Tag: Policy

Upasana Singh Chaturvedi, Founder & CEO at Accords International, Arbitrator and Mediator In Conversation with SuperLawyer on Unconventional Careers in Law
This interview has been published by Prabhjot Singh, Priyanka Karwa and The SuperLawyer Team

We ask this question to almost everyone, but ma’am looking at your experiences, I would like to flip it a little bit, how did law choose you?

I come from a family of lawyers, judges, and professors. I think ‘law’ chose me before I was even born. From an early age, I used to sit with my grandfather and used to observe the trials he used to preside over. Also, during my studies in history in my undergraduate course, I realized how a society’s nature is modeled and governed by the legal system that it has. This realization got me interested in exploring law as a professional carrier for myself. The campus law Center, university of Delhi helped me understand law and brush up on my legal and oratory skills.

What were the struggles you faced in the beginning?

By ‘beginning’ I believe you mean the beginning of my legal career. I think the biggest struggle is coping with the rigorous work routine and keeping on doing what you like the most. I was always passionate about teaching, so along with my practice, I kept on teaching at Delhi University, IP University, Bennet University, and Sewa Samarpan Samiti, which is an NGO based in India. I think this helped me pursue my dream with passion.

Firstly, a big congratulations on starting “Accords International”. Do you mind sharing some obstacles that might come in the way of being a founder at any firm?

You know I have started to believe in what Elon Musk once said, “starting a company is like eating glass and staring into the abyss”. It is a difficult task to build a company, run it, and earn profits with it. My biggest challenge was to find like-minded people to work with and constitute a team that creates a conducive environment. I have been fortunate to finally find an amazing group of team members. I am liking every bit of it. No doubt you are wearing a crown of thorns, but you are your own boss. Accords International works in mediation and restorative justice. Both these fields are new to India and clients and colleagues are still learning. We provide mediation and restorative services and training regularly.

When we talk about disputes, most of the time obviously the parties commit the same number of mistakes, and both suffer as well, before even going for conflict resolution, don’t you think there is something out before that?

In the event of a disagreement, it is often that the situation escalates to a conflict and then the parties take the matter to the court as a dispute. If the lawyers and other professionals who advise the parties during the initial stages have a non-adversarial mindset, then disputes can be avoided, and disagreements can be amicably settled at very early stages. This is beneficial for all, the clients, the lawyers, the courts, and the society.

As someone who has also specialized in cybercrimes, bullying, etc, what are the core reasons that these things happen and any unconventional ways to stop the harm?

Dan Olweus defines simple bullying as ‘unwanted aggressive behavior that is intentional and that involves an imbalance of power. Most often it is repeated over time. If this is done via an electronic device, then that makes sit cyber-bullying.

The four Elements of Bullying are- Aggressive Behavior, Power Imbalance, Repeated act, and the players (Perpetrator and victim). If we add a computer, cell phone, and any other electronic device to traditional bullying that will make it cyberbullying.

The common types of cyberbullying and their reasons are:
1. Exclusion- Publicly Ostracizing the target from the online world- Possible reason is to make the target vulnerable and lonely.
  1. Flaming- posting personal insults and vulgar texts- possible reasons are power play and intent to humiliate the target.
  2. Impersonation- pretending to be someone else. – possible reason can be entertainment or fraud
  3. Cyberstalking- using the internet and technology to follow someone- (harassment, stalking, revenge, fascination, show-off)
  4. Trolling- to deliberately provoke others- (attention seeking, revenge, boredom, personal amusement, paid by someone else)
Accords International is working on a model for dealing with cyberbullying and online harm with the help of restorative justice. Teachers, parents, and school management can use restorative practices like regular restorative circles and non-violent communications to de-escalate conflicts at early stages.

What are the necessary skills to have as a “Trained Mediator”?

As a mediator, one learns

To facilitate a conversation between two disputing parties.

To be objective,

To be impartial,

To be an effective communicator,

To feel empathetic, patient, adaptable,

To be trustworthy,

To understand the psychology of conflict,

To be able to distinguish interests and needs and

To become a better negotiator.

“Unconventional careers in law will spoil your degree”, why has this misconception led many people far away from the legal industry revolution and how to excel oneself to reach heights?

I think this advice worked in the previous century. Today, we live in a world where lawyers are working in tech policy, AI, cyberspace, Outer space, public policy, sustainability, diplomacy, and many other ‘unconventional’ fields. I think law teachers and colleges should update their curriculum on a regular basis and students should not only be exposed to court proceedings but also to the newer developments around the world. Accords International is working with the vision to make such experiences available to Indian students.

Lastly Upasana, any advice to level up the skill game in this profession?

I find reading is very important for lawyers to always keep updated and informed. Also, skill-building courses in mediation, drafting, negotiation, tech policy, etc are important to learn about new fields. Accords International has launched its next mediation training for the months of January-February 2023. Training programs like this keep young professionals updated and connected.

Get in touch with Upasana Singh Chaturvedi-
- LinkedIn
December 12, 2022
In Conversation with:- Mohini Priya, Advocate on Record, Trained Mediator, Policy analyst, Member of International Legal Alliance and Member of India Child Protection Forum
This interview has been published by Prabhjot Singh, Priyanka Karwa and The SuperLawyer Team

What motivated you to pursue law? How was your under-graduate experience in law school? If not law, which subject would you have opted for?

