Super Lawyer

Tag: V M Salgaocar College of Law

  • Mr. Surendra Naik, Additional Collector and Additional District Magistrate, North Goa, on his experience at law school and mantra for success.

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    Mr. Surendra Naik, Additional Collector and Additional District Magistrate, North Goa, graduated in law from V. M. Salgaocar College of Law in the year 1999 and shares his views and experiences in his long and successful career. This Interview was conducted by AJAY BORKAR of GR Kare College of Law

    IN THIS INTERVIEW HE TALKS ABOUT:

    • Being part of Government setup

    • His responsibilities as a Magistrate and

    • Views on retirement

     

    1. What could be a short introduction of yourself?

    A humble ordinary citizen of India, with zeal for social work and to contact with common people, to work for their cause.

    2. Please elaborate on the motivating factors which helped you in choosing legal studies?

    Right from my childhood, I always dreamt of being part of the Indian judiciary since my father always wished that I either become a lawyer or a judge.

    3. How would you describe your academic career while at V. M. Salgaocar College of Law, Goa?

    I did my three years degree course in law in V. M. Salgaocar College of Law. I was privileged to have good faculty, who introduced me to the various legal aspects and assisted me in understanding them. I was ranked 1st in all three years at the Goa university.

    Further, as the institution was located in Panaji which is a hub for lawyers, I had the opportunity to intern with advocate F.E. Noronha in Panjim, wherein I gained some practical knowledge of dealing with the clients and attending cases in court.

    4. What role do you think mooting plays in a law student’s life?

    I hold moot courts at a very high esteem. I think each and every student of law should compulsorily participate in moot court. It enhances their power of understanding and analysing legal situations and enhancing their power of arguments and plays a major role in their overall personality development and legal ethics.

    5. Please tell us about how you decided to pursue your career in civil services? Were you considering any other opportunities?

    After completing by graduation in law, I applied and received Sanad from the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa. Also, I joined the chamber of Adv. F.E. Noronha in Panjim, who was basically practicing in various Civil Courts, Tribunals, Revenue Court and also in the High Court of Bombay at Goa. I had an opportunity to work with him for about 7 months. During this time, there appeared an advertisement for post of Mamlatdar, Joint Mamlatdar and Asst. Director of Civil Supply through GPSC, for which I casually applied.

    Thereafter I received a letter for written examination for which I appeared and then I received a letter for oral interview by the GPSC and subsequently I topped the said examination and oral interview and was ranked first in the selected candidates and immediately thereafter I received appointment letter as Mamlatdar. I always wanted to be a Civil Judge or Judicial Magistrate First Class, but during that time there were no advertisement of civil judge. The requirement was 3 years practice as lawyer which I could not fulfill.

    6. What has your experience with legal education been like and how relevant do you feel it has been to your profession after graduating in law?

    As per me, my legal education has helped me immensely. It changed my attitude and my way of looking towards everything. Qualification in Law was the basic requirement for the post of Mamlatdar. It also helped me immensely in discharging my duty as Presiding Officer of the Revenue Courts and also for performing many other quasi-judicial functions.

    7. What are your main responsibilities as the Additional District Magistrate of North Goa?

    Presently I am posted as Additional Collector and Additional District Magistrate, North Goa. My primary functions are mainly Administrative and I also carryout Quasi-Judicial functions under numerous Acts like the Mamlatdar Court Act, Land Revenue Code, RTI Act, etc. The criminal jurisdiction includes maintenance of law and order and various other preventive actions. I also have a duty of granting arm licenses under arms Act.

    8. Do you think the level of law studies has gone down as compared during your time?

    I don’t agree with this. However I think that as the time progresses, the law colleges are becoming more and more professional and training its students in various aspects. Even the introduction of 5 year course is a great step towards legal education. I think compared to our time, there is a lot of improvement in legal education and imparting of professional training to law students.

    9. How do you manage your personal and professional life? Do you keep both separate?

    Apart from professional life, one’s personal life is equally important. And one has to strike a perfect balance between both of them, if your personal life gets disturbed it also adversely affects your professional life. So you should also give time for your family.

    10. Where do you see yourself after your retirement?

    I think there is nothing like retirement in life. One should always keep on continuously contributing to society. Government service is just one phase and there are various opportunities for a competent person to contribute to the society, even after attaining the age of superannuation. One must always keep his body and mind healthy to live life to its fullest satisfaction.

