Madhu said that he’d always been interested in the private equity and VC space and the opportunity at Nexus gave him good ownership and responsibility.

“It is more of a directional shift and opportunity,” he said, “ which will let me see the big picture, and details in the context of the big picture.”

For that, a lawyer needed to work inside a fund, noted the 2007 NLU Jodhpur graduate who started his career at Trilegal. “You really don’t have an option.”

Nexus is headquartered in Mumbai and manages $320m of funds across 40 companies, focusing in six to eight annual investments in the early and early-growth stage of companies.

It is understood to have instructed a number of law firms in the past, such as Amarchand Mangaldas and Trilegal, as well as J Sagar Associates (JSA), Legally India reported in 2011.

A Nexus spokesperson declined to comment. Phoenix Legal partner Sawant Singh commented: “Arun has been with Phoenix since we set up and is a good lawyer with a strong commercial mind. He was quite keen to experience the business side and made a choice. We will miss him and wish him the very best for all his endeavours.”

Madhu’s move follows two other venture capital funds creating and attracting private practice lawyers into India-based GC roles over the last year.

In December of last year Amarchand Mangaldas Hyderabad partner Kartik Mahalingam joined the Omidyar Network as its first India legal head in Mumbai. In September, Amarchand principal associate Karan Pahwa had joined Bessemer Venture Partners (BVP) as its first GC.