Please share your passion and interest towards law as a professional choice I have always been passionate and interested towards legal profession.

I am a learner of law with an insatiable hunger to learn and excel and give my heart, soul and energy to all the matters that are being dealt with by our firm. I feel that Law is one profession where there is no dearth of learning and there is something new that every case teaches us. There are so many aspects and dimensions of Law that it always challenges our knowledge and it keeps motivating us to yearn and strive for more and further learning.

One key puller to the profession is the fact that Law unlike many other professions is a service to the society. We as Lawyers contribute hugely to the betterment of society. The inspiration can be drawn from the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Pd. Jawaharlal Nehru and many other illustrious lawyers who served the country.

Which are the niche areas that you find yourself most inclined towards

I have developed an inclination towards dispute resolution after attending to a few matters which gave opportunity to analyse the subject in further detail. The informal set up of resolving critical disputes with arbitrators to pursue parties to resolve the disputes in an expeditious manner was the key to dispute resolution. However, over a period of time, it is also a fact that Dispute Resolution mechanisms were only used by scrupulous litigants to buy time. While domestic arbitrations have been a huge learning, the maximum learning came from the ICC Arbitrations where the Arbitrators are particular about timelines, precision and detailing of filing the paper book and where the expeditiousness along with quality delivery is the key.

What according to you remain the most important aspects of a successful law firm

According to me one of the most imperative aspects of a successful law firm is developing a growth strategy along with identification of core-competency. In today’s highly competitive environment, it is very significant to identify the USPs (Unique Selling Propositions). I strongly believe that with a clearly defined strategy established and communicated, your USPs should enable you to differentiate your practice in the marketplace.

Also, it is important for the firms go to great lengths to make sure the services they provide are of highest quality, consistent and timely.

Last but not the least is the Human Resource. Engaged, motivated and committed Team perform better and the revolving door syndrome is avoided.

What do you think are the success secrets to being a prominent counsel?

Lawyers have a responsibility to guide their clients through the legal system with both skill and tact. A good lawyer can make all the difference in a client’s case. The foremost is to be aligned to client’s business needs and advice accordingly without falling into the trap of immediate gains.

I believe a good lawyer must be orally articulate, have good written communication skills and also be good listeners besides being upto date with new developments in Law. Also, the ability to draw reasonable, logical conclusions or assumptions from limited information is essential skillset for a good lawyer. The most important aspect that I have observed is to have analytical skill along with logical skill. It is important to display a great deal of creativity in their problem-solving. The best solution is not always the most obvious and in order to out manoeuvre your challenges it is often necessary to think outside the box.

Do you believe that running a law firm is as managerial as any other business?

Absolutely, managing a law firm is nothing less than managing any other business. Like in any other business, we also need to handle the day-to-day administrative challenges related to Business Development, Human Resources, Finance and Billings, Recoveries, etc. At the epi-centre of any law firm is Client Relationship Management along with its Human Resources since Human Resources are the true assets for any Law Firm.

What do you think are the top 3 requirements in-house counsel have today?

As I mentioned earlier, the in-house counsels are looking at Law Firms as business enablers in today’s time. They are looking at someone who understand their business needs and are able and available to address them in the shortest time possible. In today’s complex and competitive marketplace every In-house counsel expects the outside counsel to provide excellence in their delivery. Over the period of time, I have seen in-house counsels expect the external lawyers to be abreast with not only their industry and marketplace but also expect lawyers to be updated with laws, rules, regulations and commercial economics pertaining to their marketplace.

It is necessarily required that the external lawyers, provide bespoke services and strategic solutions specific to their industry. In-house counsels are now being considered as part of the management team wherein they are looked upto as the growth stimulators and expected to offer strategic support to the higher management. Therefore, we, external counsels are also required to get into their shoe and deliver our solutions befitting their industry needs.

Another important requirement that inhouse counsel has is the prompt and proactive approach in rendering services along with some partner involvement.

Your views on talent management, retention in today's competitive job markets.

Talent retention is a critical issue as firms compete for talent in a tight economy. We believe that the most important factor to retain the talent is “the firm’s culture”. The principle of building an open and supportive culture is now on the top priority for many Indian law firms with such a culture which support flexible working, growth opportunity, onus-sharing, training, mentoring and ambitious

According to me one of the most imperative aspects of a successful law firm is developing a growth strategy along with the identification of core competency. In today’s highly competitive environment, it is very significant to identify the USPs (Unique Selling Propositions).

Shweta Bharti Senior Partner, Hammurabi & Solomon Partners

When Women Wow for Leadership - Meet Shweta Bharti, Sr. Partner, Hammurabi & Solomon Partners

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