partner hires

Former Luthra & Luthra Delhi litigation partner Ashish Prasad is now a partner in Economic Laws Practice’ Delhi disputes practice, according to a press release from the firm.

Prasad, who was poached by ELP from Luthra, is the sixth partner in ELP’s Delhi office, after counting associate partners as well, according to ELP’s emailed announcement confirming his joining the firm.

He is a 2003-graduate alumnus of Delhi University’s law school and also had a stint at Lall & Sethi before Luthra and ELP.

His expertise includes commercial litigation, intellectual property, contracts, government and regulatory work in telecom, infrastructure, FMCG, pharma, information technology, media, foreign investments and the defence sector, according to ELP’s press release.

Former Linklaters Singapore managing associate Pallavi Gopinath Aney is set to join Baker & McKenzie as a partner, an authoritative source has confirmed to Legally India.

Former JDS Law Chambers founding partner Jivesh Chandrayan merged his firm into Kochhar & Co and joined Kochhar as a partner in its Delhi corporate practice.

The Delhi university LLB and Cardiff University LLM graduate Chandrayan commented in Kochhar’s press release: “I am excited to be part of the Kochhar team and look forward to significantly contributing to the firm’s growth as part of the Corporate & M&A Practice Group.”

Kochhar & Co managing partner Rohit Kochhar commented: “His experience and impressive professional credentials will be invaluable to our accomplished corporate and commercial practice and will benefit our global clientele.”

After three Kochhar partners left the firm to join Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, Kochhar hired banking partner Sumit Phatela in Gurgaon, Gaurav Chatterjee in real estate and litigation in Chennai, Prateush Sharma as indirect tax partner in Mumbai and Saloni Gupta as corporate partner in Delhi.

J Sagar Associates (JSA) funds formation partner Jay Gandhi and his team of five associates will join Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas (SAM) in Mumbai under former JSA senior partner and SAM Mumbai Akshay Chudasama.

Phoenix Legal Mumbai partner Kartikeya Singh is understood to join investment bank Bank of America (BoA) Merrill Lynch in August as its deputy general counsel (GC) India.

Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas has hired former Amarchand Mangaldas Delhi principal associate Mekhla Anand as an indirect tax salaried partner in its new Delhi office.

Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas partner designate Nidhi Parekh will join Citi India’s legal team as senior vice president.

Jeet Sen Gupta, who left Economic Laws Practice (ELP) in April, has joined Juris Corp as its eighth partner, managing partner H Jayesh told Bar & Bench, saying: “As a firm, we are implementing growth drivers and as part of that strategy, Jeet has joined us and will help us take the firm to the next level.”

Juris Corp had promoted two to partner in March, following a string of senior and junior departures.

We have reached out to ELP managing partner Rohan Shah for comment.

Aijt Mishra, who had joined Wragge & Co as a close best friend focusing on Indian law, has joined Penningtons Manches as its London-based India group co-head.

Litigator Udayarkar Rangarajan has joined Khaitan & Co as an associate partner based in Bangalore, from where he will focus on building the practice in Chennai.

Delhi Suri & Co partner Shashank Garg has rejoined Advani & Co, which he had left around 18 months ago to explore growth opportunities outside Advani, where he was a partner.

Former Rodyk & Davidson Singapore partner Ganesh Chandru has joined Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (LKS) in Delhi as an executive partner to head the firm’s international arbitration practice.

Dua Associates managing partner Ranji Dua has confirmed that senior disputes partner Shiraz Patodia and her team would remain at the firm, less than a month after she had given notice to join Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas (SAM) in Delhi, as first reported by Legally India on 1 July.

Suzlon Energy senior legal counsel Naved Askari, who was heading the company’s corporate and operations legal team, is to join AZB & Partners as a Mumbai-based counsel, reported Bar & Bench.

The 1998 GLC Mumbia graduate has previously worked at Mulla & Mulla, Wadia Ghandy, and Wockhardt, before joining Suzlon in 2009.

Pradeep Kumar Bagga, who has been with the State Bank of India for more than 30 years, has joined Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas in Delhi as a senior consultant, according to a press release from the firm to “provide advice and guidance on general policy and regulations” and assist in “practice area development initiatives”, according to a press release from the firm.

Baker & McKenzie International’s Singaporean member firm Baker & McKenzie.Wong & Leow has hired Prashanth Venkatesh as a local principal on 1 July.

HSB Partners Chennai partner Varun Sriram has joined J Sagar Associates (JSA) in Chennai, reported Bar & Bench.

Sriram had been at HSB since graduating from Symbiosis Law School in 2006, followed by two two-year stints at Economic Laws Practice (ELP) and ALMT Legal before returning to HSB in 2012, becoming partner there in February 2014.

We have reached out to JSA, HSB and Sriram for comment.

Update: HSB partner TK Bhaskar commented: "We wish him all the best in his future endeavours."

Update 2: JSA managing partner Berjis Desai commented confirmed his joining as a retained partner.

JSA opened in Chennai in 2014 by merging with Vichar Partners.