Written by Chandrika Dutta, University of Sussex Alumni
It is not always that, one asks oneself, very honestly what they want to do and how do they want to pursue life? As someone who has gone through that exercise almost everyday, I still do not have any definitive answer. I think coming from an Asian background, societal expectations form a life around – what you should be rather than what you can be. However, one thing I was always certain about was becoming a Lawyer.
Growing up , I actively participated in every debate competition possible to be a part of. But when it came to pursuing Law as a career option, it is risky if you do not love it. The passion for studying law is what sets the foundation for becoming a good lawyer. One of my first instances of loving law was reading newspapers. Reading more made me realize, law is more than knowing the rules and regulations. The law school taught me how the students of today can shape the law of tomorrow. It is a space where you may cultivate your logical thinking abilities through thought-provoking discussions and continuously learn how to overcome your ethical dilemmas. With my academic training and global opportunities to present rigorous research on various topics, I can very safely say that the more you analyse the more you learn law. Learning everyday on global issues can open a wide array of opportunities in international law, arbitration law, copyright, criminal law etc.
When I was interning with various law firms in India, I was analysing various copyright and trademark issues as well. One such infringement case I researched and presented my findings about was related to the purple package which Cadbury holds a registered trademark for. This paved the way for me to pursue my masters in Intellectual Property Rights and Information Technology. Through my course , I learnt about the world of Copyright and AI which was also my dissertation, titled – Artwork, Photography and Copyright protection focusing on AI generated images and questioning the protection of authors/owners of original work. While all my progress might come across as fascinating on a global perspective, navigating through law school is not easy. It is an entire journey of steering through self-doubt, and perseverance, understanding what you want to specialise in usually gets measured by every small win. In many of such situations , you learn and unlearn what you want to pursue further.
However, one thing which should be non-negotiable is forcing yourself in unfamiliar situations. One might not always be aware of the next step, but one surely will learn resilience and more confidence along with overcoming stage fright. The more you put yourself out there, the more you will know how the world is your stage. So, the times when you wonder if this is it or the times when you question what you are doing is right or wrong , I hope that your love for Law pushes you forward because the profession hardly ever provides reassurance. The more you unravel, the more you realise how vast it is and there is so much you can achieve. The road of life , surely has many detours but it teaches you how to think, how to be observant, how to be analytical and above all , how to be patient.
It wasn’t always that I dreamt of being a lawyer. When I was younger , I wanted to be an astronaut , drawn to the possibility of exploring life beyond what we see, even if I did not fully understand most of the things then. For a long time, I was unsure of what direction to take,however, looking back , the curiosity never changed. It just found its place in Law. What started out as discussions eventually evolved into more in-depth scholarly and professional participation. I eventually came to the realisation that, despite the difficulties and uncertainty involved, I kept choosing to pursue a career in law. Because of this, I would advise those who are unsure to give it some thought as well—after all, anything that captures your interest, continuously tests you, and enables you to develop is worthwhile.
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