“Embracing mistakes and deriving valuable lessons from them forms the cornerstone of building a prosperous law practice.”
Amit Suden (Director-Legal, RiarGlobal)
In the realm of legal brilliance, where astuteness meets expertise, Amit Suden stands tall as a luminary in the field of corporate law and expatriate mobility. With an impressive 25+ years of experience, Suden has cemented his position as one of India’s leading senior corporate lawyers.
Growing up in a defence family, Suden imbibed the values of discipline and regimentation from an early age. With his father serving as a pilot in the Indian Air Force, Suden was exposed to a way of life that instilled in him a strong work ethic and a commitment to excellence. This upbringing forms the very fabric of his character and personality, shaping him into the driven and dedicated individual he is today.
Education & Experience- The Twin Engines
Supported by encouraging parents, Suden completed his schooling and graduated in New Delhi, obtaining his Honors Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce & Economics. Continuing his academic journey, he pursued a Master’s in Public Administration and an M.B.A. in International Business. However, it was his passion for the law that ultimately led him to pursue a Law L.L.B. Degree from Delhi University.
Embarking on his professional career, he began working at Arthur Andersen and later joined Ernst & Young, gaining valuable experience and expertise in the field. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to forge his path, he eventually took the bold step of establishing his law firm.
Despite coming from a non-legal background, Amit’s diverse academic qualifications and professional experience have equipped him with a comprehensive skill set. The combination of his Honors Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce, Master’s in Public Administration, M.B.A. in International Business, and Law L.L.B. Degree has provided him with a unique perspective and a well-rounded approach to legal practice.
“Throughout my extensive career spanning over 25 years, I have dedicated myself to continuous learning in neurolinguistics and the social sciences. These disciplines have provided invaluable insights: how to listen, how to interact, how people think, how people work, and what their natural skills are. Although I may not have fully appreciated their significance in my 20s, looking back on my achievements, I can confidently say that my ongoing education in social skills has played a crucial role in my success,” mentions Mr Amit.
RiarGlobal: Navigating Complex Legal Terrain with Expertise
After serving a successful tenure in the corporate sector, Amit took a bold step towards entrepreneurship in May 2010. This marked the birth of RiarGlobal LLP, a distinguished full-service law firm that thrives on fostering client relationships built upon trust, knowledge, and dynamic ability. With a rich legacy of quality and integrity, the firm caters to a diverse clientele, offering a wide range of legal services to meet their unique requirements. In an era shaped by globalisation and technological advancements, the firm consistently enables clients to navigate the complexities of the ever-evolving legal landscape.
Besides legal advice to expatriates and companies, the firm’s key service areas include Litigation, International Expatriate Consulting and Mobility Compliances.
The firm masters in:
- Litigation, Expatriate Consulting and Mobility Compliances for inbound expatriates
- Developing a mobility compliance module for relocating expats to meeting statutory requirements specific to immigration policies of all geographies
- Providing consultation to multinationals, managers, HR and expatriates
- Maintaining information on immigration laws, work permit procedures and issues for countries related to the home and host countries of the clients & expatriates
- Developing an immigration system tracker to proactively track immigration cases
The Diverse Clientele
The firm’s clients are primarily high-profile multinational companies and global brands operating in various industries like pharmaceuticals, foods and beverages, liquor, garments, cosmetics, FMCG, fashion accessories, computer software, telecommunication, media, electronics, automobiles, education, construction, defense, biotechnology, security, food and beverage, wholesale and retail, real estate developers, logistics, infrastructure, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy resources, media, telecommunications, insurance, banking, chemical industry, construction, aviation, cement industry, tobacco industry, IT companies, management consultancies, music industry, publishing, and more. The firm also works for large local companies and state-owned enterprises, medium and small-sized businesses, embassies and non-governmental organizations.
