The legal market in India over the last decade has grown to be competitive. Competition amongst lawyers is on the rise and trends such as lawyers today actively soliciting work are commonly visible. Clients have become far more demanding and require instant responses and deliverables which keep lawyers on their toes. With the development of software and other legal tools, research techniques have improved and help lawyers in meeting the demands of the profession. There is a quantum jump in legal fees, which has grown exponentially. The demands, structure and economics of the legal market has undergone a complete transformation over the years.
Tarun Gulati, Partner at PDS Legal is a name to reckon with in the world of tax and commercial laws. PDS Legal is a commercial law firm specializing in tax and commercial/ transactional laws which has earned a sterling reputation amongst corporates in India and abroad. The firm has offices in Delhi and Mumbai from where it services its clients on pan India basis.
Tarun is a qualified chartered accountant and lawyer. This helped him to quickly develop an understanding of commercial laws not just from the theoretical perspective but also from their application and implementation. Tarun’s gained valuable experience working in the chambers of Joseph Vellapally, Senior Advocate, who was one of the most eminent lawyers in tax and commercial laws at the Supreme Court of India. After spending time there, Tarun moved on to ELP (formerly known as Economic Laws Practice) where he was instrumental in setting up the Delhi office of the firm. Tarun led the Delhi practice of the firm for about 10 years after which he joined as a partner in PDS Legal to lead its litigation practice. Having been at the forefront of several path breaking matters, Tarun argues matters in judicial forums across the country. He also appears regularly before the Supreme Court of India.
An Inspirational Moment
Belonging to a family of tax lawyers and judges, Tarun developed an early inclination towards court practice through the conversations at home which would invariably be centered on court practice. These court-centric conversations lay the foundations for Tarun’s interest in law and especially in taxation law even while he was still in school. This is the reason that even as a practicing chartered accountant, he was not able to keep himself away from court practice and started attending taxation tribunals. He always felt that the exhilaration of a win in court is a ‘professional high’ which no other job can offer. Early experiences in litigation practice convinced him that law practice was his calling and he plunged into it full time. His passion is what drives him and is recognized by his clients not only in India but also internationally.
From Tarun’s point of view, “A lawyer has to move beyond the academic knowledge of law and has to mesh his knowledge of the law with experience to bring innovative, credible and practical solutions to clients.” Clients consider Tarun as a ‘trusted advisor’ and regard him as one of the best professionals in the country in the field of taxation and commercial laws. Tarun often says, “A satisfied client who appreciates the hard work and an out of the box solution is what keeps me going.”
A Litigator’s Thoughts
A litigator’s life is about taking on new problems of clients every day. Tarun mentions, “You are as good or as bad as your last success or failure” Although Tarun has been part of some path breaking cases in tax and commercial law which are cited as leading precedents, he feels that in litigation, every day and every new case throws up a new challenge and a litigator must maintain his focus to succeed. Like any committed and passionate professional, Tarun also feels that the profession leaves him with very little time to spend with his family and friends and to pursue other interests.
Tarun’s Expectation on Professional Excellence
Tarun recounts that he was always told by his father and seniors that in law practice, diligence and sincerity are non-negotiable attributes. There are no short cuts in the profession and one has to be put his heart and soul in the profession to achieve excellence. The focus has to be on doing the job at hand well. He was also told that “work passionately without the expectation of an immediate return”.
“The profession should not be considered as any other job. It requires commitment and passion and should not be seen only as a means to make a living”, states Tarun.
Advising and Inspiring Young Lawyers
The legal profession is a conservative profession and should remain just like that. Maintaining a distance from clients helps in giving fair, objective and dispassionate advice. Lawyers should have the ability to stick to their advice which they believe to be correct. A lawyer should have the ability to say ‘no’ to a client. A lawyer’s financial interest should be completely secondary. Tarun said “The ethical standards followed by the previous generations ought to be scrupulously followed if we want the profession to remain credible.”
Source :-The 10 Most Admired Lawyers in India
Tarun Gulati: An Active Litigator of PDS Legal
