Name of the Student
Uddaish Palya.
College and Year of Study
DBRANLU, Sonepat, Haryana, 5th year.
Name and Address of the Organization
SVS Attorneys, Delhi.
Mode of Internship
HYBRID: Physical and Virtual (30-30 days each, Total 60 days).
Duration of Internship
July 1, 2023 – September 1, 2023 (Including Leaves).
How did you Apply?
I sent an email with my CV and Cover Letter to the email address office@svsattorneys.com & srg@svsattorneys.com and got confirmation shortly. I was asked to schedule a telephonic conversation with Siddharth Sir’s Associate Mr. Aditya Goyal, to understand the working modalities of the firm.
A few things that were communicated to me at the outset were that I am free to leave the internship immediately whenever I am not able to sustain myself; an internship is a minimum of 60 days, without any leave.
However leaves shall be liberally granted on the mere asking, whenever needed, but a duration of 60 days will have to be completed with time being extended suitably for the same.
First-Day Formalities, Infrastructure, First Impression
There were a couple of orientations and telephonic calls with the assigned associate accompanied by an Internship toolkit, and various videos of draftings undertaken in the office. 2 days prior to internship commencement I was specifically asked to study the toolkit, watch videos and learn everything with due preparation of notes.
Perhaps I have never heard of any such extensive and exhaustive pre-internship training being offered to anybody prior to the commencement of his/her internship. I was even told curtly that despite being provided with such an extensive training module, if I fail to perform, then ‘chutti’ (leave) shall be given for a day only to study and watch everything. My apprehensions of the office being extra-professional were not unfounded.
This whole pre- internship training is quite a unique idea to even think of. It shows the seriousness of chambers of ensuring performance by interns, who intend to be retained finally to complete the whole internship. Something unique to this place. For the first 30 days of my internship, I joined it physically as that was the requirement. The office is located in Bengali Market, Mandi House, which is at a walking distance from Mandi House Metro Station.
Since I was interning in Physical mode, I interacted with Siddharth Sir on the very first day. Though I had heard from my college batchmates about his nature being quite strict, he personally interacted with me for sufficiently long, followed by a common lunch to make me comfortable with the office environment. Since I am a native of Jhansi, he asked me a few questions on the life of Late Rani Laxmi Bai during lunch and rebuked me to read entire literature on her inspirational life when I failed to offer some basic questions on how she struggled to become the iconic historical figure.
My first interaction was thus on an unusual topic that was outside the syllabus of my internship. I was asked to take out a poem from Google authored by Poetess ‘Subhadra Kumari Chauhan’ on the heroic battle fought by the Rani and read it during the day to be told to Sir before retiring for the day. I realized that day how modern-day historians have systematically distorted Indian history of our nation and deprived our generation of real knowledge, valor and courage of our Indian leaders and freedom fighters.
Main Tasks
During my internship, I had the privilege to learn the practical nitty-gritties of litigation in the office that expects nothing, but the highest levels of dedication and relentless commitment from the interns. I will describe the working style of office with 5 ‘HL’s’ – Highest Levels of Performance; Highest Levels of Commitment; Highest Levels of Concentration & Diligence; Highest Levels of Honesty & Integrity and Last ‘Highest Quantum of Stipend’ if the previous four ‘HL’s’ are satisfied.
The tasks assigned to me revolved around General Litigation & Dispute Resolution, encompassing the drafting of SLPs, Interim Applications, Writ Petitions, Review & Transfer Petitions, etc. Additionally, I delved in-depth into research on a wide array of questions spanning over laws relating to Land Acquisition, Criminal Laws, SEBI, SARFAESI, PMLA, Labor Laws, Contracts, Arbitration, and many more. It was far more diverse than I had even thought.
During this internship, I acquired a solid grounding in the fundamentals of drafting and filing procedures within the Supreme Court and the High Court of Delhi. From e-filing to online defect curing, upto the stage of SLP numbering and verification, I had to undertake every single responsibility with the highest sense of responsibility. This gave me a close peek into the dealing and file processing work of the registry of the Supreme Court in Delhi, something very very vital a lawyer must learn.
