Super Lawyer

Tag: ICCA

  • Dharmendar Kamti- Managing Partner at Kamti & Singh, Founder of Literate Hub, and also the Member of ICCA & SIAC, paving his own path in the Legal industry

    Dharmendar Kamti- Managing Partner at Kamti & Singh, Founder of Literate Hub, and also the Member of ICCA & SIAC, paving his own path in the Legal industry

    This interview has been published by Tanmaya Sharma. The Interview was taken by The SuperLawyer Team.

    You were born into a family of Lawyers. Was it the guiding factor that made you pursue law as a career? If not the legal profession, what would be your go-to career plan?

    What marks my struggle as unexceptionally remarkable and inspirational is the fact of having a start-up law firm being a First Generation Lawyer. So first things first, my father is associated with a law firm but not as an advocate. I have paved my way to the Law and Legal industry all by my hard work and zeal to be a smart gen commercial lawyer. Curiosity is the best teacher. I was curious to gain and learn about the law and legal framework and thereby, interpreting and relating it in the commercial perspective. If not a lawyer, I would have loved to become a Trading Tycoon and deal with shares. 

    You happen to be a member of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration and Singapore International Arbitration Centre. Can you tell us a bit about your work there and what according to you are the ways in which India can shift and evolve in the arena of Arbitration?

    Arbitration is an evolving mechanism in the Indian Legal perspective that gained substantial attention and demand in the COVID-19 and POST-PANDEMIC ERA. The International Arbitration and Mediation Centre, Hyderabad is the first step towards recognition of International Arbitration in a global perspective in India. The Indian Legal framework has marked the recognition of the very scope and potential of Arbitration. Being a member and having an affiliation with such a prestigious and enlightening Organization, I have witnessed several events relating to Arbitration and its scope and adoption in different countries.  

    You have worked as an Associate at SNG & Partners and then as a Partner at KJS Partners Legal LLP before setting up your own firm Kamti & Singh. What according to you was that one learning experience that you’d credit to have shaped your role as a Managing Partner?

    While every new opportunity in this industry brings with itself a myriad of life-altering experiences, the one learning experience that I can with absolute confidence credited to my current role and position is the Art of management and the beauty of networking. It’s a smart world and you need to pace yourself. Keep learning and keep growing is my life motto.

    KJS Partners was also my start-up idea which I tried to execute with 4 of my friends from the same industry but due to ideology mismatch, it couldn’t reach the heights I wanted it to. But that experience didn’t stop me from having an ace in the field and flourishing in the industry. 

    You are Managing Partner of Kamti & Singh Associates. Does growth in one’s career trajectory relieves one from stressful work or is it the other way around?

    Being sheer honest, I’d say both because being a managing partner gives me the power to delegate work and build a reliable and responsible team of efficient and excellent advocates, interns and clerks. But it’s the work that can be delegated and not the responsibility. So being a managing partner, I have the responsibility of keeping my entrepreneurial streak always active which can lead to sleepless nights. 

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    You pursued your Bachelors with specialisation in Banking, Corporate, Finance, and Securities Law. What piqued your interest in such subjects and was it something that you decided since the beginning of your law school journey? 

    Everyone at this stage is quite indecisive/lost and naturally so. However, I have always been quite clear with my vision to become a corporate lawyer. I have always been keen to explore the relationship between entrepreneurship and the legal sphere and how it can contribute to a healthy business scenario and an efficient yet speedy legal redressal. Being aware of the know-how of the business world can give you an edge in comprehending various commercial aspects of law like due diligence and auditing.

    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 was always focused on my aim to drench and explore the commercial side of the law. We all have our aims and vision but the ones who take steps in pursuance of their goals are the ones who emerge victoriously. I took small steps towards my ultimate aim and pursued all my internships in commercial law starting from Linklegal, NBCC, Indlegal, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, SNG & Partners to later on being an associate at SNG & Partners followed by being a partner of KJS Partners and finally proceeding as a Managing Partner of Kamti & Singh. It has been an utmost hardship yet an inspiring journey for me. Apart from this, I had participated in several Moot Court Competitions and Debate Competitions during my college life to enhance my pool of knowledge and shape my skills.

    Do you think it is crucial to have a career plan beforehand or one should move with the flow?

    One needs to have a vision, but versatility is the key. Be clear as to what you want to do. But be open to exploring the ways and means. Be ready to learn and seek insights into every stream of law and make an informed decision. Ultimately, the goal is to strike a perfect balance between both.

    What would be your parting message to our readers and the young budding lawyers?

    Age is just a number and Curiosity is the best teacher. Be you and stay focused. Enjoy what you do and do what you enjoy. 

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  • Meenal Garg- Associate at K.N. Legal, a boutique Arbitration Law Firm, also an ODR Consultant, Member of Young ICCA, SIAC, LCIA and MCIA, a libertarian exploring Arbitration

    Meenal Garg- Associate at K.N. Legal, a boutique Arbitration Law Firm, also an ODR Consultant, Member of Young ICCA, SIAC, LCIA and MCIA, a libertarian exploring Arbitration

    This interview has been published by Tanmaya Sharma. The Interview was taken by The SuperLawyer Team.

