When I applied for training contracts (then called articles of clerkship) back in 1989, many major law firms rejected me without an interview. Many of my non-minority-ethnic peers were at least offered an interview. Some firms did not even respond to me. This struck me as odd and was undoubtedly disappointing. Whether that was down to my ethnicity is very hard to say, but my experiences did differ from those of my peers who were not from an ethnic minority background.  

Gautam Bhattacharyya

Those knock-backs did not discourage me, they just made me more determined. They also made me want to make an impact in terms of diversity, equity and inclusion when I was more senior, which I have hopefully been able to do.

I trained at Denton Hall (now Dentons) and qualified there in 1993. I will always be grateful to Virginia Glastonbury, the Denton Hall partner who interviewed me for a training contract in 1989. She could not have been nicer and genuinely wanted to get to know me.   

For me, South Asian Heritage Month is an important time to reflect on those who came before us. History, it has often been said, is more than the path left by the past; it influences the present and can shape the future. The gratitude which those of us of South Asian heritage rightly feel for those who came before us, who made sacrifices, gave us opportunities and paved the way, can never be overestimated.

It was not easy for those of South Asian heritage in the past. Previous generations experienced racism, prejudice, inequality, scepticism, hostility and being reduced to stereotypes. They worked very hard to change those experiences for others, like me, who followed.

I am 54. Growing up in north-west London in the 1970s and 1980s definitely produced its fair share of negative, unpleasant and challenging experiences. Being from an ethnic minority was often difficult.

'Those of us of South Asian heritage can honour previous generations by what we do and stand for'

There will be many just like me who had similar experiences growing up in the UK. None of it was acceptable or justifiable, but my parents never let my sister and I think that the UK was not our home or that we would not be able to thrive here. They set an example which we were blessed to have.

Generations of people of South Asian heritage have contributed hugely and positively to all walks of life in the UK and beyond. Future generations will continue that tradition, drive positive change and further enrich the multi-faceted diversity of the UK which makes our country so great. The debt of gratitude which we owe to those who came before us cannot be repaid, but those of us of South Asian heritage can honour them by what we do and what we stand for.

When I started my training contract in 1991, Shashi Rajani was already a senior partner at another City firm. Although we never met, I was truly inspired to see a lawyer of South Asian heritage working at such a high level in the legal profession at that time, as there were so few of them.

I was an associate in the Denton Hall disputes practice from 1993-1997. The head of the group, Bob Goldspink, was a key mentor and sponsor for me.

I continue to be inspired by lawyers of South Asian heritage. Lord Justice Singh, who embodies intellect, charm and humility, and Bankim Thanki KC, one of the heavyweights at the bar, are true role models. When it comes to promoting greater diversity, equity and inclusion, I think it is essential for all mentors and sponsors to want those they assist to surpass them and not just equal them.  

I am chair of Reed Smith’s India business team. India is a rising economic powerhouse and is set to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2030. It now has the world’s largest population and a rapidly growing middle-class and there are huge business opportunities. The liberalisation of its legal market has been a long time coming and there is certainly plenty of anticipation around this important development.

In terms of our day-to-day India-related work, nothing has changed materially quite yet. Our India business team has been supporting our Indian clients in their outbound business, as well as our clients operating in the country, for quite some time now. So it is business as usual in terms of helping them to continue to capitalise on the vast opportunities presented by the country, and to deal with India-related disputes and investigations.  

 

South Asian Heritage Month runs until 17 August

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