Interview conducted by Bushra Fatima, a 4th-year law student of S S Khanna Girls’ Degree College (a Constituent College of University of Allahabad), Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, as a part of her Campus Leaders Program at Lawctopus.
Please tell us something about yourself.
To start off with my educational background, I’ve done BALLB(Hons.) from Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University and LL.M. from Amity University.
Meanwhile I have also worked as a Law Clerk (Trainee) in the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, where I was attached with the then Hon’ble Chief Justice, Dr. D.Y. Chandrachud.
Post that I have experience of working as an Assistant Professor (Law) for about 5 years and currently pursuing PhD (Law) also.
I have taught in Jaipur National University, Jaipur; Delhi Metropolitan Education (affiliated with IP University, Delhi; Sri Ram Swaroop Memorial University, Lucknow and S S Khanna Girls Degree College (a constituent college of University of Allahabad).
How was your college life?
My college life was great, making me what I am today. I worked very hard during my five years of graduation. I studied hard and participated in all possible activities to my best efforts. During my second year of graduation, I realized, most of my batchmates were participating in various events while I was only trying to figure out what to do.
It was then that I realized I need to buckle up and get started, from then I started participating in all possible activities that I could. I presented papers at various conferences and even won the best paper award at one of the conferences held in Udaipur, Rajasthan.
There were low phases also in these years where I felt very difficult to come out of those depressing circumstances, but I kept going thinking I couldn’t let down my parents. I passed with respectable grades and received love from all my teachers throughout my 5 years in college.
I also had a fear of public speaking but the regular class presentations which we had to give helped me overcome this fear. From this to presenting papers at international conferences, to now teaching, I have overcome a lot of my fears, especially public speaking.
You have attended so many seminars and you have so many publications in your name. What is the key behind these achievements?
I kept participating in all the events which came my way. I did not miss any opportunity because I knew there is so much competition in the legal field and I could build up my CV only by participating in various events. The easiest way was to write papers and present it at conferences. This is how my journey started.
How do you think, developing a research skill and writing of research papers is important for a law student?
Law is one area that is so diversified that it is open to interpretation in every possible way. It is for this reason that it keeps the researcher’s interest alive and keeps them motivated throughout.
It is very important to keep writing on various socio-legal issues to be aware and also spread awareness on current issues. Moreover, publications adds value to the CV and gives more credentials to the work profile.
What piece of advice would you like to give to land government internships?
Students need to keep tracking the websites of all the government organizations or whichever organization they are interested to intern in. The websites publish all the related details as and when there is a requirement of interns.
Few organizations (for eg. CCI) call for research papers and some even conduct interviews (for eg. RBI) to hire interns. So students interested to get into such organizations must keep preparing and following all required details.
You have also adjudicated as a judge in various competitions including mediation and moot courts. What according to you a judge expects from the participants.
It is the confidence, poise and body language with which you answer before a judge or any panel which makes you stand apart from the rest. Coming from a law background does not imply that you have to raise the pitch of your voice or fight with your opponent team to impress the judge. Just be well aware with the facts of your case, the legal points involved and answer them with confidence.
There came a drastic change in law school life from your college days to present law school days. What do you think are the pros and cons of such change?
Earlier, to participate in any activities we had to be physically present which implied a lot of traveling and other living expenses as well as missing classes. But presently most events are organized online which has made it so convenient for us. Financially also it is less burdening upon the parents.
But I would suggest participation in person should be done in offline mode, this helps us in making new friends, interacting with resource persons personally and gaining more insight.
How do you think a student should spend his/her college days by making the most of it.
Participate in all the events you can, take along your friends with you. These will become life-time memories for you once you are out of your college. Enjoy and have fun in everything you do, every event you participate, be it literary, cultural, sports or any other kind.
Any more ideas for students in developing their skills and maintaining their CV?
Try to participate in varied courses, like there are certificate courses on business laws, corporate laws, IPR, etc. You can also take up foreign language courses because they might open new avenues for you in the future. Firms and MNCs often prefer profiles knowing foreign languages.
Make the best use of your college resources and go for internships, conferences, seminars, workshops, etc. this will not only help you in getting knowledge and experience but also help you meet people from different places having different experiences. Make contact with people because networking helps a lot in your growth.
Mention all the details in your CV. Keep updating it regularly. Don’t keep anything for later because often we tend to forget things.
Note: This article was first published on December 01, 2023. We have republished it on March 29, 2024.
Source: Lawctopus
