India (asialaw)

ALMT Legal is a full-service Indian law firm with a long-established presence across key commercial centres including Mumbai and Bangalore. Since its establishment in 2000, the firm has built a reputation for advising domestic and international clients on complex corporate, transactional, regulatory and contentious matters. Its multidisciplinary platform combines strong capabilities across corporate and M&A, private equity, banking and finance, capital markets, dispute resolution, intellectual property, real estate, tax, employment and technology matters, enabling clients to access integrated legal support across the full lifecycle of their businesses.

A defining feature of ALMT Legal is its ability to combine specialised practice expertise with a multi-jurisdictional perspective. The firm regularly advises multinational corporations, investors, financial institutions and high-growth businesses on matters involving cross-border transactions, regulatory compliance, governance, foreign investment, restructuring and strategic commercial initiatives. Its teams work closely across practice areas, allowing clients to navigate increasingly complex legal and regulatory frameworks with coordinated advice tailored to commercial objectives.

The firm's transactional practice remains one of its key strengths. ALMT Legal has developed substantial experience across corporate and commercial matters, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and capital markets work, advising clients on investment structures, governance arrangements, regulatory compliance and strategic growth initiatives. Corporate partners regularly collaborate with specialists in tax, employment and intellectual property to deliver comprehensive transaction support.

ALMT Legal has also established a strong reputation in dispute resolution and arbitration. The firm represents clients across all levels of the Indian judiciary, from trial courts to the Supreme Court of India, and has acted in matters before numerous High Courts throughout the country. Its disputes practice spans commercial litigation, employment disputes, intellectual property matters, real estate conflicts, tax proceedings and insolvency-related disputes. The team also maintains a significant international arbitration capability, having represented clients in proceedings connected with the United Kingdom, Singapore, Canada and the United States, including matters before the London Court of International Arbitration.

The firm's intellectual property, technology and media practices have continued to gain prominence as digitalisation and innovation accelerate across industries. ALMT Legal advises clients on intellectual-property protection, technology licensing, data-related matters, media and entertainment law, commercialisation strategies and digital-business issues. These capabilities are complemented by broader regulatory, corporate and tax expertise, enabling the firm to support clients operating in increasingly regulated and technology-driven sectors.

Real estate, employment and tax remain additional areas of significance. The firm advises on development projects, real estate transactions, workplace issues, workforce restructurings, compliance matters and tax planning and disputes. Its tax practice, which has operated for more than two decades, provides both advisory and litigation support for domestic and cross-border matters, reflecting the firm's commitment to offering clients practical and commercially focused solutions across a wide range of business challenges.

During the research period, ALMT Legal remained active on a number of significant domestic and cross-border mandates spanning acquisitions, private equity transactions, capital markets offerings, regulatory advisory work and complex disputes. The firm advised DUCOL Organics & Colours on its acquisition of Bitumag Industries, advised the Haymarket UK group on the sale of Haymarket SAC (India) to Spinny, and represented Maharashtra State Social Venture Fund in its exit from agri-commerce platform SuperZop. In the capital markets sphere, the team acted as issue counsel in connection with the proposed public offering of Highway Infrastructure and advised on sophisticated foreign portfolio investment regulatory matters.

Beyond transactional work, the firm continued to support international clients on market entry, corporate structuring, regulatory compliance and cross-border tax matters. The disputes team was engaged on significant shareholder and governance disputes before the National Company Law Tribunal, while the firm's tax practice advised overseas institutions on permanent-establishment risks and international operating models in India. Together, these mandates highlight the firm's ability to deliver integrated advice across corporate, regulatory, disputes and tax matters for both domestic and international clients.

The practice is led by a deep bench of senior practitioners across multiple offices. Key figures include Aliff Fazelbhoy, whose practice spans corporate transactions, tax, employment and disputes; Ryna Karani, who advises on mergers and acquisitions, banking and finance, real estate and corporate matters; Statira Ranina, who plays a leading role across private equity, intellectual property, tax and corporate work; S. Arun, who is recognised for capital markets, infrastructure and corporate matters; and Sameer Tapia, whose practice covers dispute resolution, real estate and commercial litigation. They are supported by an experienced group of partners including Rajat Bopaiah, Dhanya Menon, Souvik Paul Mazumdar, Prashant Popat, Rakesh Prabhu, Vaishakh Kapadia, Siddhi Ghatlia, Nayantara Sanyal, Junia Sebastian and others across the firm's offices.

Client feedback

“They are highly experienced in corporate law. The team works efficiently, charges reasonable fees and provides legal advice that is relevant to the commercial issues we face.” – Corporate and M&A

“They are responsive, knowledgeable and efficient.” – Corporate and M&A

“The team is committed to protecting clients’ interests and is highly responsive.” – Corporate and M&A

“The partners and staff are knowledgeable, experienced and accessible, and provide practical advice promptly.” – Private equity

“The firm combines a broad professional base and extensive collective experience with in-depth subject-matter knowledge.” – Regulatory

Nikit Bala

“He listens carefully and analyses matters from perspectives we may not have considered.”

Aliff Fazelbhoy

“Aliff is a brilliant lawyer with an excellent grasp of legal issues. His drafting skills and legal interpretation are consistently precise.”

“He is knowledgeable and demonstrates a strong understanding of clients’ needs.”

“He combines knowledge and experience with accessibility and a practical, solutions-oriented approach.”

Rakesh Prabhu

“The lawyer is accessible and responsive.”

Anand and Anand is one of India’s most established specialist intellectual property firms, combining a deep court-facing IP litigation platform with broad prosecution, advisory, commercialization and enforcement capabilities. The firm traces its roots to a pioneering parent firm with branches in Lahore, Calcutta, Delhi and Amritsar in 1923, and its modern platform was built to respond to India’s liberalizing economy and growing IP environment. Today, it operates as a full-service IP firm with 29 partners, more than 400 people and more than 100 qualified attorneys and engineers, giving it unusual depth across legal, scientific and technical disciplines. Its work spans patents, trademarks, copyrights, designs, trade secrets, confidential information, unfair competition, domain names, plant varieties, media and entertainment, IT and e-commerce, AI and emerging technologies, data, licensing, technology transfer, and corporate and commercial IP.

The firm’s market position is built around its ability to handle the full IP life cycle: creating, protecting, enforcing and monetizing intangible assets. Its practice is especially strong in high-stakes litigation, patent prosecution and opposition, trademark enforcement, non-traditional brand protection, life sciences and pharmaceutical patent disputes, and increasingly in matters involving AI, deepfakes, online misuse and digital enforcement. Recent work shows a particular emphasis on emerging areas of Indian IP law, including olfactory trademarks, publicity and personality rights, AI-related identity misuse, online brand enforcement and patent disputes involving pharma, biotechnology, plant varieties and agro-chemicals.

The firm’s leadership reflects this breadth. Pravin Anand leads litigation and is active across pharma and life sciences, patents, media and entertainment, technology, telecom, trade secrets and standard-essential patent matters. Safir Anand heads trademarks, contractual and commercial IP, branding and related practices. Archana Shanker leads patents and designs, with work across pharmaceuticals, life sciences, software, ICT, telecom, mechanical, electronics and biodiversity. Vaishali R Mittal is a senior litigation strategist active across pharma, FMCG, telecom and technology, and luxury goods. The wider bench includes partners focused on patents, plant varieties, biodiversity, licensing, white-collar IP, domain names, data privacy, e-commerce, AI, life sciences, semiconductors, consumer brands and media-related industries.

AP & Partners is a business-focused Indian law firm best known for advising clients in highly regulated and technology-driven industries where corporate strategy, regulatory compliance and contentious risk frequently intersect. The firm combines strong capabilities in corporate and regulatory matters with established practices in dispute resolution, competition law, labour and employment, and technology and telecommunications, enabling it to guide clients through both growth opportunities and complex legal challenges. Its client base includes multinational technology companies, digital platforms, public-sector enterprises, investors and emerging businesses operating in rapidly evolving regulatory environments.

A distinguishing feature of the practice is its depth in sectors undergoing significant legal and commercial transformation. The firm's lawyers regularly advise businesses across technology, e-commerce, telecommunications, transport and logistics, energy, manufacturing and digital services, with particular experience in areas such as data protection, cybersecurity, platform regulation, satellite communications and the gig economy. This combination of sector knowledge and cross-practice expertise allows the team to provide commercially grounded advice on matters that often involve overlapping corporate, regulatory, employment and disputes considerations.

The disputes practice handles complex commercial litigation, arbitration, insolvency-related proceedings and regulatory enforcement matters. Its lawyers appear before the Supreme Court of India, various High Courts, the National Company Law Tribunal, arbitral tribunals and regulatory bodies. The team also advises on corporate criminal defence, internal investigations and parallel civil and criminal proceedings, including matters involving the Serious Fraud Investigation Office, Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation. Work for central public-sector enterprises represents another important element of the practice, particularly in commercial arbitration and sector-specific regulatory disputes.

Recent mandates demonstrate the breadth of the contentious platform. The firm is defending GAIL in proceedings concerning a ₹1,000 crore arbitral award arising from a gas-marketing dispute and representing Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer in ₹500 crore multi-contract arbitration proceedings relating to a petrochemical project in Assam. It also acts for Etsy in intellectual-property and personality-rights disputes before the Delhi and Bombay High Courts, reflecting the team’s experience handling rights-enforcement issues affecting digital platforms.

The labour and employment practice is integrated with the firm’s wider corporate offering. It advises on executive compensation, employee stock options, earn-outs, workforce reductions, internal investigations and employment issues arising from acquisitions. The group also acts for founders and senior management in disputes involving restrictive covenants, governance questions and post-transaction obligations. Its recent work addresses developing areas of employment regulation, including social-security obligations for gig workers and workforce participation in hazardous industrial operations.

Technology is another defining strength. The firm advises companies throughout their development, from early-stage investment and commercial structuring to cross-border growth, regulatory compliance, licensing and disputes. Its experience includes data protection, e-commerce regulation, content moderation, payment and localisation requirements, exchange controls and technology licensing. The team also works with education businesses and technology providers on content arrangements, intellectual-property protection and international data flows.

The practice is led by senior partner Anand Prasad, who brings more than three decades of experience across corporate, commercial, governance and dispute-related matters. NL Ganapathi, an Advocate-on-Record before the Supreme Court of India since 2000, leads significant litigation and arbitration mandates. Arjun Sinha is prominent across technology, corporate transactions, private equity, employment and regulatory work, while Moksha Bhat advises on corporate, private equity and employment matters. The firm strengthened its senior bench with the additions of Romit Dey and Lagna Panda in 2025. Panda focuses on data protection, cybersecurity and competition law.

ASP Advocates is a full-service Indian law firm recognised for its ability to advise clients on matters where corporate strategy, regulatory complexity and dispute risk increasingly converge. Headquartered in New Delhi and supported by a network of associate offices across key commercial centres in India, the firm acts for domestic and international businesses, financial institutions, investors and multinational corporations on transactions, investigations, regulatory matters and disputes. Its multidisciplinary structure, which brings together lawyers, company secretaries and other specialist advisers, enables the firm to offer practical, business-oriented solutions across a broad range of industries.

