Super Lawyer

Tag: Constitutional law

  • “As an Advocate on Record practicing before the Supreme Court of India, one has to be open to learning diverse and complex laws in a limited amount of time”- Arnav Narain, Advocate-on-Record, Supreme Court of India

    “As an Advocate on Record practicing before the Supreme Court of India, one has to be open to learning diverse and complex laws in a limited amount of time”- Arnav Narain, Advocate-on-Record, Supreme Court of India

    This Interview has been published by Pragya Chandni and and The SuperLawyer Team

    Can you share with our listeners the journey that led you to pursue a career in law, especially considering your impressive academic achievements at Amity Law School?

    The journey that led me to law began in 11th standard when I chose Science with Computers only to realize that I have an interest in neither. Like many others, I was merely following the herd. Fortunately, my computer science teacher at Modern School sat me down and encouraged me to start law school training while pursuing science at school. The days I spent in law school training were most interesting and made me realize that I may have a genuine liking for legal subjects and reasoning. By the end of my final year at school, my entire section and my teachers knew that I was a science student preparing to become a lawyer.

    I joined Amity Law School, Delhi (IP University) which at that time was in the top 10 law schools in India. I would prepare for my classes, ask way too many questions (sometimes even got punished for it), and worked hard for my exams. I would take time out to represent the law school in a few national and international moots and MUNs every year. After the first semester, I had topped the University, which was extremely encouraging and subsequently I received the Raja Rai Best Student of the Year award for all 5 years at law school. It was the first time I understood the meaning of the word aptitude. I was excited to move forward on this path.

    How did your experience as a Law Clerk to Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and as an intern with HMJ (retired) S Muralidhar shape your perspective on the legal profession?

    Working as an intern with Justice Muralidhar and as a clerk with Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul allowed me to gain insight into the life and cycle of arbitration cases at the Delhi High Court. While Justice Muralidhar handled the original side arbitration cases amongst others, Justice Kaul was handling the arbitration appeals. I had a front row seat in the Delhi High Court that enabled me to witness some of the best orators/Senior Advocates presenting their cases before some of the brightest legal minds. 

    In my internship with HMJ Muralidhar, I was responsible for preparing a Compilation of summaries of judgments delivered by the Hon’ble Delhi High Court in that calendar year that contributed to the development of law. This proved to be an excellent exercise for a newly graduated law student as it provided me with further training in reading lengthy judgments in a short period of time and extracting its essence in a few short paragraphs. This, I believe, is a skill to be honed in every lawyer. 

    As a clerk to Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, my roster of responsibilities was a bit wider as I was responsible for checking the daily orders, sat in Court to hear arguments while noting important cases quoted, conducted extensive legal research in order to assist the Judge in dictating judgments and prepared the odd speech to be delivered by the Judge.

    My experience at the Delhi High Court, working with two brilliant Judges allowed me to carefully observe court craft and court etiquette. It gave me a unique opportunity to understand the considerations that weigh with judges while deciding cases and also allowed me to stay updated with the latest caselaw on various legal issues, as they would be regularly quoted in the Court. It was helpful to maintain a diary of daily case proceedings and important notes during the course of my clerkship.

    Your Master’s in Law at the University of Cambridge focused on International Law & EU Competition Law. How did this international exposure contribute to your understanding of the legal landscape?

    To be a Masters student at one of the oldest most prestigious Universities in the world – (with arguably the most beautiful campus) – was a matter of great privilege as well as pride for me. It has contributed significantly to my growth, not just as a professional but also as a person. I was fortunate to be in a multicultural environment and to be taught by highly respected professors such as (late) Prof. James Crawford whose small groups sessions at the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law would be riveting to say the least.

    It was a remarkable opportunity to understand the various facets of EU Competition law from experts such as William Allen, a former competition law partner at Linklaters, which I have consistently relied on in competition law cases in India. The masters not only contributed to my understanding of the legal landscape, but it broadened my horizons allowing me to be more confident and self-assured as a litigator in India. 

    At Cambridge, I was elected as the Student Council Representative at Darwin College which enabled me to voice the concerns of the students at Darwin and stand up for issues that mattered. After coming back from Cambridge, I have also been closely associated with the Oxford and Cambridge Society of India (having been elected on three successive Committees) organizing academic, social, cultural and sporting activities with Oxbridge alumni in Delhi. 

    How do you stay updated on the latest legal developments, especially in the dynamic field of competition law?

    In order to stay updated with legal developments in competition law, I read some important competition law journals (Indian and foreign) as well as judgments from India, EU and US. I spent 2 months in Brussels in 2023 attending multiple conferences pertaining to the developments in EU competition law and competition law globally. 

    You transitioned from working in the Chambers of Aditya Narain to establishing your independent practice. What were the pivotal moments that led to this decision, and how has the experience been for you?

    After completing my masters, I worked with Mr. Aditya Narain, Advocate (as he had a very strong background in antitrust) for 5 years and I was primarily involved in cases pertaining to competition law and consumer disputes. In fact, during the very first week back in India, I was assigned the Ericsson vs Intex/Micromax (Standard Essential Patents) case where Mr. Narain was appointed the Amicus Curiea by the Hon’ble Delhi High Court. It was the first case of such a nature dealing with the conflict between competition law and IP law.

    Thereafter, I sat for the AOR exam in 2019, as I had always aspired to practice at the Supreme Court of India, even as a young law student. Once I cleared the prestigious AOR exam, I started my journey as an independent counsel and an Advocate on Record. To be an Advocate on Record, in my honest opinion, is one of the most fulfilling experiences for a lawyer as it presents you with opportunities to develop and present high stakes cases in the highest Court, pertaining to all subjects whether civil, criminal, constitutional etc. Often, the AOR dons different hats i.e. of a lawyer, clerk, typist, translator and that can be a bit exhausting. I have been fortunate to have been involved in some extremely interesting cases before the Supreme Court that have contributed to the development of law. This was always my dream.

    Your current practice involves handling a variety of cases, including competition law, consumer disputes, constitutional law, insolvency & bankruptcy, and more. How do you manage to navigate such diverse legal areas effectively?

    As an Advocate on Record practicing before the Supreme Court of India, one has to be open to learning diverse and complex laws in a limited amount of time. Not just learn, but with the right doses of legal research, one has to often master those laws in order to argue the case at the highest Court or even brief Senior Advocates on the matter. One needs to retain a sense of being a generalist. But as a law graduate, there cannot be a better avenue to learn and practice across such a diverse variety of legal subjects. 

