Super Lawyer

Tag: NUJS

  • Kumar Rahul, Law Graduate, NUJS, on cracking the MP Judiciary

    Kumar Rahul, Law Graduate, NUJS, on cracking the MP Judiciary

    Kumar Rahul graduated from  NUJS, Kolkata, in 2012. After working for some time he quit to join his true calling, the judiciary. He cracked the MP Judiciary exam, being ranked 4th in MP. His preparation comprised taking mock tests, studying the basics of his law school curriculum, and going through the previous papers of MP Judiciary.

    In this interview he talks about:

    • Preparing for the Judicial Services
    • Books and other knowledge sources helpful in preparation
    • Staple questions which are asked

     

    What motivated you to appear for judicial services?

    Coming from a small place called Dumka in Jharkhand, I was lucky to have completed my graduation from NUJS. When I was studying law at NUJS, I always thought about pursuing something which would have a direct bearing on the society and people. However, after graduating I joined a corporate firm which I left to join a Public Sector Company but the same did not work out owing to certain exigencies. So, at this stage I had the option of going back to a law firm job or doing something which I had always dreamt of doing. Then, I zeroed in on the two most prestigious services in the country namely-Civil services and Judicial Services. But the higher degree of uncertainty with respect to civil services and my earnest desire to remain associated with the field of law had cleared the dilemma and I started my preparation for judiciary.

     

    How did you prepare for the judicial services examination?

    I took coaching classes. Coaching helps immensely in saving time as going by the vast syllabus, one may need more than a year to prepare notes while the same is done exhaustively at coaching within ten to eleven months. The second biggest advantage of coaching is that it enables one to focus on core areas and thereby facilitates strategic preparation and the mock tests for prelims as well for mains provide a platform for regular assessment. Apart from this, the environment also keeps one motivated as there are regular interactions between like- minded individuals pursuing a common goal. However, I must say that coaching is not indispensable for preparation but a good and committed coaching institute polishes your concepts and nurtures the judicial bent of mind required for clearing the exams. But one may always prepare on their own with hard work and proper planning.

    I took coaching from one Rahul’s IAS from Mukherjee Nagar, New Delhi. I would definitely recommend this place if anyone wants to join coaching for judiciary.

     

    Did you take mock tests during your preparation?

    Yes, I did. Mock tests help an aspirant to test if he is able to execute his strategy which includes important aspects like time management, prioritising questions, finding out weak areas and keeping a check on the scores. Sometimes, questions which one has attempted in Mock tests are repeated in judicial examinations as one practices an inventory of questions. Since each mark is important so even if there are three to four questions which are exactly the same as that of the mock test then it provides an edge over the other candidates.

     

    When did you start preparing for the exams?

    Since I had not decided to write Judicial exams during my college years, I started preparing for the same when I left my job. I think this exam requires one year of preparation and therefore, if anyone wants to sit for judicial service exams, he/she should start preparing for the same during fourth or fifth year of law school.

     

    How many hours did you put in for your preparations every day?

    I never followed a set routine for everyday during my preparation. I did not study much in the beginning but within five months of my preparation, the notification came for the exam and the number of hours subsequently increased but I would like to mention that one should have fixed targets for the day or a week and not go by the number of hours.

     

    How much time did you give to each subject?

    I haven’t allocated any fixed time but subjects like CPC, CrPC, IPC, Evidence require more time as compared to less voluminous subjects like SRA, Limitation, etc.

     

    What approach did you take to remember the sections of the acts in syllabus?

    I have heard from many people that the judiciary exam is all about how much you can remember sections and language of Bare Acts. However, this is a common misconception among the aspirants. The exam primarily tests your concepts and knowledge of law. With the sound understanding of the concepts it is easy to retain important sections more effectively. There may be very few direct questions on a Bare Act in prelims exam. Therefore, only mechanical reading of Bare Acts will not suffice.

     

    How much of a case law do you need to remember?

    For prelims, one has to remember landmark cases in subjects like Constitution, CPC, CrPC, IPC etc. However, case laws help in writing answers for mains as they develop one’s ability to think like a judge and enhances the application of judicial mind. The quality of answers also automatically improves when we substantiate our answers in mains with the help of case laws.

    One should be updated about the cases which are in news for interview.

     

    What strategy did you adopt for preparing the subjects you had studied in college?

    Since, the ambit of law is very broad, it becomes important to know what not to read for any competitive examinations. It is humanly impossible to learn everything in all law papers. Therefore, it becomes very important to plan a strategy for preparation. I made a strategy based on the previous year paper and focussed more on important topics.

    Truly speaking, I have not studied subjects like CPC, CrPC, Evidence, IPC properly etc during my college and since, these subjects are very important for judicial service exams, I focussed more on these subjects.

    It does help in your preparation if you have studied in college. I shall advise the judicial service aspirants to make a habit of reading Bare Acts and Case laws. This exam does not require research on any topic but instead,  you have to be very smart with your preparation. You may study less but you should revise regularly whatever you study.

     

    Which books/materials did you rely on while preparing?

    Since, I got immense help from the notes which I prepared during my classes at coaching institute; I referred to books only for clarifications on few topics.

    However, here is the list of books which one may refer:-

     

    Subject Book(s) Recommended
    Constitution of India Bare Act, Pratayiogita Darpan (Polity issue), M.P.Jain
    Code of Civil Procedure Bare Act, Takwani
    Transfer of Property Act Bare Act, Poonam Pradhan (lexis Nexis)
    Indian Contract Act Bare Act, Avtar Singh
    Specific Reliefs Act Bare Act, Avtar Singh
    Limitation Act Bare Act, J.D.Jain
    Indian Evidence Act Bare Act, V.P. Sarathi, Batuklal
    Indian Penal Code Bare Act, K.D. Gaur
    Code of Criminal Procedure Bare Act, Kelkar
    Negotiable Instruments Act Bare Act
    MP Accommodation Control Act Bare Act
    MP Land Revenue Code Bare Act

     

    Which books/material did you use for preparing for the general knowledge section?

    For the static part, I referred to Upkar, Lucent’s GK and Arihant’s GS for MP and for current GK, I referred to a Hindu newspaper and monthly issue of Pratyiogita Darpan.

     

    How would you recommend one should prepare for the English knowledge and computer knowledge sections?

    One may refer to Objective General English by R.S. Aggarwal and Lucent’s Computer for questions relating to computers.

     

    Did you regularly read newspapers?

    Yes, I regularly read the Hindu and it helped in attempting General knowledge questions and writing the essay in mains paper. One should at least spend an hour everyday to read any good news paper and if possible, he/she should note down important points. The editorial part regarding legal developments is a very good source for essay.

     

    How would you rate the preliminary examination question paper on difficulty?

    I honestly do not consider prelims to be difficult provided one prepares with hard work and diligence. Since prelims is gateway for mains and interview, it becomes really important to focus properly on the bare act and one cannot afford to be selective in his preparation for prelims as even a single question can make a huge difference. One should practice questions from a standard book on each subject.

     

    How did you prepare for the segment on certain state acts passed by the M.P. legislature, since they are not taught in law schools?

    There were two local Acts which are asked in MP Judiciary: – Rent Control Act and Land Revenue Code. I have analysed previous year papers and found that the questions were almost from Bare Acts. Therefore, I have referred to Bare Acts and a few High Court and Supreme Court cases on important topics.

     

    During the main exams which consist of four papers, you are given two question papers simultaneously. How did you divide your time between the two?

    I gave equal time to all the papers as the marks allotted to each were identical.

     

    How did you manage your time among the questions in each paper?

    Since, in the first paper, all questions were from law carrying equal marks, I gave equal time to every answer. In the second paper, I divided my time according to the marks allotted to the questions asked in the paper.

     

    Would you say some of the sections are easier to score compared to others?

    The questions on essay writing, precis and translation do not require as much effort and with weekly preparation also one can excel in those areas whereas the questions of law are more demanding as they require regular revision and brushing of the concepts.

     

    What structure did you follow for answering a question in the main exam?

    There were mostly theoretical questions from law in Paper I and therefore it becomes very important how you write your answer in mains within a very limited time. I have tried to include object, policy and landmark cases as I believe that these are the requisites of a good answer.

     

    Did you practice writing the answers?

    I practised writing answers to almost all questions of last ten years which helped me immensely while writing answers during exam with respect to content and time management.

     

    Had you prepared some topics in advance for the write up section?

    I had chosen a few topics based on the questions asked in previous year.

     

    How did you prepare for the summarization exercise for the exam?

    The question on summarization exercise was pretty simple. I have not referred to any book for the same. I practised a few questions asked in previous years.

     

    Did you practice reading lengthy court documents to increase your reading speed and comprehension?

    No, I did not refer to any such documents. However, I read few judgments of MP High Court for judgment writing in mains.

     

    What is the level of Hindi proficiency required for the translation exercise?

    Since Hindi is mostly used in the lower courts in MP, one should have fair understanding and at the same time the ability to write in Hindi. If one wants to refer to any textbook then Sighal’s guide is a decent book available in the market.

     

    Did you practice translation exercises during your preparation?

    Yes, I practised a few questions which were asked in previous years.

     

    How did you prepare for the judgment writing exercise?

    Judgment writing is very important to clear mains. Out of 200 marks in mains, 50 marks have been allotted for judgment writing. This is the part which many students ignore and since there is a minimum cut-off for each paper, it becomes very important to get a good score in judgment writing.

    There are two judgment writing questions asked in the mains- one on civil law and another on criminal law. It is advisable to follow the format of trial court of MP for judgment writing. The main part is how you appraise evidences in a given factual situation. You may decide the case in anyone’s favour but your reasoning should be sound and cogent.

    For judgment writing, I practised previous year papers and read a few High Court judgments.

     

    How would you rate the main exam question paper on difficulty?

    The exam is not difficult as such provided one has prepared well with a good strategy.

     

    Did you appear for mock interviews?

    Yes, I attended a few mock interview sessions organized by my coaching institute. These mock interviews helped me a lot in building confidence.

     

    Any specific strategy you used during the interview?

    I haven’t adopted any specific strategy for my interview preparation. I simply revised all my notes before the interview and prepared questions based on my background, home town, college, work experience, recent legal developments etc.

     

    Do you remember any of the questions asked during the interview?

    Questions were mostly from simple concepts of procedural law (CPC, CrPC) and local Acts and my background. Some of the questions which I can recall:-

    Why do you want to work in MP?

    Where have you worked previously?

    Why the Judiciary?

    How are issues framed in Civil cases?

    Provisions and safeguards regarding arrest under CrPC

    What is an interpleader suit under CPC?

    Question on power of court under S.313 CrPC.

    Questions on 2013 CrPC Amendment Act.

    Who is a pauper according to CPC?

    Difference between inherent powers under CPC and CrPC.