A defining feature of the practice is its strong sector focus. The firm has developed substantial experience advising clients in highly regulated industries including financial services, telecommunications, energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, aviation and technology. Rather than operating through narrowly defined practice silos, the team regularly addresses issues that span corporate, competition, regulatory and dispute-related considerations, allowing clients to navigate complex commercial environments with coordinated legal support.

Transactional and regulatory work remains a cornerstone of the firm's practice. ASP Advocates advises on mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, joint ventures, strategic collaborations and cross-border business expansion, while also assisting clients with regulatory approvals, competition law considerations and sector-specific compliance obligations. The firm's experience in navigating the interface between commercial objectives and regulatory requirements has made it a trusted adviser to businesses entering, expanding within or restructuring their operations in India.

The firm is also well known for its contentious capabilities. Its lawyers regularly represent clients in commercial litigation, arbitration and regulatory proceedings, often in disputes arising from infrastructure projects, commercial contracts, shareholder arrangements, technology transfer agreements and other strategic business relationships. This combination of transactional and disputes expertise enables the team to anticipate risk early and provide advice that remains commercially focused even in high-stakes situations.

ASP Advocates' competition and regulatory practice further complements its broader offering. The team advises on merger-control issues, competition compliance, distribution arrangements, investigations and enforcement actions, while also helping clients adapt to evolving policy and regulatory developments. This capability is particularly valuable for multinational corporations and businesses operating in sectors subject to heightened regulatory scrutiny.

The firm's leadership reflects its multidisciplinary approach. Partners Abhixit Singh and Abhishek Seth are the key contacts and they are supported by a team that includes Irith Kapur, Annaleesha Thakur, Pavni Tuli, Bhaskar Joshi, Prashant Kumar, Sulabh Singh Chauhan, Swati Mishra and Alrip Lepcha. Together, they bring experience across corporate transactions, competition law, banking and finance, dispute resolution, intellectual property, employment matters and regulatory advisory work, allowing the firm to deliver integrated solutions tailored to clients' commercial objectives.

Over the years, ASP Advocates has built a reputation for combining technical legal expertise with a clear understanding of business realities. Its ability to support clients across the full spectrum of transactions, regulatory challenges and disputes continues to position the firm as a trusted adviser to Indian and multinational corporations operating in some of the country's most active and evolving sectors.

AZB & Partners is one of India’s leading full-service law firms, with a long-standing reputation for advising on the country’s most complex, high-value and strategically significant transactions, regulatory matters and disputes. The firm demonstrates a particularly strong presence across capital markets, banking and finance, competition, infrastructure, energy, insurance, technology, life sciences, employment, tax and intellectual property, reflecting its ability to deliver integrated advice across multiple practice areas and industry sectors. Acting for a broad roster of domestic conglomerates, multinational corporations, private equity sponsors, sovereign-backed investors, financial institutions and emerging technology businesses, the firm continues to play a central role in many of the transactions and developments shaping India’s economic landscape.

A recurring theme across the firm’s recent work is its involvement in landmark mandates that combine scale, regulatory complexity and market significance. Recent highlights include advising on India’s largest IPO of 2025 and the largest NBFC IPO to date, acting on one of the country’s most significant AI and digital infrastructure investments, supporting major infrastructure acquisitions and platform investments, and advising on sophisticated cross-border financings, strategic M&A transactions and sector-defining regulatory matters. The breadth of these mandates underscores the firm’s ability to mobilise specialist expertise across corporate, finance, regulatory, tax, competition, employment and disputes teams to deliver coordinated solutions on matters that often involve multiple stakeholders, jurisdictions and regulators.

The firm boasts strong positioning in sectors that are driving investment and policy focus in India. AZB has been active on matters linked to digital transformation, artificial intelligence infrastructure, renewable energy, aviation finance through GIFT City, healthcare consolidation, insurance-sector expansion and large-scale infrastructure development. Its work for technology companies, private capital investors, infrastructure platforms and financial institutions highlights a practice that is closely aligned with evolving market trends and capable of advising clients through emerging regulatory frameworks and new business models. The firm’s role on several first-of-their-kind and market-leading transactions further demonstrates its ability to navigate developing legal and commercial environments while helping clients execute strategic objectives.

The firm continues to strengthen its position in areas attracting substantial domestic and international investment. It has been involved in transactions supporting India’s expanding AI and data-centre ecosystem, renewable energy transition, transportation and logistics infrastructure, and financial services sector growth. At the same time, its competition, disputes, tax and regulatory teams have remained active on matters involving significant policy implications and industry-wide impact, particularly in relation to digital platforms, technology businesses and regulated sectors. This combination of transactional depth and regulatory capability enables the firm to advise clients not only on execution risk, but also on the broader legal and commercial developments influencing investment decisions in India.

Client feedback

“The team is intelligent, knowledgeable and intellectually curious, with global capabilities across a range of disciplines.” – Aviation

“The team provides clear and concise advice.” – Aviation

“AZB provides comprehensive, clear and timely advice. The team is helpful and collaborative.” – Aviation

“Strategic advice combined with technical acumen. AZB works through the legal arguments and thinks how to effectively deploy them. They're very proactive in their engagement to make sure we were prepared for every meeting.” – Competition/antitrust

“The team is intelligent, knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with.” – Competition/antitrust

“The firm offers full-service capabilities and consistently delivers work on time.” – Corporate and M&A

“They are very knowledgeable and generally pretty responsive.” – Intellectual property

“The team is highly knowledgeable and responsive to questions.” – Intellectual property

“Attention to detail and understanding the client's business is second to none.” – Technology and telecommunications

Lawyer quotes

Rachit Bahl

“Rachit is always available and prioritizes all clients at the same time very efficiently.”

Sugandha Bhatia

“She is a very responsive and attentive attorney who helps guide our work.”

Malaveeka Chakravarthy

“The lawyer is responsive and knowledgeable.”

Hemangini Dadwal

“She is simply fantastic. A deeply experienced and knowledgeable antitrust lawyer. Great to work with!”

Ram Kumar Poornachandran

“He is strategic and remains calm under pressure.”

Sarah Rufus

“She is open, intelligent, deeply knowledgeable and readily available.”

“She is highly knowledgeable and provides clear, concise and user-friendly advice.”

Anand Shah

“Anand is a brilliant lawyer and an expert in the banking field. Clear and concise advice.”

Shikhar Thukral

“He is committed to achieving results and is readily available.”

BMR Legal is a boutique tax firm with expertise in policy, disputes, transaction advisory, alternative dispute resolution and transfer pricing law. Managing partner Mukesh Butani is a renowned tax practitioner, highly respected for his decades of experience, intricate knowledge of the subject matter, and courtroom mastery. In addition to the core tax areas, the firm supports clients on alternative dispute resolution, including advance pricing agreements, mutual agreement procedure and advance rulings, and acts as expert witness on treaty and transfer pricing law. The firm is committed to and engaged in thought leadership and research to improve the overall tax policy infrastructure of the country. Partner and GST specialist Tarun Jain is another key contact. International tax specialist Seema Kejriwal and customs and trade expert Shankey Agrawal round out the leadership.  

Chadha & Co is a dynamic law firm with a reputation for providing innovative and pragmatic legal solutions. Headquartered in New Delhi, the firm's expertise spans a diverse range of practice areas, including corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, labour and employment, and more. Its client base spans SMEs to international Fortune 500 companies from all business sectors, such as automotive, food and beverage, and hardware and electronics. The firm combines deep local knowledge with an international outlook, serving clients from diverse industries such as infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, technology, shipping and manufacturing. The partners are involved in every matter, working for the client in a hands-on manner to ensure high-quality delivery throughout. A unique offering is that the firm has several foreign desks with Japanese and European staff. 

At the helm of the firm is managing partner Rahul Chadha, who leads a talented team of lawyers. Chadha is widely respected for his strategic acumen in handling complex transactions, government policy matters, and regulatory challenges across various industry sectors, including infrastructure, manufacturing, BFSI and healthcare. 

The firm’s corporate and M&A practice is spearheaded by Chadha and Neeraj Prakash, who have successfully guided several high-profile joint venture formations and cross-border M&A deals. Thea team has a track record of advising prominent multinational clients, especially Japanese and European companies, on complex cross-border transactions and regulatory challenges. For instance, the firm played a key role in helping a Japanese industrial compressor manufacturer enter the Indian market through a joint venture, combining advanced technology with local expertise to produce and market products regionally and globally. Similarly, they are advising a Japanese pharmaceutical and synthetic resin manufacturer in a joint venture to expand manufacturing capabilities in India. 

In the dispute resolution arena, partner Savita Sarna has showcased her prowess in handling intricate commercial disputes and international arbitration cases. She represented the Japan International Cooperation Agency in a writ petition before the Madras High Court, successfully defending the legality of the eligibility criteria set forth in a loan agreement with the Indian government. Sarna also led the firm's efforts in contesting a declaratory suit filed to set aside a fraudulent transfer of immovable property, involving complex cross-border insolvency issues. 

Sarna additionally spearheads the firm's labour and employment practice. The team routinely offers comprehensive advice to multinational clients on a wide range of matters, including employee termination, gratuity payments, and compliance with Indian labour laws. Her team has also conducted training sessions for clients on the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, ensuring their policies and practices adhere to the relevant regulations. 

Chadha & Co combines strategic legal insight with practical execution, supporting clients through cross-border deals, regulatory hurdles, litigation, and workforce management challenges. Its strong presence in New Delhi and expertise in handling complex, multi-jurisdictional matters makes the firm a trusted partner for both Indian and international businesses operating in India.

Clavius Legal is recognised for handling complex disputes and regulatory matters that demand coordinated strategies across courts, tribunals and government authorities. Operating from New Delhi and Ahmedabad, the firm is particularly active in international arbitration, transnational litigation, asset recovery, white-collar defence, construction disputes and public law. Its work frequently involves parallel proceedings, cross-border enforcement considerations and disputes arising from heavily regulated sectors.

The firm’s disputes practice is distinguished by the international character of its work and direct partner involvement in major mandates. The team handles commercial arbitration under leading institutional and ad hoc rules, as well as award challenges, enforcement proceedings and related court applications. Its experience extends across construction, commodities, financial services, infrastructure and private-client disputes, including matters governed by foreign law or involving assets and parties in multiple jurisdictions. This enforcement-oriented approach allows the firm to support clients beyond the underlying judgment or award, particularly where recovery requires coordinated litigation and asset-preservation strategies.

Construction and infrastructure disputes represent an important part of the practice. The firm advises on claims arising from public infrastructure, engineering and real estate projects, including contractual breaches, project delays, variation and pricing issues, defects, performance obligations and enforcement of arbitral awards. A notable feature of the practice is its ability to combine arbitration with constitutional and administrative remedies where projects are affected by state action or competing public programmes. Its work spans water, railway, transport, power and urban infrastructure, often involving public authorities and technically complex contractual frameworks.

The regulatory practice complements these contentious capabilities. Rather than focusing solely on routine compliance, the team is regularly engaged where administrative decisions, government policy and commercial rights intersect. Its experience includes public procurement, infrastructure regulation, land acquisition, financial enforcement, customs matters and aviation policy. Several mandates involve judicial review of government action or the practical implementation of national programmes, enabling the firm to combine regulatory analysis with courtroom advocacy.

