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  • First Person Accounts: Shekhar Sumit on the MBA at the Yale School of Management

    First Person Accounts: Shekhar Sumit on the MBA at the Yale School of Management

    Shekhar Sumit on the MBA at Yale School of Management
    Shekhar Sumit

    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.

    This FPA is a particularly interesting one for me; not only has Shekhar Sumit opted for an MBA  at the Yale School of Management, but he has chosen to do this after working for nearly a decade at the London office of Herbert Smith Freehills.

    In this interview the NUJS (’09) graduate talks about the reasons behind opting for an MBA, prepping for the GMAT, his time at Yale thus far, and a lot more.

    (Edited excerpts)

    What prompted you to look at post-graduate studies at this point of your career?

    Before business school, I worked in the energy team at Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF), London. I was always interested in energy and was lucky enough to qualify into the firm’s energy group, working as an M&A / projects lawyer – I had a great time at HSF, learnt a lot from the people around me, and advised on some pretty interesting projects around the world.

    Transactional lawyers bring a fair bit to the table. But then so do folks such as financiers, accountants or consultants! And somewhere a few years back, I thought it would be interesting to supplement my legal experience with financial/commercial know-how via some further education.

    “I thought it would be interesting to supplement my legal experience with financial/commercial know-how via some further education.”

    Of course, there are many ways of skinning that particular cat! You can go for full-time studies, executive courses or even go the MOOCs-way. However, I think I would have found balancing law firm life side-by-side an education course slightly challenging and moreover, I wanted an immersive, learning experience – so, a full-time course was the clear choice.

    Why an MBA? And why at Yale?

    An MBA from a top school offers a great mixture of business theory and practice, an opportunity to learn from faculty members at the top of their specialisations, and interact with classmates from a variety of backgrounds!

    I was fairly sure I wanted to go for an MBA but B-schools come in all shapes and sizes – it took me a fair bit of time to figure out which business schools I wanted to apply to! One of the first things I did was sit down with a blank sheet of paper and make a note of all the things which were important to me.

    “It took me a fair bit of time to figure out which business schools I wanted to apply to! One of the first things I did was sit down with a blank sheet of paper and make a note of all the things which were important to me.”

    For instance, given my career background/future goals I wanted a school which had a strong base in energy. Another thing I was looking for was a school with a small student intake as I wanted to benefit from a more intimate learning atmosphere. Also, I was just applying to US business schools (given I had been based out of London, I thought I would have a bit more to explore and learn in an American school).

    I ended up applying to and getting through a few business schools and ultimately decided to attend the Yale School of Management. The school ticked almost all the boxes I had in mind. Further, I also hoped to make full use of all the offerings across the wider Yale University whilst I was pursuing the degree – at Yale, students can take courses across other professional schools (and even Yale College) and the course credits count towards one’s MBA degree.

    How did you go about the application process? Was preparing for the GMAT difficult given you were working full time as well? 

    The key to cracking GMAT is probably just good old-fashioned practice. The syllabus isn’t all that tough (you have your standard verbals, quant and logical reasoning sections) – however, what makes the GMAT interesting is that it is an adaptive test (i.e. the level of difficulty changes depending on how many preceding questions you got right). And of course, it is a timed test too so there is only so much time you can spend on one question; if you are stuck probably better to cut your losses and move on! So, practice is quite handy in just increasing your familiarity and ease with the format.

    Application essays though are another beast. There is no standardised form and schools vary considerably in terms of both the number and the content of the essays they need. And these essays are much more than just tactical self-promotion – you need to be able to show how well you know the school and how the school’s offerings resonate with your storyline.

    “And these essays are much more than just tactical self-promotion – you need to be able to show how well you know the school and how the school’s offerings resonate with your storyline.”

    So, you may want to reach out to current students, alums or even faculty members as you firm up your essays. And keep fine-tuning your essays and getting other people to read and comment! Also, you need letters of recommendation as well and you would want to tee up your recommenders with as much buffer time as possible. And after you submit your application, it’s a matter of hopefully receiving interview calls (a one-on-one interview and possibly, a group discussion as well) and then you are done!

    All of the above is a bit time-consuming but still fairly doable – just takes a bit of juggling, planning and time management!

    I know these are early days, but how has the MBA experience been thus far? 

    In one word, great! The Yale SOM core coursework does a great job in equipping students with foundations in key commercial and financial disciplines. And the courses are sited at a level so that it works for people coming from different backgrounds, bankers, engineers or even lawyers such as myself!

    Also, I had mentioned the flexibility which Yale students have in taking on courses outside of Yale SOM – so, for instance, I took a course in energy modelling at Yale’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, a friend took a course in psychology whilst another took one in ancient philosophy. There are an incredible number of course offerings across Yale and you can tailor your degree whichever way you want.

    “I had mentioned the flexibility which Yale students have in taking on courses outside of Yale SOM – so, for instance, I took a course in energy modelling at Yale’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, a friend took a course in psychology whilst another took one in ancient philosophy. “

    Academic coursework is just one of the components of life at Yale. You have roundtables, symposiums, speaker series on a variety of topics through the year. And we also do get a fairly eclectic cast of speakers! For instance, I remember attending talks in quick succession by Ram Guha, Ravish Kumar and then Rupert Murdoch! Another highlight was attending a panel discussion with four former US Secretaries of State: John Kerry, Madeline Albright, Condoleeza Rice and Hilary Clinton!

    So, between finishing up your academic coursework, participating in a conference on some really interesting topic, attending a few talks, the social side of grad school where you get to know your classmates and peers better, to figuring out what you are doing post-B-school, the school year tends to go by fairly fast!

    Going back to your time at HSF – what is your reading of recruitment prospects for Indian law graduates? Do you think a degree like a UK LLM would help one’s chances of finding employment in the UK legal market?

    Although, I never studied in the UK a number of my friends did pursue UK LLM degrees and from what I have heard, it is an amazing experience, both inside and outside the classroom. And I cannot imagine how a UK LLM degree will end up hurting a candidate’s chances in the UK legal market.

    Of course, the UK legal market is quite competitive and as you know, a number of top UK firms (including HSF) have fairly well-structured recruitment programs from Indian law schools. That being said, recruitment is essentially a function of the strength of one’s candidacy, the level at which one is seeking a position and business needs/market direction at the time.

    “Recruitment is essentially a function of the strength of one’s candidacy, the level at which one is seeking a position and business needs/market direction at the time.”

    If someone from India has relevant experience, backs that up with an LLM degree from a top university, networks and increases his / her profile during that year, I would think a law firm looking for a position to fill would want to meet that person.

    In that light, I would think that a UK LLM degree ought to help a candidate’s chances in finding employment in the UK legal market – however, employment is probably not a certainty and a candidate may want to factor in the possibility of not being recruited in the UK post-LLM when taking a decision to pursue the degree.

    Lastly, any advice you would have for law graduates who are looking to pursue an MBA and make a similar switch from the legal to the business side of things?

    If you are planning on applying to business school, you would probably want to have a consistent storyline across your application – i.e. a clear thread running between what you want to do, where you are at the moment and where you want the MBA degree to take you.

    Secondly, you may wish to invest a fair bit of time in figuring out which business schools you wish to apply to – the applications take a fair bit of time so an applicant may be better off turning in, say three great applications as opposed to six middling ones.

    Thirdly, you will not find that many lawyers applying to business school – so, there is a bit of work involved in explaining to admission committees what exactly you brought to the table as a lawyer and how those skills will help you thrive in the world of business, both in business school and beyond.

    “There is a bit of work involved in explaining to admission committees what exactly you brought to the table as a lawyer and how those skills will help you thrive in the world of business, both in business school and beyond.”

    And lastly, reach out and speak with as many people as possible – the more points of reference and sounding boards you have, not only will it be easier for you to take a decision but also you may end up making a few friends on the way!

    All the best!!

    (Lead image taken from the Yale School of Management website)

  • The Amicus Interviews: Shilpi Nanda on the Cambridge LL.M. + Ph.D. at National University of Singapore (Part II)

    The Amicus Interviews: Shilpi Nanda on the Cambridge LL.M. + Ph.D. at National University of Singapore (Part II)

    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.

    Shilpi Nanda is currently pursuing her PhD at the National University of Singapore on a Commonwealth Scholarship. Shilpi has had an interesting journey thus far, enrolling for the LL.M. at Cambridge University right after getting a law degree from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University in 2015.

    In the second part of the interview (read part one here), she shares some advice on applying for a doctorate, a day in the life of a PhD scholar, the importance of research and teaching, and a lot more.

    (Edited excerpts)

    How does one go about applying for a PhD? What would step one be?

    A good starting point for anyone interested in the PhD programme is to make a research proposal of approximately 2,000 words that encapsulates the central idea of the project. The research proposal must contain the aim of the project, the key research question, the scope of the research, the relevance and originality of the study and the methodology that would be used to complete the research.

    Some applicants have a clear idea about the topic of research they would like to choose for their doctoral study. However, if you have no idea where to begin, it helps to log on to SSRN or Google Scholar and read the articles that have been recently published in the area that you’re interested in pursuing the PhD.

    Another helpful tactic is to research and find out what current PhDs and leading academics in your area of interest are working upon in different institutions across the globe. You can do this by reviewing their academic profiles on university websites, or looking them up on research gate or LinkedIn.

    “Another helpful tactic is to research and find out what current PhDs and leading academics in your area of interest are working upon in different institutions across the globe.”

    Once you have a rough draft of the research proposal, you can send the proposal to a few academics in your field to see if they would be interested in having you as a doctoral candidate. Every university policy is different, and some universities do not permit interested doctoral candidates contacting their professors before getting accepted for the doctoral programme, so be aware of this. Sometimes professors email back with some rough suggestions, but as most academics are busy, they might say yes/no answer to their interest in taking you on, of course, subject to you getting selected by the university.

    The rest of the application journey is straightforward. Applications for universities abroad open from September, and you have to submit a research proposal, the name of a tentative supervisor, a personal statement explaining your motivation for applying for the PhD and your reasons for selecting that supervisor, a scholarship statement requesting funding for your project, two letters of recommendation and academic transcripts. The selection procedure usually involves one or two interviews for the programme and the scholarship.

    So, the three crucial steps for a successful PhD application are drafting a robust research proposal, selecting the most appropriate supervisor who has specialised knowledge of the field and securing funding for carrying out the project. Securing all three can be difficult, and so require a lot of planning at the application stage and can take more than one attempt. It is also important to remember not to stress too much about the research proposal that you put together.

    “The three crucial steps for a successful PhD application are drafting a robust research proposal, selecting the most appropriate supervisor who has specialised knowledge of the field and securing funding for carrying out the project. “

    The first attempt is always not the best, but the degree will give you ample time to improve the direction of the research. This research proposal is only a rough idea of the 80,000 words doctoral thesis that you would write in the next three or four years. So, at the selection stage, it is not expected for you to know everything about the research.

    How has the PhD experience been thus far? What does a typical day look like?

    I have completed two years of my doctoral studies at the National University of Singapore, and these have truly been the most enriching years for my academic and personal growth!

    I feel that my perception and understanding of commercial laws have drastically improved since I began my journey at the National University of Singapore. As the course has progressed, I have learnt that a PhD is so much more than gaining a specialisation in your field and writing a thesis about a problem. It is also about learning how to manage your time, how to structure a complex idea and how to emotionally manage so many unknowns of the project.

    A lot of aspiring PhD candidates believe it is intelligence that leads them to complete a successful doctoral degree. But in my opinion, and I am sure several other doctoral candidates will agree, it is really diligence that helps navigate one’s way through the degree. This is probably the reason why most PhD students feel alone in the process, as they spend a considerable amount of time thinking, researching and writing by themselves.

    “A lot of aspiring PhD candidates believe it is intelligence that leads them to complete a successful doctoral degree. But in my opinion, and I am sure several other doctoral candidates will agree, it is really diligence that helps navigate one’s way through the degree.”

    However, once a doctoral student gets a better understanding of how to structure the workday and break down the work of the project, these can be the most rewarding years for its career. The PhD years are an excellent opportunity for young legal scholars to make an original contribution in their field and make their gateway into a career in research or academia.

    How a typical day for a PhD looks like is a tough question to answer. This is because the PhD gives you extreme flexibility in the way you want to work. Every PhD scholar is different and has their style of working. Some are most productive in the mornings and like to work from a library; some like to write at night from home. However, the primary goal for every PhD is to get hours of concentrated work every day that contributes to the completion of the doctoral project.

    A typical day for me starts early. I like to wake up by 7 am, as I am most productive in the morning. I usually spend the first half of my day working from home or a common workspace area. The work in a PhD is endless, so I typically give myself a 30-day deadline to come up with a draft chapter. I also have stretches of days, where I just read several academic articles to understand the literature in the area to come up with innovative ideas and solutions.

    “The work in a PhD is endless, so I typically give myself a 30-day deadline to come up with a draft chapter. I also have stretches of days, where I just read several academic articles to understand the literature in the area to come up with innovative ideas and solutions.”

    After lunch, I make my way to the university. I sometimes have doctoral reading groups, where I meet with my other fellow PhDs to attend their presentations and discuss their work. I also sometimes have supervisor meetings with where I get to discuss my ideas on a more one-on-one basis. My supervisor and I go back on forth on arguments for an hour to understand where I am headed in my work. If the semester is ongoing and I am interested in a particular module, I might take up teaching assistant duties or audit relevant lectures.

    Last semester I assisted Professor Hans Tjio and Professor Luh Luh Lan for Capital Markets and Securities Regulation where I enjoyed giving a guest lecture on my work regarding insider trading to masters and undergraduate law students. If I have nothing planned, then I try to get more hours of research and academic writing at the university. I finish working at 6 pm and usually never work after that time of the evening. I enjoy working out, and so either complete a kilometre swim at the pool adjacent to the university or attend a running boot camp with my friends (which is really fun). I usually end my days relaxing with friends or hanging out at the porch in the university housing.

    As a PhD, weekends can look very similar to weekdays, but they are usually lighter in terms of workload and involve some exploring of the island city, rock climbing session with friends or university leadership activities!

    Cliched question perhaps, but what do you think is more important – research or teaching?

    I think research and teaching are both incomplete without the other. They each facilitate the efficiency of the other. As a scholar, if you research and find something ground-breaking in your field, the value of it significantly diminishes if you don’t share it with others in classrooms or conferences. This is the reason why academics make efforts to visit universities and present their work at conferences in different parts of the world.

    Research helps you find and create knowledge, but teaching within and outside the classroom enables you to disseminate and discuss that knowledge. Teaching also helps simplify complex ideas, which is vital as an idea only has merit when it can be explained to someone.

    “Research helps you find and create knowledge, but teaching within and outside the classroom enables you to disseminate and discuss that knowledge.”

    I like a balance of both and so have tried to get as much teaching experience I can while pursuing my PhD. Besides teaching assistantship duties within NUS and I have had the opportunity to travel back to India on a regular basis and give guest lectures at leading Indian law schools.

    Of course, the preference for either is an individual choice. Some jobs in academia require minimal or no teaching but a lot of research and also vice versa.

    An academic career is slowly beginning to gain favour with today’s Indian law graduates. Any advice you would have for those who are considering this option but not quite sure if it is for them?

    My advice would be to apply for research associate positions in leading law schools to get a taste of what it would be like to undertake full-time research. Students can also try and give guest lectures at their alumni law college to get a feel of a career in teaching.

    Another route that students can take is to apply for one-year research degrees at universities abroad. For example, the postgraduate diploma in legal studies or international law offered by the University of Cambridge provides the student with the opportunity to decide if a career in legal research is for them and if they would want to apply to continue as a doctoral student once the one-year research diploma is completed.

    Of course, taking into account that they can arrange a scholarship or finances to pursue the same.