    With the aid of some brilliant and hard-working colleagues, support from mentors as well as effective time management skills, it is possible to practice across such a wide array of legal subjects. It would be apposite to mention that with the evolution of technology and e-filing software’s/virtual courts, it has become much more convenient to practice as a litigator.

    You recently represented a leading tire company in a significant challenge to a Competition Commission of India decision, resulting in one of the largest fines imposed by CCI. Can you share the key challenges you faced and lessons learned from this case?

    It is indeed an honour to be a part of the tyre cartel case as I have had the opportunity to brief the brightest most well respected seniors such as Mr. Fali S Nariman and Mr. G Masilamani in the matter and work alongside some of the best competition law firms in the country. The matter is pending before the Supreme Court and therefore I would not be able to comment in detail about the case. However, I can say that the Competition Commission of India is one of India’s most robust and active regulators responsible for maintaining fairness in both the retail and online marketplace in India regulating matters pertaining to abuse of dominance and anti-competitive agreements. It is equipped with an investigative arm i.e. the Director General’s office that comprehensively and meticulously investigates matters pertaining to abuse of dominance and anticompetitive agreements.

    In the tyre cartel case, unfortunately, the investigation report of the DG found evidence of existence of a cartel and the CCI passed a penalty order of around Rs. 1788 Crores against 5 tyre companies in the market for Truck and Bus bias tyres. This was one of the largest fines imposed by the CCI. The biggest challenge was to impress upon the Hon’ble National Company Law Appellate Tribunal, that this is one case where the DG and the CCI, both, have made some serious errors in calculating and comparing prices. Ordinarily, the decision of an expert body such as CCI is hard to challenge before the NCLAT, and even harder to have annulled by the Appellate Tribunal. However, in the tyre matters, we were above to demonstrate that the case set up by the DG and accepted by the CCI of price parallelism and cartel was ill-founded and factually incorrect. The DG and CCI had overlooked certain crucial details and numbers and those errors clearly demonstrated that no price parallelism existed and therefore no cartel existed in the market. It was one of the rare cases when the CCI admitted to making those errors (which seldom happens, as regulatory bodies such as the CCI are meticulous and comprehensive in their investigations). However, the NCLAT, while setting aside the CCI penalty decision, remanded the case back to the CCI for deciding the matter afresh in light of the errors made in the CCI decision. In my view, the NCLAT may have considered finally disposing of the matter instead of remanding it and therefore we have filed a limited challenge to the remand of the matter back to CCI. The CCI, of course, has challenged the entire decision of the NCLAT and both cross appeals are pending before the Hon’ble Supreme Court.

    To sum up, the biggest challenge we faced in the matter was to show that the decision of the CCI was contrary to the facts as well as the settled law. We had briefed two of the leading seniors to argue on our behalf i.e. Mr. Mukul Roahatgi and Mr. Krishnan Venugopal who successfully represented our case before the NCLAT. What I learnt in the process was that in order to challenge any decision of any expert regulatory body, one must have tremendous research and preparation skills. The briefing for both the Senior Advocates was rather different and our team had to be attuned to their queries and styles prior to the briefing.  

    Having worked with notable judges, senior advocates, and in various legal capacities, how has mentorship played a role in shaping your career, and what advice would you give to aspiring lawyers on finding the right mentors?

    Mentorship is a vital aspect of our profession, especially in litigation. I have had the good fortune of working with some of the best legal minds in the country, and I have most certainly learnt something from each one of them. There have been lessons on patience, legal ethics, hard work, humility, legal research, oration etc which have helped shape me, not just as an Advocate but also as a person. 

    I draw inspiration from Mr. Fali S Nariman, Sr. Adv (as do most lawyers) who I have had the opportunity to brief multiple times. Briefing Mr Nariman, as many would know, is never about fancy conference rooms and coffee machines. It is about hard facts, in-depth research into the law, reading your brief, re-reading your brief, re-re-reading your brief and culling out the crux of it. Until, every word of every sentence of every paragraph is not crystal clear, no pleading or note ought to be presented to the Court in his name. A clarity of thought, I learnt, is a crucial aspect for a lawyer, as only then can the pleading reflect such a clear thought and move a Judge to rule in one’s favour.

    I learnt another very valuable lesson while briefing Mr. Nariman, something that he also writes in his book. It is that we must take the time out to think about our cases. What that means is that our level of commitment and passion should be such that whenever we have any spare time, we must think about our cases, discuss with colleagues and try and figure out whether there was a better way to present it or even develop it, whether there was an argument that we missed or an argument we took that may not work, how to respond to an argument the other side may make etc. This self-analysis forms the foundation of growth in the profession, in my view. 

    If an aspiring lawyer gets the luxury to choose a mentor, he/she should choose one who not merely knows the law well, but also encourages junior lawyers, gives them opportunities to argue and research, who is transparent and ethical in his/her conduct, discusses cases with his/her juniors, shares anecdotes and occasionally gives notes on how to improve.   

    For those who do not get the luxury of choice, just begin! Take any opportunity and start working. Regardless of how your mentor or senior is, there will be a lot to learn provided you are receptive, observant and inquisitive. Learn what you can and move on.  

    Considering your achievements and diverse experiences, what advice would you like to offer to fresh law graduates who are embarking on their legal careers today?

    I remember briefing an extremely well respected Senior Advocate in Chennai High Court in a cartel case and I was convinced that a particular argument ought to be made by him. The Senior sensed my conviction and excitement but felt that the argument could be detrimental to our case. Only, I failed to understand his point and kept arguing to the contrary. 

    Young lawyers are often full of energy and confidence, ready to fight the fights  and in that endeavor often become less receptive and flexible to other (often opposing) arguments. Sometimes we don’t know when to stop. Being too rigid may have some adverse effects in a Court of law, especially when a Judge strongly disagrees with your viewpoint. It is then that you must acknowledge the opposing argument and redirect yourself in order to meet that argument. Such versatility to maneuver ensures longevity as an orator and a litigator.

