What was your motivation behind choosing law as a career?
Growing up, I spent my formative years in the company of my grandfather, who remained deeply embedded in social and political life for as long as he lived. I used to accompany him to many of his social gatherings full of lawyers, local politicians and judges which gave me an opportunity to plunge in the stirring political discussions. Every time I listened to them, I realized there was so much more to it, than what was being said. During one such event, my grandfather once said, “Look around…if you also pursue law, it will help you be whoever you want to be” and that is when I finally decided to turn his words into actions.
What were the challenges that you faced in the beginning of your career?
To get a job was probably the easy part but real game is to survive and thrive in it. There is a significant difference between knowing the law and its application to any legal role held by you. To put it simply, knowledge is theoretical, and skills are practical. You may be well versed with the rules of the game, its history and the statistics. But this only makes you well informed and knowledgeable, it does not make you skilled in it. To be good at a game, you must consistently practice your skills and techniques.
Similarly, in a job knowledge is not everything. Skimming through multiple case laws, absorbing wide range of legal knowledge, being able to itemize relevant legislations does form an integral part of law school curriculum. But this is only the first step. Once you enter the real world, the project or case you are handling might require advanced research and that is where you have to showcase your skills.
To be able to undertake that research, articulate thoughts and express ideas effectively using verbal and written communication skills to multiple audiences, as well as to listen for meaning and understanding forms a crucial part of your career.
With LLM in Intellectual Property Laws, what drew you to this field of legal researcher and content manager, eventually as a commissioning editor?
I studied Intellectual Property Laws from Gujarat National Law University. Ostensibly, it doesn’t sound relevant to any of my jobs but my education is coming strangely handy as my course helped me develop research and writing skills, the ability to present and argue persuasively and to develop an eye for detail.
In particular, I chose to be in research and academic publishing because I have always enjoyed interacting with the professors and other scholars as they are the people really cutting edge with their subject area and sometimes many subjects at the same time. So, I thought it would be terrific to work with these people and be paid for it.
What are the essential skills, abilities and personal attributes required to make it to the field of Legal Research, Writing and Publication?
Publishing is a creative industry so commercial awareness and strong verbal and written communication skills will get one far in publishing. Focusing on research skills is also equally important. It is crucial to understand how to perform legal research, including where to start and the steps to follow. Perseverance is the key when it comes down to research.
Can you recommend trade journals, magazines or professional associations which would be helpful for our readers?
The World Trade Organisation produces a wide range of publications on various trade-related issues. Most of these publications may be downloaded from the WTO website. Also, WorldTradeLaw.net offers a free library of trade news and resources, as well as a subscription service, which provides summary and analysis of all WTO reports and arbitrations; a keyword index; a database of dispute settlement tables and statistics; and a user-friendly search tool for WTO cases, legal texts, and other documents.
How does your work affect your general lifestyle?
The working culture of publishing industry is exciting, and the working hours can be long sometimes but not insane. The industry does offers you a good work life balance. It’s a busy-buzzy environment to work in so one must be highly organized and really good at juggling between multiple tasks.
What kind of problems and challenges do you deal in the publishing process?
The biggest challenge is to procure manuscripts from authors within the scheduled time frame. Editors have to ensure that they do not miss the publishing deadline and authors don’t miss their writing deadline. For this, the editors are required to establish a tremendous working relationship with the authors which involves detailed correspondence and having a lot of empathy for the authors to be able to put yourself in their shoes.
Throughout the publication process the role of editor never ceases. At any stage between signing a contract till the product hits the market, editor is the point of contact for all concerns and queries authors might have. Suppose if you are giving the authors really tight deadlines you have to explain why that is and do what you can to help them through to avoid potential slippages. Any delays at early stages can have dramatic effects on publication schedules especially when the publishers have already been advertising a book’s release and the due date needs to be changed.
Therefore, to avoid any delays, editors spend a large part of their working week speaking with their authors. All of this is in addition to a whole myriad of administrative tasks that always need to be done.
If you could do it all over again, would you choose the same path for yourself? If not, what would you change?
Big YES! By the end of graduation, I was certain that litigation or working at a law firm never inspired me and during my post-graduation I realized that I am more inclined towards research and writing. Needless to say, the decision to follow my passion came with its own adjustments, particularly in terms of compensation. But the flexibility and work life balance my job offers always keeps me afloat.
What advice would you give someone who is considering being in this field?
The key to achieving anything and everything you desire is Action.
So, “Wish for it, Hope for it, Dream of it, but by all means do it.” – Leslie Levine
Was pursuing law planned or did it all happen by chance?
