Exclusive: Nishith Desai Associates (NDA) has appointed Matthew Nimetz – US diplomat and former chair of US law firm Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison – to its internal board of trusted advisors (BOTA) that meets up to three times yearly to decide on firm strategy.

The department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) has invited public discussions on whether foreign direct investments should be allowed into entities and professional services firms, including law firms, incorporated as limited liability partnerships (LLPs).

For now they are only skirmishes but these are also early hints of future salary wars brewing.

Trilegal is awaiting a response from the Bar Council of India (BCI) on whether the firm is allowed to convert to a limited liability partnership (LLP) under the Advocates Act, as start-up Vidhii Partners vowed to convert to LLP in two months and Luthra & Luthra, Nishith Desai Associates, IndusLaw and at least eight other firms have reserved respective LLP names.

Khaitan & Co and Trilegal have taken the first formal steps towards becoming limited liability partnerships (LLP) by registering their LLP names.