Shardul Shroff in talks to set up Mumbai HQ in AZB’s Express Towers office & Fort

Amarchand Delhi’s Shardul Shroff is set to take two additional office spaces in Mumbai after mediation will end, including the soon-to-be-ex Nariman Point office of AZB & Partners.

Amarchand Mangaldas Delhi managing partner Shardul Shroff is set to take two additional office spaces in Mumbai after mediation has ended including the soon-to-be-ex Nariman Point office of AZB & Partners and a smaller litigation office close to court, in addition to an already existing smaller office in Mumbai’s mid-town Prabhadevi area, as first reported by Bar & Bench.

Three independent sources have confirmed to Legally India that Shardul was set to take up Mumbai headquarters in Nariman Point’s Express Towers building, on the two floors and 25,000 square feet currently occupied by AZB & Partners Mumbai with a headcount of over 200.

Legally India had reported in November that AZB would move from Express Towers to Parel’s Peninsula Corporate Park, which is very close to Cyril’s Peninsula Chambers office.

It is understood that Shardul is also looking to take a smaller litigation office in the Fort area near the Bombay high court.

If a lease is signed, those two offices would be available to Shardul alongside an existing office of less than 4,000 feet already owned by him in the Lloyds Centre Point building in the Prabhadevi area, just North of Lower Parel where his brother Cyril Shroff has his Mumbai headquarters (alongside a litigation office in Lentin Chambers in Fort).

The Lloyds Centre Point office space is owned by the Delhi partnership firm Amarchand & Mangaldas & Hiralal Shroff & Co, which was allegedly bequeathed by Shardul and Cyril’s late mother to Shardul alongside her equity in both partnerships, which resulted in the currently ongoing break-up talks.

Shardul Shroff did not respond to a phone call seeking comment.

The court-sanctioned mediation between the brothers is expected to conclude in the coming weeks, with 1 April set as a tentative date for both to start up their own partnerships.

Cyril has taken a lease in Delhi’s Saket area, approximately 9km from Shardul’s current Delhi office, as reported by Legally India earlier this month.

Comments

Welcome SAM 25 Mar 2015, 10:09
+6 -4
Welcome to Mumbai SAM ji.... Aapka kya hoga CAM ji....

Who will run faster??? Interesting.....
hello 25 Mar 2015, 10:17
+10 -2
what an irony. Zia never thought she would facilitate shardul's entry into mumbai. wait until shardul poaches some of her partners also. in this CAM vs SAM, AZB will be adversely hit and sheer collateral damage. KCO will be the next on the line. clients will use this opportunity to now exert downward billing pressures. the mumbai market will see a fee reduction
Mantu 25 Mar 2015, 12:19
+7 -5
Now, you can just imagine what would happen once foreign law firms are allowed to set up shops here! Bhagdarh mach jayegi! This is why all these few big law firm owners are sh** scared!
cam lawyer 25 Mar 2015, 10:20
+9 -4
CAM in Saket and SAM in Express ? - Cyril - raise your bar a little bit. What next - a merger between AZB and CAM, given the proximate office locations.
John Doe 25 Mar 2015, 10:39
+19 -2
Whatay genius!

If proximity was a factor for mergers, then Khaitan, CAM, DSK Legal, Trilegal and Luthra would have merged in Mumbai ages ago. They are all based within a kilometre of each other in Lower Parel.

