India justice minister promises to 'fast-track' market liberalisation
The Bar Council of India has agreed to set out a timeline for the liberalisation of its legal market, with Law Society president John Wotton claiming that he has "never been as confident" that the long-awaited process is finally underway. The first discussions will be held between the parties at the International Bar Association's annual conference in Dubai at the end of the month, with the Law Society hoping that the discussions will conclude by January, when a delegation from the Indian Bar Council is due to visit the UK.
October 03, 2011 at 10:39 AM
3 minute read
The Bar Council of India has agreed to set out a timeline for the liberalisation of its legal market, with Law Society president John Wotton claiming that he has "never been as confident" that the long-awaited process is finally underway.
The first discussions will be held between the parties at the International Bar Association's annual conference in Dubai at the end of the month, with the Law Society hoping that the discussions will conclude by January, when a delegation from the Indian Bar Council is due to visit the UK.
Wotton's vote of confidence follows a visit by a UK Government trade delegation to India last week, which saw the Law Society and the Bar Council of England and Wales accompany Justice Secretary Ken Clarke to the country for meetings with local lawyers, officials and ministers, including Law and Justice Minister Salman Khurshid and India Bar Council chair Ashok Parija.
Following the discussions, Khurshid promised that legal market liberalisation would be fast-tracked through India's Parliament, as the country attempts to seize the opportunity to establish itself as a new Asian legal hub.
The liberalisation of the Indian legal market has been long-awaited by UK firms with international ambitions, with many firms having been forced to walk a regulatory tightrope with regards to what foreign lawyers are permitted to do in the country.
In February last year Ashurst closed its liaison office in Delhi after the Bombay High Court ruled against the practice of law by foreign firms in India, while the following September the Indian Bar Council stated that it had "decided not to permit foreign lawyers into India".
However, following last week's trip, Wotton said: "There are a number of differences this time. Firstly, we have the very active investment of time in the issue from the UK Government, but most importantly this is the first time that the Indian Law Minister has said he will fast-track discussions on market liberalisation."
He added: "Both Governments have realised that change is inevitable and desirable and can bring benefits for the legal profession in both countries. Indian economic growth has continued with Indian companies becoming world leaders who need access to international legal advice. This development is giving India the opportunity to become a legal centre in Asia."
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
NOT FOR REPRINT
© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
You Might Like
View AllCan Law Firms Avoid Landing on the 'Enemy' List During the Trump Administration?
5 minute readLetter From Asia: Will Big Law Ever Bother to Understand Asia Again?
Simpson Thacher, Nishimura, Mori Hamada Assist on KKR's $4B Winning Bid in Japan
Trending Stories
Who Got The Work
Michael G. Bongiorno, Andrew Scott Dulberg and Elizabeth E. Driscoll from Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr have stepped in to represent Symbotic Inc., an A.I.-enabled technology platform that focuses on increasing supply chain efficiency, and other defendants in a pending shareholder derivative lawsuit. The case, filed Oct. 2 in Massachusetts District Court by the Brown Law Firm on behalf of Stephen Austen, accuses certain officers and directors of misleading investors in regard to Symbotic's potential for margin growth by failing to disclose that the company was not equipped to timely deploy its systems or manage expenses through project delays. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, is 1:24-cv-12522, Austen v. Cohen et al.
Who Got The Work
Edmund Polubinski and Marie Killmond of Davis Polk & Wardwell have entered appearances for data platform software development company MongoDB and other defendants in a pending shareholder derivative lawsuit. The action, filed Oct. 7 in New York Southern District Court by the Brown Law Firm, accuses the company's directors and/or officers of falsely expressing confidence in the company’s restructuring of its sales incentive plan and downplaying the severity of decreases in its upfront commitments. The case is 1:24-cv-07594, Roy v. Ittycheria et al.
Who Got The Work
Amy O. Bruchs and Kurt F. Ellison of Michael Best & Friedrich have entered appearances for Epic Systems Corp. in a pending employment discrimination lawsuit. The suit was filed Sept. 7 in Wisconsin Western District Court by Levine Eisberner LLC and Siri & Glimstad on behalf of a project manager who claims that he was wrongfully terminated after applying for a religious exemption to the defendant's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The case, assigned to U.S. Magistrate Judge Anita Marie Boor, is 3:24-cv-00630, Secker, Nathan v. Epic Systems Corporation.
Who Got The Work
David X. Sullivan, Thomas J. Finn and Gregory A. Hall from McCarter & English have entered appearances for Sunrun Installation Services in a pending civil rights lawsuit. The complaint was filed Sept. 4 in Connecticut District Court by attorney Robert M. Berke on behalf of former employee George Edward Steins, who was arrested and charged with employing an unregistered home improvement salesperson. The complaint alleges that had Sunrun informed the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection that the plaintiff's employment had ended in 2017 and that he no longer held Sunrun's home improvement contractor license, he would not have been hit with charges, which were dismissed in May 2024. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer, is 3:24-cv-01423, Steins v. Sunrun, Inc. et al.
Who Got The Work
Greenberg Traurig shareholder Joshua L. Raskin has entered an appearance for boohoo.com UK Ltd. in a pending patent infringement lawsuit. The suit, filed Sept. 3 in Texas Eastern District Court by Rozier Hardt McDonough on behalf of Alto Dynamics, asserts five patents related to an online shopping platform. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap, is 2:24-cv-00719, Alto Dynamics, LLC v. boohoo.com UK Limited.
Featured Firms
Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.
(470) 294-1674
Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
(857) 444-6468
Smith & Hassler
(713) 739-1250