In Conversation with Advocate & Legal Expert Nitin Parihar: Legal Wisdom

An interview with Advocate Nitin Parihar, a seasoned legal expert

In this interview, we speak with Advocate Nitin Parihar, a seasoned legal expert with years of experience in navigating complex legal landscapes.

Known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to justice, Advocate Parihar shares his thoughts on current legal trends, challenges facing the profession, and the importance of ethical practice in law.

Can you share your journey into the legal profession and what motivated you to specialize in corporate law and infrastructure disputes? 

Nitin Parihar: My interest in justice, governance, and problem-solving from an early age has played an important role in shaping my journey into the legal profession. Right after I graduated from the Law School at the University of Jammu, I began my career in litigation.

During this phase, I gained hands-on experience in civil, criminal, and constitutional matters. However, it took me some time to recognize that corporate law and infrastructure disputes presented some of the most intellectually stimulating and high-stakes challenges.

During this learning curve, I became more familiar with how infrastructure development drives economic progress and that most large-scale projects often involve multiple stakeholders, including government agencies, private companies, lenders, and regulatory bodies.

Interestingly, my exposure to cases involving infrastructure financing, regulatory clearances, land acquisition, and contractual disputes piqued my interest and led me to specialize in this field.

Over time, the opportunity to represent major clients like Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited (CVPPPL) and NHPC improved my understanding of the legal complexities common in such large-scale projects.

On the other hand, the intricacies of corporate law with respect to business governance and operation caught my attention during my practice. I was fascinated to find the importance of corporate law in growing business and resolving disputes.

My professional journey has allowed me to work with several multinational corporations, banks, and financial institutions, and each offered a unique learning experience.

Through our association, I was able to develop a strong foundation in regulatory compliance, mergers and acquisitions, contract law, and dispute resolution. One such instance is my role as an independent consultant for Leonardo GMBH, where I primarily advise on defense procurement procedures.

This experience has helped me expand my expertise in high-value commercial transactions and international regulatory frameworks.  Today, my focus is on providing legal solutions that mitigate risks and enable businesses and infrastructure projects to operate without any hiccups.

As a legal expert in corporate law, what are some of the most common challenges businesses face in compliance and regulatory matters? 

Nitin Parihar: One of the biggest challenges that businesses have to deal with today is the need to keep up with changing regulatory reforms, particularly those related to the Companies Act and SEBI regulations.

Businesses that are often not in tune with the latest reforms face compliance issues, which lead to penalties and reputation damage.

Another common concern is the risks that accompany poorly drafted agreements or arise due to ambiguous clauses. My role as a legal advisor is to ensure all contracts are legally sound, transparent, and enforceable.

Nowadays, globalization is viewed as a major factor that is complicating legal matters for companies.

Given how multi-jurisdictional compliance is becoming essential to operate in a global market, it has become important to adhere to different regulatory frameworks related to tax, employment laws, and data protection.

Notably, tax and financial compliance in itself is a huge challenge due India’s complex taxation structure and associated rules. This is why corporates must be extra cautious, as any misstep or wilful non-compliance with GST, corporate taxes, and transfer pricing regulations can land them in serious trouble, including litigation.

Similarly, certain sectors, particularly banking and defense have to adhere to strict regulatory norms.

Defense companies, for instance, must comply with procurement policies and export controls to avoid unwarranted hassles and legal challenges.

In my view, the best bet for corporations in an increasingly complex regulatory landscape is to have strong legal strategies to rely upon. Understanding the compliance requirements and adhering to them can save companies from the brunt of litigation and penalties. As a legal advisor, I help businesses address these concerns and provide a way out.

What role do you believe legal professionals play in ensuring the successful execution of infrastructure projects in India? 

Nitin Parihar:  Absolutely! legal professionals play a crucial role in ensuring the successful execution of infrastructure projection in every country.  Our expertise proves valuable in simplifying legalities and regulations for clients’ ease and ensuring they are prepared against potential risks.

