Ashish Bhakta will be ARA's third partner in the firm and joined today. At least one former Kanga & Co associate is likely to join him by the end of this week.

ARA co-founding partner Rajesh Begur said: "The focus that the country has on infrastructure is what I feel will lead the infra structure practice and give it the fillip that is required in that space."

Ashish Bhakta said he would focus mainly on infrastructure and Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)-related litigation.

Bhakta, who is the nephew of Kanga & Co senior partner ML Bhakta, had been with the firm as a partner for three years in Mumbai before which he was at J Sagar Associates. He had graduated in 2000 from GJ Advani college in Mumbai.

Kanga & Co partner Preeti Mehta confirmed Ashish Bhakta's departure.