HSA Advocates elevated partner-designate Harvinder Singh – one of the two people promoted to the firm’s principal associate-equivalent designation last year – to its partnership effective 1 April 2013.

Two new associate partners, four new senior associates and the firm’s very first chief operating officer (COO) were also made up this year. The associate partner tag will replace the equivalent partner-designate career rung going forward. 

“Globally the firms use associate partner [more commonly as a designation],” explained Singh.

Singh, who obtained his LLB from Delhi University and qualified as a company secretary in 2002, joined HSA’s corporate M&A practice in 2009. Before HSA he was a senior associate in the corporate practice of Fox Mandal Little. 

Meanwhile, senior associates Mohit D Ram in the Delhi litigation practice and Rajesh Pathania in the Mumbai corporate M&A practice were made associate partners.

Ram, who worked with HSA partner Meenakshi Arora in her erstwhile litigation boutique Meenakshi Arora & Associates, moved to HSA with her in 2011 when she joined the firm as a litigation partner.

Pathania joined HSA as an associate in June 2011 and was made a senior associate at the firm a month later. After obtaining his LLB from Cardiff University in the UK in 2006, he worked at Nishith Desai & Associates in 2007, and at Trilegal from July 2008 to 2010.

Two previously-promoted partner-designates continue at the firm, respectively in its Delhi banking and finance practice, and in its infrastructure practice. 

Four lawyers were promoted to senior associates at the firm: Nilesh Chandra and Rahul Kumar from the Delhi infrastructure, banking and project finance practice, Shri Venkatesh from the Delhi projects practice, and Monali Dutta from the Mumbai projects practice.

HSA Advocates now has 15 partners and associate partners and over 70 attorneys, according to its press release. Partner Salman Waris, who had joined the firm in January 2012, left in March to join Seth Dua Associates as partner.

Firm manager VP Jayamon has been made the firm’s first ever chief operating officer, after 10 years at the firm.