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Jun 30, 2022

How to Prepare for Judicial Services Examinations?

The preparation for the Judicial Services Examination requires a structured approach and a focused mind. Candidates are advised to go through the curriculum thoroughly and plan accordingly before beginning their preparation. Since this is such an extremely competitive exam, it is advisable to start preparation early, possibly in the 3rd year of the 5-year LLB program or in the 1st year of the 3-year LLB program. Additionally, it is important to keep in mind that the number of vacancies is extremely low, and vacancies are not released every year in numerous states. As a result, even if the candidates have a preference for a particular state, most candidates prepare for more than one judicial exam to enhance their chances of passing at least one of them. The candidate must prepare according to the State-specific paper pattern and syllabus for each topic if they choose to take this approach. The Exam is conducted in three stages i.e. Preliminary, Mains, and Personal Interview. It is suggested that one should begin preparing for the Mains exams first, because the material is extensive, and this will automatically prepare the Candidate for the MCQ-based Preliminary tests as well. Pre-requisites Because the exam pattern for each state is different, it is recommended that the candidate first decide and select the state/s for which they desire to appear. As a result, the candidate should review the previous year's question papers from their chosen states to understand the type of questions to expect for each topic, as well as the parking structure. The candidate should prepare a question bank of frequently asked questions and relevant questions from previous year's exams in the chosen state, which will further aid the candidate in preparation. The focus should be on the bare acts, which should be read several times to ensure that the candidate understands the law and improves his or her analytical abilities as well. Preliminary Exams (Prelims) Step 1 The candidate must be familiar with the Bare Acts, as most of the MCQs are built on the Bare Act's foundation. It is advised that the Candidate prepare reference notes in a notebook while reading the Bare Acts to absorb significant parts that they can refer to while revising the following day. Step 2 Preparing a Question Bank of MCQs based on previous year's question papers from the chosen states and solving them will offer the Candidate an advantage and a better understanding of the questions that may appear. This question bank can also come in handy when it's time to revise. Step 3 Candidates are advised to refer to monthly current affairs guides or pdfs for the General Knowledge or Current Affairs section and make it a practice to read newspapers daily. It is also necessary to review judicial decisions, which can be found on subscription-based websites or apps such as Live Law or Bar and Bench. For the Language section, reading the editorial page of a newspaper such as the Hindu or the Indian Express for at least 30 minutes a day is advised. Step 4 Since the Prelims are qualifying exams, it is recommended that candidates enhance their speed and accuracy to complete the test on time. This can be practiced by giving speed tests or comprehensive test series in practice books or online mock tests as well. Mains Exams As stated before, it is common practice to prepare for the Mains exams first since it is a subjective exam, which will automatically prepare you for the Prelims as well. Step 1 While studying for the Mains, it is critical to prepare a timetable and set specific goals. An example of a definitive target in your timetable may be to study at least four subjects every day, allotting two hours to each subject, and gradually increasing your study time as the exam approaches. Step 2 Candidates must develop the habit of practicing writing answers in a timed way by following the timetable outlined above. This could be accomplished by using a timer to practice 2-3 answers from the Question Bank daily. To improve writing speed, the candidate could also practice previous years’ question papers from the selected states. Step 3 It is critical to take notes, and each answer must include at least one case law to support the candidate’s conceptual representation. Candidates must keep track of relevant case laws while taking notes to refer back to them during revision. The notes prepared could be in the shape of mind maps, charts, diagrams, graphs, or even pictures to help the Candidate remember or retain the information better. Step 4 For Essay Writing, candidates must start reading the Editorial Sections of The Hindu and The Indian Express to understand and keep themselves up to date with the contemporary legal and socio-legal issues. This will also help in relating the topics to the Law that is to be studied. Also, by picking up topics from the ongoing affairs in the Country, candidates must practice writing essays and evaluate themselves based on their time, speed, accuracy, language, and understanding of the subject matter. Personal Interview Step 1 The PI is an interview that assesses the Candidate's confidence, behavior, prompt knowledge, and decision-making abilities when faced with a variety of questions. They are primarily framed in such a way to determine whether the candidate is qualified for the judicial position. Pausing for a few seconds, formulating an answer in the mind, and then answering it, could mirror the behavior or confidence positively. This will reduce the risk of inaccuracy while also conveying a positive or a better impression. Step 2 The questions asked in the PI could be two-fold, the procedural laws, general awareness about recent happenings, legal developments in the country and the candidates' opinion on these, and general questions about the candidate's chosen state, hometown, and why they want to be a judge. It is critical to keep up with the national news in the country and any local news relevant to the chosen state and hometown for this purpose. Step 3 Personal Interviews are conducted in high-pressure atmospheres. The Candidate must sit for mock interviews to understand, practice, and experience the real-time interview environment, which will help him/her understand how to tackle questions that are mainly subjective. The Candidate must practice the similar or repeated type of questions that are generally asked in Personal Interviews as minimum words as possible since the interview board is always looking for a short yet apt answer to whatever question has been put forward. This would ultimately acquaint the candidate with the interview process and make them feel more confident while giving the interview. Coaching or Self-Study Self-study will always be vital, whether the candidate takes coaching or not. Simply enrolling in judicial coaching does not guarantee that they will pass the exam. Only a small percentage of those who enroll in coaching classes pass the exam. As a result, effective self-study and selecting the appropriate type of assistance will be most beneficial. On the other hand, using the services of a judiciary coaching that meets the candidates’ needs, on the other hand, can ensure that they get more out of self-study and have all the support they need to prepare for a challenging exam like the judiciary. Daily Habits Reading newspapers for current happenings in and around the Country and the Selected State as well. Reading legal magazines for current happenings in the Legal Industry. Subscribed to Live Law or Bar and Bench for important verdicts. Reading Bare Acts and relevant judgments. Recommended Books for Judiciary Examination Preparation Indian Penal Code Textbook on Indian Penal Code by K.D Gaur The Indian Penal Code Paperback by Ratanlal Indian Evidence Act The Law of Evidence by Batuklal Textbook on the Indian Evidence Act by K.D. Gaur Indian Contract Act Indian Contract Act by R.K. Bangia Hindu Law Modern Hindu Law by Paras Diwan Limitation Act Indian Limitation Act by J.D. Jain Civil Procedure Code Civil Procedure Code with Limitation Act by C.K. Takwani Arbitration and Conciliation Act Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 by Lawmann’s Muslim Law Muslim Laws with Model Nikahnama-Bare act with short Notes by Universal Jurisprudence Jurisprudence by J. G. Riddall Criminal Procedure Code R. V. Kelkar's Criminal Procedure by R.V. Kelkar's Most successful candidates urge applicants to follow the golden rule, which is to concentrate on the Bare Acts. Solving MCQs from question banks or test series available online is also highly recommended by successful candidates. The reason for this is that it is necessary to train the mind in two areas: Solve questions faster. Perform well under pressure. The two most important aspects of any exam are time management and accuracy. The reward will be greater if time is managed well. To read a detailed article on the pattern of the Indian Judicial Services Examination, please click here. Also, for more information on Judicial Services Exams of different States, please click here. LegalBots.in wish you the best!

Gaurav

Jun 27, 2022

Interview with Yash Agarwal - A Career in Public Policy

As a law student or a lawyer, you must have heard the terms such as ‘public policy, ‘policy making’, etc at least a few times. Have you ever wondered what exactly ‘public policy is, what avenues are open in this field, or what a career in this space would be like? In our effort to share more about Public Policy with you, we interviewed Yash Agarwal, who works as a Public Policy Associate at a renowned social media platform. Yash also runs and leads ‘Public Policy India’, a knowledge platform dedicated to making Public Policy more engaging and accessible for citizens. Please tell us a bit about yourself. How would you describe your experience at Symbiosis, Pune? Symbiosis was a great experience. I pursued a BA in Mass Communications, and I majored in Journalism. I grew and learned so much during the three years of college, and I am very grateful for that. The course was fairly interdisciplinary and we were exposed to all kinds of viewpoints and perspectives, which was great. The professors were very chill, and the conversations on campus were rather enriching - there was always something to learn and to do! Moreover, the program that I majored in i.e. journalism was by its very nature open to a lot more inquiry, and worldviews and it fostered a broader knowledge base overall. How did you begin your career post-undergrad mass communication degree? I would say I laid the foundation for my career throughout three years of college itself in a sense. For example, I did five internships while in college, all of them in different cities and different sectors within the broader policy space, because I wanted a sense of exposure and learning for myself. Similarly, while I was in college, I started reaching out to people in the space and volunteering to add value and work with them in whatever capacity I could have alongside pursuing a full-time education program. But coming back to your question, technically I began my career after college when I started off with the LAMP fellowship, and this is something we’ll come to! What does a ‘career in Public Policy’ mean? How did you come to specialise in ‘Public Policy’? How was your experience at The Takshashila Institution? When we use the term “Public Policy” here, we refer to the broader umbrella of professions and practices which include policy consulting, policy communications, working in the development sector, working with the government, running a social enterprise, and so on. What a career in public policy essentially entails is working in any of these fields across a range of focus areas and different skill-set requirements. How I came to discover policy and build a career here was a happenstance! I went to college thinking that I would pursue journalism, but slowly as I read up more, and especially given my habit of reading anything and everything under the sun – I realised I could probably use my knowledge base in other ways. I started off by entering Teach For India in Chennai and went on to do multiple internships while in college with all of them being in different sectors - education, health, gender, law-making et cetera. It slowly gave me a better perspective of the space and how it functions, what is it that I like, and more importantly what is it that I did not find to be up to my alley. Over time I discovered that tech policy is something I genuinely enjoyed the most, and this is something that the short-term program with Takshashila institution assisted me with, helping me gain a firmer academic footing here. Could you please tell us a bit about your LAMP fellowship experience? How does it benefit a person interested in Public Policy? Ah, it was the best! For context – Legislative Assistant to Member of Parliament (LAMP) is a year-long fellowship wherein you work with an MP for a year on a range of responsibilities and focus areas. One thing that people don’t discuss enough the entire LAMP experience, is that by virtue of being a fellowship-there are large elements of education embedded as well, alongside working of course. While working with a member of Parliament, getting to meet MPs across party lines, and having the company of some of the smartest people I’ve ever known was all great – a big takeaway for me from the fellowship was the phenomenal workshops that were organised for us almost every other week or so with some of the best minds from the space interacting with us and sharing their experiences and learnings. It was one year full of learning, discovery, varied experiences and an eye-opener through and through. What was your experience like as a Government/Public Affairs Consultant? This is the year immediately after LAMP, I was engaged as a policy consultant with a public policy consulting firm based out of New Delhi. My personal experience was that it was a great place to be at, and with a team that was always welcoming of different perspectives and more importantly allowed one to make mistakes and learn from them. The best part about my experience there was the sheer diversity of clients and mandates that I go to work on. It forced me to learn more but also meaningfully expanded my knowledge base! What is ‘Public Policy India’? How, according to you, can others benefit from this platform? PPI is a knowledge and career navigation platform dedicated to the cause of Public Policy in India. The vision for PPI is to create a one-stop hub for all things policy in India. Via our multiple products across different platforms - we focus on this burgeoning section of the Indian youth which is deeply excited by the prospects within Public Policy as a field and wants to build a career in the larger Public Policy space but has no background in the same.. The Public Policy Space in India is on the cusp of a boom - there’s no one dedicated platform which focuses solely on serving such a thriving community with a set of needs of its own - that’s where we wish to be at. When I say “Public Policy”, I mean to include the larger Policy space including - Government Affairs, Policy Consulting, Development Sector/NGOs, Policy Comms, etc. What do we do? PPI focuses on two specific outcomes - functioning as a knowledge platform with the aim of making the audience more aware of Policy issues in India and more importantly why they should care about them, via our PolicyGrams. We simplify complex yet highly socially relevant issues in a way the audience understands. These are easy-to-read, visually appealing products in a platform and format of our Target Audience’s choice. The second prong of our focus is Career Guidance and Support - A range of services and products with the sole focus on making it easier for someone to make a career in the larger Public Policy space. Through our newsletter, ThePolicyPost, we've created an instrument that brings all policy updates, Internships, Courses, and Job opportunities at the touch of a button. Similarly, we’ve started conducting a number of webinars on different fellowships and other such opportunities with experts on our YouTube to allow people to make an informed choice as they approach some of these opportunities. You can find our work here: Instagram, LinkedIn, Newsletter, Website What is your advice for students/young professionals who want to pursue a career in Public Policy? What avenues are open in this field? I’ll share a few principles which I believe could be super helpful for anyone looking to build a career in this space! Skills - Skills come in two bundles - hard and soft. And the sphere of public policy is centered heavily around the softer, overlooked, intangible skills on your resume. Public policy is entirely a people’s business. That’s just the nature of the craft. How you communicate, manage stakeholders, listen to others, manage time, and exercise interpersonal skills makes or breaks your track record in the sector. All of it really boils down to working with human beings, solving complex challenges together while earning their trust. Now, hard skills - important of course, but much easier to learn and acquire than their counterparts. I did not start off by knowing how to code or design graphics. However, as part of building my startup, I’ve had to learn several hard skills, say, website maintenance for example, and it’s been a breeze. Should the need arise, these skills are something you can pick up. But soft skills? Indispensable and critical right from the word go. Proof of work - The newcomers' greatest blessing and the worst curse. The policy space is unique, in that it cares more for the work you’ve done and the skills you have to show for it, than a degree. Don’t get me wrong - an educational background in public policy remains important and helpful. But in no way is it indispensable, with maybe exceptions like a career in Policy research or academia. So, invest your time in getting your hands dirty in this field. Part-time engagements like volunteering and interning count as well and can be crucial for students who cannot work full-time! The exposure, networks, and on-the-job learning you build just being out there remains unparalleled. Sample it out - Policy is vast and all-encompassing. In thematic focus areas and also skill sets - it needs everyone and has space for all backgrounds, be it a chemist or a chartered accountant. But while that is welcome, it is in equal parts intimidating to figure out where it is true that your niche lies. The opportunity costs of switching between, say, education to tech policy after years of having built a career within the former can be quite steep. It is a good idea, hence, to sample your interests in your early years! Sit with a writing or typing tool and jot down your answer to the question. What is something you do out of passion? Something you would do maybe even if nobody paid you to? Being passionate about what you do, whatever that may be, that’s your deepest competitive advantage! Intern, volunteer, and spend time figuring out what you like and are good at. In due process, you will know what you dislike which in a field this all-encompassing is great awareness to have. Shun the competition - The policy space in India is still in its early days. There isn’t much that is linear about building a career here. In the US, someone wanting to build a career in policy may have some semblance of paths between a Senator’s office, campaigning for a congresswoman up for elections, interning at the State Capitol, or an advocacy firm. In India, a lot of these are still evolving roles and verticals with limited awareness. But you can turn this perceived disadvantage into opportunities! The lack of preset routes allows you to chart a course of your own with minimal hindrance or cookie-cutter approaches to compare to. In India, simply reaching out to ask for a potential engagement while positioning yourself as someone who can add value yields a genuinely high chance of hearing back and might land you that one opportunity you’re looking for. While there are hundreds of job opportunities in this field that you could (and should!) apply for, don’t be afraid to send out a cold email or get in touch with someone to talk about how you think your skills fit into the puzzle. As cliche as it sounds, you do miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. Add to your luck - Google says, “Luck Surface Area is the amount of action you take around your passion combined with the number of people you communicate your passion too. The equation is L = D x T, where L is luck, D is doing and T is telling.” Doing good work is important, but also being able to communicate the same is a big advantage! Some of our best professional opportunities came our way just because a set of people were aware of our work, passion, and more importantly what it was that we were looking to switch to next. Do good work. Don’t fret talking about it either. You never know what might come your way next!