    11. Do you have any advice to all our readers out there?

    It is only hardwork which is the key for success in any field and there are no shortcuts. Shortcuts are only for short term benefits. It is only hardwork which gives you success on long term basis. Overall apart from your hardwork there should always be honesty in whatever you do.

     

  • Mr. Dileshwar Naik, Prominent advocate and President of Vasco Bar Association, on his two decades journey in the legal field and advice to aspiring legal professionals

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    Mr. Dileshwar Naik, Prominent advocate and President of Vasco Bar Association, graduated in law from V. M. Salgaocar College of Law in the year 1997 and shares his views and experiences in his long and successful career. This Interview was conducted by SWITZY BRAGANÇA of GR Kare College of Law.

    IN THIS INTERVIEW HE TALKS ABOUT:

    • His inspiration to enter the legal profession

    • Importance of Academics Writing

    • His views on Human Rights Advocacy

    • His advice to law students

    1. CAN IT BE SAID THAT COLLEGE STUDIES PREPARE YOU FOR REAL LIFE PRACTICE IN COURTS?

    Well, College years are full of fun, however studies are or atleast during my college days were limited to academics and it did not help much in real life practice in courts. Even mooting with academic interest just to score marks doesn’t help law students to succeed in legal field. The subject and the cases which are chosen should be with an eye on legal practice and more and more mooting with the help of expert lawyers will definitely help students when they join practice.

    The best way to prepare for real life practice is to actively take part in the functioning of the court by perhaps joining a practicing lawyer and even through internships. The Practical knowledge and training which I received from my senior Mr. Ulhas Shetye helped me a lot in practice as I got lot of exposure from him.

    2. WHAT SHOULD A LAW STUDENT DO IN YOUR OPINION TO SHAPE HIS/HER PROFILE IN THE LAW FIELD?

    A law student should during their academics if keen to join practice should join some lawyers office or firm and take practical training which will help them to choose their specialization and also make them more confident and ready to take up the challenges when they join real practice in courts.

    3. HOW IMPORTANT YOU THINK ACADEMICS WRITING IS FOR A LAW STUDENT WHO WANTS TO BE AN ADVOCATE?

    Academic writings, as it is practiced currently, I believe are limited to examination and marks and a student who wants to be an advocate needs practical training more than academic writing. Exposure in various courts and learning the procedures in courts helps a person to be a better advocate than the one who concentrates only on academics.

    4. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME AN ADVOCATE?

    My late father, who was a police officer always wanted dileshwar-naik-3me to be a professional rather than taking up service though I was more keen to become a police officer like my father. However, as time went on, I realized that I had an interest in the subject that is collectively known as law and this interest slowly tilted me towards the profession.

    5. IS THERE ANY SKILL OR SECRET YOU PICKED UP OVER THE YEARS THAT YOU BELIEVE IS CRITICAL TO A LAWYER’S SUCCESS?

    I would say your devotion and experience automatically improves your skills as a lawyer and more importantly a lawyer should agree with the merits of his or her case and prepare for the case. Similarly is your discipline and behavior in the courts and with your clients. One needs to be sincere to the client and the courts and follow the ethical values for success and it does not need special skills.

    6. TELL US HOW YOU HAVE MANAGED TO HANDLE YOUR FAMILY AND LAW SIMULTANEOUSLY?

    It’s a very tough question, because once you take up the legal profession you are a lawyer 24 hours a day and that very often makes it difficult to handle your family but that again depends upon your time management. A lawyer needs to plan the timings and that is how I have managed both family and law.

    7. WHAT IS YOUR IN HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY IN INDIA OVER THE NEXT DECADE?

    There is definitely a change and a positive change in India and for lawyers to only depend on human rights advocacy, only time will tell. No doubt people are getting aware about their rights and privileges and education is playing a big role. So human rights violations are taken note by everyone.

    8. DO YOU HAVE ANY PARTING ADVICE FOR ALL OUR READERS OUT THERE?

    A lawyer who wants to make legal profession his ultimate goal then has to undergo hardships for at least the first five years, get well versed with the procedures of courts and educate himself and keep track of the latest developments in the legal field. Similarly lot of reading and being sincere to your clients, courts and to your colleague. Follow the legal ethics and prepare your case well in advance before you put up the case in court rather than last minute preparation like we are used to do for academical exams.