    Whether accused can be acquitted after prosecution evidence in Court of Session trial?

    Questions relating to Nistar Patrika and Wajib-ul-arz as given under the MP Land Revenue Code.

    Can there be an investigation in a complaint case?

     

    Lastly, what message would you like to give to graduates aspiring for judicial services?

    Graduates aspiring for judicial services should not be in awe of this exam but move ahead with confidence and a positive attitude. This exam requires constant absorbed hard work with proper planning throughout the preparations. One should be able to identify the core areas of the subject and focus more upon them. Candidates should have their own strategy whatever suits them and stick to it.  They need to stay focused and shall remain detached from any distractions especially the ones coaxing them to think about other career options. Aspirants should never get paranoid about the time they spend while preparing as at the end of the day all their efforts will reap sweet fruits of success. No hard work goes in vain.

  • Shruti Hiremath, Legal Adviser, Allen & Overy, on dual LL.M. from NYU & NUS, and her experience thus far

    Shruti Hiremath, Legal Adviser, Allen & Overy, on dual LL.M. from NYU & NUS, and her experience thus far

    Shruti Hiremath graduated from NUJS in 2011. Following that she pursued an LL.M, which required her to attend two of the world’s best known universities – New York University and National University of Singapore. She is currently associated with Allen & Overy, in the capacity of Legal Adviser, where her role entails handling structured and asset finance.

    In this interview we speak to her about:

    • Studying in the US
    • Having a dual degree
    • Plans for the future

    What was your motivation behind doing LL.M.? 

    I decided to do my masters when I was in my final year. While many are of the opinion that it is best to do an LL.M after getting some work experience under one’s belt, it is my belief that if you are certain about the area in which you want to specialise in, having just graduated should not deter you from applying for a masters (it might in fact be beneficial to do so as you get to learn from the experiences of your classmates even before you start on your first job). In-depth study of my chosen subjects and international exposure were my primary motivations in applying for an LL.M.

     

    How did you choose the university/ college? 

    In choosing a university/college, it is very important to focus on whether a given university/college offers the specific courses that you want to do and who the faculty taking those courses are. It is also crucial to think about any other objectives you may have in doing a masters. Personally, I was certain I wanted to focus on business laws. Also, I wanted to attend a program wshruti-h1ith a smaller class size as I think this allows you to interact closely with more people. The NYU@NUS program met these requirements to a T. Being a dual masters program, I was able to study more subjects in my chosen specialty and the class consisted of only 45 students.
    I also applied to the Masters in Law and Finance at Oxford University, but withdrew my application once I received a positive response from NYU@NUS for two reasons: first, I would get greater international exposure, not only in terms of a diverse class but also in terms of giving me the opportunity to experience life in more than one international city (the program allows you to study in three international cities – Singapore, New York and Shanghai); and second, I was offered the Deans’ Award, a merit-based scholarship.

     

    What did you study? 

    I did my LL.M from NYU in global business laws and the LL.M from NUS in corporate and financial services. This is an area that has been of interest to me for very long and since I hoped to work on the transactional side, I decided to take up this field of specialisation.

     

    How was your experience? 

    I had a very enriching experience both within and outside the classroom. The facilities were fantastic both at NYU and at NUS be it academic or otherwise. There was no point where I felt that something was missing. As for the faculty, I couldn’t have asked for better. Both NYU and NUS have renowned faculty and the NYU@NUS program really gives one the best of both worlds – be it Prof.Joseph Weiler (World Trade Law and EU Law), Prof. Franco Ferrari (CISG), Prof. Soornarajah (International Investment Law), Prof. Michal Gal (Competition Law), Prof. Gary Born (International Commercial Arbitration) or Prof. Umakant Varottil (Indian Business Law) to name a few. I got an opportunity to learn from the best in these fields which I will always cherish. The one thing that really stands out is that most of these professors were not pure academicians but had either practised law at some point or did so alongside teaching. This I think is very beneficial for the students as these professors are able to adapt the courses to make them more relevant to actual practice.

     

    How’s the Indian fraternity over there? 

    On the NYU@NUS program itself we were six Indians. During the NUS terms, we attend classes with NUS students. The NUS program has a very strong representation from India at the LL.M level.

     

    How is the recruitment/ placement situation for overseas students?

    Being a dual masters program, students are able to use the career services of both NYU and NUS. The career services organise fairs and also conduct practice interview sessions with various law firms. Students can also attend the International Student Interview Program in New York where many international firms come to recruit.

     

    How was the academic schedule? 

    Being a dual masters, the academic schedule was hectic. During the NYU terms we had intensive sessions where we studied only one subject at a time for three weeks at a stretch instead of having one class a week over a semester. I found this system quite effective as it gives one’s study a sense of continuity. Classes with the NYU professors were extremely interactive. The readings would be allocated/uploaded the previous day and we would have to come prepared to have a discussion on the topic. The NUS terms were like the usual semester system. In addition to classes, we also had to write papers and make presentations.

     

    What about accommodation?

    In Singapore, NUS offers a place called College Green to NYU@NUS students. These are three bedroom houses that are very close to the campus. I chose to live at a private hostel called Evans Lodge which was also very close to the campus and more reasonably priced. In New York, I lived at D’Agostino Hall which is one of the NYU halls of residence. These are two or three bedroom flats that you share with other students. I shared a flat with another NYU@NUS student and a JD student at NYU.

     

    Tell us about your classmates – was there a predominantly international crowd? 

    Most students were in their late twenties or early thirties. The crowd was undoubtedly international. Even though we were a class of only 45 students, 23 countries were represented. The diversity was amazing. It gave me a chance to learn about so many different cultures and realise how we are all so different and yet so similar.

     

    Did you get time for any extra-curricular activities?

    There’s always time to do anything you want to, if you manage your time well! Being a dual masters, the program was very hectic. But people did manage to take out time to play sports or get involved in other extra-curricular activities . Personally, I used my time to work as a research assistant for Prof. Umakant Varottil which was a very enriching experience.

     

    How does one go about scholarships? 

    There are a number of scholarships offered for Indian students going to study abroad such as the ones offered by the Tata Endowment, Inlaks Foundation and so on. Each has its own application procedures. It is important to research their requirements well in advance and keep track of the deadlines. While I did apply for these scholarships and was shortlisted for various interviews, since the program starts earlier than other masters (in May), I was unable to attend any of the scholarship interviews. The program itself does offer various scholarships such as the Deans’ Award, the Singapura scholarship and the David Marshall Scholarship.

     

    What are your future plans? 

    I am currently working in London at Allen & Overy. The in-depth knowledge of various business laws and the international exposure gained on the NYU@NUS experience has been extremely beneficial for the cross-border nature of work I am involved in here. Also, the program meets eligibility requirements for taking the New York bar exam. This is an added advantage as it increases one’s mobility and enables one to advise on a broader range of transactions. As for future plans, I plan to continue working in this field.

     

    This interview was taken in 1st quarter of 2013 by A First Taste of Law.

  • Anwesha Pal, Assistant Professor, Nirma University, on IPR, and the Indian tertiary education regime

    Anwesha Pal, Assistant Professor, Nirma University, on IPR, and the Indian tertiary education regime

    Anwesha Pal graduated from WBNUJS in 2009, and thereafter pursued her LL.M in IPR from Nottingham University. Presently, she is an Assistant Professor at Institute of Law, Nirma University.

    We had earlier reached out to her to share her LL.M experience at Nottingham:

    Anwesha Pal on LL.M. in Intellectual Property from Nottingham University

    In this interview we speak to her about:

    • Pursuing Masters from Indian and Foreign Universities
    • Best Universities for Intellectual Property studies
    • Opting for teaching and on scoring higher

     

    When and how did you decide to pursue Masters and further studies?

    It was in my final year of NUJS that I wanted to study further and wanted to apply to the UK before the fees were hiked up due to the cutting down of the Government subsidies to universities. So I zeroed in on various universities including King’s, Queen Mary, UCL, Warwick and Nottingham, out of which I chose University of Nottingham to do my LL.M in International Commercial Law. However, I didn’t think of getting into academics full-time then, and kept my options open.

     

    Which universities did you select for your LL.M?

    I chose University of Nottingham, King’s College London, UCL, Queen Mary University of London, University College London, and University of Warwick.

     

    How different is an LL.M in India from one abroad?

    There is quite a difference between the two of them. LL.M in Indian universities is more of a spoon feeding business. However,  in the UK I found that the students had to take the responsibility of their own learning themselves. One difference that I often talk about with my friends is the way dissertations are treated in both the countries. In the UK we were supposed to find out our own topics and research all by ourselves without any help whatsoever from the supervisor and only at the time of getting the topic approved one can meet and consult the supervisor. But in Indian Universities the dissertation supervisor plays a huge role in the shaping of your dissertation. If you do not have a good supervisor you actually will not learn anything and eventually your dissertation’s quality could be compromised.

     

    What led you to pursue LL.M from Nottingham even after having finished your LL.M from India?

    The laws in India are mostly influenced by the west and to learn from the best people in the business was the biggest incentive for pursuing the LL.M. The academic program was designed in a way to provide ample opportunities for research. Moreover, an international exposure is always a good thing to have. It gives you perspective with regard to the various learning patterns adopted by various students and cultural exchange in more ways than one proved to be a beneficial life lesson too.

     

    Do you think the Indian higher studies regime requires an overhaul?

    Indian higher studies in law do not need a complete overhaul but definitely needs a stricter curriculum. With all the debate about scrapping the one year LL.M, I do not support the view. I think a trimester system with an intense program dealing with the most important subjects at national law schools would attract not only the best students but would bring in better teachers as well who will be able to deal with such a challenging program. The responsibility of learning in such cases increases manifold for the students and encourages self-learning rather than spoon feeding.

     

    Which universities do you think are best suited for someone who wants to specialise in IPR?

    In the UK, I found the best faculty for IPR in the University of Nottingham, alternatively one may choose King’s and other colleges under the University of London. In India, apart from GNLU, I have little knowledge about any other national law schools that are providing a specialization in IPR. However, in India there is little scope to choose your subjects since the UGC has made a few subjects completely mandatory for LL.M

     

    Have you considered Doctoral Studies?

    I have considered doctoral studies and am working on my research proposal. I am keeping my options open at the moment, and haven’t zeroed in on a particular university yet.

     

    What does it take for a lawyer to get into academia?

    One cannot possibly enlist the essential qualities, since every student or every subject that one is working at brings forth absolutely new challenges with itself. But one can say without a doubt that an academician who is into active teaching and researching needs an immense amount of patience and should not have a fragile ego. There is so much even a teacher can learn from her students. Apart from patience, one needs to have the tenacity to keep working to better one’s teaching and learn more things, instead of being complacent about the knowledge gained so far.

     

    What were your goals after graduating from Nottingham?