Gaurav

Jun 12, 2022

Corporate Law vs Litigation

Law students are often confused between joining litigation or corporate law after their graduation. In this post, we examine the pros and cons of both these options. The students, fully informed of the various perks and shortcomings that they may face in a certain career option would be better equipped to make a decision and reach successful heights in their careers. Litigation as a career option: Pros Autonomy and Functional Independence One of the most important privileges that are served in the profession of litigation vis-a-vis that of a corporate law is autonomy and independence. In case one chooses to practice as an independent counsel, there is great control that he/she can exercise of the matters one wants to appear for, the number of cases to take up, the practice area that one wants to focus on etc. The option of elevation to the apex courts While working in litigation, there is a great opportunity of being elevated to the High Court, after 10 years of practice. In fact, the majority of High Court and Supreme Court judges at present in India, have been successful litigators in the past. Working with a firm does not leave that option open for future elevation to the bench. Lucrative career Litigation can be financially a very bright career option. Though, for freshers with no legal background, it might take a lot of hustle and hard work to establish one’s reputation, but once that is done, that litigation can be extremely rewarding in monetary terms. Personal Satisfaction As litigation has a self-propelled, autonomous mechanism for functioning, it allows one to take up cases on a pro-bono basis. A lot of successful lawyers at the Supreme Court regularly engage in pro-bono work to voice the needs of the vulnerable. Social Connect In case of litigation, the clients vary from individuals to businesses. By interacting with clients from different backgrounds and engaging with them personally on a one-to-one basis, one develops a close connection with the social reality and the ground-level existence of life. Immense scope for growth in small towns As opposed to corporate law firms which are situated mostly only in big metro cities, litigation can be practiced in small towns. This is an added advantage and enables a person to smoothly manage his/her profession along with some important familial obligations. There is no strict need in case of litigation to move to Delhi or other metro cities. In fact, there are greater chances of gaining a reputation as an efficient lawyer in a short time, if one practice in small cities. Mentally stimulating and adventurous Working in the legal field can be mentally engaging as well. This is the type of career for you if you appreciate the problem-solving and critical analysis. Furthermore, you'll be engaging with people on a regular basis as you interact with clients – if you enjoy socialising and working in a group, this could be the career for you. Litigation as a career option: Cons Initial Struggle and Hard Work In the initial phase as a litigation lawyer, it may be extremely challenging and difficult to establish one’s repute and goodwill. It requires a lot of hard work to understand the practical functioning of the courts in all its depth, to attract clients, etc. Constant Hustle There is a lot of physical energy and activity involved in litigation since one may be racing around courts and finding it frustrating to wait for hours for judges to hear your case. It's possible that you'll have to wait for the case to be heard, which may take the entire day. No fixed salary In case one chooses to get into independent practice, then the income you earn would vary from time to time, upon the clientele available. It is one profession where one cannot afford to work with a relaxed approach and have to constantly work hard, lest the overwhelming competition would overtake him in this highly crowded profession. Extremely competitive The profession of litigation is extremely competitive. There are very experienced lawyers in India, who have been practicing for several years and know the art of litigation. To compete with them might be a very challenging task. Personal Accountability and Responsibility towards the client In case of litigation, there is direct accountability of the lawyer towards the client. As opposed to this, in corporate the accountability of the associate is only towards the firm. The issue of personal accountability toward the client may sometimes lead to overwhelming stress for the lawyer. Self-management In litigation, unlike corporate law firms, the professional is not always provided with the cushioning of several services which make dispensation of service easy, for eg. travel services, and a designated office place to work at. All these services are required to be self-arranged and provided for, which might be a financial burden in the beginning. Corporate Law Firm Job: Pros Highly rewarding financially Because corporate law is the highest-paying field of law, one may expect to earn significantly more than litigation lawyers with comparable expertise, in the initial phase. No physical hustle As opposed to the profession of a litigation lawyer who has to run around courts to argue, wait for the proceedings, etc, one does not have to travel around much in corporate law practise, and one can get things done while sitting in the office. High Growth Possibility As a corporate lawyer, one can expect to have swift promotions in their journey, if they commit time, energy, and dedication to their work. Tier 1 and Tier 2 law firms in India have a very robust policy of bonus payments and have in the past promoted associates to the positions of partners in a span of fewer than 10 years. Opportunity to interact with Experts Top Corporate law firms in India, are the hub of legal expertise in our country. Lawyers with the best knowledge in niche areas of law serve as partners at higher positions in these firms. Getting an opportunity to interact with and work with these bright legal minds closely on legal issues, greatly assists the process of learning and professional development. Fixed Salary As opposed to litigation, where your income varies from phase to phase, here, a fixed salary is ensured and that brings a sense of financial stability, security, and balance to life. Corporate Law Firm Job: Cons Long Hours of Work The job in a corporate law firm requires long hours of hard work. There are short deadlines, and the official working hours are often exceeded by the firms. In the initial phase, one may not find any time for socializing or any other personal obligation. Lack of Independence and Autonomy As opposed to the profession of a litigation lawyer, there is no independence to choose the work or the client that an associate in a corporate law firm wants to engage with. One is strictly bound by the work regimen of the firm and the requirements of the seniors in the firm. Desk Job The job of a corporate lawyer is a complete desk job, which may lead to a monotonous work style and a lack of a general sense of adventure, and challenge in work. The sense of professional thrill and adventure is observed to be rarely felt among young professionals in this field. Mechanical Work In the initial phase of joining a corporate law firm, freshers are often not always given core legal assignments i.e. to frame legal arguments, rather they might at times be asked to make spreadsheets, excel files, or do some due diligence work. This might be draining and uninteresting. Strict hierarchy As opposed to a litigation lawyer, who works as his own boss, in the case of corporate law firms, there is a long hierarchy of professionals. For students who are averse to this sort of structure, it might be a huge problem. Limited to metro cities Big law firms in India have their branches only in metro cities, subject to some rare exceptions. This requires one to mandatorily move out of his/her hometown [if that is not a metro-city], and settle there. This may be quite problematic for students from non-metro cities, who might have certain routine familial obligations to take care of. Conclusion It can be seen that both career options have certain pros and cons. However, none of these are fully applicable to every law student, in their entirety. It is for the law students to meticulously examine and introspect about their core interests, their aptitude and then make the decision of choosing a career path that is suitable for them and their growth. We sincerely hope that all the students reading this found this analysis helpful and are able to figure out what suits you the best.

Gaurav

Jun 06, 2022

What is UGC NET (Law) and How to crack it?

The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the UGC NET (Law) twice a year for the students in their final year pursuing LLM and LLM graduates or a related stream who wish to explore their career options in law. Qualifying the exam makes one eligible for the post of Assistant Professor, Junior Research Fellow (JRF), and various other jobs relating to the academic profession in the reputed organisations. The article aims to provide detailed information on the UGC NET (Law) exam, career opportunities after clearing the exam, and study tips towards the end. Read on! Career opportunities after clearing the exam Candidates can pursue research in their respective postgraduate disciplines after passing the exam. They can enroll in Ph.D. programmes at various universities and IIMs by selecting universities from the NET Coordinating Institutes. They are also awarded a five-year fellowship after registering for a Ph.D.: Rs. 31,000/month+HRA (HRA availability varies by the institute) for the first two years, and Rs. 35,000/month+HRA for the next three years. Qualified candidates can also work as researchers in a variety of organizations. Alternatively, such candidates can set up their own research laboratories. Candidates who pass the UGC-NET exam are also eligible for lucrative positions offered by Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). Eligibility Criteria Education Qualification Masters in Law or related subjects with a minimum of 55% (For General) and 50% (For OBC/SC/ST/PwD/Transgender). If you are in the qualifying year of your master’s or have passed the exams but are in the result awaited category, you can also apply for UGC NET. But, as per the NET Exam eligibility, the PG results must be declared within 2 years from the release date of the UGC NET Result declaration. Age limit For Assistant Professor, there are no?age limit criteria. For NET JRF, the age limit is 31 years (For General) and 36 years (for OBC/SC/ST/PwD/Female/Transgender). Note: Candidates who are pursuing an L.L.M. Degree get 3 years of relaxation in age. Months in which the exam is usually conducted The NTA conducts the UGC NET twice in a rolling year. Usually, the examinations are conducted in the months of June and December for the eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Assistant Professor in Indian universities and colleges. However, due to the pandemic, December 2020 and June 2021 cycles were merged and now the December 2021 and June 2022 have been merged. Paper Pattern, usual timings, and marking scheme UGC NET Law has two papers - Paper I and Paper-II. Paper I is common for all UGC NET applicants and Paper-II of UGC NET law is subject-specific. The paper pattern and marking scheme have been discussed below in detail: Exam Pattern Paper I Paper II Total Marks 100 200 Number of Questions 50 100 Syllabus Teaching & Research Aptitude, Communication, Mathematical Reasoning & Aptitude, Comprehension, Logical Reasoning, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), People, Development & Environment, Data Interpretation, Higher Education System Jurisprudence, Constitutional and Administrative Laws, International Laws, Law of Crimes, Law of Torts and Consumer Protection, Commercial Law, Family Law (Hindu and Muslim law), Environmental and Human Rights Law, Intellectual Property Rights (Each unit contains 10 topics) Duration (no break between paper I and II) 1 hour 2 hours Marking pattern 2 marks for each correct answer (no negative marking) Language English and Hindi Mode of examination Online mode- Computer-based test (CBT) Usual Examination timings First Shift: 09.00 AM to 12.00 PM Second Shift: 03.00 PM to 06.00 PM Minimum marks needed to clear the exam General: 40% aggregate marks in both the papers taken together Other Backward Class-Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL)/Persons with Disability (PwD)/Scheduled Caste (SC)/Scheduled Tribe (ST): 35% aggregate marks in both the papers taken together Validity of the exam score Once you clear NET and JRF, you have 2 years of validity of the score for applying to colleges for research fellowship. The score has lifelong validity if you want to apply as an assistant professor. Types of questions asked Questions in the exam are usually asked in the following forms: Article/Section numbers Questions based on illustrations Situation based questions Definitions Judgments List of important documents Apart from basic information like email ID, personal phone number for registration, and permanent address with PIN code, candidates should also keep the other necessary documents and details to make the application procedure convenient, such as: Certificate from the University/board Identity proof issued by the government such as Aadhar Card, Ration Card, Voter Id, PAN Id Masters Degree Certificate (If your master’s degree result is not declared at the time of applying for the exam, it can be mentioned in the form itself.) Category/EWS/PWD Certificate (If Applicable) Scanned Photograph and Signature Exam information brochure for Code of UGC NET exam (For law, the code is 58) Code of post-graduation course (available in information brochure) Procedure to apply for the exam The application form can be filled only through online mode, as per the following procedure: Visit the NTA Official Website and click on the “Registration of Online Application Form for UGC-NET ” Login via application number and password or register your email id if not already registered. Fill out the application form (personal details, contact details, address, etc.). Note that the details must be appropriately filled otherwise the application form may get rejected. Upload scanned photographs & signature. It must be noted that: Both the files must be in JPG/JPEG format only. The size of the photograph must range from 10 KB to 200 KB and it must have the candidate's name and the date of the day when the picture was clicked. The size of the signature must range from 4 KB to 30 KB and it should be in running handwriting on white paper with a black pen. Pay the Examination Fee: The fee payment procedure under the UGC NET application is completely online. One can pay through Debit or Credit Card or through Net Banking or Paytm. If the confirmation page is not generated after the payment, it means that the transaction has been cancelled. In such cases, the amount will be refunded to the candidate’s account. However, the candidate will have to make another transaction for the UGC NET online payment. Print Confirmation Page: Once your form is successfully submitted, you can download the application form and take the printout for future reference. It is important to keep the print/softcopy of the online submitted UGC NET application as it is required at the time of downloading the UGC NET Admit Card. List of important books for Paper II UGC NET/SLET Law by Pankaj Jaiswal CBSE UGC NET Law by R Gupta (Contains all previous year questions) Trueman’s UGC NET Law by Suman Chauhan PSA Pillai for IPC Avtar Singh and R.K. Bangia for Law of Contracts R.K. Bangia’s Law of Torts IP Massey on Administrative Law Constitutional Law of India by Narendra Kumar For Company Law, MCA website can be referred as it provides all the latest amendments K. Jain for Public International Law or commentaries upon international law by Phillimore Paras Diwan’s Family Law (for Hindu Law) and Syed Khalid Rashid’s Muslim Law For other laws like Refugee Law, Human Rights, Arbitration, Labour, IBC, Tax, IPR, Environment, etc. bare acts can be referred and a simple google search can be conducted for latest judgments and notes. Study tips to crack the exam Examine the syllabus of UGC NET (Law) properly and mark separately all the topics/subjects which you know well and which need practice. Start your preparation by studying the subjects you know well. Prepare a systematic timetable. Make your own short notes so that you can revise them at the last minute. Solve previous years’ papers to learn the exact paper pattern, types of questions asked, and difficulty level, and identify the areas where you need improvement. One can also solve judicial service exam question papers. Practice the papers rigorously! Revise on a daily basis. Focus on the most important subjects first like Constitution, Jurisprudence, IPC, and international law. Allot most of your revision time to the subjects, which contain more weightage. Time management is very important for clearing the exam. Practice mock tests and review them properly to increase your speed and accuracy. Have a balanced approach regarding preparation for Paper I and II. Make a list of landmark and important case laws along with the judgment year and final decision. Devote at least 5-7 hours/day for preparation. Focus on bare acts. Then, refer to books. Prepare minimum 6 law subjects thoroughly for Paper II. Read the newspaper daily. Start learning from practicing i.e. start by solving MCQs. Start preparing 3 to 6 months before the exam. In case of any doubts or difficulties, seek help from teachers or seniors. Have faith and don’t lose your confidence. All the best!

