There are lots of opportunities to be exploited and challenges to be addressed in the exponentially growing upskilling sector, especially from a legal perspective !
Ayan Chakraborty, our next pathbreaker, Senior Manager – Legal, Compliance & Secretarial, heads Legal, Compliance & Secretarial (South) for upGrad & its subsidiaries (KnowledgeHut upGrad, upGrad Campus & Wolves).
Ayan talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about how law needs to focus more on data privacy, risk, anti-fraud and auditing aspects while building the next line of leaders.
For students, Artificial intelligence will never take away the jobs of lawyers; It will only make their lives easier and the world a better place to work in.
Tell us about your background. What made you choose the legal profession?
Born and raised in the vibrant city of Joy, I navigated my academic journey as an average student, with Mathematics as my achilles’ heel. Opting out of the conventional Physics, Chemistry, and Biology route for my 12th standard (ISC), I bravely chose the Commerce path, defying family expectations. With the aim of being employed right from the very next day after completing my graduation, choosing Law seemed to be the only feasible option. Surprisingly, my family was supportive of my decision to pursue Law after 12th standard.
What did you do for graduation?
I graduated in 2016 with a B.A.LL.B. from M.S. Ramaiah College of Law (affiliated to Karnataka State Law University) in Bangalore.
The corporate world has always attracted me, and to equip myself for it – I completed a Diploma in Entrepreneurship & Business Laws from West Bengal National University of Juridical Science (WBNUJS), Kolkata and another in Advanced Entrepreneurship Management & Corporate Laws from Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), Gandhinagar while pursuing B.A.LL.B. I also have a Certification in Intellectual Property Laws and Competition from Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
Can you talk about some of the influences that led you to such an offbeat, unconventional, and uncommon career?
Given my eventual inclination (and participation in gradual baby steps) towards the political revolution in West Bengal then, had it not been for the strong push from my mother, I wouldn’t have been able to chalk my path till where I find myself now.
Law as a career was initially shaped by Professor Pritam Ghosh (Assistant Professor of Law at the School of Law, RV University; and Doctoral Researcher at NLSIU), who I happened to bump into in my penultimate year of law college. He was an assistant professor and the faculty coordinator of the placement cell at M.S. Ramaiah College of Law (now known as Ramaiah College of Law) then.
How did you plan the steps to get into the career you wanted? Tell us about your career path.
Throughout the 5 year B.A.LL.B. journey, I always kept myself occupied with extra-curricular assignments, moot-courts and paper presentations. To highlight – I have assisted ‘iPleaders’ to prepare an outline for a class on Management and Law at IIM Bangalore, and worked on a project at ‘BizResearchLabs’ in drafting Agreement templates for the company’s partnerships with clients and vendors.
In a constant endeavour to shape myself for the profession, I have always aimed for quality internships – I have interned with Justice & Care (NGO), late His Lordship Hon’ble Justice Protik Prokash Banerjee (then an Advocate and Junior, the Standing Counsel, Government of West Bengal, High Court at Calcutta), Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Private Limited, L&T Finance, Fox Mandal Solicitors & Advocates, and Lakshmi Kumaran & Sridharan Attorneys.
I commenced my professional journey at Exide Life Insurance Company Limited in Bangalore. As I progressed in my career, I seized opportunities to contribute my legal expertise to prominent life insurance companies.
Followed by about four years of employment with Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance Company Limited, my next stints were at Reliance Nippon Life Insurance Company Limited, and Bharti AXA Life Insurance Company Limited, all situated in Mumbai. Navigating the intricacies of a regulatory landscape, I specialized in diverse aspects of legal affairs within the insurance industry. My responsibilities encompassed the management of complaints lodged with the Insurance Ombudsman, overseeing contract management, providing counsel on life insurance-related advisories, and ensuring compliance with labor laws. This multifaceted role extended to process auditing, handling writ litigations, addressing criminal complaints, and offering guidance on matters related to Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH).
Beyond legal intricacies, I attribute a significant part of my professional growth to my prowess in data management, data analysis, and the identification of risks. These skills have proven to be pivotal in enhancing my effectiveness as an in-house legal professional. I believe that a comprehensive understanding of business operations, combined with a keen focus on data-driven insights, has been instrumental in my ability to navigate complex legal landscapes and contribute meaningfully to the organizations I have served.
I attribute my current role as the Head (South) – Legal & Compliance at Upgrad Education Private Limited to a proactive and versatile approach in my career. Throughout my professional journey, I’ve willingly taken on diverse tasks and consistently sought out new challenges that align with the organizational objectives. Embracing an ‘anything and everything’ mentality, I’ve not only expanded my skill set but have also endeavored to make meaningful contributions to the success of the organization.
How did you get your first break?
While the value of persistent unconditional hard-work was realized during my first job at Exide Life Insurance Company Limited, when I was rewarded with a promotion within six months of my joining as a fresher – the plethora of opportunities I received at Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance Company Limited eventually shaped my career as a seasoned in-house legal professional.
Besides being provided with the opportunity to take absolute ownership for every bit of delivery, being trained to face the senior executives of the organization all by myself, a gradually increasing profile (to the extent of ending up in a team management role with my involvement in all legal requirements of the organization); at Edelweiss Tokio Life insurance Company Limited, I found myself a mentor in the early stages of my career, whom I can always look up to … a mentor who continues to guide me even till this day, in having my career paved in the right direction.
