This article on the online presence of top 10 law firms in India is written by Debakinandan Kole, pursuing M.A. in business law from NUJS, Kolkata.

To discuss further we have to first identify top 10 law firms in INDIA and then what is the online presence of these law firms. There is no official ranking of top law firms in INDIA. However, there are some others ranking published by reputed organizations such as London-based RSG Consulting which have produced the ranking of Indian Law firms since 2008. The RSG-India rankings are based on extensive research for the 250 page in-depth RSG-India Report 2015.The TOTAL SCORE out of 40 is the sum of weighted and banded scores for the following four criteria: 1. CAPACITY (/10): number of partners, lawyers, offices, leverage ratios, and ability to handle large scale work, 2. PROFILE (/10): market profile, including the number of spontaneous mentions and recommendations the firm received in independent client interviews, 3. QUALITY OF MANDATE (/10): an analysis of the firm’s client base and recent work, 4. CLIENT SATISFACTION (/10): the average satisfaction score from the firm’s own clients for 12 key indicators. The score and ranking of top 10 Indian law firms as per data collated by RSG Consulting is depicted below-

Let us now delve into the online presence of top 10 law firms. Online presence of law firms can be of the following types-

Web Site: In the present of Internet and social media, it is mandatory to have website so that people can find them online and contact them for their needs and can even get free evaluation. However, As per the rules of the Bar Council of India, lawyers/law firms are not permitted to solicit work and advertise. It is found that while visiting the websites of all law firms a disclaimer such as given below shows at the very first page of the website-

By clicking on the “I agree” below, the user acknowledges the following:

• there has been no advertisement, personal communication, solicitation, invitation or inducement of any sort whatsoever from us or any of our members to solicit any work through this website;
• the user wishes to gain more information about us for his/her own information and use;
• the information about us is provided to the user only on his/her specific request and any information obtained or materials downloaded from this website is completely at the user’s volition and any transmission, receipt or use of this site would not create any lawyer-client relationship.

The information provided under this website is solely available at your request for informational purposes only, should not be interpreted as soliciting or advertisement. We are not liable for any consequence of any action taken by the user relying on material/information provided under this website. In cases where the user has any legal issues, he/she in all cases must seek independent legal advice.  

Wikipedia: Law firms have a page in WIKIPEDIA which will contain necessary information regarding the law firms, people associated with it and area of practice etc.

LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a professional network and with its privacy features, someone just can’t post or comment on your profile until you connect with them. LinkedIn helps you improve SEO for personal name, law firm name, practice areas as well as Lawyer’s reputation. It also helps to connect and introduce with professionals in same practice areas, keeps one updated with current market & events and also set you apart as a group leader.

Blogging: Lawyer or Law firm can share their case experiences, can provide information on laws, videos, information on practice areas and interacting with visitors on blog can make them more visible and help people know whom to reach out when they have some similar incident.

Online Referral Program Referrals are the best way to reach out to new clients for Lawyers and Law Firms. Participating on group discussions in LinkedIn, having a section for referral partners on website and blog can bring in more clients and cases to law firms and they can be more active in leading justice through taking those cases.

Now let us look into the online presence of top 10 law firms in India as enumerated below –

• Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co or AMSS in short, as the largest law firm in India with headquarters in Delhi and Mumbai. It had offices in 8 cities, namely New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai and Pune. The firm split into two different law firms in May 2015 – Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas and Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas. Though the predecessor AMSS was ranked number one, it is considered that the two successor firm Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas and Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas both will be continued to hold the top spot considering their size, expertise and geographical spread.
• Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co (SAM) is a full-service Indian law firm. The firm came into existence after its predecessor Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co was split into two after a dispute emerged between the two managing partners of firm who were heading the Delhi and Mumbai office separately. Founded in 2015, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. is one of India’s leading law firms rated by International organisations, law directories and professional journals. As a full-service law firm, it is renowned in the business community for its ability to enable business, its innovative solutions, its responsiveness and collaboration with its clients. The Firm continues its journey as “a young and wise firm” with a legacy of 99 years. The Firm has over 430 lawyers, including 85 Partners, offering legal services through its offices at New Delhi, Mumbai, Gurgaon, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Bangalore and Chennai. Main Practice Areas are Mergers & Acquisitions, JVs & Collaborations, Private Equity, Real Estate, Taxation, Insurance, Employment, Technology, Media & Telecom, Projects & Projects Finance; Capital Markets; Banking & Finance; Intellectual Property Rights; Dispute Resolution; Competition Law; Policy & Regulatory. Its share of domestic work is 60% and international volume was about 40%.

It has very strong online presence. Just searching in Google typing its name shows more than 20 pages. It has its own website (http://www.amsshardul.com/) showing only address and contact information, Wikipedia page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Shardul_Amarchand _Mangaldas_%26_Co). It also has a LinkedIn page (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ shardul-amarchand-mangaldas).  

• Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas(CAM) was founded in May 2015 to continue the legacy of the 97-year old Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co., who’s pre-eminence, experience and reputation of almost a century has been unparalleled in the Indian legal fraternity. With a long and illustrious history that began in 1917, the Firm is the largest full-service law firm in India, with over 625 lawyers and offices in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Chennai. The Firm and several of its professionals have been recognized as leading practitioners by global publications like Chambers and Partners, International Financial Law Review, Asia Legal 500 and Euromoney. It has a very strong online presence; it has its own Wikipedia page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyril_Amarchand_Mangaldas) and a LinkedIn Page (https://www.linkedin.com/company/cyril-amarchand-mangaldas).  its website is ( http://www.  cyrilamarchandblogs.com)
• Luthra & Luthra Law Offices established in 1990 is an Indian law firm with offices in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. Luthra & Luthra Law Offices is one of India’s leading ‘full service’ law firms and was recognized as ‘National Law Firm of the Year’ at the IFLR Asia Awards 2015. The firm was established in the year 1990 and is consistently rated as a Tier 1 firm. Its founder and managing partner are Rajiv Luthra, who runs the firm jointly with senior partner Mohit Saraf. Its main practice area includes Arbitration, Aviation, Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Competition/Anti-Trust, Corporate M&A, Litigation, Private Equity, Projects & Infrastructure, Real Estate, Tax, TMT, Insurance, IP, International Trade. It work ratio is 30:70 domestic: International. Its online presence includes its own website (http://www.luthra.com/home.asp) and LinkedIn page (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ luthra-&-luthra-law-offices). The firm does not have a dedicated Wikipedia page.
• J Sagar Associates which is commonly known as JSA, is an Indian law firm. It was founded by Jyoti Sagar in 1991 and later Berjis Desai joined the firm on April 1, 2003 starting the Mumbai office. The firm now has offices in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi. Its Main Practice Areas are Arbitration, Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Competition/Anti-Trust, Corporate M&A, Litigation, Projects & Infrastructure, Real Estate, Tax, Regulatory & Policy. Its work split into -Domestic: 40%, International: 60%. It has more than 300 staffs including partners, lawyers and support staffs. Online presence of JSA is very strong, just searching its name through Google shows more than ten pages. It has its own website (http://www.jsalaw.com/), LinkedIn page(https://www.linkedin.com/company/j-sagar-associates). It does not have a dedicated Wikipedia page.
• Khaitan & Co is one of the oldest and largest Indian law firms. Founded in 1911 by Debi Prasad Khaitan, a member of the Constituent Assembly of India and one of the 7 members of the Drafting Committee[1] which framed the Constitution of India. Khaitan & Co has offices in 4 cities: Kolkata (founded in 1911), New Delhi (started operations in 1970), Bengaluru (1994) and Mumbai (2001). Combining a rich heritage of over a hundred years with a modern and cutting-edge practice, the Firm offers full service legal solutions to its domestic and international clients. The key practice areas are Banking & Finance, Capital markets, Competition Law/Antitrust, Corporate/M&A, Dispute Resolution, Energy, Hospitality, Infrastructure & Resources, Environment, Intellectual Property, Funds, Labour & Employment, Private Client and Trusts, Private Equity, Real Estate, Taxation(Direct and Indirect tax), Technology, Media & Telecom, White Collar CrimeThe Firm’s endeavour has been to be proactive and exceed client expectations.  Online presence of Khaitan & co is very strong, just googling its name shows more than ten pages. It has its own web site (http://www.khaitanco.com/SitePages/Index.aspx). It has its own Wikipedia page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khaitan_%26_Co) and LinkedIn page (https://www.linkedin.com/company/khaitan-&-co-). It also has numerous citations and online presence across various websites and journals.
• AZB & Partners is one of the top three corporate law firms in India, having its main office at Mumbai and branch offices at Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, and Gurgaon. It was established in year 2004 and has total staff strength more than 500 nos including partners, lawyers and support staffs. Its main practice areas are Main Practice Areas: Arbitration, Aviation, Banking & Finance, Competition/Anti-Trust, Corporate M&A, Litigation, Private Equity, Projects & Infrastructure, Real Estate, Tax, Regulatory Practice & Securities Laws, Funds Practice, Micro-Finance, Derivatives, IP, Media & Entertainment, IT & Business Process Outsourcing, Employment, Insurance, Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology. Its work distributed evenly between domestic and international operations. The firm’s senior partners are Ajay Bahl, Zia Mody, Bahram Vakil and Abhijit Joshi. India today has placed the firms revenue at Rs. 300 crores. The firm entered into a “best friend’s agreement” with UK-based Clifford Chance in early 2009, which was terminated by mutual agreement in January 2011. While access to know-how and management expertise may have brought benefits to AZB, the two firms shared few instructions over the course of their ‘best friends’ arrangement. AZB & Partners have strong online presence, searching AZB & Partners in Google shows more than 10 pages of online content related to AZB & Partners. AZB & Partners have a dedicated Wikipedia page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AZB_%26_Partners).  It also has a presence in LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/azb-partners) which gives information regarding the firm, its area of practice and specialties, address, important employees and recent updates. They also have a website. In addition to this, their name is found into various national and international web journals and online media.
