Super Lawyer

Tag: PwC

  • In conversation with Anweshaa Majumdar, Corporate Lawyer at Trilegal, talking about her current role and her experiences in different areas of the Corporate law practice.

    In conversation with Anweshaa Majumdar, Corporate Lawyer at Trilegal, talking about her current role and her experiences in different areas of the Corporate law practice.

    This interview has been published by Sonali Parashar, Ojuswi Sahay the SuperLawyer Team

    Tell us about yourself and why you chose law as a profession. What other professions would you have considered if not law? 

    I have always known that I am a people person and communication is a strong skill that I possess, and I knew I wanted to pursue a career wherein I could hone this skill further. Despite taking science as my stream for my 11th and 12th, I knew my calling was not in the science or engineering stream. The career paths that I was keen on pursuing were law and journalism. I had, in fact, gotten into my preferred colleges for both these degrees. However, my parents were insightful about the potential of Jindal Global Law School, even though at that time there was no placement matrix to rely on. They felt that Jindal was a law school of the modern era and I also took the leap of faith and joined. My parents’ insight, has always proved to be correct as now, JGLS is known to be the best private law school in India. I personally feel I would have thrived in journalism as well, but I always knew that I would be a better lawyer than a journalist.

    You have worked extensively on succession planning and wealth restructuring/ management with a lot of experience working with Family Businesses. What drew you to this field in the first place? Would you like to tell us about your journey to this point?

    Honestly, I joined PwC as a fresher from college and when I was told that I would be joining a team which primarily focuses on succession planning and wealth restructuring, I was intrigued as it was a very niche and lucrative field. When I graduated from college, I knew I wanted to be in the corporate field, and being in the succession planning space, I was able to network and interact with various high net-worth families in India Bangladesh as well as Sri Lanka. When you work in a Big4 as a lawyer, your learning goes beyond the technical legal aspects, and you get a lot of exposure to various business building/continuity strategies. Working in PwC also allowed me to gain insight into tax-related aspects of a business and pointers to consider during corporate restructuring. I started in PwC as an Associate and left as an Assistant Manager.

    Other than the above mentioned,  you also hold expertise in General Corporate, Transactions, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Drafting Agreements. What, in your opinion, are the upcoming corporate trendsetters? It would be an excellent compass for our readers.

    In my opinion, an upcoming trendsetter is a simplified style of drafting. Drafting is a skill which will be required in whichever field one is part of, whether it is M&A, private equity, venture capital etc. The documents are essentially the same, but the context of the transaction is different. A trend that I have seen evolving in the legal space is the moving away from verbose legal language to simple language which is understandable to the clients as well as the counterparties. This is a trend I definitely stand by, as I have seen that by simplifying the drafting of contracts, it is possible to keep the rights intact and it also reduces the back and forth between the counsel and the client and even the client and the counterparty, and therefore significantly reducing the transaction closing timeline. My team follows a mantra of “draft the way you speak formally”.

    I have always believed in this concept, and I am elated to see that it is being practiced widely now. Further, I also believe that the M&A, private equity and investment structuring field is a phenomenal space to be in, as one gets to work on different kinds of deals which involve different strategies, negotiation points and consideration structures. After being in fields like this for a while, you are able to anticipate any plausible push-backs from counterparties, push for rights which will be beneficial to your client, address different options of consideration structuring and are able to identify any potential risks and advise to rectify them accordingly. The transaction space such as these typically does have heavy workloads, but the learning curve is steep and the effort you put in along with your experience does positively contribute towards your individual value as a lawyer.

    You are currently working at Trilegal. Previously, you were associated with Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, and before that, you were with PwC. How different it is to work at these three behemoths?

    After my stint at PwC, my entire team moved out with the Partner as he wanted to start his own ventures – one of them being a venture capital fund called Turbostart. At Turbostart, I was designated as Corporate Counsel and assisted with all the legal documentation required when the fund identified start-ups to invest in. After this stint, I decided that I wanted to move back to a core legal practice and that is when I got into Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, in the legal advisory team in their General Corporate practice. From there, I was selected for the Transactions team at Trilegal where I am today. At Trilegal, I work on high net worth deals in the M&A and private equity space. In these three behemoths, I have learned different things which I will carry with me throughout my career.

    At PwC, I got to work with many incredible chartered accountants outside my core team on various deals, I was able to get over my irrational fear of numbers and was able to understand various tax and business-related aspects of a transaction. At CAM, as I was in an advisory team, I was able to work on various opinions and memos relating to different aspects of the law, and was able to further my knowledge in these domains and re-connected with the process of legal research and statutory interpretation.

    In Trilegal, I am now working with an incredible team, in a very dynamic field. As we work on different kinds of deals at one time, one gets exposure to many drafting and negotiation strategies, front-ending deal closures, as well as exposure to transactions in various sectors. I would definitely say that during my formative years in PwC and during my time in CAM and now Trilegal, the learning curve has been steep, the professional exposure has increased, along with responsibilities and accountability and I feel that all 3 places have largely contributed to the professional I am today.

    You earned your Diploma in Entrepreneurship Administration and Business Laws from the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences after graduating from JGLS. In what ways does entrepreneurship aid a lawyer’s understanding of business?


    Especially in today’s day and age, where entrepreneurship is the theme of the market, I feel entrepreneurship increases a lawyer’s scope of understanding beyond the law itself. As someone who has had exposure to both, I think entrepreneurship is essential in understanding the business, which as a result will improve your legal advice as there is a much more holistic perception rather than a singular focus on a legal point. Once you have a decent understanding of the business, its operations, pain points, and strategies you are in a better position to align your legal advice and anticipate the outcomes of your recommendations which could be both legal and business-centric.

    Are you able to carve out time for your other interests or hobbies given the nature of the legal profession?

    I would not say that it is easy to take out time. But I would definitely say it is essential and sometimes you have to really push yourself to take out time for your hobbies. I choose to unwind with music as I play the ukulele or travel (either to work from out of the station or as a normal vacation). These little breaks are quite important to rejuvenate your mind and especially in this fast-paced profession, it should definitely take precedence to avoid burnouts.

    You are a young and well-established legal professional. What is your success mantra?


    My success mantra actually took some time to build, and now when I look back, it all boils down to “believe in yourself”.  Do not be afraid to take challenging career shifts, if you think it is the right thing to do – and even if it doesn’t work out, at least you tried it. Bounce back up and move on. I also believe in the aspect of not halting the process of learning – I have learnt from every case/matter I have handled and from the people I have interacted with and built a network even after. Another thing that I regularly follow, is self-introspection. It is extremely insightful to honestly connect with yourself, as it helps you figure out what you want, what your priorities are and how to achieve your goals.

    What career advice do you have for our readers?

    Never pay heed to people who discourage you. There are various kinds of people that you will have to encounter during your professional life, there will be people who will think that you do not have it in you to make it big. My advice – do NOT listen to them. Other people’s perceptions do not define who you are or what you can do. In today’s day and age of social media and seeing the career milestones of your peers might lead you to pressurise yourself, but don’t let it. Personally, back in 2020-21, I had found myself in a situation which required an immense amount of self-motivation to get out of. I would urge everyone to find that within themselves. The imposter syndrome is a self-created construct, break it down and thrive. Another piece of advice I would give, especially to people who are starting off their career – is never be afraid to burn bridges if you are not being respected. Put yourself first, know your worth and your path will find you one way or the other.

    Work on your soft skills as much as you would work on your technique. Believe it or not, both are equally important. Build your network, keep reading up, keep working on your communication skills (written and spoken) and always keep in touch with people who have impacted your career path in any positive way.

    Get in touch with Anweshaa Majumdar –

  • Devashish Poddar- Senior Associate at Price Waterhouse & Co LLP working in the field of ‘Direct Taxation and other allied laws’

    Devashish Poddar- Senior Associate at Price Waterhouse & Co LLP working in the field of ‘Direct Taxation and other allied laws’

    This interview has been published by Tanmaya Sharma. The Interview was taken by The SuperLawyer Team.