I completed my five years law course from Government Law College, Mumbai in the year 2009. Honestly speaking, being from the science stream, pursuing law was not the obvious career option for me.

I wanted to pursue medicine in the first place but like any other confused student wanted to explore other options as well. Interestingly, around the same time, with the emergence of national law schools and many corporate law firms, law as a career option was becoming lucrative, as it offered a stable career which was financially rewarding.

Many new offshoots of law had come up, like the IPR, Cyber Laws, Environmental laws, so there was no dearth of opportunities. All these factors were creating an inclination towards law. However, I was not very vocal and outspoken in my school days which made my family sceptical about my suitability for the legal profession, as it is the popular perception that lawyers are supposed to be loud and aggressive.

In the midst of all the confusion raking up in my head, I intuitively decided to take up law. In those times there was no CLAT and admission in GLC, Mumbai was solely on the basis of 10+2 score and interview. The cut off was high but I luckily managed to make it through the final list.

And that is how this journey began. So in my case it was more a matter of destiny than choice. Hailing from a small town, there were initial hiccups in adjusting to the fast pace life of Mumbai but I believe it is far more easier to adapt to change at a younger age, and so I soon became a part of it.

Being in the heart of the town, GLC had locational advantage, apart from having some very good professors and an extremely distinguished alumni.

A few months into college I realized that extra curriculars were as important as academics. I was a part of the Moot Court Association, The Legal Aid Committee and the Student’s Council, which gave me abundant exposure to lawyers and law offices, allowed to acquire some important life skills like organization and team work and also helped me get visibility.

I did some national and state level moot courts, which gave me a good practical experience of law. I focused on getting a few good internships in Bombay High court and the Supreme Court of India and also did a couple of corporate internships.

I think it was the last corporate internship which made me realize that litigation was my true calling. So yes, I did take five years at law college to understand what I really wanted to do, but once that happened I held on to my decision and persevered.

Do you believe that law students must be taught the ground reality of Court procedures along with the theoretical part?

Most law schools these days have moot court competitions, negotiation competitions, which give a law student some opportunity of legal research and arguments as well as a preliminary understanding of court manners. However, in actuality, the working of a court is very different and there is no set pattern.

For a litigating lawyer, every day is a new day. “Legal acumen” is not something that can be taught but is only acquired after years of experience and learning from one’s mistakes. Sometimes things may not go as planned.

A lawyer may be fully prepared to argue a case in a particular manner but the Bench may throw a completely different issue at them. Thus real court craft involves creative thinking, quick decision making and learning to read the mind of the judge, which can only come after some years of real court experience.

A good approach to be adopted by law colleges would be compulsory court visits for law students, so that they get adequate exposure to actual functioning of courts. Now with the live streaming of Constitutional Bench of Supreme Court, as well as some other High Courts law students will have online access to courtrooms and can well prepare themselves for the times to come.

How do different approaches of adjudicators help in critical thinking? Do you believe that it helps in understanding cross-cultural overlaps in legal systems?

India is known for its cultural and religious diversity. Sometimes reading a book or doing a course may not help a law student understand the socio-cultural implications of the problem at hand. Real life references are needed to relate to a particular issue and understand it at a grassroot level. Socio-cultural and religious ethos run deep into an individual’s psyche and that reflects in many of the judgments delivered by Courts. A judgment is not merely an interpretation of a law, but is a reflection of judge’s cultural background and mindset. A study of court judgments does encourage critical thinking. Take for example, the recent split verdict of the Supreme Court in the Hijab case. The moot question there was whether there is a right to wear hijab in educational institutions in Karnataka – with one judge affirming that the state government is authorised to enforce uniform in schools as wearing of hijab is not mandatory in Islam, and the other calling hijab a matter of choice that cannot be stifled by the state.

While both the reasoning are correct, the question we need to ask ourselves is how do we want to grow as a society. Whether we should follow the strict letter of the law or give way to a progressive interpretation in light of the changing times and in the interest of social justice.

Some of the judgments delivered by Courts may not be in tune with the societal changes and that is where a role of a lawyer comes in- to sensitize and be sensitive.

Even as a mediator, I come across individuals from different backgrounds and cultures, which helps me better understand human psyche better, which in turn gives me an additional advantage in deriving a solution when faced with a similar situation in courts.

The Courts in recent times have been moving towards a progressive regime, like decriminalizing homosexuality, declaring abortion as a reproductive choice of women, and including ‘marital rape’ within the ambit of rape for the purpose of MTP Act, to mention a few. In some ways we are ahead of western countries when it comes to fundamental rights.

However, a change in laws cannot change mindsets overnight, as social and cultural norms play an important role in resisting change. Analysis of court judgments helps in understanding cross cultural diversities and narrowing this gap.

You filed a PIL before the Hon’ble Supreme Court, on behalf of a leading IVF Specialist based out of Chennai, challenging the constitutionality of several provisions of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021 and the Assisted Reproductive Technology Act, 2021. Please tell us about the matter in detail.

Surrogacy is a rather complex issue as it has several socio-cultural and economic implications. Bringing about a legislation in this field would require extensive study and research as well as opinions of experts in the field. However, the present legislations on Surrogacy and Assisted Reproductive Technique seem to be fundamentally flawed in many aspects.

