Currently, the role I am playing at GSK Consumer Health Private is of Head of Legal Ethics & Compliance and part of India Leadership team. Thus, wearing multiple hats and providing services to business as one team many skills.
I started with a law firm Bhasin & Co. as a lawyer and handled variety of litigations in different courts of Delhi way back to 2001 i.e. post LLB & LLM from Delhi University. Post getting litigation experience I moved to corporates starting from JSW ISPAT as legal support function of the organization at various levels. Thereafter, I moved to Pharmaceutical Industries starting Dr. Reddy’s & Ranbaxy at various mid-level legal support function. The Pharma is a niche area of law and once you learn the business then you have an added advantage. My leadership started with Piramal Health Care where I was Head of Legal and was responsible for Piramal’s life science business including its subsidiaries outside India. I had wonderful opportunity to work out side India namely in Europe and US for couple of years and this was a big learning and carrier development opportunity. Post Parimal, I was GC (Head of Legal) for Hetero group for a short stint.
Now, the role of GC is of business partner guardian. This means you just don’t have to see black and white part of law but as a business partner what you could offer the best available solutions without breach of law. There is a paradigm shift in legal department from traditional to modern and modern to global. You and your legal team not only need to keep updated but also upgraded from global overarching and extra-territorial laws.
Identifying & Managing the key business risks and compliances are the key challenges in addition to managing the team, business and the management. The key risks involve now more of global risks than traditional legal risks irrespective of the fact that you are operating out of India or not in case either you are supplier of product & services outside India or you supply it to Multi-national companies present in India.
Law firms & In-house team operate sometimes operates on the same platform and sometimes not depending upon structure of legal department and its budget. Big MNCs have large size law department running from 100 to 900 plus lawyers spread throughout the globe structured regionally with Corporate Headquartered. However, Indian companies and traditional have limited number of lawyers depending upon the size of business and territories. Further, depending upon transaction and nature of risk involved In-house counsel engages law firms and also for legal representation in case of any litigation. Hence, both are complementary to each other.
As earlier said, role of GC have undergone transformation than its traditional role of managing contract, litigation and legal compliance. Now, this role demand effective solutions more than just legal solutions since you are a part of the leadership team. Ethics & Compliance and keeping updated and trained in global overarching laws, policies & procedures. The one the best way to keep updated and upgraded is to be connected to relevant forum/ discussion/conferences, regular updates through magazine and the most important keep reading.
There are good opportunities for in-house counsel if one comes with right skill set. Due to expansion of business and due to increases in FDI & ODI, new business opportunities come with risk also. Therefore, it is imperative for business to have right business partner guardian.
Gadget – iPhone
App – WhatsApp
Automobile Brand – Jaguar
Favourite Book – Pen
Favourite Holiday Destination – Germany
Favourite Cuisine – Sushi
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