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  • The Amicus Interviews: Malavika Prasad on legal education, “social capital” & much more.

    The Amicus Interviews: Malavika Prasad on legal education, “social capital” & much more.

    The Amicus Interviews are meant for broader discussions on legal education, and the legal profession at the global level. One of the goals of this series of interviews is to get the views of Indian academics on legal education, both in India and abroad.

    Malavika Prasad is a PhD scholar at NALSAR University, the same university she graduated with a law degree from in the year 2013. In 2016, she enrolled for an LL.M. at Michigan Law School where she was, amongst other things, a Research Assistant to Professor Vikramaditya Khanna.

    You are currently a doctoral candidate at NALSAR University, your alma mater. Did you ever consider pursuing a thesis outside India, and if not, why?

    I did not consider doing a thesis outside India. One thing I learned in my LL.M., was that we Indians look to some countries way more than we do to others, for inspiration on constitutional law issues, and that can have costs. Truly speaking, I think an academic exchange term at South Africa would make more sense for me professionally because they are committed to a constitutional vision much more like ours.

    Besides, I wanted to work where peoples and actors are making claims to the Constitution, and to work with them. I guess I fear that researching and writing a thesis on realizing our constitutional vision from a foreign, and particularly western location, with all the attending conveniences, can alienate us from the audience we hope to write for. I worry that the Indian republic is already very alienated from our constitutional vision.

    “I guess I fear that researching and writing a thesis on realizing our constitutional vision from a foreign, and particularly western location, with all the attending conveniences, can alienate us from the audience we hope to write for. “

    I have to say, I have been quite fortunate to be able to make this choice – not many of us can make it with such ease. Some kinds of work and research might be safest done from elsewhere, especially if one is at risk of losing funding and the ability to keep body and soul together by being in the country.

    Plus, I think a lot of us have very good personal reasons to pursue a thesis abroad – a foreign degree may open doors and opportunities that may otherwise be closed to some of us, or maybe just living abroad is much needed breathing space from the constraints we face here.

    What got you to take up an LL.M. and did it provide what you hoped for? What were some of the highlights along the way, and also some of the things you wish you had known before enrolling?

    Part of my motivation to do an LL.M. abroad stemmed from my having internalized the mantra that getting a foreign degree is the pinnacle of academic success, in my college days.

    The legal fraternity and law-school community I was a part of, is an echo chamber of this rhetoric that assumes that one’s ability is only as good as the degree that certifies it. It took me a while to understand the complex and somewhat elitist premises of such rhetoric, and unlearn this mantra. But the other part of my motivation was to study constitutional law in the US – one of the jurisdictions that courts and lawyers often look to in interpreting the Indian Constitution.

    “The legal fraternity and law-school community I was a part of, is an echo chamber of this rhetoric that assumes that one’s ability is only as good as the degree that certifies it.”

    All the constitutional law I studied in my LL.M. was a giant perspective-building exercise. I now have a better sense of how Americans think of their own constitutional law, which has helped me restructure my own thinking about the underlying constitutional framework we chose for India.

    So, the short answer is yes!

    The LL.M. gave me what I was looking for. As for highlights: the teaching style (“Socratic”, requiring us to reason our impulses hard and critically), the constitutional law faculty (each of whom brought a different yet rigorous approach to the table), the political moment at which I happened to be there, the student groups and activities we hosted, the University of Michigan’s immense work to build a sort of ‘intentional’ student community – all of it stood out for me. It was the perfect place for a consummate nerd to meet and study with others who are similarly minded.

    What do I wish I knew before enrolling? That there is no hurry at all to do a master’s degree. I think we can take away much more, as well as bring much more to the table after we find our feet as lawyers, professionals or scholars. To my mind, the right time to apply for a master’s is when one gains a sense of one’s place and role in the world.

    “To my mind, the right time to apply for a master’s is when one gains a sense of one’s place and role in the world.”

    This might happen after more years of working in fields we choose, not fields that are already charted by the legal fraternity and presented as options to us. I think I put the cart before the horse – we are socialized to feel we need to have a foreign education to find our feet or know our role in the world. Plus I was also unwittingly giving in to the pressure of a societally-written calendar scheduling my masters, marriage and kids for me… But as they say, hindsight is 20/20.

    So, one of the things we spoke about was how, to be polite, overlooked the question of privilege is to most discussions on access to international legal education. Do you think this is changing? And do you think foreign law schools are seeking out a more diverse set of applicants?

