100 Colleges in India. The rankings are an indication of To arrive at the ranking with a well-rounded assessment
the progress, achievements, and potential of the legal of the institutes, the colleges were scored on four key indi-
institutions in the country and do not intend to show any cators of Infrastructure (100), Placements & Pedigree
institute in poor light. The BW Legal World Law School (100), Academic Excellence (100), and Peer Perception
Ranking aims to become a catalyst for institutions to (100). Scoring for Peer Perception was based on intern
move towards excellence and should not be viewed as a interactions, alumni interactions, faculty interactions,
critique of any institution in the field of legal education. competitions and other such factors-by our Jury.
Our august Jury Board comprised of:
DR PINKY ANAND HEMANT KUMAR DR PAVAN DUGGAL DR ANNURAG BATRA
Senior Advocate, Former ASG Group General Counsel, Advocate, Supreme Court of India;
Chairman & Editor-in-Chief
Supreme Court of India Larsen & Toubro Founder, Pavan Duggal Associates BW Businessworld and
exchange4media Group
VAIBHAV KAKKAR PRIYANKA WALESHA SIDDHARTH BATRA DIVYAM AGARWAL
Partner Functional Head and Senior AOR, Partner
Saraf & Partners Manager – Legal, Yum Supreme Court of India JSA
Digital and Technology
ASHIMA OHRI GAREEMA AHUJA
Managing Editor Business Head
BW Legal World BW Legal World
The launch of the ranking was heralded by BW Legal World Future of Legal Education in
India Conference held at IIC, New Delhi on June 18, 2022. The conference was graced by
distinguished lawyers, jurists, and professors of the country and culminated in stimulating
discussions focused on the future of legal education in India in terms of keeping pace with
the global law school curriculum, building legal minds of the future-verse, and nurturing
talent for new-age careers in law. The conference came to a delightful close with the felicita-
tion of the colleges present at the venue.
51 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
OLVAEWRALSLCRHAONKOINLG 2022
Overall Name City Zone Infrastructure Placements Academic Peer Total
Ranking South (100) & Pedigree Excellence Perception 391
(100) (100) (100)
1 NALSAR University of Law Hyderabad 96 97 98 100
2 National Law University Delhi New Delhi North 93 96 97 100 386
Bengaluru
3 National Law School of India New Delhi South 91 96 97 100 384
University
4 Faculty of Law, Delhi University North 85 97 100 100 382
West 93 96 94 97 380
5 National Law University - Jodhpur Jodhpur
6 The West Bengal National University Kolkata East 92 94 95 97 378
of Juridical Sciences
7 Gujarat National Law University Gandhinagar West 95 93 94 95 377
8 National Law Institute University, Bhopal Central 97 90 95 94 376
Bhopal
9 National Law University Odisha Cuttack East 95 92 94 93 374
North 100 87 92 93 372
10 Jindal Global Law School Sonepat
11 Symbiosis Law School - Pune Pune West 86 89 98 98 371
University School of Law and Legal
12 Studies, Guru Gobind Singh New Delhi North 97 79 96 97 369
Indraprastha University-Main New Delhi
Campus
13 Faculty of Law, Jamia Millia Islamia North 90 77 92 96 355
University East 98 73 83 92 346
West 70 80 95 89 334
14 KIIT School of Law Bhubaneswar North 75 80 89 89 333
North 92 70 75 91 328
15 ILS Law College Pune North 91 65 80 89 325
West 70 90 73 91 324
16 Army Institute of Law Mohali Central 80 75 88 80 323
North 90 65 75 89 319
17 Amity Law School, Noida Noida North 75 70 80 85 310
West 73 71 75 87 306
18 School of Law, University of Dehradun North 89 65 70 80 304
Petroleum and Energy Studies East 89 60 69 83 301
19 Government Law College Mumbai
20 Hidayatullah National Law Raipur
University Gurugram
New Delhi
21 School of Legal Studies,
K.R. Mangalam University
22 Vivekananda School of
Law and Legal Studies
23 Institute of Law, Nirma University Ahmedabad
24 The Rajiv Gandhi National University Patiala
of Law, Punjab Kamrup
25 National Law University and Judicial
Academy, Assam
52 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
Overall Name City Zone Infrastructure Placements Academic Peer Total
Ranking (100) & Pedigree Excellence Perception
South 298
North (100) (100) (100) 295
South 290
26 The National University of Advanced Kochi North 75 69 65 89 287
Legal Studies (NUALS) North 282
East 280
27 Department of Law, Aligarh North 69 62 73 91 271
Aligarh Muslim University West 268
East 261
28 School of Law, Bengaluru North 80 60 73 77 257
Christ University, Bangalore North 90 54 60 83 254
South 75 60 70 77 253
29 Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Lucknow North 68 65 72 75 252
Law University, Lucknow 89 55 65 62
30 University Institute of Legal Studies, Chandigarh
Panjab University
31 Chanakya National Law University Patna
32 School of Law, Gurugram
GD Goenka University Pune
33 Bharati Vidyapeeth New Law Kharagpur 68 60 70 70
College, Pune Varanasi
Phagwara
34 Rajiv Gandhi School of Visakhapatnam 50 65 70 76
Intellectual Property Law 50 54 65 88
80 56 55 63
35 Faculty of Law, 67 60 61 65
Banaras Hindu University 70 67 50 65
36 School of Law,
Lovely Professional University
37 Damodaram Sanjivayya National
Law University
38 Symbiosis Law School - Noida Noida
39 LLoyd Law College Greater Noida North 78 45 50 76 249
83 45 50 69 247
ICFAI Law School, Hyderabad South
40 ICFAI Foundation For Higher
Education, Hyderabad
41 Saveetha School of Law Chennai South 81 46 47 70 244
42 Faculty of Law, Lucknow North 69 45 62 63 239
University of Lucknow Bangalore South 50 42 56 85 233
43 Ramaiah College of Law
44 Sikkim Government Law College Gangtok East 60 45 46 80 231
School of Law, Shanmugha Arts Thanjavur South 65 46 47 70 228
45 Science Technology & Research
85 40 40 60 225
Academy (SASTRA) 83 39 40 60 222
83 37 39 60 219
46 Department of Law, Prestige Indore Central
Institute of Management Studies Dehradun North
Mumbai West
47 ICFAI Law School, The ICFAI
University, Dehradun
48 Dr D.Y. Patil College of Law
53 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
OLVAEWRALSLCRHAONKOINLG 2022
Overall Name City Zone Infrastructure Placements Academic Peer Total
Ranking Sonipat North (100) & Pedigree Excellence Perception 218
(100) (100) (100)
49 Faculty of Law, SRM University 84 35 40 59
50 Sharda School of Law Greater Noida North 85 35 36 60 216
50 40 50 75 215
51 KLE Society’s Law College, Bangalore South 50 42 50 69 211
Bengaluru Bangalore South 79 39 37 55 210
Central 40 37 60 71 208
52 Bangalore Institute of Legal Studies Bhopal 69 20 50 70 209
(BILS)
75 35 46 50 206
53 Faculty of Law, Jagran University
54 Dr. B R Ambedkar College of Law Visakhapatnam South
Marathwada Legal & General Aurangabad West
55 Education Society's Manikchand
Pahade Law College
56 Alliance School of Law Bangalore South
57 Kishinchand Chellaram Law College Mumbai West 69 30 45 60 204
58 Rizvi Law College Mumbai West 68 30 44 60 202
59 Vivekananda Law College Puttur Puttur South 65 30 43 59 197
60 Kirit P. Mehta School of Law Mumbai West 63 30 44 59 196
61 Geeta Institute of Law Panipat North 75 30 33 55 193
62 Indore Institute of Law Indore Central 72 30 32 56 190
Gurugram North 80 29 30 50 189
63 School of Law, Bangalore South 50 39 30 68 187
BML Munjal University
64 University Law College
65 South Calcutta Law College Kolkata East 47 40 30 66 183
66 J.B. Law College Gauhati East 50 39 31 62 182
West 50 38 32 60 180
67 Ajeenkya DY Patil University, Pune West 49 36 32 60 177
School of Law Mumbai North 56 30 30 60 176
South 50 32 30 63 175
68 Gopaldas Jhamatmal Advani North 60 28 30 55 173
Law College
69 IMS Law College Noida
70 SDM Law College and Centre for Post Mengaluru
Graduate Studies & Research in Law
71 Amity Law School - Lucknow Lucknow
72 Law College Dehradun Dehradun North 60 30 30 52 172
73 School of Law, Sushant University Gurugram North 73 27 30 40 170
Rohtak North 45 30 35 58 168
74 Department of Law, Maharshi
Dayanand University
54 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
Overall Name City Zone Infrastructure Placements Academic Peer Total
Ranking (100) & Pedigree Excellence Perception
New Delhi
Guwahati (100) (100) (100)
Bangalore
75 Chanderprabhu Jain College of North 50 27 35 55 167
Higher Studies & School of Law Goa
76 NEF Law College East 45 25 37 56 163
77 School of Legal Studies, CMR South 40 27 38 55 160
University
78 V.M. Salgaocar College of Law West 43 27 35 53 158
79 VIT School of Law (VITSOL) Chennai South 40 35 33 48 156
Dehradun North 55 28 30 40 153
80 School of Law, Faridabad North 73 20 25 33 151
IMS Unison University Gurugram North 73 20 23 34 150
West 40 20 30 59 149
81 School of Law, Manav Rachna Goa East 40 30 30 47 147
University Gauhati
82 Amity Law School - Gurugram
83 VVM's Govind Ramnath Kare
College of Law
84 University Law College
85 School of Law, Galgotias University Greater Noida North 50 30 28 38 146
86 Subharti Institute of Law Meerut North 40 29 39 35 143
40 29 38 35 142
87 University Institute of Laws - Ludhiana North 53 28 30 30 141
Ludhiana South 50 25 30 35 140
West 50 20 30 38 138
88 University College of Law - Osmania Hyderabad
University
89 Maharashtra National Law Mumbai
University Mumbai
90 Tamil Nadu National Law University Tiruchirapalli South
91 GITAM School of Law Visakhapatnam South 60 20 25 30 135
60 20 23 30 133
92 School of Law, Presidency Bangalore South 60 20 20 31 131
University Jaipur West 50 5 29 40 124
40 5 31 46 122
93 School of Law, Manipal University 55 4 22 37 118
50 4 32 30 116
94 St. Wilfred's College of Law Jaipur West
95 Modern Law College Pune West
Aligarh North
96 Institute of Legal Studies &
Research, Mangalayatan University
97 IIMT College of Law, Greater Noida Greater Noida North
98 G H Raisoni Law College Nagpur West 40 3 30 45 118
Jabalpur Central 25 0 50 40 115
99 Dharmashastra National Law Chennai South 60 0 20 30 110
University
100 Chettinad School of Law
55 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
LOVAEWRALSLCRHAONKOINLG 2022
National Law Colleges
Overall Rank Name City Zone Infrastructure Placements Academic Peer Total
Ranking Hyderabad (100) & Pedigree Excellence Perception
(100) (100) (100)
1 1 NALSAR University of Law South 96 97 98 100 391
2 2 National Law University New Delhi North 93 96 97 100 386
Delhi 96 97 100 384
96 94 97 380
3 3 National Law School of Bengaluru South 91 94 95 97 378
India University 93 94 95 377
90 95 94 376
5 4 National Law University - Jodhpur West 93 92 94 93 374
Jodhpur 75 88 80 323
65 70 80 304
The West Bengal National 60 69 83 301
6 5 University of Juridical Kolkata East 92 69 65 89 298
54 60 83 287
Sciences 65 72 75 280
60 61 65 253
7 6 Gujarat National Law Gandhinagar West 95 25 30 35 140
University 20 30 38 138
0 50 40 115
8 7 National Law Institute Bhopal Central 97
University, Bhopal
9 8 National Law University Cuttack East 95
Odisha
20 9 Hidayatullah National Raipur Central 80
Law University
24 10 The Rajiv Gandhi National Patiala North 89
University of Law, Punjab
National Law University Kamrup East 89
25 11 and Judicial Academy, 75
90
Assam 68
The National University of Kochi South
26 12 Advanced Legal Studies
(NUALS)
Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya Lucknow North
29 13 National Law University,
Lucknow
31 14 Chanakya National Law Patna East
University
37 15 Damodaram Sanjivayya Visakhapatnam South 67
National Law University
89 16 Maharashtra National Law Mumbai West 50
University Mumbai
90 17 Tamil Nadu National Law Tiruchirapalli South 50
University
99 18 Dharmashastra National Jabalpur Central 25
Law University
56 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
Natinal Law Colleges
REGION WISE RANKING OF PRIVATE LAW SCHOOLS
WESTERN REGION
Current Zonal Name City Infrastructure Placements Academic Peer Total
Jury Rank (100) & Pedigree Excellence Perception
Rankingg (100) (100) (100)
23 1 Institute of Law, Nirma Ahmedabad 73 71 75 87 306
University
Marathwada Legal & General
55 2 Education Society's Aurangabad 69 20 50 70 209
Manikchand Pahade Law
College
57 3 Kishinchand Chellaram Law Mumbai 69 30 45 60 204
College Mumbai 68 30 44 60 202
58 4 Rizvi Law College
60 5 Kirit P. Mehta School of Law Mumbai 63 30 44 59 196
50 38 32 60 180
67 6 Ajeenkya DY Patil University, Pune 49 36 32 60 177
School of Law 43 27 35 53 158
40 20 30 59 149
68 7 Gopaldas Jhamatmal Advani Mumbai 60 20 20 31 131
Law College 50 5 29 40 124
40 5 31 46 122
78 8 V.M. Salgaocar College of Law Goa 40 3 30 45 118
83 9 VVM's Govind Ramnath Kare Goa
College of Law Jaipur
Jaipur
93 10 School of Law, Manipal
University
94 11 St. Wilfred's College of Law
95 12 Modern Law College Pune
98 13 G H Raisoni Law College Nagpur
EASTERN REGION
66 1 J.B. Law College Gauhati 50 39 31 62 182
76 2 NEF Law College Guwahati 45 25 37 56 163
57 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
LOVAEWRALSLCRHAONKOINLG
REGION WISE RANKING OF PRIVATE LAW SCHOOLS
NORTHERN REGION
Current Zonal Infrastructure Placements Academic Peer
