In Conversation With Sohini Mandal, Founder, Nilaya Legal| BW Legal World 40 Under 40

Many Congratulations on winning the BW Legal World 40 under 40. How has been your initial reaction after joining the elite club of BW Legal World 40 Under 40 Lawyers and Legal Influencers? How was your experience interacting with the Jury and of the event?  

SM: It is an absolute honour. I am thrilled to be a part of this elite club, along with the other winners and my esteemed peers and colleagues. This is a wonderful acknowledgment of meritocracy and hard work and this recognition certainly motivates one to move ahead with renewed vigour.  

 I am truly thankful to the esteemed jury members for their candour, feedback and guidance. Unfortunately, though, I couldn’t attend the event because of other pre-scheduled commitments. 

Please walk us through your journey in this field of law? When did you first realize that law was your life’s calling? 

SM:I have had quite a unique trajectory in the field of law so far, from being an in-house counsel in a public sector undertaking to joining and soaring to senior positions in law firms and then finally taking the plunge to start my own practice. This is reflective of my life philosophy of never settling, even when the cost is high. As an entrepreneur now, I don many hats, be it that of a business woman, or a mentor to peers and juniors, or an administrator that requires multi-tasking skills and ability to have a 360 degree view. With my decision to embark on this journey of solo entrepreneurship, I believe I have fully embraced who I am as a professional. I also have a vision of creating a sustainable ecosystem of legal professionals, that strive towards providing the best possible solutions to clients, and I am excited to see the kind of change I can bring in and the way I can inspire other young lawyers, while putting my vision into action. The journey, I feel, has just begun. 

I think I first discovered my love for law when I joined law school and started realising the true potential of the impact that our profession can make in the society and our growing economy. 

Who according to you has been your guide and mentor in this illustrious journey as a lawyer? 

SM:I have been fortunate to have many mentors over the years, both from the legal and non-legal fields. I am deeply thankful to my professors at WBNUJS for encouraging me to be curious, questioning and teaching me the fundamentals of legal studies. As I started practicing law, my senior colleagues at the organizations I have worked at, have been instrumental in instilling a sense of discipline and impeccable work ethics in me. I have also learnt to align business and legal needs in my work from my mentors. 

I am extremely growth-driven, be it at the personal or professional level. In this growth journey, I have also been immensely benefitted from my interactions with my life coaches, who continue to work with me to keep me grounded and sort through and balance life skills and doubts. 

Please help us understand the practice areas you deal in and the diverse array of work you handle? Which industries does your practice cater to mostly and which sector of the economy does your advisory service cover? 

SM:I specialize in practice areas of corporate & commercial laws, private equity & venture capital, intellectual property laws, media & technology law. I assist numerous high impact technology companies, corporates and high growth startups and advise on disruptive business models, supporting through various stages of growth, governance and exits, both in and outside India. I have represented both companies and investors in various marquee deals across stages of seed, angel and institutional rounds of equity as well as venture debt investment. Having the combined exposure of being an in-house counsel and thereafter being associated with mid-tier firms in the PE/VC space, I am uniquely positioned to understand and advise on various general corporate and strategic matters, startup matters, contractual matters, risk assessment and corporate arbitration and mediation matters. 

Do you believe that AI and Technology will supersede the lawyering skills in the coming times, especially with the recent hype around ChatGPT and other AI softwares? 

SM: There must be a reason why many law firms and organizations today are investing in developing their own AI and technology software. AI could definitely be powerful enough in the coming decades to substantially decrease the man hour requirements when it comes to important lawyering skills such as drafting, execution, precedent prompts, et. al., thereby leading to speedy and time efficient resolutions. However, I see AI and technology more as aids to our ever evolving professional skills, rather than an impediment. Technology as we see it today cannot completely supersede the human element and requirement of our profession. 

What are you doing if not lawyering? What are your hobbies in general? 

SM:I love travelling and exploring new places as that gives me a lot of new perspectives and helps me to grow as an individual. Otherwise, when I am not lawyering, you will either find me in the kitchen cooking up a storm (mostly) or curled up in a nice cozy corner of a café with a favourite book. These days, though, I am super busy being a new mom to my 1 month old daughter. And I have to say being a mother is like becoming an entrepreneur at a whole new level with all the challenges and rewards that entrepreneurship has to offer and more.  

As a parting note, would you please recommend a favorite book that left a lasting impression on you? What has been your most recent read? 

SM:Atomic Habits by James Clear is my all-time go to book for getting inspired to work on a better version of myself, by inculcating good habits and removing bad habits. I love how Clear provides a very easy step by step and methodical guide to building habits, which in turn, plays a huge compounded role in bringing about positive lifestyle and other changes.  

I am currently reading The Book of Form & Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki. It is a magical realist fiction that is woven around the concept of all things, whether made or unmade, having their own psyche. It is a metaphysical take on modern consumerism and I am thoroughly enjoying reading it.