Navigating the legal world as a first generation lawyer: Aseem Nayyar, Advocate

Aseem Nayyar

Aseem Nayyar graduated from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, the batch of 2014. He has been engaged in litigation since then. He has assisted Senior Advocates in Delhi High Court, briefed them in various Criminal, matrimonial and civil matters in the Supreme Court of India and in various High Courts of the Country before starting his full-fledged independent practice. He has been handling various matters on an independent level in High Courts and Delhi District Courts.

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY TOWARDS THE LEGAL FIELD?
I come from a family of business, so I was also tempted to venture into something new.I was never fixated on the idea of being a lawyer but I always had an inclination towards politics and governance which ignited my interest in learning the law. After finishing my schooling at APEEJAY SCHOOL, SHEIKH SARAI, I came to know about the integrated law courses offered by GGSIPU. I had no family associations in the legal field, therefore, joining a law school was completely my decision and my family supported me in venturing into this profession.

HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK GRADES IS IN SHAPING A LAWYER'S CAREER, ESPECIALLY AS A LITIGATOR?
Grades are important but I don't think they make a lasting impact. See, if you have done well in your law school days, obviously that gives you confidence and opportunities to grow. However, what we learn in college and in Courts are entirely different things. It's about earned and learn 77% of it, you need to go back and see what went wrong so as to make it 100% correct. Litigation requires a different attitude, confidence and belief in you. A practical experience makes the difference and that is a real test in litigation. What you learn in college has to be executed here and that's interesting and challenging.

WHAT WERE YOUR REASONS FOR CHOOSING A CAREER IN LITIGATION?
I've known that I have been cut out for litigation since the time I decided to pursue law as a career. I have always been a very outgoing person and have never shied away from public speaking or conversed with people on any topic. This is why my father always told me that law as a profession would probably be ideal for me.

WHAT ARE SOME SKILLS THAT ARE VITAL FOR ESTABLISHING A SUCCESSFUL LITIGATION LAWYER?
I totally believe in smart work rather than hard work and I know how to do it in my own unique and small ways to make the task completed effectively and efficiently. There is no secret formula except you have to make sure that you connect with a new person each day. This aspect should be given as much importance as learning the law because a lawyer's job is not only to argue the legal points but to cater to the needs of the client which can have out-of-the-court solutions. In your independent practice, you get to work for both individual and corporate clients.

YOU HAVE BEEN PART OF THE GOVERNMENT PANEL AS LEGAL COUNSEL. KINDLY TELL US ABOUT YOUR WORK PROFILE AND EXPERIENCE THERE?
After I started my own firm, I was fortunate enough to be a part of the Delhi Development Authority in the Delhi High Court and Delhi District Courts. Being part of a government panel is not an easy task. One has to study the file through the evening and prepare for hearing the next day. Having panel work keeps one on their toes constantly but it also provides an opportunity to learn about a new subject, new statute and a new branch of law on a daily basis.

WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO START A LAW FIRM OF YOUR OWN?
I got into this profession with the vision and mission of being an independent practitioner one day. After practising for the last 5 years, I got the best of the advantage to work with dignitaries which pushed me to go independent. I gathered from my initial practice years that the client (whether an MNC or medium to small business setups) is looking for a one-stop-shop, for all sorts of legal queries. Accordingly, I decided to establish a firm setup, which would serve both the purposes, i.e. being independent and at the same time would be worthwhile of teaming up with like-minded professionals enabling us to scale our practice areas. The key is to not get bogged down by such failures but to get up and fight it out.

WHAT FINAL PIECE OF ADVICE DO YOU WANT TO PASS ON TO OUR READERS?
Well, just to keep it straight and simple, I always tell my juniors and interns, Each of you should start with the practice at trial courts because that actually equipped you with basics which are essential for the overgrowth of a lawyer. If an individual does what he or she wants to, he or she will do it to the best of their ability and eventually get the due recognition and reward for it, in whichever form it may be.

Note: The author is a prominent lawyer based in New Delhi practicing Civil, Criminal and matrimonial across various Courts throughout India including but not limited to the Supreme Court of India, Delhi High Court, National Company Law Tribunal Delhi, etc.