Let’s start from the beginning – What prompted you to choose law?
I still don’t know what triggered me to choose law. Somehow I never even imagined about pursuing a career in any other profession. I always wanted to be a lawyer.
Was choosing law came naturally or it felt easy to adapt?
It was certainly not easy to adapt to it, definitely not when you choose to join litigation as a profession. It is the most difficult path to choose as a Law Graduate. At the same time, it’s the most interesting and fascinating one as well. Every day you learn something new irrespective of how many years you have been practicing for.
What can be the real challenges while establishing a career in the field of law?
There are way too many to list them out. However, I believe in just one mantra. The path is very difficult and you will get many reasons to quit. Both work and money won’t come for years. Just hold on and keep moving. A career as an advocate won’t be made overnight.
How do you manage a balance between appearing before different tribunals? How do you plan all that?
I have always believed, ever since my days in Law School that Tribunals are the most important part of our judicial system. They are headed by experts in law and believe in imparting speedy justice. The ease with which Tribunals in this country function helps me in managing my work.
Could you please shed some light on “Personal Laws” so that our audience can understand that better?
Broadly speaking, Personal Laws govern those aspects of our life that come under the wide umbrella of Freedom of Religion under Article 25 to 28 of the Constitution, for instance, laws relating to marriage, divorce, maintenance, succession, etc.
These are those aspects of our lives that are governed by the religion one follows. Hindus, Muslims, Christians…all have different rules and a person belonging to any of these sects must adhere to these rules. The Constitution of our country grants protection to them provided they are not against the rules and limitations provided therein.
Please share some insights on your Book “The Defective Sex Law of India”.
The Defective Sex Law of India is my first book that was published in 2018. It is a detailed criticism of the criminal laws governing sexual relations in India viz., the law punishing Rape under the IPC,
the erstwhile Section 377 that criminalized homosexuality, the provisions under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 and the provisions under the Evidence Act and the CrPC. The Book is available on Amazon.
According to you, what necessary changes have to be made in women’s laws?
All the women laws in India find their roots in Article 15(3) of the Constitution that gives Parliament the power to make special laws for women. The provision talks about protective discrimination and protects the interests of women and children. Because of this provision in law we have seen some path-breaking changes in the conditions of women in India society that have been devastating ever since.
However, today we are witnessing that these laws that are made to protect women are in turn being used as a weapon to harass and extort people. False cases are rising and the judiciary is finding it very difficult to cope with them because of the loopholes in these laws. These loopholes have to be filled and the laws that are meant to protect women cannot be used as a weapon to harass anybody. It is the legislature that has to step in and amend these laws in a way that the true spirit of Article 15(3), Article 14 and the Preamble is protected.
What is your life mantra to work stress-free?
Stop bothering yourself about the future and stop lamenting about the past. Live in the present and give your best in what you do. Success or failure is not in your hands.
Whether you succeed or fail, keep moving. Either way, it’s not the end of the tunnel. The road of your legal career is very long, precisely why a lawyer never retires. Keep moving.
Any last piece of advice that you would like to give to the upcoming generation of legal professionals?
Be patient. Success comes late for a lawyer. Most probably you’ll get the tag of a ‘successful lawyer’ when your hair are grey and your body has started to give up. Till then be ready to face criticism from your seniors to colleagues to judges to court staff and even family and friends. The only person who needs to believe in you is “YOURSELF“
Is law something you are inclined to pursue, and why did you decide to pursue it?
I was always interested in two subjects, law and psychology. It was always either of the two that I wanted to pursue but I had no interest in mathematics or theoretical science as much as I was interested in law. I decided to pursue law because I have always been inclined towards giving to people, have always been an active listener and loved reading since childhood. Just being in the library and going through different books gave me the most special and unique feeling. In those moments I knew that I didn’t want to be anything else but a lawyer.
Taking into consideration that you are a third generation lawyer, did you overcome any difficulties or was it a completely easy sail for you?
It is a huge misconception that if you are a second or third generation lawyer then it’s easier for you. It’s definitely not because I still had to understand and figure out why I was doing law and how I wanted to make it in this cut throat profession.
My father and grandfather have been into litigation but I never saw myself doing litigation. I started my internship journey with the National Commission for Women and my interest was initially in legal writing and research which led me to join the law chambers of an AOR at the Supreme Court of India. It’s an interesting story that I landed up at his office because of the quality of my work and networking in my first job. I never asked my family for any professional support.
My choices have been very different from previous two generations and I have been building a network of my own which is now growing beyond Asia. I still don’t know any of my dad’s lawyer friends, never went out for meetings with him or had mutual connections. Seeing my previous generations being respected as a lawyer might have sparked the passion to be a lawyer, but I worked very hard on cultivating the discipline and vision to expand beyond what was already done. It is surprising that most of my dad’s professional network don’t even know that I am a lawyer even today.
What importance does legal writing hold in the industry right now and how can one excel in it? Please describe that for our audience
I think legal writing is the backbone of the legal profession. Top lawyers around the world are known for their legal writing skills. These skills should be continuously developed through continuous reading and writing. Legal writing should be three things in my experience which is clear, concise and conscious.
Mentoring professionals in the industry is not an easy task for sure, how critical is that for anyone in the legal field specifically?
I started mentoring students after I cleared the UGC NET exam and suddenly the pandemic happened. At that time I wanted to discover my hand at teaching and somehow mentoring happening by accident. While I was teaching students I saw that most students are highly capable to be great lawyers but they lack the right mentorship. I used to end up mentoring them more than teaching.
This made me realize the gap that exists between getting into law school to getting your career established. Currently, I am mentoring a student based in Dubai who is in 2nd year of law school. She didn’t know why she was doing law and if she really wanted to be a lawyer or was just getting a degree. As her mentoring is going, she has discovered the subjects she likes, and has understood the path she wants to take in the legal career. I think we as a society, do undermine the value of expert guidance and how much time and energy it can save.
Emotional Intelligence is still a considerable soft skill to have in life, but the question here is, how can one implement that in a short span like you did?
One just needs to have a humanistic approach towards practicing law. Whenever a client approaches me I make sure I make them feel understood and listen to their problem actively. The key is not to just show legal skills to clients but to walk a mile in their shoes and provide a legal resolution. My journey of working with clients from different continents have shown that despite different nationalities, each one is human and we as lawyers need to embrace the humanistic side of law. A little act of empathy towards the client goes a long way in building a strong professional relationship.
How did Lawsikho courses help you in the legal journey that too in the US and UAE?
The consistent support from the LawSikho freelance team has been a treasure in my international legal career. I developed my Contract Drafting skills with the US Contract Drafting and Paralegal Course with LawSikho during the pandemic when I was emotionally exhausted given the covid outbreak like everyone else and I didn’t know how to further my legal career despite coming from top universities and clearing UGC NET exam. With classes at LawSikho and freelancing sessions each week, I dedicated myself to the process. Slowly I started gaining confidence in myself again which led me to work with clients across the USA, UK, UAE, Europe, Australia, Taiwan, among many other nations.
Struggles of corporate often go unsaid, kindly describe the initial hard moments you had and how one can overcome them significantly?