    Nottingham opened new vistas for me and teaching was not the only option that I had considered back then. The decision to move into academics happened gradually through working for iPleaders and at IMS.  The experiences I had while working at both the places were extremely rewarding and enriching. Teaching at Nirma has been a learning experience and equally rewarding so far, mostly because of the diverse student body that has an immense amount of potential, academically.

     

    What advice do you share with your students on scoring higher grades?

    Scoring high grades is more often than not a result of learning through self-studying. Listening to the teacher patiently and interacting in the class goes a long way in this respect. Taking notes is very important as they are your guides when reading for yourselves. However, I think it is a crime on a student’s part to expect readymade notes from the teacher at the university level.

     

    What would be your advice for law students who want to take up the profession of teaching?

    One must choose the profession of teaching law for the love of teaching and not only for the love of law. Teaching is a very different ball game from learning for oneself. Different students have very different needs and learning methods and one who can cater to all of them efficiently is considered to be a good teacher. Although, one can only strive to do so.

     

     

  • Neha Bhat, on LL.M from Washington College of Law, selecting the correct college & Scholarships

    Neha Bhat, on LL.M from Washington College of Law, selecting the correct college & Scholarships

    Neha Bhat is currently working as an Associate Durable Solutions Officer at United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. She graduated from WBNUJS, Kolkata in 2007 and had studied further at American University, Washington College of Law. She has specialised in International Organisations, International Human Rights Law and Migration Law and Policy. Without much ado, let’s delve right into her choice to do an LL.M and pursue International Human Rights.

    We asked her to share:

    • Strategies on selecting an university for LL.M
    • Information of Faculty and Facilities of Washington College of Law
    • Applying for Scholarships at WCL

     

    What was your motivation behind doing LL.M.? When did you finally decide that you needed to do masters?

    I have always wanted to pursue further studies. Even when I was in my final year at NUJS, I was sure that I will complete my masters and subsequently get an advanced degree- you know MPhil or PhD or the like. I genuinely like reading and getting to know subjects and issues. I really enjoy exploring areas of law that I don’t really have much experience in and an LL.M program helps me exactly with that.

    Since you are into the academic arena, you are either writing or researching and reading and that really works well with me. Eventually, later in life I want to teach and therefore I knew I would always have to finish my LL.M and then an advanced degree. But I wanted to have work experience before I joined the Masters degree- that was also because while at NUJS, I hadn’t really done much- I had no serious publications, wasn’t at the top of my class, wrote a really horrible statement of purpose– end result, I didn’t get admitted for my LL.M to any of the places I applied to. Plus I also realised I knew, rather understood very little of things and therefore I realised I needed some good, in depth work experience before pursuing my LL.M.

    So I joined SEBI as a Legal Officer, worked there for about 2.5 years and then went and joined the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Delhi, where also I worked for almost another 2.5 years. After 5 years, I felt I had a very good idea of what I wanted to focus my LL.M on and even had ideas about further studies- like PhD proposal and the like, and therefore decided to come and get my LL.M degree. Also, my work at the UNHCR was very intense. I loved my work very much, I still love my work very much and I would definitely hope to get an opportunity to work with UNHCR- but I realised that you need to know when to “step back” so you don’t unconsciously burn yourself out. And after 2.5 years, I knew I had reached that point, where I was on the path to burning out in my work.

     

    neha-bhatHow did you choose the university/ college? How should one go about choosing a university?

    Selecting a University can be one of the most difficult things to do and if not done properly, you could end up feeling a little miserable about your choice. I have had the opportunity to put myself through the LL.M application process three times- once in my final year at NUJS, then in 2008/09 and then finally in 2010/11. When I was at NUJS, in hindsight, I made some of the worst application decisions– I remember applying ONLY to Harvard, California Berkeley, NYU (for the NYU-NUS programme) and Oxford. No other place.

    The problem with my applications was that my Statement of Purpose wasn’t right, and I had no research plan in place, I wanted to do an LL.M because it seemed the “right thing to do” and not because I knew what I wanted to study or why I wanted to do. Obviously, it didn’t work- I was rejected by all universities I applied to. I did panic a bit, thinking maybe I was very bad at this and maybe academics weren’t for me. It was the same time when I had sat for the Rhodes scholarship regional interview in Kolkata, but failed to make it to the National rounds. So it was like a culmination of bad results.

    The second time I applied, I was working with SEBI. In this round, I managed to apply to 3 places, before I came down with chicken pox. I applied to California Berkeley, again to NYU (for the NYU-NUS) programme and also to Stanford. Again, NYU turned me down. Since one of my referees didn’t submit my reference letter for Stanford, my application was incomplete so I was left out of the loop. But this time, I was waitlisted for Berkeley in the first tranche of waitlisted applicants out of some 950 odd people. It was a big moment for me. I had been working long enough at SEBI to know I was not going to study corporate law, so my statement of purpose focused on my desire to teach law and consciously I decided to veer away from corporate law. But eventually I didn’t get through. It was then I decided that I had to get back into the field I wanted to do my LL.M in and thus my job change happened. Eventually in 2010/11, I applied to 6 programs and was admitted to all but one– at LSE. The programs I was admitted to, were regionally, the best for Human Rights– NUS- Singapore, Berkeley-California (yes, again), McGill- Toronto, Warwick- UK and American University- Washington DC.

    I consciously decided to veer away from the very “top” rung places– because I STILL didn’t have (or so I felt, and still continue to feel) any meaningful academic publications etc. or what I felt, a superlative proposal which would ensure admission in these universities. Plus, I was looking at a taught masters program and therefore chose places which did not mandate a compulsory dissertation component.

    I also looked at the field specializations ranking and faculty strength rather than the overall ranking of the school because those are often better indicators of the specific program. So for example, I know that Warwick has a very solid International Human Rights Law program. American University, where I am currently studying does not necessarily come out on top of law school rankings in the US, but its International law program is ranked higher than Berkeley. Plus, it’s the ONLY law school in the US, where you can have the opportunity to study with Special Rapporteurs – past and present. For e.g. I have had the opportunity to study with some really big names in international law, Prof. Juan Mendez who taught me Advanced Human Rights, is the current Rapporteur for Torture. I also studied under Prof. Robert Goldman, who was the previous (and the first) UN Rapporteur on Human Rights and Terrorism. And I also studied under Prof. Diane Orentlicher, who has drafted various UN Guidelines and Standards including on Combating Impunity. I am also lucky that I have the opportunity now to work with her as a research assistant/ dean’s fellow- I started on this position in June and continued working with her till December 2013.

    It’s been one amazing experience- to delve into interesting issues of transitional justice, international criminal law etc. These are factors which make a big difference to me and I think should make a difference to everyone considering a specialisation at the LL.M stage – you should know which fields you are interested in and if the university you are applying to, has professors who teach and/or conduct research in those areas or not. Also, the cost of the program matters a lot– and whether there are scholarships etc. on offer or not. American University has tuition remissions and full tuition + fee scholarships on offer and I was one of the recipients of their Alumni Fund Scholarship (which covers tuition for 24 credits plus all school fees) and for me that was a swinging factor. My top two choices were American or California Berkeley, but the latter didn’t offer me any scholarship. Plus what kind of city you want to live in- for me, Washington DC is a dream because there are so MANY events on International Relations and Affairs which happen here- I get an opportunity to meet people and again gain knowledge. These are opportunities not many cities can offer.

     

    What did you study? Why did you decide to take this particular subject?

    I am enrolled in a dual degree program at American University. So on completion of 40 credits, I will be conferred with two degrees, the first one is the LL.M in International Legal Studies, which I completed on May 19 (24 credits) with a specialization in International Human Rights Law. My second degree, which starts shortly, is called the LL.M in Law and Government and my area specialization is Regulatory and Administrative Law. I have 16 more credits to finish so I will be completing courses in International Trafficking, Women and Conflict, Global Warming Law and Policy etc. I think it is worthy to invest time, energy and effort into these courses because it offers me further exposure to theory I would need to know, but I may not necessarily get around to studying/ reading on my own. I need to be constantly motivated to do something, and unless there is a personal investment (time or money etc.) I know that I will not be driven to do anything.

     

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

    My experience so far has been fantastic. As I mentioned before, I have had the opportunity to study and work with some of the best known legal minds in my chosen area of law and I don’t think any other experience could be better than this. What I genuinely like in the American academic setting and which is missing in the Indian academic setting is the quality of feedback that you can get from Professors – and if you demonstrate capability to take up new issues, areas of research- they encourage you and offer guidance.

    I have maintained an academic profile at www.ssrn.com, which is an online repository of academic articles and research. And I have often been contacted for some of the projects I am undertaking/ have worked on by people pursuing their PhD and in one instance, Prof. Alston @NYU. And I think these avenues- contact with academics, renowned academics is not available/ not facilitated everywhere- either we are too shy, too inhibited or simply too worried that we do not match the intellectual calibre of our counterparts- and that, as I have come to realise, is a lot of garbage.

    If you have the good luck of studying with Prof. Mendez, he will also perhaps mention sometime that he really enjoys watching Without A Trace, an engaging and absorbing law enforcement series where missing people are tracked down. You will have engaging debates with your classmates on whether the R2P doctrine should be applied in Syria and have the privilege of being one of the chosen few to ask Prof. Theodor Meron, the President of the Intl. Criminal Residual Mechanism for the ICTY and ICTR a question on the future of international criminal law and beyond. Plus there are a lot things that keep happening in DC, like between January- May, 2013 I Was part of the UN Association of the Washington DC (UNA-(N)ational (C)apital (R)egion)’s Graduate Fellow and met individuals like Frank Vogl, of Transparency International, D. Bosco- who writes the Multilaterialist blog at Foreign Policy etc.

    For the scholarship recipients, there are annual dinners as well- 2-3 where you get to meet alumni. American also hosts an annual Embassy Dinner, where you get to meet delegates and staff members from various Embassies and Country Missions in DC- I was very lucky to meet, among others, Mr. Ahmad Haidari, the Cultural Attaché of the Afghanistan Embassy in DC.

     

    How’s the Indian fraternity over there? Are there many Indian students?

    Not many, at least not in the LL.M class. I guess it is also a function of specialization- American Uni. is famous for its international law programs and not business law/ commercial law. Many students who wish to do commercial/ corporate law programs, like financial and securities regulation or IP choose places like George Washington or Georgetown, which are also located in DC and have better known and better specialized programs in the specific fields. In the JD program however there are many American students of Indian origin.

     

    How is the recruitment/ placement situation for overseas students?

    It is difficult, but then again, it depends on what kind of job you are looking for. There is a program called the Optional Practice Training, which allows those holding F1 status to remain in the US after completion of their degree and work for a period of one year such placements could be either paid or unpaid. But if you want to work in a law firm, then you have to clear the Bar Exam- the eligibility guidelines for which are continuously revamped (esp. the NY Bar). So for e.g. you have to have 12 credits in courses relevant to the Bar Exam (contracts, family law, evidence, criminal procedure, ethics etc.). From 2015, all candidates for the NY Bar also need 50 hours of pro-bono work.

