This article is written by Pranay Bhattacharya, student at MNLU Aurangabad.

 

India is one of the growing markets for M&A (Mergers and Acquisitions). This article is a modest effort to mention some of the most sought-after lawyers in the field of M&A.

The list here is an alphabetical list and we don’t suggest that any of them is better or superior to the other.

• AJAY BHAL: He is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of AZB & Partners (merged with Chambers of Zia and Bahram in 2004, and formed AZB & Partners), and he heads the Delhi team of the firm. He has over 30 years of M&A experience and is associated with big Indian business houses, multinational corporations and international organizations. He practices in M&A including tax, Private Equity Investments, Foreign Exchange related advisory work, Securities Regulations, and Taxation including Tax Litigation regulatory issues for corporate acquisitions etc. He also has expertise in litigation and tax accountancy matters, structuring, restructuring and transfer pricing-related issues. He has presented himself as an independent expert on behalf of Government of India on tax and accounting matters before the International Court of Justice, The Hague. He has also represented as counsel and co-counsel in various arbitral positions between large US companies. He also advised the government of India in matters related to M&A on various occasions.

Education:

• Chartered Accountant (1979)
• B.A. from University of Delhi (1985)

Memberships and Affiliations:

• Member of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) economic growth and investments council.
• Board of governors of the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA).
• Bar Association of India.
• International Bar Association.
• Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce of Indian (FICCI).
• Indian Management Association.
• Served as a member of the committee constituted by the Ministry of Finance in India, formed to simplify the provisions of the Income Tax Act.
• Member of the Appellate Panel, formed by the Institute of Insolvency Professionals.
• Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA).
• Member of the Committee to review the offences under the Companies Act, 2013 constituted by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India in July 2018.

Accomplishments

• Named as a leading attorney in the field of M&A by Asia Pacific Legal500.
• Listed as “world’s leading tax advisors” by Tax Directors Handbook.
• Named as Star Individual for M&A by Chambers Global and Chambers Asia Pacific.
• Named as Leading Lawyer for M&A in 2013 and 2014 by International Who’s Who Legal.
• Asia’s leading business lawyers in the field of M&A and Project Finance by Asialaw 2004.
• Leading Lawyer in the field of General Corporate Practice by 2006 Asia Law & Practice.
• Named a leading tax attorney by IFLR1000.

 

• AKHIL HIRANI: He is one of India’s leading corporate lawyers having more than 25 years of experience. Currently, he is the Head of the Transactions Practice and Managing Partner at Majmudar & Partners, a leading Indian law firm. He has exceptional Indian law insight with an international skill. He has work experience in California and London. His practice areas are Banking and Finance, Corporate/M&A, Private Equity and Venture Capital, Projects and Energy, Tax, Technology, Media and Telecommunications.

He regularly speaks on M&A, capital raising, issues affecting hedge funds and FIIs, India investment strategies, and related subjects at many international forums, including at seminars held by Terrapin in India and Hong Kong, PLI and ATLAS Legal in the US, and the IBA. He is regularly featured in shows on CNBC TV18, Bloomberg UTV and ET Now. He has won several distinguished awards.

He offers clients over 25 years of experience advising financial institutions on structured investments, joint ventures and regulatory matters.

He has authored several articles and publications on topics, including structuring investments into India, outsourcing to India, joint ventures in India and on tax issues.

Education:

• B.A, Psychology from St. Xavier’s College (1989)
• L.L.B (specialized in Private International Law) from Government Law College, Mumbai (1992)

Membership and Affiliations:

• Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa
• Bombay Incorporated Law Society
• State Bar of California
• International Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Law Society for England and Wales

Accomplishments:

• Ranked as one of the most in-demand lawyers by Chambers Asia Pacific, Chambers Global, Asia Pacific Legal 500, IFLR1000, India Business Law Journal, and Asialaw Leading Lawyers.
• Top 100 Legal Luminaries of India published by Lexis Nexis and Practical Law Company.
• A-list of India’s top 100 lawyers by India Business Law Journal.

 

• ANAND DESAI: He is working as the Managing Partner at DSK Legal since it was founded in April, 2001. He is a leading practitioner in India and has over 30 years of extensive domestic and international experience. He is also a trusted counsel to several large multinational and Indian corporates.

He is a perceptive litigator and negotiator and has innovative and strategic inputs to optimize his clients’ strategy. He has dealt in many high profile cases in criminal and civil litigation including intellectual property, commercial disputes, anti-trust, real estate and information technology.

Education:

• B.Com from Bombay University
• L.L.B from Bombay University
• L.L.M from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland

Membership and Affiliations:

• Served as the National President of Indo-American Chamber of Commerce.
• Chairman of a Committee to recommend amendments to the Specific Relief Act, 1963 by the Government of India, Ministry of Law and Justice.
• President of TiE Mumbai (from April 2016).
• Director of Paani Foundation.
• Trustee of L&T Employees Welfare Foundation.
• Advisory board member of Swades Foundation and Yuva Parivartan.
• Chairman of the Tribal Mensa Nurturing Program.
• Managing Council member of Vision Foundation of India.

Accomplishments

• Featured in the book titled “100 Legal Luminaries of India” by Lexis Nexis.
• Featured in Top 100 A-List published by India Law Journal in 2016.
• Listed as one of the leading lawyers in India in Who’s Who Legal, Chambers Global, IFLR, Asia-Pacific Legal 500 and Asialaw Profiles.

  

• ANAND PATHAK: He is currently employed at P&A Law Offices in the position of Managing Partner, and was employed at Jones Day. He has practised law for more than 25 years. Prior to joining P&A Law Offices, he was a lawyer in Brussels, Cleveland and Palo Alto. He is admitted to practise law in India and the states of Ohio and California in the United States.

His practises areas are US, European and Indian M&A and joint ventures, and technology licensing, distribution and agency arrangements. He attended all of the European Council negotiation meetings leading to the adoption of the EU Merger Control Regulation and assisted in the drafting of the implementing regulations and guidelines issued by the European Commission. He has represented several clients in proceedings before the Indian Competition Commission, the Competition Appellate Tribunal and the Supreme Court of India, including Apple Inc, MCX-SX, Financial Technologies (India) Limited, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Daiichi Sankyo, Eli Lilly, General Motors, Bull Machines, Ericsson, Amazon, Super Cassettes and DLF Limited.

He is a highly regarded expert in EU and Indian competition law and is well known for his vast experience handling related investigations.

Education:

• B.A Hons. (Economics) from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University.
• L.L.B from the University of Cambridge, England.
• L.L.M and M.A in International and Development Economics from Yale University.

Membership and Affiliations:

• Has worked at the European Court of Justice, Luxembourg, and in the Competition Division of the Legal Service in the European Commission, Brussels.
• Member of a committee constituted by the Indian government for reviewing Indian competition laws.
• He is currently vice chair of the IPBA on Indian Competition Law.
• Represents several companies before the Competition Commission of India, the National Company Appellate Tribunal and the Supreme Court of India in matters relating to mergers, cartels and abuse of dominance. 

Accomplishments:

• Presented with the National Law Day Award 2005 by the Prime Minister of India for his unique contribution in the field of corporate law.
• Best M&A Lawyer in India in 2008.
• India M&A Legal Counsel of the Year in 2009.
• India M&A Lawyer of the Year in 2011 and 2012.
• Competition Lawyer of the Year in 2011.
• India Competition Lawyer of the Year in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

 

• APARAJIT BHATTACHARYA: He started his career in 2001 as an articled clerk at Crawford Bayley and had joined HAS (Hemant Sahai Associates) way back in 2004 from Trilegal, and now is a senior partner in the HSA Advocates New Delhi office. He has been practicing for more than a decade now. He has been particularly active in the energy and private equity space. His areas of practice are Corporate Commercial, M&A and Private Equity. He has led diverse assignments and transactions in corporate commercial and has advised clients on many cross-border transactions that relate to foreign investment in India, their entry strategies, M&A, equity investments, joint ventures, management buyouts and corporate restructuring. He has worked across varied sectors of commerce and industry in services, trading and manufacturing sectors. He is a pioneer in the area of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and has counseled one of the first CDM projects in India. He has been a trusted advisor to many of his clients and sits on the board and advisory committees of several companies.

