Let’s start from the beginning – What prompted you to choose law? Was choosing law came naturally or it felt easy to adapt?
I was fascinated by the unique oratory prowess of lawyers and prestige and nobility they enjoy in the society.
What was your Law School journey like? Was Law School where you first tried a hand at writing?
Nigerian Law School is one of the most difficult law schools in the world. There are lot of materials to cover within a very short period of time. I started writing after my law school
Kindly brief us about your initial struggles in the beginning of your professional career.
It was difficult adapting to the practice aspect of the profession. I noticed a big gap in what we were taught and what is obtainable in practice. It was more like unlearning and re-learning. For instance, Faculties of law in Nigeria do not have any tech law related courses on the curricula, including law school. Anyone aspiring a career in Tech Law would either travel oversee or leverage online course platform to learn about it. I started off by taking courses on Coursera, Udemy, Future learn and the likes..
Tell us about your current role and how do you plan your day?
I practice as a Barrister and Solicitor. In my firm, I am a member of the litigation as well as commercial law team. In the transaction team, I advise on Capital Market, Mergers and Acquisitions, Data Protection, Financial Technology/ Blockchain, Intellectual Property and Start-ups Generally. I also do the litigation aspect of these areas. However, I am very intentional about building my career around Technology Law.
Why do you choose Technology Law over other sectors? What made you interested in that domain?
There is a paradigm shift towards digital economy. I once read a report that stated that 20% of the world economy is digital whereas the remaining 80% runs on digital platform. What this tells is that tech law is the present and the future and this is what prompted my interest in the area.
Do you think Technology sector and the opportunities in its legal side will continue to grow in the coming years? If yes, please explain it to us.
Yes, there is because there is a paradigm shift towards digital economy. I once read a report that stated that 20% of the world economy is digital whereas the remaining 80% runs on digital platform. Thus, many opportunities are expected to be created. Lawyers will have to advice on the Mergers and Acquisitions of Startups, Data protection issues, Digital taxation, Intellectual property, financial technology amongst others.
According to your experience, what specific observations one has to make while reviewing the commercial agreements and contracts that too according to the GDPR compliance?
It depends on the nature of the transaction and agreement. If it the transaction involves the procurement of the services of a data processor, then one should look out for clauses contained in Article 28(3) of GDPR that should guide the relationship between data controller and data processor.
What is “Data Colonisation”, please elaborate for our audience!
It is the appropriation users or customers data by either organisations, institutions or government bodies.
Any 6 best tips for our readers that worked well for you in legal?
Let’s start from the beginning – What prompted you to choose law? Was choosing law came naturally or it felt easy to adapt?
Actually, law was in my blood as my father was also from a legal background. When I opened my eyes, I started realizing the rules of justifying the difference between right and wrong and perhaps with the passing of time I started using it to justify my stand during childhood discussions. However, I was never willing to adopt legal practice as my profession because at point of time the legal profession was in very bad shape, especially in small cities. Since I was from science and mathematics background in my study, I always believed to identify and focus on the root cause and key points of any situation.
This was the time when new computer courses were being designed and attracting science graduates to search for their carrier in computer line which also attracted me. Thereafter when my father was about to retire from legal practice, he advised me to adopt the family profession and keeping in mind my interest in science, mathematics and computer he suggested me to add the skill of my interest in the legal field which will stand me at a different level of legal practice.
I think even my father has realized that the legal domain is about to knock on the doors of a new era, which will be very fascinating for me. Finally, I started working on legal procedures of hardcore legal practice during my law graduation and also started to do specialization courses in corporate and cyber laws.
How has been your experience dealing with International Clients on corporate matters, on what grounds do you differentiate between national and international clients? Are there any particular parameters? Also which one’s are easy to get?
My experience dealing with International Clients is really good and satisfactory. The expectations of international clients are always higher side which makes the work more challenging and interesting. It is always fascinating for me to work in a no-scope-of-error environment. Sometimes your International Clients are not much aware of Indian Laws, especially procedural law and explaining to them the step-by-step strategy and plan of action was really a new experience. The basic difference between a national and international client is their expectations, their thoughts towards existing laws, level of accuracy and perfection in work.
A national client understands the timeline of each step of litigation and on-ground difficulties whereas an international client does not have any idea about it and only expects a quick resolution. I personally believe that a strong strategy, through practical knowledge and preparation is necessary for handling the work of either a national or international client.
Do you think that participating in National MUN, National Parliamentary Debate or National Moot Court Competition helps in the legal field?
Yes, It is correct that participation in Moot Courts, legal debates Competition for law students is very important. I would suggest Law Students not run behind their senior advocates and feel satisfied by only marking their appearance in the Court’s order sheets. Young law graduates should not keep themselves limited to only getting adjournments and Passovers in Court proceedings. They should first try to understand and focus on procedural law.
Since most of the Law Firms and big offices of Advocates are handling a good number of cases and these law firms and advocates have their own mechanisms for such a big volume cases therefore the Fresher candidates should also understand such mechanisms.
The actual difficulty is such Law Firms and advocate offices are paying a handsome salary even to the freshers, therefore, all such law firms and advocates expect from a fresher law candidate to start working for them from day one which is not possible. Therefore, it is always advisable for Law Students to actively participate in Moot Court Competitions as much as they can.
Any special preparations that you suggest for lawyers looking to grow in the Banking & Finance sector as well as for corporate recoveries?
As we know the Banking and Finance sector is the backbone of any developing country and plays a remarkable role in the growth of the economy. The banking and finance sector has also grown remarkably in the last 20-25 years and supporting Indian Industries. There is a variety of work for advocates from the Banking and Finance industry like, Due to Diligence Report for issuing loans to individuals, Corporate Houses, Hotels, automobiles etc. Similarly, there is a variety of litigation for the recoveries, commercial disputes, interpretation of legal contracts, dishonour of cheques, litigation before DRTs & DRAT for recovery of loans etc.
I would suggest the young generation of legal professionals to have a good command over the new laws and regulations which are being introduced and good practical knowledge. There is a requirement of focusing on the Banking & Finance laws which are slightly different from other streams of Laws.
Similarly, if a law graduate wishes to be a specialized legal professional for corporate & commercial recoveries of Companies, firms etc then he/she must start focusing on the latest laws, Codes, regulations, case laws, interpretation of laws and procedures law of such recovery proceedings i.e. Insolvency Petitions, Domestic & International Arbitrations, recoveries under Commercial Court Act.
We assume that such expanded work requires smart people in the room. So are you a team player or is it a “one-man show”?
I strongly believe that this is a time of specialized professionals all over and there is a high demand for specialized legal professionals too. Since we regularly meet the General Counsels, Legal Heads and other legal professionals representing big corporate houses, multinational companies, PSUs etc and sometimes they have no hesitation to express their views that they are in contact with many legal professionals, partners of the law firms and renowned advocates offices and they are good to handle the routine work being assigned to them.
But when we have any legal issue which is either critical or high stack involve these legal professionals having a good communications skills and impressive way of discussion.
I personally feel that most of the legal professionals are investing their time & energy only in showing off, scheduling meetings and they are moving away from the very basic knowledge of the law which should ideally be their primary concern and because of this kind of approach clients are suffering even when they are ready to pay a handsome professional fee.
I personally believe and also follow that I must be updated with the latest laws, and trends which are being changed almost every next day. The old traditional laws are not capable to resolve the issues which are coming in the way of this third-largest economy of the world and these all laws are being replaced with the latest laws and regulations. Similarly, legal professionals must be enough smart, quick learners, well-updated, well-equipped with the latest tools & technology and specialized in corporate and commercial laws.
