Ten Questions

With Arjun Lall

What were the best and worst points at your work in 2008?

2008 was overall a good year.

The biggest point in 2008 was the realization that the Bangalore office of Amarchand Mangaldas had grown from a 11 member office in 2005 to almost a 50 member office in 2008, that it was a preferred choice for law school graduates, it had acquired a name and a reputation for itself, and that I had a little part in nurturing that growth.

No real worst as such, but a definite low was when my mentor and friend decided to leave the firm for foreign waters.

What was your first job and what were your reasons for leaving it?

This is my first job, and I hope my last too!!

If not for a career in law, what would you have been?

I would surely have been a mountaineer, explorer, adventurer, expedition(er) with a little bit of photography thrown in for good measure.

You are driving back from work on a Wednesday. What song are you listening to?

It varies. Radio Indigo (the only 24 hour English channel in India ) is a large part of the driving experience in Bangalore . If I had a choice it would have to be John Coltrane, Sonny Rolins, Coleman Hawkins, Cannonball Adderley or any of the other great saxophone legends.

What's your favourite drink?

Water! Or GT (gin and tonic)!

Which is your favourite restaurant?

This little non-descript place (it used be non-descript, I hear its very famous now) that goes by the name of Chic-Fish in Malviya Nagar in Delhi . I have some lovely childhood memories of family dinners associated with the restaurant, and the ‘butter chicken' there is divine.

If you could work under any lawyer in India today, who would it be? Why?

On the corporate front, I believe that I work for the best. However, if I could shift streams I would love to work for Mr. Iqbal Chagla (sr. counsel).

What is the best book you read in the past year?

‘The Sandman' series graphic novels by Neil Gaman.

Where did you go on your last vacation?

My true last vacation was to see the Camel and Cattle fair in Pushkar, Rajasthan.

What is the most significant change that you would like to see in the law school experience?

The biggest problem with education in India remains the predominant focus on bookish knowledge, rather than practical knowledge, and in area of law it is felt ever more so. The law school experience has undergone a sea change in the past decade, but the biggest drawback remains lack of emphasis on practical training and internships and problem solving.

The litigation practice in India needs to change, quality levels needs to improve. The premier law schools in the country can play an instrumental role in bringing about that change, possibly by promoting students to take up litigation, by possibly forging alliances with litigators across the country, possibly having training programs for litigators thereby increasing interaction of budding lawyers with litigators or such other means. The change will take time, but it has to begin.

(Arjun Lall is a Capital Markets partner with the Bangalore office of Amarchand & Mangaldas. )