After over 13 years of experience in representing clients in disputes, through arbitration and court proceedings, can you tell us what initially inspired you to pursue a career in law? What motivated you to establish your professional journey in this field?
My initial outlook towards law was fraught with ignorance – in school, one never saw it as an option. Law opened up as a career when I fortunately received admission into National Law University, Jodhpur and decided to join on my parents’ insistence. As time passed and as my studies progressed, having already been a voracious reader, I became drawn to the intellectual challenges and problem-solving aspects that the legal profession offers. I realised that law pervades almost every aspect of life and society which leads to learning new and interesting things every day. Once I graduated, the satisfaction of being the means for clients to secure their rights provided (and still provides) the drive for my legal practice..
Having gained substantial experience at law firms such as Phoenix Legal, and Tuli & Co., how has your approach to dispute resolution evolved over time? What unique perspectives have you brought to Revera Legal in your current role as Partner?
Over the years, my approach to dispute resolution has evolved from a purely academic and legalistic approach to a more holistic and practical one. I have come to realize that effective dispute resolution requires not only a deep understanding of the law but also a keen awareness of the commercial and practical realities facing my clients. I believe in taking a proactive and solution-oriented approach, working closely with my clients to develop strategies that not only achieve their legal objectives but also align with their business goals. At Revera Legal, I have brought this perspective, along with my extensive experience in handling complex commercial disputes, to provide our clients with comprehensive and commercially sound legal advice and representation.
You’ve handled high-profile arbitration cases, including disputes in an LCIA-administered arbitration. What legal strategies did you employ to address the complexities of fraud and misrepresentation allegations in international arbitration, and how do you navigate challenges arising from differing governing laws and jurisdictions in cross-border disputes?
Proving fraud requires demonstrating that the person committing fraud acted with intent to deceive, which can be difficult to establish through evidence in a civil trial. Fraud cases often involve intricate fact patterns and transactions, making it challenging to present a clear and concise case to the arbitral tribunal. In arbitrations involving fraud and misrepresentation, I therefore focus on building a strong evidentiary foundation. This includes meticulous document review, financial analysis, and engagement of forensic experts if needed. I also carefully analyse the arbitral tribunal’s procedural rules and the applicable law to tailor my arguments. In cross-border disputes, navigating jurisdictional and governing law issues requires a thorough understanding and crafty application of conflict-of-laws principles. In fact, as I speak, we are currently preparing for a potential dispute which presents an interesting conflict between Indian and US jurisdictions
In the case of National Insurance’s claim against Chubb European Group under a reinsurance policy, what challenges did you face when representing the insurer before the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission?
The National Insurance case presented a unique challenge as to whether the scope of consumer disputes includes reinsurance disputes. To address this, our team at the time. I focused on demonstrating that the reinsurance policy in question was not being used for commercial purpose but rather a means for National Insurance to protect itself from significant losses that may affect its bottomline in the event that it settles a large insurance claim. The challenge was that to an untrained eye it would appear that an insurer, being in the business of providing insurance, was simply leveraging its reinsurance cover for receiving heftier premia in its insurance policies. We drafted submissions based on the specific terms of the policy and reinsurance notes, IRDAI regulations governing reinsurance in India, industry practices, , and relevant case law to show that obtaining a reinsurance policy is not used for generating profit but rather acts as security for unforeseen losses to the insurer. A final decision in the matter is pending I believe and I hope that the foundation that we created in the case years back, leads to the Hon’ble Commission ruling that an insurer is a consumer of reinsurance coverage and therefore can file a consumer complaint against its reinsurer.
Drawing from your experience in providing pre-arbitration strategic advice for a FIDIC-based contract with the Ministry of Defence, what are the critical considerations when preparing the client for such disputes and future arbitration proceedings?
A fundamental strength of FIDIC contracts is their emphasis on clearly defining and allocating risks between the employer and the contractor. When advising on FIDIC-based contracts, I first emphasize proactive contract management to mitigate potential disputes. This includes ensuring clear documentation of all project-related communications, adherence to contractual timelines and procedures, and prompt identification and resolution of any ambiguities or disagreements within the framework provided by the contract. However, should the case proceed to arbitration the focus always remains on building a strong case file, which needs in depth identification, analysis and organization of evidence much prior to invocation., Successful claims (or counter-claims) in such an arbitration and often depend on lawyers efficiently and accurately synchronizing and linking timelines, technical evidence and contractual provisions before formulating the statement of claims or defence.
Your commitment to fostering diversity within the legal profession is admirable. How do you ensure that aspiring lawyers receive the mentorship and opportunities needed within your firm? What key qualities do you look for when mentoring young lawyers, and what guidance do you offer them as they navigate their legal careers?
At Revera Legal, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We provide aspiring lawyers with mentorship opportunities, training programs, and challenging assignments to help them develop their skills and advance their careers. When mentoring young lawyers, I look for qualities such as intellectual curiosity, strong work ethic, and empathy with a client’s position. I encourage younger lawyers to develop a deep understanding of the law, cultivate strong communication and advocacy skills, and maintain a high level of professionalism in their practice. Irrespective of personal or professional difficulties throughout their career, lawyers must foremost ensure that their client’s best case is presented.
Given the demands of your career and leadership position, how do you personally manage to maintain a work-life balance? Additionally, how do you encourage your team to prioritize a healthy work-life balance while excelling in their professional roles?
Maintaining a work-life balance is crucial for both personal well-being and professional success. Though this appears to be a difficult endeavour in the practice of law, which requires constant attention, reading and mental exertion, do attempt and encourage proper time management, and distribution of responsibilities amongst the team to the extent possible. Lawyers are always doing a lot of heavy lifting, whether in court practice or transactional negotiations. In such a situation, having a flexible work environment, rewards and recognition for achievements and drawing boundaries between work and personal life ensures sustainable growth in the profession.
In your view, what role will technological innovation play in shaping the future of the legal profession, particularly in the areas of arbitration and dispute resolution?
Technological innovation is transforming the legal profession as I knew it at the inception of my career, and I believe this trend will continue to accelerate. In arbitration and dispute resolution, we are seeing the rise of online dispute resolution platforms, the use of artificial intelligence for document drafting and review as well as the adoption of virtual hearings by courts throughout the country. I also see that several lawyers and esteemed judges have altogether stopped using paper, instead using tablets and laptops in court, all of which are helpful in organizing, reviewing and carrying voluminous files, and are certainly friendly to the environment. In fact, I believe even notarial services are now being offered online, which are helpful when parties are located in far flung jurisdictions or locations. These innovations have the potential to make the dispute resolution faster, more efficient, cost-effective, and accessible. I am excited to embrace these advancements and leverage them in my firm and practice.
How and when did you decide to become a lawyer and specialize in fraud detection, especially because this is something that influences almost all the communities, be it corporate, private, or public? It depends on which sector you are from.
So my Baba moved here from India in the 1960s over to England. And so I was born and raised here. So I grew up with British and American television. And I grew up watching a lot of television in the 1980s, so, you know, I’m 48 years old now. And during that time, there were some films which were starting then, the Indiana Jones series of films, which was Harrison Ford. And there was an American investigation kind of program called Magnum P.I. with an actor called Tom Selleck. And I was really fascinated with history, with Indiana Jones, and unraveling what the truth of history was, what the true state of affairs was, and learning from things that have happened. To try and piece together a jigsaw of a picture of what really has happened and investigation. So I started to get intrigued about just digging into things, looking into history, looking into working out what’s really going on. And at the same time, there were a few legal dramas coming around and again, US programs, a few UK programs. And that just drove my interest. I have no other lawyers in the family. My Baba was an engineer, and my sister’s an accountant. And there were no lawyers in our family. And I just took an interest in it. I gradually found the opportunity to study law, and right after I qualified, I got interested in some of the criminal side, some of the commercial contract side. And I always liked the idea of working out where there’s been wrongdoing in the workplace and wrongdoing to an individual or to a community and saying, right, how do we solve that? And how do we fix it? And it comes from watching programs like that in the 1980s.
So, sir, we can call you the first-generation lawyer who has made a big name for himself. Way back in 2016, you parted ways with a large international law firm and decided to start your own law firm, Tenet. You have also won recognition for actually disrupting how law firms operate because what I have learned about Tenet is it operates without financial targets, billable hours, or office presentisms. How has this impacted the teams that have joined you, the way the client relationships have been built, and how you have made a whole name for yourself and the firm?
Yeah, it’s interesting. I mean, if I go back to what took me to making those decisions, it was quite simple. So I worked at a large firm called DWF, an international firm, as you mentioned, and I was a partner there and I dealt with the civil fraud disputes and investigations team. That was my role. And I had a really nice time there. They are really wonderful companies to work for, a wonderful law firm to work for. And my boss who I worked for was really supportive, but at the time for me, I left because of burnout issues. My children were young, and work was quite demanding, my Baba was quite ill, in and out of hospital. And I wanted to just have more time to myself, to really manage the family issues more than anything. But I thought I’d been working in this area of law since about 2006, 2007. So by that time, 10 years, I thought I’d go and be a consultant and I set up Tenet to deliver consultancy services, but work quickly found me and I needed lawyers to join. And my wife, who’s not a lawyer, she’s a pharmacist, she said there are lots of women who’ve had children with their families. And they have left their place at work. Lawyers have left their place, but they can’t go back to work part time. And so a couple of my former colleagues were in that situation, and I contacted them about whether they could give me some support and just some extra hours to help me as work started to develop in the practice. And this was all in 2016. I started it in March of 2016. And I realized a few things quite early on. I had probably a chip on both shoulders that I didn’t think you could get the best out of people by driving them towards numbers and taking them away from thinking about the solution of their clients. And I also didn’t think you need to be seeing people in the office or always watching people to know that they were working. We’ve all grown up to be responsible adults. We’ve all invested many hours in our careers to get to a certain point. If we want to do well in our careers, that requires self-discipline. It doesn’t require someone telling you what to do. So I developed the concept around let’s have a firm without targets, without presenteeism. So it’s a traditional litigation law firm. We’ll have billable hours, financial targets, before COVID everyone would be in the office. Our business as usual was to come to the office if you need to, work where you want to, work when you need to, around the client’s demands. But just get the work done. Let’s not worry about the numbers. And what we did was we built a model, which was broadly people first, then the product, and then the profit. And what that means is, if we get the best for our people, ahead of our clients, and create an environment where they’re not distracted. The only focus they have is the solution for the clients. They’re not distracted by, have I made my numbers this week, this month, today. They’re only focused on sorting out the solution. They’re not driven by getting profit out of a client. So they focus on the product and you get the product right. The amazing thing that happens is people recommend you and refer you. So we developed that model of no targets because it gave the best chance for, I guess, creating the art of what’s possible for a client. If we just focus on sorting out that issue for a client, anything is possible. If we start to think about ourselves as part of that journey for a client, it’s a distraction. So my job here is to make the best environment for people, so they can get the best for the clients. And then hopefully life takes care of itself. And we make enough money along the way to be safe and everyone’s secure. Culturally it’s been really fascinating because lawyers are institutionalized in most of the law firms. You probably have experienced it where you think you’ll have lawyers who have a certain number of hours done in a month and then they’ll be asked by their management, what’s your recovery plan? You are behind track. And so what could that lead to? It could lead to bad behaviors. Do you spend more time on work than you need to? I’m not saying that happens, but it’s a risk. Do you hold on to work? Because you need to make up the hours, but that work is getting delayed if it was put in the hands of a colleague. So the client could have their work done quicker if you just passed it over. Well, if you’ve got a target and you hold on to it yourself, you delay the work product for the client. So there are lots of lateral benefits, but for the people themselves, it meant they could just be trusted to get on with their job. And we all just want to be lawyers, don’t we? We just want to be lawyers. And so it just allows people to be lawyers. Yeah, I guess that’s broadly how we’ve done it.
Sir, keeping all that in mind, you already have built a name for yourself, but in a very specialized field of fraud, and especially the fraud cases, they involve sophisticated scheming and all those processes. With the rise of the digital space, with the rise of crypto and everything, how have you seen fraud evolve in the cyberspace and what kind of investigations or cautions have you suggested your clients, especially the ones who are HNIs or who are in fintech or who are SMEs and nowadays startups as well?
So, I mean, we have to go a step back when we think about fraud because one person’s definition of fraud is not the same as somebody else’s. And when you think about cyber, people talk about cybercrime and cyber fraud or cryptocurrency fraud, where there’s not legitimate cryptocurrency, but ultimately cyber or digital age. Or digital mechanisms for committing fraud are just that—they’re just the mechanism for committing the fraud. It’s not the fraud itself. The fraud isn’t cyber, the fraud isn’t crypto, it’s the mechanism used. So the first thing is going back to what is fraud. For some people, fraud is very black and white. It’s misappropriation, it’s diverting assets, it’s breaching duties. For others, it can be more subtle. So, for example, you could have a very simple scenario that you’re in a restaurant with your family or friends, and at the end of the evening, an employee at that restaurant brings out the bill. And if they bring out the bill, and then you notice on that bill that they’ve forgotten to charge you for a drink or some food. And I ask people in training sessions. How many people would own up and would confess that they’ve been undercharged? And typically about 30 percent of people will say they would own up in the restaurant. And then I ask people, look, you know, just this definition of fraud, if your employer overpaid you and it was obviously a mistake, like the restaurant, how many of you would own up? And everybody owns up. And then you have to delve into why, and people don’t realize that taking money from your employer when they’ve overpaid you by mistake or taking the benefit of the restaurant food when they’ve undercharged you are both the same species of fraud. It’s called unjust enrichment, but they’re both fraudulent events, but people’s interpretation of fraud may be in one instance with the employer, but not with the restaurant. So your first concept is understanding, you know, fraud is about interpretation. And then that’s something that has to be a constant in your mind as a lawyer dealing with fraud is how people interpret that because as we’ve moved to this digital age, as you talked about, We are driving all our communications and we’re driving all of our purchases, acquisitions, investments, thought processes around how to utilize our money online, and how we engage with people, how people sell things to us, or how people invite us to invest. It comes down to our interpretation of fraud. What is that area of gray? If someone is optimistic about selling you an investment product, that crypto will get you a certain level of returns. Are they being fraudulent or are they being optimistic in telling you something to invite you to invest? So you have to think about how you interpret fraud? Because from the recipient’s point of view, you have to really be quite clear, the communications you want digitally. What you’re told digitally before you make a decision. Crypto space and cyberspace is really interesting. So in the digital world, now we’re in the situation were certainly around banking and fintechs, all our transactions are online. So in the UK, we have payment services, firms, fintechs, main retail banks. And there is new law that came in in October of last year, 2024, which makes it almost compulsory for banks to refund domestic transaction victims of fraud, if they’ve been tricked into making a transfer. And that law will probably spread as an idea around other Commonwealth countries in time. But we’re driven to do everything online. We’re accustomed to doing everything online in this digital age. And we don’t have enough digital literacy, certainly for the elder generation. And the younger generation think too quickly because they have too much digital access. So they don’t have time to stand back and think, is this behavior consistent? Am I being tricked? Is this too good to be true? So let’s take cyber. You mentioned cyber and I’m sorry, I’m giving quite long answers, but I’m trying to pick up all the points you raised. In the UK, there are three, sorry, crypto. There are three types of cryptocurrency you can think about and being duped on or being defrauded on in the UK. The first level is unlikely to be tricked. That’s where you’ve got a provider, a cryptocurrency exchange platform that is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK for money laundering purposes. They are a legitimate enterprise engaging in selling and purchasing cryptocurrency. You are likely to be safe in their hands. The only risk is the fluctuation of the market. Then you have those cryptocurrency exchanges, which are in other countries. They are legitimate in that they are exchanges, but they are not regulated. So it’s slightly more loose and it’s very hard to recover from overseas. And then you have those, which are just smoke and dust. Those criminals that create the impression through very good digital tools that they have a platform for you to invest in. But the platform doesn’t exist. It’s all smoke and dust. It’s all fresh air, and your money is gone. And with any fraud situation, be it in procurement, be it with employees, be it with investments, be it with cryptocurrency, unless you educate yourself about what you’re about to invest in or the party you’re about to contract with, and really understand it yourself and verify independently, you’re having more fraud. And that’s the problem. The digital is the biggest enabler of fraud now, because it is so good at imitating legitimate organizations and people and transactions. And we are as humans, we’re short of time now, we’re all time poor. So we make transactions quicker without thinking, you put those two together, and you’ve got more friction and more risk. So for us, there’s a lot to unravel every time we get an investigation because there are
so many moving parts. You have to check what’s real and what isn’t, and the growing number of fraudsters playing with these new technologies, it’s harder and harder to prevent. As a business, as a law firm, we are constantly looking out for those kinds of things. For instance, we work with financial institutions, and it’s really important for us to make sure we understand everything behind what’s happening, everything behind the platform, everything behind the person and always verifying every step of the way. That’s how we go about it.