Priyanka

May 31, 2022

Study tips for cracking CLAT UG/PG exam

What is CLAT UG? Law is now considered a suitable career option by many students. Students wishing to study law are now looking for interesting opportunities in the legal world after their high secondary education is complete. There are many universities and colleges that offer law degrees. Thanks to integrated courses, students now can start studying law without needing a graduation degree as eligibility. This makes legal education more accessible for students. This boom in demand for legal education has led to top-quality law colleges across the country where students can secure admission. This can be done through entrance exams. Many universities have their own entrance exams or admission pattern, however, if one wants to secure a seat in the National Law Universities, they have to appear for the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT). The Common Law Admission Test or CLAT is a National Level Entrance Exam. It forms the admission criteria for students who wish to pursue their legal education in the 22 National Law Universities situated across India. The CLAT UG exam allows students to pursue an undergraduate degree in these national law universities. This exam The CLAT UG exam was earlier initiated in 2008 to lay down a uniform system of admission for people who wish to pursue legal studies right after their secondary education. There are many integrated degrees available at the national law universities such as BA LLB, BBA LLB, BSc LLB, BSW LLB, etc. This also allows the students to choose their major according to their liking. It also implies that students from varied backgrounds can pursue legal studies through CLAT. The main body that conducts the CLAT examination is the Consortium of NLUs. The Consortium of NLUs is a body that was formed in 2019 that comprises all the vice-chancellors of the various NLUs situated in India. The consortium takes up the responsibility for the dates, methods, and other important aspects of the examination. So far, the CLAT examination has seen several changes when it comes to the paper pattern and the eligibility, however, as of today the necessary criteria and paper pattern of the CLAT UG examination is given below: Eligibility There will be no upper age limit for UG Programme in CLAT 2022. As regards the minimum percentage of marks in the qualifying examination (i.e., 10+2 or an equivalent examination), the candidates must have secured: Forty-five percent (45%) marks or its equivalent grade in case of candidates belonging to General / OBC / PWD / NRI / PIO / OCI categories Forty Percent (40%) marks or equivalent in case of candidates belonging to SC/ST categories. Candidates who are appearing in the qualifying examination in March/April 2022 are also eligible to appear in CLAT 2022 examination. However, they shall be required to produce evidence of their passing the qualifying examination at the time of admission, failing which they shall lose their right to be considered for admission. The result of the qualifying examination (i.e., 10+2) shall be submitted by the candidate at the time of admission failing which the candidate shall be ineligible for admission to the Course. In case of equal marks, the break of tie shall be by the following procedure and order: Higher marks in the component/section on legal aptitude in the CLAT 2022 exam; Higher age; Computerised draw of lots Please refer to the Eligibility Criteria for CLAT Examination Style The CLAT UG examination has a standard syllabus and pattern that has not seen much change since the examination was earlier started. The examination paper is curated to test the aptitude, reasoning skills and other basic knowledge that is required to pursue legal studies. The paper style is in a Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) format consisting of 150 questions carrying the weightage of 1 mark each. There is also a negative marking of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer. The exam will be taken within the span of 2 hours. As per the examination style, the paper will be divided into 5 main subjects namely, – English Language Current Affairs, including General Knowledge Legal Reasoning Logical Reasoning Quantitative Techniques With clarity regarding the examination and the examination style, let us now discuss the method of preparing for the CLAT examination. Study tips to crack the CLAT UG Exam As the CLAT exam is highly competitive, there can be instances where candidates find it difficult to cope up with the syllabus. A pattern is also observed that the number of applicants appearing for CLAT is increasing. With limited seats, it is necessary for the candidates to prepare smartly to secure a seat in the prestigious law colleges located in India. Joining a Coaching Institute A coaching institute that specialises in teaching the CLAT syllabus is a meaningful start. There are many institutes that have an expert faculty that is familiar with the paper pattern and the syllabus. This will be a suitable and competitive environment as well as much-needed exposure for a student who wishes to appear for the CLAT exam. Staying Updated with Current Affairs and General Knowledge This is a tricky section in the CLAT examination as it does not limit the scope of general knowledge and current affairs. There is a vast ocean of information that may or may not appear in the exam. This is why the candidate needs to be familiar with the most recent facts and current topics that took place in the last year leading up to the examination. This is necessary as current affairs and general knowledge hold 25% of the weightage in the examination. Practising Reading English Comprehension The English section has a 20% weightage in the examination. Strong command over grammar and the English language can be fruitful. This can be done by improving your comprehension skills through practice. One can practise by reading the newspaper and magazines that discuss current affairs, this can help build your vocabulary and also update you on current affairs. Practising Mock Tests Mock tests are extremely important for a candidate appearing for CLAT. No amount of preparation will be useful if the candidate finds it difficult to appear for the examination. A mock test helps the candidate strategise and helps in time management. This makes the candidate prioritise certain sections that will help score more marks. Refer to Preparatory Material by CLAT Consortium The Consortium of NLUs also publishes important practice material for the examination. It includes guides to the question paper and sample questions; model question papers; and instructional materials and exercises for each of the subjects that the UG-CLAT 2022 comprises. Preparing for CLAT PG The CLAT PG examination is for those candidates who have completed their UG in legal studies and wish to pursue higher education in their legal studies. This exam can be only appeared by students who have finished a 5-year integrated or 3-year LLB degree from any recognised law college. The CLAT PG exam is not only useful for securing admissions in the 22 recognised NLUs, but also for securing jobs in public sectors that recognise CLAT PG marks. The paper is divided into these relevant sections: Constitutional Law Jurisprudence Contract Law Family Law Criminal Law Environmental Law International Law Companies Act Candidates should have a clear and basic understanding of these subjects. The examination pattern includes 120 objective-type questions that carry 1 mark each. It also has negative markings. The following table may bring some clarity to the question pattern. Topic No. of Questions asked in 2020 No. of Questions asked in 2021 Constitutional Law 50 36 Jurisprudence 20 6 Administrative Law 10 0 Family Law 10 12 Law of Contracts 0 18 International Law 10 18 Criminal Law 10 24 Labour Law 10 0 Environmental Law 0 18 Understanding the Syllabus The candidate should dissect and understand the various subjects that are included in the CLAT PG syllabus according to weightage. This allows the candidate to make a decision on which subject to prioritise on the basis of weightage. As of now, Constitutional law has the maximum weightage. Referring Past Papers The CLAT PG exam was recently introduced, prior to this the examination conducted was CLAT LLM. The candidates should however be thorough with the questions asked in the previous exams to gain more clarity on the kind of questions that can be expected from the examination. Current Affairs The candidate should be aware of all the legal developments. It is necessary to be aware of judgements and court cases that involve the question of constitutional law. This is necessary knowledge as questions related to such cases can appear in the examination. Mock Tests Mock tests are extremely important as they help strategise. The candidate learns time management and can prioritise different sections according to weightage. This gives a realistic approach to preparing for the examination. Be Clear with the Basics The candidate should be well versed in the basics of the law. There are many important topics that are included in the paper pattern. Being aware of the basics of each subject will be fruitful when it comes to answering questions related to such topics. Books for CLAT UG: For English: Objective General English 2022 by RS Aggarwal, Objective General English by N. Khurmi and George For Legal Reasoning: Legal Aptitude and Legal Reasoning by AP Bhardwaj For Logical Reasoning: Logical Reasoning by Jain Prateek General knowledge and Current Affairs: Legal General Knowledge by RK Gupta, Manorama Year Book, Current Affairs Yearly by Arihant Publications Books for CLAT PG The CLAT syllabus is vast and covers varied subjects. For this, we have narrowed it down to a few books that cover multiple subjects specially prepared for CLAT PG preparation: Singhal's S. S. Hand Books for LLM Entrance Exam Ashok Jain Guide for LLM Entrance Exam Constitutional Law: Dr. Ashok Jain Constitution of India Part I & II, JN Pandey Constitutional Law Jurisprudence: Dr. Ashok K Jain, Jurisprudence Contract Law: RK Bangja, Contract Law Tort Law: RK Bangia, Law of Torts Administrative Law: P Massey Family Law and Property: Poonam Pradhan For IPC: Ratanlal and Dhirajlals Indian Penal Code Environmental Law: P Leelakrishnan, Environmental Law International Law: Dr Ashok K Jain, Public International Law Companies Act: Dr Ashok Jain, Company Law The CLAT UG and PG examinations are set to take place on 19th June 2022. It will be taken offline mode. We hope you keep those tips in mind and wish all candidates the hearty best of luck! Even if you couldn’t crack the exam, don’t take stress as there are many more options to consider. Please refer to What if you don’t qualify for CLAT? CLAT PG Papers: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qx2W-G5ozt_RlmDNfJtEXPPCWEa_MZ0b?usp=sharing CLAT UG Papers: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tMutyQog32QpOui24z2eT1S_eQNCMikQ?usp=sharing

Gaurav

May 24, 2022

Building a Career in Corporate Law and Making it a Success - An Interview with Harsh Khemka

Working as a corporate lawyer can be a very rewarding and lucrative career path. Despite the continued challenge posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, last year has seen significant activity in the corporate sector, specifically in private M&A deals. With the easing of listing norms and a record number of entities choosing to go public in 2021, the year witnessed the listing of major Indian start-ups, with Zomato leading the trend, followed by the likes of Nykaa, PayTM, and Policybazaar. Today, corporate lawyers are in great demand and are employed in several organisations including law firms and companies. We interviewed Harsh Khemka, Principal Associate at Khaitan & Co., Mumbai, who took us through his rollercoaster journey from first becoming interested in corporate law to committing his career to Insurance M&A. After doing multiple internships during his law school, Harsh started his career with Luthra and Luthra law offices, Mumbai, and within 6 years of his professional career, has become a Principal Associate at Khaitan & Co., one of India’s top law firms. Please tell us a bit about yourself. What inspired you to pursue law? How would you describe your law school experience? I grew up in Bangalore and come from a business-oriented family. That said, my late paternal grandfather practised commercial tax and wished for someone in the family to become a lawyer. This is one of my first recollections of wanting to become a lawyer. From there, popular culture took over and by the time I reached class 10 in school, movies and TV shows had convinced me that I was best suited to be a lawyer. At the time, I don’t remember wanting to pursue law to achieve some higher purpose - it was just something I felt I would enjoy doing and might be good at. I went to NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad. They were some of the best years of my life. As is usually the case, it was the first time I experienced living away from home. I realised early on that I enjoy the independence it brings. Apart from gaining a degree and a job, I learned some of my most important life lessons in law school. I gained a lot of perspective by interacting with not just my professors but also my friends and peers, who came from all across India and overseas. I can say that law school opened my eyes to the world and prepared me for everything that lay ahead. How did you begin your career post-undergrad law studies? I had received a pre-placement offer from the Mumbai office of what was back then Luthra & Luthra Law Offices. After multiple internships, I had decided by my third year of law school that I wanted to pursue corporate law. So, I was very happy with the job offer and while I knew I was going to miss Bangalore, I felt working in Mumbai would be a good experience for me. My team in Luthra worked on all kinds of matters – corporate, M&A, debt as well as funds. This helped me get a good grounding in various practice areas. After two years in Luthra, I moved to the Mumbai office of Khaitan & Co to focus on M&A and private equity practice as I wanted my career to grow in that space. How did you come to specialise in ‘Insurance M&A’? I was staffed on a private equity transaction on my very first day in Khaitan and while I didn’t have prior experience in this field, I took the challenge head-on. As a newcomer and outsider to a large but very well-knit team, I was keen on impressing my team members. With the help of some really helpful seniors, I was able to catch up to the very steep learning curve. In my quest to expand my learning and out of my sheer interest, I volunteered for varied kinds of transactions - one such transaction was a large M&A deal involving two insurance companies. The insurance sector in India is heavily regulated and this transaction was very challenging for me – not only did I have to acquaint myself with the multitude of laws applicable to the insurance sector, but we also had very challenging timelines. This often meant sleepless nights and working weekends. At the end of the transaction, the partner on the deal asked me if I would like to focus more on insurance matters. I had just finished the third year of my professional career and initially felt it was a little early to commit to any one practice area. After some deliberation, I decided to give it a try, as the sector genuinely interested me. The insurance regime in India had just been liberalised a short while before that and there was growing interest in the area. However, at the time, there were very few people at Khaitan and across firms who were specialising in insurance M&A. I ended up being at the right place at the right time and with the support of my partner, a lot of opportunities presented themselves. Over the course of a couple of years, I gained a lot of exposure in the sector through deals, advisories, meeting industry folk, and diligently updating myself about the industry and sector. Currently, you’re working as a Principal Associate at Khaitan & Co.; what does an average day at one of India’s biggest law firms look like? That’s the most frustrating as well as the most exciting thing about a law firm - every day is different. While this means that planning ahead becomes a challenge at times, it also means that there is never a dull moment. Borrowing from Newton’s theory of relativity – 12 hours spent drafting a document peacefully (I always listen to some music while doing this) by yourself can seem very different from 12 hours spent on multiple matters jumping from call to call, deliverable to deliverable, and trying to douse the largest fire first. No day is complete without interaction with teammates – both virtual and while in the office. From exchanging weekend plans, failed diet routines, and movie suggestions to also helping brainstorm transaction structures, vexed legal questions, and complaining (don’t know if I am allowed to use the B-word) about clients – your teammates are with you through thick and thin. My team at Khaitan especially engages in a lot of pranks and banter, especially on the office floor. This helps bring a light touch to what can often be a serious and stressful job. How is the work culture in Mumbai different from that in other cities in India? What should one know about working in the corporate law sector in Mumbai? My only internship in Mumbai was enough to convince me that I would like to work in the city. There is something about the city that just makes everyone hustle – maybe it’s the high rents, long travel times, or the large crowds. It seems like everyone is always in a mad rush and running against time. This vibe prevails in the law firms here as well. While the other two corporate hubs, Delhi and Bangalore, have equally talented and professional lawyers, I have felt the culture in Mumbai is to push yourself just a little harder. This may also be driven by the local clients, who may be more demanding than their counterparts in other cities. But the city has a charm about it which makes you fall in love with it. The song “Bombay meri jaan . . . ” beautifully epitomises this feeling. That said, Mumbai definitely isn’t everyone’s cup of tea – but I would recommend that young corporate lawyers experience the taste for themselves before deciding. In 2021, India witnessed an all-time high in the number of mergers and acquisitions. What are your views on these developments in the country? It was a great time to be a corporate lawyer in 2021. After the slowdown caused by the pandemic, the market rebounded very strongly. Teams were busy throughout the year with people having to refuse work because of bandwidth constraints. All our overseas clients were interested in the Indian market. Indian start-ups and founders had never earlier had access to this kind of capital. Valuations went soaring and we saw some of the most successful IPOs the country has ever seen. While the market has corrected itself a little in 2022 and we have seen IPOs being delayed, Indian companies and entrepreneurs have made their mark. This will definitely inspire greater innovation and lead to more start-ups coming up in the future. Government policies and regulations on industry and ease of doing business will have to keep up. What are things that one ought to know about a career in corporate law? (For example: are the hours long and workload high? Is there too much competition?) Law is a jealous mistress – I have come to realise this right from my law school days. It requires us to constantly read and keep updating ourselves -- most of the statutes we study in law school are significantly modified or replaced by the time we start working (long live the Contract Act 1872). Further, corporate lawyers are professionals and part of the services industry and hence there will always be client pressure. Yes, it entails long hours and constant pressure but is equally rewarding in terms of career growth. Some of this pressure comes from the competition – if we don’t deliver the work product within the requested (read demanded) timeline, then the client will go to someone else next time. So yes, everyone is out there to impress and woo the biggest clients and work on the largest deals. But there is also a satisfaction that one gets to see the transaction they worked on getting reported in the news. But the pie is ever-growing and new entrants in the industry will be able to get a piece of the action and establish themselves. The increase in funding and M&A activities in India will definitely lead to more job creation and opportunities. So the future of corporate law professionals should be bright! How would you suggest one go about a career in Corporate Law? What avenues are open to corporate law aspirants in India? Law school these days has started offering a lot of electives and courses on various corporate law subjects. Also, students, these days have access to a lot of online courses, study material, and websites that can help them prepare for a career in corporate law. Taking up some of these courses may help impress during internships and land one a job. But there is nothing that you learn in law school that you can't learn on the job. As long as the fundamentals are strong (basic contract and companies act), any student should be able to manage to crack an interview. Other aspects law students can work on are developing their communication skills and the habit of reading. I have always maintained that corporate law is no rocket science – hard work, sincerity, diligence and regularly updating oneself will see you climb the corporate ladder. Even if one doesn’t land their dream job out of college, there is always a chance in the future to move firms – it's fairly common and there will be a lot of opportunities. In fact, corporate lawyers are increasingly receiving opportunities for in-house roles – this will only increase as we see more companies come up and the corporate compliance culture increase. VC and PE funds are also known to hire a lot of lawyers and some of these roles often also involve some business elements. All in all, experience in a corporate law firm is very helpful for anyone looking to work on the corporate side.