    I would also add that in order to be a successful lawyer, one must read the latest judgments, and foreign Court decisions in an attempt to stay abreast. Maintaining a diary of relevant cases is something I have learnt from my seniors and it has saved me on a number of occasions. We must be polite and assertive in Court and never go to Court without reading the brief, even if it is to take a postponement on behalf of another lawyer because if experience has taught me that, on the day that you don’t prepare and go to Court, it is exactly on that day that the Judge will want to hear you argue. Last but not least, one of the most relevant pieces of advice I learnt from seniors and mentors, was not to lose hope in this profession, especially litigation. Litigation will test you, there will be days when you learn nothing (and more days when you will earn nothing) but the litigator must remain passionate, inquisitive and steadfast in his/her pursuit. ‘Just keep swimming’

    Get in touch with Arnav Narain-

  • The single most important trait to have for young legal professionals is self-belief, There is no alternative to self-belief. Starting from his aspirations as a scientist, detouring into management, and eventually finding his true calling in law – “An In-Depth Conversation with Rohan Kusnur, AVP-Legal at Kotak Mahindra Bank”

    The single most important trait to have for young legal professionals is self-belief, There is no alternative to self-belief. Starting from his aspirations as a scientist, detouring into management, and eventually finding his true calling in law – “An In-Depth Conversation with Rohan Kusnur, AVP-Legal at Kotak Mahindra Bank”

    This interview has been published by Priyanka Karwa and The SuperLawyer Team

    Rohan, thank you for joining us. To kick things off, could you please introduce yourself to   our readers, highlighting key aspects of your professional journey and areas of expertise?

    Hi! I am Rohan Kusnur. I am currently working as Associate Vice President – Legal at Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. My professional journey has been very colorful with diverse experiences across different fields. In school, I wanted to become a scientist. The things that intrigued me about science were understanding natural phenomena and applying that knowledge for the benefit of mankind. After completing my B.Sc. in Biotechnology, I started working with a coaching institute as a branch manager. I also enrolled for my M.Sc. in Biophysics. By the time I completed my masters while doing my coaching institute job, I realized that I have a much better aptitude for management and administration than scientific research. I had considered two options while deciding my future career trajectory namely, MBA and civil services. I decided to go ahead with preparation for civil services as I always had a keen interest in current affairs and wanted to do something in public service. While preparing for civil services, I fell in love with the Constitution of India. After an unsuccessful attempt at the UPSC civil services exam, my love for the Constitution led me to pursue LLB. During my UPSC preparation, I built a good network of seniors who were preparing for the exam or teaching in coaching institutes. One of my seniors recognized my talent and offered me a teaching job. I started teaching at ‘Sankalp IAS’ institute on weekends along with my LLB. 

    During my final year of LLB, I started interning at Bhave & Co. where I eventually joined as an associate after receiving my degree. I could continue at Bhave & Co. only for a few months as my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had to manage her entire treatment protocol. Managing my mother’s treatment was not possible with a full time law firm job. Hence, I quit that job to start my independent practice. I was clueless about how to proceed at that point in time. Being a first-generation lawyer with a very brief experience at a law firm, it was very difficult to start. I just started sitting in the Bombay High Court Law Library hoping to network with other advocates and find some work. Adv. Rachana Chavan was kind enough to guide me in this anxious phase of my career. Soon, I built a good network and started getting small matters. During this phase, I advised a client with a tricky real estate matter, filed two writ petitions, appeared in a criminal matter, worked on a highly technical arbitration matter among other things. Independent practice gave me the time flexibility that I needed to manage my mother’s cancer treatment. By God’s grace, my mother fought hard and survived cancer. Towards the end of my mother’s treatment, I got to know about an opening in the legal team at Capri Global Capital Limited. Taking up this job would mean giving up practice and I was really enjoying my practice. However, since I started my career in law late, I didn’t have a lot of time to struggle in practice. I was already 30 years old when I completed my LLB and my parents were worried about the marriage prospects for their struggling advocate son. So, I decided to interview for the job and luckily, I was hired as a legal manager at Capri Global Capital Limited. That’s how my corporate career started. After 2 years at Capri, I decided to move to Kotak Bank. My current areas of expertise revolve around banking and real estate laws. 

    Your journey from being an Independent Practitioner to the Associate Vice President at Kotak has been diverse. How did your early experiences in independent practice shape your approach to the banking and financial services industry, and what motivated your transition to an in-house counsel role?

    It has been a wonderful journey. Situations in my personal life have prompted certain decisions in my professional life as I have described in reply to the previous question. When I started my independent practice, I was a complete novice. Although I didn’t have expertise at that time, I had the desire to work hard and succeed. You need a lot of self confidence to succeed as an independent practitioner especially in the early days of the career. You are still learning every day but you need to convince prospective clients to trust you with their matter. So, it was a very steep learning curve. This ability to work hard with self-belief helped me to make the transition to an in-house legal role. The transition to an in-house role was initially necessitated by the need for greater financial security but gradually I started enjoying my new role.

    The personality traits required for success in independent practice are different from those required for an inhouse role. However, the fundamental values don’t change. You need good people skills in both roles. Networking is the cornerstone of success in both roles. You need to anticipate situations and prepare. The difference lies in developing the skill of balancing legal risks with business growth. As an in-house counsel, you are helping your company to grow, while minimizing their legal risks. You can’t err either on the side of caution or be too liberal. Striking the right balance between the two aspects is the key to success in an in-house role.

    Having held significant roles at Kotak Mahindra Bank, including Chief Manager and now Associate Vice President, could you share some challenges you’ve encountered in the banking and financial services legal landscape, and how you navigated through them?

    When I started my career in an in-house role, I had very little knowledge about the financial sector. I was lucky to have Adv. Sujata Angadi as my first boss and mentor at Capri Global Capital Ltd. I knew the law but I didn’t know the nuances of the lending business. I observed and I learnt very fast. I was fortunate to have stalwart leaders like Adv. Muneesh Dhawan and Kaushik Chatterjee sir to inspire me. After I moved to Kotak Bank, I realized that the risk appetite of every company is different. My experience at Capri Global helped me greatly to navigate through Kotak. As I have stated earlier, the real skill to develop is understanding the risk appetite of your company and striking the right balance between business growth and legal risk.

    I began my stint at Kotak as a legal manager where I was assessing the title of the properties being offered for mortgage against different types of retail loans like housing finance, loan against property and working capital. Kotak is great at nurturing and developing talent. I was soon promoted through the ranks and given charge of a team for supporting the primary market sales team in housing finance. The primary market sales team builds relationships with different builders and developers for sourcing housing finance business directly from the developers. This reduces the cost of customer acquisition and improves the margins of the company. I was also designated as a legal deviation approval authority for taking informed calls on some legal deviations in the interest of business growth. I was also granted rights to give final legal approval for disbursement of loans in housing finance and loan against property up to a certain loan amount. In each of these roles, I come across various challenges which I navigate with the help of a great team. 

