NLIU Bhopal hosts its seventh Convocation Ceremony for Class of 2014

The National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal recently hosted its seventh convocation ceremony for the Class of 2014 on November 15, 2014. The ceremony was held for graduates of the B.A. LL.B (Hons.) course, the LL.M 1 year Programme, the LL.M 2 years Programme and the MSCLIS (Master of Science in Cyber Law and Information Security) course. .The Chief Guests for the ceremony were Justice S.A Bobde of the Supreme Court and Justice A.M. Khanwilkar of the Madhya Pradesh High Court..Kapil Duggal won 7 gold medals and Shejal Verma grabbed 2 gold medals for their academic excellence in the B.A. LL.B(Hons.) course. Bar & Bench spoke to Kapil Duggal on his law school journey and his future plans..Bar & Bench: What motivated you to choose law as a career over engineering?.Kapil Duggal: Frankly, I hadn’t given a serious thought before enrolling for a course in B.Tech. I had opted for science after my tenth standard and going with the herd, took admission in an engineering college. Towards the fag end of the first semester, I decided that I wasn’t cut out to be an engineer and decided to quit. Law as a profession attracted me because of the opportunity it provided for public service. I was keen on serving the society in whichever manner I could, and so a career in law was the best option I could think of..B&B: What according to you is the key to success and good grades in a law school?.KD: Persistent hard work is sine qua non for getting good grades. Additionally, you can plan your internships in such a manner that they help you out with your subjects. For example, if after your semester break, criminal law is one of the subjects that you are going to be taught, you can intern with an advocate specializing in criminal law. This way, you not only have a background and a strong base for that subject, but you can also relate to what you’re being taught in the class with real-life situations..Another approach which worked well for me was to read the latest judgments on any subject. Actual cases in a courtroom are not as straightforward as one would think. They involve complex fact situations and interplay of multiple provisions or statutes. A Supreme Court judgment would usually trace the first case which dealt with the subject and eventually come to the contemporary interpretation before deciding a case. The net result is that by reading one judgment, you can understand multiple provisions of a statute, and you get to train yourself in building equally forceful arguments from both sides, which is the hallmark of a good lawyer..B&B: How was your journey at law school? Any special moments?.KD: My journey at law school has been one I’d cherish for long. Apart from the regular experience of mooting, debating, sports etc., the opportunity of interacting with legal luminaries such as (Retd.) Justice V.S. Sirpurkar and Senior Advocates Mr. PP Rao and Ms. Geeta Luthra was a standout experience..As the Convenor of Moot Court Association, I had organized the 4th NLIU-Justice RK Tankha Memorial Moot Court Competition. The semi-finals were judged by 6 sitting judges of the Madhya Pradesh High Court and discussing a host of issues with them was a memorable experience. Further our guests at the valedictory ceremony were Justice A.K. Patnaik (since retired), the late Mr. Goolam E. Vahanvati, Mr. Mohan Parasaran, Justice S.C. Sharma, Mr. Rajiv Luthra and Mr. Vivek Tankha, with whom I had the opportunity of discussing several contemporary issues that our society is faced with. That had been an enlightening experience for me which has broadened my perspective of thought..I have also had the opportunity of organizing a range of programs, right from holding a conference on the Need for Legal Regulation of Coaching Institutions under the aegis of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, to organizing the NLIU-Juris Corp Moot, the Stetson International Environmental Law Moot among others. These have presented me with the opportunity of interacting with several notable members of both the Bar and the Bench, which has proved to be an enriching experience..B&B: You chose an Indian LLM over a PPO from AMSS. What would you say drove this decision?.KD: AMSS is a fantastic place to work. I enjoyed the work I did during my internships at AMSS. However, I was more inclined towards a career in litigation, and had discussions with the late Mr. Goolam E. Vahanvati, Senior Advocate Ms. Geeta Luthra and Prof. (Dr.) S.S. Singh on the same. They walked me through the nuances of a career in litigation and advised me to take it up. This is was what drove me to this decision. I intend to practice in the field of service laws, among others, and am pursuing an LLM from NLIU, Bhopal..B&B: Any advice to those considering to study law?.KD: Gear up for what’s going to be exciting journey. The immense opportunities that a law school provides- moots, conferences, MUNs, debates, sports (and the list goes on) are sure to provide you with an exposure you won’t get in any other field. So if you’re looking for a stream which would offer you plenty of opportunities, law should be your choice!