    Working globally can prove to be challenging. Have you ever worked on a case that kept you in office long after the “office hours”? How did you handle the situation?

    Indeed, working globally proves to be challenging. But it comes with its pros and cons. As Lord Robertson once quoted, Globalisation will make our societies more creative and prosperous, but also more vulnerable. Working globally opens doors to a larger set of stakeholders which at times can become overwhelming.

    Yes, due to confidentiality requirements, there are times when we have to spend time beyond our office hours. The entire scenario becomes challenging and complex. However, finding a passion and zeal for the work helps me stay motivated and onboard. I realize that the moment I start spending more time with my work, I find creative and innovative ways to handle a particular situation. In turn, I begin to enjoy my work.

    You have crafted a niche for yourself in your area of expertise, i.e. Corporate and International taxation and regulatory services. At what point in your education curve did you realize you want to devote your career to this particular field? Besides your current speciality in law, what other specialities pique your interest? Do you have experience in those areas?

    I belong to a family of diversity. My grand-uncle is an economist and a tax professional. My father completed his LL.B. but was unable to pursue his career in law. My siblings, being chartered accountants/advocates, have been engaged in the field of tax for over a decade now. Being brought up in such an atmosphere always prompted me to take up ‘tax’ as my career. So to answer your question, it was during my preparations for final exams, I ensconced my thoughts to take up tax as a path ahead.

    Since many facets of tax are dependent on civil/criminal laws, others related to corporate laws and the Constitution of India, reading the same, intrigues my thoughts to come up with better, innovative and lawful solutions for my clients. Besides the same, in recent times, I have developed some interest in the field of Environmental, Social, and corporate Governance (ESG). The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference – COP26 held in Glasgow attended by the Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi enticed my interests in this area wherein the stakeholders are re-aligning their business strategy with environmental concerns to achieve sustainable development. Also, tax technology is another area of my interest.

    I was a part of the team which tested a newly-developed tax litigation tool in one of my previous organizations. In addition to the aforesaid, since every provision of law should sync with the intent of the Constitution of India, I have been a part of some assignments wherein I had multiple opportunities to explore the provisions of the Constitution of India related to the taxation statutes.

    You’ve previously worked in one of India’s leading law firms. What do you think is the main difference in work culture between L&L Partners, New Delhi (Luthra & Luthra Law Offices) and PWC?

    I believe most organizations turn out to be similar, only if a professional wants to work, learn, earn and grow. The same analogy applies to an Indian law firm and a global accounting firm. Indian law firms may not function under a global mandate, however, the trend of following ‘global best practices’ and developing a pool of stakeholders from different countries have made the law firms function in a manner that is not much different from a multinational enterprise. The work is similar, the clientele is similar, and again even the stakeholders and management function in a similar manner.

    However, the only difference is that while working with a multinational professional services network of firms, a person gets more opportunities to interact with peers and connections within the firm (both in India as well globally). A person can leverage the worldwide network of a global accounting firm to find more lucrative opportunities. Although the Indian law firms establish relationships with international law firms, the aforesaid difference is also fading away. On the other hand, Indian law firms provide you with ample opportunities to interact and communicate with some of the country’s top practitioners.

    Can you tell us briefly about the various global groups that you’ve assisted to set up their offices in India? What kind of work goes into setting up an office in a different country? 

    I have been a part of a team that assisted a global railway company set up its office in India. In addition, I had opportunities to assist-

    • British multinational telecommunications company
    • American multinational conglomerate company (world’s largest telecommunications company)
    • Canadian telecommunications and data networking equipment manufacturer
    • German automotive Manufacturing Corporation
    • Malaysian Oil and Gas Company
    • Private equity firms
    • International investment management firms
    • Massachusetts-based life insurance Company
    • And a few others.

    To set up an office (especially in India), the group should first decide about the form and structure of the entity. Since the efficiency of the presence in a country and the applicable laws flow from the type of entity being set up. Thereafter, if it is a company, then corporate laws applicable for registration and set-up are required to be adhered to. Similarly, if applicable, the entity in India is required to comply with RBI and SEBI laws. In addition, tax registrations (PAN, TAN, GSTIN, IEC, etc.) may also be required. If the entity decides to onboard employees, then employment laws and registration requirements may also warrant attention.

    You are a corporate tax lawyer, usually dealing with transactions, compliance and advisory, but you have hands-on experience in litigation and have dealt with some high-profile cases as well. Can you please share with our audience which part of your legal journey you enjoyed the most? 

    Being a CA as well as a lawyer, helped me experience the best of both worlds. While advisory and compliances have their own set of perks, litigation is an area wherein my mind becomes more creative. I believe I can enjoy and learn more while being engaged in a litigation project. The time spent on articulating thoughts and drafting a document to present one’s case in a simple, precise and crisp manner is satisfying. Representing a client before the court of law and achieving success is bliss.

    Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced The Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in the Lok Sabha recently, which seeks to withdraw tax demands made on indirect transfer of Indian assets before May 28, 2012, what major changes (if any) will be seen because of this? 

    The Taxation Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021 (TLA) amended the Finance Act, 2012. Earlier, due to the retrospective amendments vide the Finance Act, 2012, tax implications arose on a few of the largest Indian companies. Thereafter, there was decade-long litigation between the companies and the Government of India. Numerous international courts/arbitration forums were explored and approached by the companies aggrieved by the provisions of the Finance Act 2012. Therefore, to avoid such protracted litigation and dispute, the Government of India decided to settle the issue by giving a limited window to such aggrieved companies for settling the disputes forever.

    Such a move by the Government of India and the legislatures is a welcome move. The aforesaid would aid the companies to buy peace and seek the refund of taxes already deposited by them under protest. By introducing TLA, India is on its path to attracting foreign investments for the ‘Make in India’ campaign and in return fulfilling its objective of atma nirbhar Bharat, i.e. self-reliant India. The introduction of TLA has reposed the faith of big corporate houses in the Government of India. Multinational enterprises are now aware that the Indian Government and legislatures are well cognizant of the issues around the country and prompt laws are made to fulfil the objective of India as a welfare state.

    How do you see the Indian tax laws in the future?

    Laws are efficient only if they curb the menace. A complex and ambiguous set of provisions often defeat the legislative intent. India has tried to simplify the indirect tax regime by introducing the GST laws which have replaced numerous other statutes to form a single consolidated law for various indirect taxes in India. Similarly, I believe India may witness a change in its direct tax laws as well, wherein various deductions and exemptions can be done away with and a lower rate of taxation may be introduced to benefit the companies as well as individuals. Various ‘conditional’ deductions and exemptions provided in the direct tax laws may prove to be beneficial for professionals who are aware of the benefits provided by the law, but at the same time makes it difficult for the public in general to interpret the same. Due to the aforesaid, the legislature and the Government of India have already introduced a few provisions which provide for a low rate of tax while disallowing most of the deductions and exemptions. We may witness such similar changes in the future as well.

    What suggestions would you like to offer to our young lawyers, law students and law graduates? 

    I always resonate with the quote, “There is no shortcut to success”. Hard work has no replacement, especially in our country and in the field of law. However, we must all realise that the era demands not just hard work but smart work as well. We do not live long enough to spend a substantial portion of our life in the office or at work. We all need a work-life balance. And, there comes the smart work. A professional who works hard and at the same time smartly saves time, achieves desired results, adds value to the clients and also invests time in personal life and well-being. Even luck favours those who work hard and smartly at the same time.

    To sum up, I would quote the former president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson

    “I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.”

    Get in touch with:

  • Arijit Bhattacharyya, Assistant Manager/Senior Consultant, PricewaterhouseCoopers India, on working for the Big Four, and his diverse experience

    Arijit Bhattacharyya, Assistant Manager/Senior Consultant, PricewaterhouseCoopers India, on working for the Big Four, and his diverse experience

    Arijit Bhattacharyya graduated from Symbiosis Law School, Pune, in 2010. After successful stints with Softcell Technologies Ltd., and AXA Business Services Pvt. Ltd., he went on to work in the capacity of Consultant- Risk Advisory Services (TMT) at Ernst & Young LLP. Currently, he is a TMT Lawyer and a Business Consultant currently deployed in the Risk Advisory Services LoS of PwC specialising in providing ITeS clients advisory services overlooking areas of Overseas Expatriate Taxation, Employee Mobility strategy and policies. He regularly advises clients on regulatory compliance of employment, payroll tax and mobility laws of predominantly Americas and Europe region.

