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The common response is that I need experience, but when I reach out to counsels to join their chambers, their juniors tell me to gain experience by working in a law firm. I was ready to not expect any monetary compensation in litigation. I know how litigation is. But even in small law firms you don’t get paid.
And guess what, I have seen few people directly join chambers of some renowned lawyers directly after graduation. And then I found out about their whole family background.
It's a vicious cycle. Law firms want experience, but the only way to get that experience is by working in a law firm. I'm caught in a loop with no clear way out. Some small law firms even mentioned that I must work for 24:7 with no pay and no weekend off.
I've also offered to work for free to gain experience in litigation, but even that hasn't yielded any opportunities.
I'm starting to regret pursuing law. I wish I had taken my entrance exams like CLAT more seriously, despite getting into a good institution through MHCET. However, they didn't have a strong placement program. No doubt people give up on this career.
I'm not blaming anyone entirely, but I realize I must be lacking somewhere. Then why don’t they give me feedback instead of vague responses.
Despite doing well academically and securing good internships, I'm not getting anywhere.
Everyone I ask for help seems so so insecure and unwilling to offer guidance, recommendations or feedback. I'm feeling frustrated and lost. It’s literally taking toll on my mental health.
Also I met few people who are so insecure and threatened in law school and in legal industry. And sometimes I feel this whole industry is like this. Judge me I do not care. I am so done!
Let's start from a relevant point of time in my life (or maybe, "points" for this one).
- Good chap in school, did fairly well, wanted something else for myself but settled for law
- Had no idea about the field, shot myself straight from 12th boards to appearing for CLAT (No AILET, no MHCET, no LSAT, no SLAT)
- Did well in CLAT but my optimistic self wanted a Tier 1 for myself. Decided to drop a year
- Meanwhile, took admission in a state university to see what it is like (I still beat myself over this)
- Covid happened. Didn't appear for CLAT, and just like that I was in my third semester
- My optimistic self thought I could still turn this around for good (I had dreams of going to Yale)
- Started out with internships and research papers. Did a few, wrote many. However, most of them were litigation internships given what my college name could best fetch for
- Fast Forward to 2024, I graduated with nothing significant but just hopes and dreams as big and heavy as rocks
- Wanted to join a law firm, become a corp lawyer but my resume didn't allow me. I have experience but not relevant
- LI really helped me cope up. I took advice and joined a litigation office. Thought I could climb my way up from there
- I enjoyed my bit at Litigation but now I don't see myself going anywhere (also, the peanuts for pay)
Now, I took all the random advices I could find on LI and other platforms and tried my hand at almost everything. However, and unfortunately, nothing worked. Also, I don't want to continue in Litigation anymore.
I think it is fair to say that I have failed professionally, but I don't want this failure to stop me here. Even at this stage, I have a long way ahead of me and I think that I could still turn it around.
So what now? I never really had anyone to actually guide me. My parents, because I did well in school, they thought that I would manage myself even in college. My law school was and is heavily focused on judiciary. The faculty, my seniors, my peers everyone eats and sleeps judiciary. Most of them are in postgrad now.
I am a piece of work. I could really use some help to land a job or even a traineeship at any T2-T3, or any boutique law firm for that matter. The verticals I am aiming for are General Corporate, B&F, M&A, PE&VC but truth to be told, I have little to no experience in any of them.
What I want? Simply, someone to help me. Now I don't want the "someone" to hold my hand and do everything for me. Obviously not. I need help in terms of what to do from here, where to go, whom to approach and how to approach. A roadmap. I know there are people on LI who actually study at Yale and people who are partners in top law firms coming from non NLU background. I can really use the insight, the help to change things for myself. I just don't want to give up.
I am a challenge. Please work on me. Please help.
(I can provide an anonymous email to go on)