One third of top infrastructure boutique India Law Services has joined ALMT Legal in Mumbai, with partner Ishtiaq Ali set to start up ALMT’s projects and infrastructure practice.

Khaitan & Co has hired former White & Case New York associate Shishir Mehta as a partner in Mumbai to start up a banking and finance practice.

Luthra & Luthra has leased another 9,000 square feet in its existing Delhi office to build an indoor cricket practice pitch for fee-earners, following the firm’s victory at the law firm T-20 tournament last Sunday.

The Bar Council of Delhi has decided to frame a draft proposal to more stringently regulate law firms to prevent flouting of Bar Council of India (BCI) and Advocates Act rules and to strictly enforce the advertisement ban and publicity rules governing law firm websites.

Allen & Overy (A&O) and Indian best friend firm Trilegal have scooped the mandated lead arranger mandate on the closing Bharti Airtel – Zain $9bn merger, alongside AZB & Partners, Herbert Smith and Linklaters.

Telecoms major BT has entered into an agreement to outsource part of its global in-house legal work to legal process outsourcing (LPO) provider UnitedLex, beginning with a team of 15 lawyers based mostly in India.

Luthra & Luthra has won this year’s Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) – Khushal T-20 cricket tournament against Amarchand Mangaldas in an exciting finish to a close match that was held yesterday night in Delhi after the semi-finals of Saturday.

Vaish Associates has advised longstanding clients Religare in the acquisition of healthcare solutions business of Bangalore-based Sobha Renaissance Information Technology (SRIT) for an undisclosed amount.

Induslaw and Amarchand Mangaldas represented three funds that investing $10m into Azure Power’s solar power technology project.

Desai & Diwanji has acted as sole legal adviser on Rs 93.4 crores ($20m) investment by Templeton Strategic Emerging Markets Fund III (TSEMF III) in Shiv-Vani Oil & Gas Exploration Services for a 5.3 per cent stake in the company.

Titus & Co, Amarchand Mangaldas, Trilegal and Luthra & Luthra have reached the semi-finals of the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) – Khushal T-20 cricket tournament after defeating their rivals in four quarter final matches played over Saturday and Sunday.

A Tamil Nadu advocate has reportedly filed a writ petition against 30 foreign law firms and legal process outsourcing (LPO) company Integreon for “illegally practising” law in violation of the Advocates Act 1961, according to unconfirmed media reports, although no notices have been served on the respondents yet.

SN Gupta & Co has kick-started its sports practice by advising on the $333m (Rs 1,533 crore) buy of the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) new Kochi team by the Rendezvous Sports World consortium.

Turnovers at India’s top 50 corporate law firms range from $500,000 (Rs 2.2 crore) to $40m (Rs 181 crore) with aggregate revenues of all firms amounting to $350m (Rs 1590 crore), estimated an analyst report on the Indian legal industry.

Davis Polk, J Sagar Associates (JSA), Lexygen and a raft of overseas firms have advised on the Morgan Stanley-led consortium’s $425m (Rs 1,900 crore) investment in Indian power company Asian Genco.

Wadia Ghandy & Co has promoted corporate senior associates Xerxes Antia, Shabnum Kajiji and Fariyal Tahseen to its partnership.

Naveen Goel Law Offices and Olswang have closed the Rs 250 crore contract negotiations for UK broadcaster SIS Live, which bid for the broadcasting rights to the 2010 Commomwealth Games with Indian public broadcaster Doordarshan and Prasar Bharati.

The top 100 Indian companies are set to spend an estimated $479m (Rs 2,200 crores) in legal fees of which half will be billed by foreign firms, predicts an analyst report on the Indian legal market.

J Sagar Associates (JSA) spin-off M Dhruva & Partners has recruited a corporate partner, its first senior associates and two associates as the firm has begun its transformation to full-service outfit.

Seven Delhi law firms have qualified out of the group stages to the quarter finals of the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) – Khushal T-20 cricket tournament after 23 matches played over four weeks.