Avinash Amarnath FINAL Reworked

Summary

In this insightful session, Mr. Aash B Amad G, a partner at Chandok and Mahajan Advocates and Solicitors, shares his experiences and strategies in the legal profession. He emphasizes the importance of setting long-term goals, maintaining a balance between work and personal life, and the significance of detail-oriented preparation in dispute resolution. Aash also discusses adapting to new ADR mechanisms, like the mediation bill, and offers advice to young lawyers on embracing technology while not losing sight of the importance of thoroughness in their work.

Takeaways

• 😀 The importance of having a long-term goal in legal practice and focusing on winning the 'war' rather than every 'battle'.
• 👨‍⚖️ Mr. Aash B Amad G's background as a partner in Chandok and Mahajan Advocates and Solicitors, leading the firm's Hyderabad office and South India disputes practice.
• 📚 Aash's conscious choice to pursue law due to an interest in humanities and the influence of his family's legal background.
• ⏰ The significance of establishing a routine, including early sleep and wake times, to manage a stressful corporate culture.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Balancing work and personal life by dedicating specific hours to family, exercise, and hobbies, and maintaining discipline even when routines are disrupted.
• 🤔 The emphasis on the importance of reading and understanding the details of a case for effective strategizing in dispute resolution.
• 🏆 Aash's enjoyment of the game-like strategizing in litigation, comparing it to a game of chess where one must be prepared to adapt and evolve their strategy.
• 📉 The acknowledgment of the challenges of dealing with high-profile cases and the necessity of developing a 'thick skin' to ignore external pressures and media commentary.
• 🎓 Insights into the differences in law school experiences between India and abroad, highlighting the value of application-based learning and the encouragement of forming and defending one's own opinions.
• 🏌️ Aash's personal hobbies, particularly his passion for cricket, and how sports can influence one's approach to law and strategy.
• 🤝 The benefits and drawbacks of both corporate law firm culture and litigation chambers, and the goal of combining the best aspects of both for effective legal practice.

Q & A

What is the key to achieving long-term goals in a client's case according to Mr. Aash B Amad G?

The key to achieving long-term goals is to focus on winning the war rather than every single battle. It's important to strategize and plan, sometimes losing small battles to ultimately win the case.

What is Mr. Aash B Amad G's background in the legal profession?

Mr. Aash B Amad G is a partner of the competition and disputes team at Chandok and Mahajan, Advocates and Solicitors, leading the firm's Hyderabad office and South India disputes practice. He specializes in advising clients on complex competition law and dispute matters.

Why did Mr. Aash choose to study law?

Mr. Aash chose to study law as a conscious choice, influenced by his interest in humanities and the presence of law in his family, with his father being a practicing lawyer and his mother a law graduate.

What routine or professional discipline does Mr. Aash recommend for maintaining balance in a corporate environment?

Mr. Aash recommends sleeping early, waking up early, avoiding screen time, and prioritizing family and personal hobbies. He also suggests dedicating 3 to 4 hours daily to family, exercise, and personal interests.

How did Mr. Aash develop his skills in dispute resolution?

Mr. Aash attributes his skills in dispute resolution to good mentors, paying attention to detail, and reading files thoroughly. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the client's perspective and the documents to strategize effectively.

How does Mr. Aash handle media attention in high-profile cases?

Mr. Aash handles media attention by focusing on the case itself and ignoring the 'white noise' outside. He believes in maintaining a thick skin and not being bothered by media commentary.

What was Mr. Aash's experience with law school in India compared to his experience abroad?

Mr. Aash found that law schooling in India was more focused on rote learning, whereas abroad, it was application-based with an emphasis on understanding and applying knowledge, forming opinions, and problem-solving.

How does Mr. Aash balance his personal life with his professional commitments?

Mr. Aash balances his personal and professional life by maintaining discipline, giving importance to family time, and being innovative to find alternatives when his routine is disrupted, such as exercising during travels.

What are the differences Mr. Aash sees between the corporate work culture in law firms and litigation culture in chambers?

Mr. Aash sees the corporate work culture as more solution-oriented and having more direct client interaction, while litigation culture focuses more on the substance of the matter and developing legal points.

What is Mr. Aash's view on the future of ADR mechanisms in India?

Mr. Aash believes that mediation, if done right, can be very effective and more so than arbitration. He emphasizes the need to minimize court interference and the importance of the parties' will in making mediation work.

What advice does Mr. Aash have for young law aspirants and those struggling in the initial phase of their law career?

Mr. Aash advises young law aspirants to keep things simple, understand the psychological aspects of law, use technology efficiently, and not be afraid of trying different areas of law to find their niche.

