HSA appoints ex-merger partner PKA (Paras Kuhad) to enhance litigation practice

According to sources, PKA Advocates litigation Partner Amit Jajoo, Associate Partner Sushmita Gandhi and three lawyers are joining HSA Advocates in Mumbai. The hires will raise HSA Mumbai’s litigation capacity to three partners, together with ex-J Sagar Associates (JSA) partner Abeezar Faizullabhoy who was appointed in 2014.

HSA managing partner Amitabh Sharma confirmed his joining, but refused to comment.

It is believed that Jajoo and Gandhi are the only partners left in PKA’s Mumbai office, though the firm still has offices in Delhi, Jodhpur, Kolkata and Jaipur.

In 2009, Paras Kuhad and Hemant Sahai Associates had merged for less than three months, ending up in December. This collaboration had unravelled rapidly after the exit of two co-founders of PKA’s Mumbai office, Sowjanya Menon and Manish Desai, who were unhappy with the merger.

Subsequently, both Menon and Desai began with a new firm Vidhii in Mumbai. This was followed, in 2010, by Vaish Associates hired Paras Kuhad Mumbai indirect tax partner Shilpa Sharma.

In 2015, PKA Delhi partner Bhumesh Verma joined DGS Associates.