Big name firms including DLA Piper, Baker & McKenzie, Jones Day and Linklaters are reportedly looking to recruiters to help identify first-class legal professionals in India as the country moves towards loosening the restrictions it places on foreign law firm operations. Legal recruiter FCL Search told The Economic Times that several major law firms have approached it recently for help developing their recruitment strategies in India: ‘Foreign law firms seem to be looking at lean operations and would not be looking to compete for domestic work, which is competitive and won’t yield commensurate fees,’ said FCL Search founding partner Premal Shah.  Indian regulators have indicated that they plan to take a ‘phased’ approach to opening up the local legal services market to foreign players after the Bar Association of India retracted its opposition to liberalisation last year.

Sources: The Economic Times; Asian Legal Business