Corporate world is highly competitive and fast-paced and it is not easy to stand out, especially if you want to work internationally. I found myself working tirelessly among lawyers who were more and still are more experienced in their legal journey but the key has been to find out my unique skill set and hold my ground. You have to be your own friend in this process, have immense trust in yourself.
I kept working on my contract drafting skills in different areas of law, I still do and it’s continuous work. I have spent sleepless nights just researching new areas of laws and made sure that each time any new client comes to me I raise my bar of providing the best services. It involves a lot of attention to detail, developing excellent communication with clients, and sometimes even making yourself available at odd hours and holidays.
Please tell us the idea behind Gavel Speaks?
Gavel Speaks is a boutique law firm driven by emotional intelligence and empathy towards clients. It involves cross-border and intra-border transactional work among other areas of law including employment law, entertainment law, handling USA pro se cases, pre-litigation support, case management among other services. The aim is to be that one legal friend for our client which they want to have in their circle to go to for advice simply because they can trust that advice. We want to change the way the world looks at lawyers and legal systems by humanizing the legal services.
Finally, with so many experiences that you have gathered so early on in your career, what would your advice be for the up and coming legal professionals?
One major advice I give all my mentees and juniors is that choose law only because you want to and not because it sounds good or to earn a degree. It is one of the most noble professions and it demands honesty and immense hard work. Currently, the opportunities are opening up like never before in the legal profession with arenas like NFTs, Metaverse, Web 3.0 etc, it is time to explore your options.
Don’t choose a path within law just because of its power or position, choose what you can devote life to and feel passionate about. To end with a quote here, “The law is a jealous mistress and requires long and constant courtship. It is not to be won by trifling favors, but by lavish homage.”
It is said that the best moments happen when they are unplanned. How true do you find this axiom? Do you anyhow relate to it considering that you were a Science student and had never intended to take law as a career?
Absolutely, I think my professional journey stands testimony to it – whether it be competing in my first moot competition (Alfred Deakin International Commercial Arbitration Moot) in my final year or bagging the Herbert Smith Freehills vacation scheme prior to that.
My journey from Sanskriti School to Jindal Global Law School was similar. Having been brought up in a family, surrounded by professionals from the armed forces, engineering and medical background, law was never on my radar.
After preparing for engineering entrances for three years, I realized I was not passionate towards the field, although I had secured multiple admissions in the field of engineering, commerce and mathematics.
The decision to enroll into law school was guided by, first, taking a deep look within, and then being mentored by my educationist and career counsellor mother.
The legacy of my grandfather, a practicing lawyer (alumni of CLC) prior to joining army under the emergency commission, and great grandfather, a leading criminal lawyer/magistrate turned politician (alumni of Law College, Lahore) were definite motivators. In hindsight, studying science until college helped me imbibe a scientific temperament to which I owe my analytical skills, attention to detail and general problem-solving approach.
The curiosity of a science student drives my interest in the sociological and jurisprudential study of law and understanding the ‘why’ behind concepts.
You happen to specialize in Mergers & Acquisitions, Investments, and Private Equity Transactions. Can you tell us a bit as to what prompted you towards this field of law? When did you realise that you wanted to specialize in M&A?
It might surprise you to know that I undertook 16 internships during law school (which allowed me to understand almost all practice areas and work undertaken by corporate lawyers), apart from 2 TAships, 3 RAships and auditing specialized courses (taught by legal doyens like Prof. MP Singh, Sr Adv Ravi Sikri, Ms. Aparna Mehra). Further, being the editor for an interdisciplinary research blog and journal and being part of the college placement team throughout exposed me to a mix of work experience, course work and undertaking research in the field.
What definitely interested me was the internship at CAM, where I assisted with due diligence and research for the mergers of public sector banks.
My interest in corporate law grew while studying the Securities & Regulation elective course wherein we drafted a DRHP and I further found my area of specialization during the course on venture capital transactions, taught by Mr. Siddharth Nair, partner at SAM.
Apart from this, I have actively participated in international mediation competitions which mostly have commercial and cross-jurisdictional disputes case studies – these have trained me to understand the interests of different parties and prepared me for client-facing work.
Additionally, connecting and discussing with corporate lawyers from Europe and USA, regarding their work/transactions fueled my interest, and mentally prepared me for the hours which come with the job.
You also happen to have dealt with some high-profile transactions as well. Not many lawyers can achieve this feat so early on in their career, let alone women lawyers. What was the story behind your success? Did you have to face any kind of stereotypical struggles and if you did, how did you overcome them?
In my opinion true gender equity in the Indian scenario is still a long way off – whether it be the higher judiciary, appointment of senior advocates or partnerships at law firms. Having strong leaders who support women’s careers and provide equal opportunity to them contributes a lot to bringing more women into the profession. I feel I am truly blessed to have been mentored by brilliant lawyers, wherein AOR Manisha Karia offered me my first internship and placed her trust in a first-year law student, while Sr Adv Aishwarya Bhati, ASG of India, took special interest in building a strong conceptual foundation for me during my internship, they have been a huge guiding force in my career.
As compared to litigation, law firms see a much higher female workforce participation. In most part, this is attributable to the strong leadership at law firms which have nurtured an equitable work environment for women to succeed. At SAM, it is Shardul Shroff Sir and Pallavi Shroff Ma’am. My own team, led by Ms. Puja Sondhi, is female-dominated across the echelons.
The team provides exceptional exposure in terms of venture capital transactions to its associates, having advised on numerous investments into unicorns in the past years. This has allowed me to learn a great deal through various transactions and through the commitment of my seniors to pay particular attention to their juniors’ growth and learning through continuous training and feedback.
You have made a name in the international ADR circuit for yourself which is quite a distinguished honor so early on and you are also a founder of a dispute resolution organization, Sankalp. Can you tell us about your journey and your organization?
I trained as a civil and commercial mediator in my first year itself with ADR ODR International. The next year I took it upon myself to learn and improve my skills further by working with Dr. Claudia Winkler at The Negotiation Academy, Vienna for 2 years. During this time, I also participated in multiple national and international competitions including CDRC Vienna and ICC Paris. Over the years I have continued to mentor and still regularly train Indian and International teams both for national and international competitions. I feel privileged to have been invited to judge at international competitions (even as a young law student among a distinguished panel of judges at INADR Georgia and Transatlantic Negotiation Competition by Syracuse University and as a mentor for the maiden mediation training program in Sri Lanka).
Through such opportunities and having participated in Global Negotiation Conference, I have built a network of friends and colleagues across borders who work in various capacities as political negotiators, corporate lawyers, mediators, et al. The positive support I received from the international community in my endeavors inspired me to expand this community to include more law students and young professionals from across borders to facilitate mentorship relationships with experienced professionals.
Hence, Thomas John and I founded Sankalp – The Dispute Resolution Organization, which has already garnered support of many professionals and students alike across continents. We are earnestly working towards its growth and collaborating with businesses, institutions and organizations. Our aim is to make business processes more efficient and cost-effective through increased utilization of negotiation and third-party neutrals.
