tamil Nadu. I went on to do my B.Com at Christ College, Bangalore, LL.B at JSS Law College, Mysore and LL.M at King’s College, London.

    Hailing from a family of lawyers, I grew up imbibing into my very system the lawyers’ lingo and vernacular, and naturally felt drawn to the profession. Therefore, it was a firm and solid choice to become a lawyer myself.

     

    How would you describe your time at Mysore University? Tell us about the academic environment and faculty at the law department of the University.

    The experience was intense and extremely enriching. The student body was intellectually dynamic, with representatives from around the country and even abroad. The faculty included both full time academics and professional practitioners. They were very approachable, and inspired hope, ignited imagination and instilled a love of learning in their students.

     

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    Did you take part in activities apart from your regular curriculum? What all did you do as a law student?

    I participated in practical applications of what I learned, and textbooks gradually came to be of secondary importance to me. In conference settings, at moot courts and in practical classes, I had the opportunity to observe stellar lawyers and law students and noted how effective they were as participants, not only because they possessed superior knowledge, but also because they seemed to instinctively know how to handle a variety of difficult scenarios. Every evening of my final year, I visited the chambers of a senior advocate in Mysore. Also, every Saturday that year, I travelled to a village 35 kilometers from the city to provide free legal aid services and out-of-court settlements, as well as to spread legal awareness.

    My participation in National and International moot court competitions ignited my passion for the field of international law and also enabled me to interact with students and faculty from around the world. I assisted in research work for the scion of the Mysore royal family in the dispute over assets of the royal family and the abolition of the Privy Purse. Later, I helped to draft an anti-ragging bill which was presented to the then Governor of Karnataka. I also represented the college in various seminars and conferences.

    While being good in academics was the most important function during my days at law school, engaging in extracurricular pursuits was a close second. I did indulge in sports and had the privilege of representing my class and college teams in cricket and volleyball.

    My objective during my LLB days was to do my best whilst maintaining a healthy balance and letting other things beyond my control take care of themselves.

     

    Do you believe that excellent CGPA is absolutely necessary for success?

    An excellent CGPA, or any other measure of academic record, can assist in furthering academic pursuits and optimizing the initial recruiting process. That said, the microcosm of university and the world at large are as different as chalk and cheese. In universities one learns the theoretical aspects of law, but for success in the practical applications of the work environment, top grades are not a prerequisite.

     

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

    Constitution, Criminal Law, Arbitration and International Law were some of the subjects that interested me during my LL.B days. The experience I gained through moot courts, assignments and conferences, as well as my interactions with a number of inspiring people, led me to develop a particular fascination for International Law, both private and public.

    I had long been keen on pursuing an LL.M in International Law, but participated in a variety of modules before finalizing my subjects. My subjects were a combination of Public and Private International Law and International Commercial and Business Law, which may appear to be quite a broad spectrum for the course level. However, the subjects were not as disparate they seem. They included Terrorism and State Violence, World Trade Law, Use of Force, Commercial and Investment Arbitration, and Negotiation. What is especially interesting is the intimate relationship between International Law and Diplomacy. My curriculum combined both.

     

    Please tell us about your internships during your graduation.

    Internships and building work experience had been a consistent part of my academic pursuits during my years as a law student. At the end of my first year in law school, I was able to reinforce my tax related knowledge through an internship with Ernst & Young in their Global Tax Analysis service department in Bangalore. At the end of my second year of law school, I gained invaluable court experience with Honourable Justice R. Basant, a Senior Judge at the High Court of Kerala. I shadowed him closely and was privy to the procedures of the chambers of a High Court Judge, which gave me access to the judge’s files, notes and discussions. I felt particularly privileged as this was a rare opportunity for a student.

    During my final year, I visited the chamber of Advocate KL Sugandhi, a senior advocate in Mysore, which involved interacting with clients, learning procedures and even contributing to work on the cases.

     

    Do you believe branding of college is something that’s very relevant/ important at any stage in a law student’s career?

    Branding seems to have become as inevitable in the field of education as in business. That said, it should be taken with a bucket of salt. Power on the professional battlefield is determined by hard work and dedication above all.

     

    When and how did you decide to pursue Masters? Was it a professional requirement or an endeavour out of academic interests?

    From the beginning of my law education, I had entertained the idea of pursuing an LL.M degree. That said, I never viewed it as a professional requirement, as I had initially been keen on a career in litigation, for which an LL.B would suffice. Over the course of my LLB, I pondered over the subjects I would like to pursue, and shortlisted the Universities that seemed best suited to my interests.  The LL.M was a great adventure that enabled me to set sail to shores more magnificent than I had ever imagined.

     

    You have done your LL.M. from Kings College London. Please share your experience. Any other university which offers a similar combination of modules?

    It was simply amazing. I was taught and inspired by some of the best professionals in their respective fields: Professors. Martin Hunter, Salim Moollan, Samuel Wordsworth, Dr. Federico Ortino and Dr. Piet Eechout, to name a few. I still am in touch with most of them both at personal and professional levels. Whenever I felt the need for an expert opinion or guidance, these professors were most helpful. The course combined theory with practical applications. The whole system was different from what I was familiar with at the LL.B level. In addition to textbook learning, there were group discussions, debates and lots of interactive sessions, with an emphasis on research. We were encouraged to write papers and discuss them.

    I still have fond memories of a workshop conducted by Prof. Martin Hunter, visits to his chambers at Essex Court Chambers and a Friday clinic he used to organise. Another unforgettable experience is the time I spent at the WTO, where I was able to interact with key people of the WTO Secretariat and Country representatives, and gain valuable insight into the incredible operations of such a hallowed institution.

    There are other Universities that offer such modules, but I am not in a position to recommend them.

     

    How will you compare the pedagogy at Mysore University with that of King’s College, London?

    Comparing the pedagogy at Mysore University and King’s College is tricky because I attended them at two completely different levels. The LL.B is a basic degree in law, structured primarily to meet the general requirements of practitioners in the field. An LL.M is an additional qualification that involves specialization, and as such the structure of the LL.M diverges from that of the LL.B.  During my LLB, most of my professors were full time faculty, whereas during my LL.M, the majority of lecturers were practitioners in their respective fields, and their experience and expertise did make a difference.  A good teacher always brings out the best in his/her students. I consider myself lucky to have been mentored by the right kind of teachers.

    Diversity was perhaps the most significant difference between the two programs. At King’s College, the faculty and the University at large catered to a crowd from across the globe. The student community at Mysore University was primarily Indian.

     

    Looking back, how significant do you think that your legal education was? When did you happen to experience the learning curve?

    I believe that my education in its entirety has made me who I am today. My legal education in particular has been significant in shaping my career, and my analytical view of the world.