    In this interview we speak to him about:

    • Working at two firms out of the coveted Big Four
    • Striking work-life balance
    • His experience thus far

    What inspired you to take up law? 

    While there was no such resistance from my family and acquaintances, there was a lot of doubt / suspicion regarding the career path I would eventually follow. I am a first generation lawyer in the family and no one in my immediate family is associated with law or legal practice. However, when I was starting to prepare for my 12th board exams, I was specialising in commerce, two of my seniors were trying for national law schools through various entrance tests. There was no CLAT back then and each law school conducted their own entrance tests. One of my seniors cracked NALSAR and I was bit by the curiosity bug. I researched about the five year integrated law course and the diverse career options it comes with. My parents were supportive of the fact that I took one whole year off just to prepare for the entrance exams and after a year of preparation I finally got into Symbiosis, Pune. Symbiosis was a good and established brand and thus I went ahead with the admission formalities.

     

    Tell us a bit about your time studying law as an undergraduate student at Symbiosis Law School, Pune.

    I hail from a small town in West Bengal, and as such soaking up the popular Pune culture took time. Law as a discipline was new to me. Nevertheless, I managed to stay afloat academically while participating in various extra-curricular activities throughout the first two years of college. During my first year, I participated in a cultural exchange programme titled “Lexus Nexus Symphony” and went on to participate in fests such as Mood Indigo – IIT Bombay. My grades improved drastically third year onwards as I got a foothold on the exam pattern as well as when specialised subjects were introduced like International Law, Corporate Finance, Accountancy and Taxation. I took a general liking towards the specialised subjects in which I scored more.

     

    What were your areas of interest during your legal education? 

    My areas of interest during my law school days were a mix of subjects. I took general liking towards International law, Company law and Taxation. Naturally, my interest in Company law paved the way for my inclination towards regulatory compliance. However, in practice, my short traineeship in Legasis Partners opened up Regulatory Compliance as a viable practice area. Nevertheless, it has taken me seven years to gain a foothold in the Regulatory Compliance domain. While on the domestic front Regulatory Compliance is seeing frequent enforcement now, the scenario is very different in global markets with enforcements being conducted by enforcement agencies frequently. Hence, subsidiaries of Indian companies run the risk of getting pulled up by enforcement agencies quite often. Very few people know that Regulatory Compliance as a career choice is equally rewarding.

     

    Could you tell us about the internships you took up, and what you learnt from those experiences?

    Of all the organisations I interned with, my memorable experiences are when I had interned with Victor & Moses, a full service law firm based out of Kolkata, and Tata Steel, Mumbai. Both the internships were very enriching and taught me the everyday nuances of a corporate lawyer’s life that I am leading now. More than expertise, these internships taught me the schedule of a corporate lawyer and the various roles you need to juggle with when at work. I would not be honest if I mentioned that the above internships imparted expertise in the truest manner, as, you need to intern with a particular law firm twice or thrice to gain a foothold in any particular subject matter.

    What advice would you give students in avoiding a decision paralysis?

    Rather than choosing to study further immediately after completion of graduation, I would suggest students to focus on choosing the right place of work where for the first three years, one would learn from their seniors thereby acquainting themselves to a particular service area. Any further study should be taken up by an individual only when he/she has a foothold over an area of specialisation and want to probe more into the subject matter. Further, in light of the present day recession, the pros and cons should have been measured by the individual regarding the return on investment. This according to me is the practical choice, however, choices differ and ambitions vary from person to person, hence this is very much subjective to individual choices.

     

    From a law student to a lawyer, how will you describe the transition?

    The transition from a law student to a lawyer has not been smooth. Each day was a learning for me. Law schools invest heavily on the theoretical knowledge and do not prepare you with the practical knowledge of advocacy as well as advisory. Time and again the in-house counsel roles have changed to include popular business skills such as risk evaluation, risk management, data analysis, excel skills and cost evaluation.

    When it comes to a career in a Big Four advisory firm, the gamut of skills that you should be equipped with change drastically. Apart from soft skills, one should be very skilled in evaluating numbers and should at least have a basic idea of data analysis. I had to invest a lot of time in learning number crunching, excel analytics, advanced excel and data analytics for my roles in EY and PwC. As assignments in Big Four advisory are shorter in nature, one has to be very through and precise with knowledge pertaining to the regulatory risk area, its impact and the enforcement risk.

    What are some of the key nuances that are often overlooked in drafting and research?

    There is only one guideline to drafting and research and that is “attention to detail”. Any research work or drafting assignment should be properly thought through, comprehensive in nature and should not end in a rush. Remember, that even after checking the document n number of times there can be improvements made in the document and mistakes discovered.

     

    What prompted you to take up a position at the Ernst & Young LLP?

    The Brand itself was a deciding factor. EY is a leader in consulting, tax and audit not only in the global arena but in India, it tops all the other Big Four firms in terms of revenue, ranking, growth and employee strength. Moreover, EY was always a dream job for me. Bagging EY gave me recognition amongst my peers and even boosted my confidence. I owe my practice area and specialisation to my learning in EY. A regular year at EY would constitute of specialised trainings, business simulations and learning academies for honing business consulting skills.

    In EY I was part of the TMT team overlooking Technology sector and occasionally Telecommunications. I was part of the largest Technology team servicing a client list of who’s who of ITeS industry, NYSE listed organisations and Fortune 500 Companies. As a consultant, my primary job was to conduct third party regulatory assessments of overseas subsidiaries of ITeS companies in the areas of Employment, Immigration, Payroll tax and Data Protection laws, highlighting red flags, suggesting process improvements and cost saving initiatives. This aside, there were other assignments as well which kept me busy, such as compliance framework services for ITeS clients and contract risk review projects for Telecom clients.

     

    What was the experience of meeting with the Global CEO of Ernst & Young and sharing stage with him like?

    Typically, throughout school and college extracurricular activities have always kept on interesting me. Similarly, in EY I got the opportunity to be a founder member of an in-house rock band named RAAGA. Being a self-taught guitar player I play electric guitar mostly in my leisure time, and had the opportunity to participate in college fests during my early college days. However, when there was an announcement by a HR team member in the induction regarding registrations being sought for musicians, I couldn’t help but register myself. Over the next year and a half, the Partners at EY were supportive enough to invest in full studio equipment for us and we did host some of the memorable in-house rock shows in EY. One such in-house performance was scheduled specifically for the visit of the Global CEO and on completion of our show, we were greeted by him personally. He literally spent two minutes talking with us on stage. That was a priceless moment for me and would always remain etched in my heart. Meeting and talking to the Global CEO of an organisation like EY doesn’t happen everyday.

     

    Tell us about your present role at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

    The core service area and target clients I cater to has not changed much from my stint at EY. As an Assistant Manager / Senior Consultant, I now have got the opportunity to delve more in the practice areas that interest me. I am a subject matter expert of Overseas Expatriate Taxation and primarily specialise in leading third party regulatory compliance assessments of overseas subsidiaries of ITeS companies in the areas of Expatriate Taxation, Employee Mobility strategy and Regulatory compliance with employment, payroll tax and mobility laws of predominantly Americas and Europe region. PwC has offered me the opportunity to diversify my industry expertise to include Pharma clients as well. A routine yet significant part of my role also covers training of junior resources as well as taking part in sales pitch and other business development activities for my practice.

     

    What does a typical working day look like for you?

    A typical working day would start at 10:00 in the morning and go on till 10:00 / 11:00 in the night during peak season. However, there are regular shorter days at work during the lean season. My work profile includes meeting and interacting with clients, understanding their business needs, their business model, operations and business functions in order to add value to my services.

