Indigenous business boosts southern firms

Dear Madam,

The appraisal on the southern states in your December/January issue (Casting a wider net) focused on international inbound investments (which most of the major law firms handle from offices in Bangalore or Hyderabad). What needs to be noted are the smaller cities like Coimbatore and Kochi that have traditional indigenous businesses that have gone international in the last decade.

Exports in manufacturing, textiles, coir products, marine products, rubber and other indigenous products have attracted joint ventures, technology transfers and foreign investment. These are attractive markets for local law firms to work on, as the scale of work and monetary value of the transactions prevents larger firms from handling these matters due to their higher billing rates.

South Indian businesses look at the value proposition of law firms, as well as their local talent. When measured in this way, boutique law firms and stand-alone practitioners gain where national firms can’t approach.