Firstly, the Surrogacy(Regulation) Act, 2021 recognizes only heteronormative married couples and fails to take into account other alternative family arrangements like same-sex couples and live-in couples which have been given legal recognition.

The Surrogacy Act creates artificial distinction amongst women inter se by excluding single women (except widows and divorcees within a certain age bracket) to avail of surrogacy. Single men have been altogether excluded. Moreover, surrogacy is now allowed only in altruistic form from a close relative which is an infringement on a couple’s fundamental right to privacy.

Unfortunately, infertility is still a taboo in our country and most couples wouldn’t want to disclose such a fact even to their family in order to find a close relative who is willing to be a surrogate mother.

Thus imposing a blanket ban on commercial surrogacy may prove to be counterproductive and lead to illegal and unregulated markets. Apart from that many provisions under the Assisted Reproductive Techniques Act, 2021(ART Act) are medically not viable and impossible to implement.

The ART Act apart from restricting the number of times an egg donor can donate in her lifetime, creates no provision for compensation to an egg donor. Moreover, several procedures which were completely legal earlier have been suddenly rendered illegal or in an impasse by the passing of the Acts.

All these factors have brought donor cycles in our country to a standstill. During the hearing of the petition. the Hon’ble Supreme Court observed that these issues need consideration and has asked the Central Government to file a response. I sincerely hope and pray that the Apex Court gives a progressive interpretation to both the statutes and if that happens, this case could prove to be a breakthrough in the field of reproductive rights.

How important do you consider legal professionals to work with NGOs and support social initiatives? Do you think it adds value in the long run?

Law is called a “Noble Profession” and rightly so. We, as legal professionals have a positive obligation to contribute to the society. Lawyers are agents of social change. However, in order to bring about a substantial change, it is important to understand the problems and complexities associated with an issue at grass root levels and NGO’s provide a very good platform for that. NGO’s work in close association with vulnerable and marginalized sections of the society.

Working with an NGO may not provide one with an immense amount of money, but it gives great networking opportunities, as well as help a lawyer to contribute towards creating a social impact. Apart from that, NGO’s have extensive research material and experience in the field they cater to, which could be effectively used by a lawyer to become the voice of the voiceless.

Lawyers have an additional advantage of knowledge of court procedures and direct access to courts, and can help direct future litigation on important social issues in accordance with an NGO’s aims and objectives.

I have had the opportunity to work with some leading NGOs like Prayas, which extensively works for rehabilitation of street children and juvenile justice, and I can certainly say that it has opened a whole new dimension for me which has immensely helped me in my professional and personal growth.

Apart from that, the satisfaction one gets from rendering service to the community is unmatched. So, I would highly recommend every litigating lawyer to have some exposure of working with an NGO.

What are the roles and responsibilities for a policy advisor? And will it create more opportunities for legal professionals in coming times?

Policy analysis includes identifying current or impending problems with a government policy, determining its causes and proposing solutions. A lawyer broadly does the same for his clients and therefore lawyers make for great policy analysts, although not all policy analysts are lawyers.

There are special courses offered by universities on policy analysis. However, lawyers and law students have a unique advantage when it comes to deciphering legal jargon and forecasting how a legislation would develop. Another advantage is their ability to recognize how a small change in a rule or regulation could have a huge public impact.

Legal professionals can work in policy space as research fellows in government agencies, think tanks, research organizations and corporations examining complex issues that affect the government and the daily lives of citizens.

I have personally worked at analyzing some provisions introduced by the Child Marriage Amendment Bill, 2021 and the Juvenile Justice Amendment Act, 2021 as a representative of the NGO Prayas and India Child Protection Forum headed by noble laureate Kailash Satyarthi and I have to admit that it was one of the most enriching experiences of my legal career.

What, in your opinion, could be a social security safety net for lawyers after experiencing various pandemic waves?

It is indisputable that two years of the pandemic has hit lawyers very hard. There has been loss of work, loss of income, many lawyers had to downsize their team and even close down their offices as there was not enough revenue generation even to pay for rents. Virtual hearings have resulted in concentration of work leading to disguised unemployment.

Although some of the Bar Councils have done their part in providing financial assistance to lawyers during the pandemic, it needs to be accessible to a larger community of lawyers and specially young lawyers.

A welcome step in this direction has been the recent observation by the Hon’ble Supreme Court that young lawyers should be adequately compensated by their seniors.

The pandemic has not just hit lawyers financially but the uncertainty and trimmed income apart from social isolation has had a severe impact on their mental health. There should be some initiative by the Bar Council to conduct counselling sessions for lawyers and seminars on mental health awareness.

Young lawyers should be encouraged to argue in order to help fast track their career trajectory.

The post pandemic era has seen increasing use of technology and a gradual transition towards paperless courts. Although green courts are a welcome step, however some lawyers who are already facing financial difficulties may find it rather difficult to invest expensive gadgets in order to switch to paperless mode, and hence some financial assistance should also be offered to such lawyers.

What career advice do you have for our readers?

There is no “One size fits all” approach when it comes to the litigation. Things may not always go as planned, so be patient but relentless in your efforts. Identify opportunities and take the first step.

Sometimes what may on the face of it seem to be insignificant might turn out to be a determining factor in your career, so don’t be afraid to take chances. Create short term goals and focus on them. Failure is inevitable but also necessary in order to stay motivated and grounded.

