Divya Swamy a student of 2014 batch of RMLNLU talks about mooting, internships and Judicial Clerkship. She elaborates on the details of doing a judicial clerkship and it’s importance for those who aspire to do an LL.M. from a foreign university.

HOW YOU DECIDE TO STUDY LAW? YOUR INSPIRATION ? WHAT WAS YOUR STREAM TO STUDY AT SCHOOL?

Law is a field that ensures an over-all development of an individual. It makes us aware about our society so much more than any other field. As a student, just out of school, it seemed like the most rigorous form of personality building exercise to me, and this motivated me to study law.

 I was a Commerce student at school. I wouldn’t say that it helped me much in preparing for CLAT but it left me with more options. In my opinion, the curriculum for CLAT is such that it requires only a couple of months of dedicated study in the right direction. There is no section in the CLAT paper that would make it more favorable for any stream. It tests only what ordinarily can be expected from any student who has passed Class 12.

 WHAT WERE THE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AT RML NLU?

I participated in Moots and debates. Besides participating as a Debater, I was also actively involved in adjudicating Debates. I engaged in free-lance researching and also assisting a Professor in research in the last 2 years of law school.

THE LAW FIRMS AND OTHER PLACES WHERE YOU DID YOUR INTERNSHIPS?

Well, since I am a first generation lawyer, I preferred to intern at the most varied places so as to choose my area of interest.  I interned at firms like Parekh & Co. in the corporate and litigation departments, with reputed Senior Advocates like Dr. M.N. Krishnamani and various other internships in the Supreme Court, Delhi and Calcutta High Courts and District Courts.

The most noteworthy experiences have been while I interned with Mr. Subhiksh Vasudev, Advocate at the Delhi High Court since I learnt the Court procedure. I learnt how to draft legal documents and most important, I attended Court proceedings. Also, my internship with Hon’ble Ms. Justice Hima Kohli as a Law Researcher has been the most enriching experience because I researched on fresh cases and had the opportunity to work on many briefs at a time while also becoming comfortable with the procedure.

YOUR ADVICE TO THE LAW STUDENTS AIMING TO DO AN LL.M

For those who want to do a Masters abroad, immediately after law school, must start applying by their 4th year. For Indian Universities, one must prepare for the entrance examinations based on the format followed in the precious years. But irrespective of what one wants to do after Law school, it is most essential to love the law. So, read the law as much as possible because it helps you identify what you would want to do for the next 50 years of your life.