Gaurav

May 05, 2022

How to join Civil Services - FAQs for Law Graduates

What is meant by Civil Services in India? Civil Services are jobs that are directly related to public service and are widely regarded as prestigious jobs in India. What are all Indian Civil Services? The all-India Services include 3 Civil Services. They are the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Police Service (IPS), and the Indian Forest Service (IFS). Which is the highest post in Civil Services? The highest-ranking post in the Indian Civil Service is the Cabinet Secretary. Cabinet Secretary is the chief executive officer and most senior civil officer of the Government of India. What exam should I prepare to enter the Civil Services after completing graduation in law? To join the Indian Civil Services after finishing graduation in law, an individual must appear for the UPSC Civil Services Exam. What are Civil Services Examinations? The Civil Services Examination (CSE) is a national-level competitive examination in India conducted for recruitment to higher Civil Services of the Government of India, including the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, and Indian Police Service. It is also known as the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) and UPSC Examinations. How can I apply for Civil Service? The candidates who are interested in Civil Service are required to apply online using the website: http://www.upsconline.nic.in. The information for filling up online applications is available on the above-mentioned website. What are the documents required for filling the online application form of UPSC Civil Services? The important documents needed for filling the online application of UPSC Civil Services are: A scanned photograph of yourself A scanned signature of yourself Any Government-issued photo identity cards like: PAN Card, Aadhaar Card, Voter ID Card, Passports, etc. Who conducts the Civil Services examination in India? The UPSC conducts the Civil Services Examination (CSE) to shortlist the right candidates for more than 20 services, such as IAS, IPS, and IFS. How much is the Civil Service exam fee? In the case of the General and OBC Category (Male), the application fee for UPSC Preliminary Exam is Rs.100 and Mains Exam is Rs. 200. All female candidates and candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes/Persons with Benchmark Disability are not required to pay any fee. What is the full form of UPSC? The full form of UPSC is the Union Public Service Commission. Who is eligible for the Civil Services examination in India? The candidate who is a citizen of India, Nepal, or a subject of Bhutan is eligible for the Civil Services Examination. What is the age limit for Civil Services? To appear in the Civil Services exam, an individual must have reached the age of 21 years and must not have crossed the age of 32 years. What educational qualification is required for appearing in UPSC Civil Services Examination? To appear in the UPSC Civil Services, an individual: must have passed a Bachelor's Degree in any field from a recognized university or the Central Government of India. those who are pursuing their final year or appearing for the final semester are also eligible to apply and appear for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. What type of question comes in the Civil Services exam? The UPSC Civil Services Exam is conducted in two stages namely, Preliminary and Mains, which are then followed by a Personal Interview. The Preliminary Examination shall comprise two mandatory papers of 200 marks each. Both the question papers will be of the objective type and each will be of two hours duration. The UPSC Civil Services Examination will consist of 9 papers of essay type out of which two papers will be of qualifying in nature. What is the language/medium of UPSC Civil Services question papers? The question papers (other than the literature of language papers) are set in English and Hindi. What are the advantages of pursuing Civil Services for law graduates? Law graduates have a definite advantage in Civil Services because both domains involve developing and formulating rules and regulations or important decisions for the common good of the public. Also, the law is the most vital part of public policy. Can a law graduate apply for Civil Services? Yes, the students who have a law degree can apply for the UPSC Civil Services Examination to become an officer. Is law a good option for Civil Service? Law is one of the optional subjects that the UPSC offers its candidates in the Civil Services exam. Sometimes it is seen as an unwanted option but this is far from true. Many candidates take up this option and it also has a very high success rate. How much money does an individual earn after joining Civil Services in India? As per the 7th Pay Commission, the total salary of a UPSC Civil Services comprises Basic Pay + DA (Dearness Allowances) + TA (Transport Allowances) + HRA (House Rent Allowance). So, the basic per month salary of a Civil Servant starts at Rs. 56,100 and can go on to reach Rs. 2,50,000 for a Cabinet Secretary. What is the career scope in Civil Services for law graduates? After joining the Civil Services, a law graduates can consider popular job profiles such as Indian Administrative Service or IAS, Indian Foreign Service or IFS, Indian Police Service or IPS, Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Indian Corporate Law Service, Indian Defence Estates Service, Indian Civil Accounts Service, etc. How many attempts can an aspirant take at UPSC Civil Services Examination? As per the UPSC official notification, General category candidates can have a maximum of 6 attempts up to 32 years of age while OBC category candidates and Persons with Benchmark Disability can give the UPSC examination 9 times till the age of 35. The SC/ST category candidates can appear an unlimited number of times till 37 years of age. How many vacancies are there in UPSC Civil Services 2022? As per the official UPSC 2022 notification, there are a total of 1011 vacancies found.

Gaurav

Apr 11, 2022

How to practise as a lawyer in the UK - FAQs

The four countries,i.e, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland together form the UK, which makes it cover a large base for lawyers to practise law abroad. The legal profession in England and Wales is divided into two: Solicitors and Barristers, each qualified under a different training system. Traditionally solicitors dealt mainly with non-contentious work and barristers act primarily as advocates in court. However, in recent years the line between the two has blurred, as solicitors have gained rights to appear in higher courts while barristers can take instructions directly from the public. Let us briefly look at the benefits and procedure of practising law in the UK for an Indian lawyer. Who is a Solicitor? A Solicitor is a lawyer who has been admitted as a solicitor by the SRA represented by the Law Society and whose name appears on the roll of solicitors. The general practice is for solicitors to provide advice outside the court and to hire independent barristers to represent clients on their behalf in the court. Traditionally solicitors would only represent clients in Magistrates’ Court but at present solicitors can qualify to obtain a “Higher Rights of Audience” training course, which will allow them, like barristers, to represent clients in Crown Court and appeals court. These solicitors are known as HCAs (Higher Court Advocates)[1]. Who is a Barrister? A Barrister is regulated by the Bar Standards Board and represented by Bar Council, often specialising in court room representation, drafting pleadings and expert legal opinions. Barristers often receive their work from the solicitors but presently barristers are authorised to accept work directly from the public too (also known as Public Access or Direct Access). Although there are some restrictions in these situations such as in case of clients funded by legal aid; legally aided client must approach a solicitor initially and the solicitor can then brief a barrister on behalf of the client at a later stage.[2] How to become a solicitor in the UK? Under the new SRA rules from September 2021, law graduates qualifying as a solicitor must: Study for a three-year law degree Qualify in SQE1 and SQE2 exams (you'll only be allowed three attempts at the assessments and these must be taken within six years) Complete a two-year period of qualifying legal work experience: you can do it before, during, or after taking your SQE assessments Satisfy SRA’s suitability and character requirements Qualify as a solicitor What is SQE? The Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) is a new route to qualifying as a solicitor of England and Wales, introduced by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in 2021. What is the pattern of SQE? Under the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the SQE assessments are divided into two parts: SQE1 and SQE2. SQE1 is assessed by ‘single best answer’ multiple-choice questions, whereas SQE2 involves a combination of written and oral-based tasks. Candidates must pass SQE1 in its entirety before they can take SQE2. What does the SQE1 paper consist of? The SQE1 focuses on ‘Functioning Legal Knowledge’ (FLK). The assessment is divided into two blocks, each of which must be passed. FLK1: Business Law and Practice; Dispute Resolution; Contract; Tort; Legal System of England and Wales; Constitutional and Administrative Law and EU Law; and Legal Services. FLK2: Property Practice; Wills and the Administration of Estates; Solicitors Accounts; Land Law; Trusts; Criminal Law and Practice. What does SQE2 paper consist of? The SQE2 focuses on practical legal skills and knowledge. It assesses six skills: Client interview and attendance note/legal analysis Advocacy Case and matter analysis Legal research Legal writing Legal drafting Is the SQE relevant to becoming a Barrister? No, to become a barrister you must first complete the academic stage of training, and then be required to complete the vocational stage of training for the Bar, following with pupilage. How to become a barrister in the UK? In order to qualify as a barrister, a law graduate must undertake three components of training: Academic - minimum 2:2 undergraduate degree - If you have taken your law degree more than five years ago, you'll need to complete a law conversion course, which is commonly called the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL). Joining an inn - You must be a member of an Inn before you start the vocational component of training for the Bar. Vocational - qualify for the Bar Course Aptitude Test From September 2020, a number of new Bar courses have been introduced which may vary but they will all satisfy the vocational component: Bar/Barrister Training Course (BTC) Bar Practice Course (BPC) Bar Vocational Course (BVC) Bar Vocational Studies (BVS) Pupilage or Work-based learning - You should apply for a pupillage before starting a Bar course via the Pupillage Gateway, operated by The Bar Council. Applicants may apply to up to 20 chambers or Authorised Training Organisations (ATO). What are Inns of Court or “Inns”? The Inns of Court or “Inns” are professional membership associations for barristers in England and Wales. The Inns are mostly non-academic societies that provide collegiate and educational activities and support for barristers and students. They all provide the use of a library, lunching and dining facilities, common rooms, and gardens. How many types of Inns are there? There are four Inns, all based in London: Lincoln’s Inn Gray’s Inn Inner Temple Middle Temple When should a law graduate apply for membership in Inn? A law graduate must be a member of an Inn before starting the vocational component of training for the Bar. The deadline for applying is at least 12 weeks prior to the start of the vocational component of training. What type of Inn should be chosen? It is up to the candidate which Inn he/she wants to choose to join, though a candidate can only join one Inn. The choice of Inn does not affect the area of law in which you practise or the choice of pupillage or tenancy. What is pupilage? The work-based learning component of qualification is a recognized period of training commonly known as "pupillage". It consists of gaining practical training under the supervision of an experienced barrister. Work-based learning (pupillage) is divided into two parts: a non-practising period, usually of six months, and a practising period, usually of six months. Who authorizes pupillage? The pupillage registration process is managed by the Authorisations Team who also records the completion of both non-practising and practising periods of pupillage and issues Provisional Practising Certificates. What is the role of supervising barrister during pupillage training? After completing the pupillage time period, the supervised barrister must confirm to the Authorisation Team that the candidate has successfully completed the training. What is a Practising Certificate? Upon completion of pupillage, the Authorisation Team issues a Practising Certificate. It is essential because to be able to practise as a registered barrister in England and Wales unless you hold a valid Practising Certificate. Who is a transferring lawyer? If you are a qualified solicitor, a qualified lawyer from another jurisdiction, or a legal academic and you wish to practise as a barrister in England and Wales, you need to transfer to the Bar. Depending on your qualifications and experience, you may be exempt from some or all of the requirements for training for the Bar. Some of these exemptions may be granted subject to passing academic and/or vocational component assessments as a Bar Transfer Test (BTT) candidate. Is pupillage training needed for transferring lawyers? If you have been given an exemption from some of the requirements, you may still be required to complete a period of pupillage or work-based learning before you are granted authorisation to practise as a barrister. How much does a lawyer make in the UK? The average annual salary of a lawyer in the UK is approximately 70,321 pounds[3]. Can Indian lawyers become barristers in the UK? Yes, Indian lawyers after completing the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) can become barristers in the UK, or if some exemptions are granted then they can also opt for Bar Transfer Test (BTT) directly. Relevant work experience (pupilage) is also essential. Any legal experience is useful, but a mini-pupillage - a short period of work experience and shadowing, usually one week, within a set of chambers - is regarded highly by recruiters. What are other pupillage relevant work experiences? Other relevant work experience includes: marshalling - sitting with a judge, for up to a week pro-bono work - voluntary work with Citizens Advice or the Free Representation Unit paid law work experience - as a paralegal working for a solicitor, taking notes in court. Do solicitors go to court? Solicitors represent clients in disputes and represent them in court if necessary, but if the case is more complex they generally instruct barristers to represent the client on their behalf in court. Solicitors can qualify to obtain a “Higher Rights of Audience” training course, which will allow them, like barristers, to represent clients in Crown Court and appeals court. These solicitors are known as HCAs (Higher Court Advocates). Do solicitors earn a lot of money? The average annual salary of a solicitor in the UK is 39,375 - 100,000 pounds.[4] What is a barrister's salary? The average annual salary of a barrister in the UK is 25,000 - 100,000 pounds.[5] How can an Indian lawyer practise in the UK as a solicitor? An Indian lawyer who wants to practise in the UK as a solicitor has to go through the Solicitors Qualifying Examination, according to the new rules of 2021. Is work experience needed to appear for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination? Yes, 2 years of legal work experience are needed to appear for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination. However, qualified lawyers will be exempted on the basis of their prior qualifications or experience. Which are the top UK-based law firms headquartered in London? Allen & Overy Clifford Chance Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Linklaters Slaughter and May Which are the top commercial barristers’ chambers in London? Blackstone Chambers Brick Court Chambers Essex Court Chambers Fountain Court Chambers Which are the top National Law Firms having branches in several places in the UK? Addleshaw Goddard Clyde & Co. DLA Piper Pinsent Masons Womble Bond Dickinson [1] https://www.law.ac.uk/study/legal-training/hra/ [2] https://www.defence-barrister.co.uk/barristers-and-solicitors [3]https://www.glassdoor.co.in/Salaries/london-lawyer-salary-SRCH_IL.0,6_IM1035_KO7,13.htm?countryRedirect=true [4]https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-sectors/law-sector/how-much-do-lawyers-earn [5] https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/barrister

Gaurav

Apr 05, 2022

How to qualify as a Solicitor in the UK: SQE for Indian lawyers

SQE replaced QLTS in September 2021 and it is now the new route to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales. With a few differences, the two exams are largely the same. The SQE is split into two assessments - SQE1 and SQE2: SQE1 tests functioning legal knowledge (FLK). The exam has two parts, which take place over two non-consecutive days. Both parts (FLK1 and FLK2) are single best answer multiple-choice tests of 180 questions. SQE2 assesses practical legal skills. It also has two parts – four oral legal skills assessments over two consecutive half days, and 12 written legal skills assessments over three consecutive half days. The oral assessments cover interview and attendance note/legal analysis, and advocacy. The written assessments cover case and matter analysis; legal research; legal writing; and legal drafting. Who can apply? SQE is the assessment for all aspiring solicitors in England and Wales, including foreign qualified lawyers. According to SRA’s website, all qualified lawyers will need to do the following to become a solicitor of England and Wales: have a degree in any subject (or equivalent qualification or work experience); pass the SQE1 and SQE2 assessments, unless you wish to apply for an exemption; have two years' qualifying work experience; and meet the SRA’s character and suitability requirements. Things to consider before applying Before applying you must first clearly understand the effort, time and money it takes – only then you could make an informed decision. Make sure you do your own analysis by reading about SQE and what it takes to pass the exams. Start with the SRA’s website, which provides most of the information you will need to get an overview of SQE, including costs and fees, registration and booking, assessment information, and sample questions. How much does the SQE cost? The total cost of the SQE assessments is £3,980, which breaks down as: SQE1 – £1,558 SQE2 – £2,422 Preparation courses This differs largely depending on the course provider you choose. As an average estimate, expect to spend around £5,000 for both exams. SQE2 traveling expenses SQE2 assessments take place in the UK. So, unless you are already based in the UK, you will need to add traveling expenses. For more information, click here.