    Let me illustrate the balance of legal risk and business growth with an example. While assessing the title of builders for approving real estate projects, we sometimes come across pending litigations on project land. We need to approve projects in order to help the primary market sales team to source home loan applications from those projects. A practicing advocate will simply highlight the pending litigation in their title report and we know about the doctrine of lis pendens under the Transfer of Property Act. However, as an in-house lawyer, it is our job to assess the real risk of the pending litigation and advise the business leadership accordingly. We cannot theoretically apply the doctrine of lis pendens and reject everything. The skill lies in differentiating between real risk and theoretical risk. Once we highlight the real risk, the business team is in a better position to make an informed decision.

    In Kotak Bank, there is excellent support from the leadership and a wonderful work culture. This helps me in performing more effectively.

    You have a background in biophysics and biotechnology. How has your scientific education shaped your approach to legal problem-solving, and do you find any parallels between the two fields?

    My scientific education has helped me greatly in legal problem-solving. I would like to share one of the famous quotes of Albert Einstein. The great scientist had once said, “Education is training of the mind to think”. Every discipline of learning imparts a unique style of thinking and problem-solving to the learner. My scientific education helped me to develop very strong logic and reasoning skills. This greatly helped me in shaping my legal career. I had to simply apply the same style of thinking to law which I learnt while studying science. Further, scientific education also teaches you the importance of research. Good research skills are very important in both science and law. 

    Your career involves a mix of corporate legal roles and teaching civil service aspirants. What motivated you to engage in coaching, and how does teaching law influence your own understanding and application of legal principles?

    Of all the different things which I have done in my career, I have enjoyed teaching the most. I have loved teaching since the time I was a student. I have always helped my friends in understanding certain concepts which I understood better. I believe that you develop a better understanding of the subject every time you teach. This happens because you think about how to help the students to understand some concept and in the process, delve deeper into the subject yourself. Also, when the students ask you questions, you are prompted to think in a different way about the same subject and thereby your understanding of the various aspects of the subject is enhanced.

    When I was teaching Indian Polity to civil service aspirants, I had a peculiar challenge. I was teaching the Constitution of India and how it is applied in the functioning of Indian democracy. My students came from diverse educational backgrounds like humanities, commerce, management, engineering, medicine, law etc. I had to ensure that the law students don’t get bored and other students are able to understand the concepts. This greatly improved my communication skills and understanding of legal principles.

    Legal practice often involves intense scrutiny and attention to detail, especially in areas like title flow for mortgage creation. How do you manage stress and maintain accuracy in your work, and do you have any unique methods for unwinding after a challenging day?

    I am a family man. There is no greater joy than spending time with family. I have a wonderful 5- year-old daughter. She takes away all my stress every day when I return from the office. I have a very supportive life partner with whom I share all the highs and lows of my day. This helps me to unwind and relax after a challenging day. I love listening to music and watching web series in my free time. Proper relaxation is very important to recharge your batteries and perform your job accurately. 

    On a lighter note, outside of your professional life, do you have any hobbies or interests that you are particularly passionate about? How do you strike a balance between your career and personal life?

    I love food and frequently visit different restaurants and street food joints to explore newer tastes with my family and friends. I love hanging out with friends. I have a keen interest in personal finance. Apart from law, understanding the art of investment in equities is one of my passions. During my civil services exam training, I developed an interest in macroeconomics. I have built upon that knowledge over the years. I like to explore correlation between macroeconomic events and investment opportunities in the stock markets. I read a lot of finance related content and follow many experts in my free time to enhance my knowledge and skills. Investment is an art of predicting the future based on current data. I get great intellectual satisfaction from this activity. It is up to us to strike a balance between career and personal life. One should never forget that a successful career is just a part of a happy life. Happiness should be the ultimate objective

    Considering your journey, what advice would you offer to young legal professionals entering the banking and financial services industry, and what skills do you believe are crucial for success in this field?

    The single most important trait to have for young legal professionals is self-belief. There is no alternative to self-belief. Out there in the professional world, people will believe in your skills only after you have successfully demonstrated your skills. When you start a new journey, you don’t have any track record. You have to back yourself completely to succeed. Once you develop this self-belief, the next step is to have a vision and commitment towards that vision. To succeed in the banking and financial services industry, you need to understand the needs of the industry. There are a wide variety of legal functions that one can perform in an in-house role. Title related due diligence is just one of the functions. Likewise, if you wish to develop yourself as a practicing advocate catering to BFSI, you can perform a wide variety of functions. 

    The most important advice which I can give to young legal professionals is to not be rigid about specific areas of work or practice. Don’t refuse good opportunities just because it is not exactly what you wanted. Just start and learn along the way. Eventually you will find your niche area. Most young lawyers have preferences about areas of practice but nobody knows whether you will find meaningful work in those specific areas at the beginning of your career. Don’t say no to work. Take up the challenge and learn along the way. This brings us back to the most important trait to succeed which is self-belief. If you believe in yourself, nothing is impossible.

    Get in touch with Rohan Kusnur-

  • No one with a defeatist or pessimist mentality or an irresolute mind-set can ever start their own practice- Founding Partner at THYNK CELS

    No one with a defeatist or pessimist mentality or an irresolute mind-set can ever start their own practice- Founding Partner at THYNK CELS

    This interview has been published by  Priyanka Karwa and The SuperLawyer Team

    What motivated you to start your own legal practice, and what areas of law do you primarily focus on?​ Could you please share more about your role as a Founding Partner at Cost Effective Legal Solutions (CELS)?

    I think the majority of advocates are motivated to start an independent legal practice by default. It’s more like a factory setting of the brain after clearing the bar exams. Mine was tuned even before I began studying law. The desire and motivation to go independent further grew in college. But once I stepped into the real world of practice, the scene changed. As a first generation lawyer, I realised that the ball was never in my court. The bubble shattered, after seeing the strength of the bar and the amount of advocates struggling to make a living. I learnt it the hard way. I realised I had to first grow in terms of knowledge. It took me four jobs and ten years to feel, I am sufficiently knowledgeable. I realised over these developing years that knowledge is not enough to keep me motivated so I developed the capacity to do laborious work. I steadily and slowly increased my patience level and self-confidence. It took a lot of mixing of all these emotions before I went independent in 2021 and started CELS. I realised only the ones capable of labour, patience, self-confidence and faith are welcome in this profession. No one with a defeatist or pessimist mentality or an irresolute mind-set can ever start their own practice. In 2021, I finally decided to not merely look to principles but have the readiness to act upon them. I put my art of persuasion to test developing clients in the field I was extremely confident about. 

