GCs want clear and concise legal advice, not long opinions: Mini Menon vandePol

General Counsel do not have the time to read elaborate legal opinions with detailed footnotes and would rather have practical advice from lawyers who have an understanding of business, Head of Baker McKenzie's Asia Pacific Investigations, Compliance & Ethics Group Mini Menon vandePol noted recently.

“I have a client who says if I can’t see the nub of the advice on the front page of my iPhone, then I am not going to read it. This is demand they have. They want commercial, practical legal advice and recommendations with an understanding of their business.”

vandePol was participating in a panel discussion on the topic What Will the Indian Legal Market Look Like in the Next 10 Years?. Her co-panelists included Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Counsel Sharmistha Chakrabarti; Dentons Link Legal (Paris) Partner Joydeep Sengupta, and Founder & Principal of Aikyam Law Offices Daksh Ahluwalia. The session was moderated by Asian Paints General Counsel (GC) Ami Parekh.

The event was organised by General Counsels Association of India (GCAI). It focused on the ongoing demand to grant statutory recognition to GCs, akin to that of practicing advocates under the Advocates Act, 1961.

Sengupta pointed out that India is now the fifth largest economy and is increasingly integrated with the global economy due to its favourable environment. He said,

“When you look at the Indian economy and the number of practising lawyers, GCs are not recognised despite playing an important role.” 

Noting that India’s expanding economy has brought with it an increase in cross-border legal complexities, Ahluwalia emphasised that while India has introduced significant regulatory changes over the past two decades, including the Labour Codes and Data Protection Law, the judicial system remains a bottleneck.

“The judicial system is crumbling, and there are serious issues that must be addressed. Every person who approaches the courts must have faith in the system,” he said.

He also pointed out the lack of certainty in legal outcomes, citing the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) judgment as an example of how legal unpredictability can deter foreign investors. To improve efficiency, he suggested implementing the “loser pays” principle, a system in which the losing party bears the litigation costs.

The panelists agreed that GCs play a critical role in business decision-making, yet they remain under-appreciated in India.

With AI rapidly transforming industries worldwide, its impact on legal services was a key point of discussion. Chakrabarti highlighted the growing role of AI-powered tools like Harvey, which are reshaping the legal profession. However, she reassured legal professionals that AI remains a tool rather than a replacement.

“AI tools have not yet reached a place where they can take over our jobs. Instead, we need to harness AI before it overtakes us,” she said.

vandePol added,

“Legal expertise isn’t going away, but AI will make our workforce leaner.”

Ahluwalia underscored AI’s transformative potential, stating,

“AI won’t replace lawyers, but AI-enabled lawyers will replace those who don’t adapt.”

He noted that drafting legal documents has become significantly easier with AI, allowing legal professionals to focus on more strategic aspects of their work.

Arjun Ram Meghwal, the Union Minister of State (in charge) for Law and Justice was the chief guest of the event. He announced that the Advocates Act, 1961, will soon be amended. He said,

“I asked my bureaucrats if it will be detrimental if GCs are statutorily recognised. They had no answer."