JSA Expands Real Estate Projects and Practice with New Leadership Team

Full-service law firm JSA Advocates & Solicitors expands its real estate projects, infrastructure and practice in Gurugram and Hyderabad with the appointment of partners Arun Kumar and Deepak Chowdhury from IndusLaw and their teams.

Arun Kumar has over 18 years of experience in projects, construction and real estate, advising clients on acquisitions, disposals and joint ventures in sectors such as airports, ports, highways, municipal infrastructure, renewable energy and real estate development. He joins a team of seven lawyers. His experience includes pre-tender advice, tender documentation and project contracts, including engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and operations and maintenance (O&M) contracts for public-private partnership (PPP) projects. Arun has been recognised as a ‘Leading Lawyer’ in Projects and Energy by The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific and is ranked by Chambers & Partners Global Guide 2024 for Projects, Infrastructure and Energy.

Deepak Chowdhury joins JSA’s Hyderabad office with a team of six lawyers. With over 18 years of experience, he specialises in advising on contractual and regulatory matters for infrastructure projects, focusing on public-private partnerships in sectors including ports, airports, mass transit and waste management. He has been recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ by The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific Guide 2024 for his work in projects, energy and corporate and commercial law.

“We are pleased to welcome Arun, Deepak and their talented team to the firm. Arun and Deepak’s expertise in projects, infrastructure and real estate will further strengthen our capabilities and enhance the value we offer to our clients. We look forward to their contributions as we continue our journey,” said Amit Kapur and Vivek K. Chandy, Co-Managing Partners, JSA.

War for talent

Mint We previously reported that the legal industry is experiencing an increase in demand for experienced attorneys, particularly in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity (PE), litigation, and competition law. As firms adapt to retain talent, traditional partnership models are evolving, and high employee turnover is forcing necessary strategic changes.

Earlier this year, JSA hired Nisha Kaur Uberoi from Trilegal, bringing her expertise in complex areas such as merger control and cartels, along with two partners and 25 lawyers. In addition, JSA also welcomed Iqbal Khan and Ambarish, partners from Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, with a team of 18-20 lawyers.

Industry experts are emphasizing that firms need to reassess their growth strategies in this competitive environment. Chandy pointed out that firms that historically concentrated profits among a few partners are now recognizing the need to distribute rewards more equitably and are recognizing the work their lawyers do to retain top talent.

In addition, ongoing changes in the legal sector are forcing leading firms to rethink their growth strategies. Experts emphasize the importance of focusing on talent acquisition and retention, while improving communication with management to effectively navigate these challenging times.