Directory of Indian Law Firms PDF

India’s legal market Intelligence report
India Business Law Journal’s
Legal Market Report

& Directory of Indian
Law Firms
- 2011 -
Legal Market Report: page 36

Directory of Indian Law Firms: page 44
July/August 2011 India Business Law Journal 35

Intelligence report India’s legal market
To accompany this year’s directory of Indian law firms, India Business

Law Journal consulted widely with the country’s legal practitioners
to reveal the current state of play in the legal market
Vandana Chatlani reports
A
shopkeeper in Assam hides behind a rickety While UNCTAD’s investment survey paints a relatively rosy
wooden table covered in giant plastic jars picture of India’s attractiveness to investors, other reports
of coconut-flavoured sweets and stacks of such as Doing Business, highlight the difficulties associ-
Sizzler biscuits. A curtain of small packets ated with running a business in the country. According to
filled with Bingo crisps and sugar-coated fen- statistics from June 2010, India was ranked a paltry 134
nel dangles above, framing his face as he waits eagerly for out of 183 countries on the ease of doing business, far
customers to make a purchase. But the sweet and savoury below China and Pakistan and lower even than Bangladesh,
snacks on sale are not the shopkeeper’s only source of Kosovo, Kazakhstan and Malawi. Foreign investment levels
income. Firmly attached to one side of his wooden table is are also threatened by the rising cost of doing business.
a row of more than 20 plug points. The humble kiosk trans- “India used to be considered a low-cost manufacturing
forms into a charging station for mobile phones, allowing base,” says ML Bhakta, the managing partner of Kanga &
the shopkeeper to profit from providing a reliable electricity Co. “That difference in price is now marginal.”
supply in a village where that is a luxury.
The shopkeeper’s innovative approach to business is a
small yet telling example of the enterprising spirit that per- India used to be considered a
meates many of India’s companies. Several, having flour- low-cost manufacturing base
ished within India, are determined to explore new markets
overseas. Others are partnering with international compa- ML Bhakta
nies to bring new products, services and solutions to India. Managing Partner
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD) identified India as the third most favoured coun- Kanga & Co
try for foreign investment, behind China and the US, in its
2009-2011 World Investment Prospectus Survey. But India’s
prosperity continues to be limited and weighed down by
slow improvements to infrastructure, regulatory spasms
and policy paralysis.
“The country is run by a bunch of buffoons,” says Jyoti
Sagar the managing partner of J Sagar Associates. “What
message are we sending? Billions of dollars have been
invested in 2G auctions and now they’re saying we’ll cancel
your contracts.
“Investors have nowhere else to go, they’re not here
because they want to be,” he adds.
An unclear division of responsibility between Indian reg- Taxing times
ulators is further cause for concern. “We have a multiplic-
ity of authority and that is a big challenge,” says Ashish Another factor that has forced caution upon foreign
Razdan, a senior associate at Khaitan & Co. investors is the Vodafone tax controversy. The British tel-
ecoms company is appealing a September 2010 Bombay
High Court decision that upheld the Indian tax depart-
The country is run by a ment’s right to collect US$2.5 billion as capital gains tax
bunch of buffoons for Vodafone’s acquisition of Hutchison Essar in 2007. Tax
authorities have stated that Vodafone failed to claim with-
Jyoti Sagar holding tax when it made its acquisition and is thus liable
Managing Partner to pay the hefty tax bill. Vodafone argues that it should not
have to pay the Indian authorities since the acquisition
J Sagar Associates was an offshore transaction, through its Dutch subsidi-
ary, which purchased a Cayman Islands holding company
controlled by Hutchison. The case is being closely watched
by international investors who fear a shift in the Indian tax
department’s strategy to aggressively pursue cross-border
transactions. Over 400 notices have been issued to foreign
companies in situations similar to Vodafone.
“Nothing is more upsetting than the Vodafone case,” says
Alka Bharucha, a senior partner at Bharucha & Partners
in Mumbai. “Idea and Tata have been issued notices. It’s
something that continues to loom.”
36 India Business Law Journal July/August 2011

Another recent ruling involving AT&T and the Birla Group The GAAR has been worded
has raised more eyebrows and cast a doubt over the ben- in such a manner that tax
efits of the India-Mauritius double tax avoidance agreement
(DTAA). The DTAA is reportedly being renegotiated to elimi- avoidance won’t be allowed.
nate exemptions on capital gains in order to be modelled It’s draconian
more closely on the Singapore-India DTAA. “The minimum
size of a business or investment in Mauritius has changed Freddy Daruwala
to ensure it is a real company and to ensure investments Partner
are not coming from Mauritius entities that are shell compa-
nies,” says Rajan Gupta, a partner at SRGR Law Offices.
Juris Corp
Other complications arise when lawyers take into account
the possibility that the new Direct Tax Code (DTC) will
override the DTAAs India shares with other countries. The
general anti-avoidance rule (GAAR) to be included in the
DTC could wipe out tax-friendly structures altogether. “The
GAAR has been worded in such a manner that tax avoid-
ance won’t be allowed,” says Freddy Daruwala, a partner at
Juris Corp. “It’s draconian.”
Nishith Desai, the managing partner at Nishith Desai
Associates, says that far too many barriers have been put
up at the tax and exchange control level. He adds: “The
DTC is more like the ‘disaster tax code’.” which has led to a brisk business-like approach.”
A culture of awarding damages has yet to emerge, but
Rajneesh Chopra, the managing partner at C&C Associates,
Nothing is more upsetting says this is something litigants can look forward to. “More
than the Vodafone case defamation suits have been filed and fines have been
awarded so it’s just a matter of time,” he says.
Alka Bharucha Prateek Bagaria, an associate at Nishith Desai Associates,
Senior Partner foresees a rise in international disputes targeting India, even
though litigation in bilateral investments has been scarce thus
Bharucha & Partners far. “India went ahead and signed a huge number of treaties
without thinking of the repercussions,” he says. “We have 66
bilateral treaties and four CECAs [comprehensive economic
cooperation agreements]. India will soon be stormed by
claims from investors belonging to its treaty partners if regu-
lators and lawmakers do not realize the implications of their
constantly changing stands on existing laws and policy.”
Several firms have ramped up their litigation capabilities in
anticipation of a rise in disputes. HSA hired Supreme Court
litigator Meenakshi Arora in April; Phoenix Legal recruited
Jyoti Singh from Dhir & Dhir; and SRGR Law Offices
poached Vijay Kaundal from Dutt Menon Dunmorsett.
Vijay Sondhi, a senior partner at Luthra & Luthra, says
Both the DTC and the new goods and services tax (GST) the firm has its “hands full with litigation”. Recognizing the
regime are expected to be in force in 2012. “The GST is need for proper training in the art of litigation, Sondhi says
coming up but not much is happening from the govern- he asked the Delhi Bar Council, of which he is a member,
ment standpoint,” says Abhishek Datta, a partner at HSA
Advocates who recently joined the firm from BMR Advisors.
“There has been a lot of contract vetting and drafting so The DTC is more like the
clients can have their systems in place.” ‘disaster tax code’
An explosion of disputes Nishith Desai
Managing Partner
India’s courts have been furiously busy, not only with tax
disputes, but an explosion of commercial and company law Nishith Desai Associates
disputes, project disputes and infringement litigation.
“With volatile market conditions, we expect more corpo-
rate litigation matters in the near future,” says Ameet Naik,
the managing partner of Naik Naik & Co.
Raian Karanjawala, the managing partner of Karanjawala
& Co notes an improvement in court efficiency and says
the credit must go to a new generation of driven judges.
“At Delhi High Court, younger judges have taken on the
brunt of work and are keen to dispose of matters,” he says.
“There’s a certain desire to hear and dictate judgment

to organize a continuing education programme. Sadly, there responsibility. Senior counsel don’t read. They appear once
was little interest. “When you are arguing before a judge, for you and the next day they appear for your opposition. It’s
you have to talk on your toes,” he says. “You need to know chaotic. They think they’re above the law.”
how the court will react. You need to know how a jurisdic- For parties seeking to steer clear of India’s courts and
tion clause should be worded.” dependence on senior counsel, arbitration is gaining trac-
Top of the pile when it comes to litigators are the country’s tion as a popular method of resolving disputes. Although
senior counsel. Many observers complain, however, that sen- costly in some cases, arbitration is favoured for its confi-
ior counsel’s flair for winning cases does not justify their exor- dentiality and relative speed.
bitant fees. “Branded counsel can dictate any price, charg- “We see joint ventures getting sour and going into arbitra-
ing more than Queen’s Counsel in England,” says Sumeet tion,” says Shardul Thacker, a partner at Mulla & Mulla &
Kachwaha, the managing partner of Kachwaha & Partners. Craigie Blunt & Caroe. “Mid-cap companies want to put an
Although his firm handles most of its disputes work in-house, end to their marriages.”
Kachwaha says there are times when you have no choice but Another forum for dispute settlement is the specialized
to engage them. “Sometimes the feeling is that if a senior isn’t tribunal, of which a number, such as the Electricity Tribunal,
present, the matter just isn’t important enough,” he says. the National Green Tribunal and the Telecom Disputes
Anand Desai, the managing partner of DSK Legal, accuses Settlement & Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), have been estab-
senior counsel of unethical behaviour. “Senior counsel need lished. The challenge, according to some lawyers, will be
to get sued and a firm needs to get sued,” he says, pointing to succinctly and coherently present a case in these niche
to what he calls a “drop in quality” at larger law firms. “Some areas. “When you deal with a tribunal, far more special-
of the advice is so blatantly wrong. There is no ethics and no ized knowledge is required than what is presented to a
Opening the floodgates

The government frequently teases foreign investors with hints of liberalization in
insurance, retail and defence. But will foreign investment caps ever be raised?
India may be a land of opportunity for some, but for year. However, foreign players are disappointed by the
many investors, the decision to invest is complicated by obligation to produce 30-40% of their products locally.
restrictive caps on foreign ownership. The retail sector is “International defence players are not able to find the
a case in point. right partner,” says Kaviraj Singh, the managing partner of
“International big fashion brands want to capitalize,” Trustman & Co. “There are very few names that can make
says Ashish Razdan, a senior associate at Khaitan & Co. more than nuts and bolts.”
But “they aren’t happy with the franchise model.” Insurance is another area foreign investors are watch-
“This government must have the courage to liberalize ing carefully. The industry is pinning its hopes on the
retail,” says Premnath Rai, the managing partner of PRA Insurance (Amendment) Bill, which, if passed, will increase
Law Offices. “I’m in favour, but it won’t be easy.” the foreign investment limit in the insurance sector from
Smaller independent stores could suffer if India allows 26% to 49%.
foreign retailers to exercise a greater degree of control There are over 40 private insurers in India – most of them
and this could damage the Congress Party’s image. “How joint ventures between Indian and international compa-
will they face the BJP states who favour merchants and nies. This proliferation of providers has widened the range
mom-and-pop stores?” asks Vikram Nankani, a partner at of insurance products on offer in the Indian market, but
Economic Laws Practice. “That is their vote bank.” in order to exercise greater strategic control, international
Those familiar with the government’s mindset believe companies want more than 26% of the pie. “It will be a
the private sector must be more sensitive to the circum- sea change if the bill comes about with M&A opportunities
stances faced by the administration. “When dealing with and IPOs in the offing as some insurers reach the 10-year
the government, you have to understand the compulsions mark,” says Celia Jenkins, a partner at Tuli & Co.
of law and policy from the government’s perspective,” Those interested in capitalizing on new areas say inves-
explains Sharad Bhansali, the managing partner of APJ- tors should focus on research, technology and the envi-
SLG Law Offices in New Delhi. “The private sector cannot ronment. “Space, biotech, nanotech, stem cells research,
quite understand the government. That ability is missing.” etc. ... These are critical areas,” says Suman Khaitan, the
Bhansali, who worked at the Ministry of Commerce for managing partner at Suman Khaitan & Co. “The future will
almost 20 years, adds that “building synergy is the biggest be in hi-tech areas, in defence, waste disposal, water recy-
challenge – being friendly to the policy process and ensur- cling, garbage disposal, hybrid cars and clean energy.”
ing that industry is happy and comfortable.” KV Singh, a senior partner at Kochhar & Co, agrees:
Foreign investors are certainly not comfortable with “The environment is one area where India needs foreign
their offset obligations in the Indian defence sector. The direct investment,” he says. “Most states don’t have
country may have tantalized the global defence industry common effluent treatment plants or hazardous waste
by increasing its defence budget to US$33 billion this disposal sites and we need these solutions.”

