Extremely volume heavy team. They have lost 3 PAs, 1 SA and 1 A2 this financial year and have been able to replace with only 1 A3 and 1 A2. The team is harsh in its judgement and does not have any work place boundaries

Given the structure (4 partners) the approach towards work is inconsistent which basically means too much redline. There is NO work life balance and there are constant (I am not saying this lightly) deliverables and deadlines. They do not take kindly to people fall ill or having a life.

I personally know people who have developed massive anxiety issues and have panic attacks because of working in this team but are stuck for one reason or another.

They have ok clients but they really need to expand the team and learn to play less favourites also.

CMS is in discussions with IndusLaw, which began around three and a half months ago, sources have told Law.com International.

According to one source, CMS has had several tie-up discussions with other Indian firms over the past 12 months.

CMS already has an India desk headed out of London by corporate partner Babita Ambikar, whojoined the firm in 2020 from the now-defunct Singapore office of DWF, where she was partner and head of the firm's India practice.

On entry, CMS will become the second international firm to establish a presence in India.

In 2022, Dentons announced a cooperation agreement with Indian law firm, Link Legal, becoming the first international law firm to have such an agreement with a domestic Indian practice.

Months later, the Bar Council of India (BCI) separately announced that it will take steps to liberalize its legal market. While rules to do so are still largely unclear, lawyers say, BCI further announced in June plans to implement amended regulations governing the entry of U.K. lawyers and law firms to the Indian legal market.

A CMS spokesperson said in a statement: "CMS has a long history of working with Indian businesses through our CMS India Group and has strong ties to the Indian legal community. India is a key growth market for us, and we remain open to exploring opportunities in the region. However, we have no updates to share at this time."

Founding partner IndusLaw, Avimukt Dar, said: "IndusLaw has built strong connections with many foreign and international firms over a period spanning a couple of decades. Following the developments over the last two years, and the news that foreign law firms will enter India, we think that the Indian law firm space is set for some interesting developments.

"IndusLaw is watching the space and working on its strategy to address this sector defining event. At this point in time IndusLaw will not comment on any rumours or speculation and will continue to focus on excelling at the work it does for its many clients both in India and abroad."

Source: https://www.law.com/international-edition/2024/10/28/cms-in-tie-up-talks-with-indian-law-firm/

Indus (Mumbai office) poaches new partner in B&F from AZB. Does Indus Mumbai have any other banking team?

https://www.barandbench.com/news/corporate/nitika-jain-joins-induslaw-as-partner-in-banking-finance-practice

I do not get this obsession with luxury cars in lawfirms. The parking lot of AZB Mumbai has become a showroom for luxury cars. Every corner is a superficial display of luxury cars as if everyone after getting promoted to PA has a personal mission to outdo the last promotion with an even sleeker set of wheels. Everyone is buying Fortuners, BMWs, Audis, and high-end Skodas, each of them screaming "Look at me trying to satisfy my frail ego". Then, there are the partners, rolling up in Range Rovers, Mercedes GLSs, and even sports cars, as if these cars were status symbols for handling billion-dollar deals. You can feel the obsession with luxury in every detail. Over coffee, one associate mentions how their goal isn’t just to make partner but to drive in with a 5 Series—or maybe even an S-Class if things go well in the next few years. It's disgusting how these cars have become the benchmark of success here. It’s almost like AZB is less of a law firm and more of a luxury car club!

SP's team consists of 2 SA's and 5 associates at the A0-A1 level. The more experienced SA demonstrates strong performance and has established a solid reputation, with a likely path to make partner in the near future. Conversely, the other SA has limited involvement in HC matters and is primarily handling lower court cases, resulting in minimal exposure to significant BHC work.

PB’s team is known for its challenging environment, where juniors frequently endure abusive treatment and long working hours are common. While PB manages a variety of complex and high-quality cases, the demanding and toxic atmosphere may not be suitable for everyone.

In Team BGD, the two SAs are performing well. If an opportunity arises to work with either of them, it is worth considering. However, the overall work environment in the team is characterized by high levels of stress, fear, and lack of respect across all levels.

RG is not currently hiring, but his team is engaged in meaningful cases and maintains a more positive and cooperative work dynamic compared to other litigation partners.

