The firm was co-founded by Universal Legal Chennai partner Aarthi Sivanandh, Dua Associates Chennai partner Chitra Narayan and Paras Kuhad Associates Chennai head and designated partner Vinod Kumar.

Vichar Partners started operations earlier this month with a focus on dispute resolution, corporate and transactional law related areas of practice.

Sivanandh, who graduated from B R Ambedkar Government Law College and US-based Tulane Law School, commented: “We are thrilled to build a new firm for a newly relevant economy and geography.”

Narayan added: “We go back to a time, where we have worked together as friends for over a decade and the most important asset of our firm are our lawyers.”

She is an NLSIU Bangalore alumnus and LLM degree-holder from the University of Warwick with over 15 years of work experience.

Sivanandh added that it was their like-minded approach and realisation to cater to the fast-paced needs of clients which brought them together to start Vichar.

Kumar said: "We have put together a firm whose partners are a winning team of transactional and litigation professionals with varied sector interest.”

Situated in the Mylapore area of Chennai, Vichar has begun operations with four associates, an administration head and two members of support staff with plans to grow to ten or more in strength within one year.

Paras Kuhad Associates confirmed Kumar’s departure and Universal Legal managing partner Partha Mandal said he wished Sivanandh all the best. He added that Universal’s Chennai office now had a total of seven lawyers, headed by partner Kavitha Vijay.

Dua Associates was not available for comment.