As a young litigator, there may be many brief-less days. Instead of getting hopeless and frustrated, use that free time to learn new skills, take up some courses and create litigation opportunities.

Time management is very crucial. Hard work has no substitute but smart work gives you a cut above the rest. Intelligence is a blessing but knowing how to channelize it in the right direction is what differentiates an average legal professional from a successful one. Today, digitally-savvy lawyers are in high demand as technology continues to evolve and progress.

And as the Indian Judiciary System gradually acquaints itself with cutting-edge technologies, emerging lawyers must do the same.

Lastly, going by my personal experience, I would like to tell my readers that career confusion is completely natural and pushes individuals to explore different opportunities in order to reach a well thought out decision, so keep your minds open and always remember that growth is more important than success.

Get in touch with Mohini Priya-
- LinkedIn
October 18, 2022
Ishana Tripathi, Legal Practitioner, on Policy Law, working for Tier-I firms, and her diverse experience
Ishana graduated from NALSAR in 2011 and joined AZB in 2011. After working there for three years in the fields of acquisitions, inbound investments, commercial/civil/corporate crime litigation and arbitration, she then branched into helping set up a private mediation centre – Centre for Advanced Mediation Practice. She assisted them with rule drafting and case management strategies and also a lot of business development. In 2015, she started work on two projects in parallel, the Centre for Policy and Research, Bangalore, and Vidhi Legal, Delhi; one on civic citizenship to develop a constitutional law search engine and the other on court annexed mediation.

In this interview we speak to her about:
- Working for Tier-I firms such as JSA and AZB
- Her time in NALSAR
- Her experience in Policy Law
How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?

This is a trick question. If it has to be concise, then it would someone who is trying to navigate through the various avenues of the inter discipline of law available today! To me, there are a variety of experiences that one can gain even while pursuing a corporate law firm career without viewing it myopically. While “specialising” in an area and building your own niche is important for recognition, if you don’t broaden your horizons to work – in every space and opportunity available, in my view, at this seventh year of practice, your ability as a lawyer stagnate.

As a professional who is here to stay, you need to keep educating yourself to the changing ecosystem and while you can’t know everything, it our responsibility to be aware of as much as possible and not let go of opportunities that allow us to experiment. Law as professional can be a beautiful thought provoking and life changing way of life.

Give us a brief overview your NALSAR experience for our readers.

The NALSAR experience is novel to each one in terms of utility. For me, law school was a confusion on whether I want to pursue the law at all. Today, the passion I feel for law comes from working with some of the best people in the profession – a privilege that at the beginning of my career in 2011, came from being a NALSAR graduate. It would be foolish to deny the edge that having an “National Law School” label will give you but to say that the students are smarter than the rest would be another thing and misconceived. Its ultimately boils down to a proof of hard work, integrity and dedication – which you need to find within.

What kind of internships did you undertake during your student years?

Law school to me was an opportunity to explore and take chances. I did close to fifteen internships, with different work profiles, I didn’t repeat a single internship. This was a personal choice. I worked with government organisations like TRAI, not for profits like TERI, clerkships with the CLB and the Supreme Court, trial work, general litigation and corporate law firms. By the end of it, the only thing, I had no idea what I wanted to do but I knew what I didn’t. For instance, I realised I was too mercurial for criminal trial work (here, i mean cases of rape, domestic violence, assault, and not white collar work) and decided not to pursue that route. I am now venturing back into criminal trial work – particularly in relation to restorative justice models – so lets see if I have reached an emotional maturity to handle it.

Is it absolutely necessary to moot or undertake paper publications in order to be a successful advocate?

There is no straight jacketed formula to success. Every individual has their own journey. Like I said, law school is an individual experience. But if it is advice, then I would urge people to not be close minded, especially todays generation of lawyers – who have many more avenues like legal journalism, legal policy, legislative drafting – which are work spaces available for a lawyer and were not as present in the mainstream in 2011 when I graduated. Try as much as possible in law school but do it with zeal and not because the mass says so. Law school prepares you to embrace different perspectives. While having ambition and direction are important, do not write off anything.

What are your areas of specialisation and how did you go about choosing these fields to specialise in?

I specialise in – ADR and corporate /commercial litigation, and, labour and employment laws. The first was an interest in law school which solidified at AZB and is a true academic area of interest which I continue to pursue. The latter is attributable entirely to AZB. If you would have told me in law school that I would become a diligence handbook for labour laws, I would have laughed at myself, it was my worst subject – mostly for the lack of interest in it! Today, the research and jurisprudence in it fascinates me to no end. I read regular updates and amendments.

How were the first few years after your graduation?

Law school was a different phase all together. It engineers healthy competition, using your brains to argue/defend positions, change view points, embrace failure and general personal development. It doesn’t, however, unfortunately give you notes on implementing the law. It is necessary that the absence of practice from theory in legal education changes. But, that’s a debate for another time. The internships that I was fortunate to get gave me some insights into the inner workings of the lawyer life but I suppose my mind was too young to comprehend and process the amount of handwork and brain cells required to materialise the text book law into strategy.

I honestly lucked out with the mentors I had at work right out of law school. They instilled a quality of work and pushed my intellectual barriers. They enabled me as a lawyer right from the start, they never treated me as someone fresh off of the boat. It was “use your brains and assume responsibility for work” from go! If I look back, my time at AZB, gave me a strong foundation and was a very empowering experience. I can blindly say that I am ardent Zia Mody fan, she defies patriarchy in the profession in ways I took for granted at the age of 21, when I started working there.

