1. Kindly introduce yourself to our readers. What motivated you to step into the legal field, and how did your experiences at the Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur shape your professional aspirations?
My name is Shaleen Tiwari and I am currently working at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas’s Mumbai office in the General Corporate and Insurance Regulatory practice. My schooling and early years were spent in Mumbai itself before getting into Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur from 2011-2016. My motivation to pursue a career in law stemmed from the desire to explore a more intellectual trajectory as opposed to mechanical flourish, not to forget my handicap with mathematics. My time at HNLU, Raipur could not have been more rewarding. The University with its diverse crowd, picturesque campus and supportive administration all made up for a splendid law school journey. I had the privilege of representing the University at some of the most prestigious domestic and international moots.
2. At what point did you decide to join CAM, and how did you prepare for this role during your academic years?
I joined CAM’s General Corporate practice as a lateral hire in 2019. Prior to that, I had worked in a litigation firm MDP & Partners and Jerome Merchant & Partners (JMP). JMP were instrumental in shaping me as an elementary cut for a corporate lawyer. During my law school years, I had a healthy mix of internships between litigation and corporate. I took my time to figure my area of eventual interest (corporate law) as opposed to early identifiers. One should not limit themselves in terms of trials and errors at an early stage, especially when you have nothing to lose and everything to look forward to.
3. As a Principal Associate in the General Corporate Practice at CAM’s Mumbai office, you have worked on various major transactions, including acquisitions of private and public companies, business transfers, and private equity investments, particularly in the insurance sector. Could you share insights into the complexities of these transactions and how you navigate them?
Transactional law is as interesting as you allow it to be. To be the bridge for mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments activity in India that makes up for larger macroeconomics is a thrill in itself. Right from undertaking a legal due diligence and understanding threadbare the workings and goings-on of a company to holding the pen on and negotiating transactional documents, learning as a corporate lawyer never stops. Especially negotiations with counterparty counsels can often teach you the art of patience as well as tact, not just as a lawyer but also as a human being.
4. Reflecting on your journey to a Principal Associate in CAM, what mentorship experiences have been pivotal, and what advice would you offer to junior associates aspiring to excel in corporate law?
In the course of working at CAM, I have realised the advantage of working at a full-service Tier 1 firm. The interactions, interfacing and liaising with practitioners from different teams and practices allows you to learn something daily. I have been lucky to have been working with colleagues and Partners with the highest degrees of work ethics, legal acumen and professionalism. I do not like to think that I know lesser or greater than anyone else as long as I keep learning more, be it from juniors, peers or seniors.
5. In April 2023, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) introduced the Information and Cyber Security Guidelines. You have also authored an article for CAM’s Corporate Law Blog revolving around this topic. Given your focus on the insurance sector, how do these guidelines impact your advisory approach to clients in this industry?
Insurance regulatory practice is a very dynamic area of law which has seen ample policy liberalisation by the Government in the last 5-10 years with the sector finally opening up to 100% foreign direct investment. With the intent of greater insurance penetration in India, the liberalisation of the sector sets up for a flurry of opportunities for private equity investments in the Indian insurance space. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) Cyber Security Guidelines of 2023 along with various new regulations and guidelines introduced by the IRDAI in 2024, are aimed at enhancing policy-holder protection, improving the insurance landscape, and promoting financial inclusion. A more sophisticated principle-based regulatory regime has led to our client advisories also being more nuanced, with room for legislative interpretation while ensuring the client is in line with the underlying statutory principle.
6. Could you discuss a particularly challenging or rewarding deal you have worked on at CAM, highlighting your role and the outcomes achieved?
Sheela Foam Limited (SFL) (owner of the “Sleepwell” mattress brand) on its acquisition of Kurlon Enterprise Limited (KEL) (2023-2024) was a particularly rewarding and replete with learning. I was a part of the due diligence team as well as transaction documentation. Such deals require you to work closely across teams as well as with investment bankers which requires deep understanding of legal as well as commercial aspects of the transaction.
7. With the rapid evolution of corporate law, especially in the insurance sector, how do you stay abreast with regulatory changes and other legal developments, and what strategies do you employ to ensure your clients remain compliant?
Law is organic and ever evolving so as to keep pace with the societal changes, developments and evolution. The advent of artificial intelligence is also aiding lawyers and is in lockstep with the progression of professional industries. This means that as a lawyer, you are a constant worker in progress and have to continually keep reading, learning and unlearning to keep abreast with the regulatory changes and legal developments. This is the only way to retain your edge in the vast and fairly saturated legal market.
8. As you advance in your career, how do you approach mentoring junior associates, and what leadership qualities do you deem essential in the legal profession?
Fresh law grads now are far more versatile and adroit than the earlier batches. The ability for them to grasp new concepts is great as their aspirations. However, in terms of mentorship advice, I always maintain that the fastest way to get anywhere in life is to get their slow. Onehas to be patient, willing to accept that one is not omniscient and learn to enjoy smaller professional and personal joys that make up for a worthwhile journey.
9. Working in a high-performance environment like CAM, how do you manage to balance client expectations, long hours and continuous learning?
The aptitude to compartmentalise life is essential to sustaining in any sphere of life. Today, every professional industry is operating in a high-performance environment and that means that you have to keep your wits about yourself. Besides putting your best foot forward professionally, you also need to learn to decompress, detach and rejuvenate when the opportunity presents itself. That is the best way in my opinion to keep wanting more of yourself and your aspirations.
10. You actively contribute to CAM’s blog. How important do you think legal writing and publishing is for young lawyers? Could you share the process that you undertake while drafting for CAM’s blog or internal knowledge portals?
As I stated earlier, constant learning by way of reading and interacting with fellow lawyers is the only way that one can avoid becoming obsolete in this profession. This means that you should not straitjacket yourself by restricting your exposure to your practising area of law. With so much readily available legal literature on the internet in the form of blogs, articles and publications, consuming as well as writing keeps your aptitude for research alive, a non-negotiable for a successful lawyer.
11. To conclude, what advice would you like to your juniors in the profession?
Of all the pieces of advice that I can offer, the most profound one would be the value of soft skills in the profession. As a lawyer, be it a litigation or a transactional lawyer, your peoples’ skills are as important as your legal acumen. While one continually hones and develops their legal proficiencies, mastering the nitty-gritty like being polite, humble, approachable with an amiable disposition is something that takes you a cut above the routine. More valuable than a learned lawyer is a learned lawyer with a smile.
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