This Interview has been published by Pragya Chandni and The SuperLawyer Team
Could you share with us what initially drew you to pursue a career in law, especially after completing your M.Sc. in IT and B.Sc. in science-related fields?
Law has been my favourite subject since childhood and I want to serve justice to the needy people who can’t afford the cost of litigation.
What motivated you to shift from an IT background to a legal career, and how did your science and IT education influence your approach to law?
I had started my career as a programmer in a MNC but I didn’t get internal satisfaction so I have shifted to the legal field. My IT background gave me an additional advantage to learn various laws including cyber laws.
What were some of the key challenges you faced when you first started practicing law, and how did you overcome them?
Legal field is very wide so whenever I get challenges, I discuss with my seniors and also do detailed R&D on the same.
With a diverse background in various industries such as retail, manufacturing, FMCG, education, and real estate, how did you develop your core competencies in areas like contract management, litigation, and intellectual property management?
Most of the legal assignments are the same irrespective of different industries as they are governed by the law, however some assignments are industry specific which need to be learned. Different industries gave me an opportunity to learn new things and enhance my core competencies.
Can you walk us through your career progression, from your early roles to your current position as Head – Legal & Compliances at Hippo Homes? What were some pivotal moments or decisions along this journey?
I have initially practised before the court and later shifted to corporate and worked with various good conglomerates like Dalmia Bharat Group, Blackberrys, GNC. The pivotal moment was shifting to corporate and joining Guardian Pharmacy as Head of Legal and Compliances.
You’ve managed complex corporate transactions and legal strategies for major organizations. Can you share a particularly challenging legal case or transaction you handled and the strategies you employed to achieve a successful outcome?
Starting a new retail business of Dalmia Bharat Group in the name of Hippo Homes and later the said business transferred from Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited to Hippostores Technology Private Limited, it was a challenging task and successfully completed.
As a leader guiding legal and compliance teams, what strategies do you find most effective in fostering team collaboration, driving performance, and ensuring adherence to compliance standards?
To understand the competency of team members, their strengths & weaknesses, and assign the task based on their interest and also support their weakness.
What advice would you give to fresh graduates who are entering the legal field today, especially those who are looking to develop a diverse skill set and work across various industries?
Firstly they should decide their career objective based on their interest and try to achieve the same. They shall not divert their career path due to any challenge or leverage.
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