What are Mr. Aash's long-term plans for his personal trajectory and the firm he is part of?

Mr. Aash's immediate goal is to build a South India disputes practice in Hyderabad, and his long-term goal is to continue in litigation with a niche in competition law, hoping to argue more matters in court and do interesting work.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction and Background

The video script begins with an introduction to the Super Lawyers team and their guest, Mr. Aash B Amad G, a partner at Chandok and Mahajan Advocates and Solicitors, specializing in competition law and dispute resolution. The host expresses excitement to have Mr. Amad G on the show to share his insights. Mr. Amad G shares his journey into law, influenced by his family's background in the field and his interest in humanities. He emphasizes the importance of setting long-term goals and maintaining a balance between winning cases and personal life.

05:01

🛌 Balancing Work and Personal Life

Mr. Amad G discusses his routine and professional discipline, highlighting the importance of early sleep and avoiding screen time to maximize productivity. He stresses the need to prioritize family and personal well-being amidst a stressful corporate culture. His advice includes dedicating specific time to family, exercise, and hobbies, and being innovative to maintain this balance when routines are disrupted, such as during travel.

10:01

🏆 Developing Expertise in Dispute Resolution

The guest elaborates on his experience in dispute resolution, attributing his skills to good mentors and a focus on detail. He emphasizes the importance of thoroughly reading case files and understanding the client's perspective beyond their initial narrative. Mr. Amad G likens litigation to a game of chess, where strategic moves and adaptations are key to success, and the ultimate goal is to win the 'war' rather than every 'battle'.

15:02

📘 Navigating High-Profile Cases and Media Attention

Mr. Amad G shares his approach to handling high-profile cases and the media attention they can attract. He advises maintaining focus on the case itself and developing a 'thick skin' to ignore external pressures and commentary. His strategy involves concentrating on providing the best legal advice and strategy, acknowledging that the outcome and public opinion are beyond his control.

20:04

🌐 Comparative Law School Experiences

The guest contrasts his law school experiences in India and abroad, noting a shift from rote learning in India to application-based learning in his master's course at King's College. He appreciates the emphasis on pre-class reading, in-class discussion, and problem-based exams that fostered a deeper understanding and application of legal knowledge.

25:04

🤝 Integrating International Perspectives into Legal Practice

Mr. Amad G discusses how his international education and exposure to lawyers with similar backgrounds influenced his approach to practicing law in India. He advocates for a shift from memorizing legal sections to understanding and applying them effectively. His perspective emphasizes the importance of analyzing and strategizing with the law rather than merely recalling it.

🏋️‍♂️ Balancing Professional Commitments with Personal Passions

The conversation turns to how Mr. Amad G balances his professional and personal life, with a focus on maintaining discipline and giving equal importance to work and home life. He shares his passion for sports, particularly cricket, which he follows, plays, and discusses as a way to stay lively and engaged outside of work.

🏢 Corporate vs. Litigation Culture: Weighing Pros and Cons

Mr. Amad G compares the corporate work culture in law firms with the litigation culture in chambers, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each. He finds the direct client interaction and solution-oriented approach in corporate law firms beneficial, while appreciating the focus on legal substance and daily court exposure in litigation chambers. He expresses a preference for combining the best aspects of both environments.

🤝 Embracing ADR Mechanisms and the Future of Dispute Resolution in India

The guest shares his views on the evolution of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms in India, particularly the potential of the mediation process. He stresses the importance of minimizing court interference and the need for genuine engagement from parties involved in mediation. Mr. Amad G advocates for interim court involvement to ensure mediation progress and prevent prolonged, unproductive processes.

📘 Advice for Young Lawyers and Aspiring Law Students

Mr. Amad G offers advice to young lawyers and law students, encouraging them to keep legal concepts simple and not to overcomplicate them. He emphasizes the importance of understanding psychological aspects, client needs, and pressures. He also advises on the balance between leveraging technology and maintaining an old-school attention to detail, as well as exploring various areas of law to find one's niche.

🌟 Long-Term Goals and Envisioning the Future of Legal Practice

In concluding the interview, Mr. Amad G discusses his long-term plans, which include establishing a robust South India disputes practice from Hyderabad and continuing his specialization in competition law. He expresses his desire to argue more matters in court and to contribute to interesting legal work, reflecting his commitment to the profession and his firm.

Keywords

💡Long-term goal

The term 'long-term goal' refers to an overarching objective or aim that is intended to be achieved over an extended period. In the context of the video, it is used to emphasize the importance of focusing on the end result in legal practice, rather than getting caught up in minor setbacks or individual battles. The speaker illustrates this concept by stating that while one might lose some small battles, the ultimate aim is to win the war, highlighting a strategic approach to dispute resolution.