Give us some insights on the qualities that Tier-I firms look for in prospective candidates.

I can’t speak for every Tier-I firm and I also think recruitments and requirements change with time / legal landscapes. Prospective candidates vary accordingly – depending on type of work, experience, firm expansions etc. If you are asking for what they look for in an fresh of the boat law student in an interview – for me, self confidence, good English (I suppose!), demonstrable ability to work well with others, passion for any element of the law is what worked.

Briefly describe your experience in assisting the set-up of the Centre for Advanced Mediation Practice.

Professionally, after three years of arbitration experience at AZB, mediation was a new bull to me. To study it and embrace it was easier than I thought it would me. CAMP opened a new chapter to me as a person as well as a professional and gave me insight into being non – adversarial in thought process and also gave me new direction towards understanding law. CAMP, to me, was being a part of a movement, which would shape a new dimension in legal process in India. It was of course, a new challenge, since going from the comfort of a corporate law firm to figuring out how to get conference call facilities! But that’s the beauty of a start up. Its not only the idea of it but also every other element of it that makes it more personal. Combine it with the “purpose” that it seeks to achieve – CAMP was critical in reinforcing the idea of wanting to be a part of the system and help nurture a better case resolution mechanism.

Please give our readers some insights into the functioning of Policy Law firm.

(Ishana has worked with two of India’s most reputed firms in policy law- The Centre for Policy and Research, Bangalore and Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, Delhi.)

With Vidhi, I worked on a project that studied the efficacy of court-annexed programmes. Here, we studied four centres in India and where there were issues and fallouts. The hope remains that the recommendations are picked up and a change in implementation of mediation is envisioned by the law makers and the judiciary.

With CLPR, was a project on civic citizenship and constitutional law. This was uncharted territory, since my knowledge of constitutional law was basic and text book. CLPR was spearheading a project that would culminate into a database of the constituent assembly debates that led to the framing of our constitution. I worked on the first phase which was focused on the fundamental rights and directive principles. The project involved reading through days of debates and coding them in a prescribed format which would then be fed into an algorithm where people could search (like Google).

It was amazing to learn and unlearn the pre-conceived notions of our rights and in a way get to know the people who fought / argued/ reasoned / shaped the future of individual and social rights in this country. To everyone who reads this, I am shamelessly asking you to check out the CLPR website for the CAD page! It will be worth the effort! The hope is that one day it would reach the common man for general awareness.

When and why did you decide to leave your job at JSA?

It was in April 2017 that I decided to leave JSA. I believe it was the right time in my profession to pursue a higher education in law with the Erasmus Mundus programme.

Is there any other suggestion you would like to give to our budding lawyers?

You just have to have the dedication and maintain a standard and drive for yourself. The day you can’t give your 100% to something – it could be even proofreading ten lines on a matter, then its time to find something else. Demotivation in life is the worst thing you could do to yourself and the person whom you represent – who deserves your dedication, time, thought and places their faith in ‘you’ not anyone else to guide them right. So if you ever find yourself in a situation where you say “have to” more than ten times a day, move on. It is a disservice to yourself and your colleagues if you choose to continue in the same state of mind.

As a parting thought, never take any work opportunity and position in life for granted. Moreover, to me work-life balance is a myth. Never take on a task with the purpose of attain this. It is work that has shaped my personality, increased my capacity to question and broaden thoughts. It is practice that has indulged a love of studying the law. The sooner you accept the importance of work in your life the easier your journey in law becomes!
August 16, 2017
Vinitha Johnson, Assistant Policy Analyst, CUTS International, on LL.M from WTI in International Law and Economics
Vinitha Johnson graduated from National Law University, Jodhpur in 2011. She worked for two years as an Assistant Policy Analyst at CUTS International, Jaipur. Prior to that, she interned exclusively in law firms. She then decided to pursue Masters in International Law and Economics from World Trade Institute, University of Bern, Switzerland. In this interview she talks about:
- Working at CUTS International as an Assistant Policy Analyst
- Masters in International Law and Economics at WTI
- Tips on SOP, Recommendation letters and scholarships
Most of our readers are law students and young lawyers. How will you introduce yourself to them?

I graduated from the National Law University, Jodhpur, India in 2011, after which I spent two years working at CUTS International, a non-governmental organization engaged in economic policy formulation. Prior to that, I worked, and extensively interned in law firms in commercial law, private equity and international trade.

How did you gravitate towards law? How would you describe your time at NLU, Jodhpur?

Very little aptitude for math, and a huge fetish for drama. My time at NLU, Jodhpur was very well-spent. I genuinely started enjoying research during my fourth and fifth year in NLU Jodhpur.

How is your work profile at CUTS International, Jaipur as an Assistant Policy Analyst?

My work experience in CUTS was life-changing! I was engaged in developing domestic and international economic policy, providing negotiation assistance, and being engaged in providing of capacity-building programs. I worked closely with economists, statisticians and people with different skill sets.

An economist who is well read, who can play with excel, and who can model, is a force to reckon with, and is most likely to actually propose a solution to a policy problem! They have incredibly brilliant minds, and I was constantly inspired by the people I worked with.

