Being an assessment intern in the firm over a long period, i can say that the work culture in the firm is not soo great, you will treated harshly by the partner and her parents(they are essentially the HR and Finance Dept). You will expected to work late hours and recieve little to no compensation for that. In terms of work, you will exposed to a large and varied portfolio of Cap Marks Work, so your exposure after you work in the firm for around a year would be extraordinary. The Pay for Assessment interns is around 5K, 7K and 15k(depending on how long have you worked) and for the associates its 30K, they dont have a concrete promotion policy as well, which makes them exploit you easily in the name of work and exposure. My honest advice would be if you want to learn work and can tolerate the toxicity day in and day out, please go for it. Else stay away at any cost.

Your view about NFSU Law is spot on. That's exactly what NFSU is doing. It is producing 'technocrat lawyers' who combine/integrate law, technology, and forensic science. This is the reason it does not offer the BA-LLB combination. As far as placements are concerned, as I have already mentioned, the industry is yet to catch up. When they do, see the impact. That said, NFSU is looking long-term, where placements are just one of the many success parameters. Even the NFSU Law is not competing with NLUs. They are playing a different game and defining new rules.

NLUs cannot be the "IITs of law" because of the state university status. That is not going to go away. NLUs do not have the mindshare (except among a small group of CLAT aspirants). This is evident from the fact that during national budgets, NLUs find no mention (unlike IISc, IITs, AIIMS, and now NFSU). Similarly, NLUs cannot represent India in global activities.

NFSU and NLUs cannot be directly compared. One is a multi-disciplinary, multi-campus (even IITs are not multi-campus) national university, directly under an influential ministry. The other (NLUs) are single-discipline, standalone state entities with hardly any support. Don't get into this "IITs of law" illusion. It may provide some feel-good to some aspirants, but when the reality hits, it can be disappointing. Among NLUs, there is no differentiation (other than age). They follow the cookie-cutter approach. NFSU holds a niche that is globally recognized.

The only solution is to limit the number of law grads. All TLCs and second-tier NLUs should be shut down: a complete waste of taxpayers money. Better to spend the money on vocational training for students for AI-proof jobs, or teaching them business and entrepreneurial skills.

Further, the top tier NLUs should limit intake to 100 students a year with note more than 10% seats reserved, strictly on economic criteria. The fees should also be hiked, to improve the quality of infrastructure and faculty.

Similarly, all private law schools should be shut down except Jindal, Symbiosis Pune and maybe 3-4 more. They should also limit intake.

We are moving towards a world of ruthless efficiency and meritocracy. No place for entitlement, social justice and wokeness.

Feel free to downvote if the bitter truth hurts you.

I'm due to complete the assessment in two days, but I've been too scared to start it. Those of ya'll who have given it/ aced it recently – what did the 1st assessment entail, specifically? Is there anything I can brush up on specifically to ace the test?

And any other advice, general or specific, is much appreciated.

Hi all, I am an A3 at a tier 1 law firm and lately have been questioning my life choices. I want to make big money but based on the time spent here at the firm, I honestly don’t think this is a sustainable lifestyle. Let me just clarify here that i am a high performing associate and I work in one of the non toxic teams. I am sure my team and the partner would be shocked to hear that I am considering quitting/ switching or that I am feeling burnt out because I am rarely able to say no but based on whatever I have seen around me and the threads here on legally india, it seems clear to me that it is not going to get better at the law firm and that no other job in the legal industry pays this well (other than litigation ofc). I consider myself to be an ambitious individual and therefore, am finding it difficult to make a decision regarding quitting the law firm life because I want to be successful (make money) but I would not like to compromise on my personal life either. Is there really a way out? Are there any in house roles that pay as well as tier 1 firms do? I do not shy away from work but would like a lifestyle where other than a few tough days here and there I am able to have control over my time and my life. Very desperately looking for some helpful answers!

Tbh Im surprised folks are wasting more money than Jindal (Bits law fee is higher for the same BALLB) and not gettkng the ROI. What r parents thinking?? BCI has a fixed coursework for half the programme so why 55 lakhs. By the time you graduate it will be 60 . There is no comparison with any T1 NLU or Jindal or even Symbi. Bits isn’t worth the distance, fee or culture. Not worth the 4 hour drive from Churchgate station or 3 hour from BOM airport. It’s a sham. Market will declare soon. Stay alert

Tbh Im surprised folks are wasting more money than Jindal (Bits law fee is higher for the same BALLB) and not gettkng the ROI. What r parents thinking?? BCI has a fixed coursework for half the programme so why 55 lakhs. By the time you graduate it will be 60 . There is no comparison with any T1 NLU or Jindal or even Symbi. Bits isn’t worth the distance, fee or culture. Not worth the 4 hour drive from Churchgate station or 3 hour from BOM airport. It’s a sham. Market will declare soon. Stay alert

Please, please, if there is such a partner, or somebody who knows such a partner, do not ever respond to this post. The partner in question will have to go into hiding, like what happened to that poor Israeli employee of Elon Musk's, Yoel Roth, who put Musk's back up and whom Musk bullied on the internet out of spite. This is not necessarily because there are loads of malicious people out there like Musk, but because there are just way too many law students who will do absolutely anything, no matter how poorly planned, drafted or thought out.

