JUDGMENT

ADARSH KUMAR GOEL, JJ.

1. The issue involved in this batch of matters is whether foreign law firms/lawyers are permitted to practice in India. Reference needs to be made to two leading matters. Civil Appeal Nos.7875-79 of 2015 have been filed by the Bar Council of India against the Judgment of Madras High Court dated 21st February, 2012 in A.K. Balaji versus The Government of India (AIR 2012 Mad 124). Civil Appeal No.8028 of 2015 has been filed by Global Indian Lawyers against the judgment of Bombay High Court dated 16th December, 2009 in Lawyers Collective versus Bar Council of India (2010 (2) Mah LJ 726).

2. The Madras High Court held as follows:

“63. After giving our anxious consideration to the matter, both on facts and on law, we come to the following conclusion :-

(i) Foreign law firms or foreign lawyers cannot practice the profession of law in India either on the litigation or non-litigation side, unless they fulfil the requirement of the Advocates Act, 1961 and the Bar Council of India Rules.

(ii) However, there is no bar either in the Act or the Rules for the foreign law firms or foreign lawyers to visit India for a temporary period on a "fly in and fly out" basis, for