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Tag: Symbiosis Law School Pune

  • Prantika Sengupta, Legal Executive, Coastal Marine, on Maritime Law, studying in Singapore and working pro-bono

    Prantika Sengupta, Legal Executive, Coastal Marine, on Maritime Law, studying in Singapore and working pro-bono

    Prantika Sengupta is a graduate from Symbiosis Law School, batch of 2011. She then went on to pursue her Master’s degree in Maritime Law from the National University of Singapore, with a focus on Admiralty Law, Carriage of Goods by Sea, Conflict of Laws, International Commercial Arbitration, Maritime Law, International Regulation of Shipping,  Maritime Insurance, Charterparties, Contemporary Indian Legal System and Comparative Tort Reform. Since then, she has served as Legal Officer at Global Law Alliance LLC, and is currently Legal Executive at Coastal Marine Pte. Ltd.

    In this interview she speaks to us about:

    • Being a first generation lawyer
    • The difference between universities in India and universities abroad
    • The importance of pro-bono work

     

    Tell us something about your school and college days.

    I graduated from La Martiniere for Girls, Kolkata which is one of the most prestigious schools in Kolkata. Being from La Martiniere, there was always a huge pressure to excel. However, I wasn’t the most motivated or competitive kid around. I was the happy-go-lucky kind and took life as it came. My grades weren’t the best and neither did I make any effort to participate in school activities. I would be considered as the average kid, who sometimes got into trouble for talking in class. The best part of school was that I made some great friends and most of them inspired me to do well in various ways. By the time I was graduating from school, I did pretty well in my ISC exams and I became more motivated and focused, ready and excited to study law.

    Any Symbiosis Law School student will tell you that college days were pure fun. The first few months were the honeymoon phase with new friends, new environment, new culture, new curriculum and a new approach to life. Only after the initial six months does one realize that it’s not all fun and games, as you suddenly hit the wall called semester exams. Unsurprisingly, I did poorly. It really stressed me out. I thought I was finished and no law firm would offer me a job. However, my dad who is from IIT told me that it was not a big deal and that I could get where I want to in life if I worked hard. After that, I started putting in diligent hours into my studies and maintained consistently decent results. I tried my best to attend lectures diligently at 7:30am and was never part of the TNG list. Surprisingly, I became that person whose notes were distributed amongst batch mates before exams. Rest of the time, it was a joyride through college days.

     

    What motivated you to pursue law?

    I took up law for an amalgamation of several disjointed and funny reasons. For most of us, when you graduate from school, it’s impossible to know what you really want to do. For me, I knew what I didn’t want to do. I was always very poor in math and science, so there was no way I would pursue a career in anything related to these two subjects. At the same time, I was greatly influenced by one of my school teachers who perceived life in a unique way and somehow I was inspired (maybe even in a naive way) to work towards the greater good and well-being of society. So my option was to study law and pursue a career in human rights. Moreover, given that my father, who has a huge influence in my life preferred that I pursue a professional career, law seemed to be the best-suited option. Also, I am notorious in my family for being the argumentative kind so even my family agreed that law seemed to be the most apt option for me. So I happily pursued it and managed to secure a seat in Symbiosis Law School.

     

    How do you think law school has shaped your personality?

    Honestly, we are too young during our first three years in law school. It’s only from the fourth or fifth year that one realizes that the party is almost over and we will be out of our protected bubble soon, thrown in the real world. Everybody starts realizing the importance of securing a good job. Some of us decide to pursue a career at a law firm for the big bucks, some decide to join some serious litigation practice with a minimal stipend and then there is a bunch of us who believe in human rights related work. So yes, I do think law school plays a role in shaping one’s career but it’s not the law school or the professor’s advice that makes the difference. It is you who has to pick the right legal line which interests you. It is more of a self-awareness that comes from interning and interacting with peers.

     

    How important is it to engage in extracurricular activities?

    (Prantika has been very active in extracurricular activities while in college. She won first prize in the Symbiosis International University Intra-university Sports Meet, she represented the swimming team of Symbiosis Law School Pune, was a participant and fund-raiser for Help Age India activities, nominated member of Student Council of Symbiosis Law School, Pune, student coordinator of Placement Cell, Symbiosis Law School, Pune. Apart from this she has participated in a number of debates, stage-plays, elocution and recitation competitions)

    I was too shy to moot which in retrospect was a bad idea. Mooting is crucial. It helps the young lawyers form an idea of how to prepare arguments and submissions for hearings. Isn’t that the most important quality of a lawyer? I strongly advice every young lawyer out there to moot as much as is possible.

    I was involved instead in a lot of extra-curricular activities such as swimming for the Symbiosis Law School team, working for the Placement cell, Student Council, working for the annual fest and also participating in other college fests. Being actively involved in college events and activities helps one develop their personality and makes one more outgoing. In a way, the exposure helps in building ones confidence level and self-esteem, teaches you to accept and work on long term commitments and most importantly makes your CV look good. As they say, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.

    Tell us about your internship experience.

    (Prantika has interned at firms dealing with financial and commercial law, as well as marine law, both India and abroad. Prantika has interned at Global Law Alliance LLC Singapore, Hill Dickinson LLP Singapore and Bose & Mitra & Co. among various internships she did.

    Initially I did the usual Amarchand – Barucha internship in the corporate sector. I interned at Amarchand, Kolkata, at the end of my first semester. That time, the Amarchand office had just been set up in Kolkata. There was plenty of work and I was lucky as an intern to get quite a few assignments, which were mainly research work. The topics for research seemed like Greek to me and basically I didn’t understand anything then. But over my internship period, I learnt new things and sharpened my research skills because the young associates and senior associates brimming with life, experience and enthusiasm took the time to teach me the fundamentals. I went back to interning at Amarchand in my third year again because my first experience was very good.