    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?

    Law was never my first choice. In fact, I was oblivious to the law as a profession and wanted to be an engineer like most of my peers. In my 10th standard, I was inevitably put to choose a career path like any other 14-year-old kid. Though I didn’t have any preference in my mind, I was introduced to the law as a profession by my father. After talking to my friends, neighbours, teachers etc. about the same, I was convinced that law would be the perfect field for me as it could help me fulfil my dream of doing a corporate job while learning something new every day. I believe that had I not been a lawyer, I would probably have been a CA or an MBA executive or maybe even an engineer.

    You are quite active on LinkedIn. How important do you think LinkedIn is for professionals? Does that also discourage young struggling minds?

    I believe that after COVD, Linkedin has become the foremost place for networking amongst the legal fraternity. According to me, if used properly, anybody can immensely benefit from this platform. At the same time, it cannot be denied that students may feel discouraged after seeing the achievements of their peers or lack of response. However, this cannot be treated as a hurdle and rather this is the necessary motivation required to reap the full benefits of this platform. According to me, continued usage of Linkedin along with posting valuable content can easily boost someone’s career. Networking has never been so simple and accessible in the legal profession before Linkedin.

    You also took part in various competitions and have published numerous papers and Articles. How important do you think these are in shaping your understanding of law?

    Writing is one of the most rudimentary skills of a lawyer. As a law firm associate or as a junior lawyer, much of a young lawyer’s time is spent drafting briefs, research notes and petitions. Therefore, through writing a lawyer can improve his understanding of the law and how to communicate his thoughts properly. Another underrated advantage of writing is a novelty. Lawyers are required to generate out of the box solutions every day to tackle everyday problems. Writing papers compels a lawyer to think and to bring novelty in his arguments. I believe that all my writing achievements and endeavours have played a major part in shaping my career and helped me reach where I am today.

    You have been working on Arbitration cases since the beginning of your career and are now working as an Associate at KN Legal. Why did you choose Arbitration and what scope do you think it has in the future? 

    I have always considered myself to be a libertarian. Therefore, the consensual basis of arbitration resonated with the libertarian in me. Moreover, as I started exploring arbitration, I just couldn’t think of anything else apart from arbitration as my career path. This is because virtually every commercial contract contains an arbitration clause today. Disputes may be big or small, but today every commercial dispute is adjudicated through arbitration. Moreover, I believe that arbitration is the future of commercial arbitration. Anyone desiring to work in a corporate setup or the commercial litigation sector necessarily needs to know about arbitration. Furthermore, in the context of India, we may see more and more instances of mandatory statutory arbitration. Therefore, the scope of arbitration is limitless.

    You also happen to be a member of various International Arbitration Centres. Besides ADR, you are a mediator and ODR Consultant at Sama. Do you think it is time for India to adopt ODR on a larger scale?

    ODR has been a subject matter of debate in India for quite some time now. However, it was because of COVID that litigants were compelled to explore ODR as an option. Moreover, in my experience, such litigants have now started to recognize the benefits of ODR. Another factor is that India’s digital infrastructure has considerably improved and therefore, repeat players should consider adopting ODR for at least less complex and repetitive disputes.

    Meenal Garg

    Can you walk us through a day in your life?  What is the life of an Associate of a boutique law firm like?

    To say that a law firm associate’s life is busy would be an understatement. Moreover, with the advent of COVID and the work from home option, the lines between professional and personal life have considerably blurred. However, this comes with a silver lining as it allows me to develop my specialisation at a quicker pace. Moreover, I am involved in every step of arbitration and litigation including pre-litigation strategy, client meetings, drafting and appearing during the hearings etc. Furthermore, the small size of the team helps to ensure effective communication. 

    You completed your Masters’ dissertation on the topic ‘Promoting Efficiency of Arbitration in India by Using Technology’. Can you tell us a bit about it and how you see promoting Arbitration using Technology in India?

    In spite of being a practising lawyer who has seen virtual arbitrations every day, I was surprised to see that there was no information regarding the use of technology in Indian arbitration. There is no awareness regarding the use of technology in arbitration in India. Therefore, I took up this topic to discover the viability of the use of technology in the Indian arbitration landscape. After my interactions with various industry experts (whom I cannot thank enough), I believe that there is a huge scope for use of technology in Indian arbitration especially in small value disputes because of its cost-effectiveness. Moreover, this market seems to be niche and only a handful number of players and users exist which is largely due to COVID. However, through proper endeavours, technology can have long term benefits for India seated arbitrations.

    Lastly, is there any suggestion or advice that you’d like to give to our readers? 

    I always say that ‘it is good to dream big but it is not bad to start small’. Students and young professionals like me should see every opportunity as a learning opportunity. With the advent of COVID, knowledge and opportunities have never been easier to grasp. Contrary to popular beliefs, quality internships can be done right from the comfort of home. Furthermore, as already stated above, writing is the most important skill for a young lawyer. Lastly, reading and engaging in meaningful conversations pertaining to any area of law can be a sure shot way to be a successful lawyer.

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