Talk about evading the question. When The Lawyer noticed an article in India’s Telegraph newspaper that quoted a London-based Baker & McKenzie spokesperson saying: “Our current desire is to invite an Indian law firm to join our firm and we look forward to changes in the regulatory environment which will permit this”, obviously we had to investigate.
Several calls later and, after being told that the ‘spokesperson’ could not be identified, a statement emerged.
“With 70 offices in 38 countries, we have many clients with business interests in India. We have longstanding referral relationships with several local firms and always seek to match the particular correspondent firm with our client’s needs. Always mindful of the current regulatoryenvironment, we continue to look for ways in which we can develop our relationships in India for the benefit of our clients.”
Where the firm is at in identifying “an Indian law firm to join our firm” remains a mystery. As does the identity of the spokesperson. With 70 offices in 38 countries, perhaps things get lost.