    I interned every time during semester breaks because I enjoyed the learning experience. I interned at various other places but another memorable experience was at Bharucha and Partners in Mumbai during my third year. Initially they slotted me in the corporate department. I didn’t enjoy the corporate work at all because I found it dry, researching on boring topics related to banks and company law. So I transferred to the litigation department and that was when I realised that my calling was definitely not corporate law. I was lucky to have done some amazing work there.

    I enjoy reading and writing, so drafting legal submissions and long letters seemed more challenging. I was also intrigued with maritime law which is not a subject offered in the course work in law schools. So I interned at Bose & Mitra, which was a great experience. The maritime laws and admiralty practice is a different ball game altogether. My internship at Bose & Mitra made me realise that I wanted some more experience in the maritime industry. That is why I opted to study Maritime Law as my specialization for my Masters’ degree.

    Once I was in NUS, Singapore I continued to intern during semester breaks instead of going back home. Since I was already pursuing maritime law, it was only appropriate to pursue an internship in maritime law. Interning at an international renowned law firm like Hill Dickinson gave me the much needed exposure in terms of the kind of practical work involved in the shipping industry. Hill Dickinson has a huge client base of the most renowned shipping companies. Thus, dealing with various shipping matters was a great experience.

    The turning point was my internship at Global Law Alliance LLC-Litigation Department in Singapore where I eventually secured full time employment as a Legal Officer. I was given lots of independence to deal with matters on my own and was basically thrown into the deep end to swim through and manage work. Given that it is a litigation firm, I had to learn the Singapore Civil Procedure on my own to understand and manage the work.

     

    Can you take us through the application procedure to law firms in Singapore?

    I have been one of the lucky few who managed to secure a job right after completing LLM from NUS with no prior work experience. There is no special or different way of applying for jobs in Singapore. My advice for those interested to work here would be to apply if they (a)are settled in Singapore or (b)have pursued an LLM degree from Singapore. From my experience it seems that the recruiters usually prefer to hire only those who are residing in Singapore. Why I suggest pursuing LLM degree from Singapore is because one can intern during their semester breaks and gain some Singapore experience that can be added on to their CV. However, it is not usually easy for a non-Singaporean to secure a job in Singapore because of government policies that encourage employers to hire a Singaporean first.

     

    Can you describe your experience studying in Singapore?

    My experience as an LLM student at NUS has been tough, challenging and exhilarating. It was nothing like my LLB days at Symbiosis. The course work was hardcore, difficult and mature. The classes were three hours each in the form of seminars and interactive sessions, not like teaching a chapter a day. The best part of the curriculum was that the professors interacted with the students (both LLB and LLM) as adults accepting their points of view. The professors were approachable at any time of the day and the general vibe of the law campus was more educational. The students were competitive which was both a positive and a negative quality. The exams held, during my time, were 24 hours take home exams where the question paper would be released online. The questions were scenario based and it was up to the student to tackle the problem and give their answer in the form of a solution to the question within 24 hours. For me, this sort of question pattern was a new experience all together and surprisingly I did well because I had the liberty to tackle the question problem in my own way.

     

    How do you think are universities abroad different from those back home?

    Like I mentioned earlier, the vibe in NUS was always studious. The focus was always on studies and extra-curricular activities first and then entertainment. It is not like the students were always studying but they definitely spent more time in the library than the canteen. This is unlike a scenario in Symbiosis at least where students are usually found chilling with their cup of tea at NCC canteen. But at the end of the day, a Symbiosis student and an NUS student will do well and go ahead in life. While the course work is probably similar, the method of teaching is different. But then again, I don’t believe in comparing both the systems because ultimately those graduating from Indian universities are doing just fine.

     

    What other than Maritime Law is your area of expertise?

    I am thankful to Global Law Alliance LLC for giving me the opportunity to practice different fields of law. Medical negligence cases were one field I dealt with extensively. After dealing with so many types of medical negligence cases, I think this is one upcoming subject and very interesting. Law students may consider exploring the option of pursuing a career in this field. Besides Medical negligence, I dealt with lots of insurance work and workman’s compensation act. Dealing with migrant worker’s work injury cases was a real eye opener.

    Now I am back to corporate law mainly drafting and reviewing the various contracts such as Bareboat Charter Agreements, Sale and Purchase Agreements, Non-Disclosure Agreements, Protocol of Technical Acceptance, Reservation Agreements, Commission Agreements, Shipbuilding Contracts Joint Ventures, Collaboration Agreements (and many more).

     

    How must one go about choosing their university to pursue their Master’s degree?

    If you wish to pursue not just an LLM degree but also a career in that foreign country, it is important that you choose a country for your LLM wisely. The factors that one needs to take into consideration are the (a) country of choice for LLM (b) the LLM subject (c) ranking of the University in the country of choice (d) option of securing a job in that country of choice. For example, if one wants to be in the U.S. then it is important that you do your research on the NY Bar, the universities that are good in the coursework which you want to pursue, and whether there are placement options. Even if the University doesn’t offer placement options, at least you can pursue internships and get a fair understanding of the places you can apply to.

     

    How would you describe your volunteering experience at TWC2?

    I cannot begin to stress on the importance of young lawyers taking up some pro-bono work that is close to your heart. Even in my busy schedule, I have taken out some time to volunteer at TWC2 in Singapore. TWC2 works on a number of different fronts, ranging from engaging with policy makers to frontline assistance for migrant workers in need. I volunteer in providing social work assistance and advocacy to the migrant workers in need of some help and advice. I provide answers to workers who are in need of advice and prefer face-to-face meetings as they are mostly not aware of their legal rights. Like me there are other volunteers who can help explain to them what recourse they have given their situation.

