BCI Chief: Foreign Law Firms Not Welcome in India

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Jun. 15 – The Bar Council of India’s (BCI) new chairman and solicitor-general of India, Gopal Subramaniam recently ruled out any possibility of allowing foreign law firms to practice in the country.

Subramaniam said that the BCI will play an active role in improving legal education by working for a pan-India common law syllabus by July.

“Lawyers of this country has sacrificed a lot for freedom and we cannot compromise by allowing foreign law firms to practice in courts and tribunals in the country,” Subramaniam said according to the Times of India.

No law college will be permitted to function unless it agrees to pay a UGC recommended pay scale to law teachers and has qualified people.

BCI is planning to introduce a national health insurance plan for lawyers. In addition BCI experts will now review all central legislation.

According to newspaper reports, the BCI may also shortly see a completely new code of ethics, as the BCI chief is studying extensively the South African model of code of conduct.

“We have also decided to ask all the law firms to disclose the name of lawyers or partners, including lawyers and solicitors dealing with particular cases, so that in case of dissolution of a firm the client does not suffer,” said Subramaniam.