I joined Saraf in the month of August (not mentioning year). After one year, they were diligent enough to give me proportionate bonus because I was there only for 8 months. Fair.

After that I stayed for an entire year. Completed 12 months. Then I also stayed for an additional 5 months. I put down my papers in August. But my bonus for the entire 12 months + additional 5 months was gone. Now because the firm had delayed the payment of Bonus, and because I was on notice when Bonus was released, I fking did not get my rightful bonus. How ▮▮▮ of a firm it can be. If you are giving proportionate bonus for joining late. Atleast give the bonus for the duration I served, let aside the extra months.

Yes, this is real. MS got a list of some associates' who forwarded it to their personal mail. Out of that list, he fired those he didn't like and retained those he liked. There was no conclusive proof who actually pasted it on LinkedIn. He simply just fired people to set an example.

There's a reason why capital markets team left, projects and infrastructure partner left, IPR team left, disputes team left, budding partner designates left, real estate team left, CFO left, head secretary left, HR left, communication team left, IT head left, regulatory litigation partner left - all in 4 years

He thinks firing people will solve the issues. The problem is with his perspective. Instead of acknowledging the genuine issues with this firm and taking steps to correct it, he tries to create fear.

That was the difference between RKL and MS. RKL earned respect of the associates by actually listening to their issues. MS on the other hand tries to create fear and force respect.

If he was about to host a "Townhall" on Sunday, he could have actually waited before firing the poor associate. But his aim with the Townhall is not to resolve at all. All he wants is to create fear and force people to respect him as if all of us (including senior partners) are his slaves.

Today you will fire one associate, tomorrow 50 others will rise. And there are better ways to post on Legally India without getting caught or traced and everyone is smart enough to do that. Instead try being a good person. Try addressing the issues which lead people to resort to such means so that people don't feel the need to do it.

He has "identified" anyone who would have sent the email out of the Firm server, sifted that list based on his biases and managing-partner like opinions, and fired the rest.

Townhall on Sunday, just like Luthra days, where this guy will pretend to be RKL like he always does, and announce that he has set an example.He doesn't care who actually leaked it, just needed some names

If this book were ever to crawl its way onto a bestseller list, it would be thanks to the MP’s execrably phrased emails — each a tribute to the decline of grammar and good sense. No international client with even a passing acquaintance with English would tolerate such linguistic butchery. As for the title, I’d suggest Indian Law: Under the Lala’s Thumb — a chronicle of how mediocrity, when dressed in khadi, still passes off as gravitas.

Most terrible if this comparison is being made in the first place. Its like comparing Indian economy to Pakistani and having a feel good about it, when comparison should be against stronger nations. Reality is most tier one law firms would never have communication of this nature. Most atrocious and extremely unprofessional.

I work a t1 firm and let me tell you that other T1s are far more stingent in enforcing attendance, reporting and WFH rules.

Saraf has been comparatively lenient and flexible, often to the detriment of discipline and accountability. And too much leeway has been taken for granted. When flexibility begins to affect productivity, and the overall culture of professionalism, corrective steps become unavoidable - be it any firm I guess. All the people working who are bashing the necessary steps should understand that leadership carries the responsibility of protecting the structure and discipline that enable the Firm to grow. So stop crying.

Let me point out a genuine and fundamental issue with this firm. MS wants all the communication routed through him. He wants to approve the sabbaticals, he wants to approve promotions, he wants to approve the bonus amounts and increment amounts, he wants to approve even if somebody takes WFH.

Sounds like another MP .....

MS is not only not paying bonus / increment on time but is also ▮▮▮. There was a PA in disputes at 24 lacs pa and a SA with 8 years of work experience at 23 lacs pa. He has also hired associates at 12 lacs pa in capital markets and competition teams and thereafter hired A0s under them at 18.5 lacs pa. ▮▮▮

Let me point out a genuine and fundamental issue with this firm. MS wants all the communication routed through him. He wants to approve the sabbaticals, he wants to approve promotions, he wants to approve the bonus amounts and increment amounts, he wants to approve even if somebody takes WFH.

WHY DOES HE WANT TO APPROVE EVERYTHING ON HIS OWN. DO THE PARTNERS TAKE APPROVAL OF MS WHILE GIVING WORK AT 11 PM IN THE NIGHT? DO THE PARTNERS TAKE APPROVAL OF MS FOR MAKING ASSOCIATES WORK ON A WEEKDAY? DO THE PARTNERS TAKE APPROVAL OF MS FOR REJECTING LEAVES OF AN ASSOCIATE? NO RIGHT. THEN FOR WHAT GOOD REASON MS WANTS APPROVE IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO TAKE WFH?