    I started my practice at tribunals where the law application is quasi –judicial in nature/ sort of easy for any advocate to absorb in terms of procedure. I practiced at the NCDRC, DRT, DRAT, NGT and slowly shifted gears to civil, criminal and commercial trial courts. Now I primarily focus on business/commercial related disputes for Individuals, Corporates, Financial Institutions. The area of law practiced by CELS covers both civil and criminal statutes. As founding partner, I ensure that CELS always has business. We started with a team of two and now we have 25 people in our office in two years’ time directly and indirectly associated with us. 

    You’ve mentioned your extensive experience with Title Search Reports for financial institutions. Could you explain the importance of these reports and how they benefit organizations like National Housing Bank, Indian Bank, Bank of India, and LICHFL?

    We at CELS have rendered more than 15000 Title Search Reports for the above stated Institutions and more. TSR facilitates a buyer to help buy a property, a Bank / FI / NBFC determines the authenticity of a title. The Title Search Report made by CELS helps the Financial Institutions stated above deal with the crucial and imperative aspects of identifying an undisputed title. Identifying an undisputed title is important to all stakeholders involved, be it a buyer, seller, or a lending institution. Our reports facilitate the seeker/FI with an answer, as to whether a property is mortgage worthy as collateral or not. When I started working for the aforesaid FI’s I was put across several questions. Questions which had simple solutions yet no one had compiled the answers in a streamlined manner. CELS then published a hand book for its clients which not only gives its readers theoretical knowledge but practical knowledge which the reader can implement “tout de suite”, while dealing with a title. CELS has published the said handbook primarily keeping the documents, sub-registrar offices, the authorities, legislations, and other aspects which have direct application to the NCT of Delhi and its nearby territories (NCR). But the research base is such, that said fundamentals apply to the whole of India more or less.

    Your experience includes handling Commercial Court Cases. Could you share a challenging case that you worked on and the strategies you employed?

    Recently before the Patiala House Court, New Delhi, I had the opportunity to defend a case in which recovery of more than two crore inclusive of interest was filed against my client. All remedies under the Pre-Mediation and Settlement had been waived as my client had failed to participate. Now I was left to defend a massive recovery. I asked my client how much of the demand was legitimate. He admitted to me that the applicant / suing party is entitled to almost 80% of the amount mentioned in the suit. All though it is difficult to sum up in a paragraph as to what strategies were adopted. I’d say we went at everything from challenging the jurisdiction, to the absence of cause of action. We challenged the clause vesting jurisdiction on a Court which otherwise does not have jurisdiction. I relied on the judgement of Bahrain Petroleum Co., where the Hon’ble Supreme Court had held that neither consent nor waiver nor acquiescence can confer jurisdiction upon a court, otherwise incompetent to try the suit. It is well-settled and needs no authority that ‘where a court takes upon itself to exercise a jurisdiction it does not possess, its decision amounts to nothing. Further strategies adopted were challenging the facts on the basis of evidence available, an applicability of an expired contract etc, filing a detailed written statement. At the end the matter was settled we had to only pay a fraction of the suit amount. The court’s name was Anurag Sain DJ (Commercial Court)-01, CS(COMM)525/22. 

    NCDRC cases against builders on behalf of homebuyers are significant. Can you discuss the typical issues faced by homebuyers and the legal steps you take to address their concerns?

    NCDRC is the highest consumer forum available in India for relief against wrongs done by Builders. But after my experience at the NCDRC I’d suggest all consumers to approach RERA or NCLT. I am not suggesting that NCDRC is not an apt forum for relief, but the fact that the said forum is flooded with cases cannot be discarded. I had filed a class action complaint in 2019. And the matter has recently reached the stage of final arguments. All my home buyers were seeking a refund but had to eventually settle. Even though I was successful in getting them massive discounts, the fact that during the proceedings the builder started to go insolvent project by project, broke the home buyer’s spirits to seek refund with interest and they opted for possession with discounts. The typical issues faced by home buyers are delayed possession, unlawful demands in construction linked payment plan, forfeiture of booking amount, non – construction of Unit & builder / project being declared insolvent. These are some typical cases which are ongoing before the NCDRC. Once a favourable order is passed, the execution of the said order also takes a substantial amount of time. And one just has to keep his fingers crossed on the builder not running away from the country or being sent to jail or being declared insolvent. Hence as an advocate you have to be equipped with alternate remedies for your client. Ref: CC/912/2019

    You’ve also been involved in defamation cases. What is the most interesting or unusual defamation case you’ve handled, and how did you navigate the complexities of civil and criminal aspects in such cases?

    The most interesting defamation case I have had the privilege of filing was for a celebrity YouTuber against another less known You Tuber. The defamation was done vide an impugned video clip uploaded on YouTube and shared across Telegram. Whatsapp and other messenger applications. The statements made in the impugned video were made with the culpable and malicious intention to defame my client. The video was made to spread an untrue, false and scandalous imputation against my client that he is a fraudulent person who has misguided its subscribers. The scandalous, false and defamatory statements were explicitly intended to harm the reputation of my client and to malign him before the public. We argued before the Civil and Criminal Court that a person’s reputation is an inseparable element of an individual’s personality and it cannot be allowed to be tarnished in the name of the right to freedom of speech and expression because the right to free speech does not mean the right to offend. Rather, the object of guaranteeing constitutional protection to freedom of speech and expression is to advance public debate and discourse. However, speech and writings laden with harmful intent or knowledge of causing harm or made with reckless disregard is not entitled to the protection of Article 19(1) (a) since it does not serve any Constitutional purpose. We navigated the complexities by stating that the mental suffering caused to my client cannot even be calculated in terms of money. The words published and spoken on YouTube, the statements made and the video posted were made to cause and to bring my client into hatred, contempt or ridicule and to diminish the good opinion that people at large have of him and, therefore, we prayed before the court to punish the offender. We were able to get the video removed immediately and the matter is now pending adjudication for damages and punishment. Ref :Cc 726/2023 MM-1/NE/KKD and CS(OS) 207/2023 

    You’ve mentioned drafting and arguing a petition for a ban against TikTok before the Supreme Court. Can you walk us through the process and the outcome of this high-profile case?

