The Role Of Legal Team Has Become More Proactive: Srivals Kumar, Head Legal, Sunteck Realty

The legal team is part of the phenomena from day one and now the role and importance is understood by every organisation

Srivals Kumar, Sr Vice President & Head Legal, Sunteck Realty Limited said Earlier, the legal department was asked for direction after the event. Now it's different and proactive. We are part of the phenomena from day one. Secondly, now the role and importance of the legal department have been understood by every organisation.

"There are corporations that are multinationals and Indian multinationals. If you look at the Indian corporate sector each group's idea, in my opinion, is distinct. For instance, if I were to consider a multinational company where I work, the idea has previously existed for many, many decades. They already had a General Council office, which may have been replicated in other countries where these multinational corporations operate," said Akhil Prasad, Director Country Counsel and Company Secretary, Boeing India.

Roop Loomba, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Loomba Legal Services said the expectations from the legal team have increased and they have become more like business partners than just hardcore lawyers.  So, the first level of orientation of the teams which happened is with the business and in-house teams are also told they are very lean teams in many organisations and are expected to do a large amount of work.

When asked about the shift in the legal system Pooja Sehgal Mehtani, General Counsel, Asia Service Centres & Company Secretary, ASCI, Sun Life said there's been a paradigm shift in the way house legal teams are viewed and the General Counsel's Office is very closely integrated with the business now. The role has changed earlier it was more you know of an advisor for say a deal is happening or towards the back end of the team. But now it's very proactive, closely knit and integrated with and it goes beyond the typical legal domain that we operate.