MMB partner Talha Salaria starts up new Bangalore firm Lawyers at Work

Monday, 16 July 2012 By Legally India Law firms

Exclusive: Talha Salaria, co-founder and partner at Bangalore firm MMB Legal, has set up an independent firm called Lawyers at Work.

Salaria started her career with J Sagar Associates (JSA) in Bangalore, after graduating from NLSIU Bangalore in 2001. She had joined MMB when it was set up in 2007.

The firm has been operating since last month from Bangalore’s Koramangala area and now consists of three lawyers, including former MMB company secretary Bhavana Chakragiri who joined as an associate. One more associate would be joining soon, said Salaria.

The departure from MMB Legal was completely amicable, she noted. “It was the right time for me to set up LAW [Lawyers at Work]. I have the support of my clients, who have grown and supported me all through.”

Salaria said that in terms of her long term plans the “sky is the limit” but in the short term she wanted the firm to grow sensibly to establish strong foundations and focus on “what matters most - happy clients”.

She added that since starting in June she had been working on a private equity deal, as well as some corporate commercial work such as contracts and franchise agreements, and some real estate transactions and investment advice.

MMB Legal partner Mahesh Madan Bhat commented: “Talha was an asset and will be missed. She is at the right point in her career to start her own independent practice. She has our full support and we wish her more than the very best.”

Going forward, he said, MMB would focus on growing organically, while grooming and encouraging the firm’s “team of bright lawyers” – currently consisting of nine lawyers and one lawyer-cum-company secretary. “I am sure in a short while, each of them will be managing their own teams and clients within MMB Legal, providing the necessary impetus for the organisations’ growth and also rising within…”

MMB was founded by Bhat, Salaria and Amrut Joshi, who left in late 2011 to start up a sports management and sports legal advisory firm Gamechanger Sports Ventures.

Comments

Sudheer Reddy 16 Jul 2012, 14:44

+0 -0

I don't understand the logic , she was founding partner of MMB then why a new firm ??

cooladvocate 16 Jul 2012, 16:14

+4 -0

MMB: Mahesh Madan Bhat! Got it.

Ex-MMB Intern 18 Jul 2012, 16:48

+2 -0

MMB does not stand for Mahesh Madan Bhatt, it stands for Mysore, Mangalore and Bangalore - the areas where the firm got business from in its starting times. Trust me, this is true!

Confused Zeus Says . . . 18 Jul 2012, 18:05

+10 -0

Could also be Moodalpalya, Magadi Road, and Bendireddy Palya. Trust me, MMB knows these locations.

cooladvocate 18 Jul 2012, 19:46

I believe Mr. Mahesh Madan Bhat would have come himself and told you that.

Lol 19 Jul 2012, 03:51

I know Tier 1 law firms in the South who goth their first clients from Chennai, Hubli, Ooty, and Raichur. Most of Tier 1 law firms in the North got their first clients from Delhi, Agra, Kanpur and Udaipur. How apt.

Lol-lie 20 Jul 2012, 15:08

+3 -2

[quote name="Lol"]I know Tier 1 law firms in the South who goth their first clients from Chennai, Hubli, Ooty, and Raichur. Most of Tier 1 law firms in the North got their first clients from Delhi, Agra, Kanpur and Udaipur. How apt.[/quote]

That would make them CHOR Legal and DAKU Legal. Very intellectual aren't we?

anon 17 Jul 2012, 05:36

+0 -1

MMB was formed in late 2011. Therefore, even before completing a year, one of the co-founders leaving is definitely indicative of something amiss. It means that things did not turn out as planned. With markets down, it will be challenging for start-ups.

kianganz 17 Jul 2012, 07:08

+1 -0

Hi - Where did you get the 2011 year from? From all other accounts the firm seems to have been founded in 2007...

Scooter 19 Jul 2012, 06:40

@kian

Anon is an idiot (dont censor). I have worked with MMB and Talha on a transaction in 2009!

Diwakar 17 Jul 2012, 10:12

All the best Talha.

HK lawyer 17 Jul 2012, 18:28

Very mature and simply the nicest person. She knows what's right - have happy clients. All the best.'

Ahem!!! 17 Jul 2012, 19:24

"She is at the right point in her career to start her own independent practice."

Didn't she do that when she found MMB?

cooladvocate 18 Jul 2012, 19:49

There is a difference between founder and co-founder. Didn't get it, eh?

Ahem!!! 19 Jul 2012, 06:25

+3 -0

[quote name="cooladvocate"]There is a difference between founder and co-founder. Didn't get it, eh?[/quote]
Aah, so there is a right point to be a co-founder and another righter point to be a founder- eh?

Scooter 19 Jul 2012, 06:41

joining as a founding associate is not having ones own practice! you fool

Motorbike 20 Jul 2012, 16:42

[quote name="Scooter"]joining as a founding associate is not having ones own practice! you fool[/quote]

Talha and Amrut did not join as "founding associates". They were Co-Founding Partners at the Firm, a fact that has been acknowledged on several deal details disclosed by MMB to both Bar and Bench and LI.

Green Lantern 19 Jul 2012, 15:36

don't mean to sound ungenerous, but "happy clients" makes it inadvertently sound like a (very slightly) different profession. my-clients-happy-happy! all the best to talha- she is a bright and hardworking one and will do well- and to the rare recent NLS law-practice enterprise!

Rajesh 20 Jul 2012, 16:33

LI should do a feature on Nandan Kamath & Amrut Joshi. They are pioneering a revolution in how to use & integrate law within a sports business setting. Different from the boring law firm route that most people take...

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