Gaurav

Apr 05, 2022

Pursuing an LLM / Post Grad in Law in the UK - FAQs

Are you considering doing an LLM/ post-grad in law in the UK? Don’t know where to begin your research? Below are a few FAQs that can help you get started. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be covering a few of these questions (such as work permits in the UK, etc) in detail. Also if you want to know the entire procedure on how to apply for an LLM program in the UK, please click here. What are the eligibility criteria for LLM in the UK? Students must hold a bachelor's degree in law, like BA LLB, BBA LLB, LLB, etc. Good scores in English language proficiency exams like IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, etc. The passing scores for these tests vary in different institutions. Some universities require the student to qualify LSAT exam, whereas some universities require work experience. Although this criterion is not mandatory. Letter of Recommendation (LOR), Statement of Purpose (SOP), updated CV, are essential requirements for admission. Which top universities offer LLM in the United Kingdom (UK)? University of Oxford University College London University of Cambridge London School of Economics University of Glasgow King’s College London University of Durham Queen Mary, University of London University of Cumbria Which are the other universities that offer LLM in the UK? University of South Wales Keele University Coventry University University of Leeds The University of London Is LLM in the UK worth it? There are 75 universities offering LLM programs in the UK, with several interesting courses[1]. The four countries (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) together form the UK, which makes it cover a larger base, and students can practice law abroad. An LLM in the UK could expose you to a practical method of teaching and give you an opportunity to network with people outside your country, in the field of law. An endless list of specialised courses such as Gender studies, International Law, Human Rights Law, European Law, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Business Law, Cybersecurity Law, etc. How much does LLM cost in the UK? The tuition fees for the LLM program in the UK can be from 19,500 pounds to 44,000 pounds. Convert that into INR, the cost of LLM in the UK for Indian students can be around INR 43 lakh a year. Below is the list of LLM fees of top universities in the UK[2]: University Full-Time Course Tuition Fees for International Students University of Oxford £36 930/ INR 3681043 University of Cambridge £33,738/ INR 3362478 London School of Economics and Political Science £25,224/ INR 2514233 University College London £28,500/ INR 2840772 King’s College London £28,770/ INR 2860708 The University of Edinburgh £21,900/ INR 2162974 The Queen Mary University of London £24,950/ INR 2481938 University of Durham £20,500/ INR 2043362 University of Glasgow £20750/ INR 2068282 University of Bristol £19,900/ INR 1983557 Which is better for legal studies, Cambridge or Oxford? According to QS World University Ranking 2022[3], the University of Oxford is marginally higher than the University of Cambridge. However this will also depend on the programme you are interested in. Oxford offers: MS in Law and Finance: 10 months course; Rs 38.56 lakhs tuition fees. While it doesn’t offer an LLM per se, it does offer a comparable Magister Juris, or MJur program plus a range of MSc programs. Cambridge offers: Masters of Law: 1 year course; Rs 33.96 lakhs tuition fees Masters in Corporate Law: 9months; Rs 33.96 lakhs tuition fees Is the University of Sheffield good for law? According to Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022[4], the University of Sheffield is ranked 48th in the world and 14th in the UK. Is Cambridge as good as Harvard? Both universities are consistently in the top rankings for best law universities in the world, with respect to education, reputation, and academic experience. Which is prettier, Cambridge or Oxford? While Cambridge has a comparatively smaller and prettier campus with easygoing vibes, Oxford on the other hand has a bigger campus with more urban energy. Is UK LLM valid in India? Yes, the Bar Council of India recognises law degrees (undergraduate/postgraduate) from UK universities where a student can study law and practice later in India. Which subject is best for LLM in the UK? This will depend on your interest. You may also want to consider the fact that London particularly is a finance hub and home to many fintech companies. Below is a list of a few well-known programmes offered by top universities. Top courses for LLM in the UK are: Corporate Law by University of Cambridge Commercial Law by University of Edinburgh Competition Law by University College London Securities Law by University of Oxford International Tax Law by London School of Economics and Political Science Maritime Law by University of Nottingham Do Indian students get jobs in the UK after LLM? Yes, below are some career options for law graduates in the UK: Barrister Solicitor Paralegal Arbitrator Lawyer This topic will be covered in greater detail in a separate article. Which country is the best for LLM for Indian students? This truly depends on what you are seeking from the LLM course, for example, opportunity to work/settle in a different country, opportunity to network with a certain group of professionals, academic proficiency, opportunity to travel and explore different cultures and languages, opportunity to study a particular subject/ group of subjects, duration of the programme, tuition fees and scholarships, cost of the course and stay, etc. How can Indian lawyers practice in the UK? Until September 2021, lawyers from India could practice in the UK after clearing the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS), but now it has been replaced by the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE)[5] for Indian lawyers to practice law in the UK. This topic will be covered in greater detail in a separate article. [1]https://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2021/sep/11/the-best-uk-universities-2022-rankings [2] https://leverageedu.com/blog/llm-in-uk/ [3] https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2022 [4]https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2022/subject-ranking/education#!/page/0/length/25/sort_by/rank/sort_order/asc/cols/stats [5] https://www.sra.org.uk/globalassets/documents/sra/news/sqe-briefing.pdf?version=49123a

Gaurav

Apr 05, 2022

How to apply for an LLM programme in the United Kingdom? - FAQs

After completing your law graduation, do you want to pursue LLM in UK? Clear all your doubt with a thorough research on pursuing LLM/Post Grad in Law in the UK, please click here. What is the eligibility criteria for LLM in the UK? Students must hold a bachelor's degree in law, like BA LLB, BBA LLB, LLB, etc. Good scores in English language proficiency exams like IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, etc. The passing scores for these tests vary in different institutions. Some universities require the student to qualify LSAT exam, whereas some universities require work experience. Although this criterion is not mandatory. Letter of Recommendation (LOR), Statement of Purpose (SOP), updated CV, are essential requirements for admission. What are the required documents for LLM in the UK? Application form College transcripts Letter of Recommendation Statement of Purpose English language proficiency exam certificate CV/Resume Written work What is the cost of living for students in the UK? The cost of living depends upon individual choices, however, below is the estimated amount needed by a student[1]: University Full-Time Course Tuition Fees for International Students University of Oxford £36 930/ INR 3681043 University of Cambridge £33,738/ INR 3362478 London School of Economics and Political Science £25,224/ INR 2514233 University College London £28,500/ INR 2840772 King’s College London £28,770/ INR 2860708 The University of Edinburgh £21,900/ INR 2162974 The Queen Mary University of London £24,950/ INR 2481938 University of Durham £20,500/ INR 2043362 University of Glasgow £20750/ INR 2068282 University of Bristol £19,900/ INR 1983557 Pre-arrival cost for the visa procedure and exam fees: Expense Fees UK Visa Fees INR 38112 (For 2 years) IELTS Approx INR14,000 TOEFL Approx INR 13,540 Application Fees Depends on University What are the scholarships available for LLM students in the UK? University of Oxford - Oxford Finnis Graduate Scholarship in Law. University of Cambridge - Pratibha M Singh Cambridge Scholarship. London School of Economics and Political Science - Marchant Foundation LLM Scholarship. University College London - LLM Opportunity Scholarship. King’s College London - Norman Spink Scholarship. In order to check other scholarships, click here. What is the Application Process for applying to universities for a master's in law in the UK? Visit the university website. Check course curriculum and eligibility criteria. Click on the application form for the respective university. First, you need to create an account using your mobile number or email address. You will receive an email or SMS on your registered contact number with login details and verification. Use the login details provided and enter your personal details ( name, gender, date of birth). Enter your academic qualification and upload the required documents. Select the course and pay the application fee. The application fee is different for every university and can be paid through a debit/credit card or internet banking. Submit your application form, you can also track your application form through your account. Students that have been selected will be required to attend a virtual interview by some universities. What are the documents required for a UK student visa application? Students can apply online for a student visa at the official immigration website of the UK. It is advisable for students to apply for a visa 3 months before their commencement of the course. Documents required are: A valid passport (Should have validity for more than 6 months from the date of application of visa). Proof of financial stability. Details of your travel plans and where you are about to reside. Health checkup report. Keep a blank page on your passport for the visa. How much is the UK visa application fee? Tier-4 student visa - 348 pounds (Rs 28, 650 approx). Short-term student visa (6 months) - 97 pounds (Rs 7,990 approx). Long-term student visa (11 months) - 186 pounds (Rs 15,300 approx). Who is eligible for a UK Post Study Work (PSW) visa? Any international student having a Tier-4 visa and is enrolled in a recognized UK higher education institution from September 2020 is eligible to stay back and look for work in the UK. For how long can students stay in the UK after LLM in order to work? According to the new visa rules[2], international students can stay up to 2 years to work in the UK. These rules are applicable to international students having bachelor’s or master's degrees from a recognized UK university. What to do after the UK Post Study Work visa ends? During the PWS visa, students are allowed to find jobs in their field of study or work in any other area without any restrictions. Once the PSW visa expires, those who are looking to stay longer in the UK need to apply for a skilled work visa or general work visa (Tier 2 visa) sponsored by the employer. However, in order to get a Tier 2 visa, the candidate must earn at least 30,000 pounds per year. It is also to be noted that in order to apply for PWS visa, students does not require any sponsorship. Sponsorship by employer will be applicable for Tier-2 visa holders in order to remain in the UK for a longer term. [1] https://leverageedu.com/blog/llm-in-uk/ [2] https://study-uk.britishcouncil.org/after-your-studies/post-study-work

Gaurav

Mar 28, 2022

Building a Career in Mediation and Making it a Success - An Interview with Jonathan Rodrigues

“Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbours to compromise whenever you can. Point out to them how the nominal winner is often the real loser — in fees, and expenses, and waste of time. As a peace-maker the lawyer has a superior opportunity of being a good man. There will still be business enough.” – Abraham Lincoln. Commercial mediation gained recognition in India in 1996 when the Indian Parliament amended the Civil Procedure Code (CPC) and introduced section 89, which empowered courts to direct settlement of disputes by mediation, amongst other means. In India, courts refer a large number to mediation. Even so, litigation remains the most popular mode of dispute resolution. According to data from the National Judicial Data Grid and the Supreme Court, as of 2021, there were 3.9 crore cases pending in the district and subordinate courts, 58.5 lakh cases in the various high courts, and more than 69,000 cases in the Supreme Court. Given this, will parties become more receptive to mediation as an alternative method of dispute resolution? Can the Government provide greater support for mediation? Our interviewee, Jonathan Rodrigues answers some of our questions here. Jonathan was introduced to law by chance, but his background and interest in psychology led him to pursue a career in Mediation. Jonathan is currently set to begin a new professional chapter in the UK, where he completed his post-graduate studies in Mediation and Conflict Resolution from the University of Strathclyde. Back in India, he led the Online Mediation and Corporate Relations verticals at CAMP Arbitration and Mediation Practice, Bangalore. Importantly, he has been instrumental in setting the context and building a momentum for mediation awareness and education in India, through his New Delhi-based firm, The PACT. What inspired you to pursue law after first having completed your bachelor’s degree in psychology? My foray into law happened by chance. I had a media job and loved every thrill of being a journalist. I enrolled for a bachelor's degree in law, probably motivated by my background in psychology, to continue working with people in distress. It surely wasn’t the long-winding legislations and their interpretations or landmark judgments and their precedents that inspired me to study law. I always admit that I was quite lost in law school until I discovered mediation. Mediation allowed me to mix my passion for psychology and the search for justice and peace, to study disputes within people and between people. I was always more interested in the person affected by the dispute than the dispute itself and mediation allowed me to pursue a deeper study of this complex world of disputes. How did you begin your career post your law degree? At what point did you decide to pursue a career in mediation? What drew you to it? How did you go about it? In my final year of law school, I knew there was only one way forward – to dive into the world of conflict resolution. So, I registered for a couple of trainings in India, and got certified as a mediator. I began coaching and training some juniors and travelled with them to competitions in Vienna and Paris – this allowed me to network and gain visibility in the mediation community. Back in 2015-16, India didn’t have an effective system for mediation awareness and education and so, with a couple of close friends, Nishant Laroia and Gracious Timothy, we founded The PACT ( India’s oldest and widely recognised mediation awareness and education firm). The initial feedback we received encouraged us to knock on more doors and in 24 months, we had visited nearly three dozen law schools across the country. Further, my passion for writing developed as a former journalist, motivated me to keep blogging about mediation and related topics, which once again gave me visibility and the confidence to meet some fantastic professionals and learn from their experiences in the world of mediation. What is the scope for mediation in India? Is there enough administrative and legal support for it? What does the future look like? There is tremendous scope for mediation in India. We often quote the figure of 40 million pending court cases to explain the scope of mediation, but I will go a step further and say we have over a billion potential cases that can be mediated, considering we are a highly opinionated population of over 1.4 billion people – and therefore, 1.4 billion differences of opinion. However, we are impulsively drawn to battle dispute in court and it will take a huge cultural paradigm shift to see more Indians embracing mediation as a primary step to resolving conflicts. . The Mediation Bill, 2021, which is currently navigating the legislative corridors, mentions that parties seeking relief in civil and commercial disputes will have to mandatorily attempt two sessions of mediation before beginning court proceedings. I welcome this statutory obligation as it will surely serve in creating mass awareness about the value of mediation. The Bill also values an authentic mediated settlement agreement on par with a court’s decree, easing enforceability and bringing finality to the dispute. Let me be honest here – an honourable, skilled, and confident lawyer will refer and counsel their clients in mediation, after assessing that the case is suitable for mediation. However, if the lawyer has unethical orientations towards the profession, the lawyer will dispassionately attend the two mandatory sessions of mediation (mentioned in above para) without any intention to guide the client towards an amicable settlement. Therefore, I strongly believe that the lawyer community and judiciary will continue to be gatekeepers of mediation in India, at least, for another decade. We must keep celebrating the true ambassadors, the legal practitioners who are showing the rest of the fraternity that they can continue to live a handsome, yet moral lifestyle by integrating mediation advocacy practice into their general litigation/arbitration practice. At CAMP, we created a campaign titled #CALM to Celebrate Advocates and Lawyers in Mediation; India needs more of such campaigns. You are familiar with the mediation ecosystem in India and the UK. What are some of the differences you see between the two? The populations in both jurisdictions, both disputing parties and their lawyers, love to fight a battle in court, the old-fashioned way. You shouldn’t be surprised to know that in the UK as well, the struggle to professionalize mediation services is real. Nevertheless, there are more established mediation institutes and service providers in the UK, in comparison to India. Further, independent mediators are not shy to market their services and invest in branding exercises that help them generate visibility for the services they provide. In comparison to India, there are more universities in the UK that offer specialized courses and postgraduate programs in Mediation, which not only help nurture a new breed of collaborative lawyers but also invite professionals from other fields to train and be certified as mediators. India is fast catching up and is an inspiration to other developing nations in the world. In my understanding, the Mediation community in the UK has embraced that the profession is richer when approached from a multi-disciplinary perspective. Look at the folks at TCM London for instance, and what they are able to achieve by promoting formal and informal conflict resolution services through an organic, human approach. TCM has successfully taken mediation to private and public entities by offering considerable attention to the ‘person’ affected by the problem, besides offering experts to resolve the ‘problem’. How receptive are people and corporate entities to mediation, in your experience? If there is any reluctance in taking the mediation approach, what could be the reasons for such reluctance? What are some of the major challenges you face in this field? The trends are encouraging. I am seeing many leaders of in-house legal teams and senior management officials of corporates not only growing curious but also daring to explore mediation as a primary tool to dispute resolution. CAMP Arbitration and Mediation Practice in India is working closely to create the demand for mediation by offering webinars and training, besides customizing pilot programs for corporates to get hands-on experience of mediating and settling disputes. One of the biggest struggles is to bring parties to the mediation table and this struggle can be tackled by having standalone mediation clauses or mediation clauses as part of a hybrid mediation clause (with arbitration or litigation) which will allow for parties to explore mediation before opting to go down the adversarial path. Corporates are not wrong to be apprehensive about mediation, considering its novelty. However, I feel these concerns about mediation can only be resolved by awareness – when they learn more about the process and how their peers have benefitted from the process. What is your suggestion for students/professionals who want to pursue mediation? What are the avenues open to them? Follow Your Fire! If you believe that collaborative conflict resolution thrills you more than any other practice area or profession of interest, then dive into it. Immerse yourself into the subject – train, read, attend conferences and webinars, network, intern, observe mediations, co-mediate with senior mediators, and eventually get yourself empanelled as a mediator. More importantly, you have to be willing to contribute to the greater cause of the mediation movement in India. Learning to collaborate with the larger community and build the market for mediation is necessary to keep up the strong momentum that mediation has gained in India. If you treat mediation as an after-dusk hobby, then you will not experience what it really means to be a professional mediator. Passion, knowledge, and skills are important to consider a career in Mediation, but the daily essentials are the courage to take risks and the resilience to chase the uncertain road ahead.