The firm has had the privilege of working for a diverse range of esteemed clients, including renowned Fortune 500 companies worldwide. Here are just a few of the notable organisations RiarGlobal has had the pleasure of working with:
New Holland Tractors, Dredjing International, Nortel Networks, Bechtel, Microsoft Corporation, Fiat Italy Spa, IVECO, Magneti Marelli, Louis Vuitton, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, AT Kearney, McKinsey & Co, ABB, Shell, Bonifica, Israeli aerospace, Actia, Carrefour, Danieli Corus, British Telecom, Sintel (Singapore Telecom), Digital Microwave, British Gas, InterGlobe, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Adtranz Daimler Benz, Bombardier, International Aids Vaccine Initiative, Petronas, Selex Es, Motorola, Boeing Corporation, Nippon, Coca-Cola, Christian Dior, Carrier Midea, GMCC, China Petroleum, Selex UK, EXL, Covidien, Bonifica, SOS International, Control Risks, Group SEB, France 24, Dezan Shira, Max Bupa, KDDI, Ishida, Nokia- Siemens Networks, Petronas Berhad Malaysia, Tokyo Consulting, LS Cables, Mitsubishi, Schenker, Geodis, Sino Pharm, Sannam S4, UKIBC, Xander, USAID, EXL, BLYK, Clinton Foundation, USAID Project, Swedish Trade Council (Swedish Embassy), Mexican Embassy in India, El Cortez Spain, Itallfer, Cobra Instalactiones, Mercuri Urval, Bilfinger, Fackelmann, Remy Martin, ERAI, German Daily Zeit Magazin, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Prosegur Securitas, German Political Foundations, Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Henrich Boll Foundation, Richard Gere Foundation, Clinton Foundation, Turkmenistan Embassy, and more.
Core Tenets Of Amit’s Philosophy
Amit is a man of values and principles. It is these values and principles which have established him as a respected legal professional. He practices “PMA”- Positive Mental Attitude, “HOPE”- Help One Person Everyday, “A.B.C.”- Always Be Connecting.
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Building a Knowledgeable Network
Recognizing that no one can possess all-encompassing expertise in the vast field of law, Amit emphasizes the importance of surrounding oneself with a reliable network of knowledgeable experts and outside attorneys. In his words, “You can’t know everything in the law, just like one doctor can’t perform every type of surgery. The one huge lesson law school taught me was that I didn’t have to know everything, but I needed to know where to find everything. With a team of smart people to tap into, you can’t go wrong.”
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Honesty and Integrity
Amit places immense value on honesty and integrity in every interaction. Understanding that one’s word is their bond, he advocates for treating every transaction with the utmost fidelity. By being honest and transparent, he builds trust with clients and colleagues, fostering long-term relationships built on integrity. He advises against exaggeration, emphasizing the importance of under-promising and over-delivering to consistently exceed expectations.
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Combining Efficiency with Hard Work
While Amit acknowledges the importance of working smart and finding ways to increase efficiency, he firmly believes that hard work remains the foundation of a successful legal career. Recognizing that plans may unravel, unexpected challenges may arise, and external factors may change, he draws inspiration from the military wisdom to “improvise, adapt, overcome.” He believes in finding innovative ways to make his plans work.
A BALANCED WORKING STANDARD, CULTURE, AND STYLE
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Upholding High Work Standards
Amit finds himself in a position to help set the standards for RiarGlobal. Recognising the significance, he has established a culture of high standards within the organisation. He firmly believes that when standards are not enforced and employees are allowed to fall below them, those standards get replaced by lower ones. To prevent this, he engages in meaningful discussions with his team. While he avoids micromanagement, he keeps himself informed about his team’s progress to address any issues and ensure that standards are fully upheld at RiarGlobal.
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Nurturing a Collaborative Working Style
Suden never places money as his top priority. Paradoxical as it may sound, he firmly believes that rejecting certain cases can yield more profit than accepting every opportunity that comes his way. Moreover, he understands the value of treating his staff with the same level of respect and care as he does his clients. “Always remember that you only have 2 hands and 24 hours in a day,” Amit laughs.
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Cultivating a Welcoming Work Culture
RiarGlobal’s work culture is welcoming, relaxed, comfortable, without cutthroats and collaborative. From the top down, the organization embraces a welcoming environment where open communication thrives. Amit ensures accessibility by maintaining an open-door policy, inviting juniors to approach him freely and discuss any matter of importance.
