I am an in-house lawyer. I have always worked on the base drafts. Whenever I interact with law firm associates, I feel that at least their drafting skills are better than mine. Since I have a habit of working on the base drafts, it doesn't feel easy to draft something from scratch. How can one improve their drafting skills?

I agree with the previous comment, but I believe that the truth is that, until recently, law as a possible and lucrative career was accessible only to those with a predisposition to the field, such as children of lawyers, judges, etc. As many have pointed out before, the legal profession was traditionally dominated by trading and Brahmin communities. Bombay and Calcutta grew as major hubs of legal education, and as a result, many Bengalis, Marathis, and Gujaratis were traditionally seen as judges and prominent lawyers.

Legacy judges like the Chandrachuds, Justice Khanwilkar, and Justice Mudholkar—Marathi speaking judges dominated the Bombay High Court for a long time, closely followed by Gujaratis. Similarly, Bengali speaking judges dominated the Northern Circuit. Over time, with Kolkata's colonial legacy, a distinct class of lawyers emerged, a phenomenon that also occurred in hubs like Bombay.

Today, I see a significant number of Marwaris in law firms, which I believe is a result of the rising cost of legal education, making it accessible only to the privilege

while doing PhD from NLU especially NALSAR, do i need to stay at the university during whole duration of the PhD or can I come to practice in court after completing the coursework and just be in touch with guide regularly and don't go to NALSAR daily because I am practicing at delhi

Karma is a …..

https://www.businesstoday.in/world/us/story/hindenburgs-nate-anderson-under-scrutiny-for-sharing-report-with-hedge-fund-report-461340-2025-01-19

2024 batch is suffering, Medalist have tier 1 internships, still unemployed! Any vacancies anywhere, genuine help is needed. Just need to reach interview stage then I will crack. Please mention where to apply, ( Areas : Disputes & Litigation, M&A, White Collar Crime & Competition)

Hainn?? It's simple. They were supposed to pay you 12LPA, but they only pay you 11.8 LPA and the remaining 1.2 Lacs is submitted as your Income tax on that 12 LPA to Income Tax Dept on your behalf. When you file the ITR and if your payable tax is less than 1.2 LPA, you get refund, otherwise you pay the difference.

Totally different situation . NLS was started with the 5 Year Integrated Law Program while DU CLC was always the mecca for traditional 3 year L.L.B. degree . Over time , NLS has introduced a trimester 3 Year L.L.B. while DU CLC follows the semester system . DU BA LLB is also much different from NLS BA LLB , the number of electives , respect in Industry and Academia , early-mover or rather in case of NLS, First Mover Advantage . So we cannot draw any similarities with them whatsoever other than both of these institutions being a place for study of Law, and any attempt to suggest both are at par is at best laughable. DU BA LLB - Not worth it , better off doing BA(Hons.) from North Campus College of University of Delhi and then going for the classic 3 year LLB from CLC DU . If placements are the primary concern, then neither are desirable, placements in Law are very narrow and they take the cream ( At Tier 1 and some good to do Tier 2 NLUs ) but again if you're exceptional , you'll pretty much do good. So Good Luck but don't consider DU if you are keen on placements etc , however if you want BA LLB just for the degree and then appear for Judiciary and live around

I don’t think so that’s true, maybe you know about some one-off experience. Haven’t seen a single one around me. If you have interned at CAM, you would know about the procedure, doesn’t involve anything besides team reccs which are done via their preference towards you - based on your talent/work etc.

What do you also mean by “connects” here? Do you mean to say a Partner recommends’ someone for an Interview directly?

Everyone knows SAMCO announced promotion whereby 16 LPA is fixed and 4 LPA is variable for A0.

Does anyone have clarity on how the variable will be calculated?

Not sure if its computation will be based on 200% billing, like other associate levels - this would mean each has to bill 60 lacs (45 lacs since we joined in July 24) before 31st March.