I remember there was a time when an MBBS doctor treated all kinds of patients but now the time has changed and now there is a specialized doctor for every kind of medical complication. In the same manner, there is a high demand for specialized legal professionals.
However, nobody can ignore the strength and importance of teamwork. I personally believe that with the help of teamwork we complete the work in a systematic and time bound manner as well as we provide an opportunity for our junior colleagues to learn under the supervision of specialized legal professionals. The pattern of teamwork also provides a high level of accuracy and perfection in the work as it is being checked at multilevel and finally by specialized legal professionals.
We all know you have dealt with a plethora of cases in your career, is there any special case that has affected you deeply as a person or which has changed your mindset towards the Corporate world?
Although there are many cases which are in my mind because of something special associated with them but still I remember in one of the cases our foreign client was facing two civil cases for directing them to supply the goods to their dealer where the dealership agreement had already expired and our client was being harassed to keep supply the goods even when there was no such agreement existed between them.
On top of it, a huge amount of money was due to the dealer and they were not ready to clear the long pending invoices of our client. Finally, on the one end, we vehemently contested the civil cases filed against our client and for the recovery of the amount we decided to approach the NCLT under The Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code. Finally, after great effort and with a quick and result-oriented approach, we got a favorable order from NCLT and Hon’ble Tribunal allowed our Insolvency Petition filed under section 9 of the Code.
Thereafter, we recovered the entire amount of pending invoices, withdrawal of false civil cases and 50% of the litigation expenses as settlement. From these cases, I understand that it is quite necessary for a Company to have a strong back of legal resources for doing business in a better environment.
Appearing before various law tribunals and forums needs extra effort, how do you plan your work to be super-efficient?
Since we also have a high volume of corporate & commercial litigation including, consumer litigation, civil recoveries, Domestic & International Arbitration, Recoveries under the Insolvency & Bankruptcy and the Commercial Court Act, Labour disputes and litigation across India therefore we have developed an automation system for performing the responsibility as per the seniority of the advocates of the firm.
Whenever a new advocate joins the firm first we identify his capability and level of experience and thereafter fit him in the system at the right place accordingly and give clear visibility about his/her current responsibilities as well as his future plan of action and goal so that the advocate keep performing his current responsibilities with keeping in mind in future goal and achievement in the firm.
We have a clear automation system of work therefore by investing less effort and time we all give our best and maximum output. Our work environment is unique which encourages each associate, senior associate, partner etc to work with a team spirit. Any matter is not being handled by a single either associate or partner of the Firm and a mutual team works on each matter.
There is clear demarcation on the roles of the firm members that’s why I myself look after a number of the high stack, profile and higher judicial form matters. As I discussed earlier, we have a very strong and automated system of communication which keep the concerned advocate updated and also reminds the right person for his actionable which turns ultimately into a maximum output even from my end.
Any advice for young legal professionals?
Actually, there was a time when advocates had very limited resources and society was not much developed and hardly there were two basic streams for legal practice: Civil and Criminal. But in the last 20-25 years India has opened its doors to foreign investors, traders & companies and there is a remarkable improvement in the Indian corporate society therefore a variety of new legal streams have been opened for lawyers. The new generation of advocates can not keep themselves limited to either one or two streams.
But at the same time, advocates can not achieve the specialisation in a day or two and the same will take its own time. Therefore every time when a new client comes with an issue of a new stream the advocate can not seek time for the examination of the issue and its related laws etc.
In order to counter such a situation, the young generation of advocates needs to develop legal reasoning and analytical skills according to the existing legal mechanism and framework.
The new generation of advocates also needs to start thinking like lawmakers so that they can understand and predict the redressal of the challenges which are arising in every new and developing sector of India. At the same time, I would also suggest that the young generation of advocates to have a specialisation in the field of their choice and do not hesitate to equip themselves with the latest technologies and tools [hardware/software] supported with artificial intelligence.
Where do you find the Indian Legal industry in the next 10 years?
The growth rate of Indian legal Industry is remarkable and the same is going towards a more consolidated format in the next 10 years. Many established industries like E-commerce, Banking & Finance, automobiles, Telecommunications & Internet etc and some new and developing industries like Electric Vehicles, renewable sources of energy, Energy storage devices and Virtual platform for the exchange of money is attracting foreign and internal investment which increases the chances of work for the legal industry.
Similarly, the enactment of new consumer laws, Data Protection Bills, and Capital regulatory Rules are going to widen the scope of legal support for the Companies and also create work for legal professionals.
The enactment of new laws is speeding up the disposal of corporate & commercial litigation which earlier used to be pending for a long and the same is encouraging foreign and internal investment in India. I believe in the coming decade specialized legal professionals will help to create an environment for the Companies, Banking & Financial Sector, MNC to work in an environment which is the basic requirement of any developing and under-developing industry and economy of the Country.
I am sure there will be a requirement of such legal professionals, law firms and legal offices which are well-equipped with the latest technology, Artificial intelligence, and Strong communications storage platforms. I would suggest to the young generation to keep themselves ready to work in a virtual environment and decrease their dependency on paper and physical meetings, seminars, workshops and court appearances.
I am sure we are going into an era when every associate of a Law Firm or big advocate office must have their own cloud-based mobile application for case management and these applications will reduce the role and assistance of clerks and artificial Intelligence shall perform said responsibilities in a very accurate and effective manner.
Did you always want to become a Lawyer or was it something that you decided in the later part of your school life? What other career options would you have considered, if not law?
As a child I was drawn to the elegancy of the legal profession. I didn’t know much back then other than the fact that I loved how they dressed and spoke with so much confidence. When I was in high school I became fascinated with Fashion Designing and decided I was going to be a fashion designer but being an African child, I really didn’t have that much freedom of choice. My father felt there was no future for fashion in my country.
In that day and age he was right. Since I had studied art subjects togather with Fashion science, it was now a matter of so what’s plan B. First I was thinking maybe Business Administration but since I needed to have at least 3 choices I selected law but I was sceptical about it.
So, being a lawyer was not my first choice but looking back and analyzing the kind of person I am, I now believe I was always meant to be a lawyer. So naturally this answers your second part of the question as well. If I wasn’t a lawyer I would have either been a Fashion Designer or a Professional Baker. In fact I owned a home baking business before relocating to Sweden and I still bake for my family and friends when they have special celebrations.
How smooth is it to be an in-house counsel? Or is it the other way round?
Well I would it has it’s challenges but if you are comparing it to being a litigation lawyer working in a law firm, I would say in-house is smooth. One thing I love about being an in-house counsel is that you get exposed to a more practical aspect of the corporate culture and that helps you a lot when advising clients. I noticed when I collaborated with our external panel of lawyer on some of our cases, it was a bit of a challenge explaining to the how the processes work in the organisation vis a vis what the law says.
There are skills I obtained working in-house that have helped me feel comfortable doing tasks that’s weren’t strickly related to legal.
Not many young female lawyers reach the height you achieved, what was the story behind your success? Were you the privileged child or had to dig in deep to quench the thirst?
I have not done much research in this area so I can’t really say whether there are many or few female lawyers that reach this level, but I one thing i know for sure is, there are more female lawyers working in house than in legal practice.
It takes boldness to be a litigation lawyer and I applaud all the ladies that chose that path. I wouldn’t consider myself privileged but some people might judge me as such because I did obtain my early education and high school education in Zimbabwe which at the time was considered to be the country with the best education in Africa.