At Tenet, you specialize in this particular niche area. Let’s say, we would like to understand if new entrants are interested in this field and how they might navigate their way into the fraud and investigations space. Since you have mastered this area, how would you suggest they move forward, perhaps with a checklist? This could benefit learners, especially in India, who may be looking to qualify for SQ exams and practice in the UK. Is it possible for Indian lawyers to work in this field in the UK, or is there another path they can take to learn and practice there? Yes, on both counts. So, to anyone interested in fraud, I always say it’s important to build a foundation. Whatever you do in life, it should be something that interests you. It could be fraud, sports, or any subject at all. Once you have found something you are passionate about, you need to invest in yourself. This means dedicating time to learn and surround yourself with people involved in that subject.
In the UK, fraud is not just limited to law. There’s a whole financial crime compliance and counter-fraud community across the UK, Europe, Asia, the US, and Africa, dealing with various aspects of financial crime—illicit funds, wildlife trafficking, people trafficking, money laundering, and fraud investigations. This is the ecosystem I love and work in.
When I started showing an interest in this subject in 2006 or 2007, I joined a charity called the Fraud Advisory Panel in England. Anyone worldwide can become a member of this charity. It works to promote best practices for countering and combating fraud and financial crime. There are other organizations like the London Fraud Forum, the Midlands Fraud Forum, and more, but the Fraud Advisory Panel is where I focused my attention.
By becoming a member, I learned about events in the industry, which could be anywhere in India, Asia, or wherever. This allowed me to connect with people who were passionate about fraud. I volunteered countless hours and met senior people from the big four accountancy firms, PwC, and law enforcement. They began trusting me with cases, and that helped me build my career.
So, for anyone entering this field, I recommend joining charity organizations, volunteering, and surrounding yourself with people who have experience in fraud. In the UK, there are many firms that specialize in fraud, and even as a foreign-qualified lawyer, there are opportunities here. Fraud has existed for centuries and will continue to do so, requiring people who are dedicated to unraveling it.
I’d like to ask about your role as a trustee director for the Fraud Advisory Panel, and how public awareness plays a role in combating fraud. You also frequently speak in the media, so what impact do awareness programs have, particularly in your area of work?
Education plays a crucial role in combating fraud. Much like road safety, if we understand the risks and threats, we can be prepared. Awareness about fraud helps people recognize potential risks and avoid falling victim.
I’ve been involved in media campaigns about fraud for years. One such campaign started in 2016, advocating for a law that requires UK banks to refund customers tricked into making transactions to fraudsters. After eight years of media engagement, the law was introduced in 2024. This law was necessary because, years ago, people didn’t think fraud would happen to them. Now, fraud and cybercrime account for 38% of all crime in the UK, though only 1% of the policing budget is allocated to economic crime.
Raising awareness is critical because people tend to think fraud won’t affect them. If we can educate the public, businesses, and government bodies about fraud risks, we can help mitigate the harm. In India, for instance, fraud awareness is still in its early stages, especially when it comes to cybercrimes. It’s an ongoing challenge everywhere, but awareness is the key to fighting it.
Unfortunately, fraud is still under-discussed in India. People may have heard of cybercrimes, but awareness has not fully caught on. This conversation itself is vital for combating the issue. Moving on, you studied law at King’s College, London. How did your college experience shape your thoughts on awareness and your approach to building a community through your work?
King’s College London was a privilege. I wish I had worked harder, but it definitely shaped my understanding of the law. Before law school, I thought law might be dry, but I soon realized it’s about interpretation and human behavior. At King’s, I found that law is not just about rules but understanding the actions behind those rules.
Criminology and tort law were key subjects that sparked my interest in fraud. It was here that I learned how criminal behavior can influence business conduct, particularly in fraud investigations. The diverse international student body at King’s also showed me how law transcends borders, which shaped my global perspective on legal practice.
After qualifying in 2002, I spent 14 years in private practice before founding Tenet. For me, specializing in one area was important, so I chose fraud and financial crime. I decided to focus exclusively on fraud investigations, disputes, and compliance, helping individuals and businesses resolve issues stemming from dishonesty.
Our firm, Tenet Compliance & Litigation, isn’t huge—only 11 people—but we’re highly focused. We’re recognized for our expertise in fraud and financial crime, which is why we win most of our work through recommendations. We make it relatable to clients, focusing on their concerns rather than just the financial aspect.
Cultural aspects certainly influence change, and it’s clear your diverse college experience helped shape your perspective. Sir, outside of work, you are also a guitarist and into fitness. How do you balance these hobbies with your work, and how do you encourage your colleagues to do the same?
Well-being is crucial. It’s not always easy to balance work and personal life, but I encourage my team to have hobbies and time for themselves. We have a “family first” policy, meaning if something comes up for family, you take care of it. I believe in making time for family, especially during the years when children are young.
For me, fitness is a priority. I exercise three or four times a week, and I know that staying healthy improves my performance at work and at home. While I may not always have time to play the guitar or exercise as much as I’d like, I believe it’s important to have hobbies outside of work.
I encourage my team to do the same. If you want your people to perform at their best, they need to have time for themselves. It’s hard to find that time, but it’s essential. We work to live, not live to work. It’s a reminder to experience life, see new places, enjoy theater or movies with friends, and take moments to appreciate life outside work.
In the end, if you’re not living your life, work will lose its meaning. The balance between work and personal life is key to both professional and personal growth.
With your extensive and varied experience, what initially drew you to the field of law? Was entering the legal profession a conscious decision, or did a specific experience or event inspire you to pursue this path?
My journey into the legal profession was both a conscious choice and an organic evolution, shaped by my upbringing, intellectual pursuits, and lived experiences.
As a child, I was deeply influenced by my father, a Chartered Accountant (FCA) specializing in private tax law. His accounts of tribunal hearings, the complexities of his cases, and the challenges of client management intrigued and inspired me. A self-made man with exceptional intellectual and academic prowess (he was also a topper at Shri Ram College of Commerce) – his achievements became a blueprint for excellence and perseverance. It was he who instilled in me the qualities of discipline, perseverance, and intellectual curiosity, shaping my approach to both life and law.
Beyond his profession, he was a deeply philosophical man who, from my early years, personally guided me through Eastern philosophy, introducing me to the works of Swami Vivekananda, J. Krishnamurti, Paramahansa Yogananda, and Ramakrishna Paramahansa. These teachings became the bedrock of my ethical compass.
Initially, my academic path led me to literature, where I earned an honors degree in English Literature. This was a transformative period—literature’s deep engagement with human conflict, ethics, and justice refined my ability to empathize, analyze, and articulate complex ideas. Little did I know then that these skills would later become indispensable in my legal career.
Following my graduation, I entered the corporate world, which became both an eye-opener and a catalyst for change. While this phase refined my people and management skills – it also gave me exposure to contract negotiation, drafting agreements, mediations, employment issues and dispute resolution. Corporate workplaces in the early 2000s revealed a stark reality: the pervasive challenges of gender inequality, and workplace harassment, witnessing first-hand how these issues affected individuals, especially women in workplaces. It was here that I saw how the lack of legal awareness perpetuated these injustices, planting the seeds for my eventual pivot to law.
What ultimately solidified my decision to enter litigation, however, were deeply personal experiences— exposing me to the rigours of the justice system of the country. These experiences were both humbling and galvanizing, reinforcing the urgency of having strong legal advocacy for those who feel powerless.
In retrospect, law was never just a profession for me—it was a calling. It is what gives my life meaning and purpose as an individual and woman. It gives my life meaning and purpose, both as an individual and as a woman. I can’t imagine myself in any other field. Litigation is a tough career, but it fuels my passion and desire for learning, empowers me, and, most importantly, allows me to empower others in their pursuit of justice.
In the early stages of your career, working with various organizations, what experiences helped shape your understanding of the law? Which experiences were most influential in your growth and advancement in the legal field?
I was fortunate that in the initial stages of my career, I had the opportunity to hone my skills across a broad spectrum of courts, from the District Courts to the Appellate Courts. Practicing in District Courts provided me with a solid foundation in procedural laws, particularly in family law pertaining to matrimonial disputes, child custody and criminal law. I gained invaluable firsthand experience in criminal law jurisprudence understanding the initiation and progression of criminal cases inter-alia from the filing of FIRs to the conduct of trials and sentencing including anticipatory bails, regular bail and subsequently the natural transition to appellate work which encompassed appeal against conviction, first appeal from first order, commutation of sentence et all.
My practice before the High Court and Supreme Court significantly enhanced my understanding of appellate law, particularly in the area of writ jurisdiction Article 226, 227 and Article 32 of the constitution of India, which has become one of my areas of specialization. A noteworthy case during this period was a PIL before the Allahabad High Court, where the Hon’ble High Court banned the import of Khas Khas from Turkey. The petitioner represented by my senior had sought an investigation into these imports, which were linked to funding arms smuggling. The court’s decision underscored the critical connection between trade policies and national security. This journey eventually led me to white-collar crime cases, where the complexities of financial frauds and corporate misconduct required a nuanced and strategic approach. At the same time, drawing from my corporate background, I continued to work extensively on negotiation and arbitration. One notable case involved an arbitration matter for a company based in Laos, which required navigating cross-border legal and commercial complexities.
Furthermore, I have been extremely fortunate that in the early stages of my career, I had the privilege of learning from seasoned lawyers and Senior Advocates, which laid the foundation of my legal understanding. One of the most formative experiences was assisting Senior Advocate Ms. Meenakshi Arora in a dowry death case before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. This complex appeal against a conviction provided invaluable insight into criminal law, appellate advocacy, and, most importantly, the meticulous preparation required for a criminal appeal before the Apex court.
Equally impactful has been my work in corporate and company law, particularly with Petronet LNG Ltd. wherein I have drafted, prepared and represented the Board of Directors as well as MD & CEO of the company in matters pertaining to disciplinary proceedings and termination (board-related issues and compliance with the Companies Act, 2013) in writ petitions under Article 226 and Letter Patent Appeal. The notable case Rajeev Agrawal v. Union of India is another reported judgement wherein the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi upheld the legality of disciplinary proceedings initiated by the company. This case was among the first to interpret Section 178(2) of the Companies Act.
As counsel for Petronet LNG in the aforesaid matter, I’ve had the privilege of briefing some of the country’s most respected Senior (Sr.) Advocates, including Solicitor General of India Mr Tushar Mehta, Former ASGI Mr Sanjay Jain, Sr. Advocate Dushyant Dave, Sr. Advocate, Mr Sidharth Luthra and Sr. Advocate Ms. Meenakshi Arora, Sr. Advocate Mr Sandeep Sethi among others. These experiences have been instrumental in shaping my advocacy skills and understanding the nuances of working in high-stakes matters.
Another pivotal experience has been representing Uttar Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. in diverse cases which has deepened my knowledge about Electricity laws, including the landmark case before the Hon’ble Supreme Court in relation to indirect taxes (labour cess) BOCW act 1996. In this reported judgement, the Hon’ble Apex court clarified that an arbitration clause does not bar remedies under Article 226 of the Constitution, even in contractual disputes. This judgment not only set a significant precedent but also taught me the importance of navigating the interplay between constitutional remedies and arbitration law. This matter, widely reported in law journals and magazines, gave me invaluable exposure to litigating across various forums including APTEL (Electricity Tribunal) Hon’ble High Court of Allahabad and Delhi, as well as the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India.
However, what I have come to appreciate the most about my legal journey is witnessing the dynamic evolution of the law and the enactment of significant legislations that have shaped the legal landscape. As a legal professional, witnessing the enactment of the POCSO Act, 2012 and Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013 (post the Vishakha Judgement), was a significant victory for child and women protection in India. Prior to this legislation, child abuse cases were inadequately addressed under the Indian Penal Code, which was hugely challenging as a lawyer because the older legislations did not address the various violations that a child is subjected to. The significant changes in arbitration law, particularly with the introduction of the Arbitrationand Conciliation (Amendment) Act of 2015 and subsequent amendments have made the enactmentaligned with international best practices. This constant evolution of the law, responding to societal needs and global benchmarks, has been rewarding to engage with as a legal professional.
What inspired you to establish your own legal practice? Were there particular challenges you faced initially, and what factors led you to take the leap into starting your own practice?
Establishing my own legal practice was non-negotiable for me, inspired by my late father’s vision and the values he instilled in me. A successful chartered accountant with a thriving private practice in tax law since the 1970s, my father exemplified the principles of hard work, a client-centric approach, empathy in the profession, and the importance of autonomy over one’s work and time. Watching him navigate his career left a lasting impression on me and shaped my aspirations.
While I eventually established my practice, I spent the initial decade of my career in the corporate world, working with firms that primarily served North American and UK clients. This global and multidimensional experience not only broadened my perspective but also honed essential skills like professionalism, clear communication, and efficient case management. I learned how to create detailed case status reports, track deliverables meticulously, and meet international standards for client servicing—all of which have become integral to my practice today.
