The Common Law Admissions Test (CLAT) rewards cramming and paid preparation courses with a place in India's legal ivy leagues. Those from less well-off backgrounds or rural areas often struggle to clear that hurdle.
An NUJS Kolkata student and a professor are trying to tackle this problem. The student has started up a very web 2.0 initiative to 'hack' the CLAT for those who can't afford tuition by sourcing the power of crowds. Independently of these efforts, Professor Shamnad Basheer is also hoping to convince NUJS students to visit rural areas and help future lawyers with preparations for the exam.
Non-national law schools have also seen a major boost in the Mooting Premier League (MPL) this week, as ILS Pune cleaned up in two competition and six out of the top 10 MPL schools are non-national.
While diversity is not an issue Legally India has ever heard an Indian law firm directly address, perhaps the writing is on the campus walls in this case.
All this should be welcome for the legal market by creating a larger pool of young talent.
The latest firm to have made space for future recruits is Majmudar & Co in Mumbai, which has not just hired a Little & Co partner but has also taken the Northern plunge over the Sealink by moving its office to the Bandra Kurla Complex.
Vaish Associates too has continued its continual expansion, setting up a Mumbai indirect tax practice with a partner from Paras Kuhad Associates.
The LPO sector has an even greater need for people-power if recent private equity investments are good evidence. Eight-month-old LPO Overlegen has opened its first US office this week, hoping to attract more work from there.
The Maharashtra & Goa Bar Council electorate may be diverse, but after the first round of counting has finished, 10 per cent of votes cast have been found to be invalid. Let's hope there won't be a repeat of Bush v Gore 2000.
Sport is often described as the ultimate leveller. In the second group round of SILF's Delhi T20 league, firms large and small duked it out, with Amarchand, JSA, K&S and Titus picking up points.
Discrimination against foreign lenders is a problem under credit information laws, argues this week's legal opinion, and our latest sector update looks at a case that has ruled that international law is not binding on state governments.
Finally, thrown into this week's non-discriminating mix come our blogging competition bloggers.
LegalPoet brings more poetry and wonders whether todays lawyers are hyenas or leopards. Anirban1 recounts an unfortunate correspondence over a 'clerical' error and asks whether arbitral tribunals orders are enforcable.
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