I am currently working for Mondelez International supporting the India business in the capacity of Senior Counsel and Associate Vice President. My responsibilities include providing legal advice to the Chocolate Category – Global Brands, Cadbury Dairy Milk (CDM), Silk and other variants, the Mondelez India International business, strategic initiatives to drive penetration and growth in the market, Supply Chain, and our manufacturing plant in Baddi, H.P. I am also responsible for driving training to the business in various fields some of which include competition law and policy, anti-bribery and corruption and legal issues involving social media.
It has been a very exciting journey and one filled with challenges and great opportunities. If I look back, after short stint in private practice in Kolkata I joined HUL in Mumbai where I was handling mostly litigation relating to consumer law, criminal prosecutions under legal metrology, and Intellectual Property enforcement. Having worked with external counsel right from the district level to the Supreme Court, it gave me an amazing idea of the intricacies involved in litigation, trial and procedural law. I understand now, at a later stage in my career how important it is to have worked at a ground level. Sandoz (the generic arm of Novartis) was the first Company where I performed the function of in-house counsel in a corporate role having to support a myriad of profiles and functions from the corporate office. Thereafter when I joined GSK (Pharmaceuticals) based out of Mumbai, I really had to hone skills of time management and multi-tasking. It was a vast profile but an excellent learning ground. I would say GSK was like a learning academy. It was in GSK that I got a chance to work abroad in London at the GSK global Head Office as Senior Counsel supporting Supply Chain Legal Operations (known as GMS Legal). When I took up this role it was completely out of my comfort zone, but eventually I found my ground. That chapter changed my life forever and not a day goes by
that I don’t look back and think of the excitement that role offered. Moving on, working as Regional General Counsel for Dr. Reddy’s was a life changing experience since it was the first time that I got exposed to leading a fairly large team and a mammoth expanse of work, being cross jurisdictional and with multiple areas of responsibility. I was heading legal support for the global trade marks profile, the India generics business, the R&D Business, MENA commercial operations and the Biologics Unit. The job really pushed me to learn how to trust and empower my team and to put processes and systems in place not only to simplify but also to drive efficiency and productivity. After all that roller coaster of pharmaceuticals I find myself in a “sweet job” with Mondelez (formerly known as Cadbury’s).
The role is evolving constantly. In fact I think the role of in-house counsel in general has been evolving over the years and will continue to evolve. We can’t sit back and wait to be reactive lawyers. The requirement of the day is that we become business partners and be far more proactive than what we have been over the years. Getting a seat around the table means that you have to build confidence in the business. While we are here to perform risk analysis and support all that goes on, we need be business enablers. To do that we have to go out there, have the necessary conversations, understand the business and the context and then advice accordingly. Establishing and maintaining good corporate governance is very important, but to do that we have to keep ourselves up date with the changes in the business and legal environment. There is also a need to stop working “hard” and start working “smart” so that we can get more done in a shorter time, since there is only one way the work pressure is going to go.
Firstly, very often in house counsel are perceived as people to go to when there is problem. It is important to be able to change that within the business and the only way to do that is to be a partner to the business. To help them make decisions so that things don’t go wrong in the first place, to understand their business models so that we can enable those, legally and through minimum risk. Secondly, I think there is a need and necessity to be able to take risks. However, these must be calculated risks, but it involves lots of experience, introspection and in-depth knowledge of the field in which one is advising so that you don’t throw the business into the pyre. It’s a fine balance and it’s hard to get right, but it is important. Thirdly it’s important to set up processes to drive constant simplification and drive efficiency. In day to day work, this is hard to manage and get done.
This is very important. When we do work with external counsel it’s important to select the firm carefully. Law Firms and in house counsel need to work as partners. One needs to work with a firm where they know they will get the necessary efficiency, transparency of matters being handled and are cost effective. There needs to be closer conversations. Both sides have to manage each other’s expectations to avoid a slip at either end. Just as firms need “to be there” for their clients, inhouse counsel must also be responsive to their external partners so that both can co-ordinate efficiently to obtain the best result for the business.
There are a lot of resources out there to get external training and learning. But what’s important is to find a learning programme which is useful to the role that one wants to perform. This is important especially when the courses are expensive or of a longer duration. Apart from that, every in house counsel is required to invest time in reading about the industry, the business environment, and developments in law etc. It’s hard to do all the time, I know I struggle with it as well, but it’s important. Lastly, many companies havetheir own learning academies to train in house counsel. For the fortunate ones who have that, it’s important to take out time once in a while to dwell into those resources as they can be extremely helpful.
Yes, learn the law well, build a rock solid concept, but don’t worry so much about the grades. If you have a strong foundation, you will get picked up and opportunities will start opening up. Also, when you join, be watchful to find your mentors. I have been extremely fortunate to have had great mentors in my career and with their guidance and counsel it has made my journey all the more satisfying. Lastly, have respect for the profession, it’s a great one.
Gadget – my iPhone. I use it far too much and for everything, it’s so easy with it around.
App – Netflix, Youtube, I’m constantly listening to great music on it, and Linkedin
Automobile Brand – I love what I drive, a Honda.
Favourite Writing Instrument – Sheaffer
Favourite Holiday Destination – The UK
Favourite Cuisine – Continental and Chinese. I’m a big foodie and the list could get longer.
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