The 10 most influential women lawyers to watch.

R
Women
LAWYERS
ch
u
TO WATCH
MOST
INFLUENTIAL
THE
2020/
VOL.
12/
ISSUE
06

Editor’s Note
he legal profession is one of the
Tdignified, important, and noble amongst
all. This profession plays a key role in
improving our society and lawyers act as a
representative for providing justice to the
people who are seeking justice. However, to
deliver justice requires strong legal acumen,
desire and ability and judicial nature to fight
for injustice that is happening in society. The
lawyers should choose to act in harmony with
the principles mentioned in the constitution of
India. Effective lawyers are capable of
preserving, protecting and defending our
constitution and are capable to uphold the
values and principles mentioned in our
constitution.
It is essential for lawyers to ensure a good
balance between justice and compassion.
Lawyers should know how to differentiate
between being compassionate and delivering
justice. Civilized society is where there is
equal balance between compassion and
justice. It is important to be compassionate
and it is also important to deliver justice. It is
good to be compassionate, but it is wrong to
tolerate injustice by being silent. Injustice
anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. To
tolerate injustice by being silent is a
cowardice. Lawyers need to have courage to
fight for the injustice happening in society.
Lawyers who are making a difference in the
society through delivering the right legal
services are no less than warriors. Such
lawyers are the most important pillars of our
country. To deliver proper justice one needs to
be courageous yet considerate. This nature
helps to be judicious in decision making.
The skillful, talented and judicious lawyers are
capable of improving the functionality and
justifiability of the judiciary system. Such
lawyers are the great assets of our country
who are able to enhance the trust of people in
the judiciary organ of our country by ensuring
the justice to the vulnerable and offended
LEVERAGING
TECHNOLOGY FOR
A BETTER FUTURE

people in our country. Such effective judiciary
system is essential to reduce the crime rates
and injustices in the society and this leads to a
civilised society. The capabilities of new
lawyers to make rightful judgements can be
enhanced by some training sessions by senior
lawyers. Those lawyers who uphold the
morality and integrity while maintaining an
appropriate balance, the compassion and
justice are capable of becoming the best
lawyers.
Among all advocates, women lawyers also
play the much contributing role to improve
the functionality of judiciary system. Women’s
intuition and their courageous yet considerate
nature help them to make most judicious
decisions. Importance of women lawyers is
huge in judicial system. These women lawyers
are able to understand the women related
issues much better and are able to take the
decisive steps to ensure the justice to the
women and enforce the punishments to the
miscreants. This ensures the dignity of the
women and it empowers them to perform
their contributing role in the country with
much freedom and in safe environment. The
great lawyers are able to preserve, protect
and defend the good people.
In this edition of Insights Success, we have
featured ‘The 10 Most Inﬂuential Women
Lawyers to Watch,’ that are contributing to
ensure the effective balance of compassion
and justice in the society is maintained to the
best extent possible. Enjoy reading and
ﬂipping through the pages of an article
curated by the in-house editorial team of
Insights Success.
Darshan Parmar
Managing Editor
DarsHP
darshan@insightssuccess.com

Special Profiles
C
O
N
T
E
N
T
S
08
Ruchi
Khatlawala Pandya
16 24

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DECEMBER, 2020
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Management Brief
Company Name
Akanksha Reddy
Partner
LexOrbis
Archana Shankar
Partner
The Enviro Legal
Defence Firm (ELDF)
Little & Company
Suri & Company
Law Firm
Mamta Jha
Partner
Ruchi Khatlawala
Pandya
Partner
Vandana Shah Vandana Shah
Partner
Eisha Krishn
Partner
Argus Partners
Anand and Anand
Inttladvocare
Reddy &
Reddy Law Firm
WORDICTIP
Suruchi Suri
Partner
Dr. Shivani Shrivastava
Associate Partner
Adity is a Partner in one of the leading law firms in India.
Advocate Akanksha Reddy is admitted to the Bar Council of
Maharashtra and Goa.
Archana Shankar is a Senior Partner at Anand and Anand
where she leads its Patent and Design practice.
Dr. Shivani is an Intellectual Property Practitioner, a registered
Patent and Trademark Agent with a Doctorate in
Bioinformatics.
Eisha Krishn is one of the erudite legal professional who is an
expert in environment, wildlife, and protected areas.
Mamta Rani Jha has anextensive experience of 18 years in
practicing litigation with expertise of Intellectual Property laws.
Ruchi is one of the youngest partners in a 160 year old
prestigious law firm.
Sheela Ram Kumar
Advocate
Advocate Sheela Ram Kumar is an expert in filing Trademarks
and Copyrights online along with prosecuting applications
before various registeries.
Suruchi Suri is a graduate from ILS Law College, Pune and
started her legal career at the Chamber of Late Mr. Goolam
Vahanvati.
Vandana Shah is a lawyer who provides clients spread across
India with exceptional legal services in all aspects of family
law.
Adity Chaudhary
Partner
Lawyers
The 10 Most
Influential
to Watch
Women

Ruchi
Khatlawala Pandya
Balancing Traditional Principles with a Modern Approach
COVER
STORY
My dream is to have
a perfect balance of
conventional/traditi
onal principles with a
modern approach
which gives
complete comfort
level and desired
results to our clients.
“
“