    Every single day at work is unpredictable which is why working in a Big Four is severely competitive and interesting as well. There are lots of multitasking required on a daily basis as one may be working on multiple projects/assignments at the same time. Time management, attention to detail and soft skills are of essence as there are stringent deadlines to be met more often and you have to be on your feet constantly.

     

    Did you have a mentor or guide during the formative years of your career? 

    I did have a mentor and guide during my college days and also during the early days of my career. In my college days it was my senior at college Adv. Boudhayan Bhattacharyya. While on the career front it was Apurva Amitesh who helped me develop my core expertise in regulatory compliance. It is certainly important for anyone to have a role model and a mentor to guide you during the early days of your career. It helps you to learn important skills from your mentor as well as prepare you for future roles.

    How do you manage your time between your professional and personal interests? 

    My interests outside law are motorcycle touring and playing guitar. Though time available is very limited during a working week, I do follow my interests and hobbies on weekends. I strictly take an annual vacation of ten days at the end of the year to strike a balance between leisure and work.

     

    Where would you like your career to take you five years down the line?

    Well I sincerely want myself to be regarded by my clients as one of the finest TMT lawyer and Business Consultant in the global employee mobility space.

     

    Is there any other suggestion you would like to give to our budding lawyers and Corporate law enthusiasts?

    Once you have chosen law as your career, at least by your fourth year be certain of the line of practice that you would want to pursue after graduating (advisory, academia, law firm, in-house counsel). Be sure to intern in a law firm more than once and keep exploring lines of service which interest you. Chances of landing a pre-placement offer with any law firm increases once you have interned with the law firm at least thrice and have been able to demonstrate keen interest in a specific area coupled with commitment to better your prospects in that area. In any case internships should be strictly limited to law firms as you learn more in a law firm. And like I said earlier, be focused on choosing the right place of work where for the first three to four years, you would learn from your seniors and get acquainted to a particular service area.

  • Prerna Singh, Consultant, PwC, on shifting from Law Firm to Accounting Firm and law school experience

    Prerna Singh, Consultant, PwC, on shifting from Law Firm to Accounting Firm and law school experience

    Prerna Singh is a graduate from School of Law, Christ University (Batch of 2011). Her internship experiences were quite diverse. She has interned with various prestigious law firms including Trilegal, Dua Associates & LKS. While in law school, she participated in various co-curricular activities and has multiple publications to her name. She was a proactive mooter and has both participated and won a few moot court competitions in law school. Soon after graduation, she started working at SRGR Law Office and thereafter shifter to Archer and Angel, Advocates and Legal Consultants as an Associate. Currently, she works as a Consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Risk Advisory.

    In this interview we talk about:

    • Her days at Christ College, Bangalore and at various internships
    • Her work experience at SRGR Law Offices.
    • Her professional shift to Archer and Angel, Advocates and Legal Consultants.
    • Working as a Legal Consultant at PricewaterhouseCooper, India.

     

    How would you introduce yourself to our readers? Tell us what motivated you to pursue law as a career.

    Well I was born in Bihar and brought up in Jaipur. I did my schooling at The Nest Children Secondary School and India International School in Jaipur, after which I moved to Bangalore to pursue law from Christ College. I am currently working with PricewaterhouseCoopers India at their Mumbai Office as a ‘Consultant’ in their Risk Advisory LoS, prior to which I was working with law firms in Delhi and Mumbai.

    That question is particularly of significance in my case because I am the first one and by far the only one to have pursued law as profession in my family. I am not sure if there is this one thing that I could point at as my reason for pursuing law but it wasn’t accidentally for sure. I had taken up science and maths as my core subjects after 10thgrade and was preparing to write engineering entrances and it was in the later part of my 12th grade that I got consciously inclined towards law.

    As philosophical as it may sound, I use the term ‘consciously’ because I believe that it must have been there subconsciously long before it came to realisation. I am an avid reader and back in those days used to be majorly hooked on to novels. I used to love reading John Grisham books. Also, it so happened that I would end up spotting a lot of articles in the newspapers every other day on law as a career option, its prospects, on law schools in India and so on. Around the same time, I also ended up meeting my father’s friend, who had interestingly studied multiple subjects including law and so my obvious question to him as someone who was considering law as a career option but was not absolutely certain about it was – “Having studied subjects from almost every stream, which is your favourite?” and his instant response to that was something to this effect “Law, hands down” and post that answer, I was sure that I wanted to give it a serious shot. Looking back, it feels like all these were ‘omen’ in Paulo Coelho’s terms guiding me towards pursuing law. Today, when I think of it, I cannot place myself in any other profession but law and I cannot thank my parents enough for supporting me in my delayed decision of pursuing law and understanding where I was coming from despite being a science maths student.

     

    Tell us a bit about your days at Christ College, Bangalore?

    The five years spent in Bangalore during law school days continue to be my favourite. These five years were crucial being the foundation years of my life and it could not have gotten better than Christ College and Bangalore. I owe hugely to my days in Bangalore for who I am today as a person and feel extremely privileged to have studied at Christ.

    Our curriculum in law school was quite hectic and packed back in 2006-2011. We had regular classes from 9 am to 4pm on most days with additional certificate courses and maintaining 85% attendance was mandatory, failing which disciplinary actions, including barring from writing exams were taken. Further, we had multiple assignment submission with stringent deadlines for every subject in each semester, which meant spending time in the library almost every other day post classes, researching and reading up on various subjects. Add to that the weekly presentations for certain subjects and readings for everyday class.

    After having this as your regular routine, if you are someone who is active in co-curricular and extracurricular activities such as mooting, debating, writing papers, sports and cultural activities in law school, which I was, one had to stretch even further. Having said that, most classes were made so interesting and interactive that there were days when you could find us in classrooms continuing the discussion with the batch mates and faculty members even post the classes. I for one had started loving that routine, for it was so enriching in more ways than one. Every day spent in law school was a learning that helped me grow both personally and professionally. I can easily and confidently say that my batch (Batch of 2011) was the most privileged one to have been taught by some of the best faculty members across law schools in India.

     

    How were you various internship experiences when in law school?

    My internship experiences were quite diverse and inspiring. I used to intern every semester, in fact most of us used to, as a certain number of internships were also mandatory in law school. We used to break after every semester for close to five to six weeks and I preferred utilising every such break by interning. By the end of 5 years, I had 13 internships in total starting from State Human Rights Commission, NGO, company to law firms like Trilegal, Lakshmi Kumaran &Shridharan, Dua Associates, Holla & Holla Advocates and so on.

     

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    In your opinion, how important are extra-curricular activities are for a law student? Do you feel these are activities that should left to the discretion of students or be partaken mandatorily?

    I personally think co-curricular and extra-curricular activities are quite important and play a huge role in developing a person’s personality and outlook irrespective of whether the person is a law student or not. Having said that, from my personal experience, it is particularly beneficial for a law student to participate in co-curricular activities such as mooting, different styles of debating, writing and presenting papers at various forums for various reasons including improving and enhancing your research, drafting and oratory skills, which are quite important in a lawyer’s life, irrespective of whether you choose to be a corporate lawyer or litigating lawyer. Also, participating and doing well in these activities alongside academics gives you the much needed exposure, increases confidence, adds to your personality and reflects well in your resume. Some of these activities also prepare you for your professional life ahead to a certain extent.

    So far as your question on whether these activities should be taken up mandatorily is concerned, I think everyone is grown up enough in law school to know what is good for them and what is not and hence to each their own. However, I would personally recommend everyone to be active in law school and at least take up one such co-curricular/extra-curricular activity that you really like or have always wanted to take up…it could be anything-sports, music, debating, theatre, mooting, publishing papers. Not only for the reasons that I have cited above, but also because this is the ideal time to pursue anything that you are passionate about. Also, I believe one needs some sort of recreation constantly and pursuing extra-curricular/co-curricular activities does not only take care of that but also channelizes your energy in the right direction. For me that activity was mooting and I think I evolved with every moot that I participated in, both, personally and professionally. Also each time I represented my law school and won moot court competitions, it gave me an unmatchable high.

