Business Law Directory

Legal market report
Intelligence report
India Business Law Directory

- 2012 India Business Law Journal presents its annual legal market report and directory of Indian law firms
Legal market report by Rebecca Abraham
July/August 2012
India Business Law Journal
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Legal market report
itting at the Gurgaon ofce of the 240-lawyer, ve-ofce law rm that he has created over the past two decades, Jyoti Sagar, founder partner of J Sagar Associates, says: We will chug on this year because of work that is in the pipeline, but the next six months are very critical. Despite the slowing of the Indian economy, signs of an impending drought, and talk of foreign direct investment dwindling, Sagar is among the few who say that these are tough times for Indias corporate lawyers. Most report it is business as usual, even though some things may have changed. Today we are very busy, but we are not closing deals that much, says Mohit Saraf, senior partner at Luthra & Luthra. Saraf adds that as a result of the downturn the work that is coming their way requires very senior level attention and as a result associates are less busy, partners are more busy ... the more senior you get in the rm the busier you are. The froth has gone out of the market, remarks Feroz Dubash, a Mumbai-based partner at Talwar Thakore & Associates. Lucrative capital market deals, which require armies of lawyers working behind the scenes, have dried up. Although rms report that their capital markets teams have been redeployed to M&A, private equity and other practice areas, there is talk that lay-offs may be inevitable at the larger law rms if the economy continues the way it is.
India is not growing, Bharat is Abhijit Joshi CEO AZB & Partners
We will chug on this year because of work that is in the pipeline, but the next six months are very critical Jyoti Sagar Founder Partner J Sagar Associates
Mumbai-based senior partner and CEO of AZB & Partners, referring to the large number of mid-size companies that populate the hinterlands of India and continue to ourish despite the downturn. He adds that AZB & Partners does a lot of work for mid-market companies, which may be a pricesensitive market but is willing to pay for expert legal advice. Other law rms are similarly reaching out to the growing domestic market. The future of India lies in its mid-tier companies, says Alka Bharucha, a Mumbai-based partner at Bharucha & Partners. We believe that having a lot of mid-tier companies [as clients] is good for the rm. At Wadia Ghandy & Co, which recently rented an additional 11,000 square feet of ofce space in the heart of Mumbai, complete with a creche and rooftop views over an attractive part of the city, the focus is on being there for the client. Our reaction to the market being bad is that now is when clients reach out to lawyers they trust most, says Ashish Ahuja, the managing partner of Wadia Ghandy & Co. Fees should not matter to the rm lawyers need to be with their clients.
Staying ahead of the pack

Be that as it may, the downturn has been good for a growing number of mid-size law rms, especially those that
Shardul Shroff, a managing partner at Amarchand Mangaldas, Indias largest law firm, dismisses such an eventuality as impossible in India: I dont think an American kind of situation for retrenching lawyers in rms can happen in India because it is too human a country. You just dont tell people to go home and sit. You dont bench lawyers in India.
Our reaction to the market being bad is that now is when clients reach out to lawyers they trust most Ashish Ahuja Managing Partner Wadia Ghandy & Co
A new reality?
But the centre has shifted. Indias larger law rms are dealing with the twin challenges of dealing with clients from outside their existing networks, and keeping at bay the many mid-size rms that are snapping at their heels. India is not growing, Bharat is, says Abhijit Joshi,
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Earlier if we worked on drafting, negotiation and opinion for one of the larger companies, now we may be only asked to provide an opinion Alka Bharucha Partner Bharucha & Partners
have been able to carve out a niche for themselves. The size of the cake is large and we cater to a different clientele, says Manish Desai, managing partner at Vidhii Partners, which focuses on real estate. Desai points out that in the current climate the ability to change and innovate is critical for the well-being of a law rm. Several commentators point to the need for consolidation among mid-sized rms. But over the recent past there is little evidence of any successful long-term mergers between Indian law rms. The recent extremely acrimonious parting of ways between Delhi-based Fox Mandal and Mumbai-based Little & Co, which had merged to form Fox Mandal Little in 2006, has left many rms wary of seeking the economies of scale that a merger can provide. There appears to have been little in common between the two rms. In addition as a lawyer who wished to remain anonymous told India Business Law Journal earlier this year: The rms were not referring work to one another ... they were working absolutely separately. In general however, mid-size rms are nding they are in greater in demand. The market is witnessing intense fee pressures and these rms are able to offer both competitive rates and greater partner-level involvement. Clients question being served by lower level lawyers, remarks Rajat Sethi, a Delhi-based partner at S&R Associates, a 40-lawyer firm that has advised parties involved in several headline-making deals over the past year. Greater partner involvement in executing the work and not just attracting the client may hurt revenue generation but is the way forward, according to Sawant Singh, a
The size of the cake is large and we cater to a different clientele Manish Desai Managing Partner Vidhii Partners
Dubey puts it, companies routinely distribute work among multiple law rms. In addition, several larger Indian companies including the Aditya Birla, Essar and Bharti groups have built up signicant in-house capabilities and so have reduced the amount of work that they outsource. Earlier if we worked on drafting, negotiation and opinion for one of the larger companies, now we may be only asked to provide an opinion, says Bharucha at Bharucha & Partners. As a result, most rms go to great lengths to emphasize that not only do they understand the clients business, but their partners roll up their sleeves and work on deals, and dont just hand work down to their teams of associates.
Litigation to the rescue

Firms with a healthy dispute resolution practice seem to be riding out the slowdown more successfully. Most such rms began as litigation practices and then moved into corporate practice. This is true of rms of all sizes. Delhi-based Maheshwari & Co, a 20-lawyer rm led
Mumbai-based partner at Phoenix Legal. However, at Vichar Partners, a two-year old Chennaibased rm, being able to assure partner-time has meant clients have been willing to pay a little above the market on certain mandates, according to Aarthi Sivanandh, a partner at the rm.
Advising companies on what it takes to ensure they dont fall foul of anti-corruption laws both overseas and in India is a growing area of our practice Zulquar Memon Managing Partner MZM Legal
Changing demand
Partner involvement may also be critical to retaining a client. With the disappearance of the old loyalty style of functioning, as N South Law managing partner Rajeev
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You dont want clients to discount you just because they perceive you as a family-owned rm Neerav Merchant Partner Majmudar & Partners
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by Vipul Maheshwari reports that it moved into corporate practice over the last six years. Trilegal, a 140-lawyer law rm better known for its M&A, banking and nance and other work, on the other hand reports that over the past two and a half years it has built up a nascent litigation practice that currently has around 18 lawyers. We have had signicant mandates which went bad and into litigation, says Karan Singh, a Mumbai-based partner at Trilegal, adding that the rms litigation practice has come in handy to serve the needs of its corporate clients.
Similarly Juris Corp, which began as a banking regulatory practice, has developed considerable expertise in a wide range of practice areas including dispute resolution, primarily due to its ability to understand the nancial dynamics of a dispute and develop strategies accordingly. The firm represented unsecured bondholders of Wockhardt, an Indian generics drug maker, in a series of cases that culminated in a victory before a divisional bench of Bombay High Court in October 2011. We have disproved the theory that law rms need to be full service, says Veena Sivaramakrishnan, a Mumbaibased partner at Juris Corp. We began as a specialist firm and have gone into litigation in that specialist area. The rm recently strengthened its dispute resolution practice by appointing Ranjit Shetty as a partner. He previously led the litigation team at Hariani & Co, a 21-year-old mid-sized rm that is recognized for its real estate work. Litigation practices are being developed despite the challenges of Indias hugely overburdened court system. While some courts are making valiant efforts to reduce the backlog several have computerized their case management systems and information about the status of cases being heard by Bombay High Court is now available on a mobile phone the key to litigating successfully is effective strategizing. If right strategies are adopted, the perception about the Indian judiciary as projected may not be true, says Manoj Singh, founding partner of Singh & Associates in New Delhi, pointing to a dispute involving a Chinese client that was resolved through Delhi High Court in a little over a year.
Image matters
As part of their strategy to stay ahead of the pack, law firms across India are working towards getting their structure and brand image right
On 1 April Majmudar & Co changed its name to Majmudar & Partners. The tweaking of the name of this 50-lawyer rm coincided with a broadening of its equity partnership from four to seven partners. Neerav Merchant, a Mumbai-based partner of the rm, says the name change was prompted by a need to send out a clear-cut signal to competitors, clients and prospective clients that we have a true partnership structure and all of us are stakeholders. You dont want clients to discount you just because they perceive you as a family-owned firm, says Merchant. members of a family can work at the rm, while younger rms such as Trilegal and Phoenix Legal pride themselves on not being identied with any one individual. Most of the larger law rms have moved from being sole proprietorships to partnerships. A notable exception is Kochhar & Co that functions as a sole proprietorship, according to Anjuli Sivaramakrishnan, a Gurgaonbased partner at the rm.
Creating a new look

The repositioning of a law rm can also involve adopting a new logo. During its centenary celebrations earlier this year, Khaitan & Co unveiled a bright blue circular motif designed by a French company to reect the vigour and modern outlook of the rm towards servicing its clients in the new century. Rabindra Jhunjhunwala, a Mumbai-based partner at the rm, said the new logo is meant to emphasize the rms
July/August 2012
Breaking the ties

Other law firms are similarly working to structure themselves appropriately. At HSA Advocates named after founder partner Hemant Sahai and J Sagar & Associates, no two
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White-collar crime
The litigation practices of several law firms have received a boost from the 2G spectrum scam, which has led to the prosecution of over two dozen people. This, combined with investigations by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India that have uncovered instances of corruption, has brought corporate criminal litigation to the forefront. White-collar crime cannot be bottled up and is becoming big, says C Rashmikant, a partner at Federal & Rashmikant in Mumbai. This is conrmed by Amit Desai, a Mumbai-based senior advocate, who says: There has clearly been a significant spike in corporate criminal litigation over the last two to three years. While some law firms have responded by developing corporate criminal litigation practices, A PaSSagE OUT OF INDIa: Law rms are grappling with the challenges of providing a few have entered the arena of advice on exit strategies. compliance. Advising companies on what it takes to ensure they dont fall foul of anti-corruption laws both overseas and in India is MZM Legal is currently associated with several high-prole a growing area of our practice, says Zulquar Memon, criminal cases, including the defence of Vinod Goenka, one managing partner of MZM Legal, a Mumbai-based rm. of the accused in the 2G spectrum scam.
ambition to become a leader in the eld, a high performance Indian law rm, both modern and unparalleled.
Size matters
Amarchand Mangaldas now Indias largest law rm with over 550 lawyers aims to become a 1,000-lawyer firm by its centenary in 2017. The plan to get there, unveiled late last year, was drawn up with help from the Boston Consulting Group. We are driven by a vision, says Shardul Shroff, joint managing partner of Amarchand Mangaldas. Its not a dream in the sense of an idle dream. It is a tough task to achieve, its not easy. Central to this vision is what Shroff has described as the rms two wheels of the bicycle concept, whereby it will simultaneously promote both family and nonfamily talent. In May the rm promoted 13 lawyers to its partnership, two of them family members. However, many doubt that the two wheels of the bicycle will carry equal clout and the rm provides a steady trickle of legal talent for its competitors. Several ex-Amarchand lawyers have also struck out on their own.
Mixing it right
A recent repackaging of legal talent has intrigued the market: the merger of the young rm of Argus Partners,
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founded by ex-Amarchand lawyers Krishnava Dutt and Ramya Hariharan, and 15-year-old Udwadia & Udeshi, led by two veteran practitioners who set up the rm after retiring as partners from Crawford Bayley & Co. While several lawyers question the feasibility of the merger given the seemingly incongruous cultural mix others see synergies to be had from the mix of youth and experience. If they can pull it off, hats off to them, says one lawyer who wishes to remain anonymous. Speaking in February, when the merger was announced, Dutt said he was condent that it would bring exciting new opportunities that would enable the rm to create an unparalleled value proposition for the clients of both entities. Recently Dutt said the merger was proceeding as planned. Mumbai-based I&S Associates, founded in 2006 by two former partners at AZB & Partners, has also been focusing on re-branding to get at par with our peer law rms. We recognize that rm visibility is very important in the volatile market, says Jaya Kumar, business development ofcer at I&S Associates. But some of Indias corporate lawyers are not convinced of the virtues of repackaging and repositioning a rm. It is good to have packaging, but content is what counts, remarks C Rashmikant, a partner at Federal & Rashmikant, one of a dwindling number of conservative albeit successful law rms.
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Get the issues which are haunting domestic lawyers addressed rst and then by all means, have open competition Shardul Shroff Managing Partner Amarchand Mangaldas
Legal market report
Caution rules
While the year ahead looks uncertain, chances are that M&A and private equity practices will remain sluggish. Clients are more cautious in making acquisitions, says
Rustam Gagrat, a partner at Gagrats in Mumbai. M&A is more need-based and not just to extend the footprint, says Prem Rajani, managing partner of Rajani Associates. It may be very easy to put money into India, but very difcult to take it out, as ALMT Legal partner Sameer Tapia puts it, so law rms are grappling with the challenges of providing advice on exit strategies to prospective international investors. One has to plan and understand how to get out of India before getting in, says Tapia. Part of the reason for the current caution in the market is the governments handling of the Vodafone taxation issue and the dithering over the general anti-avoidance rules (GAAR). GAAR guidelines will govern the dynamics of taxation of foreign investors and business houses for M&A transactions outside India as well, points out Praveen Raju, a partner at Krishnamurthy & Co in Mumbai. The governments dramatic U-turn over allowing entry of multi-brand retail also has made investors wary. Those in favour of retail liberalization have argued that it will not only give consumers a wider variety of products at competitive rates, but also help create much-needed jobs. Shardul Thacker, a Mumbai-based partner at Mulla & Mulla & Craigie Blunt & Caroe, was of the view that even
Open sesame?
Are international law firms taking the right approach as they put pressure on the government to let them in?
Many corporate lawyers across India are open to the idea of international law rms being allowed in, but few expect the market to open anytime soon. The entry of foreign law rms will infuse more professionalism into the legal market, says Bhumesh Verma, a partner at Paras Kuhad & Associates in Delhi. Sidhartha Srivastava, a partner at DH Law Associates in Mumbai, believes that foreign rms may pose a threat only to the big Indian law rms. The government should allow foreign law rms to enter, says Srivastava. There is no sign that the government plans to act on this soon. Foreign law rms entering India wont happen. I dont see it being allowed in the present climate, says Preeti Mehta, a partner at Kanga & Co in Mumbai. Several lawyers, including Ranji Dua, managing partner of Dua Associates, point out that international law rms are knocking on the doors of the Indian market in part because revenue generation has slowed in Europe and North America. by YouGov, an international market research company, shows that 96% of respondents feel that the Indian legal market should be fully or partly liberalized. But some think its not worth letting foreign lawyers in just to practise foreign law. Only 47% felt that allowing foreign lawyers to practise foreign law in India would have a positive impact on the quality of legal services provided to large companies in India, while 83% felt that allowing foreign law rms to practise both Indian law through Indian-qualied lawyers and foreign law would have this impact. So far, international law rms have only asked that they be allowed in to practise foreign law. But in doing so are they taking the right approach?
Strengthen before opening

