Can you share the story of how you chose to pursue a career in law and specifically how you ended up becoming an Advocate on Record at the Supreme Court of India?
I was always fascinated with law and the working of courts. My father being a member of Rajasthan Higher Judicial Services also naturally fuelled my inclination towards law. However, as it is with most people, it was not my first choice. I was preparing for engineering entrances and even scored well in some of them. But when I got through in CLAT, I wholeheartedly chose to join National Law University, Patiala, Punjab where I spent the most important five years of my life.
During my third year, I was fortunate to intern with Ms. Shobha, a distinguished Advocate on Record at the Supreme Court. This particular internship completely changed my perspective and helped me develop a keen interest in the practice of law, especially, at the Supreme Court. By the time I finished college I couldn’t wait to get my bar license and come to Delhi.
I immediately joined the offices of Ms. Aishwarya Bhati in 2014. I was fortunate enough to get invaluable opportunities to work on important legal matters, appear with and assist Seniors in the Supreme Court. Subsequently, I transitioned to the Delhi High Court where I learnt the ropes of original side work under the mentorship of Ms. Mrinalini Sen. The comprehensive exposure to various judicial fora, including district courts and tribunals, during my juniorship, significantly enriched my professional acumen.
With the blessings of my mentors and a couple of briefs in my repertoire, I went into independent practice in 2017 and set up my own office. As soon I became eligible to write the AOR examination, I diligently started preparing for it. However, on account of Covid-19 pandemic, AOR exams were rescheduled twice and came to be scheduled in December. It was extremely challenging to prepare and sit for the exams while also maintaining a running practice. However, all the hard work paid off and I was able to fulfil the dream I had since my third year of college.
With over nine years of experience in handling multifarious litigation, could you highlight a pivotal moment or case that significantly shaped your career as an advocate?
I was fortunate to receive a number of opportunities wherein my seniors and mentors gave me a lot of freedom to independently draft, file and argue matters. The trust reposed by my mentors helped me develop the confidence to venture out on my own. I started taking on independent briefs from the beginning of my practice and achieved several wins, but one matter which will be close to my heart was a pro bono matrimonial matter for maintenance under Section 125CrPC. My client had been suffering from cancer but was extremely diligent in providing inputs and following up with her case. It was one of the first matters I did as an independent counsel where I conducted the entire trial by myself and eventually was able to get maintenance not only for her but even her major but dependent son.
Recently I was able to secure notice in a pension matter of a retired government officer from the Supreme Court. Another pivotal moment has been very recent wherein I was able to secure quashing of criminal proceedings as well as divorce under Article 142 from the Supreme Court for my client.
Your practice spans across various forums, including the High Court of Delhi and the Supreme Court of India. How do you navigate the unique challenges posed by different legal environments and what strategies do you employ to ensure success across these diverse platforms?
Throughout my extensive legal practice across various courts in Delhi, I’ve come to realize that while the fundamental values of the judicial system and an Advocate’s preparation remain constant, the strategies employed must adapt to the distinct practices and procedures of each court. For instance, when dealing with the Supreme Court in a Special Leave Petition under Article 136, the focus lies in crafting a precise synopsis that highlights relevant legal points due to the limited scope. Miscellaneous days demand a quick-witted approach, as benches pose pointed questions, necessitating a thorough understanding of the case. Conversely, in Writ Petitions, where more time is allotted for arguments, a different presentation strategy is required. In trial courts, adherence to statutory timelines, rules of evidence, cross-examination, and knowing the procedural law thoroughly is imperative. My diverse experience has enabled me to tailor strategies on a case-by-case basis, involving clients in the decision-making process. Recognizing the importance of client inputs, particularly in matters of equity, underscores the necessity for effective communication. Staying updated with relevant cases, understanding the court dynamics, and maintaining a positive mindset are integral to my approach.
Given your specialization in Commercial Litigation, Debt Recovery, and Litigation Management, can you elaborate on your approach to handling complex cases involving corporates and companies, especially with a focus on debt recovery?
In handling complex cases involving corporates and companies, particularly with a focus on debt recovery, my approach centres on meticulous case analysis, client consultations to align legal strategies with business objectives and strategic planning tailored to each case’s unique aspects. I prioritize alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms to expedite resolutions and maintain effective client communication. Staying abreast of industry regulations and providing timely and relevant inputs to devise precise legal strategy is also key. Ultimately, my goal is to secure favourable outcomes for clients while upholding the highest standards of professionalism.
You mentioned taking up pro-bono cases and providing legal consultation to those in need. How do you balance your commercial practice with pro-bono work, and what drives your commitment to providing legal assistance to those who may not afford it?
Managing the balance involves meticulous time management and a strategic approach to workload allocation. I prioritize pro-bono cases that align with my expertise and can make a significant difference in someone’s life. While commercial cases may demand substantial attention, I allocate dedicated time and resources to pro-bono work, treating it with the same level of professionalism and commitment.
As an aspiring speaker and mentor, you’ve presented at webinars attended by law students and legal professionals. What topics do you find most important to discuss with aspiring lawyers, and what advice do you typically offer to those entering the legal profession?
I implore young professionals who are keen to learn the ropes to first conquer good drafting skills, which is the most important aspect of litigation which sets you apart from the competition. Sadly, university education hardly focuses on practical aspects of drafting. Second most important would be to maintain strong work and legal ethics without which it is difficult to build credibility with clients as well as mentors. Third would be to remain reasonably updated about the working of practice and procedure of different courts which builds confidence and independent thinking; and lastly to make lots of friends, develop strong relationships and have fun while you are at it.
Expanding your practice to the Rajasthan High Court at Jaipur indicates a dynamic multi-state approach. Could you share the challenges and opportunities you anticipate in creating and sustaining a multi-state practice?
I have had the opportunity to appear before the courts at Rajasthan and collaborate with like-minded advocates which inspired me to expand my practice across jurisdictions. While there are inherent challenges, including adapting to divergent legal procedures, different client needs and logistical challenges, however, this expansion also brings forth significant opportunities for growth and networking. During the past years I have developed strong professional relationships which will help me overcome these challenges significantly. Additionally, key to growing any practice is meticulous planning and organizational efficiency. I am sure it would be an amazing opportunity for personal and professional advancement.
Lastly, drawing on your extensive experience, what advice would you give to fresh law graduates aspiring to build successful careers in law, especially considering the evolving landscape of legal practice in India?
Every person who enters practice understands litigation differently based on their personal experiences, ambitions and capabilities. Strong work ethic and continuous learning are the basics, while, the more you work on upgrading your knowledge and skill, the more it will help you flourish.
However, it is indeed a very tough profession, a very long and arduous journey. I learnt really late that one should prioritize their mental and physical health to be able to survive and thrive in this profession. Fresh law graduates should learn to manage stress in positive ways and must aim for personal growth besides just professional growth.
As far as the ever evolving legal landscape is concerned, young professionals have wonderful knowledge management resources in the form of legal news portals and online workshops. Moreover, virtual courts, live streaming of constitution bench matters and open access to supreme court judgments are some of the recent welcome steps which can ensure easy access to learning. Fresh law graduates should not feel overwhelmed by the constant information overload by making reading and writing on legal issues a part of their daily or weekly schedule.
Please tell us a bit about your upbringing and what motivated you to study law?
I was born to a doctor couple in Ranchi. I have an elder brother who is also a doctor. I finished pre-school from St. Mary’s Nursery School and enrolled at DPS Ranchi where I studied until I finished 12th grade. Ranchi used to be a small quiet town. We didn’t have much exposure and the career options were limited to medical or engineering.
I had seen my parents at their workplaces but was somehow not attracted to their profession. I wanted to understand how the society and our legal system functions. There was a natural inclination to move from the study of sciences to social sciences (This is not to say that I didn’t enjoy science, I did quite well in my 12th board as a Biology student and I miss organic chemistry a lot!). I remember chancing upon the question paper for the first CLAT and finding the questions very interesting. I thought that this was something that would be fun to study. My parents were not keen with the decision at first. But I owe it to my school teachers who played a very important role in convincing them. They eventually came around.
How was your law school journey? We see that you’ve done a fair bit of extra-curricular activities as a member and head of the Music Club at GNLU. You’ve also been part of the organising committee for the GNLU International Moot Court Competition (“GIMC”) and the GNLU Moot on Securities and Investment Law (“GMSIL”). Tell us a bit about these. Are co-curricular and extra-curricular roles important for a law student?
I think 5 year is a really long time if you have to just study law, so it is very important that you keep your interest going with other things. I have always loved playing music. I have even trained in Hindustani Classical. GNLU had a bunch of extremely talented musicians who formed the music club (a tradition that I’m glad to know has continued). Something very special and beautiful happens when a bunch of strangers with very varied backgrounds and interests in music come together to create music. I forged some excellent friendships through the music club, and I did it mostly for myself. It helped survive the grey walls.
The Organising Committee roles started because I wanted to be among the “cool kids” on campus during GIMC. But over a period of time, it taught me responsibility and very strong organisational skills. The Organising Committee itself is divided into sub-teams for logistics, sponsorship, PR and hospitality, which have their respective team heads or coordinators. Organising a moot which witnesses such wide participation from teams and judges is a crash course in event management. By our 5th year, some of us who were part of the GIMC-OC founded GMSIL because to bridge the need for a moot exclusively for securities and investment law. Our moot court coordinator, Dr. Girish R. liked the proposal and took the idea forward. The University administration was extremely cooperative and helpful, and we had another moot to organise!
Co-curriculars are definitely important for an all-round development, and somewhat even necessary given today’s competitive environment. I am not sure if extracurriculars help directly. Being involved with the organising committee of a moot court competition may not help you with job applications. But they do form good conversation starters. As an OC member, whether you like it or not, you will know something or the other about the moot problem, and learn a lot simply by hearing the oral arguments. Some of the younger judges who come might also help in mentoring and guiding.
Winning the Best Speaker at the 3rd All India Corporate Law Moot Court Competition and receiving an Honourable Mention at the 23rd Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Vienna are impressive achievements. Could you share some insights into these experiences and their impact on your career?
It is incorrect to equate good speaking skills in a moot with a good career in litigation or even law, generally. Moot problems help you think. They come closest to making a student apply the law, think on your feet, and experiment with legal arguments. I picked up a lot on coherent, crisp, and succinct drafting when I was doing Vis (all credits to my team – Muskan, Shweta and Catherine, and to our team coach – Zehaan). Drafting is a very underrated skill. It is extremely important to be able to convey legal arguments in simple words and in a structured manner to have maximum impact on the reader.
As far as oral argumentation goes, the preparation for Vis was very different compared to AICLM. With AICLM our focus was very much on the law and clarity of thought and expression. Since it was a national moot we expected the judges to ask questions and preparation was done accordingly. Vis was trickier. We had prepare for arguments before judges from different jurisdictions who were used to hearing very different accents and dialects. I remember hitting rock bottom at one point in my preparation for the oral rounds, because I felt that I wasn’t getting better. Things got better once I identified that I cannot go by a scripted speech. In that sense, moot court competitions helped me discover an individual style of argumentation.
Most moot court competitions are based on a new and upcoming legal issue. They’re a great way to keep on your toes about legal developments and interesting areas of law. My main reason for participating moots was because they were a great learning experience.
You secured a pre-placement offer with Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas in your 3rd year at GNLU. What would be your placement advice to students?
Honestly, I had not given much thought to placements back then. Our University had an excellent placement and internship committee which worked towards ensuring that students had internships and placements. I can’t speak of the standard procedures today but back then, a PPO was the culmination of repeat internships at any office. I had performed fairly well at my internships with the erstwhile AMSS. I was amongst the top rankers in my batch and had a well-rounded CV. Those factors did play a very large role in securing the PPO.
A strong resume is imperative for higher chances at a placement with any top-tier firm. But that does not necessarily mean an “academically good” resume. I can’t generalise but I think when firms come for placements, they are looking not just for talent, but also for a candidate that fits well with the larger work culture and ethos of the firm. Not everyone is a good fit for every firm.
How was your experience of working at CAM, Delhi. Did it seem daunting at first? What tips would you give to fresh joinees at a law firm?
It was quite daunting in the beginning. It was the first time that I was living in Delhi by myself. But I shared a home with some of my college seniors who took out the time and energy to guide me. There was a fair bit of inhibition and self-doubt. What helped was to have seniors around who could guide, and I was quite fortunate that way. It is important for everyone to understand that there is a bit of a jump from being an intern to being an Associate at a law firm. Nobody is inherently good at law. Good lawyers are a by-product of good training.
I don’t have many tips for fresh joinees. Each team and each firm has a different style of working and requires a different skill set. Diligence, honesty, sincerity, humility, patience and a willingness to learn are just the starting points. It’s essential to look after one’s health – we often ignore that when we’re starting out.
