from an email shared with us. Do read

ON FILLING OUT THE ONLINE FORM:

1. Be patient with the form- the first few pages of the form are pretty tiresome, but must be filled carefully. You need to fill out all your grades, so have a transcript or list handy. Additionally, you need to give a mark equivalent. In my year, we used the lower mark in the mark range for the corresponding grade. So if you have an A, your mark is a 60, 65 for and A+ and 70 for an O. It doesn't really matter what method you use, but be consistent throughout the batch. You have the option to explain the grading system of college in a box at the end of the page.

2. Please don't lie- they don't ask you to attach your transcript or anything, and expect you to fill out the form honestly. They won't check your grades, but if you get selected for the interview, there is a chance that you may be asked to present your transcript. So please, please be completely honest about your grades. They don’t matter too much anyway.

THE ESSAY:

1. At least in our year, there was just one subjective essay component in the application. This means that you have only this space to uniquely express yourself. Please read the essay question carefully, and make sure you address all components of the same.

2. You can adopt any style of writing for the essay, but it needs to be clear and concise. You should try to give them as much relevant information about yourself in this section. This is the only space in the application where you can show how you stand out in comparison to others, so choose your merits carefully, and always tie them back to a quality that the firm will appreciate. They are looking for people who are academically sound, will work well in a team, can research well, and know how to handle high-pressure situations. Anything that forwards these qualities is a good accomplishment, and should be mentioned in the essay.

3. Get feedback: A lot of people just write the essay in half an hour, don’t proofread or get it checked, and still get shortlisted. If you are confident of your writing, then you should be okay. But I personally prefer getting my essay checked multiple times before submitting it. I got my essay draft checked by my parents, friends, and a lot of seniors who had been through the process. It’ll help you cut down on words and remove superfluous information. If you are not confident of your writing, or even if you simply want a second opinion, please get your essay checked by someone.

WORK EXPERIENCE:

I don’t know if you have this component in your application. We did. There is only one thing you need to keep in mind while filling this section out- always tie back your work ex to something that will be of use in a firm. You can put in all your litigation and policy and NGO internships- the more the better. But highlight them in such a way that the reader knows that the skillset you developed will be useful in a firm too.

MISCELLENEOUS TIPS:

1. Know a little bit about the firm when you are applying- it’ll help you formulate a better essay, and channel your achievements into something they are looking for. Know what they do, what their strengths are, and what they are looking for. You’ll have to spend about 20 minutes on their website for all this.

2. Try not to recycle the same writing for all firm applications. They all have their own questions to ask, so answer them individually. Additionally, the HR people who are checking your application are very good at their job, and have to go through a lot of applications. If you’re not keen and interested, they will know, and they won’t favour your application.

3. Don’t worry about grades too much- they really don’t care about your CGPA or class rank as much as Indian firms do. It is just one of the many things they look at.

4. Be humble in your writing- this is just a general tip, because I think it made a difference in my application. You can adopt any style of writing you are comfortable with. But the aim shouldn’t be to show how you are the best and super awesome and intimidatingly good. You should highlight your achievements, but also add a line about what they taught you, and how they contributed to your growth as a person. For example, I think there a big difference between saying, “I represented my university at XYZ competition, and won the competition”; and saying, “I was given the opportunity to represent my university at XYZ competition, and we placed first as a team. Through this experience, I learnt bla bla bla”. Again, it’s your choice at the end of the day.

5. On time management: I understand you don’t have too much time left to complete the HSF application. Worry not. Only the essay writing bit, and getting it checked takes time. The rest of it you can finish in half a day. Its just painful, is all.

1. Glad you found the answer useful. You have every right to hope that those who have followed the career path you want will have at least some amount of paying forward to do. Remember later, this expectation devolves as much upon you. The glorification of gatekeeping knowledge about opportunities that is such a big part of the Indian legal profession's culture is not a phenomenon I have observed to such a large extent in England and Wales (E&W). In fact, the British have a very strong 'pay it forward' tradition, which you, as well, will be expected to participate in once you have achieved a modicum of success.