Shardul Shroff, joint managing partner of Amarchand Mangaldas, believes that while the opening of the Indian legal market is inevitable, more needs to be done to develop the market. Pointing out that a domestic market cannot be opened in a manner that destroys it, Shroff says: You have to calibrate your entry inwards. Thats not happened. And that nobody is even talking about it. What does a foreign rm say open your market, I want to enter! But its not introspecting and saying that you feel that the market entry is difficult let us address those issues which
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The power of numbers

International law firms continue to argue that they should be allowed to set up ofces in India. A recent survey of executives and general counsel from Indias largest companies and lawyers from Indias top law rms, commissioned by Allen & Overy and carried out
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Competition law jurisprudence is yet to develop in India Ranji Dua Managing Partner Dua Associates
a shopkeeper managing a tuck shop would probably nd that they could apply for a job at Walmart that is more secure.
Staple diet
Firms report that regulatory practices provide steady albeit not the most lucrative work, given the increasingly complex regulatory landscape of India. Over the years some rms have deepened their regulatory practices in specic areas. Securities law practices tend to ebb and ow with regulations issued by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). Sandeep Parekh, founder of Finsec Law Advisors in Mumbai, expects the firms investment funds practice to grow as a result of the recent notication of the SEBI (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012, which require mandatory registration with SEBI of the private pooling of capital. Previously, investors could choose not to register such funds. Parekh, is a former executive director of SEBI and was responsible for enforcement and legal affairs. Others with experience at a regulator or in-house legal teams at major Indian banks and companies have also moved into corporate law rms.
Pramod Rao, who until April headed one of Indias largest in-house legal teams as general counsel at ICICI Bank, caused a stir when he chose to join Indus Law, a relatively young mid-size rm.
affect Indian lawyers. Get the issues which are haunting domestic lawyers addressed rst, create that environment which is optimal, and then by all means, have open competition, he adds. Other lawyers express similar sentiments. As lawyers we should debate and discuss and convince the other side, says Pankaj Soni, a partner at Remfry & Sagar, who suggests that the current environment may not be appropriate for international law rms to enter.
A different perspective
Others see advantages in opening the market now. Asked if there would be more career opportunities for Indian lawyers if foreign law rms were allowed to establish ofces in India and merge with Indian law rms to practise both international law and, through Indian qualied lawyers, Indian law in the corporate eld, 89% of respondents in the Allen & Overy survey said there would be. In addition, when asked if competition from foreign law rms would improve pay and work conditions for lawyers in Indian law rms, 80% believed it would.
temporary period on a y in and y out basis to advise their clients on foreign law. It also ruled that foreign lawyers cannot be debarred to come to India and conduct arbitration proceedings in respect of disputes arising out of a contract relating to international commercial arbitration. Earlier, in the Lawyers Collective case in 2009, Bombay High Court had ruled that the Reserve Bank of India should not issue licences to foreign law rms to open liaison ofces. An interim order in the Balaji appeal, issued by the Supreme Court on 4 July, says that the Reserve Bank of India shall not grant any permission to the foreign law rms to open liaison ofces in India. It also claries that practising the profession of law under section 29 of the Advocates Act, 1961, covers litigious matters as well as non-litigious matters.
Legal or not?
The interim order has left lawyers pondering the legality of the widespread practice of foreign lawyers taking part in arbitrations in India. A lengthy arbitration in a dispute between Essar Oil and United India Insurance over Indias rst advance loss of prot insurance claim provides a case in point. All three arbitrators deciding the claim are lawyers from the UK, and both United India and its Londonbased reinsurers used UK lawyers. The hearings in the arbitration took place at the Trident Hotel in Mumbai. It is hoped that the Supreme Courts nal ruling in the Balaji appeal will provide clarity on whether using international counsel in this manner will continue to be legal and on other issues related to the presence of foreign lawyers and law rms in India.
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Judicial wranglings
With no sign of a change in legislation, the legal fraternity both inside and outside India will need to wait for the Supreme Courts ruling in an appeal in the Balaji case led by the Bar Council of India for any clarity on the issue. In this case, a two-judge bench of Madras High Court ruled that foreign law rms may visit India for a
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Few lawyers will pass up on any work and admit to not knowing something in depth Anand Desai Managing Partner DSK Legal
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in anti-competitive practices by companies in India. Competition law practices are likely to grow as more companies enter into mergers and amalgamations having effect in India, says Samir Agrawal, an associate at Dhall Law Chambers in Delhi. Agrawal also expects litigation before the CCI to increase on account of increasing competition advocacyundertaken by the CCI andconsequent better awareness about the law, which should also lead to better self compliance in the longer term. While Dhall Law Chambers is a specialist competition law rm set up by a former chairman of the CCI, Vinod Dhall, law rms across the country have set up competition law practices. This is more so in Delhi where the CCI is located and where a few lawyers have been on government-appointed competition law committees that pre-date the Competition Act and the formation of the CCI.
Lack of liability Public-sector involvement

Indias vast infrastructural needs assure Indian lawyers of a steady supply of work. Many infrastructure projects are undertaken as public-private partnerships (PPPs) and several rms report that they do considerable work in this area. The next eight years will be big for infrastructure because of all the projects in the pipeline, says Aparajit Bhattacharya, a partner at HSA Advocates. Sunil Seth, managing partner of Seth Dua & Associates, advised the private party in a PPP that developed water supplies in several areas of India, including Nagpur and Delhi. The Public Procurement Bill, 2012, which was recently introduced in parliament, aims to lay down the law with regard to such projects, which currently differ in structure and are governed by different rules. It will fundamentally alter the methods by which governmental agencies and public-sector utilities procure goods and services, says Deepto Roy, a partner at PXV Law Partners in New Delhi. Several law rms are also involved with the drafting of laws and regulations, which may not pay much but adds to their credibility. Seth Dua & Associates reports that it advised on various constitutional law and administrative law issues arising out of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, and also the Tenancy Bill. Suchitra Chitale, managing partner of Chitale & Chitale Partners in New Delhi, says that her rm drafted the Rajasthan Infrastructure Development Act. However, Ranji Dua, managing partner of Dua Associates, points that competition law jurisprudence is yet to develop in India. He is also sceptical about the quality of advice provided by lawyers on competition law. A viable competition law practice requires the services of cost accountants and economists, says Dua, pointing out
We are hell-bent on taking them [business consultants and accounting rms] to court unless they stop providing legal advice Lalit Bhasin President Society of Indian Law Firms
An emerging practice
Another practice area of great promise is competition law. This follows the notification of all sections of the Competition Act, 2002, and several orders by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) that attempt to rein
It is good to have packaging, but content is what counts C Rashmikant Partner Federal & Rashmikant
that few law rms can provide such resources. He says this reects a lack of depth in law rms across the country. Anand Desai, managing partner at DSK Legal in Mumbai, expresses similar sentiments. He suggests that the Indian legal culture is currently such that few lawyers will pass up on any work and admit to not knowing something in depth and that most law firms lack genuine specialists. Desai believes this is symptomatic of the lack of accountability among lawyers. This could change when Indian lawyers are made liable, says Desai pointing out that few lawyers and law rms are covered by professional indemnity insurance. Neeraj Tuli, managing partner of Tuli & Co, a specialist insurance practice , says that while it is almost unheard of in India to sue your lawyer, attitudes may be changing. The entire culture of suing is weak in India, says Tuli. This is borne out by reports that following the Satyam fraud, while investors in the US have received substantial
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Turf wars?
Indias corporate lawyers appear to have an almost never ending supply of work to keep them occupied. While international clients continue to be courted, the demand from within India is growing. In addition, as Vineet Aneja, a partner at Clasis Law in New Delhi, points out, the potential in the tier-two companies is largely untapped. However, lawyers hold over the market is less than assured. While international law rms wait to be allowed into India, lawyers and law rms are grappling with the challenges of protecting their turf against encroachments from domestic players. In early July, the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) turned its sights to targets within India and called on all business consultants and accounting rms to stop providing legal advice to their clients. A recent Supreme Court ruling that claried that the practise of law under the Advocates Act, 1961, covers litigious matters as well as non-litigious matters emboldened SILF to take this step. We are hell-bent on taking them to court unless they stop providing legal advice, says Lalit Bhasin, managing partner of Bhasin & Co, in his capacity as the president of SILF. Bhasin adds that at least one-fourth of the work being done by accounting rms is all legal work which legitimately only lawyers can do. Persuading them to back off is clearly a battle that is worth ghting. g
settlements thanks to a strong class action framework, Indian investors have yet to receive any compensation.
Tough action
Intellectual property (IP) disputes are one area in which a damages culture is slowly taking root. While Delhi High Court has awarded punitive damages in 142 cases of IP violations, costs are now being granted in cases of domain name disputes, says Pravin Anand, managing partner of Anand and Anand. Rising IP awareness and greater protection for IP owners will boost IP practices across the country. Increasingly complex patent and trademark disputes are adding to the clout of a growing number of smaller specialist IP rms, which are challenging the dominance of the established IP rms. A recent landmark decision saw the grant of Indias rst compulsory licence for a patented drug to a small maker of generic drugs, Natco Pharma. The two law rms that argued the case Rajeshwari & Associates and Perfexio Legal are both relatively new. IP practices across the country could nd themselves swamped with work following recent amendments to the Copyright Act, 1957, which came into effect on 21 June. Lawyers are expected to spend a significant amount of their time in advising clients on upsides and downsides [of the amended act] as well as changes to contracting practices, says Monica Datta, a partner at Saikrishna & Associates in Delhi.
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Acuity Law
Established in 2011
Number of partners: 1 Number of associates: 6 Principal ofce: Mumbai
Contact us S.N. B/2, Manoj CHS Ltd Shanker Ghanekar Marg Prabhadevi Mumbai - 400 025, India Tel: +91 22 4039 7000 Fax: +91 22 4039 7001 Contact Mr Souvik Ganguly Managing Partner Email souvik.ganguly@acuitylaw.co.in Website www.acuitylaw.co.in
Key practice areas: Cross-border and domestic M&A, joint ventures, foreign collaborations, corporate governance, regulatory approvals & compliance, private equity, commercial transactions, intellectual property, insurance M&A and regulatory, competition law and policy, infrastructure, employment and labour, successions & estate planning, construction & development and banking & nance. Our services: Acuity Law differentiates itself by providing a team which has legal expertise together with industry expertise. Acuity Law advises on laws relating to foreign investments, publicly traded companies, securities, corporate governance, takeovers, financing, contracts, employment & labour, intellectual property, environment, movable and immovable assets and disputes. Lawyers at Acuity Law have advised Indian and multinational companies, funds, banks and nancial institutions, company founders, international law rms, domestic and international investment banks and nancial advisers and government agencies.
Agarwal Jetley & Co

Established in 1993
Number of partners: 4 Number of associates: 15 Principal ofce: New Delhi Other ofce: Bangalore
Contact us New Delhi A 2/78, Safdarjung Enclave New Delhi - 110 029, India Tel: +91 11 2616 1002/3 +91 11 2616 2651/2 Fax: +91 11 2616 2612 Contact: Mr Praveen Agarwal praveenagarwal@agarwaljetley.com Bangalore No. 8, 2nd Main, 9th Cross Indira Nagar I Stage Bangalore - 560 038, India Tel: +91 80 2528 5898/2528 2266 Fax: +91 80 2528 5899 Contact: Mr Vikas Gupta vikas.gupta@vsvp.in
Key practice areas: Corporate law; regulatory practice; M&A; dispute resolution. Our services: Agarwal Jetley & Company, established in 1993, is a fullservice law rm with sizeable corporate, regulatory and litigation practices. It has ofces in New Delhi and Bangalore. The rms practice consists of corporate advisory services and dispute resolution. The rm has substantial practice in trade and investment regulations, contracts, mergers and acquisitions, company law matters, regulatory matters, intellectual property, direct and indirect taxation, real estate, trusts and charities, and arbitration/dispute resolution, and is well equipped to offer legal services to its clients. The litigation group has extensive experience in district courts, tribunals and other legal fora, including arbitral tribunals, and represents clients before the high courts and the Supreme Court of India. The rm has built its success by adopting a hands-on approach towards each of its clients, who always have direct access to one of the partners. This approach has enabled the rm to develop and maintain long-standing relationships with its clients.
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Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co

