if you come to the UK without a TC or any contacts, doing SQE would not help, you can always set up shop with a similarly placed person and advise on immigration matters in London or Leicester. In London more than 40% of the population are foreign born and there is always a demand for cut price advise. Non-solicitors charge £500 to fill out form (much like the bail munshis in lower courts)

Qualifing work ex from anywhere in the world would be admissible for the 2 years requirements, but again, just like passing AIBE does not suddenly give you extra power, qualifying SQE would not give you wings. Contacts are more important for foreign lawyers in the UK than in India. Only one place seems to value SQE/dual qualified lawyers that is UAE, but even there the boom is only going to last as long as they keep selling flats, which will end in about 5-6 years when FATF closes the loopholes

my suggestion has always been, work 2 years in India, get in touch with foreign law firms, build contacts, then apply for TC, ask them to pay for SQE prep costs (during the intervening 12-18 months, when you stay in India). Ulaw has online prep, you fly in give part I, wait for a few months, take part II and finally join in as a full 3+ PQE lawyer, without going through the trauma of unemployed in London bit.

Our seniors who passed out from the universities actually tried to push for the nationalisation of NLUs, but the current batches studying in NLUs didn’t even bother about it. If NLUs get proper funding, they can build a solid rep, show up in QS rankings, and even attract placements from top foreign law firms.

It’ll also improve legal education in India overall and help students from poor backgrounds get into NLUs, especially if there's a proper scholarship setup like in the IITs.

Right now, NLUs have a lot of issues like reservation problems in appointing profs, lack of steady state funding, admin mess, and even too many NLUs in the same state, which can ruin the value of the NLU tag.

We as students need to start questioning why NLUs haven’t been made INIs yet and seriously fight for nationalisation. This isn’t just about one college—it’s about fixing the future of legal education in India.

Don’t see anything wrong with it. Law firms are bound to interview all possible candidates. You are a fool to expect priority. On the other hand, the partner is honest to tell you that you should explore other firms, and not put your eggs in one basket. He/she could have easily told you that you are still in the fray and not hired you eventually. Don’t just diss for the sake of dissing. Also, you are not from a top tier law school. Check your attitude.

All of the signs that you have indicated are YOUR interpretations. No where did they say that you were hired. YOU liked the place. YOU were "fine" with the salary. Does that mean that they HAVE to take you?

Their HR already told you that they were interviewing candidates and that you were free to explore options. That is a polite way of saying No.

Nearly all have PhDs from NUJS itself, conveniently scooped up to meet the recruitment targets. Then theres Mohan Lal Sukhadia University, Sambalpur University, Tripura University. That speaks for itself. Its a far cry from the NUJS after the recruitments of 2014 when the faculty at all levels boasted alumni from the ivies, oxbridge, Michigan, etc. They have all left leaving behind the ▮▮▮ who have been "teaching" the same rot for decades. The university today is a shadow of its former self.

I'm a fifth year @ VIPS. Shimla NLU is doing relatively better in terms of placement (atleast from where it was 4 years ago). Their placement cell is actively trying to secure internships and other opportunities, from what I have heard from my co-interns. Some of them got good internships via their placement cell.

VIPS, while decent, doesn't give you any placement at all. The placement cell is non-existent so do not expect anything remotely related to college assistance for an internship, let alone a placement. Being in delhi is definitely an advantage, which I completely understand but I would advice you to go to HPNLU if you are okay with living in a very quiet place (HPNLU is in city outskirts).

Also, VIPS does not have two internship breaks, but they used to have a very flexible attendance policy - which allowed everybody to intern at whatever month you'd like (just dont tell the college ;)) But the attendance policy has been revised and juniors are subject to stricter norms now - so please ask any 2nd or 3rd year student at vips- i can't say- the admin is chill with us interning for the whole of 5th year.

Finally, please reach out to some final-year students at HPNLU for some real placement stats- if you find out that they are actually giving out internships, without a doubt, join HPNLU. The institute is doing better than NLU Aurangabad and NLU Sonepat.