2. Regarding that other comment: It was very unfortunately and disappointingly worded. It fails to capture the nuance of the position by quite a wide margin. Proviso: before explaining further, this explanation is written kind of assuming that when you say you are from a "very small town", that implicitly should also be understood as meaning you are not a rich person from a small town but a person of average means. Should choose to engage further with my response to your question, you do not need to state whether this a priori assumption is correct or not, and I hope it has not offended you, and apologise if it has.

What tends to happen is that many people from larger cities who aspire for such things are also people from economically stable to privileged backgrounds. Therefore, with all the costs that you have to take into account for such a venture (multipleliving in London, clothing, food, accomodation during your vac scheme (your firm is likely to help you with accommodation during your SQE studies)), people from such backgrounds tend to find it easier to take up such opportunities (and therefore, now that there is this level of awareness about such opportunities, aspire towards them). Also what tends to happen is that such people, even if they have non-lawyer parents but parents who work in related fields (investment banking, e.g.), can get tips, advice, ideas or perspectives from their families when readying themselves for such SJT type situations. For example, take me: my dad is from one such field. When I took one of the firms' SJTs for the first time, I went home and wondered to my dad aloud why was it they would ask the types of personality questions that they did. My dad had had only vaguely heard of the law firm I was applying to and has never studied law (engineer + MBA) but without a second's pause, he was able to tell me: "They are doing it to see how good a fit you'd be for them and how good you are at crisis management kind of situations". However, people from quite working class backgrounds with other categories of marginalisation impacting them as well, have got through, and done well in, international law firms. I suggest that you ask the graduate recruitment folks at the big international law firms about this. They will be outraged at the suggestion that comment makes and in fact encourage you to apply - they aren't like the shitty HR in Indian law firms, they are actually good: they even act as readers and (online equivalents of) scribes for blind applicants taking the SJT-type tests if the blind person finds the test format to be inaccessible (I have this personally from an associate in a European office of a magic circle law firm who did a TC in London and who cannot see).

What you have to remember is that as far as your merit is evaluated, the vast majority of applicants for stuff like this, regardless of whether they are from economically privileged backgrounds or from disadvantaged ones, are eliminated at the application stage itself, because their intellect or some other quality essential to what the law firms need (whether that be drive for working in commercial law, fit with a firm's ethos... whatever, is lacking). Take another example: I know a very smart person (born an Indian citizen but who recently took up a foreign passport, having lived abroad now for so long) who studied law at one of the best universities in the world, located in London. This one worked at an international law firm in London for several years post the studies and is now in-house. This person came from an economically privileged background and was almost at the top of their law cohort at the prestigious London university, from which the best law firms regularly recruit (with the father working in an investment-type field in India). She secured multiple vac schemes in her second year of university (in the British three-year LLB system). Now that's a huge achievement and has to be noted because I have it from the person's own mouth that regardless of all they had going for them, the hidden cost (from a personal/mental health perspective) of going through that law firm application process for multiple firms, prior to the vac schemes, was some four or five rejections for every one vac scheme offer that was given. The world doesn't see that: they see the bells and whistles of investor/top Indian business school MBA dad, smart kid who did fantastically at Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Maths at school, got a Russell Group uni degree (where also the performance academically and in CV-boosting activities was excellent), vac schemes, TC, associateship... in house and all those stuff. But the pain and tears of going through this process for anyone is alarming. Don't do it if you aren't ready for 95 to 99% rejections, many of which will come at the last stage of an individual law firm's processes (written application, SJT, interview... all will have gone well, seemingly, suddenly at Assessment Centre, they see something and decide you ain't for them). It is this that that comment doesn't capture: a working class kid and two rich kids could have this experience in common. They apply to six top world-class law firms in a particular application cycle. Four of those applications for all three of them come with a rejection stamp after SJT itself. One more application comes back for all three of them with an interview/assessment centre invite. Two of those kids then get rejected at that stage, with one going onto the vac scheme. Now there is even a not insignificant likelyhood that that one vac scheme student will get rejected by the firm for a TC, because they say that upon evaluation of how he performs in the actual workplace, they think he may not be ready for a law firm career yet.

Therefore, that comment inaccurately describes a phenomena. I hope this is more helpful. It shouldn't discourage you from applying, please do that if an international law firm career is what you want. But please know the scale of the challenge before you go in. That comment you asked about doesn't explain that properly.