Do firms share food with interns if some food/snacks is being distributed b/w everyone at the office. I am currently interning at F&M and they distribute food among the associates and partners right in front of the interns but do not share anything with us. Not even like a cake :-(

LLM from any NLU or any indian university would NOT be worth in case if you are planning to go back to practice in high court or in a firm.

Specifically focusing on your point of gaining broader perspective then doing an LLM from abroad is worth it but definitely not from NLU. again this is for gaining varied experience and in depth broader perspective but in no way this would have a direct impact for practice. In law practice what is required is to prove your worth over and over again and stay updated and relevant.

However in case if you are planning to get into legal academia, teaching profession then you could just do LLM from any good indian university of your choice.

Just realised for a fact that my true passion lies with the Humanities and Social Sciences as opposed to the Law, however as someone who chose to pursue a Legal Degree due to a greater variety of opportunities being provided as compared to the other disciplines in the social sciences, I still intend to complete the course and receive the degree accordingly as a fallback of sorts. As someone who made the above decision accordingly due to having heard about Law being multidisciplinary in nature, I'd like to know if it's possible to pursue higher education in subjects like Political Science, Sociology or Economics in the form of a master's degree or PhD after having graduated with the 5 year integrated degree after having had these subjects taught to us. Would appreciate any insights and answers accordingly.

Ah, this question gave me a good laugh! French cuffs are considered the most formal cuff style, far surpassing angled or barrel cuffs. Historically, they were reserved for formal events, black tie and white tie affairs and weddings. Most people, however, wear formal attire without any clue about the traditions or the proper way these should be worn—especially in India, where classic fashion rules often go unobserved, and people tend to wear just about anything.

To answer your question directly: French cuffs are indeed the pinnacle of formality. They are appropriate for courtroom appearances, business meetings, and certainly the only cuff style to wear for white tie and black tie events.

PS: One additional tip for you, double breasted jackets are also considered a more formal style, especially when compared to single breasted and three button jackets. So, you can confidently wear double breasted jackets to meetings as well.

here are several examples from National Law Schools (such as NLS, NALSAR, NUJS, etc.) where students aged between 21 and 25 have gone on to work with top firms in India and the UK. This does not hinder your prospects in a law firm; on the contrary, the maturity and sensibility that come with age can slightly enhance your opportunities. So go for it. While I dont think there will be any bullies who will troll you for your age. If there are, ignore them.

It’s really scary af. People just suddenly having heart attacks and dropping dead. All men. Is it happening with you guys as well? One would normally attribute it to stress, but it’s happening much too often and doesn’t seem to be happening with women.

On the Internet there used to be conspiracy theorists attributing it to COVID (claiming it to be a Chinese bio weapon) or Bill Gates (claiming that he pushed unsafe vaccines). A few years ago you would be called a crazy right-winger and banned for saying so. But even the MSM are now saying that there may be some link with COVID.

I drive a Maruti and it hasn’t impacted my

Ego or self confidence ever. I chose to investment in real estate. In my view, better to prioritise your investments such as stocks, SIPs or even real estate. Car is a necessity. High end cars can bought anytime but better to have a strong financial foundation first. Your bosses and your clients (especially your foreign clients) don’t see your car when they choose whether to work with you or not. A fancy car or a fancy watch is not an indication of your financial success especially if you don’t have any investments or retirement plans. Thankfully in Mumbai the “show off” culture is far less.

Hi,
The BCI has submitted before the SCt (read this https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/final-year-law-students-now-allowed-to-register-for-aibe-xix-bci-tells-supreme-court-273592#:~:text=The%20Bar%20Council%20of%20India,Bar%20Examination%20(AIBE%20XIX).) that candidates who are pursuing their final year of the LLB degree course have been permitted to be registered for the AIBE 2024. But the notification says "final year, final semester" - now the catch here is that most NLUs and law schools that I know of give an internship break in January and the final sem begins in February. Should I as a 2025 grad go ahead, register and start preparing for it, or will I not be allowed to appear for this?

Does poor academic performance in the (2/3rd) semesters of a 5-year program matter if I catch up on it and find good work experience later?

Would that hamper my chances of working abroad?

Do firms in the UK/US emphasize on that? Also, if anyone who has been working in UK firms can, please help me out.

