Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF)
The Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) has filed a writ in the Bombay High Court against the most recent Union Budget's service tax on law firms, contesting its rationality and constitutional grounds.
The Mumbai chapter of the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) is starting on its drive to become an organisation relevant outside of Delhi, kicking off with a continuing legal education programme for associates.
The Bar Association of India and the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) has instituted an annual award in the name of NLSIU Bangalore founder director Padmashree Prof N.R. Madhava Menon honouring the achievements of law teachers in India.
Four other law teachers were also recognised for their services in the field on Friday, on the eve of India's national Teachers' Day.
Law firms have been seizing the week of Lord Ganesha's birthday to do many interesting things.
Full list of Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) office bearers, elected in August 2009:
President: Lalit Bhasin
Associate President: Shardul Shroff, Amarchand Mangaldas
Senior Vice-President: Ravi Nath, Rajinder Narain & Co.
Vice Presidents:
Rajiv Luthra, Luthra & Luthra
C.R. Dua, Dua Associates
Zia Modi, AZB & Partners
Som Mandal, FoxMandal Little
Jyoti Sagar, J. Sagar Associates
General Secretary: Rohit Kochhar, Kochhar & Co.
Associate Vice-Presidents (nominated by the President):
R.N. Karanjawala, Karanjawala & Co., Advocates
Anand Pathak, P&A Law Offices
Anand Desai, DSK Legal
Diljeet Titus, Titus & Co.
Praveen Anand, Anand & Anand, Advocates
V. Lakshmikumaran, Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan
Anil Harish, D.M. Harish & Co.
Ajay Bahl, AZB & Partners
Suman Khaitan, Khaitan & Partners
Vandana Shroff, Amarchand Mangaldas
Joint General Secretaries:
Mona Bhide, Dave & Girish & Co.
Amar Kainth, Dr. Kainth & Associates
Assistant General Secretaries:
Sudhir Kumar, India International Jurists
Gaurang Kanth, Kanth & Associates
Manoj Kumar, Hammurabi & Solomon
Treasurer:
Anand Prasad, Trilegal
Assistant Treasurer:
Ajay Bhargava, Khaitan & Co.
Executive Committee:
Gurvinder Suri, Suri & Company
Gautam Khaitan, O. P. Khaitan & Co.
Pallavi Shroff, Amarchand Mangaldas
Priti Suri, PSA Legal Counsellors
Mr. H. Jayesh, Juris Corp.
Mr. Sumesh Dewan, K.R. Chawla & Co.
Mr. Rajiv Tuli, Mars & Partners
Bombay Chapter:
Chair: Cyril Shoff, Amarchand Mangaldas
Co-Chair: Nishith Desai, Nishith Desai Associates
Convenor: Ms. Poorvi Chothani, Law Quest
Committee:
Sameer Tapia, ALMT Legal Advocates & Solicitors
Vishal Gandhi, Gandhi & Associates
Ameet Hariani, Hariani & Co.
Naheed Carrimjee, Desai Desai Carrimjee & Mulla
Hiroo Advani, Advani & Co.
Paresh Shah, Shah & Sanghavi
Calcutta / North East:
Chair: Ram N. Jhunjhunwala, Khaitan & Co.
Convenor: Pradeep Sancheti, I.C. Sancheti & Co.
Co-Chair: Krishna Sarma, Corporate Law Group
Delhi:
Chair: V.S. Yadav, Udwadia, Udeshi & Co.
Co-Chair: Nina Gupta Bhasin, Bhasin & Co., Advocates
Convenor: Amir Pasrich, International Law Affiliates
Committee:
Rajendra Kumar, K & S Partners
Badri Nath, International Investment & Law Consultants
Ramni Taneja, Law Office of Ramni Taneja
Dinkar Goswami, Goswami Associates
Hemant Sahai, Hemant Sahai Associates
Manjula Chawla, Phoenix Legal
Atul Dua, Seth Dua & Associates
Poonam Bisht, Dhir & Dhir Associates
R.K. Sanghi, International Trade Law Consultants
Akshoy Rekhi, Abacus Legal Group
Girija Varma, Girija Law & Associates
Bangalore:
Chair: B.C. Thiruvengadam, Thiru & Thiru, Advocates
Convenor: Sajan Poovayya, Poovayya & Co.
Hyderabad:
Chair: Shirin Sethna Baria, Udwadia, Udeshi & Co.
Convenor: Harish Kumar
Jaipur:
Chair: Sudhir Gupta, Advocate
Tamil Nadu:
Chair : Vinod Surana, Surana & Surana
Gujarat:
Chair: Devang Nanavati, Nanavati & Nanavati Advocates
Convenor: Sandeep Singhi, Singhi & Co.
To read about SILF's plans for the coming year, click here.
The Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) is hoping to widen its appeal outside of its traditional centre Delhi by strengthening local metro chapters and inducting new committee members.
SILF's Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad and other regional chapters will be headed by prominent local lawyers.
Lawyers have threatened legal action over the Government's new service tax as Delhi litigators are going on strike over the issue today.
It turns out not all lawyers are against being charged service tax...
The Bar Council of India for one has come out in favour of the tax change that was introduced in Monday's budget, which meant that for the first time ever, Indian lawyers will be deemed to provide a service - something that clients will no doubt applaud after years of being palmed off with mere professional advice.
BCI chairman SNP Sinha told the Business Standard he thought it was a great idea that law firms would finally be taxed.
"The government of India has taken a wise decision by imposing tax," he said. "In the wake of the recently passed Limited Liability Partnership Act, foreign law firms are making (back-door) entry through joint ventures and collaboration. Thus they are justified in imposing tax."
Perhaps crucially, the tax change will not affect individual practitioners or those rendering services to - sorry, advising - individuals.
Unsurprisingly, the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) was not happy. The body's president Lalit Bhasin told the daily paper: "It is a (retrograde) step.
"Instead of helping, strengthening and promoting Indian law firms, the government is trying to substantially weaken them, and they are facing the threat of entry of foreign firms in the country."
Thanks to islandexpress who first tweeted the Business Standard article.