Khaitan & Co gets new Equity Partner; Counsel Hormaz Daruwalla joins Indirect Tax Group

Hormaz Daruwalla has joined Khaitan & Co today as an Equity Partner in the indirect tax group. He will be working along with Executive Directors Nihal Kothari and Dinesh Agrawal..A graduate of Government Law College Mumbai, Daruwalla started his career with Dadi B Engineer at Crawford Bayley & Co in indirect taxation. After working at Crawford, he joined the Chamber of Atul Setalvad as a Counsel and has been practicing as a Counsel since then..Daruwalla, who has been practicing now for more than 27 years in the Bombay High Court and tax tribunals and authorities, will be focusing on indirect tax litigation at the firm including customs, Central excise, and service tax litigation..On his joining Khaitan, Daruwalla says, “I started with a law firm and I think I am now ending with a law firm (laughs). I plan to retire from here.”.“The practice of indirect tax today is more concentrated and focused with law firms and that is how it has changed over the years. As a counseI, you reach a dead end and I thought if I join a law firm in a certain position, like a Khaitan, which I think, is the best firm today, I would get to do some very good work in indirect tax and develop good business here.”.With Daruwalla’s joining, the firm now has 58 Equity Partners and Executive Directors across all offices.