    It was during the time I represented insurance companies in claims of migrant workers for work injury cases the I was made aware of their plight. Earlier I considered these migrant workers only as plaintiff or knew their name by file numbers. But since I have been interacting with them, I realised how tough life can be and serving these helpless migrant workers or even making 1% difference in their lives, makes me feel a lot more accomplished.

     

    How important is pro-bono work?

    Pro-bono work can provide early opportunities for substantial, meaningful and direct interaction with your clients and provides young litigators the opportunity to develop skills through experiences that would not be available to them from paid work and gives independence and allows you to think of the solution independently. And most importantly, it provides you with self-satisfaction that you have done something meaningful and made a difference in some one’s life, isn’t that the main job of a lawyer?

     

    How do professional body memberships help lawyers?

    (Prantika is a member of West Bengal Bar Council India and Singapore Institute of Arbitrators)

    Being a member of various professional bodies helps in networking and often these places hold seminars and conferences on a burning and live legal issue. Attending those seminars and conferences helps one stay unto date with the latest that is going on in the legal fraternity.

     

    Can you tell us about your experience at Coastal Marine Pte. Ltd.?

    Since Global Law Alliance was my first job right after internship with them, Global Law will always have a special place in my heart. That is the place where I learnt to be a professional, learnt how to handle clients, draft legal papers and basically learnt to become a lawyer. The firm’s directors treated me as their child who they moulded into an argumentative confident lawyer. Then with their blessings, I moved on to being an In-house lawyer because the working hours of an in-house lawyer are better than a law firm lawyer (so I have been told).

    My experience at Coastal Marine since has been an experience where I am learning new things each day. It is a team of four lawyers and we basically do everything under the sun for the company-be it drafting of crucial legal contracts and agreements or simple letters to parties. The highlight of this job is that I get to travel on work. The travelling schedule is very heavy and I usually have to travel every two months to different countries in South East Asia to negotiate contracts with potential partners/buyers or sellers. I am presently giving this interview from Mexico. There is a lot of independence given to you to work.

    I have also always been extremely lucky to have great colleagues who are helpful with no politics involved. My colleagues are also my dear friends.

    Prantika with the team at Coastal Marine

     

     

     

     

    How do you manage to strike the work-life balance?

    The key to have a work-life balance is to know how to manage your own time. In my initial career years, I had no control over my time and I was basically always in office trying to get my to do list done and by the time I would be back home late night, I wouldn’t have the energy to get my house chores done and laundry kept piling up. But after a point, once you reach a certain level in your job and have more control on your files, it’s easier to get things in control and have a good work life balance.

     

    Any final word of advice to our young readers?

    To all the young lawyers, don’t fret! This is your time. Enjoy law school while it lasts because these five years will be the best five years of your life before life hits you. Everything falls in place so chill if you don’t secure that perfect grade or that perfect pre-placement offer, or in fact the perfect job, Things will eventually work out the way you want them to. Don’t be impatient. Time management is the key to success and once you have that in control you will be sorted. If you follow these rules then your life as a lawyer will be sorted. (All this free advice comes from personal experience.)

     

  • Nitika Mehra, Associate Manager, Jindal Stainless Steel, on litigation, corporate law and work-life balance

    Nitika Mehra, Associate Manager, Jindal Stainless Steel, on litigation, corporate law and work-life balance

    Nitika Mehra graduated from Symbiosis Law School, batch of 2010. Since then she has worked at D.K. Sharma and Co. and HCL Infosystems Ltd. She is currently Associate Manager at Jindal Stainless Steel. Her role involves reviewing , drafting and negotiating varied contracts such as Service Agreements, Authorized Service Provider Agreements, Procurement Agreements, Reseller and Distribution Agreements, Software License Agreements, End User License Agreement, Transport and logistic Agreements, Annual Maintenance Contract and Warranty Agreements, Teaming Agreements, Agreement CUM Orders, among others.

    In this interview we speak to her about:

    • Transitioning from litigation to corporate law
    • Striking a balance between work and home
    • Her plans for the future

     

    How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?

    “In search of knowledge it all began and found refuge in finding always something new, till the time came for me to realize that the true wisdom is only known to a few.”

    I am a very ordinary human being trying to appreciate the extraordinary in all of us, reaching out each day to live life like a dreamer, a lawyer, a girl, a woman and most importantly, a good human being.

     

    Tell us a little about your time in Symbiosis Law School.

    My time at Symbiosis was enthralling. It helped me shape my personality and gave me a broader perspective on life. At Symbiosis I met some great people who very quickly became my friends and are very much like family today.

     

    Are there any lawyers in your family?

    I come from a business family, I am a first generation lawyer.

    What sort of activities did you participate in while in law school? Were they mainly academic in nature?

    Symbiosis Law School is not a college where one would learn from the text books alone, but also through the co-curricular activities. I took part in debates, story writing competition, Model United Nations Assembly, essay writing competitions, throw ball competition etc. My batch mates and I started a legal aid cell called “Kilkari” to help underprivileged children and took part in a workshop in OSHE (Occupational Safety, health, environment science).

     

    What field of law are you most interested in?

    I am interested in Corporate Law. After approximately two years of litigation, I wanted to try corporate. To me corporate was a better match for my personality and what I wanted out of my career. Transactional work appealed to me as I was attracted to its complexity, and I felt that the skills and knowledge I would acquire were more tangible. I realised that corporate law is a vast field with its own niche, providing an individual flexibility to choose from the sub fields one wants to excel in.

