High time: Luthra bulks up corp, PE strength with Trilegal counsel Vishwanath Pratap Singh as partner

Trilegal’s Vishwanath Pratap Singh to join Luthra’s corporate team
Trilegal’s Vishwanath Pratap Singh to join Luthra’s corporate team

Trilegal Delhi corporate, M&A and private equity counsel Vishwanath Pratap Singh has left the firm several weeks ago and is understood to be joining Luthra & Luthra as a partner in Delhi.

He has a strong focus on private equity, according to his Linked-in profile:

He has significant experience in advising a number of companies, investors and GPs, in transactions ranging from seed to late stage financing, M&A deals, private placements, rights issues, to corporate structuring. He has represented clients across a wide range of industries including health care, manufacturing, telecommunication, media and entertainment, e-commerce, computer software, real estate and food and beverage. He also regularly advises on general corporate law, in particular regarding joint venture agreements, shareholders agreements, corporate restructurings, and current developments in Indian corporate law.

The 2007 NLSIU Bangalore graduate had started his career at Amarchand Mangaldas, as it then was, leaving in 2015 as a principal associate to join Trilegal in Delhi.

His joining will give a much-needed fillip to Luthra’s corporate practice, which has been lagging far behind its Big 7 rivals in most M&A league tables for the last two years. This year, the firm had not even made the top 20 of Bloomberg’s league tables by value and come in at 10th position by volume with nine recorded deals, while Thomson Reuters ranked the firm 22nd by value (from 12th the previous year).

Mergermarket had ranked Luthra 17th by value amongst domestic firms, with nine deals amounting to only $643m.

Luthra’s corporate team had seen a string of departures over the last few years.

We have reached out to Singh and Trilegal for comment.