Recent publishable work demonstrates this breadth. The firm secured interim protection before the Madhya Pradesh High Court in proceedings concerning damage to water infrastructure constructed under the Jal Jeevan Mission by excavations associated with the BharatNet programme. It has also acted on successful arbitration and enforcement proceedings involving railway and international construction projects, as well as regulatory litigation concerning land acquisition and the use of valuable government-acquired property. In aviation, the firm appeared in public interest proceedings seeking greater accountability for the implementation of India’s regional connectivity policy at Gwalior airport.

The practice is led by partners Arjun Kant, Indresh Upadhyay, Jatin Kochhar, Sooraj Sharma and Vipul Agrawal. Kant’s practice covers disputes, intellectual property and technology, corporate governance and insolvency-related matters. Upadhyay focuses on disputes, asset recovery, investigations and white-collar defence. Kochhar co-leads the transnational litigation and international arbitration offering and also advises on regulatory, policy, sports, gaming and technology matters. Sharma is prominent in international arbitration, enforcement, investigations and corporate governance, while Agrawal advises on disputes, construction, asset recovery and insolvency. The senior team also includes Gaurav Singh, who focuses on insolvency and disputes; Siddharth Sijoria, who advises on public law and regulatory matters; and Ahmedabad practice lead Anuj Dave.

Client feedback

“The team conducts thorough, in-depth research, is easy to contact and explains legal concepts clearly.” – Dispute resolution

“They have strong sector expertise and take a client-centric approach.” – Dispute resolution

“Strong command on commercial arbitration and dispute strategy. They come prepared with a plan, not just arguments. Very responsive, tight drafting, and they explain the legal position in plain language so we can take commercial calls confidently. Fees and billing are transparent and completely justified for the value they deliver.” – Dispute resolution

Lawyer quotes

Vipul Agrawal

“He combines in-depth knowledge and strong research skills with clear communication and accessibility.”

“Mr. Vipul is sharp, hands-on and commercially minded. He reads the brief end-to-end and comes with a clear strategy, not just legal options. He is very responsive, insightful, and explains complex positions in plain language, which helps us take quick commercial calls.”

Sooraj Sharma

“He is a sharp strategic thinker. He sees around corners, understands the commercial realities, and is often several steps ahead of the issue.”

IndusLaw is a modern full-service firm that is rapidly coming up the ranks as a challenger to the established order of top legacy firms. In total, the pan-India coverage includes offices in Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Gurugram. The firm takes pride in its growing prominence among sophisticated clients for its dispute resolution, private equity and TMT work. It specialises in working with investors across the full funding lifecycle and on a variety of funds including sector-specific ones such as technology, life sciences, e-commerce, retail and infrastructure. The key contacts are founding partners Avimukt Dar, Gaurav Dani, Kartik Ganapathy, and Suneeth Katarki.  

The biggest news for the firm came in June, when global law firm CMS announced its alliance with IndusLaw. The latter has joined the CMS network, adopting the joint branding of CMS IndusLaw, while remaining an independent entity. This collaboration is set to be fully operational by the end of 2025 and does not constitute a merger, joint venture, or partnership. 

This alliance is significant for several reasons. For CMS, it establishes a substantial foothold in the rapidly expanding Indian legal landscape. Conversely, IndusLaw gains the advantage of offering world-class legal solutions that incorporate a global perspective, thereby enhancing its capacity to serve clients looking to scale internationally. Clients of both firms will benefit from an integrated approach to legal services, combining IndusLaw's deep understanding of Indian law with CMS's international expertise across various fields, including corporate transactions, regulatory matters, disputes, capital markets, technology and intellectual property. 

The alliance also heralds a new era of international collaboration within the Indian legal market, potentially stimulating further partnerships between Indian and foreign firms and fostering a more competitive and dynamic legal environment. Key benefits include the provision of seamless cross-border services, enabling CMS to deliver coordinated legal solutions for complex international matters. Additionally, IndusLaw's lawyers will support multinational clients of CMS looking to operate in India, while CMS's lawyers in over 45 countries will assist clients seeking to expand from India. This partnership facilitates knowledge sharing and expertise exchange, providing IndusLaw's lawyers with valuable international exposure. 

The alliance is driven by the ongoing liberalisation of the Indian legal market, which has become increasingly open to foreign law firms, and by India's robust economic growth, which positions it as a significant player in the global economy. As the fourth-largest economy, projected to become the third-largest by 2027, India presents a burgeoning need for international legal advisers equipped with local insights. Overall, this collaboration positions CMS to capitalise on emerging opportunities in India, enhancing its competitive advantage in the region.

Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas is one of India’s pre-eminent full-service law firms, with the scale, institutional depth and specialist capability to advise on many of the country’s most consequential transactions, disputes and regulatory developments. Led by managing partner Cyril Shroff, the firm combines an extensive national platform with strong cross-border capabilities and an increasingly international outlook. Its ability to mobilise substantial multidisciplinary teams is a defining strength, particularly on mandates requiring corporate, regulatory, competition, tax, intellectual-property and contentious expertise to be coordinated within a single strategy.

The firm’s market position is underpinned by the breadth and depth of its specialist practices. Its lawyers advise major Indian and multinational businesses, financial institutions, investors and public bodies on matters that can influence markets, test regulatory boundaries or contribute to the development of Indian law. Rather than treating practices as isolated disciplines, the firm brings together transactional, regulatory and disputes expertise around the client’s wider commercial objectives. This institutional approach enables it to support clients throughout the business lifecycle, from investment, financing and expansion through investigations, disputes and restructuring.

Competition and antitrust is a flagship practice, covering merger control, behavioural investigations, litigation, compliance and policy. The team has extensive experience handling complex and technically demanding merger notifications, including transactions in markets not previously examined in detail by the Competition Commission of India. Its active engagement with competition reform and digital-market policy gives the practice insight into both the interpretation of existing law and the likely direction of regulatory development.

The disputes practice handles major commercial litigation, domestic and international arbitration, insolvency disputes, regulatory proceedings, investigations and white-collar matters. Its offering extends beyond courtroom advocacy to early risk assessment, settlement strategy, enforcement and crisis management. The team is regularly engaged in proceedings involving important questions of corporate law, creditor rights, regulatory authority and the finality of commercial arrangements.

Technology is another area of distinction. Through its integrated Digital+ offering, the firm advises on technology transactions, telecommunications regulation, data protection, artificial intelligence, digital platforms, fintech, gaming, media and outsourcing. Its lawyers are particularly active on new products and business models for which regulations remain unsettled, helping clients translate broad legal requirements into practical governance and implementation frameworks.

The firm also maintains leading practices in insurance, tax, intellectual property and life sciences. Its insurance lawyers advise on transactions, regulatory reform, reinsurance, distribution and policyholder protection, while the tax team combines legal and accounting expertise across transactional structuring, investigations and litigation. The intellectual-property practice works closely with the corporate, technology, media and life-sciences teams, addressing intangible assets as both protected rights and drivers of commercial value.

Managing partner Cyril Shroff remains the central figure in the firm’s leadership and institutional development. The senior bench includes Avaantika Kakkar, who heads competition and antitrust; Indranil Deshmukh, head of disputes; Shaneen Parikh, head of international arbitration; Swati Sharma, head of intellectual property; S R Patnaik, head of tax; and Digital+ co-heads Arun Prabhu and Mihir Rale. Other prominent specialists include Indranath Bishnu in insurance, Biplab Lenin in life sciences and Huzefa Tavawalla in digital disruption. The firm has continued to strengthen its senior ranks through strategic additions, including disputes partners Alok Shankar and Vanya Singh, and technology specialist Anirban Mohapatra. Together, this leadership group reflects the firm’s ability to combine prominent individual practitioners with the resources of a deeply institutionalised national platform.

Dhir & Dhir Associates is best known for its restructuring and insolvency, and capital markets practices. The firm was one of the first entrants into the stressed assets advisory space back in the early 1980s. Thus, its long-standing experience of nearly four decades in the insolvency realm makes it a go-to firm with clients appreciating its substantial, well-rounded contentious and non-contentious practice. The firm is currently handling more than a quarter of the non-performing assets insolvencies in the country. In the last year, the firm successfully handled the first completed case of the pre-pack insolvency resolution process, among other notable precedent-setting matters. The firm has steadily been growing its restructuring advisory and contentious practice. The in-depth and expansive legal knowledge the firm possesses has helped various clients resolve their financial stress without seeking intervention of any court proceedings.  

The banking and finance team has witnessed a lot of focus on project finance matters as improving infrastructure is a key government mandate. It is working with clients in foreign direct Investments, re-financing, conventional financing and ECBs, and offer guidelines to foster equity, especially in startups. The core practices of managing partners Alok Dhir and Maneesha Dhir are in restructuring and insolvency, and corporate and M&A. Alok Dhir is also known for his expertise in real estate and private equity, while Maneesha Dhir is active in telecommunications, media and technology as well as dispute resolution.

DSK Legal is a full-service Indian law firm with a strong presence across the country’s key commercial centres. The firm advises domestic and international corporates, financial institutions, private capital investors, infrastructure developers, technology companies, healthcare businesses and government-linked entities on a broad spectrum of transactional, regulatory, contentious and advisory matters. Its recent work demonstrates particular strength in sectors undergoing significant regulatory and commercial transformation, including infrastructure, energy, transportation, technology, healthcare, real estate and financial services.

The firm has developed a reputation for handling complex mandates that sit at the intersection of multiple practice areas. Many of its headline engagements combine regulatory, commercial and dispute-related elements, particularly in infrastructure and energy, where the firm continues to advise on major transport corridors, logistics assets, renewable energy projects, public-private partnerships and project-related disputes. The breadth of its infrastructure platform is complemented by an active disputes practice that regularly handles high-value arbitrations, appellate proceedings, regulatory litigation and enforcement matters across a range of industries.

DSK Legal also remains active on significant corporate and investment-driven transactions. Its work during the research period included public markets mandates, strategic investments, healthcare and pharmaceutical transactions, technology-sector investments and real estate developments involving both domestic and international stakeholders. The firm’s ability to integrate corporate, regulatory, competition, employment and sector-specific advice has enabled it to support clients through increasingly sophisticated and cross-border transactions.

Another notable feature of the firm’s practice is its strength in highly regulated industries. The firm has advised on competition investigations, trade remedy proceedings, energy-sector regulatory disputes, insolvency and restructuring matters, technology and digital-platform issues, healthcare investments and media-related disputes. Its international trade practice has been involved in matters with market-wide implications, while its competition team continues to act on significant merger-control, compliance and investigation mandates. In parallel, the technology, media and life sciences practices have expanded their roles advising businesses operating in rapidly evolving regulatory environments.

