Standard lawyers flourish, good lawyers are common, but great
corporate lawyers are hard to find. What is the mantra that makes a good lawyer
GREAT and GOOD? Great lawyers love what they do and it is this passion towards
their work that separates them from unevenness.
Step 1=> Know your subject & law carefully. In-depth
and sound understanding of the substantive law is a must. Know your subject,
its nuances, interpretations and important case laws to have a command on the
law that you are practicing. No amount of communication or writing skills can
gloss over the lack of knowledge in law which comes from continuous reading
& practice. Repetitive reading of law with an open mind brings different
connotations and opens the door for creative interpretations. I have personally
read same clause differently at different times which new outlook each time.
Step 2=> Know the facts crusty & clear. Complete
understanding of the facts of the transaction helps accurate application of law
as law applies differently to different facts. No two matters are similar so
grasp the facts correctly to charge an issue. Delusion of a fact may change the
whole structure and the end result sought to be achieved. My senior and mentor
in law Mrs. Pooja Jha had the ability to get to the core of the matter by vertical
power of crispy reading and simplicity of thought. I continuously strive for
that clarity.
Step 3=> Understand the purpose required to be achieved.
Empathize with the needs of your client, dynamics of the transaction and what
is future to be achieved. Alignment with the objectives of your client coupled
with certain analytical & appraisal skills helps in gaining long lasting
confidence of the client. One possible way of gaining this insight is by having
a serious need to know your client's business and by feeling the passion he/she
feels for the issue.
Step 4=> Know your atmosphere. Make a aware attempt to
read new developments in the practice area that you are specializing in;
understand its dynamics, rules and regulations, latest amendments and changes
in law and the transactions closed in the sector. This will help in gaining the
self-assurance of the client and also structuring the transaction better.
Client's prospect from a good corporate lawyer is usually a mix of good legal
understanding and sound commercial appraisal/suggestion.
Step 5=> Keep the Right manner. It is the attitude that
separates patchiness from greatness in any profession. Sincerely loving the
work that you do makes all the dissimilarity to the advice given. Believing in
the work one does and the clients one represents is important to ignite that
all so important obsession - so therefore do not accept briefs that you not go
well with your own belief system. There are times when I refuse
briefs/transactions that require me to render advice or undertake work that
goes basically against my worth system. Corroboration of one's obligation
towards work and aiming for the fulfillment of the client also helps.
Step 6=> Focus on interpersonal relationship and be
available when it matters the most. Learn to listen (and not only hear) to the
viewpoint of not only your clients but also your opponents, support team, and
other connections. Watch closely how they think and what makes them happy -
stroke their achievements. Being perceptive and point of view is one of the
toughest parts of being a great lawyer and being available for most part of the
day is the other. However, ease of access brings trust and steadfastness - so
go for it.
In my experience as a corporate lawyer, the single principal inspiring
factor that keeps me going is my fervor for work, approval of my clients and
the pure happiness it gives me. There are no classes that one can attend to
become a great lawyer - what ultimately counts are the way we move toward our
profession and I still have miles to go...
I would be happy to accept your feed back or inputs or
additional points that I may have missed in our journey of being a Great
Lawyer. The author is a founding partner of a Delhi based law firm Delhi
Lawyers and is a corporate and commercial lawyer in Delhi.
Areas of Practice:
Civil Dispute, Criminal Cases, Divorce Cases, Family Dispute,
Company Law, Income Tax, General Corporate and Commercial, Labour and
Industrial Dispute, Real Estate and Property Dispute and International
Arbitration etc.
Professional Summary:
Pooja Jha practice over six years during which she has
acquired considerable expertise in representing developers, sponsors/lenders,
venture capital investors, international corporations, financial institutions,
and other strategic investors involved in the establishment, development and
financing of major infrastructure projects in India.
Pooja Jha is a Partner with a Delhi Based Law Firm DelhiLawyers Law Offices and regularly contributes to journals and publications and
often takes up speaking actions at national and international forums.