💡Strategizing

Strategizing is the process of developing a plan or strategy to achieve a particular goal. In the video, the guest uses the analogy of a game of chess to describe how he approaches litigation, emphasizing the importance of planning and foresight in legal matters. The concept is integral to the video's theme, as it underlines the need for careful consideration and planning in the legal profession.

💡Dispute resolution

Dispute resolution refers to the process of resolving disagreements or conflicts, often through legal means. The video features a guest who specializes in this area, discussing his approach to resolving complex legal disputes. The term is central to the video's content, as it encapsulates the professional expertise of the guest and the focus of the discussion.

💡Litigation

Litigation is the process of taking a case to court to resolve a legal dispute. The guest in the video discusses his experience with litigation, highlighting the need for detailed preparation, understanding of the case, and strategic planning. The term is repeatedly used throughout the script to illustrate the practical aspects of being a lawyer involved in court proceedings.

💡ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution)

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) encompasses various methods of resolving disputes outside of traditional court litigation, such as arbitration and mediation. The video discusses the potential of ADR mechanisms, particularly the mediation bill, as a means to resolve disputes more effectively. The concept is relevant to the video's theme as it represents a shift in the approach to dispute resolution in the legal field.

💡Mentorship

Mentorship involves a more experienced individual guiding and advising a less experienced one. In the video, the guest mentions the importance of having good mentors early in his career, which helped him develop his skills in dispute resolution. The term is key to understanding the speaker's professional development and the value he places on guidance in the legal profession.

💡Work-life balance

Work-life balance refers to the equilibrium between an individual's work responsibilities and personal life. The guest advises young lawyers to prioritize their family and personal well-being alongside their professional commitments. The term is significant in the video as it reflects the guest's approach to maintaining a healthy professional and personal life.

💡Corporate culture

Corporate culture represents the values, behaviors, and practices that characterize a company or law firm. The video discusses the guest's experience with corporate culture, particularly in law firms, and how it can influence the approach to legal work. The term is used to contrast different working environments and their impact on professional practice.

💡Litigation chamber

A litigation chamber is a workspace where lawyers who specialize in litigation operate, often focusing on the substance of legal matters. The video contrasts the corporate work culture with the litigation chamber environment, highlighting the unique advantages and disadvantages of each. The term helps to illustrate the different settings in which legal professionals may work.

💡Psychological understanding

Psychological understanding refers to the ability to comprehend the mental and emotional states of others. The guest emphasizes the importance of this skill in legal practice, particularly in understanding clients' needs and pressures. The term is integral to the video's message, as it underscores the human aspect of law and the importance of empathy in the legal profession.

💡Legal profession

The legal profession encompasses the roles and work of individuals involved in the practice of law. The video provides insights into various aspects of the legal profession, including the importance of strategy, the evolution of ADR, and the balance between corporate culture and litigation chambers. The term is central to the video's theme, as it sets the context for the discussion and the guest's expertise.

Highlights

Importance of having a long-term goal and achieving it despite losing some small battles.

Introduction of guest Mr. Aash B Amad G, partner at Chandok and Mahajan Advocates and Solicitors.

Mr. Aash's background and specialization in advising complex competition law and dispute matters.

Choosing law as a profession influenced by family and personal interest in humanities.

Maintaining a disciplined routine and prioritizing family and personal time amidst a busy professional life.

The necessity of being innovative and flexible to adapt to changing work environments.

Developing a strategic approach in dispute resolution by paying attention to detail and evolving with experience.

The comparison of law school experiences in India and abroad, emphasizing the difference in teaching methods.

How studying abroad influenced Mr. Aash's perspective on the application of law in practice.

Balancing personal life with professional commitments through discipline and setting boundaries.

The role of sports, particularly cricket, as a passion and its influence on Mr. Aash's approach to law.

Comparing the corporate work culture in law firms to litigation culture in chambers and the benefits of each.

The potential of mediation as an effective ADR mechanism and the importance of minimizing court interference.

Advice for young law aspirants to keep things simple, understand clients, and not be afraid to explore different areas of law.

The importance of manual checks and attention to detail despite technological advancements in the legal field.

Mr. Aash's long-term plans to build a South India disputes practice and continue specializing in competition law.