The firm prides itself on being down-to-earth, fostering an atmosphere where people are authentic and unpretentious. Each individual at RiarGlobal is regarded as a creative professional, actively engaging with clients to gain a deep understanding of their needs and deliver best-in-class solutions.
Amit explains, “We have created an inclusive and safe space for sharing thoughts and engaging in discussions. Every professional associated with our firm is treated as an equal team member, and we value everyone’s opinion. We believe that there is so much that we can learn from each other every day.”
At RiarGlobal, consistent and experienced professionals work together seamlessly and marshal the exact expertise and resources required to meet clients’ needs. The firm always tries to ensure a guaranteed 24-hour response time. It has developed the kind of cohesive approach that many multinational firms would envy – and that many clients have learned to appreciate. The motto “One Call… That’s All” symbolises the firm’s dedication to handling all aspects of client matters once they reach out to RiarGlobal. Hence the tagline — #LawRealigned
A Hybrid Work Culture Driven By Technological Excellence
Amit strongly advocates for remote work, with occasional hybrid office appearances as needed. Since RiarGlobal’s inception, most of its litigation representatives and claims adjusters have been operating remotely, from their homes or field locations.
Amit says, “There is very little reason that a white-collar office worker needs to be in a specific physical location. As long as metrics are met, it shouldn’t matter where that person is located in the real world.”
Looking ahead, he believes, the legal world must adapt and provide innovative solutions to clients in an increasingly technology-driven virtual world.
“Undoubtedly, technology is enabling the legal field to be more mobile. While I don’t envision the complete virtual office becoming the standard way of doing law, given its relationship-based nature, the model is certainly evolving,” explains Suden. “Moving forward, I don’t see the legal landscape moving back towards fully physical hearings. I have both a home office and a traditional office space. For simpler hearings, I conduct them from my home office to save travel time, especially for early morning engagements. For more complex hearings where I require support from my colleagues, we utilise our office, which includes a dedicated virtual courtroom equipped with video-conferencing capabilities,” Amit adds further.
Whether collaborating on a contract or reviewing documents related to breach of contract disputes, he believes that all tasks can and should be accomplished through telephone or video conferencing. Technology empowers him to offer clients cost-effective rates, unlike larger firms burdened with expensive and, in his opinion, the unnecessary overhead associated with luxurious office spaces.
“Lawyers must acknowledge that the legal landscape is shifting from in-person to digital engagement. Our offices are fully agile spaces where hot-desking is practised, and we give our people the autonomy to work in the way they, their teams and their clients need. For new attorneys, this may not be challenging as they have grown up in an era of cell phones, iPads, and the like,” adds Amit.
Technological Advancements in The Legal World
The pandemic has undoubtedly propelled the legal profession towards significant technological advancements. Lawyers now enjoy enhanced accessibility to courts and clients. Amit believes that in the coming years, solo practitioners and small law firms will emerge as tough competitors to bigger firms in unimaginable ways.
RiarGlobal has built its success on its referral, with a remarkable 90% of its client base comprising satisfied past clients and referrals. “The vast majority of our clients come through referrals and reputation; both are a result of the work we do and the connections we make in the greater and legal communities,” reiterates Amit with pride.
Finding Purpose in Actions, Not Wealth
Amit was imparted a valuable lesson early on in his career by a client, emphasising that money should never be the driving force behind one’s actions. Instead, it should be the outcome and recognition of the positive contributions made, regardless of the payout. Guided by this wisdom, he has embraced a career path centred on this principle, and it has consistently proven to be a sound philosophy.
By adhering to this advice, he finds that decisions that might otherwise be unclear become much clearer and easier to make. He understands that true fulfilment lies not in the pursuit of money, but in the meaningful impact he creates through his actions.
Amit Suden, author of his upcoming book “Advocate to Win,” is currently engaged in a series of keynote presentations to bolster the book’s launch. Additionally, he has received requests to develop an entire curriculum centered around the core competencies of an advocate. Teaching people how to use the tools of a trial attorney to advocate for themselves outside the courtroom is his life’s work and it has always been incredibly exciting to him.
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