Leaders

It is very easy for a lawyer to notify a client about a problem, but their work does not end there. It is vital for a lawyer to provide apposite legal advice and solutions to the client. Women being natural problem solvers tend to have a penchant for excelling in the legal sector. One such testament is the story of Rashi Anand Suri, Managing Partner, Upscale Legal.

Upscale Legal advices on a wide range of issues, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, real estate, bad debt recovery, employment concerns, due diligence and audits, tender management, and infrastructure. With Over 20 years of experience across various facets of corporate documentation and advisory services, Rashi has never looked back since the inception of the firm.

Rashi is a first-generation lawyer who focuses on corporate and commercial law. Her main areas of interest are infrastructure and PPP projects. She has provided advice to a number of government agencies, as well as a number of start-ups, entrepreneurs, and international retail investors. Rashi has also worked with the Planning Commission and has been assigned as a Legal Consultant to the secretariate for infrastructure at the Planning Commission of India. She picked law as a career option with background and lot of interest in the social studies and humanities and acumen for research.  

In a conversation with the Women Entrepreneur team, she introduces us to her firm Upscale Legal and her role and responsibilities at the firm.

Introduce us to Upscale Legal and some key facets of the firm's expertise areas?

Upscale Legal was founded in 2018 as a small legal boutique. A multi-service law company, we handle the legal challenges and concerns of numerous corporate houses, financial departments, government entities, and independent individuals.  We focus on finding solutions and offering high-quality legal services.

The vision behind founding the company was to provide clients with legal documentation and during our journey we also recognised that there was a huge scope for legal consultants for startups.

The areas of experience we bring on to the table include a good combination of paperwork that addresses both the investor's and the investee's concerns and expectations. Because of my past expertise with governmental departments, we also do a lot of work with government bodies, which is an added benefit. We also take a look at the policy matters.

Take us through your educational and professional background. What motivated you towards the realm of law?

I was born and raised in the city of Delhi. I graduated from Delhi's Lady Shri Ram College of Women with a bachelor's degree in philosophy. Following that, I enrolled in a legal course at Delhi University's Faculty of Law. While there were few attorneys in my family, I don't believe I inherited a legal legacy, but I was highly interested in Greek philosophy, which led me into touch with legal principles.

It is undoubtedly a great decision to practice corporate law, in which women have an added advantage because they are problem solvers by nature. It is a great choice and opportunity for women, and it personally appeals to me.

In your opinion how big is the corporate law advisory market in India. What practice areas Upscale Legal specializes in and what factors set the firm apart from its contemporaries in the industry?

Twenty years ago, there were only a few dozen law companies in New Delhi, but now there are thousands. Unlike other countries, India continues to see a lot of activity in the corporate legal advisory field. I believe that many law firms in India are becoming more sector focused, such as fintech, sports and media, which was not the case a decade ago. This is the ongoing trend I'm seeing in the Indian market right now.

“We do a lot of work for documentation expertise, but we also specialize in tender management and government advisory work, which is a very niche area because there are a lot of legal issues involved from project conception to tendering and post-tendering”

We do a lot of work for documentation expertise, but we also specialize in tender management and government advisory work, which is a very niche area because there are a lot of legal issues involved from project conception to tendering and post-tendering, which is what I want to focus on as a practise area in the coming years. This is the area that distinguishes my firm from its competitors in the market.

What is your leadership philosophy? How do keep yourself well aligned with industry related evolutions?

To speak about my leadership style, in corporate law advisory services, a problem-solving approach is essential because it is very easy for a lawyer to notify a client about a problem, but what is vital is to provide answers, where we are good at.

It is necessary for every sector to keep in track with the changes in the industry, particularly the legal sector, must keep up with changes in the country in terms of regulation, policies, amendments, acts, and governmental intent. We've ensured that we're kept up to date since the beginning, and we always encourage our lawyers to stay abreast with the latest changes happening in the industry.

How has your professional growth journey been so far? What is the roadmap ahead for your professional journey?

My professional growth journey so far has been rewarding, and I believe I have done a decent job in balancing many duties as a lawyer, mother, wife, and daughter over the past 20 years. To that extent, I am happy with my journey.

Public-private partnership projects are near and dear to my heart, and I enjoy working on project finance and documentation. This is an area that I would strongly support and improve. I'd like to get more active in the government departments that plan and conceptualize initiatives. As a result, I'd like to become more involved at the governmental and policy level.

Rashi Anand Suri, Managing Partner, Upscale Legal

Ms. Rashi Anand Suri, a managing partner at Upscale Legal, is a first-generation lawyer who focused in corporate and commercial law. Her main areas of interest are infrastructure and PPP projects.