Jury Rank (100)
Name City & Pedigree Excellence Perception Total
Rankingg 1
10 2 Jindal Global Law School Sonepat (100) (100) (100)
16 3 Mohali
17 4 Army Institute of Law Mohali Noida 100 87 92 93 372
18 Dehradun
5 Amity Law School, Noida 75 80 89 89 333
21 School of Law, University of Gurugram
6 Petroleum and Energy Studies 92 70 75 91 328
22 7 School of Legal Studies, K.R. Delhi
8 Mangalam University 91 65 80 89 325
32 9 Vivekananda School of Law and Gurugram
10 Legal Studies 90 65 75 89 319
36 11 Phagwara
39 12 School of Law, GD Goenka University Noida 75 70 80 85 310
47 13
49 14 School of Law, Lovely Professional Dehradun 89 55 65 62 271
50 15 University Sonipat
61 16 LLoyd Law College Greater 80 56 55 63 254
63 17 ICFAI Law School, The ICFAI Noida 78 45 50 76 249
69 18 University, Dehradun Panipat 83 39 40 60 222
71 19 SRM UNIVERSITY; Faculty of Law Gurugram 84 35 40 59 218
72 20 Noida 85 35 36 60 216
73 21 Sharda School of Law Lucknow 75 30 33 55 193
75 22 Dehradun 80 29 30 50 189
80 23 Geeta Institute of Law Gurugram 56 30 30 60 176
81 24 School of Law, BML Munjal 60 28 30 55 173
82 25 University Delhi 60 30 30 52 172
85 IMS Law College Dehradun 73 27 30 40 170
86 26 Faridabad 50 27 35 55 167
96 Amity Law School - Lucknow Gurugram 55 28 30 40 153
Greater 73 20 25 33 151
97 Law College Dehradun 73 20 23 34 150
Noida 50 30 28 38 146
School of Law, Sushant University Meerut 40 29 39 35 143
Chanderprabhu Jain College of Aligarh 55 4 22 37 118
Higher Studies & School of Law Greater
School of Law, IMS Unison University Noida 50 4 32 30 116
School of Law, Manav Rachna
University
Amity Law School - Gurugram
School of Law, Galgotias University
Subharti Institute of Law
Institute of Legal Studies &
Research, Mangalayatan University
IIMT College of Law, Greater Noida
58 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
REGION WISE RANKING OF PRIVATE LAW SCHOOLS
SOUTHERN REGION
Current Zonal Infrastructure Placements Academic Peer
Jury Rank (100)
Name City & Pedigree Excellence Perception Total
Rankingg 1
2 ICFAI Law School, ICFAI Foundation Hyderabad (100) (100) (100)
40 3 For Higher Education, Hyderabad Bangalore
Ramaiah College of Law Bangalore 83 45 50 69 247
43 4 KLE Society’s Law College, Bangalore
Bengaluru 50 42 56 85 233
51 Bangalore Institute of Legal Studies
(BILS) 50 40 50 75 215
52
50 42 50 69 211
56 5 Alliance School of Law Bangalore 75 35 46 50 206
59 6 Vivekananda Law College Puttur Puttur 65 30 43 59 197
50 32 30 63 175
70 7 SDM Law College and Centre for Post Mengaluru 40 27 38 55 160
Graduate Studies & Research in Law 40 35 33 48 156
60 20 23 30 133
77 8 School of Legal Studies, CMR Bangalore 60 0 20 30 110
University
79 9 VIT School of Law (VITSOL) Chennai
92 10 School of Law, Presidency Bangalore
University
100 11 Chettinad School of Law Chennai
CENTRAL REGION
46 1 Department of Law, Prestige Indore 85 40 40 60 225
Institute of Management Studies 79 39 37 55 210
72 30 32 56 190
53 2 Faculty of Law, Jagran University Bhopal
62 3 Indore Institute of Law Indore
59 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
IN CONVERSATION
Interviewed by Ashima Ohri
THREE THINGS THAT
NEED TO CHANGE
IN THE SPHERE OF LEGAL
EDUCATION IN INDIA
Dr Ghayur Alam, Senior Professor; Dean, Undergraduate Studies; and
Registrar of The National Law Institute University, Bhopal, India talks
future of legal education in India like never before and makes us wonder
if lawyers will be a hostage to the powers of AI in times to come!
What are the 3 most pivotal
things that need to change in
Legal Education in India
today?
Three most pivotal things that need
to change today in Legal Education
in India:
1. Law teachers should be allowed
to practice law
Undergraduate legal education is
intended to produce profession-
als trained in the artificial rea-
soning of law. The problem is
full-time law teachers are not
professionals because they are
not allowed to practice law under
the rules framed by the Bar
Council of India. Law teachers
are best trained in theorizing law
as scholars. Scholars’ approach is
inherently different from profes-
sionals’ approach. Legal scholars
generally lack first-hand experi-
ence and hence can neither bring
the fire and thunder of the court-
room to the classroom nor can
they share their transaction prac-
tice of law with their students.
This must change. Sooner the
better, if India wants to have legal
60 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
professionals trained by legal
professionals. The idea of clinical
legal education borrowed from
medical education has not been
translated into practice. Clinical
legal education (CLE) by and
large is conducted through simu-
lation exercises and moot courts
and in some cases, it is merely a
formality. If legal education has
to become professional educa-
tion, it must adopt the practices
of medical education.
2. Focus of legal education must ricula integrate law with other Content should be used only as exam-
shift to outcome-based learning disciplines like humanities, ples to demonstrate how the content
Students and teachers should social science, science, manage- can be and cannot be learnt and used
clearly understand the objec- ment etc. Second, their learn- for a practical purpose. Curriculum
tives and methods and mecha- ing-teaching method employs when broken into syllabi, syllabus
nisms to help realize and achieve the Socratic Method, Case when broken into units/modules,
those objectives both at the Method, Case Study Method, and units when broken into topics
macro and micro levels. Students and Clinical Method. Both should be organized at must, should
admitted to five-year law pro- claims, however, may be con- and could levels. To be relevant, law
grams are generally eighteen tested. To the best of my knowl- curriculum should give adequate and
years of age and some of them edge, neither the integration has proportionate attention to local,
are on the verge of attaining taken place nor the lecture regional, national and international
majority. Learning behaviour method has been deemphasized. problems and needs.
varies with age. Therefore, ele- Humanities, social science, sci-
ments of pedagogy and andra- ence, and management are gen- One necessary principle is that
gogy may be combined in such a erally taught to law students the ignorance of the law is no excuse. In
manner that the learning needs way they are taught to the stu- the absence of this principle, no law
of this age group should be dents of B.A, B. Sc., BBA and can be enforced for everyone may
meaningfully catered. Every students are left to find the link- claim ignorance of the law. The fact
topic of every subject should ages of these subjects with law is that no one either knows all the
have a clearly stated outcome on their own. The method of laws nor can one know all the laws.
and measurable mode of assess- learning-teaching of law, there- Problem is that no law school can
ment and evaluation (A&E). fore, must change and the lead- teach all the laws. But every law
The focus should shift from ers of legal education in India school can teach how (not) to learn
summative assessment to form- should pay heed to this aspect. the law. Law by necessity cannot
ative assessment. remain static. It has to be dynamic
Mereinformation about the 2. How feasible is a dynamic and ever-evolving. The old law is
marks or grades does not serve curriculum to match the ever- amended, repealed, substituted, var-
the purpose of A&E if the stu- growing laws and require- ied, modified, overruled, reversed, or
dents are not informed about ments of the industry? eviscerated. The new law is made to
their strengths and weaknesses deal with unprecedented but con-
and the method to overcome The feasibility of a dynamic curricu- temporary challenges and problems.
their weaknesses. lum, to match the ever-growing laws No curriculum, therefore, howso-
and requirements of the industry, can ever dynamic can cover all the laws.
3. Method of learning-teaching of be defined and designed in terms of The focus of law learning-teaching
law must change its method rather than its content. It should therefore be on, building the
Law schools in India generally does not follow from here that the ability and capacity of the students
make two related claims about curriculum should be contentless. by teaching them how to fish. First
their curricula. First, their cur-
61 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
IN CONVERSATION
‘how’ should equip the students with The future of legal the Privy Council, House of
the ability to understand facts of Lords, Federal Court, Supreme
every type. Facts win cases. Facts education is going Court of India, US Supreme
may be simple or complex. Facts may Court and other Courts
be related to day-to-day life, society, to be more 9. Try to help, pro bono, those who
economy, finance, polity, simple cannot afford the cost of litiga-
technology, and/or advanced and challenging not tion
emerging technology. Second ‘how’ 10. M ake happiness of pursuit for
should equip the students with the only in India but justice as the objective of life
ability to fit the facts in the most rather than the pursuit of happi-
appropriate legal category. It is pos- everywhere in the ness
sible that more than one legal cate-
gory may be available for the given world. Challenges 5. What is in store for the future
facts or no legal category may be of legal education in India?
available to accommodate the facts will also throw
fully or even partially. The ability to The future of legal education in India
find the most appropriate legal cate- unprecedented is going to be mainly defined by tech-
gory can be mastered only by acquir- nology in general and by artificial
ing the artificial reasoning of law by opportunities. intelligence (AI) in particular. AI is
reading, thinking, researching, writ- already in use for finding relevant
ing, speaking, discussing, and inter- Technology-savvy statutory provisions, and relevant
acting with teachers and peers over a case law. AI is also being used for the
long period of time. Third ‘how’ lawyers will be preparation of legal documents.
should equip the students with the Some of the traditional lawyering
ability to pre-empt, minimize or at doing better. skill sets have become redundant
least resolve and solve problems with and obsolete and some of them going
the help of law. The success of cur- 4. Your message to young law- to become useless very soon. We have
riculum can be measured if the stu- yers entered the era of AI-assisted law-
dents develop a frame of mind and yering. Therefore, legal education
know how (not) to think like a law- Work hard, not hardly. If success is a must identify what is being done or is
yer, how (not) to read, write and habit, then reading is a habit, then doable by AI. What is being done or
speak like a lawyer. working hard is a habit, writing is a is doable by AI should not be made
habit, honesty is a habit, and helping part of the legal curriculum. Students
3. What are the pain points of others is a habit. Either one has a should be trained to use AI in a
the institutes imparting legal habit or does not have it. My message meaningful manner and should also
education that need the indus- to budding lawyers is that one be encouraged to acquire newer
try’s or the government’s inter- should: knowledge and newer skills which
vention? 1. B e industrious to be industry may remain technology neutral, if
possible. No doubt it is a tall order
Some pain points of the institutes ready and who knows that the technology
imparting legal education are lack of 2. Not try to specialize in a particu- of tomorrow transcends AI and
funding by the government and forces the homo sapiens to ask the
industry; high fees and charges lar branch of law at the begin- question: whether homo sapiens are
make access to quality legal educa- ning of the legal career more sapient than quantum com-
tion difficult for students belonging 3. Practice at least in the beginning puting-enabled AI. Imagine an AI
to low-income families; poor stu- at trial courts created by an AI – an AI not envis-
dent-teacher ratio; lack of cutting- 4. Make reading, writing, and aged by the human inventor. . .
edge and socially relevant research speaking a habit
mainly because of lack of funds; 5. T hink within the box and out- The future of legal education is
multiple regulators and the problem side the box going to be more challenging not
of overregulation; contractual and 6. Keep oneself updated, read only in India but everywhere in the
ad-hoc appointment of academic newspapers and at least one world. Challenges will also throw
and administrative staff; and lack of judgment a day unprecedented opportunities.
industry-institution collaboration. 7. R ead the text of the Constitution Technology-savvy lawyers will be
of India; the Indian Contract doing better.
