DSK gets 2019 gift with CAM Delhi partner exits Kirat Nagra, Rishi Anand + team of 8

Nagra (l), Anand find new home away from CAM at DSK
Nagra (l), Anand find new home away from CAM at DSK

Amarchand-raised Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (CAM) Delhi partners Kirat Singh Nagra and Rishi Anand, who we had first reported in November 2018 to have together resigned from the firm, are joining DSK Legal to rebuild its Delhi outpost.

According to DSK’s press release, both are joining with their teams after having “resigned from CAM a few weeks ago to pursue entrepreneurial careers, and are convinced that DSK Legal would be the most appropriate fit to fulfil their aspirations”.

Nagra will be joined at DSK by his team-members, CAM principal associates Kartik Yadav and Pranav Vyas who will be joining as associate partners at DSK, and Neha Sarna who is joining as a senior associate.

Anand is taking with him a team of CAM senior associates Nakul Batra and Jitendra Soni, who will be joining DSK as principal associates, as well as Chirag Jain who is joining as senior associate.

All the above are starting at DSK tomorrow (2 January), with two more of their junior team members expected to join in future.

Two-pronged hires

Nagra specialises in commercial dispute resolution work, including including arbitration, white collar crime, crime and regulatory matters, before Supreme Court, high courts and other fora.

He had joined CAM in 2015, after two years at Economic Laws Practice (ELP) and 11 years at the erstwhile Amarchand Mangaldas Delhi office.

[Anand, who had ](https://www.legallyindia.com/law-firms/elp-rebuilds-litigation-practice-after-april-poach-with-amarchand-pa-nagra-9-20130619-3768)[started up his own firm Gnarus Partners](https://www.legallyindia.com/201212183325/Law-firms/amarchand-sa-rishi-anand-starts-gnarus-to-compete-on-price-skills-for-lower-tier-work) in 2012 after time at Amarchand following his Symbiosis Pune law degree in 2007, focuses on corporate law.

He has worked on general corporate and transactional work, including private equity.

DSK managing partner Anand Desai commented in a press release: Kirat, Rishi and their teams bring significant value to DSK Legal. They are excellent lawyers with strong reputations in their respective areas of practice, and their joining will help us in pursuing our growth plans, including strengthening our practice in Delhi.

[“We”>are committed to support them in achieving their aspirations.”](<<a href=>)

Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas managing partner Cyril Shroff declined to comment when contacted, though he said on 12 November 2018, at the time when their departure was [https://www.legallyindia.com/lawfirms/cyril-amarchand-delhi-partners-kirat-singh-nagra-rishi-anand-resign-with-3-months-notice-20181113-9649 first reported: “They will be serving their three month notice and moving on. We wish them well in their future.”