    My point being, if your area of interest is not commercial/corporate law and if you are not interested in working in a law firm, the NY Bar may not exactly be a very good idea. First, of the 24 credits in an LL.M program, you will have to dedicate half the program to complete courses required for the Bar Exam- this could effectively prohibit you from getting a specialization. Plus, those who want to work with international organisations or NGOs etc., especially at the entry level may not need to clear the Bar exam- but that of course depends on the organization and is different for each organization. I have no idea about corporate/commercial law since that is not my area of interest. However, I do know that AU facilitates participation of LL.M students in the largest job fair which is annually held around March/April in New York and students can apply to work with law firms not only in the US but also in Europe and other areas/ countries.

     

    How is the academic schedule? Is there a lot of academic work?

    Depends on the classes you take and the Professor, to be very honest. Some professors can and do give upwards of 100 pages a week of reading and some professors may give only 10 pages a week or even less. If you are taking an end of semester exam, you need to have done the readings throughout the semester otherwise it will be impossible to catch up  at the end of the semester. There are however courses where you are required to write papers- 20 pages is minimum but the maximum can be 35-40 pages as well- for e.g. I wrote a 44 page paper for the course I took with Prof. Goldman and a 30 page paper for my course with Prof. Mendez, but I also wrote at least 3-4 papers of upto 20 pages.

    This was a conscious decision on my part– to choose courses where I would be required to write research papers than take exams, I want to build an academic profile and this is one of the best ways of doing it. But it may not be for everyone, especially if you find research, writing and editing/ footnoting cumbersome. For the LL.M in Intl. Legal Studies at American, you need to have completed 2 papers of 20 pages each in the subject in which you wish to specialize. Some professors will ease the norms of referencing and ask you to follow a ‘consistent’ format. But most require Bluebook format- which I guess every mooter knows is the most cumbersome task.

     

    What about accommodation?

    As an LL.M student, you have to arrange for accommodation yourself. Most people choose to share a room, or find a room in a house shared with other people. I like to live alone so I chose to take up residence in a studio apartment about 30 minutes walking distance from school. It’s very important to find a place which is conveniently located to public transport/ close to school for ease of access etc. My place is connected to the bus routes very well and within 20 minutes walking distance of the American’s shuttle stop and the Metro stops. It’s also very close to Georgetown and grocery stores, restaurants etc.

     

    Tell us about your classmates – is there a pre-dominantly international crowd? What is the general age group of students?

    Yes, a very diverse student body. In fact one of the main strengths of American’s LL.M program is the diversity of its student body. We have students from every continent and many, many countries and that makes the classes all the more interesting. I think the general age of students varies from 22-35, including Humphrey Fellows and other individuals on specialised programs, although a majority of the class is below 26 years.

     

    How does one go about scholarships? Does the institute offer any scholarship?

    Yes, American offers a lot of scholarships/ financial-tuition assistance. So there is the Alumni Fund Scholarship which covers tuition+ fee for 3-5 incoming students. But this scholarship is only available for those starting in the Fall Semester or in August each year. The tuition waivers work semester to semester and as required students can apply for them, based on eligibility etc. There is also a $4000 scholarship instituted by current dean, Dean Claudio Grossman which is awarded in the spring semester. Additionally, if you have participated in the American’s Inter-American Moot Court competition, you are eligible to apply for a scholarship. More details can be found at http://www.wcl.american.edu/ilsp/scholarly_competitions.cfm

     

    Going forward, how do you expect this experience to influence your career?

    I think one good thing that has come out of the LL.M program is that I have realised that there are lot many more areas of international law I am interested in- my specialty remains asylum and refugee law issues, but being in academics, allows you to explore your niche area in relation to other issues/ aspects of law. So you slowly start building a knowledge base in those alternate areas as well. And I think going forward, that can only be a good thing, because the more adaptable you are, the more diversified skills and knowledge you have, the more relevant and transferable your competencies will become. I also think that this exposure somehow makes it easier for me to break into field of transitional justice, international criminal law- because of the stalwarts I have studied under. They are the best guides, mentors and connectors one can have.

  • Badrinath Srinivasan, Executive, BHEL, on interning at ONGC, and working with PSUs

    Badrinath Srinivasan, Executive, BHEL, on interning at ONGC, and working with PSUs

    Badrinath Srinivasan graduated from SDM Law College, Mangalore, in 2006. Thereafter he pursued an LL.M from WBNUJS, Kolkata. After graduating from WBNUJS he joined Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation Ltd. as a Senior Officer in the legal team. Later in 2010, he switched over to Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited.

     

    In this interview we speak to him about:

    • His time at NUJS
    • Working at PSUs
    • His diverse experience

    What brought you into legal studies?

    During my school days, I found that I was very good in and was comfortable with social sciences. I used to watch my uncle going to the Madras High Court every day and was probably inspired by him to join law.

    Many of my relatives from my mother’s side are lawyers. So I did not face any opposition to legal education, although Law as a profession was new to my parents. Even so, they left the choice to me. My elder brother advised me to choose the science stream in my 11th standard. His advice was very prudent considering that I could always take up law even if I chose Science but I would not be able to choose to do Engineering or Medicine if I took up Commerce or Arts in my 11th standard.

    The advice proved very helpful at work as the companies I have worked so far have predominantly been Engineering companies and there have been lots of disputes involving technical matters. It has been relatively easy for me to understand these technical aspects and even research a lot on such aspects considering my background in Science. I am perhaps lucky to have such supportive parents and brother.

     

    What do you have to say about the supposed ‘elite’ tag attached to certain law schools?

    I graduated from SDM Law College, Mangalore which is a “Traditional Law School”. I did perform well there. The faculty members and the library staff were extremely supportive. I did my LL.M. from NUJS, Kolkata and therefore I have the experience of studying in a Law School as well. Having been a part of both worlds, I find that following are the limitations in a Traditional Law School:

    1. Infrastructure- No Westlaw, Manupatra or other legal databases although the library at SDM Law College was awesome.
    2. Lack of a competitive environment.
    3. Lack of exposure- In all my five years of law school, I did an internship, did not even read a single judgement in full or a law review article. I hardly participated in moot court competitions. I never realized there was more to Law than a University rank.
    4. Exposure to Social Sciences- In a Traditional Law School, exposure to social sciences was minimal. Although we studied several social sciences subjects such as history, economics, sociology, there was no rigorous way in which these courses were taught. So we hardly studied these in the way it should be. Classes on these were rather bookish and uninteresting. But the way in which the social sciences were taught in NUJS were extremely refreshing. We had a paper in LL.M. on Law and Social Transformation and there was lot of social sciences in Jurisprudence. In fact, we invited a faculty member who taught Economics for undergraduates to take up Law and Economics in our LL.M. course. These were really great.

     

    There are some benefits of studying in a traditional law school as well. The most important benefit is a better understanding of the society. We had compulsory a legal aid activity in my college at Mangalore where we visited villages nearby to understand the legal issues/ problems people faced. Also, our class consisted of students from diverse backgrounds. The most important quality that I saw among students was humility.

     

    Being from a non-NLU did you find it disadvantageous to establish a well-grounded career?

    No. There were no problems at all. Although working in a law firm was not something I wanted, I am not sure if getting into a law firm after my LL.M. at NUJS would have been an easy task.

     

    Why did you decide to pursue LL.M from NUJS?

    After completing my LL.B., I had no strong feelings about taking a specific career path in law. I thought that I would probably become an advocate or work as a legal advisor in a company. But I was very interested in research. The idea of research appealed to me. So I wanted to do an LL.M. As regards the choice of college, I wanted to have the National Law School experience. After my 12th standard, I did write the entrance exam for NLSIU and NALSAR. With hardly any preparation, exposure or guidance, I could not get through. So I joined SDM Law College, Mangalore. So, I wanted to pursue the LLM course, and that too from NLSIU/ NUJS/ NALSAR. At that time, I had no clue about LL.M. abroad.

    During those days (2006), NUJS’ LLM Entrance used to take place in the last week of January. Therefore, I wrote the NUJS entrance exam first. I couldn’t write the NLS exam, as it coincided with my final year exams. I did write NALSAR. By the time the NALSAR results were out, my LLM classes had already started at NUJS. So I opted not to shift to NALSAR. I don’t regret those two years at NUJS- they were probably the best two years of my life.

     

    How would you describe your legal education?

    I did dream and I do dream of contributing at least a little bit to legal reform. While my UG formed the basis of understanding the law, my PG helped in understanding the theoretical aspects of law further and also taught me the methods and functions of critique. My legal education has immensely helped me in my academic endeavours.

    People often say what people study in law is totally different from what law is in practice. This is wrong. It means that they have never studied law in the first place. One hardly finds time to learn new things after beginning to work as a lawyer. So whatever we learn in law school is important. Whatever is learnt subsequently is at the cost of the client’s life, liberty or property. Therefore, it is important to learn whatever one can in the Law School. The curriculum in law school is framed such that important aspects of most of the significant laws are covered. Therefore, it is expected that many of the laws studied might not be put into use. However, these will be useful at some point or the other.

     

    How was your experience as an intern at ONGC?

    By the time I presented my dissertation and completed my LL.M. Course (March 2008) at NUJS, I had a job as a Senior Officer in the GSPC GROUP. But there were more than two months before my joining date. So I decided to intern at ONGC just to get a hang of how a government undertaking works. Also, GSPC GROUP and ONGC were both petroleum related companies.

    At ONGC, hardly any work was allotted to me. So, I had time to go through contracts and case files. I did help them out in a couple of issues concerning increase in service tax and minimum wages in the absence of a condition in the contract covering such a situation. People there were really friendly. I took that opportunity to learn a lot on Crude Oil Sale Agreement and Production Sharing Contracts and the petroleum industry. These things helped me when I started my work at GSPC GROUP. In fact, it helped me out immensely in a negotiation on COSA at GSPC. Also, even before I started working in GSPC, I knew a bit about Production Sharing Contracts and Joint Operating Agreements. So I had a lot of ammunition to impress my new boss there!

     

    What are the top three things you keep in mind while compiling a research work?

    Fortunately, I stay pretty close to my office. So I save a lot of time. Also, my interests coincide with the areas in which I deal with at BHEL.

    Three things to keep in mind while embarking on a research project:

    1. Know in detail what the problem/ issue is.
    2. Before beginning writing the paper, clearly define what you want to say vis-à-vis the problem and how you are going to approach it- structure your research
    3. Stop wasting time on writing the introduction in the beginning. Write it in the end.