The next one has to be my current organization Upgrad Education Private Limited, where I have been entrusted with my most significant role in this shift from insurance to the upskilling industry.
What is your typical workday like at upGrad?
My current role warrants me to get involved in almost everything that is happening in the legal and compliance space of Upgrad Education Private Limited besides being on top of all assignments that my team is entrusted with. This includes analyzing and devising various strategies, besides contract management, litigation management, compliance management, advisory, and assignments alike; both for the Indian and certain specific foreign jurisdictions.
When it comes to laws and regulations for the upskilling industry, there’s a lot to be exploited. As a new entrant to this sphere, I’ll rather say that this is a booming space for lawyers to use their expertise and create.
Working in a closely monitored and regulated industry for 7 years has helped me get off to a smooth start.
In-house corporate legal practice in general, demands you to be ‘always on your feet’. In an in-house legal role, the exposure that one gets is enormous. Every day there’s a new challenge and a new kind of legal advice that I am required to come up with. Along with some ongoing work, there are also certain ad-hoc requirements which need to be catered to. There’s no dearth of work on a typical workday.
On typical workdays, I negotiate contracts, vet documents, brainstorm with the leaders on the business and operations front to help them walk a smooth path within the boundaries of law and supervise the work of my team.
Cups of strong black coffee and ginger tea help me keep going through the day.
What are the challenges that one can expect in a role like yours? How have you been addressing them?
In the in-house legal sphere, half the battle is won through the power of collaboration and by building a team that’s unstoppable. These can be an effective driving force behind business excellence.
Understanding the requirement and articulating in a manner acceptable to business, while, in the process, also ensuring that the interest of your organization is not compromised, is a challenge I deal with daily. Umpteen situations warrant balancing business demands and market dynamics vis-a-vis the spirit of the law. So, I think being a business enabler is very important.
Building a powerhouse Team, hiring a trusted advisor is another mammoth challenge in the current role that I am in. This can be a game changer and I have been relying on business savvy individuals who believe that data excellence can make even the life of a lawyer smooth.
As a legal and compliance professional in the upskilling industry, what I have today is very limited, and I have to rely heavily on governance, the processes and the core basics of law. In my opinion, to fill the vacuum, there is a need for a one-stop codified solution for the industry to showcase more commitment to protecting the rights of the learners, strengthening learner’s trust, attracting new learners, and to continue to foster long-term relationships.
Tell us an example of a specific memorable work you did that is very close to you!
During my stint with Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance Company Limited, I was a part of the team that left no stone unturned to create a GUINNESS WORLD RECORD for the most pledges received for an organ donation campaign in 24 hours.
In this project, my responsibility involved delivering comprehensive support to the Marketing Team from both legal and compliance standpoints, and strictly adhering to regulatory requirements. I actively participated in strategy meetings, contributing by offering compliant and operationally feasible advice, always keeping the end goal in focus. Meeting rigorous deadlines was imperative to ensuring the preparation of accurate documentation, especially concerning our engagements with Guinness World Records Limited and the data auditor.
The essence of collaboration of multiple departments, going beyond the call of the duty by burning the night oil, effective coordination, unwavering hard-work and support by one and all; in the best interests of the organization and the public … the success and the sense of achievement that it brings – it was something I realized for the first time.
After more than 4 years, the campaign still lives on and continues to grow.
You have been a mentor to young law students and legal professionals. Considering that the legal curriculum in many law colleges still does not make law students industry-ready, how do you believe mentoring helps them?
It is not right to undermine the role that law colleges play in making law students industry-ready. A good understanding of the theory makes the base strong. However, where most curriculum based and extracurricular programs appear to have failed is to equip the students with soft skill development, resume and cover letter drafting, preparing for job interviews, courtcraft and etiquette, counseling and negotiation skills, and contract negotiation skills.
I believe that a law student can buckle-up on the required skills, either through coaching and mentoring from working professionals or through on-the-job training. Being mentored at an early stage makes them profession-ready, besides playing a crucial role in identifying their USP and marketing themselves. The rest is about how one keeps upgrading and channeling his or her knowledge in addition to constantly acquiring new skills.
Especially in the early stages of their professional careers, young professionals find themselves in situations where a little guidance can help them choose the correct path, overcome professional hurdles, or even have an edge over peers.
What should law students focus on during their college days and early years of their career?
A very good understanding of the relevant laws, strong legal acumen, and proficiency in the most ignored Microsoft Office tools are a must. A good grasp of legal language and drafting, in addition to critical thinking, conflict resolution, and research skills to the extent of being able to find a needle in a haystack, are some of the technical skills that I believe law students and young lawyers should hone in the early years to land desirable roles.
Your advice to students based on your experience?
Always remember, “To be a good lawyer is different from a successful lawyer” – Late His Lordship Hon’ble Justice Protik Prokash Banerjee told me on the last day of my internship under his able tutelage in July 2013.
Never compromise on your integrity. With channelized efforts and persistent hard work, the ‘sky’s the limit’.
Have a never say “NO” approach; embrace the change and the technology, equip yourself with MS Excel & MS Powerpoint skills – there are no better tools to showcase and market yourself in the corporate sphere. Artificial intelligence will never take away the jobs of lawyers; I say that they will only make our lives easier and the world a better place to work in.
What are your Future Plans?
I wish to broaden my knowledge and focus more on data privacy, compliance, risk, anti-fraud and auditing aspects while building a next line of leaders.