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Could you share with us the story behind your decision to pursue a career in law? Does anything change for a women post-marriage? Looking back, would you revisit your career path?
Becoming a lawyer was my childhood dream. Unlike an add-on degree, I wanted the legal profession to be my primary career. My father was an accountant while my mom initially was a homemaker and later turned into an entrepreneur. Fortunately, as a child there was no pressure from my parents to choose the career path of their preference or excelling in academics. My choice of electing a legal profession as a career option was welcomed and completely supported by my parents. Relentless support from parents meant a lot to me, which motivated me to achieve a Gold Medal in my bachelor’s degree.
Family support for any lady post marriage undoubtedly helps her to retain her identity whereby she can balance her career aspirations with familial responsibilities. I have been fortunate to receive encouragement from my husband and kids, that I was able to achieve a Gold Medal in my Master’s degree 17 years after I completed my bachelors.
Time files, it has been more than 2 decades. If I look back, I feel it is deeply fulfilling and gratifying. I wholeheartedly thank my mentors, seniors, peers and family who contributed to my professional growth and being part of my life’s journey.
As a legal advisor across various sectors, including IT & ITES, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Pharma and Techlaw, what common challenges do you encounter, and how do you address them while ensuring compliance and legal efficacy?
Every client reposes trust on their advisors, either legal or financial. As a legal counsel I pre-empt and aid our clients navigate through complex situations and challenges and comply with the laws to avoid potential risks and liabilities and seamlessly concentrate on their business goals.
Every organisation requires to comply with a plethora of laws which makes it important for companies to place reliance on subject matter experts. As a legal counsel, we advise on various laws based on the needs of our client, which include data protection, labour & employment laws, consumer protection laws, intellectual property rights, corporate and commercial laws.
Creating awareness and conducting training sessions to the appropriate functions helps us to interact with the teams to explain to them the need for compliance and adverse effects of non-compliance. These sessions instill a value system and is a collaborative work as we share real time experiences and challenges. We advise on legal compliance after assessing each client’s pain points and prepare policy or guidelines to suit their requirement within the legal framework. Periodic supervision, audits and team reviews with clients aid to keep a watch on adherence with ever changing laws. Compliance is not a one-time event but an on-going task. By doing so, organizations ensure they meet legal requirements, uphold ethical standards, and manage risks effectively. This proactive approach not only reduces the likelihood of non-compliance but also enhances overall organizational resilience and reputation.
As a practitioner in Anti-Sexual Harassment Law, how do you approach training and awareness sessions for employees and internal committee members to foster a culture of respect and inclusivity within organizations?
Sexual harassment is a social issue. It has been nearly a decade, that our Government enacted the Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act) yet many establishments remain oblivious to its existence or compliance. Like Consumer awareness this also needs to reach the people. Like the impact created by the ‘Jago Grahak Jago’ awareness program run by the Government, we need a similar movement to sensitize and create awareness of this beneficial legislation.
Regular meetings with IC members is highly recommended, awareness sessions for employees are important likewise orientation to IC members is also equally critical, as they redress the complaints. IC members have to be trained to ensure judicious redressal, as most of IC members are seniors and experts in their field but may not be from legal background hence may need assistance to understand the nuances of law and manner of conducting redressal process in a time bound manner.
Usually, participants /audience are silent for the first 15-20 minutes, some voice their concerns during the session while some wait until we conclude. But there are many queries which can be resolved only by training and interactive sessions. These sessions are to be attended by all, it should not be a women’s day event. Government has enacted the law but its implementation is a collective responsibility.
Could you elaborate on your involvement in Estate & Succession Planning and share insights into the importance of such planning for individuals and families, especially in the context of evolving legal frameworks?
Estate and succession planning are complex processes that require careful consideration of legal, financial, and personal factors. It is a collaborative effort of legal, tax and financial professionals to meet their goals and safeguard their properties. Will is the most sought out option for many as it is easy. Whereas for High Networth Individuals and Ultra High Networth Individuals s structuring, distribution and transfer of assets /wealth to beneficiaries or legal heirs upon death is a complex task. Identifying assets, including real estate, investments, savings, retirals, insurance policies, prized possessions, and personal belongings itself is the first step, which is followed by structuring and so on. Trusts can be useful for minimizing taxes, legal attachments, and providing for minor children or individuals with special needs. Pre-empting pros and cons and advising clients is challenging yet fulfilling once we reach the desired outcome. We partner with reputed financial advisors and family office experts to give our clients holistic solutions.Although we have laws, healthcare/ advance medical directives, such as living wills, outline an individual’s preferences for medical treatment and appoint someone to make healthcare decisions on their behalf if they are unable to do so. This is a very sensitive topic similar to that of a Will. No child can ask his parent to execute a Will to safeguard our assets or have advance medical directive in place to avoid issues in case of incapacity of parent to make a decision.
Justice M S Sonak, who serves on the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court, became the first person in Goa to register a “living will”, an advance medical directive for his family for when he cannot make his own decisions. Such trailblazers pave the way and pass on a message that nothing is permanent. It is rational to pass on responsibility of taking decisions in case of health in case of an emergency or wealth in case of eventuality.
