Recent reports suggesting UK-based firm Lovells has entered into a formal tie-up with boutique commercial Indian firm Phoenix Legal are not true, according to Phoenix's co-founding partner Abhishek Saxena.

Phoenix Legal was established in late 2008 by a breakaway contingent of three partners from Trilegal-Saxena, Saket Shukla and Sawant Singh-and Kochhar & Co banking partner Manjula Chawla.

Saxena is adamant that his firm's relationship with Lovells is no closer than that with any other international law firm.  “We do work closely with Lovells and have been doing so for a number of months,” he told ALB. “Some of the Phoenix partners either know or have worked with Lovells in the past and vice versa. It was natural that when Phoenix Legal was set up that this would continue. This does not mean that we have an exclusive relationship.  Phoenix Legal works with a number of other law firms around the world. Anything else is market speculation.”

Saxena did, however, point out that Phoenix was in favour of legal sector liberalisation and did not rule out forging closer ties with an international firm in the future. Phoenix recently bolstered its Mumbai offering after hiring corporate lawyer Divya Vig from Dehli-based A&M Law Offices and Abhishek Bhalla from boutique aviation outfit Rajinder Narain & Co.

Lovells is the latest in a long list of UK-based international law firms to signal their interest in gaining a foothold in India in anticipation of legal sector liberalisation. Earlier this month, Clyde & Co announced a tie-up with ALMT with the intention of striking a merger once bar council regulations are relaxed. Magic Circle firms Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance and Linklaters all have arrangements in place as well. Clifford Chance allied with AZB & Partners earlier this year and A&O with Trilegal in May 2008, while Linklaters has been best friends with Talwar Thakore & Associates since January 2007.

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