Top 3 Advantages Of Studying In Best Law Universities In India

 Law is becoming one of the most demanding career options, and the number of llb college in Gujarat and other places is also rising. Every law aspirant is always searching for the best law college to make a successful career in this field. Therefore, opening the gates of top-notch law colleges has become extremely important. 

National Law Universities or NLUs are often considered the best institutions for studying law courses. NLUs features well-managed infrastructure and better teaching methods. Well, everyone cannot get admission in such universities because of cutthroat competition.

This article will discuss the benefits of starting your career from the first-class law colleges in India.

Higher Chances Of Getting Well-Paid Jobs

Law is an interesting field that transforms your lifestyle. Some aspirants pursue law because they are passionate about it. However, some law aspirants are more interested in earning a handsome salary. When it comes to choosing the law college, every student looks at the placement factor. Currently, national and international firms prefer selecting young graduates from top-notch NLUs.

When you are studying from top-notch law colleges, you’ll hear about recruitment throughout the year. Above all, the tentative starting salary package is around 16 lakh per annum. 

Multiple Intern Opportunities

Internships always provide financial stability to the student. There is a common myth that first-class law colleges don’t take an interest in the internship. However, these colleges are more focused on internships because students get a bigger picture of globalization. Internships were always an unheard concept. 

Above all, students start acquiring an internship from the first year itself. Nowadays, the study plan and course duration are curated in a way to adapt innumerable internships. According to various reports, students bag around 10-12 internships in the entire five-year course.

Law aspirants should understand that your CV is only deserving if it features multiple curricular activities and internships. Your higher grades will not be entertained if you haven’t acquired sufficient internships.

When you are a part of top-notch law colleges, your alumni will encourage you for bagging internships. This support and encouragement are only found in top-notch law colleges.

Higher The Competition, Higher The Career Growth 

As we already mentioned above, getting admission in the best law colleges is a challenging task. The passing percentage is around 3-4%. In simpler words, such colleges only accept students with higher grades. When the competition level is higher, there are chances of better growth opportunities. The first-class law colleges around the nation promote competitive culture and attitude that keeps motivating the students. 

Final Words 

Are you wondering where the best law colleges across the nation are? Well, there are certain  best law universities in India. However, there are no substitutions of efforts and determination. These colleges will provide multiple growth opportunities, but you also have to put some efforts and hard work in your course.

5 Interesting Myths And Facts Related To Law You Must Know

 Being a law aspirant, you might have come across a lot of information and rumors regarding this field. You might have heard things such as that the law is all about politics, argument, and bribes. Some might have given you a strange look when you discussed your aspiration of becoming a lawyer, and so on.

But the reality is that the best law colleges in Ahmedabad or any other city produce many lawyers each year, who are serving the country and abroad. 

Today, we'll help you clear out some myths related to the law that will undoubtedly give you a more realistic picture of your dreams. 

MYTH 1: You need to have law as your first degree to become a lawyer.

FACT: How can you become a lawyer without having a first degree in law, right? But guess what! You can study different subjects or maybe choose another field and can still become a lawyer. 

You need to have a diploma certificate in law, and you are good to go. Having a first degree in law is more advantageous in terms of employability, but you can still fulfill your dreams by a diploma in law too. 

MYTH 2: It's a Men's field

FACT: Many young girls who aspire to become lawyers sometimes get demotivated seeing that majority of the population in this field is of men. The fact that most top positions in this field held by men further distort the perception of a female candidate aspiring to become a lawyer. 

But now, the scenarios have changed. The intake of female candidates in law schools has almost doubled in comparison with the previous decade. Females are holding up some top positions in this field too. 

MYTH 3: Always a winner

FACT: This myth acts as an eye candy of law aspirants who hear the success stories of some famous lawyers. Law is a field where reputation can be built quickly by winning cases, but it's more like a house of cards. One wrong move and your fame might vanish. 

So, it's not about the victory that makes a person winner, its about the intelligence and experience that comes with time matters.     

MYTH 4: You are backed up with a job as soon as you complete the course.

FACT: You might have heard that once you complete a law degree, you have a job in your hand with a variety of sectors to choose from. 

A law degree provides certain skill sets, including logical thinking, research, public speaking aptitude, and problem-solving. However, both lawyers, as well as non-law employers, will not greet you with open arms unless these abilities are perfectly honed. So, not only the degree will let you get the job, but it's your knowledge too that will make you employable. 

MYTH 5: Setting up your firm is almost impossible.

FACT: A common misconception about being a lawyer is that starting up your law firm is an unrealistic dream and requires a considerable amount of investment. 

Starting anything new involves cash; however, in this case, you will achieve success by gaining experience and maintaining contacts. Its a time taking process to settle down with your venture, but rewards are incredibly high. So don't lose hope. 

With the above facts, we hope that some of your doubts regarding the law field must have gotten clear.  

If you are willing to become a lawyer, then you can enroll yourself in some of the top law colleges in Ahmedabad and other parts of the country to become a qualified professional.

Latest Developments in Law

Everything requires change. Similarly, developments in the legal system of India is mandatory for providing a better solution to the problems of the citizens of India. Many LLB colleges in India are now emphasizing on teaching and introducing these new developments in the curriculum.

In the last year, there were few laws/ bills introduced in the Parliament and the same were amended as well. Some of them have been listed below:

• Citizenship Amendment Bill: As per the CAA, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh and Parsi travelers who have entered India illicitly that is, without a visa-at the latest December 31, 2014, from the Muslim-lion's share nations of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh and have remained in the nation for a long time, are qualified to apply for Indian citizenship who have lived in India without documentation. They will be conceded quick track Indian citizenship in six years. So far 12 years of home has been the standard qualification necessity for naturalization.

• The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Bill: The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019 is a demonstration of the Parliament of India containing arrangements to reconstitute the Indian-controlled province of Jammu and Kashmir, a piece of the bigger district of Kashmir which has been the subject of question among India, Pakistan, and China since 1947, into two Indian-regulated association domains called Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, on 31 October 2019. A bill for the demonstration was presented by the Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah, in the Rajya Sabha on 5 August 2019 and was passed around the same time. It was then passed by the Lok Sabha on 6 August 2019 and it got the President's consent on 9 August 2019. The presentation of the bill was gone before by a presidential request under Article 370 of the Indian constitution that repudiated Jammu and Kashmir's unique status.

• The Triple Talaq Bill: In a significant success for Muslim ladies, Parliament passed the Triple Talaq Bill, condemning moment separate. The act of moment separate by Muslim men is currently culpable with a prison term of as long as three years. The legislature had the option to persuade the Bill to be passed by the two Houses of Parliament as it had the numbers, and the restraint of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) from casting a ballot made it simpler.

• The Special Economic Zones Bill: Parliament passed the Special Economic Zone (Amendment) Bill, which currently permits trusts to set up units in SEZs. This was finished by altering the past law. The administration said these zones could push development and create business. The enactment prepared for trusts to set up units in SEZs.

If these latest developments motivate you to study law, you can find one the best LLB colleges in Ahmedabad to pursue your dream career. 

Difference between Trial Court Advocacy And Appellate Court Advocacy

Those, who are aspiring for Litigation, always want to know: what is the difference between practicing at the Trial Courts and practicing at the Appellate Courts. Besides, which would be better?

I have tried to answer this question in the following terms:

As we know, trial courts are the courts of original jurisdiction. Trial is not defined anywhere. However, the meaning is clear. It is a judicial examination of evidence, which may be of different kinds: documentary, oral, circumstantial or even electronic. Normally, ‘Trial’ would start after completion of pleadings in a civil case, more particularly, when the court has framed the issues and both the sides have submitted the list of witnesses. In Criminal, it would start after framing of the Charge in warrant triable cases before the court of Magistrate or Sessions court and in summons triable cases after taking a plea.

Hence, now to understand the trial court advocacy, we go to the root of the matter, because before the trial court: initiation of legal proceedings would commence, when plaint or the complaint has been filed before the competent court. In trial court, there may not be any counsel practice of briefing by the advocate, because, the trial court is like lex fori – it is the law of the place, where the dispute has been brought in the first place for the adjudication.

The litigants, here directly come to the advocate to sort out their grievances. Therefore, client counseling plays significant role before the trial courts, as generally there is hardly any conferences between the advocate and counsel, as one has to take direct instructions from the litigant/s only, because s/he knows about the evidence. Before the trial courts, facts are much more important to identify and analyze. How litigation would start that depends upon the advocate of the trial court/s. In many cases, there are two three remedies or recourses to begin with the litigation, as civil and criminal litigation for the same issue or same subject can go on simultaneously and so, advocates are required to explain to their clients that which would be more suitable for him/her and how s/he can proceed appropriately.

Another important point in trial court advocacy is to plan and design the strategy: how we plead, how we can foresee, what evidence we put forward and what we can imagine the counter attack by the other side are the part of this sensible strategy. Here, thinking is more important than mere reading of the facts. One must get an overview of the entire situation that suppose this matter reaches to the High Court, whether this pleading would look sound? How the higher court/s will see our pleadings. Considering this in mind, one has to draft. It is common knowledge to all that drafting is not just writing.

One may write anything, but when it comes to drafting: we have to choose each word very carefully and then put it at an appropriate place with simple sentence formation. One is required to select a particular word or phrase in a way, which is unambiguous and very easy to understand for the judge. Hence, one is required to visualize the picture in the Court that suppose, the judge is reading my pleading – it would be clear to him/her to grasp the meaning what I have stated. This is very much vital in trial court advocacy and then, while leading or adducing the evidence; one is required to prepare for examination in chief and cross-examination and if need be: re-examination. This can be learnt while you jump in the water of hardcore area of evidence. So, if someone is comfortable with these entire multiple and divergent skills, as per his/her aptitude, trial court advocacy can be opted in the beginning of the career and if you succeed, it will last long.

On the other way, Appellate Court Advocacy is totally different and slightly distinctive. Here, one has not to bother for pleadings and affidavits and what kind of evidence will be led. The appellate court is meant for a further opportunity to the aggrieved litigant who lost before the court of original jurisdiction. First Appeal is a valuable statutory right conferred by most of the Acts. However, Civil Procedure Code also provides Second Appeal on substantial questions of law, but in Criminal, there would be only an Appeal and no second appeal.

Now, the appellate court advocacy differs from the trial court advocacy in the manner of conducting the cases. Before the appellate court, usually only the aggrieved party has to take much pain to try to reverse the finding of the trial court and so, the first question in most of the matters asked by the Appellate Court is: what is the error committed by the trial court? How the trial court has gone wrong? In what manner? Where is the discussion on it? Therefore, in reply, the appellate court advocate has to point out the errors and/or mistakes committed by the trial court in giving the reasoning on the issues by demonstrating that this evidence has not been considered at all or that evidence has been clearly overlooked by the trial court. This interpretation is wrong, that construction of document is erroneous… etc.

However, for finding faults in the judgement of the trial court one is required to see the entire record and proceedings of the trial court, as without examining it, one cannot reach to the conclusion that how it is wrong, except in cases of grave jurisdictional error or pure question of law apparently wrongly decided by the trial court on the face of it. Appellate Court Advocacy sometimes looks cool, but not so, as one has to envisage the intricacies of proceedings happened before the trial court and then, s/he can find out actual errors in the reasoning of the trial court.

Those who have actively participated in moot courts, for them, relatively appellate court practice is comfortable, but here the real scenario would be different. Your performance matters, but merits of the case count more. It is common experience of all the advocates that most or judges would like to confirm the judgement of the trial court, if it is in order and mainly satisfy the conscience of the appellate court. Some advocates used to say that for reversing the judgement of the trial court, the appellate court has to exercise more and has to go into minute details, which is hardly necessary for re-examination of the fact in issue on record and so, trial court’s judgement is affirmed. Sometimes appellate court would not like to use its discretion, though other view is possible, but they think that the trial court was in more advantageous position to consider the actual evidence tendered before it and so, they refrain from substituting their own view. The law is also settled on this point, as re-evaluation or re-assessment of evidence recorded before the trial court is permissible, but only because another view is possible, the findings arrived at by the trial court should not be disturbed or discarded.

Hence, I can only say in the end of this discussion that trial court advocacy is much relied on facts of the case, whose area and scope is wider, whereas appellate court advocacy is fought on finding faults from the judgement of the trial court as well as errors in interpretation of law and construction of documents or other evidence, whose area and scope is not so extensive and broad. One can choose either or both, depending upon his/her interest and capacity to bear the burden of precinct of legal practice.

Author : Mr Kashyap Joshi (Advocate Gujarat High Court, Visiting Faculty at Institute of Law, Nirma University, Ahmedabad)

The New Normal Teaching and Learning Experience

“Teachers need to integrate technology seamlessly into the curriculum instead of viewing it as an add-on, an afterthought, or an event.”
– H. Hayes Jacobs

In the past few weeks, all our lives have changed in ways that we never expected and it has made us experience it in ways that we believed was never possible. These tough times have made us think and rethink, create and recreate our responses to the “New Normal” ways of imparting education and expanded the horizons of teaching-learning experiences too. Social Distancing is the new ‘Social Link’ between the Teachers and the Taught. With a will to impart quality learning during these testing times, we have unknowingly explored and implemented all those abilities that, until now, formed the basis of our thoughts for an ideal future for changing dimensions of teaching and learning. Taking online classes, sending video and audio lectures to students, recording YouTube videos and connecting to a hundred students on Zoom, devising strategies to successfully conduct online assessments, etc.,has now become the New Normal, and interestingly, we all seem to be adapting to it quite smoothly. Each such effort is directed towards making this distance learning program a quality experience for the students. These timeshare breaking the myths that quality Online Learning Programs requires a high-end operative mechanism and huge investments.

At the same time, it has also necessitated that Online/Virtual Teaching &Learning should be recognized as a fundamental pillar of every Educational Institutions’ capacity building strategies and techniques.It’s time that Online/Virtual Teaching Pedagogy vis-à-vis Face-to-Face Teaching Pedagogy must be appreciated at an equal pedestal when assessing and evaluating the predetermined learning outcomes. Another positive aspect is that the new technological avenues are opening up and trying to expand its base to further assimilate and refine the future of education system all across the globe. Hence, all the institutes should keep a check on the technological advancements and move towards unlearning and learning during such changing times.

Until now, Online/Virtual teaching and learning was considered as an obstacle to regulating the demeanour and attention capacities of the listener. It has also exposed us to all sorts of noise and clamour that are possibly going on during a regular day in any household, therefore forcing us to rethink the confinements we have placed around the word ‘concentration’.However, at the same time it is to be noted that we cannot avail the liberty of making these distractions part of online learning practices. Virtual Learning exposes all its participants to several issues pertaining to security of one’s identity, threats of cyber offences and intrusions with the Constitutional Right to Privacy. Hence, in order to ensure that the subtle lines of classroom etiquette do not get blurred, it is imperative to follow the commandments of professionalism and be respectful towards to dignity of all those who are a part of it. Practices that may degrade or otherwise hurt the integrity of the Teacher or/and the Taught, must, in all probabilities be avoided. All this would only build up our cynicism against the fact that teaching and learning through Internet Technologies is a substitute for live-classroom discussion and face-to-face interaction. Amidst the excuses for low/poor internet connectivity and faded audio visuals, understanding that Technology is merely a facilitator and not an exponent heading our on-going learning experience is imperative. One must understand that it is purely the need to prevent loss of academia that makes it inevitable to adopt and adapt to virtual learning techniques. All these efforts must be respected in both letter and spirit. In this context it has rightly been quoted by Bernard Bull that “In order to create an engaging learning experience, the role of instructor is optional, but the role of learner is essential.”