Act, 1872; the Evidence Act,
1872; the General Clauses Act,
1897; the Code of Civil
Procedure, 1908; and the Code
of Criminal Procedure, 1973 as
many times as possible
8. R ead the landmark decisions of
62 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
ALUMNI Q&A
By Ashima Ohri
PEDIGREE ASIDE
THE SLENDER
COST OF PREMIUM
EDUCATION
AT FACULTY OF LAW,
DU IS A HUGE PLUS
Meghna
Mishra, Partner,
Karanjawala & Co.,
reminiscences
about life and
law 25 years ago
at Campus Law
Centre, Faculty
of Law, Delhi
University
64 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | Septembe 2022
How has been your personal experience studying at infectious. One further important aspect is the negligible
the college? When did you graduate and what are the cost of legal education here at CLC.
few remarkable moments etched in your memories
about your college? Having spent some good years in the profession, what
My journey with the law started more than 25 years back according to you are areas our colleges must focus on
when I joined Campus Law Centre in 1996. Being a first- to cultivate the legal minds that the country needs?
generation lawyer many of the opportunities that CLC If I list some of the things that will always keep law
provided were revelations for me. CLC provided many students in good stead it would be good communication
opportunities such as moot courts, seminars, lectures by skills, time management and having an eye for detail.
visiting faculty etc. Law colleges must help students focus and improve on
these aspects.
When I graduated in 1999, I had a treasure of memo-
ries that I carried with me but perhaps the most impact- Internships which are already part of the curriculum
ful were the seminars and conferences that were organ- are very essential to bridge the gap between theoretical
ised where eminent jurists would come and speak and knowledge and practical application. Internships also
share their experiences with the students. help students get exposure so that they can take informed
decisions about potential legal streams to pursue after
Subjects and professors you like the most. And why? college.
It is very difficult to pick just one name out of the many
very renowned academicians who taught us, it is like Future of Legal Education in India: What needs our
picking a needle from a haystack! But as I have been immediate attention and what are the ways we can
asked to pick a name, I would like to go with Professor improve?
(Dr.) Mool Chand Sharma, who inspired a generation of We must provide better infrastructure and facilities to
lawyers. He was very meticulous, had a deep understand- law colleges. Each year we have too many lawyers who
ing of the subject and encouraged us to discuss the legal pass out and we must ensure that the quality of lawyers is
implications in various scenarios. not compromised.
When I think of my good old days at CLC, I vividly Law colleges must emphasise the importance of
remember the jam-packed lecture rooms when giving back to the community. This is one aspect which is
Mr. Sidharth Luthra would take classes. His classes were undermined and overlooked.
very sought after wherein he shared his personal experi-
ences and practical knowledge with the students. Few other facets that can be looked at are more expo-
sure and focus on drafting, negotiation and mediations.
What would you say is the USP of the college? Can one make a good career in law with knowledge of
CLC caters to more mature students being a 3-year post- regional languages and laws?
graduate program. This results in the approach of Knowing a regional language(s) can give you an upper
students being very different when compared to the hand. If one practices in a particular State, then knowl-
5-year program. The students have already done their edge of the regional language and laws would give you an
graduation,so they approach and understand law edge. Knowledge of local laws and customs is important
differently. and helps in the understanding of local matters. There is
certainly an element of comfort with the local clients who
Being a premier institution, established almost a may be more comfortable sharing factual narratives in
hundred years ago and having alumni consisting of many their regional language.
retired and sitting Supreme Court & High Court judges,
senior counsels and other legal luminaries who have That said the world has shrunk and we are looking at
made their mark in the profession has always helped the international legal players coming into India in the
students while doing the courses as they guide and take future. Accordingly, while knowledge of a regional lan-
seminars/ lectures at CLC as it is a homecoming for them guage can be an additional qualification if one is looking
when they are “Back to School “ at a pan India/ international presence and practice one
should not limit oneself to practicing only in the regional
Location right in the middle of the Delhi University is languages.
a big plus and the general upbeat environment of DU is
65 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
ALUMNI Q&A
By Ashima Ohri
A LAWYER CAN SUCCEED Vaibhav Kakkar,
WITH A GOOD GRASP ON Partner, Saraf &
REGIONAL Partners reflects
LANGUAGES
on his journey at
AND LAWS
NLU Jodhpur as
an alumnus of the
founding batch of
the institution.
How has been your personal experience studying at heights I have achieved in my professional career. More
the college? When did you graduate and what are the importantly, NLUJ gave me a platform to develop my
few remarkable moments etched in your memories personality and helped me in meeting a lot of like-minded
about your college? people that remain close friends to date. I take immense
I graduated from National Law University Jodhpur in the pride in the fact that I could witness the formative years
year 2006 with the B.B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) degree and of NLUJ and could contribute to the university expand-
belong to the founding batch of the institution. The five ing to become one of the premier law universities in India.
years of college from 2001-06 to date remain some of the
most memorable and significant moments of my life. Please tell us about the subjects and professors you
Those five years at NLUJ established the foundation of like the most. And why?
my legal knowledge which has greatly contributed to the I always had an inclination for corporate laws and ended
66 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
up doing my honours in the same as well. My interest in riculum. The CREs assist the students in tackling a prac-
corporate laws was inspired by my professor, Prof. Mitra, tical factual situation and building their legal thinking
whose clarity of thought and skills in pedagogy are sec- and arguing skills which form the base for the start of
ond to none. Not only did he allow me to understand cor- their professional careers. These skills translated into
porate laws in their truest sense, but also developed a students over the years, winning the choicest accolades in
commercial bend of mind in me, which shapes my deci- moot court competitions across India and the world.
sion-making even today. As the founding father, it was his Apart from academics, the University has a state-of-the-
vision and conviction that allowed generations of stu- art campus with spacious hostels and several sporting
dents and professors to make NLUJ the premier legal facilities for the all-around development of students.
institute, that it is today. He made sure to provide us stu-
dents with all the required resources to transform us into Having spent some good years in the profession,
quality lawyers and more significantly quality human what according to you are areas our colleges must
beings. My academic inclination toward corporate law focus on to cultivate the legal minds that the country
also translated into my career choices and was a contrib- needs?
uting factor in me getting due recognition at my intern- Having spent over 16 years as a corporate lawyer in pre-
ships and eventually me getting into a corporate law firm mier law firms, I can say that legal universities must focus
straight after graduating from NLUJ. more on teaching students about the application of legal
principles to factual situations. While the universities
What would you say is the USP of the college? may teach students the basic principles of law and the
At the time when I joined NLUJ, it was the first institu- texts of the bare acts, it is of utmost importance that the
tion of its kind that offered integrated courses combining students are guided towards applying these legal princi-
law with management and science. The USP of NLUJ ples to practical cases as well. A strong core of legal
has always been its academics with top-quality professors knowledge combined with practical knowledge will make
from all across the country contributing toward shaping the students well suited for starting in corporate jobs
the legal minds of the future. Also, to provide practical after graduating from a law college. I am delighted that
experience to students the university offers Court Room NLUJ has recognised this need and has started imple-
Exercises (CREs) in various subjects as a part of the cur- menting initiatives like the CREs, regular lectures with
professionals, legal aid camps and emphasis on intern-
ships, to help cultivate and prepare future legal minds.
Future of Legal Education in India: What needs our
immediate attention and what are the ways we can
improve?
I think the steps that have been taken to expand the num-
ber of national law universities and improve the stand-
ards of the existing ones have been steps in the right
direction. Making premier legal education more accessi-
ble to diverse regions of India as well as to more students
is only going to improve the quality of legal minds that
are produced in our country.
Can one make a good career in law with knowledge of
regional language and laws?
Yes, a lawyer can succeed with a good grasp of regional
languages and laws. A lawyer with such knowledge can be
an excellent litigating lawyer in a district court or a high
court where the use of these particular regional lan-
guages and laws is prevalent. Even the commercial dis-
putes teams in corporate law firms, which have started
to establish their offices in diverse regions of this
country, are looking to recruit lawyers with knowl-
edge of the required regional language and laws.
67 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
ALUMNI Q&A
By Ashima Ohri
AN ODE TO MY
LAW SCHOOL:
THE WEST BENGAL NATIONAL
UNIVERSITY OF JURIDICAL
SCIENCES, KOLKATA
Sreerupa Chowdhury, 1. How has been your personal experience at the
Co-founder & CEO, college?
I still remember the day the CLAT results were
Flywork.io; Co- declared and I secured an All India Rank of 194.
founder, Lawfarm. NUJS was my first-choice program. I had a fasci-
nation for the school since I was from Kolkata and had
in and an alumna of seen the beautiful sandstone-coloured façade multiple
times. Would I make it with my rank? It might be
WBNUJS looks back touch and go, I thought.
at her time at
After a few nerve-wracking days, a hard copy letter
the law school and from NUJS arrived at the mailbox. And that sealed my
fate.
her life after.
The initial days at The West Bengal National
University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata (NUJS/
WBNUJS) however, were a reality check of sorts.
From kindergarten to high school, the only student
diaspora I had been in touch with was a mix of
Marwaris and Bengalis. It was going to be my first
time meeting students from across the country and
getting exposure to the aspirational world of debating
societies and moot courts!
Through the first couple of years, a lot of growing
up happened – both within and outside the classroom.
Any arrogance that I may have had from my previous
life was tempered in the presence of people far more
talented. Credit also goes to the exchange of thoughts
in a milieu that encouraged one to critically question
all ideas and shaped me into the person I am today.
I also landed up in the most socialist of all socie-
ties–the Legal Aid Society, which though not as glam-
orous as some of the other student clubs, became my
68 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | Septembe 2022
really want to do with their lives,
but with a keen curiosity to find
out. In my opinion, it is the
utmost responsibility of educa-
tional institutions and the
alumni to give these young kids a
taste of various options available
to them – some traditional, some
non-traditional and some com-
pletely off the beaten path. No
choice is inherently good or bad,
it is what you make of it for your
own life. At law school, we are
often given a glamourised pic-
ture of some of these options
while not enough is said about
the others, leading everyone to
clamour for the same goals
whether or not the same is
attuned to their behavioural
traits.
I am also in favour of Future of Legal Education in India: What needs our
removing the restriction immediate attention and what are the ways we can
on law professors from practising improve?
in the profession. In my view, this I am not in favour of a five-year pedagogy model within
hinders their ability to train their classrooms and believe that just like the medical profes-
students on real-world case sion, we need to get students to get full-time practical
studies that they can work on. training for the last year or two of their courses. Four-
week internships do not suffice in giving students a full
home for quite a few years, and moulded me into wanting breadth of the professional rigour expected of them later,
to take law to the masses–a thread that I carried with me and also lack sufficient investment from the organisa-
well outside the law school. tions towards the students’ learning curve. The only way
to mitigate this is to give the option of full-time intern-
From learning to create 5000-word projects in one ships for the last year or two of the courses, to those stu-
night to making my best set of friends at the eponymous dents who wish to opt for the same instead of optional
Biju Da’s canteen, from organising cultural soirees to courses,and evaluate the students based on organisa-
going on decadent parties, and learning to accept the tional feedback and practical skills gained. I am also in
world as a melting pot of beautiful people with wildly dif- favour of removing the restriction on law professors from
ferent personalities – I thank my alma mater for giving practising in the profession. In my view, this hinders their
me a bittersweet taste of reality outside its gates. ability to train their students on real-world case studies
that they can work on.
Having spent some good years in the profession, what
according to you are areas our colleges must focus on And lastly, I think it is important for us to realise how
to cultivate the legal minds that the country needs? important a law degree is. The skills that one gains in law
The law schools of our country are places where young, school are not only useful to the profession of law but just
bright minds enter, many times not knowing what they as useful to any other profession. Many professions
require one to determine the right questions, find answers
through research and surveys, learn quickly, deal with
people, negotiate, come to agreements, collaborate, work
on a cross-section of ideas, work with regulations, make
presentations, assimilate volumes of information, look at
data and interpret the same–all of which are learnt in
some form or the other in law schools.