     

    Talk to us about the transition from student to working professional.

    The transition from a student to working professional was very different and initially difficult as well. From being a graduate to being entrusted with responsibilities of cases such as civil as well as criminal was a challenge. However, it was not an impossible task. With the right amount of effort, hard work and a positive attitude one can achieve a lot. It did not take me much time to realise that the practical is very different from the theoretical taught to us and with the amount of reading one needs to do as a lawyer, they are always on their toes.

    As a student one starts off with limited knowledge and understanding however as you grow and years pass one develops the understanding of their field of practice. Since I have litigated in the formative years of my profession, I have a better understanding of the contracts as well. While negotiating or drafting, I am well aware of the actual practice and the repercussions of the clauses in case of litigation. Thus it makes it easier to foresee the consequences of a clause in a future dispute.

    What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

    A typical day would be a mix of reviewing and drafting contracts along with negotiations with respect to the contracts. Support to the cross functional teams in understanding the transaction from legal point of view as well as everyday advice/responses on the queries of the business. Apart from this my profile also involves apprising the external advocate on the cases, reviewing the plaints/submissions/ written statements and other legal documents drafted by the external counsels, actively involved in briefing the senior counsels, as well as court visits.

     

    If you weren’t in the legal field, what other profession do you think you would have taken up?

    If I were not a lawyer, I would be a life coach or a business woman. Coming from a business family, I was intrigued by the fact that law played the basis or an important part of almost all professions. Before starting any new venture or expanding the already existing one, one needs to check the legal modality of that venture. Upon my interaction with the existing lawyers at that time, I realised that in the coming years an effective legal department will prove to be the backbone of a company, as well as help in risk mitigation.

     

    Why did you switch from litigation to matters pertaining more to contracts and companies?

    I am a person who believes in hard work but I also believe in work-life balance. During my time in litigation I realised that it was difficult for me to balance my hobbies while litigating. Even though my professional life was booming, my personal life had taken a backseat and I was not able to devote much time to it. Hence I decided to choose an in-house counsel over litigating counsel. As an in-house counsel along with the reviewing, drafting and negotiating contracts I get to engage the services of an external counsel who litigates in the matters with respect to the company I am associated with. An in-house counsel is an interface between the company and an external counsel, which pretty much keeps you in touch with the litigation (only with respect to the company though).  One is also required to review the legal documents drafted by the external counsels, however, in some firms the legal documents are drafted by their in-house counsel itself.

     

    In your opinion, what are the skills and qualities that have helped you reach where you are?

    A combination of certain skill sets are required to excel as an in-house counsel such as the ability to see things from the business perspective, strategise and anticipate risks for the company, strong communication skills as one needs to connect to a variety of audiences, from external stakeholders to the heads of different departments or colleagues from other functions. Also, there is a need to communicate complex legal terms in layman terms, as well as explain legal concepts and limitations relevant to the tasks at hand.

     

    What are some goals that you’ve set for yourself in the professional sense?

    The professional goals that I have set in for myself are to expand my domain further by enhancing my knowledge on laws of other countries and take part in international negotiations.

    On the personal front I do a little charitable work such as educating people of their rights, donating blankets etc., however, I would like to provide a platform to the destitute to learn and display skill based knowledge and help them in attaining employment.

    Where do you see yourself in five years?

    In five years I see myself starting something of my own wherein I would be able to give back to the society and provide employment to people.

     

    Is there any message you would like to leave for our readers?

    Your career will be over before you know it. What do you want it to look like in twenty years? 30 years?  Do you want to be known as a person of integrity, a person who keeps his/her word? A person who follows through? Please ask these questions before making any decision, figure out your ultimate goal.

     

  • Bhoomika Choudhury, Founding Partner, Svadhā Legal, on her time in Symbiosis, the future for start-ups and the importance of pro bono work

    Bhoomika Choudhury, Founding Partner, Svadhā Legal, on her time in Symbiosis, the future for start-ups and the importance of pro bono work

    Bhoomika Choudhury is a graduate in law from Symbiosis International University, batch of 2012. Thereafter, she has gone on to practise with leading firms like Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co., Mumbai (now Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas) and boutique tax firm Vaish Associates Advocates, New Delhi. She has also worked as a junior in the Chambers of Dr. Rajeev Dhavan, one of the leading senior counsels in the Supreme Court of India. She has experience handling administrative, civil, criminal, service, bail, intellectual property, tax and water disputes matters. She also has experience in briefing and assisting senior counsels. In 2016, she founded her own legal firm, Svadhā Legal, which offers representation in corporate, commercial, tax, civil and criminal litigation and arbitration matters.

    In this interview, we speak to her about:

    • On being a Chartered Accountant alongside with being a lawyer
    • On the future of “Make in India”, “Start-up in India” and “Skill India”
    • The importance of holistic development as a person in order to be a sentient lawyer
    • On her diverse experience and eventually going independent

     

    How would you introduce yourself, given that most of our readers are young law students and young lawyers?

    I would introduce myself as a sincere lawyer who has become what she is today solely through her single-minded devotion to be a sensitive and responsible person. If anything other than my work defines my persona, it is the fact that I value and respect relationships, both at the personal and professional level, and feel concerned about developments in our society. Like my name suggests, I have different roles to play during my lifetime and my endeavour will always be to do them to the best of my abilities. I am a daughter, sister, friend and a girlfriend along with being a dutiful lawyer.

    What were the factors which drove you to join law school? Did you ever consider exploring any other fields?

