New Delhi, Oct. 14 -- India's top law firms are putting more women in partner and senior partner roles as they look to build 'empathetic' and 'collaborative' long-term relationships with their clients. At some firms, women accounted for almost half the promotions to the role of partner and above over the past five years, industry watchers and insiders estimate.

"A significant shift is visibly underway," said Fereshte Sethna, founder and managing partner of DMD Advocates, who has more than three decades of experience in the profession. "Even among litigators, we now see far more women in court than we did 20 or 30 years ago."

A sure way of ensuring more diversity at the top is hiring and promoting women to senior roles, firms have found....