JPMorgan has hired Deutsche Bank vice president (legal) Yash Yadav in the same role at JP Morgan as a senior markets lawyer in Mumbai, specialising in structured finance.
The GLC Mumbai graduate had begun his career at Dua Associates Mumbai in 2003 as a trainee lawyer, moving to IDFC as an analyst in 2006 and joining Deutsche Bank Mumbai in 2007 with a six-month stint in Hong Kong in 2008.
JP Morgan’s legal team, which is headed up by former Deutsche Bank head of legal Jigar Shah since 2013, now consists of a total of seven lawyers.
Shah confirmed Yadav’s joining but declined to comment further due to company policy.
At JP Morgan Yadav takes over the former role of Sujoy Chowdhury, who has relocated to the Hong Kong office of the bank after a secondment there.
Comments
As an in-house counsel, I know of senior partners in "Big Law" who literally suck up to the likes of us for work. How different are they from black coat, pan chewing touts who chase you crying "Sir - Affidavit; Sir - Notary" whom you encounter when you visit any court?
BTW - We make enough money to lead a comfortable life and travel the world. Also - what exactly do you mean by "doing someone else's homework for a living"? Isn't that what law firms really do? How does it matter anyway, as long as you are working hard for an honest living? Your success does not depend on whether you work in house; in a law firm; or anywhere else. Your success depends on the responsibilities you are willing to shoulder and discharge.
Whilst I won't get into who makes more, this is India and there is no real and consist data, but I can help you look at things objectively:
1) work satisfaction is probably high amongst in-house lawyers as they are closer to the client which means they see the practical side of it, advice getting actually implemented.
2) working in-house is a lot more stressful, demanding as you sit next to your client which can be unnerving but if you can manage that it can be equally "rewarding" (read$$) as working in a law firm. On the other hand, chasing billing and constant pressure for BD can be a competitive nightmare.
3) private practice lawyers are subject matter experts and know the law in greater detail in some instances, but the in-house lawyers are more practical and know how the application of the law will ultimately impact the business.
4) that aside, I've got close friends on both sides and in-house and law firm both are intellectually engaging places to work. If you like steering business outcomes with MBAs and top of the line professionals and be their trusted advisor then in-house brings you far greater satisfaction. If you are most interested in theories, deep dive into legal reasoning and argument then you find law firm environment more stimulating - it goes long way in making lawyers perfectionist in the type of area they cover and develop skills that you wouldn’t develop in-house.
Having said that, the bottom line is that when in-house lawyers struggle with their (home) work they invariably engage (Big) law firms for specialist legal advice.