From Recognition to Resilience in law ft. Iqbal Tauseef

In this episode of "The Counsel's Code," we sit down with Iqbal Tauseef, Director of Legal Affairs at TTEC. He shares his journey from a practicing lawyer to an award-winning in-house leader, offering practical insights on why "contract" is the one skill law schools miss, how to align legal with business, and the case of a "hidden" trademark.

Meet the Speaker: Iqbal Tauseef

We are thrilled to feature Iqbal Tauseef, a seasoned legal leader with over 15 years of experience. His career began in litigation before moving in-house, with key roles at Quislex, Rain Carbon Incorporation, and resustainability. Today, he is the Director of Legal Affairs and Global Contract COE at TTEC.

Mr. Tauseef's contributions have been widely recognized; he was named one of the "Top In-house Legal Counsel in India" by Forbes (2021 & 2022) and one of the "Top 50 Legal Professionals in India" by Asian Legal Business. His expertise spans IT, fintech, pharma, and energy, with a deep specialization in contracts, compliance, and risk mitigation.

Key Insights from the Conversation

What inspired you to pursue a career in law?

Mr. Tauseef's inspiration came from a subject in his Bachelor of Commerce degree: Business Law. He "used to love that subject" because it "talks about logic," especially the logic of business contracts—offer, consideration, and consequences. This logical framework inspired him to pursue law immediately after his master's.

Your legal journey so far

Mr. Tauseef started as a practicing lawyer in the civil court and high court. After three years, he took his first corporate job at Quislex, an LPO. He then moved to Rain Carbon Corporation, a large petrochemical manufacturer. His journey also included roles at Modi Global, where he served clients across tech, banking, and pharma, and resustainability, where he was the legal head for global contracts, before joining TTEC.

Biggest challenges in managing an in-house legal team

He highlights several key challenges. The biggest shift from a law firm is that "in in-house it's not 2 + 2 is four; it's sometimes five, sometimes it's six." You are a "part of a business itself," not just an advisor.

His other key challenges include:

• Resource Constraints: He notes "talent retention and development is a challenge." To combat this, his team hires interns to make them "industry level industry ready."

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Overcoming the perception that "legal is a barrier to the business" and instead becoming a "business enabler."

• Regulatory Changes: Laws are "evolving day by day," requiring constant vigilance.

• Technology Adoption: He stresses that teams must "gear up with the technology as soon as you can."

Making in-house counsel adopt technology

Mr. Tauseef is a strong "advocate of focusing on technology to bring efficiency." He shares a powerful maxim: "AI is not going to... replace the lawyer, but it can replace a lawyer who doesn't know AI." He emphasizes that while AI can summarize or analyze, "it cannot take a decision. You cannot outsource your judgment capabilities to AI."

Aligning legal with business goals

"We are not a department for the company; we are the partners for the business," he states. To achieve this alignment, legal must "step into the business decisions at the early stage." He notes the old days of legal being called "when litigation has arose or dispute has arose" are gone. "Now the days are when business legal is required to start with the business from day one from the inception."

Your contract review checklist

Mr. Tauseef provides five core things to check in any contract, from an NDA to an MSA:

1. Introduction of Party: Correct legal names and addresses.

2. Define the Scope: Detail all obligations and rights. He calls a contract a "local law made between both the parties" that governs everything.

3. Risk Mitigation: Carefully define liabilities, indemnities, exclusions, caps, and insurance.

4. Right to Move Out: Clear termination clauses (for cause, for convenience, or for breach).

5. Governing Law & Applicable Laws: This "totally... change[s] the scenario of any dispute or litigation."

Top tip for contract negotiation

His top tip is to avoid being the reason "the business is getting delayed." Instead of pushing back on all legal clauses, he advises breaking risk down into three categories: "strategic risk," "compliance risk," and "operational risk." This "will really help you to take the decision where you can move on or where you have to push back."

Do you have a risk management function?

Mr. Tauseef confirms that risk is "dealt as a separate function altogether." While the risk mitigation department (often insurance) works very closely with legal, it is not owned by the legal team, as being a risk mitigator "you are not required to be a lawyer."

One skill lawyers need but law school doesn’t teach

"This is really good," he says, "and definitely it should be contracts." He observes that while law schools teach the Indian Contracts Act, "nobody give you a training on corporate sector." He's seen students "doesn't know what a contract is... they don't know how a commercial contract looks like." He firmly believes this is an essential skill for all young lawyers.

Case Study: Titan Eye vs Lenskart

Mr. Tauseef highlights this "very interesting case related to trademarks." Lenskart "has used the Triton's [Titan's] trademark as a meta tags in the search engines." This "hidden trademark" was not visible to the end-user, but when a user searched for Titan, Lenskart would "get up options" as well.

The case was settled (Lenskart called it an "inadvertent mistake"), but the "legal significance here is... trademark infringement can occur even through hidden code, not just a visible advertisement."

About "The Counsel's Code" Podcast

"The Counsel's Code" is your go-to podcast for exclusive interviews with top legal executives. Discover the strategies they've employed to cultivate their careers, excel in their positions, and emerge as true leaders in their organizations.

Throughout our discussions, we delve into the challenges of leadership and how these accomplished professionals manage the pressures that come with it. Our mission is to provide valuable insights and support for in-house counsel, fostering mutual growth and development.

Tune in for engaging and enlightening conversations with legal leaders who share their experiences, wisdom, and advice, creating a community where in-house counsel can thrive together. If you want to get featured, contact marketing@volody.com.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are the speaker’s personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the podcast, Volody, or any current or former employers.