NLU is not all about getting placed!!

I cant understand why students from National Law Schools(NLU) have an inclination(strong one) towards law firms!! Not opposing the view that it has a fixed defined career(which has very little hopes for self improvement), a big fat cheque at the end of the month and a wealthy lifestyle. But is it all that matters to us as an individual? Is it what we are living for? Is it just about money always?

Aspiring law students write CLAT not keeping in mind the education and exposure they will receive at a law school but choice is made based on the placement records.

Typical NLU student will work all 5 years of his college life religiously to secure a good rank, to stay in top few of his/her batch, to not go home during breaks so that he/she can intern at a good law firm and improve his CV, to let go his social life so that he can have publications. It is seen that the intelligent students of the batch who have the capacity to be a really good advocates or judges or inspiring teachers, will also choose the path of a law firm confining his/her intellect to the glass wall of law firm. Reasons are nothing but MONEY is all that they work for.

It is next to impossible for me to understand why such an inclination towards these jobs! In the end, it is a JOB, you are employed under someone who will want you to work your ass off so that there is an improvement in his business. A big question arises what is it that you have in store for you? Even if you spend all your life working, you will be working under someone, obliged to follow his orders and have no freedom to make your own choices, you are wasting your energy and resources so that someone can improvise his business, so that someone can earn and grow and only incentive you have is mere 1/20th of his income as your annual salary?

I don’t want to change anyone nor do I say these jobs are not good. But, when you are in such a nobel profession then why not work for something that will make a difference to society, that will benefit the society, that will give you satisfaction in the end, that will make you use your resources for your benefit, that will make your efforts help in your improvement instead of someone else! Above all, that will make you GROW.

There is a pool of opportunities waiting for you if you remove the veil and see that money is not that defines your career, it is your choice, it is your personal satisfaction, your improvement that makes all the difference in your life. Why not choose a path that will actually make a difference like litigation or teaching or legal consultant instead of being a just another associate in a huge law firm where your worth is not more then just another person whose presence or absence will not lead to any change in the firm’s working.

It is high time that we stop this legacy of giving all our talent to the law firms so that they can make more money! NLU is not about getting placed at the end of your five years. It is about learning and deciding what you want from yourself, what is it that interests you. Money is not everything my friend! For a short term it might attract you but consider choosing a path where your creativity will be alive, where you will be satisfied at the end of the day, where you will have freedom to make your own choices and decisions, where it is not all about competitiveness but about peaceful work, where you don’t work to impress your senior but to make a difference, where your resources are used for the right thing instead of a place where money makes things right.

You are talented, don’t waste it for someone else!

Comments

Shavam 7 May 2014, 07:59
+1 -0
Just like IIT's!!
Long-time law firm-ite 7 May 2014, 08:08
+1 -0
Ah, to be young and idealistic! Good luck to the author.. Can't say for the others, but being in the firm that I am and doing the kind of work that I do genuinely does give me job satisfaction and intellectual stimulation. The fat pay packet is of course the cherry on top!
alias 7 May 2014, 08:11
+1 -0
I take exception to the title of the blog as the contents applies to any and all law student and not just to NLU students :P
law_student 7 May 2014, 08:18
+0 -1
To Long-time law firm-ite,
never denied that law firm jobs give satisfaction to people, as the saying goes "to each one their own" but getting enrolled in a college only for the job and such inclination towards these jobs is what makes me think that where has the individuality gone!!
law_student 7 May 2014, 08:19
+0 -0
To Alias,
Couldn't agree more!
but here have written for what I have experienced first hand ;)
legalstartup 7 May 2014, 08:37
+2 -0
Nice article...I agree with the idea, nothing can be more challenging than working for your own, law is the most easiest type of profession in which you can start your own stuff...just ur intellect and very few investment on books and small office...The concept of 1st generation, 2nd generation lawyers is all negativity that one has to overcome....all I can say if you are confident just take a leap...I started with a blog now after 1 year I have consulted 300 clients.
real 7 May 2014, 08:53
+1 -0
What are you smoking, my friend? Get real
Vibhu 7 May 2014, 08:54
+3 -0
You are either freaking rich(financially) or incredibly naive....Yeah, I am judgmental.
a practical person 7 May 2014, 09:53
+2 -0
Wait till you have old parents and babies to support. Wonder if you will still talk about "money is not everything" then.
change your thinking pattern 7 May 2014, 10:06
+1 -0
mr/ms real
change your idea of reality. it is not just about employment or money at the end of the day! even an illiterate can earn! but, you got the choice to work for yourself, doesn't matter if it is for less amount of money.
law_student 7 May 2014, 10:17
+1 -0
dear mr practical person, going by your reasoning, one shouldn't even think of aspiring their dreams because there is no security!
make money by doing what you like to do, it will bring both money and happiness along with satisfaction and if at all, law firm is what you like then go for it! :)
law_student 7 May 2014, 10:18
+0 -0
hey vibhu!
neither am rich nor naive, I just don't want to waste my life running after money. I want to pursue what I like and this is the message from the article too.
I know what you are getting at 7 May 2014, 16:45
+1 -0
Wow kid! There is one such blog rant in every third year law student's comp, published or not.,. right around the time when everyone is "disillusioned" with it all. Trust me this is premature, everything got its perks- firms, litigation, academics or even screwing it all and becoming a chef, you will go through each and everyone of these phases, keep growing and evolving as a professional, and then laugh at yourself ten years down the line for having written this :)
non-nlu 8 May 2014, 15:34
+0 -0
Basically nlu is only for name tag! Which is indeed helpful to get into top law firms or doing any thing for society
amit 9 May 2014, 14:37
+0 -0
i agree with non-nlu!!
Confused_soul 12 Jun 2014, 10:31
+1 -0
Couldn't agree more...but the pace of progress in litigation is too slow. However, credentials count but the experience and status too ! I am also inclined towards litigation, the idea of practicing for the society and the country, but what if i don't get growth opportunities...neither will i grow nor have a steady source of income !
Guest 20 Aug 2016, 07:29
+0 -0
nice one!
Varun Pandey 14 May 2017, 17:30
+1 -0
loved each and every word.