Super Lawyer

Category: Entrepreneur and Alternative careerists

  • Sameena Jahangir, Partner at Kochhar and Co, shares her experience of working on Deal, entrepreneurship and hard work is the best formula for success.

    Sameena Jahangir, Partner at Kochhar and Co, shares her experience of working on Deal, entrepreneurship and hard work is the best formula for success.

    This interview has been published by Isam Kabir and The Super Lawyer Team. The Interview was taken by Priyanka Cholera.

    1. There are various acclaimed roles credited to your name, be it a law firm partner, startup founder or mentor. Which of these resonate with you the most?

     I wear different hats, but my core function is to improve myself and learn throughout the journey. The identity of a lawyer resonates with me the most. Even if I had all the money in the world and the luxury of not working, I’d still want to practice law since it’s something that I am passionate about. Law has also allowed me to teach and mentor people. 

    2.What motivated you to pursue law as a career?

    I had strayed from the law after my 10th and pursued science for 2 years with a misconception that I would become a doctor, but I realised early on in my journey that it wasn’t my cup of tea. I was entirely consumed and fascinated by law from the very first day. I come from a family of lawyers. My mother worked for a brief period as a lawyer dealing with insurance and accidental tribunal matters. At the same time, my father was a criminal lawyer, because of which the conversations in the household always circled law. My brother is an academician and teaches corporate, securities and tax laws to professional students. l I discovered a new perspective on the law when I interned at Desai & Diwanji with senior partner Aslesha Gowarikar. 

    3.Could you share with us any experience of discrimination based on your gender or any other trait, if any? 

    There is a lot of bigotry that surrounds women. The way I dress, talk and or carry/groom myself is very westernised and modern. It’s not uncommon for women to be told that they have reached a position because of the way they talk,  look and dress. I have also faced discrimination where I was denied rental houses to reside in due to my religion. There is a lot of bias in society still very prevalent even in developed metro cities which a lot of people have to face on a daily basis, be it, religion, gender, colour or caste.   I firmly believe that playing the victim card doesn’t help anyone. One has to do their part and if there is anything wrong happening not only against you but even to someone else, stand up and speak that’s the only way we can see change. Just keep working and have the results back their merit.  

    Sameena Jahangir Partner at Kochhar and Co

    Partner at Kochhar and Co

    4.Post your LLB, and while acquiring your Company Secretary (CS) from ICSI, you were a full time Articled Associate at Desai & Diwanji. How did you manage your time for your education when your legal career was in its budding stage?

    I started my CS at an early stage. I had already started preparing for it when I was doing law. I allocated any free time towards studying for it. I did not believe in studying long hours. Instead, I indulged in quality studying. I had no social life then because I directed all my focus on studying. As a result, I was both a lawyer and CS. My corporate work helped me to understand CS subjects better. 

    5. In 2019, you co-authored a book called “GOODS AND SERVICE TAX: No masterpiece was ever created by a Lazy Artist.”. Please share with us a little about the writing process. 

    I teach income tax, and I’ve always wanted to publish a book. We’ve previously written textbooks for our students, but a book is a whole other ballgame. So when the legislation for GST was passed, my brother and I decided to publish a book on it after studying the nuances. The aim was to create a useful book for CA/CFA students as well as professionals who need to work on taxes.

    Sameena Jahangir Partner at Kochhar and Co

    6.How did Lex-Sign – e signing portal materialise in 2021? Was entrepreneurship always on the checklist? 

    I have always been zealous about entrepreneurship. When I became a lawyer and started working at Desai & Diwanji, I visited startup seminars on weekends. I loved the environment revolving around discussions of ideas and business. Entrepreneurs offer new-age solutions to the management of problems. During the pandemic, I noticed that most of my clients had problems regarding the execution of documents, procurement of stamp papers, access to documents stored in their offices when personal meetings were impossible.  With the shut down of the trains, access to the office became very difficult. The idea of Lex-Sign came to my mind where we offer to provide easy digitisation of documents so that work can go on seamlessly. It’s a digitally encrypted platform for online signing, digital signing, Aadhar number based signing and procurement of stamp paper from across the country. The confidentiality of the customers is valued and protected. We rolled out this new venture with this mindset, and we’ve gotten a positive response this far. 

    7.What inspired you to move towards a more tech-savvy culture? 

    As part of the WFH culture, we realised the importance of being tech-savvy and digitalised in all aspects of our life. Therefore, it is essential to move to an online platform even for documentation to utilise the force of digitalisation fully. Most of my clients were facing this issue; therefore, something needed to be done about it. As a corporate lawyer, I understood the intricacies of privacy and data privacy laws and hence Lex Sign became a one-stop solution for e documentation.

    8.What steps are you taking to ensure that the process is simplified for anyone who is not tech-friendly or adaptive?

    For Lex-Sign, we arranged for almost no human interface requirement to carry out documentation. If someone needed to execute a document, they can simply go on the LEx Sign portal, order a stamp paper, upload the pdf document and then sign it without needing someone to handhold them through the process. 

    9.A year after joining Kochar & Co. as a senior associate, you were elevated to partnership in the shortest time. How did this transition occur?

    In Kochar, I joined as a senior associate, and within four months, I became a principal associate there. During the pandemic in September 2020, I was made a partner. The journey was very fast-paced, and the firm felt the necessity for a change in my designation. The promotions may seem fast-paced but it is the result of the 11 years  I have put into my career. 

    Sameena Jahangir Partner at Kochhar and Co

    10.You were the core council of advisors for Fincity in their acquisition by MasterCard in 2020, which was part of “Deals of the Year’ by India Business Law Journal. Attending such matters must be different from your other projects. How did you prepare to tackle this mega-deal?

    I was very fortunate to be a part of this said deal which was into the Fintech space. Like most deals, it involved long hours of work and some days felt longer than the others but I always kept a solution-oriented mindset. As a team leader, the most important thing is to not push down the agony and stress on your team members or the lower verticals. The mere role of a mentor or leader is to take control of situations when things fall apart and to accept accountability while cheering everyone else for success. I always tell people to take needed breaks, not to get burn out. That’s the only way one can perform consistently in the long run.

    I believe that in the whole scheme of things, legal advice is merely one segment. One needs to understand the issue holistically from their client’s perspective without sticking to the only nuances of the legality involved but go beyond that into the commercial aspects as well.

    11.Jahangir Tutorials was founded by you, where the mission is to impart education for ambitious CS students. Your enterprise has also achieved considerable feats like your students securing AIR 1 AIR 2 and AIR 3 examinations. Jahangir Tutorials also has a youtube channel where you upload your lectures. Has Jahangir Tutorials evolved their pedagogical approach with time? How well-received and appreciated was the response to this endeavour? 

    At Jahangir Tutorials, subjects for the Company secretary exams are taught for all levels. In the Pre-pandemic period, physical classes were conducted, and anyone with access to it could join us. With the onset of Covid, a change was made to make Jahangir Tutorials accessible to everyone by uploading our lectures online on Youtube. We received a positive response and today we are the fastest-growing CS digital class in India. This is also because we value the time of others and keep our lectures crisp and apt. We received appreciation for our online videos from people all across India and how they helped them with their preparations for CS exams. Teaching is the most fulfilling job because you get a direct stake in creating the leaders of tomorrow. 

    12.Lastly, any words to the wise?

    In my professional journey, I have learnt that there is no substitute for hard work. There is no luck or coincidences but pure results of one’s merit. Don’t let go of the focus at any point. There is no shortcut to being rich either: it’s a simple swap of service for money. However, I always believe that the ultimate important quality to possess is to make sure you’re a better person than you were yesterday. You can be the best lawyer and know the best application of your knowledge, but if you’re not kind and lack empathy, you gain nothing at the end of the day. Speak well always and use your knowledge and communication to do good for others. 

    Get in touch with Sameena Jahangir

  • Akshay Ubale, Co-founder, Triumvir Law on starting his own law firm and a successful career in International arbitration

    Akshay Ubale, Co-founder, Triumvir Law on starting his own law firm and a successful career in International arbitration

    Akshay is a graduate of National Law School of India University, Bangalore and a co-founder of Triumvir Law. In this interview, he talks about the importance of internships and the grit and determination required to start your own law firm and making it sustain.

    After Founding, Triumvir Law in 2018 in Bangalore. Akshay took the plunge and moved back to Mumbai to start Triumvirs Law’s Mumbai office.

    HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR READERS? PLEASE TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR PRE-COLLEGE LIFE?

     I was born and brought up in Mumbai. Most of my family were members of law enforcement, so discussions about law and politics were quite common around the house; I gravitated towards the law because I was comfortable with it. But it was not until much later that I found the reason for why I chose the law and it was simply because I enjoyed understanding the reasoning and tackling concerns of individuals in a structured manner. I think this where I get my affinity towards playing chess.

     

     WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO SPECIALIZE IN INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION AND CORPORATE LAW?

    When I first came to the National Law School of India University, Bangalore (NLSIU), I had come with the mindset of practising criminal law and all my initial law school activity led to that. It was not until the third-year internships that I had a proper look into the world of Commercial Arbitration. In particular, I enjoyed the sheer variety of disputes across practice areas that I had been exposed to, which allowed me to study multiple areas of law that I had not previously considered.

    I decided to pursue International Commercial Arbitration because I enjoyed the sheer difference in every case ranging from the terms and wording of contracts, the intricacies of the interactions between the parties and the resolution process in itself.

     

    WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO START THE TRIUMVIR LAW? WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES YOU FACED AND WHAT IS YET TO BE ACHIEVED?

    The idea of an independent practice was alluring since it allowed me to maintain a better balance between my work and personal life.

    But taking such a step within a year of graduating seemed risky at that time. The most fundamental reason that made me consider taking this step was the rapport that existed between the three Co-Founders (Anubhab Sarkar, Prathik Cheralathammanda and me) and our desire to carve our own path in the practice of International Arbitration.

    In addition to that, the different nature of practice areas that the three of us had come from (Corporate, Intellectual Property and Disputes) and the different types of mandates that it opened us up to handle was something exemplary, in my opinion.

    I feel, the biggest challenge in any independent practice is ensuring that you have a standing in different practice areas, as the first conversation with a client or a prospective client determines whether you have the mandate or not. Once you are able to maintain a dialogue and address the queries that the clients could come up with, most of the issues that arise can be tackled.

    With regards to what is to be achieved is something that I have not set in stone yet, what I shall continue doing is addressing the needs of our clients to the best of our abilities. In my opinion, as long as we keep on that path, the achievements will keep piling.

     

    WHAT ARE THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE FIRM AND HOW IT CATERS THE NEED OF CLIENTS?

     We focus on providing a client with the advice that would ensure the best market practices and their own market position without compromising on the strength of their legal claims. On multiple occasions, this has resulted in us resolving matters without having to put the client through a tedious dispute resolution process.

    The most prominent services that the firm has provided revolve around corporate and commercial advisory, dispute resolution (litigation and arbitration) as well as intellectual property. In addition to the above, we have worked on Investment Treaty Arbitrations, crypto-currencies, mergers and acquisitions, and climate change and forced migration.

    At present, a lot of companies want quality advice but are apprehensive in relation to the fees that would be billed by the Lawyers. By providing a wide variety of services under one roof it has helped us to not only cater to the needs of our clients (which include multiple start-ups as well as established Companies) but it has helped us to develop a suitable model for billing based on mutual understanding for our clients.