It was an informed decision. I have had a fondness towards business because my father was from a business background. At a very young age I understood the need and importance of sound legal advice to run a business. My inclination towards law was initially drawn from the need for good and correct legal advice to run a business successfully. I decided I want to study law thereafter and after that there was no looking back!
Please enlighten our audience about the initial struggles in your career and how you managed to overcome them?
Initial struggles obviously is very individualistic in nature. When I think about the initial struggle I can think of three things (i) being able to cope with the time and effort this profession demands ; (ii) court craft and presentation of matters and (iii) ability to find a place of comfort and fit in culturally in an organisation.
My take on point (i) is that while you’re are studying law and on your way to become a lawyer you already know what you are getting into! If you have interned at the right places and I stress ‘right places’ you already know this profession is very demanding. So you are mentally prepared and I have the the hunger to grow so coping with this came naturally to me and yes, it takes what it takes!
With respect to point (ii) the only way to deal with it is read your file. Confidence is key to a lawyer’s progress and success. In my experience confidence is self built and it doesn’t matter who and what stage of your profession you are at. To exhibit the confidence in court, one needs to fight the fear and that fear vanishes when one is a master of his/ her file. This has always worked for me as I have been able to avoid surprises in court and during hearings.
Knowing the file a-z gives you a sense of power in court to present your case better by assisting the court better and representing your client better. Once you have mastered your file the clarity helps you present the matter in a structured manner.
Despite the above, there has been a situation when I was asked to present a case before the Hon’ble high court of Karnataka at Banagalore and due to my sheer over preparedness I didn’t know where to start from and my first one minute went in silencebefore court.
The reading and over night preparation came to my rescue when the judge asked me a question on the matter and I was able to quickly pick up from there and Yes, I was able to obtain a favourable order in the matter. The point being it’s okay to be nervous and it’s okay to fumble in court but a non- negotiable is not preparing for a matter.
The preparation will come to your rescue at the time of need and it has in my experience. With respect to point (iii) it’s a game of chance. The trial and error theory worked for me. I have worked with 3 organisations so far. I started off my career with a pre placement offer from Dua Associates after an internship. Thereafter, I worked under Senior Advocate Mr Udaya Holla and currently I work at JSA.
I had interned at all these places during law school. So I was familiar with the work environment which worked in my favour. Although there is no straight jacket formula! I think the only way to cope with struggle is channelising your mind! Mindset is the key!
With experience I realized how to prioritize what are the actual issues and what are non- issues that can be ignored. The other key was acceptance! You can’t change everything and everything is not black and white. When you decide you will put in what it takes you’ll learn to deal with situations and when I say deal with situations I mean priorities your issues.
Among all the specialisations, i.e. Insolvency & Bankruptcy, Drafting, Arbitration, Debts Recovery, Criminal related, Company law, etc., which one do you find the most interesting and challenging?
I am a commercial litigator. I deal with civil commercial litigation and arbitration. I have always been inclined towards arbitration and commercial matters. For me the most interesting and challenging part of litigation is cross examination whether before an arbitrator or a judge. I had the opportunity to cross examine a witness from Greece in an arbitration and even after days and sleepless nights of preparation I realised the art of understanding a witness and strategising and most importantly re- strategising your cross examination plays a primary role.
Needless to mention strategising a case can effectively happen only when you have mastered your file and the facts. The effort and time put in a matter will always be useful and that is the most challenging and interesting part of litigation.
What all does litigation management include, and do you also use legal tech often? How useful its been for you?
Litigation Management is key. It could be as basic as file management. A litigator is handicapped without his/ her file before any court/ tribunal. This also means organisation and being organised is very essential for a litigator. For instance – As everyone knows litigation /arbitration files are voluminous generally. Therefore, arranging the file is essential. You have limited face time on each matter while representing your case.
When the judge asks you a question and you start looking for the documents during that time, you can consider half the battle lost. Presentation of a matter is key! Therefore, behind the scene work is time consuming and very necessary. With respect to usage of technology, we are still on a snail pace as on now.
How do you stay up to date on the latest legal developments and apply the same in day to day practice?
I can’t deny this is a challenge. My senior and my former boss being Mr Udaya Holla always stresses on reading and these days everything is digitalised. He always said don’t finish your matter in court and go home. Please sit and read. If I have to pass a message to someone I’ll pass the same. If we aren’t spending time till 10- 11 pm reading and preparing on matters, we are not going to make it.
Also there are a lot of blogs which are handy these days leaving witnessing day to day court proceedings. I use Daksha legal, SCC online and live law regularly. Leaving that thankfully JSA has a full fledged knowledge management team who tirelessly work to put together the latest updates which I have access to. Also, as a lawyer, one reading of a particular case/ legislation will help you multiple times. You may read that particular case law or legislation for one particular matter but you will end up filing similar petitions for another client and eventually end up using the same material. If anything you’ll build on existing knowledge.