Education:

• B.S.L, Symbiosis Law School
• L.L.B, Symbiosis Law School

Memberships and Affiliations:

• Childreach International
• SightLife
• Member Bar Council of India
• Member Delhi High Court Bar Association
• Member Inter – Pacific Bar Association (IBPA)
• He is also member of the Infrastructure team with a specific focus on environmental matters.

Accomplishments

• Leading Indian M&A corporate lawyer by Chambers Asia 2010, Chambers Asia 2011 and by Chambers Global.
• Leading lawyer by Asia Law Profiles.
• Leading Lawyer by The Intercontinental Finance Magazine (UK).
• Leading lawyer by ACQ Law Awards (UK).
• Leading lawyer by Global Business Magazine (UK).
• Global Law Experts for Climate Change Legal Advisory Services.
• Leading Lawyer in Corporate Commercial/M&A by Legal 500 (Asia Pacific) in 2016. 

• APURVA DIWANJI: He has been working in Desai & Diwanji for the past 21 years and is currently employed in the position of Partner.He is praised for his knowledge and experience in the corporate and M&A space. His additional areas of strength include commercial litigation international capital markets, co-investments, PE, and joint ventures. He has advised on a variety of transnational and cross border transactions, sale/acquisition of existing Indian companies, GDR/FCCB and QIB issues.

He has advised M&A transactions, including mergers and amalgamations, asset and business purchases and sales, tender offers, securities sales and purchases, buy-outs, joint ventures and strategic buyouts. He advises on the full spectrum of such matters including corporate governance issues, transaction structuring, anti-trust and competition laws, FDI and FEMA issues, SEBI and DIP guidelines, and has advised on transactions across various industry sectors.

Education:

• B.A (Economics), University of Mumbai (1987).
• M.A (Law), Downing College, University of Cambridge, 1993.

Membership and Affiliations

• Non-Executive and Independent Director of Cadila Healthcare Ltd (Pharmaceuticals).
• Director of Go Airlines (India) Ltd.
• Partner of Desai & Diwanji.
• Director of Shapoorji Pallonji Forbes Shipping Limited.
• Director Eureka Forbes Ltd.

 

• BOMI DARUWALA: He has been practicing since last 30 years in the area of domestic and international tax and heads the Mumbai office of Vaish Associates. He has been associated with the Firm since 1988. Primarily a transactional lawyer, he has been involved in numerous complex tax litigations and argued several tax cases relating to domestic and cross-border taxation issues of foreign companies, multinationals and large Indian corporate houses before various High Courts, Authority for Advance Rulings, Tax Tribunals and other appellate authorities. He has wide expertise in transfer pricing related issues.

He specializes in restructuring of business, M&A, asset & share purchase deals, securities offerings, structuring of complex debt and equity investments and general corporate and tax advisory. He also has expertise in sectors like private equity, cross-border business transactions, joint ventures, angel and venture capital round financings, strategic alliances and business divorces.

He is a notable speaker of several national and international conferences and seminars organized by leading professional bodies and chambers on subjects like M&A, Takeover Code, Foreign Direct Investment and structuring of Joint Ventures and other topical issues. He has also authored various articles and publications including the Handbook of Direct Taxes of which 25 editions have been published by Bharat House.

Education:

• B.Com from Sri Ram College of Commerce
• L.L.B
• Chartered Accountant
• Cost Accountant

Membership and Affiliations

• Insolvency professional with the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India.
• Fellow Member of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (FCA).
• Associate Member of Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India(AICWA).
• Independent Non-Executive Director at Mather & Platt Fire Systems Ltd.
• Partner at Vaish Associates Advocates.

Accomplishments

• Independently endorsed as a Leading Lawyer in Corporate/ M&A by Asia law Leading Lawyers 2018.
• Leading practitioner in the Corporate/ M&A practice areas by Chambers and Partners (2018).
• Leading practitioner in the Corporate/ M&A practice areas Asia Pacific Guide and Asia Pacific Legal 500 (2018).

 

• CHITTRANJAN R. DUA: He is the founding partner of Dua Associates and has been a practicing advocate for over 30 years of rich and varied experience in the Legal field. Dua Associates is one of the largest and prominent national law firms with full-fledged offices across eight metropolitan cities in India. He has successfully established and developed Dua Associates into a practice with over 150 professionals including 42 partners and senior principals. He has vast experience in corporate law, M&A, privatization, project finance, public issues, entry strategies, foreign investment, corporate structuring/ restructuring, infrastructure projects, international trade and taxation aspects of doing business in India. He serves on the boards of many major multinational corporations in India primarily representing the interests of the foreign collaborators and investors. The firm has the aforementioned practice areas and a strong litigation and arbitration practice.

Education:

• B.A from University of Delhi (1971)
• Master’s Degree Delhi School of Economics (1973)
• Honors Degree from St. Stephens College.
• LLB from University of Delhi (1976)

Membership and Affiliations

• Independent Non-Executive Director of TVS Motor Company Limited, Gillette India Limited, Pearl Global Industries Ltd.
• Director of WIMCO Ltd., Tractors & Farm Equipment Ltd., Cabot India Ltd., Becton Dickinson India Pvt Ltd., McCann Erickson India Pvt Ltd., Sella Synergy India Pvt Ltd., Linde Engineering India Pvt Ltd., Lexsphere Pvt Ltd., Result Services Pvt Ltd., Associated Corporate Consultants India Pvt Ltd., Amit Investments Pvt Ltd., Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions Pvt Ltd., Fila Sport India Pvt Ltd., Inapex Pvt Ltd, Norling Pvt Ltd., PBE India Pvt Ltd., UL India Pvt Ltd., Timex watches Ltd. and many more.
• Non-Executive Director of Vodafone India Ltd.
• Founding Member of American Chamber of Commerce in India.
• Senior Vice President of Society of Indian Law Firms.

 

• CYRIL SHROFF: He is managing partner of Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (since May 2015) and was previously managing partner of Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co (since 1995). He is a Solicitor, High Court of Bombay, since 1983. With over 36 years of experience in a range of areas, including corporate law, securities markets, banking, infrastructure, trust and estate laws, amongst many others.

He is regarded and has been consistently rated as India’s top corporate and finance lawyer by several international surveys. He is the head of the Private Client team. He has deep and unparalleled experience in advising family businesses, both in India and abroad, on a range of family business, governance, succession and wealth management issues. He specializes in advising family businesses on corporate governance and succession issues.

He has worked on a number of Family Constitutions and Family Arrangements with some of India’s most prominent business families, and continues to act as their trusted advisor in multiple capacities. He is actively involved in advising a number of clients on domestic and cross-border estate and succession planning issues.

He ranks among India’s top finance practitioners and enjoys a great reputation for his expertise in Indian banking law, financial regulation and M&A matters.

