A law student in India can intern at all 3 levels of courts – District courts, High court, and the Supreme Court. There is absolutely no bar that one has to first intern at the district courts or the High Courts. It totally depends on the student, where he or she wishes to intern irrespective of the fact in which year of your law course you are in.
As you must have some idea about the roles assigned to courts at different levels, the internship experience in terms of learning, exposure, procedures, working, etc. also varies across these courts. Internship experience at each level is different and many aspects are different and unique to the courts at different levels.
AT THE DISTRICT COURTS
When To Intern- 1st or 2nd year of law school
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If you are a first- or second-year student, then you can think of interning under an advocate who practices before the district court. The Indian judicial system rests on our lower courts. District courts or as popularly referred to as lower courts form an integral learning experience for a law student as it is at these courts that the student can be acquainted with the most basic legal cases from the grass-root level and can observe and learn how the trial is conducted.
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During court hours, depending on the court, a judge may hear arguments on granting a continuance, summoning a party, contentions of either party, considering questions on law, dismissing a suit, and so on.
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While college teaches us the theory of various procedural laws and some substantive laws like the Code of Civil Procedure, Code of Criminal Procedure, Indian Contract Act, etc., an internship at a lower/district court will provide you with the requisite experience/ training to see the words at work! For example, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act, state how and when cross-examination is to be done, you can see and witness practically all these things at play at the district court.
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You will be in a position to witness first-hand the cases at all stages, from the presentation of plaint for admission before the judge in one case to the judge pronouncing the judgment on some other case. Remember the courtroom scenes from the movie - Jolly LL.B 2? While those are not all realistic, the ambience does bear a distinct degree of resemblance.
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Advocates at district courts will sometimes as your law school professor teach the law from the bare act and talk to you and may also at times test your theoretical knowledge. Also, a unique thing which you will find during your lower court internships is the different terms – ‘ashamed sabeh’, and ‘court reader’ used which you will not find in law school textbooks. You may also interact with the court staff. Learning basic legal drafting under a good district court lawyer is a must-do for any law student.
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In lower courts, you can see all the sections of society, and you can directly interact with clients. If you want to learn the tricks of the trade, start from the bottom. That’s where things get complicated and find their way to the court of law.
A typical day in a district court involves the proceedings beginning in the morning. The ordinary Court hours are from 10:00 A.M to 4:30 P.M. with an interval for luncheon from 1.00 PM to 1:30 PM. Saturdays are usually a full working days for courts and offices attached thereto. Furthermore, the working hours for offices attached to Civil Courts are from 9.30 A.M. to 5.00 P.M. These are the offices that are effectively used for submitting documents, filing new suits, getting copies of judgements, etc. After court hours, lawyers usually retire to the chambers along with their staff for preparing their next cases.
A typical day in a district court may also differ depending on what kind of lawyer or case you are working on at that point in time.
AT THE HIGH COURTS
When To Intern- 2nd or 3rd year of law school
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Principal benches of the High Courts are generally located in the State capital and may have benches in some other cities in the state. The infrastructure, facilities, decorum, etc. are far better than any district court.
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The High Court is a great place if you are interested in learning about appeals in civil and criminal cases, as opposed to the trial stages in a court of original jurisdiction. Appellate jurisdiction of the High Court means that the High Court has the power to accept appeals against the decisions of District Courts, in civil as well as criminal matters. High Courts also have original and revisory jurisdictions.
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If you possess a deep inclination towards disciplines such as Constitutional laws, and administrative laws and have an interest in the interpretation of statutes and laws, the High Court might be the right place for you to intern at. The law taught and learned in law school differs in its application in the court of law. There are various procedures involved in bringing up a case before the court of law for hearing, which is not feasible to be taught in class.
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The working of High Courts is quite different from that of the lower courts. You would not generally find clients entering the courtrooms. Courtrooms are spacious and well maintained. One can get to listen to arguments by senior counsels pertaining to the interpretation of the laws, Writ matters, etc.
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If you are good, serious, and proactive, the lawyer or his junior will give you some work to draft, research, prepare files, etc. Don’t be shy to ask for a template or actually ask them to tutor you with the work.
