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With respect to the working hours - yes. In fact corporate lawyers make lesser per hour than lawyers in well-paying research centres or think tanks (which pay ~8 LPA) given the sheer hours of work, requirement to be available at all times, anxiety etc. It is only that the pay increases manifold with experience - but the stress and requirement to be available never reduces
Interactions will return.
And still y’all are having D-measuring contests over which firm and which law school is better? Your firms will literally go bankrupt and lay you off if this continues.
a. Your definition of what being at the top will change as you grow
b. If the sole scale of comparison with Kapil Sibal is his income, that too as starting point then no doubt you will feel despair. ( I don't think he made the amount of money he makes at the beginning of his career.)
In my opinion, it is best to consider building blocks which might lead you to success- something that is required to become a competent lawyer. Figure out an area of expertise, think through how you will practice it, and build knowledge and skills required for the same. I know that it is very difficult to think about getting clients who will ultimately pay you- but that is a problem which will be solved as you spend years in practice. You will find people willing to pay you for your expertise.
Now academics researching on proper legal issues will suffer because of this foolery.
After speaking with my colleagues, I can tell you that our internship-to-placement ratio has historically been higher for interns who had some form of personal interaction with us before the internship (apart from the CV obviously). This helps us remember them. This usually happens through alumni meets, judging moot courts, interactions with placement committees, or even identifying a common connection between the Partner and the intern.
I hope this helps. I also sincerely hope you are following the advice of people on this thread who actually work at law firms, rather than those who are still trying to get into one.
But they're nowhere Tier 1/2, it's a boutique firm of 50 odd lawyers.
Compared to that AMS donated Rs 15 cr from personal funds to Jiggles. I think he may have donated some crores earlier too. Anyway AMS and CR went on AMS donation sponsored trip to Japan, addressed the Diet there et al.
While folks at NUJS and even Bangalis (who suddenly matter to Kindness Co) may cry foul but it's just pointless bleatings of the sheep. Kindness Co have bigger fishes to barbecue and AMS is certainly invited to that party.
I'm actually curious about how much do MP's of Karanjawala & Co and Aggarwal Law Associates earn per year and what are their net worth considering they have the majority chunk of filing in the Supreme Court.
Generations of NLSIU alumni have got the Fulbright. A few from NALSAR and other places too. And, of course, hundreds from JNU, TISS etc in the humanities. End of an era.
https://www.usief.org.in/fulbright-fellowships/fellowships-for-indian-citizen/fulbright-nehru-academic-and-professional-excellence-fellowships/
AZB wala bawa uncle came and left.
Next in line waale bhaiya ki baari hogi ab.
Inka kuch nahin ho sakta.
Delhi office ka badluck hi kharaab hai.
Meanwhile we poor youngsters who work hard keep getting shafted when it comes to bonuses and increment.
On paper, the event looked extremely promising. The promotional material mentioned participation from several well-known law firms and senior attorneys, along with opportunities such as internships, scholarships, and certificate courses for participants. Unfortunately, the experience on the ground did not reflect those expectations.
First, many of the firms and practitioners that were advertised simply did not appear at the event. Only a small number of attorneys actually attended, and even those who did were not treated or hosted particularly well. For an event that relied so heavily on professional participation, the lack of proper coordination and hospitality was noticeable.
The situation was similar for participants. Several incentives were publicly promised inter alia, scholarships and certificate courses, but even after four months, many of these have not materialised. As someone who was recognised as a top performer, I was personally assured an internship opportunity, which has still not been provided.
Another point that deserves mention is the gap between what was marketed and what was ultimately offered. The event prominently highlighted connections with top-tier law firms and suggested internship opportunities with them. In reality, the few opportunities that did emerge were largely with tier-2 or lower organisations, which is quite different from what many participants believed they were signing up for.
Overall, the impression I was left with is that the event was heavily marketed but operationally underprepared. It felt more like a cost-controlled promotional exercise for “The Pact” and the organisers rather than a well-structured professional competition designed to genuinely benefit participants and legal professionals.
Anyone considering involvement with the 2026 edition should probably look closely at these issues and make an informed decision.
A consultant being someone who was not made an associate because they come from a mid tier or boutique firm with lower pay and/or a non-NLU background.
Consultants are also paid far less than even an A0 whilst having anywhere between 2-5 years of experience.
Are you ever made an associate? Are you forever a consultant? What are the bands in consultant? Will the payment ever match that of an associate?
Would love some insider insights.
thank me later.
Don't even compare these corp lawyers to top counsels. nobody knows corp lawyers but everyone knows the likes of AMS, et al.
https://www.barandbench.com/news/west-bengal-sir-supreme-court-says-will-not-tolerate-allegations-on-integrity-of-judicial-officers
2. I think the team is about 10-12 people. Team is super top heavy and there is barely any assistance at an associate level but overall they work well together. Toxicity is subjective and there are teams which are definition of toxic.
3. Correction - There are 3 JP’s: 2 JP’s in NCR and 1 in Mumbai. The 2 JP’s in NCR are wholly dependent on Manmeet. Not sure about the Mumbai JP - have never seen or interacted with him.
4. Very long working hours but it is because they actually have work. Sometimes the team stays back long hours for the partners to get free to discuss.
5. Accommodative despite the quirks
Remember you get brownie points if you share (or pretend to share) mutual hatred to those people/firms on the hit list of the partners.
