The Daily Lawyer Podcast

Why Lawyers Must Think Business | Sandhya Tolat (GC - Aarti Industries)

In this episode of The General Counsel Series (in proud collaboration with @ZohoSign), we sit down with Sandhya Tolat, General Counsel at Aarti Industries, to decode what modern legal leadership looks like inside a large, manufacturing-led organisation—where law intersects daily with plant operations, safety, environment, supply continuity, contracts, and reputation. 
From the mindset shift required to move from “legal correctness” to legal, business, and operational decision-making, to building high-trust internal legal teams and choosing technology that actually gets adopted across locations and workflows - this conversation is packed with practical insights for in-house counsel, external counsel, law students, and business leaders. 
A special focus in this episode is how GCs evaluate and implement digital execution and governance, and where digital signature solutions like Zoho Sign can make the biggest day-to-day difference, from vendor and customer contracting to HR documentation and board/governance workflows. 
A big thank you to @ZohoSign for powering this series.
About Zoho Sign
Zoho Sign is part of the Zoho suite of digital products and enables organisations to streamline document execution with secure digital signing and governance-friendly workflows.
Connect with us
The Daily LawyerContact: contactus@thedailylawyer.inWebsite: https://thedailylawyer.in/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedailylawyer/LinkedIn (Jenna Krishnan): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-v-krishnan/
Connect with Zoho SignInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zohosignoff...X: https://x.com/zohosign?lang=enLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zohosign/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@zohosignExplore: https://www.zoho.com/en-in/sign/
#GeneralCounsel #InHouseCounsel #ZohoSign #ContractManagement #LegalTech

High-Stakes Fraud Investigation & Corporate Due Diligence | Mukesh Bajaj | Co-Founder, CIGAER

In this episode of The Daily Lawyer Podcast, Mukesh Bajaj (Co-founder, CIGAER | formerly CreditCheck Partners) breaks down forensic intelligence, asset tracing, reputation management, and risk red flags that matter to in-house counsel, litigation lawyers, and business leaders.
What happens when the paper trail runs cold in a market where property records aren’t digitized? How do you protect a global brand when media scrutiny threatens its reputation? With 28+ years in reputation management and political risk, Mukesh shares how his journey from 1990s investment banking evolved into a pioneering approach to risk investigation across India and South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan, powered by deep on-ground context and robust verification networks.
CIGAER leverages over 200 years of collective team experience to navigate opaque markets, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan. This conversation is a masterclass for in-house counsel, litigation lawyers, and business leaders on identifying red flags before they escalate into legal crises.
In this conversation, we discuss:
The Primark/BBC Investigation: Creative problem-solving strategies used to protect corporate integrity during high-stakes media scrutiny.
Creative Intelligence & Fraud Detection: How CIGAER utilises undercover resources, mystery shoppers, and government channels to resolve factory crises and surface "frontline truths".
Asset Tracing in India & South Asia: Why traditional property searches often fail in non-digitized markets and how passport-linked intelligence provides actionable leads for arbitration and recovery suits.
Managing Opaque Market Risks: Balancing Ethical Human-Source Inquiries with Client Confidentiality in Politically Charged Environments.
Emerging Legal Risks: A forward-looking view on ESG compliance, digital fraud, and the evolving landscape of corporate risk.
This conversation is a masterclass in corporate investigations and fraud risk—especially for those working on disputes, arbitration recovery, compliance, ESG, and crisis response.
About CIGAER
CIGAER is a trusted forensics and investigations partner for the Indian subcontinent, with an experienced team operating across India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bhutan. South Asia can be complex, layered with cultural context, subtext, and the social, political, and economic realities that shape how business is actually done on the ground. With decades of field experience and over 200 years of collective expertise, CIGAER combines deep regional insight with a proven, reliable network of trusted people resources across the region, helping clients cut through smokescreens, verify facts, and get to the truth with clarity and discretion.
Info@cigaer.com
+91 22 6802 6803
 
Connect with us:
Contact: contact@thedailylawyer.in
Website: https://thedailylawyer.in/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedailylawyerig/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-v-krishnan/
#corporatefraud #duediligence #forensicinvestigation #AssetTracing #riskmanagement #CIGAER #thedailylawyer

Big-Ticket Disputes, Bigger Perspective: Lessons from Rohit Kapadia | The Legacy Series

