Redefining Legal Benchmarks with Priyam Dhamankar

What does it take to succeed as an in-house lawyer today? It requires a complete shift in mindset—from a legal consultant to a business partner, a service provider, and a strategic leader. In this episode of "The Counsel's Code," we explore this journey with Priyam Dhamankar, a legal leader who has built her career on the pillars of business acumen, compliance, and proactive collaboration.

Meet the Speaker: Priyam Dhamankar

Priyam Dhamankar is a seasoned law professional and Company Secretary with over 15 years of industry experience. She currently serves as the Legal and Compliance Director at Servier India Private Limited.

Priyam's career began in a law firm before she transitioned to in-house roles, holding key positions at PPG Paints, Novartis, and Santos. Her expertise is broad, spanning litigation, non-litigation, and setting up compliance systems from scratch. She is a cross-functional expert in legal drafting, due diligence, statutory compliances, and transaction strategy, with a focus on the automation of legal processes.

Key Insights from the Conversation

How did you get into the field of law?

Priyam's decision to become a lawyer was made "when I was in seventh grade." The "influential factor," she shares, was the classic Hindi film Damini. "I think that courtroom drama really kind of got me excited," she laughs. That, combined with people often telling her she had a "sharp tongue" and was good at arguments, set her on a path she was sure of from a very young age.

What drives your passion for it and what motivates you?

Priyam describes herself as a "yellow-red personality"—someone who loves to communicate. Her core driver isn't just the law itself, but the act of "presenting things, presenting a picture about things, and giving my perspective." She thrives on "being able to voice out" and frame ideas in a way that helps her counterparts see a new perspective.

How did you approach your first 90 days in a new role?

After starting her career in the "super hectic" world of litigation in Mumbai, Priyam's move in-house required a fundamental mental adjustment. "People don't want to listen to your Gyaan (knowledge)," she explains. "People will demand a lot of solutions from you and expect you to be a collaborator... more of a business approach."

Her "first 90 days" in every new in-house role have been about "changing the mindset from a consultant to a service mindset." This means acting like a "marketeer" to "first understand your customer"—the internal stakeholders—and learn the culture of the organization, rather than just being an academic lawyer.

What challenges did you face as an in-house lawyer, and how did you simplify your work?

Priyam has the unique experience of setting up the legal function from scratch at all three of her in-house roles. At PPG Paints, this meant managing statutory compliance for 54 locations and two factories with a team of just two. At Novartis, she "walked into the gate with a strike on," giving her a trial-by-fire in high-stakes industrial relations.

At Servier, her role has expanded horizontally, not just vertically. She now handles Legal, Compliance, Company Secretary duties, and CSR, and is part of the "She Servier" initiative for women in leadership.

How do you manage large-scale litigation across sectors efficiently?

Priyam identifies three core challenges in managing large-scale litigation from an in-house perspective:

1. Operational Management: The "huge pain" of managing fragmented litigation across the country, and deciding between a single national law firm or multiple local ones.

2. Subjective Results: Unlike sales, litigation "is not a number that you can promise." Success is subjective and depends on many factors, including a judge's mood.

3. Calibrating Expectations: Explaining to global stakeholders "why does it take so much time in Indian courts" is a constant balancing act, especially in sensitive areas like IP, counterfeits, and raids.

How do you ensure effective collaboration between in-house and external counsel?

Priyam’s answer focuses on the power of internal collaboration. She is a firm believer in "stepping out of the head office... and to work with the field team" to understand the "on-ground reality."

She shares a powerful story of chasing a paint dealer for a recovery. After visiting the field and seeing the dealer had "just a shed remaining" and "doesn't even have a stool to offer you," she realized the case was unwinnable. Her sales colleague suggested a small settlement, which worked. "These are some of the ideas which come out of collaboration with the teams," she says.

How do legal tech tools like CLM, IP, and litigation management software help?

As a "technology-friendly person" and a "great supporter" of these tools, Priyam has implemented them in all three of her in-house roles. Her strategy for successful implementation is threefold:

1. Assess Organizational Maturity: Don't buy a "fancy, high-tech solution" if the users aren't ready for it; this leads to "user fatigue."

2. Find the Right Partner: Find a partner who can provide a "customized solution" that fits the organization's specific needs, not just a big-name brand.

3. Wear the Hat of a Trainer: Lawyers must train their teams to drive adoption. "Until and unless you show them what is in it for them... you will not be able to convince them to use it."

What’s your take on AI’s role in the legal sector?

Priyam has a "mixed opinion." She sees AI as a "Game Changer" for certain tasks, like drafting a sensitization email, and even uses it as a learning tool to improve her own writing.

However, she is "not very sure that we'll be able to substitute the element of human judgment." She notes that so much of a lawyer's job is based on "the gut," "what you sense around you," and reading a person's "demeanor." She believes lawyers should "use this AI to only supplement or speed up our efficiency" and "focus... on what makes us human."

How do you stay updated on evolving global IP laws and regulations?

"It's very easy now to stay updated," she says. "Everything around you is a walking University." Her method is a mix of free and formal learning: subscribing to IP newsletters from law firms, using free resources like Google and Indian Kanoon, and attending "full-day conferences" for lawyers, which offer great networking and deep learning.

What advice do you have for young professionals entering the legal field?

Priyam offers two distinct paths of advice:

1. For Litigators: "Please brace up, this is a long run, this is a marathon, it's not like a sprint." She warns that it's a highly competitive field, and success doesn't come in 3-5 years.

2. For In-House Lawyers: "Completely snap out of the consultant mindset and get into a service mindset." She stresses the importance of "personal branding" and "not underestimating the importance of being business ready."

Rapid Fire Round

In the rapid-fire round, Priyam revealed that the biggest myth about in-house law is that "you can talk to stakeholders in the language of clauses and sections"—in reality, "they don't care," they want solutions. She believes "empathy" and "transparency" are the most important values a lawyer should have, and the one skill law school doesn't teach is the "skill to read numbers" and interpret business. Her career is driven by the best advice she ever received from her mentor: "There should be fire in your belly."

She defines legal leadership as "T-shaped growth"—spreading your wings beyond legal and into other business functions. She manages stress through "well-being" activities and handles competing priorities by learning to "say no" and delegate. And while a courtroom drama (Damini) inspired her career, she definitively prefers "boardroom drama" today.

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.