When you are arguing before functions of the high courts in key areas pertaining to the
a judge, you have to adjudication/resolution of trademark and patent disputes,
the independence of the IPAB from executive influence is
talk on your toes under serious question. The norms for appointment of IPAB
Vijay Sondhi members, its current constitution and its mode of function-
ing are all in blatant violation of sacrosanct principles of
Senior Partner an ‘independent judiciary’ and ‘separation of powers’ as
Luthra & Luthra enshrined in the constitution.”
The writ is pending in Madras High Court. Lawyers hope
it will help rectify the inherent conflicts within the IPAB,
improve its decision-making powers and raise its cred-
ibility. Some experts note that improvements are already
evident. “The IPAB has changed dramatically in the last
few months,” says Pravin Anand, the managing partner at
Anand and Anand. “There is a great judge, Justice Prabha
Sridevan, retired from Madras High Court, who is the
chairperson. They now sit daily and have started sitting
mostly in the high court premises, at least in New Delhi.
The approach is much more liberal and there are fewer
inconsistencies.”
general court,” says Karanjawala. “It is a necessary burden Delhi High Court has sealed its reputation as a respected
to achieve that level of specialization, because even the forum for IP disputes. Yet poor staffing at the trademark
judges will be experts in these areas.” and patent offices as well as unfamiliarity with new forms
The TDSAT, the Electricity Tribunal and the Securities of trademarks has hampered progress. “IP is at a pre-boom
Appellate Tribunal are among those praised for their effi- stage,” says Pankaj Soni, a managing associate at Remfry
ciency and effectiveness in disposing of cases. Other tribu- & Sagar. “Every decision from a case law point is preceden-
nals, however, have been neglected. The Appellate Tribunal tial. It’s important to create jurisprudence in new forms of
for Foreign Exchange has not had a chairperson for six IP. There is hesitation to create a precedent.”
months. “Tribunals haven’t been properly managed by the Vishnumohan Rethinam, a partner at Remfry & Sagar,
government,” says Vikram Nankani, a partner at Economic echoes this concern. “Courts in India start with the pre-
Laws Practice. “The government gives tribunals stepmoth- sumption that something is invalid, whereas courts every-
erly treatment. It fails to appoint commissioners on time and where else assume validity,” he says.
that has contributed to their downfall.” Samta Mehra, another partner at Remfry & Sagar, points
out that although the judiciary is becoming active in setting
Innovation, interpretation and eligibility and interpreting case law, there is still a long way to go
before non-traditional marks such as shapes, sound marks
One tribunal that has been fiercely criticized is the and motion marks are understood. “The shape of a vodka
Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB), which was set bottle as a trademark has been accepted,” says Mehra.
up primarily to deal with appeals against orders of the Trade “But the trademark office still has far to go to comprehend
Marks Registry, petitions against registered trademarks and the nitty-gritty on non-traditional marks.”
orders of the registrar of geographical indications. Despite the apparent challenges, IP owners have much
One problem is simple operational inefficiency. “It is a to look forward to as India prepares to accede to the Madrid
matter of public knowledge that most of the records which Protocol. In addition, smaller companies, keen to innovate,
are summoned by the IPAB from the office of the registrar could profit from a new patent law system – the utility
are seldom provided to the board,” says Amarjit Singh, the model – which may make it easier for them to obtain patent
managing partner of Amarjit & Associates. “I have seen the
parties to the litigation providing copies of the registrar’s
records to the IPAB to avoid delays in the hearing and dis- Branded counsel can dictate
posals of their appeals.” any price, charging more than
Another issue revolves around how tribunals and boards
are constituted. This is a question that Shamnad Basheer, a Queen’s Counsel in England
lawyer and professor at the National University of Juridical Sumeet Kachwaha
Sciences in Kolkata, is determined to answer. Basheer filed
a writ petition in January stating that several members of Managing Partner
the IPAB were unfit for their positions because they clearly Kachwaha & Partners
lacked the qualifications and competence required to hear
and decide patent and trademark matters.
In his writ, Basheer writes: “Over the last few decades,
there has been a conscious move ... to tribunalize admin-
istration of justice ... While the Hon’ble Supreme Court did
initially permit limited tribunalization ... in order to ensure
speedier justice, it has recently clamped down on the rapid
dilution of judicial standards in these tribunals.”
With reference to the IPAB, Basheer says in the writ:
“Although the IPAB has been constituted to take over the

Senior counsel need to get sued to 26% – a sensible rise according to most analysts. “By
Anand Desai accepting a minimum public offer norm of 26%, SEBI has
removed the anomaly between its delisting regulations,
Managing Partner which require a Swiss auction method, and the TRAC
DSK Legal [Takeover Regulations Advisory Committee] recommenda-
tion of a fixed-price offer,” says Shardul Shroff, the manag-
ing partner of Amarchand Mangaldas. “This will encourage
promoters to raise their stake to 50%+1 share to immunize
themselves from a hostile takeover.”
Investments into and out of India appear resilient, despite
the introduction of the new regulations. “There’s been a lot
of focus on Japan,” says Charandeep Kaur, a partner at
Trilegal. “There’s a great deal of interest in food, auto, IT
and IT-enabled services. There’s also interest in renewable
energies from Europe.”
Hospitality, resources and fast-moving consumer goods
are some sectors where activity continues to bubble.
grants through a more lenient system of registration. “The
utility model is all about grassroots innovation,” says Abhai
Pandey, a partner at Lex Orbis. “Germany, Japan, Australia There’s big interest in
and Korea have similar pieces of legislation. It works well pharmaceuticals, but there
for innovations the patent office is unaware of, or those that
aren’t worth patenting because it takes time.” aren’t many targets left
Rahul Mahajan
Feeding India Inc
Partner
India Inc’s insatiable appetite for growth has meant Wakhariya & Wakhariya
long nights and little sleep for the country’s M&A lawyers.
Companies are making purchases, forming partnerships,
and on big-ticket deals, waiting in line for approval from
the Competition Commission of India. “The merger control
provisions have been put in place, but the legislation has
been drafted very badly,” says Margaret D’Souza, a partner
at Udwadia & Udeshi. “Competition law should be the big-
gest business.”
From an administrative standpoint, some of the provi-
sions are considered inconvenient. “Form I is very simple
and Form II is so detailed that it can delay the entire deal
process,” says Atul Sharma, an advocate at Lakshmi
Kumaran & Sridharan. “In the hospitality sector, new international collaborations
New norms have also been introduced by the Securities are coming in,” says Lalit Bhasin, the managing part-
and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for the Takeover Code. ner of Bhasin & Co. “Sheraton is trying to come in and
The size of the open offer has been increased from 20% Intercontinental is waiting to expand.”
Sunil Seth, a senior partner at Seth Dua & Associates,
predicts a wave of consolidation and M&A activity in the
SEBI has removed the telecom sector due to fierce competition, a strain on mar-
anomaly between its delisting gins and the possible cancellation of some licences (see
Crossed Wires, page 31). “Other sectors likely to see sig-
regulations … and the TRAC nificant M&A activity include energy, banking and finance,
recommendation of a automotive ancilliaries, insurance, retail, real estate, media
and technology,” he says.
fixed-price offer Indian companies are also venturing into unfamiliar
Shardul Shroff markets. “In Africa, big players are investing in real estate,
agriculture and telecoms, but not necessarily for big trans-
Managing Partner actions,” says Abhijit Joshi, a partner and the CEO of AZB
Amarchand Mangaldas & Partners in Mumbai. “The political landscape is risky, but
it’s the pricing and promise of the future that takes inves-
tors to Africa.”
Another industry that has witnessed rapid movement is
pharmaceuticals. “There’s big interest in pharmaceuticals,
but there aren’t many targets left,” says Rahul Mahajan, a
partner at Wakhariya & Wakhariya. “The market has con-
solidated a lot.”
Private equity players, meanwhile, are exploring the pos-
sibility of new avenues for Indian investment. “Private equity

TPG’s acquisition of Vishal The flurry of defaults and enforcement actions has also led
Retail is an interesting trend to a rise in restructuring assignments. “The RBI [Reserve Bank
of India] is getting more strict in its approach and interpreta-
that hasn’t happened at tion,” says Gorthi. “In particular, there seems to be a move to
all in India until now disallow synthetic structures that had become popular.”
Prem Rajani, the managing partner of Rajani & Associates,
Sridhar Gorthi believes investors are facing a somewhat depressed mar-
Partner ket this year. “A lot of restructuring is taking place among
group companies,” he says. “No one’s willing to call 2011
Trilegal a depressed market. It’s a mixed market. But in all three
dips, in 2002, 2008 and this year, I’ve seen a lot of restruc-
turing taking place. Companies have started doing house-
keeping, they’re hiving off non-core activities, closing down
companies, engaging in debt restructuring, capital restruc-
turing and consolidation.”
Many are also anticipating more mandates on the deriva-
tives side, including related litigation. “The RBI has heeded
market comments and feedback on the draft credit default
swap guidelines and opened a small part of the market,”
says Hoshedar Wadia, a partner at Juris Corp. “Even
though it’s small, it’s a very bold statement for the regulator
funds are realigning their strategies from Europe to India,” says to say I’m going to allow more derivatives.”
Seema Jhingan, a partner at LexCounsel. “TA Associates,
Providence and Baering are all coming to India.”
The market is also buoyant with private equity interest Real estate is booming
in ancillary services related to education. “There has been Sameer Tapia
investment in coaching, training and tutorial services,” says
Akil Hirani, the managing partner at Majmudar & Co. Partner
Sridhar Gorthi, a partner at Trilegal, believes large private ALMT Legal
equity buyouts can be expected in the near future. “iGate’s
acquisition of Patni Computers was the first significant
private equity-led buyout of a listed Indian company,” he
says. “TPG’s acquisition of Vishal Retail is also indicative of
an interesting trend that hasn’t happened at all in India until
now. We will probably see similar buyouts occurring.”
Restructuring and refinancing
Sandeep Parekh, the managing partner of Finsec Law

Advisors, predicts that the securities market and private
equity will be his busiest practice areas the coming year.
“Fundraising is likely to be done through the setup of Full speed ahead
domestic and offshore funds and the deployment of this
money is likely to witness a larger number of private equity Infrastructure is poised to be one of India’s busiest sec-
and PIPE deals,” he says. tors for the next five years. Roads, ports, highways, and
power projects are not just the need of the hour, but also
gold stars on political CVs. “You get votes by telling people
You get votes by telling people ‘I’ve built a road ... I’ve set up a port’,” says Sawant Singh,
‘I’ve built a road ... I’ve set a partner at Phoenix Legal. “Clean energy and solar energy
continue to have inclusive infrastructure development pro-
up a port’ grammes and it augurs well for everyone.”
Sawant Singh There is even evidence to suggest that green projects are
easier to complete than regular ones. “Regulatory require-
Partner ments are less for wind projects,” says Tushar Desai, a
Phoenix Legal partner at India Law Services. “Only one or two lenders are
involved and the government doesn’t interfere.”
Improving India’s crumbling infrastructure is vital for the
survival of one of its most critical industries – agriculture:
“65% of the population lives in rural areas and 50% is
involved in agriculture,” says Sagar at J Sagar Associates.
“We need roads, storage systems, transport and cool
chains to help farmers get their produce to market. Half of
it rots because we don’t have the infrastructure.”
The government hopes to attract greater private par-
ticipation in infrastructure and replicate the success it has

experienced with the country’s highway projects. “Railways According to Joyita Sabharwal, a partner at Law Point,
are sitting on prime property,” says Suchitra Chitale, a part- the real challenge within the real estate sector will be to
ner at Chitale & Chitale Partners. “These are being devel- “generate liquidity to remain afloat by encashing exist-
oped on public-private partnership models.” ing stock at realistic prices within the reach of buyers”.
Equal enthusiasm is visible in the real estate sector, par- He adds that overcoming the liquidity crunch and timely
ticularly in urban areas. “Builders, developers and socie- project completion will be crucial to winning back investor
ties are going in for redevelopment work,” says Sowjanya confidence in construction projects where people are wary
Menon, a partner at Vidhii Partners. of investing.
“Real estate is booming,” says Sameer Tapia, a partner Financing infrastructure projects, however, may
at ALMT Legal. “Mall spaces are opening up in metros and become tougher, with rising interest rates and banks
tier two cities like Jaipur, Aurangabad and Nagpur. Prices having exhausted their internal limits for infrastructure
have shot up astronomically but space is a constraint in tier firms. “Banks are finding a reason not to lend, even
one, so you don’t have an option.” though they have the funds,” says Kaviraj Singh, the
A changing legal landscape

A new breed of Indian lawyers may be more about guts than glory
Anyone observing the Indian legal market from afar may structures. “There is no scope for personal glory at Zeus
be shocked at the frequency with which new law firms IP,” the firm’s managing partner, Gunjan Paharia, says
emerge. Clasis Law, Indian Law Partners, RS & Co Law plainly. “I’ve sold my lawyers equity and it will have value
Offices and Prism Partners are just a handful of startups if they can sell the firm … You want leadership at every
that have taken their place on the legal stage in recent level.”
months. Firms are also keen to implement best-practice manage-
What is driving this entrepreneurial spirit among lawyers? ment standards. Lakshmi Kumaran & Sridharan recently
“I wanted to work with a firm that wasn’t founder-driven,” received a gold award under the Legal and Courts category
says Ishtiaq Ali, a partner at Clasis Law, which is a breaka- in the 2011 Global Awards for Excellence in Adaptive Case
way from ALMT Legal. Ali was one of the founding partners Management. Finalists came from the Americas, Europe,
at India Law Services and has over 20 years of legal prac- Africa and Asia. “All of our document movement is now
tice under his belt. “No one can pass on Clasis to their sons online,” says Badri Narayanan, an advocate at the firm.
and daughters,” says Ali. “An associate should be able to “Wherever you are, you see the document on the same
aspire to become the managing partner of a firm.” page as when you last saw it. This has been implemented
For the most part, large firms with established footprints across six offices. We worked with Newgen for six months
and strong client portfolios appear unfazed by their new to create this software and we spent about US$1 million
competitors. But others admit that they will ultimately have on the entire system. We’re reducing bad debts and we’re
an impact on everyone in the country’s legal fraternity. able to predict a lot more accurately how much we can bill.
“Individually, the breakaways don’t make a difference ... We’re also easily able to track individual efficiency.”
but cumulatively, they impact big firms,” says Abhijit Joshi, For international clients, this kind of operational effi-
a partner and the CEO of AZB & Partners. “It’s bad for the ciency is encouraging and a clear indication that Indian
industry.” firms are capable of executing technological solutions
A desire for ownership is one factor that has driven without outside assistance.
lawyers to launch their own practices, even if it means that Still, some argue that Indian firms would benefit greatly
entrepreneurial young lawyers miss out on the remunera- if foreign firms were permitted to set up in India. “Law is a
tion and perks they would receive working in one of the service sector,” says Manoj Singh, the managing partner
leading firms. “As one of my batch mates said: ‘I’d rather of Singh & Associates. “No other service sector prohibits
drive my own Maruti than Zia’s Mercedes’,” says Abhishek foreign participation. They should be allowed. Why not
Datta, a partner at HSA Advocates, referring in jest to Zia have a legal sharing route?”
Mody, the founding partner of AZB & Partners. Client demands too, are changing. “Client needs in
But, for small firms without a reputation, survival in the India are tremendous,” says Sameer Tapia, a partner at
Indian legal market is far from assured. And the chal- ALMT Legal. “They need a lawyer like a doctor on call. If
lenges are all the more acute for those who do not come there’s no quick turnaround it means you’re too busy or
from families of well-connected lawyers. “It’s hard for a you don’t care.”
first-generation lawyer to make a mark,” says Bhumesh Indian companies that have had a flavour of legal service
Verma, a partner at PKA Advocates (formerly Paras Kuhad abroad, however, may become less needy of advice back
& Associates). home. “Indian industries are now getting very savvy and
Still, there are some who succeed in breaking the mould, may not want to come to Indian lawyers if they’re going to
and many of the young lawyers who have ventured out France, for example,” says Joshi at AZB & Partners. “We
alone are shunning traditional Indian models of law firm hold our clients’ hands ... but as business matures we’ll
management and adopting international-style partnership have a smaller role to play in the Western world.”