    I don’t know what foreign law schools are seeking out in terms of diversity; I suppose the only way to know is if we speak with their admissions offices! But one knows from public writing that western universities aim to have “diverse” student bodies. To my mind, the recipe for a “diverse” student body in a largely white world can often just be: add <student from minority racial group> and stir.

    “To my mind, the recipe for a “diverse” student body in a largely white world can often just be: add <student from minority racial group> and stir.”

    From the context of those of us who apply from India, the question is do all of us have an equal shot at entering foreign law-schools? They might take me as a brown woman from the global south – but what does that mean within India, where I have all this unearned advantage as an upper caste woman?

    Consider the whole law-education process that I came out of: entry into the national law-schools is decided supposedly on “merit”. We know that in the name of filtering for students of a certain ability, merit filters out those who could not access the education and social capital that nurtures such ability.

    There is also the deeper question of why such ability that only some of us are able to nurture has become universalized into some “merit” standard. Once in law-school, some of us are compelled into a Sisyphean obstacle race because these schools are structurally built for a student-type: well to do, upper caste, able bodied, fluent in English and from an urban setting.

    For instance, if exam hall tickets are only handed out if we owe no dues to the university, what does one do if one’s central government scholarship is held up or comes through at a later date? Curricular and co-curricular activities – which become the bedrock of “academic success” – reward fluency in English, reasoning sharply under pressure, sometimes through public speaking, and the ability to bear the expenses of one’s chosen activity. These things combine to define our odds of getting recommendations from our professors (pauses) to say nothing of the inordinate expense of the fees for a foreign legal education!

    “For instance, if exam hall tickets are only handed out if we owe no dues to the university, what does one do if one’s central government scholarship is held up or comes through at a later date?”

    This is not to take away from anyone’s hard work in law-school at all, but rather, to reckon with the reality that some of us have it so much easier than others. So even if foreign law schools are seeking out a diverse set of applicants, the pool of applicants is limited to those equipped to apply to them as a function of one’s social capital.

    On the same note, how do you think individuals like you and me can change things? 

    Hmmm. Perhaps we can reconsider the premium we attach to getting and having a foreign degree. It obscures from view the far weightier issue of what we do with our training in the law.

    “Perhaps we can reconsider the premium we attach to getting and having a foreign degree. It obscures from view the far weightier issue of what we do with our training in the law.”

    I worry that we are still in the mode of treating the global or local brand of the credential as some kind of proxy for a student’s ability, when these end up being a proxy for the kind of social capital one has. If I’m being honest, I think social capital opens doors anyway for some of us, with or without any brand name. Besides, social capital is that gift that keeps on giving – one ends up accumulating more social capital and thus more brand names with it. So within this class of people, should brand names be such a selling point, or even such a talking point?

    The thing is that brand names may be the only thing that opens doors for some of us. So maybe the conversation needs to turn urgently to how to enable those of us who need the degree. In those cases in which it is necessary to have the foreign education conversation, maybe we can refashion how we talk of our experiences.

    It is one thing for me to share what happened to work for me in my application to the foreign law school/s I applied to. It is quite another to suggest, even if subtly, that I have been chosen because of the strength of my application and resume. We can hardly claim a causal relationship between our accomplishments and securing an admission, without reckoning with the many moving parts – the ‘confounding variables’ if you will – that enable our admission.

    “We can hardly claim a causal relationship between our accomplishments and securing an admission, without reckoning with the many moving parts – the ‘confounding variables’ if you will – that enable our admission.”

    In what circumstances would you recommend an LL.M. abroad, and when would it perhaps not be the most pragmatic course of action?

    I think the decision to do an LL.M. abroad needs some reflection on why one wants to an LL.M. at all. What path would I like to be on in my career? What do I think the LL.M. will add to that path?

    For a student without financial aid or a scholarship, a foreign degree closes out careers that are not financially rewarding, because one needs to earn enough post LL.M. to pay back the loans. This means no litigation with some kinds of counsels (thanks to the way in which the litigation system is set up), no public-sector or NGO work, no teaching, and certainly no exploring unfamiliar, uncharted career paths.

    So, a basic factor ought to be whether one is comfortable committing long years to working in a law firm or some other such lucrative private sector job. If that is anyway one’s chosen path, then a foreign education might even be rewarding for one’s standing in the law firm-community. If not, some home-grown options for master’s programs are now on the horizon. Some of the national law universities and Azim Premji University offer LL.M programs that are worth exploring.

    One might find that deeper reflection points us towards exploring a master’s in other allied fields – many lawyers opt for public policy, and some of my peers have entered education. The Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy in NLSIU has an interesting public policy program on offer.

