On 13-5-2025, the Bar Council of India notified the Bar Council of India Rules for registration and regulation of foreign lawyers or foreign law firms in India, 2022 enabling foreign lawyers and foreign law firms to practice foreign law, diverse international law, and international arbitration matters in India on the principle of reciprocity, in a well-defined, regulated, and controlled manner.
“The entry of foreign law firms into India is a positive step that will result in increased knowledge sharing, innovation and faster adoption of global best practices. This must be accompanied by appropriate regulatory reforms for Indian law firms to create a level playing field and allow them to compete successfully on the global stage while spurring domestic growth. Overall, a welcome move and we look forward to the period of dynamic growth this will usher in for India’s legal industry.”- Haigreve Khaitan, Senior Partner, Khaitan & Co.
Key Points:
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Registration of foreign lawyers/ foreign law firms and eligibility criteria:
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To practice law in India, foreign lawyer/ foreign law firm will have to register with Bar Council of India (‘BCI’) under these Rules.
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This also applies to Indian Advocates and Indian Law Firms.
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Primary qualification for practicing law in India- Right to practice law in the concerned ‘foreign country of the primary qualification’.
Exception: Not applicable to practice of law by a foreign lawyer or foreign law firm conducted on a “fly-in, fly-out” basis subject to the following conditions:
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The practice is strictly limited to providing legal advice to clients in India concerning foreign law/ the foreign lawyer’s own legal system/ diverse international legal issues. It must not amount to “practice” as defined under Indian law;
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Engagement or expertise of the foreign lawyer/ foreign law firm must be procured by the client either in a foreign country or in India;
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Foreign lawyer/ foreign law firm should not establish/ operate/ maintain any office/ infrastructure/ regular presence in India for the purpose of legal practice;
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Total duration of practice in India should not exceed 60 days in aggregate within any 12-month period, with the calculation starting from the first day of arrival in India;
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In case of any dispute regarding whether the foreign lawyer’s activities qualify as permissible “fly-in, fly-out” practice or constitute prohibited “practice” under Indian law, the matter will be determined by the Bar Council of India;
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All rules and regulations that apply to registered foreign lawyers and registered foreign law firms to govern their activities including extending the applicability of the Code of Ethics to foreign lawyers and foreign law firms will also apply to foreign lawyers/ foreign law firms engaging in “fly-in, fly-out” practice except where explicitly exempted under these rules.
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Application for Registration: Any foreign lawyer/ foreign law firm, including Indian- foreign law firms will have to apply in ‘FORM A’ along with the registration fee, guarantee amount and a non-refundable process charge.
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Validity of Registration and Renewal of Registration:
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Registration will be valid for 5 years only;
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Application for renewal of registration for Indian lawyers/ Indian law firms is given in Form B.
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Law practice by a foreign lawyer/ foreign law firm:
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Entitled to practice law in India in non- litigious matters only subject to some exceptions, conditions and limitations;
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BCI can cancel the registration in case of misconduct;
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Areas of practice will be determined and laid down by BCI;
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Prohibited from appearing before Indian Courts/ Tribunals/ other statutory or regulatory authorities unless explicitly permitted by BCI;
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Prohibited from performing the following activities:
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Conveyancing of property, title investigation, or similar work;
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Drafting, preparing, or filing documents for proceedings before Indian courts, tribunals, or other authorities empowered to record evidence on oath.
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Prohibited activities listed under these Rules will be enforceable through penalties, including suspension or cancellation of registration.
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Indian advocates:
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enrolled with any State Bar Council and working as partners or associates in foreign law firms registered in India under these rules can engage in non litigious matters, including advisory work related to foreign law or international law;
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They may also represent clients in international arbitration forums or international law courts as referred by their respective foreign law firms;
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Such advocates cannot claim any additional rights or privileges solely based on their enrollment as advocates in India when practicing through foreign law firms.
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However, Indian advocates and partners in such law firms, in accordance with their enrollment rights and privileges to practice law in Indian courts, can take up matters referred by their respective foreign law firms, provided such matters fall within the scope of Indian law and the advocate’s permissible area of practice.
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Regulatory Authority:
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BCI will have the right of issuing such directions and regulations;
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BCI can hold deliberations and consultations with its counterparts;
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BCI will be responsible for ensuring the reciprocity in the treatment of Indian lawyers and law firms abroad;
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BCI will have the right to cancel the registration of any foreign lawyer/ law firm, any time, if it comes to the notice that the Indian lawyers/ Indian law firms are being discriminated by the counterpart;
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The objective is to provide a vibrant and effective framework for legal profession that can cater to the ever-changing needs of the people, belonging to different religions, faiths and personal laws, as well as those migrating from one country to another and to promote international progress, coherence and unity.
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These rules will address concerns about encouraging Foreign Direct Investment in India and positioning the country as a hub for International Commercial Arbitration.