    As I see it, the learning curve starts from the earliest stages of life. Every single day has presented learning opportunities. I think, therefore I am; I live, therefore I learn. The slope of my learning curve in the legal field took a surge towards the latter part of my LL.M program, and continued to steepen when I entered the Ministry of External Affairs, where I have interacted with some of the best legal minds in the country and around the world. The Senior Official Meetings, Ministerial Meetings and Summits of which I have been a part were incredible experiences. One particular case that gave impetus to my learning curve was a brief I received from Mr. Gourab Banerji, the then Additional Solicitor General of India, during my early days at the Ministry. It was my first significant case, and it was an exciting challenge. More recently, I have had the privilege of being involved with the Law Commission of India in its work on investment treaties, which has been quite insightful.

    I look forward to the continuing intellectual stimulation of my work. Learning is an integral part of the profession, as it shifts like the sands of time.

     

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    You joined Ministry of External Affairs as a Legal Consultant; what worked for you in getting appointed?

    I assume that my academic pursuits and passion for the profession, in addition to the support I received from the then External Affairs Minister, Mr. Salman Khurshid, who had faith in my ability and trusted me with such great responsibility, led to my appointment.

     

    What are the career opportunities at MEA like?

    The MEA provides excellent opportunities for those interested in the international dimensions of law. We deal with treaty negotiations and international law disputes. Diplomacy is integral to the mix. That said, our work is not exclusively on an international level, as we do examine domestic law issues on occasion.

     

    Are Legal Consultants allowed foreign postings? How does their work interact with that of the Indian Foreign Service?

    Foreign postings are certainly available to those belonging to the Legal Cadre of the MEA. The Hague headquarters the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Geneva and New York City are bases for numerous international organisations.

    The responsibilities of international law and diplomacy require a great amount of interaction with foreign service officers and other government representatives.

     

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    Would you say that there exists a difference in the working environment of a law firm and legal department of the govt. offices?

    Most certainly, although I am not in a position to comment in depth on private law firms, as I have never worked in one. In the Government, everyone works for the Government of the day, and the work is not limited to legal issues. The tasks at hand are quite complex: they involve participating in drafting legislation, policy making, negotiating treaties and a variety of other roles. Most importantly, working for the Government means representing the Country and promoting collective rather than individual interests.

     

    What is the procedure to apply for an internship and recruitment at MEA? What are the qualities which they look for in their prospective employees?

    It starts with sending the completed form in the requisite format, along with references, to the Ministry to the Administrative Division (or any other Division that interests a prospective intern). From there, the applications are considered on merit. It is generally difficult to accommodate all applicants considering the huge volume of applications usually received. Details on applying for an internship at the MEA are enumerated on the website of the MEA.

     

    Have you ever considered starting up on your own?

    Starting my own practice has always been at the back of my mind. If I start my private chamber practice, I would focus on litigation before the Supreme Court, High Courts and Tribunals.  Considering my LL.M specialization and current work, I would be keen to pursue an active practice in investment arbitration, as well as international and domestic commercial arbitration.

    I firmly believe that there is potential everywhere, and it is about looking out through the window of opportunity. Talent finds its happiness in execution. Simply follow your heart, make the right choices and be dedicated.

     

    Please tell us about the requisite soft skills which are essential for a young lawyer to build a successful career?

    Communication skills, which are essential in any profession, are particularly valuable for a young lawyer. An open line of communication with colleagues assists in efficiency and securing solid relationships. Clarity, charisma and discretion must be kept in mind when dealing with clients.

    Commitment is important, given the heavy workload of young lawyers, and the established standards of excellence.

    Creativity is an immense asset, as innovation and thinking outside the box aid in problem solving and negotiation.

     

    What are your views on the future of Indian legal education? How would you suggest that a law student manages to stay ahead?

    I would like our institutions to compete with the best in the world. There is no dearth of resources in India, but we have to make optimal use of them. I hope to live to see the day our institutions are ranked among the best in the world, and pray that it is not far away. We need to support academicians in their pursuit. I personally am of the view that institutions should create a platform to bring in greater interaction between practitioners and students. The greatest asset of any educational institution is the character of its teachers. We need to encourage research and avoid spoon feeding. Classrooms should be about imparting knowledge and not forcing one’s views on the others. Students should be prepared to face the world outside beyond the realms of the microcosm of universities. I would suggest encouraging research and more practical classes and workshops. They are the need of the hour. The legal fraternity has to come together and support our institutions with a clear roadmap for the way ahead.

     

    What are the three things you consider law students should do in their careers?

    To me, goals should be set individually, and not based on what someone else has achieved. Be yourself, as they say. The markers of success vary, but generally, I would say that it can be achieved by staying focused, working smart and being organized. Professional mileage can be optimized with perseverance, perspiration and a stroke of luck.

     

    What would be your parting message to young lawyers?

    Here I would like to borrow from Mr. Fali Nariman, who lists the following in his autobiography “Before Memory Fades”:

    • A lawyer’s opinion should be honest and responsible,
    • A good lawyer should acquaint oneself with relevant law, including case law on the subject at hand,
    • One should be clear and precise, not confused,
    • One should keep oneself informed and up to date with all the reported judgments and decisions of the Supreme Court and High Courts,
    • A lawyer should be well prepared for his case.

    A lawyer must never stop learning, for intellect demands clarity and certainty. That said, circumstances render uncertainty inevitable and fascinating. In an ever changing world, progress is proportional to the capacity to endure uncertainty.

    One’s name is a prized possession in this mortal world, which through our acts, deeds and achievements can be immortalized and etched in the minds of generations to come.

     

  • Sumeeta Sharma, DGM Legal, Benett Coleman & Co., on work experience at Law firms and as in-house counsel

    Sumeeta Sharma, DGM Legal, Benett Coleman & Co., on work experience at Law firms and as in-house counsel

    Sumeeta Sharma is a graduate from K.C. Law College, 2003 batch. Her work experience has been diverse including litigation firms like Sharma and Associates, Vyas and Bhalwal and M/s. Thakore Jariwala and Associates. Thereafter she was an Associate at Krishna and Saurastri, an IPR firm. She was also the Legal and Secretarial Head at Samsonite South Asia Pvt. Ltd. before becoming DGM Legal at Bennett Coleman and Co. Ltd. (Times Group). She has recently completed Masters in Business Law from National Law School of India University, Bangalore.

    In this interview she talks about:

    • The importance of internships
    • Working at litigation firms, IPR firms and in the corporate sector
    • Working at Bennett Coleman & Co.

     

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

    My father has been in this profession and I was always inspired by his way of life.I was often recognized as a person with good debating skills and somewhere deep down I felt I can be a good lawyer. Though it was not planned and I wanted to be a scientist, I feel extremely lucky that I actually could take up a profession which was crafted for my personality. I would say that being a lawyer was my calling.

     

    How was your experience at K.C. Law College? What activities were you involved in apart from the regular academic curriculum?