Typically, the involvement of legal professionals goes beyond conducting due diligence on land acquisition, environmental clearances, and financing and extends to various stages of the projects.

Mostly we are responsible for drafting and negotiating multiple contracts, including EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) agreements, concession agreements, and financing contracts.

Today, large-scale projects not only require copious paperwork but also need approvals from multiple agencies. As a legal professional, our role is to ensure compliance with existing regulations and seek approvals from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, NHAI, and state authorities.

In case of any contractual disputes, and regulatory challenges, legal professionals help resolve them through arbitration or litigation. Some projects are structured as public-private partnerships (PPPs), in such cases we ensure balancing the interests of both sectors.

Hence, in short, we can say that the role of legal professionals transcends different stages of project development to ensure successful execution.

How do you see the relationship between legal compliance and innovation in the defense sector? 

Nitin Parihar:  While the defense sector operates in a highly regulated environment, we should not see compliance and innovation as opposing forces. In fact, I think they complement each other perfectly.

On one hand, legal compliance ensures that defense innovations are ethical, secure, and aligned with national security objectives.

For example, the procurement and contracting processes in defense procurement must adhere to strict regulations, such as the Defense Procurement Procedure (DPP) and offset obligations.

On the other hand, as a consultant for defense procurement projects, I cannot deny the need for innovation in this sector.

Adapting to technological advancements is also crucial for the sector to foster innovation. Similarly, intellectual property protection is key to safeguarding innovations through patents, trade secrets, and licensing agreements.

In this context, legal professionals can help ensure compliance with export controls and licensing norms. Today, many defense innovations emerge due to joint ventures with foreign entities.

However, such partnerships demand adherence to FDI norms, technology transfer agreements, and national security regulations.

Besides these, compliance with cybersecurity and data protection laws is increasingly becoming essential to protect and safeguard classified technologies and sensitive information in a world where the fear of digital warfare is escalating at a rapid pace.

This is why I help my clients understand the dynamics between the two while enabling them to decode the related legal complexities. This approach has helped me ensure that compliance frameworks support technological advancement.

How do you think advancements in technology will impact legal practices, particularly in your areas of expertise? 

Nitin Parihar: In my experience, advancements in technology have transformed legal practice in multiple ways, particularly in corporate, infrastructure, and defense-related legal work.

For instance, AI tools and systems are increasingly finding their place in legal research and document drafting, while blockchain-based smart contracts are automating contractional obligations and promoting transparency in infrastructure projects.

Similarly, virtual arbitration and online dispute resolution are becoming more widespread due to their ability to make litigation accessible while reducing costs for the involved parties.

Additionally, regulatory technology (RegTech) is simplifying compliance processes for businesses. This is why I believe embracing advanced technology is necessary to stay efficient and relevant in a highly competitive field like ours.

What advice would you give to young lawyers who aspire to work at the intersection of law and business? 

Nitin Parihar: My advice for aspiring lawyers, who intend to specialize in corporate law and business would be to master the fundamentals. This will help them develop a strong understanding of any law and its regulatory framework.

Next, they must focus on learning about business operations, financial structures, and industry trends. Insights into such commercial themes will be invaluable in enhancing their knowledge and offering effective legal advice to clients.

No matter what stage of their career they are at, they should always try to expand their network. For this, they must engage with industry professionals, attend legal conferences, and build relationships with clients and regulators.

This exposure will come in handy in more than one way during their professional journey. In addition, I advise them to embrace technological innovations as we live in a digital world that is rapidly transforming how we approach investigations and legal cases.

Keeping these in mind and practicing them would help young lawyers create a distinct identity in our competitive field.

As we conclude our conversation, Advocate Nitin Parihar’s passion for law and dedication to his clients shine through.

His insights not only illuminate the intricacies of the legal field but also inspire future generations of legal professionals.

Read more Success story of India entrepreneurs & startups at SugerMint. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn