Law students: How to boost employability?

Once you gain admission to a Law school, take a deep breath, because soon your eating, sleeping and socialising patterns will be in for a major change!

Law school is one of the demanding grad schools one can opt for but that doesn’t mean that we law students only bury our noses in the Indian Penal Code or the mighty Constitution, and miss out on all the fun.

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Recruiter’s edge
Here’s a little industry secret for you– recruiters gauge your résumé based on academics coupled with extra initiatives. Symbiosis Law School alumnus Srishti Sharma who is currently working at AZB Partners in Delhi further breaks a mighty myth for all of us. “I wasn’t the topper of my class and had grades, which loomed near average scales. However, I debated and took part in mock versions of UN proceedings a lot coupled with some dance competitions and college  fest engagements. I think that made all the difference!” she shares. So, besides academics, here are a list of unique activities that you can pursue at law school to boost employability. Gear up!


Mooting
This new addition to your vocabulary might make you run and consult a dictionary. A legally-oriented activity, moot courts give Law students first hand experience of drafting, deliberating and presenting sound arguments against their opponents. Mooting helps you gain practical exposure, and the opportunity for real-life application of classroom knowledge. Shayan Dasgupta from Symbiosis Law School, Pune reveals, “I use a little sarcasm while I am mooting, and while speaking, I maintain a calm and composed manner which resounds well with the judges who appreciate politeness,” he shares. Some premier world class moots include the highly reputed Phillip C. Jessup Moot Court Competition, Willem C. Vis arbitration and the prestigious national competitions include the KLA moot, NUJS HSF moot etc.

Debating
“There are only two lines of argumentation - mine and the wrong one!” I am not talking about the old school debating where we were made to mug up a speech and repeat it. At the college level you have to be a methodical speaker with a clear perception and the ability to morph your arguments for the desirable effect. A Parliamentary Debate promises a lot of fun and inventiveness because one needs to think on their feet and put up a clever argument. Payal Chhabria, a competitive debator from SLS Pune is often referred to as ‘lightning’ by her friends because she speaks at a very fast pace. “If you are able to speak in a rapid but correct manner, it can help disarm your opponents because they wouldn’t know what hit them,” she says. Some flagship debates include the NALSAR PD Competition and the NUJS PD Competition, which promise amazing prizes and exposure.
 

AKSHAY PATHAK Amity Law School, Noida “I try making eye contact with every person in audience with special emphasis on the panel. Interesting PowerPoint presentations also help earn brownie points”

Model United Nations (MUN)
These are mock versions of actual agenda proceedings of the United Nations where delegates from different countries try to put their best foot forward in resolving matters of international concern. One needs to be articulate and knowledgeable about International policies and conventions. If you are a beginner, you can start from local circuit MUNs and progress to bigger and better avenues. Some well known MUNs are the Harvard MUN, Indian International MUN, Christ University MUN etc.

Paper presentations
If you are not comfortable with the oratory activities, you can always write a research paper and send it for publication or present it during conferences. Throughout the year, there are several calls for papers inviting students to send their written works to journals, law reviews and conferences hosted by other Law schools and independent institutions. The scope is classified into accommodating themes and thus, you can always grab something which really entices you.

“I try making eye contact with every person in audience with special emphasis on the panel. Interesting PowerPoint presentations also help earn brownie points,” shares Akshay Pathak of Amity Law School, Noida. One great website to find out about such prospects is Lawctopus, a student-friendly website which enumerates several opportunities to get your grey matter rolling.

Conferences
Attend symposiums, conferences and seminars which are organised by top notch institutions on important contemporary topics. You learn a lot and it helps your networking skills. Law involves a lot of public relations and it is best to start young. These seminars help you meet like-minded individuals who share the same zeal and drive. It opens a new world for you when it comes to gaining experience.

Extracurricular activities
The world has always favoured versatile people who display a drive to learn. Just because you have enrolled in a Law school, doesn’t mean that you have to retire from activities and hobbies you really enjoy. College will serve to be the best years of your lives and sitting away in a corner won’t help your cause. There is more than enough time for you to participate in dancing, singing, art and cultural events - time management is the key and salvation.

Time management
Time management is an easy trick to master and once you do, campus life is really rewarding.  Law school is an awesome opportunity for you to turn your life around and excel at so many never-tried-before avenues you thought were outside your comfort zone. Life will hand you lots of lemons. Happy juice-making, kiddos!   

The author, Neeati Naraynan is second year law student at Symbiosis Law School, Pune, who blogs at Neeatinarayan.blogspot.com