S&R lures talent from overseas

The turbulence of the financial crisis has prompted several experienced and talented Indian lawyers working abroad to rethink their career aspirations.

A number of Indian firms have reported a flood of applications from overseas qualified lawyers who are keen to return to India, perceiving an abundance of opportunities for professional growth in a legal market that has been relatively cushioned in comparison to those elsewhere.

Delhi-based S&R Associates is one firm that has benefitted from the return of Indian lawyers. It has added five new lawyers to its fold this year, three of whom have returned to India from overseas, bringing with them valuable experience and exposure gained while working at international law firms.

Venkatesh Vijayaraghavan, Avirup Bose, Zehra Khan and Dhruv Nath have joined the corporate group, while Vidur Bhatia has taken up a position with the firm’s litigation practice.

Vijayaraghavan was a corporate associate at Cravath Swaine & Moore in New York for three years prior to joining S&R on 1 July. He was educated at the National Law School, Bangalore, Oxford University and Columbia University.

Also educated at Oxford, Bhatia worked as an associate in the dispute resolution department at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in London before moving back to India.

Bose, who studied at the National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata, and holds an LLM from Harvard University, spent two years as a corporate associate with Weil Gotshal & Manges in New York. He will join S&R on 1 September.

One of the firm’s partners, Sandip Bhagat, shares the international experience of his new hires. He previously worked with Shearman & Sterling.

“We believe each of these lawyers has the potential to make a significant contribution to the firm’s practice,” Rajat Sethi, a partner at the firm, told India Business Law Journal.

“Each of these lawyers emphasizes the firm’s commitment to distinguishing itself on the basis of the quality of its services, and we are pleased that they have chosen to join us at a growth stage.”