How Independent Mothers Can Do Wonders in Society

 “I kept my baby in parking slots to avoid any gap in my court practice post childbirth ”, explained India’s Leading Financial Crime Defence Lawyer Dr Kshitija Wadatkar.

We had a brief conversation with Kshitija about Recently she is appointed as an Independent Director on two prestigious publicly listed companies of India like Finolex Cables and Man-Infra who have an International presence and Brand name. Our team asked a few questions about her inspirational journey;

Tell us about your journey and how you managed to wear so many feathers in one hat.

" I believe every woman who multitasks all her life is an entrepreneur and a leader too. One can't excel in her career if she lacks any one of them. I can say so as I came to Mumbai 15 years back in time as a first generation lady lawyer with just one suitcase ....”It was my dream to Practise at the Principal Bench of the Bombay High Court. I was an Outstanding Student of Nagpur University but as I had no reference, I needed to start my journey in Mumbai with a merged salary of Rs.5000 . It took me two years to get selected for a top-tier law firm whereby I got extensive experience of working for eminent corporate houses in the country. After six years of working in top-tier law firms, Kshitija decided to take a big leap of faith and launch her own law firm in 2015. However, managing motherhood and starting an organization wasn't easy, and sometimes she had to keep her baby in the parking lot for hours. She also wanted to give a chance to all the female lawyers who had come from small towns with courage. Now, Kshitija is proud to say that she is the first female-run and female-led Whitle Colar Crimes Law Firm in India.

Could you share your personal experience regarding the struggles faced by women lawyers in India when it comes to maternity?

She positively replied that in comparison with some of the developed countries, India’s new amendment to the Maternity Benefit Act is one of the most progressive laws in the world. The Act allows for 26 weeks of mandatory paid leave, whereas countries like the USA allow for 12 weeks approximately with no pay. France permits 16 weeks, Italy permits about 21 weeks, and Germany and Japan permit 14 weeks. The only issue is it doesn’t cover small law firms with below 50 lawyers. The mid-sized firms are major job givers to lawyers. “Ground reality is far harsh for women lawyers”- opined Dr.Kshitija. She added that recent research by Rainmaker published in the Times explained that Women working with law firms appeared to be worst affected, with 75% saying that a maternity break adversely affected their career, followed by women in litigation or court practice. The very reason most women are opting for corporate positions is to balance work and family.

Dr. Kshitija is attuned to elevating Human-Rights in India. She is a well-known face for her pro bono cases for underprivileged women and children. She routinely receives invitations to give expert talks on Human Rights, Constitutional law , Women’s legislation and woman empowerment at prestigious universities across the nation as a result of her legal awareness of women. For her exceptional views on the interpretation of constitutional law, white-collar crime and Human Rights, she's a prominent figure in national news channels.

Dr Kshitija's a PhD holder in Constitutional Law and Human Rights. In 2023, India Today named her as one of the top eight emerging female Indians in the country. We wish her luck in making an excellent contribution to society.