Foreign cos likely to get entry into legal services

Opening up of legal services for foreign players could be on the cards. The government is looking the issue with the Indian stake-holders, Law Minister HR Bharadwaj said on September 25. He said efforts would be made to build a consensus and assured the domestic law firms that the government would put in place adequate safeguards to protect their interests. The government has asked stake-holders to come with their views on the kind of safeguards they want and a decision would be taken only after all of them agree.

Mr Bhardwaj said some firms had concerns that they would not be able to meet competition from foreign firms. Opposition is also on the ground that many advanced countries do not recognise Indian law degrees. Claiming that opening up of legal services would bring in investment by foreign firms and provide better job opportunities to Indian lawyers, he said the legal community should not shy away from competition. The Law Minister, however, clarified that foreign lawyers would not be allowed to practise Indian law in the country. Mr Bhardwaj said his ministry was in talks with the International Court of Justice, Hague, and London Court of International Arbitration to set up offices in India. To a query whether foreign law firms would be permitted through a Limited Liability Partnership route, Mr Bhardwaj said these issues were being negotiated.