BWI: USIBC Discusses Hot Topics For In-House Counsel at Legal Services Conference

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: U.S.-India Business Council
Saturday, September 25, 2010 02:48 PM IST (09:18 AM GMT)
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USIBC Discusses Hot Topics For In-House Counsel at Legal Services Conference


New Delhi, Delhi, India, Saturday, September 25, 2010 -- (Business Wire India) -- The U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC), in partnership with the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF), successfully hosted the 2nd annual Legal Services Conference in New Delhi. Aimed at bringing together leading legal services professionals and industry experts, the key theme of the conference this year was "Hot Topics for In-House Counsel".

Some of the luminaries who participated in the conference were Mr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court and Member of Parliament and Mr. Harish Salve, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court. While Mr. Singhvi delivered the inaugural address, Mr. Salve gave a special address highlighting some pertinent points relating to constitutional law and governance.

Discussing some of the pressing issues faced by in-house counsel, Mr. Singhvi asserted the need to strike a fine balance between delivering on company objectives and meeting the assumed standards of legal ethics. During the course of the deliberations, the nature of the regulatory challenges and ways to mitigate them were also discussed at length.

The conference included comprehensive sessions on critical issues within the field of corporate law, laying special emphasis on opportunities and risks associated with energy and infrastructure industries, state of competition laws, IP protection, FCPA compliance in India, E- Discovery and litigation.

The session on competition laws and antitrust laws was opened by Mr. Dhanendra Kumar, Chairman, Competition Commission of India who gave an update on the current competition landscape and addressed the concerns of the legal community and the industry.

Speaking on the occasion, Ashish Prasad, Board Member, USIBC, said "It is our belief that sustained dialogue and exchange between both our democracies is vital to development, business and the governance process. This is nowhere more evident than in the critical area of legal services. The USIBC looks forward to future such dialogues to generate mutual benefit for both India and the United States."

Mr. Lalit Bhasin, President, Society of Indian Law (SILF) said "In view of the emerging partnership between the United States and India, there is a growing need to provide legal support to the initiatives of the two governments and the business sector. It is in this area that mutual cooperation and assistance between the legal professions of the two countries becomes vital. SILF and the American Bar Association have already taken steps by echanging high profile delegations. It is for this reason that SILF has supported USIBC in providing intellectual inputs."

The conference was also attended by Ms. Judy Reinke, Minister-Counselor for Commercial Affairs, US Embassy who thanked USIBC for creating a platform, conducive to enhancing Indo-US legal cooperation. Ms. Reinke advocated the need to allow international law firms to operate in India in order to facilitate greater collaboration between the legal communities of the two countries.

Various legal and consulting firms came together to support this initiative. Among those were the platinum and gold sponsors of the event. These included, KPMG, Covington & Burling LLP and Tatva Legal (Platinum) and BMR Legal, Singhania & Partners, AZB & Partners, Tri Legal, Blakes, Axon Partners LLP, Nishith Desai Associates and Chadbourne & Parke LLP (Gold).

Strengthening the promise of the U.S.-India relationship, the conference provided enormous opportunities to those with an understanding of the critical legal, regulatory and political issues that are the foundation of the two economies.

About SILF

Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) is the apex body of law firms in India. SILF was established in the year 2000 with the aim of protecting, safeguarding and promoting the interests of law firms in India. The Bar Association of different courts in India represent the individual members of the legal profession in India. Law firms have not been historically represented in an organized and streamlined manner. A dire need was felt to form an association of this kind in view of various aspects of the practice of law that are peculiar to law firms in contra-distinction to the role of individual practicing lawyers. The members of SILF include the top most law firms in India. SILF strives to create an atmosphere that will enable Indian law firms to match the technology, manpower skill and the infrastructure that most of the foreign law firms possess.

About USIBC

The U.S.-India Business Council, formed in 1975 at the request of the Government of India and the U.S. Government to advance commercial ties between the world's two largest free-market democracies, is hosted under the aegis of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region. The Chamber's Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) is working around the world to champion intellectual property (IP) rights as vital to creating jobs, saving lives, advancing global economic growth, and generating breakthrough solutions to global challenges.


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