This interview has been published by Anshi Mudgal and The SuperLawyer Team
Becoming an Advocate-on-Record is a notable milestone. How has this role influenced your practice, and what added responsibilities and opportunities has it brought with it?
At the felicitation event for the Advocate-on-Record (AoR) cohort I was part of, one of the office bearers remarked on how many current Supreme Court judges and successful senior advocates once held the AoR designation. I fully agree, it is indeed a significant milestone. From the very beginning of my legal career, I have been involved in matters before the Hon’ble Supreme Court. Even as a law student, while interning with a Senior Advocate who was then the Additional Solicitor General of India, and another renowned Advocate-on-Record, my interest in practicing at the Supreme Court grew substantially. The allure of working at the apex court and daydreams of arguing before a Constitution Bench inspired my aspiration to become an AoR. Professionally, becoming an AoR has had a profound impact on my practice. A significant portion of my clientele comprises corporates, PSUs, and government bodies, many of whose matters ultimately reach the Supreme Court. Knowing that I am an AoR provides them the assurance that I can seamlessly handle their cases from initiation to conclusion. Furthermore, the AoR designation has opened new avenues, particularly access to appeals originating from courts outside Delhi, which make up a large portion of the Supreme Court’s docket. This has allowed me to engage with unfamiliar legal terrains, such as matters relating to mining or religious endowments, that are not commonly litigated in Delhi, thereby broadening both my exposure and expertise.
You began your career with some of the top law firms in the country. What were some of the most impactful experiences during that time that significantly shaped your professional trajectory?
Looking back, I feel quite lucky to have started out at some of the leading law firms in India. Making the shift from law school to a Tier-1 firm was a bit of a shock to the system at first. One day you’re attending lectures and the next you’re handling serious matters for big companies, many of them multinationals with huge stakes involved. There was a real sense that everything had to be perfect from the get-go, especially when it came to drafting and research. As a junior associate, that kind of pressure can either rattle you or sharpen you.
In my case, I think it did the latter. The fast-paced, high-stakes environment taught me to be meticulous and put in the work, right from day one. That habit stuck, and it’s something I still carry with me, no matter what kind of matter I’m dealing with.
One memory that stands out from those early days was when I was asked within my first week to brief Mr. P. Chidambaram, Senior Advocate, on a writ petition related to service tax. I won’t lie, I was nervous. I stayed up most of the night going over every detail of the case so I’d be ready. It was a trial by fire, but somehow, it went well and gave me a real boost of confidence.
Beyond individual moments, what really shaped me was the overall work culture particularly during my time at AZB & Partners and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas. I got to work with international clients and interact with foreign lawyers, which gave me a fresh perspective. One thing that really stood out was how structured and transparent their approach was; frequent updates, clear timelines, and detailed billing were the norm. I’ve tried to bring some of that structure into my own work now, and it’s definitely helped in building better client relationships.
Having worked with both reputed law firms and Senior Advocates, what key differences have you observed in terms of work environment, nature of responsibilities, and overall approach to legal practice?
The common aspect of both law firms as well as senior advocates is that as associates/juniors there is an expectation of high level of professionalism. Working in a dispute resolution team at a law firm entails a lot of team work and coordination. Law firms also have a hierarchical structure and within a few years an associate upon getting promoted is expected to lead, guide and train junior members of the team as well. It is also noteworthy that in full service law firms we often worked with lawyers from corporate, transaction and tax teams where their clients got into matters of litigation. This is an advantage of working at full service law firms where even though you may be in a litigation team, there are instances where you get to experience and work along with peers from different practice areas which broadens your horizon. In contrast, when you are working with a senior advocate, there is no hierarchy as such and juniors are expected to directly assist the senior. In turn, however, you get to learn directly from the senior who has decades of experience in the field. There is also no expectation or requirement to lead or supervise other chamber members as each of them would assist the senior in their individual capacities. As far as the responsibilities are concerned, there is a clear distinction in role one plays as a lawyer at a law firm in contrast to a junior in the chamber of a designated Senior Advocate. Most of your readers would already know that Senior Advocates do not engage with litigants directly and the solicitors are their clients essentially. Further, Senior Advocates chambers do not draft pleadings and do not file matters. The aforesaid tasks are to be executed with great sincerity and precision in a law firm. I was lucky to have incredible mentors like Ms. Roopali Singh, Former Senior Partner AZB and Partners and currently the head of dispute resolution at Vritti Legal. I learnt the basics and nuances of drafting under her tutelage. In the initial years of practice at law firms, all filing related tasks are handled by the junior members of the team in collaboration with the court clerks. It is an art to file a petition with minimal or no defects and in cases which are time sensitive and urgent in nature, it can be a make or break thing. I think my experience in law firms also helped me gain proficiency in filing procedures dealing with the registry which is often overlooked as a rudimentary task.
