Team Blitz India
NEW DELHI: The Bar Council of India has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Bar Council of England and Wales, along with the Law Society of England and Wales, for an exchange programme of lawyers and law students for mutual exchange of training and learning among the three countries.
As per a statement issued by the BCI, and reported by a legal news portal, the MoU was signed during a meeting held in London on June 5 by the Chairman of Bar Council of India, the President of the Bar Council of England and Wales as well as the President of the Law Society of England and Wales.
Mutual exchange
BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra said the MoU was aimed at facilitating a healthy mutual exchange of ideas, learning and training of the legal fraternity of both jurisdictions.
The move will go a “long way” in fostering the exchange of legal acumen skill, training and ideas between the legal fraternity of both the countries, and that the process will benefit the Indian lawyers, he added.
Manan said that its recentlyintroduced Rules allowing the entry of foreign law firms on a reciprocal basis needed “certain crucial changes.’’
He informed the gathering that the necessary changes will be made in the Regulations very soon and the registration of foreign lawyers and law firms will start only thereafter.
Representations to BCI
BCI Vice-Chairman S Prabakaran said the Council has received representations from Indian law firms and a section of the Indian Bar and the opinion of foreign bodies will also be welcomed on this issue.
The MoU has authorised the Bar Council of India to recommend young lawyers to the Law Society and to the Bar Council of England & Wales to provide opportunities of training and learning in international law firms, law offices and in English law courts.
The advocates recommended by the Bar Council of India, however, will not have any right to practise in the UK in terms of the MoU as the purpose was only to facilitate an opportunity of learning and gaining experience in both jurisdictions.