Comments

Wow 1 Jan 2019, 07:32
+52 -32
DSK is beefing up its practice. Brilliant additions. Both the guys have fantastic market reputation, great mentors to have and the teams work seemlessly. We will miss you!
In-house 1 Jan 2019, 07:34
+34 -15
All the best Rishi.
Good catch 1 Jan 2019, 11:12
+41 -20
Congrats and best of luck Rishi and team. You guys are brilliant lawyers.
Queen of the South 1 Jan 2019, 14:08
+37 -11
Great addition to the DSK team. Loss for CAM!
Rancho 1 Jan 2019, 14:36
+50 -7
CAM is evidently bleeding. 8 partners have quit in the last 6 months - Piyush Mishra, Percy, Nivedita, Harsh, Kirat, Rishi, Manishi and Asim. Few more exits expected. Clients are leaving left right and centre, and the firm’s reputation is undeniably going down - especially with the Nirav Modi and Chanda Kochhar fiasco. Good time for smaller firms to beef up their practice with good additions from bigger firms. CAM is no more the destination for the top talent. All the best to the teams!
Chaiwala 1 Jan 2019, 15:19
+12 -3
All CAM clients can contact me...
Chamcha 2 Jan 2019, 03:45
+5 -2
Do I have a chance to get in now that all the so called top tier talent is leaving CAM ?
Match 2 Jan 2019, 07:09
+12 -1
yes. anytime. they are willing to slaughter everyone's confidence who joins.
Confident 2 Jan 2019, 09:42
+2 -17
No one can slaughter your confidence unless you let them.
cool 2 Jan 2019, 10:43
+7 -2
Let me guess, you're a law student/ fresh grad eager to join the corp world and make your mark?
Confidenter 2 Jan 2019, 12:35
+6 -17
And i guess you're a washed up burned out Partner whose confidence has been slaughtered only because you aint worth that pay packet you demand. Watch out for the purge. Its coming! Winter is here.
BKR 2 Jan 2019, 17:14
+28 -1
What a distasteful comment by ‘Confidenter’! The comment above that by Mr./Ms. ‘cool’ seems quite innocent and didn’t warrant such a distasteful reply.
Clot 2 Jan 2019, 05:42
+22 -0
CAM is past bleeding now, it's actively hemorrhaging. Their practice will implode and collapse if these exits continue and it looks like they will, in the coming months.
LawFirmPundit 2 Jan 2019, 03:35
+34 -38
Loosing Nivedita and Harsh may have had its adverse impact. Cannot say the same for others, even the heavy weight online influencers.
Pundit Ji 2 Jan 2019, 08:01
+26 -0
Would disagree with you totally. Without getting into any personal bias or demeaning any particular partner, I would say that it looks really bad on a firm where partners leaving is a monthly phenomena. Partners are the building blocks of a firm and so were all these for CAM. It clearly shows that the firm is going through a very bad work phase and may not see the good old glorified days of the erstwhile AMSS. Though CAM has invested heavily on digital media and marketing, its unfortunate that the news about CAM lately has only been negative. Hope CAM sees the light of the day soon.
LawFirmPundit 3 Jan 2019, 03:29
+2 -14
Tutorial on theory of Partnership is helpful. I hope you also know how things work in the Indian market. Yes, it seems the Firm hired more than its requirement while setting up Delhi office. Rules of demand and supply I guess are now causing these moves. Not to forget CAM has also added lawyers like Himanshu, Akila (her junior partners) and Omar in the last one year. So, unless you are an ex-CAM well wisher, this should give you some relief.
Fallacy 7 Jan 2019, 14:34
+2 -7
Most of these are glorified senior associates. Nobody is a partner in its true sense. Who has equity? Call yourself a partner, but unless you have skin in the game, you are not a partner. So movement of senior associates and counsels (so called partners) is not that big a deal. SAM, CAM, AZB and L&L all have probably equity partners you can count on your fingers. In the Indian law firm market, amongst the top few, only JSA and Trilegal have a partnership structure where you are PARTNER if you are called one. So let's stop making a big fuss about movements of senior associates... it happens across all law firms..
Guest 8 Jan 2019, 03:53
+0 -0
well said. partner means a partner in profits. all else only have a badge on their visiting cards
Ravi ki chai 9 Jan 2019, 06:56
+0 -0
Too much suits?
Cute 13 Jan 2019, 01:30
+0 -0
It’s really cute how you think JSA and Trilegal partners have skin in the game
Crickety 2 Jan 2019, 09:43
+2 -0
One played a googly.... the other retired hurt.
Chamcha 2 Jan 2019, 14:34
+21 -1
It's a revelation that exit of Nivedita hurt CAM. My some of my seniors differ.
Whaaaa 6 Jan 2019, 17:26
+2 -0
Nivedita who?
Khajurao ki Moorti 2 Jan 2019, 11:54
+9 -0
Change starts at THE TOP. So... When is the King taking over from the Queen again?
HumourMe 3 Jan 2019, 12:55
+1 -22
The entire comments section here seems like a digital media campaign against a firm and for two relatively young unknown lawyers. The Likes and Objects near each comment make it even more apparent and laughable. LI seems pretty selective otherwise on which comments to publish how have they completely overlooked this and please do not respond with freedom of thought and speech.
Version 3.0 3 Jan 2019, 15:29
+12 -1
And who are you campaigning for my friend? Justifying your cost at the MPOs office? The propaganda lead by the CAM doesn’t seem to be working well for a while now, not at the town halls, not at the partners meet and not here as well.
You job profile has been enhanced, you should ask for a salary raise ;)
Doing the honour 22 Jan 2019, 19:48
+6 -0
@HumourMe There is no "digital media campaign" against a firm who is having quite apparant troubles in retaining so called "relatively young unknown lawyers" among many others (come on, look at the number of exits!). Rather than aggressively trying to retain talent (which, my friend, doesn't necessarily come with the number of years in profession or one's age or surname), there seems to be too much focus by the firm to publish articles, feature in digital media and remaining 'visible' and possibly, 'relevant' in the legal and business fraternity. Putting dirt on those following their aspirations or demeaning their hard work (to say the most) and courage (to say the least) won't make any organization, a home for any sort of talent. A little dignity and humility will do wonders and if you are lucky, you might find your humor in it! Everyone deep down agree to the fact that CAM is here to stay and it has indeed so far (despite all the "digital media campaigns" if I take your words) but the honour lies in accepting the fallouts and mistakes and doing what really needs to be done.
Kirat 3 Jan 2019, 18:56
+4 -0
So will Kirat now finally get to appear in some matter in HC or still remain a solicitor.
Guest 4 Jan 2019, 14:07
+7 -0
Kirat doesn’t argue matters. His juniors are his strength.
Chaiwala 7 Jan 2019, 11:15
+4 -1
...wow.....partner is solicitor and juniors are barristers....!
Ravi ki chai 9 Jan 2019, 06:58
+0 -0
Isiliye to okhla chod Kar Gaye the. But khair all the best to him. Acha aadmi hai.
Faulty incorporation 27 Jan 2019, 16:57
+0 -0
CS though a genius lawyer and administrator, seems to have erred badly in setting up CAM Delhi office in haste to compete with SAM in Mumbai. There was no basis for most fresh hiring and many even had overlapping practice areas. Also, the spy culture as was prevalent in the Mumbai office. [...] and other khabris made life difficult for the newbie partners. Amarchand grew best organically and homegriwn partners are the way to go for the firm. Wish them all the best!