Returning back home to Tanzania for my university education and even when I started working I did notice I had a bit of an advantage because of that experience. I was also very lucky to get my first job two weeks after my final university exam and it was in banking. That is why I never worked in a law firm.
What can be the real challenges while establishing a career in the field of law?
Law is very wide as you know. There are many branches of law and areas of practice. One of the challenges faced by many young lawyers is choosing an area of practice as well as whether to work in-house or in a law firm. It’s very important early on to decide your niche and start investing more in it. Trying to be a master of all is ending up being a master of none. When it comes to deciding where to work, it’s another challenge.
For most law graduates, the first that comes to mind is work in a Law firm, but they quickly realise how tough it is to make it in a firm. This brings confusion because throughout law school (at least where I come from) the lecturers prepare you for a career in a Law firm. But the world is different so you start struggling because you are not sure of where else you fit. We are rarely told of the option to work in-house. It took me a while to understand that I could have an in house career and still get my practising license.
What responsibilities do companies have under the GDPR?
Companies have a lot of responsibilities under the GDPR. I can’t go into details listing everything that a company need to comply with but it all comes down to accountability.
Accountability to itself, its employees, its customers, the general public and the territories in which they operate their businesses. Companies are held accountable under the law for how they govern personal data. So that means from the moment they collect it to the moment it’s destroyed and forgotten.
A company is responsible for making sure the data is secure both materially and physically, only those who need to access have access, it’s accessed and used for only the purposes for which it was obtained, It should never be kept for longer than is necessary and if it was be shared with other companies or sent to another country the proper security measure should be applied.
There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes than what I can describe here, but in a nutshell the above gives you an overview of what the GDPR requires.
As we know, metaverse, NFT’s all are on the rise, but how does it impact our privacy standards and other regulations?
Unfortunately I am not well versed on what is going on as far as Metaverse and NFT’s are concerned since that has not been my area of focus as yet, so I will refrain from assumptions. I can comment what I know in general. There is a lot that is going on with technology and it’s moving very and it’s quite unfortunate that laws will always be reactive because unfortunately laws are always enacted to solve a problem that has already occured.
Legislators will need to relook at our privacy laws and other legal instruments to make sure we uphold people’s right to privacy as these new inventions will have access to even more personal information that has potential to cause more damage than what we see today.
How has been your experience as a Co-Founder and Interim CEO of he Association of Privacy Lawyers in Africa (APLA)
APLA is still very young, we officially launched it end of September this year. There is a lot to be done. It’s hard to describe it, but I will try.
When Igxtelle who had the vision for APLA contacted me and mentioned that she believes that she and I would do great things together, I can tell you for sure APLA was nowhere near what I thought she meant. The vision of APLA is so huge that I am often scared even to try to imagine it, but I feel beyond blessed to be part of it’s inception, and now it’s establishment.
It’s also a huge challenge because nobody has walked this path before us. There are other associations but we all have our uniqueness so working on the organisational structure, setting up everything and managing a team where all of you are new to the tasks, is quite a challenge.
The good thing is I am not leading it alone. I am with all the other 6 founders supporting me step by step so I don’t feel that much pressure yet. I am excited about what the future holds for us and maybe on our 1 year anniversary I will have a different story to tell.
Would you like to give few advices to young legal professionals that worked well for you?
Believe in yourself and focus on your goal until you achieve it, as I always say consistency over perfection. Choose your niche and invest in it academically, professionaly and even in networking. Find a mentor and you can have more than one mentor actually.
Someone you know you can respect and you see where they are is where you would like to be. This cuts down your learning curve significantly.
You can have a mentor to guide your professionally and another to help you with your personal brand/profile. Never underestimate the power of continuous personal development. Whether you are employed, in between jobs or self employed always invest in perfecting your craft, attend networking events and learn from other people’s experiences.
Tell us about yourself – Why did you choose law? If not law, what other career options would you have considered?
Hi, I am Jagriti Sanghi. I am a law graduate of National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi. I am a practising Advocate with 3 years of experience in court/tribunals litigation, dispute resolution and corporate advisory.
My practice areas include civil, criminal, consumer, family disputes, arbitration, mediation, insolvency and contractual matters. I regularly appear for cases in the courts of Telangana and as well as across India.
I have a passion in law, be it any subject. If someone asks me about my area of interest in law, I cannot possibly choose one.
This is because I just love the diversity of subjects from which one gathers immense knowledge. I believe that studying law is an art and it includes various aspects including but not limited to interpreting complex situations, breaking down laws, analyzing judgments, researching precedents, case management and writing simplified Articles/Blogs.
If not law, I would have chosen the path of becoming an Army Officer.
What are the best strategies that work for you while dealing with mediation cases? Tell our audience in detail please
So, mediation is quite different from the conventional adjudicatory process of courts. In mediation, there is complete party autonomy. The parties decide for themselves the outcome of the settlement/mediation process. Unlike court, mediation is not about winning and losing.
It is about reaching an amicable and sustainable solution. A court case takes years and years to be decided finally as parties can go for appeals, revision and so on. As a consequence, the parties expend lot of money, time, energy on it.
Since I know the peculiarities of litigation and court procedures, I always encourage my clients to go for mediation especially in family disputes.
The mediator’s duty is to assist the parties in charting out options and showing them the bigger picture after listening to the perspectives of both sides. The parties have to choose the best option for themselves in order to avoid the wasteful battle.
In a case, I urged the couple to go for mediation rather than jumping into long drawn contested case. The mediation worked as the couple settled their issues such as lump sum maintenance amount, custody of child, division of property amongst other things and filed for a mutual divorce with their consent terms.
There are no best strategies as such for mediation to work out. It is primarily about understanding human psychology and brainstorming viable options for the dispute to be settled peacefully between the parties.
How do you see the unconventional roles in law increasing?
My 10th Standard teacher suggested me not to choose law because she thought I would waste my talent in doing notary or basic clerical work in courts with no income. However, she didn’t know that a lawyer can don many roles.
A law graduate can become a Consultant, Paralegal, Human Resource manager, Jounalist, Faculty, Mediator, Contract Specialist, Insolvency Professional, Content Creators, Labour Relations Manager, Arbitrator and I am sure many more.
There are a variety of alternative career options for lawyers beyond the courts unlike past times.
Being an NLU student, what are the extra-curricular activities one must take advantage of? And do you believe that the law firms discriminate on the basis of NLU and Non-NLU?
At University, I used to often participate in moots, research papers, debates, paper presentation and negotiation/mediation competitions as that kept me engaged. These extra-curricular activities enabled me to think critically and opened my mind to new possibilities of research and legal thinking.
These activities should be opted by any law student irrespective of their University tag.
I have interned with many co-interns who were non-NLU students but were equally or in fact more capable and diligent. At least, the law firms I have interned with have not discriminated on the basis of NLU and Non-NLU tag. Their main focus was on the determination and hard work of the candidates.
How do you define “Thinking Legally”? Please elaborate for our audience.
Thinking legally is nothing but strategizing for my clients to come up with best and effective solutions within the confines of our legal system. It is also about learning to interpret and apply the law to a specific factual matrix of the case.
A lawyer has to approach a case from all angles, cull out material facts, avoid emotional entanglement, question everything, accept grey areas, comprehend the objective of laws, precedents and judicial opinions and anticipate the defense.
This trait comes with practice and experience and obviously cannot be mastered in a day. Thinking legally and differently is an ongoing process for any lawyer.
What was that one learning experience in your entire career trajectory that you’d credit to have shaped your career?
