Heard AZB is the most toxic followed by CAM, SAM, Trilegal, Wadia, DSK. Most culturally inclusive and fun, peaceful work environments I've been told are at Khaitan, JSA, ELP. Can people working in these places confirm? (Only Mumbai offices)
All offices are the same at the end of they day, depends on how much work your team has, if your partner has multiple deals on their plate they’ll expect you to burn your night oil and get shit done. If the team or the market in general is experiencing a low time you will have comparatively more time to invest in yourself. Thing is partners are not good or bad, it’s the quantum of work, the nature of the client and the urgency with respect to timelines (all of these factors vary from practise area to practise area like project finance and cap marks are usually considered the devils of the industry in this sense) is what determines how your partner will be in terms of being toxic or vice versa. Please do a lot of internships before you join the profession so that you are aware of what you are stepping into.
Long work hours and toxicity are not the same. You can have long work hours and a great working environment and similarly regular work hours that are unbearable due to toxicity.
Totally agree! Had crazy long hours in a CAM Bombay mega partner's big team, but absolutely none to very low toxicity and super professional working environment with the main man himself being very inspiring. And then had worst forms of toxicity despite okay-ish working hours. Latter is worse, affects mentally and physically.
Been 2.5 years in kco Mumbai corporate team - great place to work at, ofcourse have to be available through out and really work hard. Smart work is appreciated but expected.
Please elaborate what do you mean by “smart work”? I’m not sure as an associate you have scope to do smart work. Or did you mean you are simply efficient and try to utilise time well and still end up working more than 12 hours.
I think its more nuanced than that. I’ve heard horror stories from multiple sources about Khaitan mumbai as well. The problem is that with firms, partners and associates almost always find themselves in a game of revolving chairs and no matter how great the ‘firm culture’ is, partners have a lot of power in their hands to make your life difficult if they want to. People say the same thing about homegrown Trilegal folks but having worked with a bunch of them, I can tell you that even working at places that boast of having a non-toxic culture, its not guaranteed that you’ll have a good time. Moral of the story: decide what is a priority for you and what constitutes as the bare minimum in your book at a workplace and do your diligence before joining any team.
NDA for that matter really has a different culture.
Flat structure ensures that anyone showing seniority complex is not appreciated. People are always advised to be respectful even to office staff. People being rude to office staff has been taken up in town hall meetings.
While the team dynamics might be inclined towards bit of favouritism but the levels are checked and well below the practices at other law firms. Hard work is appreciated and micromanagement is not the norm. No limit on work from home as long you are responsive and not strolling around
Micromanagement to some extend maybe okay. Since the intended purpose of mm is to get the work done. On bright side, it doesn’t have issues like senior shouting at junior, overworking hours, enaged weekends, which almost every other law firm in India has these days.
Spent many years at KCO. Good place to work, genuinely. There are a few partners of course who bring disrepute to the firm- thanks to their toxicity. Firm is aware but can't do much since a few of these are rainmakers
100% agree. Mumbai is way more toxic as a city than Delhi. Not just law firms, in general, Mumbaikars exhibit a "know it all" attitude, laced with an inflated ego and looking down upon the rest of the country, while always bragging "Bombay is non judgemental and accepts everyone". A city is not a living being to accept or reject someone. Plus that "Hinglish", gosh don't even get me started.
That's too bad. Looks like you've worked with all the people who've migrated here searching for growth and are also determined to keep these opportunity to themselves and have turned into another of these set. You're absolutely free to move away, with all that you've achieved in Bombay, without shitting on the very city, which gave you these entitlements. I can tell you a lot of every historical backgrounds of what and why, having worked for more than 25 years here and close to 45 years of spending life here - and also working with the people who came here to make their careers (because no opportunity in other places!!, hate other cities etc) but given that you've passed your judgment, feel free to live in your bubble.
There you go. Exactly the attitude I was taking about. Mumbaikars refuse to accept the fact that there are many things wrong about themselves and their city, and use phrases like "shitting on the very city" and "feel free to live in your bubble". Typical Mumbaikar response. Wasn't expecting anything better. Thank you for proving my point.
Long work hours and toxicity are not the same. You can have long work hours and a great working environment and similarly regular work hours that are unbearable due to toxicity.
Flat structure ensures that anyone showing seniority complex is not appreciated. People are always advised to be respectful even to office staff. People being rude to office staff has been taken up in town hall meetings.
While the team dynamics might be inclined towards bit of favouritism but the levels are checked and well below the practices at other law firms. Hard work is appreciated and micromanagement is not the norm. No limit on work from home as long you are responsive and not strolling around
The local gentry is very lazy and regressive