Law firms

Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas (SAM) Delhi partner Nikhil Narayanan has left the firm.

Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas (SAM) advised the Dodsal group on the sale of its Pizza Hut franchise rights to another Pizza Hut franchise owner in India Sapphire Foods India which was advised by Luthra & Luthra.

SAM managing partner Pallavi Shroff assisted by senior counsel Soli Cooper, partner Shilpa Mankar Ahluwalia, principal associate Divi Dutta and associate Sumi Saikia acted for the Dodsal group which owned the rights to operate South West India’s 81 Pizza Hut outlets in eight states.

Luthra Mumbai partner Bikash Jhawar and associates Nipun Vaid and Rohan Shah acted for Sapphire which, after this deal, became one of the largest owners of the Pizza Hut franchise in India.

Sapphire acquired Dodsal Hospitality from Dodsal Lifestyle Mauritius and its other affiliates, according to SAM’s press release.

Former Ernst & Young director, international trade Tashi Kaul has joined Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (LKS) today as a partner in its Delhi international trade and competition practice.

Former General Motors director, finance MS Vasan has joined Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (LKS) as an executive partner in its direct tax practice in Gurgaon.

Ernst & Young (EY) director of fraud investigation and dispute services Ajay Upadhyay has joined AZB & Partners in Mumbai.

Khaitan & Co Mumbai associate partner Abhay Sharma will join Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas in Mumbai.

Four Bangalore-based associates from Dua Associates and K Law have started up the law firm Spectrum Legal in Bangalore.

Former Baker & McKenzie Habib Al Mulla senior associate Faizal Latheef joined Kochhar & Co as a partner in its Dubai corporate practice.

Former DH Law Associates partner Vikas Kumar will join Lakshmikumaran Sridharan (LKS) as a partner in its Mumbai corporate practice tomorrow.

Dina Wadia and Shivpriya Nanda have been elected unopposed to become the J Sagar Associates (JSA)’s first joint managing partners.

Hammurabi & Solomon Mumbai head and equity partner Vidya Adsule, who had merged her practice with the firm in March 2014, has left it in August 2015.

Delhi and Mumbai firm DMD Advocates has promoted principal associate Tushar Jarwal to partnership on 28 August in the tax group of the firm.

DSK Legal managers Hemang Parekh, Pragya Dhamija and Chandrima Mitra have been promoted to associate partner while no full partners were made this year, reported Bar & Bench.

Parekh and Dhamija specialise in corporate, while Mitra focuses on media and entertainment.

AZB & Partners Mumbai partner Kalpana Merchant is leaving to pursue opportunities on her own, confirmed AZB senior partner Bahram Vakil today.