We caught up with Trilegal co-founder Anand Prasad, who will leave the firm to become an arguing counsel and potentially a politician, Legally India reported earlier this morning. Here’s more about his plans.

Trilegal Delhi-based co-founding partner Anand Prasad will leave the firm’s partnership to become an independent counsel and get into politics, three reliable, independent sources with knowledge of the development have confirmed.

Tatva Legal advised the Bangalore Elevated Tollway and NCC Infrastructure Holdings on the Rs 750 crore sale of stake in the tollway to India Infrastructure Fund II which was advised by Trilegal. Tatva Hyderabad partner Ekta Bahl and manager Pratyush Singh acted for the Tollway and NCC Trilegal Delhi...

Khaitan & Co advised Indo Phyto Chemicals on the sale of 51 per cent stake in it to pharma company Sequent Scientific which was advised by Nishith Desai Associates (NDA). Khaitan Delhi partner Bharat Anand, senior associate Tanvi Kumar and associate Vrinda Agarwal acted for Indo. NDA Mumbai M&#...

Samvad Partners advised Aasaanjobs and its existing investors Inventus Capital Partners Fund II, IDG Ventures India Fund II and Pandara Trust Scheme I on its $5m fundraising from Aspada Investment Company which was advised by Tatva Legal, and from the existing investors. Samvad Mumbai partner Apurva...

AZB & Partners has poached Luthra & Luthra M&A and corporate Delhi partner Aparna Mittal

The bar councils are the only remaining speed bump in the government liberalising legal services, the law ministry secretary responsible for implementing the entry of foreign law firms said today.

An American Bar Association (ABA) source told Legally India that the ABA president Paulette Brown had met with the law minister yesterday and talked about liberalisation.

TMT Law Practice opened its sixth and seventh national offices in Ahmedabad and Mysore, after merging with the practice of advocate Apurva Dave in Ahmedabad and assigning Bangalore partner Ashok GV the additional role of business development in Mysore.

Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas advised Kotak Mahindra Bank and IDFC Bank on the Rs 925 crore ($135m) private placement of 9250 of Sterlite Grid’s rated, senior, listed, taxable, secured, redeemable, non-convertible debentures. Sterlite was advised by K Law. CAM Mumbai infrastructure and project financing...

Former Luthra & Luthra associate and Spice Global in-houser Mitali Yadav has started up disputes and intellectual property (IPR) firm Alba Law Offices in Delhi with Amity Delhi 2011 classmate Zeeshan Hashmi. Yadav started up Alba in May 2015, after one year of working in house with Spice. Hashm...

Juris Corp promoted principal associate Avikshit Moral to partner in Mumbai, in the firm’s real estate and corporate practice. Rizvi Law College 2008 alumni Moral joined Juris in February 2014, as a senior associate, after stints with Manilal Kher Ambalal & Co, Law Point and India Law Alliance....

Grant Thornton is seriously miffed at and has threatened to sue for breach of contract former Grant Thornton senior forensics team member Kunal Gupta, who was poached by Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas as reported in the previous week.

Nishith Desai Associates (NDA) advised Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) on its meter management joint venture with Tam Media Research which is itself a joint venture between Kantar Media Research and Nielsen. Kantar was advised by Platinum Partners and Nielsen was advised by J Sagar Associ...

Veritas Legal advised Ascent Hotels, the owners of Hyatt Regency in Pune, on its acquisition by SAMHI Hotels which was advised by Economic Laws Practice (ELP). Veritas partner Abhijit Joshi and senior associate Tushar Raut acted for Ascent which specialises in the development, acquisition and owners...

Legally India reliably understands that Kunal Gupta, Gurgaon-based partner of international accountancy and consulting firm Grant Thornton India, is set to join Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas to head up its forensics team as a partner.

Squire Patton Boggs and J Sagar Associates (JSA) advised Axis Capital, ICICI Securities, IIFL Holdings and YES Securities on the $60m (Rs 400 crore) initial public offer (IPO) of Indian integrated business services provider Quess Corp. Quess Corp was advised by Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas. Squire Sing...

Khaitan & Co advised Mumbai-based real estate portal Housing.com $14.7m (Rs 100 crore) fundraising from Softbank which was advised by AZB & Partners. Khaitan Mumbai senior partner Haigreve Khaitan, associate partner Vineet Singhal and senior associate Namrata Mehta acted for Housing. AZB B...

Nishith Desai Associates advised Birla Corporation on its $706.7m (Rs 4800 crore) acquisition of Anil Ambani’s cement business – a Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra) subsidiary which was advised by J Sagar Associates (JSA). NDA Mumbai associates Karan Kalra and Abhinav Harlalka, and partners Rajesh Si...

AZB & Partners senior associate Debashree Dutta will join Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas’ (SAM) Mumbai office as a partner, focusing on banking, Legally India has reliably learned.