A recent controversial job post sparked discussions about the perceived importance of the NLU (National Law University) tag in legal careers. Many lawyers are questioning whether the NLU tag guarantees excellence and whether recruitment decisions should prioritize factors like culture fit, experience, and soft skills over educational background alone.
![[Controversial Job Post] NLU Tag in Legal Career, Lawyer's Raised Question](https://i0.wp.com/lawchakra.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/MicrosoftTeams-image-22.png?resize=700%2C350&ssl=1)
Recently, KIA India’s job posting for a Legal Specialist sparked controversy as it initially favored applicants exclusively from National Law Universities (NLUs). The online backlash highlighted the prejudice against non-NLU applicants and raised questions about the bias employers have towards law graduates with the NLU tag. After facing strong community backlash, KIA India amended the job posting to require a law degree from an accredited and reputable institution.
Several NLUs have faced scrutiny for issues such as inadequate infrastructure, poor academic standards, limited placement opportunities, and compromised hostel conditions. Students from these NLUs have frequently protested, while administrations have struggled to provide adequate solutions. This has led to concerns about the diluted reputation of the NLU brand due to the proliferation of these universities across the country.
“From my experiences, being an NLU graduate doesn’t automatically make someone an exceptional candidate. I’ve seen non-NLU graduates excel remarkably well. Our recruitment strategy involves scouting for talent across reputable universities, not limited to NLUs, to find candidates who align with our needs and values. What’s crucial for us is finding individuals with clear understanding and those who would seamlessly integrate into our culture. Whether or not they are from NLUs is irrelevant. My top three recruitment priorities are: (1) compatibility with our firm’s culture; (2) relevant experience through internships
Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts have emphasized that NLU graduates should not receive preferential treatment from employers or others. Instances such as a recruitment post in Bihar restricting applicants to graduates from a specific NLU and the Kerala High Court striking down discriminatory notifications have brought attention to the issue. These actions highlight the need to consider professionalism and competence beyond the confines of elite institutions.
Ranka commented on the job posting by KIA India
“It’s uncommon and not ideal for a job posting to favor candidates based solely on their NLU background. This practice essentially judges candidates based on their education rather than their actual skills and abilities, which is unfair. It implies that those from non-NLU colleges are somehow inferior, which is not accurate. While they may be seeking candidates with a rigorous legal education, it’s important to note that success isn’t solely determined by the alma mater.
I’ve seen many NLU graduates struggle later in their careers while those from lesser-known universities thrive. There’s no one-size-fits-all formula for evaluating someone’s potential based solely on their law school.”
The average fees charged by the top-rated NLUs are significantly higher than those charged by non-NLUs, according to the 2023 NIRF rankings. Additionally, the latest IDIA survey report indicates that 80% of NLU admissions are preceded by expensive Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) coaching. These factors raise concerns about the accessibility of NLUs and the assumption that competence is exclusive to the privileged.
Honey Mishra, Lead-Legal Operations at Spark Minda, shared insights on the hiring culture in the in-house legal space.
She mentioned that sometimes if senior management has an NLU background, there might be a bias towards hiring candidates from NLUs. However, in the corporate environment, candidates are typically evaluated based on their interviews and relevant experiences rather than just their educational background.
In her experience, Mishra hasn’t encountered a situation where an NLU candidate consistently outperforms others. She noted that candidates with litigation experience early in their careers tend to have a deeper understanding of the law compared to those who have primarily worked in corporate settings. Mishra highlighted that while some NLU candidates have excelled, others have performed averagely. Conversely, she has seen lawyers from lesser-known colleges excel and thrive in the workplace.
Senior Partner Sambhav Ranka from IC Universal Legal emphasized that
Being from an NLU does not guarantee excellence, and recruitment decisions should focus on factors like culture fit, experience, and soft skills rather than educational background.
Solomon & Co. stated
“Our firm,Solomon & Co , doesn’t differentiate based on the college a candidate has graduated from. While NLUs enjoy a good reputation, we don’t favor any specific law colleges, whether in India or abroad. When hiring experienced candidates, it’s their knowledge, experience, and skills that matter most to us, rather than the name or location of their law college.”
“Sachin Chipade, Senior Counsel and Head of Contracts and Commercial Transactions at TATA Technologies, suggests that the key distinction lies not just between NLUs and non-NLUs but more specifically between tier-1 law schools and other colleges. He notes the impressive performances of candidates from institutions like ILS Pune, Symbiosis, and the Institute of Law at NIRMA University, highlighting their deep legal understanding.
Additionally, Chipade acknowledges the strong communication skills often seen in candidates from WBNUJS and NLU Jodhpur, which are valuable in an in-house role. He emphasizes that during recruitment, while he doesn’t prioritize law school backgrounds heavily, he focuses on a standardized set of questions for all candidates to assess their responses and capabilities effectively. Chipade values conceptual clarity, which tends to be stronger in tier-1 colleges, and believes that fundamental clarity and skills ultimately determine success and workload allocation in the role.”
“Chipade further noted that beyond 5 to 9 years of experience, the college of graduation becomes less relevant. However, he mentioned that there’s a subconscious bias where candidates from tier-1 colleges (not limited to NLUs) are presumed to have a more nuanced fundamental clarity, giving them a potential edge in certain situations.”
Aashna Jain, a legal career coach, points out a concerning trend where employers tend to favor NLU graduates, assuming they are already trained for the job. She criticizes this practice, noting that it reflects a reluctance by employers to invest time and resources in training new hires.
Jain emphasizes that students from non-NLUs who actively pursue internships and proactively prepare for work environments can be just as capable and prepared as their NLU counterparts. She argues that this artificial distinction made by recruiters is counterproductive and should be avoided.
Dina Wadia, a partner at JSA, shared insights into the firm’s hiring approach:
“Our decision regarding law schools or universities primarily hinges on our experience with students from those institutions. The quality of interns from a particular school also plays a significant role in shaping our preferences. While we maintain a standard for universities, it’s not the sole factor in our selection process. Due to our recruitment mix, we don’t visit every law school that invites us; instead, we typically visit three or four each year. We also rotate one or two schools annually to provide opportunities to newer institutions.”
While employers have the right to set their own criteria, wouldn’t it be advantageous for law firms and corporations to broaden their search and discover equally capable law graduates from non-NLUs?
View the controversial job post
![[Controversial Job Post] NLU Tag in Legal Career, Lawyer's Raised Question](https://i0.wp.com/lawchakra.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/MicrosoftTeams-image-21.png?resize=820%2C470&ssl=1)
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