Gaurav

Mar 21, 2022

Building a Career in International Law and Making it a Success - An Interview with Shravan Yammanur, Advocate

International law consists of rules and principles governing the relations and dealings of nations with each other, as well as the relations between states and individuals, and relations between international organizations.[1] Resolving disputes between nations and parties residing in or doing business in different countries can be highly complex. International law regulates the global commons, such as global communication and world trade. With globalisation at its prime, international laws have proven to be important instruments in promoting peace and order among nations. Shravan Yammanur, Advocate began his career in international law by joining the chambers of Mr. Rajiv Dutta- a Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India and an arbitrator. This interview with him aims to give you an idea of building a career in international law. In this interview, Shravan also answers some questions relevant to the current global scenario. Please tell us a bit about yourself. What inspired you to pursue law? I am a lawyer based out of Delhi focusing on disputes resolution and policy. My practice consists of commercial disputes before courts in Delhi and investment treaty arbitration. My interest in international relations led me to pursue law- I realised that international law played an important role in regulating international relations and felt that a thorough understanding of the law would enable one to influence international relations and policy-making. How did you begin your career post your law degree? At what point did you decide to pursue a career in International Law? What drew you to it? How did you go about it? During my time at the National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Kochi, I realised that my interest was not just limited to international law and was actually in dispute resolution both domestic and international, which required similar skills of advocacy. This led me to join the chambers of Mr. Rajiv Dutta- a Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India and an arbitrator. As I said earlier, I was always keen to have a career in international law even before law school and I completed a diploma in international law and diplomacy at the Indian Society of International Law while I was a part of the chambers of Mr. Dutta. I was looking for opportunities in international law after I spent a few years at the Supreme Court and was selected for a legal advisory position at the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance. India had just terminated a large number of its old generation of investment treaties and commenced negotiations with a number of countries for new investment treaties. I got the opportunity to be part of these negotiations with a significant number of countries and to advise India on several disputes arising from investment treaties. In addition to the work on investment treaties, I was also involved in formulating India’s position on international investment policy at G20, BRICS, and WTO. As a former member of India’s negotiating team for International Investment Treaties, what are your thoughts on India’s stand on RCEP membership? India took a calibrated stand based on the geopolitical situation and the nature of the commitments contained in the RCEP Agreement. India already has an FTA with ASEAN as well as bilateral FTAs with Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia. Recently, there has been a lot of momentum in finalizing a bilateral FTA with Australia as well. The commitments under RCEP would not help India achieve fair and balanced trade unless India is in a position to also take advantage of FTAs by creating a strong domestic industry. The disadvantages of joining the RCEP Agreement far outweighed the benefits at that time. India can always join the RCEP Agreement at a time when it suits India’s interests and RCEP members have publicly stated that India is always welcome to join RCEP. How receptive are states and corporate entities to ADR, in your experience? If there is any reluctance in taking this approach, what could be the reasons for it? What are some of the major challenges you face in this field? States and corporate entities have adopted ADR as the preferred mode for settlement of disputes and arbitration has become the ‘go to’ dispute resolution mechanism. We can see arbitration as the standard dispute resolution mechanism in contracts entered into by corporate entities and States including treaties. However, in my experience, while States wish to explore mediation and negotiation as modes for settlement of disputes often there is a lack of appetite due to the involvement of public money and political factors. This means that an award from an arbitrator or a decision of a judge is easier to implement for States than exploring meditation or negotiation. States should create a structured mechanism to empower officials to use mediation and negotiation for dispute settlement. What, do you think, went wrong between Russia and Ukraine? What do you think could have and can still be done to resolve the conflict? The course of actions that led to the present regretful situation between Russia and Ukraine is a matter of record. Enough has not been done to ensure peace in the region, peaceful means of resolving the disputes were clearly not implemented and this led to a lack of trust by both sides. The use of force and the threat of use of force cannot lead to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Instead of using the good offices of world leaders to resolve the dispute, there seemed to be an antagonist approach by countries from outside the region. The present conflict can only be resolved by mediation or negotiation, the recent meetings in Belarus are encouraging and should be supported by world leaders in order to resolve this conflict peacefully. Hopefully, the common heritage of the Ukrainians and Russians will allow both sides to resolve this dispute soon and prevent the further loss of lives and property. What is your suggestion for students/professionals who want to pursue a career in International Law? What are the avenues open to them? The avenues for a career in international law are many for students/professionals as they can become academicians, government officers or advisors, work at international organisations and tribunals, private practitioners, or arbitrators/mediators. International law is complex and multifaceted today. Globalisation has increased the commercial and political interactions between countries leading to the growth of both public and private international law. In areas such as international investment and trade law, practitioners or academicians need to study both private and public international law. Now companies and private individuals equally require support in navigating the complexities of international law in addition to States. Students/professionals who want to pursue a career in international law should obtain a strong foundational knowledge of the fundamentals of international law but focus on specialisation in the area of law which interests them as there are a growing number of professionals who practise international law- this can be in the form of an advanced degree in a specific subject or working with specialists in a subject. References [1] https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/international_law

Gaurav

Dec 15, 2021

All you need to know about the Indian Judicial Services Examination

The judicial services examinations are the entry-level examinations in India conducted by the state judicial departments to recruit suitable candidates for subordinate judicial services. Also commonly known as the Provincial Civil Service - Judicial Examination, it is mainly held for recent law graduates. The Indian judicial services examination is conducted in three phases - a preliminary examination consisting of objective type questions, the main examination consisting of subjective type questions. The marks secured in this phase are considered for the final selection followed by a personal interview. Indian Judicial Services Examination - Eligibility Conditions The Indian judicial services examination has two entry levels i.e. Lower Judiciary Services and Higher Judiciary Services and the eligibility criteria fort the same are as follows: Nationality For the Indian Judicial Services Examination, the candidate must be a citizen of India. Age The candidate must have completed 21 years and should not be more than 35 years. Educational Qualification Lower Judicial Services: The candidate must hold an LL.B degree from a recognised law school or law college in India and must have registered as an Advocate under the Advocates Act 1961. Higher Judicial Services: The candidate must possess a graduation degree in law. Work Experience Lower Judicial Services: Final year students can also appear in the Indian judicial services examination. Aspirants with no work experience can also apply for this judiciary examination. Higher Judicial Services: Aspiring candidates appearing for this must have a minimum of seven years of litigating practice. List of States Conducting the Indian Judicial Services Exam At present, there are 24 states in India which conduct and regulate Indian judicial service examinations. Each state has its own set of eligibility criteria, exam pattern, syllabus, salary range, cut-off, ranks, scores, number of vacancies and examination process. The names of 24 states conducting the Indian judiciary examination are listed below: Arunachal Pradesh Assam Bihar Chhattisgarh Goa Delhi Himachal Pradesh Haryana Jammu and Kashmir Jharkhand Karnataka Kerala Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra Manipur Mizoram Nagaland Odisha Punjab Rajasthan Sikkim Uttarakhand Uttar Pradesh West Bengal Indian Judicial Services Examination - Structure & Selection Process The judicial services examination in India is divided into three stages. They are: Preliminary Examination: This is the first stage in the judicial services examination which is mainly conducted with the view of screening candidates for the main examination. It consists of objective type questions and the marks scored by the candidates are not considered for the final selection. The minimum qualifying marks in this examination is 60 per cent for the General Category and 55 percentage for the Reserved Category i.e. Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes. Main Examination: This is the second stage in the Indian judiciary examination which consists of subjective type questions and it comprises three to four questions paper. The marks secured by the applicants in this examination are counted for the final selection. Viva-Voce (Personal Interview): This is the last and the final stage in the Indian judicial service examination where the candidates are evaluated based on the candidate’s general knowledge, personality, attitude, behaviour, aptitude, etc. How is life after cracking the Judicial Services Examination? Indian Judicial Services or Indian Judiciary is considered as one of the prestigious sectors to work for. All the fresh law graduates in India dream of getting a job in this sector. A person in this sector gets great job security, social prestige, lucrative salary and other benefits. This makes it a very sought-after career option. Some of the allowances and the benefits that an individual gets are: Basic Pay Scale House Rent Allowance Travel Allowance Electricity Bill Phone Bill Vehicle Maintenance Pension Indian Judicial Services Examination - Syllabus Preliminary Judicial Services Examination: It is broadly divided into General Knowledge, English Language, Aptitude, Constitutional law, Contract Law, Tort Law, Transfer of Property law, Indian Evidence Act, Law of Torts. Main Judicial Services Examination: The syllabus for the main examination differs depending on the various states in India. Below given is the list of subjects included in the main syllabus: Paper I: Essay Writing, Grammar, Translation Paper-II: Aptitude Test, General Knowledge, Current Affair Paper III: Transfer of Property, Civil Procedure Code, Indian Contract Act, Indian Constitution Paper IV: Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, Law of Torts, Indian Evidence Act Job profiles under the Indian Judicial Services Examination There are many job profiles that come under the judicial services in India. Some of them are listed below: District Judge Session Judge Magistrate Sub-Magistrate Advocate General Attorney General Solicitors

Gaurav

Dec 09, 2021

Sample Cover Letter for Law Job Application

Sample Cover Letter - 1 [Date] [Hiring Manager Name] [Company Address] [Company City, State, Pincode] [Contact Information] Dear [Mr.] [Hiring Manager’s Name], Thank you for the opportunity given to apply for the role of senior associate at one of the best law firms in India, [name of the firm]. I was excited to see your job posting on LegalBots.in. I understand that you seek a candidate that is familiar with civil law case management, case preparation, and legal proceedings. Given these requirements, I am confident that I have the required skills to successfully meet the senior associate opportunity. I am thankful for the time that I spent at ABC Law Firm. In the year 2020, I was first selected and hired as an aassociate. I was assigned to the civil litigation team. Over time, the co-workers and team at the firm trained me so that I was able to independently liaise with clients, prepare for the cases, attend court and make submissions. As a junior associate, I also served as the point of contact for most of our clients and led all witness interviews, discussions, talks, etc. Owing to my professionalism and rapport with clients, ABC Law Firm trusted me to interact with them directly. After analysing and reviewing my resume, I hope you will agree that I am the right candidate for this role. I look forward to developing my skills, talents, and abilities further with help from your organization. Please reach me by phone or email or via other mediums like WhatsApp to arrange a suitable time for us to meet. Thank you so much for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely, [Your Name] Sample Cover Letter - 2 [Date] [Company Address] [Company City, State, Pincode] [Contact Information] Dear [Ms.] [Recruiters Name], This cover letter is in respect to my interest in joining the legal consel position at [name of the company]. With my abilities, skills and qualifications, I am more than competent in reviewing and negotiatiating commercial agreements, filing for trademark registrations, conducting negotiations, managing staff, advising the business teams on laws applicable and legal risks, etc. While working with XYZ Law Firm, I undertook: [.....] [....] [....] Additionally, I also have an LLM in International Commercial law from XYZ University, with specialisation in [....], further meeting the requirements shared in the job description. I believe my educational qualifications and work experience together make me the right candidate for the legal counsel job at your company. I have added my resume highlighting my educational qualifications, skills and professional experiences. I look forward to hearing from you in due course. I appreciate your time & consideration. Yours truly, [Your Name] Also read How to write a good cover letter for a job application?

Gaurav

Oct 27, 2021

How to write a good cover letter for job application?

A cover letter is a one-page written document that explains the applicant’s interest in the job and company as well as their fitness for the role. It is submitted along with a resume describing the applicant's qualifications, skills, achievements for the position they are applying for. It is also called a ‘motivational letter’ and ‘letter of introduction’. The cover letter gives more details about the candidate’s professional career and explains why they’re a good candidate. A well-written cover letter can help the candidate increase their chances of being invited for an interview. Why are cover letters important? Cover letters allow recruiters and hiring managers to develop a better understanding of the candidate’s suitability for the position. When the applicants send their cover letter along with a resume, it helps the hiring manager to see their: Value: While resumes provide an overview of the candidate’s skills and experiences, cover letters allow candidates to give the hiring manager details about their accomplishments and skills as they relate to the open position, showing their potential value to the organization. Potential fit: The candidates can mention their abilities directly to the job they're applying for in the cover letter, showing the hiring manager how exactly they'll fit in the role and organization as a whole. Personality: A well-written cover letter gives the applicants the chance to show a bit of their personality by expressing their words. Enthusiasm: The candidates should show their excitement and interest in the available position in a cover letter. Cover letter format A cover letter should be presented as a professional letter and include the following sections: Date Contact information Greeting Opening paragraph Body (Main) paragraph Closing paragraph Ending the letter The cover letter should be one page in length and professional font such as Times New Roman, Arial or Calibri should be used. The size of the font should be 12 and the cover letter should be justified with single spacing one-inch margins. How to write a cover letter? Take a look at below given tips for writing a cover letter that will convince hiring managers and recruiters to call you (candidates) for an interview. Step 1: Write out your contact information and the employer’s details Step 2: Address the hiring manager Step 3: Put a clear and targeted opening paragraph Step 4: Write informative and relevant body paragraphs Step 5: Finish with a brief, direct closing paragraph Step 6: Sign off Step 1: Write out your contact information and the employer’s details: You should include your contact information, date of application and recipient’s contact information like a phone number or email address. For example: Your name Your city and pin code Your phone number/email address Date Name of recipient Title of recipient Company name and address Step 2: Address the hiring manager: You should adjust your greeting to include the name of the hiring manager. If you don't have their name, you can leave your greeting as, "Dear hiring manager," or "Hello hiring manager," or “Dear Sir/ Madam”. Step 3: Put a clear and targeted opening paragraph: Write your opening paragraph to show why you're the best candidate for the job and express your interest in the position and organization. Include specific skills, experiences or accomplishments that qualify you for the position. This is the first and the most important section of your cover letter. Step 4: Write informative and relevant body paragraphs: In this paragraph, you should give a brief overview of your background and your most recent professional experiences. Provide details about your success including measurable impacts you made there. Step 5: Finish with a brief, direct closing paragraph: Write a closing paragraph that includes a final summary of why you're a great candidate for the job and the reasons you are applying for the role. Thank the hiring manager and recruiters for reviewing your application. Step 6: Signoff: End your cover letter with a professional closing salutation like: Sincerely, Best Regards, Respectfully, Kind Regards. Provide one or two spaces between the salutation and type your full name. Things to Remember 1. Always customise your cover letter - do not 'spray and pray'. Address each of the hiring managers and organisations by their names - do not generalise cover letters by using terms such as "yout firm", "your esteemed organisation", etc. 2. Make sure that the letters are written in good language and do a grammar check before sending them out. 3. Don't focus too much on yourself and forget to write about your sutability for the role and the organisation. Often, candidates reproduce their CVs into cover letters, which defeats the purpose of cover letters. 4. Keep your letter concise and to the point - do not repeat your statements or write each and every detail of your experience. 5. Don't go overboard with flattering the company/organisation you are writing to, to the extent that it comes across as not being genuine. Instead, show them that you have researched the job role, read the job description thoroughly and have made a well-informed decision to apply for the role. Please see below links for sample cover letters for law internships: https://legalbots.in/legal-blog/how-to-write-a-cover-letter-for-a-law-internship https://legalbots.in/legal-blog/sample-cover-letters-for-law-firm-internships https://legalbots.in/legal-blog/sample-cover-letter-for-ngo-internship https://legalbots.in/legal-blog/sample-cover-letter-for-judicial-internship Also see Sample Cover Letter for Law Job Application

Gaurav

Sep 09, 2021

Top Law Colleges In India: NIRF Ranking, 2022

The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for the year 2022 has been released on the official website of NIRF i.e. nirfindia.org. NIRF Ranking was approved by the Ministry of Education, formerly the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) under the umbrella of the Government of India on September 29, 2015. Basically, the NIRF Ranking takes into consideration a universal methodology to rank colleges and universities. Several parameters such as Graduation Outcome, Teaching Learning and Resources, Perception, Outreach and Inclusivity and Research and Professional Practice are taken into consideration during the ranking. Here is a list of the top 30 colleges in the NIRF ranking for Law: Name City State Score Rank National Law School of India University Bengaluru Karnataka 78.00 1 National Law University New Delhi Delhi 73.96 2 Symbiosis Law School Pune Maharashtra 73.73 3 Nalsar University of Law Hyderabad Telangana 73.05 4 The West Bengal National University of Juridicial Sciences Kolkata West Bengal 70.72 5 Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur Kharagpur West Bengal 67.27 6 Jamia Millia Islamia New Delhi Delhi 63.62 7 Gujarat National Law University Gandhinagar Gujarat 63.52 8 Siksha `O` Anusandhan Bhubaneswar Odisha 63.47 9 National Law University, Jodhpur Jodhpur Rajasthan 62.35 10 Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology Bhubaneswar Odisha 61.55 11 Aligarh Muslim University Aligarh Uttar Pradesh 60.11 12 Lovely Professional University Phagwara Punjab 57.57 13 Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences Chennai Tamil Nadu 55.41 14 National Law Institute University, Bhopal Bhopal Madhya Pradesh 54.28 15 Christ University Bengaluru Karnataka 53.56 16 Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow Lucknow Uttar Pradesh 53.23 17 The Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala Patiala Punjab 52.73 18 Shanmugha Arts Science Technology & Research Academy Thanjavur Tamil Nadu 51.87 19 Banaras Hindu University Varanasi Uttar Pradesh 51.66 20 University of Petroleum and Energy Studies Dehradun Uttarakhand 50.18 21 National University of Study & Research in Law, Ranchi Ranchi Jharkhand 47.84 22 Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University New Delhi Delhi 49.43 23 National Law University and Judicial Academy Kamrup Assam 49.27 24 National Law University Cuttack Odisha 48.81 25 Army Institute of Law Mohali Punjab 47.68 26 Amity University Haryana, Gurugram Gurugram Haryana 46.93 27 Sikkim Government Law College, Burtuk Gangtok Sikkim 45.92 28 Indian Law Institute New Delhi Delhi 45.40 29 Punjab University Chandigarh Chandigarh 45.21 30 For the official information, click here.

