Aparna Watal: 'Stop paying lip service to work-life balance'

The last year has been action packed for me at Halfords IP with a number of accomplishments. I’d say my proudest accomplishment has been helping a client navigate the complexities of taking their brand global. They were scaling rapidly across multiple markets, and we worked closely to develop an international trade mark strategy that protected their core brand, locked in key jurisdictions, and anticipated enforcement issues before they became problems.

There’s something incredibly rewarding about being part of a business’s growth story, especially when you’re helping them secure the legal foundations to expand with confidence. It’s what I love most about this work: being a trusted advisor, not just a technician.

What should the profession focus more on?

We need to stop paying lip service to work-life balance and actually restructure the way we work. You can’t tell someone to "set boundaries" when their bonus and next promotion depends on billable hours that leave no space for life. It’s not fair to ask lawyers to figure out how to be superhuman, juggling client demands, firm targets, and family, without changing the system that created that tension in the first place.

We need to start designing sustainable ways of working, and we have a golden opportunity to do that now. With AI tools coming in, if used responsibly, they can reduce the grunt work and make legal practice more human again, not less. But that shift has to be intentional and ethical.

What challenges are particularly pressing in the country’s legal industry?

Cost pressures on legal services continue to be a major issue. Affordability of legal services is a concern, especially for small businesses, creatives, and indigenous organisations. I work in trade marks, and I can’t count how many clients come to me after they’ve accidentally misfiled their application in the wrong name or for the wrong specification or started use without doing proper checks. These are all legal landmines and people are risking them more and more because the cost of early advice felt too high. At Halfords IP, we’re acutely aware of that challenge, and we’re constantly exploring new approaches to deliver strategic, high-quality advice in a way that’s affordable and client-friendly.

Another challenge is talent retention, especially of women and diverse lawyers. The pipeline leaks at every stage. Too often we see incredible talent burn out, check out, or quietly leave profession or private practice because they don’t see a sustainable path forward. It’s not just about mentorship, it’s about making space at the top and changing what leadership looks like. We need to reward empathy, creativity, and collaboration just as much as we reward rainmaking.

What are your thoughts on new technology and its impact on the legal profession?

Technology, and AI in particular, is shaking up the legal world in a big way. I see it as a huge and positive opportunity. Done right, tech can free lawyers from the mundane tasks so they can focus on the meaningful. I see tech amplifying good lawyering, not replacing it. Our real value is and will always be in judgment, creativity, and empathy - the things that you can’t download (not yet, anyway!).

What are you looking forward to the most in the coming year?

I’m excited about building deeper, more meaningful collaborations across borders, industries, and cultures. There’s a real appetite right now for legal professionals who understand the human context behind the rules, especially when it comes to things like ethical branding.

I’m also looking forward to being braver and saying yes to things that scare me a little, like launching my big ideas, or stepping into new leadership roles. And honestly, I’m looking forward to showing my daughters that you can dream big, work hard, and still be present at bedtime. That is what success means to me right now.