AZB senior partner Ashwin Ramanathan leaves ‘nervous but excited’ to become an entrepreneur

Tuesday, 18 December 2018 By Legally India Law firms

Ashwin Ramanathan: Leaves with a bit of DNA of AZB

AZB & Partners senior partner Ashwin Ramanathan, who has been with the firm since 2004, will resign by 1 January 2019 to become an entrepreneur.

The 2000 NLSIU Bangalore graduate, who had started his career at ICICI Bank for four years before moving to AZB, told us that he would be starting a non-law-related business with someone else in the New Year, though he declined to go into details about the exact vertical for now.

“I think it’s going to be tough, it’s going to be a challenge,” he said, about the move from lawyer to client. “I am looking forward to it, but I am nervous as well. Nervous and excited.”

“I have mixed feelings,” he added. “I’m leaving very happy and very satisfied, but emotionally I’m a little sad.”

Managing partner Zia Mody said in a statement: “For us, Ashwin had been part of our core AZB fabric. With us for over 14 years, Ashwin is part of our DNA. As we are part of his. We wish Ashwin every success. We will miss him. Very much. But have no doubt our association and bond with him will continue. We thank Ashwin for all the valuable contribution he has made whilst at AZB.”

Ramanathan added in a statement: “I couldn’t have asked for a better experience over the past 14 years. AZB is truly responsible for my development over this period, both professionally and personally, for which I shall be ever grateful. Even as I look forward to the next chapter of my life, I carry tremendous affection and appreciation for all of my AZB family.”

Comments

charandas 18 Dec 2018, 14:08

+26 -2

such a love story. Kian when is the sequel coming out?

Hawk-Eye 18 Dec 2018, 14:54

+0 -0

Typo alert: Should be 1 January 2019.

kianganz 18 Dec 2018, 15:29

+4 -1

Thanks Hawk-Eye, due apologies, all chastisements accepted :)

Typo Nazi 18 Dec 2018, 15:12

+3 -2

I think he shall resign on January 01, 2019.

hanuman 18 Dec 2018, 15:18

+13 -3

wow. seems like a business zia has invested in. good for ramu- he is a decent guy who has come up the right way.

Takeaway 18 Dec 2018, 15:19

+15 -1

14 years in an undisputed leading firm - I have just two thoughts on this: (i) is being a senior partner in a tier 1 firm not lucrative enough for someone to think about an alternative career / business? or (ii) is it the stress that gets to you and reaches a point that you just don't care?

Name and Alias 18 Dec 2018, 15:32

+16 -1

I doubt it is the first. I think boredom is also a factor. I keep fantasizing about doing something else, just because corporate law gets monotonous.

The SNAKE 18 Dec 2018, 15:37

+22 -4

A man needs to live. Zia might be a good paymaster, but money stops mattering after sometime.

Blah 19 Dec 2018, 04:38

+18 -12

If you knew Ashwin, you'd know it wasn't either. By far, one of the best AZB partners and an extremely nice and humble human being. All the best for what's next Ashwin!

AZB 20 Dec 2018, 10:37

+1 -5

@Takeaway my thoughts to yours:

(i) is being a senior partner in a tier 1 firm not lucrative enough for someone to think about an alternative career / business?

No its absolutely not! Specially being in Tier 1 you realise how insignificant we are compared to the business side where all the money is. So we end up representing people for whom we are just poor vendors and this tends to eat up insides day in day out. This question itself reveals that the querist is a junior lawyer/law student and its great that such questions are raised.

or (ii) is it the stress that gets to you and reaches a point that you just don't care?

close to two decades in the profession, 14 years at AZB, dont think stress has anything to do with this. My humble opinion, its simple ROE, we start expecting much larger piece of pie after years of slog and value add to businesses

Takeaway 20 Dec 2018, 14:47

+1 -0

Thanks! Much appreciated.

True 24 Dec 2018, 06:12

I completely agree. Specially, point (i).

Guest 18 Dec 2018, 15:30

+8 -0

Who s next ? Psy?

FTroop 18 Dec 2018, 16:03

+2 -1

Does this rhyme with one of SPs in mumbai office :p?

Not worth it 18 Dec 2018, 16:04

+40 -3

The Partnership tag is all fancy and all but it comes at a cost. Not only you end up working late everyday, you also carry billing stress and end up biting more than you can chew. The Indian law firm set up is very unhealthy, with 0 work life balance except for a few teams/ lawyers. Law firms have themselves made clients used to unrealistic deadlines in their zest to retain/get clientele. As a consequence, most partners by the time they finish 10-12 year end up feeling burnt out. So we shouldn't we surprised if someone who has made enough money and hasn't got too many liabilities, stepping out the moment they see opportunity.

