Ashurst has hired Arnold & Porter corporate partner Mureli Neelakantan to head up its India practice, the top 10 City firm announced today (3 September).

Neelakantan, who is dual-qualified in India and the UK, begins in the newly-created role this week.

His practice has advised on a wide range of matters including Indian securities regulation, M&A and real estate work.

Notable clients Neelakantan has advised include technology companies Tata Consultancy Services and AOL, financial services group Watson Wyatt and the International Cricket Council.

The move follows the departure earlier this year of energy partner Jeremy Sheldon, who spent a significant part of his time with Ashurst working on Indian projects. Sheldon quit to join the City arm of Texas-based law firm Fulbright & Jaworski in March.

Ashurst now has around 30 lawyers in its India practice, with a number of City firms jostling for position as the long-awaited liberalisation of the Indian legal market draws closer.

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