Poornima Hatti, the head of the disputes practice and a founding member of Samvad Partners has retired from the firm after 15 years. In the next phase of her career, she will work as an independent counsel and arbitrator.
Speaking exclusively to India Business Law Journal, on the reason for her move, Hatti said, “The idea is to have more freedom in terms of the kind of work that one can do.”
“As an independent counsel, one can work with a wider range of clients and firms both in India and outside. I hope to be able to capitalise on this broader range of work. In some ways, it is a shift to look more closely at the law.”
At Samvad, she also held the post of co-head for the employment law practice. With more than 18 years of experience in dispute resolution, Hatti has advised on both domestic and cross-border matters.
Affirming that she will continue with her core practice areas, she says, “The core focus area will continue to be the same – corporate and commercial work resolved through arbitration, mediation and through mainstream litigation.
“I will also continue to work on internal investigations and corporate governance compliance concerns. Arbitration continues to strengthen in India. I hope to sit as an arbitrator in commercial matters.”
Hatti has also voiced the need for more equality among arbitrators in India, “I would also like to see more women as arbitrators and hopefully I will be one drop in that ocean. I am a strong believer in mediation and I hope that I will recognise opportunities where mediation can be the solution in a dispute.”
So what will she miss most from her life at Samvad? “I will miss the collegiate environment, and the hustle and bustle of large and varied teams across practice areas in a firm.
“As a senior partner, you felt responsible for these teams. This translates into a lot of time thinking and working with these teams. The time spent in managing and running a firm outside the legal work is very high.
“With independent practice, you are responsible for a smaller and more niche practice,” she adds, saying her friends have reached out to work on different matters.
And her clients? Hatti tells IBLJ that while it was still early to guage. “Client expectations have not changed. Clients want innovative, quick and commercially sound outcomes in a cost-effective manner.”
“They trust you to deliver the outcome. I hope that in this new role, I will continue to be able to satisfy the expectations placed in me.”