You worked in Kailash Satyarthi’s organisation and accompanied in their training and child labour raids as well. What was your experience like during such work? And does pro bono work add value to a professional’s life?
I interned with Bachpan Bachao Andolan in my second year wherein I closely worked with the team on the month-long training prior to the Bharat Yatra (a 35-day long march across the country to build unprecedented awareness on combating child sexual abuse and trafficking). It was truly enlightening to learn from the activists working on-ground across India and to understand the challenges they faced every day to bring about real change and thus secure a safe childhood for children. I also accompanied the team on a raid on sweatshops employing child labour.
That experience of observing the actions of BBA’s raid team, the accompanying police officials, magistrate, the employers and the children, exposed me to a lot of life’s harsh realities and re-enforced in me the importance of easy access to education and opportunities for children. On days when I was highly tired after my work commitments taking out time to tutor children from lower-income backgrounds or spent weekends volunteering at the nearby children’s home, felt very much worth it.
Over the years I have stayed connected with the work of the foundation. During the pandemic, I had the opportunity to volunteer with Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation – working on their campaign against child sexual abuse and subsequently, assisted the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights to conduct research relating to the status of children’s well-being and the access to learning resources and activities during the Covid-19 pandemic in government and municipal schools.
This was utilized as policy inputs for designing effective interventions once schools reopened post the lockdowns.
It is absolutely essential to do pro bono work – it keeps you motivated, gives one immense satisfaction of helping a person in need and keeps one engaged in the long run. This is also the advice that I have received from multiple senior lawyers and businesspersons. For me, apart from hobbies, education has been an important cause – may that be tutoring school children or coaching and mentoring college students or training professionals in negotiation skills.
Was it a tough call for you to choose between LLM and job? What points one needs to consider while taking a call between these two options?
I had first planned to apply for an LLM after receiving my HSF vacation scheme offer since they hire two years in advance as compared to Indian law firms. However, the HSF offer did not pan out as expected in light of the pandemic. Hence, at the time of my graduation, I was presented with the dilemma of moving to London to pursue my Masters or to start work with one of the best transactional law teams in the country.
I had received offers from University College London and Queen Mary University, and also had the PPO from SAM. Upon weighing the pros and cons, gaining work experience at a tier-1 law firm with a team dealing with VC and PE transactions with exposure to a very active investment market as valuations skyrocketed, was the obvious answer.
My work with the team has proven my choice to be correct. In college, I lacked sufficient clarity to choose a Masters specialization, and my main motivations to pursue a Masters were intellectual growth and access to a new jurisdiction. However, while working with the best corporate lawyers across jurisdictions, advising on upcoming yet niche areas of law and being part of numerous high-value deals has helped me streamline my professional interests and goals.
Our readers will be very much interested in knowing more about Vacation Schemes, the eligibility criteria and more crucial details about it.
Vacation Scheme is equivalent to securing an assessment internship at a tier-1 law firm in India. UK based law firms have the vacation scheme route to land training contracts with them (which is required to gain qualifying work experience to qualify as a solicitor, however, that is changing with the new SQE regime). Certain top international law firms like Herbert Smith Freehills, Allen and Overy, Linklaters, etc. have India Internship programs wherein each year they invite applications from penultimate year Indian law students and offer vacation schemes to a handful of them selected through a highly competitive multi-stage shortlisting process.
The process involves an online application and online test which qualifies candidates for a competency interview followed by an assessment centre. The specifics of the process may differ for each firm but are largely similar. There is no one size fits all approach to securing a vacation scheme offer. However, performing well academically, having a good CV including diverse experiences will certainly enhance your chances to succeed.
There are also a lot of resources available online to prepare you for the process. Reaching out to candidates who have succeeded in the past is always a good idea (I would be happy to help out anyone who reaches that stage). Research well if you are planning to apply. Apart from that, the graduate recruitment teams at the firms are very responsive and helpful throughout the process, so feel free to contact them.
What would be your parting message to our readers and the young budding lawyers? How can they mark their presence in the niche of venture capital transactions and cross-border M&A?
Give yourself the time and space to explore your interests to find the area that truly excites you. The legal career is a long one and you should be pursuing what makes you excited to get out of bed each morning. More importantly, be unafraid to put in the hard work to make a name for yourself. The more you persevere in the initial years, the better your learning will be and you will be a better lawyer for it. One has to learn the art of networking both in India and abroad. It is absolutely essential and if you are doing it right, you will realise that most people in this profession are willing and happy to mentor juniors. A great example of such a person is my role model at Jindal, Professor C Raj Kumar despite his multifarious endeavors always finds time to motivate and mentor students.
There are very few teams working in the niche area of VC. Speak to people, intern and find a team that does the kind of work you want to do, and also, provides a healthy work environment where your seniors motivate you to learn each day and to gain more exposure.
It is a blessing to be doing the work you love and with the people who inspire you. Further, build mentorship relationships with your seniors to learn from their expertise and experience. For me having a mentor like Mr. Siddharth Nair and learning from my partners, Ms. Puja Sondhi, Mr. Aayush Kapoor and Ms. Manita Doshi, who have each built a name for themselves in the industry and go out of their way to teach me on a daily basis – has made all the difference.
What was your motivation behind choosing law as a career?
Having the knack since the early years to eliminate options I always knew what I never wanted to pursue rather than being crystal clear about what I wanted to pursue. Law happened to me by chance and for me, it was never the means to achieve my goals. And honestly, I do not remember one specific isolated incident that motivated me to pursue law until I left political science honors after pursuing it for one year.
In this one year, I participated in MUNs and studied different philosophers which led me to realize my interest in Constitution and International Relations and hence law happened.
How important is it to get yourself into legal writing in this profession according to you, what other areas should one explore?
Well, in my opinion, it is indeed very important to get oneself who is involved in the legal profession to indulge in legal writing. In the first place tell me, what is an article all about – is it merely a combination of words or a compilation of the already existing literature? The answer to this would be a big NO. Over time, as I have understood an article is your way to contribute to legal academia by using your own interpretational and analytical thoughts based on the grey area in the existing literature – something beyond what exists on google or for that matter of fact any other legal database.
As a law student, one is engaged in writing right since the first year – the primary purpose for which is to inculcate the research aptitude and execute it in writing considering that this aptitude is one of the basic requirements even post the undergraduate years.
Additionally, having publications in your name in esteemed and reputed journals surely makes a remarkable impact on your CV undoubtedly showcasing the extensive knowledge one has in a specific domain. However, at the end of the day, it is one’s sole discretion to either quote what already exists in the databases or make a significant contribution to legal academia by one’s name.
Furthermore, other areas that one should explore during law school without an iota of doubt are mooting, internships, debates, paper presentations and attending conferences, and actively participating in societies and volunteering for events. I consider all of these activities to inculcate confidence in an individual while also building skills at the same time.
The more one gets involved in these activities, the more skills and knowledge the person has and no other place is better to give it a shot if not law school. While I believe interest area surely lies in specific domains, without exploring each domain how does one get to conclude respective interest areas?
Tell us about your journey in this profession in a nutshell!