    Importantly, one has to be convinced about the idea that he/ she seeks to put forth before the academic community. Another important thing is to have at least one person to review the paper, both from a readability and content perspective. For me it took an equal amount of time to read a paper and review it. Spend a lot of time reviewing the form, structure, and ideas in the paper. Before sending your work to a journal, it is important to give it for review to a faculty member or a subject expert. Also, it would be helpful if the article is read by a person who is very good in grammar. Even reputed authors commit grammatical errors.

     

    What does it take to get one’s article published in a top notch journal?

    First read the call for papers and the rules regarding publication (such as citation format, number of co-authors, type of research, etc.). Next, ask your seniors and friends whether the journal is really worth publishing in. While it is good for our ego to have publications in as many journals as possible, it is important to get our writings published in prominent journals. But it is always good to start off one’s research career by writing for a law blog or a journal that does not have extremely stringent publication standards as it is good for our confidence.

    As regards reputed journals, glance through a few articles published in the journal to get a hang of the style of writing, citation, structuring, etc. Do a comprehensive literature survey. Talk to a person well versed in the subject. Although such persons cannot substitute a thorough literature survey, they can at least tell you about writings which deal with the subject. It is possible that most of the ideas which we come up with are the ones which have already been published.

     

    How did you get the job as Senior Officer at Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation Ltd.?

    During my second year (LL.M.) at NUJS (2007-2008), we decided to invite law firms and companies to our campus for recruitment. Gujarat State Petronet Limited (GSPC GROUP), a Government of Gujarat Undertaking came to NUJS for recruiting us. Due to the efforts of the faculty advisor for Recruitment at NUJS, Mr Anirban Mazumdar, and my classmates at NUJS- Biswajit Pal, Nilanjan Banerjee, Jwala Thapa and MLS Kaarmukilan, we were able to institutionalize the recruitment process for LL.M. at NUJS. GSPC Group said they were willing to recruit LLM students. So they came to NUJS.

    If I remember correctly, there were two rounds in the recruitment. The first round had a bit of mathematics, general knowledge and psychometric tests. The second round was an interview. Since GSPC Group’s main business was Petroleum, we read a lot on petroleum laws. Also, we read a lot on current affairs in detail. At that time, the topic that was much spoken about was the subprime crises. We expected questions on the mechanics of how that happened. It really feels good when the preparation for the interview is extensive and questions come from areas which you had prepared. There was actually a question on the subprime crisis!

     

    What were your responsibilities as a Senior Officer of the Secretarial and Legal Department at ONGC?

    I was a senior officer in GSPC. I loved commercial law, specifically contracts and arbitration. My dissertation at NUJS was on arbitration law. So, the kind of work I got was drafting, negotiating and vetting contracts, handling arbitrations and litigations. Negotiating contracts was real fun, especially with foreign companies. At GSPC, we had a few huge arbitrations and it was a great learning experience there. I did learn a lot from many of the counsels at Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad. I had the opportunity to be a part of the team briefing senior counsels in all these places. Overall, a great learning experience.  Thanks mostly to my boss there Mr. Sandeep Dave, Head of Secretarial and Legal Department, who is probably the best In-House lawyer I have ever known. Working under him, and that too with the excellent work profile at GSPC, is a great thing to do if a person wants to work for a PSU. The salary is not as high as it is in a Central PSU like ONGC but the salary is definitely good and the work is unbelievable.

     

    You are currently an Executive (Law) at Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited. How did the switch from ONGC take place?

    I was an intern at ONGC before joining GSPC. While I was working in GSPC, there was an open advertisement for recruitment of Law Officers. For personal reasons, it became necessary for me to shift from Gujarat to South India. So I joined BHEL.

     

    What do PSUs like ONGC and BHEL look for in prospective employees?

    Yes. It is totally different. BHEL used to select candidates through CLAT (LLM). Many of the PSUs such as IOC do select candidates through CLAT. Some PSUs like ONGC, GSPC go for campus recruitment. It is important for the Campus Recruitment Committee (by whatever name you call it) to approach them well in advance (through all means of communication, including visiting them personally if required). I have worked in three PSUs and have heard a lot about other PSUs. The best place to learn is in GSPC under Mr. Sandeep Dave. You’d get to negotiate international contracts worth millions of dollars there if you are really good at what you do. To be honest, the salary is not as much as you’d earn in a Central PSU but the learning is definitely worth it.

     

    Does BHEL take interns?

    Yes, but BHEL rarely takes law interns.

     

    What are your long term objectives?

    In five years, I wish to learn a bit about engineering, finance, economics and statistics. In the long term, I would love to be involved a lot more in arbitration and teach law.

     

    What would be your advice to young law students who wish to join a PSU?

    Lots of your time will be spent on obtaining administrative approvals and justifications from the authorities. One should not get bogged down by paper work as these actually are necessary for accountability reasons. There are two areas in which a lawyer can contribute immensely in a PSU:

    1. There is a great scope for reforming existing practices
    2. Quick decision making.

    While apt legal advice is extremely important in a PSU, aiding quick decision making is more important.

  • Shan Kohli, Associate, AZB Partners, on mooting and blogging, and working at Linklaters

    Shan Kohli, Associate, AZB Partners, on mooting and blogging, and working at Linklaters

    Shan Kohli graduated from NUJS in 2011. She was an avid blogger at SportsLawyer and she has also been covered in news media as a sports law blogger. After graduating she got a training contract from Linklaters and after working there for sometime she quit to join AZB & Partners.

    In this interview we speak to her about:

    • Getting appointed at Linklaters
    • Necessity of an LL.M degree at a magic circle firm
    • Blogging on SportsLawyer

     

    How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?

    I graduated from the National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata in 2011, completed my training contract at Linklaters and am currently working at AZB & Partners.  I studied in Bangalore at Sophia High School.  At school I was always very interested in participating in debates, literary events, theater and that laid the ground for a career in law.  I was quite sure by the tenth grade that I wanted to study law.

     

    Why did you choose law as a career?

    I had no other alternatives planned out. I was quite focused and sure that I wanted to go to law school.  This belief was cemented when I went to the Law School Tutorials (“LST”) classes for the entrance exams.  I enjoyed the discussions and debates.  I had some very sharp peers and trainers. The whole experience was very different from the typical classroom one has in schools, where one isn’t always encouraged to debate and ponder over issues much.  The LST classes gave me an opportunity to apply my mind and think on my feet.  After that, there was no looking back.

     

    What prompted you to consider NUJS, Kolkata for your legal studies?

    Back in the day when CLAT did not exist, we had to give individual exams for each university.  There was always another shot to do better.  I didn’t apply to too many universities; NUJS was definitely one of my top preferences.  I was elated when I got through the entrance exam.  Honestly, it wasn’t right on top of my list, though looking back if I had to make a choice given what I know now, it would be on top of my list.  Things have a way of working themselves out.

     

    Tell us about your time at law school.

    During my time at law school, NUJS was at the cusp of a change.  A new VC (Prof. MP Singh) had just taken over the reins and was spearheading a lot of student friendly reforms, bringing in lots of really good professors, introducing more electives etc, so it was quite an interesting time to be there.  I’m sure this is true for a lot of law schools, but in NUJS in particular we had a very vibrant student community.  Everything from the mess to the cyber committee was managed by students.  Everyone was very self-motivated and that sort of forced all of us to pull up our socks and keep up.

     

    As a law student which activities did you participate in?

    I wanted my law school experience to be holistic.  I wanted to explore every facet of what was on offer, so I tried to dabble in as many things as possible from joining societies, writing for the college newspaper, organizing events etc.  The one co-curricular activity which was constant throughout my five years was mooting.  I tried my hand at it in my first year since I was curious to try it out.  Anyone at law school knows how much fear and trepidation mooting evokes among students.  I was curious to know more and was hooked from my first year.  It also helped that mooting offered the opportunity to travel to interesting places across the world.  I’ve been to Australia and Taipei on my mooting trips.

     

    What kind of internships have you done?

    The set pattern that law school maps out for you, NGO in the first year, Supreme Court and then at law firms.  I interned at Janaagraha a non profit foundation in Bangalore in my first year, where I got the opportunity to get some hands on experience on a couple of interesting projects relating to urban planning and development.  I was given a lot of responsibility and a free hand to plan my own research within the parameters of the project at hand.  Besides, that I also did a couple of corporate law firm internships.

    Internships don’t really prepare one for their future job, however they help in developing skills like pushing yourself forward, making your work known around the organisation and are a great way of networking and meeting future mentors.  Law firm internships in particular can give you an insight on what a typical day is like for a corporate lawyer, but I don’t think any internship can fully prepare you for the future workplace, given the short duration.  None of my internships were longer than six weeks.

     

    Tell us about your mooting experience.

    (Shan was a part of the team which won the 10th edition of the ELSA WTO Moot Court Competition.)

    Yes I was, that was a very special moot.  Winning an international moot is the ultimate goal for anyone who moots at law school and I was no exception.  ELSA doesn’t have a national round concept.  We had an Asia Pacific round in Taipei and the finals at Dominican Republic.  The quality of judging and the teams was exceptional.  In one of our courts, we had Professor Bryan Mercurio, who had framed the problem that year, judging us.  He was particularly appreciative of our innovative approach to the problem.  I think that was really the highlight of the moot for me.

     

    Tell us about your preparation plan for any moot court competition?

    I think a lot of ground work needs to be done even before the moot problem is released. One really needs to understand the nuances of the moot.  Speaking to seniors or friends from other colleges who have gone for the moot in previous years is imperative.  Every moot court competition is different.  We have a tendency to criticise the moot problem, competitors, judging when everything doesn’t go right in a moot.  I think it is also important to understand the way a moot works, who is judging, how the moot is organised etc and crack the system.  We tend to sometimes over look the other factors at play and concentrate only on the legalese, which may not be the best way to win a moot.

     

    How did you manage mooting with academics?

    It’s quite tough, and to be honest I didn’t always manage it, but I was quite sure I wanted to give mooting a go and if anything were to go amiss I knew I had the opportunity to make up for it in the later years of law school.

     

    How did your appointment at Linklaters take place?

    The foreign law firms came to NUJS for the first time during my second year and picked up the cream.  We heard stories of lavish vacation schemes and well planned training contracts on offer.  The opportunity to work at some of the best law firms in the world was very appealing.  During my third year, I tried to attend as many of the presentations given by the foreign firms.  I tried to understand what they were looking for and tried to imbibe as much information about the firms as possible.  In my fourth year I was selected for a vacation scheme at Linklaters, at the end of which I received a training contract.

    I had the opportunity of spending six months each at four departments at Linklaters.  There was no sort of typical day, some days were more manic than others.  One of the more interesting departments I had the opportunity of working in was at Banking.  Every deal I worked on was a headline grabbing news worthy deal, which was very exciting.  One gets the opportunity to really sink one’s teeth into some of these deals and once the associates or partners see your interest then the level of responsibility and quality of work given to you also increases substantially.