What were your reasons for leaving a Tier-1 law firm and joining litigation? What advice would you give to students who want to join litigation?
I wanted to be in and out of court more regularly and practice a wider range of law. I had great exposure at CAM, but the learning curve had started to plateau. I didn’t want to get too comfortable with the money and decided to move out young after finishing 2 years at CAM. That decision worked out really well for me because I had learnt my basics and was able to get up to speed on matters very easily.
The usual advice on patience and perseverance in litigation is quite common so I won’t repeat that. I have two pieces of advice for students. First, the horse is as good as the stable (as said by Fali Nariman in his autobiography). Find an office or a chamber which will really help you blossom into the best version of you.
Second, figure out your “why” of continuing with litigation. Law in general is a demanding and challenging profession, if you want to go about it the right way. It looks very different from the outside than it is on the inside. So, you really need to have a pretty strong reason to be a litigating lawyer – it can be anything, whatever keeps you going. For me, it was not the money, or the adrenaline rush of being in court, or the glamour of being a senior advocate. At the risk of sounding nerdy and naïve, I have continued with this purely because I like reading briefs, I love reading law, I like applying my mind to the case and to the law, and I like drafting. The practice of law brings me peace and satisfaction.
Please tell us more about working at a Chamber in Delhi. How is it different from working in the litigation team at a law firm?
I joined the chambers of senior advocates after my stint at CAM. With a senior’s office you don’t draft so much but you are handling a larger number of matters on a given day. The drafting is already done by the firms and advocates who come to brief the senior. The input expected from a junior is to be thorough with the briefs they’re marked on, prepare notes for arguments and be quick on the uptake and legal research. All this happens post 3-4 PM when you are back in office from court. In court, a big part of your job is to keep tabs on what matters are reaching, avoid a clash to the extent possible and ensure that your senior appears in them. This last part is very important because all preparation goes to waste if your senior does not appear and the matter gets adjourned.
Why did you decide to qualify as an Advocate on Record? Can you share some insights into the process of qualifying as an Advocate on Record and its impact on your career?
The decision to qualify as an AOR was influenced due to the chambers that I had worked or interned at. I had interned with HMJ (Retd.) Indu Malhotra (before her elevation), who had been an AOR before being designated as a senior advocate, another internship with ADP Chambers where Mr. Debesh Panda is an AOR. I was already enamoured by the prospect of being an AOR because I witnessed first-hand the kind of responsibility it came with and the skills that it required. Post CAM, I joined the chambers of Mr. Dhruv Mehta, Senior Advocate who used to be an AOR too. I then joined Mr. Jayant Mehta who was an AOR when I joined him but got designated as a senior during my tenure at his chamber. Both my seniors are not only great lawyers but have been excellent draftspersons. I wanted to emulate that and hence, taking the AOR exam was another step in that direction. I also enjoy Supreme Court practice a lot and hope to build my practice as an AOR office.
The impact of becoming an AOR is yet to be seen as I have only recently started my independent office. The process of qualifying is pretty straightforward and the details are available on the Supreme Court website itself. The exam comprises 4 papers – Practice and Procedure, Drafting, Advocacy and Professional Ethics, and Leading Cases.
Your publication record is quite extensive, covering topics from arbitration to competition law. How has academic research and writing contributed to your growth as a legal professional, and do you see a synergy between your academic pursuits and your practical work? Please tell us a bit about your research papers such as, the one on the overlap of insolvency and arbitration laws in India and its implications? How do you decide to write on a particular topic?
Despite several earnest attempts, I have not been able to keep up with a regular habit of writing. It is not mandatory to be engaged with academics and scholarly writing once you are a professional. Whatever little that I have published was purely because I have academic leanings and I enjoy writing on legal topics. I want to be a lawyer who is very actively involved in academia, and I have unrealistic ambitions of being able to author a commentary (someday, who knows?).
The more you read and keep updated, the easier it is to zero in on a topic. Being legally aware and updated automatically leads to a churning and overflow of ideas which often seek release in the form of an article. I also took my research projects in University seriously and chose topics which either piqued my interest or left room for creative scholarly work.
Why did you decide to read for a masters at the University of Cambridge after working for a couple of years. Is post-qualification experience important to secure an admission? What advice would you give to students who want to pursue an LL.M. abroad?
A masters’ degree wasn’t on my agenda when I finished my undergraduate. It was only during practice that I got the opportunity to dabble with very different areas of law. I’m truly grateful to my seniors’ chambers for that opportunity and for planting in me a genuine and deep interest in certain areas of law. I wanted to study these civil and commercial laws in depth and spend time in not just understanding how these laws work, but how they should work, and why.
The importance of work experience depends on the University and the programme that you choose. There is really no one-size-fits-all approach. As far as Cambridge goes, they have a very inclusive selection process and work experience is not a pre-requisite to secure an admission.
Like litigation, figure out your reasons for doing your masters, and tailor your CV accordingly. A masters from a reputed University does increase your chances of getting hired with an international law firm but it is not a ticket to that job. There are people who have moved to international law firms without a masters too! It is best to do a masters right after law school if you know that you want to get into academia. But it is certainly not a necessity if you want to continue practicing law.
How has the LL.M. helped in your career? How did you decide on your LL.M. subjects (International Commercial Litigation, Intellectual Property, Information Law and Advanced Private Law)?
As mentioned earlier, I chose these subjects because I was already familiar and interested in them through my work experience. I didn’t pursue my masters for any immediate or direct advantages to my career as far as employability is concerned. It did tremendously expand my knowledge, understanding and overall ability to think about the legal issues relating to my masters subjects. Since I continue to deal with these practice areas, they do contribute towards my outlook to briefs and my engagement with these laws on a regular basis.
Tell us a bit about your time at Cambridge – curricular and extra-curricular activities, both. What would a typical day look like for you? How challenging was it to deal with the reading lists and the academic work?
Cambridge is a very peaceful and engaging place, almost a respite from the busy hustle bustle of my life in litigation. The whole city is full of students and the culture is such that it fosters academic growth. Every attempt is made by the colleges to help focus by taking care of all other pastoral needs. This is done, perhaps, to ensure that students are able to cope up with the humongous amounts of readings. In the LL.M. course it is not enough to know the law. The professors’ expect that you have thought deeply about your subjects and have reasoned with it well. They are more interested in hearing your original ideas.
During term time, apart from attending class, I used to spend most of my time at my college library or at the reading room trying to cover up just the basic readings for my classes. It was impossible to finish the reading lists during term, so a majority of the break between terms was also spent in finishing the pending readings. For someone who has a genuine interest in their subjects and wants to be thorough, the entirety of the course duration can get used up in just finishing the readings. But the readings were divided into essential and optional to make things easier for students.
It wasn’t all work though. I helped organise the Cambridge Arbitration Days – 2022 at the Faculty of Law. This was one of the first arbitration events that was being held in person post COVID. We had some of the best barrister chambers and solicitor firms come down for the sessions. I met some of the best legal minds here.
I was a member of Darwin College at Cambridge which is right by the Cam River. Matter of fact, the backyard of my house opened into the college gardens which were adjacent to the river. Darwin has a special place in my heart – I made friends from all over the world and across disciplines. You could just be sitting and having a cup of coffee in the café and strike a very thoughtful and enriching conversation with a complete stranger who will most certainly have a thing or two to teach you.
I founded the Law Society at Darwin. I was very active with the swimming club. I would almost never miss our Saturday swims followed by brunch at the college. I did a fair bit of punting and kayaking. I signed up to become a punt captain at my college and by the end of my course I had become an expert at giving people punt rides along the river. I even did a night punting trip! Darwin has the best (and the most affordable) bar in Cambridge and is run entirely by students. I used to bartend once a week and earn some side money. I played a lot of cricket and football. I think I made the most of my time there, but that is how the environment is like at Cambridge. It ensures that you maximize your involvement with everything. This can also lead one astray. So it is important to not lose track of your priorities.
In addition to your litigation work, you have advised on various aspects of data protection laws and have drafted privacy policies. How do you stay updated on evolving legal landscapes, especially in areas like data protection, and what advice would you give to legal professionals on staying current in today’s dynamic legal environment?
I think it is easier to stay updated in today’s legal environment because important cases and developments get reported immediately. I think LiveLaw and Bar&Bench do a pretty good coverage of domestic legal developments. I have also been in the habit of reading international developments by customising my Feedly since I was in law school. There must be newer ways of staying updated now, would appreciate receiving tips on that myself.
A question that is often repeated- How difficult is it to be a first generation lawyer in the litigation circle?
It is difficult for sure, especially if you are not from Delhi, like me. But then again, it is not impossible either. The starting point differs if you are from a family of lawyers and you certainly have an edge over others. Even if you discount legacy, lineage makes things easier purely in terms of rent, expenses, office space, library and resources. But, I’m hopeful that in the longer run everyone does end up finding their ground. I can’t say for other cities but the Bar in Delhi is relatively more welcoming to outsiders. One of my law professors used to say in GNLU – Everyone will end up reaching the same place. If someone has an airplane, let them use that. You take the bus if that’s what you can afford.
I must also count my blessings and check my privilege. I managed to work with some of the best chambers even though I didn’t have any connections to secure an entry for me. Hard work does get recognition across the board. My seniors, and the people I have worked and interned with have always been exceptionally kind to me. I have been able to keep litigation because my parents are not dependent on me and I have no liabilities. I have a spouse and in-laws who have been exceptionally supportive. It wouldn’t have been possible for me to transition to independent practice without their backing. I can imagine the trajectory being far more difficult for someone else.
It is also important to understand that setting up an independent practice is not the only way that one can be a litigating lawyer. People are doing exceptional work at chambers and in law firms, be it small, mid-tier or big law firms. Being part of a team is less stressful than running your own establishment. It also gives more flexibility, allows room for experimenting with varied work, and ability to handle heavy briefs.
As a woman at the Bar, do you face any particular challenges and how do you deal with them? What changes would you suggest for a more inclusive and diverse Bar? What future opportunities and challenges do you foresee?
Women face more challenges in every field (personal or professional) and litigation is no different. A comparison of the number of men and women senior advocates and judges is self-explanatory. But I must point out that a career in litigation has a lot of longevity. There is always scope for coming back after a break, albeit, with initial struggles and difficulties. Since there is no linear career progression, it leaves room to carve a distinct path which may be very different from one’s contemporaries.
There are definitely a larger number of women at the bar today. With passage of time, courts have become more inclusive and accommodative spaces. There are also a large number of women who are re-joining the field once their children have grown up and they don’t need to be caregivers. I’m grateful for the Bar here which has an amazing set of women who have always been very encouraging and supportive. We have a long way to go but I’m hopeful about the future. We are the products of the hard work of all women who came before us and made our lives easier, and I hope that we’ll continue making things better for the future.
Lastly, if you were to provide advice to recent law graduates entering the field today, what key pieces of wisdom or lessons learned would you share with them as they embark on their own legal journeys?
“Own legal journeys” is the operative part here. The legal profession is very wide, diverse and rich. Each person has their fair share of struggles, blessings and rewards. There really isn’t a template to follow. Feel free to experiment, but do a good job with whatever you choose to experiment with. Another piece of advice is to have hobbies outside of law. The profession (and life in general) is far too long to live without poetry, music, sports, food, art and culture.
How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers and young freshers.
I am an Advocate-on-Record (AOR) at the Supreme Court of India. I started practising in 2014 with Wadhwa Law Chambers, Delhi before setting up my own full service law chamber (with two other partners) in 2022.
Our key practice areas include arbitrations, Insolvency and Bankruptcy, high stake property litigation, Civil and Commercial Litigation, Criminal and constitutional litigation, Intellectual Property and MSME related litigation with a focus on litigation before Hon’ble Delhi High Court, NCLT/NCLAT and the Hon’ble Supreme Court.
During the course of last 10 years, I have had the opportunity to represent various Indian and multinational companies/government departments before various courts and tribunals in Delhi NCR, Punjab and Haryana High Court, Allahabad High Court, Bombay High Court and other courts in Lucknow, Jabalpur and Himachal Pradesh.
You have a strong academic background, having completed your B.A. LL.B (Hons.) from Dr. RML National Law University. How has your academic journey influenced your approach to legal practice and problem-solving?
I was fortunate to have spent my five years at law school with some of the brightest minds from across the country – who are now some of my closest friends. All of us continue to learn from each other during the course of our respective professional journeys as practising lawyers, at law firms, in house counsels – as we did during our time at law school. Apart from the usual academic rigour, RMLNLU gave me an excellent set of peers.
While law practice can keep you occupied 7 days a week, I try to keep in touch with the academia by teaching seminar courses/taking guest lectures. Infact, preparations for my lectures at NLU Delhi and NUJS Kolkata have often helped me discover new lines of arguments and case laws – which eventually help you while making submissions in court/drafting your pleadings.
