Clydes makes new best friend in India, as ex Clasis partner Sumeet Lall starts CSL Chambers

Thursday, 14 June 2018 By Legally India Law firms

Following the break-up between Clyde & Co and Clasis Law, which we had first reported on 22 March, UK-international firm Clydes has now tied up with former Clasis partner Sumeet Lall’s new firm CSL Chambers, according to sources.

We had reported on 26 March that Lall had resigned from Clasis, having been the longest-surviving partner at the troubled firm.

Lall has now started CSL Chambers, which is understood to consist of around seven lawyers, including Lall as a partner, in Delhi.

We understand from sources that the firm will formally open its office in Defence Colony shortly.

Clydes has also updated its India microsite, which lists CSL as an associated office with which it has a “strong bond” (see below).

Lall was not reachable for comment at the time of publication.

We have also reached out to Clydes for comment.

He is a 2000 ILS Pune graduate, who had been with Clasis since 2011, having joined from Parekh & Co as Clasis’ first lateral partner hire.

Clasis, under founding partner Vineet Aneja, had seen mass hiring and attrition of partners, with few senior partners remaining but for Aneja and Mumbai-lateral partner Mustafa Motiwalla, by the time the Clasis and Clydes best friendship broke up.

Upon founding in 2011, Clasis had in turn inherited the 2009-born Clydes best friendship from ALMT Legal, which Aneja had joined as a lateral partner in Delhi.

Comments

Classic take 14 Jun 2018, 10:31

+8 -2

All the best Sumeet. Clyde has a star on their hands.

Saryavachan 14 Jun 2018, 11:15

+3 -0

What happened to Clasis? Is it afloat or sunk?

COME ON KIAN 14 Jun 2018, 15:11

+10 -1

How do you not have a "Friendship over with Clasis. Now Sumeet is my new best friend" meme in the picture for this article!!!

LawyerHC 14 Jun 2018, 15:38

+3 -2

This is great news. He totally deserves this. All the best!

Alias 15 Jun 2018, 12:01

The kind of rare news here where nobody [...] abt any party: Clyde, Clasis or CSL.

Vada Paav Joshi 15 Jun 2018, 16:04

+0 -0

Clyde doesn't do much work in India to be interesting enough. Clasis is a non entity. So the lack of interest is evident.

Clyde 16 Jun 2018, 10:29

+6 -0

A big slap to VA. This actually proves that clasis was run in a fascist manner. If a decent firm like Clyde had to leave a big firm like clasis to only join a single lawyer speaks volumes. While leaving almt, Clyde had a good reason. But now it looks like a desperation to join a single lawyer. A single lawyer stood out against an entire firm!! Clasis must have shut by now. No promotion announcements this year i noticed. I doubt they even gave any increments to their lawyers this year. 5-10% hike is not really increment but is bhik!! Beggars get more. Why would a firm like Clyde even want to associate with a firm where the VA wants to pocket all the cash paying his associates nothing? Even partners are only namesake. Clasis is a firm who pride themselves on paying top tier salaries fooling their associates, actually paying them nothing. I'm glad i left a long time back. I saw this firm going into the dustbin when all good partners left. I had a horrid time there and luckily made it to a top tier. I doubt they have any work or money today. But clasis will not exist for long for sure. Only those who cannot get a job elsewhere would work here. VA needs to realise that karma bites, and bites badly. Keep your money but lose your reputation. I pray for the other lawyers who are still associated there. May god bless you'll!

Samajhdar Vakeel 16 Jun 2018, 11:34

+1 -0

When you think you are the big cheese, you forget that cheese smells. Thats what happened to Clasis. The guy though that he was a big cat and could out smart everyone. Little did he realize that eventually people would outsmart him and he would be left standing alone. An actual pity because he is a half-decent corporate lawyer but very ambitious and self centered. There is word that he even refused to pay those who left their rightful dues.. oh well i guess the Q7 and Accord installment needs to be paid... As for Sumeet- he is a pretty smart litigator. He was holding the fort there and is the rightful heir to the relationship with Clyde. Clyde just needs to know that the Indian market is not like other markets (Europe or UK) where you can be assured of big buck returns. The Indian market needs to be cultivated and with Sumeet here, they have half a chance which they never had with the previous arrangement. Wish Clyde and Sumeet all the very best.

As for the jilted one- well... karma is a bitch my friend!

Guest 17 Jun 2018, 12:35

No points for noticing that C in CSL stands for Clyde.

alternate 18 Jun 2018, 08:21

Chambers of Sumeet Lall?

kianganz 18 Jun 2018, 08:33

+2 -0

I think it was probably intentionally left a little vague, though if it the C stood for Chambers, then it'd be Chambers of Sumeet Lall Chambers :)

Ice Cream 18 Jun 2018, 12:19

+3 -1

Cool Sumeet Lal Chambers

Thismustbe 20 Jun 2018, 06:14

This must be PR's doing.

Ex clasis 27 Jun 2018, 21:10

Is still the management powers being excercised by someone, on behalf of the managing partner. If yes, more downfall to come.

Have worked at clasis for several years, at the time when Claudia was growing the most but the administration killed my goals to grow with Clasis (Vineet). He is a gem of a person. He is my ideal.

Sir, had suggested this to you earlier also when I was part of your team, that let everyone (fee earner and admin seperately) put their suggestion in a box about recommendations and what has caused this. It's only because of one person. Hope you understand. We are ready to be part of you again if you solve this.

Thanks Kian for this paltform.

Guest 13 Sept 2018, 09:47

i sometimes revisit these pages to see what has been said for the managing partner at Clasis. somewhere i feel relieved that mostly everyone feels the same about the organization. i agree that VA is a decent corporate lawyer, but his nature is the demon. cant believe he is still okay taking instructions from a non-lawyer.... if you know what i mean

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