Consider yourself lucky if you're rejected. I got through both the interview rounds and interned at the firm. And bruh... what a roller coaster. The firm is nothing like it portrays itself to be - it becomes growingly evident the more time you spend there even though you may feel impressed the first few days by the facade they have on. Other past interns and ex-associates (like the one who commented on this thread) will tell you the same. Hopefully, someday soon I'll find the time/energy to type out a detailed comment about whats really up at the firm because I've come across enough during my time there for a goddamn essay.

This is exactly what you have heard - stories. I have been here for quite some time now and this is not the AZB culture, certainly not in Delhi.

Over a reasonable career span, is there a person who has not committed a mistake or not pulled up by their seniors? It is not possible. But I fear for the younger generation, who seem too sensitive / delicate to handle any kind of feedback by seniors? What should seniors do if an associate is not performing well - mollycoddle? Or not give feedback because the trigger-happy junior will leak it on social media?

Younger lawyers sometimes fail to appreciate that real world consequences depend on their action / inactions - but do not always demonstrate the maturity to accept feedback and improve themselves. Why - coz some post on L.I. could be a good way to create ruckus? Ridiculous.

HS teams is one of the largest in the firm and have a great practice. No one is saying that it is going to be easy working in a law firm - but when has anything worthwhile been easy? You want easy - find a different profession. Things are going to be demanding here!

Rather people should focus on improving themselves, which will necessarily involve feedback from seniors. Writing a post on LI is not courage - being open to feedback and improving yourself is.

Regards,

Regulus

This is strange, how people act as judge and the jurry. Reading one side of the story and then calling other side names, passing judgements. The fresher (who was not a fresher but a lateral hiring) did this BS, apolozised at his own free will in person (not only on e-mails) to at least some of the seniors, called them brother/sister without any coersion. To tell some one to improve and correct his attitude towards work is no bullying and that so call poor chap seemed high spirited and did not show any signs of mental trauma to say the least. Any one can pick up and write such email, name and shame people, leak the e-mail and make this a national issue. Gyan dena bahut asan hai. And I think we all should move on from this and cut the crap!

I have been associated with Abhishek since almost 12 years and have never experienced such issues. Your opinion is not everybody's opinion Boss! Its so easy to blame anyone, but be considerate of the fact that you may have somewhere learnt something from him. You too are toxic bro.

Ah, the "Real Story," the age-old narrative where the seasoned yet somehow hapless senior partners are utterly at the mercy of a three-month-old associate's behaviour. Truly, it's a marvel that such industry veterans could be so profoundly thrown off course by a newcomer still getting the hang of the office coffee machine. Yes, let’s definitely pin the entire toxic culture on someone who’s been here shorter than a Netflix trial subscription.

While it's truly heartbreaking to think of the unnamed associate's alleged "behavioral issues," we shouldn't lose sight of the real victims here: the woefully insecure senior partners, who have had to hide their inadequacies behind imposing job titles and an arsenal of jargon. So long as we have these vulnerable souls shepherding these top-tier centers of excellence, how could anything possibly go wrong?

Thank heavens for this "Real Story," which lifts the curtain on a tragicomedy starring bewildered seniors and a freshman employee who apparently has the uncanny power to bend the world to his ill will—or not. May the esteemed senior partners find the courage to endure this grievous ordeal. After all, in a world where the survival of the fittest is the name of the game, it's the bullies who really need our sympathy, isn't it?

The Associate has to be applauded for his courage. This event, at the very least, should be a warning for lawyers to start treating their colleagues better. Not just juniors but clerks and office admin as well. I have worked with Abhishek at the start of my career and can relate to everything this kid has mentioned. He is worse (in my opinion). But this is not merely a Big law firm culture. Culture of abuse and intimidation reeks deep in the legal profession.

what is the primary deficiency of NUJS? - compact campus - you will be a day scholar so that does not matter.

In all other parameters like faculty quality, co-and-extra curricular opportunities, placements etc. NUJS is ahead of GNLU

Someone below is commenting about US LLM, it does not help unless you already have a couple of years of PQE. If you get a PPO you can recoup the extra cost of NRI seat at NUJS in 6 months.

One of the biggest reasons why foreign law firms should come to India as fast as possible. There should be a bare minimum professionalism and dignity that is expected in this domain of India, which the so called law firms severely lack. Competition from the more dignified foreign law firms would put them in their real position.

I am interested to know about the salaries for recent graduates and work culture at the known Non-profits and think tanks in India. Also, share your experiences of fellowships in the non-corporate sector if you have. I am trying to navigate this field of law - non-corporate side, but there is not as much transparency in all these organizations plus small teams mean that only few people can give reviews.

Would greatly appreciate your help, thank you!

This revelation isn't surprising, but I do empathize with the young man for his courage and slight naivety in sending that email. While I don't feel sympathy for those he called out, I'm concerned about the potential backlash he may encounter. I hope he possesses the strength to navigate the challenges in a world filled with ego-driven individuals who mask their insecurities with grand titles like 'Senior Partner.' It seems naive of him to expect justice from the very power structures that may have wronged him. I hope he takes some time to reflect and strategize his next steps carefully. The corporate law realm often thrives on the insecurities of these "senior partners" and their acolytes. Over time, one either adapts to this environment or becomes part of the problem.

You will be treated as a second grade resource and paid lesser than your colleagues in Mumbai and Delhi, this can eventually lead to a huge difference (upto 10 lakhs) in the pay bands and create a void

You will often work with those teams & wonder what keeps them motivated, there are multiple factors to this as well, but the most important one is clearly salaries

Eventually deal teams and other teams also treat you like a second grade resource - this behaviour is commonly felt by a number of colleagues

"Is it advisable for someone who has been working as an advocate/lawyer in India for four years, and then come to a conclusion that they do not enjoy/fit in this industry, and go on to consider a career change, and if so, what are some potential options for transitioning into a different field, such as pursuing a diploma or MBA?