• Trilegal (founded in 2000) is a law firm based in India. It has over 150 lawyers across four offices in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi. Trilegal’s areas of expertise include corporate – mergers and acquisitions; strategic alliances and joint ventures; private equity and venture capital; energy and infrastructure; banking and finance; restructuring; capital markets; telecoms, media and technology; dispute resolution; regulatory; competition law; labour and employment; real estate; and taxation. Its client roster includes many of the world’s leading corporations, funds, banks and financial institutions. It has own website (http://www.trilegal.com/), own Wikipedia page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trilegal), and also a LinkedIn page (https://www.linkedin.com/company/trilegal). Also, it has presence through numerous law journal and websites.
• S&R Associates founded in 2009  is one of India’s most highly regarded law firms in terms of its ability to tackle the most complex transactions. The firm started off as a capital market boutique firm and with the economic slowdown, adapted and added corporate, M&A and Investment related work into its areas of expertise. It’s expertise is admittedly created by hiring the brightest lawyers in the country and rewarding them with some of the industry’s highest pay packets to promote retention. The firm follows the quality over quantity approach and has created a niche for themselves in attracting premium work. A pure equity system encourages the firm’s associates by giving them an opportunity to become an equal part of the firm.  It has no website and Wikipedia page though it has as LinkedIn Page (https://www.linkedin.com/company/s&r-associates)
• Economic Laws Practice (“ELP”) is a leading full-service law firm based in Mumbai and has offices in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Pune, Bangalore, Chennai. The Firm was established in 2001 by eminent lawyers from diverse fields. ELP brings to the table a rather unique combination of professionals which comprise of not only the sharpest legal minds in India but also chartered accountants, cost accountants, economists and company secretaries; enabling us to offer a seamless cross-practice service experience and top-of-the-line expertise to our clients. ELP has a unique positioning amongst law firms in India from the perspective of offering comprehensive services across the entire spectrum of transactional, advisory, litigation, regulatory, and tax matters. Our areas of expertise include Banking & Finance; Competition Law & Policy; Corporate & Commercial; Hospitality; Infrastructure; International Trade & Customs; Litigation & Dispute Resolution; Private Equity & Venture Capital; Securities Laws & Capital Markets; Tax; and Telecommunication, Media & Technology (TMT). They have a team of over 130 qualified lawyers who have specialized expertise in diverse practice areas. ELP works closely with leading global law firms based in the UK, U.S., Middle East and Asia Pacific region. It has its own website (http://www.elplaw.in/index.php  ), own LinkedIn Page (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ economic-laws-practice), it does not have a specific Wikipedia page on firms name though its many partners founders have a mention.
• Desai & Diwanji: Desai & Dewanji is one of the oldest law firms in India, having started almost a century ago. With about 26 partners and 160 lawyers, the Mumbai-headquartered firm is also among the most active law firms when it comes to advising clients on mergers and acquisitions. Main Practice Areas: Corporate, M&A, Projects, Private Equity, Capital Markets, Litigation Split of Work: Domestic: 40% International: 60%. It has own LinkedIn Page (https://www.linkedin.com/company/desai-&-diwanji), but it has no specific Wikipedia page and its website (http://www.desaidiwanji.com)   is not functioning at the moment.
• Talwar Thakore & Associates has Offices in Mumbai, Delhi and established in year 2007. Its main practice area include Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Competition/Anti-Trust, Corporate M&A, Private Equity, Projects & Infrastructure, Financial Regulatory. Its split of work Domestic: 40%, International: 60%. It has no website and dedicated Wikipedia page. Also, firm specific LinkedIn page is not visible online.

Conclusion:

It is to be noted that there is no official top 10 ranking of India law firms. However, London based RSG Consulting have been publishing ranking of Indian Law firms since 2008. The RSG-India rankings are based on extensive research for the 250 page in-depth RSG-India Report 2015. Having discussed about the online presence of top 10 India law firms let us summarize the major online presence factors. In the present of Internet and social media, it is mandatory to have website so that people can find them online and contact them for their needs and can even get free evaluation. It is to be noted as per current rules of the Bar Council of India, it imposes restrictions on maintaining a web page and do not permit lawyers to provide information concerning their areas of practice. Hence most of the web site of the law firms online give basic information such as contact information, area of practice, key personnel information etc. Most of the law firms have a dedicated website, almost all of them have a LinkedIn profile page and few of them have a dedicated Wikipedia page also. In addition to these, most of these law firms have a presence in Glassdoor.co.in., have profile on Facebook etc.

Acknowledgement: Various websites, Wikipedia, LinkedIn and news media.