Inside India’s Legal Ecosystem: The First-Generation Lawyers Challenging the Status Quo

India’s legal entrepreneurial ecosystem is one of the oldest in the world, and today, the Indian legal system stands out as one of the most unique globally. It comprises some of the most complex yet plain and accessible statutes, designed to effectuate the rights and duties not only of Indian citizens but also of persons residing in India.

Some of the country’s brightest minds found their calling in the legal sector, figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, Cornelia Sorabji, and many others. Their legacy is now being carried forward by modern practitioners. Among the prominent names in this space is Saxenas and Kumar Law Chambers LLP, whose capabilities have established it as one of India’s leading legal consultancies, known for its profound experience and thought leadership across a comprehensive range of legal disciplines.

Initiation

Saxenas and Kumar Law Chambers was established by three partners, Abhinav Saxena, Abhishek Saxena, and Navaneet Kumar, in 2009, when the trio began practising law and gradually built a reputation for research driven, client focused legal services. The partners brought strong and complementary specialisations across litigation, corporate advisory, and dispute resolution. Their shared vision led them towards cross domain exposure and the eventual establishment of Saxenas and Kumar Law Chambers.

The founding partners collectively hold over 15 years of legal experience, spanning courts, tribunals, quasi judicial bodies, and corporate advisory mandates.

Over the last decade, the partners have established themselves as leading practitioners in NCLT and insolvency matters, arbitration, mediation and conciliation, startup advisory, MSME law matters, as well as domestic violence and family law cases. From IBC litigation, shareholder disputes, Section 498A and matrimonial disputes to fundraising documentation, compliance structuring, recovery actions, contractual disputes, complete contract management, and due diligence, Saxenas and Kumar Law Chambers has positioned itself as one of the most credible legal firms in India, gaining steady prominence.

“Our vision is to build a modern, tech savvy law firm model that delivers the efficiency of a structured firm with the accessibility and personal attention of a traditional practice,” says Abhinav Saxena, one of the co founders of Saxenas and Kumar Law Chambers. “Over time, we expanded the practice by integrating litigation, transactional advisory, and strategic legal consulting under one umbrella,” he adds.

Distinguishing Factors

One of the major reasons behind the rise of Saxenas and Kumar Law Chambers is the firm’s outreach in small and emerging cities. India’s vast size, combined with the complexities of legal matters beyond urban centres or tier one cities, often makes it stressful to engage inter state legal services. Saxenas and Kumar Law Chambers has addressed this gap in a streamlined manner by introducing legal and paralegal services in tier two and tier three cities.

“We identified this problem early on, and over the last decade, we have established a combination of branch offices and a network of associate advocates, allowing us to operate beyond major metros and address legal needs in hinterland regions across India,” Abhinav says. He adds, “This model has enabled consistent handling of matters across smaller cities where many full service firms do not maintain a physical or operational presence. It has also bolstered access to professional legal support for individuals, MSMEs, private entities, and regional businesses across multiple states.”

This business model has also emerged as one of the most crucial contributors to onboarding major corporate and government clients. “Our clientele includes Maharatna public sector enterprises and several government owned companies, with BHEL Bhopal being a notable example,” Abhinav reveals. At present, Saxenas and Kumar Law Chambers also extends legal advisory services to several publicly listed companies and global organisations such as Altius Telecom Infrastructure and Elevar Digitel Infrastructure, including their Gujarat, Karnataka, and Kerala offices. The firm also advises multiple private sector entities on litigation and advisory matters across states, covering commercial disputes, MSME matters, contracts, and sector specific compliances.

The firm’s complex operations are led by its partners, whose diverse capabilities position it well across multiple practice areas. Abhinav Saxena has built a strong practice in the startup and MSME domains, offering mentorship, advisory support, and structuring services to early stage companies. Abhishek Saxena specialises in arbitration, handling commercial disputes, contractual matters, institutional arbitration proceedings, ADRs, and immigration consultancies. Navaneet Kumar, meanwhile, is an experienced POSH trainer and specialises in matrimonial disputes, real estate disputes, and criminal and commercial law, bringing sector specific knowledge and compliance focused expertise.

This distribution of expertise has helped the firm develop a multidisciplinary approach while maintaining depth across each key practice area.