Client feedback

“The team provides concise, commercially focused advice and guides clients effectively through the CCI’s administrative processes.” – Competition/antitrust

“Excellent lawyers, very commercial in their approach, very focused on client care, great attention to detail and good strategists.” – Dispute resolution

“I appreciate the team’s collaborative approach and its specialist advice on Indian law.” – Dispute resolution

“The team is professional, hardworking and diligent.” – Dispute resolution

“The team has strong sector expertise.” – Dispute resolution

“The media team, led by Chandrima Mitra, is exceptionally competent and acts for many of the market’s leading participants on significant transactions. This makes it a leading practice in the sector.” – Media and entertainment

“The team combines deep sector expertise, quick turnaround times and a strong understanding of the business with a successful track record.” – Oil and gas

“The team demonstrates strong research capabilities, legal knowledge and strategic thinking.” – Real estate

“They are a highly professional team of excellent lawyers who maintain their professional ethics, resolution approach and sound advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency

“We have experienced timely delivery of advice most of the times. They always fight for us when they represent us in front of customers and vendors. Wherever there is deadlock, they also come up with solutions that are mostly agreeable by both the parties.” – Technology and telecommunications

Lawyer quotes

Abdullah Hussain

“He provides commercially focused and concise advice.”

Aravind Karunakaran

“He is very quick and responsive, understands our problems and provides the required solution.”

Chandrima Mitra

“Extremely competent, knowledgeable, and experienced in the media sector. Her legal acumen and understanding of both the law and business are exemplary.”

Kirat Nagra

“She is highly committed and professionally capable.”

“She is knowledgeable and has a strong professional presence.”

Vikrant Singh Negi

“He combines strong sector expertise with extensive practical experience.”

Dinesh Pardasani

“He is an effective team leader who remains closely engaged and focused on achieving the best possible outcome.”

“His commitment to supporting his clients is excellent. When we asked him to provide a response in the DAB (Dispute Adjudication Board), he provided a trustworthy answer.”

Ajay Shaw

“He has a deep understanding of both law and business, enabling him to provide well-rounded and commercially sound legal advice.”

Mahip Singh

“He is readily available, responsive and has strong sector expertise.”

Dua Associates is a full-service Indian law firm recognised for its established disputes, competition, intellectual-property and employment practices. With a presence across key commercial centres in India, the firm advises domestic and international corporations, financial institutions, government bodies and industry associations on matters requiring a combination of sector knowledge, regulatory insight and courtroom experience. Its national footprint allows teams from different offices and disciplines to work together on mandates spanning transactions, investigations, compliance and contentious proceedings.

Dispute resolution is a central strength of the firm. The practice handles high-value commercial litigation, domestic and international arbitration, insolvency proceedings, regulatory enforcement and white-collar matters. It is particularly experienced in disputes involving natural resources, financial services, infrastructure and manufacturing, as well as the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments in India. The team regularly appears before the Supreme Court, High Courts and specialist tribunals and is accustomed to managing parallel proceedings across multiple forums.

The disputes team is also distinguished by its work for international clients and sovereign or quasi-sovereign entities. Its lawyers advise on questions of jurisdiction, non-arbitrability, foreign judgment enforcement and the interaction between regulatory powers and contractual rights. In international trade, the team acts in anti-subsidy and countervailing duty proceedings, combining technical analysis with appellate advocacy. This breadth enables the firm to devise litigation strategies that account for enforcement, regulatory and commercial consequences rather than treating each proceeding in isolation.

Dua Associates’ competition practice advises on merger control, investigations, compliance and competition-related litigation. The group assists with transaction assessments and filings before the Competition Commission of India, while also acting in cartel, abuse-of-dominance and procedural challenges. Its experience in sectors such as cement, lubricants and paper manufacturing gives the team an informed understanding of industries subject to sustained regulatory scrutiny. The practice also advises trade associations on information sharing, meeting protocols and other safeguards designed to reduce competition risk.

The intellectual-property practice provides support across trademarks, patents, copyright, designs and related commercial arrangements. It handles prosecution, portfolio management, licensing and enforcement, together with the intellectual-property aspects of investments and joint ventures. The team’s contentious capability is illustrated by its work on trademark ownership, copyright disputes and urgent evidence-preservation measures. Its ability to pursue advanced enforcement remedies beyond India’s principal commercial courts is particularly valuable to international brand owners seeking protection across a geographically diverse market.

Labour and employment is another significant component of the platform. The firm advises on workforce restructuring, employee benefits, statutory compliance, internal investigations and employment aspects of corporate transactions. The team also conducts contentious work involving retrenchment, contract labour, employee classification and workplace complaints. Its experience across technology, manufacturing, financial services and life sciences enables it to adapt advice to different operating models and state-level requirements.

Senior solicitor Shiraz Patodia is a prominent figure in the firm’s disputes, international trade, intellectual-property and white-collar practices. Key partners include Amit Dhingra in constitutional, commercial and energy disputes; Rajdeep Panda in disputes, arbitration and insolvency; and Gautam Shahi in competition and antitrust. The employment practice includes N U Subaya, Angad Varma and Prateek Bedi, while V D Gulwani and Ritu Singh Ghumman are central to the intellectual-property offering. Other senior practitioners include L K Bhushan, George Joseph, Munawwar Naseem, Ashish Singh, Juhi Chawla, Divya Sharma, Janini Somiah, Rahul Goyal and Toyesh Tewari. The firm has strengthened its wider platform through the additions of corporate partner Himanshu Narayan, disputes and real-estate counsel Bhaskar Mishra, and corporate and employment partner Rudra Srivastava.

Client feedback

“The advice is precise, costs are fairly predictable and execution is flawless.” – Competition/antitrust

“Very crisp, timely, understand the business in addition to understanding the law and always available for clients.” – Corporate and M&A

“The team is ethical, client-centric, committed to its assignments and transparent in its approach.” – Dispute resolution

“The firm's main focus is on client satisfaction. The team is highly instrumental and professional.” – Dispute resolution

“Dua Associates demonstrates strong expertise in intellectual property law and provides practical, business-oriented legal advice. The team is responsive, knowledgeable, and attentive to detail. They manage our IPR matters efficiently, communicate clearly, and offer reliable support throughout the filing and prosecution process. Their ability to address complex legal issues in a clear and commercially practical manner is particularly valuable.” – Intellectual property

“The team provides detailed legal clarification.” – Regulatory

Amit Dhingra

“He is extremely knowledgeable and cooperative.”

Subaya NU

“He listens carefully and provides constructive solutions, explaining risks without causing unnecessary alarm.”

Tejas SR

“He is committed, client-centric, ethical and transparent.”

Shreema Sarkar

“Shreema is professional, responsive, and highly dependable in her interactions. She demonstrates a clear understanding of legal and commercial requirements, communicates instructions effectively, and is proactive in addressing matters requiring attention. Her attention to detail, collaborative approach, and commitment to achieving timely outcomes contribute significantly to the smooth handling of our IPR matters.”

Janini Somaiah

“She provides detailed legal advice.”

“Super polite, always reachable, excellent communication and client management skills. Always meets the deadline, accommodates urgency and gives advice that creates an equilibrium between the law and business needs.”

Finsec Law Advisors is a specialist Indian firm focused on financial services regulation, securities and investment laws. The firm is active across advisory, enforcement, disputes, settlement, policy and product-structuring matters, and is particularly visible in mandates involving SEBI, SAT and other financial regulators. Its practice is led by Sandeep Parekh, Anil Choudhary and Nishant Prasad.

The firm’s client profile spans market infrastructure institutions, listed companies, domestic and global financial institutions, fintech platforms, intermediaries, asset managers and investors. It advises all three of India’s recognised stock exchanges and more than 20 of the top 30 listed companies by market capitalisation. Finsec’s market positioning is strengthened by its policy credentials: the firm has advised the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, contributed to securities law reform initiatives, and works with regulators and ministries on policy development. Its disputes capability covers enforcement proceedings, investigations, inspections, adjudication, settlement and appeals, while its advisory work includes licensing, structuring, internal governance policies, fintech models, investment management and regulatory registrations.

Client feedback

“Throughout the engagement, Finsec Law Advisors demonstrated a strong grasp of the capital markets regulatory framework. The team was thorough, responsive and highly accommodating, consistently delivering within tight timelines. Its extensive capital markets expertise enabled it to anticipate institutional expectations, navigate evolving requirements effectively and provide practical, solution-oriented guidance. We found the team to be a dependable adviser.” – Capital markets

“Very responsive, with pragmatic and solution-oriented advice.” – Regulatory

“Finsec Law Advisors stands out for its deep expertise in financial services regulation, particularly in matters relating to securities law, investment advisory regulations, mutual funds and the evolving regulatory landscape governed by SEBI.

One of the firm’s key strengths is its ability to combine strong legal analysis with practical industry understanding. The team demonstrates exceptional clarity in interpreting complex regulatory frameworks and translating them into actionable, commercially practical advice for clients.

The firm is particularly impressive in its understanding of the financial services and wealth management ecosystem, including registered investment advisers, mutual fund distributors, portfolio management services, alternative investment funds and capital markets intermediaries.

The team possesses high-quality drafting and representation skills, particularly in regulatory submissions, policy representations and stakeholder engagement matters. It demonstrates strategic thinking and strong problem-solving abilities, taking a balanced approach that considers both legal nuances and business realities.

The team is responsive and accessible, ensuring timely guidance even in matters involving evolving regulations and tight timelines. It also demonstrates thorough research capabilities and close attention to detail, particularly in matters involving regulatory interpretation and policy advocacy.

Finsec Law Advisors also engages effectively on industry-level issues and represents broader ecosystem concerns before regulators and committees. What distinguishes the firm is its commitment to understanding the wider impact of regulatory developments on market participants and its ability to provide thoughtful, well-reasoned and solution-oriented advice. Its support in ongoing industry representation matters has been exceptional and highly valuable to us.” – Regulatory

Anil Choudhary

“Anil is highly intelligent, sharp and exceptionally knowledgeable, particularly in matters relating to financial services regulation, securities law and industry policy. He has a strong analytical mindset and the ability to understand complex regulatory and commercial situations quickly, often providing clear, practical and strategic solutions.

One of Anil’s key strengths is his ability to combine technical legal expertise with a deep understanding of the realities and dynamics of the financial services industry. He is thoughtful in his approach, detail-oriented and consistently demonstrates sound judgment in both advisory and strategic matters.

He is also highly responsive, articulate and solution-oriented, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders and present nuanced perspectives in a structured and persuasive manner. His drafting, research and strategic advisory capabilities are particularly impressive.

Overall, Anil brings a rare combination of intelligence, regulatory insight, professionalism and practical commercial understanding, making him extremely effective in handling complex and sensitive matters.”

“Anil, together with his team and Sandeep, the managing partner, was deeply involved throughout the engagement and demonstrated commitment and diligence at every stage of the process. Anil and his team’s extensive expertise in capital markets regulation, coupled with a nuanced understanding of the expectations and workings of institutional stakeholders in an evolving regulatory landscape, proved invaluable.

Given the compressed timelines under which we were operating, Anil was responsive, dependable and solution-oriented. He consistently made himself available, worked collaboratively to identify practical solutions and ensured that timely legal support was delivered efficiently, supporting our change-of-control application within the required timeframe.”

Sandip Parekh

“Solution-oriented, with a deep understanding of the regulatory framework and how to navigate it.”

Fox Mandal & Associates is one of India’s longest-established full-service law firms, combining a substantial national presence with multidisciplinary expertise across transactions, disputes, projects, employment, intellectual property and technology. Operating from offices across several of India’s principal commercial centres, the firm supports domestic and international businesses, financial institutions, public bodies and government-linked enterprises on matters requiring both local knowledge and coordinated national execution.

