In conversation with Mr. Pradeep Kumar Jain, Partner, Singhania & Co.

You are responsible for the management of multiple offices of Singhania & Co., what are your priorities as a Managing Partner?

I believe that as lawyers our first priority is to ensure client satisfaction, which happens only when you maintain your focus on providing speedy, cost-effective and practically feasible solutions to the clients no matter how complicated their issues are.

As a strategic priority, we are looking to expand our pan India presence and providing legal services to all corners of the country.

Finally, keeping the motto of the Firm alive, my priority is to push our lawyers to get out of their comfort zone and handle matters with independence.  The Firm doesn’t believe in the concept of “Associates” working for a monthly compensation; we instead treat lawyers as thinking and performing professionals who have the capability of servicing clients with minimal supervision.

We have recently come across articles of your work on spreading education in rural villages in India. Tell us more about the same.

I come from a small town in Madhya Pradesh and have always believed that there is immense untapped potential in villages. Kids learn from their surroundings, and the kids in the rural parts of our country, in my personal opinion are comparatively tougher and stronger as they have witnessed from more hardships in life.

Inbook is a social networking site created to connect Indians with each other. The team at Inbook wanted to create a site that promotes Indians to interact with one other, explore potential business opportunities through the site and promote talent by connecting with the right individuals. Once the site, started gaining popularity, the team created Inbook Café.

The idea of Inbook Café is simple and unique. The team at Inbook visited several villages in India and interacted with the villagers there and convinced them to dedicate a spot in the village (a building, terrace, open space) that can be utilized by all members of the village to read. Thereafter, the team arranged for books for children, newspapers and magazines for the villagers to read and expand their horizon of knowledge.

I am glad to be a part of Inbook café. We have already opened 20 such cafes in India and have received over 7000 books from all over the country. I visit ‘Inbook Cafes’ every alternate weekend and have a great time learning from the young kids who are infused with so much energy and vivacity for life. I hope to continue this initiative till we have reached each and every village in India.

Over the past 20 years, clients have changed and evolved. Lawyers are no longer put on a pedestal and clients are more demanding than ever, both in terms of the services they expect and fees to be paid. How would you say relationships between firms and their clients have changed in recent years? How do you manage to keep your clients happy?

Unlike 20 years ago, clients also have access to information and are well aware of their rights and liabilities. This is a time when clients focus on getting absolute value for money, and as lawyers we need to adapt and evolve with time.

While many lawyers charge their clients as per timesheets, it has become imperative today, to assist the client in understanding the reason behind charging a certain fee. Firms must provide clients with a flexible fee system and share an approximate fee quote with the client based on the work involved and the lawyer’s professional experience before starting the work. Once the client understands the work involved, time spent and the reason behind a certain fee amount, he will be more comfortable with his lawyers.

Singhania & Co. is one of the very select law firms in India that has chosen to expand in tier 2 and tier 3 cities of India? Could you tell our readers the reason behind such a move for expansion?

Access to legal aid is the motto behind our expansion. We aim to be present in every corner of India and make individuals aware of their legal rights as well as assist them in enforcing the same. Singhania & Co., has since its establishment in 1969 has revolutionized the Indian legal industry.

Under the effective tutelage of Mr. D.C Singhania, we were the first law firm in India to bring in various methods of client engagement and retention that are now being practiced by many law firms. Keeping his revolutionary ideas in mind, it is time for us to grow to the next level, by being a law firm that can reach out to the masses and not just focus on metropolitan cities in India.

Singhania & Co has a legacy of over 50 years. Please tell us a bit more about the values of the firm and how these are reflected in your day-to-day role.

As a Firm with over five decades of experience, we recognize the importance of treating the profession as a service and keep the clients interest at paramount.  Many lawyers these days tend to forget this basic attribute of our profession and deviate from providing good service to clients.

At Singhania, lawyers are trained to think proactively and contemplate each and every issue that may hinder the clients’ ultimate goal and provide strategies for the same. We value the opinion of every member of the Firm, no matter how new they are to the profession. Lawyers are given the independence to handle matters as per their strategies and their seniors are always available to guide and mentor them when required. As a result, we have a team of entrepreneurs and not just a factory of associates. The Firm always aims at creating quality professionals who have a risk appetite and hunger for more.