Makeup-Bindya
Seth,
Photographer-Mitesh
Palande

F
or most of us, our parents are our role models and
real-life heroes. They instil in us values and
prepare us for a battle called life. As kids, we are
often in awe of them, watching them handle everything
and cannot wait to grow up and be like them. As for the
parents, they do not want us to be like them, but a much
betterversionofwhatwearecapableofbeing.
Asachild,RuchiKhatlawalaPandyasawherfather,Ajay
Khatlawala,aseniorpartnerofthefirmLittle&Co.,wear
hisblackandwhitestoworkeachday.Thisfascinatedher
to adorn his black lawyer’s robe each time it was brought
home from office while he was to travel. A dream to
follow his footsteps silently grew inside her and in due
course, she found herself driven by her fascination
towards various legal affairs. Though she was too young
to understand these intricacies when she started
shadowing her father, it only added to her curiosity and
madeherpursuetheprofessionevenmore.
Today, Ruchi is one of the youngest partners at Little &
Co., a 160 years old prestigious law firm. She has carved
hernicheinthelegalfraternityandthesociety,whichshe
beholdswithcompletedignityandrespect.InSeptember
2019, she was awarded for being an aspiring lawyer - the
Rising Star under-40 Award at New Delhi, by Legal Era.
Ruchi is passionate about writing and has written legal
articles for a few domestic and international magazines.
“Being married to Shrinath Pandya (more of a friend than a
husband), a businessman; for more than 13 years now and a
mothertoaneight-year-oldgorgeousVyanaPandyagivesme
anunbeatenpleasureofbeingawoman!”exclaimsRuchi.
Tracingherjourney
AftercompletingherhigherstudiesfromSophiaCollege,
Ruchi knew that she wanted to secure admission in
Government Law College (GLC) for her law degree.
Those were the days when five years integrated law
course was just introduced in India and she wanted to be
apartofthefirstlotandshemadeit.ShejoinedM/s.Little
& Co. as an intern (despite being the daughter of a senior
partner of the firm) learning the fundamentals which no
school,collegeorbooksdoeverimpart.
Recalling the initial days Ruchi says, “The practical
knowledge and implementation of all that we study during
our young days carry a value only when put to appropriate
use! My parents always believed in making us earn what we
deserve instead of giving things on a platter to us. Both my
parents supported me to the fullest when I genuinely needed
it but at the same time, I was made to earn my own living and
also had to earn my luxuries which of course I am extremely
grateful to them for! My mother, Daksha Khatlawala has
been my pillar of strength for all my bad times! She is my real
inspirationforthewayforwardinlife!Myfatherhasbeenmy
rolemodelinlifeandarealexampleofhonesty,hardworkand
integrity, no matter what situation one is in. My younger
sibling, Viraj Khatlawala has been by my side each time I
turnedbackforhelp.AttimesIwonder,whoistheolderofus!”
MakingitBig
Ruchi appeared for Solicitors exam from Law Society of
England and Wales in the year 2005, clearing which, she
was deputed to work at DLA Piper Rudnick Grey Cary
(London) through Little & Co. giving her the much-
required experience in international law and legal
practise.Shealsohadtheopportunitytowitnessand

I encourage a
paperless working
system which is
more effective in
terms of time
management and
reproducing the
quality of work
expected from us.
“
“
experience live hearings at the Royal Courts of Justice in
London for more than two years while she was handling
high stake litigation for Deccan Chargers, the then IPL
teamagainstaWhite.
On her return from London, she was immediately
deputed to join Star TV, Mumbai office, as legal advisor
for about six months. “Post, that, resumed work back at
Little&Co.,forawhile,onceagainStarTVapproachedusand
requested to depute me back to their Mahalaxmi office in
Mumbai as they needed full-fledged legal assistance in
launchingStarCJchannel,collaborationwithCJ,Korea.This
was one life-time experience for me as dealing with Koreans
on a day to day basis for the closing of various documents,
with absolute language barrier had an urge in me of having a
magicwand!”saysRuchi.
BeingapartofLittle&Co.
At Little & Co., Ruchi’s portfolio/areas of practice
consistsofRealEstate-ProjectFinance,GeneralCorpo
The 10 Most Influential Women Lawyers to Watch

Onwhatmakesheracceptorrejectacase?
Tobeginwith,Ihavetilldate,neverrejectedanycasebutyes,havealways
evaluated the merits and drawbacks with a very clear and open mind
which enables me to be non-judgemental at each stage of the case!
Before taking up any mandate, I make sure that I provide my client with
an informed understanding of available legal remedies, rights and
obligations. Giving them a clear explanation about practical implications
of legal proceedings is my first step towards trying to achieve the goal
which clients carry with them before approaching me. If a client is willing
to accept those probable implications and shows utmost confidence in
theadvicegivenbyme,Igoaheadandacceptthecase.Istaunchlybelieve
that a good lawyer is also ushered by personal conscience and the
approbationofprofessionalpeers.
On whether e-court platforms and digitization of the judicial process
willhelpthelawfirmsandthecitizensequally?
Definitely! It should and it will! I believe and have experienced that
digitization helps remove mundane tasks from the process. Technology
scours with increased efficiencies, quality service delivery, client
satisfaction, faster turnaround time, reduces the use of paper, improves
transparency as the possibility of tampering with official documents is
somewhat eradicated, there is real-time work collaboration and it offers
newer services with an improved work-life balance. Not just the clients
or law firms but technology also helps in faster delivery of justice. The
Online Dispute Resolution is also finally seeing some more light due to
thesetryingtimes.
On contributing to help eradicate legal illiteracy among common
citizens.
“Bounty always receives part of its value from the manner in which it is
bestowed.- Samuel Johnson”. I try to give as many pro bono advice to the
needy as possible, guide them through the process and make sure that
their requirements are fulfilled. I also take part in legal awareness drives
regularly. God has been kind enough to give me few opportunities where
I have been able to help destitute women, children and also could bring
back the scattered family together who may have been victims of family
propertydisputesorothersocialdilemmas.
Adviceforbuddinglawyersandentrepreneursofthelegalindustry.
ThemostimportantadvicethatIcangivebuddinglawyersandentrepre-
neurs is to read a lot, keep themselves informed and updated about the
legaldevelopments.Internshipsareessentialandamustbutsoareother
activities like moot courts, writing research papers, debating etc. They
should get involved in as many activities as they can as per their procliv-
ity. They need to be at par with the changing world and be worldly-wise
ratherthanbeingbookish!

rate (attending to a multitude of legal
requirements) and Commercial Litigation
which includes Arbitration and Dispute
Resolution.
The firm has an impeccable IT department
that has helped transfer heaps of docu-
ments from hard to soft copies to help
lessen the burden. The firm believes that
being technologically abreast is a must,
especially in the current work-from-home
environment. It uses technology for
purposes like document review, resource
management, abstraction and automa-
tion, data analytics in legal research and
comprehending client engagements and
invoices, electronic signatures, case
management, transcription services,
contractmanagementetc.
TakingtheFirmAhead
Little & Co. is conventional and traditional
in its approach which apparently has been
its strength and the team will always want
to stand by these principles. Having said
that, the firm, being an extended family to
her father and Ruchi herself, her dream is
to have a perfect balance of conven-
tional/traditional principles with a
modern approach which gives complete
comfort level and desired results to our
clients. “I’m striving to achieve a more
modernoutlookandnewagepractisesforthe
firm which gives the firm a much-needed
boost in today’s competitive legal industry.
I’m also keen on putting to use Artificial
Intelligence(“AI”)intheworkingenvironment
of the firm. AI can dramatically reduce the
time and increase efficiency in turnaround
time and deliver to the client quality coupled
with quantity. AI will not only improve client
servicing but also add on to the robust
infrastructureofthefirm,”concludesRuchi.

