ASHRI ASSOCIATES REDUCING LITIGATION TIME
Advocacy is a skill learned by Practice and hard work. ASHRI ASSOCIATES is a symbol of gratitude of a daughter, Kiran Ashri to her father, Late Sh. S. M. Ashri who was a practicing lawyer at Supreme Court of India. He was the person Kiran Ashri always looked up since her childhood, his sincerity towards his profession is legendary. Kiran Ashri combines Passion with professionalism in her practice as a lawyer with over a decade of standing. While she is passionate about the profession, lawyering in her genes and Advocacy is a skill learnt by practice and hard work.
Our society is still largely burdened with societal stereotypes that stir agonizing harassment among us in the name of courts. Many people stuck in bad marriages choose to part ways without the formalities of a Court decree, for the sheer reason of delay, humiliation, Court routines and they seem endless for years and years of their life. – Advocate Kiran Ashri
Kiran Ashri, a postgraduate in English & Education along with her professional law degree LLB from MDU, Rohtak, represents the next generation of lawyers in her family tree and has taken up the challenge of reducing litigation time taken in the courts. As a person, she is optimistic, her friends are her support system and even for the most difficult of her cases, she feels the angels work for her and God is in her team.
Business Connect: What kind of hindrances came your way, when you started?
Kiran Ashri : Interestingly, we work on providing redressal with a promise of minimum litigation time in Courts thereby avoiding harassment of our clients. Our efficient closing of cases was seen by many as a self-goal. Largely, people have the impression that lawyers linger cases for years on end and here we were talking for early redressal of marital conflicts, it took some time for them to believe that we could achieve it too.
Business Connect: With expertise in a sensitive law vertical, what do you believe makes you more approachable for the client ?
Kiran Ashri : Rather than approachable, I would say we are referable, Our clients can vouch for our ethical practices, hard work and sincerity. We do not judge our clients, rather patiently hear them out and takes their perspective into consideration, this is the secret behind being a successful divorce lawyer.
Business Connect: Divorce is still a taboo in our country, what are your thoughts about it?
Kiran Ashri : A huge percentage of married People are happy being FACEBOOK HAPPY. Unhappy couples live separated lives without the formalities of a Court decree, a lot has to do with the agonizing harassment faced at the Courts. Everyone wishes a life of dignity but the allegations, accusations, running down each other, character assassinations, enveloping entire family members, relatives in litigations is seen as a necessity to secure a contested divorce. Obviously, people avoid being subjected to such routines wasting precious years of their working life.
Business connect : Do you believe in positive competition or competition at all?
Kiran Ashri : Competition is for the insecure, who don’t believe in themselves, those who want to use short cuts to reach some tangible position. There is no race and even if there exists a rat race, end of it whether you win/lose, you are still a rat – there is no race, no competition. You create a niche with your hard work and perseverance, you stay at the top of your game till you do not dilute the quality of your work. Being good is not enough – so be THE BEST at what you do.
Business Connect: Divorce is such a complex issue, personally how much are you in support of it?
Kiran Ashri : Personally, I am neutral about it – we do not promote it. In fact, the biggest challenge for us as a matrimonial lawyer (which popularly people understand as Divorce Lawyer) is to change the perception that we get people divorced. Divorce is a part of the work that we do and not the whole of it. We have given society a lot of happy households also by putting conflicting couples back on rails. Divorce is actually not such a complex issue, it has become complex because we fail to respect the decision of mature spouses who are adults themselves. Secondly, we have grown up watching movie endings, “and they lived happily after…” which does not happen in real life. Thirdly, the time to exit a bad unhappy marriage cannot a decade, the decree loses its meaning especially after spending so many harassing years before mediation centres, police stations, women cell and finally courts. The litigation time in Courts to get a Divorce sometimes is more than the punishments of some crimes under IPC – hence the complexities are more created than should really exist.
Business Connect: What is your opinion about the pace of justice in India?
Kiran Ashri : Snail’s pace. Very slow. The time taken to get/seek a Divorce frustrates the intention/need of it. The washing of dirty linen in open Courts makes spouses bitter about relationships and trust in the institution of marriage is lost.
Business Connect: Have you ever come across a case that left a deep mark on you professionally or personally?
Kiran Ashri : There are quite a few, for reasons of confidentiality, I would not like to discuss them here. I would like to be seen as a neutral person here – neither pro men nor pro-women.
Business Connect: The trends are changing each day, how do you believe you are keeping up?
Kiran Ashri : There is always a lot of reading up that gives the lawyer an edge in the profession. Delegation of work, teamwork, open-minded approach and free flow discussions with associates go a long way in keeping up with changing times. Technology is a boon and clients internationally can discuss their issues face to face and seek a legal opinion.
Business Connect: Why the client would opt you and not go to some other law firm, what do you serve differently?
Kiran Ashri : What we do, we do because it is a passion for us. Clients are quite intelligent, they can see through our genuine and ethical work ethos. Our personal involvement in face to face meeting builds trust in the client that we are a part of their team, we work with them and not for them. A huge clientele is referred clientele through people we have already worked for. Every distressed person is looking for a lawyer who is sincere, respectful and professionally sound and our clients vouch for our values and work. So there is no opting out.
Business Connect: Do you feel a loyal and committed workforce is important for success?
Kiran Ashri : Very much. “I” may be a powerful word to many but to us “I” also stands for isolation, single. Alone you can do this much and as a team, you can do so much. – But it all trickles from the top – a loyal and committed workforce is only an extension of the person they look up to.
Business Connect: What do you feel about the legal scenario of India currently?
Kiran Ashri : The legal system today is choked with the pendency of cases. There may be several reasons for it and shall always remain so, at the end of it, it’s the litigant who trusted the legal system and approached it is suffering. Excuses come with no shelf life. It is time to act, the reasons for vacant posts in judiciary or staff or authorities should be seen as opportunities available to improve/tweak the legal machinery. Secondly, to my mind, laws need to be neutral for both sexes and must be implemented likewise, to be fair to all persons, men or women and any misuse must be dealt with very strongly.
Business Connect: Other than work, what else interests you?
Kiran Ashri : Besides, we also do lectures on gender sensitization and POSH investigations in companies. We extend a lot of help to senior citizens as well. Being a gregarious and an affable person, I like to socialize. As a foodie, I love to catch up with my friends and colleagues in my leisure time. I enjoy travelling and look forward to and now it has become a necessity too, it gives peace to my mind & soul.
Business Connect: Who are the key people at the firm, a little about them?
Kiran Ashri : Every associate, every hand that works in the office is the key people/person – everyone has their own contribution in making ASHRI ASSOCIATES referable and credible. As also we believe that the blessings of my father, elders, wishes of friends, clients we have worked with and for are all to thank for and are key to our success.
Business Connect : What do you feel about the future of the legal system, in this country?
Kiran Ashri : With the changing economic times, advancement of technology, we see an expanded avenue for potential lawyers. Legal entrepreneurship is rising and with the growth of legal professionals, the legal system shall attain immense progressive development.
Business Connect : What advice or learning would you like to share with other entrepreneurs, from your experiences of hard times?
Kiran Ashri : Never Give up. Life will always give us what we know we are worth. It never fails to take us to our own valuation.
“The goal is not to be seen as a success to be achieved by the defeat of anyone else, the higher goal is happiness, so we try to help as many people we can with our skill sets.” KIRAN ASHRI