69 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
ALUMNI Q&A
By Ashima Ohri
CAPABILITY TO ADD LOGIC TO LAW
IS THE SECRET
SAUCE TO
BECOMING A
GOOD LAWYER
Akshata Namjoshi, Associate Partner, K ARM Legal
Consultants and an alumna of the National Law Institute
University, Bhopal shares that there’s something to learn
every day in the field of law as she reflects on her college days
70 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
What has been your personal experience at the col- What will make good future
lege? When did you graduate and what are some of
the few remarkable moments etched in your memo- lawyers is the capability to
ries about your college?
The fact that it was a national law school that invited peo- add logic to law.
ple from all parts of India made a huge difference. The
exposure was unparalleled. I graduated in 2014 and hos- generally decent and at par with the other law schools in
tel, moots, debates all the memories have a special place the country.
in my heart.
Having spent some good years in the profession, what
Subjects and professors you like the most. according to you are areas our colleges must focus on
Prof. Ghayur Alam for the subject Fundamentals of Law to cultivate the legal minds that the country needs?
and Prof. Raka Arya for the subjects Space Law, and As law school students, we are very scared to explore
Women &Law. interesting areas of research. 5 years is a beautiful time,
which gives the necessary ecosystem to students to think
What would you say is the USP of the college? beyond the conventional black letter law. Both colleges
Moots and academics kept me busy during my law school. and universities need to think beyond the conventional
But the hostel life did teach me a lot. NLIU hostels are examination system and focus a lot on discussions.
Future of Legal Education in India: What needs our
immediate attention and what are the ways we can
improve?
Learnings from jurisprudence can be effectively retained
with discussions and not just marking-based examina-
tions. What will make good future lawyers is the capabil-
ity to add logic to law.
While hard work may be the key to everything, some-
times education from a premium institute remains a
distant dream for many reasons. What then can stu-
dents do to ensure their future is not marred by a lack
of resources?
A good institute plays an important role, but one learns
the most on the job. Every student needs to take extensive
internships. Also, identifying the areas of interest early on
is very important.
Can one make a good career in law with knowledge of
regional language and laws?
Lawyers in more court-facing roles, especially litigating
lawyers greatly benefit from the knowledge of regional
languages. Because it’s one thing to know the law, and
another to effectively practice law to your client’s benefit.
If you could go back in time to your first year in law,
what would you tell yourself to do differently?
I would tell the 17-year-old me to be more open to ideas.
There are so many possibilities in the field of law, that one
keeps learning something new every day.
71 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
ALUMNI Q&A
By Ashima Ohri
GUJARAT NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY:
SITUATED IN A
PLACE THAT HAS
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
IN ITS SOIL
Anuroop Omkar, How has been your personal experience at the col-
Honorary Director, Bridge lege? When did you graduate and what are the few
remarkable moments etched in your memories about
Policy Think Tank looks your college?
I graduated exactly a decade back. The experience has
back fondly on his journey been a mixed one. By the time I passed out, we had the
new campus (existing campus). I still love seeing photos
at GNLU and shares how of the campus on social media by the photography club at
the college sparked the GNLU.
entrepreneur in him Our present campus is in the ‘Knowledge Corridor’
envisioned by Shri Modi when he was Chief Minister of
leading him to his law firm Gujarat. It was a project close to his heart and he often
came to the campus for state functions. People would go
and a policy think tank. to the function just to hear him speak. One of the remark-
able moments was when for our convocation we wit-
nessed the presence of the then Chief Minister and pre-
sent Prime Minister alongside the then Chief Justice of
India Hon’ble Justice Mr. K. G. Balakrishnan.
72 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
Subjects and professors you like the most. Having spent some good years in the profession, what
My favourites were (in no particular order): according to you are areas our colleges must focus on
to cultivate the legal minds that the country needs?
1. Dr. Ravindra Kumar Singh We are looking at a generation of professionals who try to
Dr. Girish R. for Administrative Law; compare the legal profession with other employments.
There is a difference. This is a profession and it becomes a
2. Dr. Debashri Sarkar for Family Law; way of life. It is not an employment. It is rewarding but
3. Dr. Fakkiresh S. Sakkarnaikar for there is no instant gratification. I don’t know how a col-
lege can inculcate these qualities and set the expectations
Interpretation of Statutes; and of a new entrant but that is what is extremely essential so
4. Dr. William Nunes for Introduction to that law students are not disillusioned when they start
practising.
PoliticalScience.
Additionally, colleges should work towards creating a
What would you say is the USP of the college? triple helix method of education. There is a need for
The USP of GNLU is that it is situated in the state of greater collaboration between academia, industry and
Gujarat. Entrepreneurship is in the soil. Civil servants are government to churn out lawyers and legal policy profes-
extremely streamlined and hardworking. Every local per- sionals who have adequate work exposure as they study to
son you talk to generally has a side hustle. They are all improve the quality of legal services in India. Adding
cool about the hard work it requires to have more than extra credit courses and summer schools to its repertoire
one job or to be an entrepreneur. I particularly remember shall also be a worthy addition for a 360-degree focus and
this juice seller who came up with easy tools to de-husk a outreach.
boiled corn cob and make milkshake without electricity.
They were innovative, open-minded and at the same time While hard work may be the key to everything, some-
spiritually tuned. Spending my formative five years in times education from a premium institute remains a
Gujarat changed my entire perspective on life and the distant dream for many reasons. What then can stu-
legal profession. I draw a lot from my lessons and experi- dents do to ensure their future is not marred by a lack
ence there while now running my law firm and policy of resources?
think tank. The students should learn to appreciate that the legal
profession is a 24x7 job on the desk and in mind. You can
Hostel facilities and food were good. Sports were be a successful lawyer if you love what you do even if you
highly encouraged. I still miss the GNLU cultural fest don’t come from a premier institute or a second-genera-
Pentagram. tion/third-generation legal family. The students should
focus more on creating hope for themselves and not giv-
ing up rather than being bogged down with the thoughts
of premier and non-premier institutes.
Can one make a good career in law with knowledge of
regional language and laws?
Presently making a good career in law based on regional
laws may not be possible because different states in India
have not evolved equally in terms of their existence. Trial
practice should not be allowed to become a dying art. For
that to happen we need intelligent minds to focus on trial
practice which requires strong skills in regional lan-
guages.
However, looking at law from different lenses and not
just as a profession, there is room for practice not just at
the topmost courts but also at the smallest taluka in a
state. We need policy professionals who can work at the
grass roots level to protect the rights of the unprotected.
We need advocacy professionals to spread awareness of
legal rights among the common man.
73 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
By Ashima Ohri
Call Out the Biases
Asserts Trilegal’s Nisha
Kaur Uberoi
On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2022 celebrated
worldwide on March 08, Nisha Kaur Uberoi, Partner and
Head: National Competition Law Practice, Trilegal shared her
perspicacious views on Envisioning a Sustainable Tomorrow
for Women with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the Bar,
Bench & the Boardroom with BW Legal World.
74 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
It was Ruth Bader Ginsburg ever been for women Supreme Court NISHA KAUR UBEROI
who said, women belong in all judges, out of 32, which basically is
places where decisions are being 12% being the highest for the last 72 els, missing at elevation levels, miss-
made. The question, therefore, years. We’ve never had a woman ing in Parliament. Gender inclusiv-
is—where are these women today? chief justice, but we will have that ity, gender representation, better and
Has there been a change? Definitely, honor in 2027. However, we’re still more effective outcomes for justice,
yes. Is the change enough? Can we five years away from that. And if you and in terms of changing laws that
do a lot more individually as society, look at the overall figures out of 265 reflect inherent biases including
as organizations in terms of law- Supreme Court judges, only eight marital rape, will all only happen
making? have ever been women. That number when these numbers improve, and
obviously is less than 4%—suggest- they improve drastically.
And the answer to that, of course, ing a lot of scope for improvement. If
is an emphatic yes. There is a lot we look at entry levels, there have Boardrooms
more to be done. Today, if you look at been studies done by Vidhi Centre
the Lok Sabha, about 15% of our par- for Legal Policy, showing that over Luckily, in terms of the corporate
liamentarians are women. If you the course of a 10-year period from boardrooms, the story today is a lot
look at the Rajya Sabha, the number 2007 to 2017—at the entry levels, better. One part of it, of course has
is even lower, less than 12% of the there have been less than 11.75% been the reservation, where it is now
parliamentarians are women, which women magistrates, which explains compulsory to have at least one
means at the places where law is why the numbers are lacking at the woman director. That’s a great start,
being made, women representation very top. but is it enough? The answer is, No.
and voices are still sorely lacking. What would be ideal is for at least
The Bar half the board to be women repre-
My key learnings at sentative directors because studies
each of my organisations If you look at the bar, while there is by consulting firms like McKinsey
no credible study, estimates show show that when you have women on
If we look at where we are in terms of that less than 15% of all enrolled company boards, the outcomes are
the bench, at the Supreme Court, the advocates are women. In a nutshell, better for business across the board.
highest court in the land, the num- we have women missing at entry lev- The companies have been shown to
bers today are better than they’ve develop better profitability, the com-
panies have been shown to have bet-
75 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
ter risk making and compliance A lot of the wins have been undone in
measures. There’s lesser corporate this last year. And going forward,it’s
fraud, there is lesser reputational going to take a lot more at individual levels, at
loss, and most interestingly, every organizational levels, at the level of legislation
time you increase women represen- to ensure that there is effective change.
tation on boards by 10%, you have a
situation where the innovation, bias and penalty, where effectively licly. It is particularly important,
including patents have gone up women are penalized in positions of given that the World Economic
across the board by 7% as shown by power for having the same attributes Forum while looking at the Global
a study that comprised top 1500 that male leaders are lauded for. If a Gender Gap Report of 2020 said, it
S&P companies. woman speaks up and is confident, would take 99.5 years to achieve
change based on the current level of
Recognize and Celebrate she is labeled as aggressive or progress.
Women Leaders bossy; the same characteris-
tics in a male leader are looked COVID-19’s ill-effect on
We need to ensure that there is bet- at as strong leadership skills. Men Women Empowerment
ter representation at the entry level are looked at as assertive, not aggres-
and there is equal pay for equal sive. Therefore, part of the change is COVID-19 unfortunately, has had
work. While a lot of the changes have celebrating our women leaders and its greatest economic hit in terms of
started happening as a consequence speaking up for them. women’s progress and women’s par-
of the law, changes at the legal level ticipation in the workforce. The
alone are not enough. Change has to UN Women’s Global Gender Gap report by the
be individual and societal, there has Empowerment Principles World Economic Forum for 2021
to be a change in terms of politics, now demonstrates that there has
economics, and society at large. A Another thing that should be looked been a massive setback and the esti-
large part of that change is recogniz- at by organizations is to endorse the mate of 99 and a half years required
ing and celebrating women leaders, UN Women’s Empowerment to achieve progress based on current
not having issues like the likability Principles (WEP). These principles levels of progress has now gone to
provide that organizations adhere 135 years. We’ve been set back by
the UN WEP in terms of equal pay nearly 36 years.
for equal work; in terms of ensuring
that there is no discrimination; in “A lot of the wins have been
terms of ensuring that at leadership undone in this last year. And going
levels, they have equal representa- forward,it’s going to take a lot more
tion; organizations continue to at individual levels, at organiza-
invest in women’s professional tional levels, at the level of legisla-
development, education; that they tion to ensure that there is effective
ensure safe workplaces for women; change,” says Kaur.
and the culmination of all of this is
putting out the progress report pub- What is it that people and organ-
izations can do outside of the UN
WEP? We often women tend to
want to do everything and do it per-
fectly, that could be phrased as the
Superwoman syndrome. Studies on
women in workplaces have shown
that about 41.2% of all young moth-
ers face burnouts, that about 47% of
senior women leaders face burnouts.
Photograph by Ritesh Sharma 76 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
If somebody cuts a woman colleague, immediately
stop that kind of behavior. Call out the biases;
sometimes people don’t realize when they may be using
undesirable terms to describe women leaders in the
perpetuation of a stereotype system.
