INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION: Kennedys leads the way into new legal pastures.Mid-sized City firm steals march on its larger rivals in New Zealand and India.

Mid-sized City firm Kennedys is the first UK practice to open an office in New Zealand, and is set to become only the second in India.

The Auckland-based New Zealand office - which will concentrate on dispute resolution for insurance clients - will be staffed by New Zealanders Gary Wadsworth, a dispute resolution partner returning home from the London office, and former Kennedys assistant Mark Dennett.

Senior partner Nick Thomas said: 'New Zealand makes sense when you've a couple of able guys who want to go back there.

It's not like they're Poms who'll get up everyone's noses.'

In India, the firm is to set up Kennedys Risk Management Company.

This will operate side-by-side with an Indian law firm run by former Kennedy's partner Neeraj Tuli.Many top City firms are very keen to open in India but are prevented by a highly restrictive regime, although this is currently under review.

Only Ashurst Morris Crisp has a presence in India.

Mr Tuli returned to India in September - with Kennedys' encouragement - to re-qualify at the Delhi Bar.

His new Indian firm, Tuli & Co, will start trading from 1 January next year.

Kennedys Risk Management Company will be located on the same floor of Delhi's prestigious DLF building as Tuli & Co.

Mr Thomas said the company would not be providing legal services - it is prohibited for non-Indians to do so - but will provide risk management services to the same clients.

Mr Thomas said: 'This is an interface.

We will be giving offshore advice, Mr Tuli will be giving onshore advice.'

Meanwhile David Lock, parliamentary secretary at the Lord Chancellor's department, returned from a trip India last week where he lobbied for a lifting of the practice restrictions on UK solicitors.

He met ministers, the solicitor-general and the Bar Council of India.

Sue Darling of the Law Society's international directorate, who accompanied Mr Lock, said: 'This is the first time practice rights have been raised at ministerial level.

The minister emphasised the advantages of liberalisation in a global market, and the opportunities which the specialist knowledge of English firms would bring to the Indian economy, and legal profession.'Jeremy Fleming