Amid the backdrop on the much-debated entry of foreign law firms to the country, the Bar Council of India (BCI) issued a notice to Dentons Link Legal and CMS IndusLaw for allegedly flouting its regulations relating to alliances with foreign law firms.
“These combinations are often structured through Swiss vereins, strategic alliances, exclusive referral models, or joint branding initiatives, which are then publicly promoted under combined identities (eg, Dentons Link Legal and CMS IndusLaw), thereby portraying to clients and the public at large a de facto integrated legal practice across jurisdictions, including within India,” BCI said.
“The council affirms that such structures, if implemented and operationalised without prior registration under the Bar Council of India Rules for Registration and Regulation of Foreign Lawyers and Foreign Law Firms in India, 2023 (as amended in 2025), are impermissible.”
Expressing dismay, CMS IndusLaw said the BCI’s statement appeared to be based on a misconception. “We strongly refute any imputation that rules have been breached. We are an independent Indian law firm practising only Indian Law,” the firm said in an official statement.
“CMS IndusLaw remains fully within the bounds of all applicable rules and regulations. Our practice does not enable any foreign lawyer to practise Indian law or foreign law in India, nor any Indian lawyer to practise foreign law within India.”
It is worth noting that the second law firm in question, Dentons Link Legal, announced its tie-up before the new regulatory provisions on foreign law firms were announced.
In an exclusive joint statement by Dentons Link Legal’s executive chairman Atul Sharma and managing partners Nusrat Hassan and Anand Srivastava, the firm said: “We are an Indian registered law firm – which is wholly owned, controlled and managed by Indian advocates – and squarely falls under the definition of ‘Indian Law Firm’ of the applicable Bar Council rules.
“Our combination with Dentons has been and continues to be fully compliant with all laws, including the Advocates Act. We will issue an appropriate response to the Bar Council of 含羞草社区 communication affirming our compliance with the Bar Council rules.”
On 17 June 2025, the BCI formed a committee to examine and recommend solutions for concerns raised by Indian law firms and lawyers over foreign law firms and lawyers being allowed to practise in India. Cyril Shroff, managing partner at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, will chair the six-member committee and BCI chairman Manan Kumar Mishra will be a special invitee.
Read more:
Top Indian, foreign lawyers react to BCI opening legal market
Lawyers react to BCI’s move allowing foreign lawyers in India
Dentons, Link Legal officially seal partnership in India
Dentons, one of the world’s largest law firms, officially entered the Indian market
Cyril Shroff leads BCI committee on foreign lawyers’ entry
BCI forms committee to look into concerns around foreign lawyers being allowed to practise in India
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