#YWInsiderTalk - Vol. 18

This week on #YWInsiderTalk

Aakanksha Nehra speaks with Yellow Wire Consulting about the art of balancing firmness with empathy in dispute resolution, where transparent client communication builds trust and opens unexpected possibilities.

Aakanksha is a Partner at PSL Advocates & Solicitors, bringing 13 years of diverse experience spanning Dispute Resolution, Corporate Commercial, Insolvency & Bankruptcy and Matrimonial matters.

Click on the link to know more: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/yellowwireconsulting_aakansha-nehra-ywinsidertalk-vol-18-activity-7371046136414998528-zmjh

YW: How do you navigate communication, perception and interpersonal dynamics in dispute resolution?

AAKANKSHA: Dispute resolution itself comprises of an initial stage of setting forth one party’s demand, in its extreme version possible and then navigating it, to its final phase, when parties reach a position of negotiating and thereby endeavouring to reach a middle path. It is this last phase of a legal proceeding that enables the disputes to get resolved. In this, the key task at hand remains the need to have a transparent exchange with the client about the legal entitlement of the relief being sought or expected. Upon having that clear conversation, it enables the relationship between the attorney and client, to have a clear boundary of expectations surrounding the dispute resolution. This also enables the client to have a perspective on the genesis of the dispute and ultimate achievable goal from the legal dispute.

This creates an environment of trust, which lowers resistance and opens options no one initially thought possible. Yet, I balance firmness with empathy so that parties feel acknowledged rather than bulldozed and enable honest conversation about the issues, to not let the client lose hope or faith in the viability of the process.

Beyond the negotiation table, I stay connected through regular check-ins, clear drafts, and realistic options. Clients often remember how they were treated just as much as they recall the outcome. Sustainable compliance, in my view, arises when human dynamics are harmonized alongside the legal ones.

YW: Litigation can be demanding. What approaches have helped you balance high standards with supporting younger lawyers in their professional growth?

AAKANKSHA: Litigation at PSL is not only our craft, it is the engine driven by a shared passion for the law that sharpens our lawyers into resilient and capable professionals.

We channel that passion by setting clear standards and breaking them into manageable, well-defined tasks. Associates are given real ownership of specific work streams, with clear outcomes and review points to guide them. After each hearing, we hold candid debriefs that highlight what should be repeated and what must be refined. Commission of every error is followed with a discussion on the alternative possibilities of action/ reaction that could have possibly avoided that error to have occurred.

Ultimately, it is the passion for law, combined with personal mentoring, that transforms daily rigor into long-term professional strength.

Aakansha Nehra - #YWInsiderTalk Vol. 18

Download 18 • 725KB