    The experience with college was good and K.C. Law College per se conducts lots of activities for young aspiring lawyers to instil the love and passion for the profession. Yes, a couple of writing competitions and moot courts were the activities I was involved in.

     

    What were your major interests as a student of law?

    My interest was in Intellectual Property Laws, Laws with respect to Medicine (Medical Laws) and of course, laws with respect to the family. I would suggest young lawyers to take up criminal law, personal laws (family law, succession laws) as there seems to be great change required in the age old formulas and I feel if young lawyers take up these subjects not only can they  explore a lot, but also contribute in amendments by questioning the very basics of old fundamentals.

     

    How important is it for a law student to plan out the course of his/her internships to successfully gain from the internship experience?

    Every lawyer should start internships right at the start, if they cannot spare more time, at least 4 hours a day. It is extremely important to get your basics strengthened right at the start. Law taught in class and court room working is completely different from each other. Thus, I pay a lot of importance on internships. I would suggest young aspiring lawyers to start with a small time lawyer (younger lot) rather than opting from bigger law firms as they may not be able to teach the core working of the court. So, I suggest they should approach their seniors from the college and request for internships. Once you have interned with such independent practising lawyers and the basics are already in place then the students should approach bigger firms.

     

    Many believe that students of ‘elite’ law schools have an edge over students from other colleges? Is this true at all?

    Yes, that is completely true. However, most students from elite colleges end up in the corporate sector with firms barely into transactional work. We have not seen many students from these elite colleges taking up litigation as their career. I feel there is a dearth of good quality lawyers in litigation, thus every lawyer should opt for litigation as their career.

     

    After graduation you worked with various litigation firms including Sharma and Associates, Vyas and Bhalwal and M/s. Thakore Jariwala & Associates. How was your experience working at these places?

    I always wanted to be a Generalist and wanted to know various things in one lifetime. Thus, I worked with various law firms in different specialities. As stated earlier, litigation firms are run on age old formulas thus the experience was enriching and I gained a lot from the pool of knowledge these firms hold.

     

    Thereafter you had joined Krishna and Saurastri as an Associate. What led to the shift from litigation to an IPR law firm? How was your experience working there?

    As I said, I had to taste law in its different form. The experience was enriching as I was exposed to the dynamically changing IPR norms globally. My experience was fantastic and created an interest and love for IPR Laws.

     

    You thereafter left Krishna and Saurastri to start working at as Legal & Secretarial Head. What does Samsonite do and what was the nature of your work there?

    Post Krishna and Saurastri, I started working as a legal counsel with Financial Technologies. FT and Samsonite both gave me an opportunity to learn the workings from the corporate end. Thus, it’s not only about thinking as a lawyer but also as a business personnel ensuring the company’s interests are legally well taken care of and helping the business accelerate.

     

    Currently you work as DGM Legal at Bennett Coleman and Co. Ltd. (Times Group). How did the switch from Samsonite take place?

    The Switch was smooth and as I said, I wanted to be a generalist, thus I opted to gain experience with different business sectors.

     

    Please tell us the recruitment process at Bennett Coleman and Co. Ltd. What do they look for in their prospective employees?

    The typical process takes 2 to 3 months and comprises 3 interviews (HR, Reporting Manager and the Business Head). They look for domain knowledge primarily.

     

    What does your current work profile at Bennett Coleman consist of?

    My current work profile at Bennett comprises mainly of (70 percent) transactional work and the rest is litigation and IPR.

     

    Does Bennett Coleman and Co. Ltd. take interns? What is the process for same?

    Yes, you may apply or request various legal heads. (Bennett is segregated into various companies and each company functions separately)

     

    What would be your parting message for our readers?

    Read as much as you can. Don’t try to mug. Law is nothing but common sense and once you read and analyse things will automatically come to you. Always take guidance from experienced personnel and buckle up for a tough ride if you want to be a good lawyer as first 5 to 6 years are your investment with absolutely no returns.

     

  • Sandeep Huilgol, Tax Attorney, King & Partridge on an LL.M from King’s College and work in Civil & Tax Matters

    Sandeep Huilgol, Tax Attorney, King & Partridge on an LL.M from King’s College and work in Civil & Tax Matters

    Sandeep Huilgol is a graduate of ILS Law College, 2010 batch, and of King’s College, London, 2011 batch. For the past three and a quarter years, he has been working in Bangalore, practicing as a civil and tax advocate at King & Partridge. We asked him to share his experiences and strategies he used over the years.

    We took this opportunity to ask him about:

    • Pursuing an LL.M. from King’s College, London
    • Writing a proper SoP for an LL.M and having a Letter of Recommendation
    • Working at King & Partridge

     

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

    After I got over my initial, albeit strange dream of becoming a lumberjack in Canada, I only ever dreamed of becoming a lawyer. I was fascinated by civics and political science in school, and the book, “Yes, Minister” further strengthened my interest towards the profession. It’s been nearly ten years since I started at ILS, and I can honestly say that I’ve never looked back.

     

    How would you describe your time at ILS Pune?

    My time at ILS was a wonderful mix of academics, fun, and growing-up. To be honest, I wasn’t always too hard working as a student, but I managed to put in the extra hours either the week or night before an exam. It’s not an approach I would recommend to anyone, and looking back, I sometimes wish I had worked harder throughout the year. It’s a lesson which, hopefully, the readers of this interview can pick up from me.

     

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

    Certain subjects fascinated me, such as constitutional law, tax, and jurisprudence. Moot courts however, were something I always looked forward to. I was also very lucky to have had the experience of both, researching / speaking at moot courts, as well as judging a moot court. In my opinion, the best way to go about developing proficiency would be to participate in as many moot courts / debates / seminars as possible. While reading is something all of us can and will do, and over time, knowledge will eventually be garnered, the ability to speak / orate is something that can only be developed by trial and error. Don’t let initial setbacks put you off. Keep trying until it becomes second nature.

     

    What was your motivation behind pursuing an LL.M right after graduation? When did you finally decide that you need to do masters?

    There were a few reasons that motivated me to apply for an LL,M immediately after my graduation.

    One: I wanted to litigate and I was aware that the chances of me taking time off after commencing work were very low.

    Two: I wanted to push myself academically. Like I said, I don’t think I did justice to my academics during my time at ILS and I felt the growing need to study and learn something out of choice, and not merely for the sake of exams. King’s is a world-renowned institution and I was acutely aware of the quality of its facilities and faculty.

    Lastly, the opportunity to live abroad, and that too in a city like London, was something I could not turn down.

     

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    How did you choose King’s College, University of London over others? How did you go about choosing a university?

    There were a number of boxes I had to check before I opted for King’s. I analysed the Times UK university ratings, sought reviews from my seniors who had actually gone to the UK to do their LL.M.s, attended UK Education fairs, interviewed faculty from King’s and other colleges which had been arranged at these fairs, approached education consulting service providers and lastly, I approached a few senior lawyers in Bangalore and asked them for their views insofar as pursuing an LL.M. was concerned.

