Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (CAM) has hired Percival Billimoria, formerly a senior partner at AZB & Partners as the head of its Delhi office and the chair of its Disputes, Regulatory, Advocacy and Policy (DRAP) practice.

Billimoria's hire is just the latest salvo in an escalating talent war in India's legal market, particularly between CAM and AZB. AZB recently hired Nisha Kaur Uberoi, CAM’s national competition head, according to website Legally India; her hire was AZB’s second high-profile poach from CAM in as many months, following the hire of Ashwath Rau, the latter firm’s corporate practice co-head.

Uberoi joined the legacy Amarchand Mangaldas in 2002, right after graduating from law school. After stints at Rajah & Tann and Ashurst in Singapore, she returned to India in 2010 to rejoin Amarchand Mangaldas. She was promoted to national competition head at CAM only this month. In 2015, Uberoi was named as one of ALB Magazine’s 40 Under 40. 

Billimoria, who chaired AZB’s litigation practice prior to his departure, will be assisted in running the Delhi office by partner Gauri Rasgotra, who has been named as deputy head. According to CAM, the “apex advisory body of the firm” now comprises of Billimoria, James Abraham, L Viswanathan, Reeba Chacko and Vandana Shroff.

Earlier this month, CAM hired Shagoofa Rashid Khan as a partner in Mumbai from IDFC to lead its national funds and investments practice.