Say one's retainership fee is 1L/month or 12LPA - I understand that associates receive a 10% tax deducted retainership fee every month which they can claim back subject to the conditions of the presumptive tax regime. I just want to understand if law firms withhold 10% of your overall monthly retainership (i.e. 10% of 1L/month) or 10% of the taxable income (part of the 1L which will fall under the income tax slabs based on calculation of yearly income of 12LPA income).

I am in exactly the same place as you. Taking the leap with a college friend. Your dreams are your dreams and they can never be real without aspirations. A lot of people have said a lot of things here but everyone who cracks it takes that gamble. Part of the process. We can perhaps connect too!

Not ever happening with DU. Pretty sure the 5 year LLBs will find it even harder than the 3 year ones because CLC alums might still favour some 3 year cohort folks. Newer NLUs always struggled with placements and NLS BALLB was the first in India so no comparison. And it looks like the NLS 3 year LLBs will get much better sooner or later. Same can’t be said for DU.

I was on an M&A deal across from AZB some time ago. As there was a considerable IP aspect involved, the AZB IP team was involved. I saw some truly abhorrent behavior by the IP partner towards his associate including public humiliation in front of both parties and counsels. If that was business as usual, better to avoid this place.

extremely toxic top brass with high attrition at junior levels. go at your own risk. They are nowhere close to being a tier 1 or even 2 ip practice (calling it tier 3 is also because they mostly get side ip work from the M&A deals), so better to avoid if you are serious about making a career in ip practice. no point spending time in a hostile place where learning will be peanut and chance of placement remote (since it's not a bread butter practice of the firm). better to go for a specialised firm like a&a, remfry or boutiques such as ira and fidus, who are doing the cream of ip work.

Graduated from campus law centre, du in 2024. I want to explore corporate law. I have interned with Remfry and Sagar's general corporate team for one month but that's it. Please suggest some good courses/ skill developments that I can take to get a job in this sector. Also please suggest some firms in chandigarh/delhi that take in freshers.

I have almost completed my ballb and am really confused how to move further

I have tried with interning in district and high court but its a really tedious job with very low salary and wish to skim other options

I was trying to find something in which i can work from home due to some family issues going on

If someone has any suggestions with decent salary pls let me know

Haven't faced this but have seen this being meted out to someone else at the Firm:

So this Associate was forced to quit because he/she refused to work on a weekend because he/she had some personal commitments and the MP couldn't digest the fact that Associates dared to have a personal life outside work and on top of that prioritize that personal life. Skipping the portion about how difficult the notice period in its entirety was. He's/She's called to office on Monday and hand over her laptop/access card etc. which he/she does. And then this happens...

"Associate completes all her exit formalities and is booking a cab to go back home while standing near her desk"

Admin: Can you please leave? The Partner has asked you to leave the Office immediately once all formalities are complete.

Associate: Yeah. I'm booking the cab, Leaving in a minute as soon as the cab arrives.

Admin: Yes, But can you please wait for your cab outside the office and leave from here now? The Partner has specifically told us to ask you to leave from office premises immediately:)

Also, to add all the other associates were asked to not speak or interact with this Associate in any manner including not to say good bye to her when he/she was leaving.

For every "I don't understand why are we not finding good people?" the introspection should be "are we good people in the first place?".

I'm on notice as well, and will take kali peeli on my last day taaki ye "cab book karo magar bahar se policy" apply hi naa ho paaye:)

Stuff and nonsense. You go away for two years do some silly clerical work on the side you don’t get hired as easily when you come back. Firms have a constant supply of fresh grade and up and comers- they don’t need to consider someone who hasn’t applied themselves to the law for years.

I liked all those Bollywood movies and those characters made the right choice. But they had very different circumstances and options. That guy in 3 idiots was talented as a photographer and didn’t want to throw away talent. There is no one on earth who can claim to be talented at acing upsc. Apples to oranges. If this same guy had said I want to play music for a few years and he was very good- most people would have said - yeah give it a shot, you’re talented.

