Even when the fat lady has sung things can change again in India .. but the news isn’t looking good for US & UK law firms who thought they may be able to open practices in India.
This spells good news for Singapore who are granting more licenses for overseas law firms and no doubt these firms will run their India desks out of the city state.
It also spells good news for those forward thinking Indian law firms who are working with overseas firms and partners and actually putting foreigners on the ground with them.
In the end India will suffer because of the recalcitrance of the various Indian law societies and bar associations. Legal business will go to Singapore. Our suggestion is that foreign law firms start using Kathmandhu as a base and make Indian business fly to them.. not such a bad place to live for a lawyer!
This is what the press trust of India say:
No immediate decision to allow foreign lawyers in India
New Delhi, Aug 24 (PTI) India today ruled out any immediate decision to allow foreign lawyers to work here in view of the reservations of the domestic legal fraternity.
The Indian position was conveyed by Law Minister M Veerappa Moily to British Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Justice Lord William Bach during their meeting here.
Pressing for allowing foreign lawyers to operate here, Bach said they may not be given the right to appear in Indian courts but should be given permission to at least advice their Indian counterparts, especially in commercial cases, sources said.
Moily told Bach that any decision could not be taken on the issue as Indian lawyers should feel confident on the issue.
He said Indian law firms were apprehensive over entry of foreign law firms in the country and education on the issue was required before the government could think further, sources added.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/245735_No-immediate-decision-to-allow-foreign-lawyers-in-India
