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Staying on top of the game is the real challenge

Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana, in an intersting statement, after she recently made it to the top of the women’s one-day international cricket rankings, said: “Staying at the top of any ranking is much more important than getting there.”

Most people would be forgiven for thinking that the gruelling climb to the top of a mountain – figurative or otherwise – is more important. But clearly, it is not so for people who have successfully overcome challenges to reach the summit of their chosen field. For now, they must not only be at the top of their game but also, crucially, fend off challenges from fellow competitors who are intent on unseating them. The quiet confidence with which Mandhana and others like her go about this daunting task is inspirational.

Confidence, similarly, is the name of the game for the top legal counsellors, both those working in-house and the very many in private practice. Clients need to know that the individuals they turn to for advice for tackling present and potential legal problems are up to the task. They try to decipher if the poise and assurance projected by the lawyers are backed with substance. Does the individual in question have sufficient experience and expertise? Can they be relied on and will they deliver?

This month’s Cover story reveals the top 100 India-focused legal experts outside the country. These lawyers are based in international business centres and have over the years perfected the art of advising their clients from afar on a fly-in, fly-out basis, as they are prohibited from setting up shop in India.

Competition within their ranks continues to grow with hundreds of lawyers around the world now claiming to be India experts.