In order to better equip ourselves with relevant teaching and learning strategies for further strengthening the learning curve, we must not be completely dependent upon the existing and futuristic technological means. We must remember that Technology and its applications are only a means and not an end to driving our energies towards the vast ocean of learning that awaits our rejuvenation. Somewhere in our unconscious mind, we have also started to realise that apparently the so called “traditional teaching- learning” methods would never be able to replace what the future of teaching and learning beholds. We all are constantly trying to improvise and improve upon our capabilities with each such day passing by. As is our innate tendency as humans- we must learn to adapt the change and keep moving.

Author : Ms Gunjan Arora

Skills You Need to Develop to Become a Successful Lawyer

Every year thousands of students appear for law entrance exams to secure their seats at some of the best law colleges of the country. Out of these thousands of students, few hundreds successfully crack the exams and get into renowned institutes. But only a few students manage to make it big in their careers as a lawyer. So how do they ensure that their career is on the right track and contrive in their legal journey? They do so by acquiring the right skill sets and stepping on the best opportunities required to weave a fruitful career story.

Developing the right set of skills can result in a career of abundance and great success. So, what are the habits that can lead to an inevitable and an inexorable career growth in lawyers? Listed below is a list of skills that you should acquire in order to become a better lawyer-

Industrial awareness–

The topmost skill that an aspiring lawyer should acquire, according to best legal recruiters, is to have an in-depth knowledge about the industry. This means possessing an understanding of recent developments in local, national, and international business. As a lawyer, you will be expected to fully understand how businesses are run and identify social, political, and economic issues that may affect it in the long-run. To gain an extensive understanding of the industry, you can join legal committees, prepare case studies, and read the news regularly. This will empower you to provide pragmatic and business-minded legal advice to clients.

People skills-

In the legal profession, you may often find yourself to be working alongside a variety of people, and winning a case will solely rely on the collective team efforts. You will be expected to collaborate with clients, partners, and the team effectively. Lawyers need to foster a close working relationship with everyone involved in the case. The ability to work in a team and manage people is, therefore, essential to make each case a success story. You should acquire skills to deal with people from all levels of the legal hierarchy. Also, you should be able to maintain a healthy rapport with your clients by remaining personable, polite, and persuasive. This plays a vital role as the clients should be able to trust their representatives and provide the necessary information.

Strong communication skills–

Sharp oral and written communication skills are essential, and without them, you will grapple with executing your duties as a lawyer efficiently. Along with written and verbal communication, you should also possess excellent listening abilities as it helps in building relationships. The right amount of confidence and persuasive language are the key to win any case. While presenting your case in front of the judiciary or settling negotiations and explaining intricate details to clients, it is essential to use clear and succinct language. The same goes for preparing legal drafts as it, too, involves excellent writing abilities and comprehensive knowledge of legal terms. To hone this skill, you can participate in moot courts and group discussions.

Attention to detail–

To win any case or give your clients any legal advice, it is imperative to have a sharp eye for accuracy. A single word or phrase out of place can alter the meaning of a contract, while any misspelled words or grammatical errors can create a poor impression on clients. The same goes while getting information from the client and preparing legal drafts on the same. If you do not pay heed to what the client is saying, you might lose out on critical information that might help build your case. Also, while applying for jobs, it is important to bear in mind that recruiters check for spelling mistakes, punctuation errors, and grammatical blunders. While at college, you can volunteer in peer proofreading to improve your detailing abilities.

These are some of the essential skills that you must acquire if you wish to touch the heights of success in the legal industry. However, there are some other abilities that you must possess along with the skills mentioned above that will help smoothen out your time in the lawyering profession.

• Research and analytics
• Creative problem solving
• Quick decision making
• Resilience and self-confidence
• Client servicing
• Perseverance
• Time management
• Logical reasoning

To conclude, a career in law is not only exciting and lucrative but also challenging. Being successful in this competitive environment requires aspiring lawyers to master specific skills apart from gaining a solid understanding of the laws. To ensure that you lead a successful professional life as a lawyer, you should enhance your soft skills. Equipping yourself with these skills may seem like a challenging task, but you will eventually find that proficiency in one area tends to lead to prowess in another.

Author : Dr. Bishwa Kallyan Dash