Please tell us a bit about yourself.

Hello Everyone! My name is Madhav Goswami. Currently, I’m pursuing B.COM.LL.B. (Hons.) from the Institute of Legal Studies and Research, GLA University, Mathura. I’m in the 4th year of the course. My hobbies are listening to music, as music is the best healer, exploring new places, accepting new challenges in life, and, of course, playing badminton.

What motivated you to pursue law as a career?

I have been highly inclined towards this challenging and noble profession since the 8th grade. I used to watch a TV serial named “Adalat,” and from there I developed a basic understanding of this profession and started asking my elder cousin, who is an enrolled advocate, about this profession. Whenever I visited my paternal aunt’s house, I used to explore the books of PCS (J), LLB, and APO, as my cousin was preparing for the same.

You have won many moot court competitions. Tell us a bit a about your mooting experience.

It is a common saying that “opportunities come to those who wait.” The journey of participating in national and international moot court competitions started back in November 2022. For the very first time, I appeared in a National Moot Court Competition organised by Chandigarh University in November 2022. It was the very first time that I went to a place far away from my hometown, and the same was also a challenge for me as it was the first time that I got the opportunity to present myself before renowned and esteemed law professionals, but I took this opportunity as a challenge. As a consequence of my hard work and confidence, I was a quarter-finalist in the aforementioned competition.

This achievement has given pace to my career. After this, I participated in an International Moot Court Competition (December 2022), where we were the winning team, and I was felicitated with the award of “Best Mooter/Speaker.” This experience was something beyond my expectations and imagination. We defeated the teams of various reputed private law institutions across the country. After this, I participated in the “National Moot Court Competition” organized by Adamas University, Kolkata (January 2023) where we received the Winning Team Award for the second time, and the researcher of my team was also felicitated with the “Best Researcher” Award.

For the fourth time, I participated in the “National Moot Court Competition” organized by LJ School of Law, Ahmedabad, Gujarat (February 2023). Along with the same, I also participated in the National Parliamentary Debate Competition for the very first time. As a consequence of the efforts that I and my team put in, we received the “runner-up” winning team award. Simultaneously, I was a quarterfinalist in the National Parliamentary Debate Competition for the very first time.

This was something that I never expected or dreamed of; I got well-equipped with the fact that consistency is the main factor required in life to achieve everything you want.

I again participated in the National Moot Court Competition organized by IILM University, Gurugram (March 2023) where I received the “Best Memorial – Drafting ” Award for the very first time. It was the only award that we didn’t receive in the last four competitions. Similarly, I didn’t stop myself from developing a feeling of satisfaction. My hunger for awards and new learning increased, and for the sixth time, I participated in the National Moot Court Competition organized by Bahara University, Shimla (April 2023) where I received the “Quarter-Finalists” Award.

I also participated in the National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition organized by Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai (February 2023) and the National Technological Moot Court Competition organized by NFSIU, Gandhinagar, Gujarat (March 2023).

Now, after participating in all these aforementioned competitions, I wanted some new challenges in my life. Therefore, I decided to participate in the “National Mock Trial Advocacy Competition’’ (May 2023), and that too was organised by one of the reputed private law institutions in India, i.e., “KIIT University, Bhubaneshwar (Orissa)”. This was something very challenging for me, but as I said, accepting new challenges in my life is my hobby. I took the same opportunity to excel myself, and as a consequence of my repeated hard work and efforts, we were awarded the “Second Runner-up Winning Team” Award, and I got to learn the art of cross-examination and chief-examination, which is the most important part of a criminal trial process.

I aimed to target at least 20 mood court competitions, of which I have appeared in 12 national and international mood court competitions.

How do you balance academics and participating in so many moot court competitions?

A blend of consistency, perseverance, and patience in life will help you achieve anything that you desire. If I talk about my academics, my current CPI is 8.87. My university follows the trimester system instead of the semester system. As you all know, the trimester system is more hectic and difficult than the semester system. I used to have exams every month, but despite the same, I was successful in establishing a situation of equilibrium in both, i.e., moot and academics.

I used to prepare a calendar for the next 6 months and set a regular target to achieve the targets for the next 2 months in advance, which provided me ample time to prepare for the academics along with the moots. That’s why I believe a student must be well-versed in the art of time management because the law profession specifically demands a well-developed understanding of time management.

After all, as an advocate, one will have to appear in multiple cases on the same day only, and after court proceedings, an advocate is also required to prepare the cases that are scheduled for the next day. Therefore, if a law student is well-versed in the art of time management, he or she will achieve the heights of success in this profession.

Can you share a few tips for the students who want to be good mooters?

