In Conversation With Kanwardeep Singh Kapany, Senior Associate, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas and Co

Tell us a bit about yourself. What made you choose a career in law? And how was the experience of studying law?

I am Kanwardeep Singh Kapany, born and brought up in the “planned city (U.T.)” of Chandigarh. The moment I got drawn towards oratory-oriented activities in my school such as extempore and debates, I think the seed of my legal career was sown then. Such experiences made me realise that I had an irresistible inclination to appreciate rationale in arguments and also rebut arguments with rationale when I did not agree with them in principle. This leads me to choose law as a field to graduate in. At law school, soon enough I realised that honed oratory skills alone is not going to keep me in good stead in the professional world and that is where I embarked upon the journey to understand the roles and responsibilities I’ll be expected to discharge when I join a law firm. It is while on this journey which got me to witness the unique and if I may say nascent stage of securities law practice which I eventually took up as my dedicated practice area.                 

If you could suggest one reform in the legal education system, what would it be?

All the stalwarts of the legal profession unanimously agree that the legal profession is a vocational one. Therefore, the theme of the reform in legal education system has to be centred around mirroring the practical aspects and nuances of a working legal professional (be it a litigating counsel or a corporate lawyer working in a law firm) in the legal curriculum. Once the aforementioned initiative is implemented in letter and spirit, we’ll see law graduates much better accustomed to handling the challenges and pressure of real life which in turn will definitely have a positive impact in relation to the retention of talented individuals as well as preservation of optimum mental health.   

Please tell us about your specialization and the array of work you handle in your current role. 

I practice the niche area of securities law (regulatory and transactional). I regularly advise on, inter-alia, mandatorily triggered direct and indirect open offers, securities law aspects of mergers and acquisitions involving listed companies as well as on various nuances of insider trading laws (including with respect to promoter acquisitions and disposals).  

What advice would you give law students seeking the best internships in their area of interest?

I sincerely believe, at least for the first two and a half years, one should aim at being “Jack of all and King of none. Somewhere from the end of the third year onwards one “may” decide to focus on a single practice area.” 

Further, for seeking internships, one must apply sufficiently in advance, have a crisp cover e-mail that clearly highlights interest in the particular practice area backed by how the student has attempted to improve the required skill set for such a practice area followed by a CV that comprehensively captures various facets of the educational qualifications, internship experiences and extracurricular activities of the student in not more than 1-2 pages and it never hurts to follow up on ones’ internship application, but we must know where to draw the line when it comes to following-up. These are some good to-dos which I sincerely hope will help students in applying and getting their desired internships. 

ESG is a movement that has gained momentum across the world today. How do environmental, social and governance issues impact businesses?

Globally, inter-alia, climate change, its impact and the objective of transitioning into a sustainable economy have taken the center stage. This has led to the investors and other stakeholders of companies being more focused than ever on how responsible and sustainable are the business practices of companies towards this end. Even Indian market regulators like SEBI have brought in legislative changes obliging certain companies to mandatorily make disclosures in the prescribed format in connection with ESG indicators. Therefore, the more sustainable and environmental friendly business practices are, the better for the businesses in attracting and retaining stakeholder confidence which will ultimately assist companies in compounding wealth for its various stakeholders including shareholders/investors.    

Many Congratulations on joining the BW Legal World Elite 30 Under 30 Club of Achievers 2021. 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 very much again for your wishes. Our profession is predominantly dominated by the following skill sets, (i) ability to hear patiently to understand what is the problem/assignment at hand; (ii) research comprehensively on the legal position as well as the evolving market position; (iii) articulate clearly (both orally and in writing) to be able to communicate efficiently; and (iv) take full ownership of work. The above is an attempt to provide the broad themes on which if we work persistently, in my view, we can achieve all that we have envisioned.    

As a final note, would you please recommend to our readers your favourite book that left a lasting impression on you? 

I have never been a voracious reader; whether it holds me in good stead or not is to be still seen by me. Still, I would recommend reading a book titled “Discordant Notes – The Voice of Dissent in the Court of Last Resort” by Hon’ble Justice (Retd.) Rohington Fali Nariman. As we are on the subject of reading then I must also mention, for a lawyer, nothing is more professionally enriching than to develop the habit of reading a couple of judgments each week in relation to their respective practice area.