If 12 hour working is your problem, then you need to first make sure that your senior is dependent enough on you to listen to you, and thereafter you persuade them to bring down your working hours.

You will have to do this workplace negotiation yourself. You are right in being apprehensive that you may lose clients and high profile work - for which you are better off staying in the same office (until you get hired somewhere), and becoming senior enough first so that when you exit - you leave with a whole team. That is when big ticket clients will come along with you.

Hi. I would just like to take this opportunity to appreciate all the work that you have done so far in your career. Doing a good job is neither easy nor quick, often requiring a great deal of personal sacrifice on one’s part. What may seem repetitive and tiresome to others is the very precision with which human beings establish trust, honour, and competence amongst each other.

I understand that over the course of time your professional interests have evolved and that you also have a well-founded concern for your physical and mental health. This is perfectly reasonable. And while your query falls outside my area and therefore I cannot offer you the right advice, I would still like to thank you for all the work that you have done with diligence and honesty. A good professional only further elevates their profession and sets the standard at which the public opinion holds it in common esteem.

A man’s life is a journey of journeys and the good that he achieves in one is no less than the good he seeks to achieve in another. I wish you only the very best in your future.

Thx a lot for your response brother. I have a PQE of 3+ years working in commercial litigation, arbitration, civil litigations prominently besides various tribunals. Since past couple of months, I'm more of got into drafting only with some appearances and assistance to my senior in arbitration. I'm open to shifting to Delhi and nearby cities, but, the actual reason for shifting is that even my senior says that I'm quite good at everything.

Nevertheless, our clashes started because of atleast 12hr. working hours 7 days a week apart from the requirement to work some hours (which are not even considered) at home, unimaginable deadlines, even they make me draft arbitration awards for dumb ad-hoc arbitrators without even considering the gravity of work just to keep pressurizing with incomprehensive deadline.

I have two fold reasons that I want to shift:

1) I could have considered starting my own practice, but, even though I'm good at work, I have noo contacts. I have seen my senior that sometimes he fucks up the work of any client but they come to him because he portrayed himself to be personally attached with them, all these soft tactics to mislead, liaisoning and good network, owing to his past, has helped him to tragect and maintain his practice. My fear is that if I will leave this office, which I have to leave if I want to just live my life even as a human, I will loose my income and I have no contact as to how to grab my initial client. The initial clients also evade to pay a afresh advocate and I have any things to take care of with my money in my personal life at this age.

2) I am really interested in arbitration and commercial litigation, but, I have seen enough of arbitrations pertaining to building contracts, road laying, bridge construction, partnership, dealership, turnkey contract of electricity. I have no contact in any law firm, so I'm wondering as to how to get into a good law firm with varied arbitration and commercial litigation clientele along with financial security.

Again, Thx a lot for your response.

I'm at such brink of life that even a word from you guys is a great help for me. My senior is very good at sugar coating clients and he already had big contacts, due to his extrovert nature, in the city. I have seen many clients who readily give all their work to my senior even after not getting relief in some other matter. This industry is all about contact, and portraying personal relationship with clients. Yeah, providing relief also comes next. I have insecurity that if i will leave my senior, I will loose my income, I have no contacts, who will be my client and the constant struggle of grabbing clients, especially most of the initial clients would not have any high paying capacity, my senior made his relationship with senior officers of public department which majorly got his clientele. I got so interested in arbitration that I want to expand the exposure to arbitration, so I am ready to move to Delhi because I am bored of arbitrations pertaining to building contracts, road laying, bridge construction, partnership, dealership, turnkey contract of electricity. I have no contact in any law firm, so I'm wondering as to how to get into a good law firm with varied arbitration and commercial litigation clientele.

BTW, brother I have PQE of 3+ years consistently in the same fora.

Oh and about sticking around, it has become very hard now, since all these years, I have done most of the challenging drafting of the chamber, and now mostly I do drafting. There is 12 hr. working 7 days a week, apart from that I could be constrained to work at home as well at times. Sometimes, sleeping for just 4 hrs. or no sleep for 24 hrs. a day. I receive directions to extend and expand unnecessary contents in a draft, literally unnecessary things, that too in short time and unthankful and manipulative senior. So, it has become hell to work here.

Thx a lot for your response.

While I work in corp team and may not know nitty gritties of disputes, I just have a different suggestion. Lot of courts don't have good talent and have people practicing basis more jugaad and strictly not by law. To that extent, considering the stuff you have already done and seem to be motivated, you can also consider sticking around and can create your own brand and clientele!

Hello sharp minds,

I'm writing this post upon being stuck in my career.

Currently i'm working with an advocate, I have extensive experience in arbitration, appearance before various courts. I'm able to manage the entire arbitration disputes by myself. I can calculate claims, prepare the entire pleadings, admission and denial, evidence and arguments. I can review contracts and prepare legal opinion for government clients. I mean there is much more too it, but, i'm stuck at this place in Uttarakhand. I'm wondering if i can enter a tier 1 or tier 2 law firm to escalate my career further because i have worked enough in item rate contracts, turn key contracts pertaining to infrastructure development, power infrastructure development and supply.

I would greatly appreciate any guidance during in this period of dire need of mine.

Regards.