This interview has been taken by Nupur, who is a campus leader at Lawctopus.
Please introduce yourself to the readers.
I’m Lavanya Bhatt, a Law student at Delhi Metropolitan Education affiliated with Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi. As a law student, I have always been drawn to the complexities of the legal field.
I am deeply committed to my studies and have always been willing to put in the hard work necessary to succeed. But, I am more than just a Student of Law- I’m also a creative and ambitious individual which drives me to pursue my goals with passion and determination.
Why law? What inspired you to choose law as a career?
During 11th and 12th, I studied PCM. However, the break during COVID-19 pandemic was when I chose to pursue law. While waiting for my result, I researched various courses which can help in my growth as an individual and challenge me on an intellectual level.
Since I didn’t plan on pursuing law, I didn’t take any year long coaching classes, I did a crash course for a month and managed to get a fine rank. When I was in the process of admissions, many people mocked me for switching from “Science” to “Law”. But I’m glad that I didn’t pay attention to any of them and followed the path that I thought was the best fit for me.
How did you land in this college? What exams, struggles, and difficulties did you face on that journey?
Since I was clear about pursuing law as a career, I decided to go ahead with a five-year integrated course. Obviously, with quite less preparation, I wasn’t able to bag any NLU but fortunately, I made it into GGSIPU, which is a public university.
During my CLAT preparation and even till date, I struggled with GK and the most boring but interesting, Current Affairs. Being in lockdown, I couldn’t attend any physical classes and the crash course was also of mere 30 days.
I ordered practice books online, read previous year’s papers and took mock tests. It was quite tough to see the bad scores but I gave my best in those few weeks and managed to bag a good college at a public university.
Tell us something about your college life. How’s life there? The academics, co-curricular, fests, competitions, etc.?
I’m currently in my 6th semester, however, I’ve only spent a semester and a half at my college till now. My classes started mid-way through my 4th semester and it has been great. In my opinion, physical lectures are way better than online lectures since they help you to have a broad perspective via indulging in group discussions, one-on-one discussions, participating in competitions, etc.
One thing which I feel is missing is campus life as compared to other colleges. My college has 4 courses and the campus is comparatively smaller. However, we have great faculties who guide us throughout and the classes aren’t hectic.
One thing that the whole of our education system lacks is the appreciation or motivation for practical knowledge. We are compelled to maintain a certain percentage of attendance which makes it difficult for us to intern. But, overall, my law school experience has been great till now.
Which is your favourite subject? Why do you like it the most?
Alternative Dispute Resolution is my favorite subject as of now. It offers a more practical and hands-on approach to the law, as opposed to the more theoretical and abstract concepts that are taught in other legal courses.
It also provides an opportunity for the students to develop important practical skills, such as negotiation, mediation, and arbitration, which are highly valued in the legal profession. Additionally, it allows for more creative solutions that may not be available in the courtroom.
Moreover, it is a growing field with a high demand for professionals who are trained in these alternative dispute resolution methods. Hence, I’ve been trying to get more knowledge about the working of the ADR mechanisms.
Please share your internship experience with the readers.
In my 3 years of law school, I’ve done the research and writing internships, and internships under advocates which included research as well as drafting. I found most of the internships on LinkedIn, and some on platforms like Lawctopus, Kanooniyat, etc.
These internships helped me gain practical experience in legal research, writing articles, and drafting legal documents such as Affidavits, Legal Notices, Writs, PIL, etc.. I had the opportunity to observe and learn from the attorney’s interactions with clients.
I was able to shadow them as they worked on cases and observed their strategies and techniques. This exposure helped me gain insight and skills into the different areas of law and the day-to-day work of practicing attorneys.
What are your future career plans?
As of now, I’m exploring and learning step by step every day. I haven’t restricted myself to any particular subject since I have come only halfway and I still have 5 semesters with various other core subjects.
Currently, I have got an interest in ADR and Corporate Law. I have planned to work first under a senior personnel/firm/company to gain experience and knowledge before starting my individual practice.
My plans are to keep exploring and learning different nuances related to Law and finally, choose the subject that suits and interests me the most.
Please give a small piece of advice for readers who are budding lawyers.
There are many. Some of them include making a good, impressive, and strong LinkedIn profile as it’ll help you get good connections and Law is all about that. Follow pages of Lawctopus, Kanooniyat, etc., religiously because they post opportunities regularly.
Write research articles, and papers because it’ll help you dive into the areas that you aren’t aware of, and thus, it’ll ultimately widen your horizon. Never wait for the day of the summer internship to arrive, apply in advance which will increase the chances of you getting a nice internship.
Take part in competitions like Moot Courts, and Debates regularly because it’s going to polish your skills in public speaking, researching, etc.
Any pro tip for the readers?
Never ever think about what college you belong to. I agree that NLUs get an upper edge but it doesn’t mean that a student who is working diligently willn’t get any opportunity. You will but only if you work hard.
Never wait for any opportunity to come, grab them with all pride. Never lose trust in your hard work, believe in it. Kickstart it on the first day of your Law School Journey. Last but not least, always consider what you want to do..never ever get blown by what others are wanting!!!
This Interview is a part of our Star Student/Faculty interview series wherein our campus leaders interview the star student/faculty of their college. Stay tuned for more!
Source: Lawctopus