managing partner of Trustman & Co. “It’s easier for Corruption is leading to a high
established players, but for new ones, it’s difficult to level of conservatism
obtain funding.”
Others argue that this is an exaggeration. “Higher interest in the market
rates and the exhaustion of internal limits of banks for infra- Hemant Sahai
structure financing are only temporary stumbling blocks,”
says Ravi Singhania, the managing partner of Singhania & Managing Partner
Partners. He adds that delays in land acquisition, environ- HSA Advocates
mental clearances, fuel linkages and the increasing cost
of coal have invoked such reactions from certain banks.
“Accosted by delays in some projects, the banks aren’t
able to disburse further funds,” he says. “As a result, these
commitments of financing are eating up the banks’ limit for
infrastructure financing.”
The government has taken proactive steps to resolve
this issue, Singhania explains. The land acquisition act
is being remodelled and environmental clearances are
being granted, thereby boosting banks’ confidence in
lending. “Alternate sources of funding are also being
worked out,” says Singhania. Tax-free infrastructure
bonds are in vogue; several infrastructure funds have that will investigate and prosecute corrupt govern-
come up; the government is proposing a greater role for ment officials and politicians. “The Lokpal Bill is a game
the country’s biggest insurer, Life Insurance Corporation, changer,” says Gautam Khurana, the managing partner
in infrastructure financing; and remarkably, in the past of India Law Offices. “If we do a good job of this bill, we
two years, external commercial borrowings worth `600 could ward away a lot of negative publicity.”
billion (US$13 billion) have been approved for infrastruc- Thousands across India have pledged their support for
ture projects. Indian activist Anna Hazare’s version of the new law – the
Jan Lokpal Bill. Hazare and his team have underscored
Counting the cost of corruption the importance of holding senior officers – including the
prime minister – accountable, something which is miss-
A string of high-profile corruption cases has become ing from the government’s version of the bill. “There has
a noose around the neck of India Inc, hardening regula- been a concerted effort to disengage civil society from the
tors’ attitudes, sharpening scrutiny and scaring away Lokpal process,” says sole practitioner Ramni Taneja.
potential business. “Corruption is leading to a high level As India fights on two fronts to defeat corruption and
of conservatism in the market,” says Hemant Sahai, the improve efficiency, the internet is emerging as a key ally.
managing partner of HSA Advocates. “Offices in various Online processes offer a strong degree of comfort, not
ministries are getting conservative with larger deals. The only because they save time, but because they do away
country needs to get over this very quickly otherwise with middlemen – those who often require bribes when
investments will slow down.” applications are submitted in person.
Lawyers worry about the extent to which corrupt prac- “Incorporating a company used to take 35-40 days,
tices have crept into judicial proceedings. “We have a very now it’s very quick and can be done from home,” explains
efficient executive and a good reliable judiciary,” says S Arihant Jain, a senior associate at OP Khaitan & Co.
Venkiteswaran, an advocate and shipping expert. “But “Another useful tool is access to data on the Ministry of
they’re dancing to the tune of the politicians.” Corporate Affairs’ website. For `50, you can get one-time
The government’s only solution to target corruption is access for three hours to director information. You can
the Lokpal Bill, which seeks to establish an ombudsman find out which companies a director is involved with, his
tax payments, [and other information]. It’s a simplified way
of keeping compliant.”
Tax-free infrastructure The stain of corruption coupled with systemic inef-
bonds are in vogue ficiencies and uncertainties surrounding the introduc-
tion of new laws are certainly hampering India’s growth.
Ravi Singhania Yet such problems may be necessary to fuel debate on
Managing Partner policy-making and boost efforts towards achieving best
practices in corporate practice and governance.
Singhania & Partners Getting to grips with such vast changes to an already-
complex legal regime will not be easy. But lawyers are
typically well-accustomed to the constant fluctuations,
modifications and transformations that characterize
India’s legal landscape. “Law firms of this generation are
so used to changes,” says Gorthi at Trilegal. “Change
isn’t a challenge. Structures that worked two months ago
don’t work today. We’ve had to reinvent ourselves year
on year.”
The shopkeeper in Assam may have no choice but to
do the same. g

Intelligence report Directory of Indian Law Firms
ALMT Legal
Established in 2000
• Number of partners: 15
• Number of associates: 120 Contact us
• Principal offices: Mumbai, Bangalore
• Other offices: London, New Delhi Mumbai
4th Floor, Express Towers
Key practice areas: Aviation, banking & finance, capital markets, corpo- Nariman Point
rate & commercial, dispute resolution, hospitality, immigration, infrastruc- Mumbai - 400 021, India
ture & project finance, insurance, information technology & intellectual Tel: +91 22 4001 0000
property, labour & employment, media, entertainment & sports, oil & gas, Fax: +91 22 4001 0001
private clients, private equity & fund structure, property, shipping, tax. Email: stapia@almtlegal.com
Contact: Sameer Tapia
Our services: ALMT Legal was set up in London as the only Indian law firm
to be established in the UK. The firm has offices in Mumbai, Bangalore,
Delhi and London. The firm now has 15 partners through its four offices Bangalore
and is a full-service Indian law firm with partners specializing in various 2 Lavelle Road
areas of law. The firm advises clients from Europe, the US and throughout Bangalore - 560 001, India
Asia on aspects of Indian law. Having expertise in dealing with clients from Tel: +91 80 4016 0000
developed markets and domestic clients in India, the firm provides special- Fax: +91 80 4016 0001
ized legal advice on a range of issues, providing standards of legal service Email: ppopat@almtlegal.com
on a par with international law firms around the world. Contact: Prashant Popat
ALMT Legal acts as corporate/commercial, tax and employment law

adviser to entrepreneurial, medium and blue-chip companies, aiming to London
provide business-oriented legal advice and support to in-house legal Dowgate Hill House
counsel. The mainstream corporate and commercial practice handles 14-16 Dowgate Hill
joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capi- London, EC4R 2SU
tal transactions and issues relating to company formation, foreign direct United Kingdom
investment and exchange control matters. Tel: +44 (0) 20 7332 2367
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7428 0633
ALMT Legal has a flourishing property law practice as well as all aspects Email: gbasu@almtlegal.com
of litigation and dispute resolution and assisting clients with pragmatic and Contact: Garima Basu
strategic decision-making in respect of claims. Through a network of asso-
ciated offices, the firm is able to assist in resolving disputes efficiently and
cost-effectively. The firm also deals with major aspects of airline liability, New Delhi
aircraft finance and leasing, general aviation liabilities, airline contracts, 506 DLF Courtyard, Saket
aero-political and regulatory advice. The firm is actively involved in the New Delhi - 110 017, India
maritime and insurance sectors, working on both contentious and non- Tel: +91 11 4944 5566
contentious matters. Fax: +91 11 4944 5567
Email: skothari@almtlegal.com
ALMT Legal also has a successful technology, media and sports practice Contact: Seema Kothari
focusing on intellectual property protection, licensing and distribution, and
regulatory issues.
Website
www.almtlegal.com

Directory of Indian Law Firms Intelligence report
Amarchand & Mangaldas &

Suresh A Shroff & Co
Established in 1917
Contact us
• Number of partners: 49 New Delhi

• Number of associates: 456 Amarchand Towers
• Principal office: New Delhi 216, Okhla Industrial Estate
• Other offices: Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad Phase III
New Delhi - 110 020
Key practice areas: Banking & finance, capital markets (debt & equity), India
competition & policy, corporate, M&A, PE, funds, finance regulatory prac-
tice & other practices, dispute resolution & arbitration, environment law, Telephone
insurance law, intellectual property, labour law, media & entertainment, +91 11 2692 0500
policy & regulatory, projects & project finance, real estate, securitization,
taxation. Fax
+91 11 2692 4900
Our services: Amarchand Mangaldas is part of major headline transactions
and litigations in all segments of industry & services, besides representing
almost every major transnational corporation on their India entry & busi-
ness strategy. The firm has been in the unique position of being an adviser Kolkata
on public policy formation in India. Distinguished partners of the firm have Anand Lok, 227, AJC Bose Road
been members of many legislative panels to assist the Government of India Kolkata - 700 020
with a legal perspective on policy related matters. India
Such pre-eminent counselling by Amarchand Mangaldas has earned the Telephone

firm the enviable reputation of being a leader among its peers. Some +91 33 2865 0268
of corporate India’s most influential entrepreneurs turn to Amarchand
Mangaldas for innovative legal solutions and strategies. Fax
+91 33 2247 2349
Everything considered, the firm is at the cutting-edge of new issues in law
and areas of economic activity, guiding the creation of legal precedents
and expanding its services and skills to meet the challenges of change.
Amarchand Mangaldas is the exclusive Indian member firm of Lex Mundi, Contact
the world’s leading association of independent law firms. Mr Shardul S Shroff
Awards: Email
shardul.shroff@amarchand.com
• National Law Firm – India at Chambers Asia Pacific Awards, 2011.
• Won 6 awards, including Indian Law Firm of the Year, at IFLR Asia
Awards 2011.
• Firm of the Year – India at Who’s Who Legal - Country and State
Awards 2011.
• ILO Client Choice Awards 2011.
• Best Indian Law Firm Award at International Legal Alliance Summit &
Awards 2011.
• India Deal Firm of the Year at ALB SE Asia Law Awards 2011.
• Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation Award 2010.
• Law firm of the Year at India Business Law Journal’s 2010 Indian Law
Firm Awards.

Anand and Anand

Established in 1979
• Principal offices: New Delhi, Noida
• Other offices: Chennai, Mumbai New Delhi
Tel: +91 11 4335 3000
Key practice area: Intellectual property protection and enforcement. email@anandandanand.com
Our services: Anand and Anand acts for Fortune 500 companies, among Noida
others, and serves a broad spectrum of industries. The firm is at the Telephone: +91 120 405 9300
forefront of contentious IP litigation and trademark and patent prosecu- email@anandandanand.com
tion. It advises on all aspects of core intellectual property laws as well as
geographical indications; contractual and commercial IP; conveyancing, Chennai
franchising and licensing; character merchandising; personality rights; Telephone: +91 44 4344 3777
libel and privacy laws; brand acquisitions; advertising laws; packaging chennai@anandandanand.com
laws; competition and consumer laws; border control measures, includ-
ing recordal of IP rights with customs; domain names; internet laws; Mumbai
technology transfers; IP audits and valuation; IP leveraging, including Telephone: +91 22 2263 1488
manpower; IP mortgage/pledging; venture capital and idea incubation mumbai@anandandanand.com
and funding; pre-IPO audits of IP rights and compliances; advice on
doing business in India; partner searches and IP due diligences; advising Contact: Mr Pravin Anand
on business models, incorporation of companies and obtaining govern-
ment approvals. www.anandandanand.com
ARA LAW
Established in 1996
• Principal office: Mumbai
• Other office: Bengaluru Mumbai
3/F, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Bldg
Key practice areas: Banking & finance, capital markets, infrastructure, 7 Netaji Subhash Road
mergers & acquisitions, private equity, real estate, TMT. Charni Road (W)
Mumbai - 400 002, India
Our services: ARA LAW is a first-generation boutique law firm established Tel: +91 22 6619 9800
in 1996 in Mumbai. The firm has focused on its core practice areas and has Fax: +91 22 6619 9899
over time built the desired experience, knowledge and skill-set to deliver high
quality, consistent, cost-effective advice to its clients. The firm has grown Bengaluru
quickly into one of the respectable law firms in India with offices in Mumbai G/F, The Hulkul, #81/37 Lavelle Road
and Bengaluru. Bengaluru - 560 001, India
ARA LAW believes that traveling the extra mile in achieving business-critical Tel: +91 80 2222 9800
goals is the right way to assist its clients. Telefax: +91 80 2222 9801
ARA LAW promptly mobilizes its human resources to achieve quick turna-
rounds, which is one of the critical challenges of modern business transac- Contact
tions. The firm enjoys an excellent reputation among its domestic and inter- Rajesh Begur
national clients which include commercial banks, financial institutions, Fortune Email: rajesh@aralaw.com
500 companies, equity, private equity/venture capital funds, government
authorities, and industrial and commercial companies. www.aralaw.com

Argus Partners
Established in 2009
Key practice areas: General corporate, mergers & acquisitions, private

equity, projects, project finance, banking & finance, real estate, mining, Contact us
education, succession planning & family business restructuring.
Mumbai
Our services: Established in 2009 and having offices in Mumbai and 109, Nav Neelam Building
Kolkata, Argus Partners is a leading corporate law firm with a diverse prac- 108, RG Thadani Marg
tice portfolio. Within a short span of time, the firm has built a formidable Worli Sea Face
reputation for its work and has been acknowledged and appreciated by its Mumbai - 400 018, India
clients and peers for providing quality services. Tel: +91 22 2498 5900/01
Fax: +91 22 2498 5902
The firm won the “Best Newcomer” award in India Business Law Journal’s 2010
Indian Law Firm Awards and the award for the “New Law Firm of the Year – Kolkata
India” at the ACQ Global Awards, 2010. Mergermarket, the financial intel- 238B AJC Bose Road, 1st Floor
ligence arm of the Financial Times, ranked Argus Partners among the top five Kolkata - 700 020, India
Indian law firms in the M&A space during the first quarter of 2010. International Tel: +91 33 4065 0155/56
Financial Law Review and AsiaLaw have recognized Argus Partners as one of Fax: +91 33 4065 0157
the notable Indian law firms in the corporate and M&A space.
Contact person
Founded by lawyers who have more than 20 years’ combined experi- Mr Krishnava Dutt
ence in handling domestic and cross-border transactions, the firm has Managing Partner
grown considerably. Its clientele includes industry and business leaders krishnava.dutt@arguspartners.in
in all segments of the market and at various stages in the growth of their
businesses.
AZB & Partners

