Jyotsna Bhatnagar

Editor at Financial Express

journalist. voyager of life. spiritualist. Resident Editor, The Financial Express, Gujarat

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Articles

BCI allows foreign lawyers to practice in India

1 day ago | financialexpress.com | Jyotsna Bhatnagar

After years of flip-flop on the issue of allowing foreign law firms and lawyers to practice in India, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has officially notified amendments to its 2022 rules which would enable them to do so on a reciprocal basis.
Law firms go all out to plug leaky pipeline for women

3 weeks ago | financialexpress.com | Jyotsna Bhatnagar

Shattering the glass ceiling in the legal profession is rapidly becoming the new normal for women lawyers, with big law firms pulling all the stops to plug the so-called leaky pipeline. A latest analysis done by Vahura, a leading legal recruitment and consultancy firm, shows 33 women lawyers were promoted to partnership roles out of a total of 119 promotions in 2024-25 in the top five law firms. Says Ankita Malik, consultant with Vahura, “This represents a 27.7% female promotion rate.
Indian law firms take baby steps for consolidation

1 month ago | financialexpress.com | Jyotsna Bhatnagar

The global legal industry saw a seismic shift last week, with the partnerships at Herbert Smith Freehills, widely acknowledged as one of the world’s most elite law firms, and top US law firm Kramer Nevin Naftalis & Franklin voting to approve a historic merger. The new entity will have 2,700 lawyers and an estimated $2 billion in revenue and 26 offices worldwide.
Law firms going in for makeover by inducting non-legal talent

1 month ago | financialexpress.com | Jyotsna Bhatnagar

Anticipating an imminent entry of foreign names and the increasing use of artificial intelligence, Indian law firms are going in for a makeover in accordance with global best practices. The bid to corporatise has seen induction of top non-legal talent across legal organisations. Leading the charge are the old guard of India’s largest law firms including Khaitan & Co (KCo), Trilegal, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas (SAM), Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (CAM) and Luthra & Luthra.
Booming art mart opens up a big canvas for legal firms

2 months ago | financialexpress.com | Jyotsna Bhatnagar

India’s rapidly growing art mart, conservatively pegged at around Rs 4,000 crore annually, is attracting marquee legal firms, making it the latest sought-after vertical on India’s legal canvas. Law firms including Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (CAM), Khaitan & Co, DSK Legal, Dentons Link Legal, Anand and Anand are already providing niche art law services while others are waiting on the sidelines.
Advocates Bill to be revised

2 months ago | financialexpress.com | Jyotsna Bhatnagar

The ministry of law and justice has decided to revise certain provisions in the Advocates (Amendment) Bill 2025 and hold fresh public consultations after that. This follows backlash from the Bar Council of India (BCI), which criticised some “draconian provisions” in the Bill. Lawyers have also been agitating against the Bill. The ministry prematurely discontinued the ongoing consultation process, supposed to end on February 28.
Advocates Bill leaves legal industry divided

2 months ago | financialexpress.com | Jyotsna Bhatnagar

The Draft Advocates (Amendment) Bill 2025, which was circulated last week for public feedback, has left the legal industry a house divided. While most companies are supporting the Bill, law firms — particularly the family-owned ones — have expressed serious concerns. The draft has been flagged by the Bar Council of India (BCI) for its “draconian provisions.” In a letter to the ministry, BCI has said the very concept of autonomy and independence of the Bar is attempted to be demolished.
Bar Council raises objections to Advocates Bill amendments

2 months ago | financialexpress.com | Jyotsna Bhatnagar

The Bar Council of India (BCI) on Wednesday expressed “profound concerns” over the proposed draft Advocates Amendment Bill, 2025, citing serious implications for the legal profession and a threat to the autonomy of the Council. In a pushback to the draft Bill, which was released for public consultation last week, the Council sent its objections and suggestions in a 66-page letter to law and justice minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.
Top law firms make a beeline for Dubai

2 months ago | financialexpress.com | Jyotsna Bhatnagar

Some of India’s leading law firms are making a beeline for the UAE in search of a pie in the $3.5-billion legal services market. The country, which has of late emerged as a gateway to the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region, has positioned itself as a prominent financial and logistical centre for global enterprises, resulting in a heightened demand for various legal services, including corporate, commercial, dispute resolution, and tax advisory practices.
Many top legal firms skip Gujarat International Finance Tec-City

Jan 24, 2025 | financialexpress.com | Jyotsna Bhatnagar

Some of India’s top legal firms have decided against setting up branches in GIFT (Gujarat International Finance Tec-City) despite a host of tax incentives and light-touch regulations. Among the sops which have been doled out by the government to woo the legal fraternity to the emerging global financial and IT services hub are concessions such as tax waiver on fee income and regulations to facilitate ease of doing business.