    “One might find that deeper reflection points us towards exploring a master’s in other allied fields – many lawyers opt for public policy, and some of my peers have entered education. “

    A rather under-explored alternative is to take up a writing or research fellowship in India, as an opportunity to learn with our academic fraternity and in our local communities. These opportunities allow us to meld together not only top-down expertise of the academics we work with, but also bottom-up practice and community-experience in our scholarship.

    Some national law universities have research centres run by their own faculty, and tech and science universities like the IITs, and IISC are now starting to study law, policy and society. There are also unaffiliated research organizations which are doing interesting work like CLPR, CPR, NIPFP, etc. and some of these organizations do hire fellows without post-graduate degrees.

    One of the interesting aspects of your work is that you get to teach “living under the Constitution” to children and young adults – could you tell me a bit more about the kind of work this involves? 

    I am trying to explore the ways in which we can make the Constitution a thing to reckon with, in our daily public lives. The times are changing, and our already complex social issues are getting even more complex with the fast-changing nature of work in a time of acute climate and water crisis. Being mindful of the uniqueness of issues in our times, the idea is to have children reckon with what it means to live collaboratively rather than competitively, by reckoning with one’s associative obligations to others in the community.

    It’s an education project that draws its founding ideas from the rule of law and constitutionalism on the one hand, and the need to think innovatively but democratically about the unique issues of our times, on the other. ‘How can we hold our elected representatives to account’ is one part of that exercise.

    At the same time ‘what can we do for democratic politics, without passing the buck to the government, elected reps or the bureaucracy’ is another part. I haven’t figured it out all out yet, but between scale and impact worries, I am consoled by the idea that everything has butterfly effects.

    And lastly, what is it about academia and research that you find the most appealing? What is it that keeps you motivated along the long, possibly lonely path of the academy?

    I think the freedom is most appealing. I appreciate being in a space that is not answerable to any perverting incentives. (laughs)

    What keeps me motivated? Many little things. So many young folks in all corners of India are doing wonderful things for our law, politics, governance and community. They are easy to find and connect with, so generous with their time and thoughts, and I feel somewhat inspired by the idea that we are all in this together.

    “So many young folks in all corners of India are doing wonderful things for our law, politics, governance and community. They are easy to find and connect with, so generous with their time and thoughts, and I feel somewhat inspired by the idea that we are all in this together.”

    Can I digress to say that academia is only as lonely as one makes it? (smiles) Some of us in my PhD cohort are attempting to be intentional about the time we spend with each other – and these are the peers I’ve laughed hardest with but endured some very difficult times with in the last couple of years.

  • Some Expert Advice: Enrolling at the Ontario Bar as an International Lawyer

    Some Expert Advice: Enrolling at the Ontario Bar as an International Lawyer

    In this guest post,  Riya P. Raaj breaks down the process of enrolling at the Bar in Ontario, Canada for those who graduated with a law degree from outside Canada. 

    When you decide to pursue a career in law in Canada, know that the process is a little like when parents say that you pass tenth standard and then it’s an easy journey and you know the truth, deep down, that it never ends.

    The path does not get easier, it’s a series of exams, each increasing in time and mental capacity. I am not saying this to discourage anyone, just to prepare you for what you are about to undertake.

    Sure it’s fun and games when you are pursuing your LL.M, maybe not Queen’s level or Pilani level of fun, but it is fun when you are still in a school system. Thesis or not, it is still a school/college/university setting with notes, smart teaching technology or plain and simple blackboard techniques with enthusiastic teachers and lazy backbenchers.

    Once you graduate and throw those caps in the air (Side note: University of Toronto had no caps to throw), what comes back to your hands is a load of responsibility which no matter how much you toss back into the air, floats back to your hands, heavier than before.

    Let me try and break it down for you in simple terms, how the process works.

