In a reversal of sorts, one of the country’s largest law firms has poached an entire team from one of the Big Four accounting firms, Ernst and Young..AZB & Partners has roped in Ajay Upadhyay, Director – Fraud Investigation & Dispute Services at Ernst & Young, to head the firm’s Compliance and Investigation Practice. Upadhyay has been working with Ernst & Young since 2010 prior to which he was with KPMG..Upadhyay has joined AZB with his team of five experts..AZB’s Managing Partner Ajay Bahl said,.“We believe that Ajay Upadhyay and his team add a new perspective to client support in a variety of areas such as forensic investigations, compliance investigations, pre-investment diligences, anti-trust investigations, and litigation support…”.On his part, Upadhyay says that quite a few Indian law firms. are moving towards adding this particular practice area. Some of them include J. Sagar Associates, DSK Legal..Upadhyay says,.“Globally law firms have a separate investigation practice and they take support from Big four on the technology perspective. Therefore, even Indian law firms are trying to follow that model.” .For us basically, it will be a joint approach where the law firm will lead the investigation (since they are capable of giving strategic legal advice) and the audit firms/forensic firms will support them..The firm will focus on investigations under FCPA, UK Bribery Act and Prevention of Corruption Act and also various other reporting obligations to authorities.”.On his decision to move to a law firm, Upadhyay feels that law firms are better placed to connect with clients. Also, international law firms would also prefer to give this work to a law firm than one of the Big Four..“Personally for me it is better in terms of growth. I will be able to get expertise on legal issues. It is like a complete package where we merge [our] forensic and legal capabilities.”
In a reversal of sorts, one of the country’s largest law firms has poached an entire team from one of the Big Four accounting firms, Ernst and Young..AZB & Partners has roped in Ajay Upadhyay, Director – Fraud Investigation & Dispute Services at Ernst & Young, to head the firm’s Compliance and Investigation Practice. Upadhyay has been working with Ernst & Young since 2010 prior to which he was with KPMG..Upadhyay has joined AZB with his team of five experts..AZB’s Managing Partner Ajay Bahl said,.“We believe that Ajay Upadhyay and his team add a new perspective to client support in a variety of areas such as forensic investigations, compliance investigations, pre-investment diligences, anti-trust investigations, and litigation support…”.On his part, Upadhyay says that quite a few Indian law firms. are moving towards adding this particular practice area. Some of them include J. Sagar Associates, DSK Legal..Upadhyay says,.“Globally law firms have a separate investigation practice and they take support from Big four on the technology perspective. Therefore, even Indian law firms are trying to follow that model.” .For us basically, it will be a joint approach where the law firm will lead the investigation (since they are capable of giving strategic legal advice) and the audit firms/forensic firms will support them..The firm will focus on investigations under FCPA, UK Bribery Act and Prevention of Corruption Act and also various other reporting obligations to authorities.”.On his decision to move to a law firm, Upadhyay feels that law firms are better placed to connect with clients. Also, international law firms would also prefer to give this work to a law firm than one of the Big Four..“Personally for me it is better in terms of growth. I will be able to get expertise on legal issues. It is like a complete package where we merge [our] forensic and legal capabilities.”