     

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

    My SoP was essentially my mission statement. It was my way of putting down on paper the events that led me to opt for law, the reasons for pursuing my masters, the person I would like to see myself become and so on.

    As for the second question, in my opinion, one’s SoP should be a reflection of one’s ideas, thoughts, and aspirations. Honesty in one’s SoP shines through. Be clear in thought and keep it simple. The reader is not going to meet you in person. The SoP is his / her only way of getting to know who you are. In other words, the SoP is your way of making a good first impression. To me, the key points are honesty, simplicity, and clarity of thought.

     

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

    Three of my professors at ILS provided me with letters of recommendation (‘LoR’). I asked only those teachers who had taught me more than one subject, and with whom I had interacted with on a more personal level. That way, I hoped that their own impressions of me would be expressed in their LoRs. It’s a tip which I’d give the readers of this interview as well. Again, if a professor asks you to draft a LoR which is to be vetted by him / her, keep it simple, don’t blow your own trumpet unreasonably, and stick to actual accomplishments / feats.

    The readers of LoRs pore over thousands of LoRs annually. They are able to discern the genuine ones from the overly self-eulogising ones.

     

    How will you compare King’s College, London with that of Indian Law Schools?

    Vastly different. The pedagogy at King’s was much more interactive and engaging. A lot of room was given for individual thought. Subjects were not taught at King’s. On the contrary, subjects were discussed and debated. It was thoroughly enjoyable. My year in London just flew by and I will always look back with very fond memories. A special mention has to be made here for my professor, Ms. Penney Lewis, who is without a doubt, the best professor I have ever had!

     

    What was your topic of research for LL.M? Why did you choose that subject for research?

    My dissertation was titled, “Are our bodies really ours? A case for legalising the trade in human organs”. It’s a topic which is close to my heart and, while I admit it is a controversial topic, the legalising of trade in human organs is something I’m keen to see it happen in the near future.

     

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    You are currently working at King & Partridge, Bangalore. How did you go about bagging this job? Please tell us about the recruitment process at K&P?

    My application, via e-mail, was addressed to one of the partners at K&P. Thereafter, I was called in for a personal interview with each of the partners, pursuant to which I was offered a job in the firm, which I gladly accepted.

     

    So how did the interview go? Do you happen to recall any of the questions?

    To be honest, it’s a bit of a blur as it’s been over three years! While I can’t remember the actual questions that were posed to me, I do remember that they were more aimed at determining the person I was and discovering my general attitude and approach to work and life, as opposed to questions of a legal nature.

     

    What are your day-to-day responsibilities? How is the experience so far?

    As a practicing advocate, my work-profile consists of the following:

    (1) Drafting,

    (2) Researching,

    (3) Assisting my senior colleagues while they prepare for arguments, and

    (4) Appearances before trial courts, tribunals, and the High Court.

    Work has thus far been fascinating, rewarding, and enriching. Most importantly, it’s been fun! However I must admit that I like almost everyone else suffer from Sunday-evening blues!

     

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

    First and foremost, enjoy your time in college! You will never get those five years again so make the most of it. Study, participate actively in moot courts / seminars / extra-curricular activities, but also remember to have fun. When work begins however, one must work hard. As clichéd as it may sound, there really is no substitute for hard work. One must read as voraciously as one can, be it work-related briefs and journals, as well as non-work related literature and newspapers / magazines. Although I have not even worked for four years, I can confidently say that it’s a rewarding career-choice. One must however be patient. Only if the foundation is strong and sturdy, which is only possible through diligence and discipline, will the latter years be fruitful. Commitment to the profession and more importantly to justice along with honesty in all walks of life, mixed with a healthy and necessary dose of sports and fun should make for a long and enriching career.

  • Suvarna Mandal, Associate, Saikrishna & Associates on specialisation in IPR from Kings College

    Suvarna Mandal, Associate, Saikrishna & Associates on specialisation in IPR from Kings College

    Suvarna Mandal graduated with a BSL.LL.B (Hons) degree from ILS, Pune in 2012. Soon after Graduation, she went on to pursue Masters in Intellectual Property Law from Kings College, London. She has an enviable academic record and an excellent series of internships at top law firms. She has also done Diploma courses in Corporate Laws, Cyber Law, Intellectual Property Law, and Business Laws. Currently, she works as an Associate at Saikrishna and Associates.

    In this interview, she talks about:

    • Law school experience at ILS
    • Pursuing further studies and LL.M from Kings College
    • Appointment at Saikrishna and Associates

     

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

    Well, to be completely honest, I wasn’t planning on doing law when I was in High School. I intended to pursue a career in either medicine or journalism. However, in addition to having a keen interest in public-speaking, I was also an avid follower of legal luminaries like Nani. A. Palkhiwala and Leila Seth, and consequently, a career in law fascinated me. I procured an admission into ILS, Pune and though I had secured admissions into various colleges in Delhi University as well, I was advised by many to definitely look into law as a career option.

    Luckily, I had the chance to attend college at ILS for a month before I had to finally decide my career path, and within a month, I was sure that law is the best career option for me. It is my personal opinion that as a lawyer you are constantly learning and constantly adapting to a dynamic environment, and the knowledge that one procures from their LL.B degree is just the tip of the iceberg. From what I have gathered so far, even a lifetime is not enough to specialise in a particular genre of law. This was one of the deciding factors for my inclination towards law.

     

    Tell us something about your college life? What all activities did you participate in?

    While in college, academics was always the first priority, and I spent a major portion of my time understanding and studying the subjects that were taught in every semester. In addition to that, in order to expand my knowledge in specialised fields, I had done Diploma courses in Corporate Laws, Cyber Law, Intellectual Property Law, and Business Laws from Asian School of Cyber Laws, Pune and ILS itself. I had also participated in a couple of Moot Courts conducted internally at ILS and also represented my college as a Speaker in the National Round of the Commonwealth Moot Court Competition, 2009, at School of Law, Christ University, Bangalore. My preference for Intellectual Property Law directed me to write a couple of articles on IP related topics. As far as co-curricular activities are concerned, I was part of the Corporate Law Cell and the theatre group “Aahwaan” of ILS.

     

    You have interned at top-notch law firms including Khaitan, AZB & Partners, Karanjawala and LexCounsel. How did these experiences help mould you as a lawyer?

    My internship experiences at all these firms have been varied as I have had the opportunity to work in different departments and areas of law including IP Law, Corporate Law and basic civil litigation. Personally, internships have benefitted me greatly because my internship with the IP team at Khaitan made me realise that Intellectual Property is definitely my core area of interest. As a law student, it is difficult and in fact premature to make up your mind about the field of law that you would like to practise in. In my view, as a student of law, it is sufficient to just have a general idea about your areas of interest. In this regard, internships help you a great amount because you get to experience first-hand, what it would be like, to work in that particular area of law.

