I do see a lot of kids of Reddit asking questions. But the issue is, I don't feel qualified to offer gyan. I'm pursuing my PhD, worked at 2 top NLUs and yet, I feel very underconfident in law as a career option. It's everchanging- what worked for my colleagues may not work for them. Plus, law schools have become quite expensive - I paid 3.75 as the tuition fees for 5 years, law students today pay as much for 1 year.

In short, I'm afraid that my advice may do more harm than good, so I prefer silence.

I understand that you put forth a number of points here which are valid in their own way, but what exactly are you trying to get at? Any profession is a dead end if you look at it with a closed mindset.

Your point about mid-performing individuals isn’t exactly true. The mushrooming of law colleges has attracted objectively mediocre people to law schools, undoubtedly yes, but I see most people from good institutions doing quite well in the profession.

The notion of a “jurisdiction bound career” is also a subjective opinion. I’m assuming you’re contending that you can only practice in India, but there are several ways you can leave and practice in other countries, same as any other profession.

About the client acquisition skill, it is the same as any soft skill which is crucial in other professions. A doctor cannot be rude to their patients, a banker cannot dismiss their big-ticket clients, an artist cannot disrespect their patron. All have to be a certain way to retain their client equivalents.

I see law as fruitful (and risky) as any other profession in this day and age.

1. Indian Customs Law overview from CBIC Manual 2025 - item 2 on https://www.cbic.gov.in/entities/cbic-content-mst/NzE%3D

2. Primer on Customs Law - https://www.amazon.in/Indian-Customs-Administration-Interface-Services/dp/9389702011

3. GATT (pre-1995) Analytical Index - https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/publications_e/ai17_e/gatt1994_e.htm

4. WTO Analytical Index - https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/publications_e/ai17_e/ai17_e.htm

5. Trade Remedies - Basic Courses (10-15 hours each on AD, CVD and SGD and Advanced 50-60 hours) - https://www.learning.wto.org/course/index.php?categoryid=59

6. India Trade Remedies Operating Practices - https://dgtr.gov.in/sites/default/files/2024-06/MANUAL%20OF%20SOP.pdf

I am interested in learning more about trade law and maybe transitioning into the field. What resources can I use to increase my knowledge of the field and what courses can I do to pivot towards a job in that field.

The certificate courses by WTI and IIFT are super expensive. What are some cheaper more reasonable options to start out with?

Keep your filed ready - ensure that you know your way around the pleadings, including the page numbers/annexures and the date of their filing. This is the most basic one, and it's the one people usually miss out on the most. Once your senior asks you about the page/para number, you shouldn't be seen fumbling and turning pages, but should have the answer ready then and there.

Keep your compilations handy and updated. If you know a matter is coming up for a hearing, see the proposition involved and check if there are some recent rulings by courts on the issue and bring this to the attention of your senior and update the compilation too. If there is an adverse ruling, it is even more important that you bring this to the attention to your senior - helps in being prepared when the court/other side brings it up.

Know the law - this is the last thing expected from the junior most but having a command over law and case laws, it will always give you an edge over your peers and sometimes your seniors too. Though I wouldnt recommend bragging it before your seniors.

A day before the hearing, check the item number and court number, the bench composition and what will be your effective item number.

On the day before the hearing, reach the court before anyone else and inquire from the court clerk if any adjounrments are being moved in your matter. Ask if adjournments are being taken in other matters - lets you keep a track on when your matter might be taken up and inform your senior about the same.

Always, and I repeat always, check before you go the Court that you are carrying the physical files and you know where they are in your bag/suitcase. Ensure that you are carrying copies of the compilation/provision for handing it over to the bench/other side. Never forget to carry the bare acts.

During the hearing, pay attention to what the Bench/other side says - will help in prearing written submissions/synopsis or case updates for your client.

If you have political connections, you can become a sr advocate very easily e.g. Nalin Kohli, Bansuri Swaraj, Gaurav Bhatia, J Sai Deepak etc. Nalin's father was a governor in North eastern states, so he has connections to become AAG. He is fluent in English, so can argue well. Arun Jaitley advised him to start legal practice and was helping him. And I don't want to get started about Jaitley's connections in Judiciary.

How are law firms with wedding leaves generally if you need to take leave for your own wedding during probation or within 2-3 months of joining. Do people get fired over such stuff or are their lives made miserable once they come back. Wanted to understand different people's experiences, especially in tier 2 and boutique firms.

was in dsnlu for a year, gave clat again and moved out this year. i would recommend the same, if you have the privilege of being able to take a partial drop. as for the college, it's not the worst thing ever. the culture is very politically conservative, so you might feel ostracized and outspoken if you are of a progressive bent of mind. the faculty isn't really great, but there are a few decent professors who know what they're talking about. same as other NLUs to be honest. deadlines are fairly chill unless you've got other stuff on your plate at the same time. marking isn't particularly strict, but not particularly lenient either. feels somewhat whimsical at times.

