No one enjoys waiting in immigration these days, least of all when trying to get into the US of A.

This goes particularly for Indian lawyers now, as Nishith Desai’s 10-year US visa was revoked last week by a US customs official after finding that Desai would be “working” in the US by meeting clients. Indian lawyers have understandably been concerned although partners from other firms on a similar itinerary to Desai after a Canada-based legal conference were more lucky and made it to the US unchallenged.

It is therefore unlikely to have been a US policy decision but several foreign lawyers will no doubt smile at the parallels of their own struggles in visiting India. For example, even foreign lawyers visiting India as bona fide tourists on tourist visas usually require a written undertaking from the employer that they would not be practising any law while here. Still, once they have their business visas things generally are plain sailing, if you ignore tax judgments and Chennai writs.

ALMT Legal has been aligning itself more closely with its UK best friend firm Clyde & Co by taking on a new shipping partner – a practice area that is one of Clyde’s specialities.

More specialisation can be expected in the projects space too at the rate India is going, still leading global projects volumes. Indian law firms are along for the ride with Luthra & Luthra retaining its unchallenged top rank in projects for Q3 of 2010.

And if there was a prize for Bollywood mandates, Naik Paranjpe & Co would be in the running, yesterday securing the release of Knock Out despite allegations that the movie was Colin Farrell action-thriller knock-off (although the law firm could do little to save the film from a drubbing by critics and audiences).

Mooting Premier League 2

• Nalsar wins Nani Palkhiwala moot v UILS Chandigarh; NLS, GLC, NLIU share MPL citations
• Delhi CLC beats NUALS to win B R Sawhny Moot; NLU Delhi, NUJS semi-finalists

Legally News Wire

• 11 days of Ayodhya verdict sabre rattling; Hindu party approaches SC to prevent ex-parte order
• Bombay HC approves RPower RNRL scheme of arrangement
• Vodafone files Bombay writ against tax decision, despite SC ongoing deliberation
• First 11 judges in CJI Kapadia’s judicial transfer list make their moves

Blogs of the week

• Training contract dilemmas: Catch me if you can : The escape to London in john2010's blog
• Seizing the day: Life is too Short to Dance With an Ugly Person in Ghost Who Talks's blog
• Cultural gap: East versus West: philosophy, cultural values and mindset – by Hemant Batra in Law Updates's blog
• Become inspired: Just Be in ClatCracker's blog
• A question of wrongs: Human Rights Violation in mittal_deepesh's blog
• Development offer letters: Protecting the “Less Stronger” from “Extremely Legal” agreements in legallyspeaking's blog

Comment of the week

• “Further, to what you have said, I think CLC is grossly underestimated. It is generally regarded as a parking ground, while people wait to take the Civil Service Exams, GMAT, etc or are simple waiting for wedding bells to ring,” by comment #10 on Campus Law Centre Delhi University.
• “Generally a shipping lawyer would deal 'dry' matters […] and 'wet' matters,” explains comment #6 about what it is shipping specialist lawyers do.

Tweet of the week

• Zia Mody & Essaji Vahanvati must be the first lawyers ever featured in a Vogue fashion shoot

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