I am a law graduate, but I get conscious in court and can't seem to focus and it is harming my career. I am confident in general, but in court I always think everyone knows more than me and I cannot seem to memorize case laws like others. People read books on law and remember famous cases judgements on their tips but I know the crux of the law not the bookish theory. How to navigate my career like this?

I am passionate and dedicated and street smart, just not mike ross - photogenic memory part.

I don’t know what others might suggest. But this is something that every or most fresh law graduates feel, while appearing in court. I used to have similar feelings initially and i still sometimes feel the same.

This feeling is not going to go away; until and unless you regularly make appearance before court. Initially i started with civil litigation and then shifted to nclt and that change made me feel very insecure. I used to get nervous; while addressing the bench. What worked for me was that i stopped comparing myself with others and feeling bad about it; if i am in court i never miss my chance to observe other lawyers and counsels and learning from them. I always notice how others approach the bench. I have definitely learned different ways to address and approach the bench; according to the benches mood.

Whenever any lawyer mentions any judgment or order in their submissions; i write down the name of the same and read it later in the office. This has made me much more confident; while appearing in court. The most important thing is to stop comparing yourself with others; remember that you have to wake up with yourself everyday and comparing yourself with others is only going to make your life miserable.

And p.s.a. You don’t need to remember the name of judgments, also make handwritten colour coded notes for your submissions and read through it before every hearing.