A defining feature of the firm is its ability to guide clients through the full lifecycle of a business, investment or development. Its lawyers advise on structuring, due diligence, documentation and regulatory engagement, while its contentious teams assist when commercial arrangements, projects or investments give rise to disputes. This integrated model is particularly valuable on assignments involving infrastructure, project finance and real estate, where financing, land, procurement and public-law considerations frequently overlap.

The banking and finance practice acts for banks, non-banking financial companies, borrowers, investors, sponsors and asset reconstruction companies. Its experience encompasses project and real estate finance, asset-based funding, bilateral and syndicated lending, and stressed-asset matters. The team is accustomed to financings involving complex title issues, substantial real estate security and multiple operating divisions, enabling it to address both the documentation and practical implementation of financing structures.

Infrastructure is another important pillar of the firm. The team advises government bodies, consultants and private-sector participants on significant public projects, with particular experience in tender documentation, concession arrangements and public-private partnership structures. Its mandates extend across water, transport, industrial and renewable-energy infrastructure and frequently require a detailed understanding of procurement rules, fiscal support mechanisms, operational risk and project bankability.

Fox Mandal & Associates also has a substantial real estate platform that reflects the importance of local land expertise within a national practice. The team handles acquisitions, disposals, leases, development arrangements, title diligence and project financing across commercial, residential, industrial and logistics assets. Its experience includes technology parks, warehousing facilities, renewable-energy sites and large land acquisitions, with lawyers across different offices advising on state-specific property regimes and registration requirements.

The intellectual-property practice supports clients from the creation and protection of rights through commercialisation and enforcement. Its lawyers manage patent and trademark portfolios for businesses operating in aerospace, manufacturing, consumer goods, healthcare, gaming and emerging technology. The team combines legal and technical expertise on patent prosecution, freedom-to-operate analysis, portfolio management, licensing and cross-border protection strategies.

Technology-related mandates frequently draw together the firm’s corporate, regulatory and intellectual-property capabilities. The team advises on technology transfers, software and patent licensing, privacy and data protection, telecommunications requirements and commercial arrangements involving research, manufacturing and distribution. Its work is particularly relevant to clients developing products that depend on proprietary technology or involve regulated cross-border transfers.

Labour and employment complements the wider corporate and disputes offering. The firm advises employers on policies, employee transfers, workforce restructuring, retrenchment, workplace complaints and employment disputes. Its national footprint provides a practical advantage where organisations must implement consistent employment frameworks while accounting for local compliance requirements.

The firm is led by managing partner Shuva Mandal and co-managing partner Shourya Mandal. Its senior bench includes Jeevanandham Rajagopal, whose practice spans corporate, infrastructure, technology and employment matters; Prashantha Kumar in real estate and banking and finance; Purnima Kamble in disputes, employment and real estate; and Kaustuv Chunder in dispute resolution and employment. Other key practitioners include Chandrasekaran Ramanathan in infrastructure and project finance, Santosh Vikram Singh in intellectual property and technology, Rajesh Vellakkat in technology law and intellectual property, and Jayaprakash Padmanaban in real estate. Together, the team combines senior involvement with the geographic reach and specialist resources required for large, multidisciplinary mandates.

Client feedback

“The team is principled and remains steadfast in the face of pressure from opposing parties.” – Dispute resolution

“It focuses on resolving problems and bringing transactions to a successful close.” – Infrastructure

“They communicate effectively and provide a high-quality service.” – Intellectual property

“The team responds promptly and provides effective support during due diligence.” – Real estate

“They provides accurate advice and responds promptly.” – Regulatory

Sumit Dhar

“He listens carefully, analyses issues thoroughly and develops effective solutions.”

Purnima Kamble

“She is highly effective at solving problems.”

Jai Prakash

“He works in a methodical manner.”

Jeevanandham Rajagopal

“He provides excellent legal guidance and responds promptly.”

Mathews Verghese

“He is exceptionally polite, personable and knowledgeable.”

RegFin Legal is a financial services-focused law firm with a strong emphasis on investment funds, asset management, private equity and venture capital. The firm houses the financial services legal-regulatory practice of IC Legal, which traces its origins to 2004, and has been established with a sharper sectoral focus on funds, financial regulation and investment activity. Its platform combines regulatory, transactional and disputes capability for clients operating in India’s investment management and private capital markets, with offices in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru and Gandhinagar GIFT City.

The funds practice advises on the structuring and establishment of domestic and offshore investment funds across their legal and regulatory lifecycle, including AIFs, mutual funds, REITs, InvITs, GIFT City-domiciled funds, offshore funds, feeder vehicles, parallel funds and co-investment structures. The team also advises on fundraising and distribution rules, SEBI and IFSCA licensing and registration, fund documentation, investor onboarding, side letters, governance policies and regulatory compliance for market intermediaries including portfolio managers, investment advisers, FPIs, FVCIs and research analysts. Managing partner Tejesh Chitlangi is a key figure in the practice, with his core areas being funds, asset management and regulatory practice, private equity and venture capital, and capital markets and securities.

In private equity and venture capital, the firm acts for domestic and international funds, startups and large corporates on investment structuring, term sheets, due diligence, regulatory approvals, investment documentation and closing support. The practice is particularly active in growth capital and venture mandates, where its regulatory background complements its transactional work. Publicly disclosed mandates show the team acting across fund formation, capital raising and VC investments in sectors including real assets, venture capital, aqua-tech, consumer, fintech, AI, software, deeptech, marketplaces and manufacturing.

Work highlights

Advised Neo Asset Management on the formation and regulatory structuring of the Neo Real Asset Yield Fund, which has a corpus of more than INR1,000 crore. The mandate included fund documentation, strategy structuring and securing regulatory approvals.

Acted for Sparrow Capital on fundraising and legal-regulatory aspects for Sparrow Capital III Fund, its third fund with a corpus of approximately INR475 crore. The team assisted with fund terms and documentation in negotiations with investors including global endowments, foundations, funds of funds and family offices.

Represented Aquapulse on its Series A fundraise led by NABVENTURES and IAN Group.

JSA is one of India’s largest full-service law firms, with nearly 800 attorneys operating from 10 offices across Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi. The firm advises domestic and international corporates, private equity sponsors, financial institutions, multinational technology companies, infrastructure developers, insurers and government-linked entities across the full spectrum of transactional, regulatory, financing and dispute-related matters. Its practice is organised across Corporate, Finance and Disputes clusters and encompasses more than 30 service lines, including capital markets, competition, energy, infrastructure, insurance, private equity, restructuring, tax, technology and telecommunications, media and entertainment, life sciences, real estate and employment.

The firm continues to demonstrate notable strengths in complex cross-border transactions involving multiple jurisdictions, often combining corporate, regulatory, competition, financing and tax expertise within a single mandate. During the research period, JSA advised on several of the most significant transactions in the Indian market, including strategic investments in financial institutions, major private equity exits, infrastructure trust offerings, high-value insurance joint ventures, healthcare and pharmaceutical transactions, and sophisticated technology-sector acquisitions. The firm's sector-focused approach has also enabled it to build a notable presence in highly regulated industries such as banking, insurance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, digital platforms, aviation and energy transition.

Beyond transactional work, JSA maintains a substantial disputes and regulatory practice, regularly appearing before the Supreme Court of India, High Courts, specialist tribunals and sector regulators. The firm acted in precedent-setting competition investigations, energy regulatory disputes, insolvency proceedings and public law matters during the research cycle. Its technology, media and telecommunications team continues to advise some of the world's largest digital platforms and content providers on evolving issues relating to artificial intelligence, data protection, intermediary liability, content regulation and online consumer protection.

The firm further expanded its partnership in the past year, increasing its bench strength across corporate, disputes, competition, capital markets, finance, real estate and tax practices. Partners to note include Vivek Chandy, Vikram Raghani, Sidharrth Shankar and Venkatesh Raman Prasad in corporate and private equity; Madhurima Mukherjee Saha and Arka Mookerjee in capital markets; Nisha Kaur Uberoi and Vaibhav Choukse in competition and antitrust; Amit Kapur in energy and regulatory disputes; Anand Lakra in corporate transactions; and Probir Roy Chowdhury and Sajai Singh in technology, media and telecommunications. Collectively, they reflect the breadth of expertise that allows the firm to advise on some of the most sophisticated mandates in the Indian market.

Client feedback

“The team is commercially astute, technically sound, solution-oriented, responsive and dependable. It is proactive in identifying risks, client-centric, and highly detail-oriented.” – Banking and finance

“Strong strategic thinking.” – Banking and finance

“JSA’s service levels are consistently outstanding, and its responsiveness is one of the team’s strongest differentiators. The lawyers are highly accessible and quick to turn around advice, often working within tight timelines without compromising on quality or depth of analysis. They are proactive in communication, keep us regularly updated on developments, and are always available to address urgent or sensitive issues at short notice.” – Competition/antitrust

“We appreciate their knowledge and subject-matter expertise.” – Competition/antitrust

“The team, led by Vaibhav Choukse, is exceptional, highly committed, proactive and fully invested in every mandate. They take complete ownership of matters and consistently determine the most effective strategy to protect and advance our interests.” – Competition/antitrust

“I would rate JSA’s competition law practice as one of the leading practices in India, particularly in the merger control space. They are undoubtedly among the best firms we have worked with in the country. Their advice is consistently high quality, succinct, commercially sound, tailored to the audience, and delivered with clarity and precision.” – Competition/antitrust

“Excellent command of the law, quick understanding of the industry and its unique practices, strong ability to grasp issues rapidly and argue cases logically, excellent working relationships with counsel, and impressive speed in preparing documents. Overall, a very comfortable working relationship.” – Competition/antitrust

“Best in class for competition law.” – Competition/antitrust

“They are commercially savvy, understand the client’s risk appetite, and tailor their advice accordingly.” – Corporate and M&A

“In-depth understanding of applicable laws and regulations, combined with strong negotiation skills.” – Corporate and M&A

“Hard-working, persistent and comprehensive.” – Corporate and M&A

“Responsive and knowledgeable on relevant issues.” – Corporate and M&A

“Very experienced in High Court litigation, with a strong network of trusted senior counsel and a deep understanding of judges and benches across different High Courts.” – Dispute resolution

“Prompt, practical, diligent and solution-oriented.” – Dispute resolution

“Very responsive and always available to address queries. The team understands the philosophy of the fund and reflects this consistently in agreements and negotiations.” – Private equity

“The firm is responsive, professional and provides excellent advice underpinned by a deep understanding of our business.” – Real estate

“Timely responses, a strong understanding of what we are trying to achieve, and excellent knowledge of the local market.” – Real estate

“In-depth analysis of the matter, real-time advice, quantitative analysis and detailed submissions.” – Regulatory

Srinjoy Bhattacherjee

“Trusted adviser, strategic thinker, sound judgement, decisive and pragmatic, highly responsive, and an influential negotiator.”

Rajul Bohra

“Knowledgeable, responsive and clear in her communication.”

“Timely delivery of work and strong knowledge of the local market.”

