Waymaker Wednesday: Women in LegalTech – Meet Nishi Yadav

This week, we’re spotlighting Nishi Yadav, a legal professional working at the intersection of law, policy, and technology within India’s public systems. With a career that began in litigation and evolved into policy design, legal process transformation, and government advisory, Nishi brings deep insight into how law operates within state machinery and judicial institutions.

Currently working as a Consultant (Law & Government – Processes & Partnerships) at IIT Kanpur, Nishi is involved in designing AI-enabled legal-tech interventions, studying eCourts and e-filing systems, and shaping ethical data protection frameworks for public governance. Her work spans collaborations with multiple government departments, including the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Department of School Education and Literacy (This includes work with the Government of Jharkhand and other state governments.), where she has led policy transformation, managed large-scale litigation, and driven digitisation efforts across states.

Through her experience working closely with Indian bureaucracy, judicial offices, and think tanks, Nishi represents a powerful example of how legal expertise, policy thinking, and technology can come together to strengthen public systems and enable meaningful institutional change.

Here’s a peek into her world:

1. What inspired you to join the Women in LegalTech community?

Both the legal and technology worlds have traditionally been male-dominated spaces. Today, however, we are seeing women not just entering these fields but creating space and shaping systems, from the legal leadership of Fatou Bensouda, Usha Ramanathan, and Vrinda Grover, to tech leaders like Sunita Verma and Melanie Perkins. The intersection of law and technology remains especially challenging for women to navigate and even harder to find community within. The Women in LegalTech Community stands out as a close-knit, purpose-driven platform that enables women to learn from each other, grow together, and collectively shape the future of legal-tech systems. It transforms individual journeys into a shared movement—and that is what makes it truly powerful.

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2. If you could solve one problem in the legal world (or beyond) with technology, what would it be?

India’s scale and diversity pose a fundamental challenge to equity. In many parts of the country, especially hilly, mountainous, and tribal regions, connectivity drops sharply just a few kilometres outside state capitals. Limited access to networks, information, and institutions directly translates into unequal access to justice and public services. If technology could meaningfully reach these last-mile geographies, it could become a powerful equaliser. I would want technology to bridge this gap, reducing distance, improving access, and ensuring that geography does not determine one’s rights, opportunities, or voice.

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3. What’s one book, podcast, or resource that’s made a big impact on how you think about work or life?

One of the most profound influences in my life has been my graduation professor, Mr. Harish Dhawan from Delhi University. He taught almost the entire curriculum, not formally, but because he was so accessible and committed. Beyond subjects, he taught me how to question, think critically, and synthesise information. He introduced me to multiple systems, legal, governmental, and social, and showed me how they intersect in real life. Watching him work selflessly for those who needed help deeply shaped my worldview and inspired my interest in working with governments. Equally influential has been my father, who pushed me towards understanding government systems. Together, these influences shaped both my thinking and my professional path.

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4. Outside of work, what’s something you’re passionate about or love spending time on?

I genuinely enjoy doing “nothing.” A Harvard Business Review podcast once described boredom and stillness as the default human state and that resonated deeply with me. It helped me see value in slowing down. At the same time, I love travelling to remote and hard-to-reach villages across India. Spending time with tribal communities, learning new cultures, and observing life outside formal systems has shaped my perspective. These experiences ground my work and, in many ways, have shaped the person I am today.

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5. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received as a woman in your career journey?

Problems will always exist in different forms and at different stages. What defines us, both professionally and personally, is our ability to focus on solutions. Developing a mindset that looks beyond obstacles and works steadily towards resolving them ultimately determines the direction of one’s journey.

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6. If you weren’t working in law/legaltech, what’s another path you could totally see yourself in?

My journey has been anything but linear, from biology student to PCM student, economics, law, and eventually legal-tech within public systems. Looking back, it feels less like I chose this path and more like it chose me. I can’t realistically imagine doing anything else. That said, if I were to explore something entirely different, it would be my artistic side and I might have been a singer.

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Nishi’s work reflects how law, policy, and technology can come together to create real impact within public systems. Her journey is a reminder that LegalTech isn’t just about tools — it’s about transforming how justice and governance work on the ground.

Are you a woman shaping the future of legal tech? We’d love to hear your story. Our Women in LegalTech community is a space to connect, inspire, and spark conversations that matter. Click here to join and be part of the movement.