    My father being a college teacher in English, I grew up surrounded by a whole lot of literary classics, and endless discussions on literary topics, and together they had a powerful influence on me. Reading literary classics thrilled me to no end and I realized my career options must be narrowed down to a vocation that must include a lifelong engagement with the humanities. The second most important consideration behind my choosing a law career was my concern for social issues and my pursuit for a vocation that provided fodder to my curious mind. I was greatly influenced by Einstein when I was young and this quote caught on to me greatly:

    “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. I have no special gift. I am only passionately curious. I want to know God’s thoughts… all the rest are details. Joy in looking and comprehending is nature’s most beautiful gift. It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”

    A career in Law seemed to be the ideal choice for me as it combines my literary and social interests along with vocational needs.

     

    You graduated in law from Symbiosis Law School, Pune. How did the law college prepare you for practice in law?

    To say that Symbiosis Law School is a great place of learning will be an understatement. It takes meticulous preparation to understand the law both in theory and in practice.  This institution gives its students the right portion of both. I was particularly lucky to learn a lot more by way of extracurricular activities as I was selected as the President of Human Rights Cell. As part of the cell, some of the projects we worked on gave us ground level exposure to areas like rights of commercial sex workers in the red light district of Pune, disability rights, an after school educational program for underprivileged children, etc. But we had to go through our own share of trials. My father had accompanied me to Pune for the admissions and I remember him looking a little worried as he came to know the city’s liberal and indulgent way of life. But he had very lovingly only once asked me to shun all the negative influences around the college and the city. I promised him as much and I am happy that I never betrayed his trust.

    How important are internships for a law student? Tell us about your internship experiences while in college.

    It is an important part of a student’s academic life in the sense that it gives real life exposure to the kind of work one will be called upon to shoulder in future. Considering that there are varied kinds of jobs that are available to a law student upon graduation, internships give an opportunity to get a taste of everything and decide on one or two areas on which he/she could focus. It also gives a chance to leave your mark in an office where you would later like to bag a pre-placement offer. Even though your first few internships may appear highly challenging as you are yet to fully learn theoretical aspects of the law, you will gather a great deal of knowledge after working with these offices.

    I tried to keep my basket of internships diverse by picking from NGOs, independent litigating offices, in-house legal team of corporate houses and law firms. I distinctly remember, my social issues have been very dear to me from my early school/ college days, and this interest took me to an NGO called ‘Solidarity for Developing Communities’ and a State Human Rights Commission during the first two internships in my 1st  year of Law School. My experience in these two offices further heightened my interest in human rights issues, so much so that it has become an integral part of me today. By this time I had fully realized the benefits of internships. So when I went for internship assignments to the Essar Group, Mulla & Mulla, Craigie Blunt and Caroe, and the senior advocate of Jharkhand High Court, Mr. Anil Kumar, I was determined to make the most of it. The nature of the legal issues I encountered during my internship was diverse, as were their benefits. My internship stints ended with Amarchand Mangaldas and Phoenix Legal.

     

    Do you think that Moot Courts are an essential component for the overall development of a law student? Tell us about your experience.

    It is an elaborate rehearsal a law student undertakes, as it accurately reflects the rest of their lives as lawyers and litigators. The very fact that these involve facing rival teams and competitors, both at the national and international level, serves as motivation for every student to put their best foot forward. Ultimately each of these extracurricular activities i.e. participating in moot court competitions, writing research papers, internships, etc. go a long way in shaping you as a lawyer, pushing your name a few notches up during placements and enhancing your chances in getting admission in top law schools.

    One must remember that applications received by law offices, corporate houses or top law schools are filled with students who have managed decent grades in their respective universities. Participation in extracurricular activities makes all the difference in getting your dream job!

    These competitions gave me the opportunity to work with my fellow participants, prepare our case to the best of our abilities, and compete with some of the brightest minds from the legal fraternity. The crowning glory was getting to attend the William C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court competition in Vienna in my 4th year of law school. The whole experience was a turning point in my life as a student of law. Getting the opportunity to participate in such a prestigious affair was a very uplifting moment.

    Do you feel that academic excellence is essential to be successful in life?

    The question is too general in nature to beg a straightforward, universal answer. If we are to understand the meaning of ‘success’ in a knowledge economy, as identified with the successes of only the reasonably, moderately educated people, not to speak of the highly educated, talented people with high academic credentials, the importance of education or academic excellence can never be underestimated. The contemporary economic and social conditions acknowledge and respect academically bright people. However, we also know of innumerable successful people who have failed miserably in their initial years of work. The list is endless with celebrated names like Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Van Gogh, J.K. Rowling, Oprah Winfrey and the like. However one thing common to all of them is that they were persistent. It is not a shortcoming on their part, it is the world that takes time to identify geniuses.

     

    You have taken ACCA examinations at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, United Kingdom. Tell us about your experience.

    Midway through graduation, it struck me that a course in accounting will be very useful to me in future, especially given my interest in tax law. It was this simple reason that drove me to take up this ACCA course, and I must say that I enjoyed studying and appearing in the examinations, though it was sometimes tough on me to take out time from my regular studies. What helped me greatly is the flexibility that ACCA examinations allow its students. Moreover, the ACCA follows the International Financial Reporting Standards and is globally recognized too.

     

    It is generally seen that law students and law graduates tend to shy away from taking up pro bono cases. Is this advisable?

    It is advisable that law students and law graduates of our country do not shy away from taking up pro bono cases. In a country such as ours where the majority are poor and cannot afford legal help, it is inhuman on the part of the legal fraternity not to devote some of their time and energy to come to their rescue. This assumes greater importance for law students and law graduates as they themselves will be richer in their learning experience as well as in their moral responsibility towards society. In fact, it ought to be considered a great opportunity for young lawyers.