The five years that I spent at KIIT Law School, Bhubaneswar has in all been an amazing experience. I knew right from the first day of college that the journey for a first-generation lawyer is not a cakewalk and that to succeed in any area of law would require hard work and patience at the same time.
Hence, during law school, I kept myself involved in balancing my academics with both extra-curricular and co-curricular activities. I have had the opportunity to represent my college in Moot Court Competitions winning laurels for the college.
Additionally, I have participated in several conferences and have several decent publications in my name. Apart from academics, I also was quite an active member of different societies in college which led me to become the Convener of the Moot Court Society.
I also was fortunate to share excellent relations with some of the professors at KIIT Law School who taught me valuable lessons for life beyond the black-and-white letters of the law. In retrospect, I think I made the best decision to join KIIT Law School which gave me ample opportunities to grow into the person I am today.
On the personal front, I think my personality went through a massive change during the journey. Made a lot of friends, committed endless mistakes both at the professional and personal level – learned from them, failed ten times more than I succeeded – learned to get up again and again.
Like we always say, hard work does not go to waste, each and everyone gets paid on time! but what were your strategies for achieving the goals you planned?
I would first like to share a small anecdote before I answer this question. Right from Day 1 of my five-years law school, I started dedicating myself to writing research papers. However, it would not be until my third-year end that my first paper got published. Three years of rejections from endless places and I could not figure out the reasons for it not being accepted for publication. Between the journey of failing time and again and getting up an equal number of times, my first paper after years of hard work got published. To answer the question, I have learned it hard way that a CV of failures is ten times more than the two-page original successful CV.
Hence, I never had planned any particular thing to achieve a certain goal, instead, I picked up things impromptu and would never give up on the said until it was done and achieved. The only strategy that I followed throughout my law school was to maintain hard work, and consistency and never say die even when the going gets tough! Additionally, I also believe that read, read and read no matter the upward or downward phase of life – because the knowledge and the experience that comes with reading are irreplaceable.
You’ve written on the role of Artificial Intelligence in the Healthcare Sector, how do you think AI can change the way we deal with different industries, and what necessary dangers it can impose for us as well?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has penetrated almost every sphere of an individual’s life. Albeit, AI has the potential to transform every sector in an efficacious manner yet the ramifications it poses cannot be denied. Some of the ramifications in my limited knowledge are ethical issues, regulatory and compliance issues, legal issues, environmental and sustainability issues, and economic and socio-political issues only to mention a few.
Given that each sub-topic has the potential of being expounded into a research paper or an article I limit myself to merely mentioning the categorical issues. In my opinion, before the implementation of AI at the core of each sector, the artificial literacy of the nation and the economic status of the nation is ought to be considered to prevent any sort of exacerbation of the gap between the two extreme ends of the economic status and hierarchy.
Please tell us in brief about your current role!
Usually, we are expected to start by 9.30 – 10 am wherein the first hours of the day generally go into attending meetings, responding to emails, and updating oneself on the task for the day. Primarily, the task involves reviewing documents and contracts for the clients, reading the case, and the judgments related to the task.
What is your life mantra to work stress-free?
Some of the mantras that I follow at a personal level to work stress-free is maintaining a balance between work life and personal life. I believe being with your family is equally important as your career. In this context, I more often than not take shelter in some close friends and family to calm down on any aspect of life.
At the professional level, I tend not to compare myself with either friends or colleagues and not attach myself to the outcome of the work. At the same time, I also believe strongly in my hard work and ability to accomplish the goals I have set my eyes on.
Any last piece of advice that you would like to give to the upcoming generation of professionals?
My constant endeavor throughout this interview has been to share my own experiences with extreme frankness. And since I have just started, my limited knowledge and inexperience shall make the pieces of advice narratively limited and premature, nonetheless, some of my learnings that I would like to share are
In the first place, in this journey that entails endless creativity and options to be explored, do not limit yourself and explore every kind of opportunity that one may have at hand. Secondly, as cliché as it may sound there is no substitute for hard work and I will not be either the last or first person to emphasize this. Along with Hard work, patience, sincerity, and perseverance are the basic requirement of an individual in any profession.
Thirdly, never hesitate to ‘ask’ either for any sort of help or internships or recommendations, or any other thing that comes up to your mind. I’ve learned that ‘asking’ does not allow you to lose anything because you do not have a thing to lose instead it might as well work in your favor. Fourthly, read, read and read because this will help you eventually in your career.
Lastly, being an avid follower of Swami Vivekananda, I suggest one have a ‘never say die’ attitude. This essentially helps in recuperating the failures and rising once again considering at times you will inevitably feel like giving up on everything because things failed to work on your chartered timelines but then don’t!
Tell us about yourself-what motivated you to choose law as a career path.
My roots are in the countryside and the farming community. My parents both worked for the government, so my family and I moved to the city of Karnal, Haryana where I attended school and eventually went to college, even though our hometown was only six kilometres away from our village. Due to our proximity to the village, we felt a strong sense of belonging to our heritage.
When it comes to school and college, I’ve done about as well as average. However, my life experiences are quite varied. While in college, I joined the National Cadet Corps. (NCC). For my flight training, I went to the Karnal Aviation Club in Haryana, India. In Rajasthan, India, I assisted my brother in turning around a failing emery powder production facility.
By riding around in a truck my brother owned, I got a taste of what it’s like to be a truck driver and learned about the ins and outs of the transportation industry and the difficulties truck drivers face.
Due to my insatiable curiosity and desire to broaden my skill set, I decided to pursue a career in law school. In the field of law, you can expect to expand your knowledge every day. In 1998, I began practicing law in Delhi, India.
Do you think being a Non-NLU student creates several obstacles in one’s professional life? If yes, how can one overcome that to build oneself in the industry?
Whether we like it or not, branding plays a significant role in every aspect of our lives. A non-NLU student may find it more difficult to break into the legal profession, either by being hired by a prestigious firm or given a position in the chamber of a well-known senior advocate.
However, that is only significant in the very early stages. These days, one can find many excellent job prospects among the many law firms and attorneys. Each law student, in my opinion, should make the most of his or her time in school by participating in as many internships as possible. It’s important that internships offer a wide range of experiences to their participants.
The district court, the high court, the supreme court, the tribunals, the forensic laboratories, in-house departments, central/state govt. legal departments, pro bono/NGO etc. This variety will increase one’s horizons, education, and self-assurance.
A lawyer ought to be well-rounded, with broad knowledge and deep expertise in specific areas. Experiences in the real world are the best teacher, and the more you gain from them, the more you can apply to your career. When someone needs legal advice, they automatically put their lawyer on a higher tier.
Therefore, it is essential that he is well-versed in more than just the law. To put it another way, law students attending schools other than National Law Universities should focus on developing their own personal brands in order to compete with NLU.
How has your experience been working with mid-sized firms and MNCs? What do you consider matters when it comes to having the right skill set for working with MNCs?
Since multinationals usually only go to large law firms for complex legal matters, working with them can be challenging. It’s not that smaller or medium-sized businesses can’t handle legal matters; rather, they can point to their decision to hire a large law firm as proof that they did everything possible to secure a favourable outcome for the company in the event of a legal dispute.
