In this blog post, Ms Shelly Saluja, a Deputy Legal Manager at Reliance Jio and a Mentor at Project Abhimanyu provides advice to a student on how to find work in the corporate legal sector. Project Abhimanyu acts as an external placement cell that guides a student about the available career options and job opportunities as well as helps them apply for internships and jobs. 

Query: I have worked with a judge at the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court and worked with Corporate Legal partners in New Delhi and an advocate at Supreme Court of India as an intern. Presently, I am working with an advocate in Tis Hazari District Courts in Delhi. I wish to work in-house or in corporate law. Please guide.

Answer:

Since you have graduated in 2016, I would strongly recommend that you either continue in litigation at least for a year and a half or if you are keen to pursue corporate law, rather than immediately shifting to a company/in-house I would suggest that you make a shift to a corporate based law firm.

I say the aforesaid for the reason that immediately joining as an in-house counsel may not be very beneficial for you in terms of your career enhancement and learning. What we learn as a practising lawyer forms our foundation and while dealing with lawyers in the Court we build contacts as well. In-house counsels require decent networking/contacts, which you can harness for the benefit of the company. The Company works on a result oriented pattern, they are bothered about solutions and not how you obtain them. Hence, while advising your company, as an in-house counsel, you would need some experience and understanding in your kitty.

I realize that litigation in chambers is not very well paid, but is important for our learning. So if you are not very satisfied with your existing job, you may change and join somewhere else and hone your legal skills and develop expertise and confidence in handling clients, but an immediate move to a company may not be suggested by me.

Also as you stated that you have worked with a High Court judge, (I assume you have interned with him), though he may have retired by now, I would suggest that you harness your contact with him. You never know he can help you explore more options in the legal industry.