Vaibhav Choukse

“Working with Vaibhav Choukse has been a genuinely outstanding experience. He combines deep technical mastery of competition law with sharp commercial judgment, making his advice both legally robust and highly practical.”

“Knowledgeable and solution-oriented.”

“Vaibhav is highly insightful, with a sharp understanding of client needs and strong sensitivity to commercial realities. His advice is practical and actionable.”

“Vaibhav is particularly insightful, with a deep understanding of client needs and commercial realities. His advice is always practical and well-considered. He is intelligent, personable, empathetic and extremely easy to work with.”

Padmaja Kaur

“Strong legal and domain knowledge.”

Anand Lakra

“He has a problem-solving attitude and is willing to find solutions even where there is little precedent.”

“Calm, knowledgeable, persistent and a tireless advocate.”

Dheeraj Nair

“In-depth knowledge of the Indian courts.”

Siddharth Shankar

“Very responsive and understands deal dynamics extremely well.”

Sidharth Sethi

“Excellent understanding of issues, prompt and effective problem-solving.”

Shashank Singh

“Defends clients exceptionally well, is a strong negotiator, and takes the time to develop a deep understanding of the issues.”

Manvinder Singh

“Responsive and knowledgeable.”

Ashish Suman

“Well informed, highly competent, and strong on strategy and risk management.”

Nisha Uberoi

“Her ability to understand commercial constraints and provide advice that helps address them is particularly impressive.”

“Nisha is a very strong partner who is able to provide legal advice while keeping commercial considerations in mind.”

“Excellent command of the subject matter and strong communication skills. Maintains positive relationships, demonstrates a problem-solving mindset and is always willing to assist.”

“Best of the best in competition law.”

Juris Corp is one of India’s most established independent law firms, with a particularly strong reputation in banking, finance and financial services regulation. As the firm approaches its silver jubilee, it continues to build on a platform that combines transactional, regulatory, contentious and restructuring expertise, enabling it to advise clients across the full lifecycle of complex financial and commercial matters. The firm’s multidisciplinary team includes lawyers with backgrounds in law, finance, accounting and company secretarial practice, allowing it to deliver commercially focused advice on sophisticated domestic and cross-border mandates.

Over the past year, Juris Corp has continued to strengthen its position in the financial services market through its involvement in several of India's most significant financing, refinancing and restructuring transactions. The firm's banking and finance team remains a cornerstone of its practice, advising leading domestic and international banks, financial institutions, export credit agencies, investment funds and corporate borrowers on large-scale syndicated financings, external commercial borrowings, structured finance transactions, aviation financings and securitisations. Its deep familiarity with Indian banking regulations, foreign exchange laws and cross-border financing structures continues to make it a trusted adviser on complex, multi-jurisdictional transactions.

Alongside its traditional banking strengths, the firm has seen continued growth in aviation finance, an area in which it has become increasingly active through its involvement in aircraft acquisition and leasing transactions involving GIFT City structures, international lenders and major aviation stakeholders. The practice has also benefited from the firm's longstanding expertise in regulatory and financial services matters, particularly those involving evolving frameworks governing cross-border lending, financial products, derivatives, foreign exchange controls and emerging market structures.

Juris Corp has also continued to expand its capabilities in capital markets, dispute resolution and restructuring and insolvency. The firm regularly advises on debt capital markets transactions, securitisation structures and market-standard documentation initiatives, while its disputes team is increasingly involved in high-value shareholder, insolvency and cross-border commercial disputes. At the same time, its restructuring and insolvency practice remains active on significant creditor-side mandates, distressed asset restructurings and insolvency proceedings before the Supreme Court of India, NCLAT and NCLT.

A defining feature of the firm's practice is its ability to bring together lawyers from different disciplines to address complex mandates that span financing, regulatory, insolvency and contentious issues simultaneously. This integrated approach has enabled Juris Corp to remain at the forefront of many of the most sophisticated transactions and disputes in the Indian market, while continuing to deepen its relationships with leading financial institutions, corporates and market participants both in India and internationally.

Client feedback

“They have strong commercial acumen, providing workaround to key issues rather than creating gating item. We appreciate the availability of partners and competitive pricing.” – Capital markets

Ankit Sinha

“He is highly effective at communicating and showcasing the firm’s capabilities.”

Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan Attorneys is one of India’s foremost specialist-led full-service law firms, best known for its market-leading tax and intellectual-property capabilities. Deep technical knowledge, direct advocacy and an understanding of regulated industries remain central to its identity, while sustained investment in corporate, M&A and private equity has broadened the platform considerably. The firm now offers clients coordinated support across transactions, competition law, disputes, employment, real estate, restructuring and technology, supported by an extensive presence across India.

Tax remains a defining strength. The practice brings together lawyers and chartered accountants across direct tax, GST, customs, international tax and transfer pricing. Its teams advise on complex business transactions and represent clients from the adjudicatory level through to the Supreme Court. The firm’s longstanding involvement in indirect-tax jurisprudence gives it particular depth in matters involving classification, valuation, exemptions and cross-border trade, while its direct-tax lawyers handle corporate taxation, international structures, business reorganisations and contentious proceedings.

Intellectual property is equally fundamental to the firm’s market identity. Its combination of legal and technical expertise enables it to support rights holders across patent and trademark prosecution, portfolio strategy, commercialisation and enforcement. This scientific and industry-focused approach is especially valuable to clients in technology-intensive and regulated sectors, where intellectual property, product regulation and tax considerations frequently converge.

The firm’s transactional practices have grown in scale and sophistication. Its corporate and M&A team advises domestic and international clients throughout the corporate lifecycle, from market entry and governance to acquisitions, strategic investments, joint ventures and exits. Cross-practice collaboration is a particular advantage on transactions where competition, tax, employment, real estate or sector-specific approvals influence deal structure. The firm’s 14-office footprint strengthens its ability to provide local support, while investment in AI-enabled legal tools assists with due diligence and transaction documentation.

Private equity has developed alongside the broader corporate offering. The team acts for investment funds, institutional investors, founders and portfolio companies on investments and exits, with particular experience in healthcare, consumer businesses, financial services, technology and energy. Its work increasingly involves cross-border capital, sophisticated governance arrangements and transactions requiring coordinated regulatory analysis.

The disputes and competition practices build on the firm’s advocacy-led heritage. The disputes team appears before the Supreme Court, High Courts, company-law tribunals and specialist regulatory forums, with notable experience in infrastructure-heavy and regulated industries. The competition practice handles merger control, behavioural investigations, compliance and appellate litigation, drawing on the firm’s disputes capability when matters progress beyond the Competition Commission of India.

Employment, technology and restructuring add further depth. The employment group advises on workplace compliance and the employment dimensions of corporate transactions, while the technology team handles privacy, cybersecurity, fintech, artificial intelligence and regulated outsourcing. The restructuring practice represents creditors and debtors and addresses the interaction between the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code and other regulatory regimes.

Founder and managing partner V Lakshmikumaran remains central to the firm’s leadership, particularly across tax, disputes and restructuring. Charanya Lakshmikumaran is prominent in tax, competition, disputes and insolvency, while senior tax practitioners include S Vasudevan, Raghavan Ramabadran, Ravi Raghavan, Anand Nainawati and L Badri Narayanan. The expanding transactional platform includes N Mathivanan, Gaurav Dayal, Asish Philip Abraham, Nupoor Agrawal, Noorul Hassan, Kunal Arora, Sushrut Biswal and Srabonee Roy. The corporate bench was strengthened by the arrival of Siddharth Sawhney from AZB & Partners and associate partner Vishakha Singh from One97 Communications.

Client feedback

“LKS provides a mature view, guides us on all practical aspects, and finally defends the position in appellate authority if Revenue disputes the position. LKS provides end-to-end solution of all tax litigation needs.” – Media and entertainment

“It has domain experience, fast movement on said areas.” – Media and entertainment

“The team is strong in both tax litigation and advisory work.” – Tax

Noorul Hassan

“He is highly skilled.”

Sridharan Lakshmikumaran

“He provides comprehensive tax analysis, is dependable, demonstrates excellent courtroom skills and offers candid views.”

Shivam Mehta

“He offers practical, original ideas and demonstrates excellent stakeholder and client management skills.”

Obhan Mason was formed through the merger of Obhan & Associates and Mason & Associates earlier this year, bringing together two well-established Indian practices with complementary strengths in intellectual property, media and entertainment, technology, corporate law and dispute resolution. The combination creates a substantially broader platform, uniting Obhan & Associates’ depth in patent prosecution, portfolio management, corporate advisory and commercial transactions with Mason & Associates’ recognised capability in copyright, digital platforms, media regulation and complex intellectual-property litigation.

The merger is particularly significant for intellectual property. The combined practice comprises more than 60 lawyers, patent agents and technical consultants and advises across patents, trademarks, designs, copyright, commercialisation and enforcement. Its breadth enables the firm to support intellectual-property owners throughout the lifecycle of an asset, from invention capture, analytics and initial filing strategy through prosecution, licensing, portfolio optimisation and litigation.

The patent practice combines legal expertise with specialist technical knowledge across scientific and engineering disciplines. Its lawyers and technical consultants advise on patentability and prior-art assessments, drafting, prosecution, domestic and international filing strategies, oppositions and infringement proceedings. A dedicated analytics team undertakes patent-landscape studies, freedom-to-operate searches, validity assessments, white-space analysis and competitor monitoring, helping clients align their portfolios with broader research and commercial priorities.

The trademarks team provides similarly comprehensive support, spanning brand ideation, clearance, prosecution, renewals, portfolio management, enforcement and contentious proceedings. The group has experience across aviation, consumer goods, technology, financial services, hospitality, fashion, beverages and digital assets. Its work ranges from supporting cross-border brand launches to protecting established names against infringement, impersonation and organised online fraud.

Obhan Mason’s design and copyright practices further strengthen the platform. The design team advises on searches, filings, renewals, oppositions and enforcement in India and internationally, while the copyright group handles rights clearance, licensing, content exploitation and disputes. The firm also advises on intellectual-property-intensive commercial arrangements, including technology licences, joint development agreements, franchising, brand collaborations and the intellectual-property aspects of corporate transactions.

The merger has created a particularly strong media and entertainment practice. The combined team brings together experience across publishing, news broadcasting, music, film, digital content, hospitality and the visual arts. Its lawyers advise publishers on author contracts, translation and adaptation rights, pre-publication reviews and content-related disputes, while broadcasters and digital platforms turn to the team for guidance on regulatory compliance, licensing, intermediary liability and contentious content.

The former Mason & Associates practice adds significant depth in music rights, statutory licensing, digital platforms and copyright litigation. This complements Obhan & Associates’ work for publishers, news organisations, production businesses, hospitality ventures and art galleries. The resulting practice can advise on both commercial arrangements and disputes involving the creation, distribution and monetisation of content.

Technology and telecommunications is another area strengthened by the merger. The firm combines corporate and regulatory lawyers with patent practitioners, litigators, engineers and scientists, allowing it to address the commercial, technical and legal dimensions of technology-led mandates. Its work encompasses technology transactions, data governance, cybersecurity, fintech, artificial intelligence, digital platforms, software licensing and intermediary liability.