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Dr. Shivani
Shrivastava
Aiding Individuals, Start-ups and Businesses in Identifying and
Protecting their IP Assets
he world is moving towards a knowledge
Teconomy and innovations are being
considered as an important tool for
technological development and economic growth.
Intellectual property right, a bridge connecting
innovation to economic growth, has always attracted
innovators, investors, start-ups, academicians, etc.
An Intellectual Property Practitioner, Registered
Patent and Trademark Agent with Doctorate in
Bioinformatics, Dr. Shivani Shrivastava is a perfect
blend of law and technology.
Currently, Shivani is an Associate Partner at
LexOrbis, India’s premier Intellectual Property law
firm, providing end-to-end services related to all
aspects of IP laws, including advisory and
consultancy, asset identification and clearances,
procurement, protection, transactional, enforcement,
and litigations. Having vast experience of more than
14 years she has been advising and assisting
individuals, startups, SMEs to identify and protect
their IP assets.
She works closely with clients and handles their IP
portfolio. She is regularly advising and mentoring
clients on building and managing IP. She is also
impaneled with the Government of India as a
facilitator under the startup India scheme to advise
and assist DPIIT recognized startups to protect their
patent, trademark, and design matters. She has filed
more than 200 applications under SIPP (Scheme for
Intellectual Property Protection) for DPIIT recognized
startup.
A Journey Full of Passion and Determination
Her legal journey starts with receiving a scholarship
from TIFAC (Department of Science &Technology,
Government of India) under WOS-C in the year 2006
for training in IPR. WOS-C scheme has given her a
platform and exposure to IPR. Working with various
organizations including Government bodies, IP
boutique firms, IP Law Firms, etc, helped her
transition from the technical to a techno-legal domain.
Being a registered Patent and Trademark agent,
Shivani handles all forms of IP which includes
patents, trademark, industrial design, and copyrights.
She handled projects related to patentability searches,
freedom to operate analysis, patent landscape, drafting
and filing the patent applications, patent prosecution,
trademark filing and prosecution, industrial designs
registration, copyright filing, etc. She is also involved
in IP valuation, due diligence, technology transfer,
licensing, etc. She mostly specializes in Bio, chemical,
pharma related inventions, licensing and
commercialization of patents, and end to end
trademark registration process.
16 | December 2020

Dr.ShivaniShrivastava
Associate Partner
www.insightssuccess.in December 2020 | 17

Understanding customer requirements, pain points,
and providing useful insights, and helping them to
create a strong IP strategy has always fascinated
her.
From Paper Documents to Digital Documents
Being a tech-savvy IP practitioner, Shivani is using
technology for day to day work which includes, client
communication, client meetings, filing of applications, etc.
Digitization of documents at the office makes the easy transfer of
information among colleagues and clients. Using databases for clients, projects, and docket
management helps to get quick information and keeping track of the projects, deadlines, and
any upcoming action. The arrangement already placed in practice helped a lot in managing
work amid the covid-19 pandemic and provide uninterrupted services to the clients.
In the opinion of Shivani, e-court platforms and digitization of the judicial process was
always needed. Current changes in the process due to Covid-19 can be considered as a
revolution in the legal field. This would help streamline the process and increase the
efficiency of courts and law firms. Digitization of documents allows easy access to the same
even from a remote location.
Spreading IPAwareness
Having worked with hundreds of individuals, startups, and small entities, Shivani has
mentored them on various aspects and implications of IP. She has involved herself in
conducting many IP workshops to spread IP awareness. Lexorbis is also associated with
various government and autonomous bodies like DST, DBT, MeitY, CII, FICCI,
ASSOCHAM to participate in IP awareness programs.
Shivani understands the importance of IP and would like to be part of more IP awareness
programs to spread IP knowledge. Apart from polishing her existing knowledge, she keeps
working to acquire new skill-sets that would help her to become an influential leader; “a
woman leader”.
18 | December 2020

20 | December 2020
SPACE
Top Tech Trends in the Indian
LEGAL

Legally Trending
Development in information technology (IT) has
paved the way for businesses to spread across
many industries. IT has been one of the
transformational factors in many businesses, but the Indian
legal space has still been very much distant from its impact.
Even with the slow transition, the legal industry in India has
been able to adopt digitization as a part of its general
functionality. It has been observed that technological
development is getting adopted by different law firms may
it be traditional family-run or individual corporations.
Adoption of modern systems in businesses where the
convergence of new technologies and businesses has led to
the legal industry’s lean towards the introduction of
technology in the broader sense of the overall trading
ecosystem. The impact of technology on the legal space is
continuously changing the way lawyers are practicing and
the legal department is experiencing a paradigm shift along
with the law firms as they are getting more aware of their
cost-efficiencies materialized by IT.
The legal departments and law firms are now encouraged to
re-organize their strategies along with the practice models
and operations. Such an evolving ecosystem has given birth
to the need for technology integration to the core level of
legal practices. It has become an epicenter of expansion by
procuring resources, restructuring of processes, client
delivery, productivity, and profitability along with the
economics of the law firms. IT does not only perform as the
enabler of the value but also as the value creator.
As per the ongoing scenario of the Indian legal industry, the
trends that are emerging from the evolution of digitization
in the legal space are as follows:
1. Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Mechanized Lawyers:
Artificial Intelligence in the legal ecosystem has been able
to reduce the rote tasks and provide meaningful results in a
very brief amount of time. The legal space’s adoption of AI
has revolutionized the industry as well as digital
applications, for example – contract management,
timesheet, legal analytics, market research, and many more.
Speculations are also stating that there might come a time
when the lawyers will get replaced by robots that are driven
by artificial intelligence (AI). They will play a critical role
in streamlining matters and deliverables.