Any roadmaps that were followed by you in this journey Maitreyi? Off course, yes.
Everyone has heard that there is no substitute to hard work but in addition to that there is no place for wrong attitude in this profession. Always remember, there is always someone who can replace you and there are zillion competent people out there with the hunger to provethemself. Being grateful and keeping the right attitude is key. An organisation will be willing to teach you the law and the skill to work on a matter but will not tolerate a wrong attitude. Focus on the right attitude towards work.
What strategies work best in dispute(arbitration/ litigation) matters ?
Hard work without deliveryon time will have no meaning. In a span of two weeks, I had 2 situations where the client approached us to obtain urgent restraining/ stay orders respectively. I had to not only draft the petitions over night but also file and obtain favourable orders. Hard work is of no use if you cannot deliver within steep deadlines. Yes! We obtained favourable orders in both the matters.
The need and hunger to deliver has always been important to me. It is also important to keep it uncomplicated and simple. Let it be drafting, presenting a matter before court and / or cross examination. Keep it simple and clear. Every unintentional ambiguity will cost you the matter.
Nowadays, people don’t have that zeal to pursue a career in litigation, what can be the reason for that apart from job security in corporate?
Well that’s a choice. I don’t fully agree that people don’t have the zeal for litigation. Litigation jobs are equally secure and satisfying and I am a living example of it.
Any 3 advices that you would like to share with our audience
Advice – (i) Get immune to unrealistic timelines. (ii) Execution and delivery is equally important as behind the scene work. (iii) It will atleast take you a year to understand if you like what you are doing or the place you are working at. Don’t change or quit your job as soon as you face a non work related or a work related issue.
Tell us about yourself and what inspired you to pursue a career in corporate law?
I am born and brought up in Delhi. Despite being amongst the toppers in my school, I was not sure what I wanted to pursue professionally. I took up Biology with Maths in XIIth in order to keep my options open. After passing out of school, still unsure of what I wanted to do, I zeroed in on studying Business Administration on a whim, as I did not want to pursue medicine or engineering, which was the most opted for career option back then.
It was during graduation days that I discovered my love for law when I was introduced to Business Laws as a subject. I also realized then that my natural personality traits were aligned with being a lawyer, when I used my skills to negotiate and convince my Professors and HODs to help my friends who ran into trouble with them for multiple reasons.
Of course, being amongst the good books of my teachers helped to a certain extent in that.
This naturally progressed into me opting for law when I cracked Delhi University’s entrance exam and studied law in the prestigious Campus Law Centre. Thereafter, I was a practising lawyer for a few years before I chose to move In-House with a Company.
During my very enriching stint as a first-generation lawyer, where apart from handling cases for individuals, I also got to work closely with several Companies while handling their litigations and arbitrations, I got fascinated by the multi-faceted workings of a Company and the various factors that played part in assisting the top-management take crucial business decisions.
This piqued my interest in corporate law, and life came a full circle when Business Laws subject in BBA helped me discover my inclination towards law, and after practising law and building my base in understanding the workings of a court, I moved In-House.
What are some of the most challenging aspects of your job as an In-House Counsel?
Law is a demanding profession, and whether you are a practising lawyer or an In-House Counsel, every day comes with new challenges, and with each challenge, comes a new opportunity. To pin-point the most challenging aspects would be difficult, as every day is different.
The job is to assist the Company in all legal affairs, and it can involve anything and everything under the Sun.
A regular day as an In-House counsel involves a wide spectrum of activities ranging from handling aspects of general corporate advisory, looking after the litigations of the Company, interacting with external lawyers for the same, attending matters, drafting and red-lining of pleadings and agreements, negotiating on closing deals for the Company, briefing senior counsels, interacting with several departments for assisting them in dealing with regular operational issues and commercial transactions, and so on and so forth.
Simply put, the challenge is to align business objectives with the legal standpoint to the best benefit of the stakeholders, both internal and external, but that is also where the fun lies.
What strategies do you use to stay abreast of legal developments in the corporate world?
Frankly, I found it easier to stay abreast of the latest developments in law when I was a practising lawyer, as daily interactions with colleagues outside Courtrooms while waiting on matters to reach would organically help in exchanging new information.
I did not realize the importance of relevant information just coming to you without you making conscious efforts towards the same. It is a tad bit tougher for an In-house counsel and it requires conscious efforts to stay abreast with the new developments, both in the dynamics of law and business.
My learnings from my practise days is what works for me in staying aware of the new developments in the corporate world.
Just that my casual chats with my colleagues outside courtrooms is now replaced with interactions with my colleagues from various departments of the Company, who enlighten me with their knowledge and new developments in their respective fields, and collectively, that gives me a bird’s-eye view of developments in the corporate world.