These early experiences also reinforced the importance of building a practice that balances professionalism with empathy, ensuring that every client feels supported and understood.
Of course, there are challenging days. Despite significant strides toward gender equality, women are not “heard” enough in court rooms and remain underrepresented in the judiciary and in senior positions within law firms. This makes persevering in the profession undeniably tough, as pressure to prove one’s competence is undeniably higher for women in the legal profession. As one counsel aptly noted, “the bar is higher for us.”
That said, true joy in accomplishment comes from overcoming challenges and obstacles along the way.
Furthermore, having an independent practice allows me the autonomy to manage my own cases while still engaging with Senior Advocates in high-stakes matters and collaborating with senior counsels on national-level cases. Working with such seasoned professionals not only enhances my legal knowledge but also underpins the importance of maintaining integrity, professionalism, and a commitment to excellence in every case I handle.
This balance has been instrumental in my growth, enabling me to learn from the best while building my own path and niche in the profession.
In criminal law, particularly in cases involving white-collar crimes or financial frauds, how do you approach these complex issues? Could you share a particularly fascinating case that stands out to you?
First and foremost, it’s important to acknowledge that white-collar crimes are rarely straightforward. They often involve intricate layers of collusion, procedural lapses, and complex legal issues. Successfully navigating these cases requires meticulous preparation, strategic foresight, and the ability to adapt to evolving circumstances.
My approach begins with a disciplined process that I refer to as the “discovery phase.” This phase involves an intensive discussion with the client to thoroughly understand the factual matrix, their position in relation to the case, and the specific grievances they are seeking to address and the relief they are seeking. Reviewing all relevant documents, transactions, and communications is critical to uncovering the core issues and formulating a strategy.
When representing clients who are apprehended or incarcerated, the approach shifts slightly. My co-counsels and I have often visited clients in custody to gather complete information directly from them. Each case depends significantly on the nature of the client’s involvement—whether they are the aggrieved party seeking relief or a defendant in need of defense. This tailored approach ensures that we build a robust case strategy aligned with the client’s needs and the complexities of the matter.
Additionally, I place great importance on revisiting the relevant acts and applicable laws for each matter. It’s a habit I’ve observed even among the most seasoned counsels, such as Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, who I have observed in court emphasize the value of studying the bare act every time. This practice ensures clarity and precision in interpreting the law. Equally important is studying landmark judgments from the Supreme Court and High Courts on critical aspects of white-collar crimes. These judgments provide valuable insights, particularly on issues such as interpretation, recording of statements, admissibility of evidence, and bail considerations for accused and co-accused individuals.
This foundational work is critical in developing a robust legal strategy that not only addresses the immediate legal issues but also advise the clients on their legal remedies safeguarding their best interests. Maintaining the highest ethical standards and client confidentiality is paramount in these cases
As a first-generation lawyer—and a woman in this field opportunities to handle high-stakes, complex cases have not always come easily. I have been fortunate to work under the guidance of some of the finest legal minds, including Mr. Shishir Prakash Advocate, a fourth-generation lawyer, whose mentorship has been instrumental in shaping my approach to white-collar crime and associated criminal matters.
One case that stands out in my career was a complex financial fraud involving embezzlement of hundreds of crores involving a deemed university from a reputed Bank. We represented the bank. The case was multifaceted, requiring us to address systemic collusion, navigate ongoing investigations, and safeguard the bank’s interests.
Representing the bank, we uncovered evidence of collusion, the potential influence of the university and the sluggish pace of the police investigation and advised filing a petition in the Hon’ble Allahabad High Court for a court-monitored investigation through an SIT. The investigation resulted in 24 individuals being charge-sheeted, including senior university officials.
A key challenge was addressing the banking principle that unauthorized payments obligate indemnification. We presented the unique circumstances to the RBI, which deferred any indemnification until the trial concluded. Notably, the university refrained from filing recovery claims. The HOD of the university challenged the charge sheet under Section 482 CrPC before the High Court, which rejected the plea in a detailed judgment. The order was further challenged before the Hon’ble Supreme Court, which dismissed the SLP and directed the trial court to frame charges and expedite proceedings. As a result, the SIT completed the investigation, and 24 individuals were charge-sheeted, including key officials.
This case was a masterclass in handling the complexities of white-collar crimes. It required navigating criminal liability, regulatory compliance, and the intersection of civil and criminal law. The outcome safeguarded the bank’s interests and underscored the importance of proactive measures by financial institutions in addressing fraud.
Most recently, my involvement in the Chhattisgarh money laundering Liquor Scam has been a highlight of my legal career. This case, of significant national importance, involves allegations of money laundering and corruption spanning multiple jurisdictions. Representing key stakeholders required navigating civil, criminal, and PMLA and PC Act domains while managing overlapping investigations by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Economic Offences Wing (EoW), and State Task Force (STF). Assisting Senior advocates such as Ms. Meenakshi Arora and Mr. Yatin Oza on this case has evolved and sharpened my legal acumen and jurisprudence of bail law in PMLA cases significantly.
Having worked on intellectual property rights and cyber law matters, how do you perceive the increasing significance and challenges of these areas in the digital age?
In a country where internet usage is growing exponentially—with India leading in social media consumption—the next generation must be prepared to navigate digital challenges responsibly. Cyber fraud and scam have off late become alarmingly common, with even close friends and family members falling victim, losing significant sums to scams.
Adding a new layer to this discourse is the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI has brought incredible possibilities but also complex legal and ethical questions. For instance, Justice Pratibha Singh, a sitting judge of the Hon’ble Delhi High Court and a distinguished IP lawyer in her practice days, recently held a training session for lawyers at the Delhi High Court wherein she raised a thought-provoking question: If AI creates an original work, would it be protected under intellectual property laws, and if so, who would own the rights—the programmer, the user, or the AI itself? These questions are at the forefront of today’s legal discourse.
That said, there are immense positives to the integration of technology and AI into the legal field. I recently presented a white paper titled “Reimagining Justice in the 21st Century: AI and the Future of Judicial Decision Making” at the Ad Meliora 5 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Law, and Ethics, organized by the Christ Academy Institute of Law, Bengaluru. In my paper, I explored how AI could enhance judicial processes by improving efficiency, accuracy, and access to justice. At the same time, I raised pertinent questions: Can AI replace the empathic and intuitive dimensions of human decision-making? How can we balance the potential of AI with the necessity for human oversight in the judicial process? This exploration highlighted the duality of technology as both a tool for progress and a source of complex challenges.
My practical experience aligns with these broader reflections. One notable example is my work on enforcing intellectual property rights in the case of Dr. Kumar Vishwas vs. Zomato India & Ors., where I represented Dr. Kumar Vishwas in a landmark moment of my career. The Delhi High Court permanently restrained Zomato from using his iconic poem, *Koi Deewana Kehta Hai*, without authorization, underscoring the critical importance of protecting creative rights in the digital age. Similarly, my work with artists and creators has reinforced the importance of safeguarding intellectual property in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. For instance, I represented a Dubai-based artist in a copyright infringement case involving an advertising campaign by a leading jeweller in the country. I am pleased to report that we successfully averted protracted litigation by resolving the matter amicably through an out-of-court settlement. There are several matters but the moot point is that there is an urgent need for vigilance and robust legal mechanisms to uphold their rights in an increasingly interconnected world.
My work in these areas extends beyond litigation to education and advocacy. For example, I have conducted workshops for children from Grade 6 through senior school, helping them understand their internet rights and responsibilities. Topics such as cyberbullying, online privacy, and digital safety are crucial, especially when young children and women are disproportionately affected by cybercrime. In my view, Legal studies, particularly focusing on cyber law, should be made a mandatory part of senior school curriculums. One of the things I strongly advocate for.
With your experience practicing in both the Supreme Court and High Courts, how does the litigation process differ when representing clients at the Supreme Court compared to High Courts or tribunals? Additionally, how do you prepare for complex cases involving constitutional writs and appeals in criminal cases?
Practicing in both the Hon’ble Supreme Court and the Hon’ble High Courts has been a fascinating journey, as each forum demands a unique approach. The Hon’ble Supreme Court, the top court in the country primarily deals with matters of constitutional importance and substantial questions of law, requiring arguments that are concise, strategic, and grounded in precedent.
One striking difference is the time allocated to argue cases. In the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, particularly in special leave petitions (SLPs), lawyers often have just a matter of minutes to present their case and make an impact. This means every word, every argument, and every reference must be meticulously planned to resonate with the bench. It’s a test of precision and clarity. In High Courts, however, one generally has more time to build and present the case, engaging more deeply with the factual matrix and legal nuances. Furthermore, for constitutional writs, the focus is on articulating fundamental rights violations and aligning the arguments with constitutional principles. Criminal appeals require a meticulous examination of trial records, focusing on procedural lapses, evidentiary errors, or any miscarriage of justice that warrants appellate intervention. In appeals from High Court judgments, a thorough examination of the judgment is essential. One cannot mechanically file appeals simply to satisfy a litigant’s demand or burden the courts unnecessarily—a practice that often exacerbates the issue of judicial backlog.
I must mention that the role of an Advocate-on-Record (AOR) in the Supreme Court is pivotal to the success of any case, as they bear the responsibility of not only filing pleadings but also ensuring compliance with procedural requirements and maintaining a strategic approach to case management. Working with an AOR like Mr. Mohit D Ram, who brings unparalleled expertise and insight to the table, has been an invaluable experience. Working with AOR Mohit has reinforced the power of collaboration—where a strong, cohesive team enhances efficiency, sharpens legal strategy, and ultimately drives success in complex cases.
Representing clients in the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India comes with heightened responsibility, as it is often their last avenue for seeking relief. There’s a significant emotional and professional weight to delivering results in this forum.
In bail matters, however, which directly impact an individual’s liberty, the urgency and gravity of the situation demand swift filing and a well-prepared case that convincingly demonstrates why bail should be granted regardless of the legal forum. Here, Articles 21 and 22 become central to ensuring that due process and personal freedoms are safeguarded.
My process is rooted in thoroughness and organization. I prioritize gathering detailed information from my clients, ensuring no critical fact is overlooked. This includes a meticulous examination of evidence, careful drafting of submissions, and pre-emptively addressing potential challenges. I believe that a strong foundation of facts and a clear legal strategy are indispensable for success in any matter.
Ultimately, each case, regardless of the forum, is an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the pursuit of justice.
As someone actively involved in pro bono work for child rights organizations like Pratyek.org.in and ICCHR, can you share more about your contributions to child protection under the POCSO Act? What drives you to focus your legal expertise on social causes, and how do you balance pro bono work with your other professional responsibilities?
Balancing pro bono work with my other professional responsibilities requires careful planning and time management. I allocate specific hours each week to pro bono cases and ensure that my commitments to paying clients and high-stakes matters are met without compromise. It’s not always easy, but I’ve found that the sense of purpose and fulfillment I gain from pro bono work invigorates me and enhances my overall practice.
I am privileged to be on the panel of Pratyek.org.in as part of their child protection team, where I provide legal guidance and advice on cases of child sexual abuse under the POCSO Act. My contributions include assisting in navigating the complexities of these cases to ensure that children receive the protection and justice they deserve. Recently, I conducted a workshop on the United Nations General Comment 27, focusing on access to justice for children and its implications. It was an opportunity to highlight how justice systems can be made more inclusive and accessible for young people.
Additionally, I contributed to the endorsement of the Election Commission of India’s 2024 guidelines on children’s involvement in election processes. This initiative focused on safeguarding children’s interests and ensuring that their participation, directly or indirectly, aligns with ethical and legal standards.
I also regularly provide legal advice to women aggrieved by domestic violence, particularly those from modest socioeconomic backgrounds, such as domestic workers and staff. It is shocking to see how many women are unaware of their rights and continue to endure violence and abuse at home. Even something as fundamental as securing their Streedhan—a legal entitlement meant for their financial security—is often overlooked or denied, leaving them vulnerable and without recourse. So one can imagine the lack of awareness pertaining to legal rights in our country and across spectrums.
I make it a point to speak to young girls whenever I get the opportunity, educating them about their legal rights and the importance of empowerment. In October 2023, I was invited to a university to conduct a workshop on Women’s Autonomy.
My passion for these causes stems from a deep belief that access to justice is a fundamental right, not a privilege.
I also take up causes independently, advocating for change where I see injustice. In 2022, I noticed that CBSE required students to mandatorily mention their father’s name on the OMR sheet, disregarding the realities of single-parent households and in violation of ABC Vs. State (NCT of Delhi), AIR 2015 SC 2569, which emphasizes that the welfare of the child is paramount, and the father’s name is not mandatory to be mentioned. Recognizing the discriminatory nature of this requirement, I wrote to CBSE and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). The Education Cell of NCPCR promptly took cognizance of the issue and wrote to CBSE, urging immediate action. They highlighted the mandatory inclusion of the father’s name as discriminatory against children raised by single mothers and referenced the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s judgment. Acting on these directives, CBSE revised their OMR sheets promptly.
Under my pro bono work, I represented an RWA President before the UP Pollution Board and assisting the residents of Sector 50 noida in presenting the residents’ plea against the construction of an upcoming mall in a residential area. These efforts reflect my ongoing commitment to advancing justice, inclusivity, and community welfare.
Given the demanding nature of your practice and your involvement in multiple legal domains, how do you maintain a healthy work-life balance?
For me, maintaining mental health is not just intentional—it’s an occupational necessity!
This is an issue I’ve written about in my article published on SCC Online, “Are Women in Litigation Disproportionately Affected by Mental Health Concerns? Unpacking the Intersection of Women, Litigation, and Mental Health.” In the piece, I discussed how women, particularly in litigation, face unique mental health challenges due to systemic biases and the high-pressure environment. But this isn’t just about women—it’s about the legal profession as a whole.
The legal profession, by its nature, exposes us to stress and emotionally intense situations whether it’s dealing with traumatic case histories, high-stakes decisions, or simply the pressure to always be at our best. Lawyers and judges often carry the emotional weight of the cases they work on, yet we’re expected to maintain this veneer of resilience. That expectation can make it difficult to seek support or even acknowledge the toll it takes.
Recognizing this gap, I started The Inner Lawyer, a pro bono initiative on social media to raise awareness about mindfulness and mental health within the legal community.
Personally, I was fortunate that my father introduced me to Vipassana meditation during my teenage years, which laid the foundation for mindfulness in my life. Meditation, journaling, listening to classical music (both Indian and western) and moments of quiet reflection are parts of my routine.
Lately, I’ve discovered that humor is one of the most powerful remedies for stress. As lawyers, we spend most of our days with a frown, whether it’s dealing with the intricacies of case law or the pressure of clients or opposing counsels or facing adversarial courtroom situations. So, when a Judge or a Senior Advocate lightens up the mood, it’s a welcome relief! Given the gravity of our profession, not taking life too seriously is a valuable perspective. I also enjoy watching light-hearted shows and stand-up comedy—it’s a great way to unwind and decompress! Zakir Khan and Jimmy O. Yang are among my favourites.