How is it that organizations can don’t realize when they may be using erations. They will likely inspire peo-
change this? Kaur call, for flexible undesirable terms to describe ple in smaller cities and smaller
working policies; mentorship pro- women leaders in the perpetuation towns to send their girl child into
grams and implores women to leave of a stereotype system. these professions and educate her
the Superman model and to take up There has to be a cohesive change further. We’ve seen Indra Nooyi
the Batman model instead.“Every and everybody has to work collabo- forging away at PepsiCo; Phalguni
Batman has a Robin, please find ratively towards it. Have male allies, Nayar’s Nykaa that debuted with a
somebody you can work with in have mentors that are both women market valuation of over $13 billion
terms of delegation and use that in and men in the profession. Create an last year in the midst of
turn to mentor the next generation. ecosystem to encourage inclusive- COVID;Leena Nair—the first
The more you mentor the more you ness, and train and mentor the next woman CEO of the French luxury
change in the generations”, shares generation of leaders with regard to brand Chanel; also bankers like
Kaur. lawmaking. Anshula Kant, who went from being
MD SBI to becoming the CFO and
If we are able to Road to a Gender- the managing director of World
achieve fair Neutral and Bank! These women have shown us
Sustainable the path.
Tomorrow We certainly have the ability as a
This trajectory will take society and as organizations to
representation of women some level of time and ensure that we create an ecosystem
both at the bottom levels hopefully the gender global where we can retain this talent so
that the same talent can be at the top
and at the top levels, the gap report next year will in terms of leadership positions, and
only when we’re able to do this we
entire world economy will demonstrate that we have will be able to celebrate women and
improve by a measure of begun to move in theright help accelerate change with effective
direction, where instead of outcomes.” The McKinsey Report
says that if we are able to achieve fair
26% amounting to a taking 136 years to get gen- representation of women both at the
resounding $28.4 trillion. der parity, we will hopefully bottom levels and at the top levels,
see the change in our life- the entire world economy will
improve by a measure of 26%
times. “What will help for amounting to a resounding $28.4
trillion. If not for a social change,
Nisha Kaur’s Workplace us is shining the beacon on hopefully businesses will look at it as
Etiquette Playbook women leaders and I would say that a business case and make room for a
at this point of history, we possibly sustainable tomorrow.
Call on the woman first when you’re have the greatest number of women
having a discussion. If somebody leaders for leading countries. At the
cuts a woman colleague, immedi- global stage today we see a lot more
ately stop that kind of behavior. Call women and these voices definitely
out the biases; sometimes people matter because they will inspire gen-
The full keynote addressis available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/ykC20ZLm11U?t=22297
77 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
JURY
A CUT ABOVE
THE REST
Making a name for yourself under the age of 30 in the evolving
legal landscape is not an easy task in a profession that ages
like old wine. In pursuit to find and recognise potential young
changemakers in the legal industry BW Legal World held the
inaugural 30 Under 30 Best Lawyers and Legal Influencers
Awards for the year 2021 in January 2022.
The Stellar Jury Director, Advocate; Rakhee Biswas, Co-Managing
Partner, Spaviatech Law , Former Head of Legal,
Whittling down the number of entries to 30 win- Vice President, ITC Infotech; Pramod Kr. Dubey,
ners was a mammoth task. But the stellar jury made Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India;
it possible. Dr U. K. Chaudhary, Senior Advocate Siddharth Batra, AOR, Supreme Court of India;
presided over the jury panel as the Jury Chair. The Bharat Chugh, Independent Counsel, The
other distinguished jury members on the panel Chambers of Bharat Chugh; Ritwika Nanda,
were Suhail Nathani, Managing Partner, Economic Partner, Trust Legal Advocates & Consultants;
Laws Practice; Mohit Saraf, Founder & Managing Tarun Nangia, Associate Editor, NewzX
Partner, Saraf and Partners; Krrishan Singhania,
Managing Partner, K Singhania & Co; Seema The Winners Braved It All
Jhingan, Partner & Co-Founder, LexCounsel; Dr
Annurag Batra, Chairman & Editor-in-Chief, BW During the interviews, the jury came across some of
Legal World & Exchange4Media Group; Dr the brightest young legal minds in the profession.
Sanjeev Gemawat, formerly Executive Director Every potential winner demonstrated a zeal to excel
Legal & Group Company Secretary, Dalmia Bharat along with a strong work ethic. The panel volleyed
Group currently the Group General Counsel, some interesting questions at the candidates ensur-
Vedanta Group; Zameer Nathani, General Counsel, ing the win was no walk in the park.
UFO Moviez India; Meera Singh, General Counsel,
KPMG India; Dr. Akhil Prasad, Director, Country In the end, the trial by fire led us to our young
Counsel India and Company Secretary Boeing brigade of 30 under 30! We hope you enjoy reading
India; Pankaj Vasani, Business Leader & Finance about their journeys in the making and the miles
Expert; Dr Tamali Sen Gupta, Independent they wish to go from here.
78 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
JURY MEMBERS
79 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
By Krishnendra Joshi
Adhip Kumar Ray
Part of BW Legal
World’s 30 Under 30
Best Lawyers and
Legal Influencers
2021 club of
achievers,
Adhip Kumar Ray,
Principal Associate,
S&A Law Offices is
a disputes lawyer.
He says course
structures must be
reorganised to make
legal education
application based.
Tell us a bit about yourself. What
made you choose a career in law?
To be honest, I was a bit clueless early
on about my career. I come from a
Bengali joint family, and a lot of
stress was placed on me to become
an Engineer. My cousin who was 9
years my elder,broke out of the cycle
and got enrolled in WBNUJS and
was preparing to become the first
lawyer in our family. She would tell
me about all kinds of interesting
cases and laws and helped me pick
law as a career.
WBNUJS had a massive effect on
me. The brilliant professors at
WBNUJS and their progressive
80 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
methods of teaching had set I believe that the tical standpoint, however, the
the bedrock of my ability to internship experience same lacks the human touch of
think critically and helped me during the first few years in-person arbitrations. We can
a lot in my career. The students should be diverse, however, already see physical arbitration
there, being some of the best hearings happening despite the
and brightest best minds have presence of COVID. Going for-
been inspirational and helpful ward we will probably see a mix
in my overall development. of physical and online hearings.
If you could suggest one from the third year, the Many Congratulations on
reform in the legal educa- student should actively build joining the BW Legal World
tion system, what would it his/her CV towards their area Elite 30 Under 30 Club of
be? of interest and then look to Achievers 2021. What to your
The present system of legal mind has helped you get to
education gives a lot of impor- get as much exposure as where you are and what
tance to rote learning and large advice would you have for oth-
periods of the life of a law stu- possible ers who want to set off in a
dent are wasted memorising similar direction?
sections of legal provisions. I would like to thank the BW
However, in the professional practice What advice would you give law Legal World team and the esteemed
of law, it is the application of the law to students seeking the best intern- jury for bestowing this honour on
facts that is the most important skill ships in their area of interest? me. Professionally, I believe being
and the present system does little to I believe that the internship experi- curious, admitting what I do not
develop this skill. I believe the course ence during the first few years should know and willing to learn new
structures should be reorganised to be diverse, however, from the third things have helped me a lot. Of
make legal education much more year, the student should actively course, S&A Law Offices has played
application based. build his/her CV towards their area a key role in my development by pro-
of interest and then look to get as viding me the platform for develop-
Please tell us about your speciali- much exposure as possible. I also ment.
zation and the array of work you believe that it is very important to My advice for others would be to
handle in your current role. draft the CVs properly, highlighting identify their passion, and then leave
At S&A Law Offices, I work as a the work done in the interested area, no stone unturned while pursuing it.
Principal A ssociate with the as it makes a lot of difference to the To have a focused and targeted
Litigation and ADR team. As a part recruiters. Thirdly, if an applicant approach to achieving your goals
of my practice I am required to fre- gets rejected, instead of getting dis- and to not get deterred by failures
quently advice clients on ongoing heartened, he/she should just try for and to always have faith in your abil-
and developing disputes in real time, other places. ities and this will see you through
correspondence and claims manage- whatever difficulty you face.
ment, and ultimately dispute resolu- How do you foresee Arbitration
tion and arbitration. For my matters, changing in the Post-COVID sce- As a final note, would you please
I work closely with financial consult- nario? recommend to our readers your
ants and experts for claims valuation The practice of arbitration has favourite book that left a lasting
and assessment and expert reports. I changed a lot because of COVID-19 impression on you?
also specialize in risk assessment and has almost completely shifted to Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor
pertaining to litigation and arbitra- online mode. I believe this change is E. Frankl. This is one of those books
tion claims and evaluation of risk semi-permanent. Doing arbitrations that you can’t write about. You have
against companies for pre-acquisi- online saves a lot of time and money to read it, and it will change your
tion due diligence. and is easier to organise from a logis- life.
81 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
By Krishnendra Joshi
Akshat Singhal
82 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
Part of BW Legal legal concierge platform
World’s 30 Under 30
Best Lawyers and come to your mind?
Legal Influencers
2021 club of Coming from a business People who are crazy
achievers, Akshat
family, I have always been enough to think they
Singhal, Founder interested to build some-
& CEO of Legistify.
He says, very early thing on my own. Having can change the world are the
on, he realised that
impact comes from seen my father run a small ones that do
technology and business, I had seen early
wanted to make
access to law easy on the ups and downs of
for all.
being an entrepreneur.
Tell us a bit about yourself. What
made you choose a career in law? When I got through college, I was this disruption we are aiming for in
I come from a small business family
in Jaipur, Rajasthan. From my very pretty clear that impact comes from the legal space.
childhood, I had a keen interest in
sports, studies, and hands-on school technology. While in college, I was
projects on the side. When I got into
BITS, it changed me completely. I trying to work on a different startup Many Congratulations on joining
was exposed to so many different
cultures, ethics and people. and had to shut it down eventually the BW Legal World Elite 30
Suddenly, the world was full of
opportunities and there was so after we could not recover some Under 30 Club of Achievers 2021.
much to learn. Interactions with
some of the entrepreneurial seniors receivables. This is how the idea of What to your mind has helped
cleared up my mind and gave me the
ability to think about tech-driven making legal services accessible for you get to where you are and what
solutions and the impact they could
create in various industries. That is all struck me and I started research- advice would you have for others
where I started working on some-
thing of my own and later went on to ing about this domain in my final who want to set off in a similar
find Legistify.
year of college. direction?
Did you always have an entrepre-
neurial mindset? When did the Personally, one of the only things that
idea of starting a tech-enabled,
If you could suggest one reform in have been key to where we are is per-
the legal ecosystem, what would it severance. My go-to mantra and
be? advice to others, as the great Steve
One of the key challenges I believe Jobs used to say—“People who are
exists in the legal ecosystem is lim- crazy enough to think they can change
ited access to information. This the world are the ones that do”.
leads to trust and credibility issues
amongst various stakeholders. I rec- What are the top three trends
ommend a system wherein relevant that are going to rule the legal
authorities make data (such as court sector for the next five years?
procedures, processes and updates) 1. Transparent and open court
truly open source. We call this data infrastructure (UJI)
Unified Justice Infrastructure (UJI, 2. Technolog y adoption by
similar to UPI). This would not just multiple stakeholders
bring in transparency but would 3. Ability for global players (if
invite tech entrepreneurs like myself allowed) to practice directly
to be able to garner data-driven in the Indian jurisdiction.
insights and help everyone involved
in the process (courts, judges, offi- As a final note, would you please
cials and litigants). recommend to our readers your
favourite book that left a lasting
Please tell us about the array of impression on you?
work you handle at your company. 1. The hard thing about hard
At Legistify, I believe my biggest role things by Ben Horowitz
is to manage work culture. We 2. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
believe that every single member of 3. A century is not enough by
our family is important to bring in Sourav Ganguly.
83 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
By Krishnendra Joshi
Akshata Namjoshi
Tell us a bit about yourself. What
made you choose a career in law?
I did my bachelor’s from the National
Institute University Bhopal and
master’s in law from NUS Singapore.
I started as a science student but I
think I was I was very sure since the
beginning that I wanted to pursue
law as my career. I think it was an
impeccable experience to pursue law
both during my undergrad and post-
grad because the law as a stream
ends up touching upon so many sub-
jects that give you so many opportu-
nities to explore your own potential,
your own personality. I got an oppor-
tunity to do a lot of moot courts,
debates and paper publications. I
think I got my fair share of opportu-
nities during my time at law school.
Part of BW Legal
World’s 30 Under 30
Best Lawyers and
Legal Influencers
2021 club of
achievers
Akshata Namjoshi
is an Associate
Partner at KARM
Legal Consultants.
She says regulating
cryptocurrency in a
country of 1.3 billion
would be a huge
opportunity for
economic growth.