    I had filed a Writ Petition in Public Interest under Article 32, requesting the court to issue order or direction, in the nature of Mandamus imposing a temporary ban on the mobile application/social media portal such as TIK-TOK and others those are capable of being misused till the Coronavirus / Covid-19 disease subsides in India and/or directing the concerned government authority/authorities to formulate and implement a proper statutory framework or adequate Rules, Regulations or Guidelines thereto in order to prevent the misuse of such platforms during the crucial times when the world is fighting against the pandemic. The videos uploaded back then were adversely promoting cultural, spiritual and theological dimensions, instigating a particular community to violate and not to follow the Rules and Regulations/Advisories for Health and Safety, set out by the Government of India amidst the havoc of Covid-19. The advisories as to social distancing appealed by the Prime Minister had been projected through these adult videos as being contradictory to what is entailed in the Quran. The circulated videos were full of misinformation and were meant to incite fear, hate, or prejudice among communities. Even Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organisation (WHO), had stated as under: “We are not just fighting an epidemic; we are fighting an infidemic. Fake news spreads faster and more easily than this virus, and is just as dangerous. ” I along with adv.J. Sai Deepak had filed this PIL with the motive to upkeep the safety and interest of 227 Million active users of Tik – Tok in India along with a population of 130 crore (approx.) population that has access to such misinformed videos that were causing harm to the public at large. But the Supreme Court dismissed our petition. Thereafter, I went to all the authorities in the legislature such as counsel of states, house of the people, legislative departments and even the Prime Minister. Eventually I was permitted to submit my research to the standing committee of Parliament after which the Government banned the application along with several other Chinese apps in 2020.

    Your experience at HCL Technologies involved managing legal aspects of contracts. Can you discuss how you identify ?

    At HCL Technologies we treated IT risk management as a necessity. At HCL Tech a team of lawyers used to realign their IT risk management processes to meet the constantly evolving regulatory requirements. We ensured that their IT ecosystem struck a balance between cost-effectiveness and efficiency. At the same time, we ensured that the next generation innovation and transformational business went smoothly. As a team we used to discuss and understand the complex IT business ecosystem first. We used to Visualize and understand risk as our first steps. Then we went about assessing the same and once risk elements were identified, we used to try and quantify the impact levels of the same. We used to prioritize the High-impact like situations and manoeuvre by drafting our contracts which would lower the impact. 

    What advice would you give to the fresh graduates who aspire to start their career in the legal industry?

    As law students and fresh graduates, there must have been an era when you, as viewers of TV series, may have grown addicted to ‘Celebrity Lawyer’ shows such as Boston Legal, Suits etc. Furthermore, this begins to seem a reality within the approach when you read about lawyers repeatedly in newspapers every day. To add to this illusion, most of our Government Post from Politicians to Head of Government Organizations are holding a law Degree. Their fee(s) is often a discussion from classrooms to club rooms. But this notion holds true only for a handful. Not every lawyer is paid exorbitant amounts of money and as a fresher, one might even have to work for a mere 15K to 20k. Yes, it’s a rate existing in the inflated year of 2023. Furthermore, the profession reaches a new level of toughness, in small towns, such as Allahabad. Allahabad High Court may be having the biggest Bar strength in terms of numbers but this does not imply that every litigating lawyer is having a ball. One might come across lawyers stating “Cigarette ka kharcha nikalata hai”. Undoubtedly, with experience comes a better Salary/ Fee but it takes perseverance and patience to reach that level. Thus the moral of the story is not to get influenced by hearsay or by the life of a lawyer in glorifying and glamorous TV series. Sorry to disappoint you but, all that you see on TV is a script, which is not only well written, but a gimmick that plays illusions with lawyers wearing crisp suits, swanky shoes and nice hairdos. Law does have a price which we all should aspire not to go by the glamour it has to offer, but by the richness it can offer in terms of knowledge and life skills.

    Get in touch with Vibhor Gupta-

  • Decades would see more changes in law practice and legal industry in toto, and subsequently jobs would be eliminated- Insha Showkat, Independent Legal Attorney

    Decades would see more changes in law practice and legal industry in toto, and subsequently jobs would be eliminated- Insha Showkat, Independent Legal Attorney

    This interview has been published by  Priyanka Karwa and The SuperLawyer Team

    Can you share your journey and tell us what inspired you to pursue a career in law, from your early legal experiences to your current role as a Legal Manager?

    Coming from the land of beauty and chaos, Kashmir, gave me the sense of fair and unfair from my young age. Inherent good of man and fair treatment of societies was embedded in my mind. Growing up amidst military occupation and seeing the happenings had a profound impact on me. It was a confrontation everyday. Certainly that initial inclination for law was instilled right there and other factors played along. I always wanted to understand challenging rhetorical theory, to uncover the truth. World is full of issues that affect all of us across geographies and law touches everything, every facet of a society. My major inkling towards law came from my land, and the prevalent day to day conditions. I was clear about law from a young age as it had me glued to the fairness basis and felt like a just and honourable profession.

    Obviously, an unconventional choice as I came from a traditional business family and in fact, the first one to go to law school from my immediate family. Law came from my upbringing and despite the odds, I was inspired to do my part for an equitable world by becoming the voice of the unheard.  My schooling was done at Mallinson Girls School, Srinagar where I took part in extra curricular activities besides my academics. Being an avid debater, I always had a knack for formulating arguments and enjoyed that part. Being one of the players of the basketball team, I played some matches representing my school at that time. After finishing my school I went to South India, and opted for Bangalore Legal Studies to undertake my five year law course. Five years spent in Bangalore bring back fond memories and I cherish them like always.  During my law school, I lived in the college premises with nine other law school mates. Our dormitory was filled with girls who came from different parts of the country and it gave me a chance to understand nine different mindsets.  Along with enjoying law subjects, I thoroughly took part in the mooting, debating, and legal publications. Besides being rank holder in Constitutional and International Law, I also served as the Editor of our Law School Review, BILS Law Review. Many national and international moot courts were attended for sheer joy of analysing the problem, interpreting laws, drafting the memorials and weaving the argument. My main aim from mooting was to be a better learner, and to think on my feet while simultaneously stimulating and challenging my intellectual curiosity and capabilities. In my third year, I participated in the Bar Council of India International Moot organised by National Law University, Jodhpur along with my moot mates, Siri Roa (Counsel, USA) and Mohammad Azhar-u-ddin (Associate VP, Data Privacy Accenture). The problem was about International Law, Refugee Status and Sovereignty. In our semi final round in which we were pitted against National Law University, Delhi, the other side presented well crafted arguments with excellent oratory skills making such a compelling case. To my utter surprise, I almost got so engrossed by the arguments, that I caught myself in the abyss without the rebuttal points. While the other side was finishing their arguments, I quickly scribbled through pointers and jotted them down. We went for rebuttal over 12 factual and legal issues. To my utter surprise, we made it to the finals and the sitting Punjab Haryana Justice called our team and mentioned the reason for being in finals was “thinking on the foot and coming up with the 12 points”. Mooting tests and enriches one’s appetite for delivering under pressure early on. You take ownership of your calls which lets one reach his/her full potential. Teamwork decides how far a team can go. Two years later, while graduating out from law school, I was awarded ‘Best Mooter’ of Batch, 2012. With time, my passion for law grew and intensified. I am thankful to my mentors from law school who really taught me well.

