Indian justice minister meets with UK Justice Secretary in bid to improve relations

International law firms' campaign to be allowed to practise in India is set to be passed to the Indian Supreme Court following last month's visit by the Indian justice minister to the UK.

Moodbidri Veerappa Moily met with Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke to discuss how to improve the relationship between the two countries, with a particular focus on judicial and legal reform.

Moily announced that the Indian Government will now look to move the Lawyers Collective writ petition – brought against 31 foreign firms last December – to the Supreme Court to push through a final decision on whether international law firms should be permitted to practise law in India.

The Lawyers Collective has been petitioning since 1995 to ban foreign law firms from having a formal presence in the country, with a ruling made in its favour last December. In the wake of the decision, Ashurst closed its liaison office in Delhi in February this year.

Ashurst India head Richard Gubbins (pictured) said: "It is our understanding from the various meetings that took place that it is likely that the Indian Government may seek to have the case transferred to the Supreme Court.

"If international firms could practise in India it would fulfil the career aspirations of many young lawyers, creating freedom of choice for them in the market."

The news comes after Clifford Chance senior partner Stuart Popham accompanied Prime Minister David Cameron on a visit to India last week, acting as the law firm representative as part of an effort to strengthen trading ties between the UK and India.

However, international law firms could be set to come under pressure to pay more tax for their operations in the region following a tribunal ruling last month that Linklaters owes taxes on fees earned on work that was referred from India.

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