In this episode of The Daily Lawyer Podcast – Legacy Series, we sit down with Senior Advocate Mr Rohit Kapadia, one of India’s most respected corporate litigators, for a rare and reflective conversation on law, legacy, and the cases that shaped modern corporate jurisprudence.
This episode goes beyond headlines to examine the legal thinking, institutional pressures, and courtroom realities behind some of India’s most consequential moments in financial and corporate history - including discussions around the Harshad Mehta era, Yes Bank, and Bhupen Dalal.
What you’ll hear is not commentary, but first-hand insight into:
How landmark corporate disputes unfold inside courtrooms
The difference between public narrative and legal reality
How judges, lawyers, and institutions shape outcomes over time
What young lawyers misunderstand about “big cases”
The long view of law - reputation, restraint, and responsibility
This is a conversation about judgment, not just judgments.
The Legacy Series documents the voices that have quietly shaped Indian law - with depth, dignity, and perspective. Presented in collaboration with Solomon & Co.With gratitude to Senior Advocate Mr Rohit Kapadia for sharing his time and wisdom.
Watch till the end for insights that rarely make it into reported judgments.
Connect with Solomon and co. - https://solomonco.in/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/solomon-co-advocates-solicitors/ 
Connect with us: 
Contact: contactus@thedailylawyer.in
Website: https://thedailylawyer.in/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedailylawyerig/?hl=en 
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-v-krishnan/ 
 
#RohitKapadia #LegacySeries #IndianCorporateLaw #HarshadMeht  #YesBankCase #CorporateLitigation  #SeniorAdvocate  #IndianLegalSystem  #SupremeCourtOfIndia #TheDailyLawyer
 

Why CLM Is No Longer Optional: Atul Juvle on Risk, Renewals & Speed-to-Market | TDL x Zoho Contracts

Contract Lifecycle Management is no longer a legal department tool.
It’s a business survival system.
In collaboration with Zoho Contracts, in this episode of The Daily Lawyer Podcast, we sit down with Mr Atul Juvle - former General Counsel at HDFC, HDFC Ergo, Schindler, and Otis Elevators, and current board member across multiple listed companies - to unpack how contracting has evolved from paperwork to enterprise risk intelligence.
In a world of geopolitical shocks, regulatory pressure, supply-chain disruptions, and real-time accountability, Mr Atul explains why:
A single missed contract renewal can create criminal liability
CEOs now expect answers in minutes - not days
CLM has moved from “legal cost” to boardroom necessity
AI-powered contracting is essential - but human judgment still matters
MSMEs and startups need CLM even before scale
This episode is especially relevant for: ✔️ In-house legal teams ✔️ General Counsel & Legal Heads ✔️ CXOs, CFOs & Compliance Leaders ✔️ Founders, MSMEs & IPO-bound companies ✔️ Legal Ops & Risk Professionals
Key Topics Covered:
The evolution of legal from “no-go” to “co-pilot”
Why contract renewals are the most dangerous blind spot
How CLM prevents revenue leakage & compliance failures
Speed-to-market as a legal KPI
AI vs human review: what truly works
Why CLM is as essential as a mobile phone today
Our sincere thanks to Zoho Contracts for enabling this collaboration, and to Mr. Atul Juvle for sharing his time, experience, and perspective with our audience.
Download Zoho Contracts’ FREE eBook: https://www.zoho.com/contracts/ebooks/clm-software.html
Download Zoho Contracts’ CLM Survey: The State of Contracting 2026 https://www.zoho.com/contracts/ebooks/state-of-contract-management.html 
Connect with us: 
Contact: contactus@thedailylawyer.in
Website: https://thedailylawyer.in/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedailylawyerig/?hl=en 
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-v-krishnan/ 
 

From Small Town to GST Powerhouse: The Untold Journey of India’s New-Age Tax Lawyer | GST Law Explained Simply

In this powerful episode of The Daily Lawyer Podcast, Jenna sits down with Mr. Ashwarya Sharma, GST and Indirect Tax legal expert, founder of RB Law Corp, first-generation professional, and one of India’s most dynamic voices in indirect tax litigation.
From growing up in Kashipur to building a multi-city boutique law firm to handling large-scale GST litigation for major Indian businesses, this conversation is equal parts inspiring, insightful, and deeply practical.
In this exciting episode, we discuss:
✔️ His journey from accidental lawyer to GST specialist
✔️ The reality of starting with zero clients
✔️ What it takes to build a brand as a first-generation professional
✔️ The truth about GST, input tax credit, refunds & compliance
✔️ Why GST is actually a “good and simple tax”
✔️ The future of GST in India and opportunities for young lawyers
✔️ Productivity, discipline, reading habits & mindset for success
✔️ Modern law firm culture, technology, and internal case management systems
If you’re a young lawyer, law student, founder, or business owner, this episode gives you the mental models, clarity, and courage to build something meaningful - no matter where you start.
Find out more about RB Law Corp: https://www.rblawcorp.in/
Connect with Ashwarya Sharma:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashwarya-sharma-13244238/?originalSubdomain=in
Connect with us:
Contact: contactus@thedailylawyer.in
Website: https://thedailylawyer.in/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedailylawyerig/?hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-v-krishnan/
Subscribe to The Daily Lawyer Podcast for more conversations at the intersection of law, leadership, and humanity.
#TheDailyLawyerPodcast #LegalPodcast #IndianLegalPodcast #LawPodcastIndia #GST #IndirectTax #GSTLaw #GSTLitigation #GSTExpert #TaxLawIndia #IndianTaxLaw #IndirectTaxLitigation