     

    You have worked in the Chamber of Hon’ble Mr. Justice Rajiv Shakdher as a Law Researcher- cum- Clerk. Can you tell us about the experience?

    Working with Hon’ble Mr. Justice Rajiv Shakdher was an opportunity I still thank my stars for. I can never thank him enough for the encouragement and the guidance he always gave me whenever I needed. HMJ Shakdher is an extremely well-read, honest and hard working judge who worked very meticulously on each case, and he expected the same qualities from his law interns, assistants, researchers, and clerks. I gained much confidence, learnt such a great deal during the one year time I worked with him, that it helped me in many ways to build my image as a trustworthy lawyer. Whatever I am today is because of his influence on my career. I must say that at the very mention of his name, my head bows down in obeisance and a prayer goes out from my lips for his long, happy life.

     

    You had previously worked with Vaish Associates and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas. Tell us about your experience at these firms.

    My time at both these firms was a very productive experience. At this point of my career I wanted to work with taxation related firms to gain more knowledge on this subject or area. The realization was dawning on me that I must at least learn a good deal more than the fundamentals of some areas of legal practice, and I made the best of my time there by learning about taxation, arbitration, corporate tax, and taxation related litigation. Fortunately both my seniors and colleagues at these two firms were very helpful and supportive in my handling of assignments, and the experience has enriched my knowledge of these areas vastly. I owe my special gratitude to Ms. Kavita Jha of Vaish Associates who was extremely helpful and supportive of my work, and always went the extra mile to assign me other litigation cases too. Ms. Jha being one of the division heads at the Supreme Court and High Court, I learnt a great deal during my time at Vaish Associates. My relationship with her and other colleagues will always be very special. The year I worked with Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas too was extremely enriching and fulfilling as I happened to work on some of the very high-profile, well-known cases.

     

    At Vaish Associates and  Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, you were concentrating mainly on tax litigation and arbitration, but later you decided to go for litigation practice. What motivated this shift?

    The reason I changed my focus away from taxation-related areas for sometime is the necessity of learning other areas of litigation. With an expertise in one technical area of law, I was veering towards the view that I must learn a great deal on other aspects of legal practice, before I am able to enter into litigation practice on my own. For any lawyer with some aspirations in life, I suppose this is a very modest decision one has to take at the earliest possible time.

     

    You have assisted eminent lawyer, Senior Advocate Dr. Rajeev Dhavan. Tell us about your experience.

    I consider it my good fortune that Dr. Rajeev Dhavan accepted me as a junior to assist him in his office. I knew it would be a daunting task to meet his high standards, but I was looking forward to it nonetheless. He is a legal luminary and a legend of our times, and his scholarly pursuits, the huge number of books and articles he has written, all of this weighed heavily in my mind as I immediately sat down to work for him. The knowledge and experience I gathered at Dr. Dhavan’s office was immense. I knew I was working for one of the finest legal minds of our time. It was difficult to hold your own and not be intimidated. However the unimaginably rich experience I gathered with Dr. Dhavan has vastly improved my level of confidence, the honesty and integrity of the manner in which I ought to work in future, and more importantly, the realization that I have a long way to go in my further higher studies, in order to pay my little tribute to my godfather. His encyclopaedic knowledge, and his unmatched wit and sense of humour will continue to inspire me throughout my life. It is not for nothing that his academic stature, his unmatched courage, and the unconventional, radical stand he often took in his appearances in the Supreme Court has become made him a legend of our time.

    Earlier this year, you founded Svadhā Legal. What were the challenges you faced in setting up the firm? Could you give us a brief description of the firm and the activities  it performs?

    Svadhā Legal is a dream fulfilled. Legal matters as varied as human rights, taxation, arbitration, corporate law, civil cases, etc. have all been of interest to me, and I thought setting up a law firm will be the best way to handle the wide variety of cases that I expected to come my way. A law firm run as a professional entity will be a good way of attracting prospective clients as well as engaging junior, younger colleagues for those cases.

    Svadhā Legal will also be a great intermediary for pro bono cases that are dear to me, in the sense that considering the large number of cases that are awaiting justice on pro bono basis, the firm will be able to engage or delegate some of the cases to younger professionals looking for such avenues. These were some of the reasons that prompted me to set up Svadhā Legal, and I am happy that quite a number of my friends, colleagues, and juniors have joined me as associates in the firm.

    There were challenges in setting up this firm, considering the fact that I am a first generation lawyer, but I was determined to overcome any such disadvantage coming my way. It is my firm conviction that serious pursuit of a dream will admit no hindrance on the way, and this conviction gives me enough patience and tolerance to pursue my goal. Another challenge was facing rampant sexism in the professional sphere. But here too, I am determined to prove that gender can never be a disadvantage for anyone in any respect, though one will be forced to walk the extra mile to prove that.

    It is a heartening feature of this enterprise that my considerable network of friends and lawyers across the country are helping and encouraging me in my endeavour.

     

    As a partner at Svadhā Legal, what is an average day at work like? Our readers would love to hear about the day-to-day responsibilities which need to be handled by someone in your position.

    My average work life normally starts early in the morning when I sit down to work at home for at least 4-5 hours before I head to the Courts for my appearances or hearings, and other related work. I find the early morning hours to be the best time of the day for work. Then after a short lunch break it’s time for me to interact with clients, discuss cases, and then devote some time for business development and public relation exercises. Normally I always make a mental plan of work for the day, and it makes it easier for me to complete all my work in time. And then it’s time to head home and may be after a brief rest, it’s back to work and other personal studies.

     

    A number of campaigns such as “Make in India”, “Start-up India” and “Skill India” have been launched by the Govt. of India. Your views on these campaigns?

