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One look at the cause list in Lucknow Bench of HC and you see the usual surnames; Shukla, Mishra, Thakur, Pandey, Upadhyay etc. its brutal.
I don't mind the competition but they have such a strong lobby, akin to a cartel and have hogged the entire space, be it the bench, panel appointments etc., their caste privilege has made things easier for them, delhi is still more cosmopolitan and promotes meritocracy (not as much as bombay tho).
Combined that with an Upper Caste dominated government in Uttar Pradesh, it is very hard for Men/Women from SC/ST/OBC and Minority Communities to thrive in this space, you'll have to work twice hard when compared to those with caste privilege and still not be as successful as them.
Also i love the grind that comes with litigation, had lots of options to shift to corp but i don't like the clerical nature of work.
Anyways there is a lack of litigators on this platform, but some responses would be highly appreciated.
How do i go about building connections here with only 6 months to my graduation, please recommend some good advocates (non-senior) who run a good and professional practice in Lucknow.
Also, anything particular i need to keep in mind (apart from the usual discrimination/prejudice/nepotism (caste/gender/religion) which is a norm in most T2 cities).
Few points about practice in the courts (Don't know much about the District courts. People who ask this question are usually aiming at the HC. I would imagine its the same case here):
- Make what you think of it but I think the Criminal side practice is a lot more muddled than it is on the Civil side at the HC. Civil side practice has some great offices; great lawyers. I am aware of two three GLC, Nirma and NLU graduates working at these offices, which brings me to the second point.
- As is the case elsewhere, if you hold a good command of English and have a better grasp of Hindi then it is an ideal position. The Civil side practice has many average offices/lawyers; by just utilizing your grasp of the languages, you can make your presence felt during the hearings. Much of the working documents (instructions, reports, etc.) are received in kishtt hindi and it would help if you got yourself one of those books on administrative jargons (in Hindi).
- Many of the judges are good and you can create an impression on them as time passes by. J Jaspreet Singh is excellent on the civil side. DKU understands land revenue issues better than anyone in UP. What I am trying to highlight is that to enjoy a practice you require judges which can pierce to the issues fast. You'll get that in a few of the courts here.
- Pay: I have only an outsiders account of the litigation offices. Most good offices (Mr. Mathur for ex.) do not pay at the start (which is where having a home in the city helps assuage the pressures of the first few days). Pay, once it begins, is also low (I guess 10-15k? Not sure). But then there is lots of room at the top, by building up on your experience after joining any of the good offices, you can go independent.
Its a limited perspective from an outsider but I hope it helps you grasp things. Also, if you recognize as a woman, I would like to point out that the Lucknow HC is infested with only male lawyers. But that also means that lady lawyers can easily distinguish themselves in terms of their ability and competence. To take an example, the NHAI standing counsel Ms. Samidha is a very good at her work and the judges are always happy with her preparation. So that's one thing. Hope all these random recollections help you make up your mind. I would suggest that you intern under the good offices (Gaurav Mehrotra has a nice practice, lots of young people in his office) and get a sense of what it is like to work at the court and then take their advice. Lots of room at the top, in my perception!
That apart if lucknow is your hometown fret not., i don't see why you will not be able to succeed after a brief waiting period which any litigation career in any city demands. Persistence is the key my friend. Love the law and immerse yourself, clients will find you.
- Lucknow is my Hometown
Some other questions:
Q: Pros and Cons of litigation practice in Tier-2 city?
Q: Pay Gap and Career Trajectory?