For young legal professionals aspiring to build a diverse and broad legal career, what advice would you offer based on your own experience and journey?
For young legal professionals, especially the first generation lawyers aspiring to build a diverse and impactful career, my advice is rooted in three key principles: purpose, preparation, and perseverance.
First, define your why. Ask yourself why you want to pursue law and what drives you. Is it the allure of courtroom drama, the intellectual challenge, or a deep desire to make a difference? Your purpose will be your compass, guiding you through the highs and lows of this demanding profession.
Second, invest in preparation. Law is a discipline that thrives on knowledge and understanding. Cultivate critical thinking. Read widely—beyond legal texts. Literature, philosophy, and history provide context to human behavior and the societies we serve. Works by Charles Dickens, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and even contemporary writers like Shashi Tharoor have shaped my perspective, as much as the jurisprudence of Isaiah Berlin, Joseph Raz, and Catherine MacKinnon. Law is deeply intertwined with life; the more you understand the world, the better you’ll serve it. Also, engaging with their philosophies adds depth to a lawyer’s understanding and personality – both.
Third, cultivate perseverance. Success in law isn’t just about intelligence; it’s about grit and the willingness to keep going when the path gets tough. This profession demands long hours, emotional resilience, and the ability to stay calm under pressure. And here’s something many young lawyers get wrong—it’s not about being aggressive or raising your voice to make your point. The best advocates I’ve seen are composed, clear, and persuasive, winning arguments with substance, not volume. Respect for the bench, seniors, and the legal process is non-negotiable—these relationships and values will shape your growth as a professional.
Finally, as lawyers, especially in today’s conflict ridden world and escalating disputes, we need to rethink the role we play. The world now needs more mediators, problem solvers, and those committed to finding resolutions. And Lawyers have the unique privilege of truly making a difference in someone’s life. Imagine mediating a family dispute, helping a couple opt for an amicable divorce instead of a contentious one, or counselling clients to pursue peace rather than retribution. As lawyers, we must assess whether a matter truly belongs in litigation or if it can be resolved through mediation or negotiation.
Ultimately, an aggrieved party looks up to the judicial system for a speedy resolution, not just representation or protracted litigation. It is our duty as officers of the court to also counsel our clients and discourage frivolous and malicious litigation because that not only clogs an already overburdened judiciary but in my view is a disservice to the country and the justice system.
As Justice Krishna Iyer put it: “Law is meant to serve the living and does not beat its wing in the jural void.”
Find your purpose, prepare diligently, and persevere—because the impact of a good lawyer extends far beyond the courtroom.
With over 15 years of experience, could you take us back to your academic journey, beginning with your time at the Faculty of Law, Delhi University? What inspired you to pursue a career in law, and how did studying at Kyushu University in Japan influence your approach to the legal field, particularly in the realm of international law?
My academic journey began at the Faculty of Law, Delhi University, where I developed a strong foundation in legal principles and discovered my passion for corporate law. I was drawn to the field because of its potential to solve complex business challenges while fostering growth and compliance.
Studying at Kyushu University in Japan was a turning point. Immersing myself in a different culture and legal system enhanced my understanding of international law and cross-border transactions. It taught me the value of precision, discipline, and a global perspective, all of which continue to shape my approach to the legal field. These experiences have been instrumental in building my career and refining my ability to navigate both local and international legal landscapes effectively.
Throughout the early stages of your career, you worked at several esteemed law firms in both India and Japan. What key experiences did you gain during this time that were instrumental in shaping your career path and refining your skills?
Working at full-service law firms in India and Japan provided me with unparalleled exposure to high-stakes transactions and diverse legal frameworks. In India, the fast-paced environment of firms honed my ability to think critically under pressure, manage complex deals, and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams. The emphasis on precision and delivering results in time-sensitive scenarios taught me the importance of efficiency and client-centric solutions. In Japan, I was introduced to a meticulous approach to law, with a focus on structure, compliance, and cross-border considerations. This experience deepened my understanding of international legal systems and enriched my ability to navigate the nuances of global transactions.
One of the most valuable lessons I learned during this phase was the importance of adaptability. Moving between jurisdictions and working with culturally diverse teams sharpened my interpersonal skills and broadened my perspective on problem-solving. These experiences were pivotal in shaping my career and continue to influence my approach to delivering comprehensive legal solutions.
What led you to specialize in corporate law, with a particular focus on mergers and acquisitions (M&A)? Were there any pivotal moments or turning points that reinforced your decision to choose this specialisation and have a multi-jurisdictional M&A practice?
My interest in corporate law, particularly M&A, stemmed from the dynamic nature of the field and its significant impact on businesses and economies. Early in my career, I was drawn to the challenge of structuring complex transactions, negotiating deals, and solving intricate legal issues that arise in M&A.
A pivotal moment was my involvement in my first cross-border transaction. The experience of navigating differing legal systems, cultural nuances, and regulatory frameworks was both challenging and deeply rewarding. It reinforced my decision to focus on multi-jurisdictional M&A, as it allowed me to combine technical expertise with strategic thinking.
Over time, I’ve found this specialization to be uniquely fulfilling, as it requires a balance of legal acumen, commercial awareness, and adaptability—qualities I’m passionate about cultivating and applying to every deal I work on.
With your experience in both India and Japan, how have these distinct legal environments impacted your approach to transactional work? What specific skills or insights have you gained from each jurisdiction that you now apply in your practice?
Working in both India and Japan has given me unique insights into how different legal environments shape transactional work. In India, the legal landscape is dynamic and fast-paced, which has taught me to think quickly and manage complex, high-volume transactions. It has also emphasized the importance of flexibility and adaptability when dealing with diverse stakeholders and varying business practices.
In contrast, Japan’s legal system is highly formal and meticulous, with a strong focus on the process, detailed documentation and compliance. This experience deepened my understanding of the importance of process, precision, thoroughness, and risk mitigation, particularly in cross-border transactions.
Combining these experiences, I now approach multi-jurisdictional transactions with a well-rounded perspective, balancing the need for agility in India with the emphasis on structure and diligence in Japan. This allows me to tailor solutions to clients’ needs in a variety of legal environments.
In your current role, you’ve worked across various industries, from luxury retail to electric vehicles and defense. What unique challenges do international companies in the electric vehicle sector face when establishing operations in India? Can you share an especially memorable or complex case you’ve handled in any of these industries?
Working with clients from various industries is always very rewarding as each sector and industry comes with its own unique requirements, challenges and solutions.
International companies entering the electric vehicle (EV) sector in India face several unique challenges, primarily around regulatory complexities, market dynamics, and infrastructure. One key challenge is navigating India’s evolving regulatory framework, which is still in the process of developing clear policies for EVs, particularly around subsidies, taxation, and incentives. Companies must ensure compliance with various environmental and safety standards while also anticipating future changes in the regulatory landscape. Additionally, the EV market in India is still in its nascent stages, and all stakeholders must address infrastructure concerns, including limited charging stations and supply chain issues related to battery production. The growing competition within the sector also means that companies need to create intellectual property, adopt new technology, innovative business models and engage with local partners who understand regional market dynamics.
Given these challenges, companies often need to work closely with local government bodies, business partners, and regulatory experts to ensure smooth market entry. This collaborative approach helps in navigating the complexities of the Indian market, ensuring that businesses can align their operations with both local opportunities and challenges. Understanding the market’s long-term trends, such as the growing emphasis on sustainability and electric infrastructure development, can also help companies develop more effective strategies.
In one case, I worked with an international retail brand planning to expand into India. The challenge was navigating the complexities of India’s FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) policies, particularly in the retail sector, where there are specific regulations around multi-brand retail and sourcing requirements. The client was keen on setting up flagship stores across major cities, but we had to carefully craft the entry strategy to ensure compliance with the local sourcing norms and ensure alignment with the client’s global brand standards. We have had similar experience with clients in the defence industry which continues to be heavily regulated and the regulations are very dynamic in nature.
These cases reinforced the importance of understanding local regulatory nuances, market realities and working closely with clients to craft a strategy that aligns with both global standards and local requirements. Such transactions are challenging but are also extremely rewarding experiences for us as a firm.
In multi-jurisdictional transactions, clients often face challenges arising from conflicting laws and regulations across different countries. How do you navigate these complexities when advising on cross-border mergers, acquisitions, and expansions? Can you provide examples of particularly intricate deals you’ve worked on, and the strategies you used to manage these challenges?
Navigating the complexities of multi-jurisdictional transactions requires a deep understanding of the regulatory and legal frameworks across different countries, and reliable partner firms in foreign jurisdictions. Clients often face challenges when laws and regulations conflict or vary significantly between jurisdictions. My approach begins with a thorough analysis of the legal landscapes in each relevant jurisdiction to identify key regulatory issues, such as antitrust concerns, foreign investment laws, and sector-specific restrictions.
For instance, when advising on cross-border mergers or acquisitions, I prioritize coordinating with local counsel in each jurisdiction to ensure compliance with the laws specific to each region, while also considering the overarching strategic goals of the client. This collaboration helps in mitigating risks related to legal incompatibilities and ensuring that the deal structure accommodates the different regulatory requirements. I also work closely with tax advisors to address any cross-border tax implications, which can vary widely depending on the jurisdictions involved.
One particularly intricate deal which we have recently worked on involved an Indian client acquiring a company in Europe. The challenge was dealing with conflicting foreign investment regulations and structuring the deal to ensure compliance with India’s ODI policies while addressing the strict regulatory environment of both jurisdictions on foreign ownership in certain sectors. Additionally, both jurisdictions had different corporate governance practices that required us to align the deal structure with local laws while maintaining the client’s global operational standards.
To manage these challenges, we adopted a phased approach—first by ensuring all local regulatory approvals were obtained, followed by aligning governance structures, and then addressing the cross-border tax issues. The key strategy was to maintain a constant dialogue with local regulators and key stakeholders, ensuring that the deal complied with both local and international legal frameworks without compromising the client’s objectives.
Having worked in rapidly evolving sectors such as electric vehicles, IT, and new technologies, how do you stay ahead of emerging regulatory changes and the legal challenges facing these industries?
Staying ahead of emerging regulatory changes in fast-evolving sectors like electric vehicles, IT, and new technologies requires a proactive approach. The trick is to make it a priority to continuously monitor industry trends and legal developments, and engage with regulatory bodies and industry experts. This allows you to anticipate changes and advise clients on potential risks before they materialize. Additionally, it helps to collaborate closely with clients to understand their business strategies, ensuring that legal solutions align with both current regulations and future trends.
By remaining well-connected with industry networks and regulatory authorities, one can provide clients with timely, informed guidance that helps them navigate the legal complexities of emerging technologies and evolving markets.
Looking back on your career, what advice would you give to aspiring lawyers who wish to follow a similar path, especially those interested in gaining international experience and working across multiple legal systems?
Looking back on my career, the most important piece of advice I would offer to aspiring lawyers is to work hard, remain curious and open to new opportunities. Gaining international experience and working across multiple legal systems requires a deep commitment to learning and adaptability. My advice would be to seek out diverse experiences early on, whether through formal education, internships, secondments, or working with teams that handle cross-border matters. Exposure to different legal frameworks not only enhances your technical knowledge but also sharpens your ability to think strategically and solve complex problems. In addition, developing cultural awareness and building strong professional relationships in different jurisdictions is crucial. Working in multiple legal systems isn’t just about understanding the law; it’s about navigating the cultural nuances that influence business decisions and legal outcomes.
Finally, be patient and persistent. International experience often requires flexibility and the willingness to step outside your comfort zone. But with determination, you can develop a unique skill set that sets you apart and positions you to handle increasingly complex, multi-jurisdictional matters.
Given the demanding nature of your work across multiple legal domains, how do you manage your role at the firm and your personal obligations effectively? What do you do to unwind and relax?
Balancing the demanding nature of my work with personal obligations requires careful time management and setting clear priorities. At the firm, I ensure that I stay organized by structuring my day and breaking down complex tasks into manageable chunks, which helps me meet deadlines without compromising the quality of work. I also rely on effective delegation when appropriate, collaborating with colleagues to share the workload and maintain focus on key matters.
Outside of work, I prioritize personal time by setting boundaries and carving out space for activities that help me unwind. Whether it’s spending time with family, reading, or staying active at the gym, I find that these activities allow me to recharge and maintain a healthy work-life balance. I also try to schedule regular breaks throughout the day to avoid burnout and keep my energy levels up. Maintaining this balance is essential for long-term productivity and well-being.
With nearly a decade of experience in civil litigation, arbitration, and related fields, what initially motivated you to pursue a legal career, especially in the area of dispute resolution?
My initial motivation came from my neighbours in my hometown. Literally, every house has a name board with an Advocate written on it and this used to fascinate me a lot. Moreover, I honestly always thought that this is some kind of an easy money-making profession, I was clearly mistaken. I always thought that resolving conflicts through a structured framework inside a court room will be very exciting. My parents were very supportive when I told them that I want to be a lawyer. They supported me in my decision to move out and start a fresh life in Delhi as well. Initially it was a little tough for me, as coming from a small city with no background in legal fraternity, I had to face some challenges.
After a couple of years in the profession, I was curious to know more about Alternate Dispute Resolution and this intrigued me because it not only requires a grasp of the law but also strategic thinking and negotiation skills to achieve amicable solutions. I witnessed situations where unresolved disputes led to prolonged challenges and dirty legal battles so I think Dispute Resolution is one of the best ways for a peaceful settlement.
Having earned your Master of Laws (LL.M) in International Dispute Resolution from King’s College London, with a focus on International & Commercial Arbitration, how did this advanced education influence your approach to handling complex international disputes? Additionally, what were the key criteria for admission to this prestigious institution, and what made you choose it over other options?
Pursuing LL.M in International Dispute Resolution from King’s College London significantly enhanced my ability to analyse complex international disputes. It gave me a lot of confidence in life personally and professionally as well. The program’s curriculum, exposure to diverse legal systems, and interactions with global legal practitioners and intellectual minds helped me develop a well-rounded perspective. I strongly feel that going for a Master’s that too after some work experience was one of the best decisions I ever made. Since I had some professional experience, I was able to relate more and indulge more in discussions with students from around the globe.
Admission to King’s required a good academic record, a compelling personal statement, and a clear vision of professional goals. To some extent my work experience and letters of recommendation from my mentors also helped a lot. I chose King’s over other institutions for its unparalleled reputation in Law, especially in Dispute Resolution and obviously I didn’t want to miss out the opportunity to study in a city that serves as a hub for international legal practice.
Starting your career in 2015 and accumulating over nine years of legal experience, what weresome of the challenges you faced in the early stages of your career? Could you share specific experiences that significantly contributed to your growth as a legal professional?