Thereafter, my curiosity about the new information pushes me to read extensively on the new developments from a legal standpoint, and as a legal professional, the research skills acquired during my internship and practice days help a great extent in gathering the relevant knowledge.
Now we are all surrounded by legal tech tools that help in contract drafting and in so many other forms as well, how do you see these tools changing the world of lawyers? What do you think the future of corporate law when AI and the role of legal tech is added on as well?
These tools are contributing a huge deal in reducing the burden on lawyers. The contract drafting tech tools save up on a lot of time by giving a format to start with. The same, of-course, has to be worked on to suit the specific needs and requirements of the business, and in my view, the legal expertise in doing so cannot be replaced by the Artificial Intelligence behind these tools.
Besides contract drafting tech tools, there are several other tech tools that help manage the MIS of the multiple litigation’s in a Company and helps In-House counsel in keeping a track of the matters. These tech tools also help in providing data for analyzing the reports for strategizing plans and actions of handling various matters. I see these tools as very important helping hands in assisting lawyers and In-House counsels to work in a more effective and efficient manner.
What do you consider to be the most important skill for a successful In-House Counsel, and any roadmaps for the same?
I am still learning new skills every day, and I think the quest to keep learning is the most important skill for a successful legal professional, whether In-House Counsel or a practising lawyer.
Apart from that, what I have learnt till now is that it is important to put your thoughts into actions. As lawyers, we develop the skill to formulate multiple strategies and plan of actions, but it is crucial to execute the plans in a timely manner to suit the needs of a fast-paced environment of a Company. I feel there is no fixed roadmap for the same, and all ways to achieve the same are the right ways, given one is consistent, conscientious, and persistent towards it.
Harsha, what do you consider to be the most rewarding part of your job?
I consider the contentment I derive after a good day’s work where I feel that I contributed towards meeting the Company’s objectives and assisting the various business functions in taking important business decisions, as the most rewarding part of my job.
Lastly, any 4 pieces of advice for our young law generation.
Law is an intellectually rewarding field and is an extremely demanding one as well. It is important to understand that in this field, knowledge is power, and the learning is never-ending.
A few of my learnings that I would like to share for young professionals:
Go to Courts. I know Corporate Law has been glamorized enough with the multiple perks it comes with as compared to the challenges one faces as a practising lawyer, but I cannot stress enough on knowing the basic functioning of courts before joining a Company as an In-House counsel. The courts are where all the action is, and the learnings you gather there will help you in the longer run. Once you know the drill, you would not be taken for a ride by others, and you would be a better asset to the Company. Your initial few years as a practising lawyer would also give you clarity on which industry appeals to you.
Take responsibility. That’s the way you learn at the beginning of your career. There could be days when you could not present your case before court, because the clerk did not reach on time with the file, or any such fiasco. It helps to internalize the situation instead of pushing the blame on others. Analyse what you could have done better to avoid the situation, learn, and not repeat in future. Pushing on the blame or justifying yourself before your senior would only stagnate your individual growth, while taking complete responsibility would make you adept at better handling such practical problems that you may face.
Don’t be afraid to fail. A cliché, but your failures will teach you more than your successes.
While we are students, exams are held once or twice annually, but once you are a professional, every day is an exam, minus the syllabus. So brace yourselves for the challenges, and have fun while at it.
How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?
Hi, I am Ashirbad, and I am currently a Lecturer at O P Jindal Global University. I love to paint and sketch. You would always find me humming to Sufi music or Eminem, there is no in between. I have a black belt in karate, I used to run 10Ks during my Masters, and most of my free time during the work week is spent watching Instagram reels about puppies, or NFL and UFC matches. And, when I have vacations, I backpack across remote but picturesque destinations.
Why did you choose to pursue a degree in law after your Class 12 Boards?
Didn’t really have much of a choice. I was a PCMB student during my 11th and 12th. It was not my cup of tea. I had a disastrous JEE and AIPMT. The only option that I had was CLAT. AIPMT ended on 3rd May, CLAT was on 10th May. I prepared what I could within that and showed up for the exam. Quite fortunately, things have been on a upward trajectory ever since.
Tell us a little about your days in NLU Odisha?
I had the time of my life in NLUO. When I joined there really were no campus placements, only a few batches had graduated, no one really gave us guys a shot. So, we as the students, had to build up a fair bit of the institution that it has become, ourselves. Beyond the professional or academic front, I met my closest friends there, I am very fortunate that the friends I had in first year of law school, are still my friends.