Established in 1917
Contact us Number of partners: 70 Number of associates: 485 Principal ofces: New Delhi, Mumbai Other ofces: Bengaluru, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chennai New Delhi Amarchand Towers 216, Okhla Industrial Estate Phase III New Delhi - 110 020 India Telephone +91 11 2692 0500 Fax +91 11 2692 4900 Contact Mr Shardul S Shroff Email shardul.shroff@amarchand.com
Key practice areas: Mergers and acquisitions; joint ventures; private equity; investment funds; capital markets; insolvency and corporate restructuring; banking and nance (including structured nance and debt capital markets); insurance; projects (including infrastructure, telecommunications and energy); project nance; real estate; information technology and intellectual property; taxation; litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution; trade and competition law; employment law and policy and regulatory advice. Our services: Amarchand Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co (AMSS) is one of Indias leading full service law rms. With over 555 lawyers, including 70 partners, the rm employs its legal resources across all major practice areas and focuses on several core areas of commercial activity. Often viewed as the rm of preference in respect of foreign direct investment in India, the rm helps its clients achieve their goals by combining global standards with local expertise. The rm has been and continues to be part of major headline transactions and litigations in all segments of industry and services, besides representing almost every major transnational corporation on their India entry and business strategy. Quite often, AMSS has been in the unique position of being an adviser on the public policy formation in India. Distinguished partners of the rm have been members of many legislative panels to assist the Government of India with a legal perspective on policy related matters. AMSS is also the exclusive Indian member rm of Lex Mundi, the worlds leading association of independent law rms. Such pre-eminent counselling by AMSS has earned the rm, the enviable reputation of being a leader amongst its peers. Some of corporate Indias most inuential entrepreneurs turn to AMSS for innovative legal solutions and strategies. The rm is at the cutting edge of new issues in law, guiding the creation of legal precedents and meeting the challenges of change. Awards:
Winner of 13 prestigious awards, including Best Overall Law Firms at India Business Law Journals 2011 Indian Law Firm Awards. Ranked 4th in APAC, 3rd in Asia, and 1st in India in terms of M&A value (with deal value US$13.4 billion from 20 deals) by Mergermarket in its 2012 league tables. Indian Firm of the Year by International Financial Law Review (IFLR) India Awards 2012, 2011 & 2010. Indian Law Firm of the Year for 7 years consistently by Whos Who Legal, 2012. Indian Deal Firm of the Year 2011 & 2012 consecutively by Asian Legal Business (ALB). Client Choice Award 2012 & 2011 by International Law Ofce (ILO). No. 1 Legal Adviser in M&A and PE in Q1 2012 by Venture Intelligence; No. 1 Legal Adviser in Asia Pacic in Q1 2012 by Mergermarket; No. 1 Legal Adviser in India in Q1 2012 by Bloomberg. IFLR Asia, 2011 Awards - Indian Firm of the Year; Capital Market Team of the Year; Restructuring Team of the Year; Equity Deal of the Year (Standard Chartered IDR Listing); Best Indian Law Firm (Gold Award) at the International Legal Alliance Summit & Awards, 2011. Top Law Firm in India on quality, reputation and capability, RSG Top 40 Firms Ranking, 2011. Also: Law Firm of the Year in PE, 2012, by VCCircle; Best Law Firm of the Year by Legal Era, 2011/12; National Law Firm of the Year, 2011, by Chambers & Partners.
Other ofces Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Chennai
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Anand and Anand

Established in 1979
Number of partners: 13 Number of associates: 65 Principal ofces: New Delhi, Noida Other ofces: Chennai, Mumbai
Contact us New Delhi B-41, Nizamuddin East New Delhi - 110013 Tel: +91 120 405 9300 Fax: +91 120 424 3056/058 Contact Pravin Anand Sar Anand Debjit Gupta Binny Kalra Archana Shanker Email email@anandandanand.com Website www.anandandanand.com
Key practice areas: Patents, designs, litigation & dispute resolution, trademarks, copyright, antitrust & competition, compliance & regulatory, agreements, commercial exploitation of IP licensing and franchising law, tax law on IP matters, packaging law, advertising law, custom recordal & enforcement, domain name disputes, investigations, sports law, and media & entertainment law. Our services: Anand and Anand is at the forefront of contentious IP litigation and trademark and patent prosecution. It advises on all aspects of core intellectual property laws as well as geographical indications; contractual and commercial IP; conveyancing; character merchandising; personality rights; libel and privacy laws; brand acquisitions; advertising laws; competition and consumer laws; border control measures, including recordal of IP rights with customs; domain names; internet laws; technology transfers; IP audits and valuation; IP leveraging, including manpower; IP mortgage/pledging; venture capital and idea incubation and funding; pre-IPO audits of IP rights and compliances; and obtaining government approvals.
Ascentialls
Established in 2009
Number of partners: 3 Number of associates: 7 Principal ofce: New Delhi
Contact us G-1/5, Flat No.1, Ring Road Model Town-3 New Delhi - 110 009, India Tel: +91 11 4708 2554 Fax: +91 11 4057 3867 C-25 (S), Second Floor Delhi Police Apartments Mayur Vihar Phase -1 New Delhi - 110 091, India Tel: +91 11 4708 2554 Fax: +91 11 4057 3867 Contact Ms Sumita Singh, Managing Partner Email contact@ascentialls.com sumita@ascentialls.com
Key practice areas: Intellectual property rights, with a focus on trademarks, IP used online, e-commerce, copyrights, geographical indications, domain names, related contractual obligations and portfolio management. Our services: The rm is a specialist boutique for all intellectual property related matters. The rms practice encompasses prosecution as well as protection of intellectual property rights. Our IP protection practice extends to civil, criminal and administrative actions; including preliminary market searches, investigations, and search and seizure compliances of court orders. We also have an extensive practice in related alternative dispute resolution, licensing, portfolio management, corporate transactions, assignments, registered user agreement, strategy advisory, IP due diligence and online use of IP especially in e-commerce. Led by Ms Sumita Singh, a leading lawyer for intellectual property in India, the rm is three-and-half-years old and has been mentioned as an emerging law rm and a law rm to watch by several notable publications.
July/August 2012
Intelligence report
Associated Law Advisers

Established in 1994
Number of partners: 4 Number of associates: 20+ Principal ofce: New Delhi
Contact us New Delhi Antriksh Bhawan 22 Kasturba Gandhi Marg New Delhi - 110 001, India Telephone +91 11 2375 5511 +91 11 2335 1921 Fax +91 11 2335 2226 Email ala@ala-india.com lira@ala-india.com Contact Lira Goswami Senior Partner
Key practice areas: International business transactions, mergers & acquisitions, corporate, commercial, securities, competition, food & drugs, project nancing, tax & transfer pricing, oil & gas, aviation, defence, employment, environment, insurance, real estate, litigation & arbitration. Our services: Associated Law Advisers (ALA) is a full-service law rm advising domestic and global clients including Boston Scientic, ExxonMobil, General Electric, Kellogg, Mars, Mattel, Rolls-Royce, Suzuki, Zurich Insurance, etc., in diverse areas including M&A, project nancing, advisory work, litigation and arbitration. ALA provides high quality, value-added legal services through a team of highly experienced, prompt, proactive and commercially minded lawyers. ALA lawyers have authored the India Private Banking chapter for Law-in-Context and also the India Environment chapter (2008) for the International Comparative Legal Guide.
AZB & Partners

Established in 2004
Number of partners: 19 Number of associates: 221 Principal ofce: Mumbai Other ofces: New Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai
Contact us Mumbai 23rd Floor Express Towers Nariman Point Mumbai - 400 021, India Telephone: +91 22 6639 6880 Fax: +91 22 6639 6888 Email: mumbai@azbpartners.com Contact: Ms Zia Mody New Delhi Plot No A-8, Sector 4 Noida - 201 301, India Telephone: +91 120 417 9999 Fax: +91 120 4179900 Email: delhi@azbpartners.com Contact: Mr Ajay Bahl
Key practice areas: M&A, joint ventures & general corporate, regulatory practice & securities laws, private equity, capital markets, funds practice, banking & finance, microfinance, derivatives, infrastructure & project nance, real estate, media & entertainment, IT & business process outsourcing, employment, insurance, intellectual property, pharmaceuticals & biotechnology, taxation, aviation, competition law, litigation & arbitration. Our services: AZB & Partners is one of the prominent law rms in India. Our aim is to provide clear, concise and practical advice based on our in-depth knowledge of the legal, regulatory and commercial environment, as well as our understanding of our clients business objectives. The rm has received wide national and international acclaim. It won no less than 14 awards at India Business Law Journal s prestigious Indian Law Firm Awards (February 2012), including the magazines top award of Law Firm of the Year. In addition, AZB & Partners was recognized as the Most Active Legal Advisor M&A and Most Active Legal Advisor PE at the 2012 Apex Awards, based on transactions undertaken in 2011. It also received the Best M&A Law Firm Award at the Legal Era Awards 2012.
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Bharucha & Partners