Hi, I’m an A2 now and just wanted to say it’s absolutely okay to mess up in the first few weeks. That’s when you know the least and everything is new. You’re still figuring out what’s expected, how to do even the basic things, and what’s considered normal.

When I was an A0, I once deleted a folder from the shared drive by mistake. It had working files for an ongoing deal. The team had to scramble to recover things, and I was genuinely scared I was going to get fired. I felt terrible. But the senior just said, “These things happen. Just be more careful,” and we moved on. You’re going to mess up. That’s part of the job, especially early on. Nobody expects you to know everything. What matters is how you bounce back, whether you’re learning, and if you’re reliable over time.

Don’t read too much into how quiet people are. Most seniors have seen these mistakes before. They’ll only be concerned if you stop trying or keep repeating things without learning.

So no, your career isn’t doomed. You’re just new. Give yourself time. It gets better.

Hey, A2 here. just wanted to say, I know it feels overwhelming right now, but please know this: the first six months are genuinely the hardest part of this job. You feel like you know nothing, and honestly… that’s kind of true. Not because you're not smart, but because this role is a different world — and nobody walks in knowing how to navigate it. You’re building knowledge from scratch, and in those first few months, you often feel useless, confused, and way behind. That’s normal. You’ll get held up on tasks, be corrected (sometimes sharply), and feel like you’re constantly playing catch-up. It sucks. But it does get better. After 5-6 months, something starts to click. You’ll start recognizing patterns, knowing where to look, how to respond, and what to prioritize. You’ll still have tough days, but it won’t feel like drowning anymore, more like swimming in choppy waters, but at least you’ll know how to swim. You’ll gain confidence. You’ll pick up speed. And that stress you're feeling right now will ease off.

So hang in there. You’re not behind. You’re just at the very beginning of a steep but very doable learning curve. Everyone who’s made it past this point has felt exactly what you’re feeling right now.

Take it one day at a time. Don’t be afraid to ask “silly” questions. And be kind to yourself because this phase is brutal, but temporary. You’ve got this. 🤝

Why is that CJIs do not go to NUJS for convocation, despite being the chancellor there. 5 batches of NUJS now await their convocation, and the backlog is only going to increase year by year.

And this is when successive CJIs have been visiting other NLUs as well as private colleges for their convocations, even when they are not the chancellor.

Does anyone know of the reasons?

Interned at a tier 1 for 4 months and was told they need time to make their decision, with my fifth year about to end, I was out of options and took up a decent paying inhouse job.

Now finally as I'm settling into this job, mighty tier 1 decides to return and throw me a bone today.

Need ideas and inputs

Starting as an A0 soon and honestly feeling overwhelmed.

Everyone around me seems to know so much—case law, sections, drafting tricks—like it’s second nature. Meanwhile, I’m just trying to keep my head above water.

I know I’ve put in the work, but how are you supposed to know everything, that too in such depth?

Is this normal? How did you all manage in your first year?

Hi, I'm going to start working at a T1 in the coming month. I've been wondering how to handle my finances. Where should I invest? How much should I invest? Should I have a separate bank account from my parents? How should I diversify my investments? Basically, how do I set up a good foundation so I can be financially secure in the years to come?

I am not being sarcastic. I genuinely feel that NUJS's own students need to turn on it at this point and give it a fine old blasting, even if that means damage to its reputation (especially if it means that). Like what people in universities outside India have done - professors going on strike, trade unions of professors and student unions making fun of vice chancellors online... all that and more needs to happen to people with any power in an environment like NUJS, where corruption and misconduct are so widespread. I once saw a post on LinkedIn about a particular uni where a student tagged the uni and said, 'If you gain admission here, then RUN!!'. Nobody at NUJS has the balls to do this because of goons like you, on one hand, and the comfort of inflated grades, on the other.