MS needs to understand that he is not individualy working with each associate. He is not aware of working hours, mental condition, IQ, bandwidth, work history of each of the associate. In most situations, it is the reporting partner, who knows this information. Yet MS wants to have a final say on each and every important decision in respect of each individual associate's. THIS IS THE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE.

Give more freedom to partners. Let the partners choose who should get the well-deserved WFH, and who should not. Let the partners decide who should get the bonus and what percentage. Let the partners decide the increments.

What's happening is - Reporting partners suck the blood out of associate's life. But when associates ask for bonus, increments, wfh, or any leeway, etc, the reporting partners point towards MS' cabin and tell them to approach him instead. That's wrong.

I fail to understand what is keeping all these seniors partners from leaving this place. Do they have no dignity? No self worth or self esteem?

Why are they tolerating all this BS when they can very easily step out.

Mumbai office is entirely being run by BJ and his partners. All he need to do is to dissociate himself from S&P and rename the office from S&P to J&P. I'm certain almost all Mumbai partners, entire admin team, and even some Delhi partners will stick with him instead of staying back at S&P.

Reason: He actually has clients (and good ones). He has the business mindset, he knows how to generate revenue and despite being so senior, he always treats even his juniormost associates professionally and with respect. MS on the other side, doesn't even respect the senior partners. He thinks everyone is his slave.

At this point, it's kinda embarrassing to tell anyone that we work at S&P, after all that Legally speaking fiasco and now this. He never learns from his mistakes.

@BJ - this is my genuine advise and request that you break out and make your own firm. Nothing needs to be changed, except the name of the office. Entire staff, entire team, everyone is going to stay with you. You just need to take this bold step.

Cant understand why this comes as a surprise to anyone in this firm. This place has been being run in same fashion since its inception. Unlike most promoter drive law firms, books at this place are not driven by client of the promoter because there are none. Except for Banking and M&A team, entire firm is a place being managed for the promoter to satisfy his ego being a lawyer and a law firm promoter. He has provided a platform, but no revenue stream is being offered from the promoters side

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As lawyers, we have to measure our words more than the others. Someone as senior as MS should factor that so more since a big part in running a law firm is to manage people (internal and external). Sometimes people get carried away while speaking and they don't realise what they have been saying. That shouldn't have been the case while writing this email.

Creates a very bad impression and will create only problems in future. It appears that he is looking at short term solutions and while doing so, he is aggravating the people who are actually bedrock of the firm.

Also just to add the owner himself never shows up on time. Dont think anyone would have seen him in office, barring very few exceptional days, ever at work before 1 pm or 2 pm. How about setting example from the top as his mail says! He can have important BD meetings outside work and not others, seriously! Who talks like that in today's times. This feudal mindset has to go

LNL was seperated with SP because owner of LNL used to remain at foreign location the whole time. Also because equity was locked with RKL. This equity was called 'dead-equity' by the very owner of SP, due to which SP was created.

Now as Legally India fraternity, we ask MS - Whether the person holding equity along with you, and is also a female partner (Gitunjuli Sharaf) - will abide by this policy?

If not, why she has a cabin next to you. Is this how a professional firm built?

Also, have the shame and decency to announce the bonus and increments on time before sending such bs emails.

This is nothing. I have seen several such policies in other firms in metropolitan cities, both the good ones and the bad ones. It only shows that these firms are nothing and will suck your blood for nothing - no career growth and nothing to reward you other than money - with no way to grow up. This is why litigation is much better - real work is done there and there is no concept of leaves - everyone is their own boss and can leave work and take a vacation whenever they want

What even is the discretionary bonus. Inse yearly bonus toh time par diya nahi jaa raha.

Yahaan yearly bonus bhi discretionary hi hai. It is the owners discretion when the bonus is to be released and how much is to be released. Billing, partners' recommendations, your hardwork, nothing matters

Firstly, the owner himself does not comply with any timelines for paying bonuses, or announcing increments, but he expects other people to abide by the timelines.

Secondly, many people put BD/CD, and don't attend office. It is the partners who are guilty of doing this more often. But the owner seems to be targeting the associates for this, and not his partners.

Thirdly, how can somebody target innocent admin guy (BMO) like this. He has been loyal to the firm, and he got this in return.

Fourthly, owner knows very well that senior partners won't follow this. But for the sake of writing, he has mentioned they need to follow this policy. Lame.