    We espouse an idea of a balance in the lives of the members of our team; the same is applicable for our clients as well. We believe that we should have a mandate because we will address the clients’ requirements in the fastest, most efficient and cost-effective way that is possible without any compromise and not solely for our competitive rates.

    HOW CAN A LAW STUDENT APPLY FOR INTERNSHIP AT TRIUMVIR LAW?

    A law student can directly apply for an internship by writing to anubhab.sarkar@triumvirlaw.com. But keeping in mind the nature of the work that we do it is advisable that students who have studied International Commercial arbitration and corporate laws apply to us.

    WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE TO LAW STUDENTS LOOKING FOR A CAREER IN INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION?

    At the end of the day, Arbitration is a form of dispute resolution. I would advise students to intern in arbitration and litigation teams before making any final determination.

    Further, an arbitration attorney must be equipped to handle a variety of practice areas as the contract can pull you in a direction that you least expect it; hence do not close your options and intern in various practice areas solely for the exposure to different sectors.

    Finally, networking is crucial and it would assist in the formative years of practice, so attending conferences or joining the youth chapters of arbitral institutes would be a good first step.

     

    PLEASE SHARE WITH US THE UNIQUENESS OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY YOUR LAW FIRM.

    I believe that our philosophy of putting the clients’ needs first at all costs has assisted us in building a rapport based on absolute trust with our clients and that trust is something that I am particularly proud of. We believe in providing personalized services to the client and growing with them through their journey. This has enabled us to understand the client’s needs better and has thereby assisted us to provide quality advice in quick turnaround time.

     

    WHAT MILESTONES HAVE YOU ACHIEVED TILL NOW?

    We have been running Triumvir for over a year now during the tenure of which we have seen that multiple clients have referred their colleagues to us and that circle has been expanding throughout our tenure. It provides a certain satisfaction at the end of the day that we are doing something we can be proud of.

    This influx of demand also led us to open our Mumbai operations, which is roughly 7 months old now and stable.

    During this period, we are also extremely proud of the fact that we have been able to be a part of quite a few reported transactions and disputes.

     

    WHERE DO YOU SEE THE FIRM IN THE LONG RUN?

    A message that one of my seniors in practice told me is that setting up a target and a deadline for it, has a different effect on the team. Instead, focus on the task on hand and you will keep growing at a steadfast pace with a solid base.

    At present, we have a long term picture in our mind. However, we try and keep it in our sub-conscience. The next big step for us would be to start our New Delhi/Calcutta operations, which is a crucial step in developing Triumvir into a full-service national law firm.

     

    WHAT WOULD BE YOUR PARTING MESSAGE TO OUR READERS?

    Seize the day. There will never be a better day to start things nor a better one to follow what you desire. Find the people you would choose to be surrounded with and not settle for anything less.

    At the end of the day, all that is left is what you think of yourself. What others think or believe is frankly out of our control, so the best thing to do so is believing in you and launch into the deep.

     

     

  • Raghu Ram, Founder and CEO, Law Abode LPO, on his startup, and the challenges of starting your own venture

    Raghu Ram, Founder and CEO, Law Abode LPO, on his startup, and the challenges of starting your own venture

    Raghu Ram completed his graduation from Jagarlamudi Chandramouli College of Law, Guntur in 2005. He then went on to purse his MBA from University of Central Queensland (Australia).  He is the CEO and founder of Law Abode LPO. He has more than thirteen years of experience in business development and legal operations management. Prior to this he has worked at Acumen LPO and Pegasys LPO.

    In this interview he talks about:

    • Legal skills required to work in LPO;
    • About his startup Law Abode LPO;
    • Challenges of starting your own venture.

    HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR READERS?

    I would like to introduce myself as Founder & CEO of Law Abode LPO, a boutique legal outsourcing firm catering legal and technical services to American and Canadian Attorneys. Over the past six years I have been running the firm. At the age of 29 I started Law Abode LPO. Prior to this I worked with two startups as a legal and business consultant. I am self-motivated guy who believes in hard work. I got my B.A. LL.B from Jagarlamudi Chandramouli College of Law, Guntur in the year 2005 and M.B.A from Central Queensland University, Australia in the year 2007. I take care of business development and legal operations of the firm.

     

    PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR COLLEGE LIFE?

    My college days are unforgettable. Those days are the happiest days of my life. In college, I met two important persons of my life. I have learned a lot from my principal (Dr. Sudhakara Babu). He is my guide and mentor even today. He is my backbone and like my father. Another person is my wife (Jaya Lakshmi), now she is working as Judge in AP Judiciary. I was very proactive student in the college with good academics. Not only academics, I participated in cultural, sports and all other activities held in college. I was the college topper and secured awards for meritorious performance in university exam. I gave paper presentation at national level symposiums and was a regular participant in college debates and moot courts. I believe college life has a great impact on me in shaping my career.

     

    YOU PURSUED MBA FROM UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL QUEENSLAND AFTER LLB. WHY THE DECISION TO PURSUE MBA AFTER LLB?

    The main reason to pursue MBA after LLB is to get different combination. In early 2000 I heard about LPO and outsourcing concepts. There were debates about foreign law firms entering to India. That time I thought in this changing global scenario Law and Management combination will definitely give me good career. A law and MBA degree helps professionals build expertise in either field, for example, marketing in management, or litigation in law. But in a rapidly globalising economy, a combination could take one’s career much further. And, given the demand for a combination of law and MBA qualifications, this dual combination helped me lot to start my own firm, because I have knowledge in legal services and I know how to market these services.

     

    WHAT IS THE WORK PROFILE OF A LEGAL CONSULTANT AT AN LPO?

    My first work profile was of  legal and business consultant; I was part of both business development and legal operations. Work profile for the legal consultant depends upon the LPO firm. Some of the LPOs offer only contract management services and some of them offer personal injury services. Now most of the big LPO firms primer service is contract management and document review. Normal job of legal consultant would be doing the legal research, preparing legal memos, contract drafting, contract review, its mostly attorney supporting work.

     

    COULD YOU EXPLAIN TO OUR YOUNG READERS WHAT IS AN LPO AND WHAT ARE THE TASKS UNDERTAKEN BY IT?

    Legal process outsourcing (LPO) is new concept. Its part of KPO (Knowledge process outsourcing). Most of them think it’s also something like BPO. But it’s absolutely wrong. In BPO person’s qualifications and subject knowledge is not much required. But in LPO it is different. If anyone wants to work in LPO, they should have law degree for most of the work. Basically in LPO firms, most of the work would be legal support services, legal research, legal drafting, contract drafting, contract review, personal injury claim matters, e-discovery, preparing bankruptcy chapters, intellectual property matters. These are the main tasks LPOs are taking right now.

     

    WE HAVE HEARD THE LPO WORK GETS REPETITIVE AND THERE IS LIMITED GROWTH IN THE SAME? IS IT TRUE OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISPEL THIS WIDESPREAD OPINION ABOUT THIS CAREER CHOICE?

    Yes, LPO work gets repetitive. Because you are working with attorneys, they have every day paper work. As long as they are in regular practice we will receive work. It’s the beauty of the industry; I have close to ten years of work association with some of my clients. It’s all about trust building with your quality work. Once you are accustomed to their way of work, it is really happy to work with. I am completely disagreeing with your opinion about career growth, there is huge scope of career growth, with in span of 10 years one can reach to good position in LPO sector. We will have lot of exposure about international market and foreign legal issues. In terms of salary wise also LPOs are giving good packages.

     

    HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO START YOUR OWN VENTURE? WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES INVOLVED?

    I started my own firm when I was 29. After four years of real time experience and witnessing a few key moments of work culture led me to start my own firm. Since my wife is into judicial services, she use to have a transfer in every three years. This is also one of the reasons to start my own venture. Now I have comfort to work from any place and I can make the decisions on my own. There are challenges involved running LPO firm. The biggest challenge is convincing the client and getting work from them. It’s really a herculean task. We can convenience the attorney only with quality of work. If you research is less than perfect, its no use. Timely delivery of the projects and resource availability are major concern. Firms like us, we are working in tier two cities, and availability of resources is less as compare to metros. W get good resources in metro cities but it’s difficult to get in small places.

     

    WHAT ARE THE LEGAL SKILLS REQUIRED TO BE WORKING IN AN LPO?

    LPO is perceived as an alternative career option for lawyers. LPO provides an attractive alternative to legal professionals, offering them higher salaries, work-life balance and better working conditions. Working with foreign attorneys always a tough call. We need to adapt to their way of working and usage of technology. Lawyers who want to work in LPO need have good command over the english language and legal analytical skills. Lawyers are required to be well versed with the legal procedural differences including expertise in online legal databases.

     

    DOES LAW ABODE LPO OFFER INTERNSHIPS TO LAW STUDENTS? HOW CAN A LAW STUDENT APPLY FOR THE SAME?

    Yes, we offer internships to selected students. Students can send their information to email: info@lawabodelpo.com

     

    WHAT SKILLS AND QUALITIES WOULD YOU LOOK FOR IN ANY LAWYER BEFORE OFFERING HIM A JOB WITH YOUR LPO?

    I strongly believe that there is no substitute for hard work. Working in legal profession whether its regular legal practice, working in corporate legal department or working in LPO, lawyers need have lot of patience. They should be ready to work long hours. The skill-set we see in resources is mainly their communication, use of online tools, understanding about legal issues, research skills and their academics.

     

    WHAT WOULD BE YOUR WORD OF ADVICE TO YOUNG LAWYERS AND LAW STUDENTS?

    I personally believe, working in legal profession is always challenging. Every day is new task. Particularly for law students, they have lot of career opportunities like judicial services, corporate legal departments, traditional court practice and working LPO sector. It better to have clear goal in which they want to go. Basing on that they have to upgrade required skill set. It’s always better to participate in moot courts and debates to enhance their speaking skills. In changing global scenario they have to observe latest trends in legal market. Use of online tools and technology always has an advantage to do the things faster.

     

  • Subhayu Chakraborty, Strategy and M&A Investment, Naspers Ltd on transactional law and pursuing Masters from Frankfurt School of Finance and Management

    Subhayu Chakraborty, Strategy and M&A Investment, Naspers Ltd on transactional law and pursuing Masters from Frankfurt School of Finance and Management

    Subhayu Chakraborty, graduated in Law from WBNUJS in the year 2012. Subjects like IPR, Economics, Economics and Law, Corporate Law, Taxation and Corporate Finance/Governance and Law interested him and he has penned down a few articles – one published by the prestigious International Astronautical Federation (IAF) in 2010. Subhayu went on to pursue his Master’s degree in Finance, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, Germany.

    He landed his first job at Sand Hill Counsel through LinkedIn which was initially an internship turned into a PPO. According to Subhayu, “Internships should be taken as a learning ground and for building lasting connections.” Currently, as an investment banking analyst he is responsible for deal origination and industry wide/company research.

    In this interview, he talks to us about:

    • Converting internships to PPO
    • Importance of higher education
    • Masters in Finance from Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, Germany
    • Roles and responsibilities of an investment banking analyst

     

    HOW WOULD YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR READERS? DO YOU COME FROM A FAMILY OF LAWYERS? CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR CHILDHOOD?