Apply your mind man! Think before you type!
Anon 25 Mar 2015, 18:29
+1 -0
Also Luthra & KCO in Delhi both being in Ashoka Estate.
John Doe 26 Mar 2015, 02:48
+3 -0
Them and in the next building are Clasis and Pathak. In a 2 kms radius, around 90% of all the litigation firms in Delhi. What a theory!
lawman 25 Mar 2015, 10:40
+3 -0
Yes, because neighbours always end up getting married
vanquish 25 Mar 2015, 11:05
+3 -2
the view from Express Towers is unbeatable! good choice & certainly its a more prestigious location.
Aston Martin 25 Mar 2015, 11:32
+17 -4
Yes because i as a client go to a law firm because of the VIEW that their offices provide. Really?
vanquish 25 Mar 2015, 14:14
+14 -1
Clients dont go to law firm everyday , do they ??!! The poor overworked Associates get to enjoy the view everyday is what i meant.
CV 25 Mar 2015, 11:41
+8 -0
Kisko CV bhejoon?
Bata de yaar...
query 25 Mar 2015, 11:46
+2 -0
Which head hunter is handling recruitment for shardul??
query 25 Mar 2015, 11:47
+0 -0
I heard he is opening in BKC..which to believe?
kianganz 25 Mar 2015, 11:51
+4 -0
Express Towers is a fairly good bet, though it's still not frozen so in theory anything is possible.

I believe they looked in lots of different places in Mumbai.

The more interesting question is, how are they planning to fill up two floors of Express Towers, if not with a massive merger (which, as far as I know, is mostly off)?
names 25 Mar 2015, 12:09
+20 -0
Are the names final yet? If not, may I suggest akbarchand and Anthonychand
Akbar & Anthony 25 Mar 2015, 12:58
+3 -1
We were told that our names wont be taken bcoz of the misrepresentation made by our friend 'Amar' (meaning 'eternal' or 'endless' ... )
real estate 25 Mar 2015, 12:47
+6 -0
it seems that far too much emphasis is being laid nowadays on details such as office location, floor space, stage of negotiation etc - particularly when a lot of these facts are admittedly unconfirmed / not frozen ...

its quite understandable that ppl are interested in key lawyer movements, splits, etc, but a bit surprising to see so much text and comments dedicated regularly nowadays to matters such as the above ...

to readers having so much time on hand - why not watch the world cup instead? :)

p.s. i noticed and read all this stuff out of disbelief, not curiosity!
Dilliwala 25 Mar 2015, 12:51
+2 -4
This is how we do it A-Ha! Full on [...] Shake up the market. No small hole in the wall in random areas on the cards for SAM.
Dilli ki dimak? 25 Mar 2015, 19:28
+2 -1
If this is the style to be taken, God help SAM! SAM has, at the very least, the respect of his peers and partners - a tradition that may not last long if Punjabi style is to take over. It will run to the ground!
Vakeel 25 Mar 2015, 18:32
+5 -1
Bahi. Office Dekhna hai to Sibal saab ka Dekho. Amarchand ka office bhi koi news hai.
SOBO HOHO 25 Mar 2015, 18:51
+2 -5
Nariman Point - India's stunted, ghastly answer for a "skyline" is on its way to terminal decline. Better set up shop in Lower Parel or BKC.

And if you are really adventurous, why not Andheri or Navi Mumbai!
Long Distance 26 Mar 2015, 06:31
+0 -1
I'm sure you're from Andheri/ Navi Mumbai. SOBO, for the win! (N)
Associate 26 Mar 2015, 02:40
+3 -1
SAM is playing very strategically. May lead in the future...Boss first ball pe chakka nahi marne ka...
free willy 26 Mar 2015, 04:54
+1 -1
sammy is a just a spoilt now very rich kid. let us see his toys will work long-term.
3 26 Mar 2015, 11:30
+3 -0
3 offices for shardul.. All play and no work..
curious 26 Mar 2015, 11:57
+0 -0
Who is Ramesh Amarchand Shroff and does he still have any involvement with the firm(s)?
Gulabjamum 26 Mar 2015, 12:20
+0 -0
Firm to do bilang choti kar do..
Curiouser 29 Mar 2015, 05:15
+1 -0
Suresh Shroff's brother. Thorough gentleman.
Curiouser 29 Mar 2015, 05:16
+0 -0
And no, he has his own solicitor firm.
Lawfirm Analyst 29 Mar 2015, 06:16
+0 -1
Heard Ramesh Shroff died last year.