AZB & Partners Delhi partner Nanju Ganpathy has been designated as senior advocate of the Delhi high court, as reported yesterday.

Under the law, Ganpathy will have to resign from AZB as a senior counsel and practice independently, and he told Legally India that he had consulted with the partnership before applying to become senior, who gave their blessings and were happy to support his endeavours and it’s only with their wishes and blessings.

Ganpathy said: “They (AZB) also want to send out a strong message that our litigation team is a strong one.”

His designation follows that of AZB partner Sanjiv Puri several years ago, who was appointed as a senior counsel by the Uttaranchal high court.

In 2012, then-Amarchand Mangaldas Delhi partner Ciccu Mukhopadhaya was also designated, Economic Laws Practice (ELP) saw partner Vikram Nankani get the nod, Vaish Associates head Ajay Vohra became senior in 2014, and in 2015 ex-DSK Legal partner Balbir Singh became an independent senior.

Ganpathy opined: “Any firm having a litigation practice, the lawyers must be good enough to go to next level, to become senior advocates, become judges.

“Lawyers from firms have tremendous experience and such a wide spectrum of practice. They have a lot to contribute, and I feel that more partners from firms, from a litigating practice, should be in a position to either join the bench or join the court as senior litigating practitioners.”

Ganpathy is a civil lawyer who specialises in media courts, Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), high court and Supreme Court matters, which he would continue.

He is a 1980 law graduate of Delhi University - the same batch that also produced senior counsel Gopal Subramanium, solicitor general Ranjit Kumar, and additional solicitor general Pinky Anand. Two other 1980 Delhi University graduates - Sanat Kumar and Ajay Burman - were also designated senior counsel by the Delhi high court, as reported yesterday.

He had served as standing counsel for the government of Karnataka and joined Ajay Bahl & Company in 1986, before it merged with the chambers of Zia Mody and Bahram Vakil in Mumbai to form AZB & Partners.

“Since the last 30 years, I have spent more time with Ajay than my wife,” joked Ganpathy, adding that he would be working out his notice period and handing over matters to colleagues. “I'll be leaving on the best of terms. Apart from friends, we are one big happy family.”

Litigation head Percival (Percy) Billimoria commented: “It’s wonderful to work with Nanju. You won’t find a better person than him as your compatriot.”