Gagan Gandhi is the Managing Partner of Niti Nyaya Law Offices in Delhi.
Gagan after doing his graduation in Mathematics and Statistics from St Stephen’s College worked in American Express (P) Ltd in their Risk and Information Department before he decided to do Law from Faculty of Law, University of Delhi. He is author of various research paper(s) and case studies in Journal of Advances in Management published by Emerald. With strong conflict resolution skills he has been instrumental in contribution to the field of law through “Webinars” on contemporary topics.
What inspired you to shift from the role of a professor to that of a business analyst and finally a practising advocate?
Gagan: It was idea of Justice , entrepreneurial spirit ,to be challenged academically coupled with my visit to the court regarding cheque dishonour case which my father had instituted before his demise.
Do you think founding Niti Nyaya has impacted your career for good?
Gagan: Yes ,it has been the journey from an individual to team .Litigation is team work which involves drafting ,research ,arguing ,court craft ,filing ,client management & to be able to reach out to more people. Niti Nyaya has enabled me to do pro bono work as well.
What are the essential aspects to be considered according to you before an advocate takes up a matter?
Gagan: The bone of contention between the parties ,scope of settlement (if any) ,strength & weakness of both sides
Amidst the several areas of practice, which one do you think is your forte and why?
Gagan: It is too early to say that any particular area of practice is my forte ,however due to more of property related matters it can be said to be my keen area of interest.
How far do you think aspects such as accessibility, affordability and due-diligence play a significant role to meet the ends of justice?
Gagan: All these aspects i.e. accessibility, affordability and due-diligence
play a significant role to meet the ends of justice .Accessibility & affordability are related to each other meaning thereby that if someone can afford going to the courts then he/she can have access to the justice .Although there is a caveat hereby meaning thereby that there is provision of legal aid being provided by State Legal Services Authority in order to make it affordable so that everyone has access to the justice .
Due diligence is part of preventive litigation which means if there is adequate due-diligence being carried before entering into any agreement then probable litigation can be avoided & or the dispute resolution will be much easier .
Do you think that the lengthy court procedures and proceedings adversely affect the faith of the common public in the Indian legal system?
Gagan: Yes ,lengthy court procedures and proceedings act as a deterrent for many from approaching the court thereby leading to justice becoming casualty . Indian legal system is undergoing transformation especially after Covid-19 by embracing technology in order to make it efficient so that faith of common public is not affected & the court proceedings maybe made convenient & less cumbersome for the common man (woman).
What according to you are the key differences between an independent practitioner and someone like you who is running a law firm?
Gagan: People are the asset in the justice dispensation .An independent practitioner may have to deal with the cases single handedly whereas firm may give an opportunity of having different independent practitioners under one roof who may give their individual inputs & also share burden of the firm.
Since you have also made contributions through Youtube, how far do you think it is a necessary tool, along with some other social media platforms, to reach out to young lawyers as well as potential clientele?
Gagan: Social media platforms such as YouTube ,Facebook ,Linkedin, Twitter & Instagram are significant in today’s age due to its wide reach & accessibility ,however the same sans delivery will not be sustainable .Social Media presence may help in name spread ,however it has to be sustained by delivery & price .
What is your fundamental approach towards your client while advising them on their matter?
Gagan: I believe in Justice at the door step which is vision of our firm meaning thereby that the client should not be made to run around for getting justice & he/she should get everything readily available whether it is interim orders , case proceedings , application(s) filed & Next Date of Hearing.
After almost a decade in the field of litigation, how far do you think pay structure and incentives culture should change for junior lawyers?
Gagan: Junior Lawyers are getting paid better as compared to what was being paid a decade ago with the intervention of the courts & respective State Bar Councils .I see employability as a bigger problem than the pay structure since the students who are entering in the field of litigation are not market ready hence they are not getting paid as per their expectation .Litigation like any other profession is rewarding with experience .