    There were no challenges as such because Linklaters has fantastic systems and mentors in place.  It is also one of the most diverse firms, so I never felt like an outsider. Though I will say that here in India we tend to romanticize the amount of training one is supposedly given at any foreign law firm.  I think that sometimes training can be very pedantic and doesn’t always push you to engage, which can be counterproductive.

     

    What would you suggest a law student should do in order to land a job in a magic circle law firm?

    I think the application is the most important, as the starting point.  The application decides whether you can move forward through the subsequent phases.  It is imperative to begin working on the applications and submit them well before the deadline.  The answers should be well thought out, each question should be answered, even the little ones they tend to slip in.  I would recommend proof reading your application a number of times, ask one of your friends to go over it for you as well.  Attention to detail is critical and all magic circle law firms are sticklers for detail.

    At the interview, I think it is most important to really demonstrate that your focus is corporate commercial law that you want to make the move to London and work at their firm on a long term basis.  It is very important to have your thoughts together on what you want from your legal career and your life before the interview.

     

    shan-kohli-2

    Most of the English Law firms require an associate to complete an LL.M degree with some specialisations. How did you get to join Linklaters without a masters degree?

    Linklaters had no such requirement.  Most of the lawyers in the firm in fact did not have a masters degree.  I would recommend some prior work experience though.  Not just the few internships done at law firms in the holidays, but some significant amount of time at a leading corporate law firm in India, perhaps as a paralegal or an extended internship.  This is not mandatory but I think it would help in exposing oneself to the ways of a large corporate law firm.

     

    When and how did you decide to come back in India?

    I came back to India last year and joined AZB at their Bangalore office.  I’ve been lucky; I haven’t found any differences in work culture.  I think large firms tend to operate in more or less the same way the world over.

     

    When did you conceptualize the idea of having a blog about sports laws?

    (Shan used to write on the SportsLawyer, a blog about legal issues around sports and sporting tournaments in India – on branding, doping, broadcasting, national and state level sports associations, etc.)

    Sports law was one of the electives offered in college during my time.  I was very eager to delve into this nascent area of law.  I have always been interested in wanting to pave my own path, and to create something of my own.  The blog was a step in that direction.  I knew that the field of sports law and the issues surrounding it, were not being debated as much as they should have been.  There wasn’t much guidance from literature to rely on so we (my co-bloggers Abhuydaya and Ramanuj) had to do all the groundwork ourselves.

     

    Lastly, what would be your message to our readers?

    Keep reading SuperLawyer! All the best Donnie for all your endeavors.

     

  • Ujjaini Ghosh, Assistant VP-Global Transaction Banking, Deutsche Bank, on studying at Oxford, and working with Herbert Smith, and Linklaters

    Ujjaini Ghosh, Assistant VP-Global Transaction Banking, Deutsche Bank, on studying at Oxford, and working with Herbert Smith, and Linklaters

    Ujjaini Ghosh graduated from NUJS, Kolkata in 2006 and went on to pursue her BCL from Oxford. After her BCL she joined Herbert Smith, worked at Linklaters, Singapore with the banking group, and eventually graduated to Deutsche Bank in January 2013.

    In this interview we speak to her about:

    • Her time at Oxford
    • Working at Linklaters
    • Her experience with Herbert Smith

    How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?

    Well to put it in a nutshell and assuming that the readers are from NUJS, I would introduce myself as an alumnus (batch of 2006) of NUJS who spent some of her best and formative years at this institution, grew as a person, made amazing friends and now looks back fondly and maybe with a tinge of nostalgia at those years gone by.

    Post NUJS, I joined Oxford for my BCL in 2006. After completion of my BCL, I joined Herbert Smith as a trainee solicitor and qualified as an associate in the finance division. I eventually moved to Linklaters in Singapore where I worked as an associate with the banking group and in January 2013 moved to Deutsche Bank where I am currently working as a legal counsel in the global transaction banking department.

     

    Why and when did you decide to do law?

    To be honest, I decided to do law at a point where law was fast becoming a popular career option after engineering and medicine and I knew for sure that I did want to become a professional and make a difference though not necessarily in medicine or engineering! I joined NUJS after studying English honours for a year at St Xavier’s College, Calcutta.

    It was during my five years at law school that I realized that studying law was probably the best decision I could have made. NUJS was very interactive in its teaching methods and I could clearly link the knowledge of different spheres of legal education to the individual, society and corporations. More than the subject itself, it was the application of the subject that interested me.

     

    ujjaini-ghoshHow was studying at NUJS like for you?

    The question does make me feel ancient! Studying at NUJS was a very interesting and a brilliant experience, an experience that transformed my personality, made me aspire, made me ambitious and taught me to drive myself as hard as I could. The ambiance, the faculty, the students, the activities made five years literally fly by. NUJS was not just about studies but it was also about the multitudinous activities on offer. I do remember taking part in moot court competitions, cultural activities such as singing, dancing and theatre, coordinating seminars and group discussions, being part of various committees, assisting in legal aid projects and the list goes on.

    Life at NUJS ten years ago was very inspirational for the students. We were part of a fledgling institution and each one of us as students were driven by this urgent need to not only prove ourselves but also to make NUJS reach greater heights. The institution had an incredible moot court society which brought in awards with limited resources. The close knit student community made life in the hostel a lot of fun and the faculty members were not just “teachers” but friends and in some cases confidantes.

     

    What sort of internships did you do while in college?

    My internships were varied. I interned with Sanlaap (an NGO in Calcutta),  the trial court in Calcutta, Delhi High Court and law firms such as Khaitan and Amarchand & Mangaldas. I also interned with the Singapore International Arbitration Centre and Wong Partnership in Singapore. All the internships have played a defining role as these helped me understand how law worked in the practical world and also provided me with a better idea of what I wanted to do after law school. The internships were a stepping stone towards shaping my career. It’s just been seven years since law school so there is a long way to go!

     

    What was the first thought that came to you when you got your acceptance letter from Oxford?

    I was ecstatic and actually cried with joy! The experience was brilliant.  The academic curriculum, the students and Oxford the town itself made the experience worthwhile. The BCL is an international course and draws students from all over the world. I made some amazing friends who I am in touch with till today.

     

    What made you go into the corporate sphere of law?

    The internships did help in making me choose my area of specialization. I found myself natural leaning towards corporate law as compared to other areas where I can see myself making an effort.

     

    Would you take us through the application process for Oxford?

    Applying to Oxford is similar to applying for any top rated LL.M program in the world. I would say to apply straight after law school requires some planning in terms of studying methodically, participating in extra-curricular activities, preparing good essays and actively seeking out references.

     

    What was it like working at Herbert Smith?

    Working at Herbert Smith was a fantastic experience. The training program is very thorough and the six months spent in each department goes a long way in understanding different areas of legal practice. The learning curve was steep but the kind of confidence and knowledge that I acquired is unparalleled.  I learnt a lot from the partners, the senior associates and my peers.

     

    Could you enlighten us, in brief, on the particulars of Islamic finance and your role in the Finance Team at Herbert Smith?

    I was an associate in the acquisition and leveraged finance team at Herbert Smith and subsequently Linklaters. The work has been varied ranging from vanilla lending to secured syndicated finance deals to highly leveraged secured deals.

    Islamic finance to me is simply finance deals that are structured bearing in mind the principles of Shari’ah law e.g. there is no reference to interest in the documentation. However at the end of the day, the basic essence of financing remains the same.

     

    How does it feel like to be Assistant Vice President – Global Transaction Banking at Deutsche Bank?

    It’s proving to be enjoyable and challenging at the same time. I am part of the transaction banking front office team which means I get to liaise with the different business teams on a daily basis. Its fast paced and solution oriented. Along with legal knowledge, I am expected to understand the various products that are offered to clients and draft/review documents and advise clients on the implications of different contractual arrangements. The work involves dealing with liquidity management products, international fund transfers and trade finance.

    Deutsche Bank is a very fluid organization and I can see my role changing and growing as I grow with the business team.

     

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

    I think very highly of them and they are definitely a very focused lot. I have not been deeply involved with the academic field for the past seven years so it’s difficult for me to comment on the standard of education. I do feel that along with theory there should be a focus on the practical implementation of law.

     

    Any advice you’d like to give to young lawyers who hope to follow in your footsteps?

    I am sure that every young lawyer will be able to chalk their own path, but I would definitely encourage them to enjoy their years at law school and subsequently the practice of law. I would urge them to do what they want to do and not get bogged down in their fifth year and the first few years of legal practice by comparing themselves with their peers or superiors. Each lawyer is unique in his or her own way and there are no set rules to follow.  In seven years, I have learnt that its best to not take oneself too seriously or set very high targets but at the same time to enjoy learning and give 100% to whatever work I do at any point of time. Trust me, success follows when you can give as much as you can to your profession and yet manage to enjoy yourself at the same time.

  • Dr. Kumar Askand, Professor, RMLNLU, on studying law after science, his passion for academia, and the Criminal Law regime

    Dr. Kumar Askand, Professor, RMLNLU, on studying law after science, his passion for academia, and the Criminal Law regime

    Prof. Dr. Kumar Askand graduated from Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur. Askand has been teaching for the last ten years. He started his career as a teacher at WBNUJS, Kolkata and thereafter went on to teach at RMLNLU, Lucknow.

    In this interview we asked him about:

    • Studying LL.B after graduating in B.Sc.
    • Studying in a traditional law college in comparison with an NLU
    • The Indian Criminal Law regime and changes

     

    How will you introduce yourself to our readers?

    I was born in a sleepy eastern Uttar Pradesh town named Basti and received all my pre-university education there. Interestingly, I was first admitted in a Christian Missionary School, then moved to a right-winger Hindu school and finally ended up in a Muslim minority institution for my 10+2. I often think that this unplanned move has a lot to do with what I am today or what I am not. I had a normal childhood in a middle class family with a professor father, homemaker mother and a younger brother.  I obtained all my university degrees from Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur (DDUGU) and my Ph.D. (Victimology) from RML Awadh University, Faizabad. I had already cleared the National Eligibility Test for Lectureship during my LL.M. days. Since the day that I got my LL.M. Degree, I have been teaching.

     

    Why did you decide to study law after a B.Sc.?

    I did B.Sc. as my father wanted me to pursue the degree after he failed to convince or motivate me to do engineering which almost everyone around me would be doing. Given a chance, I would have studied literature, preferably English literature. My father was a professor of literature and as a child I used to see a lot of Hindi literature scattered in my house. I wrote and published my first poem when I was eleven and before I turned twelve, with two of my school friends, I started a children’s magazine. So literature of every kind became my constant companion since early childhood and I even started dreaming of becoming a poet.

