A final-year NUJS Kolkata student has set up and is running a legal process outsourcing (LPO) firm of seven lawyers.
NUJS student Ashish Arun is the managing partner of Offshore Research Partners, which was set up two months ago as a joint venture with the US expert witnesses database DaubertTracker CEO Myles Levin.
Around 70 per cent of the LPO's revenue is currently generated through legal research work for DaubertTracker to identify and summarise US legal cases with expert witnesses.
Arun was previously project manager in a similar role for DaubertTracker for almost three years, although the separate LPO business and the 1,700 square foot Kolkata offices were only set up in November 2009.
Arun said: "I could start the business because DaubertTracker was there so that the security was there when we started.
He recounted that he was interning at a law firm in Mumbai, which he enjoyed although the hours were long.
"If you are going to work so many hours, then why shouldn't I work for myself," he said he thought to himself. "I decided to cut short my internship and sat down and weighed the pros and cons."
Arun explained that another 30 per cent of the LPO firm's work is now generated from a two-and-a-half-year contract to manage an intellectual property rights (IPR) database for a European client.
He added that work for a third US client was potentially in the pipeline.
Offshore Research Partners is currently seven lawyers strong, with Arun managing the business, business development and teams but not doing any legal work himself.
An NUJS alumni who had worked as a Kolkata litigator and for Economic Laws Practice in Mumbai for one year each is heading up the legal work on Offshore Research Partners' IPR project.
Another three-year qualified lawyer who was formerly at Kolkata firm S Jalan & Co has also been working at the LPO, explained Arun, in addition to several law graduate freshers from Calcutta University and final year students from NUJS. Arun said that he was also hoping to recruit several NUJS Kolkata batch-mates on graduation.
"Frankly speaking," he noted, "I don't think what the law firms do, apart from the cutting-edge work, is something for which you need a lot of experience. In the basic stuff that these firms do all the time like compliance, drafting documents, etc, I don't think experience plays a big role."
Currently, the Indian partnership is 95 per cent owned by Arun. Once fully registered, Levin will also take a stake although Arun said it was expected he would retain at least a 50 per cent stake.
Arun is currently in his ninth semester at NUJS and is scheduled to graduate this summer, when he hopes to continue his current work.
"The business is good as of now and I don't think I'll be joining a law firm," he said.
Kolkata-based Khaitan & Partners Niloy Pyne is also starting up a new LPO company in Kolkata this month, as reported last week.
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Kian - could the contact details also be published, please? Thanks.
We are proud of you mate!
Get it (experience) first, it will change your views of a lot of things around you, including work ! Cheers !
wow it is amazing
how did u did it
tell us
can u
i have been dreamin abt it last summer
I know this will generate a lot of angry reactions, especially from NUJS students - but only those who actually know what this work entails will appreciate that if you are from NUJS, you are wasting all your talent by doing this.
He'll learn all about LPO business.
What more do you want from a 24 year old.
I dont need to say much more, the comments above have pretty much said it all... I just hope you know that you are a real inspiration to all of us.
We love you!
There is a lot of legal work that foreigners are interested in getting done in India - a lot of it being "not at all intellectually stimulating". What is more - they are willing to pay rather generously for it. It takes real entrepreneurship to recognise this as early as third year. As a result he was making more back then, than associates at the top Indian law firms, and now makes - before even graduating - more than senior associates!
His work requires him to be a manager; getting a 'break into a good law firm or corporate house' is hardly on his agenda. Further, I think the kind of headstart he has, will be anything but a problem for him in the LPO industry.
As far as other students from NUJS and other law universities are concerned, I think it's best if you let them decide what kind of work amounts to a waste of their talents.
Arun's experience dealing with foreign clients, leadership skills, PR abilities and, not to mention, courage would make law firms throw themselves at him. Not that that is of any consequence, as I dont believe Arun would be giving up ORP anytime soon.
@ 13 it takes lot of intelligence, confidence and most importantly courage to start something on you own!!! One must be brave enough to take that one step ahead..............look at the Gujjus & Maruus- they were brave enough to take the risk in business and they dominate the business sector in India...............hats off to them
@ 10 work hard in ur Uni or even better join ORP!!! A national law student is always welcome!!!
@ Everyone else NUJS rocks!!!
With love
NUJS Grad 2010
hey that a gr8 achievment and the best part is being a student the startegical planning are goal oriented .
wish u all the best .
the idea the your work is inspiring to all the future lawyer .
But the NUJS grads out here are oh so defensive! And so full of themselves too! Ironic.. but true.
There's no need for petty provocation. Please desist in future.
As for being full of ourselves, well, what can I say? We bear no malice, but I don't recall too many individuals who make headlines on LegallyIndia while still students. Please allow us a little leeway while we thump each others' backs.
May this spark off a trend where more and more students from various law schools make the headlines here. peace and cheers, from the east of India.
N.B. I didn't author the above comment cos I'm from NUJS- in fact, I'm from NLSIU.
Admittedly, we have a tendency to dream of big bucks and corporate jobs, knowing that we're heading towards a career where we're surrounded by "handsomely-rewarded-clerks". From what I've read, ORP is doing some good work and is a profitable venture, and this NUJS student is having a ball. Near sighted? Even if the LPO was to go bust, the world is the oyster for this lad. What does # 13 mean when he says that his skills won't be sought after? Years of expertise in single handedly starting and managing an LPO, with in-depth knowledge in all areas of the field certainly sets him apart. There's very little to stir up a NUJS-NALSAR debate here, and I request my fellow NALSARites to resist. Instead, let us we come together and applaud this feat. Well done, mate! We may have got a lead on you in moot courts this year, but this - is just amazing!
Absolutely incredible discussion on abovethelaw about this. Highly recommend you all read it.
Love the kid's attitude.
Hope he does well.
Its like saying something which is "not good" is "bad".. anyways yes that is the diferrence between a law firm and an LPO.. summarizing cases can be hardly called legal work.. while it reflects on Ashish's entrepreneul skills as a businessman (and kudos to him for that), it definitely does no value add for his skill set as a lawyer.
And shocking as it might seem to hear it will render him renundant as a lawyer both for corporate and litigation work (which is ok since he does not want to do that anyways).. but my concern is that other ppl from NUJS getting inspired and joining this place.. having passed out of 1 of the 3 most premiere law schools in the country it makes absolute no sense to engage in such work (and am passing no value judgement) unless u get compensated for the same in the like terms that Ashish does (which i i believe is quite impossible).. so its either the work and a chance of growth and money and doing your own thing.. Ashish chose the latter and he is an extremely prudent person and i have full faith that he will succeed in his venture but for everybody else its an illusion, so..
anyways Ashish awesome work.. u know we are all proud of you
simply amazed by your courage.......
nd truly said....y work for others if we cn engage dat much time fr ourselves..
Cheers.....Taste suceess soon...
Congrats.
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