Being a first-generation lawyer with no background in the legal fraternity, I had to face a few challenges that too in a city like Delhi where I hardly knew anyone in the profession at that point of time. I think the biggest challenge was to survive with minimal resources at a salary of INR 12,000/- per month. It was all very new and overwhelming for me. I had no idea how this profession is going to treat me and how am I going to survive on my own. However, God has always been kind and I truly feel blessed for getting some great helping hands during the initial days of my career. As far as growth in this profession is concerned, I realised that you can only grow in the legal field if you start being honest to yourself, start respecting your seniors and stop comparing yourself with others in the profession. These three key points should never be neglected by young lawyers. Of course, having a good drafting or communication skills, networking etc. helps but realising your own worth by not comparing yourself and by being honest with yourself and by giving respect without any expectations will surely take you to heights.
On a lighter note, reading your files properly and being punctual in court will also help you grow in the profession.
In your current role, you manage high-stakes cases for various significant clients. What is your approach to handling complex litigation matters, and how do you strategize for optimal client representation? Additionally, what do you believe is the most important skill for law students to develop if they want to pursue a career in litigation?
While handling high-stakes cases, I prioritize a deep understanding of the client’s objectives and the legal landscape. My approach involves deep research, anticipating opposing strategies, and clear communication with clients to align on tactics. I also strongly feel that discussing all aspects of the matter internally with your team helps a lot. A junior most lawyer in your team can also give you one of the best advices, which is why discussing with the team and involving your team members while stargazing your next move is highly recommended.
For aspiring litigators/young lawyers, I would suggest to be very patient, calm and diligent reader. Reading with a calm mind can solve most of your issues as it will give you clarity and understanding of what needs to be done and what you need to avoid. Getting into a habit of reading judgments, research papers, articles etc. can be of a great help. Apart from this, I think being vocal in a polite way is also very important in the profession. This will upgrade your confidence and increase your participation in various discussions which will ultimately help you in enhancing your court skills.
You manage a team of senior advocates and advocates, how do you ensure a consistent workflow and minimize burnout? Additionally, what key values do you prioritize when selecting team members?
I treat everyone in the team equally and make sure that we work together as a team on the assigned matters. I prioritize establishing clear processes and maintaining open communication to ensure consistent workflow. I avoid acting like a senior and create unnecessary urgencies. I usually begin by understanding the unique strengths and expertise of each team member and assign tasks accordingly. This ensures that each team member is working in their area of proficiency.
Additionally, we encourage the team to maintain meticulous documentation of their work, ensuring continuity even when team members are unavailable due to court appearances or other commitments. By fostering a collaborative culture, we ensure that the workload is evenly distributed, and knowledge-sharing becomes a norm. I believe that a healthy work environment is crucial for delivering quality results consistently. To achieve this, it is important to encourage family/personal time and equal distribution of work among all team members. I also encourage the team to maintain work-life balance by respecting personal time and being flexible with deadlines whenever possible.
To create a positive and motivating atmosphere, I make it a point to recognize and celebrate accomplishments, both big and small.
While building a team, we should prioritise integrity, collaboration, and a strong sense of responsibility. Integrity is non-negotiable in the legal profession as it directly impacts our credibility and the trust of our clients. One needs to be respectful towards seniors in the profession in order to make it big in the profession. It often makes me wonder why the sense of respect and integrity we had earlier is now missing in the young lawyers. I strongly feel that it is high time for them to realise the importance of working respectfully as a team so that they can individually grow professionally and personally both.
Given your expertise in arbitration, what do you consider the most crucial challenge while dealing with complex commercial or international disputes? How do you think the Indian dynamics are changing when it comes to arbitration in disputes?
The most crucial challenge in arbitration is ensuring enforceability of awards, especially in cross-border disputes and emergency arbitration. Another significant hurdle is managing jurisdictional complexities while balancing client interests. In India, arbitration is undergoing a transformation with legislative reforms and increasing reliance on alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. These changes are fostering a more arbitration-friendly environment. India still has a long way to go especially when it comes to enforceability issues, but I am sure we are on the right path and we will soon be known for our laws on dispute resolution.
In your opinion, what are the major challenges faced by Indian lawyers seeking to specialize in international dispute resolution? What advice would you offer to those aiming to pursue a similar career? Also, could you recommend any resources you use to stay updated with legal trends in this ever-evolving field?
Indian lawyers specializing in international dispute resolution often face challenges like limited opportunities for global exposure and the need for in-depth understanding of foreign legal systems. Indian universities have very less focus on international laws and not everyone can afford to study abroad. When I was in college, I had no idea of the New York Convention or International Settlement of Investment Disputes. All this was introduced to me only when I started working and when I did my research on the international dispute resolution while deciding to go for an LL.M. My advice to all young lawyers looking forward to a career in international dispute resolution is to seek internships with firms involved in international arbitration, build a robust network, and pursue certifications in international law. Attending various webinars and reading about development in international laws can also help a lot in your personal and professional growth.
With a career that blends legal practice and involvement in high-profile legal matters, how do you balance professional responsibilities with personal growth? What keeps you motivated to excel in such a demanding and fast-paced field?
Balancing professional responsibilities with personal growth requires disciplined time management and prioritization. I dedicate time to self-reflection and continuous learning through reading and networking. One should always know where to draw a line and should not raise any false expectations which may become a hurdle in your professional growth. What keeps me motivated is the knowledge that my work contributes to shaping fair and just outcomes, alongside the intellectual challenges and dynamic nature of the legal field. Even after a little more than 9 years of experience, I still learn something new everyday and my mind gets more curious to know about other facets of law and I think this is one of the best things of our profession.
With over a decade of experience across various areas of law, did you always see yourself pursuing a legal career, or were there specific events or influences that led you to choose this profession?
I grew up in a family of lawyers and therefore, law seemed to be the automatic choice of profession to me from a young age. I was often privy to legal discussions at home, which involved interesting yet complex propositions which too ignited my interest in the field of law. Lastly, at a personal level, I find this profession fulfilling, as it involves helping people navigate difficult and challenging situations.
Beginning your career as an associate at a law firm, what were some of the formative experiences that shaped your understanding of the law and sparked your interest in the field?
In law school, we were taught the theoretical foundations of law, but when you enter the profession, you begin to understand how theory translates into real-world legal practice. As an associate at a law firm, I was exposed to the importance and intricacies of drafting and the practice of putting in all your effort for every brief in an attempt to achieve the perfect solution for the client. Law firms also provide you the exposure of working with the big clients and senior counsels on high stake matters right from a young age and teach you the art of dealing with pressure and deadlines. When the stakes are high, you automatically take more responsibility on the brief.
Personally, apart from gaining the confidence to work under pressure and to meet the harshest deadlines, I learnt the importance of effective communication and attention to detail from the law firms that I worked with. Working closely under such great mentors, Mr. Mahesh Agarwal & Mr. Vijay Sondhi in my formative years and now with Ms. Shweta Bharti has offered invaluable learning opportunities as they provided insight into how they approach cases, their reasoning behind legal strategies, and showed how to think out of the box while navigating through complex legal issues. Their mentorship further ignited a passion for the intellectual rigor of law and gave confidence to tackle complex issues.
Reflecting on your time as an Independent Litigation Counsel, can you highlight a pivotal learning moment or turning point that significantly influenced your approach to legal practice?
After working in law firms for almost 9 years, the experience I gained working independently was completely different. Initially, it was quite tough as the nature and type of work that comes to you as in independent counsel is very different from the kind of work you are used to in a law firm. Further, in a law firm, you have a lot of support staff while as an independent counsel, even most of the clerical work is your responsibility.
Apart from learning the approach to working on a diverse range of matters, the most pivotal experience I learnt from independent practice was the ability to take complete ownership of the brief from managing client expectations to drafting, filing, getting the matter listed, arguing etc.
Coming to the turning point that significantly influenced my approach to legal practice, I learnt that eventually, what matters is the client’s ultimate goal. What we need to work towards is to give the client a practical and feasible solution to its problem, most times, the client is not looking to win a case or set a precedent. Therefore, the art is to achieve the client’s goal and it may not be relevant if you win or lose a case.
In your representation of clients in the 2G spectrum case and matters related to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), what were the most challenging aspects, and how did you navigate those challenges?
These cases involve complex legal issues that can be very challenging for any legal professional. These cases require an understanding of both substantive law and procedural nuances, as well as the ability to navigate intricate factual situations and government policies. Further, the intense public scrutiny in the 2G spectrum case created additional pressure on the lawyers. Hence, maintaining a clear communication with clients and stakeholders about the legal strategy, while also working closely with senior counsels to ensure these cases are handled effectively was a challenging task. Therefore, these cases reinforced the importance of attention to detail, strategic thinking, and a multidisciplinary approach to legal practice.
What are the key legal obstacles that real estate companies face in consumer disputes, and how do you manage litigation across various forums such as the NCDRC and RERA?
The Indian real estate sector operates within an intricate regulatory landscape that is fraught with inherent difficulties and delays. As seen first-hand, many times frivolous complaints are filed by such unscrupulous persons who are cognizant of these difficulties and delays and exploit them by alleging deficiencies in service, often citing delay in delivery of possession to exert undue pressure on developers and compel them to grant concessions or monetary compensation. As such, vindicating developers by demonstrating how delay in delivery of possession was beyond the control of the developer becomes the key obstacle.
To manage the litigation across diverse forums, the use of proper planning, proper use of technology, case management, and data storage play an important role. I have mentored my team to ensure that they possess the requisite skills to effectively represent clients before different forums and actively encourage my associates to appear in proceedings. Finally, I also try to formulize a proactive plan by maintaining daily and weekly schedules for task prioritization and time allocation for all court appearances so that the work is streamlined.
In your current role, could you elaborate on your involvement in advising a multinational technology company on the implementation of data privacy laws within its Indian entities? What were the primary legal challenges in ensuring compliance with India’s data privacy regulations, particularly the Personal Data Protection Bill (PDPB)?
The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 has cross-sectoral applicability and enjoys primacy over sectoral regulations in the event of any conflict. As such, to advise the company it was vital to identify whether the different types of data processed by the company qualify as “digital personal data” under the Act, the internal flow of such data within the company, and evaluate the data storage technology used by the company in order to design consent mechanisms, data principal right mechanisms, data breach mechanisms, and define data retention periods for different categories of data.
A significant challenge encountered during this engagement revolved around the provisions governing cross-border data transfers. As a multinational technology company, the seamless flow of data across international borders is critical for service delivery. Restrictions or prior approvals imposed on data transfers to specific jurisdictions can significantly impede operational efficiency. Furthermore, drafting a unified compliance framework that harmonizes the Act with international regulations such as the GDPR presented a considerable challenge, since varying data processing and security standards across jurisdictions can create conflicts and necessitate careful management to avoid non-compliance.
High-stakes cases must be incredibly demanding. How do you maintain a work-life balance, especially during intense periods of work and tight deadlines?
As a lawyer, there cannot be a straightforward answer to this. This profession is very challenging, where you must burn the midnight oil and work on most of your weekends and sometimes you will feel there is no work-life balance. However, the key to managing this is setting clear priorities—both in terms of work tasks and personal time. I try and evaluate tasks based on urgency and importance, making sure I allocate time for essential activities while also recognizing when to delegate certain responsibilities. Secondly, effective collaboration with my team allows me to focus on high-priority tasks while ensuring that the workload is evenly distributed. Lastly, to maintain my mental sanity and make sure there is no burnout, I try and travel even if it is for a weekend to refuel and reenergize myself.
What advice would you offer to young lawyers aiming to specialize in dispute resolution, particularly in areas like white-collar crime, commercial, and real estate disputes? Additionally, what resources do you rely on to stay informed about emerging legal trends?
First of all, I still think I am a young lawyer. Having said that, I would strongly advise my younger colleagues to master legal research databases, practice drafting pleadings with precision and clarity, cultivate excellent communication and interpersonal skills, understand the intersection of law with finance and accounting since it is crucial for complex commercial disputes such as white-collar crimes, observe seasoned litigators in court to learn from their strategies and courtroom demeanour, participate in conferences and seminars to network with other professionals, and cultivate a strong work ethic to manage multiple tasks effectively. There is no fixed formula and everyone may face their own challenges, however, hard work, perseverance and consistency are some of the key ingredients for everyone to succeed in this profession.
In order to stay informed about emerging legal trends, I rely on legal journals, real estate journals, corporate magazines, online news portals, and participate in continued legal education programs by professional organizations where I have memberships.
Not being from a legal background, what motivated you to pursue a career in law? Was there a particular factor or experience that led you to this profession?
Entering the sphere of law was a culmination of several reasons and some factors which did influence my ultimate decision. The reasons influenced my decision by chance but the factors influenced my decision by choice.
The reasons of chance, which I mentioned above, were instrumental in aiding my decision. This was a prolonged litigation involving a close relative’s property, which dispute had been on-going for over 20 years. This was rather paradoxical for me, since, in my formative years, the elusiveness and unpredictability associated with the field dissuaded me from even considering it. Perhaps, the age old adage “tareek pe tareek” was not inspiring for a young school boy.
But my interactions with a school senior, who was at the time pursuing law and a third generation lawyer, somewhat redirected my focus to discern the importance of applicability of law to societal intrigues especially in the Indian landscape. “Tareek pe tareek” has a much deeper connotation in a legal system like ours, where justice is dispensed on the principles of equity, good conscience and after affording sufficient opportunity of hearing.
Additionally, I may highlight the factor which enabled me to exercise my choice for pursuing this field. I completed my high school education at the Sanskriti School, New Delhi. Sanskriti is a civil services school and the predominant student pool belonged to the services background. Naturally, growing up there was an innate sense of contributing to the society by pursuing a profession having elements of public discourse and service. The first choice was to pursue the administrative/police services which involved studying various subjects including law.
As time progressed and my understanding developed, I sensed a natural affinity towards the field of law, both in terms of an academic disposition as well as the practical nuances. This etched my curiosity further and although I had the option to enrol myself for a bachelor’s in political science degree at a prestigious college under the Delhi University, I decided to take the plunge. The relevance of law to shape the Indian democracy, whether in terms of administration, economy and society and my enthusiasm for contributing to the public in aggregate could be an arguably strong reason in retrospect.
I also keep a healthy regard for acting and used to think to myself whether I could pursue the profession of acting. Being a lawyer however, helps in putting up a sincere act.
Having spent nearly a decade with the same organization and being a first-generation lawyer, what were some of the key learning experiences early in your career that helped shape your understanding of the law and have had a lasting impact on your professional journey?
The inter-play of law with every facet of life must be understood in its right context in order to garner a profound interest for the field. I believe, the yearning to acquire knowledge about diverse subject matters, businesses, industries, and economies broadens perspective and assists in hyperlinking and interlinking bringing conceptual clarity. Law does not operate in a vacuum and spreads across different spectrums. The ability to earnestly apply the flexible nature of law to the proposition requiring resolution can be developed through awareness of the entire spectrum.
