Indian Market Liberalization Triggers Tussle Between Legal Industry Groups

The Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) has established a committee, led by Shardul Shroff, to provide feedback on India’s legal market liberalization rules, which the Bar Council of India has criticized, sparking concerns about potential conflicts of interest. The committee includes prominent lawyers, such as Jyoti Sagar, founder of JSA Advocates & Solicitors. While SILF welcomes foreign law firms’ entry in a “phased sequential manner,” it stresses the need for a level playing field and addressing discrimination faced by Indian lawyers. The BCI’s committee, chaired by Cyril Shroff, aims to address concerns, but some lawyers view the move as “protectionist” measures to keep the market closed. Read Article