Oh? Then why do every A0 exit 3L within probation? Seems more an issue of the team and not the associates. People who have left the team have been an inspiration for students like us. Irrespective, there’s aways an exit in the team within 6 months. Gives no confidence for us to strongly consider 3L team. May be, this has more details the world does know.

Yes, the destroyer of Campus and Residential life wants to account for every penny that the college spends. So, if the college is spending money for getting the group medical insurance, then you should use it as often as possible. A similar example is for the availability of therapists on campus. The college will specifically give you BT so that you are forced to use the sessions from the therapists; otherwise, he will close them.

Since alot of discussions about emreging and growing offices are taking place and also their hiring related stuff are being discussed on various other LI threads, lets unite all those in this thread and also since Bangalore is becoming a new HUB to In-House related jobs, consider this thread to inlude everything and anything related to Bangalore firms, In-house opportunities and college related discussions. POV: Have seen city wise thread so thought this would help all of us staying in Bangalore and aspiring a career here.

Having come across some critical views about the team, I felt it was important to share my own experience as a recent intern, which was both positive and enriching.

From the very beginning, the team’s attitude stood out to me. The associates were approachable and friendly, and the ice broke almost instantly. What I appreciated most was that interns were not kept apart in a separate area; instead, we sat right next to the associates, which made it easier to integrate into the team and communicate openly. The environment quickly became informal enough that I could share my thoughts without hesitation.

Another aspect that impressed me was the mentorship structure. Every intern is allotted a mentor. My mentor, coincidentally, had also interviewed me six to seven months earlier, and he still remembered me when I joined. That individual connect spoke volumes about the way the team values its interns.

In terms of work involvement, I had the chance to join team calls with seniors and associates. After these calls, the work was divided thoughtfully, and on more than one occasion, seniors themselves engaged with me directly on research. They did not just delegate tasks but actually listened to my inputs and discussed them. That level of involvement made the internship feel meaningful.

Work pressure was balanced. There were a few tiring days, as is the case in any firm, but overall the workload was reasonable. What helped was the team’s flexible approach to timings: as long as the work was delivered properly, there was trust and space to manage one’s schedule.

Another highlight was the nature of the work itself. The team handles both advisory and litigation matters, and I found this somewhat equal blend of both to be unique which was not there in any of the other tier 1 firms I interned at. It gave me exposure across two very different but equally important facets of practice, something I have not seen offered so evenly in most other places.

Finally, I was fortunate to have a brief interaction with HSS sir towards the end of my internship. Despite being busy and having several people waiting to meet him, he generously gave me time. In that short interaction, he went beyond discussing matters at hand and recommended blogs and books to read, stepping into the role of a mentor instantly. For someone so deeply engaged in practice to also have such an academic perspective was inspiring.

All in all, I found the team to be collaborative, approachable, and enriching to work with. My internship there was a genuinely positive experience.

Bruhh, they had the sheer audacity to dismiss all the grievances by guilt-tripping the participants. Heard from seniors IUMCC used to be a year-round phenomenon, with this being once a year, hampers our opportunity to participate in any moot. The least they could do is frame guidelines for researchers' tests.

▮▮▮

Good sir, there's a difference between being positive and making statements that are straight-up idiotic. As someone who sincerely believes that a person writes their own destiny, even I believe university makes a huge difference. Just because someone from a lesser-known university becomes successful, we don't look at that and say it's as good as other top places we look at what the majority achieves. The person is only asking about a partial drop, and in my opinion, this is the best option. They can first take the exam and get a decent rank in the CLAT, and if they're happy with their options, then there's no dilemma, because a partial drop costs virtually nothing in my opinion.

I think the moderator doesn’t like the word “woke“ when conservatives use it. For example Meghan Markle said on her show that she is proud to be woke, but that usage isn’t seen as bad by liberals. But when conservatives use woke to mock performative SJW activism and virtue signalling, that annoys people like the moderator. I think that is the root cause of the flagging of topics here.

