All you can do is respectfully serve it back or just AVOID answering to those taunts. I would not recommend taking it personally unless it is very offensive / a harassment. You will know it better. Best is to NOT REACT and work on what you get. You are an intern / paralegal, focus on learning and leave when you can for better opportunities.

If it is good natured fun i.e. without being demeaning or pointed towards your physical aspects, religion, caste, sex etc., then take the banter on the chin, that's a kind of ice breaker and means the senior likes you. However if it is bullying, mean, demeaning, patronizing etc. and you feel uncomfortable, bring it to their notice privately about how it made you feel. If it continues even after that, either call them out on it publicly or speak to someone who is senior to them or is in the HR etc.

I have an internship offer from PSL and Wadia Ghandy. Both Mumbai office. Both for September. I am not looking for a job at these firms, there are my CV and experience boosters for future internships. Which one should I choose that would also build my experience better, has a better and greater team and has a better and greater reputation?

I am at crossroads for selecting between 2 firms for internship. I have got a offer from PSL and Wadia Ghandy, both Mumbai office. Now this is for September 2024. I don't know which one to pick. I want a firm that would look good on my CV and reflect that I have good experience, but I am not able to understand which one has a greater reputation in the legal market. I am not looking for a job in any one of these, these are just my experience boosters for my future internships. Pls help me choose

Let me put it honestly and bluntly. Allahabad never had the culture of paying juniors. Sadly, the culture continues and it is also continuing because most of the juniors that land up here are incompetent (It is hard to say but it is true). However, in the few chambers that pay, the average payment for a fresher is 5 - 10K; among the senior members, it has gone to 50K or beyond in some chambers.
Having said that, the working scenario in Allahabad is also different from Delhi wherein the juniors/associates are not expected to remain associated with the senior for long or entrusted with most of the responsibilities. Rather, they are expected to find their cases and venture out within a few years. You also need to understand that the cost of living in Allahabad is on the lower side and a modest earning of Rs 25,000/- can also be considered as great.

The names of those who left for NLSIU are on the NLSIU website, so no question of doxxing. Some also left for BITS Mumbai. Names are on their website as well.

I think location. quality of students and quality of management play a big part. Forget NLSIU and look at BITS. I have heard that, apart from being in a good location in Mumbai, BITS has a management that takes academics seriously and the students are not bratty. Because that was the culture set from the beginning and the students and parents were apparently told that you cannot behave in an entitled manner because you are paying high fees. This is just what I heard.

Remember that, unlike Naveen Jindal, the Birla family has a history of running educational institutions: BITS Pilani is among the top engineering institutions, while you also have BITS Goa and various smaller vocational colleges.

It's disheartening to see a trail of rejections and feel hopelessness encroaching upon you. When you apply on merit or through your own efforts, it often seems like the partner or HR merely acknowledges your application before directing you to apply through the RCC. In contrast, those with connections, even if they've had a lackluster year or relied on their family's wealth, are given opportunities without question.

It’s not the wealth or privilege of others that bothers me; rather, it's the unfairness of a system where connections seem to matter more than genuine ability and passion. I chose to study law out of a deep passion for the field, only to find that success often hinges more on who you know than what you know.

I hope that one day, those in HR who judge candidates based on connections rather than merit will face a reckoning for the dreams and hopes they have stifled.

Warm Regards,

Lost hope

Can't believe this happened. They were students too at one point. Really think they should be nicer to us. Man could've politely declined.

Saw a very well renowned counsel in Delhi HC who has an amazing practise in my area of interest. However, he was constantly talking to other seniors and clients, so I didn't want to intrude.

Finally got my chance when he went to the washroom. While he was using the urinal, I stood at the urinal beside him, smiled and said "Sir, you're an inspiration to me. Please let me intern under you".

Imagine my surprise when instead of smiling back, and thanking me for my kind words, he started yapping about "Appropriate Place" and "Lack of manners".

To any senior who might be reading this, do better.

