See kids, this is why we needs firms with names like Allen & Overy and Herbert Smith Freehills. No one will ever think you work for a Gujarati mithai shop. Rather they will be impressed when you tell them is it a "London-wala company".
They don't for the simple reason that no company their size will be known to the general public. They are big for a law firm but nothing compared to most mncs and investment banks.
I am a new joinee at one of the Amarchands. When I got this job, I felt like I had achieved a lot.
Now a days, whenever I introduce myself to relatives/dates, it feels so a embarassing "I work as an associate at Cyril/Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas" none of the three words in that name ring any bell with most people I meet. They think I'm working at some random Gujju shop. Then you tell them you don't even go to court. At this point, people start thinking you're not even a real lawyer or perhaps not doing very well in life. They advice you to appear for government exams instead. Or they tell you how another person they know is a Supreme Court lawyer.
I don't know if others also face this or is it just me. But this makes me think - does anyone outside really care about the brand value of the law firm you are from? Say when you're applying abroad for higher education, or sitting for a UPSC interview or applying for positions outside law - do recruiters even know to distinguish between names of Indian law firms? Does an Amarchand name have any extra value compared to say, S&R or Trilegal?
"Oh I research what is the law on claw back clauses and suitably adapt previous reiteration into current draft"
Yawn
Now a days, whenever I introduce myself to relatives/dates, it feels so a embarassing "I work as an associate at Cyril/Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas" none of the three words in that name ring any bell with most people I meet. They think I'm working at some random Gujju shop. Then you tell them you don't even go to court. At this point, people start thinking you're not even a real lawyer or perhaps not doing very well in life. They advice you to appear for government exams instead. Or they tell you how another person they know is a Supreme Court lawyer.
I don't know if others also face this or is it just me. But this makes me think - does anyone outside really care about the brand value of the law firm you are from? Say when you're applying abroad for higher education, or sitting for a UPSC interview or applying for positions outside law - do recruiters even know to distinguish between names of Indian law firms? Does an Amarchand name have any extra value compared to say, S&R or Trilegal?