The pace of growth of India’s economy has been startling over the past decade and looks set to increase even further as new technologies, particularly of the financial and operational kinds, look set to supercharge the business world yet again. 

With this in mind, there could hardly be a better moment to highlight the country’s exceptional roster of general counsel, who have been front and centre of India’s economic surge. On behalf of everyone at the Legal 500, congratulations to all the hugely talented corporate counsel who are featured in this edition, which is an even more exclusive list of the country’s top general counsel than our previous editions.  

Thank you to everyone interviewed for providing such candid and informative answers to the questions asked. As always, we like to pick out one passage from the interviews (a tough task given the full transcript runs to about 30 thousand words) to highlight in the introduction to the edition. Pooja Sehgal Mehtani of Sunlife  

Legal 500: “Based on your experience, what is the key to collaborating successfully with business partners?” 

Pooja Sehgal Mehtani: “In my experience, successful collaboration with business partners is anchored in a robust relationship built on trust between the General Counsel’s office and the business teams. This trust is established and maintained through regular, open communication channels and a proactive approach. Legal teams must be actively involved in the organisation’s strategic planning and decision-making processes. Gaining early visibility into strategic initiatives allows the legal function to anticipate, identify, and mitigate risks effectively while collaborating constructively with business partners to achieve successful project outcomes.  

At Sun Life, my team operates in a fully integrated manner with various functions across the organisation, serving as business enablers with a solution-oriented mindset. We actively represent the legal function on organisational committees and forums, ensuring we remain attuned to the evolving goals and projects of different functions. By continually fostering strong connections and relationships across departments, we not only enhance awareness of broader business objectives but also establish ourselves as trusted advisors.  

Over the years, the value delivered by my team through sound counsel and actionable insights has cultivated a culture where we are consulted early in the planning and transactional processes. This early involvement maximises our ability to add value and positively influence outcomes. Our agile mindset ensures we remain adaptable, constantly assessing and evolving our approach to stay aligned with the business’ shifting strategies and priorities.” 

Congratulations to all the GCs recognised in this edition. Commensurate with the vast size and scope of India, the experienced, knowledgeable and well-respected corporate counsel featured here loom large in the legal and business community across the whole region. 

Joe Boswell
Global Editor, GC Powerlist Series
Legal 500 

This is the ninth year of showcasing the highly professional legal talent in India through the GC Powerlist, and CMS is delighted to continue its partnership with Legal 500 and the GC Powerlist to recognise and endorse the leading general counsel and heads of legal of Indian business, and the rising.stars who are shaping the future of the in-house legal community. CMS is very proud to have been involved with the GC Powerlist from the outset.

Inclusion in the GC Powerlist is a strong endorsement of the key role that GCs and heads of legal have in supporting their businesses through the ever more complex local and international legal and business environments they need to navigate. The publication has an important role in highlighting the role that the committed and talented in house legal community plays.

GCs, heads of legal and their teams carry out a critical role in helping the businesses they support in assessing and managing the key risks they face, be it through the introduction of new legislation and regulation, both locally and in key overseas markets, the increasingly complex trading environment, and the growing internationalisation of Indian businesses.

GCs also have a key role to play in supporting businesses with the management of ESG-related risks, and in particular with the impact of ESG reporting requirements, both domestically and internationally.

Over the nine years of our involvement with the GC Powerlist, we have witnessed a growing emphasis on the GC role within Indian businesses, and the in-house legal community now plays a key role for Indian businesses. The GC role in India has seen a huge change and GCs are very much trusted advisors for senior executive teams.

CMS has a long history of working with Indian businesses and their legal teams, assisting them with international growth and the challenges that they face. These include entering into new markets and jurisdictions, acquisitions and joint ventures, compliance with ever-changing legislation, or supporting them with the resolution of commercial disputes.

Our multijurisdictional India Group has been visiting India for many years to strengthen and grow our relationship, and is often our first port of call to the wider CMS organisation, which now includes over 5,800 legal experts in 47 countries. We are proud to offer deep local understanding with a global perspective.

Congratulations to all the GCs, heads of legal and in-house lawyers who are included in this year’s GC Powerlist. We look forward to continuing our association and working with many of you in supporting your businesses over the coming years.

The CMS India Group is very much looking forward to celebrating the publication of this year’s GC Powerlist with the general counsels, heads of legal and legal talent who provide such important support to their businesses.

Dr Duncan Weston Executive Partner CMS

INDUSLAW is honoured to once again sponsor the Legal500 GC Powerlist India 2024. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the exemplary General Counsels and their teams who have earned their place on this prestigious Powerlist. Your commitment to excellence, leadership, and unwavering dedication to your businesses are commendable and inspiring.

In today’s dynamic legal and business environment, General Counsels are no longer confined to the traditional legal advisory role. They are pivotal in influencing corporate governance, driving compliance, managing risks, and steering business strategies through a complex regulatory and commercial landscape. Their ability to balance legal acumen with commercial foresight has become indispensable to the success of their organisations. The inclusion of these remarkable individuals in the GC Powerlist is a reflection of their skill, vision, and enduring contribution to the corporate world.

At INDUSLAW, we understand the increasing challenges and responsibilities that General Counsels face. With offices spread across Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi & NCR, Hyderabad & Mumbai, we have been fortunate to partner with and contribute significantly to many established businesses and new economy companies. We take great pride in our continued partnership with the Legal500 in honouring the visionaries who shape the legal landscape in India.

Vahura has been a proud supporter of the India GC Powerlist since its inception and are excited to see the launch of this 7th edition of the India GC Powerlist 2024. Our heartiest congratulations to all the General Counsel (GC) and teams recognised in this Powerlist. It is wonderful to see your critical work and innovation being highlighted by a reputed international platform such as Legal 500.

Through our market leading executive search and consulting work, we are privileged to have a ring side view on the rapidly evolving role of the GC and corporate legal function. Through our affiliate Counselect, we have a panel of lawyers who are seconded to In-house legal teams for specific projects. We take this opportunity to share some of the recent trends that we have observed from these vantage points.

It is an exciting time to be part of an In-house legal team. As business leaders across industries are increasingly focused on risk management, in-house legal teams are being called upon to play a more proactive role in identifying and mitigating risks, where traditionally the focus was on responding to risk after the fact, rather than proactive prevention.

The writ of the GC has broadened to encompass public policy and government relations, compliance, regulatory and corporate affairs. The GC is increasingly leading a multi-disciplinary team of professionals that includes lawyers, policy and communication specialists, CAs and compliance professionals.

India is playing an increasingly important role in the global legal teams of MNCs. Extended legal teams of high quality lawyers are being built in India to take on frontline roles across multiple jurisdictions.

For Indian conglomerates and growth companies, as their business becomes more international, legal is guiding their expansion into new markets and product lines.

GCs are now more influential in the boardroom and their value is being recognised by the chairman, independent directors, and the CEO. By playing the role of business enablers and making commercially savvy decisions, GCs bring a transformative edge to the business.

The best legal teams are harnessing legal technology and the data flowing through legal to create internal efficiencies and more value added integration across the organisation. The adoption of Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) is one such example, with India setting the global standard.

The potential for better compensation, more dynamic roles, and the success stories of in-house general counsel are inspiring many bright lawyers at all levels to move in-house. This signals an elevation in the role of the in-house counsel within the corporate structure.

Every person featured in this Powerlist plays a key role in making these positive trends a reality. Kudos to you and your teams for the important role that you play within the organisation and beyond. Congratulations once again and best wishes for the future.