Why do so many people from the South, despite having the worst fucking grades in school, being dumb as fuck and having done their bachelors from the lamest engineering colleges, flock to the US colleges for Masters?

US colleges have just become another dump for rich Indian students who have no brains of their own. They treat you like shit, give you visa problems, still you die to go abroad for some reason.

Graduation days in these US colleges look so fucking weird - Indian parents being fucking weird with their weird fucking dumb Indian kid getting that degree despite getting 50% in their bachelors.

We really need to do and be better as Indians.

Why are you so hateful?

Each and every state in India has its own stereotypes; I do not understand why Biharis and Jharkhandis get targeted so much. The main reason why Bihar and Jharkhand have not developed like other states is because of the bad government there at the time of Lalu. And pursuant to that, while Nitish has tried his best to make things better, there are some things which need immense effort to change there. A good leadership is very important for any state to do better.

The only reason there are less employment opportunities there is because lack of effort by the governement, increase in red-tapism and zero change in mentality of people (which again goes back to how the government influences the state). The only reason people from Bihar, Jharkhand (and also UP) go to states like Maharashtra and Kerala for activities such as construction, and other sorts of labour is because their state does not have enough employment opportunities for them to sustain their livelihood and fill the stomachs of their families.

People from both the states are extremely hard-working and smart. If their own state gives them the opportunity, they will flourish, and mind you, they will flourish way better than people like you who harbour such a poor mentality and perpetrate such discriminatory beliefs on LegallyIndia and in general. Be a better human being and stop having such biases in your head.

Broadly speaking, litigation relating to commercial transactions. It's not really a strictly defined field for you to say what is included & what is not.

Be extremely well versed with CPC & Commercial Courts Act. Other than this, Contracts Act, Sale of Goods Act, Arbitration & Conciliation Act, Specific Performance Act, Limitation Act, Court Fees Act & Suits Valuation Act.

Some may consider this to include intellectual property rights, some others do not. Technically, matters pertaining to IP are also commercial suits as per CC Act.

If you're looking to get into this field and want to prepare for your internship beforehand - be thorough with CPC and generally understand the broad principles of the other laws I mentioned.

I understand that there are existing threads on LI discussing the presumption of expenses of 50% applicable to lawyers. I am still very confused on whether I should be calculating tax on just 50% of my income (let's say it is 16LPA) and whether leaving it in my bank/FD will be violating the Income Tax Act? My dumb brain has more or less understood that I can't be holding this other 50% of "expense" amount in my bank/FD.

But ITR3's point 62 states "50% of Gross Receipts, or the amount claimed to have been earned, whichever is higher". So how do I still hold the amount and also maximize my benefit by using the presumptive expense deduction under Section 44ADA of the Income Tax Act.

Please do help me out since I have been getting more confused with every explanation I read.

Oh and if you get a job, most firms have no signing bonus. For a city like mumbai, you will need 40k rent to live closer to office in a furnished room, brokerage, 3 month deposit and first month living expenses. You’re already in the whole for 2-2.5 lakhs before you even join. I want to say it gets better once you get a job but initially it does not.

Cyril Shroff and AM Singhvi are not at all on the same level. The disparity between the Founding Partners of T1 firms and highest-paid senior advocates in the country is quite a bit.

AMS, AD, MR, HS, AS all earn potentially 200Cr+ a year. In fact, few years back, AMS was the highest tax paying Indian.

Life is truly so different and ever changing. As I opened LI right now, there's a thread of guy burnt out while working in a disputes team. And there's this thread where OP is desperately looking for a good opportunity to work.

This makes me question, what are we truly seeking in our lives? Will we ever be happy? Will anything ever suffice?

1) 5k-10k is what I spent living in the same city as my internship. If you're an outside it's easily 25-30k per internship.

2) Burnished law journal is the most unethical journal and firms should stop entertaining them. Spending 12-20k to get a T1 internship is bizzare.

3) Despite having numerous internships on Cv it has become difficult to get placed. It's not that the student lacks skills but the opportunity to get an interview/ assessment is almost nil without a placement cell.

4) The amount of internships a student does these days could easily get themselves placed in any other field with a better paying job than tier-1 firms.