Hey,

I applied 2 months in advance and got in during my 2nd year (3 year L.L.B), I'd say just follow up weekly. Regarding what I sent, you need a clean akd precise Cover letter/Email body, a C.V. (not more than 2 pages long, ideally) and a publication of choice (if you have one, also include the link for the same within your C.V.).

All the best.

Rahul Gandhi can't legally become PM because he admittedly was (and perhaps still is) a British citizen too. My best guess is that they'll make someone like Shashi PM and run the show from behind the scenes, like they did until 2014. As for your predictions, none of them will come through with a Congress-led coalition government because these reforms don't have support from Indian legal industry leaders.

"In 2021, senior officials from the Biden Administration, including the White House, repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire, and expressed a lot of frustration with our teams when we didn't agree. Ultimately, it was our decision whether or not to take content down, and we own our decisions, including COVID-19-related changes we made to our enforcement in the wake of this pressure. I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it. I also think we made some choices that, with the benefit of hindsight and new information, we wouldn't make today. Like I said to our teams at the time, I feel strongly that we should not compromise our content standards due to pressure from any Administration in either direction - and we're ready to push back if something like this happens In a separate situation, the FBI warned us about a potential Russian disinformation operation about the Biden family and Burisma in the lead up to the 2020 election. That fall, when we saw a New York Post story reporting on corruption allegations involving then-Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's family, we sent that story to fact-checkers for review and temporarily demoted it while waiting for a reply. It's since been made clear that the reporting was not Russian disinformation, and in retrospect, we shouldn't have demoted the story. We've changed our policies and processes to make sure this doesn't happen again -- for instance, we no longer temporarily demote things in the U.S. while waiting for fact-checkers."

https://x.com/patrickbetdavid/status/1828222506899009777

OP here, not Indus - but a firm that actually has one of the best Cap Markets practice in the country lol - but the partner I work with mostly deals with gen corp/public M&A. So unsure how to go about it - please do share your thoughts on what are certain key skills that an A0 needs to have on their finger tips.

More than 30 partners (that's about half the partners) have left since April'23 and RKL's passing on May; and the exodus continues. The family should have trusted the partners who swore by Mr Rajiv K Luthra (RKL), instead of handing over the reigns to a non-lawyer COO (who is the defacto Jt. Managing Partner) and his buddy, now the Managing Partner, - Harry Chawla (who hadn't even met RKL at the hospital during his last 2 months at Medanta). Nothing is left of this once trailblazer firm.

Kian did a story on this before. Something to do with Som Mandal joining the BJP and his brother forming an independent entity to avoid persecution by the TMC (although Som has hardly received any importance in the BJP -- he lost on a Lok Sabha ticket in 2014 and has been forgotten since).

As for trademark infringement, they must have signed an agreement taking care of that.

Well, I appreciate the grind by the individual in the featured comment. But to each their own. Honestly for me, I secured my PPO with around 6 months in hand.
Well, what did I do in the interim?

Switched myself off from law. Only on weekends, I'd glance through LiveLaw. That's about it.
Kept reading books (non/fiction), binged-watched a lot of content and went out with my parents and friends. Steered clear of libraries, prying batchmates/juniors and the like.

When I joined, the initial 2 weeks were a bit difficult to adjust. But usually, you don't get proper work till like 30 days in. So do your reading up then and acclimatize yourself in due course of time.

Till then, enjoy and sleep. Enjoy and sleep, for this will be THE LAST TIME you'll be able to do all of this, without any liability or thoughts running at the back of your head.

Samvad Hyderabad has developed a decent client base locally. The office has brought in its own clients and is handling quality work, thanks to Ekta Bahl. While it may not compare to the larger offices in Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi, they are working with a few notable clients.

Looks like Kochhar & Co has been expanding aggressively in Hyderabad. They've poached two partners from Tatva and have expanded their office space too. Is there actually an increase in work?

Does anyone have an idea about the corporate team at Kochhar Hyderabad? How is the work culture, pay, etc.?

