Should I wait for law firm job offer or become judicial clerk / advocate?
I am a law graduate from the top ten national law schools in India. It is been two and a half months that I graduated and had been applying to law firms in Delhi and Mumbai. My application got shortlisted in two of the law firms but did not make through one of them when my interview went quite well. The other ended up with the first rounds of interview for an indefinite time period for the next rounds of interview. I was told that the firm has their seniors partners being appointed so there are not able to fix the dates.
I got a call from Judicial clerkship in SC but still the application is pending for final approval. I am stuck in the mid-way. I am confused if i should continue my hunt for law firms and if so how useful that would be. Instead should I get enrolled with some advocate despite being really interested in corporate law firms. please help.
4 Replies
Its no use sitting around and waiting for law firms. Join an advocate…preferably one who deals in a lot of corporate matters. Any top tier law firm would gladly recruit you if you apply after working 2-3 years with an advocate and would probably offer a better profile and pay package as well.
Thank you so much for your advise. But won’t it be fruitful to wait until I come across a renowned counsel not for long but at least for the next 15-20 days or I will get too late. Besides I wish to take advise on another point that whether is it better to join a counsel or join any not so known law firm. Which one of these would benefit me in the long run. please advise. Kindly provide me a feedback after weighing all options.
If you’re really interested in corporate law, perhaps you’d like to rethink joining court practice/judicial clerkship in a haste.
Two firms have stood you up and it is undeniably demoralising, but the market is teeming with start-ups and if it is corporate law that you’re really into, why don’t you chase them(http://www.legallyindia.com/201202202586/Careers-Counsel/aunty-a-uncle-can-worried-non-elite-law-schoolite-get-corporate-law-job-without-legal-godfather), join the best out of those ready to take you on board, accept the challenge of taking them to the next level and being a creator, and in the process undergo some hardcore learning in the many different roles that small-sized firms throw you into.
While at it, you’ll also be getting the time to do things in the name of work-life balance because you’re not grinding away 15 hours a day (characteristic of many bigger firms). Early on you’ll learn the value of putting 10 quality hours and appreciating the other important things that make a life, for the rest of them.
True its a bit of a who-moved-my-cheese episode for you coming from an NLU, but get with it already! Its a 30 year long career you’re looking at, plans will change often.
Also, probably there’s a job waiting for you to fall in love with, on the other side - give it a chance!
Best wishes,
Prachi
Whatever your interest may be, its alwayz good to have all kind of experience. Work with a small firm, if you not getting into big firm. infact you should work with a small law firm first as you will get handon experience in every matter they do. your will get an active role in every matter that firm does from day one. whereas in big law firms you will not get active role immediately. so consider joining a small law firm get an good experience and exposure and then move to a bigger law firm.