The India Desk will provide legal support to Indian clients on personal, commercial, and investment matters in the UK, the firm said. Child & Child already operates similar desks for Italian and Middle Eastern clients, using native speakers and dual-qualified lawyers to bridge jurisdictional gaps.
Under the tie-up, the two firms will exchange legal work across Europe, the UK, and CIS countries. They will also exchange legal interns across offices and jointly develop non-contentious practice areas.
“Solicis Lex Advisory is an established powerhouse in the dynamic Indian legal market,’ said Adrian Biles, managing partner of Child & Child, in a press release. “We wanted to not only provide a London-based service for our clients but also work closely with a partner in India. Solicis Lex Advisory is one of the top fifteen Indian law firms, with a client base and a focus on excellence that match those of Child & Child. We look forward to a productive and long partnership.”
Ameet Mehta, managing partner of Solicis Lex, said, with the approval of the Entry of Foreign Law Firms in India by the Bar Council of India and the Union Government’s approval, we pledge to strike a balance among strategic leadership, profitability, and people management while maintaining market share.
“By fostering alignments with leaders like Child & Child, we wish to keep ourselves at pace with market leaders. This is our overall firm strategy,” added Mehta.
The partnership comes as India’s government and the Bar Council of India have approved a framework permitting foreign law firms to operate in the country, ending decades of protectionism that had kept international practices out of one of Asia’s largest legal markets. The liberalisation is expected to trigger a wave of cross-border alliances as Indian corporates expand globally and foreign firms seek regulated access to Indian clients.British law firm Child & Child, which serves clients with interests spanning multiple jurisdictions, said that an increasing number of Indian nationals working and investing in the UK had made a dedicated desk a strategic priority.
Mumbai-headquartered Solicis Lex has three offices in the city, eight within the country, and six overseas offices, with a combined strength of about 300 retainer Lawyers.