Independence is a quality as prized by lawyers as it was celebrated by India yesterday. But as firms grow larger, they get more dependent on each of their partners while subsuming the individual into the collective.

Exclusive: Phoenix Legal has opened a second Mumbai office in Nariman Point relocating its recently hired litigation partner and bulked up with Hariani & Co real estate and corporate partner Siddharth Hariani to expand to three partners in Mumbai.

Exclusive: Amarchand Mangaldas and Phoenix Legal have advised on private equity firm India Property Fund’s buyout of 49 per cent stake in developers Ramprastha Group’s housing project Skyz for Rs 120 crore.

Phoenix Legal and Hogan Lovells’ Japanese office have advised advised Japan’s Sojitz Corporation on its joint venture with South Indian business conglomerate Archean Group top operate a marine chemicals plant in India.

Exclusive: Phoenix Legal has moved to a new Delhi office with space for 40 as the firm is set to implement a new career development framework for its fee-earners.

Phoenix Legal and Tatva Legal have advised on the global catering and onboard services provider Gategroup’s 74 per cent stake take-over of India’s leading airline catering company Skygourmet, which is valued at $92m.

Phoenix Legal has acted on a Rs 308m ($6.5m) microfinance securitisation of 42,000 micro-loans for IFMR Capital.

Are you dreaming of becoming the next Zia? India is the world’s only major legal market where you can still do more than just dream.

Legally India has asked more than a dozen legal entrepreneurs for their advice on how to live that dream.

“If you feel if you are not able to achieve what you want in larger firms with larger brand names, there is enough work to sustain and flourish when you set up on your own,” claims Lex Counsel’s co-founder Dimpy Mohanty.

Phoenix Legal has denied that it has a best friends tie-up with UK international firm Lovells, after a press report linked the two today.

Trilegal spin-off Phoenix Legal has added two associates in Delhi, vowing to significantly expand its practice there and in Mumbai with lateral hires.

The firm is hoping to hire a lateral partner for its Mumbai office and to double it in size to 10 lawyers by the end of the year.

Phoenix founding partner Abhishek Saxena said: “We are looking around for a couple of candidates. Although we’d be keen to get a partner, if it does not materialise we may want to get a very senior associate.”