In Conversation with Ishani Chandra, Managing Partner, Sagar Chandra & Associates

Ishani, would you please tell us where did this illustrious journey begin and at what age did you decide to study law. Please walk us through your early years of education and the decision of becoming a lawyer.

I decided fairly early on in my life to become a lawyer, around the time I was in Class 7th. My paternal grandfather was a civil servant and when he retired he dabbled in service law. When he passed away in the year 1997 he left his lawbooks behind and being a bookworm I could not see them unused and that prompted my decision to be a lawyer. In school as well I chose the Humanities stream as I wanted to become a lawyer. My school DPS, RK Puram provided a wonderful environment and encouraged me to pursue my dream at a time when becoming a lawyer was not such a ubiquitous ambition. I joined the National Law Institute University, Bhopal being the second batch of the institution and will always credit them for the training to have an open mind and look at every situation from both sides.

Who have been your guiding North Stars and the biggest inspiration in this journey?

I would say that my parents were my North Stars in supporting my choice of career and standing by me in all my career decisions. I would also be remiss if I don’t mention my husband Sagar Chandra who has been my rock and constant support in this journey.

Would you please tell us more about the array of work you handle at your firm?

As the Managing Partner of the firm I handle a wide array of work but I am particularly responsible for the Intellectual Property Prosecution department of the firm, though I am actively involved in all Litigation matters for my client’s as well.

Would you please summarily tell us the current status of the sectors of the economy your work in, the roadblocks in our path and the way forward?

Being an Intellectual property law firm we work with diverse sectors of the economy and unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic has not left any sector untouched, though I do see positive growth in the FMCG and the alcoholic beverage Industry.

Would you please share with our readers your expert views on ‘Managing an International Portfolio of Trademarks.'

With Indian companies doing trans-national business not only through the traditional channels but also through e-commerce managing an international portfolio of trademarks has become the need of the hour. It has to be a thought out strategy based on the business interests of the client.

What in your opinion has been the biggest change or challenge looming over the legal landscape of India amid COVID-19?

The biggest challenge looming over the legal landscape of India amid Covid-19, in my opinion, is access to justice. I think our courts and Judges have done a tremendous job of learning to work with technology, however, as lawyers we need to look at re-skilling ourselves as well as providing access and training to the technology to those who do not have access to it.

What can law firms do today to ensure they survive in an era of disruption? How is your firm staying futuristic?

Again I would say early adaptation to and comfort with technology is the way to survive this era of disruption. Our open office structure really helped us to stay current during this crisis making it easy for us to adapt to the “work from home” scenario. Additionally, digitisation of data and availability of this data in a secure setting is what we are working on to stay futuristic.

Other than work, what else keeps you busy? Would you please share your other interests and hobbies with our readers.

Other than work, my 7-year-old daughter keeps me busy. I enjoy reading and watching movies. In the lockdown, I have discovered a hidden artistic ability in myself and am exploring the traditional art of Madhubani painting.

Many Congratulations on joining the BW Legal World Elite 40 Under 40 Club of Achievers 2020. What to your mind has helped you get to where you are and what advice would you have for others who want to set off in a similar direction?

Thank you for making me a part of this illustrious list. A love for what you do is I think the key to doing well in any field of your choosing. I am passionate about the field of law I’m in and that spurs me to do better. Additionally, I would not have been able to give the energy and effort into the profession without the unflinching support of my partner Sagar and my in-laws on my professional journey. I would also like to thank the wonderful team of Sagar Chandra & Associates makes it a pleasure to go to work and spurs me to do better every day.

My advice to someone starting out would be to find your passion and work hard at it. Remember the journey is not easy or fun every day but it should make you happy at the end of the day.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our lawyers of the future, any golden piece of advice from the treasure trove of your experiences in the industry?

My golden piece of advice to the lawyers of the future is that persistence is the key to success in our profession. You have to stay in the game and keep working at it and you will taste success.

As a final note, would you please recommend to our readers your favourite book or movie/series that left a lasting impression on you.

One of my favourite books of all times is “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee and left a deep impression on me. An unexpected book that had a lot of impact on me and I quote often in The Runaway Jury by John Grisham.

*The interview was published in December 2020.

Nominations for the second edition of BW Legal World's 40Under40 are now open.

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