84 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
If you could suggest one lator must get the nomenclature
reform in the legal educa- There is enough and and scope of the licenses right.
tion system, what would it There is enough and more
be? more jurisprudence jurisprudence and examples
I think I realized while I was at and examples available available for Indian regulators
NUS Singapore that Indian for Indian regulators from from across the globe. While it is
legal system focuses a lot on as much a risk to regulate some-
case laws instead of deriving across the globe. While it is as thing so revolutionary for a
what the precedent is about. As much a risk to regulate country of 1.3 billion, it is also an
a lawyer who has been practis- opportunity for economic
ing for quite a few years now, something so revolutionary growth.
what I can say from the experi-
ence is that every transaction is for a country of 1.3 billion, it is Many Congratulations on
a new challenge in itself. What a l s o a n o p p o r t u n i t y f o r joining the BW Legal World
comes in handy as a lawyer is economic growth. lite 30 Under 30 Club of
understanding the concepts, Achievers 2021. What to your
and understanding the inten- mind has helped you get to
tion of the legislature more than where you are and what advice
really quoting facts or names or num- countless start-ups in various areas would you have for others who
bers from the precedents. Especially of emerging technologies, going want to set off in a similar direc-
for tech laws (my areas of specializa- through their hustle of funding tion?
tion), we cannot have a backward- rounds, acquisitions and regulatory Thank you again BW Legal World
looking approach, and it always needs licenses. In addition to a master’s team for the honour. I think remain-
to be forward-looking. degree, for anyone opting for a career ing agile helped me a lot.
in tech laws, it is necessary to keep
Is a master’s degree in law impor- educating themselves with different As a final note, would you please
tant for a successful career in your certifications and specializations. recommend to our readers your
desired practice area? Last year I pursued a certificate favourite book that left a lasting
I wouldn’t exactly say that a master’s course in fintech from the Wharton impression on you?
degree in law is important for a suc- School, again a very fulfilling experi- T here are two books. Sher yl
cessful career I have had some ence in itself. Sandberg‘s Lean In and Condoleezza
impeccable colleagues who haven’t Rice’s Extraordinary Ordinary
pursued their masters, yet are some What are your expectations from People. The first book resonated a lot
of the most phenomenal lawyers that India’s proposed law on crypto- since it spoke so honestly of women’s
I have come across. Having said that, currency experiences in the corporate world,
what a master’s degree gives you, is I hope the regulators keep the law especially when you start climbing
an opportunity to genuinely deep broad enough so that various kinds up the ladder.
dive into a subject that you want to of players can find space in a regu- Rice’s book stayed with me
develop your understanding in. As I lated environment. It has been our because I could relate to the princi-
mentioned earlier I did my masters experience as a firm, that the broader ples that she grew up with. In a
in Corporate and Financial Services approach a regulator takes while also household with forward-thinking
Law from NUS Singapore. What it remembering the fundamentals of ambitious parents who were willing
gave me was a strong base of under- investor protection, anti-money to let go of norms when it came to
s t a n d i n g o f M e r g e r s a n d laundering and the strong role of female education and empower-
Acquisitions, Private Equity and market intermediaries- the likeli- ment. As a female-only child, it is not
Banking laws. All of these have come hood of success of such a law is much only a privilege but an opportunity
in very handy, when I now deal with higher. Most importantly, the regu- waiting to be fructified.
85 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
By Krishnendra Joshi
Akshay Sharma
Part of BW Legal World’s 30
Under 30 Best Lawyers and Legal
Influencers 2021 club of achievers
Akshay Sharma, Independent
litigator chose to specialise in
Insolvency and bankruptcy law
very early on in his career, and
there was no looking back. This
first-generation lawyer’s journey
is a testament to the fact that
opportunities come to those who
choose to believe in themselves
and persist on their chosen path
with unwavering focus and
sincerity.
Tell us a bit about yourself. What
made you choose a career in law?
And how was the experience of stud-
ying law?
I am Akshay Sharma, an Advocate
based out of Delhi and majorly prac-
tise in the area of insolvency and
commercial laws. I belong to
Roorkee, Uttarakhand, a city appar-
ently famous for IIT Roorkee, so
everyone kept asking me this ques-
tion why law instead of engineering.
Since my childhood, I had a habit of
reading newspapers and therefore
was inclined toward politics and
public space. I continued this inter-
est of mine by participating in vari-
ous debates and competitions and
therefore, law was an obvious choice
for me.
I studied law at the National
University of Study and Research in
86 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
Law, Ranchi a comparatively mine or a friend of my family
new NLU established in 2011. practises law.
There were a lot of opportuni- As the area of law is still On top of that, I belong to a
ties to tap into. I participated in new, the number of tier III city, so it’s difficult for an
various national and interna- individual to keep him/herself
tional moots courts, Model practitioners in this area of law constantly motivated in a pro-
United Nations and therefore, is also limited, and currently, fession where your background
my law school journey had 21,000 cases are pending plays a significant role.
transformed me in a better way. However, the only thing which
I am also thankful to my friends before NCLT. So it’s a huge kept me motivated is that our
who always remained there for opportunity. legal profession is rewarding in
me as a support system and also the long run, some may not get
forced me to enjoy the fun side it early, but if they are persistent
of Law School. and hardworking, they will
If you could suggest one reform in their area of interest? sooner or later join the list.
the legal education system, what Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code is I am often criticised for speciali-
would it be? still in its nascent stage, and there zation in one area of law but then
When I was in law school, I always has not been a single year when there look up to various stalwarts in our
thought that there should be more is no amendment to IBC since its profession who are known for their
and more practical teaching of law introduction in 2016. “As the area of expertise in specific areas of law and
and today, I am looking at various law is still new, the number of practi- therefore, I am trying to follow that
universities onboarding legal practi- tioners in this area of law is also lim- path.
tioners to teach the finer nuances of ited, and currently, 21,000 cases are
law to the students. pending before NCLT. So it’s a huge What are the top three trends that
This is important because in opportunity.” are going to rule the legal sector for
today’s world you cannot expect a I can only advise law students to the next five years?
student to just learn the law for five keep themselves updated about the It is difficult to predict the trends,
years and then learn the practical recent development under IBC and but the infusion of technology into
aspect of it during the initial days of somehow demonstrate their interest the legal field is something to look
practise, you have to prepare them to particular practitioners or law out for.
for the real world as early as possible. firms.
As a final note, would you please rec-
Please tell us about your specializa- Many Congratulations on joining ommend to our readers your favour-
tion and the array of work you han- the BW Legal World Elite 30 Under ite book that left a lasting impression
dle at your firm? 30 Club of Achievers 2021. What to on you?
I am associated with the Office of your mind has helped you get to In my 4th year, I read “ Kissinger:
Senior Advocate P Nagesh and also where you are and what advice The Negotiator” and Henry Kissinger
independently practise in the area of would you have for others who want by Walter Issacson and I was just
IBC and company disputes along to set off in a similar direction? taken away by the personality of Mr.
with the original side practice of the Thanks a lot. I am grateful to the Kissinger and the negotiation skills
Delhi High Court. I have repre- esteemed jury and BW Legal World which the books impart which are
sented various stakeholders under for conferring this citation to me. applicable both in personal life and
IBC before NCLT, and NCLAT and Well, this is a difficult question as also abundantly beneficial in legal
regularly advise clients in this area. you are asking me to spill all my Profession. I still sometimes go back
secrets to the world at large. home and read these books for guid-
What advice would you give law stu- I am a first-generation lawyer ance.
dents seeking the best internships in and not even a distant relative of
87 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
By Krishnendra Joshi
Anshul Gupta
Part of BW Legal World’s 30
Under 30 Best Lawyers and Legal
Influencers 2021 club of achievers,
Anshul Gupta, is the Founder of
ANG Partners. He believes that
having a specialisation provides an
extra edge in today’s times.
Tell us a bit about yourself. What
made you choose a career in law? And
how was the experience of studying
law?
Coming from a family of Doctors and
bureaucrats, my parents never pressured
my elder brother and me to opt for the
same profession, so from the very begin-
ning, every other profession was being
explored, and that is when my elder
brother and I chose to pursue law as a
career. It was a well-researched decision.
I had the privilege of having an elder
brother in the same profession who has
guided me at every step, be it from choos-
ing the right college to the several intern-
ships I undertook during my law school. I
was certain since the 9th Grade that I will
be pursuing a career in law. Accordingly, I
prepared myself from the very start for
the Common Law Admission Test. After
clearing CLAT, I got admission in a
National Law University and that is when
the entire journey of loving and breathing
law began.
Studying law was a surreal experi-
ence. I got the opportunity to participate
in Moot Court competitions and Model
UNs. These exercises groomed my apti-
tude for the profession and helped me
learn the practicalities of the same. In my
final year, I started the RGNUL Financial
88 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
and Mercantile Law Review which is work and consistency.
to date, one of the top ten national
law reviews in India rated by SCC The advice I would Believe in giving back
Online. want to give to the
If you could suggest one reform in aspiring lawyers is to the community and
the legal education system, what
would it be? that successful and actively undertake
I feel that the teachers and profes- unsuccessful people Pro-Bono matters. I believe
sors should possess more practical do not vary greatly in
knowledge of law or should start
teaching if they have practical work- their abilities. They we are here for a reason and
ing experience in the field. Like in vary in their desires to giving back to our community
foreign universities, subjects are reach their potential.
being taught by professors who are
also currently practising the same, Always make sure to is the highest form of our duty
giving students the requisite work- give your 100%
ing knowledge. Law is a practical because winning and as Lawyers.
subject that cannot be taught with-
out imparting practical experience. losing a case is not
Please tell us about your speciali- important. What is important is how please share your views on why
zation and the array of work you
handle at your firm? much hard work you have put in. LL.M is not the answer to master-
We are a full-service law firm with
around ten Advocates working in the Believe in giving back to the com- ing a subject.
Delhi office and multiple advocates
associated in several parts of the munity and actively undertake Pro- Yes, it is the most important thing to
country. We have international col-
laboration with law firms in Bono matters. I believe we are here do. The Client’s first question to you
Germany, Spain, France, Russia,
Canada and China. for a reason and giving back to our is your area of specialisation, and
We primarily practice in community is the highest form of our that is the need of the hour. Most stu-
Corporate and Commercial Dispute
Resolution, I majorly expertise in the duty as Lawyers. dents do not want to complete their
field of Real Estate Dispute
Resolution and hold an experience of education and straight away want to
handling more than 3000 clients of
Real Estate, representing them in What are the top three trends that jump in the field from a very young
various forums in India.
are going to rule the legal sector age, in the want of early rewards.
Many Congratulations on joining
the BW Legal World Elite 30 for the next five years? However, it works differently in our
Under 30 Club of Achievers 2021.
What to your mind has helped you The 3 things that are going to disrupt profession, one is always advised to
get to where you are and what
advice would you have for others the legal space in the coming 5 years comple te the education with
who want to set off in a similar
direction? are: (i) Artificial intelligence, which Masters. I have done my two Masters
Thank you so much. The only thing
that has gotten me this far is perse- will minimise human labour and from two different Universities in
verance and hard work. There is no
other key to success but your hard augment human capability to the France. University Catholic Lyon,
maximum level possible. (ii) Block- France and University Lumiere
Chain Technology, it will streamline Lyon, France in European Law,
transactional work and store immu- International Trade and Investment
table legal agreements. (iii) Gaming Law. The more you study the more
Laws both Online and Offline with beneficial it is for you in this profes-
the eruption of many online plat- sion. I feel one always has an edge if
forms and betting apps this area of they have a specialisation in their
law will be a boom for lawyers as it is kitty.
highly unregulated currently. There
is no doubt in saying that all the rev- As a final note, would you please
olutions/reforms are going to be in recommend to our readers your
the online/virtual world. favourite book that left a lasting
impression on you?
Is a master’s degree in law impor- Out of various books I have come
tant for a successful career in your across in my life, I would recom-
desired practice area? Have you mend one book which left a lasting
done your LL.M, if yes, please impression on me, which is Legends
mention the specialization and in Law by V. Sudish Pai. It encapsu-
college or your future plans of fur- lates all the legends of Law since
ther studies or other important 1850 till date. I bet once you start
certifications useful for lawyers in reading it, you won’t be able to put it
this age and time, if any. If no, down, it is that grasping.
89 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
By Krishnendra Joshi
Apoorva Bose
Part of BW Legal World’s 30 Under 30 Best Lawyers and Legal
Influencers 2021 club of achievers, Apoorva Bose works with UNEP
as a Communications and Community Engagement Expert.
Actor, Influencer and a human rights lawyer, Apoorva juggles
between many roles and considers versatility, her superpower.
Tell us a bit about yourself. What ian law. Living in a hub of interna- much I actually learned and ques-
made you choose a career in law? tional organizations and multilateral tioned everything around me. In
And how was the experience of diplomacy, I was given the opportu- India, legal education is purely based
studying law? nity to work with UNEP as a on rote learning and semester exams.