If anyone has information about good litigation offices in Delhi with decent working culture and conditions and good pay for 0-2 yes experience, please do mention.

Preferably chambers working in criminal law

Please mention generally Good to work at litigation offices in Delhi as well, good working conditions, non toxic environment, at least some semblance of work life balance

It seems that this link has expired. Seriously, I cannot think of too many people active in academics today who will freely share their thesis for public consumption. Here is the link from SSRN which he had shared on LinkedIn a few days ago:

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6163966

While his rates may be higher—indeed, they ought to be—particularly at the stage of final hearings, which are unmistakably his forte, it is essential to understand what one receives in return. Too often, among the so-called top five or ten seniors, detailed and carefully reasoned written opinions are treated as optional luxuries rather than professional obligations. GS, however, operates in an altogether different league.

His written opinions are not only meticulous and deeply considered, but frequently bring to bear newer, relevant perspectives—something that cannot be said, with any confidence, of most at that level. They are clear, structured, and intellectually honest. And when it comes to settling drafts, he does not indulge in the superficial edits that pass for diligence elsewhere. He overhauls them—entirely. What you receive is not a document that has been lightly adjusted, but one that has been fundamentally reworked, both in structure and substance, into something genuinely usable.

Taken as a whole, his fees are not merely justified—they are, in fact, supremely reasonable. Were one to somehow extract this degree of rigour, care, and commitment from others in that same bracket, the resulting bill would almost certainly carry a few additional zeros.

There is also the question of character, which in any serious profession ought not to be treated as incidental. GS is, quite simply, a good man—deeply ethical at his core. One cannot help but feel he is the sort of mind and temperament the Supreme Court of India would have benefited from, but did not receive - with him as a judge.

All of which makes him something of a rarity: a lotus in a severely polluted pond. Untouched by the surrounding murk, and all the more remarkable for it.

I'll be joining this year,

To start with the beginning, what things should one be cautious of? Like anything about hostels in the initial days or the seniors,

How to navigate the academics since I really do not wanna message the 1st year up

Health advice?

Time management?

When should one apply for internships? Also how?

What do the breaks look like--- as in the chronology of days coming up to the breaks and then the breaks themselves. Do you get any time to yourself?

How much should the allowance be?

Some people in the gc have talked about drinking and it apparently helps socialising so

What is someone, a guy, who doesn't drink perceived as?

This is of course a lot but the anxiety is real and any input would be really appreciated. Please help if you can!!

Let’s call this what it is: privilege doing cosplay as grit. Charming chap, no doubt. But when he says he “chose” not to be a junior, what he really means is he could afford not to be. The rest of us don’t choose the ladder—we cling to it and hope it isn’t pulled away. Instead, he “accepts” junior briefs from top firms and drifts in as second chair to legal royalty. How terribly subversive. It’s not breaking the system; it’s being softly escorted through it. And that Supreme Court debut—followed by the judge ringing up his father with feedback on both argument and hair. That detail lingered. It brought to mind my own last appearance before a certain judge—widely recognised, for all the wrong reasons—who wouldn’t indulge me for even a second because I wasn’t a “known face,” or more to the point, someone’s son or daughter. He proceeded to dictate an unsubstantiated dismissal. I interrupted his dictation—something I fundamentally disagree with and frankly dislike myself for resorting to—and only then did he partially correct course, awkwardly carving out the very relief I had sought in the first place. And the order reflects that confusion perfectly: it begins with a dismissal, only to then grant, in substance, the very relief I had asked for. A contradiction, neatly preserved on record. One suspects that had a more recognisable surname been on its feet, the Court might have taken the trouble to call it what it actually was: not a dismissal, but a disposal. Clarity, it seems, is also a function of who’s asking. That performance was… instructive. The only honest line in the interview was the accidental one: you’re only competing with yourself because someone will always be ahead thanks to connections. Quite. Though it’s a far more comforting philosophy when the queue has a habit of parting for you. And watching this little masterclass in inherited momentum masquerading as merit, a thought lands with unusual clarity: I’m done. Not in a dramatic, flounce-out way—just the cold, administrative kind of done that comes after a decade of watching the same script play out. Not just with this version of the profession. With India. Because if this is the ecosystem—where access is dressed up as excellence and proximity is mistaken for talent—then staying starts to look less like perseverance and more like complicity. And I’ve no interest in spending another decade pretending this is normal.