2. Communication and Client Delivery: The lawyer-client
relationship has taken a huge turn since the technology has
been introduced in legal practices. There are different
portals and co-working platforms that are facilitating the
systems providing smaller turnaround time (TAT), online
presence and availability, transparency in communication,
document sharing, research, and audio or video facility, and
prominent security technology. With enhanced
communications and client interactions, the way messages
and information are relayed has shifted digitally towards
video conferencing, facetime over texting, online
dashboards with advanced MISs, etc., from personal
meetings.
3. Cloud Computing: It has been observed that many law
firms are now showing a keen inclination towards cloud
computing. Law firms are considering cloud-based system
management software in areas such as document
management, file storage, practice management, knowledge
management, client-relationship management, and human
resource information systems. Law firms are leveraging the
power of virtual servers to secure and archive important
data. Realizing the essence of smart technology like cloud
computing, law firms are investing heavily in not only
obtaining robust systems but also in the adoption of
sophisticated tools to enhance its security. These virtual
computing tools are proving to be useful in reducing the
costs all the while allowing lawyers to work remotely from
courts, clients’ offices, home, or co-sharing offices.
4. Performance Mapping: As the legal space dabbles in
the service sector, it is critical for law firms to keep tabs on
the productivity and profitability of their service delivery.
Elements like billings, billed hours, client lead generation,
and receipts, etc., have become important in terms of
practice. Legal tech has made all this possible in the sense
of creating reports and analyzing them at the same time.
The legal team leaders are better able to map their
performance as well as the productivity of their
subordinates effectively. In terms of current applications,
the legal space has moved from manual discretionary
performance evaluation to automated human resource
information systems (HRIS).
5. Legal Services Online: There has been a substantial rise
in different online platforms that enable opportunities to
prospective clientele to connect with the lawyers for basic
services that range from trademark registration, general
registration, execution of wills, leases and lease agreements,
contracts, dishonoring of cheques, consumer complaints,
and redressal. Many online platforms have executed the
trend of approaching various experts from different legal
fields and locations to provide a comprehensive set of legal
solutions to the clients. These online legal service enablers
connect with legal practitioners and segmentize them as per
their expertise, practice, locations, and fee criteria, making
it feasible for the clients to perform suitable cost evaluation
and give due consideration to all the options available.
We all know that the legal industry in India pertains to one
of the oldest professions and currently is experiencing a
transformation in terms of digital development like the
utilization of smart technology. As far as the clients’
viewpoint is considered, this has resulted in availing
affordable services at more accessible touchpoints and the
law firms are enjoying enhanced productivity and
profitability in a new light. Adoption of technological
advancements is not just proving to be efficient but also
effective financially becoming a facilitator in building
relationships and helping law firms to gain the next level of
growth spectrum.
22 | December 2020
-Darshan Parmar

If one has the ability to
think on their feet and is
committed to devote
eﬀorts towards clients’
interests, there is no
stopping them from
becoming a trusted legal
advisor – the kind that
clients would love to go
back to, again and again!
“
-Mamta Jha,
Partner and Head of
Litigation
Woman Lawyer of the Era
24| December 2020

Mamta Jha
Saving and Burnishing People’s Intellectual Properties
for All Times
For every fantastic idea that anyone can ever think of,
there are hundreds of those sitting around trying to
steal it at the first opportunity or, if the occasion so
demands, copy it to their advantage. For anyone who does
not think much of intellectual property, try imagining
someone reading your thoughts and capitalizing on it while
you keep wringing hands by the wayside.
If the statement above hurts, know for a fact that there are
the likes of Mamta Jha who, while specializing in
Intellectual Property, help those with innovative ideas to
capitalize the same by first protecting it as a property. With
that being done, a great idea becomes a commodity that
commands a value in the market.
Mamta Jha, Senior Partner and Head of Litigation &
Opposition of Inttl Advocare, is one of India’s most prolific
Intellectual Property lawyers. She pioneers in the field of
capitalizing and protecting intellectual properties of entities,
more so corporate bodies. The firm came about in the year
1991 in Delhi at the hands of its Founder & Managing
Partner, Hemant Singh, one of India’s foremost IPR
lawyers.
Close to two decades in the field, Mamta attributes the
firm’s journey and growth thus far to an undiminishing
passion to provide the right kind of services with the right
fervour to his clients. She is a staunch believer in following
her dreams with passion and is a true daredevil at heart
when it comes to perseverance and hard work. With her feet
firm on the ground, Mamta aims for the sky and believes
that only the fervently tenacious survive to grow and tell the
world their stories.
Her success story began with a giant leap of faith when she
gave up a well-remunerating career option and joined the
firm in its formative years. While she had extensive
experience in general litigation, she was still new to the
field of intellectual property and had a keen interest to foray
in the field, given her rich background in the field of science
and being a Gold Medallist in B.Sc. (Zoology). When asked
pointedly as to what it was that prompted her to join the
firm, the reply was crisp and clear – she found a mentor in
Hemant Singh and both were aligned in their vision to do
path-breaking work, ensuring that the clients’ interest
always remains the driving force, along with gaining the
right knowledge.
Today, what started as a 3 member litigation team at the
firm at the time of her joining, has grown to a robust
strength of 50 plus members. Indomitable spirit towards
excellence and the ability to forego one’s own comforts to
groom the team has brought the firm where it is. The firm
has steadily grown over the years, not only in turnover and
size, but also in terms of working for some of the most
iconic brands and most significant entities.
Both Mamta and Hemant take pride in nurturing fresh talent
and while they heartily encourage the youth to join the firm,
they also have a list of dos and don’ts clearly lined up.
Upper-most on the list is the ability to have an
amalgamation of legal knowledge with an attitude to serve.
If one has the ability to think on their feet and is committed
to devote efforts towards clients’ interests, there is no
stopping them from becoming a trusted legal advisor – the
kind that clients would love to go back to, again and again!
This is probably the one important reason the firm has
always stood by clients and given their intellectual
properties the protection they always deserve.
Mamta’s professional journey is exemplary in the truest
sense, where she scaled new heights with passage of time -
from being the Senior Partner and Head of Litigation &
Opposition to recently being an Equity Partner in the firm.
The body of work she has accomplished, be it in her present
engagement or in her previous commitments, are a
testament to ‘never say never’ attitude. She has etched an
indelible name for herself in the IPR domain where she is
today acknowledged as a leading authority in the Indian
IPR scenario besides being known for the unprecedented
efforts that she puts into client servicing and the hard-work
she put into her work otherwise.
An avid supporter of progressive changes in the field of
IPR, Mamta often voices her opinion by speaking at various
IP fora and authoring thought papers on emerging IPR

