Chennai-based law firm Commercial Law Advisors (CLA) has merged with JSA, effective from 1 October 2023.
This merger is set to improve JSA‘s service offerings in the broader south India region, in conjunction with its offices in Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
Partners Varun Sriram and Bhavya Sriram founded CLA in 2017 initially with a team of three associates and, during the past five years, it has expanded to include four partners and more than 15 associates.
The merger, consisting of four partners and 17 associates, will play a key role in JSA‘s growth along with its offices in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Following this integration with CLA, JSA is positioned to become one of the largest law firms in the Chennai market and the southern region, and seeks to expand its services across corporate, finance, healthcare, technology and more.
The firm’s total strength in Chennai will now comprise five partners with diverse expertise and more than 20 associates, while JSA’s total count will now exceed 480 attorneys, including 131 partners.
Varun Sriram, who is joining as an equity partner, brings more than 17 years of experience in mergers & acquisitions, specialising in healthcare & pharma, e-commerce, real estate, automobiles/EVs, and financial services. He advises prominent businesses, promoter groups, funds and startups, with a focus on corporate re-organisation and private client matters.
This merger also marks Varun Sriram’s return to JSA, where he previously served as a partner from 2015-2017. “Returning to JSA feels like coming home,” he said.
Partner Bhavya Sriram has more than 16 years of experience, specialising in employment law, estate planning, commercial contracting and real estate advisory. She serves as an external member on POSH committees for multiple companies, and has previously worked with HSB Partners and Amarchand Mangaldas.
Akshaya Suresh, who has joined as a new partner with 16 years of experience, specialises in technology laws, privacy & data protection and commercial contracting. Previously, she served as the legal head at Freshworks, and was a senior associate with JSA.
Aravind Raj, an incoming partner with more than 15 years of experience, specialises in real estate law, covering areas like real estate acquisitions, infrastructure projects and IBC-related matters.