Established in 2004
• Other offices: New Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai Mumbai
23rd Floor Express Towers
Key practice areas: M&A, joint ventures & general corporate, regulatory Nariman Point
practice & securities laws, private equity, capital markets, funds practice, Mumbai - 400 021, India
banking & finance, microfinance, derivatives, infrastructure & project
finance, real estate, media & entertainment, IT & business process out- Telephone: +91 22 6639 6880
sourcing, employment, insurance, intellectual property, pharmaceuticals & Fax: +91 22 6639 6888
biotechnology, taxation, aviation, competition law, litigation & arbitration. Email: mumbai@azbpartners.com
Contact: Ms Zia Mody
Our services: AZB & Partners is one of the prominent law firms in India. Our
aim is to provide clear, concise and practical advice based on our in-depth
knowledge of the legal, regulatory and commercial environment within which New Delhi
our clients operate, as well as our understanding of their business objectives. Plot No A-8, Sector 4
The firm has received wide national and international acclaim for its work. Noida - 201 301, India
Recent awards include Private Equity and Venture Capital India Team of the
Year, 2011, Mergers & Acquisitions India Team of the Year, 2011, and the Telephone: +91 120 417 9999
Firm of the Year – Mumbai, 2011, at the IFLR Asian Awards. The firm was Fax: +91 120 417 9900
also named one of India’s Best Overall Law Firms, 2010, by India Business Email: delhi@azbpartners.com
Law Journal in February 2011 and received the award for Law Firm of the Contact: Mr Ajay Bahl
Year at the ACQ Law Awards, 2011.

Bharucha & Partners

Established in 2008
• Other offices: New Delhi Mumbai
Cecil Court, 4th Floor
Key practice areas: Mergers & acquisitions, corporate restructuring, joint MK Bhushan Marg
ventures, private equity, banking, structured finance, project and project Colaba
finance, capital markets, litigation, international and domestic arbitration, Mumbai - 400 039, India
intellectual property, financial regulation. Telephone: +91 22 2289 9300
Fax: +91 22 2282 3900
Our services: Established in March 2008 in Mumbai with four partners and Email: sr.partner@bharucha.in
nine associates, Bharucha & Partners has now expanded to three offices in Contact person: Alka Bharucha
two cities with 40 lawyers.
New Delhi
Bharucha & Partners is dedicated to excellence, bringing to you a blend of Enkay House
rich experience, creativity and energy of youth. Each of the partners has a 4/48, Malcha Marg SC
proven track record of handling commercial transactions or disputes. Each Diplomatic Enclave
associate has been individually groomed or selected as sharing the quali- New Delhi - 110 021, India
ties and vision of the partners. Telephone: +91 11 4593 9300
Fax: +91 11 4593 9399
With five partners and 35 associates we work across practice areas and Email: kumkum.sen@bharucha.in
count leading international and corporate houses, banks, financial institu- Contact person: Kumkum Sen
tions and funds among our clients.
Chitale & Chitale Partners

Established in 1993 as A Y Chitale & Associates and in 2008 as Chitale & Chitale Partners
• Principal office: New Delhi
C-83 Neeti Bagh
Key practice areas: Litigation, arbitration, corporate & commercial laws, New Delhi
mergers & acquisitions, competition law & antitrust, trade laws, infrastruc- India
ture projects, disinvestments, restructuring, banking & finance, intellectual
property, construction, media & internet, employment law. Telephone
+91 11 4164 2965
Our services: Chitale & Chitale Partners is a full-service law firm providing +91 11 4164 2966
quality legal advice to its clients in matters relating to commercial laws. The
+91 11 4164 2967
approach is result-oriented while maintaining the highest standards.
The main areas in which the firm has expertise are litigation, arbitration, Fax
competition law, anti-trust and trade law, corporate and commercial laws, +91 11 41642964
regulatory advice, mergers and acquisitions, project documentation for
infrastructure projects, aviation and defence, disinvestments, restructur- Email
ing, banking and finance, construction, media, employment and intellectual suchitra@chitales.com
property.
Contact
Mrs Suchitra Chitale

Clasis Law
Established in 2010
• Principal offices: London, Mumbai, New Delhi
• Other offices: Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune Mumbai
Tel: +91 22 4332 7536
Key practice areas: Corporate & commercial, banking & project finance, Fax: +91 22 4332 7600
private equity & venture capital, real estate, tax, private client, employ- Email: mumbai@clasislaw.com
ment & immigration, intellectual property, capital markets, foreign direct Mr Ishtiaq Ali, Ms Renu Parekh
investment, infrastructure & construction, litigation, aviation, arbitration &
alternate dispute resolution. New Delhi
Tel: +91 11 4662 9000
Our services: Clasis Law is a full-service Indian law firm that is truly inter- Fax: +91 11 4662 9001
national in vision, scope, experience and capability. The hallmarks of the firm Email: delhi@clasislaw.com
include a high degree of legal expertise, commitment to excellence, efficiency, Mr Vineet Aneja
integrity, focus and client care. Our partners have a well established track Mr Sidanth Rajagopal
record in personally assisting and guiding foreign companies and international
clients on the legal and regulatory ramifications of doing business in India. London
Tel: +44 20 7876 4848
Having an office in London, which is fully staffed with Indian lawyers that Fax: +44 20 7876 5132
provide advice on matters relating to Indian law and jurisdiction, benefits Email: london@clasislaw.com
Clasis Law in operating across different time zones. We are able to meet Ms Shalini Agarwal
tight deadlines and provide clients with access to legal advisers in different Mr Sakate Khaitan
continents, to suit their business requirements.
Dave & Girish & Co

Established in 1978
• Other offices: Bangalore (associate office in New Delhi) Mumbai
1st Floor, Sethna Building
Key practice areas: Banking, mutual funds, securities laws, project 55 Maharshi Karve Rd, Marine Lines,
finance, structuring & security documentation, securitization, derivatives, Mumbai - 400 002, India
mergers & acquisitions (including corporate restructuring), external com- Tel: +91 22 2206 2132, 2206 2192
mercial borrowings, structured financing, computer software & hardware Fax: +91 22 2208 5620
contracts, company formations, joint ventures, litigations, arbitration, con- Email: gdave@davegirish.com
ciliation & mediations, due diligence, property conveyancing & leasing. mona@davegirish.com
Our services: Dave & Girish & Co has the advantage of having very dedi- Bangalore
cated, hardworking and experienced partners and a team of energetic and 609, 6th Floor, A Wing
enthusiastic lawyers. Mittal Tower, MG Road
Bangalore - 560 001, India
The firm has been in existence for more than 30 years and it enjoys a sound Tel: +91 80 6631 0096/97
reputation. Email: mona_bgl@davegirish.com
Please visit our website at www.davegirish.com. Contacts

Mr Girish Dave, Managing Partner
Ms Mona Bhide, Partner

DH Law Associates
Established in 1997
• Other offices: Goa, Patna 87, Jolly Maker Chamber II
225, Nariman Point
Key practice areas: Foreign direct investment, dispute resolution (litiga- Mumbai - 400 021, India
tion & arbitration), M&A & private equity, corporate & commercial, real
estate, media & entertainment, banking & finance, intellectual property Telephone
rights, labour & employment, securities & capital markets, information +91 22 6625 2222
technology, hospitality & leisure, renewable energy, art law, will & trusts,
project infrastructure. Fax
+91 22 2256 5821
Our services: At DH Law Associates, we seek to deliver effective legal
solutions to meet the diverse needs of our clients within the complex Email
Indian legal environment. Our Lawyers possess extensive experience in nusrat@dhlawassociates.com
their respective practice areas both in India and abroad. Our illustrious list
of clients and the recognition we have received within the legal fraternity
bear ample testimony. Contact person
Our domestic clients include some of the leading corporate houses in Mr Nusrat Hassan
India from a wide spectrum of industry segments, including manufactur-
ing, telecom, pharmaceutical, consumer goods, banking, media, financial Website
services, entertainment, mining and energy. Foreign clients from several www.dhlawassociates.com
counties treat us as their trusted advisors in India.
Dua Associates
Established in 1986
• Number of associates: 200+ Contact us
• Other offices: Bangalore, Chennai, Chandigarh, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, 202- 206, Tolstoy House
Mumbai, Pune, Singapore 15 Tolstoy Marg
New Delhi - 110 001, India
Key practice areas: Mergers & acquisitions, finance & banking, corporate
& commercial, capital markets, dispute resolution including litigation and Telephone
arbitration, labour & employment, antitrust & competition law, real estate, +91 11 2371 4408
infrastructure, insurance.
Fax
Our services: Dua Associates is one of India’s prominent national law +91 11 2331 7746
firms with full-fledged offices across eight metropolitan cities in India and +91 11 2335 7097
one in Singapore.
Email
For more than a quarter century, on the significant experience of its part- balinder@duaassociates.com
ners and associates, Dua Associates has provided a wide range of legal
services to a diverse domestic and international clientele, which include Website
Fortune 500 companies, listed companies, public-sector enterprises, www.duaassociates.com
privately-owned businesses, financial institutions, banks, private equity
firms, venture capitalists, multilateral organizations and eminent corpora- Contact
tions from the US, Europe, Japan and the Asia Pacific. Balinder Singh

Economic Laws Practice

Established in 2001
• Other offices: New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Pune 1502, Dalamal Towers
Free Press Journal Marg
Key practice areas: Tax, international trade & WTO, infrastructure & Nariman Point
project finance, corporate & commercial, dispute resolution & arbitration, Mumbai - 400 021
private equity & venture capital, real estate, hospitality & leisure, media & India
entertainment, anti-trust & competition, corporate finance, securitization.
Telephone
Our services: Economic Laws Practice (ELP), established in 2001, +91 22 6636 7000
stands as a premium law firm that is made up of values through which we
endeavor deliver the best results to our clients. Our approach towards the Fax
clients is backed through experience, research, in-depth understanding of 91 22 6636 7172
the industry and a foresight that enables us to look at possibilities where
others find none. Email
mumbai@elp-in.com
At ELP, we stand as an ensemble of experience and expertise that is
shaped by partnering our Indian clients on their domestic and interna- Website
tional needs in our areas of expertise; and international clients in matters www.elplaw.in
concerning their India-related businesses and transactions. We have, time
and again, earned our client’s appreciation for our timely and qualitative
responses that are benchmarked to global standards. At ELP, several of our
partners and associates have qualified and/or worked abroad and hence,
hold a skill set that is built through an international exposure that houses
both, diversity and competence.
In its eight year of existence, the firm has established four offices, through-
out India and built a diverse team which offers our clients local support
and offers specializations where they are required. By way of example, our
Delhi office offers litigation services in the Supreme Court as well as the
gambit of the apex appellate bodies located there. The suite of services
offered at ELP meets the needs of our clients from entry (structuring) to any
eventual exit (dispute resolution).
Our partners hold both global experience and local expertise that certify
them to excel in international jurisdictions. With an assembly of solicitors
who have been in practice, with esteemed organizations for over 16 years,
we at ELP regularly assists several leading corporate from legal advisory
services which have an impact on key business decisions. Our lawyers
have been called upon to represent the Government of India at the WTO
before the panel and appellate body.

Gagrats
Established in 2005
• Number of partners and associates: 55+

• Principal office: Mumbai Contact us
• Associate offices: New Delhi, Dubai
Nirmal, Nariman Point
Key practice areas: Arbitration, asset–based finance, aviation, banking Mumbai 400 021, India
& finance, capital markets, competition law, corporate, dispute resolution,
infrastructure, projects & energy, insurance, intellectual property, invest- Telephone
ment funds, M&A, oil & gas, private equity, project finance, real estate, +91 22 6752 9037-52 (Mumbai)
securities law, shipping, TMT and tax. +91 11 2332 2311 (New Delhi)
+971 472 5164 (Dubai)
Our services: Gagrats has a broad-based practice covering a wide range
of legal disciplines. Most of the members of the firm have attended prestig- Fax
ious universities in England, the US and India. Some of the partners of the +91 22 6752 9053 (Mumbai)
firm have qualified as solicitors of the Supreme Court of England. The firm +91 11 2371 3657 (New Delhi)
has represented clients on significant transactions, including cross-border +971 472 5049 (Dubai)
financings, large acquisitions and disposals in India and overseas, private
equity deals, power projects and securities offerings, including initial public Email: gagrats@gagrats.com
offerings and offerings of American depositary receipts, global depository
receipts and foreign-currency convertible bonds. Contacts
The firm has been a recipient of India Business Law Journal’s 2008, 2009 Mr RJ Gagrat (Mumbai)
and 2010 Indian Law Firm Awards and of the 2011 Global Awards of Mr UA Rana (New Delhi)
Corporate International magazine. Mr HD Gardi (Dubai)
Gopakumar Nair Associates