Education:

B.A., L.L.B degree from the Government Law College, Mumbai

Membership and Affiliations:

• Was a member of the SEBI constituted by Uday Kotak committee on corporate governance, the SEBI committee on insider trading and recently the SEBI committee for direct listing of foreign securities.
• Member of the first Apex advisory committee of the IMC International ADR Centre and an advisory member of the Financial Planning Standards Board of India and Macquarie.
• He is a member of the advisory board of the Mumbai Court of International Arbitration (MCIA) and was recently appointed as a task force member of Society of Insolvency Practitioners of India.
• He is a member of the advisory board of the Center for Study of the Legal Profession established by the Harvard Law School, a member of the advisory board of the National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) and on the board of IIM Trichy and the governing board of Krea University.
• Director of Grasim Industries Ltd.
• Independent Director, Chairman of Stakeholders Relationship Committee.
• Member of ESOS Compensation Committee and Member of Nomination & Remuneration Committee, Grasim Industries Ltd.
• Director, IDBI Capital Market Services Ltd.
• Director, Apar Industries Ltd.
• He is a member of the Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI) International Advisory Board and also part of various committees of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Federation of Indian Chambers Commerce & Industry (FICCI).

Accomplishments:

• Ranked as “star practitioner” in India by Chambers Global.
• Regarded as the “M&A King of India”.
• Featured in issues of Asian Legal Business (ALB) – Dealmakers of the Year 2016, as the only individual from India.
• Awarded with “Emerging Markets Firm Leader of the Year – Independent” at the Asian Lawyer Emerging Markets Awards 2016 organized by American Legal Media.
• He has been recognized as a “legendary figure in the Indian legal community”.
• Chambers Asia Pacific, 2017 has ranked him in Band 1.
• Recognized by IFLR1000, 2016 as ‘Leading Lawyer’ in various practices.
• Mentioned in the A list (which identifies India’s top 100 lawyers) by India Business Law Journal.
• Asian Legal Business has featured him in its December 2016 issue as a ‘Dealmaker of the Year 2016’.

 

• DILJEET TITUS: He is the founding partner of Titus & Co.’s and has been practicing over 28 years, having worked with Singhania from 1990-1997. His practice areas include project finance and development for power, industrial and telecommunications projects, corporate investment structuring and restructuring, M&A, capital markets, commercial transactions, insurance, life sciences and biotechnology, venture capital finance, IT and ADR.

He has written several articles for law and business journals, magazines and newspapers and contributes a legal column, Going by the Book to Business Today, India’s leading business magazine. He maintains an active client practice which includes involvement in transactions, dispute resolutions, intellectual property and tax matters. He represents major US, Japanese and European clients in various capacities in ongoing projects in various phases of development including both greenfield and rehabilitation projects, where he advises in all aspects of investment structuring and restructuring for efficient tax minimisation, statutory and regulatory approvals, drafting and review of project documentation including financing documentations, exchange control issues governing return on equity, tax treatment of operation and management fees, etc

Education:

• B.A. from St. Stephens College, University of Delhi (1986)
• L.L.B from University of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh (1989)

Membership and Affiliations:

• Delhi High Court Bar Association.
• Supreme Court Bar Association.
• Inter-Pacific Bar Association.
• International Bar Association; Indian Council of Arbitration.
• Society of Indian Law Firms.
• Confederation of Indian Industry and the ICC India (International Chamber of Commerce).
• Represents the Indian bar on the Indo American Chamber of Commerce committee on the impact of the WTO on the export of services, as well as the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s expert group on legal and accounting services.
• He is a member of a number of other committees including the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s international affairs committee for Asia Pacific; the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India’s USA expert committee and the Confederation of Indian Industry’s infrastructure subcommittee.
• Associate Vice President of the Society of Indian Firms and General Secretary of the Policy and Planning Group.
• Represented the Indian Bar on the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce committee on “Impact of WTO on Export of Services.”

Accomplishments:

• His biography is included in Who’s Who in the World, 2002.
• The firm was described as a leading private equity practice by Global Counsel 3000 in 2002.
• Commendatore dell’ Ordine della Stella della Solidarieta Italiana (Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity) by a Decree of the President of Italy H. E. Mr. Giorgio Napolitano on the proposal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Franco Frattini. H. E. the Ambassador of Italy to India, Mr. Roberto Toscano presented the award to Mr. Titus.
• The National Law Day Award 2007 “For Unique Achievements and Leadership in the Practice of Corporate and Commercial Laws” by the President of India Mrs. Pratibha Devisingh Patil.
• Was awarded Star Export House Status by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India.
• Ranked by Chambers & Partners, UK among the leading lawyers of the world 2000 through 2016 in the specialist area of projects work.
• Ranked as a “Leading Lawyer” in Project Finance and Mergers & Acquisitions by Asialaw Leading Lawyer Survey for the years 2000 through 2016.
• Ranked as a “Recommended Individual” in Corporate and Mergers & Acquisitions and Project Finance by Which Lawyer?
• Ranked as a “Leading Individual” for sixteen consecutive years by Asia Pacific Legal 500 in infrastructure and Corporate/ Mergers and Acquisitions as well as in Project Finance.
• Global Counsel 3000 Recommended Lawyer-Diljeet Titus, Titus & Co. for Mergers and Acquisitions Consulting Editor The Contemporary Who’s Who, 2016.

 

• GUNJAN SHAH: She is a partner at Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co. Her area of practices are M&A, private equity investment, corporate restructuring, securities and takeover regulations, debt restructuring and debt capital markets and has led several complex and ground-breaking transactions that were first of their kind and are commonly used as precedents. She has specializations in financial services and pharma and life sciences.

Global PE heavyweights routinely turn to her while making investments in India.

Education:

• B.A., LL.B. (Hons) National Law School of India University, Bangalore (1993-98)
• B.C.L., University of Oxford (2000-2001).

Membership and Affiliations:

• Delhi Bar Association

Accomplishments:

• Featured in the list of India’s Hottest Young Executives – 2015 in Business Today’s best and brightest corporate performers under 40
• Recognised as India’s top 40 business leaders under the age of 40 by Economic Times – Spencer-Stuart Survey, 2014
• Recognised by AsiaOne among 50 most influential Indians under 50 in 2016-17

  

• HAIGREVE KHAITAN: He is a Senior Partner at Khaitan & Co and heads Khaitan & Co.’s Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) practice and serves as its Head of Mumbai Office. He joined the firm in 1988. He focus areas are Mergers & Acquisitions (Domestic and Cross-border), Private Equity (including in listed companies) & Venture Capital, Domestic and Cross-border Joint Ventures, Collaborations & Franchising, Project Finance Transactions, Banking & Finance Transactions, Takeovers, Strategic Alliances, Foreign Investment Law, Corporate & Commercial Law Advisory, Asset protection & Wealth Management, Business & Family Succession Planning etc.

 He advises a range of large Indian conglomerates and multinational clients in various business sectors including infrastructure, power, telecom, automobiles, steel, software and information technology, retail, etc. He has rich experience in all aspects of M&A- Due Diligence, Structuring, Documentation involving listed companies, cross border transactions and medium and small business, etc.

He spent considerable years of his initial practice in representing clients on litigation matters and thereafter he went on representing many clients on project finance and real estate transactions.

He has been highly recommended by world’s leading law chambers / legal accreditation bodies as one of the leading lawyers in India and as the leading lawyer for Project Finance in Asia. He has been involved in some of the high profile and complex transactions in India.

.He has rich experience in all aspects of Chemical plant operations. He has his expertise on various innovative Chemical technologies, his main research work focuses on time and cost reduction on technologies and evaluation process for improving techniques.

His research interest is Analytical Technique Bioanalytical Technique Liquid Chromatography Separation Technique.

Education:

• L.L.B., South Kolkata Law College (1995)

Membership and Affiliations:

• Non-Executive Independent Director of Harrisons Malayalam Limited, National Engineering Industries Ltd., CEAT Ltd., INOX Leisure Ltd., Ambuja Cements Ltd. , Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd., JSW Steel Ltd.
• Non-Executive Director of BTS Investment Advisors Ltd.
• Independent Director of Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance Company Ltd.
• Director of AVTEC Limited, Seclore Technology Private Ltd., JSW ISPAT Steel Ltd.
• Member of Entrepreneurs’ Organization (India), International Bar Association, Indian Council of Arbitration, Bar Council of West Bengal, All India Bar Association, Inc. Law Society of Calcutta, The Indian Law Institute, Bar Association of India.
• Partner at Azalia Estate Realty Solutions LLP, Perito Tessili Designs LLP, Harulika Ventures LLP and Bhasa Agri LLP.