    • I am an investment banker, having had a prior experience in VC transactions. I am an avid reader, love to travel, am passionate about city photography, abstract art, F1 and I play chess. Post law, I worked a couple of years; before pursuing MoF (Master of Finance), and thereafter I joined a mid-market investment bank – 7i Advisors LLP. I now look forward to Joining Naspers in a FinTech Strategy and M&A Investments role.
    • My father is a taxation consultant, and that’s where the first nudge came from. At high school, the choice was between computer science or law. Ultimately, at close of 12th I decided to write the law entrance exams. The choice was amongst NLSIU, NUJS and NALSAR. Once admission to NUJS was confirmed, it was convenient to drop the rest.
    • I come from Kolkata and spent my childhood there. I did travel considerably – something I wish I could get time, today; that apart, I owe a lot to my schooling, which afforded an all-round development.

     

    WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO PURSUE LAW? CAN YOU TELL OUR READERS HOW LEGAL EDUCATION HAS BEEN BENEFICIAL FOR YOU IN YOUR CAREER?

    • Though most people post 10th took up Science and prepared for engineering or medicals; they were never really an option, given my love of chemistry! Yes, sarcasm intended. In 2005, NUJS had its first batch of graduates. I remember discussing with my mathematics teacher and mentor, about the options a legal education would open. My dad played a big role, too. A couple more mentoring sessions later, law was a clear winner.
    • I believe, the biggest take-away from a legal education has been developing analytical and reasoning faculties; which does help one in roles like advisory/consulting. Having a deep knowledge of corporate law, FDI policies, and being able to structure investments/funds and being adept at soft skills like negotiation does help in Investment Banking.

     

    CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR TIME AT NUJS? DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN MOOTS, DEBATES ETC. OR UNDERTAKE ANY MEMORABLE INTERNSHIPS? HOW DID THESE EXPERIENCES CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT?

    • Law school, without a doubt were great years. I didn’t have a taste for the liberal arts curriculum; but, mid-way through law school I enjoyed most of my courses. I always enjoyed writing and penned down a few articles – one published by the prestigious International Astronautical Federation (IAF) in 2010. Studying with a cohort of talented and driven students, leaves its mark – and coming from a national law school, your extended alumni connect is the best takeaway.
    • I didn’t have a penchant for moots. I, in fact, never considered anything remotely linked to litigation as an option.
    • Internships should be taken as a learning ground and for building lasting connections. You got to believe the dots would form a line at the end. Few months back – I got off the phone with the India CEO of a real estate investment concern on a possible JV with a Japanese investor. I met him while he headed another concern, with whom I had completed an internship.

     

    WHAT WERE YOUR AREAS OF INTEREST IN LAW SCHOOL? WHAT PIQUED YOUR INTEREST IN TRANSACTIONS? HOW DID YOU CULTIVATE AND PURSUE SUCH INTERESTS?

    • Business and Law are two sides of the same coin. Legal acumen will stand you in good stead and so will transferable skills like negotiating and reasoning, while making business decisions. Subjects like IPR, Economics, Economics and Law, Corporate Law, Taxation and Corporate Finance/Governance and Law interested me.
    • Measuring value is an inexact science and markets are irrational. The value creation – be through an M&A, or PE/VC transaction; be either in the strategic sense or pure financial, wherein real worth may develop over the considerably longer term always excited me. I found myself reading the FT and HT Mint more often than law journals.
    • I was fortunate to be amongst the students to take part in the Allen & Overy International Finance and Corporate Law course. I took quite seriously the words of a partner, that “you could learn more about Private Equity and LBOs, if you read ‘Den of Thieves’ and ‘Barbarians at the Gates’…” That piqued my interest and some knowledge about the US M&A/LBO boom of that period, does hold one in good stead. Thereafter, it became easier – following up on business pages, HBR and being an avid reader, reading on finance books.

    WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO OBTAIN A MASTER’S DEGREE IN FINANCE? CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE STUDYING ABROAD?

    • I found, in my first job, as a transaction lawyer – that, I would inherently spend more time trying to get a better hang of the deal metrics, than documentation and structuring. Somewhere down the line, it struck I could be in deal origination. In India, apart from a lateral move into IB by a lawyer, which is very rare – it made sense to get a master’s Degree in Finance. I had to get a pre-experience one (although the average age of the graduating class was 26), as a post experience programme demanded verifiable quantitative skills. I chose Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, in Germany over a noted Spanish school, to be in close proximation to the continental capital of Finance. Further, an increasing number of German corporates are setting up base in India. I graduated in the FS cohort of 2016, specialising in the Corporate Finance track.
    • Studying abroad is about a journey that ends back at home. Life at FS was a roller-coaster. I had my fair shares of ups and down. Had the good fortune of studying amongst a diverse international student body. Studies were intense, but there were also a lot of free time during weekends. Camping and trails in the German countryside; wine fests, jazz and a dynamic international music scene; are some of the finer things, I do miss. The best part, as always making friends and growing your professional network; and, you know maybe someday I am going to work on a deal alongside a classmate. FS also had a lot of initiatives. FS Buddy for instance, aimed at foreign and exchange students would organize a lot of day trips and cultural activities. They were fun, whilst getting acquainted with the German way of life. There were a lot of focus on student activities and FS Invest and FS Chess were another couple of student run endeavours. At FS we were encouraged to think out of the box, and a lot of students took part in business games and valuation Olympiads. I had the good fortune of being selected to go to Zurich to take part in the India Symposium, attend the 69th CFA Annual Conference in Frankfurt and also take part in the 49th Annual Meet of the ADB.

     

    WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HIGHER EDUCATION? WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE TO READERS WHO ARE ON THE FENCE ABOUT PURSUING FURTHER STUDIES?

    • Well, when speaking about legal education – the value adds of doing a masters, is about your specialization. I am not sure of the graduate job market in London, post Brexit; but English law will continue to be the very basis of our commerce. Of course, there are many students who prefer to do an LL.M or a J.D and then come back to India.
    • A rule of the thumb would be to know what your core interests are and choose a university depending on its specialization. Rankings of course matter, but you must differentiate among universities to choose the best one for you.

     

    HOW DID YOU LAND YOUR FIRST JOB? WHAT WAS THE NATURE OF YOUR WORK THERE?

    • Here you got a tale! Phew… I had good grades in IPR and was recommended by a noted faculty member to join as a patent attorney in a pharmaceutical concern. Before joining in, I contacted a partner at Sand Hill Counsel on LinkedIn and set up a one-month internship in Mumbai. I left for Hyderabad, post my internship at Sand Hill. When working on IPR, while that was certainly of utmost interest; I got a call back from Sand Hill Counsel and was offered a PPO. I quit my training and returned to Mumbai for another stint – before joining Sand Hill next June. I remember getting an e-mail from the concerned professor expressing disappointment at me having not been able to make a decision earlier – and, this was also the time when I had a pending submission for the Novartis Bio-camp (in Hyderabad, India) – I had to swallow some pills and take a conscientious decision of letting the Vice Chancellor office know of my decision to withdraw from the Bio-camp. Things do have a way of working out, at the end – and, I was thankful for having made that decision.
    • At Sand Hill Counsel, like any other law firm associate, I was responsible for research, drafting legal opinions, firm write-ups, drafting agreements, and the usual ‘on-deal’ responsibilities and closing formalities, with a view to managing expectations and delivering a mature product.

     

    CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE NATURE OF WORK UNDERTAKEN BY AN INVESTMENT BANKING ANALYST FOR OUR READERS?

    • In IB, one should be prepared for long hours and turning around deliverables in quick time. No two days are the same. I primarily was responsible for analysing business opportunities, develop pitch books for getting mandates, develop target lists, build investment decks, build business models and conduct valuation analysis across sell-side companies. On a live transaction, one has to proactively manage the due-diligence (business, financial and legal) process; and work towards a successful closing. At closing tempers break often and there are long hours, and you do see here, a continuum from my transaction law days.
    • What you do need to be a good investment banker, is better than average modelling skills – having a good understanding of key financial drivers, some hands-on strategy, and being able to work independently and efficiently in a high-pressure environment. It’s also very important to be a thought leader in the space of your calling.

    WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OUR READERS WHO ARE PRIMARILY COLLEGE STUDENTS?

    • Take risks and believe in your dreams.

    There are no ideal jobs and don’t fall into a peer trap. While some jobs may be paying well, others do come with a long call. Think of the pay-off from that long call, and if that’s a role you do like – take the plunge. Most people I have known, do regret not taking chances; than failing. And, if you do fail, rise; but at the same time be sure to not attempt something, because of your ego – prepare well instead, to truly deserve!!

     

     

  • Sachin Malhan, Co-founder and CEO, HumLab on being a good entrepreneur, the challenges of starting your own venture, and his involvement with the Agami Prize

    Sachin Malhan, Co-founder and CEO, HumLab on being a good entrepreneur, the challenges of starting your own venture, and his involvement with the Agami Prize

    Sachin Malhan is the co-founder and CEO of HumLab. Before that he was the Executive Director of the Changemakers global program of Ashoka, the world’s leading social innovation network.

    Before his work at Ashoka, Sachin co-founded three ventures in India – Law School Tutorials, the leading law test-prep outfit, currently present in 60 cities and training over 30,000 students annually; Rainmaker, a learning and talent platform for the legal industry that ultimately spun off Vahura, the leading talent search firm for the legal industry and mylaw.net, the pioneer in online learning for legal and adjacent industries; and Inclusive Planet, a venture focused on greater literary access for the visually impaired, which succeeded in effecting national policy change but failed to sustain the digital platform required to enable that access. For his work in technology, media, social impact and education, Sachin became an INK Fellow in 2010.

    Sachin is a graduate of the National Law School of India University in Bengaluru and began his career with Amarchand Mangaldas in their Mumbai offices.

    In this interview he talks to us about:

    • Studying at NLSIU
    • Converting internships to PPOs
    • Challenges faced as an entrepreneur
    • Ashoka Changemakers, network of social entreprenuers
    • His latest venture HumLab, and their first initiative the Agami Prize

     

     

    HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR READERS?

    In the 21 years since I joined law school I’ve played many different roles, some better than others! I’ve been a law student, a lawyer, a teacher, a business entrepreneur, a social entrepreneur and the CEO of a few different organisations. This is not counting the many more roles I’ve played in my life outside of ‘work’. If I had to pick one way to introduce myself to your readers I’d say I’m someone trying to do work that’s creatively fulfilling, meaningfully impacts other people’s lives and helps me live a life beyond the fears, insecurities and compulsions that otherwise govern our lives.

     

    WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCED YOU TO CHOOSE LAW AS A CAREER?

    I chose to go to law school in the most bizarre of circumstances. I took the NLSIU entrance exam as a secondary choice in case my admission to medical school didn’t come through. I wouldn’t even had made the examination if a school friend hadn’t taken me to the venue on his scooter at breakneck speed through Calcutta by-lanes. When the results came I was 57th i.e. the last of the selected 57. My medical admission results were pretty poor and I ended up staying in law school. I am so thankful for this series of most fortunate events because I loved the law school experience and the college-mates who shared that experience with me. Law school helped me broaden my understanding of society, develop new skills, and, most of all, put me in touch with a set of peers who helped me develop as a human being.

