Three City firms have moved to ramp up their Indian practices as firms jostle for position in the wake of ongoing talks to liberalise the huge sub-continental legal market.

Allen & Overy (A&O), Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Olswang have become the latest firms to make moves to bolster their regional presence.

Olswang is considering setting up a separate local firm under the Olswang banner, it has emerged. It has also moved Indian lawyer Rishi Bhatnagar to Delhi as a consultant to help nurture its links in the country.

The firm is strengthening its ties with a handful of Indian firms and is considering hiring local practitioners in anticipation of the liberalisation of the market.

A&O, meanwhile, has drafted in former partner Alex Pease, who retired from the partnership in 2005, to head up its India practice after spending the past two years representing the firm on the UK-India Joint Economic and Trade Committee negotiations.

Pease becomes chairman of the firm's India group and re-enters the partnership. He previously headed up A&O's Tokyo office for five years as well as spending time in Dubai.

Meanwhile, magic circle rival Freshfields has become one of the first firms to hire a partner from a top Indian firm.

Corporate lawyer Nihar Mody, previously a partner at Mumbai leader Wadia Ghandy and lead lawyer to the Bombay Stock Exchange, is joining Freshfields next month. He will take a role below partner level.

In September, Clifford Chance hired corporate lawyer Sumesh Sawhney, formerly a partner with Indian firm Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff.

While both lawyers will have to take the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test before they can practise UK law, they will be able to advise clients on drafting and negotiating.

Sawhney said it was possible that more partners would make the switch to an international law firm in the future, but said the prospect of taking up a role outside the partnership currently deterred many from doing so.