It is understood that the mediators between brothers Cyril and Shardul Shroff, the Mumbai- and Delhi-region managing partners of Amarchand Mangaldas respectively, last week gave the green light for both to begin setting up offices on each others’ respective turfs.
Domains named
In the most visible sign yet of the all-but-certain 1 April split between the Amarchand Mumbai and Delhi regions, as first reported by Legally India in November 2014, the Mumbai and Delhi sides of the family have now registered internet domains of separate firms.
It is understood that under the current terms of the mediation, the amarchand.com domain, which had been used for emails by all Amarchand lawyers, would be surrendered by both sides of the firm.
According to publicly available information with the internet domain registrar http://whois.icann.org, Shardul S. Shroff registered domain names ShardulAmarchand.com and sssamarchand.com three days ago, on 25 February 2015.
The domain name CyrilAmarchand.com and five others were registered by Rishabh Shroff, the son of Amarchand Mumbai managing partner Cyril S Shroff, on 4 December 2014 The other domains registered by Rishabh were amarchandmumbai.com, amarchandindia.com, camarchand.com, amarchandcss.com, and amarchandcyril.com.
Legally India first reported last month that the Mumbai-headquartered firm was likely to be called Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas.
On Tuesday, 24 February, the Bombay high court formally extended the deadline to provide the mediators’ report to 31 March 2015, in line with last month’s reports of both firms splitting by 1 April.
Strategic concerns
It is understood that both brothers are pursuing different strategies to enter each others’ markets, with Cyril initially focusing on entering Delhi, and Shardul looking to open offices at least in Mumbai and Bangalore.
The firm’s Mumbai region includes Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad.
Delhi includes Kolkata, Gurgaon and Ahmedabad, however, it is understood that both sides of the family have already been operating semi-independently in Ahmedabad for at least several months.
Cyril: Organic strategy
According to authoritative sources, Cyril has communicated internally that he will most likely move to Delhi on a part-time basis in the initial months of setting up an office in Delhi, in order to crack the new market.
On Saturday, 31 January 2015, the Mumbai-region offices held an internal town hall-style meeting, in which the firm was looking for volunteers to move internally to kick-start the Delhi office.
It is understood that a number of partners and senior lawyers have so far volunteered, though no final decisions or announcements have been made to date.
In addition, the firm continues to be in the process of aggressively hiring lateral talent in Delhi.
Shardul: Casting a wide net
According to a multiple authoritative sources, legal recruiters instructed by Shardul and the Delhi office’s internal HR team has been reaching out to several Mumbai-based firms and partners, in a bid to recruit a starting line-up for its office in the city.
Legally India had first reported on 22 December 2014 already that Amarchand Delhi was in early-stage talks with lawyers in Bangalore and Mumbai to open offices there, which Shardul denied at the time.
Both brothers declined to comment when contacted.
Comments
Finally, the First Comment.
I'd like to thank my office for providing me with enough vella time to be sitting and typing comments about the very office splitting up, that too on a Friday Night.
Next, I’d like to thank my mother for always believing in me and my strengths regarding typing.
And last, I’d like to thank LI for publishing this comment first, in case of a line-up of comments which have overtaken mine.
Thanks Guys :)
And congratulations for reaching your goals, you will clearly achieve much in life (from today)! :)
But, according to my sources, Joshi-SAM is not happening.
Among lots of talk Kian, is ALMT (MUM & BLR) on the block? Majmudar having sent feelers to SAM. Can you also confirm, office space taken by SAM in Fort/Nariman Point area?
I think you might be right on the office side - have heard something similar...
Ho Gaya fir to...
If the above statement is indeed true & I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be, its amazing to see the respect Cyril commands. His lawyers volunteering, way to go guys! You shall prevail !!!
Btw I hear [...] with team moving to SAM? Negotiations in final stage ...is it true?
If all the people and firms who are rumoured to be talking to Shardul would actually join Amarchand Delhi, you'd end up with a 100 lawyer office.
But the reality is, you'd also end up with an unmanageable mess of people who are unlikely to play well together or have any firm culture to speak of...
My guess would be that Shardul is speaking to a lot of people partly because headhunters and HR have a really wide mandate to identify talent. And the more people you speak to, the more it becomes a buyers' market with Shardul being able to take his pick of his dream team, or consider other options.
Going heavily inorganic in opening a new office is fast, but it's also very risky. Unless this is all subterfuge and Shardul will move the entire Kolkata office to Mumbai (just for the record, before the rumourmill starts going into overdrive, that Kolkata part is a joke based on 100% completely unfounded speculation).
Btw I hear [...] with team moving to SAM? Negotiations in final stage ...is it true?[/quote]
Interesting that all other moves and shifts have been put up by LI..surprising that Kian specifically censored this one.. You must be spot on!!
You'll note that the only names published in the comments are either law firms, or independent individuals (e.g., start-ups). The [...] above was an individual partner in a firm, which wouldn't be fair to publish.
Mentioning entire law firms is entirely different, since no one will fire them or look down upon them for talking to someone...
If your vote was wrongly cast, and it disturbs you enough to complain to third parties, you should take it up with management/ AP/ legal era/ someone.
Let me put this another way. Assuming what you are saying is correct, if one feels very strongly, one has to raise it at the right forum - get one's vote cancelled or at least try. I know people who sulked for hours and then voted and duly sent screenshots.
Did all of this make us feel dirty? Mostly, yes - but was it because this was asked of us or because we couldn't/ wouldn't protest?
I think there was talk about abandoning the Amarchand-AZB non-poach relatively recently before the break-up...
The reputation all impact of his law suit has meant that he has to throw three times the money to get average folks to consider him. And even then ...........
The Sam headhunter team is struggling. Trying to sell Sam in Mumbai to Mumbai professionals is hugely challenging . It's not always about money. Even if there is lots of it. .
Kian what's your take on this ? Are you hearing same thing ?
Also, in Delhi, i hear that Vahura has gone all out in its bid to poach lawyers from existing firms. Given Luthra's current state, it wouldn't require a merger between the principals, a slump sale of "assets" looks more on the cards.
Ben Jonson quotes (English Dramatist and Poet, 1572-1637)
#toocoolforamss
honest doubt, though :(
Does this, by any chance, look like a web page to address your recruitment queries on? Why not stick the topic here man.
Cheers
but no harm in asking, is there? mostly because this is the most active thread right now and the probability of this query getting resolved is more, I thought. Clearly not the case. K.
If this is wrong, I will hunt you down and take your bonus.
Hildul is becoming chairman. His wife the m p. of delhi .
Strong chance of Wadia Gandhi folding into Sam . Drowning firm clutching at Sam straw.
Rahul. Dwarkadas left because he does not want to be part of it .
This is straight from the farm house . Hildul has called a partner meeting on 16 th to announce all this .
Kian check this out .
Has hildul finalised his premises . Heard he was looking at fort . Forbes building .
How to apply to hildul ? I want a serious raise in my salary. And only Sam is paying big amounts .
Kian please guide
#cams
Rumour has it that cam did a major partner meeting . You know what happened ?
Will there be two new firms on April 1 ?