Fifthly, the direct consequence is non-entitlement of discretionary bonus. Even for other non-compliance like non-adherence to AI policy, WFH policy, not attending office parties, not filling time-sheets, and not filling appraisal forms on time etc, the discretionary bonus goes for a toss. So billing basically has no role.

Sixthly, the ▮▮▮-most ▮▮▮ partner (who is also ▮▮▮ ▮▮▮) neither comes to office nor will follow this policy.

Well Mr. Saraf

Let me reiterate some parts of what you said and then respond with our expectations.

MS: "Discipline and accountability are essential for our continued growth and success, and I expect all members to follow this policy without exception."

Response: That's true. But who is accountable for our delayed bonuses? Who is accountable for our delayed arrears? F£cking September is about to end we don't even know how much increment we are going to get. Where is the discipline when it comes to paying your associates on time? Do you call sitting over your associates' money, discipline?

MS - "All members of the Firm — from Senior Partners to Associates/ Support — must be present in office during office hours."

Response: Please understand that we work till late night, sometimes overnight. Unless you're willing to pay for overtime, don't make a fuss about coming on time. If you expect us to come on time, we expect reasonable working hours that allow us to leave on time. It can't be one sided.

MS - "Senior members are expected to lead by example"

Response: You delay our bonuses by 4-5 Months. You don't even pay the rightfully accrued bonus to those on notice period or those who have left, despite the fact that they stayed for the entire year. It was your fault that the bonus was delayed. Why cut bonuses of people who are leaving after completing the entire year? You're cunning enough to pay proportionate bonus to those who joins mid year, because they worked 4 months less than an year. But when it comes to someone who's leaving, you forget that the person worked for an entire year and then served notice too. You don't announce the increments till October, November and arrears are not cleared till then. You don't give autonomy to the partners to decide bonuses for their teams, instead, you randomly deduct people's bonuses who you've not even worked with. You don't know my work, you don't know how much hardwork I put in for the entire year. You just woke up someday and decided to cut my bonus by 5% from what partner recommended and you did it. Where is the accountability? Such a nice example you are setting. Stop talking about seniors leading by example, when this is the example that you are setting.

MS - "WFH is permitted only on Wednesday for counsels. The earlier WFH policy remains applicable. Please find attached the policy for WFH."

Response: Stop micro-managing already. We are professionals, not your employees. Treat us like professionals.

MS - "I am not happy with the way the Firm is presently being run. Discipline and commitment are non-negotiable."

Response: Neither are we. Trust me when I say this. Only complacent people are staying here willingly. Everyone is looking out already. It's just the pending bonus and the arrears that keeps people from resigning (I see why you don't release it on time) Headhunters know this. Hence they are poaching partners, PAs, SAs and Associate from S&P very aggressively. Last year we have seen this firm taking the hit of the exit of some top shot partners from disputes team. You may live in denial, but the accounts and billing team knows the impact it had on the revenue of the firm. I have reached out to accounts and billing teams to research on this. You should be grateful I'm not posting numbers here, but I have it and I know where this firm stands today.

Mr. Saraf, please know that this firm is more replaceable than we are.You are more replaceable than we are. You make things hard for us, and all of us will leave. Headhunters are in our inboxes at all times.

You don't have good revenue, you don't have good profits. So you resort to ▮▮▮ tactics like cutting bonuses arbitrarily. Keeping the arrears on hold, not paying bonuses and arrears to the people who leave.

Furthermore, the firm is in such a condition that you're now asking people to leave. Clerks and other support staff were warned of retrenchment. I know atleast 4 people that were asked to leave the firm. This included 2 trainee associates who had worked here for 1 whole year and then when the partner recommended their confirmation as an associate, you refused. If you don't have the capacity to retain them, don't play with their future. Don't waste their time. It seems you just want cheap labour with no intention to absorb them.

So yeah "I am not happy with the way the Firm is presently being run. Discipline and commitment are non-negotiable." And so is accountability and ethics.

Now how do I know all of this? I have good relationship with admin, partners (seniors and juniors) and associates. I see all the messages you post on the Partners' group. I know exactly what goes on in the partners' meetings. So I know.

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Regards,

Copilot

I also work at a Tier 1, and have more experience than you. Saraf is not a Tier 1 (alteast not as per Chambers). Tier 1s are mature on all the fronts. If you speak with your friends at other Tier 2,3,4, you will observe this quite frequently.

Not in any way supporting the approach which MS had in this email. This could have been way politely undertaken at the firm level.