There's nothing called "too much of forensic science". For far too long, our justice system has depended on humanities-oriented legal practices that are completely based on human subjectivity. Given the complexities of current crimes, the role of science and technology in justice delivery is only going to expand. In science (unlike law), there is no value in what one sees. The scientist has to prove his/her hypothesis scientifically, but in current legal systems, an eyewitness account is given so much importance. If a scientist relies on an "eyewitness account", he/she will be barred from the scientific community.

As already mentioned, NFSU is ahead of the curve, while India is behind it. The industry is catching up, with new opportunities coming up. Second, NFSU is thinking long-term. It is thinking far beyond placements as a success factor. Third, NFSU is a global pioneer. It does not have a template to follow (e.g., like NLUs). It is creating its own template and forging ahead. About 7500 have scaled Mount Everest, but people remember only Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary. Why? NFSU is doing that no other university has done before.

Doesn't make sense for top nlus like nujs and nluj to have these seats which significantly damage brand value and the sense of "exclusiveness" Of getting into an nlu of that calibre. It's basically a free entry mechanism for rich metro kids from mumbai, Delhi, chennai etc to get free seats to top tier legal education with no merit. While the nri quota is based on clat rank too, are you telling me that getting into nujs with an air of 1000 (general) is meritorious, as opposed to a required rank of around 350?

When sudhir at nlsiu recognises the misuse of these quotas and suspends them defacto from his university, I don't get why nluj or nujs don't follow suit. Are these nlus really in such dire need of money?

Was reading up about the recent Supreme Court pronouncement on maternity leave for adoptive mothers. The petitioner is a fintech lawyer and used to work for this big boy law firm when she applied for maternity leave and was only offered 6 weeks of leave. No points for guessing the firm.

Whatever Nfsu does it has nothing to do with nlus. Everyone needs to understand that concept of nlus is to provide quality legal education to produce best legal minds. Whereas Nfsu's aim is to provide quality education for forensic sciences and cybersecurity.

No matter what people say but nlu's will always be a top choice for pursuing law in india because they were established to produce best legal minds for the country they are like IIT's of law

Talking about nfsu law it is totally different it's main focus should be producing best lawyers who can integrate knowledge of forensic science and technology in legal domain (helping investigation teams,tech industry, prosecutors in criminal cases)

I feel Nfsu should not be compared to nlu's in terms of legal education It is like comparing iit's btech with nfsu btech cybersecurity program

The amendment flies in the face of the Supreme Court's decision in NALSA v. Union of India. That decision held that self-determination of gender is rooted in Article 21. Legislatures are free to effectively overrule precedent by taking away the basis of the decisions in question. That cannot be done when it comes to NALSA since the basis of its holding was Article 21. Hence, irrespective of whatever policy arguments may exist in favour of doing away with self-determination, it simply cannot be done. This simple point seems to have been lost on the Central Government. This does not answer your question which is decidedly about the socio-economic aspects of the 2019 Act, but I think it is always good to keep both policy and law in mind while thinking about such issues.

did not say that it came from fergana, i said it was from the steppes adjoining fergana

sanskrit, at least the earliest bits (all proto-indo aryan languages), were made for pastoral popu, they had several dozen words for grass, why would settled people need so many names for grass, once sanskrit entered the peshawar basin it slowly dropped all those earlier words and repurposed them for plains

OP here, turns out that I didn't think this one through too well. Apologies! This query came from someone who had cold-emailed 40-50 times and not received a reply. But I now understand the consequences of name-dropping. Thank you! And, thanks for the motivation, I shall keep the mailing going, hoping to land a good team soon.

Whatever practice area you get into, life is going to be hard. Look, I'm not going to sugarcoat things for you. You are going to have to be available, quite often across weekends. However, you do have some time for yourself. Not EVERY SINGLE weekend is a working weekend. Those who manage their time well, will be able to maintain somehwat of a social life.

coz they are entitled, self-soaked, and in many cases rich and entitled, SoBs who thought they have the world at their feet coz they cleared a basic and ultry-glitchy TOEFL-sih exam and consider themselves above IIT and IIM grad and sole hiers to the tier-1 law firm circle. Totally insular and self-centered bunch of folks.

"Some also realized that this was not their cup of tea and chose to pursue other alternatives and are doing equally well"

could you tell me what things they were able to pivot to? i want to know what my options are if i do decide that law isnt for me (which may very well happen in the future)

i have the same question but like another commenter said i think the situation is same across all fields of law, i would say its more the firm culture that determines how much of a life you will have but law in general is pretty bleak when it comes to work life balance so dont expect good things...

ive only interned so far and i was counting down days and looking at the clock 100 times a day honestly starting to contemplate if im not meant for practicing law

I'm hearing mixed things about them. thinking of interning for either ADR or general corporate area, main requirement is that they actually let me learn something as an intern.

if someone knows about working hours, work culture and stripend for interns thatd be great too

As a law student aspiring to work at a top law firm, I understand that partnership is considered the most coveted milestone in a corporate lawyer’s career. Which firms are truly merit-based in their promotion to partnership, and why is partnership at Trilegal often regarded so highly?