Established in 2008
Number of partners: 5 Number of associates: 35 Principal ofce: Mumbai Other ofce: New Delhi
Contact us Mumbai Cecil Court, 4th Floor MK Bhushan Marg Colaba Mumbai - 400 039, India Telephone: +91 22 2289 9300 Fax: +91 22 2282 3900 Email: sr.partner@bharucha.in Contact person: Alka Bharucha New Delhi Enkay House 4/48, Malcha Marg SC Diplomatic Enclave New Delhi - 110 021, India Telephone: +91 11 4593 9300 Fax: +91 11 4593 9399 Email: kumkum.sen@bharucha.in Contact person: Kumkum Sen
Key practice areas: Mergers & acquisitions, corporate restructuring, joint ventures, private equity, banking, structured nance, project & project nance, capital markets, litigation, international & domestic arbitration, intellectual property, nancial regulation. Our services: Established in March 2008 in Mumbai with four partners and nine associates, Bharucha & Partners has now expanded to three ofces in two cities with 40 lawyers. Bharucha & Partners is dedicated to excellence, bringing to you a blend of rich experience, creativity and energy of youth. Each of the partners has a proven track record of handling commercial transactions or disputes. Each associate has been individually groomed or selected as sharing the qualities and vision of the partners. With ve partners and 35 associates we work across practice areas and count leading international and corporate houses, banks, nancial institutions and funds among our clients.
Chadha & Co
Established in 2002
Contact us New Delhi S-327, Greater Kailash II New Delhi - 110 048 India Tel: +91 11 4383 0000 +91 11 4163 9294 Fax: +91 11 4163 9295 Contact Ms Namita Chadha Email nchadha@chadha-co.com Website www.chadha-co.com
Key practice areas: Inbound investments, M&As, joint ventures, technology transfer, private equity, corporate restructuring, corporate & project nance, corporate governance, regulatory compliances, commercial litigation, labour, employment & industrial relations, real estate and antitrust. Our services: Chadha & Co is Indias leading boutique law rm with a specialized practice in advising foreign companies doing business in India. We advise international corporations on their India entry strategy, structuring their entry, establishing Indian operations, and on post-entry legal and regulatory issues. Our clients, from over 31 countries, include leading Fortune 500 corporations as well as SMEs. We work with professionals across India and are able to provide the same high quality of services in a cost-effective manner anywhere in the country. Our partners are involved in a hands-on manner on every assignment. This ensures that our quality of work does not have peaks and troughs the know-how, experience and commercial understanding of our partners is crucial to our ability to provide consistent, world-class service.
July/August 2012
Intelligence report
Clasis Law
Established in 2010
Number of partners: 10 Number of associates: 35 Ofces: New Delhi, Mumbai, London
Contact us New Delhi 14th Floor, Dr. Gopal Das Bhawan 28 Barakhamba Road New Delhi - 110 001 India Telephone: +91 11 4213 0000 Fax: +91 11 4213 0099 Mumbai 1202B, One IndiaBulls Centre Tower 2B, Floor 12B 841 Senapati Bapat Marg Elphinstone Road Mumbai - 400 013 India Telephone: +91 22 4910 0000 Fax: +91 22 4910 0099 London The St. Botolph Building 138 Houndsditch London EC3A 7AR UK Telephone: +44 207 876 4848 Fax: +44 207 876 5132 Contacts Mr Vineet Aneja Email: vineet.aneja@clasislaw.com Mr Sakate Khaitan Email: sakate.khaitan@clasislaw.com Website www.clasislaw.com
Key practice areas: Aviation, banking & nance, corporate & commercial, dispute resolution, employment & immigration, infrastructure, insurance, private equity & venture capital, projects & energy, real estate & investment funds, shipping, marine insurance & international trade law, tax, and technology, media & telecommunications. Our services: Clasis Law is a full-service Indian law rm with true international capability. The hallmarks of the rm include a high degree of legal expertise, and a commitment to excellence, efciency, integrity, focus and client care. As international cross-border transactions increase in number and complexity, Clasis Law, with its Indian ofces and international presence, is well-placed to assist clients in nding commercially sound solutions for their business requirements. Clasis Law has the unique advantage of having an ofce in London which is fully staffed with Indian lawyers that provide advice on matters relating to Indian law and jurisdiction. We understand the importance of working with clients internal management and business teams, to ensure that business objectives are met in the best possible manner. We strive to provide value-added, cost-effective solutions at all times, without compromising on quality or dedication. A proactive, energetic and practical approach ensures that our clients achieve highly successful results. Awards and recognition ILO Client Choice award in 2010 and 2011 to Vineet Aneja in recognition of his corporate advisory expertise and approach. Best new rm to launch in 2011 by India Business Law Journal s, Indian Law Firm Awards 2011. Best Aviation practice in 2011 by India Business Law Journal s, Indian Law Firm Awards 2011. Sakate Khaitan listed as a leading individual for Investment Funds and recommended for Insurance by Legal 500, 2012. Vineet Aneja recommended for Corporate/M&A by Legal 500 , 2012. Ishtiaq Ali and Damodara Rao recommended for banking law by Legal 500, 2012. Shalini Agarwal is recognized as a leading corporate immigration lawyer by the International Whos Who Corporate Immigration Lawyers 2007- 2012 and the International Whos Who of Business Lawyer 2012. She is also recognized as a leading employment lawyer by Legal 500, 2011.
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Corporate Lexport
Established in 2000
Number of partners: 3 Number of associates: 12 Principal ofce: New Delhi Other ofce: Bangalore
Contact us New Delhi R-1, Second Floor Park View Apartments Hauz Khas Enclave New Delhi - 110 016 India Telephone +91 11 2651 0505/1505 Telefax +91 11 2651 1505
Key practice areas: Our core strengths are indirect taxation, corporate commercial & transactional work and intellectual property rights. We advise on customs, excise, service tax, anti-dumping, VAT & sales tax, special economic zones, foreign trade policy & procedures, international taxation, indirect tax audits, indirect tax litigation, investment transactions, mergers & acquisitions, private equity & venture capital, banking & nance, power & energy, contracts, labour & employment, telecommunications & information technology, real estate & infrastructure, regulatory & policy, IP registration & maintenance, IP licensing, IP advisory & consultancy, IP litigation, due diligence, corporate advisory, compliance support, legal audits, corporate litigation. Our services: Corporate Lexport is a full-service corporate and commercial law rm based in New Delhi with a branch ofce in Bangalore. We provide legal services to a range of domestic and international clients including multinational public and private companies. Our mission is to offer personalized legal solutions on corporate, commercial, tax and regulatory issues. Our dedicated team of professionals includes lawyers, intellectual property experts and company secretaries. Our focus is on delivering efcient and timely legal solutions to our clients with the highest standards of professionalism. The innovative approaches we adopt are a blend of technical expertise and commercial pragmatism to match the unique business requirement of each client. Corporate Lexport was founded by Srinivas Kotni, an advocate and company secretary who has handled legal, corporate and tax issues for close to two decades. Fellow partner Madhumita Mitra has over 25 years of experience working on regulatory issues and has worked on anticorruption laws, human resource regulations concerning public servants and afrmative action policies of the government. Her work involves legal research and analysis on intellectual property, consumer affairs, indirect taxation, contractual agreements, legal metrology, pharmaceuticals, environment, real estate and IT. Partner Raj Latha Kotni specializes in patent prosecution, counselling on validity of patents and patent infringement, drafting technology transfers, know-how and trade secret agreements, licences, due diligence and litigation in the elds of life sciences, pharmaceuticals biotechnology and biochemistry for clients in India, the US, the EU, China, Japan and Australia. Our clients: Corporate Lexport has served a diverse spectrum of Indian and international clients. They include ACI Mitsui Prime, Adidas, Airtel, Apollo Hospitals, Bharti, Coca-Cola, Corporate Executive Board, Cummins, Dabur, Emaar MGF, Faridabad Gurgaon Minerals, FICCI, Field Fresh, Haldirams, HCL, Hero Honda, Honda, Honeywell, IBM, Inditex, ING, Intel, Kodak, KPMG, Oracle India, Oxigen, Reebok, Reliance Industries, Samsung, Shyama Power, Springer, Telesoft, Teri University, Timex, UNICEF, Valvoline, Voith Siemens and others.
Bangalore 516, 10th A Cross 29th Main, Sector 1 HSR Layout Bangalore - 560 034 India
Key contacts Srinivas Kotni kotni@lexport.in Mobile: +91 98 1128 2863 Madhumita D Mitra madhumita@lexport.in Mobile: +91 98 9932 4888 Raj Latha Kotni rajlatha@lexport.in Mobile: +91 98 9997 8082
Website www.lexport.in
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Dua Associates
Established in 1986
Number of partners: 50 Number of associates: 200+ Principal ofce: New Delhi Other ofces: Bangalore, Chennai, Chandigarh, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Singapore
Contact us New Delhi 202-206 Tolstoy House 15 Tolstoy Marg New Delhi - 110 001, India Telephone: +91 11 2371 4408 Fax: +91 11 2331 7746 E: duadel@duaassociates.com Gurgaon Telephone: +91 124 280 3366/7 E: duagrg@duaassociates.com Mumbai Telephone: +91 22 6636 9966 E: duamum@duaassociates.com Pune Telephone: +91 20 2611 9760 E: duapun@duaassociates.com Bangalore Telephone: +91 80 2558 8799/9909 E: duablr@duaassociates.com Chennai Telephone: +91 44 2431 4304 E: duachennai@duaassociates.com Chandigarh Telephone: +91 172 278 4394 E: duacgarh@duaassociates.com Hyderabad Telephone: +91 40 2354 7881-3 E: duahyd@duaassociates.com Singapore Telephone: +65 6538 1437 / 2906 E: duasg@duaassociates.com
Key practice areas: Mergers & acquisitions; infrastructure & project nance; private equity & venture capital; banking & insurance; corporate & commercial; securitization & structured nance; corporate restructuring; capital markets; defence, nuclear, aviation & aerospace; litigation, arbitration & dispute resolution; privatisation & disinvestment; international trade & anti-dumping; anti-trust & competition law; intellectual property; taxation; labour & employment; public & regulatory affairs; governance & compliance; real estate. Our services: Dua Associates is a prominent Indian law rm with fullfledged offices across eight metropolitan cities in India and one in Singapore. For more than a quarter century, the rm has provided a broad range of legal services to a diverse Indian and international clientele, including Fortune 500 companies, listed companies, public sector enterprises, privately owned businesses, nancial institutions, banks, private equity rms, venture capitalists, multi-lateral organisations and eminent corporations from the United States, Europe, Japan and the Asia Pacic. Dua Associates took an early initiative in assisting many major MNCs in their India endeavours across a multitude of businesses and, in continuing to do so, also assists them in expanding their India presence. The rm has recognized achievements in areas such as mergers and acquisitions, takeovers, capital markets, defence, infrastructure projects, project nancing, corporate, banking, nancial transactions, complex litigation and arbitration, regulatory and tax structuring issues and its indepth understanding of national, local and regional legislation, rules and regulations. In the infrastructure sector, the rm has worked in power, roads, airports, ports, telecom, mining, oil and gas and renewable energy sectors. India is one of the worlds most dynamic and fast-growing economies and presents special challenges to both domestic and international business. Also, in an increasingly specialised business and legal environment, Dua Associates recognises that clients needs often transcend specialities. The rm assigns a relationship partner to each of its major clients and places the resources of all practice groups at the clients disposal to ensure that the clients specic needs are met. The expertise and depth of knowledge of the rms professionals, enables it to consistently provide comprehensive legal advice and strategy. In addition to memberships or afliations with national and international bar councils and associations, law societies and trade-related chambers, the rm has close long standing professional relationships with leading law rms throughout the world.
Contact person Balinder Singh E: balinder@duaassociates.com
Website www.duaassociates.com
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Economic Laws Practice

Established in 2001
Number of partners: 19 Number of associates: 80 Ofces: Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune, Ahmedabad
Contact us Mumbai 1502, A-Wing, Dalamal Towers Nariman Point Mumbai - 400 021, India Telephone: +91 22 6636 7000 Fax: +91 22 6636 7172 Email: mumbai@elp-in.com
Key practice areas: Tax; arbitration and alternate dispute resolution; corporate M&A; private investment; competition law and policy; international trade; infrastructure; media and entertainment. Our services: Established in 2001, Economic Laws Practice (ELP) stands as a premium law rm that is made up of values through which we endeavour to deliver the best results to our clients. Our approach towards the clients is backed by experience, research, in-depth understanding of industry and a foresight that enables us to look at possibilities where others nd none. At ELP, we stand as an ensemble of experience and expertise that is shaped by partnering our Indian clients on their domestic and international needs in our areas of expertise, and international clients in matters concerning their India-related businesses and transactions. We have, time and again, earned our clients appreciation for our timely and qualitative response that is benchmarked to global standards. At ELP, several of our partners and associates have qualied and/or worked abroad and hence, hold a skill-set that is built through an international exposure that houses both, diversity and competence. In its tenth year of existence, the rm has established four ofces throughout India and built a diverse team which offers our clients, local support and offers specializations where they are required. The suite of services offered at ELP meets the needs of our clients from entry (structuring) to any eventual exit (dispute resolution). Our partners hold both global experience and local expertise that certied them to excel in international jurisdictions. With an assembly of solicitors who have been in practice with esteemed organizations for over 16 years, we at ELP regularly assist several leading corporates with legal advisory services which have an impact on key business decisions. Awards and recognition Economic Laws Practice was a recipient of the following Indian Law Firm Awards, presented by India Business Law Journal in February 2012: Taxation Competition & antitrust Policy & regulation
New Delhi 405-406, World Trade Centre Barakhamba Lane New Delhi - 110 001, India Telephone: +91 11 4152 8400 +91 11 2341 8633 +91 11 2341 8646 Fax: +91 11 4152 8404 Email: delhi@elp-in.com
Pune Suyog Fusion, 7th Floor No. 1, 97 Dhole Patil Road Nr. Ruby Hall Clinic Pune - 411 001, India Telephone: +91 20 4146 7400 +91 20 414 6740 Fax: +91 20 4146 7499 Email: pune@elp-in.com
Ahmedabad 801, Abhijeet III Mithakali Six Roads Ellisbridge Ahmedabad - 380 006, India Telephone: +91 79 6605 4480-81 Fax: +91 79 6605 4482 Email: ahmd@elp-in.com
Website www.elplaw.in
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Gagrats
Established in 2005
Number of partners and associates: 55+ Principal ofce: Mumbai Associate ofces: New Delhi, Dubai
Contact us Nirmal, Nariman Point Mumbai - 400 021, India Telephone +91 22 6752 9037-52 (Mumbai) +91 11 2332 2311 (New Delhi) +971 472 5164 (Dubai) Fax +91 22 6752 9053 (Mumbai) +91 11 2371 3657 (New Delhi) +971 472 5049 (Dubai) Email: gagrats@gagrats.com Contacts Mr RJ Gagrat (Mumbai) Mr UA Rana (New Delhi) Mr HD Gardi (Dubai)
Key practice areas: Arbitration, asset-based nance, aviation, banking & nance, capital markets, competition law, corporate, dispute resolution, infrastructure, projects & energy, insurance, intellectual property, investment funds, M&A, oil & gas, private equity, project nance, real estate, securities law, shipping, TMT and tax. Our services: Gagrats has a broad-based practice covering a wide range of legal disciplines. Most of the rms members have attended prestigious universities in England, the US and India and some have qualied as solicitors in England. Gagrats has represented clients on signicant nancings, large cross-border acquisitions, private equity deals, power projects and securities offerings. Gagrats has been a recipient of India Business Law Journals 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 Indian Law Firm Awards, the 2011 Global Awards, the 2011 and 2012 Indian Corporate Tax Law Firm Awards, the 2012 Law Firm of the Year Award for Tax India, the 2011 Asian Mena Counsel Awards, the 2012 Dealmaker Award, and been recognized as one of the Most Responsive Domestic Law Firms in India in 2011. It has also been ranked as a leading law rm by Chambers & Partners, IFLR 1000, Asia Pacic Legal 500, Asialaw Proles, and Which Lawyer PLC.
HSB Partners
Established in 2005
Number of partners: 3 Number of associates: 30+ Principal ofce: Chennai
Contact us Chennai Capitale, 9th Floor No. 554/555, Anna Salai Teynampet, Chennai - 600 018 India Tel: +91 44 2435 5217/18 Fax: +91 44 2435 5257 Key contacts TK Bhaskar Srinath Sridevan K Harishankar Email bhaskar@hsbpartners.com srinath@hsbpartners.com hari@hsbpartners.com
Key practice areas: Corporate, commercial, mergers, acquisitions, banking, project nance, litigation, arbitration, private equity, venture capital, real estate, infrastructure, competition and trade, capital markets, media, entertainment and sports, intellectual property, advisory and regulatory services, registration and ling services. Our services: HSB Partners is a full-service law rm that offers a wide range of legal services in multiple practice areas. The partners bring in tremendous international and domestic exposure. They have in the past been part of notable rms like Skadden Arps Slate Meagher and Flom LLP, New York; Gardner Carton & Douglas, Chicago; Allen & Overy, London, UK; and Deacons Graham & James, Hong Kong. They have also worked with distinguished senior counsel in India prior to forming the partnership. The team at the rm includes many seasoned litigators and transaction lawyers. HSB Partners represents several large and well-known conglomerates and business houses in South India. The rm has been part of several high-prole litigations, arbitrations, investments, acquisitions and infrastructure projects. The rm is well known in the market for providing constructive solutions to client needs, besides being reputed for its cost-effective, skillful and ethical nature of practice.
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I&S Associates
Established in 2006
Number of partners: 2 Number of associates: 8-10 Principal ofce: Mumbai
Contact us 11, 3rd Floor, South Wing Jorawar Bhavan MK Marg, Marine Lines Mumbai - 400 020, India Telephone +91 22 2206 3433 +91 22 2206 4342 +91 22 2206 4343 Fax +91 22 2209 4343 Contacts Anuradha Iyer, Partner anu.iyer@isassociates.in Bakhtiar Sunavala, Partner bakhtiar.sunavala@isassociates.in
Key practice areas: Mergers, acquisitions & joint ventures; foreign exchange laws; regulations & structuring; private equity & venture capital; investment funds; media & entertainment laws; hotel management & franchise; mining; labour & employment; equipment procurement; construction & turnkey contracts; inbound & outbound investments; real estate & real estate funds; nancial services and general corporate. Our services: I&S Associates is a corporate-commercial Indian law rm with an ofce in Mumbai. Although I&S is a young, ambitious and growing rm, both the founding partners have extensive experience and have advised Indian and international clients on several domestic and cross border transactions. By understanding the clients key issues, requirements and businesses, I&S provides innovative, practical and personalised advice and services. Quality of service is of the utmost importance for the rm and that is driven primarily by hands on participation, accessibility to clients and complete involvement by the partners. This is the primary attribute that distinguishes I&S Associates from other rms.
India Law Offices

