This interview has been published by Anshi Mudgal and The SuperLawyer Team
Can you take us through your early journey as a lawyer? What inspired you to choose law as a career, and how did you build your path to where you are today?
“I am standing in a courtroom before one of the senior most judges of the Hon’ble High Court, and I started, My Lord, the Petitioner wants immediate intervention of My Lord in the nature of a mandamus (I wanted to sound important, I guess and college made me superfluously over-confident); The immediate reply, though a simple one came in a resounding baritone- ‘Yes, Mr. Counsel, Mandamus! Why? Tell me, what do you want! ’, while I took the Hon’ble Court through the merits of the Petitioner’s case, the Hon’ble Judge listened to me intimately with an amusing chuckle on his face to denote that he was already abreast with the relief claimed and the merits of the matter, however he, with immense patience granted a hearing to an absolutely green junior and awarded me with a win”- An overwhelming pleasure as a lawyer but I was rewarded with a fee, so meagre that would not even cover the expenses; it’s quite evidently a mixed feeling. Albeit, one experience should never deter a young practitioner from going on especially since each and every experience is unique and distinct in its flavour and nature, not always salty and more often than not it’s actually rewarding. A legal career, just like Rome is never built in one day, it’s like trust and based on it, which is built over a longish period of time and even greater service through GRIT, sincerity and hard work.
With a career that bridges multiple aspects of law, how do you see the legal landscape in India evolving, particularly with respect to consumer protection, banking disputes, and taxation?
It’s rightly put by you and it really seems to be the future of the legal landscape where monetary disputes would seem to rule the profession in the coming days.
As someone who upholds the rule of law, how do you balance professionalism with empathy when dealing with cases that involve sensitive or personal matters, such as criminal defense or family disputes?
Your question warrants two separate answers, I believe. With regard to empathy, I have my own standards and method of choosing the clients I represent and often I choose to represent client’s pro bono and with regard to criminal defense I believe it ought to be the ethical code which should guide us in efficiently representing the clients. In family matters, well it’s really the worst of it all since it’s where everything including each and every intimate details of a household comes to be strained through the test of evidence and testimony and is often exhausting. Nevertheless, it’s your legal aptitude which saves the day and rescues you from the difficult trenches of matrimonial mudslinging. It’s not easy, but it’s the job and it demands your objectivity and so it lets you go on with the interests of the client at heart.
With a strong foundation in arbitration and dispute resolution, what are your views on the importance of Alternative dispute resolution methods in the Indian legal system? How can they help reduce the burden on courts and offer quicker justice?
Alternative Dispute Resolution is without any ambiguity the future and we must resort to it more often, especially since the need of the hour is avoidance of protracted litigation in any matter.
What advice would you give to young lawyers who aspire to specialize in diverse areas of law, from arbitration to constitutional law? How should they navigate the complexities of building such a broad skill set?
Specialization in terms of academic qualification cannot be equated with professional specialization. A young lawyer must aim to and actually practise each and every aspect of law and if so desired and necessitated navigate towards one or more specializations later on not before.
With your experience in both litigation and arbitration, which of the two do you find more rewarding and why? Can you share an instance where you felt arbitration was a more effective approach than traditional litigation?
It would be unfair to compare traditional litigation to arbitration and to be truthful both are equally rewarding. However, since arbitration tends to do away with strict rules of procedure it certainly aims at an expeditious resolution.
You hold a diploma in Medical Jurisprudence & Forensic Science, which is quite unique for a civil and criminal law practitioner. How has this specialized knowledge influenced the way you approach cases, particularly those involving forensic evidence?
I must confess, I am more based in the High Court which more often than not lets me not use my knowledge gained in studying Forensics however at conducting Trial at Trial Courts I am at an immense advantage where I am easily and quite effectively able put such knowledge to use in deciphering the case details put forth by the prosecution and find the obvious and not so obvious loopholes in it favouring in criminal defense to my benefit.
Could you share some of the key differences you’ve experienced in practicing law across different courts, and what do you see as the major distinctions when representing a government client versus a private client?
Yes, Trial Courts are often so accommodating to you to put forth facts, law and so on in a detailed manner however, the Hon’ble High Courts are often so about your capacity to put forth your submissions in a concise manner supported by sound legal principles which are ‘jointly and severally’ so rewarding.
After handling intense and high-profile cases across various legal domains, what are some of your favourite ways to unwind and recharge outside of work?
My unwinding is far away from the legal domain. We’ve heard ‘all work and no play…’ and I believe it verbatim. As a matter of fact, I love trekking, travelling the most besides having a Bengali Adda with friends with a simmering hot tea and incidentals.
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