By Cameron Jordan (JD I)
Every year, thousands of students across Australia enter their first ever law lecture feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. Some feel it is the long-awaited beginning of their journey to becoming Australia’s next leading barrister, while others view it as just another boring day at university. One thing that is common among most students, however, is a desire to have a unique impact on the world, and to be more than just an average student.
Someone that has certainly exemplified what it means to be more than just a law student is Milan Gandhi. Milan is the Founder and National Director of The Legal Forecast, a not-for-profit run by early-career professionals who are entrepreneurially-minded and promote the importance of technology for effective legal practice. Milan also graduated with First Class Honours in law and won the Australian Law Student of the Year award where he received a perfect score from every judge.
Beginning with music video directing in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Milan had a desire for more intellectual exploration, and found it in the law, following the footsteps of his grandfather who practised in East Africa. This has led him on adventures ranging from studying space law in Vienna to assisting to design and organise 54-hour ‘legal hackathon’ Disrupting Law. Milan worked for McCullough Robertson Lawyers for six and a half years, firstly as a clerk, and then as a lawyer in the firm’s construction litigation team. Milan was also the firm’s first innovation ambassador and continues to aid the firm in relation to one of its innovation programs called ‘McR Changemakers’.
Milan recently moved outside of private practice to take a unique opportunity with DMTC (formerly the ‘Defence Materials Technology Centre’) where Milan’s dual-role is focused on innovation and business strategy, and on aspects of in-house legal work. DMTC collaborates with defence industry participants and research institutions to deliver innovation that enhances Australia’s defence and national security capabilities.
Excelling as a law student
Everyone has their own constantly evolving definitions of excellence and success, but there is general advice that everyone can take on board. Milan suggests that you should begin by saying yes to as many opportunities as you can:
“It’s important to get varied and practical experiences outside of the classroom. You shouldn’t rely on law school to define what opportunities and pathways are available to you… attend professional events and become curious about the sector you are entering. As for obtaining those interesting opportunities – it’s a numbers game. Apply, apply, apply! You need to overcome the self-doubt and hit submit on that application. It may be a cliché, but it’s true that you miss every shot you don’t take!”
He also stresses the importance of a positive attitude, and notes the benefits of developing traits such as patience, humility, curiosity, and proactiveness:
“The most successful people I know strive for excellence and maintain a good attitude in everything they do, especially the boring parts of the job. This approach will take you far as a newbie in the legal profession (or any profession/industry). The successful people I’ve observed also have a willingness to ask the stupid questions and to lean on the dictionary whenever they come across something they don’t understand – it’s better to ask and look stupid now, then to pretend you know and face a systemic deficiency in your knowledge later…”
Searching for opportunities, and having a solid attitude is only the start, as Milan reminds students to ensure they do not ignore the development of fundamental legal skills:
“I’m all about cultivating business savvy, EQ, and leadership skills, and I sincerely believe in (and know) the power of strong networks and professional relationships. However, none of this can come at the expense of your fundamental technical skills – you must work at and take pride in these as “Step 1”. Law students must leave law school with confident writing and legal research skills. That is the foundation of how you will make an impression and provide value on a day to day level during your initial work experience opportunities and onwards. Go to and take an interest in any and every L&D session your legal library puts on while at law school!”
Managing time and staying motivated
Many students may struggle with time management due to the demands of law. They may also find it hard to stay motivated as they get deeper into their degree. It might be when they are up late studying, their friends are all out socialising, or when the lecturer’s attempt to explain a particularly dry concept is putting them to sleep. This can be compounded by that feeling that everyone around you has things under control, despite this not really being true.
Milan suggests that the first thing to understand is that everyone fails at time management at some stage, and that everybody has different responsibilities. He shares some practical tips:
“I definitely did and continue to struggle with this one. A solid to-do list never goes astray, and I’ve found some assistance from software tools that are at everyone’s disposal like Trello, Evernote and Wunderlist (although I think Wunderlist is going to be replaced by something else soon). There’s a lot of great resources out there that can assist you with time management and organisation… but any of my friends/family reading this will know that balance is not necessarily my strong suit! It’s a work in progress, and I know some are struggling with much greater challenges and life commitments than others, which is why there is not a one-size-fits-all lesson on how to manage time.”
Learn about the power of prioritisation, figure out how you can apply the 80/20 rule in your life, and always be looking for ways to reduce ‘time leaks’ such as aimless social media scrolling. Over time, you will become a time management master, and you will be rewarded with more time for leisure.
It is also extremely beneficial to find what inspires you, and to surround yourself with great people. You can use this as fuel to stay motivated, which will ensure you remain productive. Milan says:
“Inspiration is important and often triggers the best and biggest career (and, for that matter, life) adventures – these days I take a lot of inspiration from the people around me, and from opportunities to think creatively (where they may arise). I am also in the privileged position to be able to reflect on past successes and recall the feeling of seeing vision, hard work, and commitment pay off for myself and for my team - the “cat is out of the bag” in that I know what is possible with the right attitude, the right values, and a willingness to do the hard yards. A healthy dose of fear and duty is also a great source of motivation (although perhaps not inspiration) – I do fear becoming complacent/losing the momentum I have built in my career to date, and I feel I owe it to myself and the generous mentors who have opened doors for and supported me (including, first and foremost, my parents) to continue to strive for positive change, professionally and otherwise.”
The future of legal practice in Australia
Understanding where the law is heading in the future is also vital for all law students, particularly after the outbreak of COVID-19. Having a firm grasp of technology and innovation will ensure you are able to better handle unforeseeable events should they arise, and will allow you to have more of an impact in whatever field you are in.
“My theory (and it is only a theory) is that there is a dual thing that is happening… people are right in thinking that COVID has caused digital adoption and accelerated flexible working practices, but there is the deeper and somewhat contradictory issue of law firms entering survival mode and (understandably) losing their appetite for discretionary spending and investment in R&D focused on the long-term future. I’m not an accountant so take what I say with a healthy pinch of salt, but a lot of law firms operate on a “cash lean” model and are relatively low on long-term cash reserves. COVID may have revealed some of the existential issues for law firms that operate this way, but has also shone a light on the difficulty, within the typical/traditional law firm structure, of making big strategic plays for the future and having the cash on hand to do so. .”
What now?
While at law school, there are two things you need to do. The first is mastering the law, and the second is mastering law school itself. Commit yourself to always be innovative in your studies, always be searching for ways to be more productive, and always be asking yourself why you decided to study law in the first place.
It is true that success leaves clues, so look for clues that individuals such as Milan Gandhi leave behind, and use them to help you become the best law student you can be. Good luck.
Milan Gandhi can be contacted via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gandhimilan/.
The Legal Forecast can be found here: https://www.thelegalforecast.com.