    Lastly, what is your opinion of legal research and pedagogy in Indian law schools? I suppose what I am also asking you is what would it take to get you into a teaching position in India?

    In my opinion, legal research and pedagogy at Indian law schools are still at a nascent stage. Law students in India don’t read and write as much as they should in their early years of legal education. This lack of training and practice reflects in the non-conceptual thinking amongst law graduates. Some Indian law schools also lack the support and resources to encourage law students to develop their research and academic writing skills within the law school.

    “Law students in India don’t read and write as much as they should in their early years of legal education. This lack of training and practice reflects in the non-conceptual thinking amongst law graduates.”

    However, this deficiency in robust Indian scholarship, especially in areas of commercial law, can be viewed as an excellent opportunity for law students who are interested in undertaking a career in academia in India. The first step in securing a teaching position in an Indian law school is to pass the National Eligibility Test (NET) qualification examination that takes place twice a year. The top rankers of the NET examination receive the junior research fellowship which finances them to pursue a doctoral degree in India.

    “However, this deficiency in robust Indian scholarship, especially in areas of commercial law, can be viewed as an excellent opportunity for law students who are interested in undertaking a career in academia in India.”

    Unlike in the UK, a doctoral degree is not a pre-requisite to securing a teaching position in India and several teachers undertake part-time PhD’s while teaching at a law school.

  • First Person Accounts: Vikrant Jafa on the LL.M. at the University of Southampton

    First Person Accounts: Vikrant Jafa on the LL.M. at the University of Southampton

    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.

    Here, Vikrant Jafa discusses his LL.M. experience at the University of Southampton where he opted for a specialised degree in maritime law. A Partner at the Delhi law firm, Jafa & Javali, Vikrant also happens to have studied his law from the UK, with a B.A. (Law) from the University of Sussex.

    (Edited excerpts)

    I know it has been quite a while, but what got you to study law at Sussex? Was the plan to practice in the UK, or you had always planned on coming back to India?

    I was introduced to Sussex by a friend whose son had studied there previously. However, at that time, Sussex did not recognise my ISC. Therefore, I had to do my A Levels (including law), in order to qualify to study law at Sussex. My intention was always to come back to India to practice law. Having said this, I did work with a couple of UK law firms to gain practical experience, before returning to India.

    And after the LLB, you chose to do a specialised LLM at Southhampton – what prompted this decision?

    After graduating, I was interested in shipping law, and Southampton had one of the best maritime law schools in the world, at that time.

    Soon after your LLM, you shifted to India where you enrolled as a lawyer. Back then, was it easy to get enrolled with a foreign law degree? Any “conversion” tests/procedures that you had to take?

    When I returned to India, Sussex was not recognized, but Southampton was by the Bar Council. However, due to my case, Sussex is also recognised by the Bar Council now.

    Looking back, what have been some of the greatest benefits of the LLB and then the LLM to your current practice?

    I have utilised my LLB and LLM extensively in my practice. I have also had the good fortune to work alongside with some of my colleagues from law school. My specialization in marine law has also given me an edge, in that I would be one of the few qualified shipping lawyers in Delhi.

    However, I would advise today’s law graduate to first qualify to practice in India, before going abroad to pursue post graduate studies.

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

    I would advise any Indian law graduate considering an LLM abroad to certainly go for it, as it can have a tremendous positive impact both in terms of exposure, job opportunities and for networking purposes.

  • The Amicus Interviews: Shilpi Nanda on the Cambridge LL.M. + Ph.D. at National University of Singapore (Part I)

    The Amicus Interviews: Shilpi Nanda on the Cambridge LL.M. + Ph.D. at National University of Singapore (Part I)

    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.

    In this edition, I get to speak with Shilpi Nanda who is currently pursuing her PhD at the National University of Singapore on a Commonwealth Scholarship. Shilpi has had an interesting journey thus far, enrolling for the LL.M. at Cambridge University right after getting a law degree from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University in 2015. Her work as a doctoral candidate revolves around a comparative analysis of insider trading legislation in the EU, Australia, Singapore and India.