Transcripts

[Music]

what's important is you have to realize

what is the long-term goal for the

client and for you in that case and then

try to achieve that in the best way

possible in that process you may lose

some small battles but the idea is to

win the war not every single individual

battle a very warm welcome to everyone

we are here again Super Lawyers team

with yet another enriching and

informative session with our new guest

for the day so let us welcome our guest

for today's session Mr aash B Amad G

thank you so much for accepting the

invitation for all our viewers just a

brief background of a sir he is

currently the partner of competition and

disputes team at chandok and Mahajan

Advocates and solicitors leading the

firms Hyderabad office and South India

disputes practice specializing in

advising clients on complex competition

law and dispute matters sir a very very

warm welcome from the entire team here

at Super Lawyers we are eagerly excited

to have your insights on board thank you

thank you my pleasure to be here sir

after a decade of commendable excellence

in legal profession would you mind

elaborating why did you choose law was

it like a calling to you or was it a

very conscious choice at the beginning

so for me my father is a practicing

lawyer and my mother is a law graduate

although she didn't practice so law was

always in the family but it was never

thrust upon me I was given the freedom

to choose so I think I would call it a

conscious choice and to be very honest

at the time of choosing law I chose it

almost by the process of elimination I

didn't want to do science so I had an

option between Commerce and law and law

seemed very interesting because I had a

interest in Humanities as well while I

was in school so I thought that that

would be better served when I studied

law so I could study political sence so

that was really the reason for choosing

law that was precise and to the point

moving on with the next question sir you

have been robustly working with the

corporate culture for years now so what

keeps you going in this particular

corporate environment any particular

routine or any particular professional

discipline that you want to share with

us so I mean I think the first thing I

would say is that the routine that works

for me may not work for others so I

think the first general advice if I may

is that everybody has to find their own

routine but in general I think a few

tips that I've noticed is sleep early

wake up early and avoiding screen time

you realize actually you have a lot more

time in the day than you feel that you

have especially if you follow these few

things and then I think it's very very

important especially as you said in this

stressful corporate culture you have to

prioritize your family and yourself so

one of the things that I was told as a

young lawyer by somebody who used to run

a law firm and something that stuck with

me for a long time and which I try to

follow is that he said look how much

ever work you have whatever deadlines

you have always dedicate 3 to four hours

to the following things one is to your

family second is to physical exercise

and third is any personal hobby that you

have and try and guard that time

scrupulously and strictly so that's sort

of what I try to follow to maintain that

discipline of course I think the most

important thing in this I would say is

that unfortunately the corporate culture

demands that you have to be flexible so

while this is a routine this routine

often gets broken but you have to be

Innovative for example you know I have

to travel a lot and when I travel

obviously some of this strict routine

gets broken but then you have to be

Innovative and try and find Alternatives

so if I've been traveling too much then

I make sure that that weekend I

completely reserve for my family and

then even when I'm traveling I try to do

like quick 10 15 minute exercises in the

mornings but that's I think what I've

realized and obviously this is not

something I just picked up immediately

it's taken me 10 years to figure out

this routine so it'll take time and I

think as I said right at the beginning

this works for me it may not work for

somebody else so the idea is to find

your own routine and what makes you

pick thank you sir I am sure we all will

understand the importance of limiting

our screen time that is the talk of the

day and along with that the way you have

said that we have to balance all these

things we have to balance family with

how soever much we are under this

pressure this is also very crucial

wisdom especially for the ones like me

who are just starting out we'd move on

with our next question being involved in

dispute resolution definitely has a lot

of strategizing and planning so how did

you develop your flare in dispute

resolution sector and how much do you

enjoy it as well if you could lb itself

absolutely I think I was lucky to have

very good mentors and guides when I

started off in my profession but the

most important thing in litigation

especially strategizing and planning is

paying attention to detail so one of the

first things that I was told very very

early is you have to read the entire

file whatever it is it might be a small

small transfer petition matter even

let's say the matter is getting

adjourned I was still told you have to

read the file as much as possible front

to back so I think that sort of being

ingrained in me from the beginning then

made me realize that sometimes the more

you read and then ReRe new things come

to light which you wouldn't have thought

of before and that really helps you plan

and strategize because because what

happens is the first time a client

approaches you he gives you a very broad

perspective and sometimes they're giving

you their perspective which may not be

reflected in the documents so purely

limiting yourself to that is not

sufficient so you would have to test

what the client is saying by looking at

the documents and then as I said the

devil is in the detail so I think that

slowly brought that flare up for me that

the more I read the more I feel that you

know I'm very confident with a case and

the more I can strategize and also it's

a process of evolution right as a young

lawyer I think your role is limited to