There was a day when the office had 6 urgent filings in 2 days, when we were preparing e-copies, removing defects online upto 3 am in the morning. The pressure for listing all 6 SLPs urgently in the Supreme Court was immense with the whole office, associates and my fellow interns working on it. This one off assignment taught me a lot about file preparation and processing, especially in an urgent matter. Thereafter watching proceedings virtually or attending them physically was a routine.
Furthermore, I extensively undertook the task of typing, translating, proofreading and cross-checking various legal documents essential for the filings both in the Supreme Court and Delhi High Court. Translations taught me the basic procedure and first principles of criminal and civil trials in lower Courts. In my duration of 60 days, I translated more than 150 pages in various matters, and proofread and cross-checked more than 250 pages prepared by fellow interns.
I would strongly advise young paralegals to especially undertake translations and proofreading, as it teaches you the basics of drafting and how trials happen in lower Courts. Whenever I had any query, I could freely ring up any client for their resolution. The office facilitates interaction of interns and clients on a daily basis without any hassles and protocols.
Work Environment
Primarily, even before commencing my internship, a number of my fellow classmates had warned me about the incredibly high-pressure work atmosphere. I was a bit apprehensive when I started. Many batchmates of mine have started their internship, but for some or the other reason, weren’t able to continue it and left in between. Several interns joined and subsequently departed midway due to the intense workload and tight deadlines in the office. My determination to work here and learn was so strong that aberrations in office disciplines didn’t cut my plan of internship short as in the case of others.
Be it physical or virtual, for both types of internship, it’s very, very demanding. The strict vigil over performance on an hourly basis of each task assigned and adherence to deadlines is sacrosanct. Associates consistently monitor your work progress, the quality of your output, and may even provide reminders if they observe any lapses in the completion of that assignment. The office places a strong emphasis on punctuality, precision, and accountability, leaving little room for mistakes or improper conduct by interns.
The multiple layered methods of scrutiny in the office is so high that legal drafting is conducted in an organized and error-free manner. If interns didn’t meet the expectations, they were advised to take leave, and in some instances, leave was converted into temporary suspension for a day or two if someone didn’t adhere to instructions. The strictness regarding discipline and deadlines in the office bolsters professionalism and provides ample learning opportunities, albeit sometimes accompanied by challenges.
The office is totally paperless, works completely on digital drives, all files are e-copies, which motivated me to pick a number of tricks of how to work without paper and pen. Post-pandemic, the office has adopted technology to its core and follows a high-tech model for efficient and seamless working for interns through a paper-free mode, despite being a litigation-based portfolio.
Timings are another aspect that is strictly disciplined in the office, especially in a physical internship. I was supposed to be in the office before 10 AM in the morning and used to work late till 9.30 -9.45 PM constantly on all 7 days without any breaks. Late arrivals in office or early departures were monitored through sensors in the office and there was absolutely no scope of breaching the timings. Latecomers were asked to return even for the day with leave counted for them. Likewise, those who were used to spending time outside the office were also shown the exit gate till they fell in line with being glued to their chairs for long hours of work.
Good Things
As discussed above, strict scrutiny on your work inculcates a sense of accountability and professionalism in this challenging legal arena. Seeing the head of the office – Siddharth Sir himself, struggling and working the whole day, even till late night hours most of the days enthused me greatly to adopt the same pattern and lifestyle.
Another most fascinating and noticeable aspect was that Siddharth Sir, despite being heavily occupied, not only promotes a good professional relationship with his interns who are able to continue in the internship but also bolsters personal relationships treating them as his family. Though I was rebuked on multiple occasions for my mistakes, even to my utter dismay at times, however when I felt ill and bedridden during the internship, Sir called me 3-4 times daily, joked and offered to extend medical help and assistance if required.
I realized his strictness was cosmetic but he immensely cared for everybody working with him. For 3-4 days after my recovery, he even carried delicious home-cooked lunches for me with delicacies so that my illness doesn’t relapse owing to the total consumption of outside food.