    1. You have an LL.M from one of the universities but have a foreign degree, unless you have done the GP.LL.M from U of T or Osgoode course from York, you will have to write the NCAs.
    2. If you do either of the above two courses, no NCA’s. If you do not, then the NCA’s are the next step.
    3. NCA stands for the National Committee of Accreditation. The NCA’s are a set of exams where the assessment is based on the academic and professional profile of each applicant. The NCA applies a standard on a national basis so that applicants with common law qualifications obtained outside Canada can apply, regardless of where they wish to practice in Canada. (See more)
    4. Once you clear your NCA’s, you have to apply to the Law Society of Ontario (LSO) to start the process of becoming a lawyer. [Be warned, the above where just qualifications to get to the application stage. They mean nothing if you do not clear the bar exams that I will specify below.]
    5. Once you register with the LSO you will have to write two bar exams, Solicitor and Barrister. [I’ve been asked this multiple times and I will preemptively answer it, no you cannot choose one. Just because you do not want to practice in court, you cannot choose not to write the barrister, it is an all or none deal.]
    6. That’s not where the fun ends. It is just the beginning. Anyone wants to guess how long those exams are? Any guesses, no? It’s like my dad used to say, the lucky number 7. 7 hours in a room full of snivelling, sniffling and sneezing people.
    7. It is open book if that is any consolation. So are the NCA’s. But that does not take away from the fact that these exams are gruelling and take a lot of mental stamina. You get a one hour break between two sessions but is that enough to take away from the fact that you have another three hours to go before you can go home and moan about what an exam it was.
    8. You thought that was where it ended? No way, the fun continues! You also have to finish a ten month articling (paid interning) period to fulfil your LSO requirements.
    9. The date you write your first LSO exam/when you sign up, gives you a three year window to do both the exams and the articling. A three year window. Beg, borrow or steal and get it done people. I have not had the courage to ask what happens if one does not complete it within a three year period and I do not wish to either.
    10. You get three chances in that three year period to write each exam, barrister and solicitor. Do not ask me what happens if you do not make it, again, I am not brave enough to find that answer out.
    11. You can complete exams first or articling or any way or do the exams while you article. It is your mad sandwich to do what you wish to with it.
    12. Assuming you survived that, you get called to the bar and are given your license and can practice like there is no tomorrow.

    I could sugarcoat it but my mom taught me not to lie. So, there you go folks. Welcome to Ontario’s legal system, hope to see you on the other side.

  • First Person Accounts: Urvashi Jain on the LL.M. at the University of Georgia

    First Person Accounts: Urvashi Jain on the LL.M. at the University of Georgia

    First Person Accounts (FPA’s) are meant to provide a first-hand account of law graduates who have pursued, or are pursuing, a post-graduate course (LL.M. or otherwise) from different universities across the world.

    In this FPA, Urvashi Jain talks about her LL.M. experience at the University of Georgia, where she enrolled in the year 2016. This was two years after she graduated with a B.A. LL.B. (Hons) degree from the University of Allahabad. At UGA, Urvashi was awarded the graduate assistantship, which not only means significant financial aid but also comes with a stipend.

    Were you contemplating a master’s while still an undergraduate student? Or was this something you decided to do after working for a couple of years?

    I applied for my master’s even before graduating with my five year integrated law degree, B.A.LL.B. (Hons.). So I was clear with my vision that I have to pursue my master’s and that too from abroad. UGA was the only university to which I applied. I got the admission in 2014, the year I graduated with my undergraduate degree.

    But with no work experience, I could not bag any merit based scholarship. So, I litigated at the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad as an attorney for two years and then applied again to UGA for the LL.M.; this time hoping to bag a scholarship and I did.

    How did you go about selecting where to apply, what were some of the resources you used, and what got you to finally narrow down on the University of Georgia?

    UGA was my first and last choice. For me, it was like getting an LL.M. from UGA or from nowhere. The primary reason I would attribute to this choice would be the great ROI (return on investment) UGA has.

    It is the first public university of United States and since 1785 it has been holding its place in the education industry. It is a public ivy institution located in a small but self sustained college town, Athens.

    The other reason for pinning only UGA was to get family love, care, support and often times cooked food, as my elder sister was pursuing her Ph.D. from Georgia Institute of Technology in Cognitive Science, Atlanta, which is only an hour and half minutes drive from Athens. I found times news ranking useful while ensuring that UGA is the one where I can invest for a promising future.

    Any advice on how one ought to go about the application process? More specifically, on the written requirements and how early to start with the application itself?

    Before giving any advice on that, one word of caution would be not to quit feeling overwhelmed. Preparing your application package is a hard task and sometimes overwhelming. It would be a good idea to start early in the process. By early I would mean, around May.

    “Preparing your application package is a hard task and sometimes overwhelming. It would be a good idea to start early in the process. By early I would mean, around May.”

    By the end of summer, ideally, the candidate should have a list of colleges ready. This would allow the candidate to leverage enough time constructing each component of the application carefully according to the demands of the respective colleges. The deadlines for the colleges generally start late November.

    Being proactive and early in the application cycle is always good as it gives the opportunity to contest for the scholarships.

    Did you apply for/receive financial aid of any kind?

    Yes, I bagged the graduate assistantship which reduced my tuition fee and earned a modest stipend.
    In the LL.M. video, you mention that the university offers help with internships, and career development – could you tell me a bit more about this?

