India’s AZB & Partners has opened an office in the southern city of Chennai after hiring a corporate team from J Sagar Associates (JSA) led by senior partner Aarthi Sivanandh.

The new office means AZB now has a presence in five Indian cities, with the others being, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, and Bengaluru.

"“We have always wanted to be in Chennai, which is a nuanced, sizeable and growing market for corporate work at many levels and are elated to leverage our expertise for the benefit of our clients," said Zia Mody, managing partner of AZB, in a statement.

Sivanandh advises on M&A, divestment, stock sales and purchases, advance preparation for prospective targets, asset sales and purchases, and structuring. She had been a partner at JSA since 2014, when her firm, Vichar Partners, merged with it. Sivanandh was previously a partner at Universal Legal.

“Aarthi has grown tremendously with JSA, and we appreciate her contribution to the firm especially in the Chennai market," said Amit Kapur and Vivek Chandy, joint managing partners of JSA, in a statement.
"However, in keeping with JSA’s unique structure and philosophy, the institution marches on regardless of any individual entries or exits which are inevitable in a firm as large as ours. The firm will continue to aggressively pursue growth opportunities including in Chennai with individuals who are aligned to the culture and value of the firm.”