    However, I soon realized that poets and writers also need to work for a living and it was during my B.Sc. that I decided to study law. In hindsight, I believe it was during these days that instead of solving problems of physics and chemistry, I became fascinated with law. So, joining law after B.Sc. was a conscious decision, though it was a period when legal education was considered the dust-bin of higher education in India. As there were many lawyers and judges in my extended family, my decision to study law was not resisted by my parents. What amuses me a lot when I look back to my LL.B. days is that a few of my father’s friends would sheepishly enquire “why did you join law, I know you were good at studies”. And this is how law was looked at even by university professors.

    Doing M.Sc. in chemistry was always an option as in spite of my fascination with all issues legal, I still managed a first class in B.Sc. The decision to study law was a case of the heart winning over the head.

     

    Tell us about your college life.

    It was not very different from the present-day life of my students I believe, except that we had a very vibrant (some may say rowdy) culture of student politics. Eastern Uttar Pradesh is considered the crime capital of Uttar Pradesh and there were many students with criminal antecedents in the garb of student leaders. I actively participated in student politics though I never contested any student-union election. So, I have been there and seen it all.

    Academic Sessions were often delayed by a year or two and a three-year law course would usually take four years. LL.M. or other masters programmes took almost three years.

    If you leave aside the late academic sessions and all, the law faculty of DDUGU had a great reputation as classes were held very religiously (not a usual feature in many other departments and universities in U.P.) and year-after-year scores of students would qualify in competitive examinations for judicial services etc. At a time when annual examinations were the norm in all the universities, DDUGU had a semester system.  We would not miss even a single class except the C.P.C classes and C.P.C. still remains my weakest area. The faculty was fabulous and we had some great teachers. Prof. Udai Raj Rai, who later became Chair Professor in NLSIU and is currently holding the Ford Chair on Human Rights in NUJS, was the Head and Dean of DDUGU when I had taken admission there and taught me Constitutional Law. My Head and Dean during my LL.M. days Prof. Anirudh Prasad is currently Dean (Academics) in RGNUL. The only regret which I had was that most of the classes were conducted in Hindi and the number of English medium students could be counted on fingers. Not that the professors were not capable, but as the majority were Hindi-medium students, they would force the professors to speak in Hindi.

    Things improved in LL.M. but it was still a largely Hindi-dominated class. However, I never felt that I am at any disadvantageous position due to lack of instructions in English. Contrary to what many believe, I believe that law is not a slave of any particular language. Though I was an English medium student, I used to have fierce discussions on legal issues with my Hindi-medium mates.

    My heart goes out for those students in RMLNLU who join us after having cracked the CLAT but suffer in their classes due to their educational background. Hindi-medium students suffer emotionally and psychologically in a predominantly English-speaking peer group and these sufferings often reflect in their grades. As a student, I never enjoyed any special status or privilege due to the fact that amongst the Hindi-medium students I am the only one who studies law in English-medium. There were many Hindi-medium students who knew law better than anyone else. Regrettably, in NLUs, your competence in law is judged by your fluency in spoken English.

     

    Please give us a few actionable tips on managing higher grades.

    (Dr. Askand was one of the exceptional students during his college years.)

    Rather than giving any tips on managing higher grades, I would say that grades don’t matter much. Many of my batch-mates who did not score good grades are doing very well as lawyers and judges. Your grades in law school may give you a star status amongst your peers but in the long run, it is your in-depth understanding of law and legal issues which counts. More than feeling great about obtaining the first position in the university in LL.M., I feel proud of being the first LL.M. from DDUGU who was offered lectureship in the prestigious NUJS. So instead of worrying about grades, be a trail-blazer.

     

    Law, now and then-how would you describe the change?

    Do you really think that law has changed since my student days? I find the same law today which we studied. The changes are only cosmetic and nothing much has really changed.

    If you mean “legal education, now and then!” my answer would be that a lot has changed for good. In 1995, when I started my three-year law course in DDUGU, the five-year law programme was seen with a lot of skepticism. Though NLSIU was established in 1987 (and remained the only NLU till 1997 when NLIU was established followed by NALSAR and NUJS), no one believed that legal education shall be one day at par with engineering and medicine. Honestly, it was only during my first year in LL.M. that I realised that the NLUs have arrived with a bang on the legal landscape of the country and also secretly harboured the aspirations of teaching in one of them someday.  In our days, law was by default. Today, it is largely by choice. The pedagogy, the approach, the method, the infrastructure and above all, the attitude of the people towards law has undergone a complete metamorphosis. Believe me, the law faculty of DDUGU stopped subscribing law reports in 1996 due to financial crunch and when I was writing my LL.M. dissertation on euthanasia in 2001-2002, law reports only up to the year 1996 were available in the library. Can you imagine that in a NLU? Accessibility of quality legal material was the biggest challenge of our days in DDUGU.

    Then, whoever excelled in law, excelled through grit and conviction fighting against many odds which the students of today, especially from NLUs can’t even imagine in their wildest dreams.

     

    How relevant do you think are internships for a present law student?

    In our days, internships meant going to a lawyer’s chamber in the evening where you would not be taken seriously and if you still have the perseverance, go ahead. Today, it’s all about internships. See in law schools other than NLUs, a job in a law firm or a corporate house is not the prime motivator. Almost everyone is interested in a government job in judicial services, state prosecution department, PSUs etc. For these jobs, your internships don’t matter much.

    Interestingly, when I joined RMLNLU in 2006, I was given the responsibility of Internship and Placement Committee which I discharged till 2013. As a faculty advisor to the Internship and Placement Committee, I have seen a lot of benefits accruing from internships. Internships not only expose you to the functional aspect of law, these widen your horizons of thought and make you complete. Irrespective of what one wants to be after law school, one must do internships during session breaks.

     

    Why did you not go for practicing law or some other career in law?

    One practices law not only when one argues in a court but also when one teaches and researches. Am not I an academic lawyer? It may appear a bit saintly but since my graduation days, I knew that academics was my calling. It may not be very lucrative in comparison to other jobs with a fatter pay packet but immensely satisfying. It gives you creative freedom and it is fun inspiring young people, many of whom look up to you crucial life decisions.

     

    Why did you take up teaching at RMLNLU, given the fact that RML was still at its foundation years, while NUJS, a renowned university?

    Ah, when I joined NUJS it was also at its foundation years. The first Batch of NUJS graduated in 2005, a year after I had secured a lectureship there. So I have been part of NUJS faculty in its formative days and still cherish this association.  Leaving NUJS in 2006 was a difficult decision and the reason for doing so was purely personal.  Closely watching RMLNLU grow by leaps and bounds has compensated the so called loss of leaving a renowned law school.

     

    Which subject do you enjoy teaching the most?

    (Dr. Askand has taught a number of both traditional legal subjects and the trending ones from Criminal Law to Science Technology & Law to IPR to Banking Law and Policy.)

    Teaching non-traditional subjects like Science Technology & Law, Biotechnology Law and Media Law was a real challenge for someone who had never studied these subjects as a student. In NUJS, I taught these subjects to a very bright bunch of students and immensely enjoyed doing that. However, everyone knew in NUJS that my heart lies with Criminal Law. I fondly remember Late Prof. D. Banerjea who was heading the School for Criminal Justice Administration (SCJA) in NUJS, inviting me to all the SCJA meetings though I was associated with School of Legal Practice and Development (SLPD).

    After I joined RMLNLU as a founding faculty member, Criminal Law was an obvious choice and to this day, I am stuck in love with it. So, it is Criminal Law of all hues and variety that I love teaching most. Media Law shall be the next best thing to discuss, teach and research.

     

    How has the experience been participating in as well as organizing a number of conferences, workshops and other events?

    Fabulous, to say the least. I have been fortunate to have been part of organizing committees which meticulously organized some academically enriching seminars and conferences both at NUJS and RMLNLU.  The International Seminar that we organized at RMLNLU in 2010 to mark the completion of 150 years of the Indian Penal Code takes the pride of place.

     

    Do you think if Indians would have framed our Penal Code, it would have been better?

    NO. Period. Who would have done that for us? India of those times was geo-politically an entirely different entity and everyone knows what the state of penal law was during the times preceding IPC. After we became independent, successive Law Commissions have suggested changes in the IPC but none have suggested any changes in the core values which the statute embodies. Macaulay must be credited with producing the mammoth statute minus the superfluities of English law. If today, the Parliament decides to have a new penal code for India, its structure and core principles shall remain intact. We have seen that happening when the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 was replaced by the 1973 statute.

     

    If you were asked to suggest some changes to the present Indian Criminal law, what would they be?

    Not the law, it is the criminal justice system which requires a change. Let me briefly explain this: Laws are not good or bad. It is the manner of their implementation and enforcement which matters more than their content. Most of the issues plaguing the criminal justice system in our country are systemic. From 2010 to 2012 we at RMLNLU, undertook a massive research study of the functioning of the prosecution system of Uttar Pradesh. The findings of the research- a 600 pages strong Research Report, which we submitted to the Government of Uttar Pradesh and the Prosecution Directorate are shocking. The prosecution apparatus is on the verge of collapse and no one seems concerned.

     

    If one wants to become a great criminal lawyer, what course of action should one follow?

    I don’t think I am the right person to answer this question. However, let me try. Most of the people in the profession think that practicing criminal law is all about securing bail for their client. This is a myopic vision of criminal law advocacy. I understand that the snail-paced justice system offers great incentives to criminal lawyers who are in reality mere “bail managers”. I am also not undermining the importance of bail for the stakeholders. What I am pointing out is that real criminal law advocacy is much more than just securing bail.  My ideal criminal lawyer shall be the one who has in-depth knowledge of both the substantive and procedural criminal law and is also well versed with the constitutional law. This requires a lot of perseverance, patience and practice.

     

    Lastly, what would be your message to people who want to take up a career in teaching?

    My message shall be “welcome to the family”. Legal academia requires you much more than ever. Come to the profession well equipped, in letter and spirit, and conquer the world. If someone like me who comes from a not-so-impressive academic background, with no fancy foreign degrees, can make it to NLUs, anyone and everyone can.

  • Moiz Tundawala, Doctoral Candidate, on hurdles of being visually challenged, and plans for the future

    Moiz Tundawala, Doctoral Candidate, on hurdles of being visually challenged, and plans for the future

    Moiz Tundawala graduated from NUJS, Kolkata in 2005. He is currently pursuing his doctoral studies at London School of Economics.

    In this interview we speak to him about:

    • His routine, and how prepares for examinations
    • The shortcomings of the system in making education accessible to people with disability
    • Plans for the future

    Why did you decide to study law?