As for me, I do not have anything to save. I will do buck-and-wing dances the day the downfall of the corrupt TMC-associated, TLC-educated/grade inflated maphia of blockheads comprising admin/SJA who run NUJS happens. Until then, go eat grass.

Congress is also guilty of playing dirty politics to prevent honest and competent people from become Supreme Court judges. Congress denied SC elevation to Bombay and Calcutta CJ Chittatosh Mookerjee because he was the nephew of SP Mookerjee. His non-elevation was criticised by Fali Nariman, who had praised him as an excellent judge.

I have an internship interview with Touchstone. For those who have interned there, could you share what kind of questions are typically asked and who takes the interviews? Also, how is the hiring scenario for the Batch of 2026, and what is the stipend like at their Bangalore office? Also, what is the pay for A0s at their Bangalore office?

Lovely place to work at, that's why no one sticks around for more than 1.5 years. Very good quality of work that's why the partners keep leaving. Amazing work culture that's why the EP keeps losing elections because she is too busy caring for the team. Junior partners are great which is why they keep getting poached by other law firms.

This has to be a trollish post. Mods, please mark this as a troll.
Regstreet is nowhere near the best securities litigators or law firms practicing in securities law. They don't even appear. They are essentially small firms that act as briefing counsels, and at best, they are solicitors.

Where should i intern in my 2nd year? I am looking for internship in Mumbai. Currently in T1 NLU. Should I apply for nclat/nclt lawyers or senior lawyers or boutique law firms. If possible please tell me the name of the lawyer/firm where i should specifically intern. I am interested in corp but I also have a natural inclination for litigation.

I have two more years left of college. Past 3 years? Wasted. Somehow passed my exams with good grades but didn't really ever make an effort to understand law. I feel like I've treated my law degree like social science from school where all you do is mug up information and get good grades. My internships have been decent with a fair share of experience in law firms. CV is decentish. No moots. Okaysh publications. But now all I feel is regret and I'm terrified that I won't be able to land a job. Can I change the trajectory of my life in these last 2 years? Or am I done for? I didn't make an effort to study for clat either and ended up at a decent private college, so the non-nlu tag doesn't help either. How can I start from scratch and have a redemption arc?

Should I switch from litigation (1 year) to finance consultancy? I can no longer tolerate the financial constraints associated with litigation. I have been rigorously applying to corporate law firms but have received no replies. Will experience in finance consultancy help me transition into legal consultancy in the near future?

Solid experience and solid fundamentals are very important. Either you should be update to date on the law in your primary area of work or have some good technical and/or practical insight into an industry. (Note: The former can be acquired by dedicated study or by pursuing a diploma if your current in-house role does not automatically translate into this.)

Equally important are mental and physical fitness. You need to be ready to give 8-10 chargeable hours + 2-4 hours in learning and business development to really beat expectations. Even the partner who hired you will have some apprehensions about you, so will have to go the extra mile.

Lastly, you need to be committed to devote weekends, festivals, etc. Success is a top tier law firm demands this sacrifice especially in the current competitive environment.

Please factor all this in before making the switch as it is an important decision.

And, yes, as someone said, smaller firms will be more open to you than larger outfits.

All the best!

Pros:

1. Flashy stuff on your CV which recruiters in India or third countries might find tasty. One reason for that being the difficulty of the exam - see below at point 1 under 'Cons' for the other side of this argument.See further at point 3 under 'Cons' below for further details about the bad side of this.

2. Possibility of getting a TC or a lateral position out of it. Refer below to point 2 under 'Cons' to understand the flip side to this argument.

3. Qualifying as a solicitor with a reasonably high level of flexibility, including by working abroad - once again, read point 3 under the below section to understand the other side to this, too.

