The romanticisation of law schools that has happened over the last decade has made them an end in themselves, rather than simply being the means to an end you pursue. For most, making it to the top NLU would mean that they are guaranteed high-salary jobs, instant social mobility, and some glory. As in the case of, say Bitcoin, as the demand of an NLU seat increases, so does its perceived value.

It is only after making it to a law school that one realises that they are expected to work even more for five long years to achieve what they want. The competition that they faced during their CLAT prep days is now replaced with the competition from their batchmates. Everyone wants to win more moots, publish more papers, participate in debates, and do fancy internships in an effort to boost their CVs and stay a step ahead of others in the race. The strong insecurity generates anxiety when they see others doing something that they are not doing. You lose sleep, feel restless, and overall, drive yourself mad with the fear of losing out.

Take a pause. Breathe.

In the past two months, I have been asked the variations of same questions from several people starting their law school journeys. And I found it easier to write a post here than to reply to each individually. While I put down the pointers drawn out from my own experience at NALSAR, I must admit that I have barely lived these myself. In the hindsight, my law school life surely could have been better than it was. And hence, while you may take my advice for what it is worth, you should not take any lesson from my own law school life, for you can do much better!

Here is a list of seven pins one must keep in mind:

1. Grades. A lot of narratives tend to undermine the marks you score. While grades are not everything, they are something. When you apply for internships or jobs, your CGPA tends to stand out. There are always people who achieve a lot with a low CGPA, but do not mistake this exception for the rule. Good grades show that you were attentive in classes, did your readings responsibly, wrote your exams well, and perhaps, have good knowledge and clarity. Make sure you follow your classes and its assignments to write good exams, and strive to be in the top ten of your batch.

2. Moot Courts. This is where the overkill occurs. The glamour of standing at the podium in an elegant suit and firing away arguments is quite appealing. But it is important that you look beyond this façade. Moot courts are an excellent way of achieving conceptual clarity, confidence, and enhancing your skills. No other law school activity comes close. However, you must tread carefully. Three factors are important in choosing the competition:

a. Your teammates: Ensure that they aren’t your closest of friends. If they are, doubly ensure that your personal relationship isn’t hurt in all the bickering of who gets to do what.

b. The topic: It is not sensible to do an International Law or Taxation Law moot in the first or the second year. There’s time and tide for everything. I learnt this the hard way when I did a Tax Law moot in my second year and was clueless of the most basic concepts simply because we had not done Tax Law as a part of my course, which was to come in the third year. Start with a Tort, Criminal Law, Contract, or even Constitutional Law moot, and you can get into complicated fields in the latter half of your law school.

c. Depth of understanding: I have, from time to time, been invited to judge moot court competitions. And I found it incredibly easy to see through the speakers and their memorials for how hollow they were. In a recent one, when the facts had similarities to Rohingya immigration, I was surprised to see that the teams were not aware of the Tibetan refugees in India. After this, I did not have any more questions for this team. Hence, it is important that you understand not only the law on point, but also the history, the developments, and several allied events around it.

3. Debates and MUNs. A lot of you who may have done debating in schools might get too excited about these. While they are a lot of fun and give you an immediate sense of validation for making that one cleverly crafted argument, they are not as important in the larger picture. If you are interested, you may do plenty of them. But ensure that they do not become everything for you. If you are not interested, you may give this a convenient pass. However, if you choose to debate, make sure that you read up a lot and gain in-depth knowledge of broad-ranging issues. It is of no use to go faff with rhetoric, how much ever ‘cool’ they may make you appear.

4. Research and Publication. A good amount of research and writing is done as a part of your projects. This is an essential skill to be had in a lawyer. If you like doing it, you must pursue this to a good end. Again, do not overdo it. Writing one good, well-researched, original paper every semester is good enough. You may send this to a journal or a conference. But do not compromise on what is indispensable – an original piece with well-nuanced arguments, not gibberish to meet the word limit.

Even if you are not too keen about this, I would still urge you to give it a try. It takes a lot of effort and energy in writing a paper, and you come off better and more knowledgeable with it.

5. Extra-Curriculars. College is when you have more than sufficient time to do ten other things you want to do. Play a sport, sport a play, or join any clubs that may interest you. From volunteering at Teach for India to running ten kilometres a day, you may choose any activity that keeps you engaged. Reading clubs, poetry recitals, art therapy sessions, etc. are few of your options. From some experience, I vouch that a launching a good start-up is something you could do, as long as it doesn’t take up all your time.

6. Internships. They say that you learn more at internships than in classes. To a large extent, they are right. Internships help you understand how industry works, familiarise yourself with the atmosphere at the workplace, and gain some people skills. Apply to organisations which give you good work. It is too common to see people running to get an internship at a place which looks good on their CV. The utility of this is short-lived. Get a place that grills you to work and teaches you a thing of two.

In your first and the second year, you may start with NGOs (such as HRLN, PUCL, etc.) or policy places (such as CPR, CLPR, CIS, etc.), or trial court Advocates or Judges. Only in your third year should you apply to Law Firms, Corporates, and Advocates at the High Court and Supreme Court. Try following this pattern, for if you jump to Law Firms in the very first year, you may gain little utility from that.

7. Learn. I should have placed this at number one, because nothing is as important as learning. Cultivate a good habit of reading. Read newspapers, long-form articles in magazines, and books on what you like. Invest a couple of hours every day in this. Use your library to the full extent. This does not show immediate results. It is a slow process, but over-time, you will realise that you are more educated and knowledgeable, rather than being simply a literate with a law degree.

A mandatory post-script here is that these pointers are fluid. If you like more of one thing, do that more. It is not essential that you do all, nor is it advisable that you do none. And while you are at it, make friends. Make good friends. Friends that will last a lifetime, and don’t just gossip.

Ultimately, success is not found only in winning a Jessup or a MukMem. It is especially not success to win these at the cost of your happiness and mental peace. If something does not work out for you, you may leave. A good long-term satisfaction and happiness is an end that is worth chasing over anything and everything.

All the very best!