Colloquium on Global Lawyering & the Corporate Legal Profession in a Post-Corona World

Introduction

As we stand at a devastating number of over 3.6 million cases of Coronavirus across the world, with over 250,000 deaths, it is safe to say that 2020 has presented us with one of the largest crisis of our times. This unprecedented crisis calls for urgent attention from our healthcare systems. However, as the medical fraternity works towards flattening the curve, this pandemic has also resulted in greater demand for protecting the rule of law and ensuring justice in all aspects of legal practice. We face a surge in different types of issues ranging from financial frauds, to healthcare legal battles to unfortunate cases of domestic violence. Law firms see a movement in commercial disputes and restructuring and insolvency cases. The Global Justice System and Law Firms across the world have the responsibility to mitigate these legal issues and maintain order within the chaos that could arise as a by-product of COVID-19. The challenge Law Firms face today is how do they strike a sensitive balance between this very responsibility towards the rising demands of justice, while working within the current limitations as social distancing becomes the new normal. Can the current crisis be an opportunity to re-invent ourselves and re-innovate the very fundamentals of law firms, corporate governance, and commercial dispute resolution mechanisms? With remote courtrooms becoming more common, is it indeed time to embrace technology to ensure greater access to legal justice, not just in relation to litigation, but also for corporate and transactional work? Is the Law firm's present way of functioning going to be the future?

To what extent has the Covid-19 crisis challenged the very foundational vision, mission, ethos values and work culture of law firms including the possibility of raising issues relating to mental health and the well-being of corporate lawyers. This Global Lawyers' Colloquium with founders and leaders of some of the most prestigious law firms in India and the world, is a unique opportunity to transcend the barriers of social distancing to bring together a view of Global Lawyering and the Corporate Legal Profession in a Post-Corona World.

This webinar session was organised by Jindal Global Law School of OP Jindal Global University (JGU) and was moderated by Prof. (Dr) C Raj Kumar, Founding Vice-Chancellor, JGU & Dean, Jindal Global Law School

Distinguished Panellists at the Session Included;

Mr. Nishith Desai
Founder, Nishith Desai Associates, Mumbai

Mr. Haigreve Khaitan,
Managing Partner, Khaitan & Co, Mumbai

Mr. Nandan Nelivigi
Partner, White & Case, New York

Mr. Chris Parsons
Partner & Chairman, India Practice, Herbert Smith Freehills, London

Mr. Cyril Shroff
Managing Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, Mumbai