The Bar Council of India (BCI) has agreed to allow foreign lawyers and law firms to practice in India in a restricted, well controlled and regulated way on a reciprocity basis.
As per the rules, foreign lawyers and law firms will be entitled to practice only in non-litigious matters.
However, foreign lawyers or firms won't be able to practice in India without registration with the BCI. The registration fee for a foreign lawyer is $25,000, while for a law firm it is $50,000.
This is the first time that foreign law firms and lawyers have been permitted registration under the Advocates Act, 1961, which until now was confined exclusively to Indian citizens.
