Indian firm Khaitan & Co has announced its latest partnership round, with 22 lawyers being promoted to partner across its offices in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru.

Some 17 of the new partners were previously principal associates, with five promoted from counsel. Half of the cohort were women, compared to just a quarter in 2020 when 16 lawyers were promoted to partner in total. In addition to the partner promotions, four principal associates were made counsel and one counsel was promoted to director.

Haigreve Khaitan, senior partner at the firm, said: “It has been an extraordinary year for everyone and it is a great privilege to welcome these outstanding individuals to our partnership. These promotions reflect the dedication, sincerity and contribution each one of them has made.”

The firm’s banking and finance and dispute resolution practices saw the biggest partner increase, with four each, followed by corporate with three partners and one director. 

The banking cohort includes Ahana Sinha, Rahul Chakraborti, Rolwine Alva and Smita Jha. Mumbai-based Sinha has been at the firm for more than a decade, becoming partner just a year after being promoted to counsel. 

Chakraborti, meantime, becomes partner less than two years after joining the firm from distressed asset resolution business Edelweiss Financial Services. He also previously worked at rival Indian firms Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co and L&L Partners, as well as in-house at ICICI Bank. 

Likewise, Bengaluru-based Jha is promoted to partner after just 18 months at the firm, having joined from Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas where she spent more than eight years – including with legacy firm Amarchand Mangaldas.

The dispute resolution group includes Delhi-based Abhisaar Bairagi, Anchit Oswal, Arvind Kumar Ray and Sneha Janakiraman, while the corporate group includes Mumbai-based Kapish Mandhyan, Saswat Subasit and Stuti Galiya, with Kolkata-based Sumit Chakraborty promoted to director.

Other practice areas that saw promotions include TMT, employment, labour and benefits, ESG and commercial, debt capital markets, private equity and venture capital.

Amar Sinhji, executive director for human resources at Khaitan, said: “Grooming the right people, with the right skills, culture and values has always been of utmost importance for the firm. We are certain that with these new promotions, we continue to be on the right track to provide sustained support to our clients and ensure continued success.”