     

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    Right after graduating, you went for LL.M. Please share with us all the decisive moments leading to this.

    Many law students are often torn with the decision of choosing to pursue their LL.Ms soon after their LL.B. or getting some work experience before opting for the same. There are pros and cons in either scenario, and the decision has to finally be taken by the individual. I too had my share of the dilemma and confusion, but I was clear that  Intellectual Property Law was my preferred area of interest and that I wanted to study more for a comprehensive understanding of the subject. This encouraged me to first complete my Masters and then start working as a legal professional.

    Since I was sure that IP Law was the subject I wanted to specialise in, I started looking for LL.M. courses that offer the same, and The Dickson Poon School of Law, Kings College London was one of the premier and top rated institutes in UK for the same. KCL offered a specialist LL.M. Degree that focussed on Intellectual Property law prevalent in various jurisdictions and had modules that helped the prospective students in developing a speciality in the subject in academic as well as practical aspects.

    The faculty was excellent and comprised of the top-names in the field like Tanya Aplin, David Llewelyn and Sir Robin Jacob. Due to all of these reasons, this course was obviously my first choice and I was fortunate to secure an admission at Kings College, London.

    The experience of studying at KCL was enriching on all fronts which gave me the opportunity to learn from the best intellectuals in the sphere of IP, and learn with students of different backgrounds and cultures.

    As of today I can confidently say that my LL.M. at KCL has benefitted me personally and professionally. One of the main reasons for me to apply for an LL.M. outside of India was to understand the manner in which IP laws were interpreted and how they operate at a global level and its comparison with IP Laws in India.

     

    Please tell our readers about the application procedure and other requirements?

    From personal observation, I had noticed how Universities (especially abroad) gave importance to student profiles that indicated that the student has put in hard work to build a rounded CV representing his interests and activities not only in his law course but also in co-curricular activities of his choice. Internships, publications, involvement with NGO’s and social causes, cultural activities, etc. facilitate in building an overall strong profile. Having said that, a good score is essential to get into a college of your choice as that is the first criterion that Universities look into.

    The applications for LL.M. should be sent out as soon as the Universities commence with registration process as many a times, good candidates are left out merely because of applying late. Very important aspects of your LL.M. Applications are to have a crisp Statement of Purpose and to obtain good Recommendation Letters. If you have decided to pursue your masters then it is essential to start working on your recommendation letters (from faculty and from your internships, if you are not already working) and your SOP.

     

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

    I have been a voracious reader all through and have found that reading has always leaded to my inspirations and aspirations in life by broadening my horizons. As an undergraduate student, in addition to being involved with activities that were offered by my college, I was also involved in Theatre and Music. I was part of an English theatre group of Pune and performed on stage for the same. Music has been a part of my life since I was a child and I have received training in singing in Indian Classical Music and Western Music. This particular interest directed me towards writing my own songs, and after composing a couple of melodies I couldn’t help but wonder how I could protect these compositions. My interest in these creative fields and the element of curiosity to protect my musical compositions made me want to explore the field of Intellectual Property Law.

     

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

    My LL.M. experience was challenging, enriching and ultimately very rewarding. I was given the esteemed opportunity to study under and interact with internationally acclaimed academicians and practitioners who helped me greatly in my analytical and critical approach to the issues in IP Law. I studied amongst students of different nationalities, some of them were established legal professionals with substantial work experience, and some of them had recently graduated law, just like me.

    As postgraduate students of KCL and University of London we had access to some to some of the best law libraries worldwide, including Maughan Library of KCL, and the law library at the University of London’s Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS). The college encouraged its students to participate in various seminars and workshops by Guest speakers, networking events, etc. organised internally or externally conducted. The students were also given an opportunity to meet legal experts such as Judges, solicitors, barristers, in-house legal counsels, etc. in order to discuss a career in IP Law.

     

    How difficult was studying abroad in terms of finding accommodation, finances and settling in? Are there any scholarships for studying at KCL?

    There is no denying that living in a city like London may be a little intimidating at first, but eventually you get comfortable. As soon as you are accepted into a college, you are provided with various accommodation options that the college can offer you, and fortunately, I was able to secure a hostel accommodation at KCL even before going to London.

    There are also several options available to students who do not wish to live in accommodations provided by the college and several organisations/websites work towards helping such students. London is a very student friendly city as there are substantial amounts of discounts available to students in public transport, restaurants, grocery stores etc. which is a relief considering that London is an expensive city to live in. As far as scholarships are concerned KCL does offer a couple, however they are extremely competitive and mostly inapplicable to Indian students. The website of the college offers all the details pertaining to the same.

     

    How was the faculty and academic schedule at KCL? Given your experiences how would you pit Indian students with their foreign counterparts?

    That pretty much depended on your choice of modules. The modules that I chose, required me to attend about 3-4 classes per week with a pre-defined reading list that needed to be studied before the class. This way, the understanding of what you studied from the list became crystal clear when the same was discussed in class with the professors. A glaring difference in the mind-set of the foreign students viz. a viz. their Indian counterparts is that the former believed in a more ‘comprehension based’ education system whereas we believe in memorising our syllabus, sometimes without understanding the underlying concept. I am of the opinion that if we are able to inculcate an application-based and practical method of comprehending the subject in our education system and combine that to the gruelling hard work that Indian students are used to, then we would have the perfect recipe for all round success.

     

    Was there time enough for non academic pursuits at KCL? How did you find the study-life balance to be?

    Though the LLM course is rigorous and requires commitment, there was enough time to explore London and indulge in the activities that it had to offer. The city has a rich history and culture and there are many places that one could visit in and around London even on a student budget. The recipe for balancing your student life and unwinding in one of the most renowned cities of the world is simple. One should make it a point to study the reading list given to you before classes, regularly attend your classes, engage in discussions with your peers and professors during classes, and always complete the assignments given by your faculty. This will help you greatly for your examinations and at the same time you will also have enough leisure time to relax and enjoy student-life at London.

     

    Soon after Masters, you joined Saikrishna and Associates as an Associate. Tell us about your induction into the firm.

    Getting absorbed into Saikrishna & Associates is a privilege and I grow and learn as a legal professional every single day. It is truly a terrific opportunity to be able to work with and rub shoulders with the best and the brightest minds in the industry. The seniors of the firm are fantastic mentors and dedicated lawyers that inspire you to work harder and learn more. I have been an Associate at S&A for almost a year now, and have had the chance to work in various verticals and practise areas of the firm such as IP Litigation, Transactions, Company Law Litigation, Advisory and Policy Reform, etc. I have also had the chance to co-author with my seniors, several publications in legal journals and magazines.

     

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

    Well, knowledge is power and experience enriches our knowledge. A good educational background lays down the foundation to be a good professional. As a lawyer the learning is constant irrespective of what stage you are in, whether a student or a professional, and you never really cease to be a student of law. It is essential to be true to the role that you are currently in and to try and meet the expectations of that role. There is obviously a difference in studying law and practising law, however the comfort level to understand both comes with hard-work, patience and time.

