Dr. Sagee Geetha Sethu is a Program Head at the School of Law, Amity University Dubai who did her LLM from the University of Warwick in International Economic Law. She completed her Ph.D. in Corporate Law and Human Rights at National Law University, Delhi in the year 2016. Apart from being a professor, she has also worked in the court of law as an advocate.
Dr. Sethu engaged in a conversation about careers in Dubai with Apoorva Mehta, Executive Manager at Legal Desire.
1. After 7 years of industry experience working in a leading corporate law firm in UAE what is your biggest takeaway?
It gave me an opportunity to work and understand different legal systems apart from my previous experiences in other jurisdictions. The UAE legal system is a combination of Sharia and civil law systems, which has proven to be very effective in resolving disputes much faster and effectively.
2. In the pandemic when education institutions globally have struggled to adapt to the change in mode of education, you have received the Amity Innovative in teaching and learning award 2021. According to you what are the key ingredients to a successful education system?
Education and educational systems must be able to adapt to change. Particularly when the pandemic struck, Amity University quickly moved to an online learning platform and all the faculties also were trained over a weekend to adapt to online teaching methods for delivery of classes. This also gave us and taught us to seek various teaching techniques to keep the education going and the students engaged with the online class platform.
3. What is your opinion on the standardised tests required for law school admission?
This will help improve the standard of the law intake and thereby the profession.
4. You have successfully conducted comparative research on the legal system of developed as well as developing nations, what according to you sets them apart?
One of the relevant features of a developed country is the foundation of a strong legal system or framework and also keeping the system abreast with the latest developments or advancements, be it technological or societal. Developing countries are nowadays adapting new laws since this will put them in better standing in terms of economic, social, and technological developments. They have to ensure that the countries have a sound business or stable environment for growth.
5. Do you think India should also consider adapting the changes made in the UAE labour laws which promote paid leaves, flexible working hours, 3-year contracts?
The labour environment and practice in the two countries are different based on their demographics, labour rights, and prevailing legislation. However, countries can adopt best practices from one another to have a conducive labour conditions.
6. Apart from state action what can help prevent gendered cyber violence in today’s digital world? Are the laws alone sufficient?
A strong legal framework is a foundation for addressing any issues. However, there must be two important approaches to ensure its effectiveness.
- State action or its implementation mechanism should be strengthened.
- The concerned officers should be trained to identify and detect new kinds of crimes that are more technology-driven or technical in nature. More IT specialists and experts should be introduced to the police force for timely or apt detection of crime or apprehension of criminals. The traditional method of union detection cannot help.
7. Do moot competitions still hold the same value with the rise of ADR in various legal systems?
The Moot Court competition is meant for developing the skills required for a lawyer. It is not just about learning the art of advocacy in courts. It helps develop an all-round skill including drafting, articulation, research, and skills are required whether you are practicing in a court or engaged in ADR mechanism.
8. Accordingly to you can justice in its true sense be through alternative modes other than litigation such as ADR?
ADRs cannot replace courts in all disputes. It is meant to be an alternative where matters require more expedition. Ultimately resolving a dispute in a justiciable manner in the object of courts and ADRs. However, matters such as crime cannot be handed over to ADRs; since it might detect the very purpose.
9. What is your advise to law students who want to make a career in law in Dubai?
UAE gives a unique opportunity for the students studying here to get international exposure. Students get an insight into the working of two different jurisdictions. Being the Bar Council of India accredited Law School outside India, it gives a unique opportunity to the law students who study in Amity Dubai to be exposed to international legal working environment. Students are to undergo compulsory internships, where they are placed in the law firms, companies & NGOs based out of Dubai as well as work with lawyers here in India. At the end of the day, it is a professional course & students are expected to work and act as professional in the respective workplace either as a practicing lawyer or an academician or a legal advisor of a company & I hope that I will be able to pass on whatever I learned and understood my stint with the industry.