AT THE SUPREME COURT
When To Intern- 3rd year of law school and above
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It is the dream of most students pursuing litigation to practice before the Supreme Court. An internship and a job with a practising advocate can be the first step toward this dream.
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For a law student, interning at the Supreme Court may be beneficial in a plethora of ways. First of all, leading litigators in the country are usually employed in the Supreme Court in a full-time capacity, which means even for someone who is not interning but simply observing cases, the possibilities of learning are endless. Under Indian law, courtroom proceedings are open to members of the general public and provide a wonderful opportunity for those looking to witness arguments from the leading legal practitioners of the country.
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Secondly, the Supreme Court, apart from being the final appellate court on civil and criminal cases, also has a robust original jurisdiction in matters of governmental disputes, questions on constitutional law, and fundamental rights. Therefore, there is an opportunity to be involved in unique cases that challenge your intellectual faculties in a productive manner.
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Thirdly, the apex court of the country provides a great platform for networking with professionals and acquaintances.
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Most matters before the Supreme Court involve a substantial question of law. This means that you cannot be superficial with your knowledge of the law.
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Having good knowledge of constitutional law and jurisprudence is indispensable to appreciating complex legal arguments. You will often need to carry out original research and challenge your view of things. Moreover, it is different to work in a specialized area in isolation since almost every matter would require you to understand the inherent question of jurisdiction, interpretation, and constitutionality.
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As an intern, you should prioritise an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the law. This may also include engaging with seniors in a meaningful manner and learning from their actions or taking cues from their guidance.
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Supreme Court Judges and Lawyers are among the most experienced people in the field of law you will find in India. The trick is to correctly absorb all of the knowledge and expertise on offer. The kind of energy you will find yourself surrounded by in the Supreme Court is exactly the kind of stimulus you need in case you find yourself second-guessing the decision to pursue law.
Main tasks which are generally allocated to interns include-
- Research For Judgments/Articles/Case Laws
Law is the representation of society, and legal research is the pillar on which the entire legal profession rests. The stronger the pillar, the more effective the building against calamities. Therefore, legal research skill is an asset to all legal professionals, be they law students, advocates, or judges. Thus, to attain success, it becomes imperative to sharpen this skill set continually.
As an intern, you must be able to procure requisite information such as points of law, legal precedents, and argument foundations from reliable sources including research databases such as Westlaw, SCC, Manupatra, etc. One should know how to look for case laws using citations and how to refine the search and get the desired results.
The most effective tool for legal communication is legal drafting. Besides case briefs, interns may be asked to draft a plethora of documents during the course of the internship. The ability to draft well is associated with the ability to think and communicate clearly. As a result, it is important to understand what a legal document’s intent is. A legal document must be written in such a manner that it clearly states the legal question, the client’s claims, and any solutions requested.
- Being Able To Take Client Meetings
Especially in a long-term internship, learning the skills of dealing with a client effectively is of paramount importance. Lawyers often tend to delegate the meetings with existing and potential clients or he/she may even allow you as an intern to accompany them in such meetings. As a lawyer or legal intern, your communication skills have to be crisp and impeccable in order to make a positive impression on the client. Good communication skills are vital to successful, rewarding practice for lawyers, and interning at a court gives you a headstart on developing these skills. You need to communicate well with your senior clients, staff, partners, associates, other lawyers, and vendors.
Having discussed what can one expect and what is expected from a law student while interning at different levels of courts, the core question remains which needs to be answered is to – How can you find an internship? Currently, there are several platforms publishing legal opportunities including legal internships, jobs, etc. on a regular basis, including LegalBots.in
Internships are an excellent opportunity to explore and discover the real working of the courts which is not confined to the textbook teachings. Internships act as a mirror and can give you real experience, based on which you can choose your law career pathways or job role you wish to the opt-in law profession. It does not matter where you intern, what matters is that during the period of internship, you get to explore your brain efficiency and patience. A law student shall keep on brainstorming and aim for clarity on whatever they are witnessing. The experiences that a student gains from an internship are invaluable in growing a career in law.
LegalBots.in wishes you the best!
