Cyril Shroff, Managing Partner of the recently created Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, reflects on the split, talks about expansion plans, and compares Indian and international law firms. Interview with Ranajit Dam

ALB: The Amarchand split was a fairly long-drawn-out one that made headlines in India and beyond. How do you feel about the way it turned out? What lessons have you taken away from it?

Shroff: Looking back, the split played out smoothly and quickly. I disagree that it was a fairly long drawn-out process. This is because the end state was clear as soon as the dispute became public and rest was mere process. It was the only logical consequence of the suit filed by Shardul in November. One cannot be partners and keep fighting in court at the same time. Thanks to wonderful mediators, it all closed in record time.

The process was seamless on the ground, as in the offices. People and matters merely flowed over into the respective new firms overnight without any disruptions whatsoever.

It’s too early to say what lessons I have learnt from it, but there is always a silver lining to every cloud. Every challenge is a huge opportunity and I am looking forward to the new innings with great energy. A few years from now, I will look back and say that the split was the best thing that happened to me.

ALB: When you first conceived of Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, what kind of firm did you see? How are you working towards bringing that firm to reality?

Shroff: When I first envisioned Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas in November 2014, I saw it in a very similar way as the erstwhile Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co.: a large independent “national champion” with offices at all major commercial centres. The establishment of the New Delhi offices and significant lateral recruitments at multiple locations are steps towards bringing that firm to reality. Like AMSS, we aspire to be the biggest and the best Indian law firm.

ALB: Can you elaborate a bit on your immediate and medium-term growth plans for Cyril Amarchand? How would you describe your overall expansion strategy?

Shroff: We intend to have 1,000 lawyers in India by 2017 to 2018. Foreign offices are not planned at least for five years. We intend to cover the multiple gaps in the Indian legal market, and we aim to continue being involved in important matters and working with clients in the future.

ALB: Do you think that lawyers in the firm will have any issues mentally transitioning from working for the legacy Amarchand, which was a storied institution, to Cyril Amarchand, which is a brand-new outfit? What internal culture would you like the firm to possess?

Shroff: Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, whilst newly incorporated, carries forward the 97-year-old legacy seamlessly. It would be a misnomer to describe it as a “brand-new outfit.” Frankly, except for the email addresses, nothing has changed on the ground, and in my case the legacy Amarchand Mangaldas, the storied institution, continues to live and thrive through Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, which originated in Mumbai at the same location.

The marketplace considers Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas as a seamless reincarnation of the legacy Amarchand Mangaldas—the same value system, but with a much more agile and entrepreneurial internal structure. That is exactly why ALB also gave the new firm the awards for India Deal Firm of the Year and India Managing Partner of the Year. The entire industry treats it as a continuum of the legacy firm and the flag bearer of the value system.

ALB: At ALB’s Southeast Asia Law Awards 2015, where Cyril Amarchand won those two key awards, you described your firm as a 97-year-old start-up. What start-up traits does the firm embody?

Shroff: The key attributes of a start-up are typically the entrepreneurial hunger, the willingness to pursue ambitious growth, and the advantage of not being bogged down by an internal bureaucracy. I clearly see these features in the new firm, and our ability to move very swiftly and decisively in pursuing our goals is unmatched. We have an audacious ambition in terms of growth and these “start-up” attributes will provide that impetus.

ALB: One of the awards the firm won was India Deal Firm of the Year. How do you see Indian firms stack up against international law firms? Is there a gulf? If so, how could Indian law firms work towards bridging it?

Shroff: The leading Indian law firms are top class and can stand up against any international law firms; we can compete on all criteria. Indian law firms have evolved in the last two decades. Take my firm, for instance. The work that we do is clearly of international quality, both in terms of size and complexity as well as sophistication. I wish the fee levels would also reflect the reality that we are an international law firm.

ALB: Following the split, both Cyril Amarchand Mangadas and Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas have been busy with lateral hires, and other firms are worried about a coming shakeup. How do you see the Indian legal industry evolving amid all this?

Shroff: It has been a disruptive event in the talent market in India — and it is not over yet. Other Indian law firms will introspect and make changes. Overall, since competition improves efficiency, I believe the Indian legal industry will further mature as a result of this disruption.

ALB: Finally, where do you see Cyril Amarchand five, maybe even 10 years from now?

Shroff: Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas is already the largest law firm in India, with around 600 lawyers by July 2015. Five years from now, I see it having about 1,200 to 1,500 lawyers or even more. Ten years from now, I think we will have an international presence as well, but that is too early to say. The real opportunity in the next decade is in India and that will always be our primary focus. We will deliver modern, world-class service in and from India.