In-house Counsel Unplugged with Naveen Kumari

The modern in-house counsel is a polymath: a legal expert, a business partner, a compliance watchdog, and a policy maker, all rolled into one. In this episode of "The Counsel's Code," we sit down with Naveen Kumari, a legal leader with over two decades of experience, to discuss her journey and the evolving nature of the in-house role.

Meet the Speaker: Naveen Kumari

Naveen Kumari is a seasoned law professional with over 20 years of experience across diverse industries. She currently serves as the Associate Director Legal & Compliance at Dekra Industrial Automation India Private Limited.

Her extensive career began at Tata Steel and includes key roles at Wipro, Embassy Services, and ADC Communications. Naveen is a cross-functional expert in legal drafting, negotiation, litigation, and compliance management, with a keen focus on the automation of legal processes.

Key Insights from the Conversation

How did you get into the field of law?

Naveen’s entry into the legal field was a family affair. "My father was a Registrar in the High Court of Karnataka," she shares, "and it was my brother's passion that pulled me into it." While her brother initiated the journey, she quickly "realized that... law is for me."

What drives your passion for it and what motivates you?

For Naveen, the motivation comes from the positive impact of the law. "When you talk about law, I just think of good conscience," she says. "You bring in fairness, equity, and you are a policy maker." She sees her role as a way to "spread awareness among people that you have to act in good faith," which she finds inherently motivating.

Can you share your journey and highlight a few key roles?

Naveen's perspective on her role has evolved with her experience. She explains that in her early days at Tata Steel, the focus was on learning and observing. However, "after going to a company when you have around 10 or 15 years of experience, then you start looking at the organization at a totally different perspective."

Her focus shifted from just fulfilling tasks to proactively identifying legal and compliance gaps. "What is this company missing from the legal perspective?" she asks. "You try to... bring in new things which are not available in that existing company."

What are your views on CLM in the modern legal department?

Naveen sees Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) as "very important" and "booming." She compares it to the foundational task of organizing files, noting that tracking contracts is essential. "You need to showcase how much contracts you are able to execute... how much deal you are bringing into the company."

A CLM provides "reports and trackers" that are "very much important" for showing value to management in graphs and figures. "I think every organization should have a CLM tool," she states, covering litigation, corporate matters, and compliance.

How do you adapt to new organizations? How did you tackle the initial 90 days in any organization?

Naveen's approach to the "first 90 days" has matured with her career. In her initial days, she would "only observe things... you wouldn't have had the practical knowledge."

Now, with experience, she sees her role differently. "As an in-house council, we are also business people," she explains. "I am part of a business... I am not just an in-house council." This business-first mindset means she actively works "in line along with the operational team, marketing team, [and] the business development team."

How has the role of an in-house counsel changed with time? Where is it headed?

The in-house role is now a critical part of a company's business and ethical showcase. "We have to... portray that we are... 100% compliant," Naveen says. This is no longer just an internal metric; it's a customer-facing requirement. "There are certain companies, as a customer... they ask these questions."

The role involves implementing regular training on "anti-bribery... [and] code of conduct" and managing "due diligence," which "plays a very important role" in modern business deals.

What process changes have you brought across organizations?

Naveen highlights her proactive approach to litigation. Instead of just outsourcing a case to an external lawyer, she believes the in-house counsel must remain deeply involved. "It is necessary for me to understand what the case is... what is the status of the case," she says.

Following the advice of a senior judge, she makes it a point to "attend the courts equally along with the practicing lawyer" for every case, "minor or major." This means reviewing all petitions and applications just as she would any internal contract.

How do you effectively prioritize your work?

For an in-house counsel, "everything is very much important." While "prioritizing is good... that doesn't mean that you will let go the other things." She views all aspects of the legal department—CLM, litigation, contract management—as equally vital. The key is to "prioritize and you pick up what is important as of today," while never letting the other responsibilities fall.

Can you give us some tips on contract negotiation?

"Contract negotiation is something very challenging, but interesting as well." Naveen emphasizes the "customer is god" mentality that business development teams have—"they just want the deal." The legal department is often seen as a "break" to that process.

Her job is to "showcase the liability, the risk" of one-sided contracts or open liability. She navigates this by being a "business people" herself. "I am not just negotiating, I am also trying to close a deal... I am also the operation person, I am also the marketing person." The goal is to find a "win-win situation" that protects the company while still enabling the business to succeed.

How do you manage compliance? Especially the POSH?

"Compliance is very important for any organization." When it comes to POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment), Naveen stresses that awareness goes beyond just training employees. The real focus "should be on the team members [of the POSH committee]."

She points out that committee members, especially from NGOs, may not have a legal background. "As a legal person... it is your duty to ensure that each committee member knows how to handle a case," including understanding the "Civil Procedure Code." A well-trained committee can handle cases independently and "make that person feel comfortable so that the person can talk."

How do you see AI impacting the legal sector in the next 5 years?

Naveen sees AI "purely [as] an opportunity," not a threat. She recalls a friend complaining that their juniors "just give [what] AI has brought," which lacks the "essence of the... practical reason."

"AI cannot understand emotion," she explains. When negotiating a contract for a machine, AI can't grasp the practical, real-world issues of a breakdown. "There is... only a person [who] can deal with it." She views AI as just another technological evolution, like others before it, that should be "taken as a... day-to-day evolving technology, that's it."

What advice would you like to give to the young legal professionals?

Naveen offers three pillars of advice for young lawyers:

1. Research: "Law is nothing but... research. We depend on precedents." She stresses that this is a foundational skill that must be practiced from "the beginning itself."

2. Communication: "Communication is a very important tool." This includes "how well you convince" and is directly tied to...

3. Networking: "Nobody is less or nobody is more, it's just that you are sharing things." She encourages lawyers to "spread the information, spread the knowledge."

Rapid Fire Round

In a quick-fire round, Naveen shared her immediate thoughts. The word "contracts" brings "liability" to mind, and her favorite legal term is "rights." The biggest myth about in-house lawyers? "That in-house counsel cannot be a practicing lawyer. That is wrong." The one skill law school doesn't teach is "practical knowledge," which can only be "gained... when you come out and do." Her best advice received is "be yourself," and the most important value a lawyer should have is a commitment to "fairness, equity, and good conscience." And while her career is in the boardroom, she still prefers "courtroom drama." Her success mantra? "Hard work... and be humble."

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.