In-house attorneys I’ve worked with have trusted me with their personal lives, but they’re hesitant to refer me high-stakes cases because they don’t want to be held responsible if we lose. In spite of this, a law firm of medium size still has room for making a significant impact.
Even though they may be outnumbered by larger firms in some practice areas, small and medium-sized law firms can stand out in their own right. As an example, we have been collaborating with a number of multinational corporations on a wide range of projects, from the mundane to the highly complex.
M & A deals have boomed in these 2-3 years; what would be some of the challenges for legal professionals to deal with such transactions? And how do you cope with the same presently?
In light of the rapid evolution of technology, it would be foolish to try to create everything in-house. An excellent illustration of the rapidity of change is what happened to Nokia when Android first appeared on the market. Recent years have seen a proliferation of merger and acquisition deals, as companies have realised that acquiring technological resources is the best way to maintain a competitive edge. The number of merger and acquisition deals will continue to rise in the years to come. To keep up with the rapid pace at which technology is advancing, legal professionals face a significant challenge in the current environment.
You need to close the deal quickly because you can’t afford to miss out on this M&A opportunity. The opportunity cost of these M&A deals is high, so lawyers involved in them need to be well-versed in both the law and the business.
An attorney involved in such a deal will need to communicate with multiple parties, including those in upper management and business who have higher expectations than those of the legal team.
They count on their attorney to provide them with business advice as well. Therefore, it is recommended that legal professionals also keep them updated on the commercial side of their clients’ interests.
How far do you consider the role of LinkedIn in building a personal brand and great networks wrt the legal industry?
If you know how to maximize LinkedIn’s potential, I think it’s a great platform for your business. The legal profession imposes many limitations on our ability to promote our services or to contact potential clients.
In this case, you can use LinkedIn to meet people from all over the world. In addition, sharing your thoughts on any legal issue on LinkedIn is a great way to show off your knowledge and expertise in the field.
I can’t promise you’ll see immediate results from your time spent on LinkedIn, but if you commit at least a little time each day to expanding your network there, you’ll soon begin to grasp the site’s value.
Though, don’t be a spammer or ask for things like jobs or work directly. In other words, you have the option to ask for help. People are usually happy to offer assistance or advice, but it’s not a good idea to just blast them with your CV or a generic “Hi How are you?” Instead, you can ask for help or advice, and if you get a positive response, you can possibly move forward with your plan. You need to make sure you have a good profile and don’t treat it lightly. Without a profile at all is preferable to a sloppy one.
Avoid combining your LinkedIn and other social media profiles. Don’t get too close to the subject or use personal language. You are welcome to share updates about your academic or professional pursuits, but please keep the personal details to yourself.
What is your life mantra to work stress-free?
Because of my extensive study of philosophy and spirituality, I am well-equipped to address many of the pressing concerns you may have about your life. The reason we experience stress is because we can never see more than a few steps ahead. For me, the study and practise of philosophy and spirituality facilitates this ability to look beyond when I am afforded a bird’s-eye view of a given situation.
Thus relieving some of my stress. If we can look ahead and beyond, there will be no need to stress, and that is entirely up to our conditioning.
I once worked with a client who, at 75 years old, still had a lot of pep in his step. We were tackling an extremely difficult problem that required us to put in long hours. When I inquired as to the source of his boundless vitality, he simply replied, “Stay stupid and drink lots of green tea.”
Any last piece of advice that you would like to give to the upcoming generation of corporate professionals?
I’ve also learned the hard way that you can’t give good legal advice to a client if you don’t try to put yourself in their shoes. The complicated legalese found in statutes need not be repeated in your legal advice. It is important that the legal advice you provide is clear, brief, and to the point. Be as specific as possible about what must be done, what must not be done, and what cannot be done.
Final thoughts: You are what you think, so think like an owner, act like an owner, and present yourself like an owner, and you will one day be an owner.
Tell us about yourself-what motivated you to choose law as a career path ?
Studying law and making a career in it was not a matter of luck but a consciously thought and willfully made decision, which actualized the moment I entered law school. While the textbooks exposed me to a fascinating world of legal studies, the extracurricular activities and internships exposed me to the practical side of the law.
Being from a law enforcement background I understood the law as powerful means to make a difference, that is the reason I went into the field of law.
How tough was pursuing C.S. with additional professional degree like LL.B.?
I pursued a full-time Post Graduate Diploma in Corporate Law and Management from Indian Law Institute, New Delhi. By doing that Diploma a person can get a certification to practice as a Company Secretary in India for companies having paid-up share capital of up to INR 5 cr. So, I did not do the traditional CS and finished my PG Diploma only after graduating from Law School.
“Man with a silver spoon in his mouth” is what they say to a law student having a family with a law background. But in your case, it was somehow different as well, how far did it help you having some sort of legal background?
It is difficult to establish yourself as a first-generation lawyer however with time your talent and caliber are tested. I would suggest having patience and keeping enhancing your network. You might not be paid well initially, however with time sky is the limit.
Please tell us about one special case that helped you gain a great understanding of legal practice.
Each case or situation in law teaches you something new. Law school might prepare you theoretically however it is different when you enter the real world. If I have to choose one situation or an experience I would say working as a Law Clerk Hon’ble Chief Justice of India (Hon’ble Justice Deepak Misra) has been the turning point in my career.
Along with that, working in the field of litigation teaches you a lot which no textbook can do. My advice would be to just jump into the practice and will in no time be able to swim.
As someone who is well versed in the areas of Real Estate and Arbitration, what sort of improvements are needed at the forefront in both the areas?
Real Estate is quite rewarding however it is extremely complicated as the land record system of India still poses certain challenges. I would suggest any lawyer who wants to work in the field of real estate to practice before the office of the Tehsildar or Revenue Inspector and understand the nuance of this field.
With regard to Arbitration, I feel laws have changed in favor of ADR and now it’s beneficial for lawyers to go for ADR rather than litigation as a mode for dispute resolution.
What will be your parting words for our readers?
If someone is pursuing litigation I would suggest giving your heart and soul to it. And trust me you will definitely be rewarded.
Let us begin with the most important question, did you always dream of becoming a lawyer or, did it happen by chance?
Yes, I dreamt of becoming a lawyer when I was 9 years old. What stir up this interest was the fact that I once went to court with my mum to collect a decree and in the process, we got into a court where the magistrate was delivering a judgment on a criminal matter and the decision of the court in that matter really got me thinking as the convict was handed a jail term of 15 years and a hefty fine.
Following the pronouncement of the court decision, the convict became dramatic and started wailing in court that he was not guilty.
As a young girl, I was struck by the turn of events and vowed to become a lawyer to learn more about how the criminal justice system works. As I grew older, I came to learn that the middle-aged man was wrongly sentenced due to forged and fabricated evidence presented to the court.
Indeed knowledge is power and that education is the great equalizer. The middle-aged man was unrepresented as he could not afford a lawyer as he was a pauper and the state had not provided one to represent him.
I chose law as a career as I have always believed that lawyers are justice emissaries and in part, to develop the skills that would allow me to speak truth to power, champion the underdog, and narrow the immense gap between what is and what ought to be.
