Law firms

HSA Advocates has hired Shahen N Pradhan as associate partner in Mumbai from J Sagar Associates (JSA), where he was a principal associate specialising in dispute resolution.

A Delhi sessions court has yesterday declined to grant bail for now to T&T Law managing partner Rohit Tandon, who was arrested last week and stands accused as one of the main conspirators in trying to launder Rs 60 crore in demonetised cash, according to the Hindustan Times and the PTI.

Jeet Sen Gupta, who had joined Juris Corp as a partner in July 2015 from Economic Laws Practice (ELP), has now joined the Mumbai start-up Vertices Partners, which was set up by three ELP alums.

"IDFC Bank has signed a share purchase agreement with Grama Vidiyal Micro Finance (GVMFL) for acquisition of 100 percent equity share capital of GVMFL,” according to IDFC’s filing as reported by Money Control. AZB & Partners partner Srinath Dasari and senior associate Gautam Rego acted for IDFC.

T&T Law managing partner Rohit Tandon has been arrested by the enforcement directorate (ED) yesterday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is to face a Delhi court about his continuing custody, reported PTI and others.

Luthra & Luthra partner Santanu Mukherjee, who is head of international trade and policy advisory at the firm and had joined less than a year ago, has announced he’d leave Luthra to apparently go independent.

Kochhar & Co has sent a legal notice to the makers of Bollywood sequel The State vs Jolly LLB 2 on behalf of footwear empire Bata, asking them to remove and apologise for an allegedly disparaging trailer of the movie in which the reputation of Bata as a brand is allegedly damaged.

As first reported by us in October when battle lines were first being drawn, Desai & Diwanji is continuing to represent ousted Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry, who has now, via his company Cyrus Investments, filed in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) against Tata Sons, with Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas also having been roped in to advise the Tatas.

The Rs 13.56 crore reportedly recovered in a police raid from the office-cum-residence of T&T Law’s managing partner Rohit Tandon allegedly “belonged to” Kolkata-based businessman Parasmal Lodha, who according to News18 was detained “earlier” (no exact time was specified) at the Mumbai airport.

Delhi boutique indirect tax firm Nitya Tax Associates, which was started in June 2015 by ex-BMR Associates indirect tax head Puneet Bansal, has hired Shiva Nagesh from the DLF Group as its second partner.

Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas’ Mumbai partner Ashish Jejurkar, who was hired in 2009 from Luthra & Luthra, will be leaving the firm and moving to Japan, as first reported by Bar & Bench.

Luthra & Luthra has hired Bharat Chugh as a counsel in Delhi, according to its press release as reported Bar & Bench.

PDS Legal lost 10 lawyers and four support staff in its direct tax practice after they followed former PDS partner Deepak Chopra to AZB & Partners, effective 1 December.

J Sagar Associates (JSA) partner Amit Kapur was elected senior partner-to-be by JSA’s equity partners at a meeting in Chennai today.

Juris Prime, which had demerged from Kochhar & Co in Hyderabad last year after four years, merged with the litigation practice of Raja Shekar that operated as Salvaji Legal.

Asian Legal Business (ALB) magazine last month released a listing of Asia’s biggest law firms, including a round-up of the 25 largest Indian firms by total headcounts.