     

    Soon after graduation you joined SRGR Law Offices as an Associate. How did your appointment take place? How would you describe your experience?

    By the time I was in my fifth year of law school, I was certain that I wanted to start my career with a law firm- thanks to the multiple internships I had undertaken by then. So I applied to a few law firms in Delhi, SRGR Law Offices being one of them. Subsequently I was called for an interview and soon after that I got an offer to join them.

    My first job was at SRGR Law Offices and it was a wonderful experience working there. The partners of the firm are not just extremely knowledgeable but also grounded and approachable. I worked in their general corporate law team and did a lot of work relating to power and infrastructure laws, FDI, FEMA and so on. I also got to do a lot of drafting and reviewing of various commercial agreements. It was a great learning place for me as a fresher.

     

    Generally the first year after graduation is the most defining time of a fresh law graduate. What would you suggest a fresh law graduate should do to hold spirit and utilise the opportunities available?

    No matter how well and how many subjects you are taught in law school, your professional life as a lawyer is drastically different from that of law school. As a fresher, it takes time to sink that in. It is important to have an open and positive mind in your first job so as to make your learning optimum. Also, one needs to be patient and treat every job assigned no matter how big or small equally important and give it their best. Being a fresher, one should be particularly dedicated towards work so as to learn extensively and gain the trust of seniors to handle bigger transactions and responsibilities.

     

    Thereafter you left SRGR to join Archer & Angel, Advocates and Legal Consultants. What led to this shift in your professional portfolio?

    I was planning on doing my masters in law from the US in early 2012 but decided to defer it by a few years. In the interim, I got an interview call from Archer & Angel, Advocates and Legal Consultants for a position in their Mumbai Office. I was not actively looking to move out but decided to take the interview nevertheless and ended up liking the profile offered to me during my interview. Also, I always wanted to work in Mumbai (it being the financial capital of India and the hub for corporate lawyers) so I decided to take up the opportunity and it was absolutely worth it.

     

    You have published a lot of papers in various prestigious journals. How should one go about writing papers and getting the same published?

    The first step towards publishing papers is to identify the broad topics/subjects of your interest and then look for journals that publish papers on those particular subjects. Once you have identified a reputed journal that covers your area of interest, peruse the guidelines and the instructions including the format, style of citation, eligibility and structure well and ensure that you understand and abide by all of it while writing the paper.

    It is important to research extensively, narrow down your topic and get the structure and flow of the paper right in your mind so as to execute it. Further, ensure that the content including your view comes out clearly and does not contradict or confuse the reader. It goes without saying that the ideas will flow better and there may be several changes in your draft structure once you start penning down your thoughts and incorporating it in your paper/article. Nevertheless, it’s always good to have a basic draft structure in place before you start, no matter how many revisions it may have to go through eventually.

    So far as getting your work published is concerned, different journals/publications have different criteria for selection. Some journals may require you to submit an abstract of your paper first, review the same and then decide whether they would like you to work on the complete paper. The word limit of these abstracts could vary anywhere from 200 to 500 words for different journals. Then, there are journals, which would straight away want to review your paper on the topic and decide whether they would want to publish it or revert with their comments and suggest revising the paper or discard it outright.

     

    How did paper publishing and other co-curricular activities help you in acquiring skills that are important for a successful legal career?

    Mooting, publishing papers and presenting papers at various national and international conferences have helped me tremendously in my legal career. I would like to reiterate that research, drafting and oratory skills are extremely important in the legal profession and my active participation in these co-curricular activities have most definitely helped me in enhancing these skills and my knowledge base. Also, participating in these activities makes you a more confident person and lets confess it one certainly enjoys the laurels and recognition that comes along with it. Last but not the least, in hindsight I realise that having these credentials in your resume leave an impact on the recruiters as one can gauge a lot about you as a person, your skills, your strength, motivation, personality, interests, efforts and characteristics through the activities that interest you. Separately, for those who are planning on doing their LL.M from abroad, having these credentials in your application certainly makes a difference and gives you an edge over others.

     

    Currently you work as a Legal Consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers, India. What made you choose this particular avenue? How did your appointment at PwC take place?

    Having worked for close to three years with law firms, I was keen on exploring the work culture and work profile offered to lawyers at consultancy firms. Last year, I decided to make a shift from law firm and sent my application to a few consultancy firms. I was fortunate enough to receive a call for interview from PwC, Mumbai where I had three rounds of interview within two weeks, out of which the last round was with the partner, post which I was made an offer to join PwC.

     

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    We would love to hear about your work profile. What is a normal workday like?

    I am a part of the Risk Advisory team at PwC. My work profile includes setting up of compliance framework for clients from different sectors, drafting of governance level policies for different clients, reviewing agreements for clients across sectors, identification of risks (legal and commercial) and advising on risk mitigation and so on. My work profile constitutes a good mix of research and drafting. It also includes meeting and interacting with clients, understanding their business needs, models and operations in order to add value and deliver well.

    Every day at work is unpredictable which is what makes it both challenging and interesting. There is a lot of multitasking required on a daily basis as you may be working on multiple projects/assignments at a time. Therefore, time management is crucial as there are stringent deadlines to be met more often than not and you have to be on your feet constantly.

     

    Are you allowed to interact with clients?

    Yes, as stated earlier I am allowed to interact with clients. In fact meeting and interacting with clients, understanding their business needs, models and operations is a part of my work profile.

     

    Tell us about a pinnacle case which you were a part of. What steps do you take to prepare for a difficult case?

    I cannot discuss a specific case for more reasons than one, including confidentiality of course. However, there are multiple challenging instances that you are faced with on a regular basis and it feels good to look back and know that you handled it well and tactfully.

    I personally think that no matter how hard you try, you cannot really prepare in advance for a difficult case (except may be begin your research in advance) unless it is a repeat and if it is a repeat then it is no longer difficult! Different assignments may pose different challenges and not all challenges can be apprehended in advance, so more often than not you are required to think on your feet when faced with an assignment specific challenge.

     

    How do you keep yourself abreast with latest industry news and trends?

    I try and spend at least half an hour every day browsing through legal blogs and news websites etc. to keep myself abreast with latest industry news and updates. Also, being a part of the industry, you end up having a lot of friends, peers and batch mates working in different sectors, law firms etc. and end up knowing important updates from each other, which is quite helpful. Being a lawyer, the nature of your work also demands a lot of reading for different assignments and you inadvertently end up knowing things.

     

    What were the biggest hurdles and challenges in the first few months? How did you deal with them?

    Once you have worked for a couple of years, the challenge is not so much in understanding your work and deliverables but in understanding how the organisation that you work for, functions. Therefore, just like in any other organisation, a substantial amount of time was spent in understanding the protocols at PwC in the first few months. This exercise is also important as things at work become easy and smooth after that.

     

    What is the procedure to apply for recruitment at PwC?

    You could visit the career section on the website, look out for the relevant vacancy and apply online by creating an account and filling in your details. If shortlisted, the Human Capital team of PwC will revert to you after screening your application.

     

    Is there any other tip you would like to give to our budding professionals?

    Once you have chosen law as your career, be certain of the line of practice that you would want to pursue after graduating (be it litigation, academia, law firm, in-house counsel, LPO or anything else). Internships and frequent interactions with your seniors and professors will help you identify your area of interest. Therefore, it is important to take internships seriously in law school and try and explore as much during the tenure.

    Once you have identified your area of interest (which you may in all probability by the end of fourth year in law school), you should then try and work towards it by streamlining your remaining internships. Also, every fresher entering the profession should avoid having preconceived notions and give it some time to get acclimatised to the work life. It is important to have an open mind to enhance learning and treat every work equally important, no matter how big or small. Reading regularly and keeping yourself abreast with latest amendments and change in law is extremely crucial for a lawyer and so inculcating the habit of reading in early days of your career will be useful. As learning is a continuous journey, it is important to take your profession seriously and work continuously towards increasing your knowledge base.