5) The pay across tier-1 firms is nothing as compared to other fields for the number of hours spent on working. A lawyer easily spends 11-14 hrs a day on job whether it be litigation or corporate. Weekends are never off and social life, wlb doesn't exist.

Not sure where you’re getting your ideas from. Dayan Krishnan, as mentioned, simple life, lives in Jangpura. Akshay Jaitly, lives in Nizamuddin, drives an Innova. As far as I know he spends his money on bicycles and running shoes and hangs out with school and college friends and his sports buddies. Garmin watch. Some of these people are more normal than you expect.

I’ve heard KCO Mumbai (as well as other tier 1 law firms) has some of the most arrogantly talented people on their block. Usually don’t consider interns worth their while and time, is that true? I heard we get assigned a social and work buddy who assess you but in most cases they take you unseriously. Can someone please confirm if I should go in just for the namesake or can I pin my hopes for good mentorship?

I am from Mumbai so my insights will be limited to Mumbai lawyers:

1) They mostly live either in bungalows in old money areas like Cumbala Hill, and Peddar Road etc, or in apartment complexes like Oberoi 360 West, Lokhandwala Minerva, The Park by Lodha, etc.

2) We Mumbaikars aren't too crazy about cars. While some of these partners own high-end cars like Maybachs and Land Rovers, others prefer traveling in more ordinary vehicles like Ertigas. Their choice of cars is largely influenced by personal preference.

3) Partners do generally splurge on vacations (if they are married, that is), I have seen many of them go to places like French Polynesia, Iceland, etc. If they choose to vacay in India they go to top hotels like Umaid Bhawan Palace or Aman Khas.

4) No one wears crazy suits, just your normal formal Raymonds. Some have good watches through, I know one partner who wears an AP and another who wears an MB&F. Rolex, GS, etc are common.

5) Generally they party at their house or any local nightclub in Lower Parel.

6) They hang out with friends at work lunches at Wasabi, Seven Kitchens, etc

7) They hand out with corp honchos mostly, and, contrary to popular belief, not with actors.

The immediate family is not supposed to be concerned with the matters dealt with by the judge i.e. they cannot be lawyers or parties interested in matters presenting before a judge related to them. They can however practise is the same court. Stop pulling rules out of your ass

Not at all, you're right. But consider that in a few years you might also think back fondly to this time, burning the midnight oil when you were still young and energetic, providing you're in a happier place by then. So find a way to find a place more suited to what you would like out of life. Usually it is easier to change from a workaholic style place to a more chilled out firm, rather than vice versa.

Look at Kian as a case study. He was an unknown corporate lawyer. Then suddenly he became a known figure that law firm partners and law school VCs began to appease or fear, for favourable or adverse publicity. But because legal journalism has a left-wing bias, such power is wielded by left-wing journalists. So the right-wing has FOMO.

Update as of 11 June: The SJA is NOT giving up, contrary to rumours being spread on LI. With the chaos of elections now over, discussions are taking place within the SJA regarding the next steps. This includes approaching both the mainstream media and legal news media. A follow-up petition, with strong language, may be drafted.

I'd say wait till 20 June or so, you'll definitely see some movement.

Do you stay on this campus, have you been chased and attacked by hordes of angry chattering monkeys? Have they pried open the nets of your room to get into your food when you’re asleep? Have you been stuck in your room or in the washroom because the monkeys are outside toppling “monkey-proof” dustbins and baring their teeth at you? Have you been late to classes because the monkeys are blocking your path? If the answer is no then kindly shut the fuck up.

@Mods: this along with that crowdsourced salary thread should be pinned to the home page.

@OP: can you please ask allow edit access.

@LI users: please populate with more commonly asked questions

How likely is it for a corporate lawyer working at a T1 to retire as early as 40s? Lets say, after making partner at 32, he works as a partner for 8-9 years more. Can he save up enough money through smart investments to achieve FIRE? Is the money in tier 1 enough to make someone live comfortably post 40s without working again?

The compensation for equity partners varies from firm to firm. I can only speak for SAM Mumbai. I’ll not disclose the exact amount but I can give a ballpark amount for each segment.