    UGA has a great career development office (CDO). Also, a unique feature which UGA provides is the Mentor-Mentee program, wherein each student is provided a peer mentor, a faculty mentor and a professional mentor along with full access and support of the CDO.

    The CDO, while ensuring your resume cover letters are marketable, also tries to bring to the candidate or connects the candidate to the latter’s choice of industry or work. This is different from the concept of on-campus recruitment as happens in the Indian colleges. The CDO merely acts as a facilitator and would try earnestly to bridge the gap wherever possible but it will not bring the companies and persuade the candidate to sit for its interview.

    “The Career Development Office, while ensuring your resume cover letters are marketable, also tries to bring to the candidate or connects the candidate to the latter’s choice of industry or work. This is different from the concept of on-campus recruitment as happens in the Indian colleges.”

    Your own choice and discretion in approaching your dream companies/ offices are appreciated and respected by all means.

    How was the LLM experience? Any highlights along the way?

    In one word: amazing! It was a tough time for me as I was in grief of my father’s sudden demise due to a fatal road accident which happened just a few months before I made it to UGA. But my UGA family (yes, that’s what I call it) was very helpful and supportive all along.

    I met great scholars during the 10 months I had on campus, everyone adding something new and meaningful to my life, be it academically, professionally or socially. The professors at UGA were just an email away. The curriculum was a little overwhelming (for me, being very different from what I had experienced in India) but the kind of life I had was unparalleled.

    “I met great scholars during the 10 months I had on campus, everyone adding something new and meaningful to my life, be it academically, professionally or socially. The professors at UGA were just an email away. The curriculum was a little overwhelming but the kind of life I had was unparalleled.”

    I presented research papers in international and national conferences. The opportunities were endless. Not a single day would go by without any activity being organized at the law school. Only the time was short and little burdened with the course work.

    There are some who say that an LLM, international or otherwise, does not help the litigating lawyer – thoughts?

    An experience always add on to your knowledge. In Indian scenario, it might be true that the recruiting companies do not give any weightage to your having an LL.M. degree because of the same myth/thought as mentioned above in the question.

    But the reality is that, a candidate with a litigation background along with an LL.M. degree would definitely mark his presence in the court/firm/office. It’s not just about the degree. It’s the entire personality of a person that gets changed with an international exposure. A personality which is bound to fetch good for the firm, client etc.

    “It’s not just about the degree. It’s the entire personality of a person that gets changed with an international exposure.”

    Lastly, any advice for the Indian law graduate who is considering an LLM abroad?

    Anyone considering LL.M. should ensure that your undergraduate university is accredited from the NAAC else you might have to face problems with the bar exams in United States, if you plan on taking them post LL.M.

    I’d be happy to help anyone with their personal doubts and queries. I can be contacted at urvashjain@gmail.com.

  • The LLM #Admission Interviews: Anitha Cadambi, USC Gould School of Law

    The LLM #Admission Interviews: Anitha Cadambi, USC Gould School of Law

    The Admission Interviews, are meant to provide insights into LLM admissions right from the law school itself. The primary idea behind this series is to provide that little bit of extra information that may not be available on the law school’s website.

    In this edition, I get to speak with Anitha Cadambi who is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Law at USC Gould School of Law. She also happens to be a graduate of ILS Pune, as well as a USC Gould Law alum (LLM ’11). In this interview, she talks about her own experiences as an LL.M. graduate at USC Gould, the US recruitment market, what law schools look for in personal statements, and a lot more.

    (Edited excerpts)

    Looking back, what were some of the highlights of your time as a law student in India?

    If I had to choose a highlight from my time at ILS Pune, it would be the people I met, many of whom have gone on to become partners and senior lawyers at national law firms.

    I found them to be engaging, smart, and extremely knowledgeable.  My classmates and their many achievements inspired me to learn and ultimately teach at USC Gould School of Law.

    And having studied law in India, how do you think an LLM abroad (in the US or otherwise) complement one’s learning of the law? What got you to enrol for an LLM?

    I had always planned to move back to Los Angeles to pursue a career in law, as I had previously lived and worked in California.  With that being said, I looked at the LLM as an investment in my future.

    During my LLM, I developed a solid network of international and domestic attorneys, which created opportunities that would not otherwise have been possible without the LLM.

    “During my LLM, I developed a solid network of international and domestic attorneys, which created opportunities that would not otherwise have been possible without the LLM.”

    Also, with respect to learning the law, the LLM helped me specialize in business law (through the lens of a practitioner) and then pursue a career in that space. As a matter of logistics, the LLM helped me prepare for and pass the bar exam.