Minor disagreement 21 Dec 2018, 07:01

+1 -3

Agree to most of this. However, wouldn't say its true that it is the law firms that have created the culture of unrealistic deadlines. That tends to flow largely from the investment bankers running the transactions law firms work on. The bankers have essentially engendered a culture of unnecessary competition, practically for its own sake, and that has affected all service providers in their wake. Law firm partners may agree to unrealistic deadlines from clients in their initial days of working together in order to make an impression, but it isn't something they actively desire or something they would want persisting.

Ping 18 Dec 2018, 16:50

+24 -16

One of the finest partners in Bombay Office and a superb human being... Will be missed a lot...

Guest 18 Dec 2018, 17:50

+22 -1

Zia just loves this word DNA, has used it for almost every one being promoted or leaving on good terms... Just what does she mean by it?

Delhi people dont seem to be sharing any strand of this Mumbai DNA..

Aramu 19 Dec 2018, 04:52

+18 -7

What? No comments on how good A is as a lawyer. Platitudes about loyalty not competence. Is it because the old A who is leaving was replaced by the new A. Heard many more exits in the pipeline. All in A day’s work or shall we say A game of Thrones?!

Ping 19 Dec 2018, 13:54

+5 -15

Anyone who knows Ashwin know how great a lawyer he is... what sets him apart is his attitude and wonderful nature... btw, the statements on New A is becoming as boring as rafale.... :)

Curios 19 Dec 2018, 12:09

+8 -10

Is this the longest thread where with, let's say minimum 15 comments, not a single comment has a downvote? Must be a wonderful person then!

Technical Errors 19 Dec 2018, 13:18

+6 -4

I tried to downvote some of the comments (including yours), because I have a different opinion. Due to some technical error, all my "Object" votes are registering as "Likes".

Guest 19 Dec 2018, 13:45

+6 -2

That's just Kian doing his bit to spread some positive festive cheer before Christmas.

Ping 19 Dec 2018, 13:49

+3 -1

This is like the EVM theory... are you from congress ?

kianganz 19 Dec 2018, 13:49

+1 -4

Haha, that's quite hilarious. Thanks for pointing out - we've been revamping our comments tech a little bit, and an unintended side feature (read bug) seems to have been that everyone is super nice and not downvoting anything :)

Have now corrected, comments can be downvotable again.

Regular commenters, please also note, we've improved our GIF search engine for comments, and the 'refresh comments' button now works properly and will load the latest comments without having to refresh the page.

If you have any other requests for improvements or features, please let me know.

Darkseid 19 Dec 2018, 16:49

+0 -1

Kian, another side effect seems to be that earlier if I clicked on a comment visible on the Home page directly below the post, the post would have opened with that comment directly on the screen first. But now it is just opening at the beginning of all comments to that post. For posts having 80-90 plus comments, it can be a bit problematic to search for that comment and context. I agree that the chronological sorting can bring one to the comment, but not the one it is perhaps responding to. Hope I've been able to explain the issue to you.

kianganz 19 Dec 2018, 19:41

+0 -2

Thank you so much, crystal clear :) Link through from homepage should now be working again.

Any other bugs or irks with LI website, please do let me know any time...

Chomo 20 Dec 2018, 07:51

+4 -8

Cyril sends his regards

Khajurao ki Moorti 21 Dec 2018, 01:50

+23 -9

Cyril sends his regards... After asking Vandana if it's okay to do so.

There! Now the statement makes sense.

Not allowed 23 Dec 2018, 04:12

+2 -0

Madam not allowing

Only Sai to go 21 Dec 2018, 08:13

+5 -2

Post Sai's exit, whenever it happens, AZB Mumbai may as well rebrand to "Ashwath Amarchand Mangaldas"

Saixit 21 Dec 2018, 11:52

Saixit...!! Reportedly, he’s very happy at AZB - so Saixit and rebranding isn’t happening buddy.

Only Sai to go 22 Dec 2018, 08:16

+11 -2

How many thought Abhijit, Essa, Kalpana, Shuva and Ashwin would leave in a span of four years? That's just the senior partner list!

Galat baat 2 Jan 2019, 12:25

Not all of them can be put in the same category.
Abhijit left to start his own venture - this can't be just for more money or less performance pressure. Stress levels associated with starting something on your own and make sure that you stay afloat is not easy, especially when you have been seen as a star, is huge (compare Tendulkar with sanjay manjrekar).
Essa's exit was due to personal reasons.
Shuva's move from AZB to SAM and then to Tata seems to be to get more limelight and then to get freedom from revenue targets and (more importantly) running away from doing jee-hazuuri to any madam, saheb / heir apparent anynore.

Cap markets 21 Dec 2018, 08:27

+4 -5

Why no comments.He is easily a top 10 transactional lawyer in India.I guess people only care about firm rivalries.

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