issues. She had the privilege of authoring the India Chapter
of the AIPPI-Wolters-Kluwer Practitioners’ Guide to Anti-
body Patenting. She is the Chair of the INTA Oppositions
and Cancellations Sub-Committee, India Representative of
APAAAnti-Counterfeiting Committee, India Member of
the AIPPI Biotechnology Committee, and India Leader –
AIPPI Study Question on Inventorship of inventions made
using AI. She has been featured in the book titled
“Antibody Patenting: A Practitioner’s Guide to Drafting,
Prosecution and Enforcement. Recently, she had the
privilege of being the first Indian interviewed by
‘Leaderching’, a renowned platform for Leadership and
Coaching that covers stories of people who have overcome
challenges and triggers discussions around important topics.
Speaking of the duo’s work and why Inttl Advocare is so
renowned, it boils down to, among others, some
awe-inspiring facts that include:
• Representing leading and iconic global brands whose
products, reach and significance stretches across
industries and continents. Having honed their skills over
such a vast expanse of work, the firm has remained
instrumental in creating and establishing landmark
judgments in the field of IPR protection and from the
looks of it, shall continue to do so in the future.
• A vast repertoire of clientele and experiences having
represented a range of brands including Fortune 500
companies across industries and conglomerates that
stretch from foods and beverages, liquor, garments,
cosmetics, FMCG, fashion, apparel, IT and software and
electronics, communication and telephony, media,
pharma, automotive, biotech to name some.
• Magnitude of cases. Under the able stewardship of
Hemant Singh and Mamta Jha, the firm has filed for
over 2500 IP-related litigations that pertain to diverse
fields within the IP panoply including trademarks,
copyrights, industrial designs, patents to name some.
In the legal profession, every firm has that one case that is
closest to their heart for a plethora of reasons including
name, fame and the spot-light that shines on them. For Inttl
Advocare, that one case is that of Blenders Pride. It stood
out (and still does) in the context that it unequivocally and
unambiguously established the rights of overseas brand
owners who look for an entry in India to sell products under
their brand. The case authoritatively ruled such owner’s
right ought to be protected based on international first use.
With a solid, experienced team at the helm, it is but given
that the team would perform year after year. To this end, the
firm believed in investing its fullest in the right kind of
human resources who shall take their legacy forward for all
times.
Second comes systems, including the latest in computers,
software and all there is in information technology and
digitization. The latter has helped them serve their clients IP
needs including IP rights prosecution, portfolio
management, international filing, filing through Madrid
Protocol, transactional aspects of IP management, as also
covering IP-related enforcements in India. This branch of
law being relatively new, it calls for continuous and intense
study which is bolstered by firm-wide knowledge sharing
sessions that helps the team remain updated on the nuances
and developments in IP.
Mamta being the stickler for best practices, the firm has in
place best practices unique to each client that make things
simpler, speedier, and affordable for clients in the long run
besides affording transparency in working while providing
holistic support to clients by assessing cases from various
angles and aspects.
Over three decades of dealing with some of the most
complicated cases in IP, Inttl Advocare has regularly been
acknowledged and included in top-ranked firms by leading
global publications. The firm also cherishes the Best
Trademark Counsel – Global Award 2014 by Novartis
Pharmaceuticals.
One of the premier international publications recently stated
that “Inttl Advocare is a highly respected intellectual
property boutique, famed for its contentious practice.
Hemant Singh is regaled by industry insiders as one of the
best IP litigators in the market.”
The partner-duo not only manage the practice of the firm,
but also remain regular speakers at national and
international IP forums. Both have affinity towards building
professional relationships and believe in knowledge sharing
and exchanging best practices with colleagues all over the
world.
Looking at the future, Mamta with her vast knowledge
backed by decades of experience, agrees that change is
coming about in the Indian IP scenario with the
Government taking decisive steps. What further needs to be
done according to her is to reduce the time and pendency of
patent applications, accelerate examination and reduce the
elements of multi-layered approvals, applications, and
examinations.
26 | December 2020

Adity Chaudhury
A Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Expert
C
ovid-19 has made it
imperative for us all to
either adapt and embrace
technology or perish. Though
lawyers have been forced to embrace
technology much more due to the
pandemic, this has been a welcome
change and is here to stay.
“I believe that one of the greatest
benefits of adopting technology is
that it will eventually result in
increased access to justice,” says
Adity Chaudhury, Partner at
Argus Partners. The significance of
this cannot be overemphasized.
Though it does not seem that
physical hearings can be completely
replaced with virtual hearings and e-
courts soon, these extraordinary
times have shown us that e-courts
can be as effective. Adity hopes that
the judiciary is more open to having
e-courts even after the current
pandemic, and litigants are given the
option of e-courts.
This will tremendously help those
litigants who must travel across cities
and spend huge amounts of money to
get their matter heard. Even for
lawyers, e-courts are a welcome
change since location is not a
constraint anymore. However, one
must also be mindful of the fact that
all litigants may not have access to or
be able to afford the required
technology to participate in the e-
court platform. Hence, any
development of the e-court system
must strike a fine balance ensuring
creation of an infrastructure which
ensures access to the judicial system
for all.
A Self-made Legal Professional
Adity is a partner at Argus Partners, a
leading law firm in India. She started
her career with the law firm
Amarchand Mangaldas (as it was
then known) immediately after
graduating from the National
University of Juridical Sciences in
Kolkata in 2008. She joined its
corporate team. Adity later came to
Argus Partners and has since been
with Argus through its growth
trajectory over the past decade. She
is one of the youngest partners.
Describing her journey so far, Adity
says that looking back she is glad
that she chose the path of corporate
law and being with Argus has been a
great journey. “Early on I got the
opportunity to not just practice
corporate law but also have a close
view of the working of a law firm and
the business side – this experience
has been delightful and challenging,
and overall a tremendous learning
experience. I am immensely grateful
to Krishnava for reposing faith in me
and giving me this opportunity”, she
says. Krishnava Dutt is the Managing
Partner of Argus Partners.
From the beginning, Adity was keen
on pursuing a career in the legal
field. “No matter how cliche it
sounds, I always wanted to become a
lawyer,” describes Adity. While it is
not as glamourous a profession as
movies portray it to be, but it is a
profession where there is tremendous
opportunity to contribute to public
policy and thinking.
Adity’s focus area is mergers and
acquisitions (M&A) – where she is
passionate about the process and is
always ready to have a nuanced
discussion and debate on it. Apart
from M&A, she advises on corporate
matters including corporate
governance, securities law,
shareholder disputes, corporate
insolvency and restructuring, and
private equity.
Adity has advised on several large
deals such as the acquisition by Tata
Steel of Usha Martin’s steel division,
HDFC’s investment in Yes Bank
under a scheme formulated by the
Reserve Bank, merger of GRUH
Finance with Bandhan Bank, Binani
28 | December 2020

To be honest, a large part
of the reason for me to step
into this field was my
mother. She was always
keen to see me as a lawyer
and really encouraged me
to study law
“
“
Adity Chaudhury
Partner at Argus Partners
The 10 Most Inuential Women Lawyers to Watch
Cement and Monnet Ispat’s insolvency
resolution.
When one thinks of public policy and law, areas
such as environmental law, human rights, gender
law and criminal justice comes to mind first.
However, in the field of corporate law too there
is a lot to be contributed in terms of policy.
Corporate governance is an area which Adity
focuses on, engaging with companies and their
Boards and assisting them in implementing a
robust corporate governance framework. She
also hopes to contribute to the development of
law in this field. Advising young law aspirants
and concluding, Adity states, “Be focused, be
patient, work hard, and enjoy what you do.”