    One of the more common questions we get is when to apply for an LLM (fresh out of law school or after a few years of work experience) – thoughts? 

    It depends on your goals for pursuing an LLM.  You will appreciate the knowledge and exposure you get in the US more after you’ve practiced for a few years.

    So, if enhancing your knowledge-base and specialization is what you are looking for, then, I would get some work experience before applying for an LLM. However, if you plan to pursue a career in the US, in general, you are likely to start as an entry-level associate, whether that’s as an intern or law clerk.

    For those with many years of experience, this might seem like a downgrade, but, a necessary evil. I think it just depends on perspective and what you want to accomplish.

    “However, if you plan to pursue a career in the US, in general, you are likely to start as an entry-level associate, whether that’s as an intern or law clerk.  For those with many years of experience, this might seem like a downgrade, but, a necessary evil. “

    Besides, it would be helpful to understand what employers in India are looking for before making this decision.

    Another common question is difficulty in choosing just where to study. Any advice on how to navigate this question? A lot of applicants rely on rankings (US News, THE, QS etc) – do you think this is a good idea?

    Yes. I would look at a few things outside of rankings including faculty, scholarships offered, career and professional support, and bar exam preparation (if you plan to take the bar). Some schools have an Online LLM option if you are more comfortable learning in an online classroom.

    When it comes to the application itself, how do you think applicants should approach the personal statement? What are the things a law school looks for in the statement?

    As much you want to tell the law school you are applying to why they should admit you, I think it’s equally important to tell the law school why you picked them. You will represent the law school as an alum, and that’s something the committee considers during the admissions process.

    “As much you want to tell the law school you are applying to why they should admit you, I think it’s equally important to tell the law school why you picked them.”

    Also, showcase academic and non-academic strengths.  Instead of listing ALL of your achievements, provide the most impactful.  Lastly, tell a story that includes how you will use the LLM in the future.

    You have also experimented with new means of increasing legal awareness – such as audio books. What has the response been to such endeavours? Do you think law schools are also experimenting with new pedagogy methods? 

    Certainly.  More law schools are taking their classes online, like the Online MSL that I teach for, and/or considering hybrid options. Technology enhances legal pedagogy and makes learning “fun!”

    What is your reading of the US legal recruitment market for international LLM graduates? 

    It is a challenging market to enter.  Students have limited time to develop a network, take the bar exam, and get an employer to sponsor them. It’s not impossible but requires a great deal of patience, perseverance, and creativity. Unlike in India, law schools do not offer placements, and this is something Indian students should consider.

    “Unlike in India, law schools do not offer placements, and this is something Indian students should consider.”

    There are Indian law graduates who are looking to join academia outside the country – any suggestions on how they can go about meeting this goal?

    This may sound counterintuitive, but the best way to join academia is to “get your feet wet” and to start teaching, whether that’s as a guest speaker or by making presentations for small private groups/clients.

    I would also consider taking on a mentorship role at your law firm where you are responsible for training new associates or interns, as these are the types of law students you will likely be teaching.

    Lastly, consider publishing articles in your area of practice and become an expert on a particular topic, ideally one that you would like to teach on!

    What advice would you have for the Indian law graduate who is looking to pursue a master’s abroad?

    My advice is that if you decide to pursue a master’s abroad, look at it as an opportunity of a lifetime. Be willing to do things differently, to come out of your shell, and to work hard.

  • Repost: Raushan T Jaswal breaks down US & UK LL.M. applications

    Raushan Tara Jaswal is an incoming LL.M. candidate at the University of Cambridge, and is also the recipient of the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship.

    In this LinkedIn post, she provides a very detailed, step-by-step guide on the LL.M. application process, her reasons for choosing Cambridge over other universities, searching for funding, and a lot more. 

    Given below are some of the highlights of her post. 

    On Applying to US law schools

    The most important thing about applying to the US is that you need to have money to apply. Please make sure that you have an easy Rs. 75,000 (INR) to even start applying to these colleges. This is a fact that is not well advertised, but LLM Programs are highly expensive to simply even apply to. Since I am speaking from an Indian perspective, please keep that in mind going forward. Please read the following steps VERY carefully.

    As soon as you have decided to apply to the US Law Schools, (I will list the reasons why I chose to apply to the US and still chose the UK over the US later in this post) please visit LSAC – Law School Admissions Council and make an account. Make sure this is your Step 1. The sooner you do this, the happier and easier this process will be.

