Name of the Student
Muskan Bensla.
College and Year of Study
DNLU, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, 4th year.
Name and Address of the Organization
SVS Attorneys, 32, Todarmal Road, Bengali Market, Todermal Road Area, Mandi House, New Delhi, Delhi 110001, India.
Mode of Internship
Hybrid: Physical and Virtual (30 days each, Total 60 days).
Duration of Internship
June 5, 2023-August 20, 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 shortly got a reply with a confirmation and a scheduled telephonic conversation with his associate. I was told that my internship period would be a minimum of 60 working days preceding 5-7 days of the Assessment period.
First-Day Formalities, Infrastructure, First Impression
The day before my internship officially began, I had an orientation session where I was extensively informed and trained with all the internship guidelines. I was handed a substantial 45-page document titled “Riders and Disclaimers,” with the instruction that I have to thoroughly peruse and adhere to every line of it during my internship period coupled with another verbose document – ‘Internship Toolkit’.
Main Tasks
The tasks assigned to me revolved around General Litigation & Dispute Resolution, encompassing the drafting of various legal documents such as SLPs, Applications, Writ Petitions, and Review Petitions, among others. Additionally, I delved into in-depth research on a wide array of legal topics spanning Land Acquisition, Criminal Laws, SEBI, SARFAESI, PMLA, Labor Laws, Contracts, Arbitration, and many more. It was far more diverse than I had even thought of.
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. I had the privilege of observing both Supreme Court and High Court proceedings on a daily basis both physically and virtually, which provided me with invaluable exposure to courtroom dynamics.
Furthermore, I extensively undertook the task of typing, translating and proofreading, counter checking various legal documents essential for the filing of SLPs in the Supreme Court and learned greatly about how documentation happens in the highest court of the country. The office also generously provides opportunities to engage and interact with clients directly, that’s an altogether different kind of exposure especially in litigation.
Work Environment
First and foremost, before I could even start my internship many of my seniors and batchmates had cautioned me about the excessively demanding work environment. I was a bit apprehensive when I started, however, I decided to take the challenge however difficult it might be.
Many seniors started their internship but for some or the other reason weren’t able to continue it and left in between. The same happened during my internship as well. Many interns came and left in between due to the excessive pressure and deadlines in the office.
Be it physical or virtual, for both types of internship, it’s very very demanding. The Associates in the office, as also Siddharth Sir, keep a strict vigil over the performance of each and every task assigned, and adhere to deadlines. Associates keep checking your pace, and quality of work and even hauk you up if not found working properly.
There’s a serious emphasis on punctuality, precision, and accountability in the office leaving minimal scope for error or errant behavior for interns. So high is the level of scrutiny in the office that legal drafting that’s undertaken is very organized and error-free.
Interns were asked to go on leave if found not working up to expectations; at times it was suspended even for a day or two if anybody found not working as per instructions. Strictness about discipline and deadlines in the office makes anybody professional and there’s a lot to learn here, albeit with a bitter pill at times.
The office is paperless, works completely on digital drives, and all files are digitized, and created in digital mode which exposed me to another level of use of technology. Siddharth Sir is his whole to utilize technology to the maximum and not use paper at all.
Good things
During my internship, I along with my co-intern had the unique opportunity to accompany Siddharth Sir to Govardhan Parikrama, Mathura on a weekend. He can be likened to a coconut, appearing tough on the outside but earnestly striving to nurture your growth and perfection.
About the internship, there were several notable aspects that stood out. The office provided dinner to interns whilst working late at night physically in Delhi. There’s extreme flexibility offered in terms of taking holidays. However, it came with the expectation of unwavering commitment during the 60 working days.
On the last day of physical internship, there was a farewell dinner in one of the upscale restaurants in CP of all the interns, to commemorate our collective achievements and reflect upon the shared professional journey of physical internship with SVS Attorneys.
Upon completing this internship, you’ll find a transformative shift within yourself, as the office demands the same level of dedication from every intern. I wholeheartedly recommend this internship to those who harbor a genuine passion for litigation and are prepared to invest their lives into it.
You have so much to learn here; high levels of professionalism and professional behavior; what to say, what not to say, and when to say is to be learned; use of technology; working with discipline and deadlines; researching to the deepest point on any proposition; drafting and preparing SLPs, etc. the list is very long to even mention.
Bad things
There’s zero tolerance for any inconsistency or casual attitude in the office toward assigned responsibilities. Talk minimal, work maximum is the day one prescription. Working under constant pressure to meet deadlines is commonplace in the internship even if it’s midnight. If you are assigned work, it is to be completed, come what may, as there are no excuses to be accepted. Having interned both online and offline, I can attest that full dedication is non-negotiable.
Being unavailable without prior notice even for a few hours can result in serious consequences as associates keep assigning work the whole day from 9.00 AM in the morning. Any unplanned absence will eventually lead to the deduction of half a day’s leave from your account. I myself faced a three-day leave for being indiligent and having connectivity issues while working in online mode.
Another issue is uncertainty about the stipend amount which is a surprise element. Two of my co-interns were assessed on a day-to-day basis. One of them got a minimal name sake stipend, which can’t even be mentioned and another who was diligent and sincere throughout walked away with the highest one of 18k for 60 days. So much subjectivity in the payment of the stipend!!! is something negative about the place.
On some particularly demanding occasions, I found myself working until the early hours of 4 AM due to the pressing nature of certain tasks. The office has a rush of work and SLPs, especially urgent ones which were to be done at times overnight when I couldn’t get even a sound sleep of even 4 hours; and then no personalized appreciation for so much work as everybody who’s working here is working on the same pattern!!!
Stipend
I was offered a stipend of 16k at the end of my hybrid internship. However I was also told that had I done better, I would have been paid much higher equivalent to my co-intern, who was paid 18k.
Anything Else?
Indeed, while the internship may present some challenges and demands, it’s important to note that these experiences are designed to foster personal and professional growth.
The majority of people I interacted with dissuaded me to intern here, however after interning I can say that these 60 days have brought a tectonic shift in my personality and the way I look at things professionally.
I had to swallow a lot of bitter pills when despite working I was shown the shortcomings in my work, but as they say, it’s bitter medicine only that prepares you for the worst.
Click here to apply for the role of Senior Associate & Associate at SVS Attorneys.
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Source: Lawctopus
