Vellakkat graduated from University of Calicut in 1994, followed by MBL from NLSIU Bangalore in 1998 and a stint at Singhania & Co before co-founding Lex Orbis.

In 2002 he had set up White Forest as a technology boutique law firm, which had grown to a total size of four lawyers, who will now all join Fox Mandal South India partnership, with Vellakkat as a partner and head of the IT practice.

He told Legally India that he handled a wide range of technology related work from commercial technology contracts, transactional matters, IP licences and more.

Fox Mandal Bangalore and South India region managing partner Shuva Mandal said in a statement: “This acquisition further strengthens our firm’s capabilities in the areas of technology, data privacy & protection, IPR, IT outsourcing and e-commerce.”

“These areas will become even more important in the evolving digital economy,” he said, adding that Vellakkat and his team would be “harnessing the synergies for the benefit of our clients”.

He told Legally India that Fox already had a technology practice and several lawyers doing technology work, which would now grow to around eight fee-earners.

Fox Mandal South India will have 11 partners with Vellakkat and includes Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad and has a total of 100 fee-earners, of whom 65 will be in Bangalore with the latest expansion.

Vellakkat commented in a statement: “The firm has a great work culture. I look forward to working with Shuva Mandal and the entire Fox Mandal team to enhance the service delivery capabilities of the firm’s technology practice.”