The Bar Council of India (BCI) is planning to notify and implement amended regulations for the entry of foreign lawyers and law firms by the end of July. Lalit Bhasin, President of the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF), has requested BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra to discuss these amended rules with SILF before they are finalized.
BCI made its announcement during a meeting with the Law Society and the Bar Council of England and Wales in London. Initially, the Indian legal market will be open only to lawyers and law firms from the United Kingdom. The move to liberalize the Indian legal market gained momentum in March last year when BCI introduced the 2022 rules for registering and regulating foreign lawyers and firms in India. A press release on March 19, 2023, stated that foreign law firms could set up offices in India to advise foreign clients on foreign laws.
SILF has previously raised concerns about the timing and implementation of opening the Indian legal market to foreign lawyers and firms. In a July 1 letter to BCI, SILF noted that these concerns were not addressed and emphasised the importance of discussing the revised rules with SILF members before finalising them. SILF believes that consultation would help avoid any ambiguities or deficiencies in the new regulations and expressed their willingness to discuss the rules at BCI's convenience.
The Bar Council of India (BCI) emphasised that the amended rules are intended to bolster India's position as a hub for international commercial arbitration. Additionally, BCI reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the interests and welfare of advocates nationwide, urging the entire advocate community to support these rules in the national interest.
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