I am currently in my second year of law school. I started pursuing litigation internships from my first year, but I come from a non-legal family and do not have any family background or established network in the profession. Because of this, I am concerned about whether I will be able to build a sustainable career in litigation, particularly in the initial years when having guidance and professional connections can be important.
I have therefore started exploring corporate law as an alternative career path. I recently interned at the NCLAT and found work relating to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) particularly interesting, which has made me consider pursuing this area more seriously.
Since I still have several years before graduation, I want to use this time to build a strong foundation in corporate law and IBC and choose internships that will help me develop a relevant profile. My long-term goal would be to secure a position at a good Tier-2 or Tier-3 law firm after graduation.
What should I read or study to build a strong foundation in corporate law and IBC, and what kind of internships should I target from now onwards to build the right experience and improve my chances of securing a good corporate law job after graduation?
Your litigation background is actually an asset for IBC – IBC is 70% litigation. NCLT/NCLAT work needs people who understand both corporate concepts and court craft. So you are not starting from zero.
Since you are in 2nd year, you have 3+ years to build a very targeted profile for a Tier-2 / Tier-3 corporate firm.
Don’t start with heavy commentaries. Build in this order:
Company Law First – IBC will not make sense without it:*
1. Bare Act: Companies Act, 2013, IBC act and regulations
Follow MCA website, IBBI website – circulars, not just bare act
2. Blog: IndiaCorpLaw, The IBC Laws, ArcelorMittal blog by NLS – read weekly
Linked Laws –
Contract Law + SARFAESI + Transfer of Property [for security interest] + basics of Contract – Specific Relief. And basic Civil Procedure – Sec 9, Order 7/8 – because you will draft.
Do one thing consistently: Make a case-notebook. For every important NCLAT/SC judgement on IBC, write 1 page: Facts, Issue, Ratio, Why it matters. This becomes your interview material.
Skill required for IBC Practice
1. Drafting: Application u/s 7/9/10, Reply to 7/9, Resolution Plan summary, Due diligence note
2. Research:How to find if a debt is “financial” vs “operational”, Limitation in IBC,
3. Financial Literacy: Learn to read Balance Sheet, P&L, Cash flow basics. IBC is finance. Do a free course – NSE Academy’s Financial Statements, or Zerodha Varsity Modules.
4. Writing: Start writing 1 article per 2 months on IBC on LinkedIn / Manupatra / Mondaq.
Internship Strategy – Next 3 Years
You need to show a trajectory, not random internships. Since you already have litigation internships + NCLAT, do this:
Target: Insolvency Professionals / Boutique IBC firms / NCLT lawyers
Also apply for IBBI Research Internship – very valuable on CV.
Target: Tier-2 / Tier-3 firms with strong IBC / Restructuring practice.
Also: In-house legal team of a Bank [SBI Stressed Assets team] – you will learn how financial creditors think.
One long-term internship 4-6 months, 2 days a week during college with same Tier-2 firm if possible. Conversion chances from long internships are higher than 1-month interns. And one final internship with the firm where you want a PPO.
What Firms Actually Look For
They are not looking for topper from NLU. They look for:
– Can you stay for 2 years? So show loyalty in internships
– Can you draft an IBC application without too much handholding?
– Have you shown genuine interest in IBC for 1+ year, not just one internship?
Certifications that help: IBBI Valuation Course, Certificate Course on Insolvency by ICSI / ICAI