INTER- COUNTRY
ADOPTIONPROCEDURE IN INDIA
“Adopting one child won’t change the world, but for that child, the world will change.”
-Anonymous
istory of Child Adoption
HMultiple reasons can be quoted as to why people
adopt children. Most common being the inability
to bear children naturally. Some adopt to provide a better
lifestyle to the child whereas some do so in order to expand
their family. In India, adoption can be traced back to
Ramayana and Mahabharata where references to adoption
have been made. Traditionally, only male offspring were
adopted. The reason for this being, the male child would
carry on the lineage of the family. In the present age;
children are adopted as a normal lifestyle, irrespective of
their gender.
Inter country adoption albeit small; but plays a significant
role in International Law. The later half of the 20th century
witnessed more viability in international adoptions.
Typically, rich couples from privileged countries adopt
ethnically backward children from developing countries.
Inter country adoption enables couples all over the world to
adopt children from any country which is a signatory to the
Hague Convention on Protection of Children and
Co-operation in respect of Intercountry Adoption (‘Hague
Convention’).
The Hague Convention was concluded on 29th May, 1993
and entered into force on 1st May, 1995. It provides a
formal international and intergovernmental recognition of
intercountry adoption to ensure that adoptions under the
Hague Convention will generally be recognized and given
effect in the signatory countries. It buttresses the United
Nations Convention on Rights of the Child (Art. 21). Under
the Hague Convention, each signatory country has to
establish a “Central Authority” to serve as the country’s
primary contact in adoption process; satisfy several checks
for a child eligible for adoption, verify the propriety of the
adoption under the laws of both countries; and make a
reasonable prior effort to facilitate a domestic adoption
agreeing to use only certified adoption agencies. India
signed the Hague Convention on 9th January, 2003 and
ratified the same on 6th June, 2003 with an object of
fortifying the inter country adoption provisions in India.
Measures Adopted by India under the Hague
Convention
Central Adoption Resource Agency (‘CARA’) was set up in
June, 1990 by the Ministry of Welfare, Government of India
to regulate, monitor and promote adoption of orphaned,
abandoned or surrendered children, with the principal
mandate of finding loving families for children in need of
Care and Protection. CARA was designated as the Central
Authority under the Hague Convention in 2003. CARA
facilitates, regulates and monitors all in-country and inter-
country adoptions through Child Adoption Resource
Information & Guidance System (CARINGS).
Prior to 2017, there was no enactment dealing with the
inter-country adoption procedure in India. Therefore, for the
various guidelines laid by the Supreme Court of India in
Laxmikant Pandey v. Union of India steered the inter-
country adoption procedure. Justice P. N. Bhagwati held
that “...2. Since there is no statutory enactment in our
country providing for adoption of a child by foreign parents
or laying down the procedure which must be followed in
such a case, resort is had to the provisions of the Guardians
and Wards Act, 1890 for the purpose of facilitating such
adoption.”
Following these guidelines, the Adoption Regulations, 2017
30 | December 2020

Ruchi Khatlawala Pandya(BLS LLB
Solicitors UK & Wales) is one of the
youngest partners at the 160 year
old law firm in Mumbai, Little & Co.
Her main practice areas include Real
Estate-Project Finance, General
Corporate (having a multitude of
legal requirements) and Commercial
Litigation which includes Arbitration
and Dispute Resolution. In
September 2019 bagged the award
as an aspiring lawyer-the Rising Star
under 40 award; at New Delhi,
through Legal Era. Being a
passionate writer, she has penned
down legal articles for a couple of
domestic and international
magazines.
About the Author
(‘Regulations, 2017’), were notified on 4th January, 2017 in
supersession of the Guidelines Governing Adoption of
Children, 2015. Further, the Inter-Country adoption
procedure in India is also governed by the Juvenile Justice
(Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 alongwith the
Regulations 2017.
Inter-country Adoption Procedure in India as per
Regulations, 2017
Eligibility Criteria: Regulation 5
Like all international adoption programs, India has its own
unique eligibility requirements for adoptive parents. Any
Prospective Adoptive Parent (‘PAP’), irrespective of his/her
marital status and whether or not he has biological son or
daughter, can adopt a child subject to following, namely:-
(a) the consent of both the spouses for the adoption shall be
required, in case of a married couple;
(b) a single female can adopt a child of any gender;
(c) a single male shall not be eligible to adopt a girl child;
In case of a couple, the composite age of PAPs shall be
counted and the maximum composite age of PAPs (couple)
should be between 90-110. The minimum age difference
between the child and either of the PAPs shall not be less
than twenty-five years. Applicants must be financially
capable; physically, mentally and emotionally stable and
without any life-threatening conditions. Minimum two
years of a stable marriage is required. CARA determines the
minimum age range of children to whom parents need to be
open as follows:
Age of the child
Maximum composite age
of prospective
adoptive parents (couple)
Maximum age of
single prospective
adoptive parent
Up to 4 years
Above 4 and
up to 8 years
Above 8 and
up to 18 years
90 years 45years
100 years
110 years
50 years
55 years
Procedure: Chapter IV- Regulations 14-22
The PAPs can approach the Authorised Foreign Adoption Agency or the
Central Authority concerned, as the case may be, for preparation of their
Home Study Report and for their registration in CARINGS. In case,
there is no Authorised Foreign Adoption Agency or Central Authority in