Established in 2002
• Number of associates: 20
• Principal office: Mumbai Contact us
• Other offices: Chennai, Pune
3rd Floor, Shivmangal
Key practice areas: IPR, patent, trademarks, copyright, design, licensing Next to Big Bazaar, Akurli Road
& technology transfer, regulatory affairs, representation in India for pharma, Kandivli (East)
chemical-related & clinical operations, Indian patent status, infringement Mumbai - 400 101, India
analysis & FTO certifications, legal opinions & support services.
Telephone
Our services: Gopakumar Nair Associates (GNAs) is a premier intellec- +91 22 4089 5454
tual property consultancy and legal advisory firm providing high-quality +91 22 2887 2058
legal and technological solutions for companies in the biotechnology,
biomedical, chemical, health care, pharmaceutical, and other knowledge Fax
based industries. We specialize in patent drafting, filing and prosecution +91 22 2846 2455
with a high rate of success.
Email
Founded by Dr Gopakumar G Nair, GNAs helps its clients to identify and gopanair@gnaipr.net
seize opportunities as well as to defuse threats to their intellectual pros-
perity. Though GNAs is only nine years old, it has unrivalled ability and Website
experience and is geared to the latest IP/patent practices in India. www.gnaipr.com
Contact: Dr Gopakumar G Nair

India Law Services

Established in 1997
• Other offices: New Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore Mumbai
Mr AG Karkhanis, Mr TR Desai,
Key practice areas: Project finance, banking & finance, real estate, Ms V Bhagvat
corporate advisory. Tel: +91 22 6633 6791-94
Fax: +91 22 6633 6790
Our services: Over the years the firm has acted as lenders’ counsel in a karkhanisag@indialawservices.net
large number of infrastructure deals such as mega power projects, road tushardesai@indialawservice.net
projects, ports, airports, to name a few. In addition, the firm has advised in vb@indialawservices.net
setting up a large number of projects in fields such as cement, steel, hotels
and other industrial projects. The firm is well known in the specialized area New Delhi
of project finance and has been repeatedly rated in the top three firms in this Mr KA Najmi
field by Dealogic. Tel: +91 11 4652 7181
Mr AG Karkhanis and Ms V Bhagwat look after the project finance work from najmi@indialawservices.net
Mumbai. Mr Karkhanis is accepted as the preferred choice of lenders in the
field of project finance and banking. Mr TR Desai looks after the banking, real Chennai
estate and corporate advisory unit. Mr K Najmi and Mr K Ravindran head the Mr K Ravindran
New Delhi and the Chennai offices respectively. Mr PL Vijaykumar will be Tel: +91 44 3251 9399
heading the Bangalore office, which is scheduled to open on 1 September ravindran@indialawservice.net
2011. The panoply of experience of each partner in his/her respective fields
of operations gives the firm a unique blend of experience and knowledge.
IPR International Services

Established in 2003
Block No. 8, Building No. 2
Key practice areas: Patents, trademarks, designs, copyright, domain Rajinder Nagar
names, plant varieties, geographical indications. New Delhi -110 060, India
Our services: IPR International Services is a specialist intellectual Telephone

property-focused law firm which provides services in the fields of pat- +91 11 2586 1168/2576 1755
ents, trademarks, copyrights, designs, geographical indications, plant
varieties, etc., and works to safeguard the IP rights of its clients. The firm Fax
has acquired broad professional expertise in all aspects of IPR and has +91 11 4243 6540/258 64213
a team of well-qualified experts in the fields of science, engineering and
law. The firm has manpower qualified in the legal and technical fields of Email
science and technology. ipris@vsnl.net, ipris@rediffmail.com
Our prime concern is to provide a service of quality and professionalism. Websites

We aim to work closely with clients to gain a genuine insight into their www.ipr.in
commercial situation. This helps us find the most cost-effective way to www.iprindia.org
provide the required level of protection to meet the particular needs of
an individual client. We understand the varied needs of IP owners and Contact person
recognize that, to be successful, IP lawyers we must be actively involved Neha Chugh
in a client’s business development.

J Sagar Associates
Established in 1991
• Principal offices: Gurgaon, Mumbai
• Other offices: New Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad Gurgaon
Sandstone Crest
Key practice areas: General corporate commercial, M&A, private equity, Opp. Park Plaza Hotel
projects, banking & finance, capital markets & securities, regulatory & Sushant Lok - 1, Gurgaon - 122 009
policy, dispute resolution, taxation. National Capital Region, India
Tel: +91 124 4390 600
Key sectors: Energy, mining, hospitality & leisure, education, asset man- Fax: +91 124 4390 617
agement & financial institutions, transportation, real estate, knowledge- Email: gurgaon@jsalaw.com
based industries (IT/ITES/life sciences), media & entertainment, sports,
communications (telecom & broadcasting), urban infrastructure, retail &
franchising, construction & engineering, insurance, defence & internal New Delhi
security, manufacturing, consumer products, industrial products & dura- 27, Community Centre
bles, services, agriculture & plantations, NGOs. East of Kailash
Our services: J Sagar Associates (JSA) is a leading national law firm com- Tel: +91 11 4311 0600
prising over 200 lawyers and consultants, including 48 partners based in Fax: +91 11 4311 0617
New Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. For almost two Email: newdelhi@jsalaw.com
decades our experienced lawyers have provided legal advice and services
of the highest possible standard to international and domestic clients.
Mumbai
JSA’s mission is to provide outstanding legal solutions in its chosen prac- Vakils House, 18 Sprott Road
tice areas with a strong emphasis on ethics. Our clients benefit from the Ballard Estate
expertise and experience of a large firm, while still enjoying the privilege of Mumbai - 400 001, India
personal attention and responsiveness that is typical of smaller firms. Tel: +91 22 4341 8600
Fax: +91 22 4341 8617
JSA’s practice extends across diverse sectors of industry and services Email: mumbai@jsalaw.com
such as consumer & industrial products, consumer durables, financial
services & banking, and energy & transportation. Our lawyers understand
and appreciate the different challenges that clients face in the current Bangalore
business environment as a result of technological changes, evolving gov- 2 Frontline Grandeur
ernment regulations and competitive pressures in the marketplace. JSA 14 Walton Road
provides a diverse set of legal services to its clients and assists them to Bangalore - 560 001, India
meet these challenges successfully. Tel: +91 80 4350 3600
Fax: +91 80 4350 3617
Awards and accolades: Email: bangalore@jsalaw.com
• JSA has been ranked among the “Top Three Indian Law Firms” for
two years in a row by the annual Rainmaker Law Firm Survey (2008 & Hyderabad
2009). Plot No 106, Road No 1
Jubilee Hills
• JSA has been ranked number one in “Quality” and overall among the Hyderabad - 500 033, India
“Top Three Indian Law Firms” by the RSG-India Top 40 surveys of 2009 Tel: +91 40 4036 0600
& 2010. Fax: +91 40 4036 0617
Email: hyderabad@jsalaw.com
• India Business Law Journal named JSA one of India’s “Best Overall Law
Firms” in its annual Indian Law Firm Awards in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Contacts
Jyoti Sagar, Founder Partner
jyoti@jsalaw.com
Berjis Desai, Managing Partner

berjis@jsalaw.com

Juris Corp
Established in 2000
• Number of of counsel: 3 Contact us
• Principal office: Mumbai Mumbai
• Other office: New Delhi 1104A, Raheja Chambers
Free Press Journal Marg
Key practice areas: Bankruptcy & corporate restructuring, banking & Nariman Point
finance, competition law, corporate & commercial, direct taxation, dispute Mumbai - 400 021, India
resolution, energy & infrastructure, information technology, intellectual Tel: +91 22 4057 5555
property rights, insurance, international arbitration, mergers & acquisitions, Fax: +91 22 2204 3579
private equity, project finance, property & real estate.
New Delhi
Our services: The objective of the firm is to provide unbiased and H-17, Lower Ground Floor
unmatched legal services in all areas of practice. We aim to be the pre- Kailash Colony
ferred law firm of all of our clients and to be deserving enough to become New Delhi - 110 048, India
their strategic business partner rather than simply advising them on indi- Tel: +91 11 4175 1889
vidual deals. Fax: +91 11 4108 4175
The firm believes in being innovative rather than just following archaical Contact person:
modes of working and set patterns in India. For a firm of our size, we are Ms Detty Davis
humbled by the fact that year-on-year some of the best names in the world Partner
have chosen us to act on the largest and most complex transactions. We Email: d.davis@jclex.com
thrive on quality and winning clients’ trust.
Kanga & Company

Established in 1890
Readymoney Mansion
Key practice areas: Mergers & acquisitions, private equity, capital markets, 43, Veer Nariman Road, Fort
corporate law, banking & finance, real estate, infrastructure projects, litiga- Mumbai - 400 001, India
tion & dispute resolution, franchising, intellectual property and taxation.
Telephone
Our services: Established in 1890, Kanga & Co is one of India’s oldest +91 22 6623 0000, 6633 2288
law firms. The firm is known for its sound advice and swift turnaround
time, which has been highly appreciated and acknowledged by its clients Fax
worldwide. +91 22 6633 9656, 6633 9657
Kanga & Co was awarded India Business Law Journal’s 2008 Indian Law Email
Firm Award in the construction & real estate category. In 2009 it won India mail@kangacompany.com
Business Law Journal’s awards for construction & real estate and labour &
employment, and it won an award for construction & real estate again in Website
2010. www.kangacompany.com
Mr ML Bhakta and Ms Preeti Mehta have been named Leading Lawyers Contact
by Asialaw. Ms Preeti Mehta has been recognized as one of the Leading Mr ML Bhakta
Lawyers by The International Who’s Who of Merger & Acquisition Lawyers Managing Partner
and The International Who’s Who of Franchise Lawyers.

Karanjawala & Company

Established in 1983
12th Floor, Hindustan Times House
Key practice areas: Litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution and cor- 18-20. Kasturba Gandhi Marg
porate and commercial practice. New Delhi - 110 001
Our services: Karanjawala & Company is a law firm based out of New Delhi, Telephone
having been in existence and active practice since 1983. It is regarded as one +91 11 4358 8888
of the most prominent law firms in India in litigation and dispute resolution, +91 11 4358 8801-8899
with a burgeoning corporate/commercial practice. Karanjawala & Company
has an overall strength of over 55 professionals with diverse experience in dif- Fax
ferent areas of law. +91 11 4155 1910
The firm has been conferred numerous awards, such as the prestigious +91 11 4358 8800
“European CEO Best Dispute Resolution Team, India, 2009 Award” and India
Business Law Journal’s prestigious Indian Law Firm Awards, 2009 and 2010, Email
and has been listed among the top-tier firms for dispute resolution in Asialaw karanjawala@karanjawala.in
Profiles. Karanjawala & Company also has the distinction of being listed in Asia
Pacific Legal 500 as a top-tier firm in New Delhi for dispute resolution and in Contact person
Chambers and Partners (Asia) as a Band 1 firm for both “Dispute Resolution: Mr Raian Karanjawala
Litigation, New Delhi”, and “Dispute Resolution, National”.
Mr Raian Karanjawala was also named in the list of the 50 most influential
people in India by India Today magazine in 2004.
Khaitan & Co
Established in 1911
• Other offices: New Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata Mumbai
One Indiabulls Centre
Key practice areas: Banking & finance; capital markets; competition law Tower 1, 13th Floor
& policy; corporate/commercial; cross-border investments (inward & over- 841 Senapati Bapat Marg
seas); dispute resolution; ecology, environment & wildlife laws; estates, Elphinstone Road
trusts & personal client work; funds; information technology; infrastructure Mumbai - 400 013, India
projects & project finance; intellectual property; labour laws; mining & min- Tel: +91 22 6636 5000
eral exploration; real estate; taxation (direct and indirect); trade laws. Fax: +91 22 6636 5050
Email: mumbai@khaitanco.com
Our services: Khaitan & Co is an Indian law firm which combines a rich
heritage of a hundred years with modern, cutting-edge legal practices New Delhi
and offers full-service legal solutions under one roof to its clients in India Email: delhi@khaitanco.com
and overseas. Founded in 1911, the firm today has offices in Bangalore,
Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi. The firm blends close to a century’s worth Kolkata
of experience with a solution-oriented approach for its clients. It advises a Email: kolkata@khaitanco.com
wide array of clients on complex domestic and cross-border transactions
and issues requiring an understanding of corporate finance and strategy, Bangalore
sectoral expertise, international and domestic taxation, employment, regu- Email: bangalore@khaitanco.com
latory and other relevant aspects.

