Spanish national law firm Garrigues and Dua Associates have entered into a "non-exclusive cooperation agreement" to "organise seminars, edit publications and develop secondment programmes".

Dua Associates managing partner Ranji Dua said: "Dua Associates and Garrigues have entered into a non exclusive cooperation agreement which maintains in spirit and substance the independence of each of the firms and provides for referrals on a cooperative basis."

The arrangement between the firms is short of a so-called "best friendship", unlike firms such as Linklaters and Talwar Thakore Associates, Allen & Overy and Trilegal, and Clifford Chance and AZB & Partners have entered into the relationships with a view to investing in joint client relationships, training, knowledge management and infrastructure.

"The agreement with Dua Associates gives expression to our longstanding close professional ties and will undoubtedly give added value to both firms," Garrigues India desk partner Sergio Sánchez Solé told Asia Legal Business, which first reported the arrangement between the firms.

The publication also reported:

Solé said he hopes the agreement will help companies take their first steps into India and that its India desk had already been active advising Fundación Consejo España-India, as well as other investors that turn to this institution to develop their corporate projects in the subcontinent.

No other Iberian law firm has entered into such an agreement with a law firm in India. The country's other two giant firms, Cuatrecasas and Uria Menendez, have pursued different strategies. Cuatrecasas has a 'best friends' relationship with Vaish Associates, while Uria is understood to have a preferential relationship with India's largest law firm, Amarchand & Mangaldas."