Cons:

1. Huge uncertainty: SQE failure rates are alarmingly high. System is almost set up for you to fail. Barriers to multiple attempts are huge: forking out something like £4000 per attempt. If you have a TC in place, even, the prospects are extremely scary. Firms (including magic circle ones) have been known to withdraw TC offers from people who fail on their first attempt. Others use the prospect of a delayed start date to the TC as a stick for SQE failure. That is, if your TC was due to start in January 2026, they threaten that if you fail the SQE, they will not withdraw your TC offer, but keep you hanging (i.e., unemployed) until January 2027 to start it. They (the SRA and their PR machine) claim that you can pass even by self-study, but that's a lot of hot air. Unless you are associated with one of the providers (like BPP or ULaw) and their SQE LLM courses, you won't be getting access to the best materials, anyway. And it's not a fantastic idea to enrole in those kinds of courses as a self-financed person, if you've already done an LLM, especially. Get your TC in the bag first, then get funded by your firm to do the SQE or SQE LLM prep course they want you to do.

2. Regarding the pro no. 2 listed above, that comes with a significant caveat - and this has a dual purpose, as also being the reason that self-funding your SQE (or SQE LLM) is a bad idea. The way the system currently works is that the law firms have very fixed arrangements, processes and ideas about which provider they will make you do your SQE prep with and which courses they consider to be value for money. Like in some so-called "SQE LLM" courses, which combine SQE prep with some aspects of an LLM (essentially an LLM-but-not-really-an-LLM), the uni offers you a certain number of electives (let us say five), and out of that, the firm offering a candidate a TC and funding them (funding for the SQE comes with the TC offer) prescribes three of the electives (they essentially say you should take electives a, b and c). Of course, this is based on the soundest commercial principles, i.e., the law firm's need for particular specialised knowledge. The catch with self-funding your SQE is that you may have the moving-room to take those five electives and not be dictated to about three of them, but if you take up the wrong electives, then you've got a serious problem, because you may not have the exact thing your target firm(s) want.

3. Again take the pro listed above - the flexibility. You can gain your admission to the roll of solicitors in England and Wales by undertaking work abroad under the supervision of a qualified solicitor in England and Wales who will be ready to certify that you satisfy the SRA competencies. Essentially, that's a flashy way of saying you can get your QWE abroad even. Now flip the argument to a certain extent. As that is the case, the hallowed and elite spaces of the magic circle or U.S. law firm's London office are even more hallowed and elitist. Essentially, a form of second-class citizenship: you have the title and the fancy paperwork, but not the substantive package that should come along with it - to work in the office of a magic circle or U.S. law firm's London office. Of course, they (the firms, that is) will argue that even British citizens who are qualified solicitors do not have any substantive right or entitlement to work in a top firm merely by virtue of their status of being a qualified solicitor. As far as that goes, that is right. But the British citizens do still get the chance to continue working in England and Wales, at perhaps less flashy firms. You, in comparison (unless you're a Brit yourself, of course), don't get that, most likely. That's because of the skilled work visa salary thresholds and visa sponsorship eligibility, which a high street firm or a bootique may not fulfil or be able to fulfil, which is why I have dubbed it 'second class citizenship'. So you'd be qualified as an English solicitor, with all the respect and stuff that commands abroad, without actually the right or ability to work in a UK law firm, if you just had a self-funded SQE under your belt, without the certainty (based on a TC offer given prior to you doing the SQE) that it will lead to a TC.

Of course, you might say that one must take the rough with the smooth and all that, and if you think that way, then props to you. But regardless of how you think, I hope this was helpful in some way.

People will say 'BJP was afraid' but it was probably because he couldn't digest the fact that a proper background check was mandated for him (as is done for other contemporaries of his who rose to the Bench). Writing an open letter with an undertone of 'sorry not sorry' to the CJI did not do him any favours after this either.

