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Baker McKenzie appoints new chair of India practice
Global law firm Baker McKenzie has appointed a new chair of its global India practice, replacing Singapore-based principal Ashok Lalwani, who served in the role for 12 years.
Lauren Croft
After first joining the firm in 1998, Mini Menon vandePol has been appointed as the newest chair of Baker McKenzie’s global India practice.
Menon vandePol was born in India and raised in Australia, and relocated to the firm’s Hong Kong office in 2014. She is the Asia-Pacific head of the Baker McKenzie investigations, compliance and ethics group and has served on the India practice group steering committee since 2018, where she played a key role in driving the India strategy.
She succeeds Ashok Lalwani, who will continue to serve as a member of the India practice’s steering committee – and who will relocate to Baker McKenzie’s Dallas office next year to assist in building out the US-India practice.
“It has been a huge honour to lead our global India practice over the past 12 years. I’m now excited to further develop my India practice in the US and to capitalise on the US-India corridor, which presents a great opportunity for our clients and our firm,” Lalwani said.
“Mini is a highly regarded lawyer, colleague and friend and will do an excellent job as the next chair of our India practice.”
Menon vandePol advises both multinational and Indian clients on their inbound and outbound expansion activities, and in her new role as chair, she will continue this while also spearheading Baker McKenzie’s efforts to prepare for the liberalisation of India’s legal market.
“I am very excited to take on the leadership of our global India practice and feel privileged to contribute to India’s dynamic and exciting economic vision. India’s fast-growing economy, expansive and young workforce, aspirational consumer base, and increasing relevance in global supply chains have accelerated India’s economic development and foreign direct investment,” she said.
“Bringing global best practices and experience will be integral in supporting our international and domestic clients to leverage these trends and grow their businesses.”
Baker McKenzie has more than 300 lawyers across more than 70 offices actively working on India-related matters – and the current members on the global India practice steering committee are now Mini Menon vandePol (chair), Ashish Chugh, Emmanuel Hadjidakis, Ashok Lalwani and Peerapan Tungsuwan in the Asia-Pacific region; Samantha Mobley, Hani Naja, Philippe Reich, Virusha Subban, and Ash Tiwari in Europe, Middle East and Africa; Adolfo Durañona and Teresa Tovar in Latin America; and Aarthi Belani and Joy K. Gallup in North America.
Global executive committee member with responsibility for India, Peerapan Tungsuwan, said that Baker McKenzie would look to open an office in India as soon as it is able to.
“Baker McKenzie has a long history of working on India-related matters, and Mini has been at the forefront of helping our global clients achieve their strategic objectives. She is the perfect fit to continue to drive our India practice forward, alongside our steering committee members and India-focused lawyers, as we prepare to open an office in India as soon as we are permitted to,” she said.
“Huge congratulations to Mini on this very well-deserved appointment. I would also like to thank Ashok for his terrific leadership of this group over the years and ongoing commitment to the practice.”
Lauren Croft
Lauren is a journalist at Lawyers Weekly and graduated with a Bachelor of Journalism from Macleay College. Prior to joining Lawyers Weekly, she worked as a trade journalist for media and travel industry publications and Travel Weekly. Originally born in England, Lauren enjoys trying new bars and restaurants, attending music festivals and travelling. She is also a keen snowboarder and pre-pandemic, spent a season living in a French ski resort.
