Hey, did not see this message. I was busy and did not send legal notices to NLU VCs, but filed a complaint to the UGC.

They sent a notice to CONNLU citing the regulations in place, asking them to refund within 5 working days. More than a month has passed and they still refuse to do it. In their responses, they have carefully avoided even the mention of the phrase "UGC Guidelines".

It would be hilarious if it weren't so pathetic.

Let me just say that when Tier 1s start hiking their salaries, it does trickle down to boutique firms and chambers where the bulk of freshers go. I work at a boutique firm and they've recently increased their payband from 30k to 50k. Let's hope others start feeling pressure too.

Anyone know what's the guaranteed minumum salary? This thread claims it's fixed? https://www.legallyindia.com/convos/topic/382152-just-in-sam-bumps-fresher-pay-to-20-lpa

Press release:

Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. Unveils Enhanced Compensation and Benefits Program – Redefining the Firm Value Proposition

New Delhi, August 1, 2024: Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co., India’s pre-eminent law firm, is proud to announce a significant enhancement to its compensation and benefits program, reflecting its commitment to attracting, retaining, and nurturing the best legal talent in India. This market leading revamp underscores the Firm's dedication to ensuring that its top members benefit not only from the best in class work but are also rewarded handsomely, while recognizing the importance of building a support system to fuel both professional and personal well-being.

Key Highlights of the Enhanced Compensation and Benefits Program:

- Entry level associate compensation (A0) has been revised to up to INR 20 lakhs.

- All other Associate and Salaried Partner compensation has been revised based on holistic performance evaluation, taking into consideration efficiency-based performance.

- The Firm will continue with its existing unparalleled and objective variable compensation policy of up to 200% including taking into consideration efficiency-based performance for determining the eligible variable compensation component.

- Introduction of new people centric policies - work from anywhere (2 weeks annually), caregiver leave (up to 3 weeks), paternity leave (increased to 3 weeks), additional childcare leave, health check-ups and sabbatical policies for associates and partners.

Increased focus on well-being and professional development programs:

Well-being has been a core mission at our Firm, having been the first Indian law firm to have mainstreamed the conversation on mental health at the workplace and introduce free counselling for all members of the firm and their families with the help of professional agencies (like AMAHA) engaged by the firm. We are pleased to announce further improvements to our well-being and professional development programs as well, as below

- Annual Rejuvenation Break between Christmas and New Year (25 December to 1 January (both days inclusive))

- Formal recognition of Mental Health Days

- On-site physiotherapy services

- Introduction of a new Workplace Anti-Harassment Code

- Mentorship and coaching support

Execuive Chairman, Dr. Shardul S. Shroff, said, “With today’s announcement, our firm is forging a renewed path. Our people are the cornerstone of our success and we seek to enable them to thrive in their wholeness, professionally and personally with our new firm value proposition. The enhancements to our compensation and benefits program are focused on attracting, rewarding and retaining top talent while fostering a culture of excellence, collegiality and meritocracy. I am confident that these changes makes us the most progressive, inclusive, holistically balanced and preferred employer in the legal arena in the India.”

Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co continues to lead in providing top-tier legal services across various sectors, including corporate, litigation, real estate, intellectual property, and more. The Firm’s dedication to client service, legal innovation, and professional development remains at the core of its success.

Chuk your perception mate, clearing an exam which is meant solely for shakespears and ICSE folks doen't warrant anything about the competance of the lawyers in NLUS. Most NLU folks wouldn't last 2 seconds in fornt the knowledge and skills and real-industry stalwarts like Company Secretaries and TLC folks. Just admit for once you are living in a bubble created a decade ago.

Justice Gavai : "State must evolve a policy to identify the creamy layer among the SC ST category and take them out of the fold of affirmative action. This is the only way to gain true equality." Justice Vikram Nath endorses this view, saying, that the creamy layer principle as applicable to OBCs also applies to the SCs. Justice Pankaj Mithal states that reservation has to be only limited to the first generation. If any member of the first generation has reached a higher status through reservation, then the 2nd generation should not be entitled to reservation, Justice Mithal adds. Justice Satish Chandra Sharma agrees with the view of Justice Gavai that the issue of identification of creamy layer qua SC/STs ought to become a constitutional imperative for the State.

https://x.com/LiveLawIndia/status/1818890657282638017

My prediction: The numerically larger SC communities will be declared most backward even if they aren't, just for votes.

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/supreme-court-okays-separate-quotas-for-marginalised-among-sc-sts-6237025

https://www.news18.com/india/sc-rules-sub-classification-within-sc-sts-permissible-8986102.html

Hey, I'm a Year III at NALSAR. It's tough, I know. It's hard to believe, but this place has some incredibly kind people, and some very interesting ones doing interesting things. Keep your eyes and ears open, have good conversations, you'll make great friends - and there's a lot you can do on campus. Befriend someone from Hyderabad and make visits to their house with them once in a while on weekends. Treat this as an exercise in independence and growing up. It will bear fruit. College is tough, but so are you.

