The Robe-clad Lawyer Versus the Boardroom Lawyer

Every professional at some stage of his/her career is faced with the question, ‘am I making the right choice?’ To quote Charles Lamb, “The measure of choosing well, is, whether an individual likes and finds good in what he has chosen.” And so, this one step-choosing a path and standing by it-changes everything.Broadly speaking, a career in law comprises two main streams, viz, litigation practice; and corporate practice.  The predicament of having to choose between the two practices exists for a...

Are wrong persons leading our “Islands of Excellence”?

“We do have a small number of dynamic and outstanding law schools. But I am afraid they remain islands of excellence amidst a sea of institutionalised mediocrity.” – Dr. Manmohan SinghYou consider the potency of any institution; the seeds of clover is often said to balance between the pinnacles of administration, along with the rich quality of students therein. However, matter speaks something contrary when it concerns the administration of some of the ‘best institutions’ of our country....

The Bar Exam Tamasha: Review of the August 2013 Bar Exam Paper

The fifth All India Bar Examination was held on 25th August, 2013 and more than 25000 candidates appeared for the exam. Ramanuj Mukherjee along with Aayush Shrivastava have analysed the 2013 Bar Exam paper for Live Law readers. If you are reading this article then chances are high that you either took the bar exam this year, or maybe you will write it in the future. In case you want to know how the exam evolved so far, please read this article here. In short, All India Bar Examination has a...

Go Green: Charting a Career in Environmental Law

Having evolved rapidly, in India environment law is a relatively new and challenging field. The term “Environmental law” is wide encompassing the entire gamut of statutes, treaties, conventions, regulations and policies aimed at protecting the ecology as well as preventing the degradation of natural resources. In the recent past, environmental law has become a devise for promoting “sustainable development”. Policy concepts such as the polluter pays principle, precautionary principle, public...

Behind the bench: Judicial Clerkship as a career option

It is the spirit and not the form of law that keeps justice alive.  ~Earl Warren IntroductionA judicial clerkship is an excellent way to bridge the gap between law school and the practice of law. Clerks at all court levels obtain unparalleled access to and knowledge about the judicial process. Additionally, a judicial clerk is exposed to a wide array of legal issues and is able to make a hands-on contribution to the judicial decision-making process. This experience and perspective is attractive...

All About An LLM - Part IV – Scholarships in the US

The cost of an LLM Program in US is high. It is not just the tuition fees which increases every year, the cost of living is also rising, especially if you plan on living in a big city. Foreign students should weigh their options carefully while considering LL.M schools and funding. Consider its location, financial capabilities and restrictions, if any.  Bear in mind that scholarships and grants for LL.M. in US are not common, although they do exist. Generally speaking, limited grant money is...

All about an LLM – Part III –Scholarships for UK Universities

Financing an LL.M Financing/funding is perhaps the toughest part of planning for an LLM from abroad. Most prospective LL.M. students worry about affording the high costs of studying for a postgraduate law course in a foreign university. Not many are in a position to muster their own financial resources in the form of savings, family assistance, etc. And so, outside sources of funding become critical. Ideally, a student would want to rely on a combination of grants, scholarships, awards offered...

All about an LLM – Part II

Merely possessing an LLM from abroad does not guarantee success in the Indian legal market. LLM aspirants should appreciate that in addition to an LLM degree, their work experience and educational credentials prior to the LLM play a crucial role in getting the desired opening. From an Indian law firm perspective, a foreign LLM degree may not help if you choose to come back to India immediately after the LLM program. A foreign LLM will be useful if it is coupled with work experience from an...

All about an LLM – Part I

Legal professionals decide to pursue an LLM from abroad for a variety of reasons and in different phases of their careers. One will find fresh law graduates, partners or associates of law firms, judges, corporate counsels and academicians pursuing an LLM. The decision of doing an LLM is largely a personal one. But since in most areas of legal practice there is now an international dimension, there is a strong argument in favour of a Masters degree in law.There was a time when candidates pursued...

The Information Age Guide to Writing CV and Cover Letters

Are you one of those who mass mail atrocious internship and job applications? Do you wonder why no one is responding to your applications? Blaming the uncles and aunts of other people for not getting what you want is ok, but that does not solve your problem. It is highly likely that there are mistakes you are making that are ruining any chance you had. We can say this confidently because all my friends working as HR or doing recruitment for their organization tells me that usually 90-95% of the...