    In the first part of the interview, she shares her thoughts on the Cambridge LLM (where she was a recipient of the George Spyrou Scholarship), what the Indian law graduate ought to keep in mind before enrolling for a master’s, and the utility of a doctorate degree.

    You enrolled for the Cambridge LLM right after you graduated. Was an academic/research career the plan even back then? Or was this something you were not quite sure of?

    My interest in choosing an academic/research career has been built gradually based on the experiences I have had during and after I pursued the LLM at Cambridge. I applied for a specialised LLM after my undergraduate degree as I wanted to gain a specialisation in commercial law before I began my career as a corporate lawyer.

    During the LLM, as a part of the coursework requirement, I wrote an essay on the wave of change that India was experiencing after amending its insider trading laws for the first time in twenty-two years.

    My essay showcased the need for India to amend its laws further and step up to the international standard of regulating insider trading, given the increased cross-border mergers taking place across the globe. The essay was well received in class, and the professor provided me with detailed feedback on how I could further develop the argument in my piece by examining the issue with a comparative and historical lens.

    As I went on to work further on the essay, I discovered that the Australia, Singapore and the EU were also further amending their insider trading laws almost in synchronisation to each other which led me to suspect a harmonisation trend amongst these countries. The findings of the essay facilitated my interest in research on insider trading laws and raised questions that I became motivated to explore in a doctoral research project. I found the exercise of researching, writing and receiving feedback to create an original piece of work to be exciting and valuable!

    Law students often believe that a doctoral degree is pursued only to undertake a career in academia or research. However, this is not necessarily true. A PhD teaches you much more than just research and writing. The degree plays a crucial role in enhancing skills of conceptual thinking and argument analysis, which are fundamental to making contributions in any field. One can always work in the industry at a law firm or an international organisation after completing their doctoral degree.

    “Law students often believe that a doctoral degree is pursued only to undertake a career in academia or research. However, this is not necessarily true. A PhD teaches you much more than just research and writing.”

    When I enrolled at the National University of Singapore’s PhD programme, I had not yet decided whether I wanted to pursue a full-time career in research and academia. However, after two years of the doctoral degree, my motivation to pursue a career in academia is quite strong. I intend to contribute significantly to the field of securities regulations and capital markets from a comparative viewpoint. Having studied law in three countries across two continents, I am well-versed with Indian, Singaporean, Australian and the EU securities law, with a specific interest in insider trading laws.

    My doctoral work is a current topic that is extremely relevant to the financial markets in general, and the securities markets in particular. Given that price discovery and efficiency of financial markets is based on information, problems could appear in the context of information asymmetry when companies make disclosures regarding their activities selectively to certain investors. Although selective disclosures (such as due diligence) are necessary to facilitate large corporate transactions that are beneficial to shareholders and other stakeholders, they run the risk of violating insider trading norms if the selected investor leaks or trades upon the inside information in question.

    Since this aspect of securities law has not been a subject matter of much research and analysis, and various players are still in the process of coming to grips with the problems, my doctoral thesis would make substantial contributions from the perspective of law, regulation and public policy. I intend to publish my doctoral research as a book which would be useful not just for legislators and regulators, but also market players such as companies, investment banks and lawyers.

    “I intend to publish my doctoral research as a book which would be useful not just for legislators and regulators, but also market players such as companies, investment banks and lawyers.”

    You have spoken about your LLM experience here, but looking back, were there any other benefits of the Cambridge LLM that you only realised over a period of time?

    As time has passed by since my graduation in 2016, I have felt more grateful for having pursued my Master’s in law from Cambridge, as the university has connected me to an inspiring network of people.

    Every year I return to Cambridge to attend the George Spyrou Scholarship dinner that once funded my education, and I get the opportunity to re-connect with my mentors at the college and the ever-growing scholar community. During my visit to Cambridge, I also make an effort to meet with some professors at the faculty who have over the past three years played an instrumental role in preparing me for my career in academia and research.

