London

Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (LKS) is closing its three-year-old London office, after the UK’s negotiations to leave the European Union (EU) have proved more hairy than anyone could have anticipated.

Indian lawyers practising abroad would end up bearing the brunt of the Bar Council of India (BCI) potential regulation of foreign law firms under the current regulatory regime, argued London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) counsel Dushyant Dave before the Supreme Court yesterday.

Following the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) India shutting its India operations in April 2016, its former registrar Ajay Thomas has moved to LCIA rival, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Court of Arbitration (ICA) in a part-time role.

UK firm Penningtons Manches LLP India group co-head Ajit Mishra, has joined London-based Rosenblatt Solicitors as the head of its India group.

McDonald’s India has approached the Delhi high court seeking to enforce a 13 September London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) partial award to appoint experts to value and sell estranged former managing director Vikram Bakshi's stake in the North and Eastern India local franchise of the fast food giant, reported Mint, the Economic Times and others.

2001 GLC Mumbai graduate and Clifford Chance London senior associate Amer Siddiqui has joined Simmons & Simmons as a partner in its capital markets team.

Linklaters has promoted managing associate and NLSIU Bangalore 2005 graduate Kanyaka Ramamurthi to partner, as reported by The Lawyer.

Prem Mohan, who had graduated in 2007 from NLSIU Bangalore, has been promoted to partner in Kirkland & Ellis London office in the financial services regulatory practice.

The London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) will shut down its India-based operation after a lack of uptake.

Penningtons Manches partner and India co-head Saionton Basu has joined US firm Duane Morris’ London corporate practice, according to a press release from the firm.

The NLSIU Bangalore graduate had joined Penningtons, as it was then called, in 2011 from Platinum Partners in Delhi, where he had returned after two years with White & Case in London.

Basu was not reachable for comment.

Penningtons’ India co-head Teja Picton-Howell did not comment at the time of going to press.

Clyde & Co Dubai aviation partner Sidanth Rajagopal joined the London office of Kaye Scholer with the same designation, reported Bar & Bench.

The ILS Pune alumnus, who had also briefly worked at Clyde’s Indian best friend firm Clasis Law, told B&B: “This was a fantastic opportunity to be part of a top rated Aviation Finance & Leasing Practice that is expanding its global reach.”

We have reached out to Clydes for comment.

A detailed report in the Eco Times on the long-running legal scuffle between McDonald's and its local JV partner Vikram Bakshi. McDonald's has accused Bakshi in the Delhi high court of forum shopping by launching Company Law Board (CLB) and Delhi high court challenges to a London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) proceeding between the parties.

Bakshi, represented by senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi to date, has been fighting for his reinstatement as managing director of the joint venture after he was ousted by McDonald's in 2013.

Senior counsel Harish Salve will appear for McDonald's today, arguing against the Indian proceedings so that the London arbitration can proceed. [Economic Times]

The London Court of International Arbitration’s (LCIA) Indian subsidiary resolved real estate giant Hiranandani Group’s family business dispute yesterday after over two-and-a-half years of arbitration.

Fox’ lawyers Penningtons asked the claimant to discontinue action in the UK or face paying Fox’s costs.

Fox Mandal has instructed London firm Penningtons Solicitors to defend against the Rs 96 lakh professional negligence default judgment.

Fox Mandal did not appear before court to respond to the claim that the firm gave negligent advice in a patent application.

Krishnamurthy & Co hopes to attract more UK and European clients from London.

London law firm Candey Parker Solicitors and Advocates looks to go global with new London office and ambition.

Exclusive: Fox Mandal Delhi’s London founding partner Ajit Mishra has resigned from the firm, as the firm has left its old office and moved into a new one in the UK’s financial capital.