Remember That a Job Well Done is a Reward in Itself - Legal Era, in an Exclusive Interview With K. S. Suresh

After Spending Over Seven Years at the Bar in Coimbatore, Covering a Wide Spectrum of Civil Law Work Both in Litigation and Transactions, K. S. Suresh Joined ITC in 1990. ITC is an Indian Conglomerate With a Diversified Presence in Fast-moving Consumer Goods, Hotels, and Other Businesses. Presented With the Opportunity to Independently Handle an ‘exciting’ Variety of Work, Touching Almost Every Branch of the Law, K. S. Suresh Rose Through Ranks Becoming ITC’s General Counsel in 1998. With Wide Ranging Expertise and Experience in Corporate Laws as Well as Litigation, He Has Guided Many Important Legal Issues to Successful Resolution for the Company.

LE: You started out in 1983 in Coimbatore in the chambers of C. S. Venkatasubramanian, a respected senior lawyer. What were the main takeaways from this experience at the very beginning of your career?

After completing my law degree in 1982, like many of my classmates, I was not really keen on litigation as a profession. I was interviewed for a couple of jobs, and even landed an offer. However, when the opportunity arose to work as a junior to a highly respected and busy trial court advocate like C. S. Venkatasubramanian, there was no further thinking.

Looking back, I am convinced that that was the most important decision I ever made. I have long come to believe that one does not become a complete lawyer without a decent trial court stint. That is where you witness due process in its intended form, besides, of course, getting to apply and test the core jurisprudence relating to property, contracts, succession, personal law, insolvency, torts etc. Naturally, I was exposed to Civil Court practice across diverse subjects. Mainly, there were property and money suits. There were also a few trademark cases and even a suit for malicious prosecution. Since my senior was a standing counsel to several banks, there was good deal of property opinions also. From time to time, I also doubled as a clerk for our office, dealing with the Registry, noting Court Diaries, filing and following up summons, batta, copy applications etc.

LE: You started out mainly on the civil side but were inspired by your senior to develop a keen interest in Constitutional law. Please elaborate.