Partially agree with this comment. However, on the civil side, some lawyers like BR Phatak, Karnik & P Narayan do charge a premium which some might say is equivalent to Bombay Counsels. Very few if anyone at all will fly out a top HC counsel to do trial court work - especially in Pune, because while arguing you need to have good hold over Marathi as much as over English. This is because you need to be have Marathi speaking skills and understanding of Marathi-based documents to better get your point across at times to the judge. get a m the Judges do listen I doubt Seervai, undeniably one of the country's finest, will be able to do

This is just great. Whoever has taken the effort of writing this, please accept my sincere wishes.

Adding a minor point of the list, candidate should also try to do trial interviews with friends (and if possible, college senior). You should also record whatever you are saying as responses while preparing. For example, lot of times, people are asked why law! Answers can be anything, sometimes you have make up an interesting one so that you can get ≥interviewer's attention.

Recording your answers/trial interviews can help you to make your responses succinct.

Btw most of the South Indian actresses are actually North Indians, chosen because of the patriarchal obsession with fair skin. Where does regional pride go then, huh??? Also, as rightly said, Haryana (Gurgaon), Delhi and UP (Noida) have just as many top firms and companies as the South and the financial capital is Mumbai.

So far, I’ve applied to over 50+ law firms, and I’m not just talking about top-tier ones—any firm related to banking and finance, as I can’t pivot now due to the 6-month internship I completed at a law firm.

In my third year at a Tier 1 NLU, I realised my CGPA was below par and I won't secure internships through the college recruitment cell. So, I sent over 800 personalised emails to partners, and only two responded with opportunities. But that’s all I needed. Statistically, if you email 1,000 people, maybe 15 will respond, and one will offer an opportunity but that’s enough. Do you really think applying to just 50+ law firms is sufficient?

If I were you, here’s what I’d do:

1. Cold Emailing Partners: Email atleast 50 people daily, targeting various sectors and requesting an assessment internship. Your banking and finance experience is irrelevant; whoever offers you a position defines your focus. Research their blogs, papers, or deals, and reference those in your emals to show genuine interest.

2. Network Through Connections: Ask your college friends who are in firms for referrals, ask your relatives, someone might be a client. Leverage LinkedIn to connect with people and actively request opportunities.

3. Target Smaller Firms: If necessary, visit the offices of Tier 3/4 firms and personally request assessment internship opportunities.

4. Publish Articles: Contribute to reputable blogs like NLSBLR and Indicorplaw to build credibility, which you can leverage to reach out to partners.

5. Explore Litigation as a Backup: If you’re persistent, you'll get at least one opportunity. If firms don’t work out, consider corporate or commercial law lawyers target chambers of AORs. You might find you enjoy litigation or use it as a stepping stone.

6. Consider CLAT PG as a Last Resort: A high rank in CLAT PG can open PSU jobs or you can pivot to academic options. Though the pay may be low, it can keep you afloat.

Skip any paid courses like Lawsikho, they are worthless and are used to lure kids, they will show you dreams, take all your money and it won't result in anything. Use your savings for essentials instead, until you secure a job. Your mistakes won’t define you; the steps you take now will.

Distasteful comment but not surprising given the level of jealousy and hate among such insecure law students and graduates like yourself. Just be humble and accept that NLUD trumps every other state NLU including NLS and most definitely, GNLU, a law school that NLUD doesn’t even consider a rival.

For anybody with any doubts, let's use international comparisons to clarify exactly how silly and time-wasting (for the OP) this question and agonising over age is, especially with regards to NLSIU:

- UK: Taking your current institution over NLSIU is like an LLB kid applying to UK unis taking English and Scottish Law LLB at Aberdeen over BA in Law at Cambridge.

- U.S.: Choosing your current institution over NLSIU is (all financial factors being equal) like taking a J.D. at Notre Dame over J.D. at Yale.

DO NOT PURSUE AN LLM.

As someone who completed their LLM two year ago, let me be very clear, do not waste your time pursuing an LLM if you do not want to go into academia! That's it.

I like most of you, though an LLM would be some special drug that would cure everything. Yet that's not the case at all !

Year 01 : Post my LLM, applied to hundreds of places, got no final job. Dejected I started working in litigation. No one even bats an eye whether you're an LLM or LLB, as long as you show up to work, do work and stop complaining.

Year 02 : After one year of experience in litigation, I applied to a tier 2-ish firm and got in. Not because of my 1 year LLM, but because of my 1 year court experience. I also got to know that if I had not done my LLM earlier but instead worked litigation, i would have had a 2 year litigation experience which would open even more doors.

