Kunal Tandon: delivering perfection through determination with Tandon & Co.

Kunal Tandon: delivering perfection through determination with Tandon& Co.

The Indian Legal System is one of the oldest legal systems in the entire history of the world. It has altered as well as developed over the past few centuries to absorb inferences from legal systems across the world.

The Constitution of India is the fountainhead of the Indian Legal System. It demonstrates the Anglo-Saxon character of the judiciary which is drawn from the British Legal System.

India is a land of diversified culture, local customs, and various conventions which are not in opposition to the statute or ethics. People of different religions as well as traditions are regulated by all the different sets of personal laws to relate to family affairs.

The judicial system or Indian legal system is a unique feature of the Indian Constitution. It is an integrated system of courts that administer both state and union laws.

The Supreme Court of India is the uppermost part of the Indian legal system. Under this, each state or a group of states possesses High Courts. There are several subordinate courts under these High Courts.

Indian Legal system has been compared with 'Triveni', meaning the confluence of 3 rivers. 3 streams make up the Indian Legal system. The first one is 'The Common Law', the second is 'Civil Law' and the third is 'Personal and Customary Laws.

India has an organic law as a consequence of the common law system. Through judicial pronouncements and legislative action, this has been fine-tuned for Indian conditions.

The Indian legal system's move towards a social justice paradigm, though undertaken independently, can be seen to mirror the changes in other territories with a common law system.

Tandon & Co. is a fast-growing full-service law firm with a strong team of experienced attorneys, providing a broad range of transactional, regulatory, and advisory services.

The firm was founded by Kunal Tandon, who brings years of diverse and in-depth legal experience to the table. The firm's team is experienced, knowledgeable, and committed to providing prompt service to its illustrious clientele.

Tandon& Co. has a holistic, innovative, and commercially pragmatic approach, coupled with maintaining a high standard of quality in providing sound and efficacious legal advice. They are a team of motivated professionals and have consistently delivered successful results for their clients.

Tandon & Co. understands the importance of working with clients' internal management and business teams to ensure that business objectives are met in the best possible manner. Trust, transparency, and accountability are integral to all their client dealings.

A proactive, energetic, and practical approach ensures Tandon & Co. clients achieve highly successful results. Tandon & Co. derives its USP from its young &energetic team. Its underlying objective is – "Conviction, Determination, and Perfection" for its clients.

Our editorial team spoke to KunalTandon, the Founding Partner of Tandon & Co. about his background, challenges, work-life balance, and life in general. Here are the edited excerpts.

What is your background in Law? Where did you study and work in law before founding the firm?

Studied law from ILS Pune passed in 2003. I worked with Mr. Atul Batra and got an experience for 2 years in the trial courts and then with Ms. Indu Malhotra for another 3 years in the high court and Supreme Court. In 2007-08 I started this firm.

What challenges have you faced in your career?

The biggest challenge was to let people connected with the law know that I exist.

Did the firm originate because of what you were seeing and experiencing the challenges facing commercial and corporate attorneys? What exactly led you to start the law firm?

The law firm or an individual's practice: I never thought of anything specific. It just kept happening. Sometimes I tend to argue a lot in court and sometimes brief seniors a lot. Hence, every day is a new day.

Going to the next piece, what is the need that you've felt most needed to be filled – and what are those challenges for the legal companies that jump out on their own?

There are a lot of challenges faced by legal companies such as:

• Introduction of new laws and practice areas in the legal market.

• Being well-versed with technological developments and leveraging them for clients and their businesses.

• New Sources of Competition

• Cultural, Geopolitical, and Economic factors

What unique approach do you bring with your firm?

Always felt that colleagues of mine must have an opportunity to grow. I have tried to allow each one of them.

Does the law vary from sector to sector? Do the legal questions facing different industries differ and how do you take them on?

These days sectors have become government-regulated like broadcasting, telecom, e-commerce, etc. and each sector has its problems and nuances.

Our job is to understand the sector well, to keep updated with the various nuances and developments of law in the sectors and accordingly act to safeguard our client's interests.

What are the practices offered by the firm?

Banking, insolvency, IP, Broadcasting& media commercial disputes, arbitration, and general litigation.

In an eventful journey like yours, what have been the opportunities and the challenges?

It has been a challenge to let people know that I exist- visibility. Through every challenge, I see it as an opportunity. E.g. in the garb of letting people know that I exist, I started traveling a lot both domestically and internationally. Thus, it was an opportunity to travel to new places and thus new opportunities.

Do you manage to strike a work-life balance or are there still grey areas you'd like to better address? What are your other interests?

According to me, there is no work-life balance. There is just life. You work and you live.

Brief us on the notable matters handled by the firm.

There have been many matters like advertisement cap challenge, interpretation of IBC in a matter in the Supreme Court challenges to an exemplary imposition of penalty by the National Green Tribunal in the real estate sector, etc.

Throw some light on the milestones and awards received by the firm.

• The firm has been nominated by BenchmarkLitigation as Notable Firm of the Year and Recommended Firm of the Year in 2018 and 2019 consecutively.

• Ranked In the individual category – as a leader in the 40 Under 40 Category and as a Firm by Benchmark Litigation by AsialawProfiles Group.

• Nominated in the following Categories in the prestigious ALB India Law Awards 2019:

• TMT Firm of the Year

• IPR Firm of the Year

• Nominated in the following categories in the prestigious Ideas-Exchange Annual Awards 2019

• Dispute Resolution Law Firms of the Year

• Intellectual Property Law Firm of the Year

• Tandon & Co was nominated as one of the best firms in the year 2017 for Media and Entertainment, Information Technology, and Litigation/Disputes Resolution by the Legal Era Awards.

• In 2016, the firm's founder, Kunal Tandon was awarded GenNext under 40 Rising Star by a firm that recognizes legal talent in India.

Brief us on the plans of the organization.

I hardy plan as said earlier. It's just that life goes on and you keep doing things that are needed. Each day is a new day.

What is a day in the life of your career look like?

The first half is in different courts and the second half is in office. 10 mins with my kids at lunch if I am home from court.

What is your take on legal education in India?

I feel that legal education should be more practice-based rather than bookish.

What have been the keys to your success?

I have just been lucky. But I have never shied away from working at any time the client wanted me to work.

What advice would you give law students and current lawyers aspiring to enter the start-up world?

Just be at it and benefits will come.