We worked on a project which evaluated the impact of India’s trade policy instruments on poverty alleviation – it changed the way I looked at research was one, and I made some of my best friends while working with my team mates on that project. I vividly remember being stranded (quite happily) in the Pulwama district in Kashmir, which produces the highest quality Saffron in the world after interviewing scientists who were working on preserving the brand value of Saffron from Kashmir..

I realised that producing academic journal articles are a very, very long way from actually inducing change, and I would have to change who I was as a person, and massively expand my skill-set, before I even begun scratching the surface of “making a difference”.

You have numerous publications in various renowned journals. How should one go about writing papers and getting the same published?

Journals have provided me with a lot of critical feedback about conceptualising my ideas, and improving my writing skills – I know I have a long way to go! From my experience, journals value a badly-written paper with an original idea more than they value a well-written paper which regurgitates what other people have said.

Don’t publish simply because it is a fad in academia. Aim to provide an input to policy-making. It is easy to come up with innovative ideas when you step out of your comfort zone and attempt interdisciplinary research.

Ideally, you should get published when you add value to a policy debate. Once you have something to say, you should find a way to say it. Try various forums – international journals, newspaper op-eds, blogs, videos, infographics and tweeting! The surest way to add value in social sciences is by collecting primary data – however, that is not always feasible. So the next thing is to identify a trend which is changing, and analytically discuss what implications this could have – should legal instruments regulating the trend be modified? Should new institutions be put in place?

How did you prefer Masters at WTI over your job?

(After having worked at CUTS for almost two year, you joined World Trade Institute, University of Bern, Switzerland to pursue Masters in International Law and Economics.)

I wanted to study in the World Trade Institute since I was in the fourth year of college. I was advised to obtain significant work experience prior to pursuing a Master’s degree. In any case, I enjoyed work at CUTS so much that I delayed applying for a Master’s degree during my first year there.

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

I had applied to universities which offered a specialisation in economic policy formulation. I was offered the Emile Boutmy Scholarship by Sciences Po, but I chose to pursue the specialisation at WTI. The WTI is excellent for building a career in trade as it combines excellent faculty and a very supportive alumni network.

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

Applying for a course in the US and one in the EU may require slightly different approaches – while the US might value a very emotively drafted SOP, the EU values facts which are well contextualised.

While writing the SOP, focus on coherence and adding depth to the specific points that you put forth. After identifying three traits which distinguish you from other candidates (could be moots, publications, work experience, leadership), coordinate your CV, your SOP and your letters of recommendation, so that these documents reiterate and triangulate these three main traits, in three different voices, in a cohesive narrative. Further, identify three distinctive facets about the university you are going to, and match them to how you intend to develop your three distinctive traits.

The strategy is this: the CV lists facts and achievements, the SOP describes your motivation behind those achievements, and your recommender is the voice of a senior person with more credibility than you, who validates your achievements, and further comments on your character traits.

How about recommendation letters?

I found dealing with recommendation letters to be the most challenging part of completing my application. This is my honest suggestion for anyone applying for education abroad.

Building relationships with people is integral to building your career, and it is not always the same as schmoozing. There are two types of people – powerful people, and people who like you – these two subsets may, or may not overlap.

Have SIX recommenders in place – it will save you a lot of stress around the application deadline. These should be a mixture of senior, mid-career, junior professionals and faculty members. You should be friends with some of them, especially the young professionals, because they are the people who will step in when you are crying hours before your deadline when the other recommenders disappear.

Have four/five drafts of a recommendation for yourself in your application folder. Do all the work for them. Make it as painless as possible. If you are asked to write a draft, contextualise your work experience, and let your recommender comment on your abilities.

Why did you choose International Law and Economics for research?

Frankly, early on in law school, the only professor who thought I had it in me to be exceptional, administered Trade and Investment law. So I blindly chose Trade law for research. I have not regretted it ever since.

I moved into trade policy formulation very early in my career, and it was even more exciting than trade law. You wake up in the morning knowing the problems you are working on are quite real, there are real stakeholders – farmers and artisans involved, and you are pretty damn fortunate to even sample work which has the potential to be highly impactful. I sometimes feel I would do it all my life for minimum wage if I had to (this attitude of mine definitely infuriates the stakeholders in my life)!

Please tell us a little about your academic schedules and the general experience of studying abroad.

The WTI has structured a very intensive ten-month program where you study one subject in considerable depth in one week. A subject-matter expert flies in for the week, and highlights what we should know as future practitioners.

If one studies the subject before classes commence, and then interacts with the faculty members with a slightly elevated level understanding, you really do gain a lot, because these faculty members are either negotiators, or WTO dispute settlement lawyers or economists who develop international economic policy.

Does WTI provide students with scholarships? Are there any other institutions, which provide scholarships?

Yes, the WTI does provide students with scholarships, as does SECO. If you are keen on applying to the WTI, you will be pleased to know that the University of Bern offers a Master’s scholarship with a much earlier deadline in the month of November.

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

WTI has an amazing network of alumni and faculty members, and they are genuinely committed to helping you build your career. A few weeks back, I requested the Director of my Program if she could advise me on how to start a social entrepreneurship venture. She discussed my ideas with me, and proceeded to put in touch with very important people in international organisations, who could help me develop my ideas. The WTI then assigned me a mentor, who had worked with the Indian government, and was involved in social entrepreneurship ventures. I feel very humbled, and I am very grateful.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

So, five years from now… Living in a tree-house (with hi-speed internet connectivity, no reptiles), managing a development consultancy that is well-regarded by the researcher community and policy practitioners, coming up with innovative research products and solutions geared at enhancing export revenue for farmers and artisans. It would be ideal if the consultancy could conceptualise real solutions, tap into well-constructed networks in industry and government, and effectively organise agricultural and artisanal lobbies. It would be even better if we could call government officials (have them answer the phone and reply to emails?!), and discuss the feasibility of possible policy options with them… Yes, that would be good.