the administration is terrible and the current VC is a very dubious individual who insists upon being treated like god by the faculty he hires. i think he launders money too. just a very messy situation overall? can't quite sum it up in a LI comment. there are enough opportunities with regards to co-curriculars, though reimbursement is an issue. people do get placed, if that interests you, and it's not as hopeless as some other NLUs. people do get into academia and research as well, though there's very little support from the college regarding that field and it's all on you. litigation and judiciary or whatever is always open and that is the avenue a majority of the students choose to take. quality of life is decent enough by college standards, though you are rather far from the city, like 23 kilometers or so. i don't like the student culture personally, but it's not unsurvivable i think.

is it improving? i mean probably. i think going solely by academic standards, each succeeding batch has been better than the last on average. it's just a very meh college overall. though some people in the college are pretty ambitious and driven, so perhaps they could carry the reputation of the college to some extent. but i would not recommend going to dsnlu either ways if that's something you're pondering over

I would recommend all of you read this article https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/16/opinion/israel-hamas-gaza-starvation.html

You are actively propagating lies and you know that. Do some basic research. Some may have been released but not anywhere close to all of them. Even if you don't want to listen to Israel, many other people in the international community have said that Hamas should disarm and leave Gaza. Why don't you argue for that? Once we're done with that, as in, every single member of Hamas is in exile somewhere and disarmed, we can then see if Israel is continuing what it is doing.

If they'd really been doing it "to steal Gaza land", why would they do it now and not anytime before this? God, you people will literally bend over backwards instead of just saying the right answer, which is that Hamas is a force for misery and barbarism in the world. As long as the Palestinian cause has anything to do with Hamas and PIJ, and PIJ and Hamas have anything to do with the Palestinian cause, granting it international legitimacy will be difficult, and next to impossible. In the same way that nobody really cares about Germany becoming rich and experiencing economic growth again, as long as Nazis have nothing whatsoever to do with leadership there.

Most mid range (non-founding) equity partners at T1 will max out at 3 to 5 crores, and T2 (non-founding EPs) will max out at 2.5 to 3.5/4 crores. Of course there are exceptions in T1 (which proves the rule) who will be in the range of 8 to 12 crores. However, even to make 5 crores as an EP in T1, you would need a independent book of about 18 to 20 crores minimum, and in order to be in the 8 to 12 crores range, you need a big multi-partner team pulling in 35 to 40 crores revenue at least.

As a disputes/litigation lawyer my profile is not suited for a foreign MBA. What can I do to make my profile more suited for it, what courses should I pursue, extra-curricular that I can take up. Lawyers in M&A, tech and Gen corp seem to get admissions into the top universities. What can I do achieve the same?

All of this is nonsense. Merely because someone has cleared a stupid exam doesn't mean they are superior to people who have. NLS is on the other end of the spectrum where there is no end of a academic rigour and yet, all that rigour leads to lesser placements than Nalsar.

Recently, I met an individual in Bengaluru who was educated in Pondicherry in a school without a curriculam or fixed subjects. Every learning outcome was taught through an activity, they had sports every day of the week. He was earning well, working as a consultant in IT.

I don't see the point of being bogged down in academic rigour.

Bro, Jindal is filled with kids of NLSIU grads. Your kid might end up there too. 🤣 It’s the way of the world. The moment you become rich you consume goods and services meant for the rich. So shelve your middle-class morality and revisit it with a laugh after 30 years, when your kid chooses between Jindal and Ashoka.

Don’t think Kalyan is sidelined at all. Maybe Mahua has more clout in Delhi because of her fluency in English and marriage to Pinaki Mishra, but don’t rule out Kalyan’s local clout. Remember that the Advocate General is his former junior and remains a loyal disciple. As for Sanjay Basu, he is more invested in Delhi now, because of Abhishek.

So I will stick my neck out and say that the Mamata faction will win! Rathin for VC.

It's between RB and ID/DD (taking the couple as one person). The governing body is split between the Bhaipo and Pishi factions (Sanjay and Kalyan respectively). If the Bhaipo faction wins, it will be ID/DD. If the Pishi faction wins, it will be RB.

Given the recent sidelining of Kalyan, I think the Pishi faction is on the backfoot. So ID/DD is my bet.

The probably part is not true at all. 90% of NLSIU students intern in Indian law firms and would certainly love to get a job there. The overall performance is good for most NLUs, but not according to the NLS standard. The slipping that had already started placement-wise since 2018 is now out in the open.

Moved to AZB few years back from JSA, was making less (probably still do considering the team I was in) but much happier. Kids, not everything is about money, put your mental health first.

A fixed monthly retainer gives you peace of mind to plan, invest or spend. Getting 1 lakh one month and 2 lakh the next month and then back to 1 lakh one month is not for the faint hearted

BO’27 here (delhi ncr)

i’ve heard some firms are generous w their ppl’ but some like Kco noida and Jsa are not

can someone please guide as to which firms will give me a better chance so i can strategise my internships accordingly and not invest in firms which are not big on giving ppo’s. i’ve interned twice at kco and was shocked to learn that i had been working so hard when they rarely give ppo’s. as a first gen i dont have a lot of knowledge about the whole ppo scene so please just help a brother