    After you make an account on the website, you will be prompted to pay 2 different fees. Please also do that immediately. One would be a Document Assembly Service (DAS) Fees– $85 (~ Rs. 6,000) and the other will be International Transcript Authentication and Evaluation (IAETS) Fees – $135 (~Rs.9,500) See more.

    As International applicants, for the majority of the schools, you need to pay both these fees. Columbia University is the only university (that I came across) that doesn’t specifically require the IAETS – that is they don’t specifically require an evaluation of your transcript. However, having said that, it is always better to opt for it.

    Once you pay for these services, a Transcript Request Form (TRF) will be generated for you with your unique LSAC Number and the details of the University that you have attended. After you receive your TRF, please make sure you get the following documents from the UNIVERSITY (and not the college that you attended – there is a difference in Indian Universities). See more.

    1. Transcript – this can be a consolidated mark sheet as well and preferably in the original.
    2. A photocopy/copy of your Degree Certificate – this can even be a Provisional Certificate. If it is a photocopy, please make sure that you get it attested from your University.
    3. A Statement of Rank – some colleges like New York University and Columbia University requires them. Even if your college doesn’t officially rank students, make sure you get that on the letterhead stating that.
    4. English Language Proficiency – some colleges grant waivers in lieu of the TOEFL/IELTS. It should just say that your course was conducted in English. You might want to keep this handy, just in case.

    Make sure these documents are all assembled in one sealed envelope with a stamp across the flap along with the TRF which is counter-signed by your University officials. I would also personally advise getting multiple of such envelops ready from the University (without the TRF though) if you can, as you will not have to do this exercise ever again – even if it is for the New York Bar and/or after admission requirements in the United Kingdom.

    …..

    Once you have done this, please post these documents (in the envelope as mentioned above along with the TRF) to LSAC.

    You will need to physically mail these documents. The USUAL time taken is 2 weeks for them to process your documents from when they receive it. This USUAL time is when this is done BEFORE OCTOBER. So please please make sure that you do this well in advance. In my case, it took them approximately 3 months to process my documents. It was a nightmare. So please please take this step very seriously.

    After this, an additional cost of $30 (~ Rs. 2,100) is charged independently by LSAC for EVERY school you apply to. This is over and above the application fees of the college itself. My advice is to NARROW DOWN your schools and ONLY apply to schools that you actually want to go to. Every college will have an application cost of $80-$90 (~Rs. 5,600-Rs.6,400) and you will need to additionally pay $30 for every school, so please keep that in mind.

    You need to send your documents ONLY ONCE to LSAC ONLY for all US Colleges.

    On UK law schools

    The United Kingdom has a much simpler process. It is just uploading of your transcripts and documents online. There are no hidden things/costs involved.

    However, if you do manage to secure admission in any of the colleges, they will ask for a hard copy of your Transcript (Combined Marksheet/Consolidated Marksheet) along with your Degree Certificate/Provisional Certificate/Photocopies thereof as one of the conditions for your complete admission. So make sure you have it ready and don’t have to run around at the last moment.

    English proficiency tests

    Now, this is a question that a lot of people have asked me. You require only one standardised test for your LLM Applications – no LSAT/GRE/GMAT/MCAT – nothing. Just a basic English Language Test.

    Depending on where you want to apply, your test requirements would change. I personally, would, however, recommend you to take TOEFL. The TOEFL is acceptable in the United Kingdom, whereas IELTS is not acceptable in CERTAIN LAW SCHOOLS in the United States of America.

    ….

    Please study for the TOEFL – my advice is to take the practice test in one of the bundles offered by ETS only. (https://www.ets.org/toefl)

    On Letters of Recommendation

    ….

    PLEASE make sure that you have at least 2 Academic LOR’s. This becomes extremely important when you are applying to UK Schools. UK Schools like Cambridge and Oxford ONLY accept a minimum of 2 Academic LOR’s. In fact, even Columbia requires one of the 2 LOR’s to be academic.

    Now, having said that, please make sure you ONLY ask people who know you very well to write/sponsor your LOR’s. If you can just simply get a LOR from your Director, but he/she hasn’t taught you in close proximity and cannot attest to your capabilities, it makes no sense for you to ask them. Also, even though a judge’s LOR will look excellent but if it is based on just one month of internship, then again it doesn’t carry as much weight.

    Every University has its own requirements as to minimum and maximum and they type of LOR’s they are looking for. Most schools look for a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4. You should, in any case, would not need more than 4 LOR’s to apply to both countries.

    PERSONAL ADVICE – The University of Oxford requires 3 LOR’s. I would personally advise that all 3 LOR’s should be academic. A mistake, which in hindsight I would have rectified.

