Travers targets India over China for referrals

Travers Smith is seeking best friend referral relationships with Indian firms in a bid to benefit from mushrooming transactional work coming in and out of the country.

Managing partner Chris Carroll will travel to the subcontinent in January to "knock on doors" with a view to developing ties with several firms. The firm is favouring India over China as an area for focus.

"We've had a few dealings with India," Carroll told The Lawyer, "but we don't really know who we're dealing with. This is a way of checking the cut of their jib."

Any relationship would, however, not be a formal alliance. Travers typically prefers to have several firms with which it can work in any jurisdiction.

There are roughly 15 top Mumbai firms with which Travers is interested in building relationships. In the past the firm has enjoyed referrals with Amarchand & Mangaldas Suresh A Shroff & Co.