The practice is led by managing partner Essenese Obhan, a prominent intellectual-property practitioner whose experience spans patents, trademarks, designs, copyright and litigation. Neel Mason is a central senior figure in the firm’s intellectual-property, media and technology disputes work, while senior partner Ashima Obhan advises across corporate transactions, private equity, employment, media and dispute resolution. Other key practitioners include Aparna Kareer and Sneha Gandhi in patents and designs; Vihan Dang and Ekta Sharma in intellectual property, copyright and disputes; and Vrinda Patodia and Akanksha Dua across corporate, technology and media-related mandates.

Through the merger, Obhan Mason has combined a substantial intellectual-property prosecution and portfolio-management platform with enhanced transactional, regulatory and litigation capabilities. The resulting practice is equipped to support rights holders, content businesses and technology companies from the creation and commercialisation of intellectual assets through to enforcement and dispute resolution.

Pioneer Legal has developed a distinctive position in India’s legal market as an agile, partner-led firm with particular strength in corporate transactions, private equity, technology, media and complex commercial disputes. Based in Mumbai, the firm is known for working closely with clients as an extension of their internal teams, combining responsive execution with an understanding of the commercial rationale behind each mandate. Its lawyers advise established businesses, investment funds, founders and emerging companies on strategic transactions and disputes across some of India’s most dynamic sectors.

Corporate and M&A is central to the firm’s platform. Pioneer Legal supports buyers, sellers, investors, target companies and promoters throughout the transaction lifecycle, from structuring and due diligence through negotiation, closing and post-completion matters. The team’s recent work spans pharmaceuticals, healthcare, automotive and defence manufacturing, technology, digital marketing, financial services and sustainable infrastructure. This breadth is reinforced by experience coordinating competition, foreign-investment, employment, real-estate and intellectual-property considerations within larger transactions.

The firm has become particularly well regarded for its work with founder-led companies and businesses undertaking institutional transactions for the first time. Its lawyers take a hands-on role in preparing companies for due diligence, explaining investor requirements and resolving issues that could otherwise delay completion. This practical approach is equally relevant to international investors entering India, where the team helps clients translate regulatory and transaction requirements into workable commercial arrangements.

Private equity complements the wider corporate offering. The practice acts for funds, institutional investors, portfolio companies, promoters and other stakeholders on investments, exits and growth-capital transactions. Its lawyers regularly negotiate governance, transfer, dilution, information and exit rights in transactions involving multiple investors. The team also advises existing shareholders when new institutional capital is introduced, helping preserve negotiated protections while accommodating the requirements of incoming investors.

Technology, media and telecommunications is another defining strength. Pioneer Legal advises software businesses, digital platforms, fintech companies, investors, media houses and advertising businesses on acquisitions, fundraising, commercial contracts and regulatory compliance. The practice is active in digital payments, cybersecurity, advertising technology, creative content and data-driven services. Its lawyers also support media businesses on their day-to-day commercial arrangements and provide training to in-house teams on complex contract negotiations.

Dispute resolution has developed alongside the transactional practice. The firm handles commercial litigation, arbitration, shareholder disputes, insolvency proceedings, restrictive-covenant claims and company-law matters. Its lawyers become involved at the pre-litigation stage, helping clients evaluate strategy, preserve their commercial position and pursue urgent interim remedies where required. Recent mandates demonstrate experience before the High Courts, Supreme Court, National Company Law Tribunal and National Company Law Appellate Tribunal.

Pioneer Legal has also invested in operational efficiency and institutional development. Its technology systems support flexible collaboration and near-paperless working, while its in-house Chronos platform provides real-time visibility over billable and non-billable time. Knowledge-sharing, professional training and mentoring support consistency across the practice. The firm’s quarterly Give Back initiative also incorporates pro bono and social-impact work into its appraisal process.

Managing partner Satish Kishanchandani advises across M&A, private equity, venture capital, joint ventures and disputes. Pritha Jha is prominent in private equity, M&A, media and technology transactions, while Anupam Shukla focuses on TMT, private equity, corporate transactions and data-related matters. Narendra Dingankar advises on M&A, corporate restructuring, financing and infrastructure, and Shoubhik Dasgupta handles private equity, corporate transactions, joint ventures, foreign investment and employment issues. Sohil Shah leads significant commercial litigation, arbitration, insolvency and shareholder mandates. The wider bench includes counsel Eishan Agnihotri and Pracheta Redhu, together with principal associates Dhruval Sheth and Jinal Shah.

Through its combination of transactional focus, sector knowledge and direct partner involvement, Pioneer Legal provides commercially grounded advice to clients navigating investment, expansion, strategic change and disputes.

Client feedback

“Every team member I have worked with has demonstrated strong legal expertise. Most notably, they treat each matter with the same level of commitment as the client.” – Dispute resolution

“The team develops a deep understanding of each matter through careful research and thoughtful questions. Its specialists collaborate effectively to resolve issues and maintain a highly professional approach.” – Dispute resolution

Pritha Jha

“She pays close attention to detail, conducts thorough due diligence and is knowledgeable and sharp. She leads teams effectively and takes a professional approach to her work.”

Satish Kishanchandani

“He combines strong legal knowledge with a clear commitment to achieving the best outcome for clients.”

Rahul Chaudhry & Partners is a specialist Indian intellectual-property firm distinguished by the breadth of its prosecution, portfolio-management, litigation and enforcement capabilities. With more than four decades of experience, the firm advises domestic and international rights holders on the creation, protection and commercial management of intellectual assets across India and neighbouring South Asian jurisdictions. Its combination of legal, scientific and investigative expertise allows it to support clients from initial rights strategy and registration through to complex litigation and coordinated anti-counterfeiting action.

The firm operates from New Delhi, Gurugram and Mumbai, with the recently established Mumbai office extending its geographic reach and contentious capability. Its team includes lawyers, patent agents and professionals with backgrounds in science, engineering and life sciences, enabling it to handle technically complex patent and design matters alongside a substantial trademarks, copyright and enforcement practice. The firm also coordinates international filing strategies through a network of associates in more than 110 countries.

A defining strength is the scope of its intellectual-property offering. The patent practice encompasses patentability assessments, drafting, domestic and international prosecution, freedom-to-operate analysis, validity work, portfolio landscaping, licensing and technology mapping. Its technical bench covers biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, mechanical engineering, software, information technology and medical devices. The designs team complements this work through novelty searches, filing and prosecution, recordals, infringement analysis and contentious proceedings.

The trademarks practice advises across the full brand lifecycle, from pre-filing clearance and prosecution to oppositions, rectifications, assignments and international registrations. The team regularly supports businesses in consumer goods, automotive, electronics, luxury goods, entertainment, hospitality, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, publishing, retail and sport. Its experience securing recognition for well-known trademarks and conducting portfolio audits is reinforced by a complementary copyright practice covering registration, monitoring and enforcement.

Litigation and anti-counterfeiting form another important pillar of the firm. Rahul Chaudhry & Partners represents rights holders in trademark, copyright, patent, passing-off, disparagement and unfair-competition proceedings. Its recent work includes obtaining injunctions against lookalike brands and packaging, protecting automotive marks and trade dress, and pursuing patent claims involving technically specialised products. The team’s in-house investigations capability supports market monitoring, evidence gathering, civil and criminal enforcement, customs recordals and coordinated seizure actions across India.

The firm also maintains a strong regional practice, assisting clients with intellectual-property protection and enforcement in Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar and the Maldives. By acting as a central point of coordination, the practice helps international rights holders manage multiple national portfolios while maintaining consistency in strategy, deadlines and communications.

The practice is led by Rahul Chaudhry, who remains closely involved in major trademark, patent and enforcement proceedings. The senior team includes Ekta Sarin, who focuses on intellectual-property litigation and enforcement; Ravi Chadha and Christine Chiramel in trademarks; and patent and designs specialists Charul Yadav, Pulkit Doger and Siddharth Sharma. The firm has continued to invest in its partnership, adding Yadav and Doger to the patents team, Ankit Rastogi to litigation, and Shruhita Amit and Sabia Veqar to trademarks. These additions broaden a leadership bench capable of coordinating prosecution, technical analysis and contentious strategy across the firm’s offices.

Through its combination of specialist depth, cross-border portfolio capability and practical enforcement experience, Rahul Chaudhry & Partners provides an integrated platform for clients seeking to protect and commercialise intellectual property in India and internationally.

Shivadass & Shivadass is a Bengaluru-based law firm distinguished by its ability to combine tax, disputes, competition and corporate expertise within a closely integrated practice. The firm is particularly effective on mandates where commercial arrangements intersect with complex regulatory requirements, allowing its lawyers to address the wider operational implications of a dispute, transaction or compliance issue. A strong presence in South India, direct senior involvement and a trusted network of local advocates support the firm’s ability to manage matters across India while retaining a responsive and commercially focused service model.

Dispute resolution is a central pillar of the practice. The team represents clients before civil and commercial courts, High Courts, tribunals, statutory authorities and the Supreme Court of India. Its work encompasses tax controversies, consumer claims, contractual disputes and regulatory proceedings, with lawyers supporting clients from early case assessment and strategy through to final adjudication. The firm is particularly experienced in matters arising from regulated industries, where contractual questions may overlap with tax, consumer-protection or competition considerations.

The disputes practice is characterised by a pragmatic approach to risk and business continuity. Recent mandates include defending product manufacturers against consumer claims, handling the termination of distribution arrangements and pursuing commercial claims arising from incorrect GST treatment. The firm’s multidisciplinary structure enables its disputes lawyers to draw on specialist tax and competition knowledge when developing arguments or assessing the wider implications of contentious proceedings.

Tax is another defining strength. The firm advises and represents clients across GST, customs, income tax and legacy indirect-tax regimes, including matters involving classification, exemptions, refunds, procedural limitations and the tax treatment of cross-border services. Its experience spans technically complex disputes in the technology, financial services, healthcare, life sciences, automotive, manufacturing and jewellery sectors. The team regularly appears before tribunals and High Courts and has secured favourable rulings on issues with broader relevance to taxpayers operating under evolving regulatory frameworks.

The tax practice is particularly adept at translating complex commercial and technical arrangements into clear legal positions. Its recent work includes establishing the export status of cross-border data-management services, securing concessional GST treatment for renewable-energy equipment and challenging time-barred assessment proceedings. The team has also advised on customs classification, refund entitlements and the tax consequences of payments arising from contractual breaches.

The general corporate practice provides continuing support throughout the business lifecycle. The firm frequently acts as outside general counsel, advising on business formation, commercial agreements, operational policies, governance, compliance and crisis management. Its lawyers work closely with business teams to structure arrangements that allocate responsibilities clearly and remain workable in practice. Recent instructions have involved digital loyalty and customer-engagement platforms collaborating with banks, hospitality businesses, travel providers and other service partners.

Data protection and technology regulation form a growing part of the firm’s offering. The team assists businesses with privacy notices, consent frameworks, cookie policies, cross-border transfers, data retention, breach-response planning and agreements with third-party processors. It also conducts data-mapping exercises and awareness programmes to help management and operational teams understand the practical implications of India’s data-protection framework.

