The UAE-based law firm Musthafa & Almana has opened its “global consulting legal and business innovation centre” at SmartCity Kochi.

“People in the State are familiar with the services offered by law firms in India and abroad, but will instead approach an advocate for legal assistance on matters of their firms,” said Musthafa Zafeer OV, founder and managing director of the company.

The objective of law firms is transactional practice in different verticals – legal, financial, tax, marketing, and management and consulting domains. However, in India, there is little transactional practice as it is litigation centric, he said on the sidelines of Kochi Development Summit organised by Ernakulam Press Club.

The involvement of such firms can help chalk out strategies for companies before setting up projects and it would reduce litigations in future. Kochi, which is a commercial centre, needs the services of more such legal firms familiar in dealing with arbitration cases, he added.

Having offices in the UK, the UAE and the US, Musthafa & Almana is offering foreign investors a legal gateway into India for commercial and investment purposes. With presence in eight locations in India, the firm’s services are now provided for startups also to meet entrepreneurial requirements and operational solutions, he said.

The company recently entered the fashion industry by opening a dedicated practice division in the UAE and India to deal with the business challenges in the sector. There are plans to organise a fashion law conference in Dubai later this year, he added.