Mass exodus: K Law poaches Link Legal partners Ajay Sawhney, Gautham Srinivas & team of 10 to kick off in Delhi

Sawhney
Sawhney
Link Legal partners Ajay Sawhney and Gautham Srinivas and their team of associates will be joining Krishnamurthy and Co with their team, according to three authoritative sources.

K Law managing partner Naina Krishnamurthy confirmed: “They are joining with their team of 10 people.”

Sawhney and Srinivas will be joining as partners, while four Link Legal associates will be joining as associate partners at K Law, said Krishnamurthy.

The team also includes principal associates Milind Jha and Anurag Dwivedi, senior associates M Arun Kumar and Nidhi Pathania, and associates Manvi Mahajan, Anjana Menon, Apoorva Goel and Usman Khan.

She said that while the firm had a small execution office in Delhi, this would now be a full-fledged office now.

We have reached out to Link Legal for comment.

Comments

rock n roll 15 Apr 2015, 14:46
+21 -6
K Law is on a roll. First partner promos, and now this. Good times picking up. I read about K Law in the league tables also. This firm seems to be gearing up big time!

@Kian: any word on K Law pay structures? How much do they pay the freshers?
well-wisher 15 Apr 2015, 15:45
+13 -7
K law has revised the pay structure massively!
Its quite good now
Paypal 15 Apr 2015, 15:49
+13 -3
When winter is coming, squirrels get peanuts.
woaaaah 15 Apr 2015, 15:55
+12 -12
K law has been doing extremely well

Last heard someone say that the fresher pay in Mumbai office is 9 lpa
vanquish 15 Apr 2015, 16:51
+11 -3
Unlikely !
bonus 15 Apr 2015, 16:51
+2 -0
[quote name="woaaaah"]K law has been doing extremely well

Last heard someone say that the fresher pay in Mumbai office is 9 lpa[/quote]

This amount is exclusive or inclusive of bonus? What is the regular bonus structure at K Law? Do they have any bonus?
boner-ous 15 Apr 2015, 19:30
+0 -1
Naaah no bonus for freshers
Inside Info 15 Apr 2015, 17:35
+1 -7
I have been told the freshers get paid around 13LPA at KLaw
. 15 Apr 2015, 19:29
+2 -0
Really? Can someone verify theis information?
verify 15 Apr 2015, 19:56
+3 -0
I think, that would be pushing it. Agreed, they are now paying close to the top league, but 13 lakhs seems too much. Maybe, they pay top dollars at mid-level onwards, but a fresher won't be more than 10. That's a guess though.
Altaaf Raja 16 Apr 2015, 04:54
+2 -1
[quote name="Inside Info"]I have been told the freshers get paid around 13LPA at KLaw[/quote]

And I have been told that you've been running away from your shrink lately.
Kk 15 Apr 2015, 16:07
+6 -2
Kian, is it Krishnamoorthy and Co OR K Law?? Branding disaster!
kianganz 15 Apr 2015, 16:13
+1 -0
Both?
K Law 15 Apr 2015, 16:47
+2 -0
[quote name="kianganz"]Both?[/quote]

Kian, you only published the story of K Law rebranding some years back. That means it's now "K Law" and not "Krishnamurthy & Co.".
Nostradamus 15 Apr 2015, 18:20
+9 -9
This was bound to happen at Link Legal. They have lost 12 now....many more to fall....with the way the Firm is run...you may be checking this page often.
With this they have lost three partners in two months.
KKG 16 Apr 2015, 05:52
+2 -3
Nostradamus sounds suspiciously likely an ex-Link Legal partner who was ousted a couple of years ago.
Nostradamus 16 Apr 2015, 07:30
+5 -1
The result is for everyone to see...and KKG you sound like a current Link Legal lawyer....who has been ignored by the current Partners leaving the Firm and the one who was ousted a couple of years back.
Just Saying 15 Apr 2015, 18:30
+16 -6
Big loss for Link Legal...as i understand these guys definitely were their A team
GP 15 Apr 2015, 19:56
+13 -19
Gautam Srinivas is a ace lawyer with immense experience and I depth brilliance and more importantly a very nice human being. Happy for you and congrats machha.
Simba 16 Apr 2015, 05:55
+5 -2
Congrats GS!
Genuinely Curious 18 Apr 2015, 07:22
+3 -1
While I do not know if Gautam Srinivas is a fantastic human being (and have no intentions to cast any doubt on that front), whenever I see any news on certain individual becoming a partner or switching to a new job, I see comments like "What a great human being!!!", "Fantastic Guy to work with!!!", which makes me wonder :
1. if this field is filled with so many great persons, why do so many people whine about their reporting managers/partners being rude to them and being arrogant/narcisstic.
2. if all those persons who are made partners in a firm are fantastic/great human beings.
Because I have worked with many partners(who have been described as "great" here) who are clearly not great human beings and thus, these comments sound hollow on many occasions.So what gives- is it PR machinery of the partners at work? I am genuinely curious by the way
kianganz 18 Apr 2015, 07:30
+1 -0
I think nearly everyone - even your former bosses from hell - will have some friends and well-wishers, no?