Accomplishments:

• Leading lawyer in India for Corporate / M&A transactions and Banking by Chambers & Partners, Legal 500, IFLR 1000.
• He was listed in our “40 under 45” survey of India’s Leading Young Lawyers.
• Band 1 lawyer for Corporate/M&A and Private Equity.
• “A” list India’s top 100 lawyers 2016.

 

• HIMANSHU NARAYAN: He is working as a partner in Dua Associates and has significant experience in transactional work in the field of M&A, strategic and financial partnerships, private equity, corporate finance and provision of general corporate advice. His transactional experience has included work in sectors such as telecommunications (including telecommunications infrastructure companies), life insurance, general insurance, print media, media and entertainment, financial services, advertising, consumer goods, software, engineering, automobile and tyre industry, defence, hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing, petrochemicals, aviation, infrastructure companies in the securities market.

In general, he has been involved in transactions on behalf of buyers, sellers, investee companies and strategic and financial investors in respect of shares of unlisted companies and other securities. In connection with such transactions and arrangements, he has had opportunity to advise on issues pertaining to foreign direct investment, outbound investment, the exchange management regulations, securities laws, and various other Indian legislations and regulations.

His experience has derived from advising international companies, particularly, in the context of strategic alliances and arrangements (combined with licensing and franchising arrangements), in India, and, in relation to their investments and operations, in many international forums.

In addition, and over the years, he has also acted for various financial investors, international property developers, private equity investors, including for their investments into the real estate sector in India, foreign institutional investors, Indian branches of various international banks relative to corporate finance transactions, securitization and investments through various instruments.

In the recent few years, he has also advised on various aspects surrounding foreign involvement in the trading sector and has been involved in negotiating incremental commercial arrangements in the retail sector in India. He has also worked with stressed asset groups in devising and implementing alternative investment products and structures for the same. In addition, he has also had the opportunity to work on family restructuring and consolidation arrangements.

As a natural corollary to his transactional work, he has had extensive experience in formulating a strategy for and negotiating, various joint ventures, strategic alliances and other corporate arrangements.

Education:

• B.A, L.L.B (Hons.) from NLSIU Bangalore

Accomplishments

• Featured as leading lawyer in Corporate and M&A by Asialaw
• Featured as leading lawyer in Private Equity by Asialaw

 

• KUNAL THAKORE: He is a partner at Partner at Talwar Thakore & Associates. He is widely recognised (including Chambers & Partners and Merger market) as a leading M&A lawyer having over 20 years’ experience as a Solicitor. His expertise includes joint ventures, M&A and disposals (both public and private), private equity investments, and more generally advice in relation to the regulatory landscape in India. He has advised domestic and international clients on some of the most significant deals in the market.

 

• MANSINGH LAXMIDAS BHAKTA: He is one of the senior managing partners with Kanga & Company, a firm of advocates and solicitors in Mumbai, and has been on the Reliance board since 1977. He has been practicing for over 45 year now. His areas of expertise are M&A, corporate and commercial law, Foreign Investment in India and Taxation.

He has been named as one of the leading lawyers in Asia for several years by Asialaw and Chambers and Partners. He has also contributed articles on diverse legal subjects and presented papers before various national and international forums.

Education:

• Graduate from Government Law College, Mumbai
• L.L.B from Government Law College, Mumbai

Memberships and Affiliations:

• Served as the chairman of the Taxation Law Standing Committee of Asialaw.
• Served as the chairman of Taxation Committee of Indian Merchant’s Chamber.
• Member of the advisory committees of the Life Insurance Corporation of India and Deutsche Bank.
• Committee member of the Bombay Incorporated Law Society and of the governing board of the India Council of Arbitration.
• Committee member appointed by the Reserve Bank of India on legal aspects, relating to operations for banking and financial systems.
• Director of JCB India.
• Lead Independent Director Reliance Industries Ltd. (since 1997)
• Independent Director of Abhijeet Power Ltd. (since 2010)
• Independent Director Jyoti CNC Automation Ltd. (since 2012)
• He is President Emeritus of with Association of Hospitals, Bombay.
• Board Member of Nathdwara Temple Road, Rajasthan

Accomplishments:

• Recipient of the Rotary Centennial Service Award for Professional Excellence from Rotary International.
• Leading Lawyers of Asia for six consecutive years, from 2011 by Asialaw Journal.
• Award of ‘The Pillar of Hindustaanee Society’ for the year 2014-15 in the field of ‘Ethical Law Practice’ by Trans Asian Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
• Named as one of the leading lawyers of Asia by Asialaw Journal.
• One of India’s top 50 independent directors in a survey undertaken by the Capital Markets Magazine in 2003.
• He is listed as one of the Leading Lawyers of Asia for 2006 and 2007 by Asialaw, Hongkong.

 

• MOHIT SARAF: He is currently working at Luthra & Luthra in the position of Partner. He heads the Corporate, Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity, Infrastructure & Projects practices at the Firm. With over 25 years of experience across sectors & industries, he has advised major global and Indian companies.

He specializes in M&A and Private Equity representing some major clients such as Mylan, Baxter, Bayer and Carlyle.

He has over 50 publications in various national & international journals and magazines like Financial Worldwide, Finance Yearbook by PLC, Economic Times, Business Standard, Financial Express, Powerline, Tele.net, India Infrastructure, India Business Law Journal and SIAC Yearbook.

Education:

• Delhi University 

Membership and Affiliations:

• Bar Council of Delhi
• International Bar Association 

Accomplishments:

• Voted as ‘Leaders in their field’ by Chambers Global 2012 for Corporate/M&A and Projects, Infrastructure & Energy.
• Voted as ‘Leading Lawyers’ by IFLR 1000- 2012.
• ‘Asialaw Leading Lawyers’ by for Banking & Finance and Capital Markets, General Corporate Practice and Project Finance.
• Voted for his expertise in Project Finance, Mergers & Acquisition, Real Estate, Procurement, and Insurance & Reinsurance by International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers.
• He has been recommended as one of Asia’s top 25 M&A lawyers.
• Honored by ALB HOT 100 as one of the top performing lawyers.
• He is a recipient of various national and international awards and is listed as a Band 1 M&A lawyer in Who’s Who Business Lawyers, Chambers Asia Leading Lawyers and Asia Pacific Legal 500. IFLR1000 Financial and Corporate also lists him as a Leading Lawyer.
• He has been awarded the ‘Shaurya Chakra’ (a national peacetime gallantry award by the Indian President, Mr. R. Venkatraman).

 

• NAINA KRISHNA MURTHY: She is the founder and managing partner of Krishnamurthy & Co (K Law). She started her career with Arthur Anderson followed by a stint as the in-house counsel at Biocon. She founded K Law in 1999 in Bengaluru. She is based in the firm’s Mumbai office.

Under her leadership and guidance, K Law today is a full-service Indian law firm with 13 partners, four associate partners and about 85 lawyers in offices in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi and Chennai.

 She specializes in corporate commercial law, specifically M&A, joint ventures, collaborations and PE/VC investments, and is a trusted adviser to some of the foremost companies, including Larsen and Toubro, Reliance Industries, Pipavav Defence and Caterpillar. She recently advised L&T General Insurance in its sale to HDFC Ergo valued at ₹5.5 billion.