But you will still have a job in IndusLaw right? They are not taking you to CAM but Indus will absorb you in some other team? Ideally this should happen between ultimately indus has hired you in some team but if that team does not exist then they should accommodate you in some other team. How tf will the offer itself be cancelled

Hello everyone,

I am not from an NLU but am very interested in Capital Markets work, particularly in the SME segment. I tried looking at IPO tables here on LI but the information is very old and does not cater to the SME segment.

Can anyone please suggest the names of good law firms with a lot of good, regular SME IPO work I can apply to for a job or an assessment internship?

F-Fixed, B-Bonus (Some of the data needs to be filled))

SAM- F+B (=20)

S&R- 16.8+3

Trilegal- 16.5+3

Finsec- F+B (=16.5)

AZB, Delhi 15+2.5, AZB, Mumbai- 16.2+B

CAM- 16.2+1.8

Khaitan- F+B (=18)

Talwaar Thakore & Associates-

L&L- 13.8+2.2

Saraf- 13.8+2.2

IndusLaw- 14.4 +1.44

Lexygen- 15+2.4

JSA- Junior Ass- 65k, Associate- 1.1 L/month

Touchstone Partners-

Veritas Legal-

LKS- 14 + bonus

Argus- 12.2+3.8

Spiceroute Legal- 12+4.2

S&A Law Offices-9+1.8

What a generic non answer!

Between 2020-2022 firms froze their funds and major expenses, expansion plans etc due to Covid. Around this time, the big dollars also froze up due to the funding winter, economic downturn in the US and only eased up in 2023. So while there were still record breaking profits, there was a general theme of caution and lowered risk appetites across the board. On the other hand this led to a lot of cash and equity surplus in firms. We've now entered the spend to earn phase of the big law firms and you'll see this market consolidation and rejiggling happen for a few more months.

I like to think I am the king of losers. Ambling through work, always being devious in personal relationships, doing only things for show, never being satisfied with myself or happy, always waiting to get fired, thinking juniors joke behind my back that I know nothing, family life sucks, always find a way to sabotage romantic relationships, choosing to stay home and jer* off to anything, completely oblivious to what’s happening in the world, glorify being a loser, having thoughts of quitting everything and not telling anybody and just now walking the streets till the street dogs eat my flesh, wondering how can anybody care about me, getting gaslighted by bosses into working more, always fucking up work just by not paying attention, sometimes laughing at all the fools around me in their corporate uniforms aiming to make partner, sometimes being jealous at how ‘smart’ they are, having flashes of peeing on my bosses head, spiralling into thoughts of death setting me free for days, going drinking every night, not exercising to ensure I die faster, smoking multiple packs of cigarettes every day, giving excuses to family for not making it home on occasions, when I get there being reminded of how dysfunctional family is, eating junk, walking hungover in office and feel all eyes on me, living alone so that nobody interferes when I am spiralling, sometimes even finding joy in being a loser and being the king of all losers.

everyone feels like a loser sometimes. My linkedin and insta might inspire envy. I did TI school, fancy llm, fancy job thing. But I know that my parents hate each other. that most of my classmates disliked me, that my friends all leave and that finding a partner is impossible- because no one likes me and even if someone does- I dont like them. I know that ive had hundreds of rejections. I know that even after being established in career that im basically always feeling like an imposter. I worry about being found out and exposed. I know that im over weight and awkward and have bad skin.

The thing is- these feelings arent actually important. However much we might feel them. It actually doesnt matter if we're losers. It only matters if we go out everyday and try and do better and try and be of use to other people. thats the whole damn game.

Hey buddy,

I will try to help you out. Please join my discord server and message me there. We will sort everything out.

Don’t feel alone as I too am in the same boat as you, just that I am still in law school and have not graduated yet.

Link of the server:
▮▮▮
(link redacted, is a 404 link)

Do reply back in case you’re unable to join. I will find any other method to invite you elsewhere. :)

Loser as in a messed up life in all sense.. had a tough childhood, not great at studies, got an average or tier less law school, graduated unemployed or work at a shitty place which pays peanuts etc. Whats your story?

For the record I identify as one. Divorced parents, bullying by classmates at school, getting picked on by teachers, toxic abusive household, rare incurable genetic condition, no real friends or partner, loneliness, shitty grades, scopeless and hopeless college, rejections from internships, jobless graduate, no personality, pessimism and no money to afford therapy. Those are some of my reasons for identifying as a loser. Each day I wonder when will all this come to an end.. I don't wanna live like this. Infact no one should live like this.

I don't know what I'm trying to achieve with this post anymore. writing this at 3:30 am...when all normal people are sleeping.

Or are you people normal? Or you also have these thoughts?

My life now:

- Practically semi-retired in my 30s.

- Work as a litigator for an average of 6-8 hours a week, that's all. During certain cases, it can rise to 20 hours a week, but not more than that. I pick and choose my cases, turn down many briefs.

- Earn a comfortable income of approx 75-80 lakhs a year through fees and 20 lakhs through investments.

- With so much free time, lots of time to play sports. Lucky to be a member of one of the premier clubs of India. My drinking buddy is a former Indian sports star, my squash buddy is a well-known CEO.

- Fortunate to belong to an affluent family.

