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Supreme Court Prohibits Practice Of Law By Foreign Lawyers/Law Firms In India
Accordingly, Foreign law firms/companies or foreign lawyers do not have an absolute right to practice law in India and they will be governed by the code of conduct applicable to the legal profession in India.
The division bench of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India consisting of Justice A.K. Goel and Justice U.U. Lalit recently passed a crucial verdict in the matter titled Bar Council of India vs. A.K. Balaji and Ors.1 declaring that foreign lawyers/firms are not entitled to practice law in India either on the litigation or nonlitigation side unless they fulfill the requirement of the Advocates Act, 1961, and the Bar Council of India Rules.