Education:

• B.A, L.L.B (Hons.) from National Law School of India University, Bangalore (1996)

Membership and Affiliations:

• Director of Epicentre Research Technologies Bangalore Private Limited, National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Ltd., Performance Direct Software Private Limited, Acciona Agua India Private Limited, MRops Progamming India Private Limited, Mobile Feed Back Services India Private Limited and Focus Suites Solutions & Services Private Limited.
• Non Executive Independent Director of Aurangabad Electricals Ltd., IndoStar Capital Finance Ltd.

Accomplishments

• She was recognised by India Business Law Journal as ‘A List’ of India’s top 100 lawyers in 2018, 2017 and 2016.

 

• NISHITH MADANLAL DESAI: He is the founder of Nishith Desai Associates. He is a Non-Resident Indian, specializing in the field of M&A, International Taxation, International Business Strategy, International Construction Law, Institutional Investment, International Finance, Structuring of Joint Ventures, Offshore Funds, and Infrastructure. He was admitted to the bar, Mumbai in 1973. He is currently practicing as an International Lawyer, Researcher and Lecturer and is on the Advisory Board, New York State Bar Association’s International Law Review. He has experience in the Fund sector, advising the largest number of offshore investment funds. He also played an important role in structuring several private equity funds in addition and structuring domestic venture capital funds. He has advised the SIDBI and the Department of Electronics, Government of India, on their domestic venture capital fund. He is also an international tax and corporate lawyer, researcher, author and lecturer.

Education:

• L.L.B from Government Law College, Mumbai (1973)
• L.L.M from University of Bombay, Department of Law

Membership and Affiliations:

• Member of International Bar Association, International Tax Planning Association, Supreme Court Bar Association, American Bar Association and Inter-Pacific Bar Association.
• Chairperson of Taxation Committee of LAWASIA.
• Senior Country Correspondent for Tax Notes International, US. Lectures: Institutions such as Kellogg Business School (US), Fabrimetal (Belgium), ZFU (Switzerland), National University of Singapore, Basata (UK), Citibank, Coopers and Lybrand, various Chambers of Commerce.
• Member of Advisory Board at Avendus Advisors Private Ltd.
• Advisory Board of the New York State Bar Association’s International Law Review.
• Senior country correspondent for “Tax Notes International”, USA.

Accomplishments:

• License of State Bar California (to practice Indian law).
• Ranked No. 28 in a global Top 50 “Gold List” by Tax Business, a UK-based international tax journal.
• Recognized as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in India by the Indian Business Law Journal.
• Honored as ‘Market Leading Professionals’ by Asialaw 2019.
• Featured in the Lex Witness publication “Witness Hall of Fame: Top 50” (2010).
• Honoured with the title of “ Yunus Social Business Pioneer of India” – 2010 by The Grameen Lab and the Wockhardt Foundation.
• Managing Partner of the Year (2014) by IDEX Legal.
• Voted “External Counsel of the Year 2009” by Asian Counsel.

Publications:

• Non-resident: Investment incentives and tax-planning (published by Taxmann)

 

• NITIN POTDAR: He is working as a corporate lawyer partner at J. Sagar Associates. Prior to joining JSA, he was a partner with Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co., and prior thereto he was with Crawford Bayley & Co.

 He specializes in Public and Private M&A including De-mergers, restructuring of the business, Asset & Share Purchase deals, Joint Ventures and Strategic Alliances, Private Equity and general Corporate advisory.

He has vast experience with transactions related to Foreign Direct Investments & Exchange Controls Regulations. He has advised several multinational companies on financial & technical collaborations in India, and strategies/options for commencing operations & consolidations in India, in a cross-section of industries. His focus has been on foreign investments from the US, Germany and Japan.

He also has extensive experience in Private Equity & Strategic Investment transactions including leveraged buyout transactions & exits. He has provided business-oriented advice to a variety of companies receiving Private Equity / Strategic Investments

He is a keen observer of the evolution of the law regulating Takeovers in India and now the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016. He has been part of several high profile corporate takeover battles including, defending hostile bids and restructuring.

A widely acclaimed foreign investment expert, he’s advised the best of Indian corporate houses and MNCs across verticals of entertainment, Pharma, IT, FMCG, Engineering, Automobiles and Cement.

A revered speaker at several thought leadership conferences and seminars organized by leading industry institutions and chambers, he is also a self-motivated social author-activist who regularly steers public attention to the larger cause of nation building across academic, social and cultural forums.

Education:

• B.A from University of Bombay (1984)
• L.L.B from University of Bombay (1988)
• Solicitor, The Bombay Incorporated Law Society (1991)

Membership and Affiliations:

• Chairman of Gandhi Films Foundation
• Founder Trustee of Maxwell Foundation
• Director of Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Motilal Oswal Trustee Co. Ltd., Keva Fragrances Pvt Ltd., Fori Automation India Pvt Ltd.
• He was a member of International Bar Council’s “India Advisory Group’ as also the working Group on Indian Merger Control rules of the International Bar Association, and member of Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce and Industry, The Chamber of Tax Consultants Corporate Committee.
• Currently member of the CII Western Region Committee on Startups and Entrepreneurship.

Accomplishments:

• He’s been recognized by the coveted Asia Pacific Legal 500 as a Private equity expert of international repute who is ‘highly recommended’ in the M&A practice
• Has also been listed as a leading individual in the Investment Funds category.
• He has won accolades from the Chambers & Partner, London for his pioneering consulting work in M&A, FDI, private equity and partnership contracts.

 

• RAJAT SETHI: He is a partner of S&R Associates in Mumbai and one of the highly experienced lawyers. Before joining S&K Associates, he was working with P&A Law Offices in New Delhi and Chambers of Mr. Arun Jaitley, Senior Advocate. He has wide experience of advising clients on a wide array of issues which includes M&A, Private Equity, Competition/Antitrust and general corporate advisory.

Till date, he has acted for different clients in matters linked to IPR, share holder disputes, contractual disputes, banking matters as well as recovery suits.

Education:

• B.A (Hons.) in Mathematics from St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi (1992)
• L.L.B from Faculty of Law, University of Delhi (1995)
• LLM from Tulane University Law School (1996)

Membership and Affiliations:

• Delhi Bar Association

Accomplishments:

• Recognized as a “leading lawyer” by Chambers Global for Corporate/M&A; by Chambers Asia Pacific for Corporate/M&A, Private Equity, and Technology, Media, Telecoms; by IFLR1000 for M&A and by RSG India Report for Corporate M&A and Private Equity.

 

• RAJESH N. BEGUR: He is the founder and the managing partner of ARA Law. Earlier he was one of the senior associates in Amarchand Mangaldas. He has been practising for over 3 decades now and has been one of India’s leading corporate lawyers. He is one of the leading counsel for domestic and international clients in corporate areas especially focusing on M&A, Real Estate, Capital Markets, Private Equity, Infrastructure, Banking and Finance, Telecom Media etc.

He has great insight and determination to handle complex of the complex legal business transactions. He is one of the most recognized lawyers in the field of M&A and Private Equity as well as Mutual Fund Regulations. He has made a significant contribution in legal advice and documentation on first GDR offering by an Indian listed company and drafting of the Depositories Ordinance and its model bye-laws. He also contributes articles for Asia Law and premier legal websites.

Education:

• B.Com from Mithibai Motiram Kundnani College of Commerce & Economics(1983)
• L.L.B from Government Law College, Mumbai (1987)

Memberships and Affiliations:

• Admitted on the rolls of Bar Council of India (1987)
• Admitted as Solicitor on the rolls of the Bombay Incorporated Law Society (1992 )
• Admitted on the rolls of Supreme Court of England and Wales 1994
• Member of the Advisory Board of National Law University, Jodhpur

Accomplishments:

• Top 10 lawyers in India in Banking and Finance by Legal 500.
• He is the editor of ARA LAW’s newsletter “Legal Eye”.

