LIFE AT LAW SCHOOL

Law is one of the most popular careers to pursue not only in India but all over the world. From cramming for the Law entrance examination to passing the bar exam, and digesting a near ludicrous amount of reading, the experience is full of challenges, which makes your reason for choosing law school matter significantly not only as you pursue a degree, but consider the longevity of your career in law.Law is a great subject to study at university but it does have its challenges: here’s what you can expect.

1. Studying at Law school

Whilst we have all heard a little about studying law at university, whether through family, friends or films, it is difficult to know what it really does involve – and there’s no shortage of stories out there, from the mostly accurate to the utterly fantastical.

It isdifficult to explain how much reading a law degree involves other than to say that there are a lot of law books!Law students get a reputation for clocking up the library hours because each week you need to learn what the law actually is and academics’ opinions of it from scratch, and neither of these will be particularly short. There is definitely an art to managing the reading lists and you will get all the advice you need from older students when you first arrive, but it does take a while to get used to the pace of learning.

As you usually learn only a few topics at a time you may not understand one fully until you have covered the next one. It is absolutely normal to feel a little like you’re in the dark to begin with, although universities try to organise the courses so that the first-year exams at least can stand on their own. Tort or Contract, for instance, makes a good first year subject because it is easy to get to grips with the ideas and it doesn’t overlap too much with any other area.

2. Hostel Life and Accommodation

Most of the law college comprises of fully residential learning community. The aim is to offer all our students the benefits of belonging to a vibrant and diverse student community – both inside and outside the classroom.Living on campus can be a uniquely enriching experience for any student, and can depend greatly on the relationships and interaction they have with their peers in the Accommodation facilities for the rest of 3/5 years of their under-graduation studies.

Generally, Student of the First three years are provided with shared accommodation and then they can opt for separate accommodation. Each student is provided with a bed, cupboard, chair and study table. The rest of the amenities such as mattresses, curtains, bed-linen etc., are brought in by the students only. Every hostel has 24*7 Electricity and Water supply, along with Internet Connectivity. The wardens stay on the campus and students are free to approach them regarding any problem, inconvenience or ill health.

3. Library

Library at every law collegeplays a proactive and important role in the teaching as well as the learning process. Every Library has a collection of variety of print volumes and an array of electronic resources. The print collection includes books, monographs, research reports, law reports, and back volumes of periodicals etc. In addition to the professional reading the library provides a good amount of leisure reading and books for soft skills development. All subjects related to the University’s academic and research programmes have been included in the collection.

4. Student Clubs and Research Centers

Students can choose from a range of associations and clubs, to join and discover community on campus. Some associations have been set up by the University, and enjoy a reputation of having included members, such as Alumni/ Faculties and can be found making significant strides in their areas of specialisation. Similarly, there are many other student-led initiatives and clubs that have been formed on campus, many of which are aligned with contemporary issues, concerns and interests. Students are free to became a member of these students clubs and research centres to explore the legal and policy research works from inter-disciplinary and inter-jurisdictional perspective.

5. Internships

Law students, today, are considered the quickest off the mark for getting involved in applications and internships early on in their degree.More and more law colleges are offering gap months for internships to students during the first year of university so it is tempting to think that you can get involved in deciding your career choice right from day one.If you are thinking about becoming anadvocate or a corporate lawyer it is worth applying to these if you want to be ahead of the game.

Every college have internship or placement cell which can provide you with the options to apply for internships. However,it’s also worth thinking about going to a local or regional firm or chambers if that appeals to you, and for this you may have to send applications apart than applying from the internship cell of the college. It is also just a fact of life that the legal sector, like anywhere at the moment, is very competitive for finding a job. Keep on top of your work, get involved with extra-curriculars and apply to any placements or internships which may interest you so that your CV looks as good as it possibly can when you get to more serious applications.

6. Mooting/Moot Court competitions

A moot court competition simulates a court hearing (usually an appeal against a final decision), in which participants analyze a problem, research the relevant law, prepare written submissions, and present oral argument. The procedure imitates that followed in real courts enabling he students to engage with and think deeply about interesting and topical legal issues; enhance their advocacy, legal research and writing skills; work closely with and learn from their peers; and demonstrate their interest in advocacy and competence as an advocate to prospective employers. Most students find mooting to be intellectually rewarding and highly enjoyable. It can be nerve-racking and frustrating but it is a lot of fun.

7. Parliamentary Debates

One thing the world desperately needs is a better way of conducting debates, it being a political one or controversial one. It is very important to re-discover the lost art of debating, irrespective of the social or political situation, one belongs in, especially for law students, as they have to enter into healthy amount of debates and therefore having proper debating skills become an essential part of their legal life. Every law college provides the students with a platform at both, national as well as international level, to compete in debating competition. This helps them to

8. Model United Nations (MUN)

MUN means "Model United Nations" and stands for an educational and academic simulation of diplomatic decision making. During an "MUN conference", students aged 14-29 learn about diplomacy, international relations, the United Nations and other international organizations.

One can participate in MUNs as it looks good on your CV. Apart from this, it will increase your public speaking, debating and Team work. You will learn about the way international organisation, like the UN, work. MUN conferences take place at national as well as international level, it is great platform to make a lot of new connections and friends, not just your law college, but also amongst other colleges and even around the world.

9. College Fests and Annual Events

Students are encouraged to participate in campus initiatives and community based events that include cultural activities, student led associations, food festivals, and more. The students don’t have to shy away from fun and can always aim to have an annual celebration of their college’s spirit. These college festivals are among the top rated in India and are of varying kinds from cultural to academic. They have a wide array of activities to take part in. Said activities can also range from cultural to non-academic to academic. There are events where you can flaunt your own style such as fashion shows, quizzes, fine arts events etc. Even if you are interested in debating, gaming, sports etc., the colleges fest got you covered.

MAKE THE MOST OF IT!

Like any subject at university, studying law has its ups and downs. However, if you’re interested in the subject and able to motivate yourself to work sensible hours then there are definitely more positives and it is a fantastic subject to study for three/five years. There is no single ‘law degree experience’, much as there’s no single ‘university experience’; choose what you want to make your priorities over the under-graduation period, as long as you always make time for your work. Make the most of it, these five years won’t come back 