According to rumors Vanessa Agrawal of Thinking Legal is ▮▮▮ dissolving her firm. This shows the risk of single partner law firms which in reality is nothing more than counsel practice and can leave the associates helpless if something happens to the partner.
If you thought 'Thinking Legal' is a ▮▮▮ name. There is more lol. 😅
Vanessa was part of another 2 partner firm 'SuVan Law Advisors' in which she and her SEBI enforcement husband were partners and co founders. ▮▮▮ she made the firm 'Thinking Legal' while her ex husband made a single partner firm with ▮▮▮ ▮▮▮ name 'Reg-street' law Advisors that too in Mumbai often mispronounced as Redstreet.
One thing is sure - making cringe ▮▮▮ names for comes ▮▮▮ for them. Have engaged them in the past - nice, smart folks, delivered quality work on time. But they must not be even allowed to name a pet dog in their lifetime.
Listen I know people who worked with both Sumit and Vanessa. Both are competent lawyers. Sumit has a good practice before SAT. Vanessa is also very professional as a lawyer. Was only commenting on their exceptional naming skills. Nobody is debating whether ThinKinG legal or RegDstreet is a good firm or not. Chill.
In the early phase of my dragged-out career, I had my own fair share of exposure to the so-called "partner firm." It resembled a spider's web with a cunning matriarch at the center and a dozen seasoned lawyers, like unsuspecting flies, hoping against hope that someday the pie would be cut fairly.
This benevolent matriarch, let’s call her 'the Puppet Mistress,' was an expert at dangling dreams in front of these pros. She led this ragtag team of would-be partners in a dance of hope, always hinting at the tantalizing vision of the promised land: partnership at the firm they started their careers with. A designation to brag about and signal their arrival on the scene. These desperate dreamers were none other than the generously titled Associate Partners and Managing Associates of that hope-dystopia we loved coming to every day.
As the greenest sprout in this forest of disillusionment, I struck up unlikely friendships with a few of these wily old foxes. Our bi-weekly therapy sessions were held at the pride of Lower Parel, 'Ambiance Restaurant Ani Bar'. A place where Blender’s Pride with chakli (murukku) and schezwan chutney flowed freely, where frustrations were voiced loudly, and where promises of greener pastures seemed just a drink away. I sat there, nodding like a bobblehead, absorbing tales of woe and promises never kept.
Shortly after completing my two years at the firm, I started eyeing the exit. Then came the fateful Goa off-site. Between sips of heavily watered-down whiskey and the sound of crashing waves, the Puppet Mistress happily announced a merger with another firm. To say it was a bigger, badder shark in the legal ocean of mid-tier firms would be an understatement. Any illusion of our firm's autonomy was about to be swallowed whole. The only person who seemed to have secured a golden parachute out of this crash landing was our beloved Puppet Mistress.
Three months after this revelation, I had moved out of this firm, but not without pocketing a few friendships. Over time, these connections faded, with only a line on my CV reminiscent of that darkly comic chapter. Word on the street is that the Puppet Mistress took an extended sabbatical and handed her clients (and perhaps her puppet strings) to the new alpha shark. As for my old comrades, they drifted to other firms, which, for all I know, had their own puppet shows and pie-dangling matriarchs/patriarchs. The circle of life, I suppose.
I faced them in one of the transactions, found their work good. Also, due diligence that was carried out by the firm was excellent. Apart from the name game, their law game is up to the point. Sad to hear that she left her associates high and dry. I hope she helps them finding a good opportunity.
Vanessa was part of another 2 partner firm 'SuVan Law Advisors' in which she and her SEBI enforcement husband were partners and co founders. ▮▮▮ she made the firm 'Thinking Legal' while her ex husband made a single partner firm with ▮▮▮ ▮▮▮ name 'Reg-street' law Advisors that too in Mumbai often mispronounced as Redstreet.
One thing is sure - making cringe ▮▮▮ names for comes ▮▮▮ for them. Have engaged them in the past - nice, smart folks, delivered quality work on time. But they must not be even allowed to name a pet dog in their lifetime.
This benevolent matriarch, let’s call her 'the Puppet Mistress,' was an expert at dangling dreams in front of these pros. She led this ragtag team of would-be partners in a dance of hope, always hinting at the tantalizing vision of the promised land: partnership at the firm they started their careers with. A designation to brag about and signal their arrival on the scene. These desperate dreamers were none other than the generously titled Associate Partners and Managing Associates of that hope-dystopia we loved coming to every day.
As the greenest sprout in this forest of disillusionment, I struck up unlikely friendships with a few of these wily old foxes. Our bi-weekly therapy sessions were held at the pride of Lower Parel, 'Ambiance Restaurant Ani Bar'. A place where Blender’s Pride with chakli (murukku) and schezwan chutney flowed freely, where frustrations were voiced loudly, and where promises of greener pastures seemed just a drink away. I sat there, nodding like a bobblehead, absorbing tales of woe and promises never kept.
Shortly after completing my two years at the firm, I started eyeing the exit. Then came the fateful Goa off-site. Between sips of heavily watered-down whiskey and the sound of crashing waves, the Puppet Mistress happily announced a merger with another firm. To say it was a bigger, badder shark in the legal ocean of mid-tier firms would be an understatement. Any illusion of our firm's autonomy was about to be swallowed whole. The only person who seemed to have secured a golden parachute out of this crash landing was our beloved Puppet Mistress.
Three months after this revelation, I had moved out of this firm, but not without pocketing a few friendships. Over time, these connections faded, with only a line on my CV reminiscent of that darkly comic chapter. Word on the street is that the Puppet Mistress took an extended sabbatical and handed her clients (and perhaps her puppet strings) to the new alpha shark. As for my old comrades, they drifted to other firms, which, for all I know, had their own puppet shows and pie-dangling matriarchs/patriarchs. The circle of life, I suppose.
Love your work