Comments

Congrats 10 Jan 2018, 16:08
+10 -3
Congrats VP!! Truly one of the best lawyers out there
Congrats 11 Jan 2018, 18:17
+2 -2
VP should have been made partner at Trilegal long back. Loss for Trilegal.
Interested 10 Jan 2018, 16:22
+10 -3
He is a superb lawyer and will definitely help Luthra grow their PE and M&A practice.
VP Rocks!!!!! 10 Jan 2018, 16:32
+0 -1
Why on this earth has VP left tri!
Ashoshiate 11 Jan 2018, 16:20
+5 -1
Because Trilegal's dug a hole for themselves by not being able to increase the equity kitty to include new partners no matter how competent (absurdly, some of the more mediocre ones make partner). The steady departure of perfectly capable Counsels had started a while before, and this is only going to continue. Other firms are only happy to make most of them partners, while the Trilegal folks can only watch them leave.
Why why why 14 Jan 2018, 17:46
+1 -0
But why will he join Luthra?????
Ashoshiate 15 Jan 2018, 05:58
+0 -0
Clearly that's something which only VP can say - this must have been his last option among the top tier firms (cringing to call LL that). Every other frontline firm has a bulging corporate/M&A practice and wouldn't want to add in another partner at this stage, so LL it had to be. Hope it works for the best for both of them!
VP Come Back 10 Jan 2018, 16:54
+7 -0
VP CANNOT LEAVE TRILEGAL, VP IS THE BEST! WHY HAS HE JOINED LUTHRA? WHO ELSE IS LEAVING TRILEGAL AND JOINING LUTHRA WITH HIM?
Insider 11 Jan 2018, 05:48
+2 -0
With hardly any promotions at Tri, what else can a Counsel expect?
Lol 10 Jan 2018, 17:02
+1 -1
Biggest loss to let go of VP. Many people have also left recently for other firms like Snr and CAM. Typical law firm culture.
Law firm lawyer 10 Jan 2018, 17:30
+3 -0
Very common in law firms. One full team in delhi disintegrated with associates moving to greener pastures like KCO and SNR. Trilegal is still the hub of all business. It will continue to rise and shine.
not a law firm lawyer 10 Jan 2018, 18:18
+4 -3
Are KCO and S and R really greener pastures? Not true IMHO
reality check 10 Jan 2018, 17:27
+27 -6
Instead of hiring new people Luthra should focus on eliminating the blue eyed boy culture and kick out some highly arrogant blue eyed partners from the firm. The new hiring will be the flavour of season for some days and both the bosses will focus all their energies on him which will irk the blue eyed guys and then they will start hatching conspiracy theories against the new guy... result would be the same at the end of 8-12 months
Chamcha 10 Jan 2018, 18:27
+7 -3
For some years Luthra has not got any catch at partner level. Seems to have been at last successful in getting someone from a good Law school and at the same time a top tier firm. But I doubt Luthra now pays as much for partner as Trilegal pays it's counsel. May cause much heartburn. Reflection of distance Trilegal has travelled in last few years and the ground lost by Luthra. It's top management also is famous in market for going back on initiatal understanding.
Alias 11 Jan 2018, 05:26
+2 -3
I head he has a bill book worth 11 crs!
Chamcha 11 Jan 2018, 07:04
+8 -0
No one with a bill book of 11 Crores will be ignored for partnership in any Indian firm.This will be true even in 2028.
HA HA HA 11 Jan 2018, 07:14
+8 -0
11 Cr is Delhi
What you smoking bro!!!!
If we had 11 CR is delhi, Trilegal would have made him partner long long long ago
Guest 11 Jan 2018, 05:55
+0 -0
Congratulations bro....keep it up.
chaat party 11 Jan 2018, 08:54
+11 -3
luthra is famous for only supporting homegrown partners. At this stage, might not be the best situation for VP. But they have no M&A practice for last many years, and he has wanting to move for a long time so it will be the symbiotic for both parties. May be Luthra people will get to do some work now instead of eating chaat.
Chaat party 11 Jan 2018, 10:11
+5 -1
Correction: chaat party and hot chocolate fudge
Insider 11 Jan 2018, 09:30
+9 -1
Great guy but Trilegal's structure and system is self-consciously such that not every good lawyer will become partner.
Umm 15 Jan 2018, 06:00
+0 -2
*self-consciously but completely to it's detriment that the alpha males of Tril are yet to figure out.
Insider 15 Jan 2018, 07:03
+3 -1
Which is why they continue to rise in the rankings, maintain profitability and do well? #notacharity
Umm 15 Jan 2018, 08:04
+1 -0
no one said it's a charity, but when you do it for short term gains without having any outlook for the future then it's a problem.
Ex Luthra 11 Jan 2018, 11:51
+7 -4
There is not much of M&A practice in Luthra, infact it was never a go to M&A firm if you compare it with the likes of AMSS,KCO, AZB, JSA etc. The internal system of the firm is a slave of few power centers there. VP will soon rethink why he ever moved to Luthra !!
Biscuit Bandit 11 Jan 2018, 11:57
+29 -0
The trilegal conference rooms have amazing biscuits. Why would anyone leave that...
Nameer 16 Jan 2018, 10:37
+1 -0
I thought it was only me...!
outsider 11 Jan 2018, 17:48
+2 -1
luthra will throw a chaat party now that someone has joined instead of leaving. people only leave luthra, last person to join was apurva
NLUJ Rules 11 Jan 2018, 18:31
+14 -10
Wrong decision. The pretentious NLUJ guys will not leave him. They think they are better than even NLSIU and Luthra belongs to them. They have ruined the firm and now will ruin his career.
Guest 12 Jan 2018, 08:45
+10 -1
One of the finest corporate lawyers in Delhi. Vp is likely to make one of the best partners. Luthra is lucky to have him and it is truly a huge loss for Trilegal. Best wishes!
Delhi Boy 12 Jan 2018, 11:15
+3 -2
VP is a superb lawyer and a perfect gentleman - will certainly emerge as a big name in the near future in the PE space. L&L got a good catch! I think Trilegal missed a trick here.
Salvo 13 Jan 2018, 13:03
+5 -0
C'mon guys, STOP the hate.

Clearly, many of you wish the guy well & he's earned a good reputation for himself.
Pretty sure the man himself is a better judge of what he's doing. Who are you all - his naggy aunts?

About every bit of hate thrown at Luthra in silly posts here applies to every other firm.
But the gloves come off only for Luthra bashing!

Luthra seems to be making good moves. Let's give them credit where it's due.

An important lesson for L&L management would be to treat ex-counsels better & take good care of their talent pool. Over the past 5 yrs the firm has lost so much market position only because it has not done this. But, maybe there's something better in store for it this year.
The plot thickens 20 Jan 2018, 17:20
+8 -0
The problem with Luthra is the management. One guy, who goes by MS, has ruined the entire firm - its culture and ethos. He has zero people skills, makes sexist remarks and is surrounded by a kitchen cabinet of yes-men and women. On his watch, the rot has been institutionalised. The firm has limited prospects, but is a good place to raid. Some of the people are really good- just they are stuck in the wrong place.

Some more departures are on the cards. Heard the increments for the year have not been paid despite 10 months into the year!!! The new partners must be thinking what is the point of promotion. No increment, no prospects of equity ever. What the heck??

Big Managing Partner -- please save your firm.