Law of change

The Brits have come a long way from being the law-makers in colonial India to students of the judicial system in free India.

Sixty years after the Britishers had left, India is now witnessing a different and welcome kind of influx from the UK, with British law students thronging for internship opportunities here.

Students from globally acclaimed law institutions such as the London School of Economics, Queen's Marry College and Cambridge Law Faculty are making a beeline to gain first-hand experience in India.

The fact that India and the UK share a common law system has also helped, as British students do not find difficulty in adapting to the Indian judicial system.

A first year law student from the London School of Economics Kilian Die-Cingne, who has joined senior advocate A.N. Haksar, says for the similarity between the Indian and British judicial system and the latter's legacy, he has hardly noticed any difference.

“India is very convenient for UK law students due to the common law system. There hardly seems to be any difference between the two countries,” Kilian says. He is in New Delhi for a two-month internship.

Senior advocates in India are equivalent to the Barristers in UK and impart a similar experience, Kilian adds.

Recently, a few foreign interns had joined the telecom and broadcast tribunal TDAST.

Arbelaez says sheis very excited with her experience in the newly set up quasi-judicial body. She has just finished a one-week induction programme at the telcom regulatory body TRAI, which was part of her internship programme. The programme has given her a first-hand experience of the nitty gritty of this sector, she adds.

When asked why she chose India, Arbelaez says that the Indian judicial system is very organised.

“They are independent of the government and the process is very democratic here. It is a good place to expand our understanding here,” Arbelaez says.

Both Kilian and Arbelaez say they are impressed with the level of pleading quality in the country.

“The Supreme Court judges are very brilliant and the work done by the senior lawyers are of very high standard,” Kilian says.

According to experts, some top lawyers in India are getting more internship applications from the UK. — PTI