Could you describe your current role as an Advocate on Record at the Supreme Court of India? What types of cases do you handle, and what are your primary responsibilities?
My initial years in law practice gave me a lot of exposure to original side litigation at the Delhi High Court, NCLT/NCLAT and District Courts. Original side practice teaches you imperative litigation skills which involves asking the right questions from the client and procuring documents, drafting the pleadings only after one looks up the correct position of law, and most importantly, being precise and not verbose with the pleadings.
It is imperative that a lawyer keeps the above in mind while drafting plaints in Suits, statement of claims in arbitrations and insolvency actions, since the client may not be able to rectify these errors at the Appellate stage.
Having a strong original side practice background always gives you an edge with AOR practice at the Hon’ble Supreme Court. This skill set has certainly helped me with my AOR practice where I take up matters relating to arbitrations, Insolvency and Bankruptcy, high stake property litigation, Civil and Commercial Litigation, Criminal and constitutional litigation, Intellectual Property and MSME related litigation
With your involvement in MSME-related litigation and practice, how do you approach defending recovery actions initiated by MSMEs? What unique challenges and legal considerations come into play in such cases?
With the Government allowing for a completely self-declaration based registration under the MSME Act, a huge number of money recovery actions are now initiated under the MSME Act. If the dispute is contested and not settled before the Facilitation Council, it converts into a regular arbitration. The obvious benefits are better rates of interest given to MSMEs under the MSME Act when compared to regular arbitrations/civil actions for unpaid dues.
However, the self-declaration regime does not require any physical inspection of the proposed MSME unit prior to its registration under the Act. This is resulting in many vendors registering themselves as MSMEs overnight (who may or may not meet the required thresholds of turnover and investments under law for registration as an MSME) and filing their claims under the MSME Act. In my humble opinion, the entire self-declaration regime of registration needs a complete overhaul at least as far as recovery actions under the MSME Act are concerned.
There are however some remedies in the current legal framework to address the aforesaid issue, though not very effective and practical. Some other remedies under the MSME Act include criminal prosecution against the buyer which are not explored routinely but can be very effective, especially in high stake MSME litigation.
In addition to your legal practice, you have a background in writing and travelling. How has your interest in writing come up and what are some of your favourite places you have travelled to.
I used to write ‘letters to the editor’ to various newspapers while I was in school, which my father had suggested. I still have a whole collection of those cut outs kept with me! It is indeed a great way to develop comprehension and improve writing early on – especially for litigating lawyers where you are required to churn out drafts on an everyday basis. I would also write some pieces here and there in college, but the litigation rigour does not allow much time for that anymore.
The RIFF music festival at Jodhpur with its unique dawn/dusk classical concerts, the backwaters at Kerala, the unexplored Turkish coastline and old town Prague have been some of my favourite places to visit.
With a significant portion of your career spent in representing various entities, what advice would you give to aspiring lawyers, What are some key lessons or insights you have learned along your journey that you would like to share with them?
One should explore as many practice areas in the initial few years of practice and focus on reading as many precedents/case laws.Apart from the basics, being a nice and an easy person to work with is a very under-rated skill!
Rohit, your journey from the chambers of Mr. Anand Grover to representing major players like Google and Snapchat is truly remarkable. Can you take us through a memorable moment in your career that shaped your approach to the legal profession?
My journey has been a roller coaster ride, full of ups and downs, making it hard to recall. As a first generation lawyer getting a first job was very difficult. However, in 2013, I joined Anand Grover as a fresh law graduate. I got this job primarily because of my graduation in Life Science and not because of law. When I joined his chamber he was representing generic pharmaceutical companies before the IPAB and High Court in matters related to pre-grant patent oppositions and compulsory licences. My job at his chamber was related to finding the prior art of a contentious patent application thus the focus was more on researching chemical compounds of the drugs and tried to simplify enough to submit before courts, during this period I worked on many important drugs like Nexavar (Compulsory Licences case) and Sofosbuvir. After leaving his chamber in 2014 I joined MKSS (Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan) as a fellow where my job was focused on representing indigent litigants and groups on right based litigation related to NREGA, RTI, panchayat elections etc. This gave me the opportunity to work with two very good lawyers, Senior Advocate Prashanto Chandra Sen and Dr Yug Mohit Chaudhary, I learnt a lot from both of them. Yug is known for his work on Death Penalty cases and thus appeared with him in several death row cases.
Later, in 2015 I joined Advocate-on-Record Chirag M Shroff and then joined the excellent chambers of Mr Ramesh Singh Senior Advocate, an outstanding corporate lawyer, where I had the opportunity of assisting him in various arbitration and commercial cases. I learnt the art of articulation and gained confidence in handling complex legal issues from Mr Singh. It was the most significant period of my career, however I had to take a break due to some inevitable things at home and later in 2017 started my own practice. It was a very tough period with no or low monetary gains.
In 2019, a recruiter approached me to interview with Bytedance. After a few rounds, I was hired, and the rest is history. Bytedance, the parent company of TikTok, and it was the most challenging job so far for me. When I joined TikTok was facing regulatory issues and it also was a time when intermediary liabilities and content regulation laws were also developing in India, and as a pioneer in short video format with tendency to become viral TikTok faced many challenges and court cases related to bad content on platform, however, these challenges provided me avenues to learn on the job and grow as as lawyer and as an individual too. Google and Snapchat were settled and very slow companies and hardly a challenging situation occurred when I was there. Now after resigning from my corporate job I am back to pursue my career as a litigating lawyer, I cleared the AoR exam this year and practising primarily before the Supreme Court.
We often see lawyers in the courtroom, but what’s something about the legal profession that people might not know? Any behind-the-scenes aspect or interesting anecdote you’d like to share?
Lawyers in the courtrooms come with huge preparation, background study and efforts of many people involved. In 2019 I got an opportunity to represent the plaintiff in a suit for injunction filed before Bombay High Court against Ayushmann Khurana, the allegations of the plaintiff were that he had stolen his story and made a film called Bala. We had strong evidence to prove the allegations before the court, and his lawyer did not file any convincing reply in initial hearings and somehow we managed to convince the judge for personal appearance of Mr Khurana, however, after several requests made by his lawyer the court dispensed his personal appearance, but it was an exciting day for us in the court, my associate and junior were especially happy in hope to see the glimpse of the bollywood star.
You’ve been deeply involved in shaping content policies and legal strategies for social media platforms. With your background, what advice would you give to someone trying to navigate the fine line between freedom of expression and responsible content moderation in the digital age?
Social media is a powerful medium to communicate. After notification of Intermediary guidelines and digital media code 2021, social media companies are using AI tools and human moderators to curb the obscene and pornographic material however real challenges are related to political speeches and dissent voices, such content shall be dealt with utmost caution and platforms shall not remove any content that does not breach the Article 19 (2) of the Constitution of India, similarly MEITY shall also exercise its power under section 69 A of IT Act 2000 in rare cases and not as a normal routine. As a society we should aim at making the internet safe and secure for everyone.
In India the main problems is that some think tanks are over romanticising the “safe harbour” protection and wrongly interpreting the intermediary liabilities. Such protection cannot be granted or taken away by the statute as many policy practitioners and lawmakers think, it’s just an affirmative defence against the liabilities of the platform and only the court can use it to punish or protect the platforms against any liability. Therefore, I believe that facets of freedom of speech and expressions shall be dealt within the ambit of Article 19 (1)(a) read with Article 19(2).
You’ve navigated through roles as Legal Counsel for Snapchat, Google, and Bytedance, offering you a front-row seat to the tech industry’s evolution. What’s the most fascinating or unexpected aspect of tech law that you’ve encountered, and how do you stay ahead in a field that’s constantly evolving?
While at TikTok I encountered many unexpected and complex legal issues. Most fascinating issues were related to content crawling wherein TikTok content was crawled by competitor apps and they started monetizing it. However, TikTok had a state of art watermarking system on its content that helped the TikTok team to identify its content on other platforms and enforce its legal rights. During Google days most challenging work was related to revenge porn, as per Intermediary Guidelines 2021 platforms have an obligation to remove such content within 24 hours hence, sometimes I had to work beyond office hours to help the trust and safety team to remove content within time. Social Media and new age platforms are posing a new threat towards user safety, issues like deep fakes, AI generative and application of virtual currency in online gaming are some matters that need urgent attention.
Your educational journey includes a diverse set of courses, including a recent one on Fintech. How do these ongoing learning experiences contribute to your legal expertise, and is there a specific area of law or topic that you’re currently excited to explore further?
I am a big fan of MOOCs and distance learning courses. I feel that once we complete LLB, we do not need a master degree especially when we want to be in litigation, therefore I did not want to waste time and money in doing LLM hence, opted for distance learning specialised programs like Fintech, Media Law, CopyrightX etc. These courses played a significant role in getting jobs and recognition. Presently, I am quite fascinated with the changes happening in corporate governance and ESG regulations, and I am excited to explore this area and consider doing specialised training.
Your international exposure is quite impressive. How has your experience with diverse legal systems influenced your approach to cases in India? Any notable contrasts or lessons learned?
I was fortunate to work closely with lawyers from different countries. When TikTok was banned in India I was asked to support other jurisdictions like the UK, Israel and Sri Lanka, whereas while at Google I was responsible for west Asia litigation and worked with law firms of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Among all these, the best learning experience was with Israeli law firm Fischer Behar Chen Well Orion & Co (FBC) . I was very impressed with their drafting skills. Their team was trained to draft the long brief in a few pages in simple and plain English, a skill which Indian lawyers lack. Now, I am an Advocate-on-Record and I am trying to follow the learning from FBC.
We’ve covered your legal prowess, but what’s a hobby or interest you turn to when you’re not immersed in the world of law and litigation? Any hidden talents or passion projects you’d like to share?
When I am not in court, I like to go to the local market and eat street food, I also spend some time with my plants and I also have interest in collecting samples of leaves from different locations after drying them. I make herbarium.
With your background in Intellectual Property Rights and technology law, what’s a piece of legal advice you find yourself frequently sharing with friends, family or upcoming generation, especially in today’s digital age?
I usually advise my colleagues and friends to understand your client’s business before providing legal advice, to remain quiet and let your client speak more during meetings. I feel that all lawyers are competent to advise but there are very few lawyers who understand the business of the clients. Once we understand the business it will become easy to advise the clients. In today’s competitive world, start ups are coming with disruptive technologies and products, and if we do not understand their product and business properly, we may not be able to advise our client properly
Can you tell us about your journey into the field of law? What inspired you to pursue a career in law, and how did you get started in the legal profession
Being a first generation lawyer, I persuaded my family that I want to be a lawyer and make a good career in law. To be very frank, I must say the journey in this legal profession has been a roller coaster ride for me. Let’s dive back in time to know more about why and how I chose the legal profession as a career. In the year 2007, I did my schooling from Cambridge School Noida. I was least interested in accounts so it was easy for me to make up my mind about not pursuing CA/CS Course for sure. After that decision, I decided to pursue a BBA Course and appeared in the entrance examination for 3 continental BBA courses from Amity University Noida. Although I was selected, I was not satisfied at all whether to pursue it or not. Later I came to know, accountancy is also included in the BBA Course, and I couldn’t deal with the accounts subject so decided to move ahead and quit this course. Just like 3C BBA, at that point of time, the 5 years integrated BA.LL.B(Hons) course was gradually evolving. I pursued law with Amity law school, Noida and graduated in 2012. Furthermore, I did my masters from O.P. Jindal Global University, specialisation in Corporate Law in the year 2014.
INSPIRED BY WHOM –
Succinctly to say that, inspirations are so many luminaries of our legal profession, but one person who inspired me was the late Sh. Ram Jethmalani Sir. In the first year of law, I came to know about the Jessica Lall murder case wherein in 2006, the trial court had acquitted Manu sharma in that case. The first time I heard about Ram Jethmalani sir was in the aforementioned case who was defence counsel of Manu Sharma. I did a little bit of research later on. He was noted for his legal acumen and expertise.
Also for the parents, Selecting/Choosing a career option on behalf of their child is one of the major decisions that they undertake in the initial stage of commencement of their child career.
REASON WHY I CHOSE CRIMINAL LITIGATION OVER CORPORATE/IN HOUSE LAW PRACTISE –
By the time I jumped to fourth year in law, I had interned in a few corporate law firms including IP firms such as Sai Krishna and Associates. Prior to that, I already had interned for a month under tutelage of Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi Sir and K.K. Manan, Sr. Advocate, chairman of Bar council of Delhi . By this time, I had partially decided that I would go for litigation. It was the year 2012 where I interned for 3 months under tutelage of Advocates Subhash Gulati Sir and Sima Gulati Ma’am (Gulati and Associates), who were and still are my first mentors in this legal profession. These 3 months were fruitful for me as an intern which aided me in taking the right decision of which area of law to practise in coming years.