Gaurav

Sep 08, 2021

Abhishek Subbaiah on being an in-house counsel, working in various law firms and founding a law firm

Going independent as a practice or establishing and running your own law firm is no easy feat. Of course there is the advantage of self-employment and the ability to profit directly from your own efforts, but the risks are equally high. There are a number of things to be taken into account and a number of challenges to be met. We interviewed Abhiskek Subbaiah, the founder and managing partner of Bridge Legal to learn about his journey from working as an in-house counsel in the banking sector to working in a number of law firms in different cities, to currently heading his own law firm in Bangalore. We also asked him about the qualities he looks for in candidates interested in working or interning at Bridge Legal. Read on to find out! 1. Please tell us a bit about yourself. Why did you choose law as a career path? How was your experience in law school? I head a firm known as Bridge Legal along with my two Counsel, and the three of us bring years of experience in different aspects of law to the table for our set of niche clients. I graduated from the National Law School of India University in 2013 and have since worked in a multitude of large organisations including law firms before I figured that there’s no existing business model that incorporates my unique strategies – strategies that now form a core part of the philosophy of Bridge Legal. I chose law as a career because it rewards those with strong fundamentals in language and logic – two pillars of mine that I wanted to and continue to leverage to make my professional mark. Law School was, like most of my experiences with the Indian paradigm, less than ideal in almost every sense, but I’m always critically analysing our professional and educational systems, so this view may come across as being slightly negative even though my perspective and intent is borne out of a constructive set of objectives. Things seem to be changing now, but let’s just say that I’ve never been a supporter of our education system, even (or maybe especially so) at the upper echelons. 2. You began your career with banking law. What does a career in banking law entail? Banking law entails grasping a lot of knowledge with respect to regulatory procedures and protocols, while also engaging and utilising fundamental concepts such as contracts principles, property law, and classical financing documentation drafting. It’s essentially a good base that creates a good foundation no matter what sectors or industries one ends up specialising in. Money and property permeate every kind of market, really. From a career standpoint, some choose to go deeper into the industry, and I know for a fact that there is always a dearth of good banking and finance lawyers especially at the mid-senior level, so there’s scope to grow into specialised roles for those looking for such a career. 3. It is not very common for lawyers to move from in-house roles to law firms, although the other way round is fairly common. What made you switch to a law firm? (Laughs) I constantly heard that in-house roles aren’t ‘real lawyer’ roles and also that an in-house lawyers’ experience is discounted when shifting to a law firm, so that provocation combined with the fact that I wanted to learn as much as I could intrigued 24-year-old me. I didn’t mind the extra money either – Mumbai is an expensive city to live in. My first interview with a law firm occurred more than two years after I started working, as opposed to a campus interview, so having the leverage of specialised experience finally made such interviews balanced (I didn’t interview with law firms during college placement). 4. What was the nature of your role in the various law firms you have worked in? Well apart from a brief stint with one law firm that was absolutely atrocious, my other roles involved acting as a wingman to my Partner on transactions – versatility and quick learning combined with a solid work ethic was always my selling point. It wasn’t just traditional banking and finance either – I was always pushing and allowed to push for mandates that involved technology, overall management, and negotiation in niche areas. 5. You have worked in many different cities in India. How do these cities differ in terms of work culture? Well things are balancing out somewhat now but I don’t see all cities functioning at the same level of professionalism when it comes to the legal services industry (this is now changing, however – a lot of people, me included, are attempting to change the tier-2 or even tier-3 landscape). Many units of large firms in tier-2 cities essentially act as tertiary / auxiliary units apart from a few practice areas and it’s never a good feeling constantly being in the back-end; I’ve noted this to be the case across different cities although my primary experiences lie in Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore. Mumbai has its own feel, so does Bangalore – apples and oranges if you ask me and there’s no clear way to describe the differences without unfairly generalising. 6. What is the story behind ‘Bridge Legal’? What are the challenges you have faced so far as a law firm founder? Necessity, really. No organisation in Bangalore or Bombay offered the level of flexibility in terms of practice areas, billing rates, and client engagement that I deemed and deem to be a prerequisite to the next stage of disruption, so I decided to do it myself and chart my own path that reflects my philosophies and ideals. Challenges include a very traditional industry that believe it or not is highly cartelised and entrenched and typical founder challenges such as branding and marketing (which is a special level of challenge since we cannot advertise, which effectively helps the incumbents). I can’t complain much, though – it’s been a great ride thus far and our clients are really happy, with the list continuing to grow. One notable challenge is of course cost structures, since we don’t have the benefit of economies of scale that large factories have and instead choose to work as a small team of experienced lawyers. We’re expensive, and the Indian market is very slowly coming to terms with the true boutique model that offers high quality and customisation – think Patek Philippe as opposed to Rolex or Creed versus Chanel, it takes a mature and nuanced market to understand the differences and value proposition deltas between the two types of brands. 7. As a founder and recruiter, what do you look for in candidates looking to work or intern at Bridge Legal? For work, the biggest question is what one’s business plan and client base is – it goes without saying that the experience and fundamentals need to be strong. We don’t hire, we partner. Our clients know this as well – apart from the occasional apprentice and / or intern on a transaction, we’re all true Partner (equity) level professionals. For interns, I usually look for sincerity, grit, and most importantly, hunger. I’m biased towards those from smaller cities and non-metropolitan backgrounds. Internships are equally our duty to manage and impart education via, so as long as the fundamentals are in place, my biggest restriction is usually the number of interns I can bring on board depending on bandwidth. Like I said earlier, we don’t follow economies of scale, so naturally the selection process becomes very difficult and I have had to say no to a lot of promising, amazing students.

Superadmin

Aug 18, 2021

What if you don't get through CLAT?

The Common Law Admission Test also known as CLAT is one of the most competitive law entrance exams in India. Only candidates with good preparation can crack this test. Each year, approximately 70 thousand students appear for the CLAT to get admission into the CLAT UG and CLAT PG programmes which are offered by the 23 National Law Universities in India. In 2021, 62,106 students appeared for the test. With 2522 seats in CLAT UG and 1635 seats in CLAT PG, only a few of them get a chance to clear the national-level law entrance exam. However, with the limited availability of seats in National Law Universities, the competition is increasing each year. Understandably, some students might not qualify for CLAT due to lack of effort or some unforeseen reasons. After being unsuccessful, some common questions that bother the candidates are: is it okay to drop a year for CLAT preparation? Will I be able to get better marks and score next year in the CLAT exam? Candidates at this point need to understand that there are alternative career options open to them and if they make the best of these options, they can be equally successful in future. So, below are a few options you can consider if you couldn’t clear the CLAT exam. Opt for a degree in a related field If the students want to become successful lawyers then they can first pursue an undergraduate degree in a related field like - BBA, B. Com, BA courses, etc. After graduation, they can apply for a 3 year LLB course. Below are a few well-established universities that offer the 3-year LLB course: Faculty of Law, DU Symbiosis Law College, Pune Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat Government Law College, Mumbai ILS Law College, Pune University College of Law, Osmania University, Hyderabad Consider other law entrance exam Apart from CLAT, there are other Universities and Institutes like - National Law University Delhi, Symbiosis Law School, Jindal Global Law School, KIIT School of Law, ICFAI Law School, Patna Law College, University of Allahabad, Osmania University Hyderabad, Law School Admission Council, etc. which conduct their own law entrance exam to shortlist suitable candidates for LLB programs. The entrance exams are held for both UG and PG programs in Law. Repeat a year and prepare for CLAT Many students are adamant to pursue law by cracking the CLAT exam only. In that case, the candidates can take a year gap to prepare for the CLAT. Dropping a year can be a tough decision. So the candidates should think, consult and then make a final decision. They should be able to prioritise the exam and commit to it. Also, this will add additional stress on the candidates to score higher marks and perform better than the previous year. Consider a career change There might be some reason behind appearing for the CLAT exam and pursuing a law degree. It can be either from family pressure or a friend's advice. Not clearing CLAT is not the end of the world. Nowadays, there are numerous career options and plenty of opportunities for students, for example, journalism, business development, company secretary, etc. It's all about understanding your interests, skill-set, talent better than law and what they are truly passionate about. Explore professions related to law A professional program that can assist the candidates to enter the world of legal studies is Company Secretary (CS). They work as advisors to the Board of Directors and advise the company on acceptable governance practices, negotiation, etc. They work as in-house legal experts of the company and hold all information and knowledge relating to Company Law. One does not require a law degree to be a part of this field. Company Secretary is a professional program with three stages - Foundation Program, Executive Program and Professional Program, followed by 1 year of compulsory internship. Aspirants can pursue this post-class 12th alongside any regular degree program. Thus, while the aspirant will not be called a lawyer, they will still be in a related field and will get to practice law in one way. CLAT PG Papers: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qx2W-G5ozt_RlmDNfJtEXPPCWEa_MZ0b?usp=sharing CLAT UG Papers: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tMutyQog32QpOui24z2eT1S_eQNCMikQ?usp=sharing

Gaurav

Aug 12, 2021

Problems with CLAT exam since 2009

Problems with CLAT exam since 2009 Common-Law Admission Test (CLAT) was introduced in 2008 under the supervision and direction of the then Chief Justice of India (CJI) K.G. Balakrishnan. CLAT is a national level entrance test, conducted by the Consortium of NLUs for admission to 23 National Law Universities (NLU) in India: National Law School of India University, Bangalore NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata National Law Institute University, Bhopal National Law University, Jodhpur, Jodhpur Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University, Lucknow Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam, Guwahati National Law University Odisha, Cuttack National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi Chanakya National Law University, Patna National Law University, Delhi Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University, Visakhapatnam National University of Study and Research in Law, Ranchi Tamil Nadu National Law University, Trichy Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur Maharashtra National Law University, Aurangabad Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Law University, Sonipat Since 2008, this examination has been conducted every year. Before CLAT, autonomous law schools held their own entrance exams, requiring the applicants to appear independently for each of these tests. This also meant that separate fees had to be paid for each of these exams. The scheduled dates of these exams often clashed with each other, causing aspirants to miss tests and lose opportunities. These were the reasons CLAt was introduced. However, CLAT has had a bad reputation owing to mismanagement and controversies surrounding it. There have been many discussions around it as well as many PILs have been filed over the years against it. Sequential record of glitches in CLAT CLAT, 2009 CLAT 2009 was convened by NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad. The test got deferred after a leak of question papers when exam authorities discovered locked steel boxes with the test materials altered while it was on the way to test centres. CLAT, 2010 was held by National Law Institute University, Bhopal. No issues were faced by candidates this year. CLAT, 2011 In 2011, CLAT was organised by the National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS), Kolkata. The issues faced by competitors included: The examination paper was very lengthy in relation to the time limit of two hours. Twelve questions of the several parts had underlined and highlighted answers because of the carelessness of the coordinators. CLAT, 2012 In 2012, CLAT was organized by the National Law University, Jodhpur. Controversies included: A few questions were asked out of the syllabus. The official committee also admitted 2 mistakes in the question and answer key. The first allotment list was removed from the official website the day after it was put up because of the errors it contained regarding ranks. After a few days, a new allotment list was published again on the website. CLAT, 2013 In 2013, CLAT was conducted by the Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur (HNLU). This year there were mistakes in the allotment of university to the students. HNLU received a notification by Justice K. Surendra Mohan, Kerala High Court in response to a writ appeal filed by four students for stay of the allotment process, and correction of the errors. In the allotment list, applicants were wrongly assigned to Chanakya National Law University (CNLU), Patna rather than their preferred university, National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Kochi and this occurred despite them having a higher rank to join NUALS. CLAT, 2014 The results of the CLAT 2014 were declared by Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) and were withdrawn. Complaints were filed for re-examination. Uploaded OMR sheets were physically verified in the GNLU Campus since students demanded the same. There was a mismatch between barcode stickers on the front page and candidates’ stickers on the back page and so, reconciliation of all OMR answer sheets was done. CLAT, 2015 In the year 2015, CLAT went online and the convenor of CLAT 2015, Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University (RMLNLU) Lucknow. The candidates faced different issues, for example: The question paper contained typographical errors and the authority rejected 2 questions totally because of the ambiguity it contained. 6 questions had wrong answers in the model answer key declared by the committee. Few questions were asked from old papers and the question paper was mismatched with the real standard as set on the official website. Numerous aspirants who had scored sufficient marks to get a place in the merit list of their most preferred National Law Universities (NLUs) were allotted the less preferred ones. CLAT, 2016 In 2016, the CLAT exam was mismanaged to such an extent that an article named it ‘Cataclysm’. CLAT 2016 was conducted by Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL), Patiala and the students were confronted with different issues like: During the time of opening of the application forms, it was not available for 24 hours which caused agitation in candidates. There were typographical mistakes in the question due to which the committee gave notice on the official website for changing an answer in the model answer key. One question got cancelled by the exam authority and the performance was assessed and evaluated out of 199 questions as opposed to 200. After announcing the results, the exam authority postponed the allotment list of students because of unknown reasons. CLAT, 2017 The convenor Chanakya National Law University (CNLU), Patna encountered a writ appeal in Delhi High Court for its careless conduct in outlining the examination paper. CLAT 2017 had numerous mistakes. 4 wrong questions were rejected by the organizing committee after assessment. The exam authority accepted 3 wrong answers that were given in the answer key. No questions were asked from the General Knowledge and Awareness section. 1 question in the Mathematics section was discovered to be completely out of the syllabus. The test screen was unable to capture the answers marked by the students and the computer screen was blurring out. CLAT, 2018 CLAT, 2018 was organized by National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Kochi. Many candidates asked for re-examination and many petitions were filed this year. Following were the controversies surrounding CLAT 2018: Almost 14 exam centres faced technical problems due to the shut down of a few computers which caused anxiety among the candidates. In a few exam centres, the test began with clear screens and the clock had started, and to overcome this tough situation, the students were asked to restart their computers to continue the test. The system continued to hang even in the middle of the test. A few exam centres faced the problem of power cuts during the test. Biometric Verifications were very slow. Infrastructural inadequacies were additionally a part of the issue as there was a miscommunication in regards to centre names or areas, misallocation of seats and absence of proper ventilation. In some places, pen and paper were not given as required and no preparation test was conducted as the examination centres were behind schedule. Few computer mouses were not working properly which resulted in skipping a few questions and not saving the answers. CLAT, 2020 In 2020, the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore announced that they would withdraw from the CLAT and conduct their own entrance examinations, the National Law Aptitude Test (NLAT). However, the Supreme Court of India struck down this and ordered the university to re-join CLAT. CLAT, 2021 In 2021, there were errors in the answer key. Some questions were wrong. The Consortium of National Law University received more than 1000 objections from the candidates who appeared in the CLAT 2021. The committee deleted one question i.e. Q.No 143 from CLAT UG paper and modified two answers of Q.No 86 and 145 in the CLAT UG answer key. Thus, the results were declared based on 149 marks instead of 150 marks. CLAT PG Papers: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qx2W-G5ozt_RlmDNfJtEXPPCWEa_MZ0b?usp=sharing CLAT UG Papers: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tMutyQog32QpOui24z2eT1S_eQNCMikQ?usp=sharing

Gaurav

Jul 26, 2021

How to become a Law Professor in India?