     

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

    Intellectual Property Law is a dynamic and constantly growing field. We currently live in a digital and global society and Intellectual Property Rights permeates into our daily lives. IP Law in India is developing at an exponential rate and has tremendous untapped potential. Students who wish to study and understand IP law should try and secure internships in firms that practise the same. In addition to that they should try and take up diploma courses in IP law so as to increase their knowledge base in the subject. It is also essential to stay abreast with the developments and major judgments in the field.

  • Funmi Oyeneyin on LL.M from UCL, work at Ernst & Young and at Adam & Partners

    Funmi Oyeneyin on LL.M from UCL, work at Ernst & Young and at Adam & Partners

    funmi-o-2Funmi Oyeneyin graduated with an LL.B from King’s College and thereafter pursued an LL.M in International Law from University College, London. She came across the opportunity to intern at the UN.

    Funmi worked as a corporate tax adviser at Ernst & Young and  is currently working at Adam & Partners.

    Read more about her career choices while working at different international firms.

     

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

    I grew up in Scotland with Nigerian parents, having dual nationality from birth. Suffice to say internationalism also plays a key role in my work, the focus of which is international commercial law. I also have an academic interest in Public International Law, specifically WTO and investment treaties.

     

    Amongst the various career options, what motivated you to choose law?

    At the age of 16 I participated in a mock trial of Tom Robinson (To Kill a Mocking Bird). The seed of legal aspiration was sown. I relish the academic challenge of the law and the process of analysis to reach evidence based conclusions.

    Moreover, the law plays a pivotal role in society. For me, to have the knowledge so as to have a real impact in people’s lives and in turn shape societal norms, hopefully for the better, is important.

     

    You pursued your undergraduate (LL.B.) degree from King’s College. What was the application procedure? Are there any entrance tests?

    I applied through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) application process. UCAS is the British admission service for students applying to university, through which students can apply to five universities.

    “In my day” there were no entrance exam requirements for an LL.B at Kings. I believe all applicants must now sit for the National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT)

     

    What prompted you to choose KCL for an LL.B. degree? Were there any other Universities in mind while applying at KCL?

    I focused my L.LB application on the top tier law schools as per the published ranking, applying to Cambridge, Durham, King’s College London (KCL), Edinburgh, and Glasgow. I was fortunate that all, barring Cambridge, accepted my application.

    Initially, Durham was my first choice. However, on attending the open day for King’s, I literally changed my mind that same day. Perhaps it was its proximity to the Royal Courts of Justice or the grand Maughan Library, but ultimately it was a gut feeling. One would expect a more logical answer from a lawyer but it really was that simple. A decision I have never regretted.

     

    You had started your professional career with Ernst & Young as a Corporate Tax Advisor. What was the application procedure? What did your work profile consist of?

    Application Procedure

    It was a three stage application process.

    Stage 1: an online application. A minimum 2.1 degree was required to qualify to complete the online application.

    Stage 2: A telephonic interview.

    Stage 3: An assessment day at EY’s office in More London. It consisted of a group exercise, an interview with HR, and a final interview with a partner.

    Work profile

    At Ernst & Young, I trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant, qualifying into International Tax Services (ITS) where I advised UK and foreign multinationals on tax efficient structuring and solutions. My work profile was both finance based, in that I collated and analysed financial information, and legal such as substantial research into complex UK tax law, ECJ judgments and International Treaties.

     

    Why did you choose to go for an LL.M. in International Law? Was it a job requirement in any manner?

    The LL.M was not a job requirement. International law has always fascinated me, having studied Public International Law at King’s, and then subsequent experience in the application of international tax treaties at EY. I decided to undertake an LL.M in international law to further engage this interest and progress my career to involve a broad international remit.

     

    How did you decide on University College London? Did you consider any other colleges?

    Once again I focused on the reputation of the law school and international law departments. Wanting to remain in London, I considered LSE, King’s, and UCL. I decided on UCL due to the available courses and the tutor Philippe Sands, a world-renowned international lawyer.

    As a King’s alumni, defecting to the “godless institution on Gower Street” was difficult. However, UCL’s current worldwide ranking has gone some way to help ease the shame of my betrayal to King’s.

     

    How does one prepare to get admission in University College London? Does the admission procedure involve several levels?

    The admission process for UCL’s LL.M programme was straightforward. It was done via an application form and required a minimum 2.1 LLB degree to qualify to apply.

    I spent a fair amount of time on my personal statement so as to convey my genuine interest in the subject. Outside academic aptitude an interest in the subject matter is important for a postgraduate degree.

     

    What are the top 3 things you kept in mind while selecting a university for LL.M.?

    The reputation of the law school and faculty.

    Availability of subjects in line with areas of interest, international law.

    Purpose of the LL.M – purely academic or to enhance employment opportunities.

     

    Education in the U.K. must have been very expensive. What are the scholarships available?

    The Scottish Loan authority provides student loans for university. Similarly banks can provide student loans for Bar School. Furthermore scholarships are available through the Inns of Courts.

     

    You had interned at the U.N. for about 3 months. How has your experience been? What did you take away from such an internship?

    It was a fantastic experience. Given my longstanding interest in international law, working at the international organization gave me unprecedented access to see how international laws and rules are applied in practice.

    My take away was that the purpose of the UN, in facilitating international cooperation in an increasingly interconnected world, remains fundamental even if it may suffer from bureaucracy inherent to civil service.

    Additionally, I worked with interns from all over the world and the obvious similarity between us all stemmed from a comparable social economic background. Showing that access to opportunity plays a greater role than race or culture.

     

    Would you say that the work environment at Adam & Partners Investment Advisors LLC was significantly different than Ernst & Young?

    EY is large organization and required an element of regimented hierarchy so as to function efficiently. Furthermore, it allowed for specialism in one area at an early stage.

    On the other hand, Adam & Partners, as a smaller organisation, allows for more autonomy and flexibility. The area of work is wider ranging.

    I received fantastic training at EY however I am personally better suited to the flexibility and autonomy of working with clients such as Adam &Partners.

     

    Would you say your LL.M. from UCL helped in being successful at Adam & Partners?

    In general, legal training helps to develop the ability to absorb a lot of information, analyse it and come to a conclusion. It also develops effective communication skills. These skills are helpful for any position.

    Further, friends made at UCL, a lot of whom were lawyers from other countries, have become a useful network.

     

    Having been part of a multi-cultural set-up with international clientele, did you face any cultural challenges? How did you address them?

    From birth, having dual nationality, I have been comfortable in a multi-cultural environment but acknowledge that there are inevitable cultural tensions. However, in a professional environment I have found that any such hostility tends not to be openly aggressive. The main issue I encounter is that of lowered expectation, not based on my qualifications but rather preconceptions.