As a practice, dinner was usually provided to all interns when asked to work physically in the office late at night, that too a sumptuous one of their choice. Though we toiled very much, and worked till late nights but the internship, especially the physical component, left its own sweet memories. On the last day of the physical internship, there was a farewell dinner for all interns working physically in one of the upscale restaurants at Janpath, thrown by Sir. The learnings we had during physical internships, room for improvement, Etc. were all discussed freely in 2-3 hours we spent casually that evening.
Followed by physical, was my virtual phase of internship that turned out to be even more gruelling. There were lengthy assignments through audio clips with deadlines. Coupled with classes, it almost became impossible to manage at times, however, there was no choice.
Weekends were even more hectic and demanding as everybody in the office was aware that we are available and have nothing better to do. Either you take a leave or complete the work on time were the only available options for interns! One of my fellow interns one day even called up Sir & complained that it’s getting too hectic and work pressure is unbearable for all of us. Siddharth Sir in a light mood replied instantaneously with a shayari, which I will remember throughout my life:
‘कश्तियाँ जब तक समुंदर में नहीं उतरती,
तब तक वोह लहरों से नहीं टकरातीं ,
जब तक लहरों से नहीं टकरातीं, उन्हें मंज़िल भी नसीब नहीं होती…
किनारे तोह हमेशा बुजदिल ही खड़े रहते है……’
Siddharth Sir then immediately disconnected the call, advising him not to bother him again. We learnt our answers.
I underwent a significant transformation within myself after completing this internship, & wholeheartedly recommend this internship to all those who have a flair for litigation. Learning was abundant, whatever one may expect, professionalism, technological proficiency, discipline and meeting deadlines, online research, drafting and many others, too numerous to mention comprehensively.
I accompanied Sir to the formal and informal functions of Bar Associations, where also I had a different kind of exposure. A lunch hosted by one of the senior advocates on his election as President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, which I attended amidst heavy rains will always remain etched in my memory.
Due to extreme rush and footfall, on the food counter plates of a hungry, desperate lawyer fell on my shirt. Such was the annoyance, but then I was told that this is real lawyer’s life, a cocktail of everything we have to adjust to. Siddharth Sir offered me his handkerchief to clean and wipe off everything-mentally also.
On the last day of my physical internship, Sir gifted me 2 invaluable books that will be my treasure of life throughout – ‘Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta (Geeta Press)’ & “Yogi -Kathaamrit- Life of a Yogi” authored by Yogi Paramhans Shri Yoganand Ji.
He advised me to read 2 shlokas from ‘Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta’ every day without fail. It will prevent me from falling prey to depression or lack of confidence ever in life and shall always keep me motivated and mentally strong.
The second book “Yogi -Kathaamrit- Life of a Yogi”, Sir asked to read and emulate the lives of great yogis that lived in India once, which the book mentions about. He told me that as a lawyer, we are no less than a yogi; we must practice principles of Karma-Yoga, Karma-Sanyaas with heightened awareness of spirituality in everyday life.
Bad Things
As such in particular there aren’t any bad things, save for one – you are expected to be available all the time, which becomes sometimes difficult in virtual mode. But this is nothing in front of the learnings you are going to get from this internship.
Stipend
I was provided with an Rs. 20,000/- stipend for my hybrid internship at SVS Attorneys. SVS Attorneys offers an appealing stipend to motivate interns to strive for excellence throughout their internship. It’s important to note that the stipend is solely determined by the quality of work and commitment demonstrated by the intern during their internship. If any intern’s performance or dedication falls short, they may receive a reduced stipend or none at all.
Anything Else?
Undoubtedly, although the internship may come with its share of difficulties and requirements, it’s crucial to recognise that these experiences are intended to promote personal and career development. Despite the fact that most of the individuals I spoke to discouraged me from interning here, I can now affirm that these 60 days helped me know my true potential and where I can go with my efforts.
Contact Details
If you would like to know more about the internship and the firm, you can reach out to me at upalyajhs@gmail.com and 7084987406.
Click here to apply for the role of Senior Associate & Associate at SVS Attorneys.
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Source: Lawctopus