    My advice to law students considering to apply for an LLM is to try and look beyond the short-term benefits of gaining the degree. Some law students don’t opt for masters in law as they don’t see an immediate raise in salary or a drastic change in the job options that they can undertake after the degree.

    “Some law students don’t opt for masters in law as they don’t see an immediate raise in salary or a drastic change in the job options that they can undertake after the degree.”

    However, in my opinion, the benefits of doing an LLM are experienced more in time than immediately. The degree exposes you to a wide variety of international scholarship and helps you sharpen your conceptual thinking skills, which become evident as you re-join the industry. Furthermore, the LLM allows you to gain a specialisation in a specific area of law and think beyond the traditional careers of a corporate and litigant lawyer.

    And lastly, it connects you to an inspiring network of friends and mentors for the rest of your lives.

    “The benefits of doing an LLM are experienced more in time than immediately. The degree exposes you to a wide variety of international scholarship and helps you sharpen your conceptual thinking skills, which become evident as you re-join the industry.”

    Could you tell me a bit about what you ended up doing after the LLM, and before enrolling for the PhD? Was this time spent on identifying potential supervisors?

    After I graduated with an LLM, I had two priorities. Firstly, to get selected in a leading doctoral programme; and secondly, to gain more research and writing experience at the International Bar Association and India Vision Foundation.

    I spent considerable time researching and refining the research proposal that accurately reflected my vision and ideas for my intended doctoral study. Some of my main concerns at the time were designing a valuable research project, finding a suitable supervisor and procuring funding to support my research plan. I was looking for a supervisor who specialised in insider trading laws, and also had the knowledge of several jurisdictions that I was considering for my study.

    “I spent considerable time researching and refining the research proposal that accurately reflected my vision and ideas for my intended doctoral study. Some of my main concerns at the time were designing a valuable research project, finding a suitable supervisor and procuring funding to support my research plan.”

    Dr. Umakant Varottil from the National University of Singapore was an ideal fit for my project, and I was very grateful when he agreed to guide me in my doctoral study after I received my offer from the university. I was also fortunate to secure the Commonwealth Scholarship that financially supported me in pursuing my doctoral degree at NUS.

    During the year, I improved my research skills by working as a trainee for the Legal Research and Policy Unit of the International Bar Association, London office.

    The International Bar Association has a consultancy status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, and so provides an excellent opportunity to work on several soft policy law issues. I researched and wrote articles on topics such as sextortion, under-representation of women in business corporations, enforcement mechanics of whistle-blowing law, discrepancies in bribery and corruption acts in developing countries and corporate social responsibility compliance by public-private partnerships in India. I also assisted Advocate Jane Ellis in drafting the ‘IBA Anti-Corruption Handbook’ and the Senior Legal Advisor Rocio Paniagua in preparing the ‘IBA Corporate and M&A Law Committee Legal Due Diligence Guidelines’ while I was working at the organisation. My stint at the IBA was highly beneficial in polishing my writing skills for a full-time research degree.

    I also gained research experience with the India Vision Foundation in New Delhi, India, which is a non-profit that advocates for the humane treatment of prisoners in Indian jails. At the organisation, I conducted a review of the NGO’s compliance with the international human rights guidelines set out in the United Nations Nelson Mandela Rules and Bangkok Rules. For the same, I gathered data from personal interviews with all-female inmates at the Bhondsi Jail, Gurgaon, India. By the end of my volunteer work, I drafted a report for the director of the organisation (Ms Monica Dhawan) with suggestions for improving the quality of life of female inmates at Bhondsi Jail Prison.

    Some of the ideas that were included in their next year’s budget report – self-sustaining sanitary napkin production unit within the prison, maternal care services for pregnant inmates and nutritious food for toddlers (under six years of age) residing in the jail.

    The experience at India Vision Foundation was unique as this was the first time I was collecting qualitative data through interviews and was dealing with an area of law that was not my specialisation. I had full flexibility in analysing the data, which tested my skills of managing and structuring a research project.

    “The experience at India Vision Foundation was unique as this was the first time I was collecting qualitative data through interviews and was dealing with an area of law that was not my specialisation.”

