LAWFUEL.COM –
28 May 2009: Osborne Clarke has appointed Indian qualified lawyer (‘non-practising’) Prashant Mara into a senior role to boost the firm’s increasing flow of inbound and outbound work between India and Europe. Prashant joins on 1 July 2009 from French law firm Cabinet Franklin where he ran their India desk.
Based in the firm’s Cologne and London offices, Prashant will work across the firm’s UK and European Alliance offices and in India. Prashant has extensive experience advising European companies doing business in India and vice versa. While at Cabinet Franklin, he led cross border teams of lawyers on projects ranging from joint ventures and acquisitions to projects in the infrastructure, energy and manufacturing sectors. Prashant also advises European companies on structuring foreign direct investment into India, on foreign exchange and cross border lending regulations, intellectual property and corporate commercial law issues. He has previously worked for Indian law firm J Sagar Associates and Infosys Technologies – both based in Bangalore.
Ulrich Bäumer, Partner and co-head of Osborne Clarke’s India desk said:
“We advise Indian companies looking to build and expand their businesses in Europe and, working with our contacts at Indian law firms, European companies looking to access the growing Indian market. This is a growth area for Osborne Clarke and the Osborne Clarke Alliance.
“Working with the existing India desk team, Prashant will play a critical role in serving the needs of both our European and Indian clients. His experience in the IT, automotive and energy & infrastructure sectors fits well with Osborne Clarke’s existing sector specialisms.”
OC has been advising Indian businesses since 2001, building on its technology sector strength as India-based outsourcing and IT companies boomed. As well as acting for most of the international Indian IT firms in Europe, the firm also acts for many pharmaceutical, real estate and other Indian businesses. In the last year alone, the firm has acted on a number of high profile matters including: the recent takeover of Axon in 2008 by HCL Technologies; an arbitration in London by a major listed Indian IT company against a multinational consulting company in relation to a substantial IT fees dispute; the recent takeover of a R&D centre of Nokia Siemens Networks in 2008 by TCS as well as many other M&A transactions of international Indian conglomerates in Europe and European multinationals in India. Osborne Clarke is also the preferred partner of the German Engineering Association (VDMA) for India related projects and assignments.
Prashant will join Osborne Clarke’s India team, currently led by Partners Ulrich Bäumer in Germany and Patrick Graves in the UK. The firm also has country teams focused on managing work with the USA, Canada, Russia and China.
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