They have been doyens of the legal profession and have nurtured so many successful lawyers. I feel honoured to have been a part of that law firm (G&A).
You have an impressive and diverse background, working in various areas of law, including criminal trials, original side practice, and corporate matters. Can you share some of the key experiences or cases that have had a significant impact on your career and expertise
In mid-year 2012, I initiated my career in the field of criminal law for 2 years straight and got associated with the law firm of Gulati and Associates. I had a short yet effective stint as a junior advocate for Subhash and Sima Gulati . Having worked under Subhash Gulati and Sima Gulati (Sir and Ma’am) all this while, proved to be beneficial for me as very closely, I learned the tricks, tactics and specially the art of cross examining the witnesses in criminal trials. In fact, for a few months, I started assisting seniors in criminal matters listed in district courts. To name the few it includes dowry related case, dowry death case, murder case and 2G Scam case. For beginners in this legal profession, reading, researching the case laws, interpretation of the laws/provisions and putting all of it in drafting are few of climbing the ladder of district court practice. Next comes the oral advocacy , i.e. to say mastering the submissions/oral arguments before the court, that I learned at much later stage.
So, initially I started appearing in all district courts in Delhi and sought Passovers in complaint matters, heinous crimes /non heinous crimes (both pre trial and post trial stages matters) as well. A person is bound to make a mistake in his /her commencement of his trial litigation and that’s exactly what I did. The one thing I learned from the seniors , at the very beginning in starting 6 months, appearing before MMs (Metropolitan Magistrates) or ADJs/DJs (Additional/Assistant District Judges/District Judges) is that never ever lose your patience during arguments, the ability to handle the situations, be crisp on law and facts and one should know when to counter/rebut the arguments on the questions asked put forth either by the opposite party counsel/Hon’ble Judges.
I can tell you the first trial case I was involved in was of dowry one. In that case, we were representing husband. Senior told me to prepare the tabular chart by highlighting the general allegations and specific leveled against the husband and other family members and accordingly find out the relevant judgments on the issue . I attempted in searching the judgments day and night, on the proposition related to dowry law ,i.e. 498a, but couldn’t find it in our favour. Patience is the key. Then next day, I restarted researching on ratio ,found out the judgments and Just before At the stage of final arguments, cited the relevant judgments before the court, that lead to an acquittal. That was the pride moment for me in assisting senior and in adjudicating the matter.
It is undoubtedly a fact which cannot be ignored that apart from senior lawyers, in an advocate’s life Role of clerk also plays a vital role in building up the career of a lawyer. Clerks are invaluable.
They inculcate practical knowledge pertaining to court filing procedures/inspection of files in courts /High Court/ Supreme court inter alia. I remember Jitendra Kumar (who is now an advocate) is one such person who throughout has aided me in this particular field .
ROLE/ IMPACT OF SENIOR COLLEAGUES IN MY LIFE –
I always keep the relationship with my seniors at the beginning of my career at a high pedestal. No matter how many times you seek help from them, they will clarify your doubts in every possible manner. I discovered it’s essential to be enthusiastic and open to learning new skills, asking for more work and being curious to learn and ask questions. I thank my seniors and acknowledge their indisputable efforts namely as Advocates Sugam Puri, Shikha, Kunal Raheja, Navneet, Khan, Shammy, Rahul, Jatin Sapra for rectifying my mistakes in drafting and other consequential areas.
Post 2015 and till 2021, I had worked with other seniors namely Advocate Vikas Arora, Ardhendumauli kumar Prasad (AOR) (AAG, UP), Sr. Adv S.R. Singh (Former Justice of Allahabad High Court), Advocate Arvind Kumar Shukla gaining abundance of experience in land , service, appointment, education, excise matters ,criminal , landlord tenant arbitral disputes, property matters. I cannot thank my seniors enough for giving me the opportunity to argue independently in various forums/courts.
The regular bail granted to my client I defended in the POCSO case is one of the major takeaways of my litigation that I cherish the most.
Not to forget the landmark judgment of supreme court in Swiss Ribbons case v/s Union of India that upheld the validity of IBC Code in 2018, A separate writ was filed from our office and that was tagged along with several other petitions) and the fate of the judgment decided in the main petition decided in other cases including ours. So, by virtue of the judgment delivered by the 3 judges bench, the matters tagged were disposed of, technically without listening to the side of petitioners, to which I think it shouldn’t have happened.
There are numerous cases which I can’t mention all of it here. So keeping it in short.
You mentioned working with Dr. Pradeep Kumar Rai, Vice President of the Supreme Court Bar Association. What were some of the most valuable lessons or experiences you gained during your time with him, and how did it shape your legal career?
Since I already had experience working with Senior Advocate and briefing seniors on earlier occasions, prior to joining him, it was like a cherry on cake for me. Before becoming Advocate on record, I worked there as a senior associate and handled a variety of matters of the Supreme Court, District Courts, Tribunals as well. One of the memorable experience with him was that as soon as I joined his office in the year 2021, I got the opportunity to brief a criminal matter before Vikas Singh, the then President of Supreme Court Bar association, led by Pradeep Sir. It was an enthralling experience to assist and brief Vikas Sir in the criminal matter. As a young lawyer, it is the duty of him/her to rise to the occasion and see to it that the faith and trust of the Senior should not be shaken. Briefing and assisting senior is two different aspect altogether. The sharpness of mind, argumentative skill, confidence, organized, persuasive, intelligentest are the components of becoming a sharpened advocate.
Amongst so many valuable lessons taught by Pradeep Sir, one of them out of so many of them was:
‘Never do work half heartedly, do it wholeheartedly and with confidence’, Such words motivates you to do better in the longer run. Some of the things that I have learned from him would play a vital part in my long journey in the field of litigation. Essential things before briefing a senior advocate
For E.g. Reading the facts in a crisp manner, make sure to note it down if you are not capable of grasping it initially, note down the provision/law, if any involved pertaining to that case, qua the judgments in your favour or against you, make yourself aware about the day to day judgments of various High Courts/tribunals/forums and of course, of apex court, briefs has to be shorter, highlight the main ground of the case and so on so forth. It is true to say that recognition as a lawyer in the legal field is the prominent one. The face value and the recognition that I had received as a junior of Pradeep Sir is invaluable. It is something which doesn’t last but you have to create your own name to sustain in this profession and that is exactly what happened after working with sir and post clearing advocate on record examination in 2023.
One of your recent achievements is becoming an Advocate on Record at the Supreme Court of India. Can you tell our listeners about the significance of this accomplishment and the responsibilities that come with it?
As a first generation lawyer, It is a matter of pride, honour, privilege to become a reputed part in the highest court of country
Nowadays, the debacle of professionalism and ethical standards dropping day by day in Advocate on records has seriously concerned the judges of supreme court. AOR has much more onus rather than merely signing of the petition. On behalf of the party, an Advocate on Record can file a petition, draft an affidavit, file a Vakalatnama, or any other application at the Supreme Court. A registered clerk assists AOR in procedural aspects.
The court not only requires AORs physical presence but effective assistance from AOR is also required. He is a seeker of justice for citizens of this nation. An AOR is much more accountable than a senior advocate , who is responsible for whatever is written and pleaded by putting his appearance to maintain solemnity of court records. The institution of Aors is to facilitate working of court as mentioned in Order IV Rule 6 of Supreme court Rules.
For the first time, as an intern I entered the premises of Supreme court in the year 2011, at the time of pursuing law (4th year), vacation bench was presiding In the court no.1 where bench of former CJ S.H. Kapadia and J. Altamas Kabir were taking up the urgent matters, I was awestruck seeing the arguments by some of the senior lawyers at that time and then I had decided in my mind that I will soon practise here.
Let me tell you firstly about the Advocate on record examination. Every year the Supreme Court of India conducts an Advocate on record exam for the lawyers who want to establish his/her own practice in the Supreme Court. It is one of the toughest examinations in the fields of law attempted by numerous lawyers. Precisely to say every year around a thousand lawyers/aspirants having an experience over five years or more, so, write this lengthiest exam. And only a few could crack this examination. Consecutively, in Successive years 2021 and 2022 examination approx. 500 lawyers have become advocates on records, prior to this, the numbers were very minimal. At Personal level, the Significance of this accomplishment becomes imperative for two majorly reasons :- Firstly, a non- legal background lawyer cracking this examination, Secondly, it was essential for me to make my name and register it in the Supreme court, by hook or by crook and I did it in the 3rd attempt. Failing in the last two attempts given in 2018 and the post covid, in 2021 were depressing years. Then I found a ray of hope and flushing out all my negative approaches, appeared again and cleared the AOR Examination in my 3rd attempt. They say ‘TRY TRY UNTIL YOU SUCCEED’.
Could you share some insights into your daily work routine and the challenges you face as a legal professional, especially when dealing with cases in the Supreme Court and High Court?
From the past year, I am into independent practice, the timings are a bit relaxed. Prior to this, it was bit hectic and as it should be since a fresher/junior during commencement of his/her practise either in litigation or at corporate, whatsoever the field may be, is supposed to do constant hard work, to be persistent in carrying out various tasks of various courts in order to succeed in legal profession and that’s exactly just like others I had followed the same.
I wake up, have breakfast, drop my kids to school and then rush to the court in early hours as I don’t want my cases listed to get automatically Passover and then to wait for the whole day for my matter to reach. By this way, reaching the court, either its High court or Supreme court or any other district court, I avoid traffic congestion. You have your whole day once I am done with my matter. This is the kind of work I learned at the initial stage of my internship and then carried it off in my early stages of litigation practice.
Above all this, Fitness plays a significant role in shaping my legal career. I have become more focussed, punctual, more energetic, less impulsive after doing some workout in late evening.
Our routines become ingrained in our brains. They are made up of a series of habits. Changing your work routine is difficult, for it requires tackling many habits.
In your extensive career, you’ve handled a wide range of cases and legal matters. Are there any particular cases or moments that stand out as particularly memorable or challenging for you?
From 2012 till mid 2023, I have had encounters with multiple cases in criminal side, civil side, corporate side as well, both at district, High Court and Supreme court. My memories with each case are very special because of which I grew as a lawyer and as an individual , I not only thrived for social justice but also embraced life long learning.
I find matrimonial disputes and child custody cases are the most challenging ones, since you have to fight tooth and nail to defend your client whether it’s a husband or a wife, or the case relates to custody of a child. Mediation plays a vital role in settling the disputes between the parties. There was such a peculiar case where I was representing husband, a retired IAS Officer in multiple cases filed against my client by his wife who was also an retired IAS officer, that is to say, maintenance u/s 125 CRPC, Domestic violence case under section 12, and FIR was already lodged u/s 498a. They were into court battles for so many years and the remedy I could see was through mediation. However, in a number of dates fixed for mediation, the matter could not be solved and it went back to court again and now its sub-judice. So many sittings in mediation and yet marital conflict- issues involved between both aged parties remained status quo and didn’t sorted it out.
For instances some of the cases I assisted and as independent counsel argued for are listed below : –
Acquittal of husband/client in false dowry demand case (u/s 498a, Sec 2/3 DOWRY Prohibition act)
12 Writ Petitions before Delhi High Court against setting aside ex parte order of labour court, filed on behalf of management company to reinstate services of labour from date of their termination along with back wages – notice was issued and Settlement arrived between both management and employees at Later stage.
Statutory Bail granted under POCSO Act
At present, I am handling various arbitration matters with land acquisition, both at district level and high court level, which is a bit complicated but intriguing also.
Given your experience in the legal field, what advice would you offer to law graduates or young lawyers who are just starting their careers in law? What key principles or values have helped you succeed in your journey as a lawyer?
Nowadays, a career in law opens up a plethora of possibilities. Firstly, the law graduates/young lawyers should explore career options and must be decisive in their choice of practise whether its litigation practice, (civil side or criminal side), law firm, corporate practise, judicial services , academics and research, Public prosecutor, Judge Advocate General (JAG ) Officer.
Learning to practice law can be daunting sometimes and it takes some time for junior lawyers to comprehend the technicality and procedural court work. Don’t disheartened, discourage and lose your heart if you are unable to understand the functioning of the courts. You will get it through your sheer hard work, by dint of persistence, self determination. Moreover, read the judgments of supreme court, High courts, Tribunals etc. to enhance your knowledge on various laws discussed in several judgments. Any case, in a free time, if you don’t have anything to do, or not in a mood to research, then peruse constitutional law judgments. Establish your IQ more on constitutional aspects. By reading judgments, you merely not only improve your legal vocabulary, it gives you a better understanding of the law and the legal idioms/ phrases that is being used in the judgments, you can learn it also by continuously reading it. All these you can put it in drafting and in your communication skills which further cultivates in honing your argumentative skills before the court.