    The aim behind the “Make in India”, “Start-up India”, “Skill India”, and “Digital India” schemes is to leapfrog this country into that of an advanced and economically sound country in the shortest possible time.

    The “Make in India” initiative was developed to establish India as an efficient manufacturing unit and lure global markets to consider the subcontinent as a viable investment.  The government promises all kinds of support to the new investors, including the promise of quick clearances and approvals through a channel called Single Window clearance in order to avoid delays and red-tapes. The initiative has already started bearing results in the form of many international automobile, aerospace, software, military hardware, and other manufacturing majors considering setting up manufacturing plants in the country. If the campaign is to achieve its full potential and desired results, what the government must do is to not slow down the momentum and see to it that it is followed in a rigorous manner.

    A similar but a very innovative campaign has been launched by the central government in the form of “Start-up India” in order to help unconventional business plans take flight. There are innumerable success stories of new start-ups having generated remarkable revenue levels owing to their out-of-the-box strategies. There is little doubt that our economy in future is going to be dominated by more and more of these start-up enterprises, most of them in the service sector, and contributing hugely to the economy.

    The central government’s other initiative called “Skill India” too is another campaign that has been launched in order to impart vocational training to the unskilled workforce of our country. Uneducated, semi-educated, and under-employed labourers can learn skills of their choice to aspire for better employment opportunities. The success of the first two campaigns will, to a large extent, depend upon the success of this campaign. It should be implemented in a very urgent basis, without any let-up or loss of momentum.

    These specially, carefully selected campaigns have been launched to make this country a global hub of manufacturing, a great place for young, talented people with innovative ideas to realize their dreams of setting up new enterprises or start-ups and create the best possible infrastructure for the development of the required skill for our millions of young students who will be capable of handling the needs and demands of the new age technological, industrial enterprises. Since we are living in these times, we must make optimum use of these opportunities and participate fully to make our country the most powerful nation on earth.

     

    Tell us about your experience of working with start ups.

    It all started because of my large network of friends, many of them happening to be young engineering graduates, and quite a few of them deciding to quit their jobs and starting their own start-ups. They are a very talented lot, with new and innovative ideas of developing new technological tools and models for a wide spectrum of use by industries, business enterprises and a host of other organizations. My association with some of these Start-ups began because of their need for legal assistance in preparing regulatory formalities and agreements. It was a great learning experience for me and I was in a way encouraged a great deal by their dreams, motivations, and infectious energy. What’s more, my modest accounting background proved to be of great help in my work.

     

    Name a few of your hobbies, and how have they proved to be an advantage to you?

    The things that have drawn my continuous interest are literature, painting, gardening, cooking and sports. Some of these interests have grown with me over the years since my childhood, and it would be wrong to say that I am not seriously pursuing or devoting time on a regular basis to all of these areas of my interest. My love of nature has in a way taken the shape of gardening, and I love planting, watering, and taking care of my little collection of indoor plants at my home. I am an inveterate traveller, and I love going places, both popular tourist haunts and less frequented, quaint spots. I love meeting new people on the way and getting to know them.

    These are the areas of my interest and together they constitute my life. I am hopeful that these interests will go a long way in my realization of myself in the future. The journey of self-discovery is still on. A few of my hobbies or interests such as reading literature, humanities studies, and social issues may have proved beneficial to my professional life. But in a broader sense, all the other hobbies have equally contributed to my evolution as a decent human being. In my view I should be a decent human being first, and a good lawyer after that. The two complement each other, and you cannot be the latter without being the former.

     

    What is your advice for fresh graduates who wish to enter law firms as associates? How should they prepare themselves to cope with the challenges they will face?

    Working for someone, be it an individual or an organization, one has to come to terms with the fact that times are difficult. Considering the nature of the profession one has to look at all the inconveniences as normal and as part of the learning process, and with patience and dedication. Law firms expect from law associates a lot of hard work and the willingness to put in extra hours of work whenever needed. But it is during this time that one learns the most.

    What would be your parting message for our readers?

    Life is too precious a gift to be wasted. We should realize that it is not only what we do, but how we do it that also matters a lot. Ultimately, what matters is not how much money or wealth we have earned, but how decent a life we have lived, how much use we have been to others. There will be hundreds of voices that will discourage you, but just listen to that one voice within; it always knows what is best for you. Dream as much as you wish and realize them all, but remember that a life lived for others is far more fulfilling.

     

  • Pranit Saxena, Founder, lawyerouno.com, on being a Manager at Tata Consultancy Services

    Pranit Saxena, Founder, lawyerouno.com, on being a Manager at Tata Consultancy Services

    Pranit Saxena graduated from Symbiosis Law School in 2011. He currently works with TCS as a Manager in the BFSI-LPS sphere. He is part of the core team setting up GRC expert augmentation for an EU based clearing bank. The task involves the staffed GRC experts assisting the chief compliance officer with BFSI specific compliance across EU, APAC and Americas.

    Pranit is also the founder of lawyerouno.com. Lawyerouno is a social venture that helps clients contact and make appointments with any lawyer for free. It searches the most appropriate lawyer per the client’s needs.

     In this interview he talks to us about:

    • His experience at Symbiosis Law School.
    • Importance of higher studies for a lawyer.
    • com- where clients contact and make appointments with any lawyer for free.
    • His views on international financial situation owing to upcoming regulations and situations.

    Please introduce yourself to our readers, where did you grow up and complete your initial education? How did you decide to take up law?