I learnt karate from Akshay, who used to live in the room next to me. I learnt how to write papers from some of my seniors there. Vegadarshi taught me a lot about how to be a Speaker for a moot. More than anything, everyday was a laugh riot in the place. I wouldn’t trade those days for anything
How did you narrow down on NLU Odisha specifically to pursue your undergraduate legal studies?
Again, didn’t really have much of a choice. I got through to TNNLS in the third round of CLAT counselling. Two and a half months later, there was a vacancy at NLUO, I applied and got through. The first two months were ludicrously challenging. I was the last guy in, I had joined after the mid-sems had gotten over, I had no clue what to do. Fortunately, I persisted, and things worked themselves out. I often say that the greatest things in my life have happened to me by accident, CLAT, NLUO, my friends, St Catharine’s, and they have had the best impact on me.
What were the activities, academic or otherwise, that you undertook in your law school days which in your opinion have shaped you and your career?
Plenty of them. I had a finger in every pie. From college committees, to moots, to papers, conferences, academics, debates, MUNS, I was involved with everything. I am generally quite outgoing, and I made full use of whatever avenues NLUO offered. It went beyond just building a career, and the academic knowledge I gained from them.
I have always prided on being able to don multiple hats at the same time and juggle multiple things successfully. They have proved to be quite beneficial in life, in general. I knew everyone on campus from the Vice Chancellor to the guards manning the gate.
Quite fortunately, they all got to know pretty well. That kind of connection is invaluable. It teaches you a lot about fostering and maintaining relationships with people from all walks of life and being a reliable person for them.
I am particularly proud of the work that I did as the Co-Convenor the College’s Internship Committee, along with Mridul, my Convenor. We lead a team of 10 students, and in our time span, we broke the record of the number of internships that NLUO had ever obtained in a calendar year by a wide margin. We took the total from 4 in the previous year to 59 in our term.
What kind of internships did you engage in during your undergraduate student years which you feel were invaluable to you in reaching your current position?
I interned at mostly data protection and general corporate teams of law firms. The most significant of them would be the two stints I had at Khaitan & Co, Kolkata, in the Corp A team with Mr Supratim Chakraborty. I had a blast working with him. I learnt so much from him, Shourya Da, Risa, Pratik Sir and a whole host of other people. I have really good memories of my time there.
You had been an all rounder in NLU Odisha, because of which you were bestowed with the ‘Shri Bichitrananda Mahanty Gold Medal’. How did you manage your academics, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities at the same time?
I used every available minute that I had, and I was as efficient I could be. It was a constant drive to be the very best version of myself. I was always occupied with something or the other. And I enjoyed doing it. No one forced me to do those things, I have always been naturally inclined to set high goals and see if I can achieve them. Being engaged in so many things also kept me focused and on track. That and an aptitude to work hard. There is no substitute for the latter. In a way, it was preparation for the future, beyond the limitations of law school. That being said, it was not all work though, I made sure to have enough time to kick back and relax with my friends.
You had been National Winner and Octa-Finalist of several Indian and International Moot Court Competition. Kindly share your experience as a successful mooter of NLU Odisha.
I have only done two moots the Oxford Price Media Moot Court and NUJS HSF Moot Court. Quite fortunately I performed well in them both. Price Media 2018 was the first moot that I ever did, and I spent a year working on it. Within that time span, I did not pick up any other assignment or co-curricular activity. We managed to reach the Octa-Finals of the World Rounds and were also adjudged as the Runners-up of the South Asian Rounds. We were the first team from NLUO to qualify for the Worlds in that competition.
The next year, I took part in HSF, and it was a month of pure sleeplessness. It had some of the most thrilling rounds I have ever been a part of, and we were adjudged as the Winners of the competition.
Again, we were the first team from our college to win the competition. Of course, along the way for both the competitions we received a tremendous amount of support from friends, alumni and college resources. The only thing I had in mind while preparing for Price Media was to be the very best Speaker I could possibly be, I had always been a debater and never a moot court Speaker, so the transition had some growing pains.
The secret sauce for success in a moot is to form a team with people you are comfortable working with. That, and a tremendous amount of hard work and sacrifice.
You had an accomplished record of publishing at renowned journals from publishers like Thomson Reuters, Eastern Book Company, Wolters Kluwer and famous dailies like that of The Indian Express, The Daily Guardian, The Statesman, Deccan Herald, just to name a few. Kindly share your experience of writing papers and articles for the journals and dailies.
I have always liked to write, so I expanded upon that in law school. I started off with nascent steps, publishing in online blogs and journals, until I garnered enough experience that I felt I could write for reputed publishers. Newspaper articles are always fun, as they are short, precise and reach a much larger audience.