In contrast, working with a senior advocate is totally focussed on mastering the facts and the law of the case and working with the Senior to bring out the most impactful and precise arguments for addressing the court. My Senior, Mr. Prashanto Chandra Sen, Senior Advocate is a product of Dr. AM Singhvi’s chamber and the first thing I learnt from him was a particular style of preparing a note for arguments which he had learnt from his senior, Dr. Singhvi. This consists of a list of relevant dates, submissions and response to contra points. I still follow this format for matters that I argue on my own and even for briefing other Senior Advocates in my matters. Working in a senior’s chamber also means more number of cases to deal with on a daily basis for hearings as compared to a big law firm where the number of hearings per day would be significantly lesser.
With a background in Computer Science (BTech), what inspired your transition to a career in law? How did your experience in law school shape your journey, and in what ways has your engineering education contributed to your legal practice?
A career in law was never on my list. I had started preparing for MBA exams like CAT in my final year of engineering and scored well in my first attempt. I decided to improve my score to get into a top IIM and dropped a year after completing Btech to reappear in CAT. In the meanwhile, on a friend’s suggestion, I gave the Delhi University, Faculty of Law entrance and cleared that. I enrolled and started attending classes out of curiosity. As fate would have it, I liked what was being taught in law college and jettisoned the plan of doing the MBA, leading to a switch in a career to law.
The Delhi University 3 year course experience is quite different from 5 year BA LLB residential programs. Even though we had excellent professors, there was a lack of guidance regarding career options post law school. So I decided it was best to intern as much as possible and get a taste of different practice areas and offices. Being in Delhi helped because there were several options from law firms to reputed chambers where one could look to land an internship. After interning extensively in various offices, I felt that being a first generation lawyer, the best option for me was to join a law firm preferably a tier one firm which pays well ;). I was lucky to intern a couple of times at the AZB and Partners Delhi Office and had offers to join the capital markets team and dispute resolution team. Given my interest in litigation I chose the latter. That was the formal start of my journey in litigation which I thoroughly cherish.
My science and engineering background has helped me immensely in practice. This was felt particularly while working on matters of interstate river water disputes where I was on the legal team from the State of Andhra Pradesh, led by Mr. R Venkatramani, Sr Adv and presently Attorney General of India. Water disputes require advocates to understand highly technical concepts related to hydrology, cropping etc. which in my humble opinion can be grasped better, faster and deeper by a student of science and technology as compared to someone who hasn’t received training and education in sciences. Even in my construction arbitration practice I have reaped the benefit of my science background, particularly on disputes arising out of issues relating to design and specifications in a construction contract.
You’ve advised and represented construction and project management firms in high-stakes arbitration involving contractor and subcontractor disputes. What are some of the recurring challenges in such matters, and how do you approach them to secure effective outcomes?