Year 03 : Currently, I have one year of litigation and one year of firm experience and the opportunities are now endless. So, in the end experience>degrees.

All of you who think an extra degree, especially like an LLM, would open doors for you, then no ! Absolutely not. An LLM is only for academics, and even then you'll need a PhD to actually get in, as inflation of useless and uninterested young NET qualified individuals is high.

Instead work in litigation or lower tier firms to establish a work experience.

OP here - I do not work at a law firm. The business head incharge of matter called me and told me that opposite counsel has told their client that do not wish to negotiate any further. He heard me and then just said he cannot say who is telling the truth. I told him that he will need to listen to just 5 minutes of call recording to understand who behaved in what manner. He told me that he will not say anything bad to my line manager and simply asked me to schedule another call. This is a new organisation for me and I am proceeding with caution. This is why I did not try to explain any further.

Start with the bare acts, basic. Read the definitions If not the whole act. Every serious prep begins with this. Get a basic understanding of the terms and concepts that you’ll come across your internship. This will help you understand the tasks better and also set a good impression. All the best!

Did my internship there a couple of months ago, and to summarise my advice will be to just be available most of the time if you don't have any work in your hand. Or to be precise:

1. Basically don't waste your precious month at KCO by sitting idle. And believe me when I say that it's pretty easy to sit idle when you are working in virtual mode as there will be no one to check on you or your progress in regular intervals. YOU will be the only one in charge of the work and only YOU.

2. You will mostly interact with the associates (and counsels if lucky enough) when either they will be giving you work or you will be delivering your work. In the meantime, how you deal with work will be entirely up to you. So try to clarify your doubts and ask any questions you might have at that time.

3. This is the most difficult part, as you are an intern and obviously, you might not know everything, so just don't assume stuff on your own or waste time sitting idle. Even after trying out all the options (Googling, referring to any book or study material) if you are unable to understand any part of the assignment then just ask the associate for help. It's better than messing up the work or failing to meet the deadline.

4. Don't clock out at 6 pm itself. Even though the official hours will be 9-6 for interns, please don't even remotely think of having the luxury of logging off before at least 10 pm. This is because a lot of times, work comes at the end of the day and if you are not available then most probably the work will be given to someone else and you will lose the opportunity to get your hands on a valuable assignment and also from standing out. I installed the MS Team on my Android so that even if I am not available through my PC, I will be reachable via my Android app. (It might sound cruel but if you wish to ever be a permanent employee at a T1 then being scared of long work hours will do no good to you, so prepare yourself right from the internship).

5. Try building rapport and some level of connection (use humour, politeness, confidence or any such trait that may make you more likeable) with the associates while having conversations. This will REALLY help you, as they will be more considerate towards you in times when you might have some problem at your end.

6. Try to be as visible as possible. Remember mate, it is not a physical internship, so it really doesn't matter how you look or how's your vibe or how your personality is. Nobody will remember you if you don't consistently make yourself visible to others. Just clinging to a single assignment and calling it a day will do no good. Take assignments from several associates (not all at once obviously). Deliver high-quality work (work that will make it easier for the associate to navigate further and not make them worry about rectifying your mistakes).

Hopefully, this will place you in a much better position than many interns who will be interning alongside you. I have seen 95% of the interns doing the bare minimum and calling it a day. Don't do the bare minimum and neither average stuff. These suggestions were focused on making an intern stand out in case of a virtual internship and do not include those suggestions that are generally applicable.

So true. The savings of the first few years pale in comparison to what one makes and saves after 7 or 8 years. On reflection, I shouldn’t have been as restrained in my spending in the earlier years of my career, and should have enjoyed life a bit more. But I suppose the financial discipline of those early years is helpfully a part of my core personality now - a muscle memory of sorts.

I work in a Tier 2 law firm; my partner prefers only one associate (female- junior). Even though I haven't faced any issue, a lot of preference, even in discussions, etc., is given to her. The partner does not even speak well with other associates and is only concerned about that one associate. I have worked with that associate and is not up to the mark. She just pretends that she knows a lot. I get a lot of work but he just acknowledges her work and does not give af about others. I am thinking if I should resign since this is effecting my growth prospects here at the firm or if I am just overthinking.