- Have travelled the world.

In terms of regrets, I find law boring and am tired of law. That's why I limit my work. I have an LLM from abroad and loved studying there, but law as an academic discipline and law as practised in Indian courts are completely different. So perhaps I should have done an MBA instead. I was hoping to get married, but the girl I was seeing left me because she didn't like the fact that I was not aiming higher in life and working more hours, given that every second litigator in town earns in crores, owns a couple of flats in London etc. She eventually married an American banker and now lives in New York 🤣

So a mixed life, I guess. Some happiness and comfort, some sadness and regret.

For context, I stayed up every night binge-watching netflix shows two months leading up to the CET. Didn't study AT ALL. I got into the top ranks, somehow. Impostor syndrome is hard on me already but adding to that is, everywhere I look shit on GLC up it's all negative or critical, about how GLC is a relic and pretty shite now, and it makes me worried. I mean it's pretty obvious through T1 and T2 firm placement reports that NLUs and Jindal are given disproportionate priority. Is my only option BCI regulation violating levels of interning for 3-4 years during my course?

This part's for GLC Alums ; can I expect anything at all from the placements cell for internships/placements if my grades are top-notch? Have your classmates/seniors gotten PPOs during your time?

Latest statement from this "genius", as usual with zero understanding:

https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/markets/sebi-household-derivative-losses-macro-issue-12782739.html

She seems to be the real mastermind behind the new capital gains taxes and move to curb retail investors. Why does she have such a problem if young middle-class investors make money off some small trades? Why does she have to impose her conservative, licence raj-era, boomer standards on us? Also, what is she doing about billionaire businessmen who indulge in thousands of scams and get away?

TOTAL HYPOCRITE!

Hi - realistically, if you are T3, a shift to a tier 1 may be difficult. Now, depending on the practice area, I would recommend you read up documents and concepts very thoroughly, learn the relevant legislations, - works for corp and employment practices. Idea being to skill up, take 1-2 relevant courses, focus on proof reading, know common interview technical questions and be prepared for answers for those.

It may be easier to shift to a T2 or a firm just outside the big 6 - like Indus, Samvad, Quillion etc. in a year. Spend two years there and then move to a T1 with your unskilled self so that even if you are discounted at joining, your performance may regularise you in a year or two.

Reach out to headhunters and understand vacancies. Then apply. It’s a more simpler route than cold emailing. You can also try reaching out to people you know in the firm you want to go to, to see if they can share your CV for an entry level interview.

Good luck!

Having worked 10 years with in-house and Tier I law firm, I can try answering your query here. The A0 salary posted by many of the T1 firms is for freshers from certain colleges. In case you are from the same league of schools, you will be paid the salary bracket applicable for A1 (and not A0 - your experience counts!). However, if you are not, it is totally the firm's decision to say park you at 2x of your last drawn salary, which will still be a win-win situation for the firm and you ofcourse. Trust me, they will not pay the equivalent of what the A1 would be making at that point of time or was making a year before as A0. You will grow with your own pace and might not be making same as your colleague from a different/desirable school. Nonetheless, if your performance is better than your colleague, the firm would ensure giving you better raise+bonus to bring you closer or even surpass your colleague. I have personally experienced this.

Switching to a T1 from a T3 is unrealistic at 1 year. Later when you do eventually get to make a switch (say in 4 years or so), they'll discount your work-ex and pay you as if you were a second / third year. Odds are that'll still be significantly more than what you make at the time and so you'll just take it if you are trying to switch solely for money.

There are similar threads on Legally India.

In the Indian context BigLaw means Mumbai, Delhi NCR (Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon) and Bangalore......

Almost all hiring, any serious deals etc is done in these three offices in the exact order.

To work in these three offices local language requirements (Tamil, Kannada or even Hindi) doesn't exist. Hiring is done on a national level.

Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Kolkata Ahmedabad etc - these are namesake practices for BigLaw national firms. There is always a HYPE around these cities. But so far even after a decade nothing serious has happened.

Chennai National Practices are basically local tie ups of national practices with local Chennai lawyers or law firms.

For example - Khaitan Chennai is Assentio Legal, a local Chennai Law firm.

JSA Chennai is CLA (Formerly known as Commercial Law Associates)

Even most Chennai based M&A Deals, Cap Marks Transactions are done in Bangalore or Mumbai offices. TN is a big industrial economy. But not for BigLaw.

Pay is also lower in Chennai based law firms, including at BigLaw national practices.

Chennai firms mostly hire locally from TN based law colleges like Sastra, GLC or TNNLU.

Usually pay is (as told by colleagues who interned in Chennai)

60K in Tier 1 firms (National Practices) Some exceptions are there and pay according to national standards.

30 to 40K in firms like ICUL, HSB (Best in Chennai)

80K in LKS (exceptionally high for Chennai standards)

15 to 20K - paid by senior advocates (who gross over 5 crore per year)

Anyways just posting some threads

https://www.legallyindia.com/convos/topic/266717-highest-paying-law-firms-in-chennai#comment-267122

https://www.legallyindia.com/convos/topic/325227-khaitan-chennai