How LOD Supports Subha with Her Career and Life Goals
A global legal career spanning India, Australia, and New Zealand, Subha was looking for more flexibility and purpose in her work. Through Lawyers On Demand, she’s found both. Her secondments have allowed her to explore new industries, grow her skills, and stay connected to what matters most—her family, creativity, and personal goals.
Can you please introduce yourself and tell us about your current secondment?
I am a senior commercial lawyer with extensive experience across industries and jurisdictions. My work has spanned across manufacturing, construction, insurance, government, telco, technology sectors in India, New Zealand and Australia. I advise leadership teams around risks to the business arising from supply chain, technology, delays in manufacturing or purchasing capital works goods. I have never worked in the same industry twice and never say no to opportunities.
I grew up in India, where I completed my undergrad Law Degree. I left my hometown in the deep south to pursue law at a university in the middle of the country. I think this was the start of my interest and love for meeting people from a variety of backgrounds, cultures and linguistics. This experience laid the foundations for my approach to life and work. I read people first, hear their stories, try to speak their language, and find something in common with them.
After graduating law school in India and working as a litigator for 1.5 years, I decided it was time to pursue my academic interests and went to New York University to complete LLM. NYU was the perfect melting pot of people, culture and stories. I enjoyed having the opportunity to do courses from Stern School of Business whilst there. The lessons I learnt and the skills I developed as a student at NYU/ Stern has helped me become the pragmatic, commercially sound in-house lawyer I am today.
Both of these university experiences have been crucial in making me successful negotiator of contracts with counter-parties from around the world or work with global businesses.
I am currently on secondment at a large, listed retail conglomerate and enjoy the curve balls and challenges that come my way supporting such a diverse business. No two days are literally the same. I could be handling a complaint about faulty product and simultaneously closing a services agreement. I also work with data, risk and privacy teams around customer data issues. There is a spectrum of work from across the divisions and I absolutely love the variety and challenge in this role.
What attracted you to the Lawyers On Demand model?
Lawyers On Demand’s flexible and dynamic model was a perfect fit for my career goals. It offered the opportunity to work with diverse clients and industries while maintaining autonomy and balance in my professional life. Lawyers On Demand fit as a hand in glove with my personality and professional interests.
How has Lawyers On Demand supported you in your career and your life?
Lawyers On Demand has empowered me to explore new areas of law, particularly in the health and retail sectors both of which are new to me. I have been able to do my work with a freedom I have missed previously. I have had a particularly challenging year on the home front and I don’t think if I had worked anywhere but at Lawyers On Demand I would have the kind of support I have received till date. The Lawyers On Demand model has allowed me the time to think about other professional interests I haven’t had time to think about previously.
What has been your experience working with Lawyers On Demand clients?
My experiences have been extraordinary. There is a huge amount of respect and regard for my skills and ability as an Lawyers On Demand lawyer. The teams I have worked with both within the business and legal teams have been so appreciative the support I am able to provide and express their appreciation without hesitation. Each secondment has expanded my legal and commercial expertise.
What is the best thing about being a Lawyers On Demand secondee lawyer?
That I have a group of wonderful, compassionate and friendly colleagues who understand my professional goals instantly, have a deep understanding of what I want for myself professionally and who provide unflinching support without question.
There is a kind of freedom in this model that you will not find elsewhere. I have the freedom to choose the industry, area of law, even the kind of organisations I want to work for. I know that each opportunity that is presented to me is carefully chosen to set me up to succeed in that role. There is enormous confidence in having a group of very experienced, smart people tailoring opportunities for your requirements, skills, experience, life circumstances and interests. There is unwavering faith in my skills that allows me the strength to be at my best and do my best for the clients.
How does Lawyers On Demand support you to achieve other goals/parts of life?
Being part of Lawyers On Demand means I can scale my ambitions up or down depending on my life circumstances. This means I have the time and capacity to make plans in other areas of my life secure in my knowledge that there will be work for me that can be fit within the demands of my life. I have always been someone with multiple interests and passions, for the first time I know I can think about these without hesitation.
What additional benefits has the Lawyers On Demand model provided you with in your career that you may not have obtained elsewhere?
Opportunities to work in areas of law that I wouldn’t work if I wasn’t part of Lawyers On Demand. Being a secondee builds your ability to be agile, to have perspectives I wouldn’t otherwise have as I was too busy chasing deadlines. This model allows us to deep dive into ourselves as multi-dimensional people and helps us realise our strengths in ways we wouldn’t have otherwise.
What advice would you give to new Lawyers On Demand lawyers starting out or someone who may want to change their career trajectory?
There is a “whole new world” of legal practice out there. Be open to new experiences and trust your adaptability. Lawyers On Demand offers a unique platform to redefine your legal career and gain exposure to areas you may not have considered before.
How do you spend your time when you are not on secondment?
My friends and family will tell you that you can find me in the kitchen either baking some desserts or experimenting new recipes or preparing a loved one's favorite dish. If I am not having culinary experiments then I am immersed in some “true crime” drama or podcast, whilst my beautiful boy Sparky keeps me company. You will find me frequenting singing competitions or open mics across Melbourne with my daughter.
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