their country of habitual residence, then the PAPs shall
approach the Government department or Indian diplomatic
mission concerned in that country for the purpose.
Further, The Authorised Foreign Adoption Agency or
Central Authority or the Government department or the
Indian diplomatic mission concerned, as the case may be,
on ascertaining the eligibility of the PAPs for adopting a
child, shall get their Home Study Report completed and
register their application in CARINGS in the format along
with the required documents as specified in Schedule VI of
Regulations, 2017. This application will be scrutinised and
if found eligible, it will be forwarded to the Specialised
adoption agency. Profiles of two children, in one or two
referral(s), shall be forwarded by CARINGS to the
Authorised Foreign Adoption Agency or Central Authority
or Government department or Indian diplomatic mission, as
the case may be, which may further forward such profiles to
the PAPs concerned as per local rules and in case of a
foreigner or Overseas Citizen of India, the profiles of
children shall be referred to the PAPs.
Once the PAPs have selected a child to be adopted by them
following the further procedure as mentioned in the
Regulations, 2017, a No Objection Certificate (“NOC”) will
have to be obtained as per Regulation 16. Post the receipt of
this NOC and pending the court procedure (as per
Regulation 12), the parents may have to take the child in
pre-adoption foster care for a temporary period. The PAPs
shall receive final custody of the child from the Specialised
Adoption Agency as soon as the passport and visa are
issued to the child after issue of adoption order from the
competent court.
Immigration procedure of the child is laid down under
Regulation 18. Within three days from availability of the
adoption order, the immigration authorities and the foreign
regional registration office or the foreign registration office
concerned, as the case may be, are intimated about the
confirmation of the adoption. The passport for the adopted
child is to be obtained by the Specialised adoption agency.
Post which, the adoptive parent(s) shall come to India for
taking the adopted child to their country within a period of
two months from the date of adoption order.
Currently the fees for an inter-country adoption is US $
5000 (approx. Rs. 3,50,000). This also includes the legal
fees of and the expenditure incurred by the Specialised
Adoption Agency.
The Way Forward
Initially, there used to be reservations in minds of foreign
couples whether or not they would be treated at par with
indian couples or if there would be any potential bias
towards indian couples in terms of a prospective adoption.
However, A recent judgment of the Supreme Court reported
in 2019, Union of India v Ankur Gupta, reiterates the
currently existing inter-country adoption procedure in the
light of Regulations, 2017 and the Juvenile Justice (Care
and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. The SC held that
“...the statutory procedure and the statutory regime, which
is prevalent as on date and is equally applicable to all
aspirants, i.e., Indian prospective adoptive parents and
prospective adoptive parents for inter-country adoption,
cannot be lost sight.” This judgment goes a long way to
reflect that the inter-country adoption procedure in India is
well organised and is always upheld by the courts in India.
When it comes to the LGBTQ community, India has
definitely taken a step forward. In the landmark judgment
of Navtej Singh Johar vs. Union of India the Supreme
Court unanimously struck down Section 377 of the Indian
Penal Code, to the extent that it criminalised same-sex
relations between consenting adults. Under the current
adoption provisions, a single parent with homosexual
orientation maybe allowed to adopt in/from India however,
whether same-sex indian or foreign couples are eligible to
adopt from India or not has not yet been clarified. Presently
only two Asian countries have legalised same-sex couples
to adopt i.e. Taiwan and Israel. For encouraging adoption,
the legislature will also have to advance towards giving
equal rights of adoption to same-sex couples as have been
given to heterosexual couples.
32 | December 2020

Adv. Sheela Ram Kumar
A Symbol of Expertise and Excellence
The legal system has played a
role of paramount importance
since the beginning of
civilisation. The very reason of
establishing laws and regulations is for
the institution of society to prevail
without distortion of peace and to
ensure no citizen is denied their
fundamental rights.
Over the years, the Indian legal
landscape has undergone an intensive
development spearheaded by industry
experts and thought leaders. One
among these experts is Adv. Sheela
Ram Kumar, the Head of
Trademarks and Copyrights Division
at WORDICT-IP.
Adv. Sheela exhibits utmost
proficiency in filing Trademarks and
Copyrights online and prosecuting
applications before various registries.
As a qualified lawyer, she not only
looks after trademarks or copyright
filings for various clients but also deals
with Oppositions, Rectifications and
Revocations. A good command over
English and alacrity of mind are the
additional traits that she carries to the
table.
Adv. Sheela graduated as a Bachelor of
Law from Osmania University in May
2017 and enrolled with the Telangana
Bar in October of the same year. She
also holds Master’s degree in
commerce from Osmania University
and a Post Graduate diploma in
Computer Applications from
Department of Electronics, New Delhi.
Since her venture into the practice Adv.
Sheela has been managing the family
law firm WORDICT-IP. She effectively
took over the management of the firm
and has been handling various clients
and catering to their requirements of
Intellectual Property Rights, especially
filing, and prosecuting before the
various registries.
Adv. Sheela has also been appearing
before the civil courts in Hyderabad in
other Civil Litigation matters in
Intellectual Property, as well as matters
before the High Court of Telangana.
She has played a significant role in
setting up an IP mentoring firm named
“Innovpath” which purely caters to
spreading IP awareness through
training programs, symposiums,
lectures, and conferences.
Sharing her philosophy on the
discipline of law, Adv. Sheela says,
“Law according to me is a highly
analytical subject that demands a
continuous study. I believe that a
lawyer represents the client in a court.
He/she should be found defending the
client and not being defensive about
the client. I take up a case for the
purpose of fighting it out. I reject a
case when I find that I am being misled
in it.”
Exemplifying Expertise
WORDICT-IP, established in 1992 as a
boutique IP firm, is one of the oldest
and premier law firms in the city of
Hyderabad. The firm possesses and
exhibits a diverse experience of more
than 29 years in handling issues
specifically in Intellectual Property –
Registration, Enforcement and
Valuation.
WORDICT-IP is backed by a
dexterous, persevering, and assiduous
team of attorneys, lawyers and Para
Legal. The firm’s mission is to provide
high quality, creative, and result-
oriented legal services to individuals
and businesses and serve as a primary
resource and partner in all aspects of
clients’ business growth and
development. The firm has garnered a
growing list of clients varying from
multinational companies, large
corporates, business houses, small and
medium enterprises in the fields of
chemicals, biotechnology,
pharmaceuticals, etc.
In-tune with Technology
When asked about how the firm
leverages technological developments
to facilitate its services, Adv. Sheela
asserts, “WORDICT-IP is a
technologically oriented IP Law firm
and has used technology to an extent
where our office has become almost
paperless. Technology has helped us
during the pandemic, and work did not
suffer at all and we were able to
maintain all the timelines without any
34 | December 2020

I take up a case for
the purpose of
fighting it out. I reject
a case when I find
that I am being
misled in it.
“
“
glitches. We also used technology widely to give
Virtual internships to college students under our
new brand Virtutern and we have successfully
completed six Virtutern programmes so far. This
enabled our interns to have a good feeling that they
were able to intern and learn topics even when
everything was shut down.”
On Digitalisation of Law
Sharing her opinion on whether e-court platforms
and digitization of judicial process will help law
firms and the citizens equally, Adv. Sheela says,
“Yes. As India is growing into a digitalized
country, it would be an appropriate step to
continue e-court platforms. Law firms are already
equipped with necessary equipment and
technology to perform effectively on e-court
platforms. They can cater services at ease due to
the decrease in travelling time to courts scattered at
distant locations.”
“For citizens, the process of adaptation might be a
little cumbersome. There should be special
emphasis on educating citizens on the usage of such platforms and
creation of apps that facilitate citizen’s usage. If the mentioned
measures are taken, even citizens would benefit from e-court
platforms as it allows them to save time and money.”
In conclusion, Adv. Sheela shares with us, her objectives for the near
future saying, “My ideas and plans for the near future are to conduct
programs in schools and colleges on innovation and basic concepts of
IP. I also want work towards introducing Artificial Intelligence in
Legal Documentation.”
Adv. Sheela Ram Kumar
Head of Trademarks and Copyrights Division