How to Become a Lawyer Who Lasts - Prof. Pithawalla’s Timeless Wisdom (Part 2)

Part 2 of our historic Legacy Series conversation with Professor H.D. Pithawalla - one of India’s longest-serving, most respected, and most beloved law professors.
For 53 years, Prof. Pithawalla has shaped three generations of lawyers - Chief Justices, senior counsels, managing partners, policy advisors, and thousands of practitioners across India and beyond.
In this episode, he speaks with disarming clarity and rare honesty about:
Why students must stop studying “for exams”
How to think like a lawyer, not memorize like a student
The first moral temptation every young lawyer must resist
The crisis of punctuality and professionalism
The problem with adjournments and why litigants suffer
What he learnt from giants like Nani Palkhivala, Ashok Desai & Ram Jethmalani
Why knowledge, conscience and hard work are the real engines of a sustainable career
Drafting Bhutan’s Contract Act - the responsibility he almost declined
What legacy really means
This is more than an interview - it’s a bridge between generations.
The Legacy Series is created in collaboration with Solomon & Co., Advocates & Solicitors, one of India’s oldest law firms with 115+ years of heritage - united with us in preserving the wisdom of India’s greatest legal minds.
🔗 Watch Part 1 here: https://youtu.be/O7ICBcAmyjg?si=NlTxwNthgVpXXgMm
Learn more about Solomon & Co:
Email:  solomonco@slmnco.in
Website: https://solomonco.in/ 
Connect with us: 
Contact: contactus@thedailylawyer.in
Website: https://thedailylawyer.in/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedailylawyerig/?hl=en 
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-v-krishnan/ 
 
#ProfPithawalla  #TheDailyLawyerLegacySeries #IndianLegalSystem #LegalEducationIndia #LawStudentsIndia #GLCMumbai #LegalCareerGuidance #IndianLawProfession #LegalHistoryIndia #SolomonAndCo

Prof. Pithawala: 53 Years of Teaching Law, Life & Legacy | Part one | The Legacy Series

The Legacy Series is created in collaboration with Solomon & Co., Advocates & Solicitors, one of India’s oldest law firms with 115+ years of heritage - united with us in preserving the wisdom of India’s greatest legal minds.
 
Learn more about Solomon & Co:
 
Email: solomonco@slmnco.in
Website: https://solomonco.in/
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Hi 🙋🏻‍♀️
 
Through 'The Daily Lawyer' podcast, I aim to demystify not just the law, but the legal profession as well. I'm excited to have more such guests on my podcast and inspire more people in the future.
 
Email me if you're interested to contactus@thedailylawyer.in
 
Connect with us: Contact: contactus@thedailylawyer.in
 
Website: https://thedailylawyer.in/
 
Instagram:
 https://www.instagram.com/thedailylawyerig/?hl=en 
 
LinkedIn:
 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-v-krishnan/ 
 
#ProfessorPithawalla #TheDailyLawyer #LegacySeries #GLC #LegalEducation #IndianLaw #SolomonAndCo #LawStudents #LegalProfession #LawSchoolIndia #JennaKrishnan #TeachingLaw #LegalHistory

‘Haq Se’: The Legal Awareness Movement Transforming Lives - with Barrister Susheel Bellara