    In your role at Vipra Legal, you managed litigation and arbitration while providing commercial advisory to various entities. How do you balance the demands of litigation and advisory work in a legal setting, and what were some of the key challenges you faced?

    It’s no secret that practising law is a bit demanding yet fulfilling. It’s not only about the best advice given to the clients but subsequently, to curtail down the risks. One has to step into the owners/ companies point of view to understand the depth of business risks and hence will emerge a balanced solution. Legal advisory has to align to the company’s risk tolerance and goals. Working with Partners to define and articulate each risk and its potential effects on business so decision makers could understand the impact and vulnerability. A top tier client at Vipra Legal was in the middle of a game changer merger wherein we reviewed and drafted exhaustive Commercial Agreements and Non Disclosure Agreements and designed a legal plan/strategy for execution which matched client objectives before putting the right people, tools in place for successful deliverance. You need to understand which task is critical and can convert revenue into profit. Balancing is an art which lawyers learn about from their mentors in the beginning itself and with having multiple clients waiting for the end result, whether a thorough advisory on the issue or an immediate filing and attaining of an injunction or favourable order, one has to prioritize the work and manage it timely.  In a managerial role, besides being up to date on factual scenarios and prevalent law plus the winning strategy of multiple ongoing cases, organizing task progress and team work loads is essential. Challenge of dealing with associates and running the show as a team is where one’s real patience is tested. I would say, a litmus test. Usually, and particularly lawyers don’t like to be managed and hence the perfect workplace can be created by developing a collaboration with high level of trust and openness, communication and engagement.  The tricky part comes in when at times, you have to manage peers who are equal, or even in cases have more experience and here you can’t go into the control mode but rather find that middle balanced ground and be thoughtful of relationships at the firm.

    Your experience at Elevate involved document review and using artificial intelligence for litigation support. Could you explain how AI is changing the legal landscape and what benefits or challenges it brings to the field?

    Legal landscape is shifting more than ever before as Companies look to adapt tools like Artificial Intelligence. Incorporating AI into legal practice drives day to day lives and more importantly, clients have come to accept it from employed firms. Al can make lawyers informed, provide data driven ideas, and above all improve efficiency. In my tenure with Elevate Services, as Senior Associate with Disputes and Investigations, I provided assistance to international Litigation teams of various top tier law firms; Gilbert and Tobin, Latham Watkins LLP, Backer Mckenzie, ReedSmith, DLA Piper, Skaden and many others. End to end legal solutions were provided to the law firms, right from the starting of the early assessment of the case until trial. Summarised chronologies, provided concise legal analysis, drawing up of Contracts, assisted in Due Diligence and weaved legal opinions. Now AI is being used to automate tasks  and drive efficiencies, spurred to cut costs. Elevate is the first Company to join hands with top notch law firm, Gilbert and Tobin for its dominant business model which is a game changer and first of its kind in the legal industry of India.

    With that, a new threat also looms. Law being the lucrative profession is most at the risk of AI advances. Can I be replaced ?!  After all, lawyers are merchants of words for the matter of fact. Decades would see more changes in law practice and legal industry in toto, and subsequently jobs would be eliminated. A research by economists of Goldman Sachs estimated the amount of legal work that would be automated by AI and results are at 44%. I consider myself to be a lifelong learner and we are going to live with this now. The only way lawyers would survive amidst the growing technology is by updating their skillset, by training themselves to understand the most intricate and complex legal issues and pushing forward. One would have no choice but to climb up the skill ladder and stay ahead of technology. Change will come but I guess we are still far as there are thorny issues of Data Privacy, Ethics and conflicting data which we usually term as ‘Hallucinations’ in the world of AI prevalent and still that bridge ought to been gapped. It’s a powerful tool for productivity and we will see it growing as it’s here to stay.

    As a Principal Associate at V Legal Empire, you were involved in a significant arbitration claim. Can you share a specific case or experience that stands out as a highlight of your career, and how did you navigate the complexities of such a high-stakes matter?

    V Legal Empire’s Corporate team represented Russian construction company Mosmetrostroy for an ongoing billion dollar Arbitration claim against the Chennai Government. Strategies and methods were built to deliver the best outcomes. The most critical juncture in the Arbitration –  We helped the client get a favourable order by allowing deposition via video conferencing in a cross examination which didn’t have a precedent of its kind in the Indian Arbitration cases. Application was drafted on strong facts, law and beautifully argued by the Senior Advocate. Quorum was presided over by three arbitrators and Justice AK Sikri allowed the Application keeping in view the complexities of cross border dispute and factual scenario of the case. Partner of the law firm was in Russia briefing the client on the nitty gritties of the cross examination and on the other hand, legal along with technical aspects were ensured by the corporate team on the Indian ground for profitable work. Document management of zillion documents were managed along with regular reporting of work in progress against the budget curtailing the project risks leading to efficiency in a more client oriented way.  At that time, the article “Institutional Arbitration: Emerging need for robust dispute resolution mechanism in India” was co-authored with the Partner of V Legal Empire, Vijjay Mehta. The paper highlighted the need for more organised/ institutionalized based Arbitration with an aim to bring best international arbitration practices to the country. Most successful economies in the world prefer an international arbitration institution which is independent and credible, and enjoys the domestic market. Running of these institutes benefits all the stakeholders – from arbitrators to lawyers to clients, to governments. Significance of reduced number of arbitrations in India was highlighted despite India being a top player in Arbitration.  Stats of SIAC, ICC, HKIAC were brought forth. It was published in Young Arbitration Review, Portugal 2018, Ed29.