  • Pratyush Saha, Assistant Manager, Indirect Taxes, PricewaterhouseCoopers, on work in taxation firms

    Pratyush Saha, Assistant Manager, Indirect Taxes, PricewaterhouseCoopers, on work in taxation firms

    Pratyush Saha graduated from WBNUJS in 2011. During law school, he participated in various co-curricular activities and has multiple publications to his name. Soon after graduation, he joined BMR Advisors Pvt. Ltd. as an Associte-Indirect tax. Later he switched to PricewaterhouseCoopers and currently works as an Assistant Manager, Indirect Taxes.

    In this interview, he talks about:

    • Law school experience at WBNUJS
    • Work experience at BMR Advisors
    • Induction and work at PwC
    • Work experience in tax law

     

    Tell us a bit about your childhood and pre-college life as well as educational background.

    As a kid, I was an exceptionally confused individual. I wanted to be a doctor or a pilot and a painter. Once, I even considered the prospects of becoming a fashion photographer. But the thought of becoming a lawyer never really crossed my mind. Law happened to me by chance. I pursued science in my plus two in and like most of my classmates, I diligently prepared for the engineering entrance examinations. Law was hardly considered as an alternative career option by science students back then.

    Once I came across a friend preparing for law entrance tests and became curious. The questions appeared to be fairly simple, so I decided to give it a shot. I cleared both AIEEE and the entrance test for NUJS. The idea of me becoming a lawyer did not go down too well with my parents initially. However, I eventually managed to get them on board with the idea. I strongly believed that doing law would prove to be a fascinating journey ahead. Fortunately, it turned out to be a decision I would never regret.

    Coming from a typical Bengali family, I always had a liking for creative arts, which I thought would define my career in future. I always find creative thinking to be an essence of the legal profession which complements the objectivity of legal proceedings, research and the practice of law.

     

    Did you face stiff opposition from your friends about becoming a lawyer? What were your objectives when you thought about law while still in the preliminary years of Law College?

    Law has always offered more career opportunities than what is commonly known. By the time I joined NUJS, law was fast picking up as a lucrative career choice. Legal profession was evolving in every way. There was a huge demand for smart, young lawyers. NUJS is regarded as one of the premier law colleges in India and was naturally getting good placements then. Our alumni were making a mark in the industry. Some were doing exceptionally well as litigators. My friends did not really have much of a say about me becoming a lawyer but most of them were happy seeing me try out something different.

    Time at NUJS was fun. I never focused much on extracurricular activities. I mostly spent my time having regular ‘addaa’ (Bengali for gossip) sessions with friends, reading few books and sleeping. Temperamentally, I was more suited to activities that included reading, thinking and writing as opposed to debating, mooting or head banging with guitars and drum sets, for that matter. For a brief period of time, I was a part of the editorial board of NUJS Law Review (a prestigious law journal published by our college). But that’s it! I preferred to spend just the right amount of energy that was required to maintain decent enough grades to land me a good job in the end. In fact, till my fourth year I hadn’t even figured out what I wanted to do after college. I had few of my own subject preferences though. Thanks to a few outstanding professors at NUJS. I can distinctly remember our Sociology, Jurisprudence, Arbitration, Constitutional law and Contracts lectures to speak of few.

     

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

    Internships are very important for law students. But internships must be carefully planned and strategized. I feel, former internships add substantive value to one’s CV, which always helps secure better internships latter. Frankly, I don’t think interning in law firms in 1st or 2nd year serves any real purpose. Most of the students get good placements because of few good internships in their 3rd, 4th or 5th year. Well targeted internships help secure a job in a field where the student is genuinely interested in working. It is very important to make the most out of internships done in 4th and 5th years.  I had a liking for taxation laws (indirect tax in particular). With some good luck, I landed an internship at BMR Advisors, Delhi, at the end of 4th year. I was luckier to get a Pre Placement Offer (PPO) after my internship. It is extremely important to make a good impression on your seniors during internships. I have seen many students treating internships casually, especially in their final year which never helps. A student who comes across as an enthusiastic, hard-working, smart, and efficient person who is eager to learn, has a fairly reasonable chance of converting an internship opportunity into a PPO (of course it largely depends on whether the firm is actually looking to hire a fresher at that point of time). This is why I say, internships must be carefully planned and strategized.

     

    How valuable would you say your legal education was at WBNUJS? When did you actually experience the learning curve?

    I had a stellar time in college! It made me the person who I am today, in a lot of different ways. Even though the college is located at the heart of Kolkata, NUJS has a spirit that I feel is completely different from its city. In fact, one could often forget who he/she is in Kolkata, the moment one enters the campus (Yes! Our college does have a small but warm campus). NUJS provides a setting that presents a unique confluence of cultural diversity that one hardly comes across in any other undergraduate college in Kolkata. I met a bunch of exceptionally smart and talented individuals there. The ambience, activities, students and faculty made my transformative five years in college the most memorable experience of my life. NUJS was not just about studies, it taught me a lot about life. Managing studies along with research, paper presentations, internships and editorial work were my initial lessons on time management that I learnt at NUJS. Our Vice Chancellor, Professor Dr. MP Singh was a dynamic and a successful leader who had a completely different approach towards academics. Open book exams and take home papers were things that I had never experienced before. Students learned their subjects independently. Academic curriculum, exam and evaluation patterns were extremely flexible. We never had to stick to a routine text book for our studies. Our professor used to hand-pick reading materials for our courses and honestly, some of the lectures were actually worth attending. But one could not attend classes without being prepared. Some professors gave attendance but asked students to walk out if they were not interested. The academic and policy debates we had in their classes where extremely satisfying and fulfilling. We had an outstanding library and the research databases were topnotch. A lot of emphasis was put on reading, researching and publishing at a regular basis. There were so many things happening in college every day, starting from moots, debates, seminars, workshops to guest lectures. I really miss them now! I had the good fortune of attending lectures given by few bright young faculty members like, Dr. Prabhash Ranjan, Dr. Rukmini Sen, Pritam Baruah, Daniel Mathew and Shamnad Basheer who made a huge impact to the academic culture of NUJS.

    It is true that National Law Universities (NLUs) give students the right exposure to great learning opportunities and career avenues that law students from other colleges would rarely get. However, the learning curve only begins in college. It actually curves once we start off with our professional services. I remember an interesting conversation I was once having with a young IRS officer who was newly posted at a Customs station. I asked him, ‘The law is so vast and complex, don’t you feel bogged down as a fresh officer holding the post of an Assistant Commissioner?’He seemed very confident with his job. He smiled and replied, ‘I don’t need to worry, the chair will teach me everything’. That pretty much sums up the point I am trying to make here.

    Having said that, I do not undermine the education that I received in college in anyway. I think they are by far the most important thing that shaped me as a legal professional in my formative years. Professional experiences definitely help us learn court room antics, negotiation strategies, management and networking skills etc. Yet, unique academic insights provided by a lawyer give him a distinct edge over his peers across any table. I can vouch for that from my own practical experiences!

     

    How important do you think that extra-curricular activities are to a law student?

    The curriculum at NUJS always encourages students to participate in extracurricular activities. These activities include moot courts, debate competitions, essay writing, legal writing and lots more. No matter how much we complained, I feel we received adequate freedom and financial support from college. Such activities help build right attitude towards competition, a zeal for research and develop a skill for formulating arguments and expressing them confidently in front of an audience. Extracurricular activities are required for harnessing desired qualities like confidence building, working in a team, brushing your public speaking skills, managing and coordinating with your peers. However, making these activities mandatory eliminates the fun elements completely. I feel a student should be free to make a choice whether to moot/debate or just write articles or publish papers. Thankfully, NUJS never made them mandatory.

     

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    How was your work as an indirect tax lawyer at BMR Advisors Pvt. Ltd.? Tell us what a typical day at work was like for you?