That IAS movie - did you even watch it ? That song is sung by a character who repeatedly sits for exams doesn’t crack them and becomes a tuition

Master / omelette shop owner. The protagonist came from such a terrible place in life his only way out was to try to get the upsc golden ticket. He had no other job or career in front of him.

The guy you’re talking to already has a career in front of him. One many folks would cut off an arm and leg for. One that is more lucrative than babugiri- and you want him to give it up “for a few years” because Bollywood movies?

How silly are you folks?

Much of the answer to that depends on what law was historically. When religion was law, yes priestly classes in all religions were lawyers and judges predominantly. Lawyers and judges in Islamic countries today are just clerics familiar with religious doctrine. Same among Hindus in the not so recent past. Most Hindu Rajas before Islamic invasions ruled like kings do and were only accountable to god. Religion therefore was the only law. Islamic invasions and rulers meant that there was now “courtly law” firmans passed by kings etc- that followed an Islamic vernacular and more local panchayat laws that retained Hindu religious customs.

Most societies developed secular commercial laws as trading routes opened up and colonisation began. in that day age - the vakil’s who played the role of lawyers were from mercantile classes. Religious law was relegated to private sphere where priestly classes retained control.

Since independence and reservations - opportunities have opened up for Dalits and Adivasis some. What counts as law has changed. No more going to a panchayat over a dispute about land or a custody dispute- you go to civil court of family court and you interpret statues passed by parliament-a. No religious criminal law at all. The profession has also become more regulated and there’s rules about the kind of education and degree you need to have and tests you need to pass to be a lawyer now. No more being a lawyer only because you’re born in the right family- you do have to compete with others even if on unfair terms.

This is very short legal history. Many overlaps and nuances cannot be explained in a comment. Go read some legal history.

Hi, Farhan, the way I see it, there is of course (1) the rational, practical side which all the comments have kindly mapped here for you (rather anxiously I must say), and (2) the irrational, aspirational side - for which here is my two cents: get an easy, low paying job (maybe freelance for a while - the legal writing market is pretty good for that), prepare, see the two years through, and if you don't make it, you don't. Restart. Not a big deal. You are literally 23/24 (assuming you graduated 6 months ago). You have a lifetime to make and spend money. If you take the test and give it its due 2 years, at least you would have tried going your heart's way.

Sorry to be corny but - "Aaj dar mat farhaan nahi to 50 saal baad jab tu boodha hoke aise hi kisi aspataal me pada hoga aur marne ka intezaar kar raha hoga… tab sochega ki letter haath me tha, taxi gate par thi, zara si himmat kar leta to to saali zindagi kuch aur ho sakti thi..."

Good luck! Hope you crack it! And even if you dont, its okay, that's more than most of us T1s dare to do. May the force be with you Farhan <3.

Honestly, if your aim is to stay in Delhi, you’re better off going to some IP University law school than DU for the 5 year program. The 3 year LLBs of DU hardly get placed in any top law firms unless they have connections or enter laterally after graduation. And you have a good rank for CLAT so working hard at a place like RGNUL Patiala or even HNLU/NLUO will govern you a way better chance of getting placed in a T1 firm later. The DU 5 year LLB is a gamble at best and it’s unlikely to ever compete with top NLUs.

I've recently joined a 3 year LLb program at ILS. I see folks from top NLUs who have a future laid out by virtue of their hard work in their schooling days.

I'm very happy for them and all, but I'd like to know how to make it to top rungs (i.e tier 1) of the ladder inspite of not being from a top NLU anyway.

Any advice is much appreciated.

You can try TTA/JSA if you are in Mumbai

They are always looking for A1s, and are solid Tier 1s in banking. Pay is also similar at A1 level:

JSA- 15L (fixed) + 3.5L (bonus) + 2-3L (avg. bill share) = 21L around

TTA- 16L (fixed) + 4L (variable) = 20L around

Just make sure you do enough due diligence before joining. TTA for all its pr can be toxic and JSA atu team is sure shot toxic. I would prefer TTA though, you might make a little less but you will be free from bill share toxicity. The learning is going to be amazing both ways, best of luck