knowing the facts well if you have a

strategy great but usually as a young

lawyer you're not expected to have the

strategy but you expected to have the

backup knowing the facts properly having

the research on legal points Etc but as

you grow older in the profession then

you get to start doing the actual

strategizing so now you know it's like a

game of chess you make a move and you

see how it works out sometimes it works

out sometimes it doesn't so when it

doesn't you have to go back regroup try

a new move move so it's like a constant

game of chess and I enjoy that and I

think also with strategizing and

planning especially in litigation the

one thing I realized is it's like sports

it's not going to be always a perfect

Victory it's not going to be perfect the

very first time there will be a lot of

setbacks what's important is you have to

realize what is the long-term goal for

the client and for you in that case and

then try to achieve that in the best way

possible in that process you may lose

some small battles but the idea is to

win the war not every single individual

battle so that's how I enjoy doing that

sir I really like the way you phrased it

that it's like a game of chess and then

the analogies of losing a few battles

with the Final War I guess that sort of

a holistic approach and the constant

introspection constant reading and

research has been the Mantra and I'm

pretty sure with people who are really

suffering from such a small attention

span with a dying reading practice these

words will definitely encourage and high

highlight how important is Reading in

this profession you have been involved

in a lot of high-profile cases that have

received media attention and we all know

how media attention can turn both ways

it can celebrate you one day it can

suddenly criticize you unnecessarily the

other day how do you keep calm in these

specific high profile matters where

really high stakes are involved I think

I've been a little lucky because I've

not really had to face that media

pressure too much directly but yes in

some cases there were some difficult

questions being put I was getting calls

from media houses for comments on a very

contentious case where we were very

strictly told by the client not to make

any comments see even otherwise

generally in cases I always try to just

focus on the case itself and sort of

blank out all the white noise or as I

call it whatever is happening outside

and I think with high-profile cases it's

even more important to realize that your

role is limited to being a lawyer in

that case and not bother about the

repercussion the consequences your job

is limited to giving the best strategy

whatever it is the defense or if you're

are Prosecuting the best advice to your

client the outcome is not in your hands

and equally what people make of it and

what people think about it is not in

your hands and you have to just leave it

at that so if I had to put it in one

word you have to grow a little bit of a

thick skin and ignore what the media is

saying thank you so much sir on focusing

on these issues where we have to stay

unidirectional we have to stay focused

and dedicated to our cause even though

others may not always be on the same

page with it and others are entitled to

their comments but we have to stick to

our part moving ahead with the next

question sir your academic excellence in

King's College is really praiseworthy so

sir being someone who has received

schooling both domestically as well as

abroad how was law school life different

there than that in India I think I

should Tate this at the beginning by

saying that my law school experience was

10 years ago so I'm sure things have

changed in India since then but I think

back then for me my experience was that

in India law schooling was still more

focused on root learning and not so much

application based whereas when I went

there that was the one big difference

that I saw even the way classes were

conducted there typically in India what

happens is for covering a certain

chapter on a certain day when you come

to class is when you open the book and

then you understand the concept and

everything there how it was structured

was you were given a set of reading

material before the class itself and you

were expected to read on your own and of

course that may also have to do with the

fact that it was a master's course so I

think there was already assumption that

most of the people were already had a

basic understanding of the law but still

I think really like that system so you

do your reading at home and then when

you come to class what you're doing is

actually taking the discussion to the

next level you're applying the knowledge

that you've already read to you know

difficult questions or let's say there

are some very very specific

controversial topics or difficult topics

you discuss that in more detail and even

the exams the way the questions were

structured it was mostly problem based

questions so you were not just required

to reproduce whatever you've learned you

had to apply what you've learned and try

and give a solution so I think that was

a very big difference that I saw and I

think the second big difference that I

saw was the encouragement that the

faculty there gave to students to have

firstly to form an opinion you know

first they would ask everybody who

should have an opinion on this and

second the encouragement to say that

look there is no right or wrong answer

everybody is entitled to their own

opinion of course as long as you're able

to back it up with a solid logic they

will of course attack the logic if they

don't disagree they will question you on

it but if you're able to defend yourself

they appreciate they say okay I have a

certain point of view you have a certain

point of view and as long as both are

reasonable that's that right so I think

that openness and that application based

learning was something I really enjoyed

in Kings college that was very

interesting I'm sure law schools today

in India are also trying to brace this

particular change and changes coming in

but we still need to EMB this particular

application basic thing a lot sir how

did it shape your legal perceptions once

you were back and engaged in practice in

the country to be very honest I would