I was born and raised in Kerala, India Communications and Community A new system that encourages
until I moved to Switzerland to pur- Engagement Expert. students to question everything,
sue my post-graduate studies. I did critically analyse and think would be
my under graduation in law at the If you could suggest one reform in something I urge for. Also, a system
prestigious NUALS in Kerala where I the legal education system, what that focuses on practical education
had the opportunity to work with var- would it be? would be helpful.
ious non-profit organizations like When I moved to Geneva for my
CRY, Kudumbashree, Lok Sabha, etc. masters, I struggled in my first year Please tell us about your speciali-
which paved way for my love for to come to terms with the new kind zation and the array of work you
human rights and policy research. of learning that was entirely based handle in your current role?
My love and passion for travel- on critical thinking and analysis. IcurrentlyworkasaCommunications
ling, movies, dance and music were Suddenly my rot learning was con- and Community Engagement Expert
kept alive during my years at NUALS sidered obsolete and absolutely use- at UNEP and in the past one year
by playing the balancing act as well less. Though it took time and have been blessed to be a part of bril-
as I could. I consider myself blessed patience to adapt to this new world liant projects as part of the Disasters
to have been a part of 6 movies in of education, I was fascinated by how and conflicts branch. I have had the
Malayalam. Music and dance opportunity to be a part of a
have helped me immensely to team of experts that led the UN
express myself and as a mode of My only advice for mission to Nigeria to assist the
catharsis to relieve stress. young students is to Government in the biggest oil
spill clean-up project in
After my 5 years at NUALS,
I was certain I wanted to work stop stressing if you Ogoniland. During this period, I
with the United Nations to get a haven’t found your have organised several work-
sneak peak of the world of specialisation, honestly it’s shops on stakeholder engage-
international law. I’ve had the fine to want to try different ment and social media activism
honour to work on several pro- to the Nigerian government
jects in association with things. Being ravenous about instituted team known as
HYPREP.
UNRCO, UNDP and UNIC. wanting to learn new things Additionally I have lever-
After this brilliant experience, I and brave enough to test new
pursued my masters in interna- waters is indeed something to aged my social media platform
tional law at the Graduate to promote the importance of
Institute in Geneva where I spe- be proud of! Nature-based Solutions for cli-
cialised in environmental law, mate resilience and disaster
human rights and humanitar- management and why disaster
90 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
cially in a highly competitive field,
but don’t be afraid to reach out to
people and express your interest by
through cold emails. And most
importantly never lose hope!
Many Congratulations on joining
the BW Legal World Elite 30
Under 30 Club of Achievers 2021.
What to your mind has helped you
get to where you are and what
advice would you have for others
who want to set off in a similar
direction?
A question I get asked very often is
what is it that I do for a living. Most
have seen me act in Malayalam cin-
ema - for them I am Apoorva Bose,
the actor. Some know me as a lawyer,
and fewer still as a human rights
lawyer. And if you have ever glanced
through my Instagram profile, you
might think I am an influencer,
dancer or singer. So there’s this per-
petual confusion regarding what it is
that I actually do. Even so, I have
always found myself struggling to
come up with a definitive answer to
this seemingly straightforward ques-
tion. This is probably because I have
never really associated myself with any
one single activity so far in my career.
It has always been a juggling act
between all the different passions that
I hold dear to me. In this sense, I have
always been a jack of many trades but
never a master of one. Today, I see my
versatility as a superpower.
risk reduction is the need of the hour. ing as much as possible. Internships As a final note, would you please
I have always worked on a MOOC on help you understand the practical recommend to our readers your
Nature-based Solutions on edX plat- aspect of what you are studying and favourite book that left a lasting
form which became the second most gives a peak into the actual work that impression on you?
popular course on the platform for goes on in courts, law firms and other Do You Remember Kunan
the year 2021. offices. I cannot stress the impor- Poshpora? is a book that left a last
tance of internships in law school. impression on me. As a student of
What advice would you give law stu- Other than giving you a taste of pro- law it made me understand the
dents seeking the best internships in fessional work in your realm, it pro- ongoing conflict in Kashmir and
their area of interest? vides a space for you to network and even led me to do my masters disser-
During my 5 years in law school, I find yourself a mentor. tation on Breaking the Silence on
identified my area of interest through Sexual Violence in an Armed
the process of elimination by intern- I know the process of finding Conflict in Kashmir: An
internships can be stressful, espe- International Law Perspective.
91 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
By Krishnendra Joshi
Ashwij Suresh Ramaiah
Part of BW Legal World’s 30 Under 30 Best Lawyers and Legal
Influencers 2021 club of achievers Ashwij Suresh Ramaiah works
as a Senior Associate at Khaitan & Co. A bright restructuring and
insolvency lawyer, he has assisted his team in many landmark
decisions pertaining to the restructuring and insolvency domain.
Tell us a bit about yourself. What provide courses (at least as electives) assist my team in advising clients in
made you choose a career in law? on contemporary subjects, such as relation to many landmark litiga-
And how was the experience of laws regarding restructuring and tions which have laid down the law
studying law? insolvency, cryptocurrencies etc. on various issues under the
Since middle school, I have always Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code.
been interested in humanities and Please tell us about your speciali-
social sciences. So I had decided very sation and the array of work you What advice would you give law
early on that I would pursue a pro- handle at your firm. students seeking the best intern-
fessional stream where I could study I am a restructuring and insolvency ships in their area of interest?
humanities. Of the options available, lawyer at Khaitan and Co. The At the outset, I believe that law stu-
they seemed the most attractive and restructuring and insolvency practice dents should delve deeper into vari-
interesting. My college days were a in our firm is sector and role agnostic. ous areas of law before concluding
decent mix of curricular and co-cur- Accordingly, I have assisted in repre- having an “area of interest”. In law
ricular activities, including mooting, senting the interests of various stake- school, it is important to explore and
debating and athletics. I was a mem- holders in varied restructuring/ excel in every area of law that forms a
ber of the Literary and Debating insolvency resolution processes, part of the curriculum to be a holistic
Society and the Union Debate including resolution professionals, and complete lawyer. I think our pro-
Committee for much of my time in promoters, resolution applicants, etc. fession opens doors to many oppor-
college. in various sectors, including steel, tunities, and it is unwise for law stu-
power, telecom, financial services etc. dents to decide early in life to concen-
If you could suggest one reform in I have also had the opportunity to trate on the opportunities behind one
the legal education system, what
would it be? During the initial stages of our career,
Law schools should try to keep their when we are extremely underconfident
curriculums a little more dynamic to and insecure about ourselves, the right
ensure that proper academic learning encouragement and support at such a
is imparted to students in contempo- vulnerable stage go a long way in making our
rary/emerging areas of law. While careers.
core subjects like constitutional law,
criminal law, procedural law, juris-
prudence, company law etc. are
extremely vital for the holistic growth
of a lawyer, law schools should also
92 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
goals of the person in question. If you
want to shift towards or excel in aca-
demia or policy, then LLM is desira-
ble and required. When it comes to
litigation or your career in a law firm,
an LLM degree may or may not guar-
antee immediate and direct benefits.
Be that as it may, a prestigious
LLM programme allows a student to
get an in-depth understanding of the
subject matter and build contacts and
networks with other accomplished
practitioners in the subject from
across the world. These benefits of an
LLM, while not quantifiable or direct,
definitely have a lot of importance in
the long-term growth of a lawyer,
both in terms of career and otherwise.
door and shut out the rest. cryptocurrencies; (b) integration of Many Congratulations on joining
Applying the above to the ques- artificial intelligence into the every- the BW Legal World Elite 30
day functioning of law firms; and (c) Under 30 Club of Achievers 2021.
tion, in my humble opinion, law stu- emphasis on sector/practice speciali- What to your mind has helped you
dents should keep themselves abreast sation. get to where you are and what
of all opportunities available to them advice would you have for others
and pursue them actively without try- Is a master’s degree in law impor- who want to set off in a similar
ing to be too picky and selective about tant for a successful career in your direction?
where they want to intern or which desired practice area? Have you I was extremely fortunate to have
“area of interest” they want to pursue. done your LL.M? If yes, please received immense support and
mention the specialisation and encouragement from my Team and
In your opinion, what will be the college or your future plans of fur- my firm since my first day in the
top three trends that will domi- ther studies or other important firm. During the initial stages of our
nate the Indian law firm ecosys- certifications useful for lawyers in career, when we are extremely
tem in the next five years? this age and time, if any. If not, underconfident and insecure about
In my opinion, the top three trends please share your views on why ourselves, the right encouragement
that will dominate Indian law firm LL.M is not the answer to master- and support at such a vulnerable
ecosystems are as follows: (a) build- ing a subject. stage go a long way in making our
ing a team/practice dedicated to The question of whether an LLM is careers. I was fortunate to have
legal and regulatory aspects around desirable depends on the personal received such support and encour-
fintech, artificial intelligence and agement from my team and firm.
As a final note, would you please
recommend to our readers your
favourite book that left a lasting
impression on you?
It is a little difficult to identify one
such book. Among the books I read
in recent times, I think it is “Say
Nothing” by Patrick Radden Keefe.
Among classics, I think it would be
“The Idea of History” by R.G
Collingwood and Animal Farm by
George Orwell.
93 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
By Krishnendra Joshi
Chirag Dhananjay Naik
Part of BW Legal World’s 30
Under 30 Best Lawyers and
Legal Influencers 2021 club of
achievers, Chirag Dhananjay
Naik works as a Principal
Associate at MZM Legal LLP. A
white-collar crime specialist, he
wants law schools to introduce
courses on money laundering.
Tell us a bit about yourself. What lege gave me great exposure to the greater emphasis on introducing
made you choose a career in law? legal world and some of the best courses in the areas of Financial
And how was the experience of stud- minds in terms of course-mates, sen- Services, Taxation and Money
ying law? iors and faculty. Laundering.
I am a graduate of Symbiosis Law
School, Pune. My decision to study If you could suggest one reform in Please tell us about your specializa-
law was very last-minute. I had the legal education system, what tion and the array of work you han-
secured admission in various pro- would it be? dle at your firm?
grams across streams. Law seemed One reform that I would suggest to My practise area covers white-collar
to be the most interesting. My expe- the legal education system in India is criminal defence, criminal compli-
rience of studying law was quite to restructure the course to have a ance, government investigations, IT
engaging. I was at a dynamic law
school in a very charming and stu-
dent-friendly city. Our law school
had opportunities and resources to
accommodate all kinds of interests.
I spent a lot of time working in the
Student Council and cells such as
the Human Rights Cell, Legal Aid &
Literacy Cell, Placement Cell etc.
I eventually went on to head the
council’s Co-curricular Committee
and our annual fest’s (then Pune’s
largest) Administrative Committee.
These were early lessons not only in
law but also in management. The
College laid great stress on mooting
and conducted elaborate internal
mooting eliminations. I had the
opportunity of visiting RMLNLU
for its International Media Moot
Court Competition. All in all, col-
94 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
law and regulatory enforce- extend to in-house counsels
ment matters. based in India, the same is
I regularly act and advise There is a misconception not true for in-house coun-
on high-profile criminal inves- amongst many clients sels based abroad.
tigations initiated by India’s 3. While investigat-
premier investigating agencies that materials relating to a case, ing a lawyer for an alleged
viz. the Central Bureau of criminal offence, the inves-
Investigation (“CBI”), the including original documents tigating agencies tend to
Enforcement Directorate of kept with a lawyer, are also review communications of
Enforcement (“ED”) and the covered by lawyer-client all cases concerning a par-
Serious Fraud Investigation privilege. This is not the case. ticular client. This would be
Office (“SFIO”) and respective a serious infringement of
state agencies – the Economic lawyer-client privilege.
