An interview with Parveen Mahtani, Chief Legal Officer at Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd in India.
How would you describe the state of the GC Community in your region?
When I first transitioned in-house, General Counsel were often viewed as risk-spotters – essentially the ‘no department.’ Today, we’re finally being seen for what we truly are: strategic enablers and business architects. The GC community in India has matured into a confident, collaborative force. We are no longer whispering legal caution from the corner – we’re seated at the strategy table, balancing commercial ambition with ethical grounding.
What’s most exciting is the rise of diverse leadership within this community, especially women GCs who bring not only legal acumen but also empathy, resilience, and bold decision-making. We’ve moved from being silent sentinels to becoming the conscience keepers of our organisations – without losing our human touch.
Why is expanding your network important to you?
Legal leadership can be lonely, but it doesn’t have to be.
Expanding my network isn’t about collecting contacts; it’s about building a circle of shared wisdom. As a woman GC, I’ve seen how peer conversations can spark clarity, challenge bias, or even restore courage on difficult days. My network reminds me that no legal issue is unsolvable – and no career path is walked alone.
A strong network means I have access not only to diverse viewpoints, but to people who’ve walked the hard paths before me. And as someone who’s benefited from those ahead of me, I feel responsible to pay it forward. In this profession, we rise by lifting each other – and that begins with showing up for one another.
What do you want to achieve by collaborating with other GCs and senior in-house lawyers?
Collaboration is where solitary wisdom becomes collective power.
When GCs and senior in-house lawyers come together, we shift the legal ecosystem. I collaborate not just to exchange ideas, but to co-create stronger norms, better standards, and more empathetic leadership models. Together, we can address grey areas the law hasn’t caught up with, or shape policy dialogue that individual voices can’t.
Personally, I want to mentor, be mentored, and push boundaries – not just legal ones, but cultural ones too. Whether it’s by championing sustainability clauses, ethical tech, or inclusive workplaces, we’re writing the future of corporate India – one collaboration at a time.