I have always taken discipline very seriously and have come to realize that discipline as an attribute takes precedence over everything else if one endeavours to meaningfully contribute to the profession. Overall discipline is a practice and must be consciously cultivated till it becomes a way of life. I lay emphasis on discipline since the profession can be daunting at any stage of one’s professional journey if the foundational structure is frail and that is bound to happen in the absence of discipline. While I can credit myself for being disciplined from the inception of my professional journey, I must express gratitude to the Seniors whom I have worked with/assisted in channelizing the discipline for shaping me into the professional I am today.
Doctrine of precedents is a fundamental principle of judicial decision making in India. Therefore, assisting the Court through precedents applicable to the factual matrix is an extremely integral skill in Advocacy. The manner of reading a judgment and sifting through it to examine what constitutes the ratio decidendi of the case and what is obiter may sound elementary, but it is often overlooked for being so elementary.
I have been privileged to receive guidance from all the Senior Counsels I have briefed and the Senior Partner (Mr. Sumeet Lall), I was and am currently working with on the various aspects of advocacy. Every sentence in a judgment, pleading and document must be carefully examined, orbitally analysed and tactfully applied within the acceptable framework of the statute in question. Every word carries weightage and it can be overlooked not at your peril but at the peril of the party you may be representing. Training in Insurance law taught me that even a punctuation must be heeded to, since it can alter coverage of an insurance claim for an insured and deny it indemnity.
Illustratively, some invaluable teachings which I have imbibed from Senior Counsels and my mentor in the profession are fairness while assisting the Courts, mastering the facts so that research of the laws and precedents is expansive and detailed, articulating submissions in an uncomplicated manner while balancing the in-depth research, measured pleadings without any casual averments and a penchant for finding novel propositions supported by research and provisions which could aid in overall development of the law.
What led to your decision to remain with CSL Chambers, despite the opportunity to pursue an LLM at prestigious universities abroad? How do you believe this decision has influenced your career path?
My admission to various universities for an LLM in the field of dispute resolution/arbitration was in the year 2020/2021. Incidentally, this was during the onset of COVID-19. It created an extremely complicated situation for me and reminded me of the book, the Road Less Travelled. The uncertainty of pursuing higher education in a different country across the world during a global pandemic and the complexities associated with staying back at CSL Chambers, where I had planned my transition for over 6 months was unsettling.
I was in the 4/5th year of my practice and the time was ripe to pursue an advanced academic disposition with an aim to immerse myself in examining cross-border issues through a specialized masters’ program. The decision was a well thought out one since I had spent considerable time and focus on a particular field of law i.e. dispute resolution/arbitration. The uniquely structured courses, the quality of education, integration with academicians and foreign practitioners are some of the illustrative reasons which formed my belief to pursue an LLM. Knowledge is liberation and thus, higher education would have contributed significantly to my professional journey.
Sunlight is the best disinfectant. I decided to confide in the Firm’s Managing Partner about this quandary I was facing. I was cognizant of receiving advice having a negative bias against proceeding for an LLM since a familiar resource of the Firm should be retained. However, I received extremely dispassionate and neutral advice which brought clarity for me to pursue the graver challenge. It was a question of whether pursuing the LLM at that juncture would significantly contribute to my professional journey or could I cultivate my on-going professional journey to make an impact greater than I would, had I pursued an LLM, since ultimately I would come back and pursue my practice in dispute resolution.
I decided to defer my admission to all the Universities and some even obliged by granting a year to year deferment. COVID-19 brought with itself myriad challenges to businesses, economies, personal and professional lives. Strictly from a professional standpoint, I viewed it as an opportunity to make meaningful contributions towards the Firm’s growth story and service Client needs. As an example, I started writing articles on vexed issues related to COVID-19, which ranged from issues of force majeure, impact on commodities trading covered by trade credit insurance and business interruption claims under insurance to name a few. These articles attained relevance for individuals/corporates operating in different spheres, which led to significant support being rendered by the Firm on their legal requirements.
The pandemic years had an adverse impact on the litigation landscape, although there was a rise in the number of cases. Policies of work from home, transitioning into virtual systems and the innate sense of conservation of resources led to challenges of remaining relevant in the field as well as sustaining practices. Navigating some of these challenges with the Firm during the pandemic helped me develop a sense of responsibility, leadership and an ability to craft legal solutions in innovative ways. Perhaps, an LLM would have aided my understanding on an academic level, but to assist with steering the Firm and its Clients and assisting Courts respectively during this period has matured my appetite to understand the finer prints and operation of various laws.
The decision to stay back with the Firm has been enriching both in terms of personal growth and professional advancement. Given the circumstances over the 4 years from the on-set of the pandemic, I have been able to meaningfully contribute to the development of law while augmenting my knowledge through learnings at the bar while assisting Senior Counsels, continuously researching on legal propositions and making an endeavour to seamlessly assist Courts. In fact, staying back helped me find my passion in assisting Courts as counsel. Additionally, I have been privileged to be a part of some of the landmark decisions in the field of arbitration, insurance, insolvency and SARFAESI on novel points of law.
You’re widely recognized for your work in the field of arbitration and insurance. Could you share your experience working on the landmark case GMR Energy Limited v Doosan Power Systems India Private Limited? What were the main issues, and how did you approach and strategize to resolve them?
The Doosan decision passed by the Hon’ble Delhi High Court was a pathbreaking decision at the time in the year 2017. It involved intricate issues of law which were far from settled by any Court. Some of the issues which were decided by the Court were whether two Indian parties can be referred to arbitration outside India, joinder of non-signatory to an arbitration including the power of a Tribunal to join such non-signatory and the scope of Section 45 of the Arbitration Act.
We successfully represented Doosan before the Delhi High Court as the parties were ultimately subjected to arbitration in Singapore. The decision of the Delhi High Court in Doosan has been subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court on various occasions while adjudicating similar issues and settling the law.
Our arguments were led by Mr Nakul Dewan, whose approach to the case was inspiring to say the least, on all levels of advocacy and strategy. This was a case which involved interpretation of laws of different jurisdictions, since there were no direct precedents in India which had examined or settled the propositions emerging in the facts of the case.
Developments in the case took place rapidly and any step being taken by a party in one jurisdiction would have a bearing on the rights and contentions of the respective parties’ in the other jurisdiction. Time was extremely scarce as the hearings were taking place daily. As someone with 2 years’ experience at the time and assisting with a case of that magnitude as the only junior from the Firm, I had to embrace my discomfort and lack of experience. One could feel lost in the initial years when everything is happening on a larger scale and the expectation is able assistance without fetters. Therefore, taking the next step in the supply chain is very important i.e. apply yourself and attempt to contribute to the best of your ability. Rely on the Seniors once you have diligently done your homework. An attempt at developing a submission/proposition even if it may not work is always welcomed by Seniors provided the background work has been sincerely carried out. I immersed myself completely in carrying out extensive research of legal principles, case laws, commentaries across jurisdictions and prepared notes with an endeavour that they could be relied upon for arguments. This would lead to enriching feedback from the counsel, where further propositions would emerge and those propositions would then advance our case. Here was a case where the law on the issues highlighted above was unsettled and thus, reference points and text in India was scarce.
Nevertheless, handling the case in terms of managing correspondence with the Tribunal in Singapore, drafting and filing pleadings overnight and assisting with day to day arguments ensuing before the Court with 2 years of practice, was an extremely enriching experience which provided innumerable lessons and learnings for life. The judgment of the Delhi High Court examined judgments from the US, Singapore and England in finally deciding the lis between the parties.
What challenges have you encountered when advising clients on the enforcement of foreign arbitral awards in India, and how do you assist entities in overcoming these challenges?
Over the years, the Indian Judiciary has taken pains to pass seminal judgments settling various issues arising in enforcement of New York Convention awards in India. While there are only 7-8 material provisions which govern the enforcement of foreign awards regime, it is a complex subject within itself with its own set of challenges for Clients and Courts.
An immediately identifiable issue is exercise of jurisdiction by the concerned Court in India while dealing with challenge to enforcement of foreign awards. This is often a moot question since the language dealing with jurisdiction of a Court under Part II leaves room for ambiguity, although judgments of different High Courts have expressed views to clarify the issue. CSL Chambers successfully represented a foreign award holder before the Hon’ble Delhi High Court where this issue of jurisdiction was raised by the judgment debtor and exhaustively settled by the Hon’ble Court.
Another area in the realm of enforcement of foreign awards which is highly litigated is the issue of withholding tax on a foreign arbitral award once it is recognized as enforceable. I was fortunate enough to be a part of the judgment passed by the Hon’ble Delhi High Court which settled the issue holding that once a claim merges into a decree of the Court, it transcends into a judgment debt, the decree should be executed according to its tenor and no deductions or adjustments are permissible except those permissible under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.
The two broad issues have been highlighted above since these go to the very root of realizing the fruits of a foreign award. Therefore, the approach for resolving the issues needs to balance the internationally followed practices and customs as well as testing the legitimacy of challenges mounted to the enforcement of foreign awards within the narrow pigeon holes provided under the Arbitration Act.
At the first blush, recent precedents could suggest that armed with a foreign award, a party is duty bound to succeed in its endeavour of enforcement. However, the statutory in-built safeguards to object to enforcement of foreign awards still posit novel issues and complexities which require extensive study of transnational text and foreign precedents which must be presented before the concerned Courts for further shaping the arbitration landscape of the country.
It is difficult to summarize the nature of assistance to the Clients in helping them navigate challenges faced in enforcing foreign awards. However, as a suggestion, one must have regard to foreign commentaries, prevailing institutional rules, statutes and precedents for gaining perspective which can bolster seamless operation and development of the domestic law. Needless to state, foreign precedents can only aid in arriving at a decision where there is no existing domestic precedent but it is not the only tool to be considered as the Arbitration Act is a self contained code. This field is such that considering the novelty of propositions and untested propositions, lawyers must be always ready with proposed solutions through research to better assist the Courts when examining issues under part II of the Arbitration Act. Perhaps, that is how BALCO came to shape the arbitration landscape.
What advice would you offer young lawyers who wish to specialize in arbitration and build a successful practice similar to yours?
One must bear in mind that as lawyers, we are serving the interests of third parties and espousing the larger cause. There is significant trust reposed by Clients as well as the Courts in lawyers for aiding the process of justice dispensation. Naturally, the only way to honour this trust being reposed is to step up and take full responsibility with sincerity. There must be a sense of ownership for every task being performed and a transparent approach. One should always remain curious to learn and enhance their knowledge base, both practical and academic. Remaining abreast with the latest developments in law, case laws and activity in Courts must be inculcated in the daily routine till it becomes a subconscious habit.
Your own comfort and ease come last, always and every time. The concept of work life balance may have diverse connotations. However, if one is passionate about and honest to the profession and willing to immerse themselves without regard to the self, then equanimity transcends the struggles associated with the demanding nature of our profession. The search for work life balance may limit productivity and skill development since our profession is extremely dynamic and requires us to constantly remain ahead of the curve. Balance can be achieved when work is not designated as “work” but discharging a duty which inspires others to strive for equity and justice. Mental and physical discipline goes a long way in balancing the requirements of the profession.
Always approach any proposition, problem or case without any bias or prejudice. A clean slate approach, which brings out novel dimensions for problem solving through application of existing principles of law. Short circuiting the long, laborious hard work route will catch up and reflect somewhere in the scheme of things. It could then erode the confidence of third parties which was reposed in you. One must follow and learn through the journey, experience and immeasurable hard work of Senior Lawyers in the profession, who possess great clarity and problem solving abilities due to their proclivity for learning the law every day.
Ultimately, the path which one adopts is personal but the customary teachings about the profession and resilience required to sustain in the profession continue to remain relevant till this day and age. In the words of the great Late Fali Nariman, once a student of law, always a student of law. Law being a practice, one can never think they have understood, acquired, or known it all. As an example, a provision under a statute could be interpreted in so many ways and therefore, in my view, a good lawyer is always a student of law. In this regard, it is also very important to remain in Court and sit in Court to observe arguments in other on-going cases for the day since the propositions emerging therefrom could be applied and be relevant for some of your own cases. It also adds to the knowledge bank in terms of identifying judgments on different issues.
You have a strong passion for writing and contribute to various legal publications. How do you manage to balance your demanding legal practice with writing updates, analyses, and insights on judicial pronouncements?
Reading and understanding judgments in a vacuum contributes in a limited way to professional development. The essence lies in linking the observations in a judgment, the ratio, obiter to the proposition, case or issue which one is dealing with. This interlinking helps developing new arguments or further provides the scope to appreciate the operation of a statute from an untested standpoint which could ultimately become another precedent. One way of building this expertise is through summary writing since it entails distilling the entire case law into a short piece for readers who may or may not be lawyers.
Therefore, it is very important to appreciate the text of a judgment holistically and apply it in the context of your existing on-going matters. Alternatively, holistic reading of a judgment contributes immensely for a new case with varied propositions.
Articles, publications and other academic contributions are a significant tool for acquiring knowledge, understanding the finer nuances of legal principles and gaining experience on the approach of Courts in adjudicating cases. Articles and publications are also important means to disperse knowledge to the concerned audience since it assists with streamlining the dispersed legal developments in a consolidated form. It is also an integral tool for connecting cross border practitioners who may be looking at the Indian jurisdiction as a destination for dispute resolution.
Frequent articles or contribution to publications helps build a repository of information which can be utilized and relied upon in the future as reference for a case which one may be involved in. Therefore, more than a balancing act, it is a branch of Advocacy which only supports and stabilises the pyramid.
With a decade of experience in commercial disputes, what initially inspired you to pursue a career in law, particularly in the area of dispute resolution?
So I did not really have it all figured out for me initially when I was making a career choice. Like most teenagers, I was confused and didn’t even know what I wanted to do. I had done 11th and 12th grade in the Science stream and at that point of time I had never fancied a career in law. I was more inclined towards doing either medicine or any other para medical field. Due to some family circumstances at that point in time, I was unable to pursue medicine and had to fall back on the next best career choice. The confusion did not end here. I saw both law and journalism as reasonably good career options. While the power that came with being aware of our rights inspired me to pursue law, I was equally enticed by the power to make a mass impact that came with being a journalist. I wanted to be able to make some sort of impact in what I did, so I secured admission in a journalism college on the same day when the first merit list at GLC was to come out. But as life would have it, something made me realise that I can make an impact even by pursuing law. So I left the admission secured in journalism and signed up for the five year law course instead. That was how I began my journey in law.
After earning your degree and being designated as a Solicitor, how did your early experiences in litigation at various law firms help shape your approach to handling complex commercial disputes? What were the key lessons you learned during this period?