How big is the team in Hyderabad?

can someone update this on https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ltk2xnERP1OWklq60BEsJFhl3eSuQX7nQEdo_v37ggs/edit?usp=sharing

the crowdsourced salary table please

You do know that those "fluff courses on Carl Schmidt" actually teach you some important stuff about legal theory? And that they are the dream of legal theorists? You also do know, right, that many of the law schools whose names, when heard, make us sit up and take notice built their reputations on being hubs for teaching, learning and research on legal theory (which definitely included similar things to those "fluff courses on Carl Schmidt")?

Don't go for DU! It's crap. Barely any placements and if you don't have any contacts already you are doomed. Networking and all doesn't help. Most students are not inclined for corporate and those that are interning at good places are already well connected. Source: CLC 2024 Jobless graduate.

As someone who has 16+ years of experience in the profession and who interviews candidates for associateship, please carefully read and understand what I have to say.

Within 3-5 minutes of speaking to someone, the following becomes quite obvious,-

1. General overall character of the person - straightlaced/bullshitter/ignorant/blonde etc.

2. Overall and generic knowledge and experience with the profession - past work, courses in college, projects undertaken, what they have understood from it, internships done etc.

3. A rough idea of how serious they are to work long term in the profession.

If you lie on your CV, any interviewer worth his salt will know it. You must also know one more thing - the difference between yourself and the person interviewing you is similar to the difference between a Trilobite and a Homo Sapien. Though you both may be clothed in flesh and blood, that is where the similarity ends. In terms of mental capability and function, the gap is presently too vast to bridge.

Hopefully my reply will obviate your hair brained idea.

1. Most of the people you will speak to about this, know nothing themselves. They are far too low on the totem pole to even have basic comprehension of the legal market in India and the space in which law firms operate and their future prospects. Your fellow batchmates, your seniors who may be A0/A1/A2 level do not know anything.

2. The legal market in India is massive. There is enough and more space for several players. Clients are constantly on the lookout for better and more competitive lawyers. Even amongst the top T1s, clients float around and engage multiple firms for their work.

3. The people in charge of a firm like Indus are far more competent and intelligent than anyone you will speak to about them. It is reasonable to assume they will take all steps to ensure they continue to do well.

You can switch, but most likely your litigation experience will be discounted. It is possible that you will be asked to start as a fresher (A0) or as an A1. If you're able to somehow negotiate it (maybe through the interview, although in my experience - the focus has been on practical experience more than interview answers), then you can try and get an A2 but honestly very though.

1. Regarding what you should do: Enjoy this time as much as you possibly can. Do stuff you find fun, get plenty of sleep, read twenty-five books you didn't have time to read until now, etc. Obviously make time to stay up-to-date with legal developments in general, and in your practice area specifically. Develop the life of the mind. Yes, many will say it is esoteric and boring and try to shame you for having time for this luxury, but that's no reason not to do it. Many ways you can develop life of the mind: start learning a new language or a musical instrument, start engaging in headbanging on obscure questions of legal, moral or political philosophy, etc. Maybe even start gently thinking about your career and career moves a few years down the line. Maybe a lateral shift to a foreign firm? If so, where? London? NY? Or maybe an LLM, and if so, where? If just an LLM, what will you do after that? Or will that be a more long-term transition to academia? If so, will it be in Indian academia or abroad? If there is a practitioner-to-academia transition, will there be a transition in reverse? If so, when, why and how? Think about all of this and start doing research and talking to people about it.

2. Regarding your feelings: Decisions about recruitment etc. are very complex, this isn't objective in any sense of the term for you to be able to say with any level of confidence that X will get recruited, while Y won't. There are some criteria, it is true, that recruiters use, and looking at these (or how different people measured up to these/what they did to measure up to them) can be helpful, but only to an extent. Each person has their own individual journey. Also remember that this is, by no means, a level playing field. Your friends who you believe to be cleverer than you but who didn't make the cut may have protected characteristics or extenuating circumstances that weren't fairly considered. You can put your privilege of being on the other side of the table/getting there as smoothly as you have to good use by trying to find out if this is the case and doing something to try and help your friends, if it is indeed so.

I will give you some suggestions to attract people offering such electives.