Krishna & Saurastri

Associates
Established in 1992
Contact us
• Number of partners: 5 New Excelsior Building, 7th Floor

• Number of associates: 25 AK Nayak Marg, Fort
• Principal office: Mumbai Mumbai - 400 001, India
• Other offices: Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Pune, New Delhi
Telephone
Key practice areas: Trademarks, patents, designs, copyrights, technology +91 22 2200 6322
law, entertainment & media law, licensing, franchising, agreement & com-
mercial law. Fax
+91 22 2200 6326
Our services: Krishna & Saurastri Associates is a well-established pat-
ent and trademark law firm with a practice that offers a complete range Email
of intellectual property services. The firm is also well-entrenched and info@krishnaandsaurastri.com
equipped to render an extensive array of legal services through its asso-
ciate companies. Website
www.krishnaandsaurastri.com
In a short span of time, the firm has built a solid reputation based on its
legal finesse and cost efficient solutions. Today, numerous multination- Contact
als, Indian corporate giants, entrepreneurs and individuals have made Mr Manish Saurastri
Krishna & Saurastri Associates their preferred choice. Partner
Krishnamurthy and Co
Established in 1999
• Principal offices: Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, New Delhi
Mumbai
Key practice areas: Corporate, intellectual property, real estate, litigation, No.704, 7th Floor, Raheja Centre
information technology, entertainment & media, oil & gas, power, telecom- 214, Nariman Point
munications, banking & insurance, life sciences, biotechnology. Mumbai - 400 021, India
Tel: + 91 22 2282 9575/2282 9576
Our services: Krishnamurthy and Co (K Law), established in 1999, is Fax: + 91 22 2282 9577
a full-service law firm providing a wide spectrum of sophisticated legal
services in various business sectors. The primary focus of the firm is on Bangalore
corporate, intellectual property, real estate laws and litigation, where it No.715 1st Main
has niche expertise and skills. Indiranagar 1st Stage
Bangalore - 560 038, India
Sensitive to client needs, K Law works closely with clients and believes Tel: +91 80 2528 3685
each client is important, deserving equal, meticulous and professional
attention. K Law provides unfailing top-quality work, short turnaround Contact
time and easy accessibility to clients with a focus on attention to detail. Ms Naina Krishna Murthy
K Law takes pride in its winning combination of professional, experi- Managing Partner
enced, dedicated and dynamic team. K Law presently has a team of 64
attorneys across four offices in Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Chennai. Email
naina@klaw.in

Lall Lahiri & Salhotra

Established in 1983
• Principal office: Gurgaon (National Capital Region)
LLS House
Key practice areas: Lall Lahiri & Salhotra (LLS) is engaged in providing Plot No. B-28, Sector 32
IP services to clients across all industries in relation to all forms of IP, be it Institutional Area
trademarks, patents, copyrights, domain names or IP litigation. LLS has a Gurgaon - 122 001
flourishing and among the leading trademark prosecution and patent pros- National Capital Region, India
ecution practices in the country and is also involved in some of the most
high-profile litigations in the country. In addition, LLS assists its clients in Telephone
developing strategies and roadmaps for IP development, management and +91 124 238 2202
protection. +91 124 238 2203
+91 124 403 6823
Our services: Lall Lahiri & Salhotra is one of the first and most successful +91 124 238 4898
IP practices in India, with over 28 years of experience. LLS provides the
full range of advisory services on all matters relating to intellectual prop- Email
erty including IP management strategies, alternative dispute resolution, gpo@lls.in
IP prosecution and litigation. Our litigation, opposition and prosecution Rahul@lls.in
teams, with excellent track records, are regarded as leaders in the field.
Contact person
Our partners and associates have successfully litigated all over the coun- Mr Rahul Chaudhry
try in diverse jurisdictions, from lowest to the highest courts in India. We Partner
have also, on behalf of our clients, carried out trademark, patent, design
and copyright filings worldwide. LLS focuses on each client’s individual Website
requirements and has, in the last 28 years, provided client-specific services www.lls.in
across all industry segments.
LLS has been a partner to some of the biggest names in IP by enabling cor-
porate houses and individuals to manage the most complex and diverse
portfolios and providing consultation on the most fruitful exploitation of IP
rights, keeping in mind the business goals of each of its clients. We have
been instrumental in providing enforcement strategies to our clients that
meet their specific business needs, ranging from civil or criminal action to
customs and border actions.
The firm operates on the principle of specialized teams for each manner of
work that the firm undertakes to ensure that every matter of a client is serv-
iced by experienced professionals. At the same time we maintain flexibility
between teams to ensure collaboration between various professionals for
matters involving complex and overlapping actions. We believe that in a
client’s interests, our own interests lie and therefore work towards ensuring
that regular feedback and update is provided to clients along with short
turnaround times.
The firm’s clients include the biggest corporate names in fields as diverse
as pharmaceuticals, FMCG, consumer goods, IT, fashion, telecom, elec-
tronics, etc.
Relying on long experience and a sound grasp of legal concepts and IP

knowledge has ensured the firm’s formidable reputation and leadership
position.

Law Point
Established in 2002
• Other offices: Navi Mumbai, Pune
Telephone
Key practice areas: Real estate, corporate real estate, project finance, +91 22 4248 4248
direct & indirect taxes, Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
Fax
The firm: Law Point is a boutique real estate law firm offering compre- +91 22 4248 4249
hensive legal and financial services covering all facets of real estate
ranging from commercial, residential and infrastructure development to Email
joint venture projects. The guiding philosophy of Law Point has been lawpoint@lawpointindia.com
that legal advisory services or taxation/financial advisory services indi-
vidually and standalone cannot provide a comprehensive solution to
any real estate project. The firm has therefore developed the expertise Mumbai (head office)
to provide a suite of all-encompassing real estate solutions comprising 301, Vaibhav Chambers
legal, tax and financial services. The combined talent of the legal pro- Opp. Income Tax Office
fessionals and associated chartered accountants, which is still unusual Bandra-Kurla Complex
in the current legal scenario in India, ensures that every project benefits Bandra (E), Mumbai – 400 051
from the expertise of a well balanced team, bringing in the requisite India
expertise in all aspects of the client brief.
Law Point’s niche lies in catering to the pre as well as post requirements
of a client participating in a real estate project, with the objective of pro- Mumbai (Fort)
viding end-to-end solutions from due diligence to tax structuring, thus Office No 43 & 46-B, 4th floor
providing a one-stop solution for the entire project. While providing the Bombay Mutual Chambers
entire range of services pertaining to real estate, the firm’s distinctive- 19/21, Ambalal Doshi Marg, Fort
ness lies in its expert advice/solutions in the areas of regulatory guide- Mumbai – 400 023, India
lines, valuation and allied tax laws which ensure a tax-efficient proposal
and solution to the client. Moreover, the firm’s proficiency in proactively
exploring all options pertaining to a project has enabled it to establish Navi Mumbai
a unique identity as it is able to diagnose inherent lacunae and detect 2, Neel Atharva
potential hurdles and roadblocks at the inception of any deal and is Opp. Durga Mata Temple
therefore able to design a workable solution addressing the income tax, Telephone Exchange Road
capital gain tax, FEMA laws, Reserve Bank guidelines, service tax, VAT Panvel, Navi Mumbai – 410 206
and stamp duty implications. This capability also translates into suc- India
cessful and speedy conclusion of contracts.
Our services: Services offered include legal, technical, secretarial, Pune

financial due diligence, investment/transaction structuring, advisory 245, Sohrab Hall
services on land-use and zoning regulations, debt structuring for real 21, Sasoon Road
estate venture capital funds, financial structuring, stamp duty and reg- Pune – 411 001, India
istration procedures and all related documentation for concluding of
simple as well as complex contracts.
The breadth of transactions includes setting up of information technol- Contacts
ogy parks, industrial parks, special economic zones, integrated special Joyita Sabharwal
townships and malls, mhada/society redevelopments, slum rehabilita- joyita@lawpointindia.com
tion developments, the acquisition of agricultural land and commercial
contracts in real estate, where the firm extends its legal, financial advi- Samir Sanghavi
sory and documentation capabilities. samir@lawpointindia.com
The firm has also extensively advised FDI compliant domestic/foreign
funds investing in real estate projects.

Majmudar & Co
Established in 1943
• Principal offices: Mumbai, Bangalore
• Other offices: New Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai
Mr Akil Hirani
Key practice areas: Corporate, M&A, joint ventures, antitrust/competi- Managing Partner
tion, corporate finance and securities, tax, investment funds, banking and 601/ 604, Naman Centre A Wing
finance, restructuring and insolvency, IP, technology, licensing, outsourc- C-31 G-Block
ing, telecommunications, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, employment, Bandra-Kurla Complex
real property law, litigation and arbitration. Bandra (East)
Mumbai - 400 051, India
Our services: Majmudar & Co has evolved into one of India’s premier
law firms representing the who’s who of banks, companies and financial Telephone
institutions. The firm specializes in corporate, M&A, joint ventures, anti- +91 22 6123 7272
trust/competition, corporate finance and securities, tax, investment funds,
banking and finance, restructuring and insolvency, IP, technology, licensing, Fax
outsourcing, telecommunication, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, employ- +91 22 6123 7252
ment, and real property law. It also has an active litigation and arbitration
practice that cuts across all of the firm’s practice areas. Email
akil@majmudarindia.com
Our people: The best-known personalities of the firm are its managing
partner, Mr Akil Hirani; senior advisor and partner, Mr AK Hirani; partner,
Mr Rukshad Davar; partner, Mr Neerav Merchant; tax of-counsel, Mr Anil Mr Neerav Merchant
Asher; and Bangalore office partner, Mr N Raja Sujith. Partner
21/4, Ismail Building
Mr. Akil Hirani, who has been in practice for over 19 years, is admitted in 381, Dr DN Road, Flora Fountain
England & Wales and California (currently inactive) and India. He oversees Mumbai - 400 001, India
the firm’s transactional, regulatory, and finance practice groups. Mr AK
Hirani, who has been in practice for over 40 years, is a specialist in bank- Telephone
ing and real property law. Mr Rukshad Davar is a corporate/M&A partner +91 22 6610 1131
and Mr Neerav Merchant heads the company/commercial and dispute
resolution teams. Mr Anil Asher co-heads the tax practice and Mr N Raja Fax
Sujith is a foreign investment, corporate, technology, and employment law +91 22 6610 1135
specialist in the Bangalore office.
Email
Accolades: Chambers Asia describes Majmudar & Co as a full-service nmerchant@majmudarindia.com
outfit and lauds the firm for its responsiveness. In the 2011 edition of
Chambers Asia, the firm’s clients have praised the firm for its “knowledge-
able and experienced team with strong and effective professional networks Mr N Raja Sujith
throughout India”. The firm’s clients have described Majmudar & Co’s Partner
turnaround time as “phenomenal” and have praised the lawyers as being 202, Pride Elite
“practical and creative”. Additionally, the firm’s clients have conveyed to 10, Museum Road
Chambers Asia that Majmudar & Co offers “expertise on big-ticket mat- Bangalore – 560 001, India
ters”, and ensures that its advice is simple such that the clients “follow the
lawyer’s thinking”. Telephone
+91 80 4147 0000
Clients interviewed by the Asia Pacific Legal 500 have acclaimed the firm
for its “exceptional team”, “high level of service”, “top-quality advice”, Fax
“responsiveness, and timely and clearly stated legal advice demonstrating +91 80 4147 0010
high level of technical ability”. In addition, the firm’s clients have stated that
“the firm’s lawyers are clear in their communications, practical, and work Email
hard to meet tight deadlines”, “understand both the US and Indian side of nraja@majmudarindia.com
transactions” and “present matters in a clear and accessible way”.
Website
www.majmudarindia.com

Malvi Ranchoddas & Co

Established in 1896
III Floor, Yusuf Building
Key practice areas: Corporate, real estate, litigation, commercial con- Mahatma Gandhi Road, Fort
tracts, public trust laws. Mumbai - 400 001, India
Our services: The firm, a member of Mackrell International, a network of Telephone

independent law firms in 42 countries, maintains a pan-India presence with +91 22 6611 4800
working associations with mid-sized law firms in major metros across India.
Corporate practice includes incorporation of companies, due diligence, Fax
structuring, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, preferential allotments, +91 22 6633 1802
qualified institutions placement, foreign investment, securities and foreign
exchange laws. Email
Real estate practice includes due diligence, title certification, structuring, prakashmehta@malvirco.com
documentation, advice on societies, condominiums and related statutes.
Litigation practice includes civil, commercial, corporate litigation, arbitration, Contact person
writs, debt recovery, testamentary, contract enforcement, indirect taxation, Mr Prakash Mehta
drafting and conducting matters in courts and tribunals. Managing Partner
Public trust law practice includes preparation of constitutional documents,
formation/registration of trusts/societies, statutory compliances/filings, rep-
resenting before the competent authorities.
The firm also advises clients on partnership-related matters.
Manilal Kher Ambalal & Co

Established in 1918
MKA Chambers
Key practice areas: Asset acquisitions, admiralty, banking & finance, British Hotel Lane
capital markets & securities, anti-trust & competition law, criminal litigation, Off Mumbai Samachar Marg
corporate & commercial, cyber law, dispute resolution, domestic/foreign Fort, Mumbai - 400 001
arbitration, due diligence, guidance to overseas clients in legal and regula- India
tory aspects, insurance, IP, infrastructure, media & entertainment, mergers
and de-mergers, takeovers and acquisitions, real estate, telecommunica- Telephone
tions (in contentious and non-contentious areas). +91 22 6637 0406
Our services: The firm, inaugurated in 1918, is one of the few firms to be Fax
inaugurated by a high court judge, Justice Sir FCO Beaman. The firm acts +91 22 2269 0293
for a spectrum of clients across a wide continuum of industry sectors,
including banking, realty, multinationals, corporate bodies, infrastructure, Email
trading and manufacturing companies including the insurance sector. mka@mkaco.com
The firm has consistently featured in the Asia Pacific Legal 500 as Contact
“Preferred Lawyers” in the areas of “corporate: M&A” and “dispute reso- Mr Vikram Trivedi
lution”. The firm offers a rich blend of experience, creativity topped with Managing Partner
the vigour of youth.