say it was partly that education but

also then working with some lawyers here

who were educated there and the way they

looked at law actually changed my entire

perspective of law generally in most

subjects in India let me take for

example I won't take law but I'll take

you know medicine right you are

considered a good doctor if you are able

to just rattle off what is the right

medicine for the right treatment right

that's what you think is a good doctor

similarly with lawyers the expectation

in India is you should know every

section if I come to you with a legal

problem you should know the answer right

then and there and with Section numbers

and everything and I realized that

that's actually not what practicing law

is about and being a good lawyer is

about because it's impractical for a

lawyer especially because our range of

knowledge is so vast to know every

single law at the back of their hand I

think what is important and that's what

changed my perspective of practicing law

is how you read a law that's what is

important so you are given a problem and

then you relate that okay it relates to

a particular subject you pick up that

law perhaps you've never read that law

in your life before but you should be

able to read the bear act and

immediately apply yourself and form and

say okay this definition there are

certain things we can argue this section

there are certain things you can ask so

the focus is not to just retain

knowledge but the focus is actually to

learn how to use that knowledge or how

to analyze knowledge so I think in that

sense it really changed the way I looked

at law and practicing law I don't stress

anymore about remembering things I

stress more about okay all the knowledge

is in front of me how do we strategize

and how do we apply ourselves to them

this definitely stands out so that it's

not the section which I can recall and

tell but how to read the law how to read

the law is such an application based

concept which we should all IDE no

matter whether or not our colleges and

our educational setups are telling that

we can definitely make it a practice

thank you so much sir talking on these

lines sir how do you balance this

personal life with professional

commitments any hobbies or any passion

interests which keeps you Livy so as I

said I think a bit of going back to what

we were talking about the discipline

points so going back a little on that I

think maintaining those points itself

helps me balance out professional and

personal life and I'll come to the

Hobbies but the other thing it just came

to my mind actually that when you're at

work and you get a call from home you

usually you may answer sometimes but

usually even if you answer the call you

say I'll call you back I'm at work right

and I think the key is to give that same

level of importance when you're at home

spending time with your family or you're

doing something personally there will be

emergencies sometimes there are

sometimes genuine emergencies where you

have to take the call you have to work

and I completely understand that but

more often than not somebody calls you

even if it's from work or if it's a

client you can tell them I'll call you

back in sometime and I think you have to

give that same respect to the time that

you have at home as you do so you know

the same thing if somebody calls you

while you're spending time with your

family if somebody from work calls you

equally tell them I'll call you back in

some time that's something I try to

follow and in terms of hobbies I've

always been a sports fan like Cricket is

my passion and I love test Cricket so if

I'm not working usually I'm either

following Cricket trying to play

wherever I can and just discussing

Cricket with with everybody that I know

so and one of the things that I really

love about sport is I feel that it's and

for me as a lawyer also it what we do in

court as I said right it's a game of

just and it's very similars you know in

sports you constantly see strategies and

counter strategies and that's something

I really find very appealing so I try to

follow Sports wherever I can of course

play it as much as possible I was sort

of guessing that Sports would be your

hobby because the way you put out the

analogy in the beginning of the

interview moving ahead sir corporate

work culture in law firms versus

litigation culture in chamber if I would

just put these two in front of you as

two options which one would you find

better from your experience and if you

could just elaborate a bit sure I think

both have their pros and cons so me of

course I'll explain for my own personal

reason I found litigation chamber work

more appealing but I think if you take

the pros of both and try to combine them

which I see happening and especially

with our firm as well and explain how I

think that would be the ideal scenario

but you know with corporate work culture

I think one of the pros is that you are

more directly in touch with the client

and that gives you a very different

understanding because very often what I

see is people who worked only in

litigation Chambers especially with

corporate law and with commercial law

see there is a position of Law and then

there is a commercial reality and you

have to understand that for a client

especially for a company or a business

for them ultimately the end goal is that

commercial reality either they're trying

to make money they're trying to save

money money or there is some goal that

they have now the legal position may not

be helping that goal so the idea is to

try to find some way some alternative or

some middle path that actually satisfies

that goal but at the same time obviously

is within the confines of the law

because very often what I see is

sometimes pure litigation Chambers will

either give you yes or no answers this

can be done this cannot be done whereas

when you're working in a corporate law

firm I think you develop that art of

saying okay this strictly cannot be done

but we can explore this alterntive and I

think that's very important as a

commercial lawyer you have to be

solution oriented you just can't say

this is allowed and this is not allowed

and I think the second Advantage I see

with law firms and with the corporate

culture is you get more time on a