 

• RAJIV K. LUTHRA: He started his career with taxation matters in 1978. He is the Founder & Managing Partner of Luthra & Luthra Law Offices – one of the largest law firms in India. He has over 25 years of experience in advising clients on a vast range of complex commercial transactions including infrastructure projects in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, China, Nepal and Nigeria. He has successfully handled various disinvestment, privatization and restructuring assignments and has worked on some of the largest mergers in Indian corporate history. He has been appointed by the Government of India on the drafting of several rules and regulations. He has also contributed various publications in national and international professional journals and magazines. He is also well experienced in the structuring of foreign investment into India.

Education:

• Alumni of the Harvard Law School
• Fellow of the British Commerce Society and the Royal Geographical Society

Membership and Affiliations

• Member of International Bar Association, Inter-Pacific Bar Association, National Executive Committee at Confederation of Indian Industry, Union Internationale des Avocats, SWIICL at The Center for American & International Law, Securities & Exchange Board of India, Supreme Court Bar Association, Delhi High Court Bar Association, India Ministry of Human Resources Development, American Bar Association and Internal Quality Assurance Cell at NALSAR University of Law, National Executive Committee at Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Competition Commission of India to the Competition Advocacy Steering Committee, National Committee on Energy & the Core Group on Infrastructure Development of the Confederation of Indian Industries.
• The Ministry of Commerce has appointed him as a Convener of the Committee formed to advise the Government of India on liberalization of legal services under the GATT between India and the U. K.
• Independent Non-Executive Director of DLF Ltd, Symphony International Holdings Ltd.
• Independent Director of TV18 Broadcast Ltd, Network 18 Media & Investments Ltd.
• Director of Mylan Laboratories Ltd., VLCC Health Care Ltd., Singapore International Arbitration Centre, Lodhi Property Co. Ltd., Delhi Golf Club Ltd., Mylan Laboratories India Pvt Ltd., Knowledge Cloud Pvt Ltd., Paani Foundation.

Accomplishments:

• Ranked amongst the ‘Leading Individuals’ in Banking & Finance by The Asia Pacific Legal 500.
• Recipient of the Asian Legal Business Award.
• Honored as “Legend in Indian Corporate Law” and as an “Ace Legal Eagle for Indian corporate law, specializing in tax, regulatory and compliance laws” at the Asian Business Leadership Forum (ABLF) Excellence Awards held in Dubai in December 2013.
• The Lawyer.com included him among its top 40 ‘to have been making the biggest waves outside the UK.’
• He ranked amongst ALB’s Hot 100 in recognition for his contribution to the Capital Markets’ sector.
• Recipient of the ‘International Jurists Awards 2013’, 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Attorney-General of the United States of America for “his accomplishments and achievements in the International M&A sector” at the 4th Annual International M&A Advisor Awards 2012 in New York, and the “2008 National Law Day Award” by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India and the (then) Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, for “…his singular contribution to the practice of corporate and commercial law in India and for being one of the country’s earliest pioneers in international transaction lawyering”.
• Featured in the ‘Leaders Profiles – India – Project Finance’ of the Chambers Global.

 

• RAVI SINGHANIA: He is the managing partner of Singhania & Partners LLP (established 1999) headquartered in Delhi with branch offices in Hyderabad and Bangalore and associate offices in prominent cities across India.

He has been bequeathed with innumerable legal accolades and has been consistently rated as India’s top corporate-M&A, dispute resolution and project finance lawyer by several international surveys. Ravi has over two decades of experience in diverse practice areas such as employment, real estate, competition apart from M&A, and Project Finance with Clientele spread across the globe.

He has been advising World Bank since 2004 on FDI related matters and for their annual publication “Doing Business in India”. He also advises number of ministries, central and state governments as well for divestments and infrastructure related matters. Besides, there are large PSUs, Banks and MNCs who trust his legal acumen on Cross-border Transactions, compliances under SEBI Takeover Regulations, M&A, Investment Structuring, Corporatization, Debt & Equity offering, and Dispute Resolution. He provides both hands-on legal advice and overall strategic inputs while drafting and negotiating contracts for complex transactions.

He is admitted to practice law in India as an Advocate and as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales.

He is also a renowned speaker who regularly speaks in various seminars. Further, he has to his credit, a number of publications in various national and international professional journals and magazines including American Bar Association and Euro Money.

Education:

• B.com (Hons.), Commerce Economics from Sri Ram College of Commerce.
• L.L.B from Campus Law Center, Delhi University.

Membership and Affiliations:

• He is a board member in CRISIL Ltd. and Indian subsidiaries of numerous Fortune 500 companies such as McGraw-Hill, AOL, American Bureau of Shipping, National Instruments etc.
• Serves on the Board of several multinational companies such as ABS Industrial Verification (India) Pvt. Ltd., ABS Quality Evaluations Pvt. Ltd., AOL Online India Pvt. Ltd., Assets Care Enterprise Ltd., BearinqPoint Business Consulting Pvt. Ltd., Capital IQ Information Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd., India Autobahn Automobiles & Ancillaries Pvt. Ltd., Asset Care and Reconstruction Enterprise Ltd., ABS Professional Services (India) Private Ltd., McGraw Hill Educational Services India Private Ltd., Ml Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd.Powerwave technologies Research and Development India Pvt. Ltd., Singhania and Partners Pvt. Ltd., Stahl CraneSystems (India) Pvt. Ltd., Survey Sampling International India Pvt. Ltd. and Liqhtbulb Technology Services Pvt. Ltd..
• He is the former Governing Body Member of Indian Council of Arbitration and Vice Chairman of Asia Pacific Committee of American Bar Association.
• He is a Member of Law Society of England & Wales, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, London as well as Supreme Court Bar Association.
• He is the Country Representative for Sweet & Maxell’s ‘International Company & Commercial Law Review’

Accomplishments:

• He is the youngest lawyer to be felicitated with the “National Law Day Award” for Corporate Laws (2006) by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.

Publications:

• Authored India chapters in books titled ‘Product Liability in Asia Pacific’ and ‘Employment Laws in Asia’.
• “Drafting of Contracts”- Templates with Drafting Notes published by Bloomsbury.

 

• ROHIT KOCHHAR: Widely acclaimed as a pre-eminent Indian lawyer and outstanding legal entrepreneur, he is the Chairman & Managing Partner at Kochhar & Co, one of India’s leading and premier corporate law firms and plays an active role in the management and operations of the firm at a global level. In addition to management functions, he is actively involved in private practice and advises numerous foreign clients on diverse matters relating to inbound investments.

His main areas of work include regulatory approvals, joint ventures, foreign collaborations, acquisitions, company law, labour and employment law, exchange control, general commercial transactions and corporate litigation. He enjoys special expertise in assisting foreign clients on their entry strategy and has been instrumental in advising numerous multinational corporations on setting up a business presence in India and providing continual legal support to various clients on Business Law issues.

He also enjoys expertise in matters pertaining to Reserve Bank of India approvals and Exchange Control Regulations.

He also heads the prevention of sexual harassment (POSH) and employee fraud practice desks of the Firm. He regularly advises numerous Fortune 500 Companies (including major US, European and Japanese corporations) on a host of Indian law issues and sits on the board of many Indian subsidiaries of such corporations.

He has been one of the pioneers of the Indian legal services sector with many firsts to his credit. Under his dynamic leadership, Kochhar & Co is the only full-service law firm with a true national presence that is spread across six prominent Indian states and four overseas offices, including Dubai, where it is the only firm from the sub-continent to have an independent license to practise local UAE and DIFC laws.

Mr. Kochhar is a frequent speaker at various international and domestic conferences. He also conducts workshops and training for clients in employee retrenchment, transfer of employees and the prevention of sexual harassment.