I’ve heard that many people transition to Tier 1 law firms after gaining substantial experience at T&S Law in Capital Markets. I have recently received a job offer from T&S Law, and I’m quite excited about the opportunity.

However, the HR team has not yet shared details regarding the salary package and has deferred the discussion to Monday (23.03.2026). In the meantime, I wanted to reach out to understand the general salary expectations and work culture at the firm.

It would be really helpful if someone could share their insights.

Why would you leave SRCC for a profession that would eventually narrow your scope and the range of opportunities? More than the age aspect, I pity the fact that you chose to willingly put yourself to this instead of going for a better, well rounded career avenue. People really need to stop romanticising NLUs and law- it's an oversaturated profession with poor ROI- both money wise and emotionally and professionally.

HNLU kids are on a spree.

Jessup '26 - National round winners

IBA ICC '26 - Qualified for international rounds

Brown Mosten '26 - Runners up

Oxford Price '26 - Qualified for international rounds

Oxford IP '26 - Qualified for international rounds

John H Jackson '26 - Runners up and qualified for international rounds

Vis East '26 international rounds - Runners-up/Winners

Hello everyone,

I am in my 3rd year right now and I just got an internship at Luthra and Luthra at New Delhi office via cold mailing the partners (I got reply within 4 hours of mailing them, one of them replied and confirmed). I wanted to ask about what to expect and how to make most out of this opportunity.

P.S. also if someone can tell me if I can expect any stipend.

It is end of the year. Bonus pay out time. Most lalas are probably squirming because they have to pay out while their HR minions are frantically trying to find one reason or the other to gnaw at legitimately earned bonuses of poor associates and partners. Meanwhile the good for nothing suckups are super busy making last ditch attempts at sucking up to get their due for what they do best...sucking up.

THATS the harsh reality on this side of the pond.

Lol lawyers aren't the only one with hectic working schedules.Investment Bankers, doctors, consultants etc have equally bad work life balance.

My non-lawyer boyfriend always understands my hectic working schedule and I have often spent weekends working while still hanging out with him. Being a homebody certainly helps lol.

Why would you want a date a lawyer honestly? I think we are boring people. There are many people with interesting professions who will help you expand your world view and allow you to have different perspectives on things. I would say it is even important for lawyers to surround themselves with various people and not be trapped in echo chambers.

Who’s making such a big deal about the Trilegal partnership announcements? Honestly, it’s pretty much the same story every year- firms promoting partners in April like clockwork.

That said, I am curious- does anyone actually know what their promotion process looks like? Is it any different from how other Tier-1 law firms in India handle it, or is it just the usual playbook with a bit of added hype?

So this might be controversial, but what is the huge fuss with the Trans Bill? I think it is reasonable for the State to be able to determine who is the ultimate beneficiary of trans welfare policies? We’ve already seen what happens when reservation is based on intrinsic characteristics like caste or religion. What makes the trans issue more complicated is that self-determination is a huge loophole since at least for caste and religion you have a community backing you, documents and familiar origins attesting to your origin a certain way. If tomorrow, an upper class guy decides he’s trans and there’s no checks to ensure he doesn’t get benefits from welfare and reservations meant for actual trans people, it’ll be the same thing as reservation again: policies meant for the vulnerable going to those who aren’t vulnerable, who are privileged and who don’t need those benefits. It’s not about left or right, but simple common sense. A lot of trans people, especially those in wealthier areas or those from privileged backgrounds, never really undergo gender affirming surgeries and giving them even more privileges under the garb of trans rights seems stupid, especially considering rural trans and intersex individuals who cannot opt-out of the discrimination. It’s kind of like being gay, like I don’t see how a gender which has had historic privilege is suddenly to be treated as vulnerable simply because they sleep with each other. It doesn’t make the inherent economic and social privilege men have go away, it just puts on a garb of vulnerability on them and ignores that they do not really face issues since no one can figure out their sexuality prima facie, unlike trans people who do suffer immensely based on how they are seen by others. Self-determination may be a right, but making it the pathway to claim benefits is just a losing battle against actual trans empowerment. Am I wrong? Is there something else I’m missing?

That is exactly why your job must be your priority. If you had generational wealth to depend on, it may not be extremely dire and important. Depending on marriage, especially as a woman, for sustenance is like two of your feet on two canoes, they may drift apart and youre done for