Mumbai’s Dhruve Liladhar & Company has promoted senior associate Lalan Gupta to its partnership, in the latest step to transform from a family litigation firm to broad-base its partnership.

Gupta had been with the firm for 12 years, explained managing partner Chandubhai Mehta and had handled many high profile litigation matters.

Gupta is a 2006 graduate of Symbiosis Law College Pune, who specialises corporate litigation with a particular focus on corporate fraud and white collar crimes in the Bombay high court as well as the Supreme Court.

Cases handled by him include civil and criminal matters for clients such as Axis Bank, Ruchi Soya Industries, Essar Group, Uttam Galva Steels and others.

Mehta said that Gupta would be the firm’s sixth partner, as a salaried partner with a “flavour” of equity. The other partners are Chandubhai Mehta’s cousin Dharshan Mehta, Chandubhai Mehta’s son Bhavik Mehta, as well as Trupti Shetty, who specialises in arbitration and litigation, and Rashida Savliwala, who focuses on conveyancing.

Former DSK Legal corporate partner Raksha Kothari is also a full-time consultant and of counsel with the firm.

Chandubhai Mehta said: “Up until now we were branded as a family firm, mostly litigation.

“Now we are no longer a family firm, it’s for sure. We are also inviting non-family and considering them for partners depending on quality and everything. We are not going to be only litigation firm, also going into non-litigation work.”

The firm was set up in 1957 by Chandubhai Mehta’s father, making Chandubhai Mehta a third generation Mumbai Incorporated Law Society solicitor, with his son in turn being a “fourth generation solicitor”.

He added: “I have produced about 40 juniors. They are all celebrated more than me. One is Mahesh Agarwal in the Supreme Court, Rajendra Barot of [AZB & Partners], Raksha of course and many more.”

Dhruve Liladhar & Company now has 6 partners, with its Mumbai head office in Nariman Point. It is also the Indian member firm of the international law firm network Advoc.