1. Salaried Partners: It starts with minimum 85lpa to 1 crores PA as a junior salaried partner with fixed to bonus component ratio about 60:40. With a few years down the line in partnership, salaried partners in SAM Mumbai can expect a compensation north of 2 crores PA. (This is strictly applicable to the M&A/PE Practice only)

2. Equity Partners: Once the salaried partners buys into equity, the fixed component is capped at 1.2 crores PA with bonuses going upto 200%+ of the fixed component. I can speak for equity partner of my private M&A practice only and she makes approximately 3-3.5 crores PA.

3. Rainmakers/Practice Heads: Barring few practice heads with a below average book, the rainmakers in SAM are making upwards of 8 crores PA. One popular partner who heads the M&A and PE practice brought home 13 crores in FY2023.

As soon as KDR joined NALSAR, many good faculty has been poached by NLSIU. As recently as previous semester, we lost our constitutional law instructor Prof. Chauhan. What is worrying to the university is KDR doesn't persuade the outgoing good faculty to stay. He is not focussed on retention. Because of loss of good faculty, administrative roles in university are given to faculty ▮▮▮ . Demos were conducted deliberately online 5 days ahead of reopening of semester. Students' feedback were not considered. ▮▮▮

KDR has to rein on the incompetent old faculty involved in political mastery creating toxic environment for young faculty and preventing promotion of new and competent ones. He has to recruit steadily but must maintain the quality and involve good internal faculty in administrative decisions like senior Prof. Dhandha, Prof. Kannan, Prof. Murali, among others. He relies on his old chaps who doesn't care about the institutional growth. To attract good faculty at par with how Sudhir in NLSIU is recruiting he also has to build infrastructure, but he failed. He can't even re-build/renovate the library which has cramped space, let alone building new hostels, recreational area.

NALSAR has lost its glory that it achieved since it's inception till Prof. Mustafa's tenure. KDR will keep entertaining judges (seemingly those who are in line to be CJI), to keep gaining judicial patronage, that's the best he is doing till now. Hats off to his own junior, Sudhir Krishnaswamy, who re-built NLSIU with the best faculty.

These will not do if the powers that be want SKDR to continue. Note that Tau is very much around and the great benefactor is back in MHA. Also note that SKDR has witnessed, survived and thrived such "storms" earlier.

Why just NLUD? Why not check his record at NLUO? I remember Legally India doing a story of how SKDR did a cut-paste job at NLUO for the NAAC accreditation.

Have a plan B. If you are successful in evicting SKDR be ready for a clone or worse whatever the dressing - NLU/TLC alumni. Although almost all NLUs practically run on student fees, we are unlikely to be given a meaningful say in who actually gets appointed as VC and the everyday administration of univ, including faculty recruitment, which is basically a traffic of IoUs, favours and other "exchanges".

In recent years, VC evictions were successful only (I am specifically not getting into their replacements) when the VCs committed harakiri and/or students were able to access damning info that made the VC political and/or judicial liability.

Examples:

1. CNLU Patna - Students had enough of their evergreen VC. But he sought to preserve his influence and corrupt practices through a proxy. But PIB had become liability and CNLU students created enough noise for the political-judicial establishment to drop him. Ofc the "Empire" struck back.

2. WBNUJS - Although the TMC/state govt is the fav punching bag, PIB survived and thrived due to support from a powerful section of judiciary. These folks are apolitical in the sense that they are valued by all the rival politicos. But that's another story. Point is that the SJA despite damning inquiry reports could not stop EC from giving PIB an unanimous second term in 2016. But in 2018, the SJA had understood the game. The political-judicial establishment always needs a good driver for the gravy train. But when the gravy train faces real danger of derailment, the driver is expendable. Ofc, the SJA in 2019-20 lost the plot and therefore suffering the consequences.

3. NLIU and HNLU - Both had it coming for a long time. Students finally came together and cashed in on the harakiri committed by the VCs who had grown complacent.

4. RGNUL - Students were able to pile pressure but the crafty PJ found crucial support in your dear FM (then) and an extremely accommodating judiciary. PJ was stirred but not shaken. PJ knew his time was up, made a move to Sonipat and Tau had students for lunch subsequently.

