Srikant Parthasarathy, General Counsel at Zyeta, brings together an unusually diverse professional foundation spanning law, finance, governance, arbitration and business strategy. A Chartered Accountant, Advocate, General Counsel, Arbitrator and educator, his career has taken him from Mumbai to Singapore, London and Germany before bringing him back to India. With nearly two decades of experience across corporate law, commercial arbitration, M&A, risk management and leadership, his journey reflects the changing expectations of the modern in-house legal professional.

His multidisciplinary journey began with Chartered Accountancy, encouraged by his father, before he pursued his deeper interest in law. Arbitration subsequently became a natural extension of his legal career, with Srikant describing his involvement across numerous arbitration panels internationally. His global experience also shaped his understanding of the differences between legal systems, particularly when he returned to India after working abroad and had to apply his learning to Indian courts and the Indian legal environment.

On The Koffee Conversation Show – The Emerging Lawyer, Srikant makes a compelling distinction between being a legal counsel and becoming a legal advisor. In his view, a General Counsel cannot simply identify the legal provision or point out a compliance problem. The role requires understanding the business, thinking through operational consequences and providing solutions. His example of a poorly performing vendor illustrates the point: terminating a contract may be legally possible, but the business must also consider who will replace the vendor and how continuity will be maintained.

Technology and AI form another important part of his perspective. Srikant believes AI can support legal research, but drafting requires human judgment because lawyers must understand facts, anticipate how a document will perform in court and account for the human dimensions of disputes. His own professional philosophy extends beyond legal practice into public policy, mentoring and thought leadership. From contributing to legal developments and mentoring students to learning humility from senior lawyers, his journey demonstrates a continuing commitment to learning, teaching and understanding law as a profession with wider responsibilities to business and society.

Key Highlights of the Koffee Conversation with Srikant Parthasarathy

• Srikant’s career sits at the intersection of law, finance, governance, arbitration and business strategy.
• His professional journey has taken him from Mumbai to Singapore, London and Germany, before returning to India.
• His return to India became a defining moment as he experienced the differences between Indian and international legal systems.
• Chartered Accountancy became the starting point for his multidisciplinary journey before he pursued his interest in law and arbitration.
• He sees arbitration as an important career opportunity for young lawyers, including opportunities to work as arbitration panel secretaries and gain practical exposure.
• In corporate legal practice, he emphasizes that not every dispute requires a legal solution. Business continuity must also be considered.
• For a modern corporate lawyer, business understanding and commercial awareness are essential alongside technical legal knowledge.
• He describes the evolution from legal counsel to legal advisor as a crucial transformation in the General Counsel role.
• His approach is to bring solutions rather than simply problems to business leadership.
• A major acquisition experience taught him about ownership, responsibility and leadership, after he was entrusted with managing significant aspects of the acquisition process.
• Srikant believes lawyers have a responsibility to contribute to legal thought leadership and public policy, not just day-to-day practice.
• Mentoring students and participating in international moot court competitions gives him a sense of responsibility and humility.
• His experience with senior lawyers taught him the importance of humility, mentorship and passing knowledge to the next generation.
• He sees AI as useful for legal research, while emphasizing that drafting, factual accuracy and understanding the human dimensions of a case require human judgment.
• His advice to young lawyers is to embrace every assignment, whether drafting, research or court work, because experiences that seem unrelated today may become valuable later.

▶️ Watch the full episode on YouTube on The Koffee Conversation Show – The Emerging Lawyer and discover Srikant Parthasarathy’s journey across law, finance, arbitration, corporate leadership and business strategy.

🎧 Listen to the complete podcast on Spotify: The Koffee Conversation Show – The Emerging Lawyer and explore the conversation on the evolving role of General Counsel, AI, arbitration, mentoring and the business of law.