I helped a superannuated employee get a favorable order from the High Court of Telangana for his hard earned retirement benefits. It is when I realized that being an Advocate is truly a service to the public. I am devoted to coming up with best solutions for the interest of my clients.
Do you think that participating in National MUN, National Parliamentary Debate or National Moot Court Competition helps in real litigation or legal field?
Yes, definitely. Moot court competitions helped me in enhancing my oratory skills. It also instilled in me the confidence of drafting, researching and arguing legal points. The best part about moot court is that one has to prepare from both sides. That allows a law student to think critically on each and every point.
Because in real life, you can be approached by a client with a very weak side and you are supposed to do represent your client with the best possible arguments.
These competitions also help us to make friends with students from other Universities. These extracurricular activities enhance drafting, legal knowledge, research, command over the formal language, interpersonal skills, confidence and are always a great learning experience in a law student’s life before actually becoming a professional.
Lastly, is there any suggestion or advice that you’d like to give to our readers?
Do not ponder so much about your future, Have life goals and strive for it but always remember to enjoy it in the moment. Life is short and has many surprises for us.
Just make full use of the opportunities at your disposal in the present. This thought will help you to approach things differently. Good luck!
You have a background in science and were also an All India topper in Physics. How did you decide to choose law as a career? Was it a conscious decision?
I hail from the town of IITians, where a kid of 5th standard trying to decode a complex trigonometry equation is very common, but somebody by choice opting for “law” is still not so popular (it wasn’t at least 16 years back! Things have changed now). Modern physics has always thrilled me, and the atmosphere of the town was the perfect mix for this combo. Having said that, unfortunately I could not imagine my entire life trying to code-decode things or trying to unfold the laws of nature. Rather, I would do something closer or direct to the human side of this (literally).
Corporate law became an came as an option when the first time my dad bought me the prospectus of NLS Bangalore and told me about the concept of this “Harvward of the East”. It just clicked with me instantly, and I achieved the career I was destined to. got the career I was destined to.
You started your career as a Business Lawyer and have solid experience in the same. Can you explain to our readers what working in this area of practice entails? What are some of the choices you would suggest that young professionals should be making to excel at Business law?
To my mind, corporate law has always been one of the most popular choices for any law graduate. Whether it’sits M&A, PE-VC, business taxation or caps market, the offerings in this sector areis endless. Starting from a closely handled VC fund raise for a start up to a multi-billion dollar cross border acquisition, the scale and exposure is limitless here. The charm of closing a big-ticket deal is unmatchable, at the same time it demands a huge level of commitment and time from the practitioners.
Law school and internships provide quite a few opportunities to understand this flavour and to be prepared to an extent before you make a debut in this field. Choosing your honors and optional courses wisely (even if it is not a high scorer subject) and paying utmost attention to the final internships could be helpful for the aspirants.
You have worked with some of the country’s leading corporate lawyers, from AZB, Amarchand, JSA, and the like. Tell us about your journey – the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Every organization has its own charm and pros. I have been fortunate enough to work with some of the leading names in of the industry and receive the kind of mentorship I got from them. The best part of working with these leading names is the kind of exposure and confidence it inculcates in you right from the very beginning. helps in developing since your budding stage.
As far as work experience is considered, it depends upon the person you are working with. It really does not matter whether you are working with a top tier or mid-tier firm. For me, Vaish Associates, AZB and JSA all were all equally good and amazing in terms of level of exposure, mentorship and independence, at the given level of experience.
You have now shifted from a pure M&A, PE/VC transactional background to working as an in-house counsel handling various real estate office assets. How exciting and risky was this transition?
It was a tough switch. Coming from a hardcore transactional background, I had my share of concerns and questions before making this switch. Whereas I was confident about switching to an in-house role and experiencing e the field from the other side, I was not certain about the industry I would like to confine. E-Commerce, Pharmaceutical and Real Estate were my being the top options for sure because of their huge dependency on legal function.
It was, however, my stint with JSA when I got the opportunity to work with some of the leading RE giants and realized the kind of work and options they have. Working on the Prestige portfolio acquisition by Blackstone, was the turning point of my career and it made the choice very easy.
After specifying more than a year on this side of the table, I can certainly say that the exposure, diversity and challenges of working in a Real Estate sector and Fund business, is unimaginable. I was actually scared of to getting trapped in a monotonous in-house work culture, but the fact is actually quite opposite of this. Every day is a new challenge here and at times I miss the flat days of work curve in a law firm!
Could you take us through a typical day in your life? Is it possible to carve out time for your other interests or hobbies given your hectic schedule as an in-house counsel?
For me work-life balance is really very important and something I strongly stand for. As a corporate lawyer, we know our jobs and the stakes involved. When required none of us would shy away from giving all nighters or working on 20 deals at a time. But that should not be your routine. You need to have a balanced life and a healthy routine. I agree that there is no substitute for hard work, There is no substitute for hard work, I agree, but there is no substitute for you as well in your family. Giving time to your family, socializing when possible and taking out (whatever left) time for your personal hobbies is very important.
For me, yes, I still work for 12-15 hours minimum per day. But, whenever possible I try to spend time with family, spare some time to paint and get back to my canvas. , and I am dying to wait for the normal world to return so that I could travel again! I don’t want to compromise on any of these things.
You have written more than 40 articles and paper presentations in various reputed journals. How has writing contributed to your career? How important do you feel excelling at research and writing is for Law students? Any advice to them on publications?
Writing articles is a great way to learn and showcase your skills, provided it is on the relevant topics. Law is all about interpretation and drafting, and a good article certainly reflects these two skills of the author. To me, it is a passion- Writing on topics of grey interpretations, gaps in law and new exciting announcements by the authorities. Unfortunately, I do not have much time now. But whenever possible, it’s worth sparing some time for this.
You are always looking for new opportunities and don’t mind taking the plunge. What skills do you think you have that helped you to pull this off? How are you able to learn new skills this fast?
Stability is crucial, at the same time taking risks at times is equally important. As I said, I consider myself fortunate enough to learn from the great legal minds of the industry and with that kind of solid base, I never felt it difficult or even uneasy to pick up a new practice area, sector or a kind of organization. Moreover, it’s about continuous learning and reading, which as corporate lawyers I do not think we can skip at any moment or atin any stage of our career.
Finally, a word of advice for law students and graduates who want to have a successful career in corporate law.
My two cents on this..
(i) Internships are really very important. Take them seriously.
(ii) In the senior versus organization doubt, always choose the senior. No place is good or bad, it’s just the people you work with whowhich shapes the work culture of a place and ultimately your quality of life;
(iii) There is no substitute to hard work and long hours for a corporate lawyer. Try and invest these long hours rather than just spending those.
(iv) Initial 4-5 years’ experience is critical. Gain it. With a solid base, there is no limit in the corporate law world.
(v) Once you gain that position, do not shy away from taking risks or settle for anything unworthy!
How would you describe your job and yourself to a ten year old?
I would explain to him that I advise people to be aware of their decisions and actions. People must be aware of the consequences of these decisions and actions. It is an important job because I advise people how to treat each other on the basis of laws and regulations. Without my job, people might take the wrong decisions and/or do things that negatively affect their lives or others’ lives.
Why does corporate law attract so much attention? What makes it so unique?
In my opinion, corporate law has gained more attention in recent years because of the nature of human relations. People tend to gather because they need each other. This is the same for businesses, as people organise themselves to enter markets together. People need corporate law to ORGANISE themselves and interact with each other regarding their business.
