CC sends ambassador to Indian ally AZB
Clifford Chance will be looking to consolidate its best friends relationship with Indian firm AZB & Partners later this year when it sends banking
partner Chris Wyman on secondment to the subcontinent.
Chris Wyman
The magic circle firm struck its referral deal with AZB earlier this year (TheLawyer.com, 14 January).
Wyman’s mission will be partly ambassadorial, but is primarily aimed at helping the firms get to know one another better to fulfil a mandate outlined by senior partner Stuart Popham.
“It’s more efficient to have somebody there in the same timezone for a while to make introductions and ensure both sides have the right connections,” said Wyman. “However, we’re very aware that we don’t want this to be misconstrued in India, or by the Indian Bar Council, as us trying to enter the market through the back door.”
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Readers' comments (14)
Associate ex-US Firm | 8-Jun-2009 10:54 am
If this is not an attempt of entering India by the back door, I don't know what is!
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Anonymous | 8-Jun-2009 12:20 pm
This is a blatant and flagrnat violation of the BAr Council regulations. CC is really running a massive risk by doing this and retribution may be swift by the Bar quarters.
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Anonymous | 8-Jun-2009 2:41 pm
I am just curious to know if the Attorney General is mandated under law to appear for the Bar Council of India before the SC!!
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Anonymous | 8-Jun-2009 3:16 pm
To anomymous at 2.41. Sorry I could not follow your question. Can ypu please explain what AG (presume still Milon Banerji) has to do with appearing before SC for Bar Council? What is BCI moving to SC for?
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Kian Ganz, editor, LegallyIndia.com | 8-Jun-2009 5:18 pm
There are no rules preventing lawyers or partners from seconding to an Indian law firm and there have been many such secondments before.
Unless the Bar Council wants to make an example of CC and AZB, which seems unlikely, it will not interfere.
See the article below for some more background of what Wyman will be doing, which is roughly similar to what any other UK partner visiting India does.
http://www.legallyindia.com/index.php/Law-firms/clifford-chance-sends-senior-partner-to-live-in-india-with-azb
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Anonymous | 9-Jun-2009 10:13 am
Kian Ganz is sadly misguided on this issue. The spirit of the Bar Council regulations are being violated by this aggressive act on part of CC and AZB. If a case is made against Chris Wyman to the Disciplinary Committee of the Bar Council, he could face upto 6 months of imprisonment in India - wonder what that would do to the Magic Circle halo.
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Anonymous | 10-Jun-2009 3:51 am
This is tempting fate - just the kind of move that will prompt a hasty response from the Bar Council and the Law Ministry who will look to appease their constituents. Foreign firms will have to wait for the liberalisation to be rolled out rather than jumping the gun with their 'innovative' solutions to serve their objectives. This could put the entire liberalisation process at risk and harm the rest of the magic cirle. Bad move CC.
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Anonymous | 10-Jun-2009 12:59 pm
To Anonymous | 8-Jun-2009 3:16 pm
Read about the new appointment?? Read between the lines!!
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Anonymous | 13-Jun-2009 8:20 pm
No - the Attorney General is not mandated under law to appear for the Bar Council of India before the SC. And, neither is he mandated to represent other interested parties or their interest . Maybe CC's ambassodorial venture has just about queered the pitch for everybody else. Perhaps good sense will prevail - what's the need to muddy the waters? Instead send AZB senior partners to CC to make introductions and ensure both sides have the right connections.
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Anonymous | 18-Jun-2009 5:59 am
The arrangement reported above certainly does not literally violate the provisions of the Advocates Act or the Bar Council Regulations. Nonetheless, if during the course of the secondment Wyman is found to practice the profession of law then he may attract action under the law. Therefore, everything would depend upon the interpretation of the term - "practice of law". However, considering the immense clout enjoyed by AZB and similar firms it is unlikely that any action would be taken.
In fair terms, the above arrangement should not be attacked since at the least it affords an opportunity to the AZB lawyers to learn and understand the way a CC partner approaches the practice of law.
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