There is a growing demand for international legal supervision as a result of the increasing volume of trade between countries and the concomitant complexity of politics and other cross-border contacts. This indicates a significant demand for lawyers with experience in international law. Today's global economy necessitates the assistance of seasoned cross-border attorneys so that businesses can make the most of the opportunities afforded by worldwide market standards and international legal and transactional documents. Divya Hazra, who was born in India but is now based in China and who formerly worked as a corporate lawyer in both India and the United States, is one such well-known cross-border lawyer.

At the beginning of her career, Divya worked for the top law firms in Mumbai. During this journey, Divya discovered her true calling is corporate law and has committed the rest of her life to it. Following two years of experience at top firms in Bombay, Divya returned to school to earn her Master of Law from Columbia University. She later passed the New York Bar exam. Before returning to India, Divya worked for almost a year in the United States. Then, Divya spent almost two years working for another prominent law firm in India. In 2019, she relocated to Shanghai, where she now runs her own law office under the name Esplora Consulting Law Firm.

Engaging in an exclusive conversation with Women Entrepreneur magazine, Divya spoke about her international experience as a lawyer, as well as, the motivation behind turning into an entrepreneur.

What motivated you to establish Esplora Consulting Law Firm? Tell us about the underlying idea behind the firm and some of its most unique features.

In my early years in India, like in the United States, my primary focus was on mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the private equity sector. The sheer volume of effort needed at a huge Indian corporation is one reason why I adjusted my priorities when I relocated to China. You do not consider the entrepreneurial aspects of the legal profession. However, after relocating to China and being tasked with establishing the office's India desk, I came to see that being a successful lawyer in the modern era requires more than just sitting at a desk and writing briefs. It also necessitates networking and developing your clientele to rise to the top of your field

Since I had already gained experience communicating with and trying to recruit more clients while working in China, I reasoned that I could do the same thing on my own. At that point, I decided to take the leap and give myself the responsibility of running my practice. For this purpose, a Kazakh lawyer friend of mine and I established a firm in China namely Esplora Consulting Law Firm. My experiences dealing with the laws of many jurisdictions during my adventures from India to the United States and back to India, and then to China, have undoubtedly been formative. Moreover, I've had to interact with clients from all over the world. To some extent, I credit that experience with giving me the self-assurance and visibility to pursue my current line of work.

What are some of the most pressing challenges that you encounter as a corporate lawyer? How do you successfully mitigate these challenges?

Because China is a civil law country, I find the language barrier and the varied perspectives of its citizens to be particularly challenging while trying to practice law here. Consequently, individuals tend to adhere to whatever is stated in the legislation and do not look outside the box. As a lawyer who practices in a common law jurisdiction, I can attest to the fact that my clients and I view the world rather differently. One of the difficulties in doing business in China was learning how the Chinese legal system and market functioned independently. But I believe I've been able to overcome them by practicing law in China and gaining ground knowledge by working on various projects and transactions.

“I see a shift happening in the legal sector with the advent of AI and several other software that is helping to lighten the load of practicing attorneys”

How do you foresee the global corporate law landscape evolving in the near future? Which industry trends will be the most impactful going forward?

I see a shift happening in the legal sector with the advent of AI and several other software that is helping to lighten the load of practicing attorneys. Although I agree that this is the way of the future, I also believe that lawyers will always be necessary due to the unique insight they provide into their clients' situations. To be able to incorporate that knowledge into the deeds we prepare for our clients or the way we handle their other legal matters is invaluable. I see a clear trend toward the inclusion of technological advancements in the future as useful tools for lawyers. Data privacy and technology, such as regulations about information technology, are another area I anticipate will grow in importance as our more digitalized world continues to transform every aspect of society. The future will look something like that, in my opinion.

Divya Hazra, Co-Founder, Esplora Consulting Law Firm

Divya practices international corporate law from her headquarters in Shanghai. Divya has spent the last seven years working in three different countries (India, the United States, and China) and is an expert in assisting both big and medium-sized companies as well as private equity funds on cross-border mergers and acquisitions. She is admitted to practice law in both India and New York.