This interview has been published by Prabhjot Singh, Priyanka Karwa and The SuperLawyer Team
What motivated you to choose law as a career? And how has been the journey so far for you?
Legal mind was always in the family blood. However, none of them were practicing. I won’t lie that some fascinating story pulled me into law. I just took an aptitude test and law was the most favorable outcome for me. It just was inevitable after that. The journey so far has been amazing. Although, I do have an interesting tale on why I picked litigation. Superlawyer played an important part in it. During my internship, I read two of the interviews published by Superlawyer depicting the interviews of some lawyers who were then working at the first Law Firm I eventually worked with and that’s how I applied for an internship at the same firm which later turned into a PPO.
What were the challenges that you faced in the beginning of your career?
Coming from a non- NLU college always demotivated me when my application for internships used to get rejected. However, I looked at the brighter side and due to my non-NLU background, I took up as many internships as possible. I also was lucky enough to take up long-term internships as non-NLU colleges afforded me that opportunity. These long-term internships were instrumental as they later turned into a job.
What is the most challenging case you have handled in litigation and what were your learning’s out of it?
The most challenging case was an international arbitration which was conducted in the summer holidays of the Bombay High Court. Though the matter was eventually settled, my biggest learning was to always be prepared. I was in a vacation zone and thinking that I should probably relax a little and this matter came out of nowhere (which tends to happen a lot in law.) It taught me to always expect the unexpected.
How do you ensure that your clients receive the best possible outcome?
I don’t think about the outcome as taught by my Mentor. I ensure to give them the best possible strategy and advice. Thinking about the outcome is like flipping a coin in litigation. As I mentioned above, expect the unexpected.
What strategies do you use to prepare for a litigation case?
Strategy changes on a day to day basis. A strategy today might not be the strategy tomorrow as it changes according to where the matter is going. Law is a lot like chess. You can’t plan your next move until your opponent plays his.
A fool-proof basic strategy is to just always be prepared and read the brief fully.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in litigation law?
My advice is not only to anybody choosing litigation but to any budding lawyer.
A. Always be prepared for any and all matters that you’re handling;
B. To set boundaries at workplace from the start of your career;
C. Your health is paramount and with lawyer’s hours, you will have to put in the extra effort to maintain it.
7. What do you consider to be the most important qualities of a successful litigation lawyer?
As learnt from my mentor, a successful litigation lawyer needs:
Cool mind, amazing drafting skills, to be updated with the law, enough confidence to face any judge or lawyer appearing against you and to convince your points, to be open for learning and also open to learning from mistakes; and that clients are built by trust.
How do you stay up to date on changes in the law and legal practices?
I utilize my travel time in reading articles and notifications on my phone. Also the articles shared by the Knowledge Management teams of law firms help you a lot to understand
Among all the specialisations, which area of law is the most interesting to you and why?
I have always been practicing as a general litigator which has allowed me to gain experience in commercial, criminal, IP, IBC and arbitration. Therefore, having a specialization is not my Forte. I endeavor to be a master of all trades and to excel in all.
How do you maintain the work-life balance?
Finding a right Senior is the key to maintaining a work-life balance.
Work is abundant wherever you go however having a good team who knows how to differentiate between work to be done on priority and work which can be put on a backburner is important.
Also, it never hurts to have a good conversation with your senior if you ever feel burnt out.
What is one piece of advice you’d give to our readers, who are looking for a career in the same profession?
Do not target working with any particular firms at the start of your career. You are eventually going to reach where you are supposed to be; at the right place and at the right time. Also, do not fall in the trap where most of the young lawyers brag about working for 20 hours continuously as it is not recommended nor is expected.
Not all late night burning lamps lead you to success; some lead you to health issues.
Working hard is always a good thing but working smarter will benefit you.
How do you feel when you lose a matter?
Keeping practicality aside, it definitely feels bad when any order is passed against you but law is a learning experience. Any loss can be converted to a learning and it can be used to win another matter and I have done that on numerous occasions.