    You’ve also worked as a Legal Editor at LexisNexis. What does the role of a legal editor entail, and how does it contribute to the legal community?

    I always remember my tenure with Lexis Nexis with a smile as it changed my perspective on a handful of things. LexisNexis, a United States based legal entity was my first International Corporate exposure and nothing could have been better than being under the guidance of Shilpi Pandita Ganesha (Associate Director) and Shreesh Chandra (Senior Director). One of the brilliant minds I have seen across various legal industries. Advancing the rule of law was the goal and what better than being the last set of eyes before the legal words are seen by the world. Actually, the job is simple: Monday through Friday, meetings in the morning, work on the scripts and contracts the rest of the day and into the night. Working with an International Publishing house is a different league altogether. Goal is always excellence: nothing less. You own your part of the Publishing calendar – you pick the authors (can be from a senior advocate to a judge, sitting judge for all your bad luck, jurist, legal luminary, academician). Calendar is driven by budget so deadlines are quite valuable. Right from the building of calendar, to the inception of the contract, improvisation of the Legal Content, research, analysing the judicial rulings cited. It is a painstaking process to achieve excellence. What I began to understand was that researching and writing legal content honed one’s skill so that mastering law becomes easier and faster. It reinforces that attitude with the unspoken doubt each editor has the intelligence and energy to do a fair job. Besides being responsible for every stage of law publication which involved contracts, content improvement, maintenance of daily communication with clients, also collaboration with leadership, strategy, sales, and marketing was done to ensure quality work. Regular feedback on playbooks and processes took place for smooth functioning of daily operations. One of the projects involved this – Days in a row, weeks, months I visited Professor VC Govindaraj who was living in South Delhi at that point of time. He being in his 90s’ was unable to move much and here we were sitting on random legal drafts to verify the accuracy of a detailed case analysis, Hague Convention on private law, and habitual residence and domicile and obligations for shaping foreign contracts and torts. Former Professor of Delhi University is the master of private international law and much to my relief it was nothing less than sheer joy working on the subject matter of my liking with the master himself. Conflict of laws is an increasingly important subject as now more than ever large numbers of people move through territories. This piece of work provided fresh perspectives on the subject of conflicting laws and analysed its significance in today’s dynamic contemporary world. Based on these meetings, I helped him finish the draft for final approval which finally got published five months later. The sharpness of the jurists mind was unbeatable. As he said, ‘ I want to have my dinner and never get up for morning tea. All I want is to leave behind my traces for the younger generation’. Without a doubt he has already.

    During your tenure as a Judicial Law Clerkship, you provided assistance to a judge and contributed to improving the efficiency of the judiciary. How has your experience as a law clerk influenced your perspective on the legal system?

    My path to clerkship was not something planned earlier. The idea of clerking hadn’t even crossed my mind until two years in Litigation. My career started with the Standing Counsel for the State of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Sunil Fernandes. His practice was majorly in the Apex Court of the country and what a commendable hold on the Constitutional Law he has attained. He backs everything up with law references and pure logic. I sometimes used to have casual conversations about the Kashmir issue and his progressive streak would always show. You were right fresh out of college and before the top judges of the country, looking at the famous seniors debating on the constitutionality of the provisions and what not. It was by the end of my two years in litigation that I had made up my mind about judicial clerking and the question now was which court and subsequently, the judge. It was going to be in Delhi High Court and someone on the civil side rooster, I thought as I wanted to get my basics and civil side stronger. Justice Endlaw was known for his rulings and integrity.  A close friend of mine knew Mahfooz Nazki, (Associate Partner, ELP) a Kashmiri Delhi based lawyer (who was with Justice Endlaw’s chambers while he was on bar before getting elevated). I vividly remember my conversation with Mahfooz. ‘He is a good man, but a hard task master’ were his words and aptly so. I put in my application and got called into his chambers. He was sitting at his desk, so deeply engrossed in reading and when he noticed me, right away he shooted, ‘Why do you want to do the clerkship? You have already been in the Supreme Court for two years’ in a very candid demeanour.  To my utter surprise, I was as frank as I could ever be with a sitting High Court Judge. I replied with my actual intentions of getting my basics straightened up. For the initial weeks, I was assigned with the part of observing the Court proceedings and mind you Justice Endlaw can start a random conversation about that one case. The way he thinks about his cases is absolutely stunning – law armoured with reasonability. Research work in his chambers is totally no nonsense business. He remembers his cases so well and to see him recite an old precedent with such an accuracy is unparalleled. He is usually the last judge to leave the High Court premises which is also the reason for his highest disposal rate in Delhi High Court. He maintains that balance of making the chambers lighter with his sense of humour. My probation with him was for three months and then I was termed ‘permanent’. Getting the perspective of a judge, as to how he looks at an issue is paramount. One should try a clerkship early in his days as it will be beneficial for having the correct approach to the case. Office of a judge also teaches you a lot about building trust and confidentiality. Justice Endlaw is a perfect judge to clerk with and it was my good fortune to be in his chambers.

    Looking back on your journey and extensive legal career, what advice would you offer to fresh law graduates who are just starting their careers in the legal profession?

    Remembering what Fali Nariman once said to us in his chambers while briefing him ‘Law is an ocean and if you dive into it, it gets deeper. No one is an expert. We only know of pieces here and there’.  Being open to learning in the field of law is a must as it is a vast domain. Not a profession for the faint hearted. One must do his homework properly and your hard work is going to pay its debt. Read, re read and reflect back. Know your facts and law well before facing the judge. Never be too sure about things as it’s an unpredictable domain, ever evolving. Be very present and have an attention for the minute details. A philanthropist friend of mine describes lawyers as magicians and even, pure specialists, and it cannot be more true in this modern age.  Be humble of your legal journey. Most importantly, among the rich resources of your legal career, probably the most integral part are your mates, colleagues, clerk, your own. Many of them are extraordinary people like you and take time to get to know them. Nurture the relationships. Time goes by too fast and law has a way of pressuring time and, more than often what gets lost in between are those significant ones. Cherish the time and enjoy lawyering ! 

    Get in touch with Insha Showkat-