Yes, I received the Best Mooter/Speaker Award in the International Moot Court Competition, which was organized by the Indore Law Institute in December 2022. This was something I never thought of. The tips that I would like to give students who want to be good at mooting are as follows:

• Strong understanding and knowledge of the subject matter that you’re presenting before the judges;
• Good communication skills;
• Don’t panic when judges roast you by asking various questions;
• Don’t develop an expression of fear or anonymity;
• Be clear with your written submissions.
• In case you don’t know the answer to any question, just simply say, “Pardon, Your Lordships or Ladies.”.
• There should be a gentle smile on your face.

You have also landed many prestigious internships. How do you think a law student can land these types of internships at their law school?

Yes, I have landed many prestigious internships. I always believe in the “MRI Mantra,” which is a very essential success formula for a law student, in which ‘M’ stands for Moot Courts/Mock Trial Advocacy Competitions, ‘R’ stands for Research, and ‘I’ stands for Internships. So, this “MRI Mantra” is a sure-shot formula for a successful career in this profession. Therefore, if a law student has a good hand in ‘M’ and ‘R’ of this “MRI” mantra, then definitely he or she will also be able to achieve ‘I’ from this “MRI Mantra”. Per my personal experience, I can say that “M + R = I” and “M + R + I = A Successful Law Career.”.

Following this mantra, apart from academics and moots, I have also published four research articles on various subject matters on the website of a reputed and emerging law firm. After that, I started applying to various law firms in June 2023, and till now, I have received 4-5 paid internship offers and simultaneously 10–12 internship offers, including paid and non-paid, from various reputed law firms. Recently, I also received an internship offer from the office of the MP State Information Commissioner. Therefore, I do believe and acknowledge this “MRI Mantra” to establish a good and successful career in this profession.

You are from a private law college. Do you think there is any difference between a NLU and a non-NLU student?

This is a very controversial and demanding question. Initially, I used to believe that to land a successful career in this profession, it was essential to be an NLU student, but I was very wrong. When I started to follow the “MRI Mantra,” I got to know that it is not the institution that makes a difference between the students; it is the student who enshrines the name of the institution with his or her skill sets.

Even in various national and international moot court and mock trial advocacy competitions, I defeated many students and teams that came from reputed law institutions in the country. For example, me and my team defeated the teams of BHU, St. Xavier’s, Christ, NLU Sonipat, NLU Jodhpur, NLIU Bhopal, NLU Delhi, and Symbiosis in different competitions. So, it is your skill sets that will make you successful, and as per my past experiences and achievements, it is a clear myth that to land prestigious internships or to be a successful law professional, you must be from some national law university or any other reputed private law school.

Have you ever felt stressed about having a lot on your plate? How do you manage such situations?

My journey is full of ups and downs. At some moments, I felt like I couldn’t do it, but as I said earlier, consistency, patience, and perseverance are the most important qualities that a student, especially a law student, requires.

My journey started back in November 2022, and I continuously participated in various national and international moot court competitions and mock trial advocacy competitions until May 2023, and I’m still on the same path. Now, after all this, even though I haven’t achieved 60% in this profession, I have realized, “What is the difference between a normal law student and a dynamic or brilliant law student?”

Nobody used to talk to me before all this, and now the situation is different. Even the people who didn’t recognize me earlier now come to me for tips, including seniors as well. At many moments, you will feel like giving up, but in fact, that’s a sign that God is testing you and your commitment towards the goal that you have made to achieve in your life.

Can you share a few tips with our readers to help them excel in law school, both in academics and in extracurriculars.

The basic tips that I would like to give law students based on my past experiences are enumerated as follows:

• Make your event calendar for the next two months.
• Make a to-do list every day, and at the end of the day, evaluate the deviation between the planned events and the ones that you have done.
• Try to decrease the level of deviation.
• Take a printout of the syllabus.
• Prepare your mid-term and end-term syllabus in advance so that you can focus on extracurricular activities that are required for a law student, as described in the “MRI Mantra.”.
• Start by participating in B Grade National Moot Court Competitions, and once you have ample experience mooting, go for the National Moot Court Competitions of National Law Universities.
• Start participating in international conferences and seminars.
• Start exploring the area of your interest.
• Once you have explored your area of interest, start doing moots and research in that area, which will help you land good internships in that area.
• Remember “MRI Mantra” and start working on it.
• Lastly, remember that patience, perseverance, and dedication (PPD) are the only ways to achieve anything you want.

This interview was conducted by Bushra Fatima from SS Khanna Girls’ Degree College (a constituent college of the University of Allahabad), Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.