     

    YOU HAVE STUDIED IN ONE OF THE PREMIER INSTITUTES IN INDIA. PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR TIME AT NLSIU. WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES NLSIU STANDS OUT AS COMPARED TO OTHER LAW SCHOOLS IN INDIA.

    I cannot compare NLSIU to other colleges today because I don’t have the facts But I can speak about NLSIU during my time there. I think the single biggest driver of value was the quality of students. The process pulled together students from different streams, skill sets and interests, parts of the country and social backgrounds. What most of us shared was a general uncertainty about who we wanted to become in life. Some of us were very certain about ‘the law’ but most were on a journey of discovery. That explains why the batch produced entrepreneurs, restauranteurs, journalists, a policeman, and a professional poker player, besides many accomplished lawyers themselves. When you put such a group of people together and you give them a pleasant campus on the outskirts a city in big transition (Bangalore), access to curricular and extra-curricular opportunities, and a decent academic experience you usually get good things as a result. Note that I refer to my academic experience as ‘decent’ – which I think it largely was, but there were also islands of excellence, teachers who not just helped us understand a subject in a new way but helped us think better and empathise. Their contribution can never be quantified or compensated. They balanced out other academic experiences that were sub-par. I believe NLSIU still offers the above combination of things.

     

    PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR RECRUITMENT AT AMARCHAND MANGALDAS. HOW DO YOU SUGGEST SHOULD YOUNG LAW STUDENTS APPROACH LAW FIRMS FOR SECURING A JOB AS ENTRY LEVEL ASSOCIATES?

    I was recruited as a result of an internship in my final year. I was very lucky in that I got to work closely with the senior partner – Mr MP Bharucha – who ultimately recruited me. He was a demanding boss, especially for an intern, but it was quickly clear to me that he was an incredible lawyer and personality who would help me learn and grow. I don’t know if interns today get to work closely with partners but it definitely helped to get him to see that I had the attitude to do well. The market is so competitive now and I know that its hard to get into good law firms. There are many others who are probably much better informed about what it takes for law students to crack good law firms eg. my dear friend Ritvik Lukose who heads Vahura. What I can say is that unless you have the benefit of being the graduate of a top law school and have a great resume you’ll have to use the combination of relationships and differentiators. From early in your law school life you need to start building and nurturing relationships with seniors and others in the field. Being a part of a large community, that you care for and cares for you, is an incredible asset. Skills, knowledge and achievements that differentiate you powerfully are the other key tool. Getting that good job, if that’s what you want, requires you to start early.

     

    WHAT LED YOU TO LEAVE AMARCHAND MANGALDAS AND START YOUR OWN VENTURE?

    I had already co-founded Law School Tutorials, popularly known as LST, when I was in my third year (1999) at NLSIU. I had tasted the incredible highs and lows of entrepreneurship and had something to compare to my experience as a corporate lawyer. After a year at Amarchand, despite having an incredible mentor in Mr Bharucha, and enjoying a very positive experience at the law firm, I knew that I was an entrepreneur and had to be true to that. I’d come home late from work and despite being pretty wiped out still find the energy to do my LST work – replying to student emails, revising materials, scoring tests etc. I knew that this is what I wanted to do. I could also see that the audience for law schools was growing and that LST could really become something. So when I left I was terrified about what the future would hold, but I was also ecstatic about the creative possibilities.

     

    YOU HAVE BEEN THE CO-FOUNDER OF VARIOUS VENTURES INCLUDING THE LST AND RAINMAKER. WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO TAKE UP THESE NEW VENTURES?

    To me there are few things more satisfying than helping an idea come to life. Those early steps of imagining something, building a team, creating the first experiences etc are very rewarding. In some ways entrepreneurship is my compulsion. Yes, social impact and market opportunity are drivers of these initiatives but in many ways I’m attracted by the process of creating something lasting with other people who share that passion. The experiences, successes and failures of my ventures have taught me more than a dozen college degrees could ever do. I remember one conversation with a young class 12 student in Allahabad where he spoke so lucidly about what it was like for him to break free from what his father wanted him to study and find his own way. When I asked him why he was willing to fight with his father when so many others just went along, he said ‘because life is more, sir, I can feel it.’ Each venture that I am a part of takes me on a new journey, to meet amazing new people and, hopefully, leave a lasting impact.

     

    PLEASE TELL US WHAT ASHOKA CHANGEMAKERS IS ABOUT? WHAT WERE YOUR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILTIES IN THE SAME?

    Ashoka is the world’s largest network of social entrepreneurs. It doesn’t market itself very much but it is ranked amongst the five most influential non-profits in the world. In the social impact field it is highly respected. Many Nobel laureates and Magsaysay awardees are Ashoka Fellows – Mohd Yunus, Kailash Satyarthi, Jerry White, Anshu Gupta and Bezwada Wilson, to name a few. More recently it is confused with the excellent Ashoka University but Ashoka is a global organisation in 80 countries that’s been around for 40 years. Out of its headquarters in Washington DC I was the Executive Director of a large international program of Ashoka, Ashoka Changemakers, which was focused on building networks of social innovators around challenging social issues. I had the chance to work with amazing international colleagues and entrepreneurs on how complex social issues can be solved by creating ecosystems that nurture social innovation around those issues. I moved back to India last year to start HumLab, a longtime dream of mine.

     

    WHAT ACCORDING TO YOU DOES IT TAKE TO BE A GOOD ENTREPRENEUR?

    That’s a tough one, and I answer it with the awareness that I may not be equipped to do so! Here’s what I’ve observed –

    • persistence (trying and trying again);
    • resilience (getting up when you fall down, taking criticism and doubt);
    • working in community, which requires you to trust and to believe in the capability of others;
    • an ability to see possibilities, connect the dots and be comfortable with a certain level of uncertainty;
    • a practical side that helps that problem-solve and mitigate existential risks (no money to live, pay salaries etc.);
    • I’d also add what I think great (as opposed to good) entrepreneurs have –
    • they can empower a lot of other people to discover their full potential;
    • conviction around a certain imagined reality and ability to pass that on to others. Even if that exact vision doesn’t come to pass they still come upon something great by virtue of having sensed the pathways of the future.
    • a healthy disregard for the opinion of ‘experts’, overly convergent or linear thinkers;
    • a connect with younger people who have all the energy.

     

    PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR LATEST VENTURE HUMLAB INDIA. WHAT IS IT ABOUT AND WHAT SERVICES DOES HUMLAB OFFER?

    HumLab doesn’t have one product or service. It is trying to build an ecosystem to catalyse innovation and entrepreneurship in legal industry, law and justice. An ecosystem is not one thing but possibly a combination of different enabling initiatives, ideally with a strong community layer. So we’re slowly starting to develop these different things in collaboration with different organizations. The Agami Prize, which we are co-creating with justice innovation catalyser Vayam led by former Ashoka co-leader and NALSAR alum Supriya Sankaran, and in partnership with some other amazing organisations including Ashoka and Trilegal, is the first such initiative. A national prize that can showcase innovation and entrepreneurship in the field would have the effect of driving interest in the bigger vision itself. We are hoping that once we establish the Agami Prize we can also look at driving more funding and expertise to new startups and promising ventures in the space.

     

    HOW CAN A LAW STUDENT APPLY FOR INTERNSHIP AT HUMLAB?

    Just email me at sachin@humlab.in and tell me why you think yourself to be an entrepreneur. Focus on what you’ve built or significant problem you’ve solved – however small – in your life.

     

    PLEASE TELL US THE CHALLENGES YOU FACED IN STARTING YOUR OWN VENTURES?

    Every kind of problem! Still, the ones that were most persistent were inter-personal. I worked a lot with co-founders, some fantastic entrepreneurs themselves, and we did all sorts of things wrong – didn’t define roles, didn’t clearly align on what the vision was, didn’t talk about about the hard stuff, and so on. I strongly feel that if you’re in a team and you’ve done that bit right i.e. built trusted relationships through strong communication, then everything else is easy. Even then, despite the challenges, my former co-founders remain my closest friends. The adversity brought us closer and our friendship forced us to confront our demons. Because we’ve shared so much we know the challenges that each of us have faced, or our still facing, in growing our ventures.

     

    WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?

    I’ve got my hands full with HumLab. I want to first focus on establishing Agami Prize as a powerful platform for innovators and entrepreneurs, and slowly but surely build a community of people committed to transforming the field. It sounds a bit crazy because law and justice has always been done in a certain way but I think that the big trends of the world – tech, individual empowerment, and the growth of cross-border business and trade – will change things in ways we could’t imagine. I’d like to build HumLab on the learnings I’ve had in the last 20 years of entrepreneurship – develop trust, work with amazing people and organizations, think bold, and have great fun.

     

    WHAT WOULD BE YOUR WORD OF ADVICE TO YOUNG LAWYERS AND LAW STUDENTS LOOKING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT?

    I have a question for every young law student or lawyer – do you really believe that the jobs we covet will stay the same 10-15 years down the line? In a world where everything is changing so fast we must make change our friend. We must be comfortable with constant learning and initiative-taking. I know its scary but once you embrace the mindset it gives you strength. Trust me on this part. I guess the way I’m trying to answer the question is to say that those who want to do something different are at least half-way into the future versus those who think everything will stay the same. The latter run the greater risk – of not being in control of their destiny.

    To those who want to do something different, I would also say – don’t do it just because its different but because you want to do something fantastically and create value – for yourself and for society. Once you’re convinced of that put all your energy and something good will come out of that.

    I’ll be writing more on this soon!

     

     

     

  • Prachi Shrivastava, Journalist, Legally India, on being a legal journalist and a career in legal journalism

    Prachi Shrivastava, Journalist, Legally India, on being a legal journalist and a career in legal journalism

    Prachi Shrivastava graduated from Amity Law School, Delhi in 2011 and is currently working as journalist with Legally India. She covers news developments in the transactional legal space, the bar, the bench, law schools, legal policy and trends in the Indian legal profession, for Legally India. She also handles editorial responsibilities, such as copy-editing, at Legally India, in addition to reporting.
    In this interview she talks about:
    • On a career in legal journalism
    • Roles and responsibilities of a journalist
    • Skills required for a good legal journalists

     

    HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR READERS?

    I am a lawyer-turned-journalist for the last six years. Legally India, and sometimes its collaboration with Mint, has been the space for my entire professional experience.

     

    WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO DO LEGAL JOURNALISM? ISN’T IT QUITE AN UNUSUAL CAREER CHOICE? WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO CONTINUE WORKING IN THIS AREA?

    At the time when I first made the choice, it was to pursue my passion for building stories in a way that intersects with my primary professional qualification. It was an unusual career choice at the time, not so much now. I continue to make this choice daily because of the promise of immense growth alongside creative freedom, through a struggle which has hardly any frustrating components to it. In a nutshell, it is immensely challenging but in a greatly positive way.

     

    YOU ARE VERY WELL KNOWN IN THE LEGAL CIRCLES IN INDIA AS THE FACE BEHIND LEGALLYINDIA.COM. WHAT IS YOUR ROLE THERE? TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY WITH LEGALLY INDIA.

    That is more than humbling, a perception. It is really our founding editor Kian Ganz who is the inspirational force behind this milestone in legal history that I have been privileged enough to be a part of right through its growth years. My role is to editorially support Kian in keeping it up, running and growing. The journey has been very, very unique and empowering even though it’s like I haven’t even begun to scratch the tip of the iceberg of the immense impact this vehicle can cause in India.