Akanksha Reddy
The Advocate Extraordinaire
Law is one of the oldest
professions there is. Over the
millennium, this unrivaled
profession has only grown in demand,
and demands more skill and proficiency
than ever before.
Being a good lawyer requires a multitude
of skills such as good communication
skills, judgment, analytical skills,
research proficiency, perseverance,
creativity, logical thinking ability, public
speaking skills, writing skills, leadership
skills, listening, and decision making
with gravitas. In short being a lawyer is
more like being a polymath than any
other profession.
Our next pick for ‘The 10 most
Influential Women Lawyers to Watch’
edition, we present Adv. Akanksha
Reddy, who is not just a good lawyer, but
she is a great one!
Akanksha dynamically heads the
corporate team of Reddy & Reddy Law
Firm. She has obtained her LLB from
Pune University and her LL.M in
Business Law from Symbiosis Law
School. With that and many other notable
qualifications, she is admitted to the Bar
Council of Maharashtra and Goa.
To gain valuable insights into this ever-
competitive profession, we conducted an
interview with Akanksha Reddy in the
hope that she may inspire many of our
readers who aspire to be a successful
lawyer in today’s times.
So, without further ado, let us dive right
into it and relish the knowledge we are
about to receive.
Please introduce yourself to our
readers and your professional journey
so far.
I have always been an inquisitive and
strong-headed person since a young age
and my inquisitiveness has always been
supported by my family. Furthermore,
my parents have created an atmosphere
for me where deliberations are given
importance in personal growth and
development. Owing to this I along with
my parents’ guidance singled out on
studying law as my career choice. I
completed my LLB from Pune
University and my LLM specialization in
business law from Symbiosis University,
Pune, along with various diplomas.
During my time in college, I interned
under individual lawyers, firms and
corporate organizations. Towards the end
of LLM, I started interning at Reddy &
Reddy Law Firm which I thoroughly
enjoyed. Also, witnessing Adv. Sudhir
Reddy’s dedication and love towards this
firm inspired me to be a part Reddy &
Reddy Law Firm and grow together.
What inspired you to step into the
legal industry? What factors make you
accept or reject a case?
Before answering this question, I would
like to say that I address my métier as
Legal Profession instead of Legal
Industry as for me it is more of a
profession rather a simpliciter economic
or commercial activity. It has been my
interest to assist people by trying to find
legally backed solutions to their
problems and also enable them to justify
their acts logically. I believe that this
very interest inclined me to step into this
profession.
We, at Reddy & Reddy Law Firm, do not
really reject any legal issue which comes
our way as each issue leaves a lesson
behind. We strive to fulfill our client’s
expectations with the best possible legal
solutions as per our understanding.
However, we do not keep our client in
the dark if we realise that we may not be
able to fulfill his/her requirements. This
can be a reason for our inability to take
the said legal issue.
We endeavour to assist every client that
approaches us and often recommend
other professionals as well if that issue
does not fall under our practice areas.
What are your distinct areas of
practice?
I head the corporate department of the
firm and I am also a part of its
management and administration. My
distinct areas of practice would be
general corporate and advisory,
negotiations, and I am also a member of
various POSH committees incorporated
at numerous corporate entities.
How do you utilize technology to help
facilitate the services?
Our firm has always been tech-friendly
and technology has made it possible for
us to provide services across the globe.
We as a firm use technology to the best
of our capability. To elaborate a few- we
use legal search engines for apt and
quick research, cloud data storage and
shared network drive for secure data
storage. Along with being Wi-Fi enabled
our office is also firewall protected as we
are mindful of protecting the
confidentiality of our client’s data and
information.
We also hold online as well as telephonic
consultations for various clients, if that is
a preferable mode for them. Past and
continuous usage of technology acted as
a boon for us during the lockdown when
‘work from home’ was a necessity. All
our meetings, internal or external, were
all conducted through video
conferencing. We have been a part of
various online appearances for court
proceedings through e-court and
participated in various negotiations and
mediations online. We have also been
conducting POSH (policy for Prevention
of Sexual Harassment) workshops for
our corporate clients through online
video conferencing.
According to you, will e-court
platforms and digitization of judicial
process help the law firms and the
38 | December 2020

With the advent of
internet and advanced
cutting-edge
technology the
stereotypical image of
the judicial system has
changed
“
“
Akanksha Reddy
citizens equally? Please share your views.
It would be difficult to equate the benefits of e-courts
as received by law firms vis-à-vis the citizens as both
of them are at different footings in the judicial
system. Nonetheless, it cannot be denied that with the
advent of internet and advanced cutting-edge
technology the stereotypical image of the judicial
system has changed. This change has become all the
more evident and significant during the COVID-19
pandemic. The necessity of balancing health and
safety along with continued judicial process is being
attempted with the use of e-courts and digitization of
the entire process. Interestingly, with the system of
virtual courts clients can assure the presence of
counsels or advocates of their choice from anywhere
across the country. .
Through digitization, lawyers and citizens can
examine files, get updated about the status and
progress of their cases. Various judicial forums have
moved towards filing of applications, petitions or
complaints electronically. I believe that we are at the
initial stage of the digitization process of the judicial
system and we have a long way to go.
However, we must bear in mind that the benefits of
digitization and e-courts will be visible only when the
citizens are made aware and well-versed with the
intricacies of using electronic mediums.
How do you, on your part, help eradicate legal
illiteracy among common citizens.
Being well aware of the fact that a large section of
our society is incognizant when it comes to
understanding their legal and civil rights, we as a law firm have always
strived towards eradicating legal illiteracy amongst the citizens of this
country by focusing on creating legal awareness. Reddy & Reddy Law
Firm frequently conducts workshops in order to educate people about
their basic legal rights and duties.
Since internet is one of the fastest modes of spreading knowledge to the
public, our firm publishes legally relevant article on our website and
social media platforms. We also attempt in engaging our subscribers by
creating interactive content for legal awareness on social media such as
educational posters, weekly quizzes, and crossword. We have also started
an institute named IIADR for making alternate dispute resolution (ADR)
mechanisms the preferred way of resolving dispute and train the next
generation into applying ADR which may be cost-effective and a
practical method for managing various kinds of conflicts
What do you envision for yourself and your firm for the near future?
I see my self venturing into new and unexplored practice areas which in
turn would help expand the reach of the firm and be of assistance to the
society at large. We intend on taking up more pro bono legal issues as a
firm to support the underprivileged and give back to the society. As
mentioned, the firm also has a new initiative called IIADR, and we aim to
take steps towards growing it and achieving its vision.

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