Desai & Diwanji stalwarts Monika Deshmukh, Vihang Virkar to defect to E&Y-affiliate PDS Legal

Friday, 23 January 2015 By Legally India Law firms

PDS Legal, the law firm closely allied to Big Four consultancy Ernst & Young (E&Y), is set to boost its M&A practice with the arrival of Desai & Diwanji Mumbai partners Monika Deshmukh and Vihang Virkar.

Deshmukh confirmed that she and Virkar would leave but declined to comment further.

Deshmukh started her career at Desai & Diwanji in 2001 as an associate after a Mumbai BCom and an LLB from New Law College, becoming associate partner in 2007 and partner in 2010.

Virkar also began his career there in 2001 after graduating from GLC Mumbai.

It is understood that while their departure has been announced internally, a date has not yet been fixed.

Desai & Diwanji managing partner Vishwang Desai was not reachable for comment since yesterday and did not respond to a message.

Deshmukh and Virkar are the latest partners to leave the Mumbai-headquartered firm, following capital markets partner Srishti Ojha setting up Veritas Law Offices late last year, Delhi head Sumes Dewan who started up his own firm Lex Favios, and Delhi partner Amit Khansaheb joining BMR Legal, allied to management consultancy BMR Advisors, in 2013.

In 2013 PDS poached a team of 11 from Economic Laws Practice (ELP) headed by partner Tarun Gulati in Delhi.

Desai & DiwanjiPDS LegalMonika DeshmukhVihang Virkar

Comments

Former Colleague 23 Jan 2015, 10:44
+10 -7
Wish them all the best. They are both great lawyers and mentors. Also, something that isn't reported here if that D&D's star associate Ayesha Rai is joining them. They will make an excellent team.
London 23 Jan 2015, 13:25
+4 -4
totally agree with the "Former Colleague"......
Another colleague 23 Jan 2015, 13:50
+4 -12
All the best to Vihang, Monika and Ayesha. Excellent M&A lawyers. Infact Vihang and Ayesha were all in all the tier 1 Aviation practice of D&D. The best performing Partner (Vihang) and Senior Associate (Ayesha) leaving together. Huge loss to D&D.
HNLU Fan 23 Jan 2015, 18:56
+11 -7
I thought AAG was the best performing partner there
Adiga 24 Jan 2015, 06:53
+3 -5
Indeed she was!
industry observer 23 Jan 2015, 15:13
+1 -6
All the best to Vihang and Monika -fantastic lawyers and professionals with impeccable reputation - This is their first job change ever - PDS Legal is emerging to be an excellent platform in an otherwise family/ one many army driven law firms!
Sad 24 Jan 2015, 14:08
+1 -1
Atleast 30 have left D&D recently.. Total partners that have quit is now 6!! After Srishti Ojha quit, D&D recruited someone from AZB to head the cap marks practice. Even she has quit. In the past 2 months itself, 20 have quit. What is wrong with the firm? Is it THAT difficult to work with the senior partners?
DBS 25 Jan 2015, 08:09
+6 -0
Desai & Diwanji slowly going the Crawford Bayley way from the 80's !!
No surprise 25 Jan 2015, 14:40
+2 -0
[quote name="DBS"]Desai & Diwanji slowly going the Crawford Bayley way from the 80's !![/quote]


I will not be surprised if this was the case. I have heard that they have drastically reduced fresher salaries. The increment is really not worth even speaking of. Small companies pay higher than D&D.. What is the use of working in that firm and what is the use of billing so high if you do not even give a decent increment? Some have got 10-15% increment.. That is cheap. Not to forget the pressure that you have to take at that place. It is a pressure cooker with no rewards.
I Banker 25 Jan 2015, 18:36
+0 -0
[quote name="No surprise"][quote name="DBS"]Desai & Diwanji slowly going the Crawford Bayley way from the 80's !![/quote]


I will not be surprised if this was the case. I have heard that they have drastically reduced fresher salaries. The increment is really not worth even speaking of. Small companies pay higher than D&D.. What is the use of working in that firm and what is the use of billing so high if you do not even give a decent increment? Some have got 10-15% increment.. That is cheap. Not to forget the pressure that you have to take at that place. It is a pressure cooker with no rewards.[/quote]


AMSS charges around 70 lacs to 90 lacs for QIP and 1 Cr. to 1.25 Cr. for IPO, however CB charges 7 to 10 lacs for QIP and 15 to 20 lacs for IPO.
DBS 26 Jan 2015, 13:34
+0 -1
who delivers quality?? This IS a serious question.
DBS 26 Jan 2015, 12:54
+0 -0
how much were the fresher salaries till a few years ago in D & D ??
Guest 24 Jan 2015, 17:03
+1 -0
Wow that's NEWS
abc 25 Jan 2015, 07:21
+11 -1
Stalwarts? Really??
AAGs pet 27 Jan 2015, 06:16
+2 -9
Aslesha is the best in aviation law, M&A, Corporate, Banking and Finance, Litigation. She is also the authority in the schools and education space and power and energy.
All Rounder 27 Jan 2015, 06:43
+10 -0
What about in shipping, direct and indirect taxes, technology, family law matters, real estate, securitisation, islamic banking, sports and entertainment law etc? Isn't she "the authority" in those areas as well? Just asking :-)
Suits 27 Jan 2015, 06:53
+5 -3
She is Mumbai's Harvey, Mike and Litt all rolled into one. Should be tough being her!
AS 27 Jan 2015, 12:59
+1 -1
who is the stalwart of D n D???
Mahavir 28 Jan 2015, 16:43
+23 -2
Currently I think its Keshav Acharya
Farida Gandevia 30 Nov 2021, 15:40
+0 -0
Now even Keshav has left
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