You can regularly read whether from online legal search engines or from journals, depending on your preference. In this age of technical advancement, one can now easily access and also learn the art and craft of legal arguments/submissions made by legal luminaries in constitutional hearing matters.
I have come a long way from being a mediocre law student to a lawyer holding the highest position in the Supreme court. I have always been a keen learner, enthusiastic, and determined person. Giving the best in your profession and Being an honest to your profession has been my primary goal. Time management is the key to success. Value the time. I valued the time at each interval of my litigation practice. My next advice would be ‘value the time, don’t waste it. Time won’t come again. Take baby steps at once and keep working hard, success will come your way, if not today, then in coming years.
“AT ANY STAGE, DO NOT UNDERVALUE YOU, UNDERESTIMATE YOURSELF, UNDERMINE YOUR SELF BELIEF, UNDERMINE YOUR SELF DETERMINATION”
As the founder of your own law firm, “Chambers of Kunal Yadav,” what motivated you to start your practice, and what are your goals and vision for the firm’s future?
I am sure that every law student / graduate lawyer has this huge dream of having his/her own law firm. Mostly , some of them initiate the setting up of a law firm, right after graduation , some of them don’t start them at all. While few of them start a bit late. In today’s competitive environment, it’s a challenge for even the most qualified lawyers to maintain and grow a successful law practice in India.
I have quite an experience in various law firms based in Delhi and after witnessing the positive growth of associates , working under a good leadership, thus in a positive environment and working cultures of those litigation law firms, I took the decision of having my own firm. Who doesn’t want to be his own boss , right ?
I had thought of establishing and commencing my own firm some day. Before leaving the last office where I worked, I had completed 10 golden years in the legal profession. As of now It has just been a year as an independent practitioner, let’s see how and where this wind goes .
I always believe that a healthy environment in the law firm should sustain rather than a toxic environment.
As a founder of my new firm, I am looking for new avenues, new recruits which would aid in taking the firm to greater heights.
Can you share your journey of becoming an Advocate on Record and your motivation to specialize in Criminal Law, as evidenced by your LL.M. in Criminal Law from the Indian Law Institute?
I am a first generation lawyer, nobody even in my distant family belongs to or is associated with a legal background. After pursuing my B.A.LL. B (5 years integrated course), I wanted to pursue LL.M. to add to my resume; as I come from a medical background and always had an inclination towards higher studies. After clearing a few entrance exams for LL.M., I opted for Indian Law Institute. There were two branches available for masters one being IPR and the other Criminal Law. As I always had a thing in me for litigation, I chose the latter. I was lucky enough also to have the finest professors teaching us.
Advocate on record also was something which emerged from the fact that I am a first generation lawyer, as with no assistance or guidance I felt that clearing the AOR exam will help me in establishing myself in the Hon’ble Supreme Court, as the Hon’ble Supreme Court recognizes only two sets of advocates: i). Senior Advocates and II) Advocate on Record; as per the Supreme Court Rules.
You’ve written a dissertation on “Pardoning Power of The President Article 72 Of The Constitution Of India.” What led you to choose this topic, and what were some key findings from your research?
The topic for my dissertation again culminates from the fact that I have keen interest in the sphere of criminal law. It was intriguing to know the development from the death penalty being given very commonly to the rarest of rare cases and thereafter the effect of the Mercy Petitions as we call the power of the president under Article 72 of the constitution of India. Research included the recommendations of the Law Commission Report and study of the death penalty across the globe.
In addition to your specialization in Criminal Law, you’ve also written research papers on “Juvenile Justice” and “International Law in reference to Right to Food.” How do these areas of study tie into your legal career and advocacy work?
The best part to pursue masters from the Indian Law Institute was that we had to submit various papers during our course and this apparently helped me to have better research skills which eventually helped me and till date helps me by inculcating the habit of researching some case laws on a daily basis; it also helped me to develop patience to read lengthy judgments and keep myself updated with the latest developments in legal field.
Your professional experience includes working with Designated Senior Advocate. Could you tell us about your responsibilities and experiences during this period and how they contributed to your legal career?
During the brief stint of period I was associated with the senior, I was assigned duty to research and prepare statements of cases. I was also given free hand to deal matters before the Registrar Court in the Hon’ble Supreme court. The exposure that I witnessed was essential for me to understand the knitty-gritty of the profession; also it helped me to understand the court craft. I also got an opportunity to listen and observe some of the finest advocates which helped me a lot to learn by observing the Art of advocacy; skill of argument, to learn the importance of body language, etc. and how one should conduct themselves during an argument.
You’ve represented the Government of India and the State of NCT of Delhi before the Supreme Court. Can you share some memorable cases or experiences from your time as a ‘Panel B’ advocate for the Union of India?
Being a panel counsel gives one immense exposure, as we get a chance to represent different States, Central Government and various PSU’s. The maximum litigation that occurs in supreme court is wherein the government is a contesting party and thus the government has huge stakes and so do we as we represent the government.
You’ve filed Public Interest Litigations and intervention applications in the Supreme Court, leading to legislative changes, such as the incorporation of provisions in the Consumer Protection Act. Can you discuss the impact of these legal actions on consumer rights and advocacy?
The PIL filed by me pertaining the consumer awareness was particularly at the time when there were infiltrations from the Chinese side at the border and as an aware citizen of the country i felt the necessity of the awareness of the consumer before purchasing anything by way of e-commerce as the decision of the consumer should be an informed decision. The data of this year again shows that there is a humongous loss to the Chinese government as the Indians had chosen the local products over the other products.
You’ve taught various law subjects as a visiting faculty. How has your teaching experience influenced your approach to legal practice and advocacy?
In our field everything is connected and as the proverb exists Knowledge is the power so would i say that while teaching i used to extensively study and prepare for the classes; this helped me as well to have a grasp upon the subjects. I would like to add here that law is a field where no amount of reading, be it related to legal field or otherwise, goes unused or un utilized. One may never know that when one gets to deal with a particular matter about which you must have read way back; but as there would be little knowledge about the same, that will give confidence to study more about it and take up the case.
As an accomplished legal professional, what advice would you like to offer to fresh graduates who are embarking on their legal careers or considering a specialization in law?
To all the aspirants who are keen to take up litigation, my advice would be that do not shy from hard work, develop a habit of reading, this will take you a long way. Develop discipline and patience. The field of litigation is not for the impatient. But I can surely say one thing from my own experience: having Patience and perseverance is of utmost importance in the litigation field. One should also try to have as I call them 3 D’s- Determination, Discipline and Devotion to not only sustain in this profession but these 3-D’s will help one to achieve great heights.
Can you share your journey into the field of law and what motivated you to pursue a career in this field, including your experience at the National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS)?
I would say ‘Law’ happened by chance and it was not that I had planned for it for long. During Class 12, my parents came to know of law as a career from a friend of theirs. Once I started preparing for CLAT, the subjects that were offered grew on me, especially the sections on logical reasoning and current affairs. I enjoyed the preparations and was able to crack the exam that led me to my second home i.e. the City of Kolkata for the next five years. My parents were a constant source of encouragement during the preps. The only distant pre-existing link in my family with the field of law that I can think of is that my grandfather had been an Additional District Magistrate in the Bihar Civil Services.
Being at NUJS was an experience to cherish. For the first time I came into contact with peers from across the country. The different languages, foods, habits, it was an in-depth lesson in learning about the diversity of India. It was not too hard to make friends, as I was always an ardent participant in different extracurricular activities. There was a thriving atmosphere of Sports, Cultural events in college apart from moots and debates that developed the competitive spirit in all of us. NUJS was also popular in hosting the largest sports fest among law schools “INVICTA”. I had the honour of leading the fest in my 4th year as Convenor which also instilled a sense of leadership, and also won a national level moot court competition. These qualities did come in handy at the time of branching out with my independent practice.
As a first-generation advocate, can you describe the early years of your career? What were some of the challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them?
The early years as an independent litigator were certainly challenging. There would be days when I would have no briefs in hand and I would wonder whether I took the right call to branch out this early (merely 2 years into my career). However, whenever you sense the overwhelming cloud of despair, every time there does emanate a beacon of hope from somewhere or the other which consolidates your belief to keep going further, into the path of uncertainty you’ve chosen. That beacon of hope may be from an entrepreneur friend who was looking for a lawyer to his start up, or the relative who had familial property issues to sort, or the acquaintance looking for advice on a will. The only way to overcome these initial challenges, in my experience, is to keep networking, and meet new circles of people. Social gatherings are also a healthy way to make new clientele, who knows what’s on the mind of a fellow invitee looking for quick and free legal advice!
For the initial two years after college, I had worked with a college senior of mine Mr. Ankur Sood, Advocate on Record. His office helped me inculcate nuanced drafting skills and the filing processes / preparation of a Petition thanks to his highly experienced clerk Sajid Ji, who would take me along to the various court registries to help me get a wind of what goes on behind the scenes of the glamour of the courtroom, and what all it takes to finally place a Petition on the Hon’ble Judge’s desk.
Your work spans a wide range of legal areas, from civil and criminal cases to intellectual property and arbitration. Could you share a few memorable cases or experiences from your career that have had a significant impact on you?
I would say that being part of the Delhi Legal Aid Services (DLSA) initially at Saket District Court and handling cases as a ‘Legal Aid Counsel (LAC)’ for economically weaker litigants in the initial years in a way shaped me as an Advocate and emboldened my commitment towards the profession. The glee and the gratitude in the eyes of mothers on being told that their son had been acquitted or had got bail was very gratifying. Obtaining orders for domestic violence victims being awarded interim maintenance was also equally pleasing. It made me realize the social importance of our profession, and the impact it can have on the lives of thousands, that the long helping hand of law is not too far from any person in our society.
Obtaining a John Doe order for a multinational publishing house in the initial years from the Hon’ble Delhi High Court followed by raids on the infringing publishers at Daryaganj was my first brace with big ticket litigation and a memorable learning curve.
During the Covid pandemic, there was this huge controversy about reduction in school fees as no physical classes were being held. I was approached by an Association of 250 ISC / ICSE Schools from West Bengal for obtaining relief from Supreme Court as Calcutta High Court had passed an adverse order directing the schools to charge only tuition fees, which was impractical as schools also had to pay salaries, other running expenses for the upkeep of their infrastructure. The High Court had also ordered for showing of schools’ balance sheets and appointed a committee composed of the Petitioners’ Advocate to address grievances of parents. The controversy was fostered owing to an absence of a fee regulatory body in West Bengal. We were faced with an onerous 3 judge bench in the Supreme Court with Justice MR Shah on it. However, we managed to obtain a stay order from SC, and for the next 12 months were a roller coaster of a journey dealing with an unpredictable bench of the Calcutta High Court which was passing contradictory directions at every hearing date at a frequency of 2-3 months. I also had to make frequent trips to Calcutta to attend the Court-appointed Local Commissioners’ hearings on behalf of the school management. Ultimately the Supreme Court gave a quietus to the issue as Covid had passed and all the directions were kept restricted to the Covid years alone.
During my tenure as a Counsel for the Union of India I appeared for the Department of Atomic Energy before the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) at New Delhi. The matter pertained to a demand of Rs. 289.59 Crores under the head “Grid Support Charges’ ‘ made by Govt of Telangana. After hearing arguments, the Hon’ble Tribunal was pleased to stay the said demand in favour of the Union of India holding that under Section 184 of the Electricity Act, 2003 exempted the Ministry or Department of the Central Government dealing with Defence and Atomic Energy from applicability of the Act.
You’ve represented various Central Government Departments and have extensive experience in litigation. How has your role as Senior Panel Counsel for the Union of India shaped your legal practice?
Being on the prestigious Senior Panel representing the Union of India has thrown open the window of opportunity to appear before the Delhi High Court on a daily basis before different benches. It adds to the sheer volume of briefs that you prepare for on an everyday basis and a rich experience to shape your future career. Each brief brings with it an unique point for consideration and the high stakes that come along with it. As a counsel holding a brief for the Union of India, you are expected to be on top of your game day in day out. The Hon’ble Judges expect you to be fair and well prepared as every new Petition on the Supplementary List starts with a Stay Application to oppose and the Government’s action to defend! Thus, one cannot afford to take any brief lightly. Usually, the new matters are marked to the Govt. Counsels the evening before, thus we only get that evening and next morning to take instructions from the respective Department and gear up for the admission hearing. It is thrilling, greatly satisfying and a big honour.
During the day in Court, we get to rub shoulders with Senior Advocates on the other side that adds to the challenge and gives you an added motivation to go to Court with your best prep forward. The sheer diversity of matters moulds one’s skill sets, one day it can be a Service Matter involving Promotion or Pension, on another day it may be Section 34 Challenge to an Arbitral Award, same day there may be a final hearing listed for a Miscellaneous Writ, on some days Tender matters, on some LPAs and Appeals against Tribunal decisions etc. Our younger crop of Panel Counsels also get enriched by the constant motivation and encouragement of our Seniors and Standing Counsels as well as Ld. ASG Sir who we keep crossing along the corridors of Delhi High Court and learning from their vast experiences.
