Natural wastage is one of those great euphemisms that UK and US firms have been fond of during the downturn. Lawyers leave for various reasons, do not get replaced and the firm saves costs (and face) by avoiding lay-offs.

Luthra & Luthra has hired FoxMandal Little corporate partner Vineet Aneja in Delhi.

Amarchand Mangaldas has hired the former general counsel of private equity firm Sun Apollo as a partner for its Mumbai private equity and M&A practice.

AZB & Partners Delhi has hired an indirect tax partner and his team from accountants KPMG, hoping to grow the tax advisory business at the law firm which will compete in the traditional domain of accountancy firms.

Trilegal has hired a capital markets partner from its best friend Allen & Overy (A&O), to join the firm’s Mumbai office and strengthen the referral relationship.

Bharucha & Partners has taken over a Mumbai niche corporate practice, gaining the first new equity partner since setting up.

Desai & Diwanji has poached a team of four lawyers from Crawford Bayley, taking on one senior associate as a partner.

Delhi-headquartered law firm King Stubb & Kasiva is set to open a new office in Mumbai within months and has added a new equity partner to its head office ranks.

The firm is currently finalising the negotiations with up to two partners from Mumbai firms to spearhead its new office.

Managing partner Jidesh Kumar (pictured) said: “The Mumbai office would be banking, finance and infrastructure focused. We are looking at having an infrastructure partner from one of the top five law firms there.”

Khaitan & Co has continued its aggressive lateral hiring strategy, taking partner Prabjot Singh Bhullar from AZB & Partners.

Bhullar (pictured) was based in AZB’s Mumbai office but will relocate to Delhi, where he will significantly bolster Khaitan’s infrastructure and projects capacity.

Khaitan partner Rabindra Jhunjhunwala said that the firm was keen to expand in infrastructure and tax, in order to improve cross selling opportunities to the firm’s domestic clients.

Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co has poached two Mumbai partners from competitors as it hopes to widen its partnership.

The firm has hired Luthra & Luthra corporate partner Ashish Jejurkar and Mulla & Mulla & Blunt & Caroe infrastructure partner Tushar Mavani.

Amarchand managing partner Cyril Shroff (pictured) told UK legal magazine The Lawyer: “These two people have the right temperament and drive to be part of our vision.

Khaitan & Co has hired senior associate Bharat Anand from UK magic circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.