The legal industry has faced a significant change in recent years, which has impacted the delivery of legal services and market practice all against a backdrop of unprecedented political uncertainty. Lawyers no longer have a monopoly on the law. The legal market place is changing, and patrons can seek legal assistance from a growing number of non-lawyer professionals including paralegal technicians, legal document preparers, legal self-help sites, virtual assistants and offshore legal vendors. These new options enable bringing affordable legal services to disadvantaged population and empower citizens to address their own legal matters. As the cost of legal services continues to rise, new legal firms will continue to emerge and gain momentum in the coming years. D M Legal Ventures is one of the leading full service law firms in Mumbai, dealing with litigation and non-litigation matters in various Courts and Tribunals of Maharashtra, Delhi, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
D M Legal Ventures was incorporated as a sole proprietorship concern in the year 2015 by Advocate Deepa Mani being the sole Proprietor with the strength of only two junior Associates and a clerk with very few case files in hand. Within a couple of years, the firm has reached a level where various number of cases are in hand. In a short span of time, D M Legal Ventures has gained it’s reputation due to its professional commitments, pro-activeness, transparency and quality work. D M Legal Ventures primarily handle litigation matters, having expertise in Civil, Corporate, Consumer, Labour, Family, Trademark and Copyright, Banking and Finance, Arbitration and Conciliation as well as Criminal matters (cases relating to forgery, cheating, cheque bouncing, domestic violence, bail applications, amongst others). Further, the firm also handles documentation work/non-litigation matters.
The factor that differentiates the firm from that of its counterparts in the market is the strictly followed ethics, sincerity, hard work and commitments. “What makes my firm different is how we offer services to our clients. The guidelines and the confidence given by my former seniors gave me the courage to think about setting up my own firm. While we saw a rough start, as do most startups, I took it up as a challenge, learnt from tough experiences, and kept going. A challenge I face is the long working hours which this field demands. However, having continuous support from my family, I am able to remain motivated and give undivided attention to my work. My family really understand my professional commitments and co-operate as per my schedule, which I am eternally grateful for; without their support, I would not have achieved so much in a short span of time,” pinpoints Deepa.
Expert in the Field
Founder and master pillar of D M Legal Ventures, Deepa Mani has worked with various reputed law firms in Kerala and Mumbai. Her enriched knowledge and expertise have added value to achieve her vision of setting up D M Legal Ventures and further build it into the firm it is today. Deepa Mani has also been appointed as a Notary by the Central Govt., Ministry of Law and Justice. A Certified POSH Trainer (The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal Act, 2013), who facilitates and educates organizations on prevention of sexual harassment of women at workplace. Deepa has also conducted various awareness programmes along with other experts in the field on Self Defense for girls in various schools in Mumbai and also conducts awareness programmes on Protection of Children from Sexual Offences. She is also a regular speaker for Women Empowerment.
The Legal firm has served various clients from both individual and corporate sectors over the years such as Manufacturing Industries, Real Estate and Infrastructure Companies, Chemical Companies, Consultants, Insurance Companies, Banks and Financial Institutions, Logistics Companies are to name a few. “Sincerity is a rare virtue, and it’s truly overwhelming that we’re most appreciated for that one quality, apart from others. The most common feedback or I may say it as a compliment that we get from our clients is about how committed and dedicated we are towards our work. That is the biggest award and recognition we have received from our clients so far and we value the same.” says Deepa Mani, Founder, D M Legal Ventures.
“Additionally, D M Legal Ventures also started dealing with top level corporate clients of the country. This is because of the continuous hard work, commitment, dedication and professionalism which the firm has towards each and every client, may it be individual or corporate. Clients always need promptness and accuracy in work. Adding to that, the % of commitment and the bond or rapport with clients & good results in the matters can build a long term client attorney relationship. A deadline is a deadline and I try to balance both family life and professional life. It’s extremely important to draw a line between the two. Professionally, one has to be dedicated and need to know what he/she wants and how much he/she can deliver.”
The firm has a very conducive and friendly work culture helping the Associates to grow personally and professionally. “We discuss the latest amendments and updates and do mock trials in the office before the court hearings. We also encourage the Associates to do research work that makes them gain knowledge as the motto of the firm is the growth of the Associates as well along with the growth of the firm. The firm allows them to think outside the box each time when a new matter is assigned to them. D M Legal Ventures encourages the junior Associates who are scared to appear before the court and being besides them in court while they appear, gives them confidence and interest to do the matter in a better way. When we win in major matters, it’s party time for all at D M Legal Ventures. Giving tools to the Associates, having faith in them and training and moulding them is really a practical approach to bring a positive environment in the office. I strongly encourage my team of Associates to pursue their passions & hobbies outside of work as it is important for one’s holistic development. I also take time out from my busy schedules for my passion for performing arts – Classical dance & Violin; they energize me. Me and my teen daughter began our dance classes together about few years back & today when we both perform together it’s bliss and fulfilling not only as a mother but also as an individual”, adds Deepa.
“The factors that has contributed towards the growth of the firm is the professional commitments, promptness, sincerity, bonding with clients and following ethics strictly. My goal is to achieve a prominent place in the legal fraternity, which will hopefully be carried forward by my children. Apart from my routine work, I try to focus more on helping women who are facing domestic violence, rape victims and children who are victims of issues like sexual abuse. I also have a plan to set up a NGO for helping senior citizens or abandoned children or rape victims. The client’s feedback encourages us to work without any limitations. The dedication and the professional commitments made them join hands together with us since inception till date. The firm with a positive attitude aspires to increase its clients and revenue in the years to come,” concludes Deepa.
