"There is a signaling value to A0 compensation which we don't want to participate in....then it's a culture mismatch i.e. we are not the right firm for you." This is so weird. It struck me as odd to hear that discussing A0 compensation could be seen as a ‘culture mismatch.’ Transparency around pay is a basic part of informed decision-making. The very rhetoric they use around compensation speaks volumes about the team dynamic and work environment.

Hi,

I am an ex-T1 Associate who left to prepare for Judicial Services in Jan 2024. Have experience of 7 months. Applying back due to the 3-year experience requirement. Could anyone who knows of openings across T1 or T2 team's in Bangalore please comment for vacancies and help out.

Would be very very grateful.

Thanks!!!

Age 34- female- PCOS, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, teeth related issues- trying very hard to keep up with diet and exercise but lack of sleep and stress makes it very difficult to be consistent. Just made partner in tier 1. I am not overweight but according to my family doctor I have these health issues due to stress and inadequate sleep. Only diet is not going to work. I don’t get time to workout regularly. I feel like joining in house now. I also feel law firms are meant for people who have very resilient bodies.

Classic story of a starry-eyed Indian educated largely overseas wanting to serve his country: Started off as a great idealist, then became corrupted. He says in an interview that he had to argue very vigorously with people who told him, while he was overseas in England, the U.S. and finally Hong Kong, that there was little to nothing for him in India, that there actually was. I think it overall would have been better if he had listened to the wise advice of his mentors. He hasn't fulfilled the great ideals he set himself. True, he built a university. True, he got his uni into global rankings. But in what way and at what cost? By gaming the system, not actually in the right way. If you want to argue that a country like India needs a uni for its elite, and Jindal fills that place in the market, then also wrong. The students who go to Jindal are usually elites, true, but elite bad students. Most of the elite classes anyway don't really want their kids studying in India in any case, a problem Jindal hasn't solved effectively. No good student with an international education, unless they have enough money to be an elite in India but not enough to not struggle financially abroad, would go to Jindal. So it is, IMO at least, very much the case that India could have done without this guy's "contribution".

We can speak whenever you'd like.

Competition is an extremely niche practice area which barely hires and has just 1-2 rainmaker partners across firms in India.

The most fun part of the practice is enforcement, which is completely dependent on the geopolitics of the American federal government vis-a-vis India. Regulators here will bite only if they feel emboldended enough to do so, otherwise they'd be content with meowing.

The most boring part of the practice is combination - you just sit and tally stuff.

That's all there is to it. The idea that there's some cutting edge antitrust practice efforts going on in India are not based in reality. This is something all competition associates are aware of to varying degrees.

yes. been saying for years that indian higher ed is a scam. its a shame. You might have a slightly better time teaching at a government run university. at least you can evaluate student papers honestly. but colleagues are going to be disappointing everywhere except a couple of places. Students cheat everywhere.. theres little to no integrity left.

I think that these links have been posted on LI several times. These are recorded videos from Sidharth Chauhan (who was earlier teaching at NALSAR, now back at NLSIU) which provide a good introduction to academic legal writing that is tailored for Indian law students.

Session 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIUmcAGc72s

Session 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0gOdWNdyMQ

Session 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgpLOkcIACA

This thread is the epitome of the shrinking class divide in India, and also of how elites no longer control the online discourse. 15-20 years ago, only elite, urban, English-speaking NLU people participated in online discussions about law. Totally opposite now.

Look at LI of old and LI of today. 🤣🤣🤣

You make it sound like all the NLUS are rigorous. Barring the top few, the others are no different from the state law colleges, expect for better infrastructure and a student body that is drawn from different parts of the country. the lower you go, the more it resembles a state college in terms of curriculum, pedagogy, teachers and teaching -learning methods.

also let's not forget that the NLUs are still following a model that was crafted in the late 1980s. what innovation to teaching-learning has it done after that? writing term papers in a variety of subjects is not exactly cutting edge innovation in pedagogy.

and lets not forget that no matter which law school you went to, at the end the day the craft of working with the law in practice - be it in firms or in litigation comes only with practical exposure and its picked up as you keep working. this is not to demean the NLUs or their contributions but a mere fact of life.

the bulk of lawyers in India, especially the litigators study in 'these' colleges that you just demeaningly mentioned. the CJI has a good point in that we must pay attention to their needs too. it does not matter that they have not learned about crimes against humanity or international arbitration. what matters is that they are able to learn the stuff that is required for the legal market that exists in Bharat and not just India.

and lastly, all the Dworkin, Lessing or education on ICL is evidently a complete waste on you folks. there is an ongoing genocide and not a single NLU thought it fit to even make a measly statement about it. that education has clearly entered through one ear and left through the other.