What is more, by making people’s lives a little easier, we achieve significance, creating legacies that transcend our own lifetimes. In my opinion, the law is not just a profession. In my sight, it is a medium through which I can serve my nation and people. Law is not just about rules and regulations. Law is also about rights, justice, and understanding human behavior and society.
Do you feel it is necessary to have a mentor/ guide to handhold a young lawyer in the beginning years of the profession?
Yes, a mentor is a very important person in the legal field as they guide and advise on the practical aspects of the law. This varies from litigation practice before different courts and on different subjects, preparation of pleadings, contract drafting and review, file tracking and follow-up, and also client engagement.
What are the eligibility requirements for becoming a Data Protection Counsel and what are the roles and responsibilities of a Data Protection Counsel?
I believe one does not need to have a legal background to become a Data Protection Counsel. However, there are added advantages when one has a legal background since issues touching on privacy derive their basis from human rights. The basic requirements of being a Data Protection Counsel are having the skills and technical knowledge in performing the roles of a Data Protection practitioner.
Some of the responsibilities include; advising clients on data protection and privacy laws, implementing data governance framework for data controllers and processors, drafting and reviewing privacy policies and the ancillary, training the management, board members, and staff on data protection.
Please tell us about the Association of Privacy Lawyers in Africa(APLA) in detail!
The Association of Privacy Lawyers in Africa is a non-profit association founded in 2022 with a mission to have a centralized effort towards defining, promoting, and improving the data privacy legal profession in all 54 countries in Africa. It is an invitation-only, selective, and limited membership association of the best African lawyers in data privacy and protection.
The composition of the APLA is aggressively diverse, with recognition of deserving, experienced, and highly qualified lawyers across all practices relating to Data Privacy and Protection.
What are the challenges in implementing the right policies and framework for data governance and compliance?
One of the major challenges is that the law is always lagging behind innovation, hence it tends to be reactive rather than responsive. In that regard, the implementation and uptake of the policies cause a lot of friction due to a lack of awareness of the said policies.
Also, some institutions expressed that they feel over-regulated and hence there is a lack of harmonization on the implementation of such policies as they overlap with internal processes.
As someone inclined toward Legal Tech, how far do you agree that Legal Tech and AI will create more opportunities for lawyers in the coming years?
AI is a fluid area to have a discussion on at the moment, especially in an African context. However, AI will immensely influence and change the practice of law in relation to the time taken to conclude certain tasks. For a tech-savvy lawyer, AI will impact the drafting of commercial agreements, smart contracts, pleadings, and even the general practice of law.
How would you describe your career up till now? Where can we expect you in the upcoming years?
As a woman in legal tech, the future is promising. This is due to its cross-cutting nature and intersectionality in a digital economy. In the coming years, with the knowledge and experience I have gained so far in data protection and cyber-security, I see myself running an International Legal Tech Corporate Consultancy.
Would you like to give some advice to law students?
Know your strengths! Know your craft! It’s either you are obsessed with it or you are out!
First of all, we’d like to know what was your motivation behind making a career in law?
When I was studying in High School, I used to get fascinated to see my uncle’s practice at Calcutta High Court. He was a Senior Counsel and his law chamber used to be very busy with Juniors, Stenographers, Law Clerks, Solicitors and their Clients. In those days, there were no online meetings or telephonic meetings. All Solicitors used to visit the Chamber with their clients for face-to-face meetings.
When my uncle used to get favorable Court orders for the Clients & the Solicitors, I used to see the tears of joy and their gratitude towards my uncle. This aspired me to get into the field of law.
You are the Founder and Director of Cygal Attorneys in UAE. What are the challenges you faced in this process and how is your experience managing a firm at your level?
There are challenges in starting any new business including a law firm and more particularly when you want it to be licensed by one of the award-winning jurisdictions like ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market) www.adgm.com . One needs to work much harder and with more responsibility when laying the foundation of a law firm. Cygal Attorneys is licensed by ADGM as an English Law Firm for Arbitration and Legal Consultation. Our niche is to provide full legal support in cross border business and technology SMEs & startups.
How far do you consider taking Pro-Bono cases and how it can benefit one in their professional lives?
We believe in not publicizing ourselves in Pro-Bono cases. We do it discreetly without letting anyone know about it. We do not make our clients feel that it is a Pro-Bono case as we give equal importance to the case as we do in any other cases.
Kindly tell us about the BNI network in detail and what opportunities it brings for professionals?
Business Network International (BNI) has been present for 37 years (www.bni.com) in 77 countries across the world. It gives professionals like us a referral platform. As a part of my entrepreneurial effort, I am on the process of launching BNI in Bahrain where businesses, mainly startups and SMEs, could grow through the worldwide networking platform.
What sort of preparations one needs to do for settling as a legal professional in the UAE?
At least 4-5 years of prior legal experience either in practice or in-house would be very helpful before starting in UAE or for that matter anywhere in GCC. To start with, I would recommend joining a small to mid-size law firm or as an in-house legal counsel which would give more all-round exposure to law. I would also encourage law students or fresh graduates to do internship with UAE law firms if there’s any opportunity to do so.
As a legal professional with such great achievements, what motivates you to push harder than yesterday? And what is the role of mentoring specifically in the legal industry?
Practicing law like my uncle has always been my aspiration. Destiny had other plans and I had to take up service at a very initial stage of my legal career where I had the opportunity to work with the best brands in the world in the likes of TATAs, Citigroup, ICICI Bank, American Express.
I have worked closely with many CXOs and I know their prism through which they look upon the lawyer and the legal industry. I see an opportunity of disruption in the legal industry, and this is what keeps me motivating to work harder on my current legal tech project which I am sure it sees the light of the day would change the way the lawyers are engaged today.
Finally, a word of advice for the upcoming legal professionals?
Upcoming legal professionals should confidently prepare themselves to be able to produce pragmatic legal solutions for businesses – they need to believe in themselves. In addition to the good understanding of law, a good grasp of business will be a boon.
Tell us about yourself, what motivated you to choose law as a career path?
I am an Advocate-on-Record at the Supreme Court of India. My practice is primarily focusses on civil, commercial and constitutional disputes.
How I came to choose law as a career was partly by elimination and partly by choice. As a high school student I was interested in history, political science, debates, I was a regular at MUNs and was also quite certain that I didn’t want to pursue a career in science stream.
So, I chose to study commerce to keep my options open – between pursuing CA and Law. Eventually, given my co-curricular interests and the width of learning that studying law provided, Law came on top.
Even with my commerce background, law seemed like a good professional course to undertake and so with the idea of pursuing a integrated course in BBA-LLB (it would eventually not be so as I switched to BA-LLB), I embarked on the journey of clearing CLAT and studying law.
How did you envision you career while you were in law school and how did it turn out?
Honestly, I did not envision a career in law. My primary goal was to clear the civil services exam and become a diplomat or a bureaucrat. Law, for me, was a backup option. But while in law school I was certain to not treat the course as Option-B and explored different options by undertaking internships across board.
