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BCI Rules 2025: The Entry Of Foreign Law Firms In India




Aditi Koushik, NMIMS, Kirit P Mehta School of Law


ABSTRACT


The entry of foreign law firms into the Indian legal services sector has long been a contentious issue. Rooted in the framework of the Advocates Act, 1961 and enforced by the Bar Council of India (BCI), India has historically barred foreign law firms from practicing law within its jurisdiction. However, with the BCI Rules for Registration and Regulation of Foreign Lawyers and Foreign Law Firms in India, 2025 (BCI Rules 2025), the Indian legal arena is witnessing transformation.


This paper examines the evolution of India’s framework regarding BCI Rules 2025, from the initial restriction on foreign law practice to the landmark Supreme Court judgment in “A.K. Balaji v. Union of India”, and finally to the announcement of the BCI Rules 2025. It analyses the historical context behind BCI’s resistance, the current legal position, implications of the Rules, concluding with an outlook of cross-border legal services in India.



Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research

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Abbreviation: IJLLR

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ISSN: 2582-8878

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Website: www.ijllr.com

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Accessibility: Open Access

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License: Creative Commons 4.0

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Submit Manuscript: Click here

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Licensing: ​

 

All research articles published in The Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research are fully open access. i.e. immediately freely available to read, download and share. Articles are published under the terms of a Creative Commons license which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

 

Disclaimer:

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The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the IJLLR or its members. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of material therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the IJLLR.

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