What if legal help in India could begin not with fear, but with awareness?
Earlier this month, while I was in my office, Susheel Bellara sent me a message on LinkedIn. Four hours later, he was sitting across from me. As we spoke about Haq Se and the quiet revolution he’s building, we decided, spontaneously, to hit record.
No preparation, no lights or makeup, no agenda. Just two people talking about a platform that could genuinely help both litigants and lawyers.
That is how this episode was born: raw, simple, and honest.
In this special episode of The Daily Lawyer Podcast, I sit down with Barrister Sushil Bellara, founder of Haq Se : a free, non-profit platform designed to make legal understanding accessible to everyone.
Through Haq Se, families and individuals can:
Estimate realistic maintenance amounts using a calculator based off Supreme court judgments on maintenance
Access mediation support under India’s new Mediation Act (Section 5)
Connect with trusted NGOs, pro bono lawyers, and counsellors
Safely record, and send to a trusted source in real-time, incidents of domestic violence (or other traumatic events) through a “Secret Diary” feature
Senior members of the judiciary, including former Supreme Court and High Court judges, have already recognised the potential of Haq Se to bridge awareness gaps across India.
Listen in to see how technology, empathy, and law can come together to create meaningful change.
🔗 Explore Haq Se: https://www.haqse.org/
Connect with us: 
Contact: contactus@thedailylawyer.in
Website: https://thedailylawyer.in/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedailylawyerig/?hl=en 
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-v-krishnan/ 
To volunteer or collaborate, connect with The Daily Lawyer or Haq Se through the links above.
Subscribe to The Daily Lawyer Podcast for more conversations at the intersection of law, leadership, and humanity.
#TheDailyLawyer #HaqSe #LegalAwareness #MediationIndia #MaintenanceLaw #WomenAndLaw #JusticeForAll #IndianLaw #LegalInnovation #PodcastIndia

The Future of Trust: Contract Intelligence in an AI driven World | Neeraj (VP and Head - APAC, Icertis) x The Daily Lawyer

What if contracts weren’t just compliance - but a source of competitive advantage?
In this special episode of The Daily Lawyer Podcast, we sit down with Neeraj Athalye, Vice President & Head of APAC at Icertis, one of the world’s leading Contract Intelligence platforms, ahead of India Connect 2025 - Icertis’ flagship event in New Delhi.
Together, they explore how contract intelligence, AI, and data are transforming the way enterprises grow, govern, and scale and why India is uniquely positioned to lead this next wave.
 What we explore:
How “contract intelligence” is reshaping law and business
Why India’s top enterprises are investing in digital contracting
The rise of AI copilots in legal and procurement workflows
Real stories of companies saving millions through smarter contracts
The vision and value behind India Connect 2025
📍 About India Connect 2025 | 6th November, 2025 | Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, New Delhi
India Connect is Icertis’ annual flagship event bringing together leaders, partners, and visionaries who are shaping the future of contracting, governance, and digital transformation.
Learn more about Icertis Connect - https://engage.icertis.com/event-icertis-connect-new-delhi-india-2025.html 
 
Connect with Icertis: 
Website - https://www.icertis.com/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/icertis/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/icertisinc/?hl=en
 
Connect with us: 
Contact: contactus@thedailylawyer.in
Website: https://thedailylawyer.in/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedailylawyerig/?hl=en 
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-v-krishnan/ 
This episode is also streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts.
Subscribe to The Daily Lawyer Podcast for more conversations at the intersection of law, leadership, and innovation.
#TheDailyLawyerPodcast #IndiaConnect2025 #Icertis #ContractIntelligence #AIinLaw #LegalTech #LawAndBusiness #LeadershipInLaw

Manjaree Chowdhary (GC, Maruti Suzuki): Lessons on Leadership, Risk & Resilience | TDL x Zoho Sign

In this episode of The General Counsel Series, powered by  ⁨@zohosign⁩  , Jenna Krishnan sits down with Manjaree Chowdhary, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Maruti Suzuki and former GC at General Electric, to trace an extraordinary 37-year journey across academia, global industry, and leadership.
From starting her career as a professor of English literature to becoming one of India’s most respected in-house counsels, Manjari’s story is one of courage, curiosity, and continuous growth. She shares her insights on:
Navigating career transitions with grace and conviction
The art of managing risk, reputation, and relationships
Building empathy and credibility as a legal leader
Women in leadership and the importance of perspective
Embracing technology to simplify work
Whether you’re a law student, young lawyer, or a corporate leader, this conversation is filled with wisdom, humour, and real-world lessons on resilience and reinvention.
Listen to more episodes of The General Counsel Series - where India’s top GCs share what it takes to lead with both head and heart.
Also available on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Amazon Music
About Zoho Sign
This series is powered by Zoho Sign - a comprehensive digital e-signature solution built for Indian businesses.
Learn more or book a demo: https://www.zoho.com/en-in/sign/
Connect with us:
Contact: contact@thedailylawyer.in
Website: https://thedailylawyer.in/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedailylawyerig/?hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-v-krishnan/
Connect with Zoho Sign:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zohosignofficial/?hl=en
X: https://x.com/ZohoSign?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zohosign/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@zohosign
Explore: https://www.zoho.com/en-in/sign/
#TheDailyLawyer #ZohoSign #GeneralCounselSeries #LegalLeadership #InHouseCounsel #LegalPodcast #WomenInLaw #LawAndLife #LegalTech #JennaKrishnan #ManjareeChowdhary