    The year after graduation is the most defining and challenging time for a fresh law graduate. BMR was my first job and like any ‘first’, BMR experience was special in many ways. I relocated to Delhi after joining office. This was the first time I was actually stepping out of home which was my comfort zone and I was out there, dealing with my problems all on my own. I hardly had any relative in Delhi so my college friends and colleagues quickly became my support system. At the cost of a little embarrassment, for the first time in my life, I would admit having known what feeling ‘home-sick’ could be like.

    Before joining as an associate I had interned with BMR for a month. That helped to an extent. I already knew the system and the people within. People in the Indirect Tax team at BMR were like one small, closely knit family. BMR had a healthy mix of chartered accountants and lawyers and most of the lawyers were from NLUs. Back in 2011, when I joined BMR, the indirect tax team had three associates who were law graduates. Our team specialized in dealing with complex Indirect Tax advisory and litigation assignments. BMR is a hard-core consulting firm. People at BMR have very high work standards. I found them extremely knowledgeable, very smart and competitive. Everyone was a thorough professional, The BMR experience taught me a lot in terms of professionalism.

    First few months at BMR were difficult. I could barely draft a memo let alone handling complex indirect tax transactions and providing advice on tax implications. Reporting to multiple seniors and meeting their stiff deadlines had been a challenge. BMR trained me a lot in terms of working under pressure. As an associate, one is expected to take care of everything. Starting from drafting engagement contracts, ensuring bills are raised on time, draft thoroughly researched memos, prepare legal submissions, reply to notices, draft appeals, prepare presentations for client meetings, field queries from clients, keep tab on key legal developments and updates, keep a tab on all court proceedings for clients, give training sessions for team members and the list just goes on. Just name it, and the associate is expected to do it all. I have been very lucky for my seniors had always been there to help me out wherever I would get stuck. I will forever be indebted to two of the sweetest persons I met in BMR, Anshul Aggarwal and Saurabh Agarwal. They were my mentors, my role models and guides. Without their patience, guidance and support, I could never have been where I am today.

    A typical day at BMR would start with me reaching office by 9:30, having breakfast and a small chat with my colleagues. After that, I would usually sit with seniors to discuss my to-dos and set about completing assigned tasks within agreed timelines (BMR is very particular about timelines!). All of us would break for lunch, usually between 1:00-1:30 P.M. My colleagues and I would go for a short stroll outside office post lunch (That was, by the way, the best part of the day! Especially during the winters in Delhi). Post that, I would mostly be found perched up against my chair and profusely typing out deliverables on my laptop to get them done on time. Leaving office would mostly depend on the amount of work one had to complete in a day.

    However, the best/worst part of a consulting firm is that you are always on your toes. One could never guess how a typical day would pan out for him or her. “Urgent” deliverables, client queries and meetings could pop up like a surprise at any given time and one has to deal with them along with their regular work.

     

    What would you suggest a fresh law graduate should do to hold spirit and utilise the opportunities available in his first year of graduation?

    First: Get your basics right! You are expected to know the law, where to find it and how to use it without wasting much time.

    Second: Be clear as to what you are expected to do. Ask questions and clarify all your doubts before you start working on any deliverable. This was one lesson I learnt a hard way when I was an associate. One should never start working on a project without being clear about their senior’s expectations. Be it in terms of content or timelines, you must discuss it all with your senior before you start your work. That saves your time and your senior’s time as well.

    Third: Don’t shy away from challenges. Get out of your comfort zone and push yourself to do something you have never done before. That’s the only way one can grow as a professional and I feel, this is a ‘must have’ trait for a lawyer.

     

    Currently, you work as an Assistant Manger- Indirect Taxes at PwC. What prompted you to make this choice and what made this shift possible? How did your appointment take place?

    I always found Mumbai to be a better city to live in, as compared to Delhi. The opportunity of moving to Mumbai from Delhi was a decisive factor for making the decision to switch. Most of my friends and relatives stay in Mumbai and that made a lot of difference to me. Besides, BMR focused mostly on advisory and litigation assignments. I had very little exposure to compliance. I wanted to have a job with a healthy mix of compliance, advisory and litigation and PwC offered them all. I met Abhishek Rastogi (who was a Senior Manager at PwC Mumbai back in 2012), at an event in Delhi. We started chatting up and I discovered that there was vacancy for my post, with the exact job profile that I was looking for. I suggested that I was interested in joining. This followed up with an interview with the Indirect Tax head of PwC in Delhi and I landed my second job at PwC Mumbai.

     

    We would love to hear about your work profile. What is a normal workday like? Please tell us a little about the responsibilities you have been entrusted with. What kind of legal work do you get there?

    At PwC, I look after clients from Pharmaceutical and Financial Services sector. A normal work day at PwC is pretty much the same as BMR. However, at PwC the clients repose a lot of responsibility on us. Apart from advising clients on tax issues we are also accountable for their tax compliances. However, my seniors have been very kind to give me a free hand in terms how I choose to deal with my clients and plan my work, as long as the work gets done. I have a team of juniors to assist me on my projects.

    My role as an Assistant Manager involves advising clients on various tax positions, review regular compliances like filing returns, and refund claims, review or draft submissions to be made to revenue authorities, prepare reply to show cause notices, appeals before Commissioner (Appeals) and tax Tribunals, represent clients before tax authorities and various appellate forums.

     

    What were the biggest hurdles and challenges in the first few months? What have been your failures and successes? How did you deal with them?

    Every organization has their unique set of work culture, drafting style, format for deliverables, approach to clients and work. For the first few months, it is extremely important to learn the new essentials and unlearn old habits that do not comply with scheme of work of the new employer.

    Success and failures are a part of life and its best dealt with an objective bent of mind. I always believe in celebrating my success with my colleagues and friends and keep the bad experiences from failures to myself, try and learn from it and never repeat them again. Also, it helps to pass on experiences of failures to juniors so that they do not commit the same mistakes.

    Working with numbers, accounts and tax issues, one could go wrong quite often, and to top it, one may not even realize it immediately. At times, circumstances are beyond our control.  The consequences may leave you with a bad aftertaste but it is important to realize it’s not the end of the world. Similarly, winning and losing a case is a part of the game and its best that we do not take occasional failures to our hearts.

     

    What are the primary essentials of an indirect tax lawyer? What is the current scenario of studying indirect tax law as a career option in India?

    A tax lawyer needs to have all the basic skills that any lawyer is expected to have. It is also essential to have a good understanding of accounts. Tax, as a subject, evolves every day. It is very important to stay up-to-date with latest provisions. Fresh graduates aspiring to join the tax profession should not only have a good understanding of existing tax provisions but also understand how laws have evolved over the years. This comes in really handy while handling old tax disputes. I would also encourage them to take lessons on Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint. These are basic skills expected out of any fresher at a multinational accounting firm like PwC and most law graduates (including me) struggle with them in their early days.

     

    Tell us about your work mantra? What do think are the most essential things required to excel at work?

    Keep a positive outlook towards life. Give your best effort on each assignment and believe in your dreams.

     

    What are the qualities which PwC look for in interns and associates?

    Unlike BMR, I have not seen PwC Mumbai offering short internships to too many law interns. However, PwC does hire law students as full-time analysts. We have students from various law colleges from Mumbai who work with us as full-time resources. Interested candidates can get in touch with the HR. We look for candidates with a fair exposure to tax laws, good drafting skills and a positive attitude. But of course, requirements may vary depending on specific job profiles for which a candidate is being selected.

     

    What are your future plans from here on?

    As of now, I feel I have lots to learn. Hence, I would like to stick around for a while. But you never know what future beholds!

     

     

  • Roshni MS, Associate, Indirect Tax Practice, ELP on a career in tax and Law School experience

    Roshni MS, Associate, Indirect Tax Practice, ELP on a career in tax and Law School experience

    Roshni MS graduated from ILS Law College in 2011. As a law student she has been quite active and participated in various co-curricular activities. By the time she graduated, she had received a job offer from PricewaterhouseCoopers where she worked for nearly three years. Later, she switched to Economics Law Practices and is currently working as an Associate there.

    In this interview, she talks about:

    • Law school experience at Indian Law Society’s Law College
    • First year work experience at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
    • Building a career in Indirect Tax law
    • Appointment and work at Economic Laws Practice (ELP)

     

    Please tell us what motivated you to pursue law as a career? How did you get through to ILS, Pune?