    To address this, it has been important for me to remain confident in my ability and remain appropriate at all time. Furthermore, positive and consistent achievement tends to negate any such assumption.

     

    Since you are now on the other side of the table, can you give us the ‘recruiters’ point of view’, as to what they look for in a potential hire?

    Intellectual aptitude is a must. The law is academically challenging and the ability to analyse and interpret it is fundamental.

    That being said, soft skills such as good judgment, tenacity, and emotional intelligence are equally important.

    Work experience is also valuable. Be it legal internships, or simply a part time job at a coffee shop – something that demonstrates an ability to interact successfully with others in a work environment.

     

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

    Get the grade. Rightly or wrongly, one of the most objective ways employers judge intellectual aptitudes is academic grades. Every aspect of your journey into the law has a minimum academic requirement.

    Undertake a legal internship/paralegal, even if it is unpaid. It will do two things. First, demonstrate your ability to apply legal knowledge to real life situations. Second, it will allow you decide if you actually enjoy working as a lawyer. Often the practice of law is different from academic study.

    Be flexible. The current employment environment is rather difficult for law graduates, with limited traineeships being offered. In order to best navigate this do not be discouraged by rejections, instead make a list of why the law and what you want from a career in law. Be willing to be creative to access and develop the skills needed.

    Finally, be positive and good luck.

  • Debadyuti Banerjee, Assistant Manager, Lexplosion, on studying abroad, and her editorial experience

    Debadyuti Banerjee, Assistant Manager, Lexplosion, on studying abroad, and her editorial experience

    debadyuti-banerjee1Debadyuti Banerjee graduated at the top of her class from WBNUJS, Kolkata, in 2011. Thereafter she went to King’s College, London for an LL.M. in International Commercial and Business Laws. She has been in the editorial board of both NUJS and KCL’s Law Review. Presently, she is working as an Assistant Manager at Lexplosion, Kolkata.

    In this interview we ask her about:

    • Studying in King’s College
    • Insight into the International Commercial and Business Laws Course
    • Experience as a member of Editorial Board of NUJS and KCL Law Review.
    • Work at Lexplosion and internship requirements

     

    How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?

    I am a lawyer by profession, and I’d like to clarify at the very outset that I did not gravitate towards Law but, in fact, chose it after careful consideration. I decided right after ICSE that pursuing law was the way forward for me. Till then I had been toying with two very different subjects—engineering in Computer Science or English literature. And then, I landed on the perfect combination—law!

    Awareness of the presence of conflicts in every sphere, from personal to political and the tiff between theory and implementation—how sometimes something in theory looks good but may actually be different in reality—made me keen on pursuing law as a career. It might be pertinent to mention that I do come from a family which has a long history (and hopefully future) of lawyers and judges and it’s always been a part of who I am.

    I made the switch from Science to Humanities for ISC and started preparing for the National Admission Test for admission to NUJS. I cannot begin to emphasize how helpful subjects like Economics, Sociology and Political Science at the school level were to build a solid base for the first couple of years in a LL.B course.

     

    Did you have an opportunity to study the subjects you chose to specialize in your LL.M?

    My specialization was in International Commercial and Business Laws from Kings College London (KCL/Kings). Other than World Trade Law, which was taught on the bare minimum terms in NUJS, I did not really get an opportunity to study the subjects that I chose in my LL.M. Lectures in World Trade Law were delivered by Federico Ortino and Piet Eeckhout, who are subject matter experts in the EU and thorough in research in this area as well. I must make a special mention of the subjects lectured by Mihael Jeklic (who has also been associated with Harvard Law School in the past)—Legal Negotiation and Analytical and Quantitative Methods for Lawyers (AQM).

    Mihael is a very cordial teacher and his classes were an absolute pleasure to attend. He adopted an extremely casual attitude inside the class, going as far as to encourage us to eat our breakfast in our early morning class! Legal negotiation involved us to engage in real life negotiation situations, sometimes in class and at other times of our convenience. These exercises consisted of real life scenarios, requiring participants to come up with well thought out BATNAs, be aware of the Zone of Possible Agreement (ZOPA) and learning on the job to exert soft skills to achieve the closest best result each person had in his/her mind. Closely related to this was AQM, where things became more interesting. These lectures weren’t lectures at all, in that it was completely a discussion.

    We got to read and talk about interesting topics like decision analysis, game theory, behavior of markets especially its irrationality, bubbles and their growth trajectory and a fair bit of accounting. The skills learnt in these courses go quite far to teach one to evaluate real life scenarios from all angles on a rational basis and would find application in litigation as well as a corporate scenario. A thing to note here was that I was the only Indian national in my batch to take both these courses. Legal negotiation was a bit more popular among my Indian counterparts as it was a half module, while AQM was a heavier subject which involved deep diving.

    For example: We were expected to take part in an exercise on Marketwatch which provided valuable insights into the mechanics of trading and provided several discussions surrounding efficient markets theory and behavioral finance. For those interested to read up on this further, I would suggest “Freakonomics” to be a good starting place. I would also recommend reading of “A Random Walk Down Wall Street” for its stellar theory on the efficient market hypothesis and Warren Buffet’s rebuttal of it.

    These are very interesting eye-opening subjects. Apologies if I rambled there. I also took International Commercial Arbitration on which I chose to submit my primary research paper. This comprised a much larger group, both international and Indian, the lectures themselves were more of a formal structured style and there were periodic (about fortnightly) written assignments to complete. Lectures were delivered by Toby Landau, Salim Moollan, Ricky Diwan, Sam Wordsworth, Maria Duval, among others.

     

    How did you go about choosing which college to go to for your LL.M?

    Having pursued an integrated B.A.LL.B (Hons) programme at the UG level from a prestigious law school in India, pursuing a Master of Laws seemed to be the next step for me especially since I have always been academically predisposed. I was sure that I wanted to go to the United Kingdom for my postgraduate studies. I had applied to Kings College London, Queen Mary University of London, University of Durham, University of Kent and University of Nottingham based on my course preference. I was accepted to all these Universities and was offered scholarships at KCL and Kent. I accepted KCL because of several reasons—location (both in UK and in London), faculty, ratings (consistently ranked in the world top 20 for law), history and background, employability ratings and the most important, the Kings International Graduate Scholarship that I was offered. There were only two scholarships given out that year and I was thrilled to have been offered one. Finances were always the most important consideration in my mind. (I’ll talk about it in some detail later.) KCL is international in its composition and outlook, with a wide array of organisations and societies made available for students, and this offered me a superbly rich study environment. It is located in the heart of London, and by that I mean, I could see the London Eye every day, the law department is housed in the historic Somerset House—it doesn’t get much better than that!

     

    You have worked on the board of the NUJS & the Kings Student Law Review. How has that experience been for you?

