With the start of the financial year in April, excitable associates look forward to revised compensations, apart from the possibility of new bosses, promotions etc. The financial year 2010-11 kicked off with a generous number of promotions and lateral hires.

AZB & Partners

AZB has promoted Bangalore-based Aditya Vikram Bhat and Delhi-based IP head, Akhilesh Kumar Rai as partners. Bhat, a graduate of National Law School of India University, Bangalore has been with AZB since 2003 and practices across litigation, corporate advisory and corporate M&A areas. Expressing his intent to continue to work across practice groups, Bhat told Bar & Bench, “There are these small clusters of top law firms across various practice groups. I hope to work towards bringing us on the top of these clusters, a cut above the rest.”

Luthra & Luthra Law Offices

Luthra celebrated the end of a successful year with a holiday for about 150 associates in Beijing, China. Pranjal Bora, Vikrant Kumar and Moushami Joshi were promoted as partners, taking the total tally of partners to 30. Associates Manmeet Singh in New Delhi and Nayana Jhawar in Mumbai were promoted to Managing Associates. In addition, 19 associates were promoted as Senior Associates.

Luthra and awards are never too far away. This time however, Rajiv Luthra was the one giving the awards away. The 'Managing Partners’ Solitaire' award went to Senior Associate Shishir Jose Vayttaden, the 'Beyond the call of Duty' award to Senior Associate Aparna Mittal and the 'Achiever of the Year' award to Senior Associate Jitesh Shahni.

Khaitan & Co

Khaitan has logged three promotions, two lateral hires and one acquisition, stamping its presence in the market.

Shishir Mehta, formerly with White & Case’s New York offices has been recruited to head their Banking & Finance practice from Mumbai. Legal Spectrums, a Delhi-based boutique firm specializing in Technology, Media & Telecommunications has been acquired by Khaitan. Legal Spectrum’s partner, Asim Abbas joins as an equity partner. Amitabh Sharma, formerly heading J.Sagar Associates’ infrastructure practice in Mumbai, makes the shift to Khaitan in the same city.

Three Senior Associates from their Mumbai office have been promoted to partners. Joy Jacob, who focuses on the infrastructure, project finance and M&As has been promoted with real estate specialist Savita Singh, and Ashwin Matthew whose primary focus areas are M&A and Private Equity, as partners.

Mumbai-based partner, Rabindra Jhunjhunwala, speaking to Bar & Bench said, “All six are equity partners. The lateral hires and promotions are to strengthen both the full practice and specific practice areas.” Khaitan has already hired an additional 15-20 associates who will join when the academic year 2009-10 ends.