After a three-and-a-half month wait, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas (SAM) Delhi-based corporate equity partner Akila Agrawal has now joined Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (CAM) as the head of its M&A practice, according to its press release.
As we had first reported, Agrawal had resigned around 24 April, and once it became clear she would be joining CAM, SAM insisted on up to four months of notice.
Managing partner Cyril Shroff commented in the release: “We are absolutely thrilled to have Akila join our partnership. She is well respected in the industry for her achievements in corporate law. With her talent and commitment I expect Akila to have an impact. She is very entrepreneurial and has strong leadership skills.”
Agrawal added in the statement: “I look forward to my new role with Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas and hope to meaningfully contribute towards its further growth and continue its tradition of exceptional client service.”
“Mr. Cyril Shroff is a fantastic leader and I am excited about working with him and other colleagues in Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas. I have always been a part of the Amarchand & Mangaldas legacy as my first & only law firm job. I am thankful to all the mentors that I have had in this journey who have contributed to my growth.”
The 1999 NLSIU Bangalore graduate had begun her career at Wipro in Banagalore, joined Amarchand Mangaldas Delhi in 2002, became partner in 2008 and equity partner in 2011.
Reeba Chacko has been head of general corporate since 2016, which presumably continues in parallel to Agrawal’s new head of M&A designation.
Partner Nivedita Rao is deputy head of the corporate practice.
According to the press release, all three will be working together closely.
Agrawal’s former SAM principal associate Mukul Sharma had joined CAM as a corporate partner around 24 July.
Also joining CAM Delhi: Dua Associates partner Himanshu Narayan, who was formerly co-heading erstwhile Amarchand Mangaldas’ corporate group.
Leaving CAM some time this month, is Delhi senior litigation partner Percy Billimoria, and Delhi corporate partner Nivedita Tiwari has joined SAM as an equity partner.
Comments
Actually speaks volumes for CAM... a mid level equity partner at SAM is head of M&A at CAM!
How many heads does CAM have? Like Ravana CaM will also perish...
What happened to the 101 committees that CAM had formed? Anyone?
being head (of something whatever that something is)
poor HR move
2. Comments from 1-6 are 100 percent by the HR or Communications team of CAM.
3. Kian do not delete this. All of us know your love for CAM.
4. Not expected from you Akila. It was CSS who opposed your partnership when you were up for it and SSS fought for you.
5. [...]
Shardul is a different man altogether. He wants the firm to grow!
“We would like to have the grace and dignity to thank Akila Agarwal for her hard work, time and unstinted support in the 19 years she spent with us.” Pallavi and Shardul. Did the IT system at SAM crash that a simple thank you could not be issued? Even if they don’t want to wish her well.
However, I should have asked again, just in case, so I have just reached out for comment again to SAM and will add this if they get back.
Update 11:31: Have checked, that's a "no comment".
Lets look at the women in leadership positions around the firms. At the cost of generalising, most of such women are not married or have no kids. If they do, then they form part of the pleasant minority.
Lets talk then.
The career path with or without opting for having babies (which is very natural) should be the same.
The men sitting in Executive/Management Committees should understand that while raising a child, minimum 80 biilable hours per week is not possible and if you stunt high-performing women's growth due to this, its a shame!
Any tom, dick, and harry can get onto Legally India and give vent to his / her personal frustration. If things are not working out for you, that is your life and you are accountable for it.
Wake up before you become your own liability!!
Smart, ambitious women don't quit because they have "chosen" to do so. They quit when they don't have a choice at all.
I am not even talking about matters such as integrity, because most lawyers are behaving like cowards and are not even worthy of discussing matters, such as lawyer's integrity. People have no strength and acceptance left to accept life or difficult times for what they are. Lawyers celebrate acts of poaching, back-stabbing, and insults as if they are some heroes standing on the border and getting shot at.
Is that all that you are made of? Is this your worth that you need an anonymous platform to display your acts of cowardice and write whatever comes to your mind. At least look at your predecessors for the much better substance that they were made of.