By my penultimate year I was certain that I enjoyed dispute resolution more than anything else and so if law were to become my career it would be in dispute resolution. So, in those terms I am doing exactly what I wanted to do.
Where my plans differed from my reality was in terms of execution. I had always imagined being at a law firm and rising through the ranks; or alternatively I would be in the non-profit sector but instead I ended up at the jungle jump of counsel practice. Now I do a good mix of pro-bono and commercial disputes in equal measure.
One thing I must say is that I imagined it to be straightforward career path but it has been quite a journey thus far with lots of twists, turns and even stoppages – all of which have contributed to the end result. And I am very hopefully looking forward to whatever’s to come next.
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 litigation world?
In a way every case one deals with is a learning curve of some shape – some are very steep, others not so much; and each of these cases, in my limited experience tend to give you a new perspective.
The ambit of the question you put to me is quite large in the sense that “litigation world” entails within its ambit multiple small universe. However, there are some instances I would definitely want to highlight.
First is regarding the reach or impact that a case you do has – however big or small. I recently did a probono case where an inter-faith couple that had eloped to get married was slapped with false and fabricated criminal charges as a measure of punishment by their family. If in terms of revenue or even legal questions one were to see, it was a rather straightforward open and shut case but the impact it had on someone’s life was quite large. After fighting and winning in court only can they today imagine returning home.
Second, in terms of reach, I have been involved in the case where recently the Supreme Court interpreted that Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act and in another case where provisions of the Surrogacy Act and the Assisted Reproductive Technology Act have been challenged for being in violation of rights guaranteed by the Constitution – the number of people who have reached out to be me from parts of the country I didn’t even know exist to thank me and my colleagues for undertaking these projects is tremendous!
Third, on a different note, litigation has an image problem that there are certain families which dominate the professions – while strong family presence is undeniable but one thing I’ve learnt from experience is that even if you do not have family in the profession but you’re sincere about your work, there are many at the bar who will stand by you and support your growth. The condition, however, is full and complete sincerity towards work.
Lastly, practitioners are least expected to say this but my academics, especially the courses I undertook during graduate studies, greatly impacted my understanding of litigation. It gave me perspective which I lacked until then of looking at issues holistically and of exploring any given case from different perspectives before deciding on the best alternative.
Appearing before various tribunals and forums needs extra effort, how do you plan your work to be super-efficient?
Most important requirement to be efficient is to be organised. In litigation, if one wants to be efficient it is essential that one learns the art of time management. Unlike structured organisations here you have no HR to monitor your performance in terms of time given to do a task.
This can be a boon or a bane depending on how one handles time. Work, by its nature, tends to expand with time. So I set for myself deadlines and try and stick to them.
Apart from that I necessarily do a review of work twice a week– to ensure I complete all that was planned for the week and to ensure that there is sufficient time at hand to do things that I enjoy apart from work.
Secondly, on most days one attempts to not spread oneself too thing across fora and since my primary practice is in the Supreme Court I try and avoid any other forum on Monday and Friday. In the older system of non-miscellaneous days (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) I used to first attend the matters in SC and then attend other forum but now with the system of regular matters being taken up first, that issue has been taken care of.
Lastly, as lawyers we often face flake that we have too many holidays but litigation is a stressful job –a lawyer takes upon themselves troubles of their client and then constantly engages in mental gymnastics of getting relief. Apart from that litigation itself is also a physically draining profession.
It requires your presence in court at 10:30 every morning extending well into the afternoon and the “desk-job” aspect of practice mostly starts only around 5 pm which is when most other jobs close shop. So, to maintain efficiency it is necessary that regular breaks are taken.
Could arbitration be seen as just another trend or does it hold a future?
I think arbitration is too entrenched in our system of dispute resolution to be compared to a trend. It is sure to stay here in the near future. However, it may be said that in the Indian markets arbitration hasn’t yet reached its optimum beneficial levels. Arbitration is certainly a buzz word in dispute resolution circles in tier-1 cities but many a businesses operate in tier-2 and tier-3 cities where arbitration is still surely but rather slowly developing.
This mode of dispute resolution is also facing some teething troubles in the sense of limited number of experts, high costs and judicial interference (which is steeply declining with every passing day). But these are common initial troubles across jurisdictions, which will be resolved as arbitration takes stronger roots in the Indian dispute resolution universe.
At macro-level if one were to see most practitioners – and even academicians – today are only engaging with commercial arbitration between organisations whereas arbitration holds potential to resolve disputes also between individuals, between commercial organisations and countries, and between countries even.
These are practices that exist globally and are widely studied too. However, in India we are still in nascent stage and these constitute an untapped market and an under-studied academic field for us.
Looking, however, at how there is a concerted effort now from the government as well as the legal industry and business community, arbitration is certainly going to flourish in India in the near and long term.
Based on the list of cases that you handled, is there any particular case that boosted your legal career?
For a young lawyer every case done which leads to a further referral and/or the client is satisfied with outcome of the case, is a career-boosting case. I am happy to report that I have been fortunate to have a good amount of those cases for me.
That said, I think I have done the most landmark case of my life thus far only recently when I got the opportunity to assist the Court in interpretation of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act.
I am now working with my friend and colleague Ms Mohini Priya on a case where constitutional validity of provisions of the Surrogacy Act and ART Act have been challenged before the Supreme Court. Reproductive jurisprudence is not very well developed in India yet and some clarity and certainty is required by the court.
Apart from litigation I think what also gave a big boost to my career was the opportunity to work with the International Law Institute where I got the opportunity to pen a report in International Investment Arbitration, which was tabled before the UNCITRAL Working Group-III for wider consultation and consideration on reforming investment arbitration.
What are the preparation tips you would like to give for our readers wrt AoR Exam?
AoR Exam is a great learning experience, let’s start with that. So, first off I’d say it would be best not take it as merely an exam but also an opportunity to undertake an in-depth study of how the Supreme Court of India really works.
Now regarding the syllabus, it seems a little overwhelming at first but it’s not much if you have practical experience of practice before the Supreme Court so ideally practice for at least two years at the Supreme Court before embarking on the journey of taking the exam (of course a pre-requisite for the exam is one year training with Aor, additional years, in my experience, only prove more beneficial).
This is especially useful for the paper on Practice and Procedure, the syllabus for which is essentially in part Constitution and in part Supreme Court Rules – both of which can be mastered best by practice.
Secondly, stay updated on latest legal developments, particularly landmark judgments delivered by the SC because the aim of the exam is not to test your legal knowledge per se but to test how much you understand about the working of the Supreme Court. This exercise will also help aspirants while tackling the paper on “Leading Judgments”.
Thirdly, and I don’t know for how long this advice is going to be useful but at least so long as the exam is not computer based, I’d say aspirants must stay in practice of writing on paper. This is particularly important today when we’re moving completely away from physical filed and pen-paper world in law schools as well as at courts.
Would you like to give any career/life tips to the readers?
I am not sure if I’m qualified enough to give tips yet on life or career but I’d say be sincere and honest to yourself on whatever path you choose for yourself.
In the field of law today a plethora of career paths exist – choose the one which really interests you because each of these paths has a long gestational period. Unlike other professional careers, law demands an intentional consistency of dedication towards your career.
