Court the right legal option

• Q: I am doing BA-LLB. I am not interested in litigation, civil or criminal law. I am an extrovert with varied interests. I am passionate about hockey, which I’ve had to give up due to my studies. Can you suggest some new or lesser-known field of law that I could look at?

• — Joy Bose

• A: Just fasten your seat belt while I tell you about the exciting new areas of law that will combine your professional specialisation and your interests.

Sports law is set to be the next cash cow for law majors in India. With sports gaining popularity and prominence, law firms are looking at expanding their portfolio in this segment, which they feel is recession-proof.

All celebrity endorsement deals are now being prepared by law firms. Earlier, it was restricted to the two parties involved — the celebrity endorsing the brand and the corporate entity. However, now law firms are increasingly being approached to facilitate such deals as part of their advisory services.

Sports law is likely to emerge as a major area in India in the next five years. And with the corporatisation of sports, there will be increased demand for lawyers specialising in this field. Their role will be to ensure that the contractual obligations as well as the rights and liabilities are tailored to best suit the athlete.

Intellectual property law, which protects patents, copyrights and trademarks, as well as cyber law, handling the many crimes on the Internet and World Wide Web are other specialisations that provide opportunities for lawyers.

Other options for lawyers include publishing law books and journals, journalism or teaching and academics. With some years of experience you can also work as a legal expert in international organisations such as the International Labour Organisation, the World Bank and the United Nations.

Try to factor in your choices

• Q: I have been working for the last three years in a factory after doing a certificate course from the Industrial Training Institute (ITI). I am keen on upgrading my skills but due to financial constraints I can’t leave my job to pursue a diploma in engineering or polytechnic. Please help.

• — Bikash Biswas

• A: Here’s an option that will fit you just fine. The Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou) will start a diploma course in mechanical engineering in January 2009. The eligibility for admission to this programme is 55 per cent marks in matriculation or an ITI certificate / certificate in motorcycle service and repair from Ignou.

The prospectus and application forms are available on payment of Rs 100 by hand and Rs 150 by post. Forms can be obtained from the programme co-ordinator, Block C, New Academic Block, Ignou Campus, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi-110068. The deadline for the application is October 30.

It pays to do research in India

• Q: Our daughter, who has been a merit-holder throughout, is in Canada to pursue higher studies in biology. She is now doing research at McGill University. However, like most parents, we would like her to come back and get married. She is refusing to do so because she says there are no opportunities for research in India. And even those that exist, don’t pay well. As parents we are dismayed. Could you suggest something that she can do here in India?

• — Reema Jog

• A: India has decided to kick-start a talent hunt to strengthen its base in high-end biomedical research in the country’s laboratories. Under a joint initiative between the department of biotechnology and the UK’s Wellcome Trust, the government is offering lucrative packages to attract the best Indian-origin talent across the globe to augment its research and development base.

Under this programme, early career fellows would get up to Rs 7.16 lakh per annum, intermediate fellows up to Rs 9.65 lakh and senior fellows up to Rs 12.83 lakh per annum.

Besides the salary package, they will also be offered high-end medical facilities for themselves and their families. But only those who have a proven global record in biomedical research can apply. And given your daughter’s passion and capability, I don’t see why she wouldn’t fit the bill.

Seventy fellowships will be awarded every year under the programme in different areas of bioresearch for the next 10 years, to begin with. Research professionals would be attached to different institutions to provide leadership in biomedical research, which is an area of tremendous global significance today.

Some Indian biotech firms are also doing exciting cutting-edge research. Perhaps your daughter could explore the option of working with them in her area of interest / specialisation.