Established in 2003
Number of partners: 6 Number of associates: 48 Principal ofce: New Delhi Other ofces: Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai
Contact us Head ofce D19 (GF) & D31 South ExtensionI New Delhi - 110 049, India Mumbai ofce 106, Durga Chambers 8A Veera Desai Ind. Est. Veera Desai Road, Andheri (W) Mumbai - 400 053, India Contact Gautam Khurana, Managing Partner Tel: +91 11 2462 2216 Fax: +91 11 2465 4364 Website www.indialawofces.com
Key practice areas: Foreign direct investment into India; M&A and joint ventures; commercial litigation (high courts and Supreme Court); arbitration; corporate advisory and compliance; family litigation, divorce and custody; banking and insurance; outbound acquisitions and investment; securities, capital markets and public offerings; project nance, private equity and venture capital; taxation; intellectual property; labour and employment. Our services: India Law Ofces has built a reputation for competence, good practice and effective service. Our clients come from more than 40 different countries. Our team has extensive experience in advising on the full range of legal issues, including FDI, intellectual property, SEBI and RBI regulations, banking and insurance, venture capital and private equity, taxation and regulatory compliance in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, engineering, food processing and many other industries. Our litigation team has handled many complex matters for government and quasi-governmental bodies, large companies and individual clients. It has succeeded in obtaining relief at the Supreme Court of India, high courts in more than 20 locations and various civil forums.
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IPR International Services

Established in 2003
Contact us Block No. 8, Building No. 2 Rajinder Nagar New Delhi -110 060, India Telephone +91 11 2586 1168/2576 1755 Fax +91 11 4243 6540/258 64213 Email ipris@vsnl.net, ipris@rediffmail.com Websites www.ipr.in www.iprindia.org Contact person Neha Chugh
Key practice areas: Patents, trademarks, designs, copyright, domain names, plant varieties, geographical indications. Our services: IPR International Services is a specialist intellectual property-focused law rm which provides services in the elds of patents, trademarks, copyrights, designs, geographical indications, plant varieties, etc., and works to safeguard the IP rights of its clients. The rm has acquired broad professional expertise in all aspects of IP and has a team of well-qualied experts in the elds of science, engineering and law. The rm has manpower qualied in the legal and technical elds of science and technology. Our prime concern is to provide a service of quality and professionalism. We aim to work closely with clients to gain a genuine insight into their commercial situation. This helps us nd the most cost-effective way to provide the required level of protection to meet the specic needs of individual clients. We understand the varied needs of IP owners and recognize that, to be successful, IP lawyers we must be actively involved in a clients business development.
Juris Corp
Established in 2000
Number of partners: 11 Number of of counsel: 3 Number of associates: 54 Principal ofce: Mumbai Other ofce: New Delhi
Contact us Mumbai 902, Tower 2 Indiabulls Finance Centre, SB Marg Elphinstone Road (West) Mumbai - 400 013, India Tel: +91 22 6720 5555 Fax: +91 22 2421 2547 We also have a litigation ofce in Nariman Point, Mumbai New Delhi H-17, Lower Ground, Kailash Colony New Delhi - 110 048, India Tel: +91 11 4175 1889 Fax: +91 11 4108 4175 Contact person Fatema Hussain, Knowledge Manager km@jclex.com
Key practice areas: Banking & nance, bankruptcy & corporate restructuring, capital markets, competition law, corporate & commercial, direct taxation, dispute resolution, intellectual property rights, international arbitration, Islamic nance, private equity, property & real estate, media & entertainment. Our services: The objective of the firm is to provide unbiased and unmatched legal services in all areas of practice. We aim to be the preferred law rm of all of our clients. The rm believes in being innovative rather than just following archaical modes of working and set patterns in India. The rm has been consistently ranked in the top tiers over the years in banking & nance, capital markets and dispute resolution. The rm has won various awards such as Most Trusted Foreign Direct Investment Law Firm of the Year, India, The Best Client Choice Firm of the Year and The Litigation Law Firm of the Year, India.
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Intelligence report
Kanga & Co
Established in 1890
Number of partners: 12 Number of associates: 35 Principal ofce: Mumbai
Contact us Readymoney Mansion 43, Veer Nariman Road, Fort Mumbai - 400 001, India Telephone +91 22 6623 0000, 6633 2288 Fax +91 22 6633 9656, 6633 9657 Email mail@kangacompany.com Website www.kangacompany.com Contact Mr ML Bhakta Managing Partner
Key practice areas: Banking & nance, capital markets, corporate law, foreign collaboration and joint ventures, private equity, mergers & acquisitions, real estate, litigation, dispute resolution, franchising, intellectual property, project nance, shipping, direct and indirect taxes. Our services: Kanga & Co is one of Indias oldest law rms. Its expert teams in each department are known for their sound advice and swift turnaround time. Kanga & Co has expertise in all matters relating to banking, including syndicated foreign currency loans, securitization and shipping loans. The rm has built a strong reputation for capital markets work and enjoys an outstanding track record in foreign investment, joint ventures, private equity and mergers and acquisitions. The rm has won several awards for real estate and is ranked as one of the top rms in this practice area. It also has vast experience in advising Indian and international clients on franchising. Kanga & Co also handles domestic and international arbitration, both commercial and constitutional, direct and indirect taxation, environmental laws and IP registration.
Karanjawala & Company

Established in 1983
Contact us 12th Floor, Hindustan Times House 18-20, Kasturba Gandhi Marg New Delhi - 110 001 India Telephone +91 11 4358 8888 +91 11 4358 8801 8899 Fax +91 11 4155 1910 +91 11 4358 8800 Email karanjawala@karanjawala.in Contact person Mr Raian Karanjawala
Key practice areas: Litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution, and corporate and commercial practice. Our services: Over the years Karanjawala & Company has come to dominate the litigation landscape. It has serviced a wide variety of diverse clients from prime ministers to captains of industry to the biggest corporate houses and the largest media companies. It is equally at ease handling the day-to-day cases of ordinary litigants as it is handling the legal disputes of royal families. The rm has been conferred numerous awards, such as the European CEO Best Dispute Resolution Team, India, 2009, India Business Law Journals prestigious Indian Law Firm Awards, 2009, 2010 and 2011, and the Legal Era Awards: Best Litigation and Arbitration Law Firm Award for 2011-2012. The rm has been listed among the top-tier rms for dispute resolution in Asialaw Proles 2011 & 2012. Karanjawala & Company was also listed in Asia Pacic Legal 500 as a top-tier rm in New Delhi for dispute resolution in 2006, 2007, 2010 & 2012 and in Chambers and Partners (Asia) as a Band 1 rm for Dispute Resolution: Litigation, New Delhi, and Dispute Resolution, National 2008 to 2012. Mr Raian Karanjawala was named one of the 50 most inuential people in India by India Today magazine in 2004.
July/August 2012
Intelligence report
Khaitan & Co
Established in 1911
Number of partners: 58 Number of associates: 242 Principal ofce: Mumbai Other ofces: Bangalore, Kolkata, New Delhi
Contact us Mumbai One Indiabulls Centre 13th Floor, Tower 1 841 Senapati Bapat Marg Mumbai - 400 013, India Tel: +91 22 6636 5000 Email: mumbai@khaitanco.com Bangalore Tel: +91 80 4339 7000 Email: bangalore@khaitanco.com Kolkata (Calcutta) Tel: +91 33 2248 7000 Email: kolkata@khaitanco.com New Delhi Tel: +91 11 4151 5454 Email: delhi@khaitanco.com
Key practice areas: Banking & nance, capital markets, competition law & policy, corporate/commercial, cross-border investments (inward & overseas), dispute resolution, ecology, environment & wildlife laws, estates, trusts & personal client work, funds, information technology, infrastructure projects & project nance, intellectual property, labour laws, mining & mineral exploration, real estate, taxation (direct and indirect), trade laws. Our services: Khaitan & Co is an Indian law rm which combines a rich heritage of 100 years with modern, cutting-edge legal practices and offers full-service legal solutions under one roof to its clients in India and overseas. Founded in 1911, the rm today has ofces in Bangalore, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi. The rm blends a centurys worth of experience with a solution-oriented approach for its clients. It advises a wide array of clients on complex domestic and cross-border transactions and issues requiring an understanding of corporate nance and strategy, sectoral expertise, international and domestic taxation, employment, regulatory and other relevant practices.
LEX ORBIS IP Practice

Established in 1997
Contact us 709/710, Tolstoy House 15-17, Tolstoy Marg New Delhi - 110 001, India Telephone +91 11 2371 6565 Fax +91 11 2371 6556 Email mail@lexorbis.com Contact Person Ms Manisha Singh Nair Website www.lexorbis.com
Key practice areas: Patents, trademarks, designs, copyright, IP enforcement, geographical indications, IP licensing, domain names, IP transactions, plant variety protection, trade secrets, IP consulting. Our services: LEX ORBIS IP Practice, an IP boutique founded in 1997, pioneered multi-disciplinary IP practice in India by blending legal acumen with technical expertise and integrating sophisticated practice tools with a robust IT driven practice environment. The rm has grown exponentially in less than a decade, with a strong base of well-credentialed legal and technical professionals offering high quality services in all areas of intellectual property for a number of worlds leading IP owner corporations. Today, we are a full-service IP rm with over 65 personnel, supported by 120 personnel located at our global support services arm, resulting in combined manpower of over 185 personnel. LEX ORBIS IP Practice offers cost effective and timely services without any compromise on quality. Our best in class global and regional ling programs offer enormous cost, time and quality advantage to both domestic and overseas IP owners. It is fully equipped to meet client specic requirements including orientation by dedicated attorneys for individual clients.
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Intelligence report
Luthra & Luthra Law Offices

Established in 1990
Number of partners: 41 Number of associates: 252 Principal ofces: New Delhi, Mumbai Other ofce: Bangalore
Contact us New Delhi Luthra & Luthra Law Ofces 9th Floor, Ashoka Estate Barakhamba Road New Delhi - 110 001 India Telephone: +91 11 4121 5100 Fax: +91 11 2372 3909 Contact: Rajiv Luthra rajiv@luthra.com Mumbai Luthra & Luthra Law Ofces 20th Floor, Tower 2 Indiabulls nance Centre Elphinstone Mills Compound Senapati Bapat Marg Mumbai - 400 013 India Telephone: +91 22 6630 3600 Fax: +91 22 6630 3700 Contact: Mohit Saraf msaraf@luthra.com Bangalore Luthra & Luthra Law Ofces Unit Nos. G-01 & G-02 Prestige Garnet, No -36 Ulsoor Road Yellappa Chetty Layout Bangalore - 560 042 India Telephone: +91 80 4112 2800 Fax: +91 80 4112 2332 Contact: Vikrant Kumar vkumar@luthra.com
Key practice areas: Anti-trust; aviation; banking & nance; capital markets; corporate & commercial; criminal law; debt recovery; employment; exchange control; infrastructure & project nance; international trade; intellectual property; investment structuring; insurance; joint ventures; litigation & commercial arbitration; media & entertainment; mergers & acquisitions; private equity investments; privatizations & disinvestments; real estate & regulatory; tax. Our services: Luthra & Luthra Law Ofces is one of Indias leading full service law rms, with ofces in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. The rm established in 1990 has amassed an enormous amount of knowledge capital that has been built in the passing of every year, every month and every single day. The rms depth of experience and comprehensive industry focus distinguish us from other law rms and inspire our clients and colleagues loyalty and satisfaction. This has also led to us being consistently rated as a 1st tier law rm in India Awards and recognition Winner of 11 awards at India Business Law Journals 2011 Indian Law Firm Awards (February 2012), including the prestigious award of Best Overall Law Firms. Awarded the National Law rm of the Year India at the Chambers Asia Pacic awards 2012. Recipient of the National Law Firm of the Year award at the IFLR Asia Awards 2011 and 2010. Consecutively won the New Delhi Firm of the Year award at the IFLR India Awards 2010, 2011 and 2012. Awarded the Infrastructure Firm of the Year award at the IFLR India Awards 2012. Awarded the Restructuring Team of the Year award at the IFLR India Awards 2012. Ranked 1st in the world in the category Global PFI/PPP Deals of the Dealogic Global Review 2010 and 2009 Recipient of India Firm of the Year, M&A Team of the Year and Banking & Finance Team of the Year by Asialaw. Awarded the ALBs Fast 30 law rms for outstanding achievement and peak performance as one of Asias fastest growing rms.
Prominent clients include:

Abbott Laboratories; Abu Dhabi Investments; ANZ Grindlays Bank; ArcelorMittal; Asian Development Bank; AT&T; Bank of America; Blackstone Group; Cairn Group; ChrysCapital Group; Citibank; Deutsche Bank; DLF Group; Edelweiss Capital; Exim Bank - USA; Exxon Mobil Group; General Motors; Goldman Sachs; Hewlett Packard; HSBC Group; ICICI Bank; IDBI Bank; IDFC; IKB Deutsche Industriebank; Kleiner Perkins Caueld &; Byers and Sherpalo; Lufthansa; Merrill Lynch; Monsanto; Morgan Stanley; Natixis Bank; Nokia; Oman Investment fund; Perot Systems; Power Finance Corporation; Qatar Investment Authority; Ras Laffan Liquied Natural Gas Company; Rolls Royce Group; Rothschild Group; Yes Bank; Sapient; SONY; Standard Chartered Bank; State Bank of India; Swarovski; Temasek; Tishman Speyer; Toshiba Corporation; The World Bank; The UB Group; UBS Securities; Unitech Limited; Union Bank of India, and Wartsila NSD.
Website www.luthra.com
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Intelligence report
Majmudar & Partners