But I agree with your sentiment in principle that praise and adulation in comments are sweet and good, but they don't add much to discussion.

We could widen our comment moderation policy that instead of only censoring comments that criticise lawyers for their lack of skills, incompetence, etc, we'll not allow any comment about the personality, capability, professionalism etc of any individual, positive or otherwise (other than about managing and senior partners).

Or would we have a commenter rebellion at our doors in such a case?
GS 18 Apr 2015, 17:05
+6 -6
Having worked with Gautham, can safely say he is an excellent lawyer, great teacher and a greater human being. Knowing him personally, assure you no PR team at work here. If that was the case, the negative comments would have been fought hard. Peace!
Guest 16 Apr 2015, 00:53
+10 -10
Big loss for Link Legal. Have worked with Ajay in many transactions. Brilliant lawyer and a fantastic guy to work with. Congrats Ajay. Do well!!!!!
Times they are a changing 16 Apr 2015, 03:12
+3 -1
Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'.
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'.
Guest 16 Apr 2015, 04:48
+13 -18
Is the starting designation at K-Law, Associate Partner?
Guest 18 Apr 2015, 17:08
+5 -3
The article clearly says principle associate and senior associates going in as associate partners. Where's the confusion?
Now What? 16 Apr 2015, 04:56
+5 -12
What will they do now, PF or Cap markets or just draw their fat salaries for couple of years and then start a new law firm. Till that time dry up K Law. Smart move.
Clients 16 Apr 2015, 04:58
+0 -1
Are any clients moving with these guys?
AMS 16 Apr 2015, 05:37
+13 -1
Best of luck to ajay, milind and Arun...old timers at linklegal...good move.
KKG 16 Apr 2015, 05:58
+4 -9
Give the new setup one year. Half their team will be hunting for greener pastures.
Now who 16 Apr 2015, 07:26
+6 -0
Now who is left at Link Legal?? They will start focusing on Litigation and Infrastructure with Tax, PF and Capital Markets cleaned. Tax and Capital Markets did not even stand on their feet before they collapsed!!
And, if market is to be believed, a lot of their CVs are floating and people looking for options....including some of the Partners.
Such a pity to see a promising Firm coming down like this..
Lesson - take care of your people, else they will not care for you!!
Infrastructure 16 Apr 2015, 09:10
+3 -0
Most of these infra firms aren't bothered about their people. Explains why they hardly grow.
Client of the Legend-Karkhanis 16 Apr 2015, 16:27
+4 -7
Being one of the client of Link Legal ILS' Mumbai office, I feel that their strong ILS Project Finance team of Mumbai office, led by the founding partner of ILS, Mr Karkhanis along with couple of other partners and a team of associates is still in tact and least affected as it was always independent of Delhi finance team. Rather, it shall be the single largest Finance team at Link Legal now and is saved from internal competition from the Link Legal's Delhi finance team of AS.
Really? 17 Apr 2015, 07:13
+2 -1
ILS was tanking anyway! Link legal just ensured there downfall by swallowing ILS!

Why don't we all read the news!?!?
Guest 20 Apr 2015, 03:47
+2 -0
Delhi finance team of AS!!!! Who's AS? Are you a link legal lawyer? Outsiders won't understand your internal abbreviations for sure. So be clear please.
HKV 17 Apr 2015, 02:53
+0 -0
@Kian - any idea what's the total number of lawyers at K Law and team strength in each of K Law offices.

I hear that few more people have moved with Ajay & team.. Can you confirm this.
anonymous 17 Apr 2015, 09:02
+4 -1
This was bound to happen, frustration level at associate and senior associate level was too high.. LinkLegal never value people who work tiredlessly..except few close to one or two partners.. lol.. Their downfall was inevitable
Same ILS? 17 Apr 2015, 13:25
+1 -0
Isn't this the same ILS that got rid of Ishtiaq Ali, Damodar Rao and Samir Jagad by trying to get them to sign a renewed partnership deed?

SJ still survives. Other 2 have their own post-Clasis. Where's everyone else?
anonymous 17 Apr 2015, 21:04
+0 -0
SJ also in tatters
SJite 18 Apr 2015, 04:51
+1 -0
SJ is still going strong and growing with each passing day! Good work culture with promising pay structure has helped it survive the storm.
Guest 20 Apr 2015, 03:43
+7 -2
K Law is doing quite well and I am sure with Ajay and team on board for Delhi, they will only be going higher. Have worked with Ajay and his team from Delhi and I can only say what a loss for Link Legal. Kian, I also learnt that some more people are moving with Ajay. Can you confirm this? High time, law firms need to learn to retain their talent.