Given that some people do this- but isn’t it also true that firms assign “urgent” work (only to be reviewed a week later) at 7 pm (after wasting the entire day on nothing)? Or give work on weekends? I started off at my T1 as an early bird but their “urgent” and late night culture made me come in to the office by 11.30 AM. If you won’t let me have my evening, (and ofcourse i need some time for family/gym/etc), I by coming late in the morning!

I do not work at Saraf. But this was the policy when I was at Luthra. What is wrong with this? If associates are not attending office on time, or their is a gap in the billable hours, any Managing Partner would issue such a communication.

I also find the manner in which OP copy-pasted the entire email to be in extremely poor taste. If you have a problem with that MP or the Firm, just leave.

Firstly, the owner himself does not comply with any timelines for paying bonuses, or announcing increments, but he expects other people to abide by the timelines. Hypocrisy.

Secondly, many people put BD/CD, and don't attend office. It is the partners who are guilty of doing this more often. But the owner seems to be targeting the associates for this, and not his partners. Ignorance.

Thirdly, how can somebody target Mr. Ojha like this. Mr. Ojha works so diligently and has sweated for the firm. Ungrateful.

Fourthly, owner knows very well that senior partners won't follow this. But for the sake of writing, it has been mentioned everybody needs to follow this policy. Lame.

Fifthly, the direct consequence is non-entitlement of discretionary bonus. Even for other non-compliance like non-adherence to AI policy, WFH policy, not attending office parties, not filling time-sheets, and not filling appraisal forms on time etc, the discretionary bonus can go for a toss. So billing basically has no role. Unprofessional.

Sixthly, the senior-most female partner (who is also part owner) neither comes to office nor will follow this policy. Nepotism.

(PS: Owner thinks that if deal announcements will have names of associates, then other firms/companies will poach them. Other firms will only poach from owner's firm and not from CAM/SAM/AZB/Trilegal/Khaitan, just because the owner believes so.)

Dear Managing Partner,

Thank you for the mail and hope your short trip in the US is going well. We care a lot about your feelings wrt confidentiality obligations and firm policies. We really really appreciate your attention to the matter.

On a side note, could you please let us know when our arrears, payable since March 31, 2025, will be cleared? Request you to please shift your focus to this, your poor associates are falling behind on their monthly EMIs.

Love and only love,

Founder and Managing Ass(ociate)

GUYS FRESH GOSSIP

The owner, who is in the US right now, has sent a follow up mail about breach of confidentiality. He is mad about this being posted here, and has directed the IT guy to "investigate" 🤣🤣

The whole floor is gossiping and mocking this in Noida lmao

Also, he has told that even leaking this specific follow-up mail would amount as brach of confidentiality.

I might lose my job, but my endeavour to keep you all entertained will persist 🤣🤣

Posting as received:

Dear Colleagues,

This is to reiterate and clarify the Firm’s policy on office attendance, external meetings, and Work From Home. Discipline and accountability are essential for our continued growth and success, and I expect all members to follow this policy without exception.

1. Office Attendance

- All members of the Firm — from Senior Partners to Associates/ Support — must be present in office during office hours.
- Senior members are expected to lead by example and strictly adhere to this policy.
- Late arrival or absence without approval will not be condoned and you will be marked absent.

2. Client & Business Development Meetings

- Any requirement to attend a client meeting or business development (BD) meeting outside the office must be done with prior notice to Ojha Ji & attendance.
- You must forward to Mr. Ojha the client/counterparty’s email or WhatsApp request for such a meeting.
- As a matter of policy, no one should leave office for external meetings without prior notice and supporting documents.
- For BD meetings, you must share with Mr. Ojha:

1. Name and details of the person you are meeting
2. Date and time of the meeting
3. Email and/or WhatsApp communications evidencing the meeting

Failure to comply will result in the absence being recorded as unauthorized. However, if you don't wish to share details with Ojha Ji for some reason, then you still need to share details in advance with me.

3. Work From Home (WFH)

- WFH is permitted only on Wednesday for counsels.
- The earlier WFH policy remains applicable. Please find attached the policy for WFH.

4. Consequences of Non-Compliance

Anyone failing to comply with this policy will be marked as absent and will not be entitled to any discretionary bonus at the end of the year.

5. Any Associate or Partner wishing to travel out of the city other than for business or take vacation must obtain prior permission from their reporting Partner or from me, as the case may be, and must also inform Mr. Ojha in advance of the proposed absence.

6. Ojha Ji : Going forward you don't have any discretion and please follow the policy strictly.

I am not happy with the way the Firm is presently being run. Discipline and commitment are non-negotiable. I expect each one of you to take this policy seriously and always ensure compliance.

Best regards,

Mohit Saraf

Mohit SarafFounder & Managing Partner

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