Corporate law is challenging because it is complicated and needs clever attorneys to deal with its complexity. This tempts attorneys to enter this field to prove their capabilities.
In addition to what has been mentioned, corporate law pays well. This might be a reasonable explanation for why corporate law is becoming more popular with legal professionals.
What makes corporate law unique is the fact that it has a wide range and scope. It begins with the entity from the moment of its creation and even before that in some cases. It covers so many areas, such as investor interests, company management, managing the interests of people associated with the company and compliance with legal formalities.
As for professionals working in international law cases, they often say that the cases they’ve come across are quite complex; what’s your take on this?
That’s true. As a legal professional who deals with cross border law cases, in most cases I have to deal with multiple laws, which may indicate differences in the legal interpretation and/or application of such laws. Not to mention the interpretation of the words in the laws themselves.
The differences in legal terms, culture, procedures in international law cases and the multi-jurisdictions that may apply to just one international case make it challenging for me and for other international legal professionals.
Managing the expectations of an international client means another level of difficulty. You must always be accessible to your client, but, due to differences in time zones, you may not be able to answer the client immediately.
What I usually do if this happens and I cannot answer the client immediately, is that I send him a message or a confirmation that I have received his messages or emails and indicate that I will reply to him as soon as possible.
Other aspects that may contribute to the complexity of international law cases are the need for travel outside your country, translations, shipping and receiving international couriers, discoveries, and the procedures of tribunals/courts.
In international organisations and international public law, things tend to be easier, because my work with these clients does not normally require litigation. Usually, I have to prepare international agreements between international organisations and other actors in the area of public international law or offer public international law actors my legal opinion.
Having said that, I want to add that I love to work internationally, despite all the complexities and difficulties associated with international cases, because it really gives you an opportunity to show your skills and capabilities and challenge yourself.
What can be the challenges working in the field of law?
Handling the workload, finding a balance between work and your private life, making good connections, showcasing yourself and your work, and keeping up with the latest advancements and technology may also be challenging, but a key to success at the same time.
What is the difference between legal content and legal writing? How can professionals work on both sides to improve their game?
Well, this is a very important question. Indeed, legal content is different from legal writing in many ways. One of them is that the audience is different for each, as follows:
The audience in legal content: When you write legal content, you have to bear in mind that your audience are often people who know little about the law. You have to explain things clearly, to make sure that they understand what you want to say. You should not use abbreviations or complicated legal terms, nor refer to case law or other external court documents and verdicts that may confuse your audience. Keep it simple.
The audience in legal writing: Your audience here are specialised legal professionals. You have to be totally professional, adhering to a specific writing structure, such as IRAC and/or using writing styles such as the ‘Blue Book’. Use legal terms with these audience and of course you have to refer to case law or legislation to prove your point.
The goals and objectives are also different in each case. The main goals with legal content are raising awareness, marketing and building up your client base, and/or sharing thoughts regarding legal issue, while the main goals and objectives with legal writing are to address a legal issue in a scientific and professional way, to explain and prove your points regarding legal issues, and/or abiding with the formalities that are required in court.
Having clarified some important differences between legal content and legal writing, I want to emphasise that it is highly recommended for legal content to be written by an attorney, a legal professional or at least someone who has a legal education or background. The reasons for this are the following:
Protecting your brand and reputation: Legal content contains legal information, so imagine if someone who knows nothing about legal content writes something that contains false or outdated legal information!
If this happens, your credibility and reputation will be ruined and people will not trust your advice anymore. Beware of this please and do not make such a mistake.
Being responsible: It is true that providing legal content to the public doesn’t constitute an attorney-client relationship nor an attorney-client privilege, but you are morally responsible for the content. This content may be used as a reference or it may influence someone’s decisions or actions. Thus, it needs to be written by an attorney, a legal professional or at least they must review it very carefully before its publication.
Preparing legal content is not an easy job. Searching through legal documents, laws, legislation and case law is hard work and requires a high level of legal education. Search engines dedicated to the law, such as Westlaw, LexisNexis and others, are vital when it comes to legal searches, and unfortunately it is very difficult for non-legal professionals to use these engines properly.
So, it is highly recommended, if not a must, that legal content be written by an attorney, legal professional or at least someone with a legal education or background.
What was your topic of research for your LLM [Master of Laws]? What prompted you to undertake that topic for your research?
I did my LLM in International Law at the College of Law, Stetson University in the USA. The title of the research paper was ‘Ensuring Respect for International Humanitarian Law: Appointing Legal Advisors to Commanders in the Armed Forces’.
I decided to research this topic because I believe that legal advisors can play a vital role in times of both peace and war. In my opinion, everyone needs a legal advisor to help him/her take the right decisions and actions; thus, access to legal aid should always be one of our human rights.
What would your parting message be to all these young budding lawyers?
It was nice talking to you and I would like to tell you guys that you should believe in yourselves, be proud of being lawyers, and do not forget to give back by pro bono or in any way you can.
Is law something you were inclined to pursue, and why did you decide to pursue it?
While growing up, I aspired to become a couple of things, but law never crossed my mind. Pursuing law was never part of my plan. While pursuing Commerce in senior secondary I had Business Studies as a subject wherein for the first time I came across partnership law. I found it quite interesting. After that, I went on to pursue B. Com where I had Company Law, tax laws, partnership laws as some of subjects.
My interest in law increased but it was limited only to commercial aspects of law. After that I decided to pursue Bachelors in Law (LL.B).
What was your Law School journey like?
I pursued my LL.B from Campus Law centre, Faculty of law, (Law Fac) University of Delhi. It was a whole different world. There were students from all walks of life.
From struggling to attend morning classes to exploring nearby food joints, from having most crucial legal discussions over tea to attending fests across DU, my college life at law faculty is very integral to what I am today.
After my LL.B I pursued my LL.M from the Indian Law Institute. The culture at ILI was completely different from Law Fac. Multiple assignments, presentations, Wednesday seminars and daily class work kept me on my toes. It required a lot of hard work and smart work.
I can proudly say that ILI has prepared to be calm in most stressful situations. I remember one of our professors would send a 100-150 pages article at 5:00 in the evening and we had to read it, analyse, and make comments for the early his morning classes.
Little did I know how important a life skill he was teaching us. Today, when I have stressful work situations, I stay calm, and I have the confidence that I can do it within the limited time frame.
I pursued my second master’s degree in International Business Law (IBL) from University of Helsinki (UH). The college culture was nothing like my previous educational institutions. However, when I got admission, it was the COVID period, and all my classes were held online. I had a 9-month-old when I started my LL.M at UH.
It was a challenging phase, not getting enough sleep at night, waking up preparing meals and attending early morning classes. There were times when
I would switch of Zoom camera during the lectures, feed my daughter during the class holding her head from one hand and making class notes from another. But the study culture in at DU and ILI had prepared me well enough to cover maximum syllabus in a short span, filter through huge study material and find important points and trained me well in writing answers. I participated in multiple events organised by the University and the Student Wing of Lawyer’s Union.
Kindly brief us about your initial struggles in the beginning of your professional career.
My career struggles are two folds, the first one was in India and the second in Finland. I am the first lawyer in my family. My parents were unsure of the choice of my career but have always been supportive even when they had practical doubts.
The struggles for the pioneers of legal profession in a family are quite real, especially when you are a woman. However, I was fortunate that there were online platforms where job advertisements for junior positions were posted. I got the opportunity work with and learn from Supreme Court Lawyer Adv(DR.) A.K Gautam. Once you gain a bit of experience, learn your craft then the legal fraternity is open, and you can explore your professional options.
