Aseem Chawla, who had started his own tax advisory firm after resigning as erstwhile Amarchand Mangaldas Delhi tax head in 2012, has joined Phoenix Legal to head its tax practice, according to a press release.

Chawla had been running his own firm ASC Legal focusing on direct and indirect tax advisory and litigation work, as well as private client and “cross border regulatory and compliance advisory services”, stated the release.

Initially in 2012 he had started under the banner MPC Legal, with two co-founding partners as the “best friend” of chartered accountancy (CA) firm Mohinder Puri & Co.

Chawla joined on 1 March at Phoenix Delhi. We have not yet been able to confirm with what size of team, if any, Chawla will be joining. Update: Chawla has joined with a team of seven fee earners and three support staff (as well as a library and everything else an independent practice entails).

In the release Chawla commented: “For all of us, it is a momentous occasion, it is a privilege to be a part of one of the most dynamic and entrepreneurial driven law practices of the country.

“This would provide a full range of niche legal services to the clientele and further deepens its service capabilities.”

Chawla was not reachable for further comment by phone at the time of publication.

Phoenix co-founding partner Manjula Chawla (no relation) added in the statement: “This development significantly broadens and deepens our tax practice. Consistent with our philosophy of providing top quality services to our clients, this step is also relevant in the context of the continued efforts of the Government of India to ease the doing of business in India and in particular, the shift to fiscal neutrality through the imminent GST regime.”