Mulla & Mulla & Craigie

Blunt & Caroe
Established in 1895
Contact us
• Number of partners: 14 Mumbai

• Number of associates: 100+ Mulla House, 51 MG Road
• Principal office: Mumbai Fort, Mumbai - 400 001, India
• Other offices: New Delhi, Bangalore
Telephone
Key practice areas: Admiralty, arbitration (domestic & international), +91 22 2204 4960
aviation, banking & securities, broadcasting, capital markets, construc- +91 22 2262 3191
tion, commodities, company/commercial law, customs & tariff, employ-
ment & industrial relations, energy (oil & gas), media and entertainment, Fax
environmental, finance (aircraft, ship & project), foreign investment, IT, +91 22 2204 0246
infrastructure projects (power & ports), intellectual property, insurance, +91 22 6634 5497
litigation, logistics, maritime & shipping, M&A, offshore investment &
securities, privatization, real estate & property, tax, trade & transport, Email
telecommunications. info@mullaandmulla.com
Our services: Mulla & Mulla & Craigie Blunt & Caroe is one of India’s larg- Contact
est law full-service law firms today and has a broad-based practice with Mr Shardul Thacker
diversified clientele including MNCs and Fortune 500 companies as well Partner
as several of the largest 50 Indian corporate houses. It maintains excel-
lent relationships with regulatory bodies and is able to arrange dialogues
between them and clients. Several partners and lawyers are qualified
solicitors of the Supreme Court of England & Wales and Hong Kong. Bangalore
The firm has a very strong practice in areas of corporate & commer- 209, Regency Enclave
cial law, and banking & finance laws. It also has enormous experience 4 Magrath Road
in corporate M&As and joint venture-related work and acts for various Bangalore - 560 025, India
MNCs for structuring their presence in India. The firm has a very strong
trademark practice and IP litigation department and has acted in various Telephone
passing off/infringement actions. It also has an extensive litigation and +91 80 2555 0370
arbitration practice. +91 802559 7704
The firm’s admiralty practice has a worldwide reputation as specialists in
all aspects of the shipping laws. The firm’s aviation experience includes Fax
acquisitions, investment, transfers of aircrafts, lease of aircrafts licences/ +91 80 2559 8549
registration with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, etc.
The firm has extensive experience in litigation and arbitration (ICC, LCIA, Email
SIAC). The firm’s dispute resolution practice encompasses international info@mullaandmulla.com
arbitration, antitrust, securities, etc.
For 40 years it has been the annual reviser of the India Law Digest for
Martindale Hubbell. It contributes to Euromoney’s banking yearbooks and is
the Indian correspondent for Lloyd’s Maritime and Commercial Quarterly. New Delhi
Partners travel widely for their work in India and overseas and speak at 502, Nilgiri Apartments
many international conferences. The firm has a wide referral network and 5th floor, 9 Barakhamba Road
has built close relations with law firms globally. New Delhi -110 001, India
Awards and accolades: Telephone

+91 11 2332 1501
2011 – Ranked in the first band for Dispute Resolution by Chambers Asia +91 11 2332 1513
2011 – Trade Marks Law Firm of the Year by Finance Monthly Law Awards
2011 – Shipping Law Firm of the Year in India by Corporate INTL Fax
2011 – Shipping & Maritime Law Firm of the Year, India, by ACQ Law Awards +91 11 2332 1520
2010 – India Business Law Journal award for Dispute Resolution
2010 – IP Litigation Law Firm of the Year in India by Corporate INTL Email
2010 – India Business Law Journal award for Construction and Real Estate info@mullaandmulla.com
2010 – India Business Law Journal award for Shipping, Maritime & Aviation
2010 – Transport Law Firm of the Year, India, by Corporate INTL

Naik Naik & Company

Established in 2004
Head office
Key practice areas: TMT, corporate/commercial transactions, dispute 116-B, Mittal Towers, Nariman Point
resolution, real estate, banking & finance, project finance, capital markets. Mumbai – 400 021, India
Tel: +91 22 2285 4658/4659
Our services: We started our practice in 2004 with a focus on the emerg- Fax: +91 22 2285 4660
ing sector of media and entertainment. Within a short span of time, our firm Email: ameetnaik@nnico.com
achieved remarkable success in the TMT space: Contact: Ameet Naik
• Rated a leading law firm by Chambers in 2007; Andheri (West), Mumbai

• Ranked a “band 1” firm by Chambers & Partners in 2009; and Office No.4, 3rd Floor, Woodrow
• A winner of India Business Law Journal’s 2010 Indian Law Firm Award Veera Desai Road, Andheri (West)
for IT, media & telecommunications Mumbai - 400 053, India
Tel: +91 22 2285 4658/4659
We have now successfully established ourselves as a transactional and Fax: +91 22 2285 4660
advisory firm with some great experience in mergers & acquisitions and Email: madhuchaudhary@nnico.com
cross-border transactions in sectors like entertainment, real estate, retail Contact: Madhu Chaudhary
and technology. The firm has also developed a successful, pan-India litiga-
tion practice, having handled some of the top-end and high-stake litiga- Website
tion matters before the Supreme Court, high courts, forums and tribunals, www.naiknaik.com
including the CCI, CLB, TDSAT, APTEL and others.
Phoenix Legal
Established in 2008
• Principal offices: Mumbai, New Delhi
Mumbai
Key practice areas: Antitrust & competition, banking & finance, CMT, CS-242, 1st Floor
commercial contracts, corporate & securities laws, arbitration & litigation, Mathuradas Mill Compound
energy, oil & gas, environment, employment & industrial relations, foreign NM Joshi Marg, Lower Parel
investment & exchange control, infrastructure & project finance, insur- Mumbai - 400 013, India
ance, intellectual property, international trade, information technology & Telephone: +91 22 4340 8500
outsourcing, joint ventures, foreign & technical collaborations, mergers Fax: +91 22 4340 8501
& acquisitions, mining & resources, private equity & funds, real estate, Email: sawant.singh@phoenixlegal.in
regulatory affairs, taxation. Contact: Sawant Singh
Our services: Phoenix Legal is a full-service law firm offering an extensive New Delhi
range of transactional, regulatory, advisory and dispute resolution services. 2nd Floor, 254
The firm advises a diverse clientele, including domestic and international Okhla Industrial Estate, Phase III
companies, banks and financial institutions, funds, promoter groups and New Delhi - 110 020, India
public sector undertakings. Telephone: +91 11 4983 0000
Fax: +91 11 4983 0099
Our offices are located in New Delhi and Mumbai. Email: abhishek.saxena@
phoenixlegal.in
Contact: Abhishek Saxena

Rajani Associates
Established in 1999
204-207 Krishna Chambers
Key practice areas: Mergers & acquisitions, private equity, capital mar- 59 New Marine Lines
kets, corporate litigation & arbitration, intellectual property rights, corpo- Mumbai 400020, India
rate & commercial, banking & finance, setting up & advising mutual funds/
VCF/FIIs & other NBFCs, projects, real estate & trust. Telephone
+91 22 4096 1000
Our services: Rajani Associates has been involved in domestic and inter-
national practice in nearly all fields of corporate law as well as commercial Fax
litigation and property laws. +91 22 4096 1010
We offer clients a tailored set of services across a wide range of legal dis- Email
ciplines and in a growing number of sectors. Several factors set us apart in contactus@rajaniassocaites.net
the marketplace and have allowed us to build long-standing, value-driven
relationships with clients Website
www.rajaniassociates.net
• We provide simple solutions to complex problems
• We have the resources to respond quickly to business needs
• We deliver a high quality service
• We work efficiently and transparently to keep fees to a minimum
Credentials:
• Market analyst Bloomberg rated Rajani Associates the number one

firm in Asia (ex-Japan) in its list of depository receipts issuer advisers
consistently for the year 2008.
• Rajani Associates is continuously sharing space in PE & M&A league

tables issued by Venture Intelligence from time to time (www.venture-
intelligence.in).
• Chambers & Partners said “This firm is making great headway in the
market, thanks largely to its amazing client service & efficiency”.
Clients affirmed: “It is always available for us and, because of its deep
experience in investment matters, it can find creative & non-conver-
sional solutions that we like.”
• Client recommends Rajani Associates: “In general I would recommend

Rajani Associates which has very good service delivery to their clients.
They are more efficient in terms of service than some of the larger law
firms & believe in good customer service.”

RK Dewan & Co
Established in 1942
• Sole proprietorship
• Other offices: New Delhi, Pune, Chennai, Kolkata Mumbai
Podar Chambers, SA Brelvi Road
Key practice areas: The firm actively advises its clients on all IPRs, Fort, Mumbai - 400 001, India,
including patents, trademarks, copyrights and designs. The firm’s serv- Tel: +91 22 6177 5300, 2266 1662
ices include selecting brands, identifying inventions and potential designs Fax: +91 22 2265 0159
for protection. It is involved in activities aimed at protecting, maintaining Contact: Dr Mohan Dewan
and managing IPRs of its clients. Additionally, the firm is involved in IPR dewan@rkdewanmail.com
litigation at the IPR offices, the Intellectual Property Appellate Board and
through various tiers of courts in India. Pune
Contact: Dr Niti Dewan
Our services: RK Dewan & Co is an IPR boutique firm currently repre- niti_dewan@rkdewanmail.com
senting over 3,000 clients worldwide and has an extensive practice which
includes IPR prosecution, consultation, conveyance, management and New Delhi
litigation. The firm’s clientele comprises associates from world over, cor- Contact: Adv Nirbhay Bhardwaj
porate clients, academic institutions, scientific and research organizations nkbhardwaj@rkdewanmail.com
and individuals who are from diverse fields such as software, electronics
and telecommunication, automobile, mechanical engineering, power sec- Chennai
tor, pharmaceuticals, food packaging technology, biotechnology, process Contact: Adv Nithya S
equipment, etc. chennai@rkdewan.com
RS & Co Law Offices

Established in 2011
• Principal office: Delhi (Noida)
• Associate offices: Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai, Kolkata, RS House
Hyderabad, Chandigarh and a domestic network with local counsel at G-91, Golf Links, Sector 41
more than 40 other locations throughout India Noida – 201 303, (Delhi NCR), India
Key practice areas: Corporate & commercial laws, M&As, FDI, JVs, for- Telephone
mation of businesses and their reorganization, cross-border transactions, +91 120 454 2138
corporate compliances and regulatory, government relations, banking &
finance, private equity, capital markets, Infrastructure, technology transfers, Mobile
licensing and franchise, real estate, media, secretarial services, contracts, +91 98 11213428
negotiations, anti-trust and competition, investigations, white collar crimes,
employment, operations audits and due diligence, legal risks management, Email
tax controversies and planning, trademark, copyright, patent and design law, rsco@rslegal.co.in
IP litigation, breach of confidentiality/trade secrets, litigation in district courts,
high courts, the Supreme Court and tribunals and commercial arbitration. Contact person
Rai S Mittal
Our services: The firm is recommended for personalized services and the (rsmittal@rslegal.co.in)
direct involvement and availability of its senior and experienced profes-
sionals. The firm appreciates the value of clients’ resources and rigidly Website
adopts a commercial and problem-solving approach, adding value to cli- www.rslegal.co.in
ents’ businesses and decision-making processes.

Seth Associates
Established in 2003
• Other office: Noida Noida
B-10 Sector 40
Key practice areas: Cyberlaws, corporate laws, international trade, food Noida - 201 301, India
and drugs laws, franchising laws, intellectual property law, employment
laws, family laws, real estate laws, general civil litigation, anti-dumping Tel: +91 120 435 2846, 250 0052
laws, international commercial arbitration. Fax: + 91 120 433 1304
Email: karnika@sethassociates.com
Our services: Seth Associates has unmatched expertise in specialized Contact: Karnika Seth, Partner
areas of law, including cyberlaws, food and drugs laws, intellectual prop-
erty, anti-dumping laws, employment laws and other areas. The firm deals
in both contentious and non-contentious work. The firm set up the first New Delhi
Cyberlaws Consulting centre in India in 2009 and advises clients on cyber- C-1/16 Daryaganj
crime issues, cyberstalking, hacking, domain name disputes, data thefts New Delhi - 110 002, India
and other cyberlaw issues.
Tel: +91 11 6535 2272
The firm undertakes drafting of cybercontracts and IT-related legal work Email: aseth@sethassociates.com
and actively handles cyber-litigation. The firm has actively trained police Contact: Amit Seth, Partner
personnel, members of the judiciary, IT professionals and chartered
accountants in cybercrime law and enforcement.
Seth Dua & Associates

Established in 1998
• Languages spoken: English, German, Hindi, vernacular Indian lan- 601,602, 603, 607 & 608
guages (Punjabi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Bangla). DLF South Court, Saket
Key practice areas: Aviation, aerospace & defence, automotive, banking &
finance, capital markets/securities, corporate & commercial (M&A), cross- Tel: + 91 11 416 444 00
border investments and transactions, competition law, dispute resolution Fax: + 91 11 416 44 500
& litigation, hospitality & leisure, infrastructure projects, energy & natural
resources, intellectual property, PPP, procurement, private equity & venture
capital, real estate & construction, direct taxes/indirect taxes, international Contacts
trade & WTO, telecom, media and technology (TMT). Sunil Seth, Senior Partner
sunil.seth@sethdua.com
Our services: Seth Dua & Associates is a leading full-service Indian law Tel: +91 98 10055100
firm headquartered in New Delhi. The firm specializes in corporate, com-
mercial and tax laws relevant to M&A, joint ventures, foreign investments Atul Dua, Senior Partner
and cross-border transactions. The firm has established a leading posi- atul.dua@sethdua.com
tion in the practice areas of TMT, infrastructure and energy projects, real Tel: +91 98 10162645
estate and construction, international trade and tax services. Seth Dua &
Associates advises leading multinational and domestic clients. The profes-
sional strength of the firm is derived from a unique combination of legal, tax Website: www.sethdua.com
and dispute resolution services that can be offered to clients.

