Introduction
I completed my schooling up to grade 10 at Lady Ratanbai & Mathuradas Vissanji, Andheri East. It was a decent schooling journey; I was interested in participating in a couple of sports activities and Olympiads. I did my 10+2 with Biology as my major subject. In spite of opting for science, I started developing an interest in law subjects from grade 11 after I had the opportunity to meet some prominent lawyers. I started preparing for my law exams alongside my 10+2 board preparation. It used to get quite hectic to study science along with law entrance exams, but with time management it was quite a possible task. After securing a rank in MHCET, I got into my dream college, Government Law College, Mumbai. Talking about hobbies, during schooltime I was into playing archery and weightlifting wherein I have played state level and district level respectively. Currently, I am in my 3rd year at Government Law College. College life at GLC (Government Law College) has been amazing. I have been a core member of the placement committee of the college, which is one of the most active and happening committees in the college.
How did you get a role at Deutsche Bank?
Deutsche Bank has a link on its website for career programs, but they prefer to hire interns through the various college placement programs. Deutsche Bank hires interns only for a tenure of 11 months as there is a lot of training that an intern needs to undergo to understand the workings of Deutsche Bank. So, if you are in a private college where you have to maintain 75% attendance, then it might be difficult to cope with the internship. I was a part of the placement committee of GLC so due to a conflict of interest, I myself couldn’t apply for internships through the committee. So, a college senior of mine who was already interning there referred my profile for review. There is a 3-stage interview process at DB (Deutsche Bank). The first one is taken by the associates there; the second stage is the HR interview round, and the third stage is the background verification, wherein your earlier work profile is verified. It was a 30 - 40 minutes interview at the first stage, and the questions mainly revolved around your CV. Further, there was a sample NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) given and we were expected to think like lawyers and identify the excessive obligations that the National Defence Academy could have on Deutsche Bank.
What does a day in the life of a legal intern at Deutsche Bank look like?
Life at DB is very different from what a legal intern would usually experience at law firms. Coming from a family with a business background, I myself had never seen what a corporate park looked like from the inside. So yes, the huge offices with their fascinating interiors were indeed exciting. Moving on to the work life, the team members at DB were very understanding and helpful, but the most important expectation they have from you is to meet deadlines as the work coming in is usually very urgent in nature.
How was your overall experience at Deutsche Bank?
The work culture at Deutsche Bank is outstanding. As I mentioned, they are very serious about meeting the deadlines. You are informed about the priority of a particular matter beforehand, and it has to be completed in a particular time frame. You do not feel like working under someone, as interns here get their own subjects to work on.
Tell us how you think internships help in one’s career and give us some examples from your life.
Colleges have an education pattern where the first two years we usually have no law subjects. But if we want to know more about law, we need to do our own research. My first internship was with HRLN (Human Rights Law Network) which is an NGO in South Mumbai. It was a stepping stone toward my internship journey. Next, I interned for 3-months under a criminal lawyer which helped me get first-hand experience about the functioning of courts. After that, I did a 4-month internship at a law firm, which helped me understand the working process of a law firm and also gave me insights into the civil side of the law. Then I thought about venturing out into the corporate world and thus entered Deutsche Bank.
Why should law students do internships?
Internships are a great source of knowledge for law students. Law is not a profession which can be understood and excelled at only by securing good marks in exams, what it also needs is real on-ground experience. Internships help you get that real-life experience. Going to courts daily and seeing the prominent lawyers you have heard about argue in front of the Hon’ble Judges is indeed an important thing to learn from. More than just a theoretical subject, the practical side of the law is important to understand.
What are your thoughts on the importance of stipend in an internship?
There are some batchmates of mine who are against unpaid internships. But according to me, for the initial few years of your career, when you don’t have any experience or knowledge, doing unpaid internships is not a harm. The main motive for interning somewhere should be to get the most out of that place. Most importantly, while doing the internships, try to learn as many things as possible. Make the best out of your internships, learn the work culture and imbibe skills of teamwork. Later on, when you have the knowledge to part, you should definitely get paid for your contribution to the workplace.
What is your advice to those who are looking for internship roles at Deutsche bank?
Always trust in yourself. There should be nothing that should stop you from moving forward. I did not have a legal background, but still, I had faith in myself. Also, having a good relationship with seniors is very important. The seniors have seen the way and they will help you out. Believe me, they will always be generous in guiding you.