Dear Editor,
I refer to the possible opening up of the Indian legal market and your article on it (in the December 2014/January 2015 issue). I welcome the entry of foreign law firms into India and believe the following issues are often missed in the debate surrounding the matter.
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Indian negotiators were pleasantly surprised when the realization dawned on them that legal services was a new category of services that would be of use for WTO/TRIPS negotiations. That said, It needs to be remembered that there is no real lobbying body for the Indian legal fraternity, the (hidden) majority of which is made up of sole practitioners. Corporate lawyers make up a small, albeit visible, minority. Therefore, as and when a “good” offer is made in the course of services negotiations, India need not be concerned about a backlash at home and will be able to throw open the profession to foreigners without too much of a fuss. In addition, as many leading politicians in India are lawyers (several are successful in their own right), chances are that such a throwing open of the profession would be done intelligently so as to address the concerns of all stakeholders.
These issues are relevant and need to be understood.
Law firm partner
Bangalore
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