Established in 1943
Number of partners and principals: 9 Number of associates: 50 Principal ofces: Mumbai, Bangalore Other ofces: New Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai
Contact us Mr Akil Hirani Managing Partner 601/ 604, Naman Centre C-31 G-Block Bandra-Kurla Complex Bandra (East) Mumbai - 400 051 India Tel: +91 22 6123 7272 Fax: +91 22 6123 7252 E: akil@majmudarindia.com
Key practice areas: Corporate/M&A, joint ventures, antitrust, corporate nance and securities, tax, investment funds, banking and nance, restructuring and insolvency, IP, technology, licensing, outsourcing, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, employment and real property law, and litigation and arbitration. Our services: Majmudar & Partners (formerly Majmudar & Co) has evolved into one of Indias premier law rms representing the whos who of banks, companies and nancial institutions. The rm is known as a provider of high quality, value-added and solutions oriented services. The rm achieves this by ensuring adequate partner time on all client matters. Our people: The best-known personalities of the rm are its managing partner, Mr Akil Hirani; senior advisor and partner, Mr AK Hirani; partner, Mr Rukshad Davar; partner, Mr Neerav Merchant; partner, Mr Prashanth Sabeshan; principal - tax group, Mr Ravishankar Raghavan; and Bangalore ofce partner, Mr N Raja Sujith. Mr Akil Hirani, who has been in practice for 20 years, is admitted in England & Wales and California (currently inactive), and India, and oversees the rms transactional, regulatory and nance practice groups. Mr AK Hirani, who has been in practice for over 40 years, is a specialist in banking and real property law. Mr Rukshad Davar is a leading corporate/M&A partner, and Mr Neerav Merchant is a highly recommended company/commercial and dispute resolution lawyer. Mr Ravishankar Raghavan is the principal of the tax practice. Mr N Raja Sujith is a foreign investment, corporate, technology, and employment law specialist in the Bangalore ofce. Mr Prashanth Sabeshan is admitted in India and England & Wales (currently inactive), and has worked in India, Australia and Singapore with leading international law rms. He focuses on investments in infrastructure projects, development of greeneld and browneld energy projects, EPC/EPCM procurement and construction projects, project nancing, security and credit documentation and trade nancing. Accolades: Majmudar & Partners has been ranked among the top-tier Indian law rms by Chambers Global and Chambers Asia in corporate/M&A; banking and finance; tax; projects, infrastructure and energy; technology, media and telecommunications; and real estate law. In addition, they have described Majmudar & Partners turnaround time as phenomenal and have praised the lawyers as being practical and creative. Clients interviewed by the Asia Pacic Legal 500 have acclaimed the rm for its excellent level of expertise; concise and commercially focused advice; exceptional team; high level of service; top-quality advice; responsiveness, and timely and clearly stated legal advice demonstrating high level of technical ability. IFLR1000, in its 2012 issue, has ranked Majmudar & Partners as a leading Indian law rm for banking and nance, and M&A work. Majmudar & Partners has also been ranked as a market leader in employment law in India by the India Business Law Journal, and has won the 2011 and 2012 IFLR award for the Best Employment Law Firm in India.
July/August 2012
Mr Neerav Merchant Partner Ofce No. 304 3rd Floor, Rustom Building 29, Veer Nariman Road Fort, Mumbai - 400 001 India Tel: +91 22 6610 1131 Fax: +91 22 6610 1135 E: nmerchant@majmudarindia.com
Mr N Raja Sujith Partner 202, Pride Elite 10, Museum Road Bangalore - 560 001, India Tel: +91 80 4147 0000 Fax: +91 80 4147 0010 E: nraja@majmudarindia.com www.majmudarindia.com
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Mine & Young

Established in 1997
Number of partners: 4 Number of associates: 25 Principal ofce: New Delhi Other ofces: Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Chandigarh
Contact us C-346, Defence Colony New Delhi - 110 024 India Telephone +91 11 2433 7572 +91 11 2433 7573 Fax +91 11 2433 7574 Email info@mineandyoung.com
Key practice areas: Real estate & construction law, corporate & commercial law, litigation & arbitration, intellectual property, information technology & media, liability & insurance law, aviation, employment law, competition law and maritime law. The prole: Mine & Young is a solution-driven, independent, broad-based, full-service, pragmatic law rm that advises corporate and individuals across wide range of industrial sectors. The philosophy: At Mine & Young, our principal commitment is to render efcient legal solutions in a cost-effective manner through experience and expertise with assured quality across the board. Fairness, integrity and clients interest are the deciding policy factors for all matters. Our constant endeavour is to extend rational advice balancing the need for disputes to be resolved through settlement and transactions to be dispute-proof as far as possible. The diversity of offering: Providing a comprehensive range of commercial legal services to a wide variety of sectors along with all aspects of litigation and arbitration. The team: Our team is trained in different legal and industrial disciplines that deal with highly specialized matters. This in turn complemented with commercial acumen and practical knowledge, gives us the capability to offer comprehensive services to our clients across a plethora of sectors. Integrity, commitment, service excellence and ethics has helped us to achieve the highest professional standards and has resulted in the rm being able to build supportive and strong relationships with our clients. Mine & Young is engaged in providing legal services in the eld of law including but not limited to the following: Real estate & construction law, corporate & commercial law, litigation & arbitration, intellectual property, information technology & media, liability & insurance law, aviation, employment law, competition law and maritime law. Sectors: Real estate, banking & nance, aviation, automobiles, agriculture, chemicals, defence, energy & utility, education, FMCG, family business, health, insurance, infrastructure, information & communication technology, media & sport, public sector, retail, security, services for individuals, tobacco, transport and travel & leisure.
Litigation Chamber 467, Lawyers Chambers High Court of Delhi New Delhi - 110 003 India Telephone +91 11 2338 2074 +91 11 2338 2578
Key contacts Mr Amitabh Chaturvedi Managing Partner a.chaturvedi@mineandyoung.com Ms Sumita Chauhan Senior Partner s.chauhan@mineandyoung.com Mr Utkarsh Tewari Partner u.tewari@mineandyoung.com
Website www.mineandyoung.com
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Intelligence report
MNK Law Offices

Established in 1996
Contact us A-265, Defence Colony New Delhi - 110 024 India Telephone +91 11 4155 5790 Fax +91 11 4155 5792 Email contactus@mnklaw.com Contact person Gyanendra Kumar, Partner Website www.mnklaw.com
Key practice areas: Mergers & acquisitions, private equity, corporate and commercial law, real estate, employment, litigation, arbitration and infrastructure. Our services: MNK is a full-service law rm. MNKs corporate partners Probal Bhaduri and Gyanendra Kumar, represent diverse clients in mergers, de-mergers, acquisitions, collaborations, joint ventures and private equity transactions. The rm works towards a pragmatic reconciliation of the day-to-day functioning of an enterprise with applicable commercial laws. MNKs real estate practice is based pan India where we work in more than 15 states. It advises on nancing, acquisition, leasing, transfers, investments and exits. A distinguishing feature of the practice is that the rm uses internal resources to issue title reports in its own name and does not outsource work to local lawyers. Anuradha Mukherjee heads the dispute resolution practice, encompassing civil, commercial and corporate litigation in courts and by way of arbitration. The litigation team has experienced each of trial, appellate and writ work.
MPC Legal
Established in 2012
Contact us Mohinder Puri & Company Advocates and Solicitors 1F, Vandhna Building 11, Tolstoy Marg New Delhi - 110 001, India Tel: +91 11 4710 2250 +91 11 4710 3379 Fax: +91 11 4710 2290 Contacts Mr Aseem Chawla Partner aseem.chawla@mpclegal.in Mr Dipankar Vig Partner dipankar.vig@mpclegal.in
Key practice areas: MPC Legal is a law rm offering specialized legal services in areas of corporate, tax and business advisory. The rm focuses on strategic investments both in and outbound, corporate, domestic & international tax including litigation, mergers & acquisitions, securities & capital markets, real estate, information technology, anti-trust and dispute resolution. Corporate & Tax Practice: MPC Legal advises its clients in structuring best-t tax models. With expertise in domestic tax including indirect taxes, and double taxation avoidance treaties, the rm is well-positioned to provide efcient advisory & effective tax-structuring and optimization solutions and assess tax effectiveness of commercial ventures including litigation support services. Strategic Corporate Practice: The rm is well-equipped to handle all legal aspects of inbound and outbound cross border investment. The rms positioning and interaction with the regulators always benets clients. With strengths in conducting in-depth investigative due diligence exercises, the rm provides hands-on support on structuring and implementing strategic acquisitions and business reorganization exercise.
July/August 2012
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Intelligence report
Mulla & Mulla & Craigie Blunt & Caroe

Established in 1895
Contact us Number of partners: 14 Number of associates: 100+ Principal ofce: Mumbai Other ofces: New Delhi, Bangalore Mumbai Mulla House, 51 MG Road Fort, Mumbai - 400 001 India Telephone +91 22 2204 4960 +91 22 2262 3191 Fax +91 22 2204 0246 +91 22 6634 5497 Email info@mullaandmulla.com Contact Mr Shardul Thacker Partner
Key practice areas: Admiralty, arbitration (domestic & international), aviation, banking & securities, broadcasting, capital markets, construction, commodities, company/commercial law, customs & tariff, employment & industrial relations, energy (oil & gas), media & entertainment, environmental, nance (aircraft, ship & project), foreign investment, IT, infrastructure projects (power & ports), intellectual property, insurance, litigation, logistics, maritime & shipping, M&A, offshore investment & securities, privatization, real estate & property, tax, trade & transport, telecommunications. Our services: One of Indias largest and most prestigious law firms. Founded by Sir Dinshaw Mulla in 1895, M/s Mulla & Mulla merged with M/s. Craigie Blunt & Caroe, solicitors to the East India Company, in 1952. The rm has today grown to a strength of over 100 lawyers and fee earners. With a broadbased practice and a diversied client base, the rm proudly represents MNCs, Fortune 500 companies and several large Indian Corporates. Individual partners concentrate on different practice areas providing specialist legal, commercial and technical services to clients. The rms depth in knowledge and sound understanding of commercial and market realities results in us providing relevant solutions which are legal and of real commercial value. Over a dozen lawyers are qualied solicitors of the Supreme Court of England & Wales and Hong Kong. With one of the strongest litigation and dispute resolution practices, the rm also advises on managing litigation risk and facilitates negotiations to resolve disputes thus resulting in the least possible adverse effect to the clients business. The rm has a strong admiralty practice with a worldwide reputation as specialists in all aspects of the shipping laws and also an extensive ship nance practice acting for international lenders in over 300 ship nance deals in the last 10 years. Bolstered with a robust litigation and dispute resolution practice, in the last decade it has handled over 700 ship arrest matters in India and 50 arbitrations relating to shipbuilding and oil and gas exploration in various countries. The rms well-recognised insurance and reinsurance practice developed over 40 years, exclusively acts for insurance companies in diverse insurance policies such as marine, loss of prole, material damage and erection policies and for reinsurance in various claims against underwriters, advising on hull and machinery, all risk cargo policies, war risk policies, etc. Partners and lawyers regularly contribute to reputed law publications such as Lloyds Maritime and Commercial Quarterly and International Arbitration Review by Law Business Research, London, and India Business Law Journal. Partners present legal papers at various international forums keeping abreast with the dynamic developments of the law. With a long established relationship with the leading law rms around the world including various international law rms, the rm interacts on referral work to and from these rms enabling client requirements to be addressed in a cost effective and timely manner. Partners and lawyers of the rm are members of the IBA, ABA, IPBA, INTA, AMLC.
Bangalore 209, Regency Enclave 4 Magrath Road Bangalore - 560 025 India Telephone +91 80 2555 0370 Fax +91 80 2559 8549 Email info@mullaandmulla.com
New Delhi 502, Nilgiri Apartments 5th oor, 9 Barakhamba Road New Delhi -110 001 India Telephone +91 11 2332 1501 Fax +91 11 2332 1520 Email info@mullaandmulla.com
July/August 2012
Intelligence report
MZM Legal
Established in 2005
Number of partners: 4 Number of associates: 8 Principal ofce: Mumbai Other ofce: New Delhi (litigation back ofce)
Contact us Mumbai 3rd Floor, 57, Esplanade Mansion, M.G. Road, Kalaghoda, Fort Mumbai - 400 023 India Tel: + 91 22 2287 5352 Fax: + 91 22 2204 6133 Contact Mr Zulquar Memon Managing Partner Email zulm@mzmlegal.com Website www.mzmlegal.com
Key practice areas: White collar criminal defence, criminal compliance, litigation, dispute resolution, economic offences, debt recovery, IT crime, international extradition, transnational crime, transactional support services, family matters, energy & infrastructure, due diligence & private investigations. Our services: MZM Legal is a specialist white collar criminal defence law rm providing quality defence services to a wide variety of clients including banks, nancial institutions, companies, high net worth individuals and funds, to name a few. The MZM Legal team is a combination of aggressive litigators and strong negotiators who collectively bring to the table unmatched expertise in criminal law. The rms renowned criminal compliance practice has been further strengthened by its membership to the ROXIN Alliance, an international association of white collar crime lawyers currently operating in 26 countries. MZM Legal is featured in the International Whos Who of Business Crime Defence Lawyers 2011 by Whos Who Legal and Recommended for Business Crime Defence by Indian Lawyer 250.
P&A Law Offices