particular case because in litigation

Chambers it's literally the file comes

to you the day before so you don't have

enough time to really actually read get

through understand whereas in a law firm

you're probably working on that same

case for 2 three months so you've had

enough time to interact with the client

get all the clarifications that you

wanted and really you know that whole

strategizing sort of build up that case

so I think that tends to be the

advantage so the cons I would say of Law

Firm culture is one sometimes and this

of course depends there I'm not saying

that all law firms are like this but

when you're working in a law firm

presenting something in a beautiful way

Cosmetics is as important as the

substance but sometimes people tend to

give more importance to the Cosmetics

than the substance itself the form over

substance and that to my mind at least

as a lawyer you know a document may look

very beautiful but if in substance it's

not good then it should not be a

document that passes the test but

sometimes there is a focus more on

beautifying the document Etc and I think

the second con that I put personally

which I feel when you're in a law firm

is you don't get enough quote time you

don't get to code quote every day maybe

once a week in a month three four times

so that's again a con and with

litigation Chambers I think you know the

converse basically the pro is that the

first focus is always the substance of

the matter because you don't really have

the time to create beautiful I mean

you're not really creating a document

but even if you have to you're just

focusing on what is the meat of the

matter and the substance I think there's

a lot more stress on also points of Law

and developing points of law finding

judgments in support interpreting a

judgment these are things you don't get

time to do sometimes in a law firm

because you're very busy getting the

draft ready Etc whereas in a litigation

chamber for example you get to read a

any judgment that you're relying on also

you're expected to read front to end and

know that what is in our favor and what

is against us also in a particular

judgment and of course being in court

every day is the advantage in a

litigation Law Firm chamber as I said I

think the con of then a litigation

chamber is the opposite of a law form

right you don't get enough time to apply

yourself to a file so the summon

substance of all of this is this is what

I think we're trying to do at chandok

and Mahajan and particularly in the

disputes team is that we're trying to

combine the best bits of both

so at chandok and Mahajan we are very

very you know as a matter of principle

we don't recommend just briefing a

senior Council for every single matter

we are very happy to recommend to our

clients that we will argue the matter so

that gives you that feel of being in a

litigation chamber because if you're

arguing the matter then you're going to

prepare like an arguing Council

everything equally because we are a law

firm of course we are interacting with

the client and we're getting that so I

know that a lot of law firms just prefer

to hand over the arguing bit to a senior

councel or an arguing councel and say

our job is done at the time of filing

and then we're done but we try to push

as much as possible of course it's the

client's preference ultimately but

wherever possible we try to do both we

try to argue our own cases as well and

that gives us the feeling of being in

her litigation chamber as well so if you

ask me I think the I know long winded

answer but I would like to combine The

Best of Both Worlds would be my thank

you sir talking about work and

everything sir first of all since you

have been involved with dispute

resolution and you so beautifully

summarized the entire strategizing thing

as a game of chess how do you think that

the new ADR mechanisms for example the

mediation Bill push whatever how do you

see India's ADR structure in the coming

years I think we've all realized that

with arbitration there were certain

mistakes we made as a system and because

of that it's not worked as well as

people had hoped for mainly delays Court

inter

things like that and I think if we don't

repeat those mistakes in this round

especially with mediation I think that

itself will go a long way because I

think mediation when it's done right can

be very very effective in fact more

effective than arbitration I would say

and the reason is that mediation is

essentially based on consent of the

parties in arbitration you consent to

the decision being taken by somebody

outside the court but in mediation you

are actually consenting on the substance

it's a settlement and therefore this

scope for a qut interfering is very very

little and which is why I say look I

think we've got a great opportunity now

and rightly so I think the government is

pushing mediation as one of the

preferred forms of ADR but we have to

caution ourselves learn from our

mistakes number one try to minimize

Court interference and second also I

think it does come down largely and this

is with all EDR not just mediation it

comes down to the will of the parties

because sometimes I think we have to

admit to our especially as litigation

lawyers we often see ADR as just a

method of delaying things and especially

with mediation everybody says yes to

mediation but they're never serious the

thing

is if that's the attitude we're going

into mediation with then it's not going

to work so at some level maybe

interference by courts would help

because rather than I think because what

we see right now is that courts once it

gets into mediation very very hands off

and sometimes extensions are given of

course extensions are given when

requested but I think perhaps the court

should also rather than just asking for

one report at the end should keep taking

interim reports on how the mediation is

progressing because if the court feels

that it's not working out then I think

better to pull out of the mediation

rather than a prolonged unnecessary

mediation so I hope it works I genuinely

hope it works but I think as I said it

comes down to these things it comes down

to tackling those challenges that we

face and comes down to the will of the

parties understood sir you have