I would also suggest that students and young professional reach out to their role models and seniors who have been working in the field of their choice.
Not everyone will respond but you’d be surprised the number of people happy and willing to help you if you show promise. All the best!
What was your “slam-book career aim”? How well did it go?
My Slam Book Career Aim was to be a lawyer since the time I was around 8 years old. I studied in ICSE SCHOOL QUEEN MARY , I enjoyed literature and that fascinated me to get into law . I liked the English Lawyer style. I was from my early teen days involved in social work and have worked on multiple causes in slums and also have uplifted few transgender by providing skill center to them. I always liked questioning if I saw something wrong I could not stop objecting. I planned my career from my school days as I opted to choose commerce as an option in school and economics instead of maths and science .
My career plans from my secondary school had already started towards law. I did my BLS LLB from government law collage, church gate , I must reveal I had done my first year law from Pravin Gandhi Law Collage at Juhu and topped that college WITH HIGHEST SCORES BOTH THE SEMESTERS to get transferred in GLC which was the best collage in my times in Mumbai. SO JOURNEY HAS BEEN ADVENTUROUS – from academics to article ship and to be a solicitor which is like the toughest exam to crack , I think was very fortunate and I owe a big thank you to my family and best friend(my buddy who was with me in my toughest phase of life –he was there for me in my struggle phase and helped me to be what I wanted to be).
I also took up courses from my first yea example r of law for diploma in cyber law while studying first year of law in 2005 and I studied MASTERS IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. I took my second master’s degree in MASTERS IN PUBLIC POLICY.
I was always a court person so I chose to be a Counsel and I got to see reality of arguing before fantastic judges in my junior days gave me glimpse of court craft.I got my first appearance before Justice S J.Kathawalla it boosted my confidence , Justice Rajesh Ketkar who appreciated my hard work in his order made me feel I can do better and Justice Shantanu Kemkar who corrected me on a point when I was arguing made me feel there is lots to learn with every matter in hand.
Three to four experiences from the bench I personally experienced -made me feel more hard work more better results. It was learning experience and it still is. I also got best opportunity to be junior Justice B.N. SRIKRISHNA and I must say with pride he has been a fantastic mentor.I joined him to get exposure in arbitration and I absolutely got to gain lot of knowledge working with him.
I also decided to take up matters which meant to make difference in the society like national level matters METOO MOVEMENT where I appeared pro bono for Vinta Nanda. I also took up social issues in covid-19 times pertaining to door to door vaccination for bed ridden people and senior citizen and succeeded as couple of policies were framed by state and centre by the directions in my PIL. From High Court Litigation to matrimonial DISPUTES in Family Courts made me get my focus on mediation and I established myself into trained mediation. I am empanelled International Arbitrator as well which makes me feel it is good journey so far.
I have taught law from 2012 in various colleges in Mumbai and even now I teach law and train students on various academic subject . It is like what you have that is knowledge must be shared is what I believe in . Many times I am appointed as amicus curie in matters where courts feel I can be of good assistance. I also appear for civic bodies and government bodies apart from my private practice. I am also doing transactional work and that keeps me happy. Being an ADVOCATE-ON-RECORD, SUPREME COURT OF INDIA –I ENJOY APPEARING IN APEX COURT OF OUR COUNTRY. I have experienced appearing for all kind of individuals including politicians to celebrities to pro bono matters and that has been my complete hard work that’s been put in for than 13 years now as a lawyer and 12 years as a solicitor.
What can be the real challenges while establishing a career in the field of law?
To get a nice chamber to join , or a branded law firm to join is not easy for first generation lawyer and then to prove your talent and ability is hard core competitive market is a major challenge.
Sometimes as juniors you may get less opportunities so one must be patient. Invest 5 to 10 years in profession to make your name by doing honest work. Fees are compromised unless you have a brand created.
How was your experience while judging during the moot competitions?
I feel the young talent pool of brilliant to be lawyers are there -while I judge them , I feel all of them work too hard as to do their best . Sometimes it gets difficult to actually give marks and gives you a feel of a sitting judge to decide either one way or the other. I enjoy momentary pleasure of being a judge and I feel I too have learnt a lot from students who have participated. It is enriching experience.
How challenging has it been maintaining a work-life balance and how young legal professionals can learn to strike that balance in their professional lives?
I have my own chamber where I usually meet attorneys/clients after court hours. I owe my time for my family during dinner I make it a point I am with family on dinner table so 9pm-10pm no one can disturb me on calls or messages.
Weekends I get into my relaxing mode I partially work and I catch up with friends. I keep some ME TIME .. I LIKE FREE TIME TO CHILL OUT, travel , music therapy and sports. Balancing your physical health vis a viz mental health with luxury of what you like is a must and that will help bring out quality work.
Follow this- work time work-play time play . Vacations are for experiencing new things-learn , evaluate your work performance, try out good food if you like it will give you happy refreshing feeling to join back and perform better.
According to you, how crucial is Psychology in matrimonial matters and how sufficiently it can be used there?
It plays a vital role I would say counselling –psychology works there. Take an example A wants Y amount as alimony, B desires to give nothing yet A wants it -how do you make A get Y AMOUNT OF X Amount? . You got see what will TEMPT A’s mind and how will he/she come up to negotiation for something rather than nothing and how that something would make A feel I have got something close to Y . That juggling in minds and art of negotiation is inter-related with human psychology and as lawyer to know clients mind and psychology is essential.
YOU LEARN IT WITH EXPERIENCE.
As digital platforms are consistently increasing, such as Metaverse, Do you think there would be a large scope for lawyers because of this?
Yes indeed. Global world will be here right before us . Experience we had in covid-19 times and e-concepts talks volumes. We have seen the success rates of performance which is booming up. BUSINESS WORLD GETS CLOSER AND EASILY CONNECTED AND THAT BRINGS GLOBAL CLIENTS IN THE MARKET WHICH DEFINITELY WILL BOOM COMMERCIAL MARKETS IN LEGAL INDUSTRY.
What were the activities, curricular and extra-curricular, that you undertook during your law school days which helped to shape your career? / What kind of internships did you undertake during your law school?
I took up courses and moots I participated in . article ship 3 years I did it as that’s mandatory for me to get trained to appear for solicitors exams that kept me too busy and internship molded me practically. I worked on the grass root level to understand public policy and socialism. I started writing articles which are published in newspapers as well.
Do you think it is crucial to have a career plan beforehand or one should move with the flow?
Certainly you must have some plan MAY BE 5 YEARS PLAN IN HAND TO EXECUTE. AFTER 5 YEARS JUST GO WITH THE FLOW.
What would be your parting message to our readers and the young budding lawyers?
Believe in yourself, If I can do it you too can do it! Have confidence and please never ever get bullied by anyone. You are best in your own way. Don’t mix with negative people if you get positive vibes with people you associate with be there or leave. Them There are many opportunities waiting for you. Be honest and go ahead and do your best and leave the rest. Take compliments but don’t get elated.
You still have miles to go before you sleep so keep working hard as that’s the only key to success. Live a dignified life as that ultimately holds you high.
