Law firms

"Courier service provider Pigeon Express Pvt. Ltd is in advanced talks to acquire e-commerce focused logistics service provider GoJavas (Quickdel Logistics Pvt. Ltd), which suspended operations last week amid an organisational overhaul, in a cash and stock deal, said two people aware of the development,” reported Mint and others earlier this month.

The Society of Indian Law Firms (Silf) has sent its notes to the commerce ministry in the latest stage of the liberalisation talks.

"India has a new tech unicorn. Hike, a four-year-old messaging app, today announced that it has closed $175 million in funding led by new investors Chinese internet giant Tencent and manufacturing firm Foxconn. The Series D round values the company at $1.4 billion, founder and CEO Kavin Bharti Mittal confirmed to TechCrunch,” reported Techcrunch.

Khaitan & Co has hired PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) director Abhishek Rastogi and associate director Rashmi Deshpande into its indirect tax practice in Mumbai.

BMR Legal Mumbai partner Souvik Ganguly, who had joined the firm in 2014 after two years of running his own law firm Acuity Law, has resigned, Bar & Bench first reported and we have also now confirmed.

The Supreme Court today lifted a ban on registering diesel cars, SUVs and other vehicles with an engine capacity of 2,000 cc and more in the National Capital Region after depositing one per cent of the ex-showroom price as environment compensation charge (ECC) with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas partner and tax head Krishan Malhotra has joined Dhruva Advisors as senior partner.

Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas IP partner Nitin Masilamani has left the firm and started up his own IP firm with Delhi managing partner Pallavi Shroff commenting “we wish him all the best”.

Japanese healthcare media giant M3 has acquired a stake in Health Impetus Private Limited - which offers disease management services - from its existing shareholder, Health Care at Home India Private Limited, and by subscribing to equity shares in the target for an undisclosed amount.

Jindal Global Law School (JGLS) Sonepat and the Indiana University Center on the Global Legal Profession is hosting a very interesting panel discussion today, which I intend to live blog here.

"Tata Chemicals Ltd has agreed to sell its urea plant in Babrala, Uttar Pradesh, to the Indian unit of Norway-based Yara International ASA for Rs 2,670 crore, as it seeks to position itself as a maker of consumer products rather than fertilizers,” reported Mint and others.

NLSIU Bangalore 2002 graduate Bhavin Patel has joined as an of counsel in Mumbai the law firm Aureus Law Partners, which was started in 2013 by former HSA Advocates partner Abhishek Dutta (paywall link) and senior associate Rashmi Chaudhury, reported Bar & Bench.

"Credit rating firm ICRA Ltd said on Friday it has struck a deal to sell its software development arm, ICRA Techno Analytics Ltd, to IT firm Nihilent Technologies Ltd for Rs 68.75 crore ($10.3 million),” reported VCCircle.

AZB & Partners recent lateral partner Nisha Kaur Uberoi has on 8 August obtained phase 1 merger clearance from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for Ultratech Cement’s Rs 16,189 crore ($2.4bn) acquisition of the cement assets of the Jaypee Group.

CX Partners (a PE firm focused on the Indian mid-market) and Capital Square Partners sold for $420m its stake in Minacs to Concentrix Global Holdings Inc., a subsidiary of Synnex Corporation, as reported by the Economic Times as one of the largest in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, and Concentrix’ second largest deal.

Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (CAM) general corporate partner designate Prerak Ved will join AZB & Partners as a counsel in Mumbai, we have confirmed from authoritative sources.