A misleading bar

Disallowing the Big Four from offering legal services is unconstructive

The Bar Council of Delhi’s directive to the Big Four accountancy firms not to offer legal services to their clients in India is a retrograde move that is transparently protectionist in intent. The Bar Council was acting on a petition filed by the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF), which stated that foreign audit and consulting firms providing legal services in India contravene the Advocates Act, 1961. Accordingly, the Bar Council has asked EY, KPMG, Deloitte and PwC to submit a list of lawyers who have been hired by them to offer clients legal services. This directive appears to overlook