Guys, please don’t get swayed by PM Modi’s rhetoric and think that India is like California or London. We are a big zero in innovation and ideas, so IP and tech are bad practice areas here. All the good work is only in first world countries and also China now. We don’t have Apple, Amazon, YouTube, Netflix, Nike, Adidas etc fighting billion-dollar IP lawsuits here. Arijit Singh‘s lawyers won’t even be paid 1% of Taylor Swift’s lawyers. If you are impressed by IP cases you read about in the New York Times, then migrate abroad, don’t stay in India. There is no such work here. Please DO NOT believe fairy tales of Vikshit Bharat.

"I am ready to put in long hours, as long as the work is challenging and well-compensated."

You need to just focus on putting in the work. Any conditions will NOT help.

Also, IP in full service firms is not the best place to be in. You would be better off in a boutique firm. If you have a technical degree in engineering, bio or related fields and a patent agent certification, you could possibly be part of a patent prosecution and disputes team otherwise its TM and related work which may not be punchy enough.

The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended 14 lawyers for appointment as judges of the Bombay High Court, including Raj Damodar Wakode, who is related to Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai.

Wakode, identified as the son of the CJI’s cousin, is considered a nephew of Justice Gavai. However, the CJI’s brother, Dr Rajendra Gavai, told India Today that Wakode should be regarded as a “distant relative.”

Wakode completed his schooling under the Maharashtra board, securing distinction in Class 12 from the Amravati division in 1996. He went on to pursue science, earning a gold medal in MSc in 2001. He later obtained an LLB degree from Amravati University in 2004, passing with 60.34 per cent marks.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/collegium-picks-for-hc-includes-cji-s-nephew-101756149015736.html

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/cji-br-gavai-nephew-among-14-lawyers-recommended-for-bombay-high-court-judgeship-2776879-2025-08-26

Meanwhile, at the next NLSIU/NALSAR convocation: "You first-generation NLU lawyers are too elitist. We need Hindi LLB degrees at NLUs. We also need you to stop joining corporate law firms or heading to foreign countries for an LLM".

🙏🙏🙏

At NLSIU the selection committee framed requirements favourable to younger and better qualified candidates like Sudhir. Here they go ahead without a committee being formed. Strange. Then will the WB govt just choose its own VC this time, without a selection committee? Although, to be fair, any such committee will be a farce anyway, full of TMC people and a token Chancellor's nominee.

I am a final year student (Batch 2026). I have been hunting for tax litigation practice firms/ advisory firms. I really wanna know the hiring culture/pay/working environment/practice of a few other places. It would be really grateful if anyone experienced/previously interned at these places could throw some light on the same. Additionally, if there's any insight on T1, T2 firms' DT/IDT team hiring for A0 for the Batcg of 2026.

1.Shivadass & Shivadass

2.UBR Legal Advocates

3.TLC

4.BLC

5.Swamy Associates

6.BMR

7.ELP

8.S & A

9. Huilgol

10. King Stub & Kasiva

11. King & Patridge

12. RSA Legal Solutions

13. Dhruva Associates

“CJI Gavai said that when he was studying at the government law college during the first two years, he would “sit on a compound wall” and rely on friends to “mark our presence (attendance).”

“Then in the last year, I had to shift to Amravati… In Amravati, I think I might have gone to the college maybe half a dozen times. One of my friends, who later became a judge of the High Court, he used to mark my presence… I was third in the merit list, without going to college. Reading Jhabvala (books) and five-year solved papers.”….

“Nowadays, the focus is more on NLUs and CLAT examination. But I am sure that apart from NLUs, other colleges also produce good students. We have seen students coming from taluka-level colleges, who have reached higher echelons. Though NLUs are certainly important, they represent only a small fraction of the legal education ecosystem in India. The vast majority are enrolled in regular colleges and universities, many of which face challenges in infrastructure, faculty… and curriculum design,” the CJI added.

🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

So is it any wonder that these “▮▮▮ ▮▮▮” TLC product judges aren’t interested in helping NLUs and promoting academic excellence? They probably haven’t used Lexis or Westlaw or Hein Online even once in their lives. Probably never read an article by Ronald Dworkin or Lawrence Lessing. Probably never written a paper on crimes against humanity or international arbitration or anti-competitive practices. Law is just a bunch of bare acts to be memorised for them.

And then they come to NLUs, where people are trying to promote at least a semblance of intellectual rigour, and diss us.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/cji-gavai-law-students-merit-list-exam-ranks-10207029/lite/