Internship Experience @ Fox Mandal, Chennai

Name

Anonymous

Name of the Organisation

Fox Mandal – Third floor, Miraj Building, Radha Krishnan Salai, Mylapore, Chennai

Duration of Internship

August 2025

How did you apply?

I was devastated after my interview round failure for the Khaitan internship. In the same week, I was lucky enough to track down the contact of an associate at the Fox Mandal law firm and email him my CV, along with a polished email body.

I was asked to join the firm within five days, as the slots were filled for the upcoming months.

First-day Formalities, Infrastructure, First Impression

First Day at a Tier-1 Firm: It was a Saturday evening when I was given an appointment to meet one of the managing partners of the firm. After a tiring campus cleaning event, I straightaway headed to the office.

Like any other law student, I was obviously nervous. I was so lost, and my mind went crazy, and the moment I got down from the train, I tried figuring out how to reach the office as soon as possible. I was obviously not running late.

However, I was desperate to make a good first impression by arriving earlier than the appointed time. Later on, I somehow figured it out and reached the office, where I was asked to wait. Then came the managing partner, who showed up after I had already waited almost 2 hours for him.

It was at that moment that I finally understood the fact that knowledge gives us power, which in turn gives us respect at every walk of our life. Even before the commencement of the internship, I realised that the practical world is far different from what my books taught me.

Actual First Day: Since I had interned under various litigants before securing an internship here, I was used to the liberty granted to interns on the first day of the internship. Basically, I had gotten used to the culture of doing nothing on the first day due to all those formalities, where we take time to adapt.

But on my very first day here, I was introduced to other associates and to the friendliest manager of the firm. Within no time, I was asked to make certain changes to a draft petition, which I was able to do within the allotted time.

I was asked to reach the firm by 9:00 AM, and my working hours went on till 1 PM, after which I had to head to the college. I was informed about where to save my work, basically in a Dropbox folder that had been allotted for the August batch interns.

Main Tasks

Every day, I had to come a little early to trace the bundles for the day from around six large cabinets with six to eight shelves each.

I referred to the diary to keep track of cases coming up day to day, and the Dropbox with the link to the bundle arrangements was a real saviour for me.

Sometimes, I accompanied associates to hear cases in court and assisted them. Otherwise, people could also find me at different courts filing absent petitions with the help of other advocates.

Work Environment

I did not find any toxic or pressurized work environment. The associates often took their time to address even my silliest queries. Each associate there taught me something that they had learned through their long journey in this noble field.

The office, of course, was very posh, and I personally loved the workplace. One secret benefit was that the lunch expenses were met by the firm, even for the interns.

Good Things about the Internship

I worked with the litigation wing of the firm. The place actually taught me how to work on annexures, typed sets, and cross-examinations. I also explored various domains of law since the firm specialized in various areas, including real estate, family matters, and property disputes.

The amount of knowledge I had acquired within a span of one month was humongous. Also, this was the first time I had visited various lower courts in Chennai.

I was someone who had zero idea about how to check the case status using the E-Courts app, but I had a very great learning experience at the firm.

Bad Things about the Internship

It really is not easy for any person to approach and acquire an internship here. The absence of a streamlined application process is a definite no when it comes to a tier-1 firm.

I never knew there were two Fox Mandal offices in Chennai until I joined here.

Monthly Stipend

I was told that since I worked as a part-time intern, there would not be any stipend for me.

However, the managing partner, sir, at the end of my internship, gave me my paycheck, which made this internship even more special to me.

Details about the Accommodation, Commuting to the Office

Accommodation: As most people know, Chennai has plenty of PGs to stay in. There are quite a number of good accommodation options close to the office.

Commutation: I used the local train to reach the office every day. It takes exactly five minutes to reach the office on foot. Also, a bus stop is located close to the doorstep of the office.

Anything else you want to share?

My experience: If you are still reading the experience, you could have gotten a rough understanding that my experience at the firm was mostly positive. The associates there sometimes had to put up with me for committing the silliest errors.

I once had to take immediate scanned copies for a case that might be heard within an hour or so. I messed up the scans almost three times (at my lowest due to lack of sleep for over a week).

The associate had to step up to the plate to clear my mess, and I was almost warned by a senior associate in the friendliest manner that “common sense and presence of mind are basic characteristics for any advocate.”

This kind of error is something that will never be tolerated, particularly in a tier-1 firm.

Also, whenever the managing partner, sir, met me, he would ask, “Were you able to learn something here with us?” To which I would always nod my head, indicating yes.

He would sometimes talk to us about movies, actors, or even some judgments. I also learned how to be a good critic, where we place well-grounded facts rather than blabbering our perspectives.

I was also offered the opportunity to watch a movie with the associates, which I had to refuse due to my competition commitments. Also, I had an opportunity to celebrate the Onam festival with sadhya since one of the associates had Kerala roots.

All these, culminating together, made my internship experience at Fox Mandal truly special. The lessons that I have learned here will forever be carried forward throughout my personal and professional life. Ultimately, the blend of professionalism, camaraderie, and cultural warmth made this internship a wholesome journey.

Memorable Moments: One random day, when I thought I had no work to carry on, I was suddenly asked to visit court on my own to file an absent petition. I was clueless about the location, and if I missed the timing, I was sure to be lashed by the associates there.

I was guided by one of the associates to reach the place. He literally guided me as if he were guiding a five-year-old kid. He repeated himself many times and also told me that I had the privilege to ask him infinite questions.

On the same day, I got an opportunity to interact with two women advocates. One of them had a conversation with me where, out of nowhere, we spoke about physical health, mental health, and the life of an advocate.

Then the other ma’am taught me about how a criminal trial works in itself. I realized why I was always told to start my practice from subordinate courts rather than stepping my foot into the High Court directly.

To the Readers: If you are someone passionate about litigation, then I think this is the right place for you to kick-start your journey in the field of advocacy.

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