You’ve been empaneled with organizations like GAIL (India) Limited, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) and the Enforcement Directorate (E.D.). Can you discuss the importance of these empanelments and how they have contributed to your professional growth?
One must realise that empanelments are only a push to give you volume of work, which you are eligible for only after 4-5 years into your practice. The initial years preceding that eligibility period you have to really grind it out. I would say that is the gestation period. Empanelments help you get a good grip on a specific type of subject area, and some empanelments with retainers ensure a fixed income per month securing you financially. But you need to keep performing and maintain the standards otherwise someone else will take your place.
How has Becoming an Advocate on Record further helped diversify your practice?
It has given a foot in the door for establishing an independent Supreme Court Practice. Not that I have not been working on Supreme Court matters earlier. Thanks to my college senior Mr. Kunal Chatterji, AOR who had given me a volume of Supreme Court drafting to do in my initial years when I had branched out independently. His clerk Sukanta Ji also taught me the nuances of SC Filing Procedures, I will be forever grateful to them. Becoming AOR is one thing, but getting those AOR briefs for filing is the second step that follows. For this, it is important to carve out a network of lawyer colleagues from different states who can send you those SLPs, Civil Appeals and Transfer Petitioners. During our first orientation organized by the Supreme Court Advocates on Record Examination (SCAORA), Justice Sanjay Krishan Kaul who had himself been a AOR gave us all a golden advice to not be merely postmen but to read and give finishing touches to drafts that came our way so that the knowledge gained during the AOR Exam preps can be put to good practical use. Justice Kaul advised us to refrain from filing Petitions without reading them which holds good in today’s times.
You have also been involved with certain matters of political nature. Could you throw some light on them and their professional benefits?
I would say these are our social responsibilities. In the aftermath of the West Bengal Vidhan Sabha Elections of the year 2021, there was large-scale violence that broke out targeting the members, workers, voters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who had voted / campaigned against the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). As soon as the results were declared, there were murders, loot, arson, and even gang rapes. Although the State of West Bengal has a history of bloody elections and many would declare such violence to be ‘normal’, however at some point of time that ‘normalcy’ must be questioned. In all other States elections are held peacefully, then why an aberration in only this one State. I was part of the team that appeared for the victims in the Hon’ble Supreme Court and Hon’ble Calcutta High Court. I would put in all nighters to draw up the pleadings explaining the gruesome incidents and plight of the families. Finally, the Calcutta High Court ordered a CBI probe into the various incidents.
Earlier this year, after the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections and appointment of a new Mayor in Delhi there were separate elections held for the 6 positions of the MCD Standing Committee which is voted by Councillors. Owing to a fracas in the house and expecting an unfavourable outcome, the Mayor who was a Councillor elected on an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ticket cancelled the elections and ordered re-elections even though the process had been completed and only results were left to be declared. The Hon’ble Delhi High Court declared the Mayor’s action to be illegal and directed pronouncement of the results immediately.
Being involved with political matters provides one a hand to work for the betterment of our systems and appear for MPs, MLAs and various leaders of the said political party. It gives one a platform to interact with such elected representatives and public personalities to learn from their world view, perspectives. Moreover, such matters often attract a lot of media attention and it thus gives one an additional edge and experience of regularly appearing in such media-friendly ‘high profile’ matters. I also have had the opportunity of assisting the BJP during election cycles, both at the National and State levels pertaining to Election Commission compliances which has helped cultivate different kinds of skill sets.
Finally, as someone who has built a successful legal career with diverse experiences, what advice would you like to give to fresh graduates who are entering the legal profession today and aspire to make a meaningful impact?
Foremost takeaway from what I have experienced, is to be patient and not be in too much of a rush. Yes, be ambitious but be practical as well. It is seen that many fresh graduates being carried away with the burst of information and content on social media attempt to have their hands in everything but end up not having a meaningful impact in either. The race is long and lawyers don’t retire. If one is sincere, dedicated and hard working, rewards will come, even if not today then certainly in the next few years down the line. What is essential however is to have in place a working culture and a disciplined lifestyle. Those abashed college years are over, in the real world a lot more is riding on every brief and your every appearance than just a few marks of a moot court competition!
Can you please share your journey from obtaining a B.A., LL.B (Hons.) degree at National Law University, Delhi, to becoming an Advocate-on-record at the Supreme Court of India? What motivated you to pursue a career in law?
There were no lawyers in my immediate family, in fact I grew up in the beautiful city of Bhopal which despite being the capital doesn’t even have a High Court. I took mathematics and science and it was only in my senior secondary year that law as a profession attracted me. It was my English teacher who saw my potential in law and suggested that I take it up as a profession. At that time little did I know that it would change my perspective towards society completely and give my life a deeper meaning and purpose.
I loved every bit of my time at National Law University, Delhi, it ignited a sincere passion towards law and people here were smart in so many different ways and fields. At NLU, Delhi, I was busy doing assignments, research work, internships, Moot Courts, Mediation & publishing articles. I had no clue that 5 years went by so quickly. I enjoyed mooting, I guess it came naturally to me, it gave my exposure at international level at Jakarta (Indonesia), Malaysia and Cape Town (South Africa). I was part of the Moot Court Organizing Committee and also Convener of the Student Welfare Committee at NLU, Delhi. When I graduated with a degree in law I was selected in western universities with partial scholarship & fee waiver and also at Indian Law Institute, Delhi for LLM (1 year program) but I chose to start practicing law and learn in the chamber and before the Courts.
Becoming an Advocate-on-Record was a necessity for me being a first generation advocate practicing at the Supreme Court. It was with God’s grace and years of chamber practice that I was able to attain this milestone in my very first attempt despite the challenges that came along with the way. When I cleared the AOR exam, Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic was already here and that gave me an opportunity to pursue a master’s degree in law. I did my LLM in constitutional law and administrative law during that period. It motivates me that as advocates not only we contribute in the justice delivery system but also keep the faith of the masses in our wonderful system & constitution, despite the challenges, flaws and adversities.
You’ve had a diverse range of experiences in different legal chambers and roles. How didthese experiences shape your understanding of the legal profession, and what valuablelessons did you learn during this time?
In my final year of law school while interning at the office of Sr. Adv. Sidharth Luthra I realized that litigation at the Supreme Court of India is my calling. After enrolling as an advocate I joined the chamber of Sr. Adv. Rebecca M. John where I got an opportunity to work on leading criminal cases including cases involving heinous crimes, CBI trials, trap & disproportionate asset cases and many more. This gave me hands-on experience of addressing the court & arguing, drafting and filing, observing examination in chief & conducting cross-examinations and also further enhanced my court craft. After a year, I joined the Chambers of Sr. Adv. Gopal Subramanium, where I assisted him in variety of matters before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India & other High Courts. Sir, dealt with various issues such as constitutional matters, writs, challenging varies of Acts, election petitions, criminal appeals, opinion on Delhi as State or Union territory, tender and mining cases, intellectual property matters & so on.
During this time as a chamber junior I learnt a lot about the legal profession, most importantly how to approach any case, how to extract facts and not only to simplify the most difficult situations/ facts/ documents but also to present it in a manner which is easy and effective to understand. Understanding of law is only one part of practice of law, its application on given facts as they come from the lower court, after various testimonies of witnesses and their cross examinations is not the same thing. It is only when you apply yourself to the given factual matrix and understanding of law, that you can unravel the truth and get justice for your client(s). Above all, never compromise with your professional ethics and morals. Give yourself a little grace, don’t have unrealistic expectations or look for magic to happen overnight, give it time. It takes years and its own time so just be honest, humble and diligent with your work and don’t lose patience or hope.
Could you tell us more about your interest in these specialized areas of criminal law,original suits before the Supreme Court of India (Suits between states) & river waterdisputes and how they have influenced your legal practice?
Criminal jurisprudence and penal law always fascinated me, perhaps it was the small town factor along with the media reporting where news reports covered major financial & heinous crimes regularly. They also covered interesting arguments of the lawyers appearing in those cases and opinions on its impact in general. Every student of law knows that bail is the rule and jail is an exception. There are so many cases where courts have emphasized bail should be granted, even recently by order dated 30.07.2023 in MD. Asfak Alam v. the state of Jharkhand & Anr. The Hon’ble Supreme Court reiterated the directions issued earlier and as well as other directions to emphasize unnecessary arrest should not be made & bail should be granted especially in cases where punishment is less than seven years. Thus given the grim situation we have there is so much one can contribute in the field of criminal law & more importantly I feel fortunate that I can actually help people get justice and live a life outside prison.
It is very important to resolve disputes that arise between states/ union & states for the integrity of our country. It is not only the government which is at stake here but also lives, peace and prosperity. When the suit is between two states which are equally independent and part of the same constitutional framework, the suit is instituted at the Supreme Court of India which has to find a solution and pass a decree. Similarly a life & prosperity depends on the river water availability and this gives rise to disputes where the upper riparian doesn’t provide the water to the lower riparian state. Such disputes are heard before the River Water Disputes Tribunal and where the claims of the states are heard and their shares are determined. They also lead to Original Suits for enforcement of agreements, power distribution, for seeking mandatory injunctions and for control & administration between the States &/ or Union. Both these areas have significantly influenced my practice as on one hand there are criminal cases and suffering of the individuals waiting for justice and to come out of prison and on the other hand issues that will affect millions of people in different states.
As a practicing lawyer, you’ve represented clients in various matters before the SupremeCourt of India and other high courts. Could you share a memorable or challengingexperience that had a significant impact on you and your career?
Early in profession I was approached to file a bail application, where client was arrested for the offence of rape. This one stands out in particular because I was able to get the client out on bail in one day from the lower court itself. We were able to establish that this woman was not only married to someone else and seeking settlement from her present husband but in the last 2 years she had filed over 5 complaints in different police station against different individuals alleging rape on the ground of false promise of marriage. Eventually case was quashed by the Hon’ble High Court. While I was legal advisor at National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, I came across this case where a tribal women was raped and police was not even ready to take her complaint, much less the registration of an FIR. This case touched me because it made me realize that despite 75 years of independence our forces are still in colonial hangover, where the station head officer feels he is the king & his word in the law. There is no audience for the downtrodden in his police station. With commission intervention police became active, FIR was registered and investigation was done, commission also recommended stern action against the erring police officials. In another case, I have a decree in my clients favor passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court almost two decades ago but looking into the sensitivity of the matter and the geo-political implications, the Hon’ble Court was pleased to direct the central Government to play an active role to mediate the matter. This matter highlights the importance of mediation as all levels and parties should consider it not to complete the formality but put in real effort to resolve the dispute.
In your experience, what are the key skills and qualities that a successful lawyer shouldpossess, especially for those who aspire to practice at the highest levels, like the SupremeCourt?
Lawyer should be hard working and honest to begin with, he should be ready to put in the analytical abilities and also the hours required to complete the draft or prepare the arguments. He must be consistent and diligent, each and every case must be prepared very carefully, and detailed legal research should be carried out on the subject, not only he should go through the latest judgments but also how law has developed over the years on the concerned issue. Lawyer must have good analytical ability, he should be able to extract facts, information from the factual details & complex documents provided by the client, testimonies of the witnesses. Attention to detail is very important for any lawyer for instance any inconsistencies during the cross examination must be caught on the spot. Whether it’s the witness testimony or the inconsistency in the documents, attention to detail can save your day and present surprises in the middle of a hearing. Other important skills include, time management, keeping your documents organized (even on the electronic devices as a lawyer one must keep documents and files up to date & organized), legal writing skills as not only oral arguments but also petitions/ applications/ written submissions have to be simple to understand and yet very persuasive and lastly interpersonal skills as lawyers have to interact with clients and other professionals on regular basis.
You mentioned providing free legal advice to the underprivileged through a Legal Helpline.Can you share the importance of pro bono work in the legal profession, and how can younglawyers get involved in such initiatives?
It is very important that we give back to the society we live in. It is even more important for a lawyer to do so because we form part of this privileged and noble profession, where we understand not only the rights and duties but also the general state of affairs in the country. We can see when the law is wrong, when it will not stand in court of law and when it is being misused thus it is our responsibility to take action and help those who cannot afford to fight their own legal battles. Many times people are not even aware that legal aid is available in the courts and if someone tells them able the procedure of getting legal aid or where the office for legal services are situated, that in itself a huge help for them. A young lawyer may have difficulty taking up the case pro bono due to the financial incapacity and lack of experience but he can provide his opinion and also guide the person / fill the application for getting legal aid, which will enable the needy to get assistance and representation from the concerned legal services authority.