While in my 4th year of college I made an unconventional but conscious choice of signing articleship for 3 years for qualifying as a Solicitor with a small boutique law firm in Mumbai which was primarily into dispute resolution. Even after qualifying as a Solicitor I continued working at this firm for a couple of years before I moved to a bigger firm. I was fortunate to be exposed to some very sensitive matters at this time including arbitrations, suits and writ petitions that were both complex and high value. So right from the start I was directly put into the hot tub and had to find my way into understanding complex commercial disputes and finding ways to resolve them. I believe that it was the training that I received during this time which set an extremely solid foundation for a decade of my career in dispute resolution that lay ahead. Many litigation lawyers are often given the advice that you must start practicing with the smaller courts, because this is where you actually learn the nitty gritty of trial and procedure. I did quite the opposite. I started my career with litigation in the Bombay high court and even supreme court, and quite honestly, I think it worked out beautifully well for me. The precision that is required for handling complex disputes in the higher courts forced me from the very start to pursue accuracy in whatever I was doing. Since the stakes in every matter that I was handling were high, there was very little room for error, which forced me to check, and re-check my work which was, I think, an extremely essential skill that one needs to develop in this profession. As far as nitty gritty of procedure is concerned, in my experience, I did handle a fair amount of disputes in the lower courts as well, and to be honest, I felt that the higher courts followed a more precise way of following the procedure with lesser adjournments and delays and more precision in interpretation of the law. Another key lesson that I learnt in my initial years at law firms was how to handle clients. Client counseling is a skill that is extremely crucial for the purpose of understanding a dispute and then effectively resolving it. Exposure to different kinds of clients, both corporate and individuals, understanding the dispute, understanding what exactly is the remedy that they are seeking, these things were extremely important. A client himself can make or break his own case and to get the right information out of the client is sometimes a very underrated skill. So these were some of the key learnings that I had during my initial years.
You have significant exposure to both domestic and international arbitration. Can you share how these two spheres differ in terms of legal approach and challenges, and what has been your strategy for effectively navigating both?
I believe, earlier on, while institutional arbitrations were not as popular in India, and ad hoc would be the natural first choice of parties, there was a vast difference in the way arbitrations were conducted in India and Internationally. Thankfully, the UNCITRAL and CIArb have done so. Post the 2015 amendment and the increasing pro-arbitration jurisprudence in India, the gap has narrowed down quite a fair bit . For example, something as simple as fast track arbitrations or document-only arbitrations was a concept India was oblivious to until recently. Fair to say that on interpretation of the law, there were not much difference in the approach, however International arbitrations have their own challenges when it comes to costs of arbitration. However, more than the arbitration proceeding itself, the major difference, which I believe will always exist, is in the system of the courts of various jurisdictions in challenges to the arbitration award or the arbitration procedure. The best strategy to effectively navigate both kinds of arbitration is to be open to learn, no matter how experienced you are in the profession, to be flexible in your approach to learning and most importantly to be observant of the smallest details.
As a Fellow at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, how has this designation enriched your skills and approach to arbitration?
I had taken the Accelerated Route to Fellowship, from CIArb London and I must say it went a long way in widening my knowledge of arbitration. The standards of procedure and conduct of international arbitration was meticulously explained by CIArb and the method adopted to teach during the course was key in building skills which are absolutely essential for a successful career in arbitration. The study was a rigorous one, which contained case study based, and unconventional questions, which forces one to think out of the box and present solutions. It ended with a rigorous award writing assessment, which further trains the mind to think from the arbitrator’s perspective and balance equities in a dispute. CIArb is also an internationally acclaimed standard and exposed me to a network of some of the brightest minds in Arbitration. I highly recommend budding arbitration practitioners to pursue the fellowship from CIArb to widen their knowledge and network.
In your current role, you focus on banking/real estate litigation and advisory relating to enforcement of security by Financial Institutions . What are the most common challenges faced by financial institutions in these areas, and how do you tailor your legal strategies to meet their needs?
In my current role I work on complex matters relating to recovery of stressed assets by financial institutions as well as Banking and real estate related litigation. I have come across cases with large amounts of money which turn into non-performing assets for these financial institutions due to the default of the borrowers. Most commonly, the challenges faced by these financial institutions comprise of dealing with fraudulent transactions made by the defaulting borrowers like multiple sales of their security, siphoning of monies and even forgery. Another major challenge faced by these institutions are the legal complications that arise due to the interplay of various laws in the country like RERA, SARFAESI, Transfer of Property Act, Slum Rehabilitation Law and general laws that sometimes form an impediment in enforcing their security effectively and delay the recovery process. My job in my current role is to work on effectively designing the best legal strategies for helping the clients achieve fast recovery of the stressed assets in the most efficient manner, and thereafter to implement that strategy, which may contain a combination of remedies. The most effective way of doing this is to keep myself abreast with the latest legal developments in banking and real estate related law and applying the latest law to the peculiar circumstances of the given case in order to come up with the best way forward.
Given your diverse background, what do you think are the key skills and qualities a lawyer needs to thrive in the fast-evolving legal environment, particularly when dealing with multi-jurisdictional disputes or complex financial matters?
I think the 2 most important skills that a lawyer needs, in order to thrive in the fast evolving legal environment, is preparedness and humility. I always believe it is extremely essential to know your brief like the back of your hand. Preparedness in law is a tool that can make a lawyer formidable. This must be coupled with humility. As our senior Mr. Fali Nariman put it, I quote : “The moment you say, you know everything, I’m afraid, that’s the beginning of your downfall.”
In addition to your demanding legal practice, how do you maintain a healthy work-life balance? Are there any personal habits or practices you find particularly useful in maintaining focus and achieving long-term success in your career? What strategies do you use to remain calm in high-pressure situations?
I am sometimes unable to stay consistent, but I do follow some sort of physical exercise for half an hour in the morning. It could be home work outs or yoga or just stretching exercises. Physical movement works wonders to keep the mind balanced and cope with stress. I also try and make it a point to travel whenever I get the opportunity. Also, meditation and spending time with Animals or in nature goes a long way to give the mind the much needed pause and refuel back into action. I read this somewhere and I believe it is so important for everyone in the hustle culture to know this- “Rest is not taking the foot off the gas, it is putting fuel in the tank” .
What advice would you offer young lawyers who wish to specialize in arbitration and build a successful practice similar to yours?
Few things: 1. Never be lazy to read. Know the difference between just reading something mechanically and understanding what you read. 2. Organise your brief well. We often underestimate the impact organisation has on productivity and when dealing with voluminous papers and proceedings, organisation can sometimes make or break your case 3. Cultivate the practice of updating yourself with the latest judgments. Arbitration as a practice area is evolving very fast with jurisprudence changing almost every day. Keeping abreast with the latest law makes a huge difference when it comes to advising clients.
What motivated you to pursue a career in law, and what factors influenced your decision to enter this field?
While I was a PCM (Science with Mathematics) student in school, I always knew that engineering or any science-related field wasn’t my calling. At the same time, my family never imposed their aspirations on me, thus allowing me to focus on what truly resonated with me.
What stood out to me about the law was its dynamic nature and its potential to impact society. During my senior year of school, I had the opportunity to meet one of my father’s friends, now a reputed senior advocate. He shared how the profession is not just about arguing cases in court but about shaping the law, resolving disputes, and bringing meaningful changes to people’s lives. “Curiosity, consistency, and determination,” he said, “are the pillars of success in the legal field.” Those words struck a chord with me and broadened my understanding of what a career in law could entail. Choosing law was not just about ambition; it was about aligning my interests with my strengths. I’ve always been drawn to structured reasoning, persuasive communication, and finding creative solutions to challenges.
Looking back, my decision to pursue law feels both deliberate and intuitive, shaped by personal experiences, influential encounters, and the freedom to chart my own course. It wasn’t a single moment but a combination of factors that made me realize that law was where I could thrive and make a meaningful impact.
You went on to pursue your LL.M. in Dispute Resolution from the Straus Institute at Pepperdine University, California (2015), where you were awarded the prestigious Straus Fellowship Award of USD 25,000. What was the driving force behind choosing this institution for your Masters?
During my bachelors in law, I had the privilege of interning with Mr. Veeraraghavan Inbavijayan, one of the foremost arbitrators in the field, who became both a mentor and an influential figure in my professional growth. This internship, although conducted online in 2013—when digital internships were not as widely recognized as they are today—was an incredibly rewarding experience. Mr. Inbavijayan tasked me with researching and preparing detailed notes on various case laws pertaining to construction, maritime, and commercial disputes, areas in which he was actively serving as an arbitrator. The real value of this internship came not just from the legal research, but from the unique opportunity to observe the intricate process of arbitration from a neutral, impartial perspective.
This exposure gave me invaluable insights into how arbitration operates as a mechanism for dispute resolution. What stood out to me the most was the flexibility inherent in the process, which allows parties to resolve conflicts in a more streamlined, cost-effective manner compared to traditional litigation. The freedom arbitration affords to the parties, especially when it comes to choosing the governing laws and procedural rules, deeply fascinated me. This flexibility allows for the customization of the proceedings, making it an appealing choice for complex, multi-jurisdictional disputes that require tailored solutions. The dynamic nature of arbitration, coupled with its efficiency, was exactly what I was looking for in the field of law.
It was during this time that I became certain that arbitration and dispute resolution were the areas I wanted to specialize in. This passion led me to pursue an LL.M. in Dispute Resolution from the Straus Institute at Pepperdine University in California. I chose Pepperdine not only because of its reputation as a leading institution in the field of dispute resolution and its leading ranking, but also because of its practical, hands-on approach to teaching and its strong emphasis on international arbitration and resolving disputes. The Straus Institute’s unique curriculum, combined with its faculty of esteemed professionals who have made significant contributions to the field, made it the ideal place for me to further my knowledge and skill set. The opportunity to study under experts in the field, while also engaging with a diverse, international student body, further solidified my decision. My experience at PepperdineUniversity, particularly being awarded the prestigious Straus Fellowship Award of USD 25,000, gave me both the academic foundation and the practical tools to excel in this field. It was a pivotal step in shaping my career as a dispute resolution professional, and I look back on it as one of the most transformative periods of my professional life.
During your early career, what valuable insights did you gain from your internships in Dubai, particularly regarding international arbitration? How were they different from the law firms in India?
During the early stages of my career, I had the opportunity to intern at several prominent law firms in Dubai, which provided me with invaluable insights into international arbitration, particularly in the context of the Middle East and cross border disputes. These internships were pivotal in shaping my understanding of the practical aspects of arbitration and the unique challenges faced by practitioners in a globalized legal environment.
One of the most significant takeaways from my time in Dubai was the exposure to the complexity of multi-jurisdictional arbitration cases. Unlike India, where many arbitration matters are still in the process of evolving, Dubai is known for being a hub for international arbitration due to its strategic location and modern infrastructure. The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) offer a dynamic and highly regulated environment for resolving disputes that involve parties from different legal systems. I had the opportunity to work on cases involving international commercial disputes, construction contracts, and trade agreements, often involving parties from diverse backgrounds and legal traditions. This taught me the importance of understanding and navigating the cultural, legal, and procedural differences that impact the way arbitration is conducted in different parts of the world.
The most striking difference I noticed between law firms in Dubai and those in India was the level of global exposure and the emphasis on handling cross border disputes. In Dubai, arbitration is seen as a preferred method of dispute resolution, and the legal landscape is highly international, with professionals from all over the world practising together. This globalised atmosphere made it clear that international arbitration requires not just expertise in local law but also a deep understanding of international conventions, and the nuances of various national legal systems. The law firms in Dubai, where I interned, placed a significant emphasis on teamwork and collaboration with international partners, which helped me develop a more holistic view of the legal process.
In contrast, the firms in India, while still handling complex arbitration cases, were more focused on domestic laws and issues that were more localised, particularly due to the legal framework in India being still relatively in its development phase compared to more established jurisdictions. Arbitration in India often involved navigating a system that had a more procedural and statutory focus, with a stronger emphasis on litigation and court involvement in certain cases. This made the experience in Dubai refreshing, as I was exposed to a more streamlined and flexible approach, where the role of arbitration centres and the autonomy of the arbitrators were much more pronounced.
Overall, these internships in Dubai not only broadened my knowledge of international arbitration but also deepened my appreciation for the importance of adaptability, cultural sensitivity, and global legal practices in today’s interconnected world. The exposure to both global legal practices in Dubai and the evolving legal landscape in India has given me a comprehensive understanding of how arbitration can function on both local and international stages.
How was your experience at Pepperdine University, California? Were there any other courses which were not strictly related to arbitration? How was the experience of learning different from the law school you attended in India?
My time at Pepperdine University in California was an enriching and transformative experience. Studying at the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution exposed me to a world of legal education that was dynamic, interdisciplinary, and practical. One of the courses which was not strictly arbitration related, and which I truly enjoyed was ‘Mediation – Theory and Practice’, which was taught by one of the most reputed professors at Pepperdine. The professor’s expertise and real-world experience made the class not only intellectually stimulating but also deeply insightful. I came to appreciate how mediation, as a dispute resolution process, can often be more valuable than arbitration, especially in cases where preserving relationships and finding mutually beneficial solutions are paramount. While arbitration is structured and often adversarial, mediation allows the parties to have greater control over the outcome. In mediation, the role of the mediator is not to impose a decision but to facilitate a dialogue that helps the parties reach their own resolution. This process, which emphasizes collaboration, negotiation, and empathy, is especially valuable in disputes involving long-term relationships, such as family businesses or international partnerships. I found that in many cases, mediation can help preserve ongoing relationships that could be irrevocably damaged through arbitration or litigation. For example, in a commercial dispute between two family-owned businesses, mediation could have been a better approach to help the parties maintain their business relationships while resolving their legal issues amicably.
Another course that had a profound impact on me was Cross-Cultural Conflict and Dispute Resolution, which taught me the importance of understanding how culture influences the way people approach conflict and resolution. This course was particularly relevant in the context of international arbitration, where the parties often come from diverse cultural backgrounds. I learned that cultural differences can significantly impact negotiation styles, communication, and even perceptions of fairness. For instance, I discovered that in some cultures, maintaining harmony and avoiding confrontation is more important than directly addressing the issue, while in others, a more direct, assertive approach is preferred. A great example of this is the difference in conflict resolution approaches between Western and Eastern cultures. In the West, particularly in the United States, a direct, problem-solving approach to conflict is common, with a focus on resolving issues quickly and efficiently. In contrast, many Asian cultures, such as those in Japan and China, place a higher value on maintaining face and relationships, often preferring a more indirect, collaborative approach to resolving disputes.
The educational experience at Pepperdine was vastly different from the law school I attended in India. In India, while the legal education is rigorous, it tends to be more focused on theoretical learning and the application of Indian law, with a strong emphasis on preparing students for the Indian legal system. The approach at Pepperdine, on the other hand, was much more interactive, practical, and globally oriented. The emphasis on skills like negotiation, mediation, and understanding cross-cultural differences was something that added a whole new dimension to my legal education. I appreciated the interactive classroom environment, where we engaged in simulations, role playing exercises, and discussions with peers from diverse legal backgrounds. This collaborative learning approach was a refreshing change from the more traditional, lecture-based style that I was accustomed to in India.
