TNY Legal is set to become the first Japanese law firm to establish an office in India, almost five months after the country opened its domestic legal market to foreign players.
The India office will focus on advising Japanese multinationals with their India businesses, particularly on regulatory investigations, liaising with government authorities for permits and licenses, corporate M&A and advisory, contract drafting, labour disputes, intellectual property and dispute resolution, TNY Legal’s co-managing partner Yuji Tsutsumi told ALB.
“India's culture and customs differ greatly from those of Japan. Laws and regulations in India also differ from those in Japan in many respects, and Japanese companies in India sometimes have difficulty in understanding the unique local legal system and its operation, and face problems,” Tsutsumi said.
TNY Legal is setting up an India office in Gurugram, a city which shares its border with the capital New Delhi and has emerged as a business hub for the country, housing many multinational companies.
The Japanese firm is the first to announce plans to open an India office after the Bar Council of India in March opened the door for foreign law firms and lawyers to practice in India, following years of opposition from domestic firms and lawyers.
Tsutsumi anticipates Japanese investment in India to grow substantially in the next few years, and the firm’s investment in India reflects this view.
Manning the new office will be partner Shumpei Nishitani, who was earlier with the firm’s Malaysian outfit, TNY Consulting (Malaysia).
“There are few Japanese lawyers stationed in India, and we have decided to have a Japanese lawyer stationed in India because we believe that a Japanese lawyer is necessary to consult with in India when urgent problems arise,” Tsutsumi said.
Japanese lawyers will not only assist with the language barrier between the countries but also have a better contextual understanding of queries raised by Japanese companies in respect of Indian law, Tsutsumi added.
Apart from Malaysia, TNY Legal also has a presence in 12 countries, including Thailand, Vietnam, Israel, Estonia and Mexico.