    That’s a very good question. Both experiences were fantastic albeit in very different ways. I worked as a Senior Associate of the NUJS Law Review and it was a great learning experience to make the transition from merely writing and onto mentoring, reviewing and finishing articles within a given time period. There was some editorial work involved, but not much, it was more about writing articles. Kings Student Law Review (KSLR) was a different ball game altogether. As a member of the Editorial Board there was a good amount of reviewing and decision making in the selection process involved. Since I was also heading the copy editing team (which is somewhat rare for a LL.M student as the other guys heading teams were PhD students), I think my previous Law Review work experience held me in good stead there. The painful bit of citing articles as a writer was of great help when I was doing the editing especially as OSCOLA was the norm and it was new to me. It was amazing that I had the independence to choose my own subordinate team members. Having been a Law Review member certainly did add to my resume when I was tailoring it for the LL.M application.

     

    How did your interning experience boost your LL.M. application?

    (Debadyuti has interned at Khaitan, Amarchand & Fox & Mandal in addition to interning with advocates and Supreme Court judges.)

    A well rounded CV is always helpful and I think that a variety of internships at leading law firms or advocates or even Supreme Court clerkship showed willingness to learn different skills and thriving under pressure. I believe that this unique blend of experiences also gave me an unique point of view in life and that was super helpful while writing the Case for Support applications for scholarships. Each of these internships imparted new skills and a view into how these organisations work so I would say cumulatively they all helped in grooming my legal skill set.

     

    debadyuti-banerjee3

    How difficult was studying abroad in terms of finding accommodation, finances and settling in?

    Personally I faced a lot of trouble with finding accommodation in London, but mine was a one off thing. There was a certain amount of time during which I was staying with kind strangers and then flat-sharing with a friend. I was finally offered a place in Kings College Hall (There are separate applications for accommodations as well—the various application processes are mind boggling!). It was a beautiful old Victorian building with a park and a thriving international body of students which made my life incredibly interesting! I got the opportunity of interacting with a wide milieu of students (both UG and PG) cutting across continents and cultures. I would definitely recommend living in student halls for the experience it offers. One needs to be careful of finances and carefully plan the expenditure from beforehand, otherwise it’s easy to go overboard since London is an expensive city. However, there are several concessions available to students like the Oyster card and discounts at departmental stores. I was extremely thankful to have been offered a scholarship award as I was very clear that I would not be pursuing my masters without one. There are several attractive scholarships available at KCL especially full scholarships now that it has received extremely generous donations from its alumni.

     

    How was the faculty and academic schedule at KCL?

    I spoke in detail about the faculty and the subjects before so I won’t repeat myself. A typical day would be early morning classes, hanging out with my fellow LL.M mates in the canteen discussing any topic under the sun, afternoon classes (if any), going to the library to study/pick up books, going back for late evening classes (some were scheduled at 7 pm so that active members of the Bar could come down to lecture), travelling for an hour to go back to hostel (Travelling is a big part of living in London!), reading up for future lectures and/or assignments. Readings were given beforehand and one was expected to have read most (if not all) the articles or pieces of work on the list. If you are not reading and not updated, it is very difficult to keep up with the lectures and engage in a meaningful discussion with the class. It will be waste of time if you’re not engaged in the classroom discussions is what I think. There were regular assignments and written essays which needed to be handed in on specified dates, so it was an intense course and pretty busy.

     

    Was there time enough for non academic pursuits at KCL?

    You need to find time for non-academic pursuits. There’s no work without play! In London there’s always something or the other happening—be it wine tasting sessions, guided tours, and the like. I found the study-life balance to be easy to handle and anyone who is good at time management would enjoy their time in KCL and London. There is an education happening inside the classroom and there is an education that London as a city has to offer. It feels extremely rewarding to have gotten a taste of both.

     

    How in your opinion is the LL.M experience abroad different from that in India?

    Not having pursued a LL.M from India, comparing an undergraduate course in India to a postgraduate course in the UK might be a little unfair so I would not like to venture there. However, I would like to emphasize on the world view it imparted and the variety of specialized skills I picked up in my LL.M.

    Again, I cannot really comment on the decision of my batch-mates. Personally speaking, it was never about the job prospects. I was placed as a part of the CRC process with a law firm in Mumbai which I declined to go abroad for my higher studies. I have always been keenly interested in legal writing / research and that’s what led to the LL.M.

     

    There is a school of thought that labels LL.Ms as being little more than an expensive holiday unless the individual concerned wishes to enter the world of academia/research? Your thoughts?

    I am yet to come across a person who has gone on this “holiday” terming it as one! It is expensive and I would not dream of having gone on a fully self-funded LL.M without a scholarship. So the “expensive” bit is definitely true. I rate the LL.M to be an educative experience beyond par—both inside and outside of the classroom. Whether one practices, joins the corporate world or is into research is a purely personal preference, but I am sure reading for an LL.M helps in that journey. In my experience, employers also give a fair amount of weightage to an education abroad.

     

    Tell us a bit about Lexplosion. What is an ordinary work day like?

    Lexplosion is a new age company which is blending law with technology to solve clients’ pain points. Its tagline is to “Innovate Legally” and its main product offering is a cloud-based software which offers regulatory and legal compliance management. Other than that, it also provides a plethora of services which includes a fair bit of work that a typical law firm does, like legal research on specific client queries, contract drafting, due diligence and the like. Lexplosion was set up by a group of ex AMSS, GE, Seth Dua alumni. It’s a young place with the average age being around 30. There is no ordinary work day as such; each day brings with it a set of challenging activities my way.

     

    Can you tell us something about mentoring interns at Lexplosion.

    I am happy with the law students that I have had the chance to interact with during my stint as a mentor here. Most are bright, enthusiastic and make me optimistic about the new gen lawyers. I wish to emphasize writing skills which is frequently missed out on. It’s important as a lawyer to have impeccable research and writing skills. And by that I mean looking at primary sources, citing everything properly and deep diving into issues to address multifarious angles. You don’t need to write using a lot of meaningless words strung together. Writing in simple formal English which shows depth of thought is how one should start.

    Regarding internship applications…a well written cover letter and a proper CV with no grammatical/spelling mistakes are a MUST and automatically points towards a person being organized and diligent. Random applications with multiple addressees are not welcome. And that does not mean putting everybody in the bcc either. There is also a telephonic interview as part of the selection process here and that is very helpful to both parties involved for determining suitability.

     

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

    Not second guess a lot of things!

     

    What would be your suggestion to law students who plans to go for higher studies?

    Do your research on the courses, faculty, living costs et al., do not blindly follow rankings and go to a University which would suit you the best. Apply well in advance of the respective deadlines for application to the selected course, scholarships and accommodation, and put in a fair bit of thought to each application. Honesty shines. I had made a controversial quote in my SOP for the KCL scholarship and had a lengthy discussion about it with my mentors at the KCL scholarship ceremony. Important takeaway for me was that people will remember you for who you are and what you stand for.