Education:

• B.Com., (Hons.) from University of Delhi
• L.L.B. from University of Mumbai

Membership and Affiliations:

• Delhi High Court Bar Association.
• Supreme Court Bar Association.
• International Bar Association (IBA).
• Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA).
• Honorary Secretary of the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF)

Accomplishments:

• Conferred the distinguished Rashtriya Gaurav Award (Pride of India) for his outstanding achievements in the legal field.
• Awarded the International Council of Jurists Award by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh for his “distinctive accomplishment in the areas of corporate law and legal entrepreneurship”.
• Conferred the Rajiv Gandhi Award for being the “Young Achiever & Entrepreneur” in 2000. He is the first and only practicing lawyer in India to have been conferred the Rajiv Gandhi Award since its inception.
• Distinct recognition by Legal 500 and named him in the Elite “Leading Lawyers” for corporate and M&A in Asia-Pacific region.
• Bestowed with the LegalEra Premier League Awards (2012-13) for Outstanding Achievements Firm.
• Conferred the Award for one of the World’s Greatest Leaders in Asia & GCC 2015 by His Excellency Mr. T.P. Seetharaman, the Ambassador of India to the UAE on the occasion of the 44th UAE National Day.
• Kochhar & Co. was conferred the ‘National Bar Award’ by the All India Bar Association for being “The Most Dynamic and Progressive Indian Law Firm” by the Chairman of the Law Commission of India.
• Conferred with the National Citizens Award for his unique contribution in the field of “Youth Affairs”.
• Presented the National Law Award for “Excellence in Corporate law” in 1999.

Publications

• Co-authored a book titled “Doing Business in India” published by Business Laws, Inc.
• Article on ‘Exit from a Joint Venture in India’ in IBL (Journal of the Japanese Institute of International Business Law).

 

• SANJAY ASHER: He started his advocacy since 1989 and was admitted as a solicitor in 1993. He is now the youngest senior partner at Crawford Bayley (India’s oldest law firm, established in 1830). He has more than 20 years of experience in the field of corporate law. His areas of specialization are: M&A joint ventures cross border M&A and capital markets.

He also serves as the independent director of various public and private companies in India as well as international firms and organisations.

He is a notable speaker in seminars and conferences organised by Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Institute of Company Secretaries of India and International Financial Law Review etc. He has several publications in national and international levels and also published a book on Company Law Ready Reckoner, 2014 (Publisher: CCH – A Wolters Kluwer Business).

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree from Mumbai University
• L.L.B from Mumbai University
• Chartered Accountant.

Memberships and Affiliations:

• Member of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
• Indo-US Financial Institutions Reforms and Expansion Projects – Capital Markets
• Member of Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa
• Chairman of Integra Engineering India Limited (2009-11)
• Non-Executive Independent Director of Sudarshan Chemical Industries Limited (from 2009)
• Non-Executive Independent Director of Finolex Industries Limited (from 2012)
• Director of Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company Limited

Foundation:

• Sanjay Asher Trustee, Partner, Crawford Bayley & Co.

 

• SHIVPRIYA NANDA: Currently she serves as the Joint Managing Partner of JSA and Co-Chairs its Corporate Practice.

She has more than 30 years of experience in all aspects of Corporate Commercial practice including M&A, representing multinational corporations and enterprises in large scale cross-border transactions, advice related to the establishment of new business operation, Corporate structuring, Joint Venture agreements, Asset & Share acquisition, Divestment, Franchising, Real Estate, Employment and Commercial contract issues. She advises International majors on large Infrastructure projects in the Transport, Aviation and Mining sector.

She has inter alia advised the airport operator in the privatisation of the Delhi airport and has also advised one of the largest multinational cargo companies in setting up their operations in India. She has also been involved in assisting with the entry strategy structuring in the largest Foreign Direct Investment in the Mining sector. Having worked with one of the premier litigation firms of Delhi prior to her current practice, she has substantial experience in Litigation & Arbitration, including International Arbitration. She has represented clients such as Wal-Mart, Michelin, EMAAR, KFC and Pizza Hut, Fidelity, Frankfurt Airport, Posco, Pernod Ricard, Hindustan Times amongst others.

She has also advised several Fortune 500 companies in complicated strategic alliances, restructurings, shareholder issues, bribery and anti-corruption investigations, technology licensing and transfers, senior management engagement and exits.

Education:

• Graduate from Lady Sri Ram College
• L.L.B Campus Law Centre, Delhi

Membership and Affiliations:

• Non-Executive & Independent Director of Jubilant Industries Limited.
• Independent Director of EICL Limited.

Accomplishments:

• Ranked as a top-tier lawyer in various publications.
• Ranked as one of the leading individuals by Legal 500 consecutively for the past years.
• Listed as one of the top leading lawyers in India by Who’s Who legal.

 

• SOM MANDAL: He is the Managing Partner of Fox Mandal, Delhi. He also steers the International practice of Fox Mandal. His focus is mainly in M&A, corporate law and project finance, etc. The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers has accredited him for the M&A sector in India. He actively takes part in various International Seminars.

He has authored the chapter on ‘FIDIC Applicability in India’ published by Kluwers Publications. He has proactively approached various Governmental bodies concerned, on the ongoing subject of “Liberalisation of the Indian Legal Sector” welcoming the entry of foreign law firms in India.

Education:

• B.A. from St. Xavier’s College
• L.L.B. from the University of Calcutta 

Membership and Affiliations:

• Member with the Supreme Court Bar Association, Delhi High Court Bar Association, International Bar Association, American Bar Association (International Section) Union des Advocat, Inter Pacific Bar Association, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association etc.
• He is the one of the Indian representative at the Commission on Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce, Vice-Chair of the Asia Pacific Forum and Council member of Section on Legal Practice of the International Bar Association and of Committee on Corporate Law & Legal Affairs-FICCI.

 Accomplishments:

• Nominated by Asia Law & Practice, as a leading lawyer in Asia in the field of M&A.
• He has also been nominated by Chambers Global, as a leading individual in Project Finance.
• He has been awarded the ‘Best Corporate Lawyer’ in India on the occasion of Law Day Awards 2002.
• Featured in Asian Legal Business Magazine’s Hot 100 Lawyers.
• Featured amongst the 40 International Star Lawyer graded by The Lawyer magazine.
• Legal 500 ranked him as a Leading Individual Lawyer for Corporate and M&A.
• He has been nominated as the Asian Hot 100 lawyers by ALB and amongst the 40 International Worldshakers by The Lawyers UK.

 

• SRIDHAR GORTHI: He is a partner and non-executive director in Trilegal, and is part of the corporate practice group of the Mumbai firm. Prior to that, he also worked with Arthur Andersen and Lex Inde, Mumbai. His areas of expertise include M&A, Joint Ventures and Private Equity. He has been actively involved in several high profile cross-border transactions and advices various multinational and domestic corporations on restructuring, debt finance, joint ventures, acquisition/mergers and private equity transactions. His key clients include Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Lincoln Electric, Heineken, Thomson Reuters, Lockheed Martin, Tesco, eBay, the Godrej Group, L&T, Shriram Group and the Raheja Group.

Sridhar has represented international clients on inbound M&A in India as well as Indian companies on outbound M&A transactions in jurisdictions such as the UK, the USA, South Africa, Argentina, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. The private equity funds that Sridhar regularly advises include CLSA and Morgan Stanley PE.

His research interest is Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Colorectal Cancer Research and Reports in Gastroenterology Oncology Translational Research and Pharmaceutical products.

 Education:

• B.A, L.L.B (Hons.): National Law School of India University.

Membership and Affiliations

• Member of the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa.
• Non-Executive Independent Director of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
• Chairman of Hathway and Non-Executive Independent Director of Cable & Datacom Ltd.
• Director of Hathway Bhawani Cabletel and Datacom Ltd.

