Could you share an example of a time when you came up with an innovation that improved how your legal team works and did not come at a large expense?

Providing legal and compliance support for EY’s entire business in the India region, encompassing 700+ partners and 40,000+ employees across multiple entities, requires the general counsel’s office to consistently innovate and reinvent itself to be able to offer timely and effective assistance to the business teams. Technology is a game-changer and critical enabler for the general counsel’s office in supporting business teams operating under tight timelines for service delivery—an aspect effectively embraced by my team. 

A significant shift in our functioning that has brought about substantial change involves a shift in thought processes and functions. I firmly believe that lawyers should proactively provide solutions to stakeholders’ issues rather than offering reactive advice to problems that have already arisen. As a result, my team and I have established a process where we engage with business stakeholders right at the inception of the engagement. We delve into the minutest details of the engagement, leveraging this information to provide the business with detailed insights for identifying and solving potential challenges based on our assessment. 

This increased involvement extends to a higher contribution in analysing the technology aspect of the professional service delivery process flow and its impact on the business’s risk appetite. This approach has added immense value and is appreciated by the management. This no-cost process has positioned the general counsel’s office as business enablers and active participants in business decisions rather than mere executors.

What are the most significant cases and transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in? 

Leading the legal function for the India region of an organisation that serves a number of Fortune 500 companies, it is safe to say that the breadth of responsibility is extraordinary. With concerns spanning various legal landscapes, including litigation, intellectual property, and labour and employment disputes, we are expected to be equipped to respond immediately. The general counsel’s office has been handling all firm acquisitions in-house for the past three years, which is extremely significant.

If you had to give advice to an aspiring in-house lawyer or general counsel, what would it be and why? 

The role of an in-house lawyer and general counsel as a trusted adviser has attained dramatic importance over the past few years. In my view, corporations are increasingly looking for lawyers who understand their business, industry experts as opposed to practice area experts. Therefore, understanding the organisation and its business while building relationships along the way is critical to success. Building strong relationships enables in-house counsel to provide informed legal advice and tailored solutions, ultimately adding value to the organisation.