Finally, what advice would you give to recent law graduates who are just starting theirlegal careers? What lessons have you learned along the way that you believe would bevaluable for them as they embark on their own journeys in law?
Be patient and take your time to decide how you want to serve, look for your calling. Whether you want to litigate or be a judge, teach law and become a professor, join the civil services or a law firm or a corporate house. In litigation, first look for a mentor, a chamber where you will unlearn the bookish knowledge and learn the practice of law. It is under the able guidance of your senior that one honed their skills, collects the tools necessary for future cases. Be prepared to be a student of law for all your life, develop a habit of reading daily, not just law but also other subjects. Be through with the research and apply your mind, be analytical and work on your legal writing skills. In any chamber first way to prove your ability and to bind trust and credibility with your senior is through in depth research (not just reading of headnotes, but developing habit of reading the cases & commentaries cover to cover) and by legal writing skills reflected through the drafts. Don’t be scared of working long hours and working hard but at the same time manage your time wisely to ensure no clients suffer because of you. Lastly, enjoy the journey in law, you have a long way to go.
Can you share your journey of how you ended up pursuing a career in law, and what led you to specialize in commercial litigation and white-collar crime?
Being a third generation lawyer, choosing a career in the field of law became a natural progression at the crossroads of life. While I was pursuing a science based professional during my high school, I always remained fascinated with my parents talking about cases at home, how things unfolded in court etc. and as it would turn out, my passion and aptitude for law took over.
While working at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas since 2012, my Partner Anuj Berry and I were representing certain clients in large scale litigation and anti-corruption compliances in India for foreign companies. Under his able guidance and together with him, we started working to build the white-collar crime practice as a niche area at SAM. As luck would have it, our in-depth work on the advisory side soon translated into many courts facing white-collar crime matters around 2017-18 when there was a surge of criminal investigations by specialized agencies like CBI, ED and SFIO. Once I branched out to pursue my independent practice, I developed this expertise further and continue to ride the learning curve in this field. What is the most interesting part of white collar crime practice is the inter-sectional dynamics it holds between criminal law on one hand and commercial laws, taxation laws on the other.
You completed your B.A., LLB (Hons.) from NALSAR University of Law and later pursued a Bachelor of Civil Laws from the University of Oxford. How did these academic experiences shape your perspective and approach to practicing law?
I believe the holistic course structure at NALSAR and the increasing importance given to procedural laws really helped in shaping my understanding of the court processes. One always found these subjects boring in class – however, once I got into active practice, the realization dawned soon that the foundational stone for easing out court related process and practices was set through these subjects taught phenomenally well at NALSAR. As a word of advice, I always harp on the fact that one must always pay utmost attention to the finer details of our procedural laws – the CPC, CrPC, Evidence Act etc., which are the heart and mind for a career in litigation.
Coupled with this, the Socratic method of teaching at Oxford really instilled the practice of self-reading, analysis of finer details and most importantly, joining the dots across subjects – a key aspect which one should practice when it comes to a court case.
You’ve been recognized as a “Rising Star” by Legal 500 in the Asia Pacific Region for White Collar Crime Practice. Could you tell us about one of your most challenging or high-profile white-collar crime cases, and how you navigated the complexities of such cases?
Undoubtedly, the most challenging case was the investigations being conducted by multiple agencies into the affairs of Frost International Limited and its group companies. What later turned out to be one of the biggest cases – started with 3 different agencies probing the companies on the same set of facts. We were faced with several complex legal issues – such as whether different agencies could look into the same transactions for alleging different offences under special statutes, what would be the evidentiary value of a one sided forensic audit, whether a counter audit would be a plausible defence at the investigation stage itself. Faced with these complex questions, our team was able to ably navigate through these issues with a 3 step simple approach – (i) break down the issue and assess the answer from a first principles perspective (ii) a textbook approach may not always work in niche situations which the law would otherwise not have contemplated – think out of the box when the situation requires (iii) always keep the fundamental rights of the persons facing investigation at the forefront. Since liberty remains at stake in such cases – prompt action and immediate responses are key.
Your career includes a role as a Panel Counsel for the High Court of Gujarat to represent at the Supreme Court. How has this experience informed your understanding of the judicial process, and what unique challenges does representing a high court at the apex court pose?
Representing a High Court is the most valuable and honourable experience one can get. Time and again the Supreme Court has reiterated that the High Courts are no subordinate courts – they are equal constitutional courts as the Supreme Court. To appear on behalf of the High Court requires a lot of preparation and is a position of very high responsibility. At times, the High Court is required to take an adversarial stand, in some cases it may not. It is my role and responsibility to assess the High Court’s position for an effective representation before the Supreme Court.
You’ve advised and represented multinational companies in litigation proceedings before the Supreme Court and High Courts. Could you share a memorable case where your legal expertise made a significant impact on the final outcome?
One of the most significant and interesting cases I worked on was the case of Neeharika Infrastructure Pvt. Limited v. State of Maharashtra, which is now a landmark reported judgment. The Supreme Court was faced with a very interesting, yet peculiar question of law – can the High Court give protection to accused while hearing petitions under S. 482 CrPC and in what cases can the trials/investigations be stayed. Knowing that Mr. K.V. Vishwanathan (as he then was before Lordship’s elevation as a Judge of Supreme Court) will be arguing for the Petitioner, I knew my preparation had to be top notch and very detailed. Appearing for the private Respondent in the case, I presented a detailed comparative approach on how this issue had been addressed not only by High Courts, but also by other foreign jurisdictions having similar provisions. The bench was very accommodative and patient during arguments – which really helped me in arguing full length before the Supreme Court. Albeit having lost the matter, it was a great experience which really helped me at the preparation stage of the matter, a practice which I now adopt in all matters.
Your involvement with organizations like the ICC Young Arbitrators’ Group and the Oxford Cambridge Society of India showcases your commitment to professional growth. How have these affiliations enriched your legal career and influenced your approach to the law?
Man is a social animal. A lawyer is “social-er”. Our interactions with other members of the society, our intersections with people across other forums, professional and walks of life shapes our outlook and understanding of law. Being a member of these bodies and actively participating in the events has really developed my understanding of one very basic fact – there may be different approaches to the same set of facts and a lawyer’s appreciation of this helps immensely in setting out preparing for a court case.
As someone who has successfully represented both companies and individuals, what advice do you have for aspiring lawyers seeking a balance between providing effective representation and upholding ethical standards?
A career in litigation is a steep slope. Gestation periods are high, rewards are initially low and recognition is seldom easy at an early stage. However, my only advice to young lawyers on this difficult path would be not to lose hope or your passion for law. Easy money is easy for a reason – but reputation and recognition is for those who persevere. Never let down your guard when it comes to maintaining the ethics of this noble profession. I echo the words of the one I look upto, Mr. Mukul Rohatgi– don’t count the hours you put in as a young lawyer.
Lastly, what advice would you give to fresh law graduates who are about to embark on their legal careers, especially considering the evolving landscape of the legal industry?
The field of law is ever expansive , inclusive and experimental. At the crossroads of choosing what to do, you will always get the conventional options and yet some new avenues which may not only interest you, but may be the path of your passion. Do not ever hesitate to try something new in the field of law. The multi-dimensional folds of this profession have a lot in store for everyone and if you have conviction in your actions then pursue it without any fear or doubt.
You started your career teaching German and later ventured into the world of finance and law. Can you share the pivotal moments that led you to this diverse career path?
“My career path is a tapestry of diverse experiences, woven together by a passion for continuous learning and a relentless drive to excel.”
“From the classrooms of language instruction to the high-stakes world of finance and law, my journey has been marked by pivotal moments that have deepened my understanding of diverse fields.”
“I transitioned from shaping minds through language instruction to shaping financial futures, where I learned that every success story is a testament to the power of knowledge and dedication.”
“The financial and legal sectors exposed me to the complexities of the modern world, where I realized that my ability to help people extended beyond language and education.”
“My journey underscores the importance of adaptability and seizing opportunities that align with one’s core values and a commitment to making a meaningful impact.”
“Teaching German and guiding students was the foundation of my career, but my foray into finance and law was the bridge that allowed me to connect with people on a deeper level, addressing their financial and legal needs.”
“In the world of finance and law, I discovered that my background in education was not a departure but a valuable foundation for effective communication, problem-solving, and client advocacy.”
During this period, I honed my skills and managed investment portfolios for high-net-worth clients globally. The corporate banking and insurance industry taught me the value of customer-centricity, and I climbed the career ladder with eight consecutive promotions, earning numerous accolades and certifications. Being recognized among the top 10 managers in the entire Delhi region was a significant milestone.
“My diverse career path has taught me that success is not confined to a single field; it is a reflection of one’s ability to adapt, learn, and embrace new challenges with enthusiasm.”
However, a pivotal moment occurred when I encountered a distressed client who had fallen victim to insurance fraud. This incident awakened my desire to help individuals facing white-collar crimes and misconduct. It led me to transition into the field of law and join my father’s law firm, where I could provide legal aid and support to those in need.
In summary, my diverse career path is a culmination of my experiences in teaching, entrepreneurship, finance, and law. Each phase has contributed to my growth and shaped my commitment to making a positive impact on people’s lives. My journey has been guided by a passion for learning, a desire to help others, and a drive to excel in diverse fields, ultimately leading me to where I am today.”
There was a significant turning point when you helped a client recover a substantial sum from fraudulent insurance policies. What was the most challenging aspect of this case, and how did it inspire your interest in legal aid for white-collar crimes?
“The turning point in my career occurred during a profoundly challenging case where I assisted a client in recovering a substantial sum from fraudulent insurance policies. This experience not only tested my problem-solving abilities but also ignited my passion for providing legal aid in the realm of white-collar crimes.
The most challenging aspect of this case was uncovering the extensive web of deception that had ensnared my client. He had fallen victim to individuals who had impersonated IRDA management Officials, engaging in misconduct and selling fraudulent insurance policies with false promises of bonuses and RBI Bonds worth a staggering amount.
What made this case particularly daunting was the sheer magnitude of the deception – my client carried a trolley bag filled with 167 insurance policy bonds from over 10 insurance companies, totalling a premium amount of 3.8 Crores. It was a complex and overwhelming situation.
As I delved deeper into the case, I realized the depth of despair that had befallen my client and many others who had been similarly deceived. He had even attempted suicide, which added an emotional layer to the already intricate legal aspects of the case.
The process of uncovering the fraud and assisting my client in recovering his investments was an arduous journey that required meticulous research, legal expertise, and unwavering dedication. I worked tirelessly for over six months, tirelessly navigating the intricacies of the insurance industry, and coordinating with various insurance companies to secure the refunds. Ultimately, 159 out of 167 policies were successfully refunded, amounting to 3.54 Crores. Witnessing my client’s relief and gratitude was an incredibly rewarding moment in my career.
This experience profoundly affected me and kindled a deep-seated desire to assist individuals facing white-collar crimes, where unsuspecting victims often suffer substantial losses. It made me acutely aware of the prevalence of such crimes in India and the need for legal professionals to step forward and provide support.
This case became a pivotal moment that guided me towards transitioning into the field of law, ultimately leading me to join my father’s law firm. It underscored the importance of legal advocacy and the critical role that lawyers can play in safeguarding the rights and interests of individuals in the face of financial misconduct and fraud. My commitment to this cause has only grown stronger since, and it continues to drive my dedication to providing legal aid and support to those in need, particularly in the realm of white-collar crimes.”
Joining your father’s law firm was a significant step in your career. What did you find most rewarding about working in a family law firm, and how did it influence your perspective on legal practice?
“In addition to serving our existing clients at my father’s law firm, I set out on a mission to elevate our practice into one of Delhi’s Top 20 law firms. To achieve this, I took a proactive approach by tapping into my extensive network of old clients from my prior career in banking and insurance.
I recognized that these clients could benefit from comprehensive legal support, so I offered pro bono assistance tailored to their specific needs. Initially, many approached me with banking and insurance disputes, given my background in the industry. However, as word of our firm’s capabilities spread, our caseload expanded to encompass corporate, civil and criminal matters.
Each day brought new challenges and opportunities for growth. I embraced this learning curve wholeheartedly, continuously improving my legal skills. This dedication allowed me to provide efficient and effective legal solutions to my clients, ensuring their legal issues were addressed promptly and comprehensively.”
This showcases your proactive approach, commitment to growth, and adaptability in expanding your law firm’s practice areas.
You mentioned pursuing international law certifications, including the IBMI program in Berlin. How has your international legal education shaped your approach to commercial and corporate law, especially in the Indian context?
“Pursuing international law certifications, such as the IBMI program in Berlin, has significantly influenced my approach to commercial and corporate law, particularly in the context of India. It provided me with a global perspective and a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of legal systems, which has been extremely valuable in my legal practice.