  • First Person Accounts: Ashwathy Suresh on an LL.M. from University College London

    First Person Accounts: Ashwathy Suresh on an LL.M. from University College London

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

    In this edition, Ashwathy Suresh talks about her LL.M. experience at the University College London. A graduate of the School of Excellence in Law (Class of ’17), Ashwathy worked in the chambers of senior counsel C. Natarajan for a year before embarking on the LL.M.

    Were you considering an LLM right after your undergraduate course at the SOEL? Or was the plan to always work for some time and then apply?

    Honestly, I was considering the LLM since my 3rd year of undergrad. I had to primarily decide whether I wanted to pursue it immediately after my graduation or if I was more inclined to work for a while. Although, I pretty much had all my documents ready towards the end of my under-graduation, I chose to work for a year because I felt like I needed more time to decide my course modules and topics for dissertation.

    I would say this was the best decision because the final year in law school is incredibly hectic, which reduces the time you dedicate for your applications. I used to feel like taking a year off would reduce my inclination towards academics, but after getting to UCL, my perspective had changed completely. I have peers who have 5-10 years of work experience. So, it is completely an individual’s choice.

    “I chose to work for a year because I felt like I needed more time to decide my course modules and topics for dissertation…I would say this was the best decision because the final year in law school is incredibly hectic, which reduces the time you dedicate for your applications.”

    How did you go about selecting where to apply, what were the law schools that were shortlisted, and what got you to narrow down on UCL?

    Personally, it was either a good school or no LLM. I started researching on schools and courses early on to stay ahead of the game. For instance, one would start by looking at the Law School ranking for that particular year. However, I recommend going a step further and connecting with the alumni who did the same course/module to get an actual feedback of the course & the school.

    There is a trend to apply to multiple schools but I strongly advise against that. Instead, I made a 3-tier category – Dream School, Achievable School and Back up school. In the UK, I only applied to LSE and UCL and got accepted in the latter, which I very glad about.

    I also got accepted to some good schools in the US, but I decided that the UK was a better bet both for my future and financially. Additionally, UCL allowed me to pick and choose my modules which was very appealing. UCL also conducts various workshops and law fairs where you can find representatives from leading law firms with whom you can interact and get an idea about the market scenario.

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

    No. I was looking to apply for the certain scholarships but they had specific clauses which did not hold my interest.

    Any advice on how to go about the application process? More specifically, on how much time one should set aside, the written requirements and getting good recommendations?

    Applications are the most important step as far as a masters degree is concerned. Unlike under-graduation where you have set subjects to complete every term, you tailor your LLM specialisation. Firstly, one must decide which area of law they are most interested in.

    Then, all the ground work about different schools and their specialisation should be completed. In addition to meeting required grades, a good SOP (Statement of Purpose) is an absolute necessity.

    Furthermore, law schools require a good score as a pre-condition in the IELTS/ TOEFL which are frankly not inexpensive exams. So, time has to be allotted to prepare for those exams, to make sure one achieves the required band. As for recommendations, depending on the school’s requirements, one has to get LORs from professors or employers but this doesn’t play too much of an importance for college admissions in my opinion.

    How has the LLM experience been? Any highlights along the way?

    The LLM at UCL has been extremely overwhelming. I have seen a different side to myself after moving here. There are so many things I had to adapt to – right from preparing well ahead for all the lectures to picking a topic for my dissertation.

    The examination process is so different here where I started putting material together two months in advance. If I were to pick a highlight among the many, it would be the friends I have made from different legal jurisdictions; getting to know more about their judicial system and their country on the whole. Meeting some of the biggest legal luminaries, has to be another.

    Your LinkedIn profile mentions that you are keen on becoming a solicitor – is this something that you plan on pursuing in the UK? 

    That’s right. I am looking for new opportunities here in the UK, to translate whatever I have studied in theory to practice!

    Lastly, any advice for the Indian law graduate who is considering an LLM, or any other master’s, abroad?

    Start early, do your research right and be excited to experience something like never before. Be open to new prospects and grab every opportunity to network and meet new people.