Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co (SAM & Co) has hired a new national M&A practice head to build on its split from legacy Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co (AMSS) earlier this year.

Shuva Mandal joins the firm from AZB & Partners where he worked as a partner since 2009.

Mandal specialises in mergers and acquisitions, private equity, joint ventures, commercial and contractual transaction structuring, and corporate matters.

SAM & Co began operations in May 2015 with over 60 partners and 300 lawyers across its offices in India following a resolution of a court dispute between Shardul and Cyril Shroff, the two managing partners at AMSS, which was once India’s largest law firm.

In July, independent law firm network, Lex Mundi named SAM & Co as its exclusive member firm for India, replacing the former AMSS.