    First off, I have been repeatedly amazed at the distance a bit of an effort at transparency can go, in bringing about fairness and growth in the profession.

    Second, I’ve seen first-hand: curiosity is contagious. It begun with Kian’s efforts at digging into aspects of the profession most lawyers were sceptical about digging into. I joined and as a young lawyer for a time not I would not immediately grasp just how deep an investigation could go. Certain parts of the investigation would surprise me. And now for a while we have even had readers not just pointing out but pushing us to pursue very, very pertinent and relevant issues that need more digging.

    Third, it has been heartening to see the niche legal journalism space get competitive and sharp in India over the years, pushing each other to raise the bar.

    Finally, is it me or has the mainstream media been more proactive picking up niche legal sector angles of late? Makes me immensely proud to be part of that kind of impact.

     

    WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO THE THREE BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS IN YOUR CAREER?

    Three biggest achievements of my career:-

    • When a story I wrote (somewhat) directly causes a shift in an organisation’s actions or policies;
    • Getting to connect with so many stalwarts of the industry on a daily basis;
    • Having the freedom and access to gain a large audience for the issues I care about.

     

    MANY PEOPLE SHY AWAY FROM LEGAL JOURNALISM BECAUSE IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE EARNINGS ARE QUITE LOW. IS THAT TRUE? WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO SUCCEED AS A LEGAL JOURNALIST?

    Earnings depend on any given organisation, so I wouldn’t say “quite low” unless obviously it is being compared to the pay scale of a law firm but then a lot of professions perfectly capable of keeping both the stomach and passions alive and comfortably kicking, would pale in comparison to law firm packages of even freshly minted graduates.

    That said, in order to succeed, curiosity would go a long way. Also wherewithal. No one can really push a journalist to keep reaching out for stories, it has to come from within and not in spurts but in a rabid flow.

    I would say I have succeeded when I have that kind of a rabid flow.

     

    YOU STARTED YOUR CAREER AT LEGALLY INDIA AND STAYED THERE FOR THE ENTIRE DURATION OF YOUR CAREER SO FAR. THIS IS QUITE UNUSUAL IN TODAY’S PROFESSIONAL WORLD. WHAT MADE YOU STAY BACK AT LEGALLY INDIA FOR A GOOD PART OF A DECADE? DO YOU CONSIDER OFFERS FROM OTHER PUBLICATIONS?

    Legally India is the leader in the space that I work in and I believe that once you have begun on the path to master a particular space, it doesn’t make sense to jump to another space until you have mastered your own space completely and there is no more potential for growth. It would also not make sense for me to move to another publication in the same space as, who moves away from a leader?

    I am still striving toward the goal I set out to achieve with Legally India and the fact that it has taken me the better part of a decade to do so, speaks for itself on the intensity of the challenge.

     

    WHAT ARE THE SKILLS YOU HAVE TO BE GOOD AT IN ORDER TO BE A GOOD LEGAL JOURNALIST? HOW DID YOU ACQUIRE THESE SKILLS? WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES IN THIS AREA OF WORK?

    You need to be immensely curious, immensely well-read and aware of the latest not just in your space but also in related areas, good communication skills help in addition to, obviously, being able to write efficiently and with clarity. As on date, being comfortable with and knowledgeable about the latest tech trends is indispensable as internet has deeply penetrated all our lives.

    Above all, the motivation to keep up your curiosity in the face of a hard chase and not much of a corporate push, is a challenge without which journalism should not be attempted.

     

    WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR LEGALLY INDIA? WHERE DO YOU SEE IT AFTER FIVE YEARS OR TEN YEARS?

    Vision for our publication is to continue doing what we are doing, over a wider scope and transparency at par with some of the most open international legal markets

     

    WHAT DOES YOUR AVERAGE WORKDAY LOOK LIKE? DO YOU GET SOME AMOUNT OF FLEXIBILITY?

    Average workday consists of connecting with a lot of lawyers and digging out things worth reporting, then reporting them. Yes, my work day is very flexible subject to the fact that we get things done.

     

    WHO ARE THE STALWARTS IN LEGAL JOURNALISM THAT YOU FOLLOW?

    My editor, Kian Ganz.

     

     

    IS LEGAL JOURNALISM CHANGING WITH TIMES? WHERE DO YOU SEE THINGS HEADING IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS?

    Everything is changing with times and so is legal journalism. What the change is? Well, for starters there is a lot more to cover and a lot more general willingness in the profession for things to be open and accountable. And we take the rest from there.

     

    LIFTING OF ADVERTISING BAN ON LAWYERS IS GOING TO HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON LEGAL MEDIA, FOR THE GOOD OF COURSE. DO YOU SEE THIS HAPPENING ANYTIME SOON? WHAT IS YOUR PREDICTION WITH RESPECT TO THIS?

    Liberalisation, some foreign lawyers have joked to me, will be a tentative discussion until my legal journalist grandchildren are reporting on it. I hope it is not, but the way things keep progressing to advanced stages and then stall for a host of reasons, and the ultimate sword of “nationwide boycott” by the BCI no less when no reasons are left to stall, dampens hope. For a time last year there was one more relevant stakeholder joining the pro-liberalisation side, than the month before. Then the Supreme Court went ahead and indicated to all sides to rest for a bit. So I think I’d be safe to stay away from a prediction on this.

     

    HOW CAN ONE GET A JOB OR INTERNSHIP AT LEGALLY INDIA?

    By displaying your creativity, curiosity and perseverance to dig out the stories that matter to us.

    Thank you!

     

     

  • Syed Asif Iqbal, Co-founder and Legal head, Advok8, on challenges of being an entrepreneur

    Syed Asif Iqbal, Co-founder and Legal head, Advok8, on challenges of being an entrepreneur

    Syed Asif Iqbal graduated from Lloyd Law College in 2015. He then began his career under Ratan K Singh, and subsequently moved on to Rachana Joshi Issar & Associates. He is the co-founder of advok8.in. He is also the legal head of advok8.in . He deals in Consumer matters, Arbitration, Civil law, Service law and also criminal law matters.

    In this interview he talks about:

    • The options for a lawyer to become an entrepreneur;
    • About his startup advok8.in;
    • His journey as an entrepreneur.

     

    HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR READERS? PLEASE TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR PRE-COLLEGE LIFE?

    I am a lawyer, and I also believe that I am an entrepreneur, an optimist, opportunist and an innovator. I am an average guy who strives for bigger dreams and someone with whom you can easily relate. I am a guy like you who have studied hard, who was sincere and enjoyed life and had good friend circle. I am a guy like you who desire to change every bad thing in the world and want to achieve something big which can make people around me feel proud. I love cricket and enjoy educating and get educated. For me, achievements and applause big or small are the reasons for existence.

    Pre-college Life is something I would just love to talk about. I am a student of New Horizon School, Delhi. In my school, I was a star, a smart student, an outstanding sportsperson and an honour board holder . I was national softball player and represented Delhi as captain I also played cricket, badminton, handball at interstate and state level. I was one of the finalists in the National Gandhi quiz. In Hindu College, I was part famous street play society “ ibtida” and did many plays all over the country.

     

    HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE LAW AFTER BA HISTORY? MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE OPINION THAT THE THREE YEAR LLB IS NOT ADEQUATE FOR THE STUDY OF LAW. WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THIS?

    I believe it is important to be aware with the existing, upcoming laws and evolving legal system but what is equally important is the understanding that how this judiciary and legal systems were developed, why it’s a sine qua non for the system of governance and why the laws are the way they are?

    Laws are always framed as per the requirements of the society. A few days ago the Hon’ble Supreme Court directed center to frame new laws to sternly deal with mob lynching and cow vigilantism. Indisputably, the direction came to deal out the existing law and order chaos in 2018.

    Now It is interesting to share with everyone, have we ever thought the Penal laws, the contract laws, and many enactments were enacted around the 1860s and 1870s and are still being followed. what were the conditions under which these laws were framed and how they are still in existence? You can’t find these answer in present but you definitely find the books of modern History.

    For me, law was not compulsion but it was purely a sentient move. I was a bright history student who enjoyed history thoroughly. History did not only gave me the passion to understand the existence of the socio-eco and cultural systems ( which include origin and evolution of legal systems) but also illuminated me with the sense of broader understanding of the world we live in and the systems we are surrounded with. I believe the better you know the world the better you understand it. Therefore, history I always believe it is the best option to go for before you want to pursue law.

    I disagree with the opinion that the Three year LLB is not adequate for the study of law. I feel both three years and five years are equally a good courses and have their own advantages. I feel one is better prepared to pursue law after graduation because the curriculum for five years law is more than a student can bear in five years. More importantly in India where you don’t get career counselling in school. Three years course is a valuable option for those who want to pursue Law at the later stage.

     

    WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO LEAVE LITIGATION AND START YOUR OWN VENTURE?

    The existing system of old styled law firms, fewer opportunities for a first-generation lawyer, being a Non-NLU, inherently slow personal growth and no space new ideas were the major factors that influenced me to switch for a new venture. I believe it was about doing what you enjoy and what excites you more. When I heard the idea of Legal-tech startup from Kundan ( who is the founder of advok8.in) I could strongly relate to the idea. It was about bringing the change in slow and steady legal domain.

    To be honest it was never planned. As a fresher, I was full of enthusiasm and had in my head that one can learn and grow if one has the skill set but the moment you enter into legal field particularly the old style law firms it becomes imperative for you to be slow. You are made to think that you can be successful only if you have the least five plus years of experience. The worst part of it is that many of us start believing that and by the end of five years you lose the enthusiasm and the courage to start your thing. When I faced this dilemma I decided to take all risk of my life in these five years only.

    Even though by God grace I was doing well in the field of litigation and it was exciting but the fact that you must have white hairs to get good clients and till the time you are a junior you must follow what you have been instructed in Stricto senso cannot be changed.

     

    PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR TIME AT LLOYD LAW COLLEGE?

    Undoubtedly, the law college days were amazing be it academics, dramatics, moot courts or other competitions. I exhaustively enjoyed my college with my best friends of life and I think college is meant for that. Beyond that college played a great role in my life specially preparing my skill set for the legal domain and I learned the best lessons of my life in my law college. I was one of the best mooter and was an active participant in almost everything. It was in the college I was made to realise that to be a successful legal professional you need to have at least four skills writing, research, debating and negotiations, these skills will be desperately required and it is only their degree would change over a period of time and not their requirements.

    With whatever I knew I was often found nurturing my juniors and guiding them. I was often overwhelmed with the respect and appreciation I used to get from my juniors and this was the best part of the college life.

    YOU STARTED YOUR OWN VENTURE AFTER WORKING FOR THREE YEARS. WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES IN YOUR INITIAL YEARS? HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM?

    In these three years of litigation, the best part was my training under Mrs. Rachana Joshi Issar (AOR, Supreme Court of India) who taught me the Art of advocacy and understanding the legal netiquettes. It was because of her I could pursue things as freely as I should. She made me believe that life is a one-time opportunity and we should not wait for doing anything we love to do.

    Frankly speaking, I don’t own this venture individually but the venture is an output of four co-founders each of them is an expert in his own field. I was onboarded as a co-founder for my legal expertise. I was enrolled as an advocate in 2015 and had no plan for starting a venture but I always looked for a better opportunity and I believe we all strive for that. I am a great fan of Mcdowell’s advertisement urging people to “make is large ( life)”. In advok8.in I found my opportunity to make it large and I decided to shift my focus to this venture.