Established in 1996
Key practice areas: Mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, privatizations, outsourcing, private equity and venture capital, technology licensing, infrastructure, secured and unsecured lending, project nance and structured nance, securitization, IPOs, private placements, competition law, exchange control and other regulatory matters, international arbitration, general litigation. Lawyers of the rm are admitted to, and have practised in, multiple jurisdictions including the US, the EU and India.
Contact us 1st Floor, Dr Gopal Das Bhavan 28 Barakhamba Road New Delhi - 110 001 India Telephone +91 11 4139 3939 Fax +91 11 2335 0416 Email apathak@palaw.in Contact Mr Anand S Pathak Managing Partner
July/August 2012
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Intelligence report
Phoenix Legal
Established in 2008
Number of partners: 6 Number of associates: 30 Principal ofces: Mumbai, New Delhi
Contact us Mumbai CS-242, 1st Floor Mathuradas Mill Compound NM Joshi Marg, Lower Parel Mumbai - 400 013, India Telephone: +91 22 4340 8500 Fax: +91 22 4340 8501 Email: sawant.singh@phoenixlegal.in Contact: Sawant Singh New Delhi 2nd Floor, 254 Okhla Industrial Estate, Phase III New Delhi - 110 020, India Telephone: +91 11 4983 0000 Fax: +91 11 4983 0099 Email: abhishek.saxena@ phoenixlegal.in Contact: Abhishek Saxena
Key practice areas: Antitrust & competition, banking & nance, CMT, commercial contracts, corporate & securities laws, arbitration & litigation, energy, oil & gas, environment, employment & industrial relations, foreign investment & exchange control, infrastructure & project nance, insurance, intellectual property, international trade, information technology & outsourcing, joint ventures, foreign & technical collaborations, mergers & acquisitions, mining & resources, private equity & funds, real estate, regulatory affairs, taxation. Our services: Phoenix Legal is a full-service law rm offering an extensive range of transactional, regulatory, advisory and dispute resolution services. The rm advises a diverse clientele, including domestic and international companies, banks and nancial institutions, funds, promoter groups and public sector undertakings. Our ofces are located in New Delhi and Mumbai.
Rajeshwari & Associates

Established in 2010
Number of partners: 2 Number of associates: 7 Principal ofce: Gurgaon Other ofces: New Delhi
Contact us C-1039, Sushant Lok, Phase-I Gurgaon NCR - 122 002, India Telephone/fax +91-124-4218463 Mobile +91 9910048689 +91 9910206718 Email chitra@ralegal.co.in rajeshwari@ralegal.co.in
Our services: Rajeshwari & Associates is a law firm specialising in intellectual property committed to providing excellent practical advice to clients. We have trained attorneys who have great depth of domain knowledge and are responsive to clients needs. We represent and advise a large number of Indian and multi-national clients on various transactions and in litigation. Prosecuting patents in complex technical elds is our forte. As we have experience combined with passion to deliver, we are able to meet all our clients expectations. Being constantly updated and in the thick of contentious issues helps us to provide expert advice to clients in times of need. Rajeshwari & Associates is unique as being the only rm having expertise not only in ling and prosecution of IP matters, but also litigation and regulatory issues. Our attorneys are ever-ready to serve in a professional and proactive manner.
July/August 2012
Intelligence report
RRG & Associates

Established in 2010
Number of partners: 4 Number of associates: 15 Principal ofces: New Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai Other ofce: Kolkata
Contact us New Delhi C-14, LGF, Chirag Enclave Greater Kailash-I New Delhi - 110 048, India Tel: +91 11 4056 3742 +91 93 1191 1203/06 Fax: +91 11 4100 5046 Contact Ms Vasudha Sen vasudha.sen@rrgassociates.com Mr Shailesh Suman shailesh.suman@rrgassociates.com Website www.rrgassociates.com
Key practice areas: Corporate & commercial litigation, civil litigation, criminal litigation, mining, foreign exchange, taxation, media & broadcasting, constitutional laws, intellectual property rights, competiton law, consumer rights, cross-border dispute resolution, corporate & commercial advisory, capital markets, banking & nance, restructuring & reorganization, M&A, real estate & infrastructure, commercial contracts, joint ventures & technical collaborations, foreign investments, private equity & venture capital. Our services: RRG & Associates is led by Ms Ranjana Roy Gawai, a reputed lawyer with vast experience in corporate and commercial law. RRG & Associates has an inspiring team of dynamic and trained professionals with an impressive practice both in corporate/commercial work and in litigation. The rm advises corporates on their investments and delivers quality legal services of international standards. Ms Gawai has carved a niche for herself and for the rm and has earned the trust of clients with her decade-long experience in company law and SEBI matters. RRG has a rm practice in the Supreme Court of India, various high courts, districts courts and tribunals across the country.
Saikrishna & Associates

Established in 2001
Number of partners: 7 Number of associates: 30 Principal ofce: Noida (Uttar Pradesh, India)
Contact us A-2E, CMA Tower, 2nd Floor, Sector 24, NOIDA - 201 301 Uttar Pradesh, India Telephone +91 120 463 3900 Fax +91 120 463 3999 Email sai@saikrishnaassociates.com Contact Mr Saikrishna Rajagopal (mobile: +91 9910153099)
Key practice areas: IP litigation & enforcement; IP prosecution (trademarks, copyrights, designs & patents); IP & related advisory and transactional services; TMT - lm, music, TV, cyber laws, software, publishing; policy development; competition law; non-IP litigation; ADR (arbitration & mediation). Our services: Saikrishna & Associates is Indias leading intellectual property law rm specializing in prosecution, litigation, transactions, policy development including in related areas such trade secrets, condential information, defamation as well as extensive expertise in the media, broadcasting, publishing and software sectors. The rm is ranked among the top IP litigation practices in India with individual members ranked as reckoned counsel representing several Fortune 500 companies. The rm extensively engages in IPR enforcement, and has a strong investigation and enforcement unit, conducting civil and criminal actions across the country. The rms focused transactions practice assists clients with assistance ranging from licensing, merchandising, content/script clearance, libel read memos, aggregation, as well as auditing large content libraries.
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Seth Dua & Associates

Established in 1998
Contact us 601, 6th Floor DLF South Court Saket, New Delhi - 110 017 India Tel: +91 11 4164 4400 Fax: +91 11 4164 4500 Contacts Sunil Seth, Senior Partner sunil.seth@sethdua.com Mobile: +91 98 10055100 Atul Dua, Senior Partner atul.dua@sethdua.com Mobile: +91 98 10162645 Website www.sethdua.com
Key practice areas: Aviation; aerospace & defence; automotive; banking & nance; capital markets/securities; corporate & commercial (M&A); cross-border investments & transactions; competition law; dispute resolution & litigation; hospitality & leisure; infrastructure projects; energy & natural resources; intellectual property; PPP; procurement; private equity & venture capital; real estate & construction; direct taxes/indirect taxes; international trade & WTO; telecom, media & technology (TMT). Our services: Seth Dua & Associates (SDA) is a leading full-service Indian law rm headquartered in New Delhi. SDA specializes in corporate, commercial and tax laws relevant to M&A, joint ventures, foreign investments and cross-border transactions. SDA has established a leading position on the practice areas of TMT, infrastructure and energy projects, real estate and construction, international trade and tax services. SDA advises leading multinational and domestic clients. The professional strength of the rm is derived from a unique combination of legal, tax and dispute resolution services that can be offered to clients.
Singh & Associates

Established in 2002
Number of partners: 6 Number of associates: 64 Principal ofce: New Delhi Other ofces: Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad
Contact us Headquarters Mr Manoj K Singh N 30, Malviya Nagar New Delhi - 110 017 India Telephone: +91 11 4666 5000 Fax: +91 11 4666 5001 Email: newdelhi@singhassociates.in Bangalore Email: bangalore@singhassociates.in Telephone: +91 80 4276 5000 Mumbai Email: mumbai@singhassociates.in Telephone: +91 22 6602 5000 Hyderabad Email: hyderabad@singhassociates.in
Our services: Singh & Associates is an ISO 9001 certied full-service international law rm headquartered in New Delhi. We have a pan-India presence, with ofces strategically situated in the major metropolitan cities, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad; & associate ofces in Patna, Ranchi and Kolkata. We have established a satellite ofce in New York, and also recently set up an India desk in China. Over the years, the rm has created its own forte in corporate & commercial laws, foreign investments, contractual obligations, intellectual property rights, real estate & infrastructure, pharmaceutical compliance, taxation laws, dispute resolution, and labour, employment and service laws. Singh & Associates provides a wide array of services to both domestic and multi-jurisdictional clientele. The rm besides having lawyers, also has chartered accountants, company secretaries, patent agents, taxation experts, engineers, and drugs consultants on its rolls.
July/August 2012
Intelligence report
Sinha & Company

Established in 1993
Number of associate advocates: 90 Principal ofce: Kolkata Other ofce: New Delhi
Contact us Kolkata headquarters 5, Kiran Shankar Roy Road 1st & 3rd Floor Kolkata 700 001, India Telephone +91 33 2243 8377 +91 33 2243 9386 +91 33 2210 1617 +91 33 2210 1625 Fax: +91 33 2243 6176 Email sinhaco@vsnl.com highcourt@sinhaco.com Kolkata ofce 1 4, Fancy Lane, Ground Floor Kolkata 700 001, India Telephone +91 33 2262 4822 +91 33 2262 4821 Fax: +91 33 2243 6176 Kolkata ofce 2 12/2, Old Post Ofce Street 3rd Floor, Kolkata 700 001, India Telephone +91 33 2243 8377 +91 33 2243 9386 +91 33 2210 1617 Fax: 91 33 2243 6176 New Delhi ofce Premises No.13, 2nd oor Nizamuddin East Market New Delhi 110 001 India Telephone +91 11 4650 2914 Email sinhacodelhi@gmail.com
Key practice areas: Litigation; arbitration; criminal law; banking, investment and asset nance laws; securitisation and nance laws; corporate laws; IPR and technology development and transfer; revenue and taxation laws; project nance and real estate; product liability; building construction infrastructural development and engineering laws; commercial documentation. Our services: We are the one-stop shop for all your legal needs, in any part of India. Headquartered in Kolkata, Sinha & Company was started in the year 1993. Now it is a 90-member organization with a strong pan-India presence. Paritosh Sinha, a former honorary secretary of the Incorporated Law Society and a member of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Delhi, and the International Bar Association, is the founder of Sinha & Company. He presently is also the Advocate on Record for the State of West Bengal and is actively involved in advising the Government of West Bengal in its legal policy making and litigation. Sinha & Company is one of the leading law firms in Kolkata, India. It provides a wide array of legal services to its domestic and international clients, including multinational companies, banks, nancial institutions, public sector undertakings, corporations, companies and small to medium enterprises. With state of the art infrastructure spanning over 10,000 square feet, Sinha & Company enjoys the locational advantage of having proximity to the High Court, City Civil Court and the metropolitan magistrates courts in Kolkata. The rm has specialized teams involved in legal documentation, corporate due diligence and real estate transactions. It also undertakes litigation, dispute management, arbitration, mediation and conciliation proceedings. The rm has had the proud privilege to be associated with a large number of landmark cases, which have been reported and published in prestigious law journals. Some of these judgments have been crucial to the eld of constitutional writ jurisprudence, criminal jurisprudence, civil and corporate jurisprudence, arbitration and service and industrial law jurisprudence. The rm also has an ofce in Delhi, which focuses exclusively on Supreme Court cases. The rm structures and tailors its teams according to the specic needs of clients, taking into account any requirements for specialist advice. The rms lawyers are trained to meet the most demanding timelines without compromising on quality and efciency. The rm has invested in state of the art communications, technology and electronic infrastructure including shared databases to enable ofces and practice groups to remain connected and utilize the resources of the rm most effectively.
July/August 2012
67
Intelligence report
SS Rana & Co
Established in 1989
Contact us Registered ofce 317, Lawyers Chambers High Court of Delhi New Delhi - 110 003, India Telephone +91 11 3056 2000 Fax +91 11 3056 2010 Email sohan@ssrana.com Contact Mr Sohan Singh Rana
Key practice areas: Trademarks, patents, industrial designs, copyright, domain names, geographical indications, IP enforcement, IP litigation, IP licensing, IP audit and IP management services. Our services: SS Rana & Co is a premier intellectual property law rm in India, that provides impeccable services in respect of contentious and noncontentious IP-related matters, business and commercial laws. Since its inception in 1989 the rm has represented multinational clients in all phases of contentious litigation before all courts, primarily the Supreme Court of India, Indian Patent Ofce, Trademark Registry, Copyright Board, and Intellectual Property Appellate Board. It is one of the very few IP rms registered as Advocate-on-Record with the Supreme Court of India. Having more than four decades of experience, senior litigators of the rm are committed to provide counsel of the highest quality and helping clients to achieve strategic business objectives. The team comprises professionally qualied lawyers, patent agents and technical experts from disparate elds like IT, biotechnology, chemistry, pharmacy, applied science and business administration. Under the aegis of its managing partner, the talented and exuberant team makes constant endeavours for maximum utilization of time and resources and ensures that every client receives undivided attention and benets through the rms broad expertise. The rms longstanding relationship with many Fortune 500 companies and several esteemed international and national corporations speaks laurels of its diligent and strategic legal services. The accretion in number of clients bears testimony to the world class proactive legal services provided by the rm. It has also been recognized by several reputed journals and publications for its immaculate services. The rm has signicantly invested in IT systems for efcient data and le management and retrieval of client information while maintaining the highest degree of data security and condentiality. The fully e-enabled le docketing system, state of the art infrastructure and data access management sets the rm apart from others in the same eld. The rm understands its corporate social responsibility and makes every effort to comply with the spirit of the law and ethical standards. The rm actively participates in IP sensitization programmes organized by government and non government bodies like TIFAC, PFC, FICCI, CII, WIPO, MSSI, with the sole intention of raising IP awareness in India. SS Rana & Co offers pro-bono services to support the cause of grassroots innovators to enable them to monetize their innovations and inventions and benet from the burgeoning rural industries in India.
New Delhi 81/2, 2nd Floor, Aurobindo Marg New Delhi - 110 016, India Telephone +91 11 3056 2000 (10 lines) Fax +91 11 3056 2010 Email vikrant@ssrana.com lucy@ssrana.com Contacts Vikrant Rana Lucy Rana
Website www.ssrana.in
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July/August 2012
Intelligence report
Surana & Surana