Teaching law is not a simple thing and getting a job as a law professor to teach law is also not an easy task. To get a job as a law professor, an individual needs to be brilliant, smart, clever, logical, energetic, positive, etc. Law teaching and training is an excellent profession and career that can offer a good salary and incentives. A law professor plays a vital role in imparting both theoretical and practical aspects of law education to law students. If the candidates want to pursue a career as a professor in law and have a strong commitment and desire for it, then they must know the below information on how to become a law professor in India. Professor (Law) An individual should be an eminent scholar with a PhD degree. An individual must have published work of high quality, actively engaged in research activity with evidence of published works having at least 10 publications as books/research/policy papers. An individual must have at least 10 years of teaching experience in a reputed university/college. An individual must have experience in research work at the university as well as national level institutions, including experience in directing and guiding students for research at the doctoral level. An individual must have contributed to educational innovation, designed a new curriculum, courses and technology-mediated teaching-learning process. An individual must have a minimum score as specified in the Academic Performance Indicator (API) based Performance Based Appraisal System (PBAS). Associate Professor (Law) An individual should have a good academic record with a PhD. Degree. An individual must have a master’s degree with a minimum of 55% marks or an equivalent grade in a point scale of the UGC in the LL.M. Degree from any recognized university or an equivalent degree from any best foreign University. An individual must have at least 8 years of experience of teaching or research in an academic position equivalent to that of Assistant Professor in a university, college or accredited research institution excluding the period of PhD. Degree research with evidence of quality published work and a minimum of 5 publications as books or research or policy papers. An individual must have contributed to educational innovation, designed a new curriculum, courses and technology-mediated teaching-learning process with evidence of having guided doctoral candidates and research students. An individual must have a minimum score as specified in the Academic Performance Indicator (API) based Performance Based Appraisal System (PBAS). Assistant Professor (Law) An individual must have a sound academic record with a minimum of 55% marks (or an equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed) in the LL.M. Degree from an Indian University or an equivalent degree from any top foreign university. The candidates must have 1 year of experience in the field of teaching/research at a renowned university/college level. The candidate must have cleared the NET, commonly known as the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET), which is a competitive exam organized by the National Testing Agency (NTA) to select appropriate aspirants for the post of a law professor. The candidates who have been granted a PhD. Degrees are exempted from the prerequisite of the minimum qualification state of NET. The General Category students have to score at least 55% marks in the qualifying examination to appear in NET and the SC/ST/OBC/PWD candidates get relaxation in respect of percentage. However, PhD Degree holders are not needed to appear in NET. Age Limit Conditions There are no age limit criteria for applying to the post of Assistant Professor in Law background. Many individuals choose this career after gaining a few experiences, which shows to help them get the job. Skills Required to Become a Law Professor Apart from eligibility conditions, the candidates have to develop a set of skills to pursue a career as a law professor. The list of skills required to become a law professor in India are mentioned below: Passion for teaching Deep interest in the law subject Sound understanding of the law subject Creativity to find innovative ideas for teaching and training Desire to learn new concepts Excellent communication In-depth research and writing skills Problem-solving ability Time management

Gaurav

Jul 23, 2021

Eligibility Criteria for CLAT

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is a national level entrance exam conducted every year by the Consortium of National Law Universities for admissions to undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) law programmes offered by 22 National Law Universities (NLU) around India. The CLAT is one of the most popular entrance exams in India. The Consortium of National Law Universities establishes the eligibility criteria for the CLAT. These criteria are also subject to the rules set by the Bar Council of India (BCI). Apart from the CLAT eligibility conditions, the students must also read the rules created by the participating National Law Universities. As per the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) eligibility conditions, an individual appearing for CLAT UG should have done Class 12th with a good score (see below for cut-off for UG and PG) and the candidates who want to appear in CLAT PG should have finished their graduation in LLB with an excellent score and the percentage. There is no age bar for giving the CLAT exam. The eligibility norms are different for CLAT UG and CLAT PG programmes. The aspirants who are looking to appear in CLAT and are keen to pursue LLB and LLM courses in the top law schools in India must look at the below-given eligibility criteria for admission. Nationality An individual must be an Indian and must have Indian citizenship. Age Criteria There is no age boundary to apply and appear for Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) Undergraduates (UG) and Postgraduates (PG) exam. Number of Attempts As there are no age conditions and restrictions for CLAT, the students can appear for the exam as many times as they want. Educational Qualification For Undergraduate (UG) Programmes Qualifying Exam: An individual must have passed and cleared the Higher Secondary School (HSE)/Intermediate or equivalent examination from 10+2 standard from a recognized college and a board. Minimum Marks: The students must have scored a minimum of 45 per cent of total marks and if the candidate is belonging to the SC/ST category, they should have at least 40 per cent of aggregate marks. For Postgraduate (PG) Programmes Qualifying Exam: The candidates must have done the Bachelor of Laws (LL. B) or 5-year Integrated Bachelor of Laws (BA.LLB, B.Com LLB, BBA LLB, BSc LLB, etc) degree from a recognized college/university as required by the participating universities. Minimum Marks: The aspirants must have scored a minimum of 50 per cent marks and 45 per cent in the case of SC/ST applicants. Important Note: The students who are having supplementary exams can also appear for the CLAT exam, but they have to qualify for the supplementary exam and have to show valid proof of passing an exam. CLAT PG Papers: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qx2W-G5ozt_RlmDNfJtEXPPCWEa_MZ0b?usp=sharing CLAT UG Papers: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tMutyQog32QpOui24z2eT1S_eQNCMikQ?usp=sharing

Gaurav

Jul 15, 2021

Top Law Firms in India

Here is a list of the top law firms in India (top 20) that every law graduate must know. Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas: This is one of the most famous law firms in India. It was established in the year 2015. The firm has offices in many top cities in India, namely, New Delhi, Mumbai, Gurgaon, Bengaluru, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Kolkata. It has more than 684 lawyers with 145 partners. The firms deal with a variety of issues in the field of General Corporate, Banking, Finance, Competition Law, Dispute Resolution, Tax, Intellectual Property. The firm was ranked as the Best Law Firm of the Year at the Legal Era Awards in 2021. Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas: Started in the year 2015, it is one of the largest law firms in India. The firm has its offices in cities like - Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Chennai. It has around 750 lawyers. The practise area of the firm include Capital Market, Litigation, Arbitration, Banking, Finance, Real Estate, Taxation, Merger & Acquisitions, Competition, etc. This firm have been awarded many notable awards like – In-House Community Firm of the Year 2021, The Legal Era Awards, 2020-2021, Legal 500 Asia Pacific Rankings 2021, etc. AZB & Partners: AZB is a corporate law firm in India that was formed in the year 2004. The firm has spread its operation to several cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune. The major practice area of the firm includes M&A, Banking & Finance, Litigation, Intellectual Property, Taxation, Capital Markets, etc. It has more than 400 skilled lawyers who are working as a team to provide innovative solutions to their clients. AZB & Partners has been identified as India National Law Firm of the Year 2021 by the Chambers Asia Pacific Award. Khaitan & Co: Khaitan & Co. is one of the foremost law firms in India founded in the year 1911. It has offices in cities like - Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Noida. It is one of the oldest law firms in India which majorly deals in the sector like - Banking and Finance, Capital Markets, Corporate/Commercial, Dispute Resolution, Funds, Intellectual Property, Infrastructure, Energy & Natural Resources, Labor & Employment laws, Private Equity, Real Estate, Taxation (Direct and Indirect Tax) Technology, Media and Telecommunication. J Sagar Associates: J Sagar is a top national law firm in India with over 320 lawyers including 110 professionals operating out of 7 offices located in Ahmedabad, Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. The Firm's practise areas include: General Corporate Commercial, Projects, Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity, Banking & Finance, Capital Markets & Securities, Regulatory & Policy, Taxation and Dispute Resolution. This firm has been ranked as one of the top law firms in the Venture Intelligence M&A League Table (Jan-Dec 2020). L & L Partners: L & L Partners, earlier known as Luthra & Luthra Law Offices, was founded in the year 1990. It has its core workplaces in four major cities - New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore. The firm provides solutions for several issues like Corporate, Commercial, Banking, Finance, Litigation, Intellectual Property, Real Estate, Private Equity, Ventures, Media, Technology, etc. It has over 80 partners and 300 qualified lawyers. Trilegal: Trilegal is one of the renowned firms in India which has 4 offices in the cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad. The firm provides services in the areas of Corporate, Mergers and Acquisitions, Financial Services, TMT, Energy and Infrastructure, Disputes, Competition, Capital Markets, Employment, Real Estate and Tax. Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan: It is a full-service law firm in India established in 1985. This firm has over 400+ experienced lawyers who are providing solutions in the areas such as corporate & commercial laws, dispute resolution, taxation and intellectual property. The firm has offices in 14 cities in India and has been conferred with many popular awards like - Legal Era Awards, Asian Legal Business Awards, Legal 500 Asia Pacific Awards, etc. Nishith Desai Associates: Nishith Desai Associates (NDA) is a research-based international law firm with offices in Mumbai, Palo Alto (Silicon Valley), Bangalore, Singapore, New Delhi, Munich, and New York. Its core practise area is International Tax, International Tax Litigation, Competition Law, Human Resources Law (Employment and Labour), International Dispute Resolution and Investigations Practice, Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity Investment, Joint Ventures, Capital Markets, Private Client, Fund Formation, Technology Law, Intellectual Property. It has been ranked as the Most Innovative Indian Law Firm in the years 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Talwar Thakore & Associates: It is one of the reputed law firms in Mumbai and New Delhi. It was introduced in the year 2007 and specializes in the field of Capital Markets, Mergers & Acquisitions, Projects, Finance, Trade, etc. Since its inception, the firm has been providing an impressive track record working with international companies. Platinum Partners: It is an Indian law firm established in 2008. It has offices in Bengaluru, New Delhi and Mumbai. The firm has expertise in M & A, Private Equity, Venture Capital, Fund Formation, Projects & Infrastructure, Securities Law, Employment Law, etc. Platinum Partners has been ranked as the Top Law firm in India by RSG Consulting. Anand & Anand: Anand & Anand is an Indian law firm established in 1923 to provide end-to-end legal solutions covering all cross-sections of Intellectual Property and allied areas. It has been ranked under the category "Chambers and Partners Asia Pacific" in 2021 and known as the top IP Law Firms in Asia. The firm runs its offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Noida and has around 100 qualified attorneys and more than 28 partners. The practice area consists of IP including copyrights, trademarks, patents, designs, litigation, etc. Desai & Diwanji: Desai & Diwanji is one of India’s leading law firms located in Mumbai and New Delhi. The firm is known for its specializations in Corporate, M&A, Projects, Private Equity, Capital Markets, Litigation, etc. Economic Laws Practice: Economic Laws Practice (ELP) is a foremost full-service Indian law firm established in the year 2001 by an eminent group of lawyers from miscellaneous fields. It has offices in Mumbai, Ahmadabad, Pune, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and has a team of 200+ qualified professionals. Some of the areas of expertise include Corporate, Commercial, Data Protection, Banking, Finance, Competition Law, Policy, Litigation, Arbitration, Real Estate, etc. This firm has been ranked as the Top Law Firm in Forbes India’s Legal Power List. Wadia Ghandy & Co: It is one of the oldest law firms in India which was set up in 1883. It has its offices in Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Delhi. Its main area of expertise includes General Practice, Banking & Finance, Private Equity & Investments, Mergers & Acquisitions, Real Estate, Aviation, Media, Intellectual Property, Foreign Investment & Exchange Control, Insurance, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Capital Markets & Securities, Infrastructure, Insurance, General Corporate and Anti-Trust Laws. Phoenix Legal: Phoenix Legal is one of the leading Indian law firms founded in 2008. It has two offices, one in Delhi and another in Mumbai. This firm focuses on Banking and Finance, Corporate Commercial, Dispute Resolution, Infrastructure, Mining, Energy, Oil and Gas, Foreign Investment and Exchange Control, Insurance, Joint Ventures/M&A, Private Equity and Funds, Real Estate. It has a group of 11 Partners and 75 well-experienced lawyers. It is recognised as a Tier 2 law firm in the recent Asian Legal Business (ALB) M&A Rankings 2020. Vaish Associates: Vaish Associates is one of the largest direct tax firms in India with other main practice areas such as Corporate Practice, Banking, Finance, Private Equity, Real Estate, Competiton, IPR, Information Technology, Entertainment Law, Employment Law, Labour Law. This firm was formed in the year 1971 and has offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru. The firm has received many notorious awards from India Business Law Journal, Asia Law Profiles. DSK Legal: DSK Legal is one of the top full-service law firms in India with over 140 lawyers and 21 partners across offices in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Pune. This firm was started in 2001 and has been ranked 7th among the top law firms in India. Some of the practices areas for these firms are Antitrust & Competition, Art Law, Banking & Finance, Corporate, Commercial and M&A, IT & Intellectual Property, Employment, Litigation & Arbitration. HSA Advocates: This firm started its journey in 2003 with its offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata. It has grown rapidly on the strength of its expertise to a multi-disciplinary team with over 150 lawyers, including 30+ partners. This firm has been ranked as a Tier 1 law firm for Projects & Energy practice by Legal 500. The areas of expertise include Energy & Infrastructure, Banking & Finance, Restructuring & Insolvency, Corporate & Commercial, Regulatory & Policy, Defence & Aerospace, Dispute Resolution, Environment Health & Safety, Real Estate, Technology Media & Telecommunications, Taxation, and Investigations. Kochhar & Co: Kochhar & Co. is one of India's biggest corporate law firms which has been ranked as the Top-Tier Firm in the areas of Corporate, Commercial, M&A, Private Equity, Foreign Investment, Banking and Finance, Tax, Infrastructure, Energy, IT, Telecoms, Real Estate, Litigation, Labor & Employment, IP, etc. It has its offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Gurgaon and Hyderabad in India and four abroad offices in Dubai, Singapore, Chicago, Jeddah. It has an eminent team of 200 plus lawyers. If you think there is a law firm that should have made it to the list here, let us know.

Superadmin

Jul 02, 2021

AIBE and its benefits, the date for the next set of exams

The AIBE also recognized as the All India Bar Examination is a certification exam conducted by the Bar Council of India (BCI) after completion of a 3-year LLB or 5-year LLB programme. All India Bar Examination (AIBE) came into existence in the year 2010 when the Legal Education Committee (LEC) and Bar Council of India (BCI) members accepted a statement regarding the examination on April 10, 2010 and April 30, 2010. The examination is conducted to check the student's analytical and logical skills along with the basic understanding of law/legal topics to evaluate whether the registered advocates or recent law graduates have the ability to practice law in India. All India Bar Examination is a qualifying examination that provides the “Certificate of Practice” for the legal profession. Benefits of AIBE The benefits of the All India Bar Examination (AIBE) are as follows: The AIBE Examination will evaluate candidate’s skills at a basic level and is proposed to set a minimum standard for admission to the practice of law. The Examination traces an applicant’s logical abilities and will test the basic knowledge of the law. After passing the examination successfully, the eligible applicant will be given a "Certificate of Practice" by the Bar Council of India (BCI). All India Bar Examination (AIBE) will be held in 40 cities of India. The Applicants will have 11 languages to select for attempting the AIBE examination. The pattern for AIBE Examination will be Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ’s) and it will be allowed you to take notes, writings or resource materials into an examination hall. There is no age limit to appear for the AIBE exam. There is no limit to the number of attempts. The candidates can appear for the examination any number of times. AIBE Exam is conducted twice a year. There is no minimum percentage and marks compulsory in the qualifying examination in order to apply for AIBE. AIBE 2023 Important Dates The important dates and schedule for the AIBE 2021 are mentioned below in a tabular form Activity Important Dates Online registration begins on Last week of December 2022 Bank payment through challan December/ January 2023 Online registration closes on 2nd/ 3rd week of January 2023 Last date for payment of the fee Last week of January 2023 Online release of hall tickets 2nd/ 3rd week of February 2023 Date of AIBE 2021 Examination 1st/ 2nd week of March 2023

Gaurav

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