Career in Entertainment Industry: Interview of Ms.Sudha Sameekshya (Asst. Manager-Legal, Shemaroo)

1. Ma'am, please introduce yourself to our readers.

Hello! I am Sudha Sameekshya. I have completed my bachelors in law from Bangalore Institute of Legal Studies, affiliated to Karnataka State Law University. I have also pursued LLM in Intellectual Property Laws from NLIU, Bhopal

2. Please tell us about your law school experience and what are certain things which one learn during law school which helps him/her in their professional career?

A good rapport with seniors in law school is a must. They have already walked the path you are intending to walk upon. They will be able to provide you a hands on enriched experience on a plethora of things which is unavailable in the legal books. It is very necessary to have a bunch of fellow people who push you constantly to stimulate yourself intellectually. Mooting is also something which should be on the cards during your law school. It is instrumental in shaping your basic research skills, understanding the importance of team effort and working in tandem with other team mates and the benefits of mooting can be never ending. Even though, real practice is nothing like mooting, but I would recommend every young graduate to participate in at least one Moot court competition to gain a finer perspective and develop a refined approach towards interpretation of laws.

3. After completing your graduation in 2015, what was the reason behind you opting for higher studies?

Well, I intended to specialise in Constitutional law and had different career plans of practicing in Delhi. Unfortunately, I did not qualify for the necessary ranking cuts to make it to Constitutional law and ended up taking the next sought after stream at NLIU, which was IPR. Eventually, I did make peace with it and fortunately the ever changing scope and intriguing dynamics of various IP laws kept me within its folds and a different career path panned out before me. Hence, my career in IP laws was a beautiful stroke of luck.

4. How did you make it to National Law of Indian University, Bhopal in 2015, the very same year you graduated ?

The scheme of questions for CLAT PG is usually designed in a manner to test your fundamentals of various law subjects. It is impossible to work on basics and fundamentals overnight before CLAT PG exams are scheduled and hence it advisable to try building a good grasp on law subjects during the law school. Consistency plays a dominant role in cracking any exam and I believe it should be heavily relied on. Prepare your notes and utilise technology to your best to brush up with law subjects like Jurisprudence and Constitutional law.

5. You made it through Clat PG and secured your place in one of the most prestigious law school of India. In which year of your graduation you decided to prepare for CLAT- PG? What was your strategy for the exam and how did you prepared for it?

I started preparing for CLAT PG during my last semester of law school. Since I had already made up my mind to go ahead for a specialisation, I did not focus on the ongoing placements. I brushed up on important law subjects and worked on previous CLAT PG papers available on internet. If you have a strong hold on basics of Constitution and Jurisprudence, cracking CLAT PG will not be much of an issue.

6. From completing your studies in 2016 to becoming Assistant Manager-Legal at Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd. Please tell us about this journey of yours.

During the last trimester at NLIU, I started applying to various boutique IP firms. Since my graduation and majority of internships were based out of Bangalore, I was looking forward to a career there. I joined “BananaIP Counsels”and it gave me the much needed exposure and platform for understanding IPR laws in general and Trademark laws in particular. Gradually, I shifted to another boutique IPR firm, namely “Intellocopia IP Services” and the firm helped me reinforce my grip on Trademark and Copyright laws.

7. You are Assistant Manager-Legal at Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd.(India's leading content power house with a global reach). Please enlighten us about the scope for law graduates in the respective sector, also throw some light the kind of work you are entrusted with as part of your job and with what legal aspects it deals with.

Currently, my area of practice is limited to Media and Entertainment laws (M&E). It is to be noted that unlike earlier times, celebrities and other members of the fraternity are aware about their IP rights and do not hesitate to initiate an action of infringement. This results in numerous law suits and the jurisprudence in this particular area is constantly evolving. Copyright laws, in comparison to other IP laws offers a lot of room for varied interpretations and hence it is challenging to understand the same and apply it in a manner which is beneficial for your Client/Company.

At Shemaroo, I mostly deal with drafting, vetting and negotiating contracts with respect to content acquisition and syndication across various platforms. A chunk of my work also requires drafting of artist agreements, notices and conducting due diligence. It demands a sound understanding and application of IP and Contract laws in general and Copyright law in particular. Shemaroo has a notable and diverse repertoire of films and other genres of Audio visual content and as an in house counsel, protecting the interests of the Company is of paramount importance. To understand this importance it is imperative to understand the goals and requirements of in house business teams and no stone should be left unturned in this process.

M&E is a niche area of practice and in case anyone is contemplating a career in this area of practice it is advisable to apply for internships at law firms, Production houses, Broadcasters and content aggregators. Additionally, there are various premier law institutes which provide certification and courses in IPR, Media and Entertainment Practice. That is also something which can be explored for a better understanding of this area of practice.As a lawyer, I cannot help but mention the immense and indispensable importance of reading voraciously. You need to be aware about the latest developments in your area of practice at least and if possible write articles about the same.

8. Thank you so much Ma'am for talking with us, please end it with an adage which will motivate our viewers in the legal arena.

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young”- Henry Ford.

There are no shortcuts to success. Look out for places which offer you a good learning curve and that is going to be fundamental building stone for your career. Make no compromise on that.

Good luck!!!