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

Do not play safe in the first three years of your career. Start with a small law firm, or think-tank which will let you do all the work – don’t worry about the money at that stage. I would highly recommend working on assignments which “you are too young” to be involved with, so you are forced to grapple with lots of new things to learn, and so the learning curve is incredibly steep.

Ideally, you should be gasping for air as you work on new, exciting assignments. Don’t confuse “gasping for air” with mindless, bulky assignments which are repetitive, and which possibly drain you. It is not the same thing.

If you want to work in policy-making, learn the wonders of Excel!

If you want to start a venture of your own at some point, learn to code, or make friends with people who know how to code 🙂

Be very honest with yourself about what motivates you. Is it money, stability, status, recognition, or an opportunity to be part of something bigger than yourself? What your peers around you want may not always be what you want/need, and running with the crowd does is not the safest option.
May 30, 2015
Prashanth Potluri on being a LAMP fellow, career in policy work and taking time out for football
Prashanth Potluri is a graduate of 2011 batch from School of Law, Christ University. He has been a LAMP fellow and till recently he worked as a Senior Specialist in Public Affairs and Advocacy at Genesis Burson-Marsteller. He is famous among his colleagues as a passionate footballer and most amazingly he could take time out from a busy schedule for football as a law student and even after joining work. In this interview he talks about:
- Taking time out for football from a busy schedule
- Working as a legislative and research assistant for HRD Ministry and being a LAMP fellow
- A career in Policy
- Work experience at Genesis Burston-Marsteller and ThoughtWorks
Given that most of our readers are law students and young lawyers, how will you introduce yourself to them?

I am a graduate from the 2006 – 2011 batch of the School of Law, Christ University (SLCU), Bangalore. I went on to pursue the LAMP fellowship after graduating, shortly after which I completed a course in Leadership Development at the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad. I am an avid football fan and the game of football has been my biggest teacher. I have always been very clear since my initial days at law school, that I would want to make a career in a field that isn’t directly related to the law and the two things that I have always loved were football and politics.

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

Frankly speaking, I didn’t have too many options. I was a mediocre student in school and I was in the commerce stream. I only did well for myself in the Social Sciences. This gave me an indication as to where my interests lie. I have been fascinated with politics since a young age and a law degree felt like a useful tool for me to have to pursue a career in politics and its allied fields such as policy studies, public affairs and administration etc. I have never wanted to be a lawyer during my time at law school and after graduating either. I chose law as a means to my political ends and also because I knew it would enhance my ability to think in a different and more holistic manner.

How was your law school experience? What did you do to keep the monotony off the law school?

I had a very rough start to my law school experience. I was frustrated that I did not get into any of the top 3 national law schools, which I believed I deserved at that time I made up my mind that I would take the entrance exams the second time. Having failed to get through the top 3 schools again, I realized that I would spend the next 5 years here and that’s when I decided to embrace my fate. In retrospect, it’s the best thing I have done because, I ended up having the best 5 years of my life from 2006-2011 and I had the fortune of meeting some of the best people there and building relationships that I know will last a lifetime. I realized that a law school experience is only as good as the people you are surrounded by and we had some very intelligent and fun-loving people at SLCU. I made sure I took part in quite a few extracurricular activities such as football, quizzes, debates and music and this made sure my mind was active and constantly challenged and there was no room for monotony. I was never much of a mooter and the few times I did moot, it was because I had no other choice or because a friend’s team could have used a researcher. If I sensed any kind of monotony kicking in, I would make sure I start doing something new and fun to keep me entertained and living in a fantastic city like Bangalore definitely helped my cause!

How did you manage time to pursue your passion for football while pursuing a law course?

I made it very evident to my family, faculty and peers that football was, is and always will be my first love and passion and I wouldn’t treat it as an ‘extra activity’. This didn’t go down too well with my faculty and college staff, but this was a decision that I was entitled to make. The manner in which I managed football and the pressures of a law school was not done in the best way possible, but I managed nonetheless. The classroom chatter included football talk, match analysis and sometimes even sneaking in the occasional YouTube clips during class hours. Once the exam dates were announced, I’d go back to my books and ensure I put in enough hours to get good score. I never missed a football game even during exam time though. In the words of a very wise boy (Calvin), last minute panic served as the best kind of motivation to make sure I did well for myself academically in law school.

Do you still play for or manage football clubs? Please share some tips on time management.

