Cyril Shroff to chair committee set up by BCI to examine concerns about rules on entry of foreign lawyers to India

The Bar Council of India (BCI) has announced that it has formed a committee to address concerns that Indian lawyers may have regarding recently notified rules that permit the regulated entry of foreign lawyers and law firms to India. .The committee will be chaired by Managing Partner of Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, Cyril Shroff and will comprise Ajay Bahl (AZB & Partners), Suhail Nathani (ELP), Sandip Bhagat (S&R Associates), Mahesh Agarwal (Agarwal Law Associates) and Amit Kapur (JSA) as other members. .The step has been taken in view of certain apprehensions raised by a few Indian law firms."The BCI is committed to safeguarding the rights, interests and privileges of the Indian Bar...which includes Indian Law firms, while promoting clarity and coherence in regulatory enforcement. Accordingly, a committee is constituted to examine the concerns raised, and to recommend practical clarifications or additions within the framework of the current Rules," a resolution passed by the BCI on June 12 added. .The committee has been tasked with the following functions:- To assess the implementation of the objectives of the rules on entry of foreign lawyers and law firms, and suggest any measures necessary to enhance their clarity, consistency, or efficacy;- To propose safeguards to prevent foreign lawyers or firms from circumventing restrictions and engaging, directly or indirectly, in the practice of Indian law through structures such as alliances, referrals or partnerships;- To identify measures necessary to ensure that Indian law firms are not competitively disadvantaged during the current transition, and to recommend enabling measures, such as in training, technology, infrastructure, and strategic growth, that would strengthen their capacity, and to propose targeted measures that preserve and safeguard the interests of Indian law firms during the transition period, supporting their gradual evolution toward global competitiveness;- To evaluate the need for providing Indian law firms with comparable flexibility in areas such as firm structure, access to capital, and operational models, to ensure parity with their foreign counterparts and to recommend measures that establish a level playing field for Indian lawyers thereby enabling them to advance and grow their practice on equal footing with foreign law firms;- To suggest actionable steps and create an enabling environment that empowers Indian law firms to effectively pursue their global aspirations and compete successfully in the international arena, while remaining within professional and constitutional boundaries;- To uphold the professional character of law practice in India by reaffirming that legal services are personal services rooted in fiduciary responsibility, client trust, and duties to the court, and not subject to norms of commercial enterprise;- Tо conduct consultations with law firms, to gather inputs on the impact, structure, and implementation of the rules;- To address any other related matter that may arise during the committee's deliberations, keeping in view the spirit and/ or implementation of the Rules..Entry of foreign lawyers and firms: Hefty registration fees, disciplinary action and more.Committee meetings will take place at the premises of the BCI. BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra will be a special invitee to the committee. Principal Secretary to the BCI, Srimanto Sen, shall act as the Convenor of the Committee"The Chairman, Bar Council of India may nominate any of its members, representatives of any foreign or Indian law firms, Senior Lawyers, former judges or other experts as special invitees to assist the Committee in its deliberations," the BCI's resolution added. .The BCI has requested the committee to submit its report within 30-40 days, stating further that it would take a final decision regarding the rules after the report is considered and after consultation with Indian and foreign law firms. "The meeting of the law firms will be endeavoured to be held in India in the month of August, 2025," it said. .The BCI has also clarified that the new rules remain operational and have not been suspended on account of the latest development. "The aforementioned Rules, having been duly notified and published in the Gazette, remain fully in force and this Committee's mandate is not to stay or suspend their operation, but rather to further assess their implementation and address the apprehensions of these few Indian law firms in a constructive and consultative manner," it said. .[Read BCI Resolution]