The Placement Scenario hasn't been too impressive with the Batch of 2025. The IPC has had some serious issues this year regarding their incompetence in securing internships or miscommunication to the students, also the whole process of internships and placements are shrouded in mystery, there's no idea as to which firms approach and which firms are being approached by the University. A sincere effort by the Batch of 2026 to bring about better placements(by way of introducing a Recuritment Coordination Committee) has been met with immense hostility from the faculties of the IPC(Internships and Placements Committee). It is confirmed that 3 of the faculties have left the university, leading to a drop in already low faculty strength.There are very few faculties who are even credible and have built great resumes' but other than that the quality of the faculties and the teaching pedagogy is utterly poor(can't lay out the details of the faculties' incompetence), add to this it is a highly centralised system of administration which means that the students are met with bureacratic slump in getting things done, add to this it is now proposed recently that in the re-admission process(for the 2nd,3rd, 4th and 5th years) the parents have to be present physically to sign some useless forms. Honestly speaking, the academic environment and placement scene seemed to improve a bit, albeit in a snail's pace during the tenure of the previous VC(who was also an NLS Faculty), but now it has hit an all time low due to the administration trying to experiment with the syllabus,academic calendar and the number of working days and the students are left to fend for themselves regarding internships and placements.

It's a security measure to ensure that you can't copy documents etc off work email to third-party apps. This is pretty standard and a lot of foreign clients expect law firms to have these measures in place. I'm not sure to what extent other Indian law firms have these processes, but please stop making it sound Orwellian.

People like you are mad funny and pretty much retarded from my perspective. I have interned with multiple ASG Offices. The scope of work which can be allocated to an intern is very less compared to the work which you will get with an AoR or any disputes team as a matter of fact. The reason being is that in these offices, the main file is pretty much ready from the get go for an ASG to argue. Most of the other ancillary work is done by the associates. You may get to observe some hearings, do some misc work and make some connections, in your case, i don't think so any associate will pay any heed to you.

Hii, I’ve completed my 3rd year from tier 2-3 university in July I'm starting my internship at Trilegal, Mumbai in September and I'm torn between teams. Given my background in IPR and non-litigation (banking & finance), I'm leaning towards exploring different options. However, my true passion lies in media & entertainment law. My parents are pushing me towards the arbitration team. Has anyone had a similar dilemma? What factors should I consider when choosing a team? Any advice would be appreciated!

Funny, because my peers who work from home in their so-called “jammies” are meeting deadlines, and completing their work. Maybe the issue isn’t people working from home… maybe it’s you assuming everyone’s as unproductive as you might be when left unsupervised, which is the same regressive thought that plagues most seniors. The "WFH thing" isn't dead, its just that the generation in power feels they cannot exploit their resources as efficiently is the resources are not in office. Constant supervision, absolute discretion and instilling fear cannot be done by the bosses if the employees are not physically present, which is why authoritarian bosses don't like WFH.

Bhai, even Harvard is not the Harvard of the US. It has always been ranked below Yale, and on par with or sometimes lower than Stanford.

Not that it makes any difference. The gulf between Tier 1 lawschools in the US and in India is so huge that it is a mockery to call NLSIU even the Georgetown of India, much less the Yale or Harvard!

So, I’m a BO’25 student, not from an NLU, Symbiosis, or Jindal, but from a private college affiliated with a state university. Despite that, I’ve managed to secure multiple Tier-1 internships and have done fairly well for myself.

Back in April, a firm I had previously interned with called me for an interview because the partner knew I was interested in working with them. The interview went well (at least in my view). It wasn’t very technical. It felt more like a conversation than a formal interview. They mostly asked HR-type questions, and towards the end, the partner even mentioned that if I received an offer elsewhere, I should let them know. Naturally, I took that as a positive sign.

They said they’d get back to me by the end of May. When I followed up in the first week of June, HR said she would check with the partner and update me. Later, she told me that they were still interviewing other candidates but that I was free to explore other options.

I just don’t get it, why can’t law firms be honest? If they don’t intend to hire someone, why not just say it outright? Why keep someone hanging? These are the same people who will be looking for Associates later on because the same fresher they hired move away to greener pastures. I honestly liked the place and was fine with the salary they were offering, I am just disappointed