Accomplishing Success

In India, the legal sector is often perceived as an ecosystem where generational legacy plays a crucial role. However, Saxenas and Kumar Law Chambers has not only challenged this status quo but transformed it by establishing a full service firm as first generation lawyers. Its consistent work and ethical approach have led to a credible standing, enabling expansion into multiple practice areas and the ability to attract and retain a diverse client base.

“We also engage with national level institutions such as GNLU and the University of Delhi, along with numerous private sector entities,” Abhinav shares. The firm has been involved in several important cases, including a notable GST matter before the Patna High Court, which strengthened its profile in tax and constitutional litigation. He also highlights a significant MSMED matter under writ jurisdiction before the Telangana High Court at Hyderabad, which not only added to the firm’s achievements but also served as an important precedent for the public at large.

In addition, the firm has handled several notable matters before the NCLT and the DRT, further strengthening its experience in corporate insolvency, restructuring, and debt recovery proceedings.

Beyond commercial practice, the firm contributes meaningfully to social welfare and public empowerment by taking up matters that advance social rights, support vulnerable groups, and promote awareness of legal remedies in underserved communities. “A major part of our identity lies in our dedication to pro bono work. Free legal aid is provided to individuals who cannot afford representation, particularly in matters involving domestic violence, family issues, labour concerns, and local community grievances,” Saxena notes.

Overcoming Challenges

As first generation lawyers, the partners at Saxenas and Kumar Law Chambers did not have inherited chambers, established clients, or a generational background in the profession. “During our initial years, we invested considerable time in understanding court processes, building credibility from scratch, and navigating the realities of the profession through entirely self driven learning,” Abhinav recalls. “We also lacked financial cushioning, so every professional decision carried long term consequences,” he adds.

Despite these challenges, the trio consistently delivered ethical work and built long term relationships. Since advertising legal services is not permitted, the firm’s growth depended entirely on word of mouth and the quality of outcomes. Their reputation, therefore, was hard earned and entirely credible. “Earning a reputation was difficult, but sustaining it was even harder. We invested significant time in constant upskilling, handling matters diligently across jurisdictions, and maintaining reliability even during high workload phases,” Abhinav says.

The Latest Industry Trends

The legal ecosystem is witnessing considerable change due to multiple factors, ranging from technology to compliance. Artificial Intelligence has emerged as a major catalyst, leading to new standards of accountability. “This represents a more proactive way of operating,” Abhinav explains. “We work with multispecialty hospital chains where robot assisted surgeries are becoming common. This raises questions of liability, whether responsibility lies with the surgeon, the hospital, the manufacturer, or the software developer,” he says. “This has opened up an entirely new branch of medical negligence jurisprudence.”

Additionally, as automation spreads across manufacturing, logistics, and essential services, the legal system is adapting to determine fault, negligence, and product responsibility in scenarios where both humans and machines jointly contribute to outcomes.

Another evolving area is the expansion of satellite based services and the changing nature of space law frameworks. With satellite technology increasingly used for surveillance, agriculture, logistics, environmental monitoring, and round the clock security, the need for a clearer regulatory structure has become evident. “India’s space law regime is being shaped through new laws and policy discussions aimed at governing private participation, technological limits, and interaction with existing organisations such as ISRO,” Abhinav explains.

India’s space technology startups also operate in a regulatory environment that is still evolving. “Areas of concern include licensing, data ownership, frequency allocation, orbital debris responsibility, and international compliance,” he points out. Firms capable of engaging with emerging industries, interpreting new space laws, and advising technology driven entities are therefore well positioned to handle disputes and compliance matters that are likely to become increasingly common.

Advice for Emerging and Young Industry Peers

The legal ecosystem in India is witnessing a significant rise in young talent, and Abhinav Saxena believes that aspiring lawyers must begin building their professional identity from the very first year. “Developing a legal career begins much earlier than most people realise,” he remarks. “Internships, court exposure, participation in legal work, and learning from seniors from the first year itself help create a foundation for long term growth.”

He also emphasises the importance of punctuality, disciplined research, a strong work ethic, and reliability, noting that these habits often become key differentiators in a legal career.

Saxena further advises young professionals to focus on client communication, smart work, and strong drafting skills. Staying updated on legal and economic developments is equally critical. “Developing an understanding of different fields and integrating that knowledge with law enables young practitioners to analyse matters more deeply, adapt to new areas, and handle complex cases confidently as the profession continues to evolve,” he concludes.