I don’t play football as often as I would like (everyday) due to commitments at work, but I make sure I play once a week. I was recently offered a trial with Histon F.C., an English club that play at the Ryman Premier Level and I have decided not to pursue that as it didn’t seem pragmatic in many ways. I currently don’t manage any teams although I did so for 5 years at law school with the college team and this experience has taught me critical life skills such as leadership, managing people, identifying talent and nurturing it, managing deadlines etc. and I am truly grateful for that experience. I couldn’t have managed a football team so well without the efforts of the team itself. We were a self managing unit of sorts and I was just leading the way, but on a day to day basis, everyone did what they were expected to. I clearly laid out the expectations I had from them and they always delivered. Everybody played a critical role in making sure there was a sense of camaraderie and family in the team. This ensured on-the-field success and off-the-field friendships. My tip on time management would be to have a clear agenda for your day, allocate specific time for each activity and make sure you are well rested so as to be physically capable of doing what you have planned. Sound sleep, nourishment and clarity of thought in managing your time is very important.

You worked as a Legislative and Research Assistant for the HRD Ministry in your fifth year. How did this happen? What was the application procedure?

This was a classic case of being at the right place at the right time. I had not formally applied to it and there was no opening per se. I was very interested in education and public policy at that time and thought it would be a good idea to work at the HRD ministry. I later met a family friend who helped me get the opportunity to work in the ministry.

You became a LAMP fellow just after graduation. What are the criteria to apply? How did you go about your application process?

The LAMP fellowship requires you to be a graduate and within 25 years of age, – from a relevant academic background and expects you to commit yourself for a period of one year. I received an e-mail regarding this fellowship through the college and I looked it up, it was very compatible and accurate with regards to what I wanted to do in my career, which was politics. The LAMP fellowship was a very tangible step I took to ensure I built myself a career in politics and public policy.

What was your work profile as a LAMP fellow? How did it help build your career in Policy?

I worked with Mr. Tiruchi Siva from the DMK who was a Rajya Sabha MP and the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industry and a Member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the 2G Spectrum Allocation.My daily tasks consisted of intensive research that facilitated his day to day parliamentary duties and ensure that he was well equipped for his parliamentary debates, standing committee meetings etc with the best possible research.

Working closely with an MP gives you the kind of insight into policy making that no other job does. You get to witness a policy from an idea to an actual policy that gets implemented. This is very useful in pursuing a career in public policy in the long run.

We often hear that more lawyers are getting into ‘policy work’. What does this actually involve? What is it that policy lawyers do?

Public Policy professionals are a bit different from lawyers with regards to what they do on a daily basis. Policy work relates to the study, understanding, drafting and interpreting of rules pertaining to a very specific subject unlike a statute/legislation which is meant for a broader and more generic set of circumstances. This is why lawyers do well for themselves in this field. Every organization has a set of internal policies, every ministry in the government have a set of internal policies that facilitate the working of the larger statutes that come under their purview and lawyers are equipped with a foresight and thought process that lets them know what a comprehensive policy should entail, better than people from other academic backgrounds. Public policy professionals spend a lot of time researching on policies of other countries and organizations and get a comprehensive understanding on what the most suitable policy would be for their specific need. It does have a lot of overlapping with what lawyers do which is why lawyers are most preferred in this field. We get to research, draft and interpret policies on a gamete of issues minus the task of going to courts and presenting our case. We let the lawyers do that for us 🙂

You also worked with Genesis Burson-Marsteller. What was your job profile there? What was a normal workday like?

I worked as a Senior Specialist in Public Affairs and Advocacy at Genesis Burson-Marsteller and I was based at Delhi/Gurgaon. It was the best experience I had as a working professional dealing with a variety of corporate and political clients. Normal work days varied depending on whether I was working on a corporate or political client. With regards to corporate clients, my job entailed me to map out a comprehensive list of stakeholders, profile them and prepare an outreach and advocacy strategy for the clients. We also had meetings and calls with our clients which ensured we constantly had something to do. Political clients were a completely different ball game and this was the part of my job that I cherished the most. I got to work on a few election campaigns including the recently concluded general elections and my tasks included constant research on various talking points, drafting speeches, articles, talking points for the client, undertaking surveys to assess how much we have progressed, prepare a comprehensive strategy on how to best utilize the resources in hand etc.

You completed a course from Indian School of Business on Leadership Development. Please tell us a little about it. How did you decide to take it up? How effective was the course for your career?

The leadership development course at ISB was a part of our LAMP fellowship. PRS, the organization that undertakes the LAMP fellowship tied up with ISB that year to undertake a course in Leadership Development so as to supplement and enhance the skill set we had already developed on the job. I had a fantastic time doing this course and it has definitely been a huge value addition with regards to my career options. It taught me to clearly articulate my thoughts and carefully execute a vision and motivate my colleagues during testing times which has proven to be very useful while working with different organizations.

You had worked with ThoughtWorks for some time. What was your job profile there?

It was a research centric job which taught me a lot on market research and fine tuned my ability to make and give presentations. It was not a conventional policy job but it was fun working there as it provided me with a lot of insight on various business verticals and business trends. I worked with some amazing people there and it gave me a more global perspective on a lot of issues and taught me how to manage expectations with the people I work with.

What would be your message to our readers who would want to take up a career in Policy?

To put it quite simply, do it. It is a very rewarding and viable career option for lawyers and non-lawyers alike. I hope law students stop looking at this as an ‘alternative career path’ and look at it as a conventional career choice in the future. From my experiences in this field I can vouch for the fact that it is a challenging area to work in and it requires a lot of dedication and an ability to think in a holistic manner with proper foresight. The ability to think and articulate yourself is very important in the field of public policy and its allied areas. There are tons of career options and if anyone is interested in taking it up, I would be glad to provide any kind of clarity they may require.
June 5, 2014