    For any startup, the biggest ordeal is having a “PRODUCT” which is acceptable in the market and customers are ready to pay for it. Apart from financial strains, it was the right ‘PRODUCT-CUSTOMER’ combo that made us sweat. The journey was full of highs and lows but it was the belief of the team on each other and on the idea that helped us to fix up everything in our way.

     

    PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR VENTURE ADVOK8?

    advok8.in is one of the legal tech startup among the few in the less explored legal Indian market. It is a technology partner of lawyer and artificial intelligence driven company making legal profession easier and ensuring access to justice for all. Advok8.in is a linkedIn for lawyers. Lawyers and law students can connect with other law professionals on this platform, share opinions, judgments and all legal developments.

    advok8.in is the prime mover of ‘THIRD PARTY ARBITRATION’, ‘LITIGATION FUNDING’ and ‘CROWDFUNDING’ (legal domain) in India and it is making an attempt to break the existing taboos in these sectors. There is no law in India which expressly bar third-party funding but people get confused between the concept of funding by an advocate ( which is barred under BCI laws) and third-party funding by a third Party (which not a barred but has been suggested as a method of dealing high cost by Sri Krishna committee report on arbitration). These products will not only resolve the issue of high cost litigation but and will provide stability to young litigating lawyers.

    advok8.in has also developed a software for corporate, litigants, and lawyers for case management which we call it “case tracking”. It is fully automated case tracking system wherein you just have to add your case details once and you get automatic updates on your case, cause list, order sheet and display board of all courts and forum. Moreover, you don’t have to carry you court diaries once you have this in your pocket.

    To know more about advok8 one can visit at www.advok8.in

     

    WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A GOOD ENTREPRENEUR?

    I think entrepreneurship is all about being visionary. It about identifying a problem and solving it for en masse who had started believing that the problem is inherent and they are bound to live with that.

    Another aspect I want to reiterate is that a good entrepreneur is always abreast with the market demands and the customer response. Customer service I believe is gradually diminishing from the small and mediums enterprises. The incident of Indigo where indigo attendant assaulted a passenger is alarming. One must understand that the consumer is the king and that is what we are learning every day.

     

    PLEASE TELL US THE CHALLENGES YOU FACED IN STARTING YOUR OWN VENTURE?

    Most of the challenges I believe were two-faced. On was to say “ Yes” and other was to say “No”. I had to believe my self that we will do and had to question myself that whether I was ready to take the risk I answered “Yes” to myself. The people who suggested me not to go for it I said with due respect a  “No” to them. Likewise, whatever the problem we faced during this period it was between a tough yes and a harsh “No” but believe me, it takes a hell lot of courage and effort to pick these yes or no.

     

    WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?

    Our vision is embedded with the desire to simplify the road to justice. There are many obstructions to access to justice the fundamental issues are litigation cost and legal illiteracy. A recent survey by Daksh point outs that civil litigant incur a loss of ` 844 per day due to loss of pay and criminal litigant incur a cost of ` 902 per day due to loss of pay. What is astonishing was that Rs50,387 crore is the estimated business loss incurred by the litigants which are shockingly 0.48% of the Indian GDP.

    We want that the services of  ‘Third Party Funding’ is freely exercised by the corporate and people can crowd fund their cases so that they are not deprived of justice just because of financial difficulties.

    Further, we look forward to starting legal insurance in India covering the before the event and after the event coverages. Of course, it’s a long way to go but the response we have got is encouraging and it keeps our spirit high.

     

    WHAT WOULD BE YOUR WORD OF ADVICE TO YOUNG LAWYERS AND LAW STUDENTS ?

    The first thing which comes to my mind to share with my friends is the fact that when we were young we had bigger dreams and with every year we are growing we are compromising with our dreams. We all wanted to be doctors, scientist, an engineer but we are now ready to settle for anything. I request you to don’t get settled.

    It’s a myth that you can plan your career and execute it in that manner because there are many external factors which come in your way. So what is important is to give your best and develop a skill set which would give you an edge over others.

    It’s very important to do a self-assessment and realise what excites you the most. We must have heard this many a times but believe me that’s really important. Another thing I have realised in my short career is that the more you are aware with yourself, your surrounding, your nation (and whats going around it) the longer you can survive the competition and out stand the competitor.

    When in law college ask yourself every week am I doing something worth or what I would do after completing college? Am i ready for it ?

    If the answer is No prepare till you get the answer in affirmative.

    Legal sector requires a change particularly the technological advancements it is an area which has most outdated mechanism and is still being continued . One can easily identify the problems in the existing system and 9 Billion dollar legal market gives you enough opportunity to explore new ideas and set up your successful venture.

    It’s never too late to have a dream and it’s never too late to pursue it. Never stop believing yourself because your achievement, your targets and your destination starts with you.

     

     

     

  • Anubhab Sarkar, Co-founder, Triumvir Law on starting his own law firm and a successful career in International arbitration

    Anubhab Sarkar, Co-founder, Triumvir Law on starting his own law firm and a successful career in International arbitration

    Anubhab Sarkar graduated from KIIT, Bhubaneswar in 2015.  He is the co-founder of Triumvir law.  Anubhab has had the rare opportunity to work with Prof. Martin Hunter at Essex Court Chamber in London. He had also interned with Freshfields Bruckhaus Derringer. He keeps a keen interest in International Law and has also served as the president of the International Law Society at his university.

    Anubhab works extensively in practice areas of Corporate Commercial and Foreign Investment Laws. He has also been involved in corporate transactions focused on the technology industry including cross-border Mergers & Acquisitions.

    In this interview we speak to him about:

    • Starting his own firm ‘Triumvir law’
    • On choosing specialisation
    • A career in international arbitration

     

     

    HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR READERS? PLEASE TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR PRE-COLLEGE LIFE?

    Thank you for having me for the interview. This is the second time I am interacting with SuperLawyer (however, I think there are miles to go for me to even come close to this tag.). During the course of this interview, I will try to convey to young colleagues and law students how to look at the profession.

    I am a Co-founder at Triumvir Law, a small boutique law firm having offices in Bangalore and Mumbai. We deal in General Corporate advisory/transactions, International Commercial Arbitration, International Law and Intellectual Property matters. Apart from being a lawyer, I am a sports aficionado, particularly football. I am also a trained Indian classical musician, I play the sarod and this helps me in abundance to distinguish work from my normal life. However, I follow all kinds of music and ‘Apple Music’ is the second most used research platform by me other than the legal ones. In a nutshell, I keep doing a lot of things to keep the excitement alive in life, for that matter, I have also featured in a Nescafe TV commercial as a musician.

    I went to school at St. Xavier’s Collegiate School in Calcutta. To be honest, while in school, I never thought I’d become a lawyer. I was a science student supposedly preparing for the engineering entrance exams secretly wishing to go study English honours. But as fate would have it, just like my mother, I joined the bandwagon of rights and duties and do’s and don’ts (i.e lawyer). While in school, I was always playing something, either my sarod or the ‘fool’. Nevertheless, the teachers and my friends at school always supported me in becoming who I am today.

     

    WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO SPECIALISE IN INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION AND CORPORATE LAW?

    By the end of the first year at law school, I had somehow made up my mind that whatever I pursued will have some semblance and application of International Law if not directly. In law school, I was quite blessed to have visiting faculties like Prof. Martin Hunter, Jan Paulsson, Marike Paulsson among other great intellectuals. Learning the basics of International Arbitration by way of live cases from these individuals was quite an experience. During these visiting lecture sessions, we used to have evidence hearing simulations based on real case situations.

    During my third year at law school, I got an offer to work with Prof. Martin Hunter as his Research Assistant at Essex Court Chambers, London. During my time in London, I also had the opportunity to intern with the International Arbitration team at Freshfields Bruckhaus Derringer. These experiences made me steadfast in pursuing a career in International Arbitration and Bilateral Invest Treaty arbitration.

    My tryst with the corporate law started from my internships in top-tier Indian law firms like Amarchand Mangaldas (now Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas), Trilegal, JSA (where I worked later in my career). During these internships, I gathered the basic nuances of corporate law and deal structuring. Additionally, during my employment at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, KLaw and JSA, I worked extensively on corporate transactions ranging from project finance to private equity. Having said that, it is always advisable to understand how commercial transactions work in order to be a good International Arbitration lawyer. About 70% of International Arbitration disputes arise from shareholders agreements and/or investment agreements.

     

    WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO START THE TRIUMVIR LAW? WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES YOU FACED AND WHAT IS YET TO BE ACHIEVED?

    After having worked for few of the premier law firms in India and abroad and having an understanding as to how the system works, I was convinced that it was time for me start on my own. I believe in my skill-sets i.e. to interact with clients, understand their problems and then deal with them in the best possible way.

    In addition to that, I met my partners at my last job and realised that we wanted the same things – to be part of the whole mechanism than segmented versions of one piece of work. The realisation that mental health is of peremptory importance and everything else follows hit us hard. Keeping our work ethos intact, my partners (Prathik Cheralathammanda and Akshay Ubale) and I started Triumvir Law.

    In India, especially in the law firms, the ‘peeling off’ culture is in abundance (relative opinion). We, at Triumvir Law, believe in maintaining an effective work-life balance yet not compromising on the work we do for our clients. This is based on clear communication (with client and team) and proper delegation of work. We live in a world wherein deadlines are the end all and be all of life. The key motto is to ‘have a peaceful night’s sleep’ which, let us agree, very miniscule people get in this profession. There might be a counter-argument to this that there is a price to be paid for everything. Yes, there is, but not at the cost of your health and sanity.

     

    PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR FIRM TRIUMVIR LAW?

    Triumvir Law is a boutique law firm based in Bangalore and Mumbai.  We believe in hard work, honesty (to clients and ourselves) and integrity when catering to clients and their requirements. As millennials, we use technology, teamwork, organisational skills, uninhibited communication skills, proactiveness to take on complex legal problems — to deliver the best to our clients, whom we regard with utmost care and respect.

    Our team consists of dedicated individuals, with a wealth of experience in working with Magic Circle firms and chambers (London), Dutch and Singaporean law firms as well as Tier one Indian law firms. We are also in talks with bringing on board someone with an abundance of experience in International Commercial Arbitrations and presently working in one of the premier law firms in the country. We cater to a wide bevy of clients ranging from multinationals to Bangalore-based start-ups. Additionally, we are regularly instructed to consult and act as co-counsel to other firms and lawyers in their cases.

     

    WHAT ARE THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE FIRM AND HOW IT CATERS THE NEED OF CLIENTS?

    We provide a wide array of services in the fields of, to name a few, corporate and commercial laws, dispute resolution, intellectual property. Our main focus, however, remains international commercial arbitration (especially Bilateral Investment Treaty advisory). In addition to the above, we also work with start-ups, hand holding them, and advising in setting up their companies and business, while simultaneously identifying and advising on legal risks. Essentially, we work on various areas of law depending on the needs of our clients. We also a run a separate pro-bono research wing on climate change and forced migration. We believe that climate change is real and we as lawyers can help address the concerns that climate change brings to us. Based on this, we are gathering a task force from all walks of life in order to help us create a community to tackle climate change in all ways possible.