A lot of claims in construction and infrastructure disputes arise out of delays. Delays can be on many accounts, Invariably, when there is a dispute between a private party and government entity, it is the latter who is blamed to cause delay. Delays could arise on various counts such as lack of statutory approvals, late handover of site, change in scope of work and delay in delivery in drawings and designs, which are out of the contractor’s control. On the other hand, if a contractor defaults in its obligations and causes a delay, claims for liquidated damages (if already specified in the contract) or damages for breach can be made against the contractor by the principal. These are situations which should be handled tactically at an early stage before an aggrieved party precipitates the issue to become a legal dispute. A lot of these disputes can even be avoided by careful drafting of contracts which eliminates ambiguity. Proper contract management and risk mitigation is another aspect that parties must consider to avoid and reduce potential liabilities in the event a dispute arises. Once a dispute has been referred to arbitration, the first thing I would try to achieve, in case I am representing a claimant, is to identify if there are special equities in its favour which might result in getting interim relief in the form of stay on bank guarantees and forfeiture of security deposits. This is extremely difficult, albeit, not impossible and can go a long way in securing some level of financial relief for a party at the very inception of a dispute. I also believe that bringing on board experts can prove critical for the outcome in complex arbitration matters. The impact that experts make is greater in cases where there is a sole arbitrator who is trained judicially as a judge or an advocate. Expert reports along with oral testimonies can often bring the desired clarity to an arbitrator’s mind which can tip the scales in such disputes.
Another great challenge that counsels may face is the ‘Arbitrator’. Today we have a lot of talks, conferences and events centred on the arbitration practice. Every month something would be organized where lawyers, judges, in-house counsel, people from the law ministry come and give speeches about making India a hub for international arbitration, how challenge to awards and court interference should be limited etc. However, a topic which is often overlooked is the quality of arbitrators we have in our country, particularly with respect to their integrity. Unfortunately, if a party is pitted against an arbitrator who is deciding the matter for extraneous reasons, an effective immediate solution may not always be on the cards. In such cases it may be wise to come to a reasonable settlement.
Representing the Union of India and UPSC before various judicial forums, including the Supreme Court, involves complex litigation. How do you manage the legal and strategic dimensions of handling high-stakes public and service law matters on behalf of the government?
In my humble opinion, the most important part about litigating on behalf of the government is to get proper instructions from the concerned officers. I have been lucky to have worked with incredibly competent and energetic officers during my tenure as a panel counsel with various government entities which has helped me in effectively representing them before Courts. In the Supreme Court, the critical cases involving the Union of India are led by the Additional Solicitor Generals, the Solicitor General and the Attorney General. Briefing such stalwarts on matters which involve questions of interpretation of the constitution, issues related to national security, legality of policy decisions which has implications of thousands of crores is like doing a masters of law on these subjects with real life implications. Working closely with these Seniors on 300 + matters in the Supreme Court, often handling 5 fresh cases a day has helped me develop an instinct to identify what is most important in a petition to highlight and show to the Court. This experience has helped me with the skill to manage client expectations and offer better advice regarding the reliefs that are likely to be granted in their favor, rather than what is initially requested and prayed for. This is an essential part of advocacy whether you are representing the government or a private party. Sometimes our instincts may not be accurate enough, and the client may benefit from providence and get the relief they expected rather than the conservative outcome predicted by their advocate, however, such victories also taste sweet.
Looking back, what has been one of the most challenging cases in your career so far, and how did you approach and resolve the complexities involved?
Well, every case is challenging and has a certain degree of complexity involved, we wouldn’t be in Court otherwise ! I will, however, talk about a couple which came first to my mind when I read this question. This is a recent one where I was appointed as an amicus by the Supreme Court for an accused to whom notice could not be served and accordingly, he didn’t appear before the court. As we know, criminal matters cannot proceed ex parte, so I was appointed to assist the court on behalf of the accused. The allegations in this case were very grave which attracted provisions of POCSO. The challenge here was that I was representing a client who I never interacted with, which was a first for me. Upon thorough and meticulous examination of the trial court record, I successfully presented a defence that was accepted by the Court, resulting in the confirmation of his acquittal against the prosecution’s case.
