GLOBA-LEGALIZATION
With multi billion dollar investments in the growing economies, business activities have grown manifold. The obvious implication is that a lot of new regulation to keep track of this growth has evolved in these economies; the need of which was not felt earlier. Interestingly most of the laws / policy framework are inspired by the West creating similar business scenarios in these countries as was experienced by the West earlier. Likewise, it created more opportunities for lawyers in general. Economic exchange and GDP growth impact the entire pyramid from the government to the corporations to the individuals. Every stake holder becomes more demanding and accountable; making the legal framework and hence the lawyers more important than ever.
The modern day lawyer has to address:
- Issues arising out of information technology and cyber knowledge
- Cyber Laws
- Encrypting, Banking, E Commerce
- Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering, and Forensic Science
- International trade and global standards – WTO TRIPS
- Rise of Intellectual Property Concerns
- Patent, Copyright, Trademark etc.
- Environmental and Gender Issues
- Pollution, International Protocols
The legal profession in India has expanded to new dimensions and is no more confined to conventional bar practice.
Clients of offshore legal services companies are primarily international law-firms and legal departments of multinational corporations. Lawyers who do this work are trained on specific aspects of the laws of the jurisdictions in which their clients operate. Their knowledge of Indian laws is indeed helpful as India’s legal system is based on the principles of common law.
Offshore legal services companies aim at providing excellent client service based on the application of legal skills by dedicated teams of lawyers, a process-driven approach, quality assurance of work product, timely response and the ability to scale what is essentially subjective, analysis driven work. Many such providers are increasingly functioning as extensions of corporate legal departments and law firms.
The application and integration of state-of-the-art technology gives lawyers an edge over their counterparts in conventional legal practice. Traditional geographic boundaries of client service are now passé, affording lawyers the enviable opportunity to demonstrate their professional skills in a global context as never before. Direct interaction with overseas clients on their laws lends a new dimension to lawyers’ understanding of legal practice in other countries, not to mention an enhanced multicultural sensitivity and development of their communication skills, written and oral.
A systematic, process-driven approach to performing legal services, often requiring lawyers to work in teams with their peers, sharpens their people and time management skills. It is a fact that today lawyers in India manage global legal projects that have team sizes of more than 100 lawyers. The variety of services being currently performed and other emergent specialised areas of legal service continue to increase the repertoire of lateral skills that India’s lawyers now bring to the table for their world-wide clients.
As a lawyer looking to be part of an exciting and promising adventure, a career as a global legal professional is the career of the future