Established in 1971
Number of partners: 9 Number of associates: 70 Principal ofce: Chennai
Contact us International Law Centre 61-63 Dr Radhakrishnan Salai Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 India Telephone +91 44 2812 0000 Fax +91 44 2812 0001 Email vs@lawindia.com Website www.lawindia.com Contact Dr Vinod Surana, Partner & CEO
Key practice areas: Corporate (banking, corporate & commercial laws, direct & indirect tax, foreign compliances, exchange, nance, mergers & acquisitions, securities, trade); dispute prevention & resolution (arbitration, litigation & mediation); human resources (compliance, conict resolution, labour relations and turnaround strategies); infrastructure & real estate (documentation, due diligence, negotiations, strategy & structuring); technology (IT, bio technology & intellectual property). Our services: Established in 1971. Known for being able, available and affordable. Dedicated to providing quick relief and services to clients. Highly rated and recommended as the rst choice for legal advice in South India by clients and leading Indian/international publications like International Financial Law Review, Asia Pacic Legal 500, Business Today, Business India, Industrial Herald, etc. Has won several domestic and international recognitions for quality leadership for providing legal services.
Swarup & Company

Established in 1980
Contact us 6th Floor, JK Building, Vipps Centre No 2 Masjid Moth, LSC Greater Kailash-II New Delhi - 110 048, India Telephone +91 11 2922 1435, 2922 5875, 2922 7534, 2922 7535 Fax +91 11 2922 8625, 2921 2904 Email swarupco@swarupco.com sswarup@swarupco.com bsaxena@swarupco.com Contacts Mr Shailendra Swarup Ms Bindu Saxena
Key practice areas: Acquisitions, joint ventures, reconstruction of companies, mergers & liquidations, conveyancing, investments, foreign investments & public offers, corporate & commercial law, banking, insurance, construction, entertainment & media, aviation & airports, power generation & distribution, oil, gas & petrochemical, telecom, chemicals & fertilizers, infrastructure & highways, nance & banking, mining, information technology, automobiles, FMCG, health & allied services, multidomain mega corporations. Our services: Swarup & Company has been in service for over three decades and has carved a niche for itself as a versatile law rm with an ability to meet the exacting and changing demands of its clients. The rm has been representing and advising national and multi-national majors, public sector companies, institutional lenders, investment bankers, nancial institutions and a host of other corporations in all areas of law. Its associated rm, Swarup & Associates, is a leading litigation rm involved with many high prole corporate litigations and commercial disputes.
July/August 2012
69
Intelligence report
Tatva Legal
Established in 2010
Number of partners: 14 Number of associates: 85 Principal ofce: New Delhi (Gurgaon, Haryana) Other ofces: Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai
Contact us
New Delhi 1101-1104, 11th Floor, Tower D Global Business Park MG Road, Gurgaon - 122 002, India Telephone: +91 124 4856 900 Fax: +91 124 4856 944 Email: delhi@tatvalegal.com Mr Shishir Sharma, Managing Partner (shishir.sharma@tatvalegal.com) Bangalore B-3, 2nd Floor Embassy Heights Annexe No. 13, Magrath Road Bangalore - 560 025, India Telephone: +91 80 4331 1433 Fax: +91 80 4331 1438 Email: bangalore@tatvalegal.com Mr NK Dilip, Partner (nk.dilip@tatvalegal.com) Hyderabad Level II, Plot No. 1246 Road No. 62, Jubilee Hills Hyderabad - 500 033, India Telephone: +91 40 4468 0000-04 Fax: +91 40 4468 0005 Email: hyderabad@tatvalegal.com Mr Shailendra Komatreddy, Partner (shailen.k@tatvalegal.com) Mumbai 101, 10th Floor, Sakhar Bhavan Block No.III, Plot No.230 Nariman Point Mumbai - 400 021, India Telephone: +91 22 4334 2500 Fax: +91 22 4334 2505 Email: mumbai@tatvalegal.com Mr Mahernosh Humranwala, Partner (mahernosh.humranwala@ tatvalegal.com)
Key practice areas: Private equity, mergers & acquisitions, banking & nance, corporate advisory & employment laws, infrastructure & real estate, dispute resolution. Our services: Tatva Legal brings together a like-minded group of professionals who aspire to create a professionally managed legal services rm providing support to national and multinational clients across a broad spectrum of businesses. The rm has the benet of representing various Fortune 500 companies as well as investment banks and private equity rms in both domestic and cross-border deals. We have specialized expertise in the spheres of mergers, amalgamations, demergers, restructuring, business transfers, public offerings and alternate market listings, private placements, competitive bidding and strategic sales, etc. Our banking and nance team provides transactional support to corporates, private equity funds, banks, non-banking nancial companies, asset reconstruction companies, venture capital funds, multilateral funding agencies as well as micronance companies in transactions including acquisition nance, project nance, structured nance, securitization, structured products, debt funding and commercial bank lending transactions. We provide extensive corporate advisory services and also advise on matters pertaining to regulatory compliance and statutory requirements in accordance with the extant labour and Industrial laws. We have extensive experience in advising national and multinational clients in the power, telecommunications, surface transport, mining sectors and the utilities sector. We also have a real estate team that undertakes title verication and provides specialized advice on structuring foreign investments and FDI related matters. We combine industry expertise with creative and result oriented advice to guide our clients through commercial disputes across all geographies and industries. The dispute resolution team comprises of reputed and renowned lawyers (both in-house and of-counsel) who specialize in arbitration and litigation. The team, with their years of experience, are noted for their extensive work in commercial arbitrations (domestic and international) and commercial and corporate litigation (original and appellate jurisdictions).
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Intelligence report
Trilegal
Established in 2000
Number of partners: 20 Number of associates: 140+ Ofces: New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad
Contact us New Delhi A-38, Kailash Colony New Delhi - 110 048 India Tel +91 11 4163 9393 Fax +91 11 4163 9292 Key contacts Akshay Jaitly, Anand Prasad
Key practice areas: Corporate, mergers & acquisitions, private equity, venture capital, projects, energy & infrastructure, banking & nance, dispute resolution, competition law, capital markets, telecom, media & technology, labour and employment, intellectual property and real estate. Our services: Trilegal is a full-service law rm with over 160 lawyers across ofces in four of Indias major cities New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. We have advised on some of the largest, most complex and cutting edge domestic and cross-border transactions across practice areas. Our success in providing clients with a seamless, efcient and integrated service across a broad spectrum of practice areas is reected in the quality of clients that we regularly advise. Our lawyers are highly regarded for their legal expertise and are trained to take a commercial perspective of the issues and provide our clients with a solution-oriented approach. Recent achievements: Trilegal won two awards at the IFLR / Asialaw India Awards 2012: Private Equity Deal of the Year Project Finance Team of the Year Trilegal was awarded for eight different categories in India Business Law Journals Indian Law Firm Awards 2011: Best Overall Law Firms Corporate & Commercial Energy, Projects & Infrastructure Privatization / Disinvestment Banking & Finance Mergers & Acquisitions Policy & Regulation Restructuring & Insolvency
Mumbai One Indiabulls Centre 14th Floor, Tower One Elphinstone Road Mumbai - 400 013 India Tel +91 22 4079 1000 Fax +91 22 4079 1098 Key contacts Karan Singh, Sridhar Gorthi
Trilegal was awarded for 10 deals in India Business Law Journals Deal of the Year Awards 2011: International Papers acquisition of Andhra Paper Mills M&A and Joint Venture Mundra Port and Special Economic Zones acquisition of Abbot Point terminal M&A and Joint Venture Sithe Global Powers investment in SKS Ispat and Power Venture Capital and Private Equity Telenor vs. Unitech Disputes Nabha Power Ltd and L&T Power Development vs. Punjab State Power Corporation Disputes Mytrah and Suzlon deal for wind power projects Infrastructure and Project Finance Lanco Infratechs term loan facility Infrastructure and Project Finance Financing GMRs Male International Airport Infrastructure and Project Finance Share Microfin and Asmitha Microfins corporate debt restructuring Banking, Finance and Restructuring Bank funding for GMR Infrastructure, Singapore Banking, Finance and Restructuring
Bangalore The Residency, 7th Floor 133/1, Residency Road Bangalore - 560 025 India Tel +91 80 4343 4646 Fax +91 80 4343 4699 Key contact Rahul Matthan
Hyderabad Jubilee Square, 4th Floor Road No # 36, Jubilee Hills Hyderabad - 500 033 India Tel +91 40 2355 6781 Fax +91 40 2355 6779 Key contact D Pavan Kumar Website www.trilegal.com
July/August 2012
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Intelligence report
Udwadia Udeshi & Argus Partners

Established in 1997
Contact us Number of partners: 11 Principal ofce: Mumbai Other ofces: New Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai Mumbai Elphinstone House 17, Murzban Road, 1st Floor Fort, Mumbai - 400 001, India Tel: +91 22 2200 1400 Fax: +91 22 2200 1411 Phone numbers of other ofces New Delhi: +91 11 2370 1284/5/7 Kolkata: +91 33 4065 0155/56 Bangalore: +91 80 4173 8222 Chennai: +91 44 2498 5814 Contact Krishnava Dutt Managing Partner krishnava.dutt@uuargus.com
Key practice areas: Mergers & acquisitions; general corporate; projects & project nance; banking & nance; funds; competition; disputes & ADR; real estate; mining; education; policy; succession planning and family business restructuring. Our services: Udwadia Udeshi & Argus Partners is a leading law rm in India with a diverse practice portfolio. The rm was reconstituted in April 2012 with the merger of Udwadia & Udeshi and Argus Partners and renamed Udwadia Udeshi & Argus Partners. With ofces in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore and Chennai, the rm has built a formidable reputation for its work and has been acknowledged and appreciated by its clients and peers for providing quality services. Founded by lawyers who have a vast experience in handling domestic and cross-border transactions, the firm has grown considerably. The firms clientele includes industry and business leaders in all segments of the market and at various stages in the growth of their businesses.
Vakils Associated
Established in 2010
Number of partners: 4 Number of associates: 15 Principal ofce: Hyderabad
Contact us Hyderabad B-3, 1-8-303, Mayfair Sardar Patel Road, Secunderabad - 500 003, India Tel: + 91 40 2784 7110/2781 9839 Fax: + 91 40 2772 1931 Contact Ms Shireen Sethna Baria Managing Partner shireen@vakilsassociated.com Email inbox@vakilsassociated.com Website www.vakilsassociated.com
Key practice areas: Litigation & arbitration, corporate advisory, statutory & secretarial compliance, M&A, corporate restructuring & joint ventures, commercial documentation & conveyancing, labour & employment law, legal audits, infrastructure & real estate, packaging laws, IT & business process outsourcing, and succession & trusts. Our services: At Vakils Associated, delivering quality legal service to all clients is the highest priority. The founder partner started her career with JB Dadachanji & Co in New Delhi and later established New Delhi Law Ofces in Hyderabad in 1999, which merged its practice with Udwadia Udeshi & Co in Hyderabad from 2005 to 2010. For over a decade our team has provided continued legal support to national and multinational clientele. The partners bring together their cumulative experience and vast exposure in handling a full range of litigation and corporate transactions. The rms approach is focused, client-centric and result-oriented, to proactively provide pragmatic legal solutions to even the most complex queries in a cost-effective and timely manner.
July/August 2012
Intelligence report
VJ Mathew & Co
Established in 1983
Number of partners: 3 Number of associates: 12 Principal ofce: Cochin Other offices: Tuticorin, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Coimbatore, New Delhi, Dubai Our Presence: Mangalore, Bangalore, Goa, Mumbai, Kandla, Kolkata
Contact us Cochin ofce Manikkiri Cross Road, Pallimukku, Cochin - 682 016, India Tel: +91 484 2357057/2357396 Contact: VJ Mathew +91 9847031765 Email: vjmathew@vsnl.com vjmathewandco@vsnl.net Chennai ofce Email: vjmco.chennai@vjmathew.com Tuticorin ofce Email: tuticorin@vjmathew.com Visakhapatnam ofce Email : vizag@vjmathew.com Website: www.vjmathew.com
Key practice areas: Admiralty, shipping, maritime claims, arbitrations, writ and matters related to customs, port trust, corporate & commercial litigations, real estate. Our services: We are an international law rm and we specialize in admiralty, shipping, maritime claims, arrest of vessels, arbitrations, cargo claims, charterparty disputes, ship management disputes, crew wages, freight claims, civil, labour disputes, writ and other matters related to customs, port trust, corporate commercial litigation, international law, banking & insurance matters, international trade and commercial fraud claims. We also handle matters involving corporate and commercial disputes, company law, intellectual property, securitization, merging, P&I services, general average, international trade, nance, foreign investment, consumer and company disputes and IT and e-commerce solutions.
YJ Trivedi & Co
Established in 1970
Number of associates: 21 Principal ofce: Ahmedabad (Gujarat) Other ofces: Surat (Gujarat), Rajasthan, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune & Canada (liason ofce)
Contact us City Square, 2nd Floor Near Jahanvee Restaurant Polytechnic, Ahmedabad - 380 015 Gujarat, India Telephone +91 79 2630 3777 +91 79 2630 5040 Fax +91 79 2630 2223 Email info@yjtrivedi.com Website www.yjtrivedi.com Contact: Mr Jatin Trivedi
Key practice areas: Patent drafting, ling and prosecution, patent litigation, trademark practice, copyright, IP management & strategic counseling, IP licensing, due diligence, audit & valuation. Our services: Tracing our origin to 1970, YJ Trivedi & Co has grown into a premier full-service IP law rm. We have a strong base of well-credentialed legal and technical professionals offering quality services in all areas of intellectual property rights. We understand that pragmatic and effective legal advice requires an appreciation and understanding of the ever-changing business environment in which our clients nd themselves every day. We have garnered excellent relationships with our clients by offering them personalized and prompt professional assistance. Whether working on a precedent-setting case or preparing opinions, we endeavor to be innovative in our approach and to adopt pragmatic strategies to meet our clients interest. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and specialized experience in our clients industries, we provide effective solutions that align with clients shortterm and long-term business objectives. We at YJT are in continuous pursuit to build a reputation for our legal work staying true to our core values.
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