    Furthermore, we have a strong consultancy chain based out of the cities (including abroad) we don’t operate out of. That is, in the event, a client requires immediate legal advice in such a situation we are able to connect the client to another lawyer operating from that jurisdiction.

    As mentioned above, our work model includes a system wherein a draft going out goes through multiple levels of scrutiny. This ensures that the product going out to the client is sound in law and effective.

     

    HOW CAN A LAW STUDENT APPLY FOR INTERNSHIP AT TRIUMVIR LAW?

    A law student can directly apply for internships by writing to me at anubhab.sarkar@triumvirlaw.com. Based on the kind of work we do, it is advisable that students (third year and above) who are interested in international commercial arbitration, international law and corporate laws apply to us. We encourage students with the same wavelength to come work with us in order to understand the kind of work we do and how we do. At present, our day to day activities are extremely dynamic, and like-minded individuals who are willing ‘hustle’ and ‘be real’ are always welcome.

     

    WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE TO LAW STUDENTS LOOKING FOR A CAREER IN INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION?

    Law students who are interested in International Commercial Arbitration must have a strong grasp of the procedural law. To that end, it is important for a student to visit court through one or two internships.

    In addition to the above, it is advisable to be abreast of various occurrences in the arbitration world (i.e. conferences, orders and scholarly writings). One should also become a member of the youth chapters of the arbitral institutions. These steps will help an individual create a steadfast start in their international arbitration career.

     

     WHAT MILESTONES HAVE YOU ACHIEVED TILL NOW?

    During the short span of our existence, we have been a part of quite a few important international transactions and disputes opposite premier law firms. We have also provided strategic advice to a large Indian conglomerate in relation to its claims against a developing Asian country under a Bilateral Investment Treaty. To be honest, the entire journey since our inception has been extremely overwhelming. To that end, the fact that our clients keep coming back to us in relation to any legal work they have is the real testament to the work we do.

     

    WHERE DO YOU SEE THE FIRM IN THE LONG RUN?

    At present, we have offices based out of Bombay and Bangalore. In about five years from now, I would like to venture into the Calcutta and New Delhi market. It is an absolute pleasure working with my Partners and we want to take it forward in the right direction as fast, steady and direct as possible. Where do you ask? “To the stars”.

     

    WHAT WOULD BE YOUR PARTING MESSAGE TO OUR READERS?

    What I want to share with the readers is essentially what I have lived my life by. Please dream. If you don’t, there is no point in living. Every day is a challenge; try making it a story to remember for the rest of your life. Lastly, laugh, cry and be kind to people because it is a scientific fact that gratitude reciprocates. Respect and believe in yourself, that way you will be able to respect others. To doubt your capabilities is a job for others, and your job is to show otherwise. Apart from that, there is no substitute for hard work. Godspeed.

     

     

     

  • Bhaven Shah, Co-Founder, Presolv360, on entrepreneurship, technology and the future of dispute resolution

    Bhaven Shah, Co-Founder, Presolv360, on entrepreneurship, technology and the future of dispute resolution

    Bhaven Shah is a Chartered Accountant and has completed his law from Government Law College, Mumbai. He is the Co-Founder of Presolv360, which is India’s first homegrown cloud-based dispute management platform capable of preventing litigation, protecting people and businesses from adversities of disputes and resolving them through time-tested dispute resolution mechanisms. Bhaven has previously worked with KPMG in their M&A and tax litigation practice, R. K. Bothra & Co. and Ernst & Young in their tax and assurance practices, respectively. Besides, he has had varied experience before judicial and quasi-judicial authorities including the Supreme Court of India, High Courts of Rajasthan and Bombay, and the erstwhile insolvency boards.

     

    HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR READERS?

    I am no super-lawyer. I am just a super-believer. I believe in our youth and that gives me the drive, I believe in India’s growth story and that gives me reason and I believe in the values passed down by our great leaders that gives me confidence that I am at the right place – ‘India’, at the right time – ‘now’, and doing the right thing – ‘Presolv360’.

     

    PLEASE TELL US WHAT MADE YOU PURSUE LAW?

    Law came to me by legacy. My grandfather was the first in the family to come to the land of opportunities and dreams. Since then, Mumbai was the only home known to him and my entire family. Against all odds, he brewed roaring success in the textile industry and this success was compounded by my father. The business expanded but so did complexities. Opportunities increased but so did opportunistic individuals. The economy was growing but values were rapidly eroding. From property-grabbing to non-payment of dues, from trespassing to cheques bouncing, it became a usual occurrence for many of us. Practices and professions became sophisticated, but law and procedures remained unchanged.

    Crediting my sweet and sour experiences with litigation and courts, I decided to take the law into my own hands. Scratch that, I decided to take the fate of these disputes in my own hands. The only way to begin that was by pursuing law academically, and so I did. After completing my graduation from H. R. College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai, I enrolled myself in the Government Law College, Mumbai.

     

    FROM LAW TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP, WHAT MADE YOU TAKE THIS LEAP?

    In a heavily-litigated personal matter, a Supreme Court Judge (now retired) said to me in open court “Son, your father started this case and your child will have to conclude it.” And these wise words came after 29 years (read 45% of the lifespan of an average Indian) of fighting tooth and nail in Indian courts. The harsh reality is that legal cases in India last a lifetime and have a propensity to wipe out all your resources, and I faced this first hand. I didn’t want to suffer in the future, I didn’t want others to suffer, ever, and so, it was time that India and her citizens were offered a solution that changed the way they insulated themselves from disputes and litigation. Something that was quick, economical, convenient and effective. With this in mind, Presolv360 was born.

    Disputes are inevitable and are inherent to the nature of humans. So, we re-imagined, re-engineered and radically improved the ‘approach’ to dispute management. In devising this approach, the founding team of Presolv360 tapped into all possible learnings and experiences, be it law, chartered accountancy, insurance, management and of course, encounters with realities of life.

     

    WHAT PROBLEM ARE YOU TRYING TO ADDRESS WITH PRESOLV360?

    The traditional dispute resolution mechanisms like courts are plagued with a number of serious problems. Where 19th-century laws still dominate dispute resolution, there is a need to provide 21st-century solutions to uproot these challenges.

    Statistically speaking,

    • Everyday 40,000+ cases are filed due to the absence of dispute prevention mechanisms.
    • Approximately 67% disputants do not even attempt an alternative before litigating.
    • 80,000 crores p.a. is lost due to court hearings and loss of business. This translates to 0.77% of India’s GDP and shockingly, this figure is without accounting for professional fees.
    • On an average, it takes 13 years for the final disposal of a civil case lodged in an Indian Court.
    • It is estimated that by the year 2025, there will be 6.19 crore pending cases and at the current rate of filing of new cases against the rate of disposal, it will take 587 years to clear this backlog.

    Believe me, these numbers are not an exaggeration. Let me ask the readers to ponder over three simple questions. If the answer to any is ‘yes’, they will understand the problem we address:

    1. Would you like to enjoy a life free from disputes, litigation, and courts?
    2. Do you want to secure yourself, so nobody drags you to court?
    3. If you have a dispute, would you not like to resolve it quickly, reasonably and efficiently?

     

    DON’T YOU THINK THE GOVERNMENT IS AWARE OF THE PENDENCIES AND IS UNCLOGGING THE OVERBURDENED JUDICIAL SYSTEM?

    Undoubtedly. When I first spoke about confidence provided by our leaders, that included our leaders in the profession as well as those in the government. Lok Adalats, infrastructure improvements, E-Court Mission, encouraging ADR, commercial courts, state and national litigation policies, etc. are long strides in the right direction.

    While I believe that India is in extremely capable hands, it is also important to understand that, for India to tackle this grave problem, a concerted partnership is required between all stakeholders – potential and existing disputants, governments, judiciary, professionals and facilitators like us. This will ensure that only those matters worthy of the courts’ attention and judicial resources will find a place on the docket, while the remaining are dealt with in a systematic, civilized and optimal manner. This way, courts can dispense justice, governments can govern, businesses can flourish, and the citizens can enjoy a stress-free life.

     

     

    WHAT IS YOUR VALUE PROPOSITION AND WHO IS IT FOR? WHAT IMPACT WILL YOUR SOLUTION HAVE?

    Presolv360 is a unique dispute management platform that blends technology, human expertise, and innovation to provide effective dispute prevention solutions, collaborative dispute resolution mechanisms, fast-track and cost-effective alternatives to courts and protection from uncertain outcomes and adversities. This makes Presolv360 the first of its kind across the globe!

    Our services include:

    1. PresolvReview: Preventing disputes is one of the key objectives of Presolv360. With PresolvReview, our expert will review your agreement from a dispute prevention standpoint and make suitable suggestions and recommendations so that you can enjoy a dispute-free relationship and a hassle-free life.
    2. PresolvSecure: This is a plan that secures you from adversities of disputes that arise in a contractual relationship. For a small annual fee, the parties can safeguard themselves from prohibitive costs, traumatic experiences, time-consuming processes and ruined relationships, and instead ensure a speedy and effective resolution by our empaneled experts, at no additional costs.
    3. PresolvDirect: We assist parties in resolving existing disputes (whether pending in court or likely to be submitted to the court), in a collaborative environment.

    At the centre of this, all is a seamless, integrated tech platform accessible from your desktops, laptops or mobile devices to ensures affordability, convenience, efficiency, and effectiveness. The beneficiaries of this system are unrestricted, be it individuals, businesses, institutions or even governments.

    This dispute management ecosystem will have a far-reaching social and economic impact.

    – From taking an average 13 years for disposal of a case, to collaboratively resolving a dispute within 3 months.

    – From expending lakhs of rupees in litigation to resolving disputes at a fraction of that amount.

    – From uncertain outcomes and irreparable loss to certainty of resolution and conserving resources.

    – From litigation ruining relations to safeguarding them … this is the impact of Presolv360

    We have also launched the ‘Presolv for All’ Project that extends the services of Presolv360 free of cost to weaker sections and low-income groups to ensure that we, as a community, can enjoy a litigation-free future.

     

    WHAT ALL HAS GONE BEHIND THE MAKING OF PRESOLV360 AND PLEASE INTRODUCE YOUR TEAM TO OUR READERS.

    The learning never stops, nor does the evolution of Presolv360 and its team. I can only give you a glimpse of the groundwork undertaken, and I can assure you that our efforts, to constantly improve by reflecting on feedback from our stakeholders and the incessant spirit of innovation, will never cease as it is ingrained in every member working at Presolv360.

    You may know that dispute resolution has its roots in the Vedic age and this has been entrenched in our village system. That’s where we began, our research and studies ranged from India’s gram panchayat system to international diplomacy, from traditional dispute redressal machinery to sophisticated global practices. After this theoretical escapade, it was time to understand contemporary challenges. We undertook an ‘Appeal for Change’ survey where we interviewed over a thousand people from different walks of life to understand all the facets of disputes. It is on this robust foundation that we built and designed the Presolv360 platform.