When I moved to Finland, my Indian experience and education was not of much use while looking for a job. I could not even get a trainee position. It was a difficult and that made me take the decision of pursuing my second LL.M.
While pursuing LL.M I realized that knowing the language was quintessential to legal roles. I saw Data Privacy as an area where I believed and assumed that most work would be done in English as Data flow is transnational. I developed an interest in the area as well.
I found a trainee position after being rejected by almost 20 places. Good things take time; I found a trainee position in one of the biggest MNC in Finland and that experience helped my professional journey. However, it’s not that easy, I still feel the need to learn Finnish language as without it I am restricted in my career growth.
If a contract is in local language, my merits are of limited use there. I also understood that as an immigrant I need to work way more than a local. Since I had charted my way into privacy, I decided to be part of International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) and applied to be part of IAPP Helsinki Knowledge Net Chapter.
I am a Young Privacy Professional (YPP) with the Helsinki Chapter. There is a lot more to be done and miles before I go to sleep.
Tell us about your current role and how do you plan your day?
I am a Privacy Specialist working with Tietoevry Finland. My job involves ensuring privacy and GDPR compliance withing the workstream I work. It involves reviewing commercial contracts, analysing the need for Data Processing Agreements, making impact assessments, and negotiating with clients in matter related to privacy. In short, I deal with the aftermath of Schrems 2 judgement.
I am very structured in my approach. I like to have a clear idea of things I am supposed to do, and I prioritize my cases depending on deadlines, the billing from client etc. I have developed a system to do my work and I like documenting things for future review. My calendars are well maintained and are up to date. I reserve around 15 hours weekly for working alone, around 12 hours go into meetings and rest is for contingencies and writing mails. However, there is no rigid rule, and each day looks different depending upon the need of the hour.
I like to maintain a balanced approach in my work life and personal life. My work hours begin around 7:30 in the morning and I like to end my day by 15-15:30 in the afternoon. I start early so that I can have the whole of evening to spend with my daughter. I reserve 1 hour after dinner to read about new legislations or cases coming in the privacy arena or anything that interests me.
What’s your take on privacy regulations in India? We have seen many industries violating the rules during covid specifically in India, what improvements do you suggest?
In India, Right to Privacy is an integral part of Right to Life and personal liberty under Art. 21 of the Constitution. It includes rights to erasure, right to be forgotten etc.
However, a law strictly dealing with protection of personal data, ensuring proper compliance by companies processing personal data, and tackling the issues in modern digital world. is much needed. The Personal Data Bill 2019 has been withdrawn and as many as 80 changes were suggested in the Bill. Protecting personal data should be the prioritized specially when Data is the new Oil.
The Bill has many lacunas, there were criticism from many well versed in the area. My suggestion would be to have a Bill that focuses on protecting Individual’s personal data with a balanced approach towards the controllers and processors.
Do you think AI and Legal Tech can pose some challenges as well with a bunch of benefits in the legal industry? If yes, please share the same with our audience.
Legal tech and AI are in their growing field, there is much that is unknown. There are developments in AI every day. Witnessing formation of a new law can be challenging and full of opportunities. There has been a surge in demand for tech lawyers, legal professionals specialized in privacy laws and cyber security. I believe professionally growth in AI and Legal tech offers an opportunity of employment and growth.
Were there any specific roadmap or strategies that led you to success in law, or it was all unplanned right from the beginning.
During my LL.M in IBL I opted for Information Law as a subject and that is when I decided to take more optional courses in the area of privacy. I also figured that in the privacy sphere most work will be done in English and not Finnish. And after I was sure about my career path, I planned my growth parameters, being part of IAPP was one of them.
I felt that being an immigrant with no or little professional network, networking is what was needed, IAPP events provided an opportunity to network with other privacy professionals and their bulletin kept me aware of latest developments.
I stepped out of comfort zone and reached out to alums of IBL course asked for their advice on how and where to apply, attended multiple mentorship programs, CV and cover letter writing sessions held by top consulting firms, lawyers working as in house legal counsel, privacy counsels and privacy specialists.
I had to start from scratch all over again and this time it was more difficult as I was not in my country, I did not speak or understand the language spoken in the country I am residing.
According to your experience, what specific observations one must make while reviewing the commercial agreements and contracts that too according to the GDPR compliance?
The first thing you must see are the signing parties, if both are in EU, then check if the client has entities outside EU/EEA, what are the sub processors being used by the client to process your organisation’s personal data, what kind of data is being processed, why is the data being processed, what is the category of data subjects, is sensitive data being processed, are global cloud service providers involved, where are the data centres, what are the additional security measures listed.
Once you have answer to these questions, see if there is transfer outside EU/EEA, then an SCC would be required except for adequate countries. Once it has been reviewed legally, ensure to collaborate with your privacy manger to check the privacy measures taken by the client.
Lastly, as a woman in law, what would your advice be for the upcoming female legalprofessionals?
There is nothing women cannot do; they might be restricted because of their circumstances but they surely can achieve anything the set their eyes on.
Hard work pays off and from one woman to another, if I can do it, so can you!
Ask for help and advice when needed and empowered women around you will guide and empower you!
What was your “slam-book career aim”? How well did it go?
What I will call my “slam-book career aim” was a really hopeful one. It was clearly to be a lawyer at a time and later to become the chief justice of Nigeria. As this career aim would suggest, I was an audacious child- thinking I could be anything with little regard to the humongous amount of efforts that great attainments require.
It is going well- not easy as thought but even more accomplishing, with supports and relentless efforts. I have now become a lawyer and probably will one day become the chief justice of Nigeria. Although the realities of the Nigerian judiciary reduce its attraction.
You are a young generation lawyer; you must have enjoyed your graduation. Would you like to share any “funny-legal” memories of student life?
Indeed, I made beautiful memories and enjoyed school and graduation. I was a frequent participant in moot and mock competitions and professional student activities, so I recall several “funny-legal” memories. To point to an interesting one was my time as the Chief Justice of Students in University of Ilorin during my undergraduate days- we would engage in serious court sessions where student lawyers will present serious arguments in the student court which I presided over- it was a serious business which greatly impacted on students lives on campus- looking back the best description for it is “funny-legal” memory.
I live to relish the memory, it makes me laugh upon reminiscence and realize my endearment of the legal profession and analytical arguments, presentation and adjudication since early university years. I was participating in these activities for reasons I could not exactly point to, it is interesting, how the reasons and justifications for events become clear after the events.
How has been your experience thus far working as a technology lawyer and how do you see it evolving further?
The practice of technology law is immersive. Technology law is by far the fastest-paced aspects of law- given the non-stop innovative advancements in the technology space- which the law continuously strive to keep up with. My experience has been eye-opening. On an high level, through my experiences at G. Elias, I have been able to interact with the laws on different level both as a solicitor and barrister- learning directly from advising and representing mainstream companies across different sectors in highly significant transactions and disputes. The role of a lawyer is delicate and demanding.
The amount of dedicated hours required for work and amount of caution required to ensure that no stone is left uncovered and nothing is amiss in assisting the client go a long way. Being well abreast of the traditional areas of law, being progressively evolving and familiar with emerging technologies and giving in the required amount of work are the hallmark of an excellent technology law practitioner, especially a young one like myself.