Offences Wings (“EOWs”) and
the Anti-Corruption Bureaus Many Congratulations on joining
(“ACBs”). I was offered a PPO. Even where the BW Legal World Elite 30 Under
I have had the privilege of repre- there were no vacancies, most senior 30 Club of Achievers 2021. What to
senting clients in courts right from lawyers and office-bearers were your mind has helped you get to
the trial courts all the way up to the encouraging and always sent me where you are and what advice
Supreme Court of India. At MZM back with useful two cents and guid- would you have for others who want
Legal, I have gained significant ance. This helps you gain confidence to set off in a similar direction?
cross-border litigation experience and allows you a recce of the place I am honoured and thankful to be
which encompasses corruption, you intend to work at. made part of such an illustrious club.
money laundering, extradition, I believe the best decision was to
cyber-crime, fraud, embezzlement, Investigating agencies are habitually choose a practice area based on what
black money, undisclosed foreign intruding into lawyer-client rela- I enjoy doing, rather than thinking
assets, corporate governance, defa- tionships. What are your thoughts of the commercials or returns from
mation, foreign exchange manage- on this issue? the profession. I was extremely for-
ment, sexual harassment, etc. This is a tricky and evolving issue. In tunate to find an excellent mentor in
Further, I have conducted various my opinion, privilege in any situa- my managing partner, Mr Zulfiquar
sensitive internal investigations for tion would strictly apply to advocate Memon, who harnessed my potential,
leading multinational corporations. work product (including advise in gave me a vision and trusted me with
whatever mode), lawyer-client com- the best mandates available. It’s abso-
What advice would you give law stu- munications, including any form of lutely crucial to have good mentors.
dents seeking the best internships in instructions based on the client’s I am very happy going to work
their area of interest? personal knowledge. “There is a mis- every day and look forward to work-
My advice would be to go personally conception amongst many clients ing with my colleagues to take on the
and visit lawyers/law-firms/judges/ that materials relating to a case, next challenge that awaits us.
office-bearers in addition to emailing including original documents kept Building good relationships with col-
them. There is no substitute for it. with a lawyer, are also covered by leagues (including clerks and the
Emails have made communication lawyer-client privilege. This is not support staff ) and networks with
very easy, but this also means that all the case.” On the other hand, there lawyers both within and outside your
law offices and organizations receive are crucial issues affecting investiga- organisation is a major advantage –
a barrage of emails. Organizations tions and prosecutions across the there is something to learn from eve-
with small HR functions may not country that I believe need to be ryone. This profession is all about
have the capacity to go through all addressed at the earliest: collaboration. Last but not the least,
that volume. Here, I would like to 1. There are no procedural guide- pure hard work (day in and day out)
give a personal example. lines for the review of data seized and dedication to the case at hand.
Except one, all my internships by way of duplicating servers,
were obtained solely by personal hard disks, pen drives etc. As a final note, would you please rec-
efforts and follow-up. I interned 2. Treatment of communications ommend to our readers your favour-
during each college break and never with in-house counsels based ite book that left a lasting impres-
repeated the same practice area until abroad. Though it is clear that sion on you?
I interned at my current firm, where lawyer-client privilege does not Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari.
95 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
By Krishnendra Joshi
Deeksha Malik
Part of BW Legal
World’s 30 Under 30
Best Lawyers and Legal
Influencers 2021 club
of achievers, Deeksha
Malik is a Senior
Associate at Khaitan
& Co. A labour and
Employment lawyer, the
young trailblazer talks
briefly about her journey
and clarifies a popular
misconception about the
new wage code.
Tell us a bit about yourself. What extra-curricular activities. I ended Corporate and Commercial Laws,
made you choose a career in law? up trying debating and mooting, but which is one of the most popular law
And how was the experience of stud- I found out soon that my heart lies in blogs in India.
ying law? writing. By the time I reached the
My motivation to pursue law ema- fifth year of law school, I already had If you could suggest one reform in
nated from my interest in sitting for a book publication with Cambridge the legal education system, what
civil services examination. However, Scholars Publishing and had co- would it be?
once I joined law school (National founded The Indian Review of I have two primary suggestions here.
Law Institute University, Bhopal), I
immediately fell in love with the
myriad of laws I was studying. It has
been an amazing and empowering
journey since.
My experience at law school was
truly enriching, and the credit for the
same primarily goes to the amazing
batch I was part of (Batch of 2018).
Fortunately, I was part of a batch
that was self-motivated and actively
participated in co-curricular and
96 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
At the very outset, our faculty that the “upcoming wage code
needs to be rewarded with a will not significantly impact an
much higher compensation. Upcoming wage code employee’s take-home salary”.
Truth be told, a highly reward- will not significantly All that the wage code tells us is
ing pay package happens to be that if the salary components
one of the biggest reasons why impact an employee’s take- forming part of ‘wages’ (as per
several law students end up home salary. the definition of ‘wages’ in the
joining and continuing in a code) do not constitute 50% of
law firm, notwithstanding the the overall remuneration that
extremely rigorous work the employee receives, then
schedule it entails. While of course I some portion of the non-wage com-
do not expect law schools to match sessions on the said codes for the ponents would be notionally taken
up to the higher paying standards at industry and the general public out and will form part of ‘wages’ such
law firms, I do expect and hope that (including law students). My contri- that the ‘wages’ of the employee
we have comparable pay and benefits bution to the practice group also becomes 50% of the overall remu-
for our faculty similar to what Jindal comes in the form of her advocacy, neration. This exercise, as I men-
Global Law School, for instance, has knowledge-sharing and pro bono tioned before, is a notional one and
to offer. endeavors. I frequently make repre- needs to be done when the employer
Second, we do require an exten- sentations to the Central and the computes certain payments linked to
sive collaboration between law state governments on labour reforms wages, say overtime for extra work.
schools and legal practitioners so including the implementation Social security contributions will be
that we can bridge the gap between framework under the labour codes. computed on such higher wages but
what is taught in law schools and again would be subject to Central
what is really needed on the practice What advice would you give law stu- Government notified caps on contri-
side. This includes not just the prac- dents seeking the best internships in butions (beyond which an employer
titioners coming on campus and their area of interest? and an employee are not required to
teaching a few courses, but also such I cannot emphasise enough on main- contribute).
practitioners designing the course taining a fine balance between aca-
curriculum to adapt to the rapidly demics and co- / extra-curriculars. Many Congratulations on joining
changing trends in legal practice. Often, we go by the advice of our sen- the BW Legal World Elite 30 Under
iors at law school to participate in n 30 Club of Achievers 2021. What to
Please tell us about your specializa- number of moot court competitions, your mind has helped you get to
tion and the array of work you han- and we end up compromising on the where you are and what advice
dle at your firm? academics. However, law firms (for would you have for others who want
I am a Senior Associate in the instance) do place emphasis on aca- to set off in a similar direction?
Employment, Labour and Benefits demic performance as well. A good Thank you for your wishes. My
practice of the firm and am based out grade shows that the student takes career advice, although I feel I am
of its Mumbai office. As part of the his subjects seriously and has the not competent to render one, is that
practice group, I focus on a range of ability to multi-task. Second, stu- one should never settle for the
matters from employment terms dents should keep themselves knowledge one gains in the course of
and employee benefits to wage updated with the recent regulatory work. There should be a constant
restructuring and workforce redun- and judicial developments at least in hunger to learn more and keep one-
dancy. In particular, I work exten- their area of interest. When I inter- self updated with what is going on
sively in the area of disciplinary view law students for internship, I around us.
issues, prevention of sexual harass- often notice that they are unable to
ment, and diversity and inclusion. I talk about things more than what is As a final note, would you please rec-
have also been active on the impact already specified in their CV. ommend to our readers your favour-
assessment exercises conducted by ite book that left a lasting impres-
the practice group in relation to the How is the new wage code going to sion on you?
upcoming labour codes and have impact the take-home salary? It is Indra Nooyi’s My Life in Full:
conducted training and awareness Oh, I hear this a lot. Let me clarify Work, Family, and Our Future.
97 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
By Krishnendra Joshi
Devika Menon
Part of BW Legal World’s 30 Under 30 Best Lawyers and Legal
Influencers 2021 club of achievers, Devika Menon, Senior
Associate, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, is a corporate
lawyer. She has advised on some significant and innovative deals
in the healthcare and electric vehicles sector in India.
Tell us a bit about yourself. What tunity to pursue diploma courses real-world experience and the right
kind of practical training and guid-
made you choose a career in law? and participate in national-level ance early on will equip students to
transition smoothly into practice.
And how was the experience of moot court competitions. What
Please tell us about your speciali-
studying law? really stood out about ILS is that we zation and the array of work you
handle at your firm?
As a kid, I wanted to pursue a career were not pressured with assignments I am working as a Senior Associate
and a member of the general corpo-
in medicine, but as I grew older, I and deadlines and were given the rate practice group at Shardul
Amarchand Mangaldas & Co., focus-
was more inclined towards a career independence and flexibility to sing on mergers and acquisitions
and private equity investments. I
in either law or journalism. While it decide how we wanted to shape our advise financial and strategic inves-
tors on inbound and outbound
was difficult to choose between the professional journeys. investments, joint ventures, corpo-
rate restructuring, company laws,
two, when the time came, I went After working for a few years securities laws and foreign invest-
ment laws. I have advised several
with my gut and decided to apply for with a law firm, I went back to study global private equity funds and mul-
tinational corporations in their
the 5-year law program. I would be law at the National University of investments in India and overseas,
and have advised on some significant
lying if I said that I was sure about Singapore. Being a masters program, and innovative deals in the health-
care and electric vehicles sector in
my choice at the time, however, the 5 the curriculum and assignments India in the last financial year.
years I spent at ILS Law College, were intensive, however, my prior What advice would you give law
students seeking the best intern-
Pune made me realise that law was work experience equipped me to ships in their area of interest?
Rather than focusing on the tier/
indeed my calling. I passed out of understand the practicalities of what banner of the firms, focus on the
partners and the teams you want to
ILS in 2014 and was a university I was being taught. work with, after researching and
understanding the nature of the
rank holder throughout my 5 years work they do. Ultimately, it’s the
of law school. My time at ILS was an If you could suggest one reform in
enriching one, as I not only had the the legal education system, what
privilege of being mentored by some would it be?
of the most experienced faculty in “In my opinion, the introduction of
this country but also got the oppor- mandatory internship programs in
the legal curriculum
would greatly benefit law
In my opinion, the students when they start
introduction of practice.” Internships are
mandatory internship not easy to secure, and a
lot of law students still
p r o g r a m s i n t h e l e g a l don’t have access to prac-
tical legal training. As is
curriculum would greatly the case with any other
benefit law students when profession, it is impor-
they start practice. tant for young lawyers to
be able to connect their
classroom knowledge to
98 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
crucial role in shaping my skill sets
and making me the professional I
am today. I encourage young lawyers
to pursue the LL.M after a minimum
of 2-3 years of working, as this will
prepare you better for the program
which is quite intensive and compet-
itive. The chances of getting into pre-
mier law schools is also higher if you
have a few years of work experience.
The LL.M program will open you up
not just to a global network but also
to a very distinct and enriching legal
training environment. To add, uni-
versities these days offer a varied
range of courses which may not be
available for undergraduate stu-
dents. The LL.M also lets you pick
courses which may not be part of
your core specialization. For exam-
ple, at NUS, I took courses such as
Transnational Terrorism and
International Laws, which were
entirely off-subject from my speciali-
sation but were of interest to me.
partner and the team you select that Is a master’s degree in law impor- Many Congratulations on joining
will transform your internship expe- tant for a successful career in your the BW Legal World Elite 30
rience, and it’s important that you desired practice area? Have you Under 30 Club of Achievers 2021.
are professionally and culturally done your LL.M, if yes, please What to your mind has helped you
aligned with them and their expecta- mention the specialization and get to where you are and what
tions. college or your future plans of fur- advice would you have for others
ther studies or other important who want to set off in a similar
In your opinion, what are the top certifications useful for lawyers in direction?
three emerging practice areas for this age and time, if any. I am extremely thrilled and humbled
young lawyers? I completed my LL.M in Corporate by this recognition, as it’s a huge pro-
I believe data privacy, cybersecurity and Financial Services Law in 2018 fessional milestone for me. A lot of
and environmental law are some of from the National University of hard work and the willingness to
the emerging practice areas. Singapore. The LL.M has played a learn and excel even when the going
gets tough has brought me this far.
For all the young readers out there,
my advice is don’t box yourself into
one practice area very early on in
your career. Try out different prac-
tice areas and see what you feel most
passionate about before taking up a
specialization. Other than that, all I
want to say is work hard, read as
much as you can and develop an eye
for detail. These are traits that will
take you places and help you become
a better lawyer.
99 | BW LEGAL WORLD | October 2022
By Krishnendra Joshi
Gibran Naushad
Tell us a bit about yourself. What
made you choose a career in law?
And how was the experience of
studying law?
I was brought up in Delhi and have
done my schooling from Delhi Public
School, R.K. Puram. I am a first-
generation lawyer. Since my school
days, I was quite interested in politi-
cal and social happenings in India
and abroad, and since law always
formed an intrinsic part of such
events, I naturally got inclined
towards this field. I had decided to
do law quite early on in my high
school days and consequently
decided to write law entrance exams
after high school.
National Law University Delhi
was an enriching experience for me,
academically and socially. Despite
the academic curriculum of the uni-
Commercial disputes
lawyer Gibran
Naushad is an
independent legal
practitioner at the
Chambers of Gibran
Naushad. He is a
Senior Panel Counsel
for the Government
of India in the
Supreme Court with
work mandates
relating to extremely
diverse fields of law.
100 | BW LEGAL WORLD | | October 2022
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