What inspired you to embark on the journey of founding your own firm, IUSTUS LEGAL, and what specific vision or goals did you aim to achieve through this endeavour? Could you share some of the significant challenges you encountered when establishing IUSTUS LEGAL?
Starting a law firm or independent practice is a logical and common path for any legal professional in practice. I believe a silver lining during pandemic for me was clients both domestic and international realised that corporate legal services can be rendered effectively and efficiently using technology. E-meetings became the go-to venue and virtual data room a repository of documents. Personally, I noticed there were avenues and opportunities which were opened and I wanted to explore the waters as the market dynamics were changing and legal compliance was gaining a foothold due to enormous foreign investments and funding which prompted legal due diligence and paved the way for diversified agreements and mandated compliance under corporate and labour laws.
I truly believed that it was the right time for me to make my deep rooted vision of providing just and fair legal services to clients into a reality. Initially, I was apprehensive, as it could be risky moving out of my comfort zone and setting up a firm from scratch. It meant less to no work and less to no steady income. I took a leap of faith and established IUSTUS Legal. IUSTUS is a name derived from IUSTITIA, the Lady of Justice (Nyaya Devta) and also means righteousness, ‘dharma’, being just and fair which is based on the vision to create value to every client in every entrusted matter. It is fulfilling when a client entrusts a matter to you and feels content when the desired outcome and refers to new clients or more matters.
It has been nearly 3 years since I ventured on this journey and we are expanding. I feel elated when I say it was an all women team (and young mothers) who continue to balance both professional and personal responsibilities effectively. We are expanding with young professional minds joining us. I am grateful to the Almighty for being the guiding light, to our amazing clients, competent team and my wonderful family.
Entrepreneurship comes with its risks and challenges, but if you have conviction in yourself and faith in God, the journey is beautiful.
What challenges did you encounter as a woman along the way that shaped your journey to becoming a seasoned legal professional and Managing Partner at IUSTUS LEGAL?
Conventionally, the representation of women in the legal profession is low. Despite significant advancements, women face challenges and many let go of this profession due to gender discrimination, demanding timelines, constant comparisons, unrealistic expectations, work-life balance, motherhood etc. Support from seniors and family is important for any woman to pursue their career aspirations. I was fortunate that there have been only a few such instances more gender based, but have heard so many experiences from my friends and colleagues to quit the profession and change their career paths.
In fact many women colleagues leave the profession due to familial responsibilities or unsupportive family, post marriage or childbirth. Out of 30 women students in my class of 2000 batch, hardly a handful women are continuing in this profession, which is disheartening.
I truly believe and advise young mothers, who have no support but have legal acumen and skill sets, could take up tasks where they could work from home or work as freelancers.
Earlier, litigation or corporate law were the only options, now the legal profession has further branched out. One can be a legal correspondent, legal analyst, part time lecturer, corporate lawyer, labour law consultant, POSH advisor. Quitting is easy, navigating through odds is a challenge worth trying.
How do you balance your work-life as a legal professional? How do you manage your work day?
Time is the most precious commodity which is non-renewable, but we need to value both time and money. Legal profession is highly demanding. Striking a balance is not an easy task as profession and personal life are equally important. Based on situations, I have prioritized both professional growth and personal life.
In response to your question, I prioritize work every day before I start my work, I read a matter and make hand noting this helps me recollect the matter easily, avoid procrastination, except in case of emergencies and keep a watch on the deadlines, in case work spills beyond expected timeline I ensure apprising clients helps in maintaining a healthy and long standing professional relationship. I believe enriching client relationships and being updated with domain areas is also spending time productively as a lawyer. delegation of work with a team helps in productivity, time management and ability to focus on priority and high risks matters.
Most of all, I believe in spending time with family and taking short breaks/getaways as it rejuvenates me. This helps growth of professional and personal lives
What advice or suggestions would you offer to the next generation of aspiring legal professionals who are entering the field, especially in light of the evolving legal landscape and emerging challenges?
Self-trust is the primary requirement for any aspiring student as comparisons are bound to happen and that should not adversely impact on your growth. Embarking as a lawyer is an exciting yet challenging journey. Understanding the fundamentals of law and research are key skill sets but good communication, time management, team work, dedication, critical thinking and adaptability are also equally important.
Formal education gives aspiring lawyers an overview of law but practical learning under a senior /mentor and gaining insights from experienced professionals enhances the knowledge, legal reasoning and application of the education judiciously. Attending workshops, conferences, networking aids in an impactful way to foster continuous learning. A legal professional must be willing to be a lifelong student to sustain and grow. My motto ‘if you are not updated, you are outdated’. Stay updated to continue and shine in this noble profession and collaborate with colleagues. One may not know everything but everyone will know something.
I am happy to have been part of this pious profession and strongly urge students to consider this as their career option, if it aligns with their skill sets, interests, and career aspirations. Lawyers can positively influence the Country’s law & policy, make key contributions in people’s lives and decisions through their expert legal guidance.
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