    You need to upload your LOR’s ONLY ONCE to the LSAC portal ONLY for US Schools. LSAC will forward the LOR’s – whichever you select to individual schools. For every UK school you apply, you need to upload them repeatedly.

    On the Statement of Purpose

    What worked for me is that I took a Google Doc, kept my LinkedIn Profile + Resume opened and started writing everything in a paragraph format. Then you start editing and decide your story.

    Fundamental questions need to be answered through your SOP – (not particularly in this order)

    1. Who are you?
    2. Why do you want to LLM?
    3. What have you done in furtherance of wanting to pursue an LLM?
    4. What makes you different?
    5. What do you want to do post LLM?
    6. What makes you, YOU?
    7. Why this college in particular?
    8. How will you contribute to the program?
    9. What will you learn out of the program?
    10. What are your hopes, dreams and ambitions?

    ….

    Tips for your SOP:-

    1. Use simple English. Don’t overcomplicate the simplest of things.
    2. Use simple words – no need to use fancy words either.
    3. Get a maximum of ONLY 2 people’s opinions – a) For English and b) A person who has done what you want to do.
    4. Highlight only those achievements which fit in the course that you want to do. Not anything and everything.
    5. Be consistent.
    6. Have one base SOP and modify it accordingly for every college. Do NOT have multiple SOP’s – you will lose your mind.
    7. DON’T GET IMPOSTER SYNDROME.
    8. Breathe – it is only the most crucial part of your application. 🙂

    On Scholarships

    Apply for everything in India. Just apply. There are 2 scholarships that have their deadlines before/during the time of major college deadlines. Both are for the United Kingdom:

    1. Chevening Scholarship – Early November. It is ideally for people who have worked for 2 or more years.
    2. Commonwealth Scholarship (Nomination by your country of origin) – Mid December.

    Other scholarships that you should apply to, usually after your acceptances. (These also include the ones I didn’t apply to/couldn’t apply to) Keep in mind, some of these are also loan/scholarships which have a repayment attached to them.

    1. Inlaks
    2. Narottam Sheksaria Foundation
    3. Agha Khan Scholarship
    4. KC Mahindra Scholarship
    5. JN Tata Endowment
    6. Lady Merabhai Scholarship
    7. Oxford and Cambridge Society of India Scholarship

    There are many others. You will need to scrouge till the ends of the Earth and this process is very daunting.

    PERSONAL ADVICE: If you are looking for an educational loan, please start the process AS SOON AS YOU GET EVEN A SINGLE ACCEPTANCE. The loan process is another daunting task. HDFC Credila is great – but if you are applying for the UK, they would require collateral. Any other State Banks – like Syndicate and SBI always require collaterals. No matter the amount. So make sure you have enough property to be kept as collateral. SBI and Syndicate give a lower rate of interest if you start paying the interest from Day 1 itself, but personally, I found the entire process with state banks very cumbersome and not worth the 0.5-1% drop in percentage.

    If you are looking for funding ONLY to pursue your LLM, it may not be feasible. So, it would be advisable to keep your expectations in check.

    On US versus UK law schools

    I have been wanting to go to the US for my Master’s and preferred US over the UK. However, after I received my acceptances, I spoke to a lot of people both in the United States and England and these are the reasons why I chose the University of Cambridge over every other school:- (in no particular order)

    1. Cost – My brother and I are pursuing our Master’s together. He is going to the US for his Master’s and the cost of an LLM in the US is (~) Rs. 1 crore. Either way, that cost made no sense to me unless it was Harvard/Stanford.
    2. Specialisation – I want to specialise in Public International Law. The University of Cambridge has premier faculty and an amazing centre for the same. Something which is unparalleled and unmatched.
    3. Doctorate Degree – I hope/wish to pursue a PhD in law and that would be better suited in England and especially Cambridge over the US Schools.
    4. Ranking – Cambridge currently (last I checked) was Rank 3 as a law school and usually has the most Rank 1 fields.
    5. Job Opportunities – US and UK both are very saturated/closed markets for LLM graduates. If 2% of the students get jobs post LLM in the UK, 3% get in the US. Hence, it didn’t add up to the cost-benefit analysis.

    PRO TIP – If you are applying to UK/US in the hopes to get a job after your LLM in the same country – even if you clear the Bar, there is NO GUARANTEE. Don’t think you will for sure get a job. That is probably not going to happen. Don’t hold your breath and no University and/or country gives you a better chance. So if this is your main criteria, please don’t apply for LLM.

    I made a Google Sheet when I was applying. I would advise you all to either write down on paper/do something similar.

    Hope this helps!