1. Assuming the total class hours is 40, ensure that they can offer at least 20 hours online and the remaining 20 offline.

2. Make it possible for these 20 hours offline classes to be delivered within 10 working days.

3. Arrange for their accommodation during this period either within or nearby the campus.

4. Consider having classes on Saturdays and Sundays for senior people from the industry. This can happen over 5 weeks to cover the 20 offline hours. In that case, offer to arrange for their travel, though most will choose to fly in on their own.

5. Have one point person preferably with industry experience to deal with these people, without every decision having to be routed through the VC's office.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3769933/

Thanks to endogamy, Castes in india double as ethnicities. David Reich (2018) remarks (paraphrased) that the genetic distance (basically the variation that can be indexed) between two castes of same village in Hyderabad is greater than entire continent of Europe. This is because of endogamy.

Different castes in India have different ancestries. It is not even controversial. Its more or less a fact of population genomics.

The article says he has been talking for decades to come back to the firm and during those decades he worked in Kochhar and Amarchand. Truth is none of this would have happened and he would have come in if Luthra Sir were still around. And who is Sanjeev - never even heard of him.

Was Luthra a company ever? as per the article it is not a company but an organisation- didn’t really understand whether it is just badly written or perhaps the firm didn’t even have the time to review its own advertorial

More important is that Forbes has become like an Outlook and India Today doing advertorials. What is going on

Just relax! I spent my final year doing nothing and I thought I might regret it but honestly there is nothing you need to prepare to be an A0. No one really expects a lot and the work is so different that you cannot learn on your own. Also, initial days are chill so you can read up stuff then.

Enjoy your year! Sleep, have fun with friends and family and just chill.

I am an avid globetrotter, but my income is stagnating and taxes are rising, thanks to our heartless FM. I paid an absolutely massive amount in taxes this year. So halting foreign travel for the next 2 years and restricting myself to breaks in India. Looking at niche places with less crowd.

Hi, I have been hearing a lot of BO 24’ grads who didnt secure a job until thier graduation have been securing placements recently after they graduated. Where are they getting placed? Are these good places?and how did they secure this despite the market

Wanted ideas for myself since I am worried as no job in dayZ

Had these same feelings exactly a year ago. But my seniors told this the best phase of your life, and I realised it now. Do whatever shit you want to do in college and don't worry about anything now.

Regarding grades, just be attentive in class and study a week before exams. You will score well.

Regarding making the cut, I too used to think the same thing and then I made a rule for myself that I would sit in Library for 10 hours a week. During these 10 hours I used to brush my knowledge, revise what I already know, updates, articles etc. I also used to help moot teams, my friends who had interviews etc, and did a lot of committee work. This helped me not to become lazy because once you become lazy it's tough to get out of there.

Cheers! Enjoy your final year, this time will never return and you will miss this a lot.

-An A0

These type of posts in particular:

1. “I had a mental breakdown and quit by job. I founded a law coaching institute/home bakery/cloud kitchen etc. In the beginning, I was so desperate that I polished an angel investor’s shoes and cleaned his toilets, in exchange for funding. Today, I am worth 800 crores and the same angel investor works for me.”

2. “I began with an investment of Rs 1 lakh in the stock market and after 1 year I made 1000 crores. How? My simple motto was Solar, Solar, Solar. Always invest in solar energy stocks.”

The thing is, some these people have pretty good CVs: alumni of IIT, IIM, NLU etc. So you do tend to give them the benefit of doubt!

Are you from 2025 batch?

I could have given a fair understanding of the team but it might turn out to be false as the team is going to merge with cap marks team of CAM. Now, when this merger happens, a lot of dynamics will change including how this team operates at present. Whether in CAM as well will there be a cluster or partner teams, nobody knows as of now.

Answering your questions, all three are good. You will never get to work directly with Manan and most probably with Abhiroop as well as they are a bit senior. Passi again, a great chap to work with and his own ways which a few people might not like.

Team is good, they have good work. If you want to do cap marks, this is the best place you can be at in India!!