Leaders

As we navigate through the 21st century, women have emerged as strong and visionary leaders in every industry, including the legal space. With resilience, innovation, and a relentless drive, they are reshaping industries, inspiring change, and proving that greatness knows no gender boundaries. Liliaan Daas, an Independent IP and White Collar crime lawyer, is one of the top women leaders achieving remarkable milestones in the legal industry. She shares valuable insights into her professional journey with Women Entrepreneur Magazine.

What are some important facets of your life and professional journey that you wish to highlight through the article?

Lawyers must align with societal norms and adapt to new technology. With the rise of generative AI, society and the legal fraternity face another profound transformation. Being prepared for the unknown is the new mantra. In my 18 years of experience, I have gained immense knowledge and learned from industry experts. Both my father, who is a retired police officer, and my mentor, D C Shroff, have been instrumental in my learning journey. They taught me how to integrate legal knowledge, critical thinking, and foresight, leading to successful outcomes. I began my career at Crawford Bayley & Co, a prestigious law firm. It instilled ethics, precision in presentation, and attention to detail. Dealing with diverse clients taught me  that irrespective of the circumstances of the matter, it pays off to be honest while weighing both the pros and cons that finally enable clients to take a decision on how they would like to proceed.

By cultivating foresight, conducting thorough case analysis, aligning strategies with client goals, employing creative problem-solving, and fostering collaboration, helped me to navigate the legal landscape successfully and consistently while delivering favorable outcomes for my clients.

Please throw some light on your expertise as a legal professional.

While rendering services to Entertainment and Media industry, advising and/or defending clients engulfed in white collar crimes, I also assist various sectors like the Chemical, Education, Real estate, Retail, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. It entails adhering to a comprehensive set of mandatory compliance imposed by regulatory authorities. These serve as a framework to ensure that companies operate within the legal boundaries and maintain transparency, accountability, and ethical practices. For example, the Legal and Regulatory Compliance would include adhering to company laws, tax regulations, labor laws, intellectual property rights, environmental regulations, and industry-specific norms. Advising clients to meet these obligations has helped protect their reputation, build trust with stakeholders, and avoid legal penalties or reputation damage.

Tell us about the key business lessons you have learnt through your professional journey?

Over the years, I have realized that the best way to maneuver around a legal dispute is to be able to resolve the issue amicably between parties. In the realm of litigation, strategic decision-making plays a crucial role in achieving favorable outcomes for clients. However, there are instances where individuals or organizations make the mistake of giving up significant opportunities or resources for the sake of smaller, immediate victories. Today, with my experience I am in a better position to advise clients on the risks associated with such decisions and highlight the importance of a comprehensive and long-term perspective in litigation strategies. I provide a balanced assessment of the situation, guide decisionmaking, and outline potential risks and consequences. I understand the client’s business or the needs that revolve around it. I get into the skin or the heart of the business to be able to put my best across the table in terms of a solution.

There is never a foolproof plan, when it comes to civil and/or criminal litigation, hence, back up plans also have several back up plans. I have had the privilege and the opportunity on behalf of clients, to brief and work with some eminent designated Sr. Counsels and Counsels of our country, such as K. V. Viswanathan (now a Supreme Court Judge), J.P Cama, N Seervai, Amit Desai, Amit Sibal, K Setalvad, A Pandian, A. Mitra, V Tuljapurkar, P Tripati, S Mane Shinde, N Pradhan, S Talsania, N.B Joshi, A.L Somyaji and many more.

"Learn to embrace failure as a learning opportunity, persist in the face of adversity, adapt your strategies, maintain a longterm vision, & nurture emotional resilience"

What are some of the most critical challenges in the Indian IP landscape? How do you address them?

The IP landscape is vast, and laws are constantly being amended to meet global standards. Changes can happen at any moment, impacting the entertainment and media industry. One pressing issue is balancing copyright protection and addressing the challenges faced by users. Copyright is essential for protecting creators' works but managing it through multiple copyright societies can lead to challenges for users, including exorbitant fees and complex processes, hence an ideal solution is to have a ‘single window licence’ even though both the copyright and constitutional provisions may pose challenges to this suggestion. Another pressing issue is AI and ChatGPT. While they enhance our experiences, concerns about copyright and ownership arise. Defining authors and owners in AIgenerated content requires careful debate. The impact of generative AI will forever change society.

What would be your advice for aspiring women entrepreneurs?

You will endure countless battles and setbacks before you win the war. Learn to embrace failure as a learning opportunity, persist in the face of adversity, adapt your strategies, maintain a long-term vision, and nurture emotional resilience. Remember that every battle lost will only bring you closer to the triumph you seek. So, don’t get off the roller coaster just yet, and stay focused on the endgame. That is the true spirit of a winner.

Liliaan Daas, Legal Industry – Expert, Media-Lexicon

Liliaan Daas, an IP attorney with specialization in White Collar criminal, civil and commercial laws. She is one of the top women leaders achieving remarkable milestones in the legal industry.