A second very challenging case was one where I appeared on behalf of the revenue authorities before the Supreme Court and the question of interpretation of a customs and excise circular was involved. The other side was represented by Mr. Arvind Datar Sr Adv. After Mr. Datar’s arguments were concluded, the bench was convinced that I had no case, in fact the question put to me was – “what is left to argue now ?”. It is only because I had extensively prepared the matter, made a comprehensive note for arguments which had all the relevant page numbers cross referenced and had a compilation of judgments which was again numbered with an index which indicated the relevant paragraphs, that I could persuade the court to consider my submissions which lasted for around 45 minutes. It involved rigorous grilling from the bench as well. The judgment was reserved and the opposite party got the relief sought, but the experience I gained was something remarkable and gave me the confidence to have faith in myself irrespective of the stature and calibre of the counsel on the opposite side.
Given your diverse expertise across litigation and arbitration, what guidance would you offer to young lawyers who are just starting out, especially those aspiring to build a robust career in litigation?
Today a fresh graduate who wishes to pursue litigation has 3-4 different kinds of workplaces to start out. It could be the chamber of an advocate or senior advocate, a law firm, an in-house role where substantial litigation work exists or as a research associate/law clerk with a High Court or Supreme Court Judge. Out of these, 3 roles are transitory and one cannot continue in that position or establishment for their entire career. Law firms are one such place where you can start as an associate and rise up the ranks in a fairly structured and predictable manner. I would suggest someone who is a first generation lawyer without significant financial support from their family who does not have a great appetite for risk and uncertainty (which is certain in private practice), should try and join a law firm. It will give them financial stability, reasonable exposure to courts along with other advantages of working in law firms which I have already touched upon in some earlier questions. People who are passionate about law and want to build their own practice in the future should join a busy chamber and then look for a good senior’s chamber to polish and sharpen their skills further. Another thing worth noting in litigation is that one should be ready and available to work everyday of the week for long hours on a consistent basis under mentors and bosses who are strict and demand the highest standards. Going through such rigours is the best thing that a budding litigator can do for themselves. A quote attributable to a great figure- Abraham Lincoln may give my suggestion more context, which goes – “You can’t sharpen your razor on velvet”
Is there a core philosophy or guiding principle that you’ve followed throughout your legal career? Looking ahead, how do you envision the growth of your practice in the evolving legal landscape in India?
I have been a lawyer for a decade now. A core philosophy or guiding principle which has been there through and through is absent as far as I am concerned. But along the way I have learnt a few things which guide me now and I view them as beneficial generally.
There is one quote that I picked up from a book called “The 38 Letters from JD Rockefeller to his Son”. In one of the letters JD Rockefeller tells his son that – “To eat an elephant, you need to eat one bite at a time. The same goes to when you are doing something. If you want to accomplish everything in one go, you will only let the opportunity slip away.”
So, this field is a big elephant, you have to eat it one at a time. We cannot be an expert in every field of law or build a great network or have a great team or accomplish several other things which are essential for a successful practice, all at once. If we attempt that, there will be chaos which would lead to anxiety and nothing will be accomplished. Therefore, my 2 cents on an approach to a career in law would be to gradually advance, be patient, and take actions which are planned, structured and precise. This will slowly build into something very impressive and worth cherishing.
The second would be to be bold and ready to get outside your comfort zone. When I observe, read and hear about the great individuals who have been in this profession, the thought which comes to my mind is that if they could do it, why not me. This thought keeps me going when the chips seem to be down and doubt arises.
Third and last one is – to prioritise learning and upskilling. Look out for the latest trends and take the first mover advantage in this highly competitive market.
We are a rapidly growing firm led by two partners and one tax consultant. Apart from the conventional practice areas we are also looking at the future and emerging fields such as law and regulations surrounding AI, its impact on intellectual property, cybersecurity, energy law and data privacy. These fields are interesting from an academic as well as practice stand point. Jurisprudence on these subjects will rapidly develop in the future. As I have said before, there are opportunities for the early entrants which is golden for new firms like ours as the entry barriers are less. It goes without saying that we will build upon our strengths and continue serving our existing clients with top notch tier one level service in a cost effective manner, while we strive to grow by expanding our teams and clientele.
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