If your parents are rich or you are a nepo kid, choose NUJS. Else choose GNLU because:

- As someone said, you save money which you can use for an LLM abroad. If you save 10 lakhs or so, that may not help much in the US, but will definitely help in the UK or Singapore or Australia, where costs are less and 10 lakh matters more.

- The GNLU campus is nicer than NUJS. The main reason is that GNLU gets a lot more funding than NUJS.

- Modi, Adani and Ambani are pumping in thousands of crores into Gujarat. It is a state that is economically flourishing. Companies and firms setting up operations in Gujarat may preferred to recruit from GNLU rather than NUJS (this is based on the assumption that Modi will win in 2024).

- While faculty at GNLU and NUJS are about the same in quality, the quality of admin at NUJS has declined a lot because of political interference by the present state govt.

If you miss your parents in Kolkata, you can consider 2 or 3 internships there.

I am a 2020 grad from T1 NLU currently in my hometown and my family doesn't want me to "practice". They want me to continue with judicial service prep. Its really getting difficult to go against their wishes cos i just really want to get out, having no confidence to do govt exam prep anymore.

Their concerns are also very real: esp regarding safety and sustenance and how will i manage to get a well paying position in future.

My mother is also a senior citizen having no energy to deal with this, and has no idea about law.

How should I tackle?

Quote:

"Harvard’s lowest rank comes despite the fact that more than 100 of its professors banded together earlier this year to form a Council on Academic Freedom to defend open inquiry on campus.

“We are in a crisis time right now,” Janet Halley, a Harvard Law School professor and member of the council, told The Post in April. “Many, many people are being threatened with — and actually put through — disciplinary processes for their exercise of free speech and academic freedom.”"

....

This has major lessons for NLUs. We are trying to build Harvards of the East. But let us not borrow the worst things of elite American liberal colleges, like cancel culture and intolerance towards contrary views (both wokes and conservatives). There was an another thread posted on LI about how law school students have become toxic. It comes to the same thing. There is a serious problem that plagues Gen Z.

Here are some examples of such intolerance (from both the woke and conservative side):

- Uninviting of the present Vice President of India from NUJS, while allowing Derek O'Brien of the TMC to speak. According to TOI, done without consensus

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/nujs-student-group-takes-back-guv-invite/articleshow/73179463.cms

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/derek-at-nujs-event-students-divided-over-guv-uninvite-move/articleshow/73195909.cms

- Repeatedly recording lectures by left-wing JGLS professors and leaking them to OpIndia and RW Twitter:

https://www.opindia.com/2021/10/shruti-pandey-jindal-global-llaw-faculty-hindu-untouchability/

https://www.opindia.com/2022/02/jindal-global-law-school-calls-jk-india-occupied-kashmir/

- Online trolling of left-wing activist Suchitra Vijayan by RW NUJS students. She complained to the VC, but no action was taken.

https://twitter.com/suchitrav/status/1317287444228804608

https://twitter.com/suchitrav/status/1317543806041018369

https://twitter.com/abhinav_k316/status/1320011929780273159

- Heckling of Sadhguru at NALSAR

- Bullying of various NLUs students who supported the CAA.

Full ranking of free speech and US universities here:

https://www.thefire.org/news/new-2024-college-free-speech-rankings-show-alarming-81-success-rate-deplatforming-attempts

News reports here:

https://nypost.com/2023/09/06/harvard-is-named-worst-school-for-free-speech-scoring-zero-out-of-possible-100/

https://unherd.com/thepost/harvard-ranked-as-americas-worst-college-for-free-speech/

https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/09/06/harvard-university-is-the-worst-college-for-free-speech-abysmal-rating-report-says/

https://www.foxnews.com/media/harvard-finishes-last-nonprofits-free-speech-rankings-254-colleges-abysmal

https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/harvard-university-ranked-worst-for-free-speech-scores-zero-on-possible-100-2431906-2023-09-06

Oh please. Don't trivialise this conversation by saying things like top-tier college and BigLaw.

A. Top Tier colleges guarantee you nothing. In the past 16 years, I have came across many so called "non-top tier" college students who had the same zeal to be something in life. In fact, as a part of the so-called BigLaw, I can tell you that the difference in number of "top-tier" and "non-top tier" people making through the hierarchy has narrowed down.

B. BigLaw is sooner or later going to fall. It is nothing but an organised industry which artificially charges hyper-inflated bills to the client on the pretext of quality of service and client-centricity.

In fact, post-covid, a sizeable number of partners have gone on to establish their own set-ups. One of the factors determining this phenomenon was the want of dignity and fair amount of independence in life.

To be expected. I've heard horror stories about AZB. Including coffee being thrown at associates by senior staff and the Bangalore litigation partner slapping an associate in a hotel lobby for forgetting to carry a document. I would advise all young lawyers I know to avoid working there.

This is very common. These firms are extremely toxic. Still kids will run to these places because they have no alternative and that's a face. Most of the tier 1 firms are bad and toxic. And some of the them speak very sweetly while giving you work but in reality they want you to work day in and day out by not sleeping, otherwise they will not allowing to grow in the firm.

If not in Delhi, plan to come to Delhi. Get in touch with your friends and ask them for some reference (there is always a lot of positions open in litigation). You will be able to start with a good lawyer in no more than a month of work in the right direction.

Cant say much for law firms in this situation.

No.

Don't assume it to be effective just because it was notified in the gazette. The Codes themselves say that they will be effective from such date as notified by the CG. The notification triggering that clause is yet to come.

Same for Digital Data Protection Act.