The books or articles that I have published with the aforementioned publishers, were based on strenuous academic research, structured in a manner that was scholarly to merit publication, but, at the same time engaging enough to keep the reader hooked. I co-authored several articles with my Registrar at NLUO, Professor (Dr) Yogesh Pratap Singh, and, it was always a joy to write with him.
How important is it for the law students to write research papers while being at the law school?
It is definitely helpful, but, there is no hard and fast requirement as such. I have often heard stuff like publishing one article in a journal is equivalent to taking part in a moot. That is simply not true. These activities teach you different skills, and a lot depends on the quality of the paper and the journal it is being published in, which is the same as the quality of a moot court and your position in the competition.
A research paper would not only give you in-depth knowledge about the topic, but also streamline the manner in which you think and present your thoughts. A useful skill for a lawyer, for sure.
You had been a student researcher of important projects of NLU Odisha, won accolades in debate competitions, youth parliaments and MUNs’. How relevant do you believe are those achievements in your success story, so far?
Very relevant. I started off with MUNs. It laid the foundation for everything else that was to follow. As regards debates, I have been doing that since my childhood days. Debates taught me to think on my feet and marshal my arguments in a systematic and convincing manner. Debates also had a tremendous role to play in eliminating stage fright for me, and to be an engaging public speaker. My time
Between the time of your graduation and your post-graduation, you had briefly worked in a renowned law firm at their Gurgaon office. Kindly share your experience of working there in the role in the intervening period between your LL.B. and LL.M.
I was associated with the General Corporate team of JSA Gurgaon for the period between my undergraduate and my Masters. It was a great experience, and I learnt a lot about transactions. The responsibilities that you are entrusted with at the beginning are immense, and you have to adapt to the needs of the clients with alacrity. It was quite an enriching experience overall.
What prompted you to opt for LL.M. from University of Cambridge within a year of completing your BA. LL.B. from a renowned National Law University?
I always knew that I wanted to do a Masters, right from my first day of law school. And I was dead set on two places: Oxford and Cambridge. No other place ever held that charm for me. I wanted to study in a place which had history dating back to centuries, ensconced amongst picturesque medieval architecture and surrounded by the best minds in the world. Safe to say that I found that and much more at Cambridge.
How relevant would you say higher studies are for a career in law, be it working in law firms / companies or pursuing an academic career?
Its subjective. People do a LLM for various reasons. Some do it to satisfy their academic curiosity, others to transition into a foreign workforce, a few people I knew did a LLM as a break from their work. But, you do learn a lot during the year you spend studying for the program. Living in a different country, finding your feet amongst new friends and in a new culture teaches you a lot about yourself, and forces you to adapt to challenges. It opens your eyes to how people from different parts of the world live and the stories that they carry with them.
For an academic career, a LLM is always a big bonus. For law firms, I cannot offer an adequate comment. At the very least, the year you spend for your LLM, if it is at a sufficiently good University, is a year in which you gain a lot of knowledge, so its always a win-win.
What does the CV of a student seeking admission in a premier university offering an LL.M program have to look like? What are the factors you feel are looked into and what are the activities that the assessors regard favourably?
At the top of the list are your marks. To get into Oxbridge or relatively similar places, you need a good enough batch rank and marks. There is no substitute for that. Apart from it, excellence in a particular field is very helpful.
If your CV can demonstrate that you have a certain level of expertise in a particular area of law, you have worked on it extensively, and you are aiming to pursue your Masters in that particular area itself, it helps establish you as a strong candidate for the program. Apart from that, everyone’s CV is different. There is no hard and fast requirements as such.
You had been the Co-President of MCR (Postgraduate student body) Committee at St Catharine’s College for the Academic Year 2021 – 2022. How was your experience of leading a student body, that too outside the country?
It was incredible. I was admitted to St Catharine’s College at Cambridge and the college had elections for the position of the Co-President of the MCR Committee. I ran against a PhD candidate and was elected. As an Indian, being elected as the head of a British College was surreal keeping in mind the positions Indians had had in the British empire barely a hundred years ago or so.
The weight of it all was not lost on me. It was a tremendous amount of responsibility though, almost like a full time job. But, it gave a great opportunity to meet people from different streams: medicine, the sciences, humanities, finance, business; and also to work with the college authorities, and help them all in whatever issues that they had. It was truly a humbling experience.
You had been a gold medallist at NLU Odisha for Public International Law. Despite your command over the subject, what prompted you go for an LL.M. in Corporate Law?
I always wanted to work in Data Protection inter-mixed with commercial law. So, most of my internships and activities were geared on that front. I loved studying PIL in NLUO, primarily because of my Professor, Ananya Ma’am, who made the entire subject extremely engrossing. The fact that I got a medal in the subject, gives me immense joy, but my career trajectory has always been centred around commercial and technology laws.