The ever-evolving nature of technology warrants that laws pace faster in innovation and reach. I imagine that in few years, emerging fields and grey areas will become frequented areas of law- the growth and immersion of the blockchain, metaverse, new economies (such as tokens, cryptocurrency and virtual assets) evince this projection. A major challenge however is how far law can in fact regulate technology- giving the superiority of technology in speed and evasion, for instance, the regulation of Big-Tech companies, the policing of cross-border data transfer, jurisdictional conflicts in the metaverse, among many other unresolved aspects.
Can you please briefly explain the idea behind both of your startups, and what are the brownie points one must consider before building any sort of startup?
I have co-founded two fast-growing early-stages start-ups; Droitware (www.droitware.com) and Harib Academy. The co-founding of Droitware was motivated by my first-hand experiences with the several issues that the Nigerian (and Africa) legal justice systems face, especially the problems of (i) justice delay, (ii) incoherent legislations and (iii) database asymmetry. Essentially, Droitware is building technology solutions (including AI-enabled systems) that will sustainably solve the problems in (i), (ii) and (iii).
As for Harib TechLaw Academy, the knowledge gap in technology law-especially in Africa- needs to be savaged. There a number of enthusiasts in technology law among law students and young lawyers, however very few institutions offer any course on relevant areas of technology law or connect adept practitioners of technology law with enthusiasts among students and young lawyers. Harib Academy is dedicated to connects seasoned practitioners with enthusiasts and students and offer free-of-charge certified courses for enthusiasts and students to learn.
According to you, what’s standing in the way of a Legal Tech Boom?
I think LegalTech is booming- not to the extent it should- but there is a boom, an incremental one at that. A comparison of the state of legal practice in the past few years and the present state in most jurisdictions will bear witness. Technological systems are being adapted in law practice and justice deliver in an unprecedented manner, for instance the introduction of electronic evidence, electronic signature, virtual hearings, virtual assistance to judges, legal virtual data bases, among others are clear.
However, the impediment limiting the boom from having a wider reach and exceeding its potentials, may be the non-acceptance and reduced exposure of lawyers to technological advancements. Most laws and practitioners have not been borne off their traditional natures- another flag is the move of startups and innovators towards aspects of technology like FinTech and HealthTech than LegaTech.
We get to see this question a lot of time, “Will AI research tools replace lawyers”? We would like to take Ibrahim’s take on this question.
AI is faster and more accurate, AI research tools will go a long way in assisting lawyers in making lawyering more efficient for lawyers that explore AI tools. However, AI tools cannot exactly replace lawyers- the place of critical thinking, “human lawyering”, traditional wisdom and original human idealization cannot be outrightly outstripped by AI tools in law.
What, in your opinion, could be a social security safety net for lawyers after experiencing various pandemic waves?
The pandemic waves clearly evince that there is no alternative to LegalTechnology- that is the security safety net for lawyers. From a dispute resolution perspective, the adaption of legal technology in some jurisdictions more than others was the mark of efficiency in justice systems- courts in jurisdictions that fastly adapt technology- such as virtual hearings, electronic filings, proctoring, cloud databasing and the rest navigated the pandemic more easily and efficiently.
On the other hand, jurisdictions that have not adapted technology in their justice and dispute resolution systems now battle with backlogs that are straining efficiency in justice delivery.
How important do you consider for lawyers to be tech-savvy?
Not all lawyers will practice technology law- albeit, it is critical that lawyers across all practice fields develop their knowledge of technology- to enable them maximize the ease that technological adaptions is affording lawyers. Also giving how technology now cuts across all the other areas of technology on one hand and on the other hand the essential need of technology in the current roles of lawyers and the use/adoption of the several technology tools for lawyers make it imperative for lawyers to adapt and get familiar with technology.
Lastly, any tips for our readers?
As lawyers, law students and/or general researchers, my parting message will be setting our values rightly in all we do and letting- consistency and identification stay atop of these values. Consistency in our efforts, progress, learnings, advancement and identification of our strength, weakness, interest and calling.
To shortly put in Obama’s words “Values are faithfully applied to the facts before us, while ideologies override whatever facts call theory into question”.
Tell us about yourself-what motivated you to choose law as a career path.
Career of law provides multitudes of opportunities. There is no dearth of opportunities after pursuing law honestly . Advocates don’t retire. I wanted to leave an imprint on my deceased father’s legacy. This motivated me to choose law as a career path.
There is still a cloud of uncertainty regarding the importance of internships as there still are a lot of law students out there who do not pay much heed to internships and practical training. How important do you think internships are to succeed in the legal profession?
Internship and practical training have become an inevitable part of the academic career of law students. In my humble opinion, procedural law like CRPC, CPC could not be well understood without practical training in chambers of an advocate or litigation firm. Process fee, suit valuation, court fees calculation, deposition of witnesses, trial intricacies are such important concepts which a law student cannot understand without practical training. Law students should get training like they become ready to take up cases independently just after graduation.
Everywhere there is a shortage of Court staff, every court is over burdened.Senior Practitioners should be invited as guest faculty in law college.
Every aspiring Criminal law candidate must do an internship with Public Prosecutors available in District Courts who conduct trials daily. Candidates will be able to see how examination of witnesses done in Trial, they will be able to see original police records like charge sheet, FSL Report, depositions of witnesses, Seizure memo, post mortem report. These practical learning can be possible only when candidates are associated. with Public Prosecutors .Candidates will be able to understand where lapses in investigation done by Police and difficulties of Judiciary.
Congratulations on passing the AOR exam in your first attempt, how was the experience for you writing that exam? What preparation or tips would you suggest to our readers?
Thank you . I was determined to Crack AoR exams because I had conviction in my mind that AOR tagg set me apart from other leagues of advocates. Since i came from Bihar to Delhi. I was facing difficulty in getting cases. I could not become a Junior all the time. AoR tagg gives me recognition and a sense of independence. The mantra for my success is consistency.
I used to study daily for AOR exams. I had taken print out of questions papers of previous years questions papers and answered all questions that have been frequently asked . For leading cases, candidates should focus more on understanding the cases. For cracking exams I have some most important tips:
(a) Answer all questions completely.
(b) Handwriting should be legible . For drafting paper don’t make errors in mentioning Order and Rules of Supreme Court Rules/ provisions of laws.
(c) Answer to the point. If you are able to cite Judgments it will help you fetch good marks.
Do you believe that law students must be taught the ground reality of Court procedures along with the theoretical part?
Yes law students must be taught ground realities of court proceedings by Trial Court Advocates. Candidates will be able to understand why there is delay in delivering Justices and huge pendency of cases. A student of today is a practitioner of tomorrow. If they are aware of ground realities , it will help them in solving problems of the system or they will be able to make correct decisions pertaining to their career.How do different approaches of adjudicators help in critical thinking? Do you believe that it helps in understanding cross-cultural overlaps in legal systems?
How do different approaches of adjudicators help in critical thinking? Do you believe that it helps in understanding cross-cultural overlaps in legal systems?
Different adjudicators may have different approaches in dealing with the same case. It certainly helps in understanding cross cultural overlaps in the legal system. Reading orders and Judgments of adjudicators at different levels at ( Original side and appellate side) certainly develop critical thinking.
Do you believe that being related to a family of lawyers helps in this profession?
Being related to a family of lawyers certainly helps in kickstarting your career. But after certain years of career , it’s hard / smart work that will give you name and fame. It’s my experience that when a law student becomes an advocate , nobody easily helps. “Exceptions exist” .
Every other advocate becomes your competitor. Therefore if somebody has advantage of a lawyer in the family , it will certainly help in many ways.
You are quite active on Linkedin and we are guessing that you know the algorithms as well, what’s your mantra of posting content there?