    I did a major part of my schooling in Nagpur, a city that I still hold very close to my heart. Studying at the prestigious Bhartiya Vidya Mandir, I was given ample opportunities to touch base with a lot of facets which could eventually culminate into a career, be it sports, fashion or academics. However, all my life I remember being leaning towards academics despite having a good run with sports. And to choose a profession which marries this interest had to be law, considering my aversion to the numerous doctors and engineers in the family!

    Numbers were a great deal in my family and board exams were euphoria in themselves. I’m sure it is like that in most of yours. The gruelling hours put into studying eventually paid off when I saw my name in the first merit list put up by ILS, Pune. My decision to take it up was well thought and well discussed and I am more than happy to say, it’s the best decision I could have made.

     

    Please tell us a bit about your time at ILS, Pune. Please tell us about the manner in which you approached academics while in college.

    My time at college, by no means of exaggeration, was the best time of my life. The best thing about ILS, apart from other things, was the college timings: the first two years were roughly 3 hours of college and the next three were about 4 hours. You have the rest of the day to figure out things for yourselves. There were the kind who would join language classes, typing classes, work somewhere, join a diploma. I do not think any other college would give you that kind of leverage.

    The first year of college was a mess. You actually didn’t know how to approach your academics. Studying did not help and my scores plummeted. But after two semesters, and speaking with seniors, doing meticulous research, I approached the exams in a smarter, better prepared manner. I would be lying if I said I did not study, honestly I put in 4 times the effort and ended up securing a place in the merit list. And proudly, that continued.

     

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    What is your opinion when people say that all that they have learnt is in their years of practice?

    Legal Education is just that, theory. It definitely gives you a ready reckoner in your head and can guide yourself appropriately to the law. But the problem is when you need to put them to use. Except litigation, where you are given practical experience in the form of moots, corporate practice differs in humongous proportions.

    The learning curve begins at college, but literally curves when you join a corporate. It is indeed funny, but true, when people say all that they have learnt is in their years of practice. The approach the majority takes in college is to clear the exam. Unfortunately, while it helps that time, it does nothing for you at the workplace. There was no one to tell us this when we were in college, but I hope this helps you.

     

    How do you think academic research and writing can be encouraged in Indian law schools?

    Students by their own volition take part in numerous competitions for academic research and legal writing. The drafting and nomenclature which is otherwise used once in awhile in these competitions become a way of life once you venture into corporate life. Hence, inculcating this habit should become a norm.

     

    How was your first year after graduation? What do you think were the biggest hurdles and challenges in the early days of your career? How did you deal with them?

    My first year after graduation was more or less like first year of college. You are mighty confused all the time. But the truth of the matter is everyone goes through this phase and it is more than okay to be that way.

    Apart from the learning you need to impart yourselves, another important factor which helped me immensely was the fact that I got to work with wonderful people. The work environment is an important factor which makes you the person you become.

     

    How did your appointment at PwC take place? How was your experience working there? Tell us what a typical day at work was like for you?

    PricewaterhouseCoopers, Mumbai (PwC) will always be special one for me, not only because I started my career there but because I met a lot of wonderful colleagues there. Be it my contemporaries or also the seniors I worked with and those I had a chance to mingle with. PwC had come to campus during our placement week in college and I was very happy to have made it through. What was challenging though was I did not study tax in college and to join a firm that specialized in Indirect Taxation which was a mighty decision in itself. My time spent at PwC taught me everything I know of Indirect Tax today.

    A typical day started with a quick meeting with my manager and discussing the things to do and the meetings to attend to. Everything was organised and of course, there was that break you had to take for a coffee with your friends at work. Once that was done, we were back on our seats and punching vigorously into our laptops. At the end of the day, I was mighty pleased with the things I worked on and the new facets of law I had learnt. Every day was a learning and I used to look forward to being there. I strongly recommend PwC Mumbai as one of the ideal work places to be in.

     

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    You left PwC to join ELP in their indirect taxes wing. What prompted you to make this choice and what made this shift possible?

    When I moved from Mumbai to Bangalore, a lot of things changed. They say location plays a major role on your work profile. Bangalore, as everyone knows is an IT dominated city and my profile had a major chunk of Indirect Tax compliance related assistance. This was a challenge initially but as I picked up this facade, I realised how important it is to understand the compliance involved in the subject you are working in. I strongly advise that everyone involved in indirect tax advisory must spend some time doing the compliance.

    But after spending a good 11 months in the compliance sector, I wished to move back to the advisory role in Indirect Taxation. And ELP arrived in Bangalore at the precise moment while this thought had initiated. And hence, the shift to move to ELP to join their indirect tax advisory practice.

     

    What kind of work and responsibilities generally an associate at ELP deals with? What should a student do so that he gets placed in a prestigious firm like ELP?

    An Associate at ELP is typically occupied with immense drafting and litigation assistance. You have some interesting legal opinions to work on and draft some meticulous replies to show cause notices and appeals etc.

    Typically, ELP hires post a scrutiny vide your internship and hence it is of utmost importance that you have a chance to intern here.

     

    What are the primary professional ethics you follow while at work? How do you deal with mistakes or errors?

    Professional ethics come naturally once you are in the workplace. Some simple terms like collaborate, share, speak, admit and question etc. will help you in a long way. The environment you are at work is what you create of it. If you do commit an error, admit it. But make sure you don’t repeat the same thing again. That will only mean that you are not learning from your mistakes and may tick off the Boss.

     

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

    There is no substitute to experience. There is no prodigy in tax law. To be a good tax lawyer is not different from being a good lawyer. Be sincere towards the work bestowed upon you.

     

    Is the work significantly different from other transactional lawyers? How much of your work does involve litigation, if at all?

    Indirect taxation strives on litigation as much as other laws do. But what is great is that this subject also demands equal attention for the advisory work which improves your research, drafting and technical skills, ultimately which will help during the litigation.

     

    Tell us about the difference between being an In-house counsel and a Law Firm Associate.

    When I did have the chance to join an industry, this is something I thought about diligently. Being a client facing associate, I was exposed to a variety of industries and accordingly to a vast number of issues. That was something I did not want to lose.

    Alternatively, the clientele you interact with from the companies, be in the Legal team or the Finance team are one of the most passionate and brilliant minds in the legal fraternity. They are the go-to personnel of the Company before any major decisions are taken. That feeling should be irreplaceable.

    However, being in a firm, addressing varied client issues since the start of my career, I will be biased to a Law Firm Associate!

     

    Recently, the Supreme Court declared the National Tax Tribunal as unconstitutional. What is your take on this?

    While declaring the NTT could be construed as a progressive step, what is a matter of concern is the pending litigation for which the NTT was initially set up. This ruling could also affect all similar tribunals set up to decide substantial question of law. Nevertheless, there must be an alternate remedy for the speedy disposals of the pending matters and increase the confidence of the tax payers

     

    You have excelled in your academics, interned at top-notch Indian. How can one excel as a law student and enjoy college life?

    There were some seniors in college who told me that you must intern every vacation you had and there were the others who said that it really did not matter. So I did a bit of both.

    I made sure I did not intern in my first year of college. And that I would do a maximum of only 5 internships in the 5 years I spend in college. But what I did was to intern at different environments. So I interned with an individual lawyer, a company and law firms. This gave me a heads up on what to expect where.

    As for the fun part, I had a lot of time for that. I spent most of my free time with my friends or travelled back home to be with my family. I used to play tennis and would catch up on the game at a sports club nearby or you would find me drinking glasses and glasses of cold coffee in the cafeteria. Yup, definitely the best days!

     

    What do you cherish most about the experience you have had over the past two years?

    My time spent at PwC Mumbai is something that will linger on for times to come. It may not be completely true when someone tells you that you do not make friends at work. But fortunately for me, I was glad to have had that.

     

    What’s next for you?

    There are definitely some plans up my sleeve but for now, I am just going with the flow.