Please share with our readers how did you narrow down on University of Cambridge for pursuing your LL.M. on Commercial Law along-with data-protection laws as your additional specialisation;
I have mentioned briefly earlier about my desire to study at Oxbridge. Of the two, Cambridge became an obvious choice because of Professor David Erdos, who teaches the module of Law and Information at Cambridge. He also heads CIPIL, which has done some remarkable work on European Data Protection Law. I knew I wanted to study from him, so, it was quite easy for me to decide to opt for Cambridge.
You went to Cambridge on full scholarship. You have been a recipient of three scholarships – Prathiba M Singh Cambridge Trust Scholarship (through Cambridge Trust), J N Tata Endowment for Higher Education of Indians Abroad (through TATA Trusts), Kemp-Gooderson Law Award and other Bursary funds (through St Catharine’s College, University of Cambridge). What is the secret of securing three prestigious scholarship at the same point of time for pursuing your LL.M.?
All of these scholarships are merit-cum-means based, implying that they need a certain calibre of academic standard, and the candidate ought to be in need for financial resources to fund their LLM. I had one objective in mind upon conclusion of my undergraduate program, which was to not ask my family for any funding. And I have been quite fortunate to have achieved that through the cumulative financial commitments of these scholarships. There is no secret as such. Just know your area of law well, be confident, honest and straightforward in the interviews.
Please share your experience of applying at University of Cambridge and for the scholarships, you had secured. Kindly share your experience of the application process for the LL.M. and the scholarships.
It was a bit stressful. Balancing a firm job, along with applications is a tall order. I had prepared a table with the last dates for applications of various scholarships along with their required documents. That helped me keep things on track. I had also reached out to my referees well in advance, so, that helped in avoiding any last minute hiccups regarding letters of recommendation and as such.
My one tip would be, research the Universities you want to get into well in advance, ensure that you have your transcripts and references prepared, and know yourself well for writing the statements of purpose.
In the year 2022, just after completing your LL.M. from the University of Cambridge you have joined Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat as a Lecturer. What prompted you to take the plunge in the field of academics?
A: I have always liked academia, being surrounded by young, bright minds. It is always good to give back to the next generation of students. When I was in Cambridge, Jindal came for recruitment, I applied and got through, and here I am. I am still at an early stage of my career, so, lets see where I end up in the next few years-academia, firm, an organisation, or somewhere else.
Back in your student years, did you ever see yourself becoming an instructor at a prestigious law school, sometime in the future? What did it take to get here?
Absolutely. In fact I used to teach my batchmates prior to every examination. The night before each exam, there would be an assembly of boys in the Boys Hostel in front of my room, and I would teach them whatever limited things I had read myself. These classes became known in NLUO as ‘Ashirbad classes’, and in fact in my final year, some of my batchmates put up a poster titled ‘Ashirbad Classes’ all around the campus. That was the foundation of my career in academia. So, I knew I had a future in academia for sure.
Give us a brief capsule of the life of a lecturer in a prestigious law school.
A: Its an engaging day, comprising of classes and research. It is an important responsibility to instruct students, so, you always have to be prepared for the classes. Apart from that it is always good to be in a University set up where things are quite organised and orderly.
How is your experience of working with Jindal Global Law School’s legendary instructor, Professor. Arjya B. Majumdar?
I have learnt so much from Professor Majumdar. He is pioneer of when it comes to teaching commercial law. I cannot describe accurately how much I have enjoyed working with him at Jindal. Apart from being a great educator, he is also an incredible guy. I have sought his advice on quite a few things, and they have always been eye-opening.
How important are grades, in your opinion, for a student to be eligible for employment, be it in academia or in top tier law firms?
Quite important. Never mess them up. Grades show one important thing- consistency. And that is an invaluable quality that every employer of institution looks for in a prospective candidate. So, be sure to keep them on track.
If given an opportunity, what would you do differently in your career journey up to this point?
Nothing. Not a single thing.
Is there any other suggestion you would like to give to our budding lawyers?
Do everything that you want to do. Set high dreams and demand the highest standards of excellence from yourself. There is nothing quite like regret, so make sure that when you look back on your life, you don’t have regrets about anything.
And always remember these lines “Stick to the fight when you are hardest hit, it’s when things go wrong that you must not quit.”
Being a science student, and then choosing law, what was the idea behind?
Though I was doing good in science, however somehow, I was not interested in pursuing a career in science and therefore, was looking for options. During this time, my family suggested me to go for a career in law and when I started preparing for entrance exams of different law schools (as we did not have CLAT back then) – it really fascinated me. I started reading about famous lawyers in India and also visited the lower Court in my city, the idea of wearing that collar band and arguing in Court used to give me goosebumps.