I post knowledge based content on Linkedin. Sometimes the topics and issues are not preplanned. It randomly comes to my mind. While posting , I always think that viewers get some insights from my post. All my posts are natural and originate from honest thinking. Networking is important for Advocates.
And posting on Linkedin is one of the ways that people will recognize you when you cannot advertise.
Would you like to discuss how the startup era opens new opportunities in law for upcoming lawyers?
Every new start up needs a legal consultant. There are compliances of regulatory authority, approval of authority, required to every start up. There will always be opportunities for IPR practitioners, cyber law experts, corporate and commercial law practitioners.
Can one with no proper guidance pave his/her path and succeed in life? How would you like to inspire our readers to be determined and passionate?
There are many things in life which a person learnt from committing mistakes and also after a certain time period. If somebody is getting proper guidance, he/ she may have to struggle less compared to those who don’t have proper guidance. But I won’t say that if anyone has no guidance he/ she will not succeed. We learn many things from observing others. Good association is important .
See, your Job and career are your bread and butter. First stay honest to yourself then only you can be honest to others. Everyone should aspire that I have to learn something new every day.
I used to read the life stories of Dr BR Ambedkar, Nani Palkiwala , Martin Luther King Jr, Mathematician Ramanujam, Nicole Tesla . They leave a great impression on mankind. This helps me to be motivated and passionate to do better in life.
Let us begin with the most important question, did you always dream of becoming a lawyer or, did it happen by chance?
This is a proverbial question, I am a first generation lawyer and it was purely by chance. I guess destiny played a larger role than my desires. I had already thought my path through, I would complete my economic honors and would thereafter do my Masters in Business Administration, but fate had other ideas. My best friend was writing the entrance for national law school of India university and dragged me to write it with her.
My idea to write it was purely to support her. I got in and thereafter my father pushed me to attend the interview as he had heard great things about the university and felt doing a professional course would hold me in better stead.
Therefore I landed in Bangalore fell in love with the city. I passed my interview and was offered a place. It was at that time I looked at the curriculum which is trimester based with multiple subjects and all I could think was I definitely was not going to be bored. Plus the adventure of living on my own and all such factors pushed me to say yes. SO as you can see all the wrong reasons but it led me to the right direction and my calling and I can safely say I love the law, I love what I do, I did find my calling.
Do you feel it is necessary to have a mentor/ guide to handhold a young lawyer in the beginning years of the profession?
Its not a necessity but it is definitely a bonus. Any form of mentorship and guidance in our earlier years does build perspective. When we pass out of our various universities what awaits a new way of life and of course a journey we must chart. However many of us feel quite lost and wonder if decisions made by us are the right ones and sometimes certain decisions does make us wonder “what if”….however when one has a mentor or a guide, the discussion or even somebody as a sounding board enables us to explore our ideas as well as provides us with new perspectives which gives a sense of direction.
When I was co-leading the mentorship vertical of CII-IWN I saw the number of women professionals, entrepreneurs who derived great help from the program, mind you these ladies are all senior professionals, so if they can find the positive for having a mentor and guide think of how much help such a program would do for a budding lawyer.
You have a great experience in labor law matters and IPR issues, what drew you to these fields?
Interestingly IPR chose me rather than the other way round. Which started as a challenging task to clear some historical issues of a department led to me understanding picking up the law and the nuances surrounding it and thereafter I continued to pursue it.
Labor was something I was naturally drawn to due to the complexity and vast nature of law. I enjoyed the thrashing out contractual issues to working around nuances of employer-employee litigation. Labor is an area that has all facets of law in action- compliance, contractual, specific legislation and litigation with a dollop of mediation and settlement. Therefore all these interesting facets kept me engaged and my interest in labor law grew,
Is there any roadmap that a legal professional should follow in order to master it completely?
Never think you have mastered the law….our profession is such we need to constantly learn, the day your desire to learn dies that day you can be assured your tryst with your professional growth also stops. Constant updating, readying, picking up new practices, learning from your peers makes one a better professional. Never fear to ask, we are human we have to accept that our mental capabilities are limited therefore whenever you advice always check before providing the advice and if you do not know learn to accept look it up and then respond with the correct advice.
Even during the times when there was a complete lock down and there was Work from Home, there were still cases being discovered where sexual harassment was observed, what are the main reasons of these acts? And how can it be further improved?
Sexual Harassment reached some of its highest rates because of use of the digital technology at work. The use of phones and laptops, and communication through whats app, telegram and social media enabled many to shed their inner inhibitions and routine demean-ours and exploit the ubiquitous nature of the virtual world and commit acts which the person might not do if in the physical world.
This led many to cross lines and to use their virtual self to commit the very acts they might have desired to commit in the physical world but never attempted due to certain fears. Any manner of bringing down sexual violation of another individual can only happen at grassroots level, sensitization needs to take place at school levels and we need to bring up our children to respect one another then there might be some change…
Other than that if we are to speak legally I would say greater enforcement of our laws.
While we take proactive steps of bringing new laws and policies equally important is the need to see that the same has an eco- system that enables its implementation, an implementation, which will make the majority to think thirty times before attempting any act.
How do you see the IT industry creating more developments in future and to what extent it can help the legal fraternity?
AI and ML is the next big thing. Digitization is the new era, therefore legal fraternity will require to jump on board this new digital wave and such new technologies will definitely reduce time in execution of tasks, whether it is in research, contract or litigation.
I thin even the present hybrid mode has enabled more time, flexibility and ability among our legal fraternity and this is just the beginning.
Innovation will very soon bring on versatility and time to be juxtaposed enabling lawyers to actually do more than the present structure of advisory and litigation, am waiting for that change.
How do you maintain a work-life balance in your profession and would you mind sharing an example of a typical working day?
Time management and prioritization are my key tool. There are 24 hours in a day. I am not much of a sleeper, 5 hours is good number of hours for me to be refreshed therefore I work in cycles. My early morning 6 am goes towards reading my newspapers. 6-8 am thereafter is to get my boys to school . 8-9.30 am is more for breakfast and catching up on whats in store for the day.
Mornings I mainly do meetings and networking, my legal work depending on the load I accomplish it through the day .
Between 6-9 I am usually again with my families and depending upon my work load I tackle the work at night. I try to read or watch TV at least for 1 hur to unwind.
Typically I try not to keep things for the next day except for transactions as it has its own course, but I also learn to listen to my body and if I cant do something I start fresh the next day. For me the aspect of balancing comes in because I don’t compartmentalize my time and I use every bit of my day to achieve both work and life.
You’ve accomplished so much in your profession in such a short amount of time; however, given the nature of the legal profession, are you able to carve out time for your other interests or hobbies?
I love cooking and reading, travelling is another personal favorite and of course eating somehow I do try and find some time not as much as I would like to, but a Sunday I do try my hands at new things, something about baking calms my stress levels. In fact earlier on in my career every Sunday was dedicated to baking now its difficult, but once in a while do indulge in it.
I think one must take some time out in order to avoid burn out, it can be something small or a specific week, but something for oneself if we try and do resentment towards extra work as well as situations are far less.
What would be your parting message to our readers and the young budding lawyers?
There is no substitute for hard work, but more importantly always remember that if we are good to others then life has a strange way for that all to come back and good things to happen. Therefore respect your peers, respect your juniors as much your seniors, always look towards new avenues and never fear from challenges. Entire life is about choices and our choices define our journey, therefore never regret your choices go with them appreciate them the good from the bad whatever it might be, you will then find things always have a way to work its upside to you. Wishing each one of your unique abundant journey.