The firm’s wider commercial capabilities extend to competition law and intellectual property. It advises on competition investigations, merger-control issues and compliance under India’s antitrust regime, as well as trademark, copyright and brand-protection matters. Its ability to combine regulatory advice with contentious experience is especially useful where a dispute or commercial strategy could attract scrutiny from more than one authority.

Partner Prashanth Shivadass leads the firm’s work across competition, consumer law, corporate and commercial matters, taxation and technology. His appointment to represent the Competition Commission of India before various forums reinforces the firm’s competition and advocacy credentials. Associate partner Rishab J focuses on tax, while principal associate Shradha Rajgiri advises across consumer law, dispute resolution, general corporate matters and taxation. Together, the senior team reflects the firm’s multidisciplinary approach and emphasis on direct involvement in complex client matters.

Seven-year-old Singularity Legal has a unique business model. It is billed as a ‘border agnostic’ Asia and Africa-focused law firm specialising in international dispute resolution. Unlike conventional domestic firms that focus on legal services governed by Indian law, Singularity only handles international cross-border disputes and acts based on the various countries’ governing laws and transnational laws. The boutique law firm has developed a strong track record for handling transnational disputes, unearthing frauds, obtaining injunctive reliefs and assisting in debt recovery. It frequently works with litigation funders. The firm is licensed to practise before the courts at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), making it the first Indian firm to be Part-I registered solicitors at the DIFC. Partner Prateek Bagaria is the main contact.  

SKV Law Offices stands out in India’s legal market for its focused combination of energy-sector knowledge, regulatory advocacy and disputes capability. The firm is particularly experienced in matters where technical, commercial and public-law considerations converge, acting for power generators, distribution utilities, renewable-energy developers, transmission licensees and industry bodies. Its partner-led model, experience before specialist electricity forums and growing presence in western India enable it to handle complex mandates from initial regulatory proceedings through appellate litigation before the Supreme Court.

Electricity and power-sector disputes lie at the heart of the practice. Its lawyers advise on tariff determination and truing-up, regulatory assets, change-in-law and force majeure claims, grid connectivity, renewable-energy curtailment, fuel-cost recovery and transmission infrastructure. The team also handles commercial litigation and arbitration-related proceedings in which contractual rights must be considered alongside the statutory framework established by the Electricity Act.

The firm is frequently instructed on matters with broader consequences for India’s electricity market. Its work addresses the respective roles of central and state regulators, the relationship between power-purchase agreements and statutory tariff powers, and the recovery of costs incurred by generators and utilities. This experience enables the team to consider not only the immediate dispute but also its potential implications for procurement, project financing and regulatory policy.

Renewable energy is an important component of the practice. The firm acts for solar and wind developers on tariff entitlements, customs and tax-related change-in-law claims, commissioning delays, connectivity, curtailment, power banking and open-access charges. Its lawyers are accustomed to analysing detailed project records, bidding frameworks, technical approvals and grid requirements when preparing claims before regulators and appellate forums.

The conventional power practice is equally substantial. The team advises thermal and hydroelectric generators on capital-cost treatment, operating expenditure, fuel availability, alternative coal procurement, performance norms and delayed tariff recovery. Its experience encompasses both final appeals and interim applications intended to protect cash flow while long-running tariff disputes remain unresolved.

Infrastructure litigation complements the firm’s regulatory work. SKV Law Offices represents transmission companies and project developers in challenges involving landowners, statutory approvals, compensation claims and attempts to restrain construction. These mandates require the team to reconcile rights under the Electricity Act and Telegraph Act with civil-procedure, property-law and public-interest considerations. The practice also handles disputes involving hydroelectric assets and other operational infrastructure.

The firm maintains a pan-India practice from its New Delhi base, appearing before the Supreme Court, several High Courts, the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission and state electricity commissions. Its Mumbai office strengthens access to the Bombay High Court and Maharashtra-based regulatory bodies while supporting demand for energy, infrastructure and commercial-disputes work in western India.

Founding partner Shri Venkatesh leads many of the firm’s major energy, regulatory and appellate mandates. Managing partner Kanika Chugh is prominent across disputes, energy and infrastructure, while senior partner Shryeshth Ramesh Sharma handles regulatory, infrastructure and arbitration-related proceedings. The wider senior team includes partners Ashutosh Kumar Srivastava and Suhael Buttan, associate partner Priya Dhankhar and counsel Nihal Bharadwaj and Abhishek Nangia, who collectively support the firm’s work across energy, infrastructure and dispute resolution. The firm has also broadened its commercial capabilities through the addition of technology, media and telecommunications partner Anshul Verma.

Through its concentration on technically demanding regulated industries, SKV Law Offices provides a focused platform for disputes and regulatory mandates requiring detailed sector knowledge, sustained advocacy and an understanding of the commercial realities of major energy and infrastructure projects.

Client feedback

“The team manages litigation efficiently, shares key legal strategies to strengthen the client’s position and secures injunctive relief at the appropriate time to protect the client’s interestss.” – Dispute resolution

“SKV Law Offices has truly become an indispensable partner for us at Tata Power. When I reflect on the journey, what stands out is not just the legal wins, though those have been significant, but the depth of understanding they bring to our business. We operate across multiple entities, and SKV handles complex, high-stakes matters across all of them simultaneously. That kind of institutional bandwidth is rare.

The Andhra Pradesh matter alone, where they defended our concluded Power Purchase Agreements before the Supreme Court, had a significant financial exposure. The state government was attempting to reopen tariffs that had already been agreed upon. SKV held the line. They not only protected us but set a precedent that now protects every renewable energy developer in the country. That is the kind of outcome that goes beyond client service. It is nation-building work.

Similarly, the Change in Law fight on Project Import Regulations is a matter we are running across eight forums simultaneously, from the Supreme Court down to multiple State Electricity Regulatory Commissions. Most law firms would struggle to maintain coherence and strategic consistency across even two or three forums. SKV does it seamlessly, and with the same quality of argumentation at every level. What has made them truly essential to us is three things.

First, they understand our commercial reality. They do not just advice on the law. They understand what a ruling means for our balance sheet, our project timelines, our investor commitments. Second, they move fast. When we needed urgent interim relief to protect operational land that Tata Power has held since 1911, they secured it at the Bombay High Court before any irreversible damage could be done. Third, they are deeply loyal to our interests. Across all our matters, we have never felt that SKV was anything less than fully committed to us. I would say without hesitation, SKV Law Offices is not a vendor for us. They are a strategic partner. And in today's regulatory and litigation environment, having a partner of their calibre is not a luxury. It is a necessity.” – Dispute resolution

“The firm has a dedicated team of professionals with deep energy-sector expertise. It delivers work more quickly than many competitors and acts as a trusted subject-matter expert.” – Energy

“SKV Law Offices is a very diligent law firm and provides in-depth analysis of issues and solutions to regulatory issues.” – Regulatory

“They deliver work promptly.”

Shri Venkatesh

“Shri Venkatesh is, quite simply, one of the finest legal minds in India's power and energy sector today. What sets him apart is not just his command of the law but the rare combination of courtroom brilliance and strategic depth that he brings to every matter. Peers describe him as being in the league of Senior Counsels when it comes to arguing electricity matters, and in our experience at Tata Power, that is not an exaggeration. He understands the regulatory landscape, the forums, the commissions, and the commercial consequences of every legal position he takes, often better than anyone else in the room. What makes Shri truly exceptional is that he built all of this from scratch. He founded SKV Law Offices and created an institution strong enough to handle matters worth tens of thousands of crores simultaneously across multiple forums, multiple entities, and multiple jurisdictions. That takes not just legal talent but vision, discipline, and an extraordinary commitment to client outcomes. In all our years of working with him at Tata Power, he has never once felt like a lawyer we retained. He has always felt like a partner who is as invested in our success as we are.”

“He has excellent regulatory knowledge and is a highly effective advocate before the courts.”

“He is agile and highly articulate, quickly identifies the root of an issue and provides advice accordingly.”

ThinkLaw Advocates has emerged as one of India’s most promising independent law firms, building a reputation for handling complex, high-value matters across disputes, regulatory, intellectual property, private equity and real estate. Since its establishment in 2021, the Mumbai-headquartered firm has experienced rapid growth, expanding from a small founding team into a multi-disciplinary practice that advises listed companies, multinational corporations, financial institutions, investors, promoters and emerging businesses. The firm’s development has been underpinned by its philosophy of helping clients navigate complex legal and commercial challenges through a combination of strategic thinking, rigorous legal analysis and commercially focused advice.

The firm has distinguished itself through its ability to operate seamlessly across contentious and transactional mandates. Its disputes and regulatory practices are particularly recognised for handling sophisticated matters before the Supreme Court of India, High Courts, specialist tribunals and regulatory authorities, while its intellectual property team advises on both contentious and non-contentious brand protection matters in India and internationally. Alongside this, ThinkLaw has continued to strengthen its private equity and venture capital capabilities, advising investors and companies on growth-stage, strategic and pre-IPO transactions, while its real estate practice remains active on complex acquisitions, development projects and land-related disputes.

This breadth of expertise has been reflected in a growing list of industry recognitions across multiple practice areas. The firm has earned recognition from leading legal directories and industry publications for its work in dispute resolution, private equity and transactional matters, while several of its lawyers have received individual accolades. As the firm continues to expand its platform and deepen relationships with both domestic and international clients, it has established itself as a strong contender in India's increasingly competitive legal market.

Client feedback

“Available whenever needed and fully committed to every matter. Their flexibility, strategic thinking and dedication set them apart from others.” – Dispute resolution

“Timely responses to all our queries and satisfactory support in addressing our legal matters.” – Intellectual property

“Sharp, extremely well-versed, and supported by a great team of experienced practitioners.” – Intellectual property

“Quick to understand matters, commercially minded, and strong in dispute resolution. The team demonstrates critical thinking, strategic planning and long-term vision.” – Shipping

“Strong domain knowledge and lateral thinking when solving problems.” – Shipping

“ThinkLaw Advocates combines strong legal expertise with a deep understanding of business realities. Its key strengths include strategic thinking, responsiveness, attention to detail, and the ability to provide practical, commercially balanced advice rather than purely theoretical legal opinions.

The team is particularly effective in handling complex disputes, intellectual property matters, corporate transactions and contract negotiations while maintaining a solution-oriented approach. The lawyers are proactive, reliable and consistently focused on protecting client interests while enabling business objectives.” – Technology and telecommunications

Tushar Ajinkya

“Strong problem-solving skills.”

“Tushar is an exceptionally capable legal professional who combines deep legal knowledge with strong commercial acumen. He is highly responsive, strategic in his thinking and adept at simplifying complex legal issues into practical business decisions.

His strengths include dispute resolution, contract negotiations, corporate structuring, intellectual property matters and risk management. What distinguishes Tushar is his ability to balance legal rigour with business realities, enabling clients to achieve their objectives while safeguarding their interests. He is dependable, solution-oriented, detail-focused and consistently demonstrates a high level of professionalism and integrity.”

Sukanya Sehgal

“Quick understanding of matters and effective delegation.”

“Provides quick and positive responses and consistently delivers within tight timeframes.”

“Listens carefully, demonstrates a deep grasp of the situation, and offers intelligent solutions to complex problems.”

“Responsive, takes strong ownership of matters, and is highly reliable.”