At was during this time that I firmly took a call to make a career and practice law.
How challenging has it been for you so far in the legal industry?
It has been a very satisfactory journey so far. I was able to clear the entrance exam of two National Law Universities and two reputation private universities and decided to join HNLU, Raipur. I joined the third batch of HNLU, Raipur in 2004 and was fortunate to have been taught by some of the best faculties at the time. My five year stay at HNLU was both memorable and enlightening at the same time.
The strict time lines to submit projects and moot court memorials gave me an early introduction of how the legal profession going to be and worked as a solid foundation for later part of my career.
I joined an IP boutique firm ZuesIP immediately after completing my course and thereafter, my joined current firm Rahul Chaudhry & Partners in 2010.
My firm and my mentor Mr. Rahul Chaudhry, the Managing Partner of the firm have immensely helped me become the professional I am today. I started as a junior associate in the firm and slowly learned the nuances of IP and law in general. I was designed as Partner – IP Enforcement in 2021 and handles IP Enforcement before the Courts in India, Domain Name as well as Custom Authorities.
What created your interest in the IP sector? And how did you prepare yourself for everyday challenges in the same?
My initial interest in IPR started when we were taught IPR in the second and third years of our law course. The idea of knowing, protecting as well as helping the brands grow attracted me and I decided to intern with IP Firms to better understand the subject. I learned the intricacies of IP as a subject and practical aspects of implementing the same in day-to-day legal practice during these internships.
Accordingly, I opted for IPR as my honours subject in the university and got a specialization in the same.
Preparing myself to practice IPR was not a challenge for me as I had a keen interest in the subject. I used to go through all major IP judgments by the Courts to keep myself updated of the latest developments and still try to read as much as I can whenever the schedule permits.
According to you, what networking strategies should be adopted by the first generation lawyers specifically in corporate?
Being a first generation lawyer myself, I have never felt any difference in terms of treatment by law firms or corporates. If you have knowledge of the subject and good command over language – you are bound to be noticed. The age old saying that there is no substitute to hard work is absolutely correct. I am a strong supporter of making your work speaks for yourself. If you are getting reliefs for your clients and are being recommended for your work – the world will look for you.
At the same time, I would suggest one to leverage technology, join industry groups in person or through various social media like LinkedIn and also offer educational resources. Give presentations and educational lectures in various industry gatherings as well as educational institutions.
What are the most important qualities for an intellectual property lawyer?
An IP lawyer needs to keep himself updated with latest judgments and industry practices. With the creation of IP Divisions in the Courts, IP has become even more niche practice. Going through PTC on a regular basis and keeping a track of prosecution practice is also very important. I always suggest that to be a successful IP lawyer, one should have a good command over prosecution side as the same forms the foundation of one’s IP practice.
How a trade mark application is filed, the route it takes for registration and how to overcome the objections raised by the Administrative Authorities (like Trade Marks Registry) are all very important. A wrong advice to the client during prosecution and registration procedure can ruin all future prospects of protecting and enforcing the mark.
Zeeshan, do these legal tech tools have helped litigants and corporates so far in preparation of different documents or filing and what in the future would be challenges for lawyers in dealing with such tools?
The tech tools are indeed helpful and I see them playing a greater role in future. Along with saving time, the tools also minimise the chances of an error. Many corporates have started using them to keep a track of their matters pending in the Courts, checking the deadlines and even setting reminders to ensure that no deadlines are being missed. As we all know, deadlines play very important role in our profession.
The time frame provided by the statues to file pleadings/documents before Courts as well as various administrative authorities are to be strictly followed, specially in IP prosecution. Hence, I believe the tech tools are going to be a game changer in future. With respect to the challenges, I believe the new generation of lawyers will not have any difficulty in handling these tools. I suggest even law schools should start preparing the students to use these tools during their course.
As a partner of a law firm, how do you manage to balance the work-life aspect?
Work-life balance is very important to ensure a long-term efficiency in work and a satisfaction in your personal life. My day usually starts at 9 am in the office and then few hours are spent in the Court as well. Being a partner, I also try spending sometime with my team members to interact and discuss work and the general life related aspects. However, one needs to prioritise the work and maintain a discipline during the working hours.
I am a strong supporter of not carrying the work related stress to home and spend my away time playing with my daughter as well as working out. It is equally important to take care of your health and therefore, I have made it a routine to work out for atleast an hour every morning.
The same not only helps me stay strong physically but also strengths my mind and helps me to prepare myself for the day.
Lastly, any advice for our young law generation?
Legal field requires continuous study and keeping yourself updated of the latest developments. So, it is very important to make an early habit of reading latest judgments as well as precedents. Young lawyers should also visit Courts and hear established legal practitioners argue the cases in Court.