Same here. One of the top 5 NLUs. Doing assesment in a T-2 firm in Bangalore in disputes team but don't know what will happen, still very uncertain and unemployed. Also, Litigation is not for everyone bro, now I want to shift to corporate team. Litigation is challenging. Don't just apply to T-1 firms. Keep your options open and apply to T-2, T-3 firms as well. Best of luck!( to both of us lol)

I graduated in 2025 from one of the Top 5 NLUs. Unfortunately the placement scene did not work out as we got ghosted by a lot of recruiters. I've mostly had corp internships and been applying continuously for the past 4 months to corp law places, in-house roles, traineeships and even litigation offices as I had a bit of internship experience with commercial litigation. But I've received nothing but rejections as of date. What do I do now? I really wanted to start with a job and don't really have the bandwidth for an LLM and neither do I see it benefiting me in any way. Please advice.

Sounds easier than it actually is though since 35 is only the minimum qualifying age for DHJS. It is not necessary that the HC releases a notification for DHJS as soon as you turn 35, the notifications are rather scheduled apart and also delayed - though, this applies to DJS too. Also, it takes almost one year for the exam process to conclude in both DJS and DHJS (Prelims, mains, mains result, interview, final merit list) + not necessary that one can clear the exam in the first attempt.

For those recruited in DJS at 24-25 (few are), the promotions are better than a DHJS officer joining at 37-38. For those joining DJS at 29-32 (and many are), it is a long wait, especially if the rank is mid or low.

At this PQE many Seniors, especially the SC ones will tell you that they allow independent practice and to their credit, they do, to an extent.

What they’ll not tell you is that the workload is going to be such that in reality, you’ll hardly have time for your own matters.

As of well paying, majority will pay you around a lakh. Those who pay more have a significant waiting or requires serious networking.

Is it advisable for a lateral interview to write a mail to the interviewing partners saying thank you and all for tier1s? In cases where interview is arranged through referral or external recruiters. If anyone has done, could someone share a polite draft. I do not about additional interview rounds if any.

Doing better? Tier 1 firm? Right. Lemme guess, you are in the corp team or teams of like nature. How are you doing better? Financially? Right. All of you glorified clerks who come and work in T1s have no future. In 10-15 years, you may become a partner. May. And then how much will you earn in today's terms of money? 15-20 cr max? That too is distant. Meanwhile, all those in litigation would be out earning you. You will go them to brief them. Your sorry ass will sit in the law firm office the entire day and review documents. You are wasting your life ther.e

This language politics and regionalism is getting vulgar and out of hand. She could have countered and asked Siddaramaiah if he spoke Odia or Santhali. But she was dignified and said that she will try to learn Kannada.

This attitude of semi-literate politicians catering to the lowest denominator has already harmed NLSIU. Domicile reservation was foisted upon it, even though it was clearly set up as a national institution modelled on the IITs and IIMs. The Karnataka High Court ruled in favour of NLSIU, but pressure was still put.

And now, Bangalore is becoming dangerous because of goons harassing non-Kannada people and Siddaramaiah encouraging them.

P.S. Yes, I am calling the city Bangalore and not Bengaluru. Cope.

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/siddaramaiahs-do-you-know-kannada-question-to-president-murmu-her-reply-9198368

Fun fact - While most people may say that working with XYZ partner is a great learning opportunity, it can also be the worst thing to happen to an A0. Why?

Because your partner has gone through so many tough situations professionally, they/ them is most likely desensitised by now and will do anything/ everything to get a deal done. They are used to working with senior colleagues, so they will expect same level of work and commitment from you. Whereas you will not be able to deliver as need to slowly get used to the work environment and grasp context of various new matters. Your partner is in Season 10, you’re in Season 1. If you try to cram it like an exam, you’ll HATE the TV series. Also, burnout.

Solution: try to find a buffer. On any matter, work with SA so they can protect you from partners expectations. Or if there is no one and it’s just you and the partner on the matter, record all your calls/ write down questions, and then ask some other colleague on different matter, your basic legal doubts. Dont ask the partner questions no matter how much they say they are approachable. If you have to ask questions, ask them strategic questions, which show that you understand the matter, and you are predicting next steps in the matter.

You’re young, you have hobbies. You want a life outside work - you absolutely deserve it. Then why are these senior lawyers so against it/ or why do they seem to work 14 hours even on Sat/ Sun? Commitment to work? Sure, but also….

Both of you are at different stages. You’ve just moved to a new city. You’re finally earning money and not having to ask your parents permission to go out or get pocket money. You are excited about new beginnings and you want to try out the cafés serving tiramisu or visit the upscale sushi place. You want to live your life and you should.

For your law firm partner, they/ them have already done that, and by the time you hit your mid 30s, even though you have all the money in the world, you have lost the excitement to go out and do stuff. As an ambitious, hard working person, what do they do then? They stay in and focus on the work. Because that keeps them busy, gives them a sense of progress in life and gets them appreciation from colleagues.

Point is - Don’t give up on your hobbies. They make life worth living. If you work 24 x 7, Work will suck up your time. So try to join local gym or community and meet new people who aren’t lawyers and who don’t live in such distorted realities.