highlighted on several aspects which are

very important and we should exercise

caution in moving towards with the

mediation Bill and act as you have

mentioned and not repeat the same

mistakes and hope to see a better ADR

structure sir this question would be

from all young lawyers and aspirant to

someone who has believed in strategizing

a lot and who has emphasized and

strategizing that what would be your

advice to Young law aspirant and people

who want to choose law people who are

struggling in the initial phase of law

when they often have a lack of

strategy I would say look you have to

keep it simple sometimes people

sometimes tend to project law as more

complicated than it is so the first

thing I would say is don't worry it's

not rocket science and honestly I I keep

telling a lot of my colleagues here as

well that people who actually do science

and Innovation I think the kind of

knowledge and skill set that they

require is much much more law is still

ultim Ely it's a social science it's

human related right and I think one of

the things to really really understand

is that it's a lot about

psychological sort of understanding

understanding especially as a litigation

lawyers of course you have to know the

substance of your matter but I think

what's equally important is to

understand who you're talking to where

that person is coming from not just a

judge even as a corporate lawyer for

example dealing with a client like this

is something that we do sessions and

session on and I think one of the most

important things we for get is that the

client is ultimately a human being and

so he has certain considerations so

understanding what he or she the client

wants what pressures they are under I

think automatically makes things a lot

easier the only other thing I would say

is that what I have noticed is that

young lawyers nowadays are and which is

I think a very very good thing is that

they are a lot more aware about their

rights automatically they demand work

life balance and they realize that that

is something that is a matter of right

rather than something that they can

expect once in a while and they're a lot

more comfortable with technology which

automatically makes them very very

efficient I think the only piece of

advice if I may that I would have for

them is that sometimes you have to go

back to being old school and this goes

back to what I was saying about detail

you know sometimes using technology you

tend to miss out on details and those

details are very very important so yes

of course use technology to your benefit

nobody's saying no but I think sometimes

you have to go back and still do a

manual double check and you can't miss

out on reading documents every single

piece of information you should have

wrecked you can't just leave it at the

mercy of technology or just do smart

selecting and filtering sometimes it's

good to go back and be oldfashioned

sometimes is what I would say in terms

of if people are facing confusion I

think the one thing that I've noticed is

that there are a lot more opportunities

in law now so don't be afraid of

shifting trying out different things

because I think in our profession just

coming out of law school you can't be

clear on what you want it's impossible

because you don't get that kind of

exposure yes you might have done

internships but that doesn't give you

the same flavor of working so try out

different things there's always time

don't think that you're losing out on

time try everything in fact try

corporate try litigation try clerking

try media reporting everything and

that's the only way you'll realize just

don't think that it's too late to do

anything there's a lot of time and then

you can settle into whatever your most

sir the way you have elaborated and

specifically on this point that just

coming out of law school would not

always give you that decision making

skill that I want to do something this

seems like a relief this really seems

like a relief to all of us youngsters

who are planning to build a career and

often feel confused we also appreciate

the way you have always emphasized

planning the way you have emphasized on

having the best of both the Worlds at

your firm so sir what are your long-term

plans

as in your personal trajectory in this

profession as well as how do you plan to

take ahead your firm as well so I was

working in Delhi till two years back

I've actually practiced most of my

career it's been at Delhi of course for

professional and personal reasons I saw

this as a very unique proposition to

come and set up an office in hyad one

because I feel Hyderabad is a city that

has a lot of potential that is still

untapped but equally I think the

proposition that we are trying to build

here is very unique which is that we

want to run an entire South India

disputes practice out of Hyderabad we

faced a lot of challenges initially

especially when virtual hearings were

not very common because traveling is

quite a problem but thanks to the

initiatives taken by the current Chief

Justice of India so at least High courts

they're all hybrid so that really helps

us manage matters of course district

courts Etc we have to rely on local

Council once in a while but it's a very

unique proposition I'm enjoying the role

that we're trying to build and so really

I think the immediate goal for me is to

continue to build this practice here

into what we had envisioned a proper

South India disputes practice and the

long-term goal is of course to continue

in in litigation with a niche in

competition law I think I would never

want to leave competition law that's a

specialization that I consciously chose

right at the beginning of my career but

yes I think eventually I do see myself

hopefully arguing more matters in court

and just continuing to do interesting

work your insights have been amazing

today once again thank you so much from

the entire team of loiko Super Lawyers

we are sure that with the wealth of

experience practical experience and tips

which you have given us today we have

benefited all the young ones will

benefit and whoever joins us for this

session inqu for knowledge in quest for

some information and guidance they will

also be thoroughly benefited sir thank

you thank you so much sir thank you

thank you