    Along with me, Namita Shah and Aman Sanghavi are the cornerstones of Presolv360. While Namita is a lawyer, chartered accountant and a CPA from the USA, Aman hails from the insurance and management background and is also a Certified Mediator from IICA, Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Presolv360 is guided by a distinguished Board of Advisors and Mentors comprising of

    1. Ashok Barat, former Managing Director, and CEO, Forbes and Company Ltd. He is currently on the Board of several listed companies and is passionate about making mediation the primary form of dispute resolution.
    2. Tanu Mehta, Legal Counsel, Mediator and Conciliator recognized by the Bombay High Court and is an MA in Conflict Resolution & Mediation from Tel Aviv University, Israel.
    3. Rajani Iyer has been designated a Senior Counsel by the Bombay High Court and is a Mediator with over 4 decades of experience in dispute resolution.

    Presolv360 is powered by a team of fifteen members (including six dispute resolution and legal experts) with an unbreakable spirit and the determination to change the way India and her citizens deal with disputes.

     

    HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY RECOGNITION SO FAR?

    Presolv360 won the ‘Start-Up Excellence Award for Technology-Enabled Dispute Management & Redressal System’ at the Indian Startup Convention (ISC) 2018. The ISC recognizes those organizations and individuals who have changed or have the potential to change the face of their respective industry. We were also shortlisted for ‘Power of Ideas’ – India’s largest entrepreneurship program. Facebook, Economic Times, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India and CIIE, IIM Ahmedabad conducted this program and received over 6500 business ideas out of which 358 were shortlisted.

    The Presolv360 team has discussed the applicability and benefits of its services with officials from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India. Presolv360 is privileged to be recognised by the Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India, as providers of dispute prevention and protection services, online dispute management, negotiation (online and offline), neutral evaluation (online and offline), mediation (online and offline) and is now listed on the website of the Department of Justice. Besides, Presolv360 has also been recognised as a qualified startup under the Start-Up scheme of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.

     

    HOW DID YOU GET THE MINISTRY TO RECOGNIZE PRESOLV360?

    The Presolv360 team made representations to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India. To our delight, the officials were extremely forthcoming, encouraging and provided us with insightful feedback. Following these representations, Presolv360 was listed on the website of the Department of Justice, as providers of dispute prevention and protection services, online dispute management, negotiation (online and offline), neutral evaluation (online and offline), and mediation (online and offline).

    ‘Startup India’ is a flagship initiative of the Government of India, intended to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation and startups in the country that will drive sustainable economic growth and generate large-scale employment opportunities. From tax exemptions to self-certification, from credit and funding access to rebates in patent applications, this initiative is definitely a boost to the ‘ease of doing business’ objective. Presolv360’s application was accepted by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion since we are working towards innovation, development, and improvement of dispute management services with a scalable model and high potential of employment generation and wealth creation. If any of the readers satisfy the eligibility criteria, I would recommend they apply under the scheme and take advantage of the benefits of a recognised startup.

     

    WHAT WOULD BE YOUR PARTING MESSAGE TO OUR READERS?

    We are all ordinary people until we master one extraordinary power – the power of choice. The choice to hold on or to let go, the choice to give up or to be relentless, the choice to follow or to lead, the choice to destroy or to rebuild, the choice to go to courts or ‘to presolv’ – choose wisely.

    You can get in touch with me at bhaven@presolv360.com and visit https://www.presolv360.com/ for more information.

     

     

  • Tapasya Parihar, AIR 23, UPSC, shares her experience and advice on cracking the Civil Services Exam

    Tapasya Parihar, AIR 23, UPSC, shares her experience and advice on cracking the Civil Services Exam

    Tapasya Parihar is a graduate of ILS Law College, Pune in the Batch of 2015. After graduating from one of the most premier law schools in the country, she decided to pursue a career in Civil Services. She shares her valuable insights with our readers on her experience with the UPSC  along with advice on how to crack the toughest exam in the world.

    In this interview, we talk to her about:

    • Her reasons for choosing law
    • Advantages of having law background in CSE
    • Her advice for our readers on cracking the CSE.

     

    HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR READERS?

    I hail from a small village in Madhya Pradesh. My father is a farmer and my mother is the Sarpanch of the village. I did my schooling from Kendriya Vidyalaya Narsingpur. Thereafter, I did my graduation in Law from ILS Law College, Pune.

     

    PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR PRE-COLLEGE LIFE. DID YOU ALWAYS PLAN ON PURSUING CIVIL SERVICES?

    I decided to pursue civil services after I got my 12th board exam results. I had got a good rank in the merit list and that is when I decided that I would prepare for UPSC CSE.

     

    HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE LAW?

    My stream was science in twelfth std., but I didn’t want to go for engineering. Moreover, one needs to be a graduate to appear for the CSE. Therefore, I chose law keeping in mind my long-term goal of joining civil service, as I believed the study of law would facilitate better administration.

     

    WOULD YOU SAY YOUR BACKGROUND IN LAW HELPED YOU IN PREPARING FOR CIVIL SERVICES?

    Yes, it definitely did. Basically, there is an overlap between the law syllabus and the GS subjects. Also, understanding of law helped me understand the newspaper articles better, especially the polity related issues and international affairs. Moreover, a study in law develops a different attitude, which makes a person more aware of the Constitution, rights and duties of the people and various other social issues, which come in handy during the preparation for civil services.

     

    WHEN DID YOU START PREPARING FOR CIVIL SERVICES?

    I started preparing immediately after finishing law school, i.e., in 2015.

     

    HOW DID YOU START PREPARING FOR THE CIVIL SERVICES EXAM? DO YOU THINK COACHING IS A PREREQUISITE TO CRACK THIS EXAM?

    I came to Delhi to prepare for the exam and I joined a coaching class therefor. However, I would not say that coaching is a prerequisite to clear this exam. It actually depends on the person and his/her level of understanding of the basic subjects. And after having a bad experience with the coaching class, I would suggest the aspirant to go for self-study, as the reading material required to study for this exam includes NCERT books and graduation level reference books, which need not be taught in any class.

     

    WHAT WAS THE ROUTINE YOU FOLLOWED EVERYDAY THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF YOUR PREPARATION?

    My everyday plan was part of a bigger plan wherein I had divided the syllabus into different subjects, which were to be completed in a certain number of days. Then, every day I would make a to-do list of all the topics to be covered from that particular subject on that day. Also, to study effectively, I had divided my day into different sessions of 45 minutes each with a break of eight minutes. This I did with the help of an application that has the Pomodoro Clock (I used the Goodtime app, but many more apps like this are available on Google Play Store).

     

    WHAT WAS YOUR STUDY PATTERN, THE MODE OF STUDY (ONLINE, OFFLINE ETC.,) PLEASE MENTION SOME OF THE BOOKS YOU REFERRED TO AND HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT PREPARING FOR EACH STAGE OF THE EXAM?

    My study pattern was a mix of both. Some topics I did from the NCERT books and the reference books, the remaining I did from various online sources which include online portals like www.insightsonindia.com, www.iasbaba.com and www.mrunal.org

    Some of the books I referred are as follows:

    • Polity- NCERT (std XI and XII), Laxmikanth and books by Shubhra Ranjan on model questions and answers
    • Geography- NCERT (std XI and XII), GC Leong and Atlas for maps
    • Modern Indian History – NCERT by Bipan Chandra and Spectrum publication’s book
    • Ancient and medieval history- book by NIOS and Tamil Nadu State board book
    • Art and Culture- Nitin Singhania
    • Environment and ecology- Shankar IAS
    • Economy- Vision IAS notes and Ramesh Singh
    • Science and technology- book by Vajiram and Ravi
    • Current affairs- newspaper, monthly current affairs booklets by Vajiram and by Vision and PT365 by vision and revision modules by insightsonindia
    • Security issues – vision notes
    • Social issues- Internet
    • International affairs- monthly current affairs booklets
    • World history – vision IAS notes

    Now, the exam has three stages, which need different approaches.

    • The preliminary examination is objective in nature, thus the focus has to be on conceptual clarity and question-solving aptitude. I suggest one must solve two to three test series and revise the test solutions and take the same tests again.
    • Mains need an analytical approach and the ability to interconnect the various aspects of the topic. Here, answer-writing practice is very important, as that is the only way to fetch more marks and secure a good rank. For this, one again needs to join 1- 2 test series. I also suggest writing daily answers, for which the questions are available on insights and iasbaba and various other websites. I suggest the answers to be written in the pattern wherein it contains the introduction, body and conclusion.
    • For the interview, one needs to know oneself well, keeping in mind the DAF and practice speaking the answers in a coherent and logical manner.

     

    WHAT DID YOU DO TO KEEP YOURSELF MOTIVATED ALL THE TIME DURING THE COURSE OF PREPARATION?

    Motivation is a very important part of this exam, as the time period of this exam itself is long which makes the whole process tiring. I used to motivate myself by writing a diary, talking to my parents, by thinking about my goal and how important it was to keep going, by thinking about my journey and last but not the least, the idea that I didn’t want to regret not giving my best to this exam.

    However, I generally enjoyed the whole process as I was getting to learn so much and I guess due to this, I did not have too many low points in the preparation.

     

    WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE PREPARATION THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE CIVIL SERVICES?

    I believe the preparation that is required to clear this exam needs to be according to the syllabus and one needs to have the conceptual clarity and ability to analyze issues from different perspectives. Preparation requires hard work with complete dedication and honesty.

     

    COULD YOU PLEASE GIVE SOME TIPS TO THOSE ASPIRANTS WHO ARE PREPARING FOR THIS EXAM? HOW SHOULD THEY GO ABOUT PREPARING DIFFERENT SUBJECTS LIKE GENERAL AWARENESS, OPTIONAL PAPER OF LAW?

    The first step is to go through the syllabus and the previous years’ question papers. Then, I would suggest that one should watch a few videos of toppers about their strategy and book sources and then make a customised plan keeping in mind her strengths and weaknesses. For every stage of the exam, revision and test series are the most important factors that need to be given equal weight in the plan. Thereafter, the plan needs to be executed properly.

    For general awareness, newspaper reading is a must. I suggest reading the Hindu and the Indian Express daily.

    For the optional paper, I recommend making notes on all the subjects in the syllabus from the books the law graduate refers to in the college. Along with that, notes on legal current affairs also need to be prepared as the questions are generally related to current affairs.

     

     

    WHAT DID YOU DO TO KEEP YOURSELF ABREAST OF ALL DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS? HOW DID YOU STUDY FOR STATIC GENERAL KNOWLEDGE?

    The NCERT books cover the basic static general knowledge. Some parts of the syllabus can be covered by making use of the vast variety of material available online. I followed the websites like www.insightsonindia.com and www.iasbaba.com, which have been very helpful in the entire duration of my preparation. They have various free of cost initiatives to cover the current affairs, which complement the newspaper reading.

     

    PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR INTERVIEW? HOW SHOULD A LAW STUDENT APPROACH THE INTERVIEW FOR THE CIVIL SERVICES EXAM?

    There are three important things to be done to prepare for the interview.

    • Thorough preparation of DAF related questions
    • Revision of basic mains syllabus, current affairs and the graduation subject
    • Mock interviews

    Interview preparation must be focused on the way one structures her answer and presents the same.

     

    WHAT WOULD BE YOU MESSAGE TO THE LAW STUDENTS WHO WANT TO PURSUE THEIR CAREER IN THE FIELD OF CIVIL SERVICES?

    Be thorough with your optional subject, prepare notes keeping in mind the previous years’ papers and revise accordingly. Work hard with complete honesty and the exam becomes easier to clear. All the best!