Accomplishments:

• Leading lawyers in India for M&A, Private Equity and Venture Capital in India by the Guide to Asia Pacific’s Leading Lawyers 2010, 2011 and 2012; and by IFLR 1000, 2011 and 2012.

 

• SURESH NARSAPPA TALWAR: He is a Partner at Talwar, Thakore & Associates. He is a Corporate Counsel of Talwar, Thakore & Associates and set up Talwar, Thakore & Associates in April 2007. He served as Senior Partner and Adviser of M/s. Crawford Bayley & Company until March 31, 2006. As a practicing lawyer with the Bombay High Court since 1966, he has over 43 years of experience in the legal profession, specializing in corporate law dealing specifically with M&A, corporate taxation, foreign exchange laws, international issues of Indian securities and real estate laws among others

 Education:

• Undergraduate degree from the University of Mumbai.
• L.L.B from Government Law College.

Membership and Affiliations:

• Chairman of Merck Ltd, FCI OEN Connectors Ltd., Armstrong World Industries India Pvt Ltd, Romil Finance & Investments Pvt Ltd., Sidham Finance & Investments Pvt Ltd., 20th Century Fox Corp. (India) Pvt Ltd., PZ Cussons India Pvt Ltd.
• Director of Solvay Pharma India Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Pvt. Ltd., Epitome Global Services Pvt Ltd., Indium III (Mauritius) Holdings Ltd., Indium IV (Mauritius) Holdings Ltd., Rediffusion Dentsu Young & Rubicam Pvt Ltd., Global Insurance Brokers Pvt Ltd., Birla Sun Life Trustee Co. Pvt Ltd., Decagon Investments Pvt Ltd., Emerson Process Management (India) Pvt Ltd, Rakindo Developers Pvt Ltd., Snowcem Paints Pvt Ltd., Showdiff Worldwide Pvt Ltd., Wave Suspension Systems India Pvt Ltd., Warner Bros Pictures India Pvt Ltd., Swiss Re Healthcare Services Pvt Ltd., Swiss Re Shared Services India Pvt Ltd., Uhde India Ltd., Chowgule & Co. Pvt Ltd., Chowgule Ports & Infrastructures Pvt Ltd., John Fowler (India) Pvt Ltd., L&t Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Ltd., Morgan Stanley India Capital Pvt Ltd., India Value Fund Trustee Co. Pvt Ltd., Phillip (India) Pvt Ltd. and many more.
• Independent Non-Executive Director of Syngene International Ltd, Sonata Software Limited, Elantas Beck India Ltd, Samson Maritime Ltd., Shrenuj & Company Ltd.

 

• VISHWANG DESAI: He is the managing partner of Desai & Diwanji, one of the largest and oldest law firms in India. He focuses on corporate and finance law and specializes in M&A, private equity, buy-outs, spin-offs, de-mergers, divestitures, project and structured finance, cross-border transactions, FDI, corporate governance, competition and regulatory issues.

 He has been involved in complex restructurings and buy-outs of large public and private corporations. He has also represented governments and corporations, large public and private corporations, global private equity and hedge funds, lenders, multilateral agencies in large and complex transactions in a variety of sectors.

Education:

• BSc (Chemistry) and L.L.B from Government Law College, Mumbai.

Membership and Affiliations:

• Managing Partner of Desai & Diwanji
• Co-chair, Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group
• Co-chair, Infrastructure and Project Finance Practice Group

Accomplishments

• Nominated as a leading lawyer by numerous global publications.
• Awarded numerous awards including “Lawyer of the Year” awards by various organizations.

 

• VIVEK K. CHANDY: He is partner at J. Sagar Associates. Specializing in the areas of Private Equity, M&A and Corporate Commercial work. He has twenty-five years of experience, and a vast body of work in real estate and private equity transactions.

Worked extensively advising on a wide range of issues from acquisitions to structuring transactions in the IT/ ITES, e-Commerce, Healthcare, Real Estate space.

From 2005 after Foreign Direct Investment was permitted in the Real Estate sector, have facilitated huge investment into this sector and also closed over 40 transactions in this field alone over the last five years.

His recent high profile transactions include representing two sovereign wealth funds in their investments into the Healthcare and Real Estate sectors and a global leader in the e-commerce space, in their strategic investment in an Indian company which operates the fastest growing marketplace model website in India.

Education:

• L.L.B from Sri Jagadguru Renukacharya College of Law (1991)

 

• ZIA MODY: She is one of the founding partners of AZB & Partners and one of India’s foremost corporate attorneys. She started her litigation practice under the name Chambers of Zia Mody (CZM). Zia worked as a corporate associate at Baker & McKenzie, New York, for five years before moving to India to set up practice, establishing the Chambers of Zia Mody in 1984, which then became AZB & Partners in 2004. She is an indisputable leader in corporate law in India. Her firm AZB & Partners is rated first among the top law firms for M&A. She was enrolled as an Advocate with the Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa in 1978. She serves on various advisory committees of the Confederation of Indian Industry including its National Council and its committees on Corporate Governance, Financial Services, Capital Markets and Legal Services.

Education:

• L.L.B from Selwyn College, University of Cambridge (1978)
• Master’s Degree from Harvard Law School (1980)

Membership and Affiliations:

• Independent Non-Executive Director of CLP Holdings Limited.
• Independent Director of Ascendas India Trust, Ascendas Property Fund Trustee Pte Ltd.
• Deputy Chairman of the Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corp. Ltd.
• Non Executive Trustee of Observer Research Foundation.
• Member-Governing Board of International Council for Commercial Arbitration.
• Director of London Court of International Arbitration India Pvt Ltd.
• Trustee of J.B. Petit High School for Girls.
• Non-Executive Director of Cambridge India Research Foundation.
• Member of New York State Bar Association.
• Deputy Chairman and a Non-Executive Director of the HSBC Asia Pacific Board.
• She was nominated to be part of the “Committee on Rationalisation of Investment Routes and Monitoring of Foreign Portfolio Investments” formed by the Securities and Exchange Board of India under the chairmanship of Shri K.M. Chandrashekar.
• She was appointed by the Reserve Bank of India in 2014 as a member of Committee on Comprehensive Financial Services for Small Businesses and Low-Income Households which was chaired by Dr. Nachiket Mor.

Accomplishments

• Awarded the “India Managing Partner of the Year – 2016” by Asian Legal Business (Thomson Reuters).
• Features on Fortune India as The 50 Most Powerful Women in Business in India, for 2016.
• Listed by Forbes India (2013, 2014 & 2015) as one of ‘India’s 10 most Powerful women’, Forbes Asia as one of ‘Asia’s 50 Power Businesswomen’ (2015).
• Leading Individual for Banking, Finance, Corporate and M&A and Investment Funds in The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2016.
• Euromoney awarded her a Lifetime Achievement award – at Asia Women in Business Law Awards 2015.
• “Outstanding Women Business Leader of the Year – 2013” award at India Business Leader Awards; also “Legal Icon of the Decade – 2013”.
• Best M&A Lawyer of the Year – 2012” award at the Legal Era Awards and she has been voted as “Business Woman of the Year, 2010” by the Economic Times, for which she was felicitated by The Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF).
• She has also been voted by the Economic Times as one of the country’s most powerful CEOs (2004 to 2016).
• She has been selected as one of the 25 most powerful women in business by Business Today in 2004-2014.
• Asialaw Profile hailed her as one of ‘The Leading Lawyers – India’ in the fields of Mergers & Acquisitions, General Corporate Practice, Dispute Resolution, Corporate Governance and Capital Markets & Corporate Finance for 2013, while Asia Pacific Legal 500 and Chambers Global, have identified her as a leading individual in the Corporate Mergers & Acquisition, Private Funds, Private Equity, Litigation and Infrastructure Sectors.