Practice Hr qs by giving mock interviews. Read IE/TH/The mint for your GD.
I know the assessment cycle has just started for the latter but the PPO scene of the former isn't promising at all.
This is serious and urgent.
But there is one thing I can’t understand. First she says the lawyers are haughty and ask the Dalit lady to bring them water instead of fetching it themselves. One day, when Indira asked the lady to fetch her water, the lady said you are the only one drinking something fetched by me.
Doesn’t the second statement contradict the first? 🤔 If the lawyers actually practice untouchability, wouldn’t they bring their own water or fill it themselves?
I don’t understand this bit.
https://x.com/scribe_it/status/2031250769933119937/
You should only compare AMS’s pure commercial practice when you compare with Ashwath or Cyril or Zia. That is a fair comparison. AMS could still be ahead, but the margin will reduce significantly.
Or does he take up a lot of cases that are politically sensitive hence tougher to win?
Not randoms on legally india saying Sibal is overrated bro what even. Atleast have some concept of self awareness lol
If everything combined is a positive and there is vacancy in the office, you will get a PPO (most of the times).
GNLU…. Campus far away (but metro connectivity is there)…. Students are comparatively docile and compliant…. Well funded institute… 50 acre campus shared with Gujarat Maritime University…
The team has not been very inclusive in considering diverse views on the issue and has dismissed several perspectives, partly due to the internal politics surrounding the individual involved. It is interesting that while students organized the event, the professors showed little effort to ensure that the issue was examined in a more holistic and balanced manner. The convenors should be more mindful that such external influences are not encouraged.
Regarding the extent to which 1st generation lawyers can leave their mark on the Bar, I know many such lawyers who have established a lucrative practice (though perhaps not as lucrative as could be), some years after joining the Bar. A good reputation cannot be gained overnight and takes a few years to develop. Of course, there will always be exceptions. Thomas Erskine famously went from an impoverished lawyer known by nobody to the Lord Chancellor of Great Britain. His skill was such that he immediately made a name for himself at the Bar. Is this likely to happen to you, presumably then a bright and hardworking greenhorn, a few years down the line? Such a meteoric rise cannot be ruled out in India, as is shown by Palkhivala, but the chances of this happening are slim to none unless you have extraordinary talent or get tremendously lucky. You can expect to become a well-known name with a lot of hard work, time, and some luck. However, reaching the greatest heights of the profession is difficult in India for a 1st generational lawyer due to structural reasons (this chapter should be enlightening: https://luminosoa.org/chapters/m/10.1525/luminos.110.f).
I would say take the gamble. You are more likely to win than lose if you are truly committed to the Bar. It will definitely not be easy but most good things in life are not easy to get.
As to your statement on "But DPDP is creating a whole new regulatory and adjudicatory framework. The Data Protection Board will need representation. Firms will need people who understand how compliance actually works inside companies. So can this be different from the usual one way situation?"
I understand the optimism that comes with the DPDP Act and its rules. However its pertinent to note that India is likely to not see a "privacy wave" as was seen in law firms when the GDPR was implemented in India. The GDPR only resulted in a huge wave because the EU was adamant in pushing the GDPR despite a huge Big-Tech pushback. The CJEU and the respective DPBs of every member state are extremely proactive in fining companies for privacy violations. Additionally, the GDPR is comprehensive and when I mean comprehensive, I mean extremely detailed to the extent that several gaps within the DPDP have solutions that can be found in the GDPR or privacy jurisprudence from the EU. This comprehensiveness and proactiveness essentially translates to the requirement of a workforce that can understand the GDPR and its recitals which ultimately resulted in the law firm privacy wave in the EU. In comparison, India's DPDP is pretty simple, its rules straightforward. In fact it seems so simple that people think it is vagueness that gives rise to this simplicity ( You can keep things short by not explaining stuff). Secondly, looking at how the specialised bodies such as the CCI and TRAI have operated in the past, there's no guarantee that the DPB in India would be proactive in its approach. What this translates to is unpredictable hiring. Law firms will only take Data privacy seriously if their clients took it seriously, the clients will take it seriously only when the Government takes data privacy seriously. Right now the DPDP isn't exactly operative, so there's no knowing how it would also progress in the years ahead. Don't play a hunch based on the DPDP. For now, owing to its infancy, data privacy forms a subset of Technology, Media, and Telecommunications. Explore other laws, fintech is growing well, there's slow but steady growth on AI mandates. Telecom is also a hard but lucrative field once you crack it.
Personally, I'd say you have a greater chance at shifting into a team that primarily does GC with TMT work on the side because that essentially what in house counsels do. All the best!!
This is quite daunting as you yourself pointed out. However, I don't think you should worry too much. It doesn't take long to start earning if you are in a good chamber and not afraid to take up small matters on your own. Luck necessarily plays a role in determining how soon you can start earning a comfortable sum on a monthly basis, but I would say that a willingness to work hard goes a long way in shortening the initial period of struggle. Keep in mind that the period of time it takes for you to start your independent practice is not the same period it takes for you to start earning a decent sum of money. The latter is necessarily shorter than the former since nobody would even think of going independent unless they have a decent base of clients/briefing counsel.
I would suggest not relying too much on the time it took others to go independent. Every person is different in terms of abilities and privilege. Just remember that it is almost a universal truth that the reward for good work is more work. You won't have to eat sawdust without butter for long.