Hi everyone. I did my LLM in Law and Technology in the Netherlands. The main focus of my Master's was the GDPR and AI Act, so mainly the areas of privacy, data protection and AI governance. After graduating last year, I had a 1 year search year visa to find a job in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a job there because of a slow job market, AI, layoffs, the Dutch language requirement (which wasn't the case a few years ago), among other reasons. Ultimately, since my residence permit was about to expire, and I couldn't get a job or get sponsored for a highly skilled migrant visa (HSM) visa, I was forced to leave NL and return to India last month.

Although I haven't given up on my job search in Europe, I do need a job immediately. I've started applying in India, and I would prefer working in Mumbai, Bengaluru or Hyderabad. I'm looking for a job where my LLM will prove to be useful, which would be tech law or data protection. I'm looking at law firms with good TMT practice teams, although I would ideally prefer working in-house for either a big company or firm like one of the Big 4 (Deloitte, EY, etc.) or a tech start up dealing with the DPDPA.

Please let me know how I can start to build a career in data protection and what approach I should take in terms of building my CV, applying for roles, which law firms I can apply to for TMT, getting certified (e.g. CIPP) or making connections, especially if I have such a big work gap in my CV and I've been away from India for so long. For context, I have about 4+ PQE of experience. I've worked mostly in litigation and with NBFCs, and I've found it really hard to make the transition to corporate, compliance or tech law. I haven't had a proper full time job in over 3 years. I have no interest in returning to litigation.

Any suggestions would be welcome. Thank you. Have a nice day!

My suggestion might not suit your taste of you don't like teaching, but hear me out. Since you have an LLM from a foreign University, apply at Jindal. They immediately will take you in board. Whilst there for atleast a year or two, focus on building connections, researching and applying in data protection firms. The harsh truth is that India is way behind data protection as compare to the EU. There are definitely firms that work in this field but they will take another 5 years to mature. Also the Jindal job makes it easy for you to get time to research the job market here while not losing out on years. Nothing damages a CV in corporate like a gap year. So the best is to immediately get a job in Jindal based on your foreign degree and then apply based on market research. Atleast you would be earning enough and the teaching part will help you stay employed.

Hi, i am just curious and shooting my shot at it

have you considered policy jobs? like those policy teams in SAM/CAM or boutique law firms like Ikigai

or think tanks like The Dialogue?

How much overlap would it be in such teams between policy and legal work?

Would really love anybody's inputs.