Just two weeks after the Bar Council of India (BCI) issued a notification allowing foreign law firms and lawyers to practise in India on a reciprocity basis, global powerhouse CMS has announced a strategic partnership with IndusLaw, one of India’s reputable law firms.
Through this alliance, IndusLaw becomes a member of the international legal and advisory services organisation CMS. CMS is a network of 18 independent law firms with approximately 80 offices worldwide. It is the fifth-largest law firm in the world by lawyer headcount and ranks 21st by revenue.
Speaking to FE, Gaurav Dani, founding and senior partner at IndusLaw, said that discussions with CMS had been going on for the past two years, culminating in a deal finalised after several meetings on operational details. He emphasised that the timing was coincidental and not directly linked to the BCI’s notification. “Our agreement falls outside the regulatory framework since we remain financially and operationally independent, even as we become part of the CMS global network,” Dani explained. The collaboration builds on an existing working relationship between the two firms. “We’ve been working together for some time and found a strong cultural fit,” Dani said. Previously operating under a referral network, the new member firm status will enable “more seamless collaboration across geographies.”
The integration follows the Swiss Verein model, a structure that allows multiple entities to operate under one brand while maintaining independent legal and financial operations. “This model enables cross-border expansion while ensuring compliance with local regulations,” an industry expert noted. While the CMS-IndusLaw partnership lies outside the current regulatory framework, Dani welcomed the BCI’s recent notification. “India is poised to become the world’s third-largest economy. Expanding the global footprint of Indian legal services is both timely and necessary.”
According to a joint release, onboarding is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. The partnership is described as a natural evolution that combines complementary strengths and work cultures, enabling CMS to deliver complex, cross-border legal services with greater coordination. It marks a key milestone in CMS’ global expansion strategy and bolsters its presence in one of the world’s most dynamic legal markets.
The partnership heralds the entry of the second global law firm into India since October 2022, when Dentons merged with Link Legal to provide legal services in India, following the BCI’s initial notification on foreign law firm entry.
IndusLaw, on the other hand, will support multinational CMS clients operating in India, while CMS’ 6,800 lawyers across 45+ countries will assist Indian clients expanding internationally. “This comes at a pivotal time,” said an industry observer. “The amended BCI regulations may finally open the floodgates for foreign law firms that have long awaited access to the Indian market. The earlier framework was too restrictive to allow real participation.”
A senior lawyer noted that under the new rules, foreign law firms can now enter the Indian market either independently or through partnerships, provided they register with the BCI and pay the requisite fees.
IndusLaw has a robust presence across India’s key commercial centers—Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Chennai. With 60 partners and over 400 lawyers, it advises many of India’s top corporates, including more than 50% of the unicorns established in the past decade.
Duncan Weston, executive partner at CMS, said, “This is a significant step in CMS’ expansion across Asia and globally. As India becomes more integrated with the global economy, clients need agile legal advisers who can bridge domestic and international jurisdictions.”