Dedicated and frank, Ms. Smeeksha Pandey believes that one’s hard work and desire to learn outweigh his academic credentials. In this interview, she adds her own pieces of advice for the law students.
Q. In spite of a fair number of female students studying law, a dearth of good female litigators in the present generation can still be felt. Why do you feel it is so and how can it be addressed?
A. Litigation is all about mettle, which determines how far you would go in this profession. While one is studying there is absolutely no lack of security. Once one gets ready to face the world, it can be harsh and can pose a totally different scenario. Apart from this, being adventurous and being a part of the change is still a hitch. So I feel that is one of the reasons why this dearth can be felt.
With respect to your second question, I would like to put in the picture the six skills one must acquire in the legal profession-
•Drafting
•Client Handling (which is a separate knack altogether)
•Earning (where you usually do not get the exact fee you quote for fighting a case)
•Consistency
•Professionalism
•Courtroom skills
In case of all these goes a famous saying-Let your work speak for itself: If poor, it will remain silent. If average, it will whisper. If good, it will talk.
During hard times, one can definitely ponder upon whether all of the toiling is worth it and wake up with a thought of maybe quitting up work for sometime. But trust me on this, those are the days when one must linger on; for diamonds are nothing more than chunks of coal that stuck to their jobs. Following motivational quotes and speeches might help.
Q. You have interned under Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas as well as under senior advocates like Pravin H. Parekh. How are the two different in experience?
A. Both internships were glutted with vast experience which enabled me to discover my strengths and weaknesses. On one hand, law firms use one’s skills in their own way. That is, they mould the skills of an intern/job applicant to fit in with their needs. A legal intern’s duties typically include basic office work such as copying and filing, legal research, client assistance and aiding lawyers with paperwork and courtroom preparation. Specific exposure in a field depends on what the law firm does.
Interning under a litigator, on the other hand, ensures indefinite growth. Once you take up job as a litigator, whenever you win a case, it will count as a significant contribution to the society, apart from your client. One gets to grow as an individual.Litigation allows for tremendous personal and career advancement; earned professional respect.Once you gain experience and earn your supervising attorney’s trust, you will be more competent and independent. You will be more proactive and able to handle a variety of tasks without being prompted.
Q. What piece of advice would you like to give students who score average in their law schools? Is it primarily important to excel in grades while at law school?
A. Toppers undoubtedly are brilliant minds, but being a topper does not necessarily ensure a bright future. They acquire a level of confidence which can sometimes be scary because they are prone to expect more in terms of recognition, pay etc. irrespective of their skills. On the other hand, average people are ever willing to work hard and accept their flaws, apart from learning from them. Toppers are never born with a lot of intelligence. It all depends on the amount of time and effort one devotes in order to improve himself/herself.
I would like to advise students to maintain a balance between theories and practicalities.While theories are often taught in a vacuum, the practical side of knowledge leads ro a deeper understanding of a concept through the act of putting ideas to the test and gauging the validity of theoretical claims, the reason why internships are stressed upon in the academic curricula.
Q. How competitive is the legal field in terms of one’s alma mater?
A. It indeed matters a lot during interviews, but does not matter in the long run.We’ve been indoctrinated to believe that the name matters most of all.No one sits around the office comparing diplomas. As I have repeatedly asserted, as you grow older with expertise, your proficiency overshadows everything else.
Law is more of a self-business, where you sell your knowledge, and having edge over others is what makes you stand apart and make a mark in the legal field. It is the survival of the fittest.
Q. Your internships have been primarily based on Criminal and Constitutional Laws. How did you decide to pursue an LL.M. in IPR?
A. I wanted to choose a field for my LL.M. which I hadn’t studied or explored before. I believe what you learn during your Masters in Law stays for life. Pursuing LL.M. in alien subjects allows you to explore more and who knows, you might delve into something that fascinates you and will help you build your. career. Degree-holders are especially trained to advise and litigate on matters of public domain, moral rights, trade secrets, patents, copyrights and other integral topics.
Since subjects like IPR are still a grey and budding area in India, experts in such fields are much sought after.
Q. Having authored about 20 research papers, how have your research abilities and knowledge changed from the first one to the twentieth one?
A. I started writing from third year of my law school and to be honest, expression and interpretation of laws was something I lagged behind. Reading, Writing and Interpretation are gifts of arduous practice. As I progressed with subjects and papers, that art seeped in.
I would like to mention here that the journal in which your paper gets published is not that important as long as you make an effort to write a research paper. It is an exercise and while you research, there are a lot of aspects and shades that you learn alongwith, apart from an increased command over that specific subject.
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