Singhania & Partners

Established in 1999
• Principal office: Noida (NCR of Delhi)
• Other offices: New Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai B 92, 9th Floor, Himalaya House
23, Kasturba Gandhi Marg
Key practice areas: Anti-dumping, aviation, bid process management, New Delhi - 110 001
banking & project finance, capital markets, corporate & commercial, cross- India
border transactions, employment , foreign direct investment, infrastructure,
insurance, intellectual property, international trade, litigation & arbitrations,
mergers & acquisitions, public-private partnership, private equity, regula- Contact
tory & compliance, taxation. Mr Ravi Singhania
Senior Partner
Our firm: Singhania & Partners is a full-service national law firm with a rs@singhania.in
successful international law practice out of its offices in New Delhi, Noida,
Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai. The firm is empanelled with the
Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs, for providing legal Noida (NCR of Delhi)
services in public-private partnership transactions for both central and Telephone: +91 120 463 1000
state agencies. Fax: +91 120 463 1001
Email: ncr@singhania.in
Sectors: The firm offers advice relating to a wide range of sectors, includ-
ing: aviation, automotive, construction, banking, defence, education, food,
franchise, real estate, technology, telecom, infrastructure and mining. New Delhi
Telephone: +91 11 4153 1000
Clients: Our clients include blue-chip majors such as ABS Group, AOL, Fax: +91 11 4153 1001
Altera Corporation, AVI-OIL, Brightpoint, Boortmalt, Choice Hotels, CTCI, Email: del@singhania.in
Denel, Dorma, Egis International, Flagstone, General Electric, Greenpoint,
GMR Hyderabad International Airport, Herbalife, IJM Infrastructure, Indian
Minerals Corporation, Jones Lang-LaSalle, Louis Berger, McGraw-Hill Bangalore
Companies, Mentor Graphics, New Holland Fiat, National Instruments, Telephone: +91 80 4113 1900
Network Solution Inc, Powerwave, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ricoh India, Fax: +91 80 4113 1901
Raytheon, Resort Condominiums International, Sharp, Standard & Poor’s, Email: blr@singhania.in
Scott Wilson, Technopak, Telenor, Telent (formerly Marconi) and Verizon.
They also include PSUs and ministries such as Power Finance Corporation, Hyderabad
Security Printing & Minting Corporation, IFCI, Infrastructure Development Telephone: +91 40 6581 0662
Finance Company, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Railways, Fax: +91 40 2322 6219
the Ministry of Surface Transport, the Ministry of Road Transport and Email: hyd@singhania.in
Highways, the Ministry of Power, etc.
Mumbai
Telephone: +91 22 2288 5550
Fax: +91 22 2288 5560
Email: mum@singhania.in
Website
www.singhania.in

Solomon & Co
Established in 1909
Calcot House, 3rd Floor
Key practice areas: Corporate, business & trade law, banking & finance, 8/10 MP Shetty Marg
capital markets, real estate, litigation & arbitration, insurance, intellectual Tamarind Street
property. Fort, Mumbai - 400 023, India
Our services: Solomon & Co is an independent Indian law firm that was Tel: +91 22 6627 3900
founded in 1909. Solomon & Co has three offices in the city of Mumbai, the Fax: +91 22 2281 6192
commercial and financial capital of India. Email: solomonco@slmnco.in
Solomon & Co is a full-service law firm which advises Indian and interna-
tional companies and high-net-worth individuals on all aspects of Indian Contact person
law. Solomon & Co distinguishes itself through excellence in service via Mr Aaron Solomon
a focused and personal approach. The corporate, commercial, banking & Partner
finance, real estate, litigation, arbitration and intellectual property practices
are especially reputed. Website
www.slmnco.in
Solomon & Co brings the skills and expertise of a larger law firm in a leaner,
mid-sized, efficient and more approachable legal package. Our lawyers
have in-depth legal and sector expertise and commercial awareness with a
“can-do” service attitude and experience in cross-border assignments.
SRGR Law Offices

Established in 2009
• Principal office: Noida (NCR of Delhi)
A-3, 3rd Floor
Our services: SRGR Law Offices is a full-service law firm representing a Sector-4
diverse range of clients, both domestic and international. The firm enjoys Noida (UP) - 201 301
excellent working relationships with several international law firms and, (NCR of Delhi), India
hence, is capable in handling requirements of cross-border transactions in
a cost-effective and efficient manner. Telephone
+91 120 433 3884-87
SRGR is especially adept in handling large-sized complex corporate trans-
actions like mergers & acquisitions, corporate restructuring, joint ventures, Fax
inbound & outbound investments, private equity and venture capital invest- +91 120 433 3889
ment transactions, real estate, infrastructure projects, project finance, liti-
gation and dispute resolution. Email
ravi.bishnoi@srgrlaw.com
SRGR’s strength is its team of experienced professionals who treasure the
value of diligence and knowledge as well as creativity and innovation in Contact person
addressing clients’ needs. The firm aims to offer legal solutions that exceed Ravi Bishnoi
clients’ expectations. Partner

SS Rana & Co
Established in 1989
Registered Office
Key practice areas: Trademarks, patents, industrial designs, copyright, 317, Lawyers’ Chambers
domain names, geographical indications, semiconductor IC design, IP High Court of Delhi
licensing, IP audits, IP management strategies, IP enforcement, IP litiga- New Delhi - 110 003, India
tion, IT law, corporate and commercial laws, technology transfer-specific
services. Telephone
+91 11 3056 2000
Our services: SS Rana & Co is one of the reputed law firms of India spe-
cializing in all aspects of intellectual property law. Founded in 1989, the firm Fax
provides impeccable services in respect of contentious and non-conten- +91 11 3056 2010
tious intellectual property-related matters, business and commercial laws.
It provides effective and proactive services to its clients, ensuring that their Email
intellectual property rights are secured, protected, defended and enforced. sohan@ssrana.com
Senior partners of the firm have more than four decades’ experience in the
field of law and under their aegis and immaculate leadership the young, Contact
dynamic and professionally qualified team toil hard to ensure that every Mr Sohan Singh Rana
client receives their undivided attention and benefits from the firm’s broad
expertise.
The firm makes constant endeavours for maximum utilization of time, New Delhi
resources and legal knowledge to provide effective and efficient services 81/2, 2nd Floor, Aurobindo Marg
to its clients. New Delhi - 110 016, India
Our team: The firm’s IP practice is spearheaded by Mr Vikrant Rana, who Telephone
has over 15 years’ experience in intellectual property laws, including all +91 11 3056 2000 (10 lines)
aspects of trademarks, patents, designs, copyrights and IP litigation. He has
been advising some of the world’s most esteemed corporations from dispa- Fax
rate fields including food and beverages, IT, e-commerce, and health and +91 11 3056 2010
fitness, on a range of contentious and non-contentious IP matters.
Email
The firm comprises professionally qualified lawyers, legal associates, patent vikrant@ssrana.com
agents and technical experts from multifarious streams such as information lucy@ssrana.com
technology, biotechnology, chemistry, pharmacy, applied science and busi-
ness administration. Contacts
Mr Vikrant Rana
The firm’s clientele comprises many Fortune 500 companies and several Mrs Lucy Rana
esteemed and reputed international and national corporations. Its long-
standing relationship with its clients speaks laurels of its diligent and stra-
tegic legal services provided over the years. The accretion in number of
clients bears testimony to the world-class proactive legal services and close Website
personal attention provided by the firm. www.ssrana.com
The firm has invested in information technology systems for efficient file man-
agement and the retrieval of client information and data, while maintaining
the highest degree of data security and confidentiality. The firm understands
its corporate social responsibility and actively participates in IP sensitization
programmes for raising IP awareness organized by government and non-
government bodies, namely: TIFAC, PFC, PIC, FICCI, TERI and MSSI.
The firm also offers pro bono services to support the cause of grassroots
innovators to enable them to monetize their innovations and benefit from the
burgeoning rural industries in India. The firm is always willing to offer help to
deserving and needy artisans, creators and innovators.

Swarup & Company

Established in 1980
6th Floor, JK Building, Vipps Centre
Key practice areas: Acquisitions, joint ventures, reconstruction of No 2 Masjid Moth, LSC
companies, mergers & liquidations, conveyancing, investments, foreign Greater Kailash-II
investments & public offers, corporate & commercial law, banking, insur- New Delhi – 110048, India
ance, construction, entertainment & media, aviation & airports, power
generation & distribution, oil, gas & petrochemical, telecom, chemicals Telephone
& fertilizers, infrastructure & highways, finance & banking, mining, infor- +91 11 2922 1435, 2922 5875
mation technology, automobiles, FMCG, health & allied services, multi-
domain mega corporations. Fax
+91 11 2922 8625, 2921 2904
Our services: Swarup & Company has been in service for over three
decades and has carved a niche for itself as a versatile law firm with Email
an ability to meet the exacting and changing demands of its clients. swarupco@swarupco.com
The firm has been representing and advising national and multinational sswarup@swarupco.com
majors, public sector companies, institutional lenders, investment bsaxena@swarupco.com
bankers, financial institutions and a host of other corporations in all
areas of law. Contacts
Its associated firm, Swarup & Associates, is a leading litigation firm Mr Shailendra Swarup
involved with many high-profile corporate litigations and commercial Ms Bindu Saxena
disputes.
Trilegal
Established in 2000
• Principal offices: New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad
Bangalore
Key practice areas: Corporate, mergers & acquisitions, private equity Telephone: +91 80 4343 4646
& venture capital, banking & finance, capital markets, projects, energy & Fax: +91 80 4343 4699
infrastructure, real estate, dispute resolution, competition law, TMT and Contact: Rahul Matthan
labour & employment.
New Delhi
Our services: Trilegal is a full-service law firm with over 150 lawyers across Telephone: +91 11 4163 9393
offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Operating at the Fax: +91 11 4163 9292
forefront of the Indian market, Trilegal advises on some of the largest, most Contacts: Anand Prasad, Akshay Jaitly
complex and cutting-edge domestic and cross-border transactions across
the range of practice areas. Mumbai
Telephone: +91 22 4079 1000
Rated as one of India’s magic circle law firms by India Business Law Journal, Fax: +91 22 4079 1098
Trilegal’s strength lies in the combination of its international experience and Contacts: Karan Singh, Sridhar Gorthi
its intimate knowledge of issues unique to the Indian market.
Hyderabad
Telephone: +91 40 2355 6781
Fax: +91 40 2355 6779
Contact: Pavan Kumar

Vidhii Partners
Established in 2009
• Other offices: New Delhi, Kolkata, Bandra (Mumbai) Mumbai
Tel: +91 22 4355 8555
Key practice areas: Litigation, arbitration & ADR, banking & finance, vidhii.mumbai@vidhiipartners.com
capital markets, criminal law, due diligence, employment laws, media Contact person: Mr Manish Desai
laws, M&A, private equity, real estate, SEBI laws, securitization & asset
reconstruction. Media Law Office (Mumbai)
Tel: +91 22 2643 7326
Our services: The team constitutes a unique combination of litigation and medialaw@vidhiipartners.com
non-litigation lawyers enabling us to cater to our clients as a full-service law Contact person: Ms Nandini Mehta
firm. Our direct litigation experience enables us to innovatively strategize
and advise our clients on corporate issues. We have handled hard-core New Delhi
civil and criminal litigation on the one hand and advised clients on complex Tel: +91 11 4575 6742
real estate and corporate issues on the other. vidhii.delhi@vidhiipartners.com
Contact person: Mr Ajay Kumar
We believe in putting in our best effort to assist our clients in achieving their
objectives and that the key word to success is “delivery”. This philosophy Kolkata
has enabled us to forge strong ties with our clients and encouraged us to Tel: +91 33 4001 4224
open new offices. We derive a distinct advantage from the geographical vidhii.kolkata@vidhiipartners.com
locations of our offices as well as those of our alliance partners in Chennai, Contact person: Ms Deepti Mohan
Bengaluru, Jodhpur, Pune, Kolhapur and Nagpur.
YJ Trivedi & Co
Established in 1970
• Principal office: Ahmedabad (Gujarat) Contact us
• Other offices: Surat (Gujarat), Rajasthan, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune
& Canada (liaison office) City Square, 2nd floor
• Memberships: INTA, AIPLA, APAA, ECTA, AIPPI, IPLPA & MARQUES Nr. Regional Passport Office
Polytechnic, Ahmedabad - 380 015
Key practice areas: Patent drafting, filing and prosecution, patent litiga- India
tion, trademark practice, copyright, IP management & strategic counseling,
IP licensing, due diligence, audit & valuation. Telephone
+91 79 2630 3777
Our services: Since 1970, YJ Trivedi & Co has been at the forefront of the +91 79 2630 5040
IP arena, assisting companies, institutions and individuals by providing
them the full range of IP services from prosecution to litigation. The firm Fax
is backed by an experienced and efficient in-house team of strategically +91 79 2630 2223
selected legal and paralegal associates and counsel.
Email
The firm has also put in place a wide network of associates across India info@yjtrivedi.com
and abroad, thus providing exemplary, cost-effective and efficient legal
service to our clients around the world. Website
www.yjtrivedi.com
The firm prides itself on a culture of commitment to one another and its
clients. Contact: Mr Jatin Trivedi

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India’s legal market Intelligence report

India Business Law Journal’s

Legal Market Report

Legal Market Report: page 36

July/August 2011 India Business Law Journal 35

To accompany this year’s directory of Indian law firms, India Business

36 India Business Law Journal July/August 2011

July/August 2011 India Business Law Journal 37

Opening the floodgates

38 India Business Law Journal July/August 2011

July/August 2011 India Business Law Journal 39

40 India Business Law Journal July/August 2011

Restructuring and refinancing

Sandeep Parekh, the managing partner of Finsec Law

July/August 2011 India Business Law Journal 41

A changing legal landscape

42 India Business Law Journal July/August 2011

July/August 2011 India Business Law Journal 43

ALMT Legal acts as corporate/commercial, tax and employment law

44 India Business Law Journal July/August 2011

Amarchand & Mangaldas &

• Number of partners: 49 New Delhi

Such pre-eminent counselling by Amarchand Mangaldas has earned the Telephone

• ILO Client Choice Awards 2011.

• Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation Award 2010.

July/August 2011 India Business Law Journal 45

Anand and Anand

46 India Business Law Journal July/August 2011

Key practice areas: General corporate, mergers & acquisitions, private

AZB & Partners

July/August 2011 India Business Law Journal 47

Bharucha & Partners

Chitale & Chitale Partners

48 India Business Law Journal July/August 2011

Dave & Girish & Co

Please visit our website at www.davegirish.com. Contacts

July/August 2011 India Business Law Journal 49

50 India Business Law Journal July/August 2011

Economic Laws Practice

July/August 2011 India Business Law Journal 51

• Number of partners and associates: 55+

Gopakumar Nair Associates

Contact: Dr Gopakumar G Nair

52 India Business Law Journal July/August 2011

India Law Services

IPR International Services

Our services: IPR International Services is a specialist intellectual Telephone

Our prime concern is to provide a service of quality and professionalism. Websites

July/August 2011 India Business Law Journal 53

Berjis Desai, Managing Partner

54 India Business Law Journal July/August 2011

Kanga & Company

July/August 2011 India Business Law Journal 55

Karanjawala & Company

56 India Business Law Journal July/August 2011

Krishna & Saurastri

• Number of partners: 5 New Excelsior Building, 7th Floor

July/August 2011 India Business Law Journal 57

Lall Lahiri & Salhotra

Relying on long experience and a sound grasp of legal concepts and IP

58 India Business Law Journal July/August 2011

Our services: Services offered include legal, technical, secretarial, Pune

July/August 2011 India Business Law Journal 59