MNSA Legal has entered into a co-operating arrangement with Cathay Associates, a global legal services network initiated by Cathay Associates Kejie (a leading Chinese boutique law firm and two European partners).

MNSA Legal will be the exclusive ‘best friend’ of Cathay Associates in India. All referrals from Cathay will be sent exclusively to MNSA in India. The release states,

“Our association with Cathay Associates is a co-operating relationship, and the same is completely in accordance with the applicable laws in India.”

Founded in 2016, MNSA Legal has four partners – Aniket Gautam, Manish Gaurav, Narendra Bisht and Shadaab Anwar.

Cathay Associates is managed by a team of qualified lawyers headed by its Global Managing Partner Pascal Demko, who is a Hungarian-French international lawyer. The firm currently has a network of high profile boutique law firms in 40 countries.

MNSA Legal’s move comes at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is pushing for the opening up of the legal market.

Several law firms had entered into best friend relationships with foreign law firms, but over the years, some of them have ended these arrangements. AZB & Partners and Clifford Chance had ended their relationship in 2011, while Trilegal and Allen & Overy had called it off in 2012.

However, some Indian law firms are still going strong with their relationships with foreign firms. For example, Talwar Thakore & Associates with Linklaters, Clasis Law with Clyde & Co, and India Law Partners with Ashurst.