Swechha Kharga Chettri from Delhi started off in the relatively small town Kalimpong in West Bengal

"Like every law student, she went through obligatory unpaid internships and spent her vacations running errands around courtrooms and collecting certificates that counted for nothing. She graduated in 2020, and litigation seemed to be only way forward after graduating since corporate internships were too far-reaching.".

She begins her career from the Kalimpong district court and soon understands that litigation at small-town places is far removed from the great world she was expecting. She moved to Delhi in 2021, thinking she would give her career a complete makeover, but instead, got lost in an even more complex maze of law where no direction awaited her.

Initial stability

Swechha's first role as an in-house counsel gave her stability and structure—a balanced schedule with free weekends. But soon, she started missing the adrenaline of the courtroom and went back to litigation.

She then experienced its challenges again. As there was no family connection or network built up for her, she began to realize the unwritten rule of litigation: success depends greatly on networking.

Finding Her Path

The wisdom of an older student provided the clarity Swechha was looking for: "Knowing what you don't want to do is as important as knowing what you love."

Her experiences allowed her to see that she wasn't anti-law but, rather, she was opposed to the straitlaced practice of litigation. She found stability combined with professional challenge in the work of a corporate lawyer that suited her best strengths and aspirations. A Message for First-Generation Lawyers

Swechha’s journey emphasizes the importance of exploring various career paths within the legal field. For first-generation lawyers, the road to success is rarely linear. It’s a series of experiments and revelations, each bringing clarity.

Swechha’s story reminds aspiring lawyers that success doesn’t follow a one-size-fits-all formula; it’s about embracing uncertainty and finding the path that feels right.