Luthra and Luthra Delhi general corporate partner Prof Anil Kumar Rai left the firm on Friday, after the headcount of the team he was heading at the firm gradually shrunk over the last few months.

“There are certain options which I am considering,” commented the former NLSIU Bangalore professor adding, “It depends [if I will re-join NLS]. It is a statutory organisation so there are certain rules.”

Rai who had joined Luthra in 2006 after nine years of teaching at NLSIU said: “I wanted a change. It had been long enough.” He graduated from Gorakhpur University, obtained a Masters in law from Delhi university and taught at both universities subsequently, until joining NLSIU in 1997 as an assistant professor.

He told Legally India that over “the last five to six months” his core team had shrunk in size, partly as a result of his decision to leave. While one associate moved back to her home-country Nepal, another joined litigation, while a third had gone into independent practice. Three remaining associates of his team would continue working under a managing associate. [Clarification: The initial version of this story incorrectly suggested that Rai’s entire core team had left.]

Luthra senior partner Mohit Saraf commented: “Prof Anil Rai and I have had a long standing relationship which goes back decades since the days we were at law faculty together. Having Anil as a partner at the firm, and with his expertise, it was a great experience for everybody at the firm. Being an academician at heart, he was keen to again pursue teaching and I had to respect his choice in this regard. I wish him all the best personally and professionally.”