Waymaker Wednesday: Women in LegalTech – Meet Vaibhavi Khuthia
- Admin ILTN
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
Vaibhavi Khuthia is a lawyer based in Mumbai, specializing in conflict resolution through mediation. She holds a Master’s degree in Mediation and Conflict Resolution from Maharashtra National Law University and currently leads the Mediation wing at Presolv360, a leading Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform in India. In this role, she focuses on helping individuals and organizations find constructive, amicable solutions to their disputes. Alongside practice, she actively contributes to the mediation ecosystem through her writings, op-eds, and as a mediator assessor empanelled with the International ODR Forum.
Vaibhavi is also engaged in academia and capacity building, having delivered guest lectures and talks at institutions such as Jitendra Chauhan College of Law, Jindal Global Law School, Manipal University, and SVKM’s Mastermind Career Fair. She has spoken at forums and seminars including the ODR Forum 2024, Tech Fest 2024 at KVOSJM, and Pravin Gandhi College of Law, addressing themes like emerging trends in dispute resolution, career opportunities in law, and the transformative power of ODR. Her experience extends to specialized sessions, such as engaging with MGP Conciliators on effective co-conciliation techniques under MahaRERA. She also contributes to nurturing future mediators by serving as an assessor for international mediation competitions and teaching the subject of Online Mediation at MNLU Mumbai’s Master’s program in Mediation and Conflict Resolution.
Here’s a peek into her world:
1. What inspired you to join the Women in LegalTech community?
When I began my journey with a LegalTech platform, the entire space was new to me. I came from a legal background, but seeing how technology could work alongside law to make systems more efficient, accessible, and user-friendly was incredibly exciting. I was curious and eager to learn what the integration of law and technology could really achieve.
What drew me to the Women in LegalTech community were the stories of women who are shaping this space in such meaningful ways. Seeing women in leadership roles, building platforms, driving innovation, and contributing to the evolution of the legal profession was deeply inspiring. Their journeys showed me how diverse experiences and perspectives can strengthen this field.
I joined the community to learn from these experiences and to stay inspired by what my peers are achieving. It’s encouraging to see women supporting one another, sharing knowledge, and celebrating progress, not just the big milestones but also the small wins along the way.
For me, the community is a reminder that when women come together to share their journeys, it creates a powerful space for learning, encouragement, and growth.
2. If you could solve one problem in the legal world (or beyond) with technology, what would it be?
If I could solve one problem using technology, it would be improving access to justice by expanding access to technology itself. While we often speak about technology-enabled legal solutions, there is still a large section of society that remains outside this ecosystem simply because they do not have easy access to digital tools or platforms.
From my experience in online dispute resolution, I have seen how technology can bring justice closer to people, sometimes literally to their mobile screens. It can make processes simpler, faster, and less intimidating for individuals who may otherwise feel discouraged from seeking legal remedies.
I believe that when access to technology improves, it naturally creates a domino effect for access to justice. Not every dispute needs to reach the courtroom, and with the right digital tools, many conflicts can be addressed more efficiently through mechanisms like online mediation and dispute resolution platforms.
For me, the goal would be to ensure that these technology-driven solutions reach more people, so that access to justice is not limited by geography, resources, or awareness, but becomes something truly accessible to all.
3. What’s one book, podcast, or resource that’s made a big impact on how you think about work or life?
More than any single resource, I would say my mentors have had the biggest influence on how I think about my work and career. When I was starting out as a lawyer, I knew I wanted to explore something beyond the conventional paths. I was drawn to the idea of solving some of the deeper challenges within the legal system, particularly through mediation and technology.
During this phase, I was learning under a mentor who had himself chosen mediation at a time when it was far less understood or accepted within the legal profession. I still remember writing to him one early morning, asking how someone young could begin a journey in mediation when it is often seen as a field people enter much later in their careers. His advice was simple but powerful, to trust the process, stay patient, and remain committed to the path if I truly believed in it.
Around the same time, my mentor Namita introduced me to the world of online mediation and legal technology platforms. That was a turning point. It helped me see that mediation is not just about conducting sessions, it is also about building systems, tools, and solutions that make dispute resolution more accessible and effective. Since then, my work has been about identifying gaps in the legal process and exploring how technology can help bridge them.
A book that reinforced this perspective for me was Tomorrow’s Lawyers by Richard Susskind. The book speaks about how the legal profession would evolve with technology, and reading it while I was exploring my career path was incredibly reassuring. Many of the ideas discussed in the book, about innovation teams, legal tech solutions, and new roles within the legal ecosystem, are already becoming a reality today.
Together, the guidance from my mentors and the perspective from that book shaped my belief that the legal profession is constantly evolving, and there is immense opportunity for lawyers to build new pathways where law, technology, and problem-solving come together.
4. Outside of work, what’s something you’re passionate about or love spending time on?
In many ways, mediation and LegalTech have become more than just my work, it is also something I genuinely enjoy engaging with beyond my day-to-day role. I often guest lecture in mediation courses, where I speak about online mediation and the evolving role of AI in dispute resolution. Interacting with students has truly become a two-way street for me, while I share my experiences from the field, their curiosity, fresh perspectives, and questions often make me reflect and learn as well. It’s always exciting to see how technology is opening new possibilities in the way conflicts can be resolved.
Outside of that, I have always loved art and crafts. It’s something very personal and therapeutic for me, a space where I can quietly create and immerse myself in the process.
I also enjoy cooking and experimenting with different flavours and cuisines. I find it fun to try small twists with familiar dishes and see how they transform. It’s a simple but joyful way of exploring creativity in everyday life.
5. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received as a woman in your career journey?
One of the most meaningful pieces of advice I received came from my father. Coming from a first generation of lawyers in the family, he always reminded me of one simple principle — don’t stop, just stay consistent. He believed that discipline and persistence eventually find their way, even when the path feels uncertain.
This advice became especially important when I chose to explore mediation early in my career. At the time, many people saw mediation as something lawyers take up much later in life, so naturally there were questions and doubts around my choice. But the guidance I received from both my family and my mentors was to stay committed to what genuinely excited me and trust the journey, even if it looked unconventional.
Another valuable lesson from my mentors was that opportunities should never feel limited by who we are. Across every field today, women are contributing, leading, and building meaningful change. That perspective helped me approach my work with confidence and focus more on the value of the work itself rather than the expectations around it.
Looking back, the advice that has stayed with me the most is simple: stay disciplined, stay curious, and keep moving forward with conviction.
6. If you weren’t working in Law/LegalTech, what’s another path you could totally see yourself in?
If I weren’t working in LegalTech, I think I would naturally gravitate toward education. During my own journey in law, I often felt that there is a noticeable gap between what we learn academically and what actually happens in the legal profession. Bridging that gap has always felt important to me.
I would love to work in a space where students are able to understand the realities of the profession early on helping them explore different career paths, identify their interests and strengths, and make more informed choices about their future.
Education also feels like one of the most meaningful ways to give back. Sometimes a conversation, guidance, or simply exposure to new possibilities can help someone see a path they hadn’t considered before. I genuinely enjoy interacting with young minds, not only sharing my experiences, but also learning from their curiosity and perspectives. It’s a space where growth happens both ways.
Vaibhavi’s journey reflects how mediation and online dispute resolution can work together to make conflict resolution more accessible and effective. She continues to focus on building collaborative, tech-enabled processes that help individuals and organisations resolve disputes constructively.
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