5. NLU Assam - Teachers and students wanted VK gone but they had to wait till Tau made arrangements in MNLU Nagpur. But another VC (from Karnataka and a bhakt) lost his grip only after he "allegedly" flashed repeatedly leading to some sort of police complaint (which ended somewhere in a landfill) and the VC was given time and opportunity to resign and enjoy terminal benefits.

You should also consider the recent examples of failed "uprisings" in MNLU Nagpur, NLU Ranchi (even the earlier protests), NLUO (when the VC is a dear friend of well-respected CJ), NLU Vizag, HPNLU, NLUJ et al.

Lastly, do not get voluntarily hijacked and self-invite a smack down like SJA of WBNUJS.

I think you should look at it from a different lens. From my perspective, the Congress Guarantee Cards constitute Promissory Note under Section 4 of Negotiable Instruments Act

As per the Section :-

"A promissory note is an instrument in writing (not being a bank note or a currency note) containing an unconditional undertaking, signed by the maker, to pay a certain sum of money only to, or to the order of, a certain person, or to the bearer of the instrument"

If you look closely, all the ingredients of a promissory note are achieved in the instant case of Congress Guarantee Card and a legitimate holder of the same can bring Congress to court for non-fulfillment of the said note and initiate legal action constituting civil and criminal liability

Let me know or drop hints, struggling to get placed.

I donot come from an NLU. Have decent Tier 1 and Tier 2 Internships.

Open to Disputes Resoulution/ Tax/ M&A PE/VC.

Reaching to people on LinkedIN will it help?

Any kind of help will be appreciated.

And...Nirmala Sitharaman has became the Finance Minister again 😂 and she will be creating a new record as the person who has consecutively presented the most Union Budgets of India.

Well, I'm a BJP supporter, but wanted someone else to be handed over the Finance Ministry.
A change just for the sake of change would have been better, as the general public opinion is not very favourable about her work as Fin Min.

What do you mean bad food ??!! Surprising. The food here is awesome . You get the best South Indian food here- all varieties and from all the Southern states. Plus you get cuisines from any part of the world. Any kid brought up here speaks five languages and gets exposed to various cultures of the country.

Almost all major global MNCs have a presence here or have their APAC corporate Headquarters in the city. Do you get to interact with global clients or colleagues as well.

Anyone in the world would love this city, unless of course, you like a city that has only North Indian cuisine or that speaks only one language- Hindi.

Text of the other mail sent by us:

Prof. Rao,

The anonymity here stems from a lack of response from the administration and the understandable fear of reprisal for exercising freedom of speech. We arrived at NALSAR with high hopes, drawn by the esteemed 'NALSAR' brand. We anticipated exceptional professors, and while there are indeed some outstanding ones, it's disheartening to witness the departure of many esteemed faculty members.

Our initial enthusiasm soon gave way to disappointment as we faced the reality that some core law subjects, such as contract law and family law, were being taught by professors specializing in criminal law. This not only creates discrepancies in our learning opportunities but also undermines NALSAR's reputation and our future prospects. We aren't demanding extraordinary quality; rather, we seek the basic standard of being taught by professors specializing in their respective subjects, with transparent appointment processes.

This situation is unjust not only to us but also to the professors themselves, as evidenced by their evident disappointment, as reflected in recent communications. As we contemplate the remainder of our four years here and consider the welfare of future batches, it's concerning to witness our senior peers already apprehensive about their upcoming years due to the departure of esteemed faculty members.

Moreover, the decision to conduct today’s demo classes online, when the university is set to reopen in a week, seems perplexing. Offline classes could potentially attract more participants, yet this opportunity appears overlooked.

In light of these concerns, we, as students, express our disappointment and urge the administration to respond. We advocate for being taught by subject-specialist professors appointed transparently, with student feedback mechanisms in place to ensure quality education and accountability.

Sincerely.

Guys, unless you go on a proper protest and get media attention, nothing will happen. Go back many years ago and ask your super seniors how they got Veer Singh removed as NALSAR VC. Kian was the catalyst in those days. Now you can go to so many online news portals, which didn’t exist at the time, such as the Wire and Print.