New York

Ramya S Tiller (formerly Ramya Seetharaman when at NLSIU Bangalore until 2002), has been promoted to US international firm _Debevoise & Plimpton_’s partnership in New York alongside three other partners in New York, and three in global offices.

Kochhar & Co Delhi partner Ricky Chopra has gone independent again, setting up Ricky Chopra - International Counsels in Gurgaon with immediate plans to expand with tie-ups in New York and Chandigarh, possibly followed by Mumbai.

Nishith Desai Associates has opened an office in New York - its fourth office overseas and second in the US – hoping to tap the increased activity of private equity houses in that region of  the US.

The New York judiciary is to decide whether to approve a proposal to allow foreign lawyers to advise in litigation and transactional matters on a short-term basis in the city, which is currently allowed by nine other US states, though those lawyers would only get a temporary licence and wouldn’t be allowed to set up offices there or practice local law.

"In light of the increasing globalization of business and law practice. New York’s role as a center of world commerce would be enhanced by permitting lawyers from other jurisdictions to appear in this slate to work on transactional or short-term litigation-related matters (so-called “fly-in. fly-out” events),” the New York State Office of Court Administration said in a letter this month,

reported Wall Street Journal.

Brus Chambers, a Mumbai-based law firm has opened a subsidiary firm headquartered in New York.

Kelley Drye has promoted NLSIU Bangalore graduate Deepak Nambiar to its partnership in New York.

Delhi-headquartered law firm King Stubb & Kasiva is set to open a new office in Mumbai within months and has added a new equity partner to its head office ranks.

The firm is currently finalising the negotiations with up to two partners from Mumbai firms to spearhead its new office.

Managing partner Jidesh Kumar (pictured) said: "The Mumbai office would be banking, finance and infrastructure focused. We are looking at having an infrastructure partner from one of the top five law firms there."