AZB & Partners Mumbai competition counsel Rahul Rai, who we had reported in February to have resigned from AZB’s partnership to take up an of counsel position at the firm, has joined the chambers of senior advocate Gopal Subramanium in Delhi last month, we understand from several sources.
He has joined Subramanium’s chambers as one of eight juniors, who generally do a mix of their own matters as well as handle or assist on some of the senior counsel’s briefs.
While Rai has moved to Delhi, we understand that he continues as an of counsel at AZB and will continue servicing the firm’s clients, shuttling between Mumbai and Delhi as required.
We had reported in February that Rai had longer term plans to become an independent arguing counsel.
With Subramanium being very active in competition cases, as well as in the Supreme Court and other fora, joining his chambers will no doubt make that transition from transactional law firm practice to the bench more smooth.
Plus Subramanium is one of a small group of senior counsel who actually remunerates his juniors at competitive levels.
Rai has been appearing in a variety of matters, including before the Competition Commission of India (CCI).
We have reached out to Rai, AZB Mumbai managing partner Zia Mody and Subramanium for comment.
Rai had been promoted to partner at AZB in 2017, where had had joined in 2012 after an LLM from Stanford Law School.
He is a 2007 NUJS Kolkata graduate, who had begun his career in Economic Laws Practice (ELP) in Delhi.
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A circus lion from a firm can never be a lion in the jungle of courtrooms.
1. "I find it silly that article mentions senior counsels paying juniors.": Why is this silly? I appreciate that you don't join a counsel's chamber for the money, but for the experience and visibility in court. However, all good counsel (senior or otherwise) expect their juniors to work hard - increasingly so over the past 6 to 7 years. If you're going to make your juniors grind it out in a manner similar to that of a large law firm, then it's only fair that you pay them well (if not at par with law firms). After all, a wo-man's gotta eat! It's a been a long-standing gripe that seniors don't pay, or pay peanuts. Ergo, it's only fair to point out that GS, for the large part, pays decently.
2. "even if you are part of a senior's chamber, it is clients who ultimately like or dislike your work.": Not entirely accurate. Unless you (as a chamber junior) gets to interact with a client during a long-drawn out litigation, chances are that interaction with your senior's client are minimal. Also, the sad truth is that the typical Indian client is least concerned with the work quality of a chamber junior. What matters most is the performance of the lawyer on record / solicitor and that of the senior. The client isn't paying you any fees. I'd be surprised if they even care to remember your name.
3. "In firms, disputes folks hardly know a squat about these things as they get only high value disputes which mostly get settled." : Is your point that preparing for, fighting out and settling high value disputes requires less legal acumen and hard work than dealing with a service, land acquisition or a panchayat matter? If yes, then you live under a terrible, terrible delusion. Also, what makes you think that "disputes folks" in firms exclusively work on high value disputes? I'm a litigator with a fairly well known firm and I've worked on everything from extremely high value shareholder disputes to a 1 lakh civil suit in Karkardooma court. Litigation is litigation regardless of the value or nature of the dispute.
4. "Unless you have previous hardcore litigation experience of trial courts or home high court with a wide variety of work and intellectual curiosity, one should not get into counsel practice...": O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells. There are loads of lawyers who have quit firms and set up successful litigation practices. Mr. Subramanium's chamber is a pretty good example. He has had juniors from AMSS, AZB and other firms who have gone on to build their own excellent practices. And I'm sure we all know plenty of hardcore, non-law firm litigators who have the intellectual curiosity of a doorknob; you know, the sort who cite fakingnews reports in court.
If you still can't appreciate the above, or the article, then I can only mirror 3.1's thought - sab theek ho jayega.
Also, Kian surprised to not see an article on the Schneider/L&T Phase II clearance. It's the first one to be without a divesture.
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