    In school my favourite subjects were history and political science. Never the less I wasn’t precisely sure what to do after my twelfth board exams. I had an offer of admission from the WB NUJS, and also Political Science in Xavier’s Calcutta. Eventually I decided to go for law primarily because I would get a wider array of choices. Looking at the courses on offer, I knew that the university would teach me the law of a diverse variety relating to the human engagements. As a result, I could avoid committing to anything particular and narrow down my career options. Now as things stand, I continue to still cater my interest in history and political science by aiming a specialization in legal history and public law. It all ended well for me and in retrospect, I think I made a pragmatic decision to go for law back in 2005 over Political Science that was been offered.

     

    What kind of study schedule did you follow?

    I am largely indisciplined when it comes to study schedules. It is just that I always let my interests and curiosity motivates me.

     

    How do you organise the entire activity of learning something, producing academic content and preparing for exams?

    I use a computer with a screen reading software called JAWS, and a scanner with another software called Kurzweil. I scan books, download articles and other materials, save them in different folders on the computer. I always make it a point to take notes in class, especially when I think that teachers are sufficiently well versed. To help produce academic content, am told there are softwares which do your in-text citations and build a bibliography. Am yet to try them though, but will hopefully do it very soon.

    On the substance side, I also make notes for every article, book and case that I read and deem important. While reading, I first look at mastering the core thesis and arguments, and then get down to focusing on matters of detail. Most important, is to keep writing, to oneself, for oneself, so that ideas are not lost, even if they be roughly developed.

     

    How did you write exams?

    When my sight started deteriorating, I started getting someone to write my papers. As in, I would dictate and the person would write. Second year of college onward, I switched to a computer.

     

    moiz-profile-picture-eAs a visually impaired student did you come across additional challenges, while studying in the law school?

    Yes, you keep coming across new challenges all the time. Most importantly, is getting access to the reading materials. Moving around in the library is also difficult. Asking for someone’s help to locate all the relevant books and the likewise. But, the folks in the NUJS library were extremely cooperative. Once I passed out due to deteriorating health, and they came up with an online electronic catalogue, which I think is very essential for a visually impaired student. Here in London, libraries are also sensitive to differential needs. I just have to write to them with the names of the books which I require, and the next time I go, someone from the staff fetches them for me. Mobility is another big thing. I have one regret looking back to my stint in NUJS, that I was not sufficiently confident to try moving around on my own. Had I been, law school would have been a much fun experience. Infrastructure will keep throwing difficulties, but I guess one must keep taking the initiatives to work around and also to get things done.

     

    Did you find the legal education system in general and your college in specific to be sensitive to the needs of the visually impaired students?

    The legal system as a whole is obviously not sensitive enough. The legal education in particular, is not sensitive at all because most important is to get materials in an accessible format, which is not available easily. Sadly, 90 to 95% of the books do not have an electronic edition yet. And scanning takes up a lot of your time and energy. Therefore, it goes without saying, this requires a lot of patience on your part. Every once in a while, if you are lucky, you do manage to get soft copies from here and there. My college was as co-operative as it could have been. They were the ones who encouraged me to switch to computer for the purpose of the exams. Library staff was also cordial and cooperative enough. Even teachers were sensitive to my requirements in the class. Especially, in my early days, some of them would just come up to me for a quick chat to figure out how I was getting along. This I think is very important. It is not always possible for a blind student who may find navigating the campus difficult to go to a teacher every time he or she is facing any particular issue. I was slightly daunted by the thought of reading so many cases and thick law digests. But, Dr. Sudhakar, a visually impaired professor of international law in NUJS, wisely advised me not to bother so much about all that, and that things would keep falling into place gradually. The knowledge that someone who has faced similar issues and has still ended up doing so well for himself really helped at that time.

     

    Would you encourage visually impaired high school students to pursue law?

    Yes, I would definitely encourage all the visually impaired school students to pursue law. As the system needs you more than you need the system. If law interests someone, come along, and do the legal system a favour. Enlighten other persons about the diversity within the society, the different problems which people confront, and the amazing things they are capable of doing in spite of all they go through. And yes, if you are not so sure what you want to do, law is sometimes a safe option.

     

    How can other visually impaired students increase their academic performance? Do you have any suggestions for this?

    I have nothing more to add apart from my own experience. Reading with vigour, and more importantly, thinking imaginatively. Furthermore, I think that if the teacher is good, paying attention in class would also be enough.

     

    What are your future career plans?

    Well am still not sure about it. At this moment, I am engrossed in my doctoral studies. There is still a lot of time to decide. But yes, a career in academics and research perhaps would be my preference. But I do not wish to rule out law practice altogether.

     

    What message would you like to share with our readers?

    Nothing apart from wishing all the visual impairments and other disabilities students, freedom from fear and inhibition and imaginative discernment.

  • Tushar Kr. Biswas, Doctoral Candidate, NUJS, on getting published, and his passion for academia

    Tushar Kr. Biswas, Doctoral Candidate, NUJS, on getting published, and his passion for academia

    Tushar Kumar Biswas is presently a Ph.D candidate at West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata. He has numerous books and publications to his name, he therefore speaks to us about the importance of research in a lawyer’s life. He tells us how to identify a field of law to write upon and how to go about the tough task of finding and chosing a publisher for your book.

    Key takeaways:

    • How to select area of interest before starting to write
    • How to choose a publisher for your book
    • Importance of co-authorship
    • Importance of publications in legal career

     

    How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?

    I am a PhD Candidate at the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata. I have studied at the International Academy for the Arbitration Law, Paris and The Hague Academy of International Law, Netherlands (Private International Law session). I am a member of the Young International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA) and the Young International Arbitration Group (YIAG). I am a former Visiting Fellow at the Jindal Global Law School, Haryana, NCR Delhi.

     

    Why did you want to study law?

    I do not have direct descendants who are lawyers as my father is a teacher and grandfather was a doctor by profession. One of our close family associates who is a renowned lawyer motivated me to study law. To be honest, when I started to study law, little I knew that the horizon of the legal profession is so vastly expanded and there are numbers of things one could do which perhaps may not be possible in other professions.

     

    What were your areas of interest during your graduation?

    During my graduation, I developed interest in number of areas such as human rights law, information technology law, constitutional law and international commercial arbitration. I kept on reading a lot in these areas and subsequently wrote a number of articles in various world reputed journals. What interested me more is the conflict dimension of various and seemingly divergent branches of law, whether we are talking about human rights or commercial law.

     

    Did you do any internship during your graduation? Did you receive any assistance regarding this from your college?

    Yes, I did a number of internships right from lawyers’ chambers to the legal department of a company. I got assistance from the University only once and the rest of the time I applied on my own and got through.

     

    What was your motivation behind doing an LL.M.?

    I have done my L.L.M primarily to gain more knowledge of some specific fields that were of interest to me. However, it was also at the back of my mind that opportunities follow from every higher degree. I knew that this would open up an avenue for getting into academia without jeopardising other opportunities. I also got to learn a lot about legal research tools and presentation techniques in a way that complemented the research and practice skills I had developed through prior studies and work experience.

     

    Tell us about the process of getting published.

    As a student, I gradually started to gain interest in legal writing and was successful in publishing some articles. I frequently used to visit Prof. D.N. Bannerjee (Founder-Chairman of Central Valuation Board) who first generated the idea of writing a book. We had planned to co-author a book on property law, but eventually I started writing on my own.

     

    When did you start writing? How much time did it take?

    I started writing the book during my L.L.M studies. It took more than three years of full time effort to complete the task.

     

    Please give us the highlights of your best work.

    I have written a ‘Guide book on Good Governance for Law Institutes in India’ pursuant to my long standing association with the Institutes of Rural Research and Development (IRRAD). I had the opportunity to publish articles in some of the world reputed law journals such as International Company and Commercial Law Review, Sweet & Maxwell, London; International Arbitration Law Review, Sweet & Maxwell, London; International Sports Law Review, Sweet & Maxwell, London; Asian Journal of International law; Asia-Pacific Journal on Human Rights and the Law, Martinus NIJHOFF Publishers, (Leiden-Boston); The Computer Law & Security Review – The International Journal of Technology Law and Practice (Elsevier); Commonwealth Law Bulletin, London, the flagship publication of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Division (LCAD); Journal of Medicine and Law, World Association for Medical law (WAML), Israel; Computer and Telecommunications Law Review, Sweet and Maxwell, London.

    I also got invited to join the team of authors for ‘European Encyclopaedia of Private International Law’ and presently I am editing a book on ‘Arbitration Law from Comparative Perspectives’.

     

    How did publishing affect your legal career?

    A career in law is all about research (if I am allowed to say so). If one can establish oneself as a researcher by publishing quality writings, it surely will have a positive effect in securing jobs not only in academia but also in other fields. Having said that, I want to see a day when the question is reversed, young lawyers are asking the question will we be able to keep on writing if we get into the job? The value of legal research exists independently devoid of other considerations.

     

    How do you identify and decide on a topic or area of law to write on?

    The identification process varies. For writing an article, one may choose to look at the conflicting decisions of various courts/tribunals in any particular area or conflict in theories and even one may consider doing situation analysis. Some may choose to write in an area where already plenty of works have been done and there is still scope of development whether from a different angle or same angle. At the same time, once sufficient knowledge is acquired, one may go for inter-disciplinary research.

     

    Is it a good idea to find a co-author?

    It depends. If you find someone who operates in your field, you may choose to do so, but the co-author must have the same sense and same understanding about the intended work. These can prevent any potential conflict. At the same time, there are some inherent practical risks of having a co-author such as the free rider problem.

    I wrote this book alone. However, I would not mind working with a co-author in near future.

     

    How does one find a publisher, and at what stage of writing?

    That’s a very good question. Finding a good publisher and convincing that publisher about the whole work is perhaps one of the most difficult tasks, especially if you are an emerging writer or just beginning your writing activities. This is because, unlike an established writer, the publishing house and more importantly the targeted audience would probably not know you.

    In order to find an appropriate publisher, one needs to do some initial research. However, it is also judicious to keep in mind the best available alternatives because there may be situations where your priority may not work out. One can approach the publisher either before finishing writing or after the completion of writing. However, if you are an emerging writer, it is always advisable to approach the publishers before you finish writing to alleviate avoidable risks.

     

    How did you choose one publisher over another?

    Well, it depends primarily upon the field of law you are writing on. There are some publishers who operate only in some selective fields and others may be operating in multiple fields. For example, if you choose to write on ‘Arbitration Law’, then probably ‘Kluwer Law International’ is the best known name in the legal world. Similarly, if you write on some other area, there you may choose to find some other reputed publishers operating in that field. However, merely choosing the best publisher is not enough. What is important is to deliver quality writings in the targeted field.

     

    Is there any success mantra that you follow which you would like to share with our readers?

    Dedication and hard work matter. From the point of view of a writer or a legal researcher, it is equally important to develop analytical skill along with these two elements mentioned earlier. However, in order to achieve success, it is important to analyze the constraints of getting success.

     

    Please find here a detailed article on how to get an ISBN Number.