Broader Perspective: International legal education exposed me to a wide range of legal frameworks, practices, and case studies from around the world. This broader perspective has allowed me to approach commercial and corporate law in India with a more open mind, integrating international best practices and innovative solutions into my strategies.
Cross-Border Transactions: Understanding international law is essential in today’s globalized business landscape. It has equipped me to handle cross-border transactions more effectively, facilitating smoother negotiations and compliance with international regulations. This is particularly important as Indian businesses increasingly engage in global trade and investments.
Legal Innovation: International legal education emphasized the importance of legal innovation and staying updated with evolving legal trends and technologies. This mindset has encouraged me to adopt innovative approaches and leverage technology in the Indian legal context, enhancing efficiency and client service.
Adaptability: International legal education has taught me the importance of adaptability in the face of rapidly changing global legal dynamics. In the Indian context, where laws and regulations can evolve swiftly, this adaptability is a crucial asset for both clients and legal practitioners.
Diversity and Inclusivity: It has also deepened my appreciation for diversity and inclusivity in legal practice. Recognizing the multicultural aspects of international law has made me more attuned to the diverse needs and perspectives of clients in India, helping me provide more comprehensive and tailored legal advice.
In summary, my international legal education has not only enriched my understanding of commercial and corporate law but also empowered me to offer more comprehensive and globally informed legal solutions to clients in the Indian context. It has broadened my horizons, encouraged innovation, and fostered adaptability, all of which have proven to be invaluable assets in my legal practice.”
Conflict Resolution: International legal education emphasized various methods of conflict resolution, including arbitration and mediation, which have become increasingly relevant in India’s corporate landscape. These alternative dispute resolution mechanisms have allowed me to guide clients towards quicker and cost-effective resolutions.
Global Compliance Standards: International certifications have made me well-versed in global compliance standards and regulations, which I can apply to ensure that Indian companies adhere to international norms, enhancing their reputation and global competitiveness.
Cross-Cultural Communication: Dealing with international legal matters has honed my cross-cultural communication skills. This proficiency is beneficial when representing Indian clients in negotiations or transactions involving foreign counterparts, where effective communication can be a key factor in achieving successful outcomes.
International Networking: My international legal education has expanded my professional network across borders. These connections have proven valuable for collaborating with legal experts from different jurisdictions, allowing me to provide comprehensive advice when clients have multi-jurisdictional legal needs.
Risk Assessment: Understanding international legal frameworks has equipped me with a nuanced approach to risk assessment. I can better identify potential risks and opportunities for Indian businesses operating globally, aiding them in making informed decisions.
Legal Research and Comparative Analysis: International legal education has enhanced my skills in legal research and comparative analysis. This proficiency enables me to stay updated with global legal developments and apply relevant international precedents and case studies to Indian legal scenarios.
Adherence to Ethical Standards: International legal education underscores the importance of ethical standards and professional conduct, which I have integrated into my practice in India. Upholding these principles ensures that clients receive not only legally sound advice but also ethical guidance.
As the Managing Partner at PRAXOUS DE LEGAL LAW FIRM, you oversee a wide range of legal services. Can you highlight some of the most challenging and rewarding cases or projects you’ve worked on in recent years?
In recent years, my role as a Legal Counsel and Retainer for prominent Indian and international corporations has provided me with the unique opportunity to represent clients in a variety of legal settings. I’ve had the privilege of appearing in District Courts across seven to eight different states in India and have also presented cases in the High Courts of eight Indian states, including Delhi, Bombay, Allahabad, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab & Haryana, and Uttarakhand. These experiences have allowed me to serve my corporate clients effectively and meet the legal needs of international clients with branches in India.
“As the Managing Partner at PRAXOUS DE LEGAL LAW FIRM, I have had the privilege of overseeing a diverse portfolio of legal services. In recent years, several cases and projects have stood out as both challenging and profoundly rewarding. I won’t be able to disclose the names of the cases but allow me to highlight a few of these significant experiences:
Complex Cross-Border Merger: One of the most challenging and rewarding cases involved facilitating a complex cross-border merger between an Indian company and a multinational corporation. Navigating the intricate web of international regulations, compliance, and negotiations required a meticulous approach. Successfully closing this merger not only demonstrated our firm’s proficiency in international corporate law but also contributed to fostering foreign investments in India.
High-Stakes Litigation: We recently took on a high-stakes litigation case representing a client facing a multi-million-dollar dispute. The intricate legal complexities and the pressure of the substantial financial stakes made this a challenging undertaking. However, achieving a favourable resolution for our client was immensely rewarding, reinforcing the significance of thorough legal research, strategic planning, and advocacy.
Intellectual Property Rights Protection: Protecting the intellectual property rights of an innovative Indian startup in the technology sector posed a unique set of challenges. We successfully navigated patent and trademark issues, both in India and internationally, securing our client’s innovative ideas and products. This case highlighted the crucial role that intellectual property plays in modern businesses and the importance of safeguarding these assets.
Pro Bono Advocacy: Beyond corporate cases, our firm is committed to pro bono work, and one of the most rewarding experiences involved providing legal support to an underprivileged community facing land disputes. Our efforts resulted in securing land rights for numerous families, providing them with a sense of security and a place to call home. This case exemplified the profound impact that legal advocacy can have on marginalized communities.
Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Compliance: With the growing emphasis on data privacy, we embarked on a challenging project involving cybersecurity and data privacy compliance for a multinational corporation operating in India. Crafting a comprehensive compliance framework that adhered to global standards while meeting local legal requirements was a noteworthy accomplishment. It reinforced our commitment to staying ahead of evolving legal landscapes.
Criminal Litigation – Delhi Riots 2020 Case: We undertook a complex criminal litigation case related to the Delhi Riots in 2020, representing individuals Hindu Community Individuals. The case required a deep understanding of criminal law and a meticulous examination of evidence. Successfully representing our clients and ensuring a fair legal process in such a high-profile case was both challenging and deeply significant. “The trial is currently ongoing.”
In conclusion, overseeing a wide range of legal services at PRAXOUS DE LEGAL LAW FIRM has allowed me to engage in diverse and complex cases and projects. While each case presented its own unique challenges, the satisfaction of achieving successful outcomes for our clients reaffirms our dedication to delivering exceptional legal services and making a positive impact in the legal landscape.”
You have a strong background in various industries, including insurance, insurtech, blockchain, and more. What industry trends or developments are you currently excited about, and how do they intersect with your legal practice? Please answer by primarily focusing on Insurtech and Insurance and technology driven companies like gaming , blockchain, ai integrated companies for data privacy and copyright legal assistance.
“I am genuinely excited about several industry trends and developments, especially in the realms of Banking, Insurtech, insurance, and technology-driven sectors like gaming, blockchain, and AI-integrated companies. These trends intersect closely with my legal practice and present both challenges and opportunities:
1. Insurtech Revolution: The Insurtech landscape is undergoing a remarkable transformation. Technology-driven innovations, such as AI-powered underwriting, IoT-based risk assessment, and blockchain for smart contracts, are reshaping the insurance industry. As a legal practitioner, I find this trend particularly intriguing because it necessitates a thorough understanding of emerging regulations and compliance in the insurance and technology sectors. My role involves helping clients navigate this evolving regulatory landscape, ensuring they harness the full potential of Insurtech while remaining compliant.
2. Gaming and Intellectual Property: The gaming industry continues to experience exponential growth, driven by advancements in virtual reality, augmented reality, and esports. Protecting intellectual property and copyright has become paramount in this sector. I find it fascinating to assist gaming companies in safeguarding their creative content, trademarks, and patents. This entails staying abreast of international copyright laws and advocating for our clients’ rights in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
3. Blockchain and Data Privacy: Blockchain technology holds immense promise, not only in finance but also in areas like supply chain management, healthcare, and digital identity. My legal practice aligns with blockchain’s intersection with data privacy. Ensuring compliance with data protection regulations while leveraging the transparency and security of blockchain is a complex yet exciting challenge. I work closely with clients to establish robust data privacy protocols in their blockchain implementations.
4. AI and Data Protection: Companies integrating AI into their operations generate vast amounts of data, raising critical data privacy concerns. The evolving landscape of AI and data privacy laws requires continuous vigilance. My legal practice focuses on helping businesses strike a balance between harnessing AI’s potential and safeguarding the privacy of individuals, ensuring compliance with regulations such as GDPR and CCPA.
5. Evolving Regulatory Landscape: The constantly changing regulatory environment is a significant trend across these industries. Staying updated with new laws and regulations, both in India and internationally, is crucial. As a legal practitioner, I ensure my clients remain compliant while taking advantage of these trends.
6. Cybersecurity Challenges: With the increasing digitization of businesses, cybersecurity has become paramount. Technology-driven companies face continuous threats, and ensuring data protection and cybersecurity measures are up to par is an ongoing concern. My role involves advising clients on robust cybersecurity strategies and legal compliance to safeguard sensitive information.
7. Global Expansion: Many technology-driven companies aspire to expand globally. Navigating international laws and regulations, trade agreements, and intellectual property rights becomes essential. My legal practice supports these ambitions, providing guidance on international business operations and regulatory compliance.
8. Digital Transformation: As companies embrace digital transformation, they often require assistance in drafting and negotiating contracts, ensuring compliance with digital laws, and protecting their digital assets. I specialize in helping clients navigate the legal intricacies of digital transformation.
9. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Focus: In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on ESG factors in corporate governance. Technology-driven companies are no exception. I assist clients in aligning their practices with ESG principles, which can enhance their reputation, reduce risk, and attract socially responsible investors.
10. Dispute Resolution in the Digital Age: With technology playing a significant role in business operations, disputes and litigation often involve complex digital evidence. I specialize in helping clients resolve disputes efficiently and effectively in this digital age, including e-discovery and digital forensics.
In summary, these industry trends and developments intersect with my legal practice in various ways, from regulatory compliance and data privacy to intellectual property protection and global expansion strategies. My role is to provide legal counsel that empowers businesses to navigate these trends successfully while adhering to the highest ethical and legal standards but also to act as a strategic partner, helping clients navigate the evolving regulatory environment, mitigate risks, and seize opportunities. I’m excited to be at the forefront of these transformative trends, offering legal solutions that empower businesses to innovate responsibly and ethically in an increasingly technology-driven world.”
With your diverse career journey, what advice would you give to fresh law graduates who are just starting out in their respective fields, especially those who might be considering multiple career paths like you did?
“To the aspiring law graduates just setting foot in the legal profession, especially those who are contemplating diverse career paths, I offer the following guidance based on my own diverse experiences:
Master the Fundamentals: Start by building a strong foundation in core legal principles and practices. Solid legal knowledge is your bedrock and will serve you well regardless of your chosen path.
Pursue Passion and Purpose: Law is a versatile field, and there are numerous specializations and niches to explore. Choose a legal path that aligns with your passions and values. When you’re genuinely interested in your work, it becomes a source of motivation and satisfaction.
Stay Adaptable: The legal landscape is dynamic. Be open to exploring different areas of law, as well as adjacent fields that intersect with law, such as compliance, consulting, or alternative dispute resolution. Adaptability is key to a successful legal career.
Network Actively: Building a professional network is essential. Attend legal seminars, join bar associations, and connect with experienced legal practitioners. Networking can open doors to valuable opportunities and mentorship.
Mentorship Matters: Seek out mentors who have navigated various legal career paths. They can provide insights, guidance, and help you make informed decisions about your career journey.
Continual Learning: The legal profession demands ongoing learning. Stay updated with legal developments, attend workshops, and consider pursuing specialized certifications or advanced degrees to enhance your expertise.
Embrace Technology: Technology is rapidly changing the legal landscape. Familiarize yourself with legal tech tools and platforms that can streamline your work and improve efficiency.
Ethical Integrity: Uphold the highest ethical standards in all your legal endeavours. Trust and integrity are the cornerstones of a successful legal career.
Persistence Pays Off: Building a rewarding legal career may take time. Be patient, and don’t be discouraged by initial setbacks. Each experience, whether positive or challenging, contributes to your growth.
Diversify Experience: Don’t limit yourself to one type of legal practice. Explore different aspects of law, such as litigation, corporate law, or public interest law. Diverse experiences will make you a more versatile and well-rounded legal professional.
Consider the Bigger Picture: Beyond legal expertise, develop skills in communication, negotiation, and problem-solving. These skills are invaluable in any legal role.
Stay Inquisitive: Be curious and inquisitive. Ask questions, seek out novel solutions, and be open to unconventional approaches to legal challenges.
In summary, the legal profession offers a vast array of opportunities, and your career journey can be as unique as you are. Embrace the journey, remain adaptable, and never stop learning. By combining passion, purpose, and a commitment to excellence, you can build a fulfilling legal career that aligns with your aspirations and values.”
