Law firms

Another law firm partner has thrown his hat in the ring of local Bar Council elections, with ALMT Legal partner Hitesh Jain running for the Maharashtra & Goa Bar Council on a ticket of improving participation, relevance and infrastructure.

Mumbai-based Jain (pictured) said: "We should improve the standards in the legal profession and should be setting up and creating a good infrastructure for the legal profession - infrastructure for the lawyers, infrastructure for the court and infrastructure for the clients."

He added that he would also like to increase participation of lawyers in the Bar Council. "Usually people are not aware of the role of the Bar Council, and the first thing is to create some kind of a regular and continuous dialogue between the Bar Council and the lawyers."

He also said that he would like to address the issue of the welfare of lawyers, particularly in rural courts where there we very little infrastructure. 

Jain qualified as a lawyer in 1995, completed a master's degree from London School of Economics and began practising as a litigator at Bombay High Court in 1998, working for Udwadia & Udeshi.

He joined ALMT in 2006 as a partner in the litigation practice, also handling sports and entertainment work.

ALMT has a formal best friends relationship with UK international firm Clyde & Co since June of this year.

Commenting on liberalisation Jain said: "According to me it is inevitable that it is going to happen – in time. It should be done in a manner where the welfare and interests of lawyers in India are protected.

"Secondly, whatever will happen, it will ultimately create an opportunity for lawyers over here. In LPOs [legal process outsourcing], it is local lawyers who have benefited.

"Similarly [foreign] firms will come here and ultimately they will have to take the [local] lawyers and create an opportunity for the local lawyers."

The nominations for the Bar Council of Mahrashtra and Goa close at the end of November, Jain said, adding that he expected around 110 to 120 candidates to run for the five-year term.

The vote will be held on 7 January 2010 in courts throughout the state.

Jain grew up in Pune and went to Symbiosis law college there and will therefore be campaigning most heavily in Mumbai and in Pune, although he is also planning a heavy campaign schedule in the state's rural and outlying areas.

Jain's father was a member of the Mahrashtra and Goa Bar Council from 1984 to 1996, in which time he also acted as vice-chairman of the body.

Luthra & Luthra Delhi partner Vijay Sondhi is also running for the Delhi Bar Council elections, which will be held in early December.

Our poll showed a majority of law firm lawyers never voting in local Bar Council elections, not intending on voting or failing to see the point of voting.