    Hi, I am Pranit. I am currently working with TCS setting up their international compliance practice. My initial education was across six cities including Bathinda, Nagpur, Pithoragarh, Noida, Pune etc. in Army Public schools and Kendriya Vidhayalas owing to my dad being in the forces. After a lot shunting, I finally passed my 12th from Noida. I decided to take up law based on my discussions with my teachers in school and my penchant for getting in trouble with the system (school system i.e. repeatedly getting in trouble with the school administration) and I guess it had worked out fine till now.

    You have graduated with BBA LLB Degree from Symbiosis Law School in 2011. Tell us about your law school experience. Share some highlights from your college days that shaped you as a lawyer.

    So Symbiosis back in 2006 was unlike any other law school that you would see right now. We had a limited campus, amazing faculty and even a better ecosystem of students from various fields (symbiosis law school was in the arts and commerce campus). This heterogeneity of students gave us a very early exposure to variety of disciplines and opportunities. It was rightly called the Oxford of the East, as the student community in Pune was very strong. They were perineal college festivals, competitions that used to go on and provided me ample opportunities to explore. Symbiosis Pune had no hostel in the campus and we used to live independently in the city, which was a huge learning in itself. The teachers came from a varied background and were very supportive and encouraging. Apart from the obvious knowledge, what Symbiosis uniquely provides every student, is the independent attitude and a corporate ready culture, which most of us would learn post our law school.

    Did you do any internship? What was the work allotted to you like?

    I completed 24 weeks of internship across law firms like Barucha, fox mandal, companies like Larson & Tubro and Supreme Court attorneys like P.P. Rao. The spectrum covered was intentionally larger to experience a variety of fields within the legal industry. The work allocated was usually around the research projects in law firms, case file summarization in Supreme Court and high courts and occasional arbitration work for L&T. The work also included being a part of the client/vendor meetings with the seniors and keeping a note of issues.

    How did you manage internship with studies? How did the practical exposure compliment the theoretical knowledge imparted to you in college?

    Back then in Symbiosis, internships were only allowed during breaks, which made sure there was never and conflict and balancing the internships with the mandatory attendance requirement was never a challenge.

    The court internships really helped in enhancing the nuances of the procedural laws which helped appreciate the theoretical knowledge.

    There is a huge gap between what we study and what we implement as lawyers in practice. With that being said, all the knowledge and experience in college forms a very robust base for what we lawyers are expected to do at work.

    Do you consider pursuing higher studies after graduation? How important is it for a lawyer to go for higher studies? Were you inclined at any time, towards the civil services?

    Not really till now. Although I feel certifications in specialized fields can add a lot of value to the entire candidature for future opportunities. Higher studies in my view, is helpful if you are looking for a career shift like teaching, MBA, etc. Higher studies can also buy you time in case you are inclined towards exams like civil services, judiciary etc.

    A civil services exam is a different ball game and students must start preparation while in law school as the time period of five years is a huge opportunity in itself. No doubt it is a brilliant career choice.

    Tell us something about lawyerouno.com.

    Lawyerouno is my love-child that I started three years back, just to give something back to the community. It is a platform which connects people looking for lawyers to lawyers for free. We have lawyers from over 60 cities on the portal. We started the venture with a social outlook and we are still trying to be true to it. The basic thought, behind the idea was to provide young lawyers who want to set up their practice, an opportunity to connect with clients. We are also planning a few products on the portal to provide competitive pricing advantage to the clients.

    How difficult was it for you to connect and convince different lawyers to register on lawyerouno.com?

    As the registration for lawyers on the portal was free and the intention was to provide them with an opportunity to connect with the clients, I actually did not face any resistance from them, although the technology for some senior lawyers was a challenge, which we circumvented by assisting them with a unique live chat support feature.

    What is the international financial situation owing to upcoming regulations and situations?

    My current role in TCS involves setting up of compliance support practice for financial sector clients. The financial world ever since the 2008 crisis is in a state of flux. The regulatory authorities are driving regulatory dynamism as an instrument of change. The more they want to be in control the tougher it is getting for the companies. The Brexit will spur a marked shift for financial companies trading or headquartered in the UK. The companies are vying for the regulatory advantage and gearing up their compliance departments for various new regulations like Mifid II, EMIR, Basel 3 etc. More the regulations better it is for us! All in all it is looking good for the lawyers in the compliance sphere.

    Would you say that the work environment at an LPO is completely different from a law firm?

    Although my current profile is consulting, my initial experience with Thomson Reuters in the LPO sphere convinced me that whatever notion we as law students have about LPOs is completely unfounded. In fact if you are looking for a career in corporate as opposed to litigation, LPO is a very good option as it provides you with the right learning opportunities, international exposure and a good work life balance. Several of my colleagues are now well-placed in the field of contracts and forensics with various fortune 500 companies and start-ups. Right after my stint with TR in the Compliance department, I was involved with a start-up Mind Merchants for setting up their global compliance practice, which started with 3 people and is now already 45+, hence my experience within LPO spurred my growth as a legal professional. The stark difference between the work cultures that I see between these industries is the autonomy and independence that any year 1-3 associate gets at an early stage in their career.

    What were your objectives and plans in the preliminary years of the law school?

    As any other student in the initial years the motive was to have fun and explore the college life to the Tee. It is the only in the penultimate and the final year, that I decided to chalk out a plan for myself. The plan was to identify what I enjoyed more, hence most of my firm internships were in those years which made me sure that I did not see it as my life choice.

    Lastly, what message would you leave for our budding lawyers?

    I urge students to explore themselves as much as possible instead of following treaded path blindly and choose what is best for them as a life choice rather than a career choice. Try not to be bound by what you hear, but channelize your choices around what you experience. Five years of law school is an opportunity, so use it well. All the best!