Legal Era Nov 2017 | Page 51

COVER STORY Describe your journey as a leading woman lawyer? A s Chief Legal Officer, Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited, since 2008, Neera Sharma advises the company on the entire gamut of legal, regulatory and compliance matters. Sound commercial acumen, a strong grip on technical issues, the ability to conduct highly productive meetings while keeping them reasonably brief, the ability to imbibe good leadership qualities, good negotiating and mediating skills, and a problem-solving and proactive approach are some of the endearing qualities that have made Ms Sharma a role model for her colleagues and peers. A true business lawyer, Ms Sharma has a well-rounded legal experience of nearly two decades having worked with leading lights such as DCM Limited, HCL, Idea Cellular Limited, Emaar MGF Land Private Limited, HFCL Infotel, and Dishnet Wireless Limited (Aircel). Ms Sharma has a Bachelor’s degree in law from Punjab University and has completed her MBA in Finance from Amity Business School. She is a founder-member of Indian Corporate Counsel Association. Whenever somebody asks me this question, I go into flashback and relive all my struggling moments and sometimes I wonder how being a small town girl, I came so far, breaking all boundaries, making my own path, empowering myself. Yes, empowering myself, every woman on this earth has immense strength, we all just need to recognize and utilize that. My journey till now has been a roller coaster ride and promises to continue to be exhilarating. Trying to cover a place for oneself in a profession where men outnumber women by far has its own set of challenges and at the end of it, I feel I always empathize more with issues that are unique to women. I hail from Ludhiana Punjab, have done my Law degree from Punjab University, an MBA-Finance from Amity Business School, and also completed a specialized course in Cyber Law & Labour Law from the Indian Law Institute. I have a rich experience of working for medium- sized companies and also, a lot of startu