Moreover, the diverse student body at Pepperdine University, representing various nationalities and legal systems, provided a unique opportunity to learn not just from professors but also from peers. This multicultural environment enriched my understanding of international dispute resolution and made me more aware of the complexities involved when resolving conflicts between parties from different legal traditions and cultural contexts.
What motivated you to establish your independent litigation practice in 2020, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic? How did the transition from large firms to independent practice unfold, and how did you manage the shift?
Since the beginning of my law career, I was certain that I wanted to eventually establish my independent practice. While working with several reputed law firms and distinguished lawyers, I gained invaluable insights into the intricacies of legal practice, but I always envisioned carving my own path. By 2020, I felt confident that the time was right to take this step.
Launching an independent practice during the COVID-19 pandemic presented its own set of challenges. The legal landscape had shifted dramatically, with virtual hearings becoming the norm and access to clients and courts being heavily restricted. Yet, I saw this as an opportunity to adapt, innovate, and build a practice rooted in resilience and client-centric solutions.
I distinctly remember my first case under my independent practice—a matrimonial dispute. A wife approached me after her husband had filed a divorce petition on the grounds of cruelty and had even gone so far as to challenge the legitimacy of their child. It was an emotionally charged and legally complex case, especially since the opposing counsel presented substantial evidence to support their claims.
With a methodical approach, I focused on crafting a strategy that emphasized the inconsistencies in their arguments while drawing attention to the factual and emotional dimensions of my client’s situation. After meticulous research, evidence collation, and persuasive arguments, we succeeded in securing reasonable maintenance for both the wife and child. Additionally, we were able to successfully defend the allegations regarding the child’s legitimacy as well as the grounds he had taken for filing the divorce petition. Eventually, the parties resolved their differences amicably and opted for a mutual consent divorce.
That case was pivotal for me—not just because it was my first as an independent lawyer, but also because it reinforced the realization that independent practice requires a broad-based approach. While arbitration had always been a key focus for me, this experience made me realize the importance of diversifying my areas of expertise to serve a wider spectrum of clients. The transition from large firms to independent practice wasn’t without its hurdles. From setting up an office and building a network of clients to manage administrative responsibilities single handedly, it required immense dedication and adaptability. However, the sense of autonomy and the ability to directly impact clients’ lives made the journey truly fulfilling.
Could you describe some of the arbitration cases you handled in your experience over the years?
Throughout my legal career, I have had the opportunity to handle a diverse array of arbitration cases spanning commercial, maritime, construction, and other specialized disputes. My work has taken me across various jurisdictions and arbitration forums, including proceedings governed by the rules of SIAC, LCIA, ICC, and DIAC, among others.
One notable segment of my practice involves construction disputes, which often require a deep understanding of technical issues, contractual frameworks, and project-specific challenges. Many of these disputes are governed by FIDIC contracts, where issues such as delays, price variation, cost overruns, defective work claims, and contract terminations frequently arise. For instance, I successfully represented a client in a complex arbitration concerning a multi million-dollar infrastructure project. The dispute revolved around delay penalties and other related issues and allegations under the FIDIC Silver Book. My approach combined a meticulous analysis of technical reports with a robust presentation of the contract’s terms, ultimately securing a favourable arbitral award for my client.
Another compelling case I worked on involved an international arbitration under LCIA Rules. This dispute was unique, revolving around the ownership and authenticity of a painting by a renowned artist. It was a fascinating blend of legal and art historical issues, requiring close collaboration with art experts, authentication agencies, and valuation professionals. Navigating through conflicting expert testimonies, I was able to establish the authenticity of the artwork and protect my client’s ownership rights, leading to a successful resolution of the dispute.
My experience also extends to maritime arbitration cases, where I have dealt with disputes involving charter party agreements, cargo claims, and shipbuilding contracts. One such case involved a dispute over demurrage claims under a charter party agreement, where my ability to interpret contractual clauses and maritime regulations proved critical in achieving a favourable award for my client. In addition to these, I have handled several high-stakes commercial arbitrations, often involving breaches of contract, shareholder disputes, and joint venture agreements. Each case has contributed to my understanding of arbitration as a dynamic and multifaceted process. I remain committed to delivering effective and pragmatic solutions for my clients in this ever-evolving field.
Having handled various matrimonial cases in your independent practice, what significant trends or changes have you noticed in matrimonial laws?
In my experience handling a wide array of matrimonial cases, one of the most frequent inquiries from clients revolves around questions like, “Do I have to pay alimony to my wife?”, “Can I file for divorce?”, “How much maintenance can I expect?”, etc. While these questions are valid, the answer is often one of the most quintessential lawyerly responses: “It depends.” Matrimonial law does not operate on a one-size-fits-all formula. Alimony, maintenance, and divorce settlements hinge on a variety of factors, including but not limited to: The financial standing and status of the families involved, The standard of living enjoyed by the couple during the marriage, The financial needs of the wife and children (if any), The income sources and earning capacities of both parties., Educational qualifications and professional opportunities are available to both.
It is crucial to emphasize that just because a wife earns more than her husband, it does not automatically disqualify her from seeking maintenance. The courts adopt a balanced approach, taking into account the overarching principles of fairness and justice. One recurring question I encounter, particularly from male clients, is: “Why are matrimonial laws so wife-centric?” This perception is shaped, in part, by social media narratives/influencers that often paint a one dimensional picture. It’s important to understand that laws like the Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence Act are designed to address systemic and pervasive issues of abuse that continue to exist across many regions in India, especially in non-urban areas where such incidents frequently go unreported.
At the same time, I acknowledge that not every case filed by a wife is genuine. Instances of misuse of these laws do occur, leading to false allegations against husbands. However, this does not undermine the broader objective of such legislation. Trusting the judiciary to scrutinize and differentiate between genuine and false claims is imperative. A case that exemplifies this nuanced approach involved a husband with negligible income compared to his wife, who was a high earning professional. Despite the apparent disparity, the court granted maintenance to the husband (and not the wife!) under the Hindu Marriage Act, recognizing his genuine financial dependence and needs. The takeaway here is that matrimonial disputes are inherently complex, and the determination of alimony, maintenance, or grounds for divorce varies significantly from case to case. It is always advisable for individuals to consult a qualified lawyer for tailored legal advice, rather than relying solely on information found online or anecdotal accounts.
Reflecting on your journey, what advice would you offer to students and/or young lawyers who are just starting out in their legal journey?
A piece of advice I’d offer to young lawyers and students embarking on their legal careers is this: “Follow the law, not the money.” In the initial stages, particularly in litigation, the financial rewards may seem modest compared to other legal fields. But the real value lies in the experience you gain, the lessons you learn, and the skills you develop during these formative years. Litigation demands hard work, patience, and resilience. You may take on cases that don’t pay much, or even refer cases to seniors or colleagues, but ensure that you remain actively involved. Follow up, understand the intricacies of each matter, and use every case as a learning opportunity. Remember, the more cases you immerse yourself in, the sharper and more seasoned you’ll become as a litigator.
I was once told: “Curiosity, consistency, and determination are the pillars of success in the legal field.” These words have stayed with me throughout my career. Stay curious, delve into the nuances of the law. Be consistent, work steadily, even when success seems distant. And most importantly, remain determined, litigation is not an easy path, but it is one that rewards those who persevere.
So, to all young lawyers: don’t give up. The early years may feel overwhelming, but with time, effort, and a genuine passion for the law, you will find your place in this profession. Success in litigation is not measured overnight; it’s a journey of constant growth, built one case, one argument, and one lesson at a time.
Looking back on your early career, was law a profession you always intended to pursue, or was there a specific experience or event that led you to choose this path? Additionally, what sparked your interest in specialising in Arbitration Law?
Reflecting on my journey, while a lifelong fascination with law wasn’t my initial trajectory, a personal experience profoundly influenced my decision to pursue this path. Witnessing the impact of a significant business dispute within my family during my 12th grade board exams instilled in me a deep appreciation for the importance of legal knowledge and the power of the law. As it is said knowledge is power and therefore, law was the natural choice.
Although I initially enrolled in Economics Hons. from Delhi University, my burgeoning interest in the law led me to pursue a law degree at Amity Law School (affiliated to GGSIPU), a decision that was met with both support and a degree of apprehension from my family, as I was the first in my family to venture into the legal profession.
Regarding your second question, my initial foray into the world of arbitration occurred during my internship with Mr. Shaiwal Srivastava at Paras Legal. The intricacies of arbitration practice, the flexibility it provides to parties and counsel, captivated my imagination. This early exposure ignited a deep and enduring passion for this specialized field, ultimately shaping my professional trajectory.
During the early stages of your practice, you were involved in India-seated arbitration for various Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). What key lessons did you learn from that phase that helped shape your reputation in the field and contributed to your career growth?
My early career involved significant engagement in India-seated arbitrations for various Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), an experience that proved invaluable in shaping my professional trajectory. This formative period under the mentorship of Mr. S.K. Maniktala, my first mentor, instilled crucial lessons that continue to guide my practice today.
One of the most significant takeaways was the paramount importance of rigorous legal research. As a junior lawyer, I was deeply involved in researching case law, not only from Indian jurisdictions but also from other common law countries, recognizing that certain legal concepts were relatively nascent in India in the field of Construction law like Concurrent delay. Mr. Maniktala imparted a valuable piece of advice: if a particular legal argument/proposition cannot be found through thorough research, it is crucial to question whether the situation is truly unprecedented, if not then further research is required. This guidance has consistently challenged me to delve deeper and ensure comprehensive analysis.
Furthermore, this period underscored the critical role of meticulous drafting. Under Mr. Maniktala’s guidance, I learned to pay close attention to the structure and language of legal documents. His meticulous review of my drafts, often involving hours of discussion, instilled a deep appreciation for the precision and clarity required in legal writing.
Finally, this experience reinforced the ethical obligations of legal practice. Mr. Maniktala emphasized the importance of honesty and transparency before the court. He instilled the principle that a lawyer’s duty is to assist the court in arriving at a just outcome, which may sometimes involve presenting arguments that may not be entirely favorable to their client’s position. This emphasis on ethical conduct has been a cornerstone of my legal career. If a fact or law is not in our favour, it is the responsibility of the lawyer to show that the said fact or law is not relevant or other considerations hold more importance.
After working with a Law Firm in your initial years, what made you switch to Chambers of Senior Advocates Mr. Pravin H. Parekh and Mr. Ramji Srinivasan and what were the key differences that you came across while working in a law firm and Chambers?
After gaining valuable experience in a law firm, I made a conscious decision to transition to the Chambers of Senior Advocates Mr. Pravin H. Parekh and Mr. Ramji Srinivasan. While my time in the law firm provided a strong foundation in procedural aspects, drafting, and legal research, I observed a significant difference in the approach to legal practice between the two environments.
In the law firm setting, I often found myself involved in presenting a considerable amount of information to Senior Advocates. However, I witnessed how Senior Advocates possess an exceptional ability to distill complex legal arguments, identify the core issues, and present them in a concise and impactful manner. This acute analytical ability, honed through years of experience in high-stakes litigation, particularly resonated with me, given the limited time available for oral arguments before courts in comparison to arbitral tribunal.
This realization, coupled with my deep admiration for the expertise and experience of Senior Advocates like Mr. Fali Nariman, who famously described the above practice as “The School of the Hard Knocks,” led me to pursue this path. My time in the Chambers of Mr. Ramji Srinivasan and subsequently Mr. Pravin Parekh proved to be an invaluable and intellectually stimulating experience and enriching in honing my advocacy skills. I had the privilege of assisting them on matters of national significance, including the landmark Sabrimala case before the nine-judge bench and the AGR matter, gaining invaluable insights into the highest levels of legal advocacy.
Presently, you are working with MRP Advisory. Could you please share more about your experience managing various legal disputes across different legal areas you work in?
I am currently a Senior Associate at MRP Advisory, where I have the privilege of working under the esteemed leadership of Mr. Adarsh Ramakrishnan. My role involves a diverse portfolio of international and domestic disputes, encompassing seat of arbitration in India, UAE, Singapore, Qatar, Oman, London, and Nepal.
The firm specializes in high-stakes international and domestic arbitration matters, primarily focusing on construction/infrastructure and complex contractual disputes. This challenging and rewarding work environment provides ample opportunities for professional development and contributes significantly to my legal career.
This exposure to a wide range of legal systems, including both common and civil law, presents a unique and intellectually stimulating environment. The constant engagement with different legal frameworks and cultural nuances fosters continuous learning and prevents professional stagnation.
Furthermore, collaborating with foreign legal counsel from various jurisdictions provides invaluable insights into international legal practices and fosters a deeper understanding of cultural diversity.
MRP Advisory empowers its associates to grow independently, allowing for significant autonomy and minimal supervision. I am particularly proud to have led the firm’s initiative on discussions concerning construction law and policies in both the Middle East and India, through Podcasts/Webinars and assisted in Dubai Arbitration Week.
Given your extensive experience in handling arbitrations across different jurisdictions, how do you stay current with the evolving trends in this field? What advice would you give to newcomers aspiring to build a career similar to yours, and what resources do you rely on to stay informed?
Reading and keeping abreast with the current trends and law is sine qua non. For this my advice would be:
Jurisdictional Focus:Selecting a specific jurisdiction (or a few) is crucial. This allows for deeper specialization and a better understanding of the nuances of that legal system.
Leading Professionals: Following prominent figures on LinkedIn is invaluable. Platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and even blogs provide insights into current debates, case developments, and industry events.
Key Institutions: Staying informed about the activities of major arbitral institutions (ICC, SIAC, LCIA, MCIA etc.) is essential. Their websites, publications, and events offer valuable resources and insights into evolving trends. Along with this, regional institutions of the particular jurisdiction must be followed as well.
Legal Databases and Publications: Utilizing platforms like Kluwer Arbitration, Westlaw, LexisNexis, and specialized journals is crucial for in-depth legal research and analysis.
Conferences and Workshops: Attending conferences and workshops is vital for networking, learning from experts, and staying abreast of the latest developments in the field.
Professional Associations: Utilize the resources available on International Bar Association (IBA), Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), Society of Construction Law etc.
Advice to new comers:
While I feel I am too junior to offer advice to newcomers on building a career in international arbitration, I would like to emphasize the importance of maintaining an open mindset regarding career paths early in one’s legal career. Law is a vast and multifaceted discipline, presenting a myriad of opportunities.
Internships and the initial years of practice should be approached as a time for exploration across various legal domains. Personally, I have gained experience in diverse areas such as domestic and international arbitration, commercial and civil litigation, insolvency, and constitutional law. Furthermore, I continually seek to expand my knowledge in technology law whenever I have the opportunity.
It is essential to recognize that each individual’s career journey is unique. Rather than simply following in the footsteps of others, I encourage you to carve your own path in the legal profession. Enjoy the process and always be a student of law.
