Law is a dynamic field, and it demands a vibrant and dynamic approach from everyone associated with this field. From its very inception, Advocate Shashank Bajpai wanted to remain active and involved. Under this impetus, he found the field of law more apt and felicitous. Advocate Shashank Bajpai, a car enthusiast by heart and an advocate by profession, post-graduated from the Indian Law Institute and began his legal career in 2009 directly before the Supreme Court of India. He is the Managing Partner at Vardharma Chambers. His is a fast-growing firm representing many clients across New Delhi, Mumbai, Prayagraj, Indore, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata.
Advocate Shashank Bajpai practiced at the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India and Hon’ble Delhi High Court and various Tribunals like National Green Tribunal (NGT), Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL), National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), Revisional Authority under Ministry of Mines, Coal Authority under Ministry of Coal, Government of India.
The rule of law, and the legal profession itself, are at risk of losing their humanity. However, there are ways to salvage it, argues Advocate Shashank Bajpai and his team. He says that the earlier notion that lawyers are the icon of humanity needs to be brought to life in these trying times. New lawyers need to be re-engaged with their primary obligation as human beings. According to him, not just law firms like his or other organisations doing pro bono legal services and other humanitarian work, but people need to do their bit on their individual level. He believes that young lawyers need to understand that making money should not be the primary objective of lawyers. Having a certain amount of billings per month is morally wrong, adversely affecting the rule of law and putting pressure on lawyers who have various mental ailments associated with it.
Advocate Shashank Bajpai believes that a lawyer’s commercial acumen is significant for clients today; it is not only a counsel from a legal perspective that a client seeks but guidance in business decisions on a day-to-day basis. As stated by him earlier, the dynamic approach which is required is not possible through reading the law books only or through classroom teachings only. This dynamic approach is a blend of reading, research, and participation in various practical or clinical aspects of the law. Suppose lawyers are equipped with industry insights and can provide direction from a commercial perspective, within legally sustainable parameters. In that case, Mr. Shashank says, it can benefit clients in more ways than one.
Working in different domains for over a decade has helped him understand the nuances of how different businesses operate. Over the years, he has carved a niche for himself in the coal and mining sectors. In addition, he is one of the top individual lawyers in areas of litigation as well as banking and finance, having over a decade of first-hand experience in motley areas such as Human Rights, Civil, Criminal, Constitutional, Arbitration, Energy, Consumer, Corporate, Company, Family law.
According to him, it is necessary, regardless of the practice area, to be meticulous and methodical in one’s approach; one should devise efficient and straightforward structures to address issues and then implement them carefully. These systems could be concerning time management, research, and data upkeep. In a dynamic profession, Advocate Shashank Bajpai states that one’s organisational abilities play an integral role in eventual outcomes, and paying attention to detail is a must.
While as a government legal counsel, Advocate Shashank Bajpai briefs the Attorney General, Solicitor General, and Additional Solicitor General of India, to name a few, and in a very successful private practice, Mr. Bajpai has represented various high profile clients before the Apex Court of India, Delhi High Court and Tribunals in several civil and criminal cases. He is quite a central figure in cases related to Human Rights, Environmental Protection, and matters dealing with the accountability of Public Servants. Also, He advises top multinational companies and startups on risk assessment and mitigation, navigating regulatory landmines, and achieving targeted business growth.
Advocate Shashank Bajpai has been a noted guest lecturer at various leading Indian law universities and schools. He has an insightful suggestion for the universities to create a strong legacy of excellence of alma mater. All the Law Universities must focus on the practical part of the law in general, and Moots in particular, participation of students in moot courts takes away their fear of public speaking and hesitation and prepares them for their brighter future.
Advocate Shashank Bajpai has been working strenuously for the marginalised community. He aims to empower the poor and disadvantaged sections of society to help them get access to the justice delivery system. Advocate Shashank Bajpai’s association with the media has also been noted for a long time. For him, the sense of satisfaction is immense in fighting in high-pressure situations.
According to Advocate Shashank Bajpai, lawyers must strive to be problem solvers, ready to take on new challenges they face in this ever-evolving legal landscape.
Advocate Shashank Bajpai believes that the skill of cultivating the virtue of humility, which is almost indispensable for learning and learning, expands from the inception to the end of one’s journey as a lawyer.
Finally, when asked what his formula for success is, Advocate Shashank Bajpai reveals his mantra: ‘Prepare, perform, learn from your experiences and repeat.’
Source of the article-
- The previous articles were published in USA and UK.
- Published testimonies of NRI clients at different digital platforms and portals.