India

Advaita Legal is a young mid-sized firm whose core focus is on tax litigation, but its disputes practice has also branched out into the commercial, projects, and infrastructure space.

Case highlights include acting for Renew Solar Power in challenging legislation tied to an investigation for levy of anti-dumping duty on the import of solar cells from Malaysia, China and Taiwan; representing Reliance Industries, British Gas and ONGC against a service tax demand on ‘cost oil’ sold by the consortium; and acting for Bharti Airtel in challenging demands for tax on the installation of advertisements and hoardings in terms of repealed rules.

In the research period the firm hired tax partner and co-founder of Seth Dua & Associates (SDA) Atul Dua and his team, and brought in Vijay Aggarwal as SDA merged into Advaita Legal.

Key clients of the firm include KPMG, Renew Solar Power, Bharti Airtel, Hinduja Ventures, Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company, Data Core, and Alghanim Industries.

Advaita Legal is a fast growing firm and recently absorbed Seth Dua & Associates after its co-founder Sunil Seth passed away last year. The firm started with five lawyers in 2013 and after recent developments it now has 70 lawyers. 

AK Law Chambers is a firm based out of Bangalore and Chennai with a team that is active in litigation in the infrastructure, construction, healthcare, real estate, and consumer goods sectors.

Case highlights include acting for Jumbo Group of Companies in challenging an arbitration award passed by the Indian Council of Arbitration; acting for Larsen & Toubro against Bangalore Metro Rail Company restraining the latter from invoking the bank guarantees of the client; and representing Shapoorji Pallonji & Co in an arbitration that arose from a contract to construct a building using the top-down method of construction—a first in India.

Key clients of the firm include Afcons Infrastructure, Larsen and Toubro, Jumbo Group of Companies, TVS Group, North American Coal Corporation and Shapoorji Pallonji & Co.

Alpha Partners is a young firm with a disputes team that handles not only corporate disputes and arbitration, but also intellectual property litigation, and white collar crime.

One case highlight includes acting for a fintech company in dealing with a $3 million fraud case involving police and court actions in various locations in India against over 50 individuals.

Altacit Global is a boutique law firm focused on intellectual property, corporate, real estate, and franchising matters.

The firm handles a fair share of IP and corporate litigation work and in one highlight acted for AP International in a contractual dispute relating to the intellectual property of a film.

The firm has offices in Chennai, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Hyderabad and Cochin.

Archeus Law is a boutique law firm that is focused on project advisory and contract management in the energy and mining sectors. In the disputes space the firm is involved in a lot of international arbitration, infrastructure and construction matters.

Case highlights include representing Shenzhen Shandong Power Corporation, a Chinese state-owned enterprise, against Vednata Aluminium on a dispute relating to a terminated contract for the building of a captive power plant; and acting for Inox Renewables in an arbitration against Vestas Wind Technologies relating to representations and contract terms pertaining to a wind power project.

The firm advises a lot of Chinese contractors with key clients such as SEPCO Electric Power Construction Corporation, Sino Hydro, CMEC, Shenzhen Shandong Nuclear Power Construction and Shanghai Urban Construction Corporation.

Dispute resolution is one of the larger practices at Argus Partners where it is focused on commercial and regulatory disputes, insolvency, intellectual property and tax litigation.

Case highlights include representing the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries in a challenge to legislation affecting amendments to the Karnataka Forest Act to impose taxes on extraction of minerals from forest areas by rebranding it as fees; in proceedings regarding disbursement of funds collected by imposing a levy on lessees of iron ore leases; and in an intervention application in proceedings regarding enhancement of iron ore production limits fixed in the State of Karnataka.

The past year has seen the firm introduce an initiative called Project Poplus, which is an effort taken to align the firm’s values to its culture that consists of a culture review, new HR systems and leadership development.

Common Law Chambers is an Indian law firm with offices in Bangalore and Hyderabad, and associate offices in Delhi and Mumbai. In the disputes space the firm is mostly involved in commercial, corporate, and intellectual property litigation.

The firm is busy in the media and entertainment sector and has been involved in a copyright battle and other litigation pertaining to a music album and a play related to late Indian playback singer Manna Dey.

Dhir & Dhir Associates is best known for its insolvency work where it filed the first cases under the new insolvency code. The firm also has a healthy commercial litigation practice acting for clients in sectors such as manufacturing, telecommunications, aviation, energy, print media, hospitality, foreign trade, financial services, real estate and construction.

Case highlights include acting for Greater Faridabad Residents Association in a matter related to dysfunctional sewage treatment plants and won before the National Green Tribunal in favour of the residents’ association; representing Harsha Green Constructions in an arbitration challenging the cancellation of work for the construction of a railway over a bridge with a reinforced earth wall, flexible roads, electrical and other associated works at Mathura; and acting for Deccan Chronicle Holdings in the context of Canara Bank’s insolvency petition against the client under the new insolvency code. 

Key clients of the firm include Hindustan Power Projects, Rural Electrification Corporation, Harsha Green Constructions, Deccan Chronicles Holdings, Flyington Freighters, NCS Sugars, and Exclusive Motors.

Dispute resolution is core to Economic Laws Practice (ELP) with tax litigation as its forte and its handling of a fair share of commercial litigation, regulatory, and arbitration matters.

Case highlights include acting for Multiplex Association of India in challenging a uniform price cap imposed by the government of Karnataka on all films exhibited by all theatres in the Indian state; representing Federation of Indian Pharmaceuticals, Indian Drug Manufacturers Association, and Biocon in challenging a central government ban on 344 fixed dose combinations drugs due to alleged lack of therapeutic rationality or justification; and acting for Hyderabad Cricket Association in relation to the conduct of elections within the association.

In the research period the firm brought in senior tax partner MP Devnath from Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan with his team including partner Vivek Sharma and associate partner Abhishek Anand. The firm also hired associate partner Akshay Kishore from Ashurst, but lost tax litigation partner Abhishek Anand who chose to become independent.

Key clients of the firm include Multiplex Association of India, Adani Power Maharashtra, Larsen & Toubro, Federation of Indian Pharmaceuticals, SNC Lavalin Infrastructures, HCL Infosystems and Akrata Shipping.

ELP also offers dispute management services for its clients from the start of projects and new relationships to avert the deleterious effects of commercial disputes. The firm also works closely with counsels and has in-house advocacy, and works with international law firms such as DLA Piper, Ashurst, Allen & Gledhill, Reed Smith, and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

Client feedback

“ELP is very competent, and provides timely advice at a reasonable cost.” – Commercial and transactions

Naresh Thacker

“Naresh is responsive and has a reliable ‘compass’ to navigate through proceedings.”

Fox Mandal’s disputes practice is active in commercial and transactions, regulatory, insolvency, intellectual property and tax disputes.

Case highlights in the past year include acting for Barclays Bank in the winding up of AKR Constructions; representing Blue Star in a dispute concerning the applicability of the mandatory trade license under the Cantonments Act; and acting for HMS Host Services, a food and beverage operator, in a dispute concerning it carrying on business within the premises of Kempegowda International Airport.

Key clients of the firm include HMS Host Services, Barclays and Blue Star.

Gagrats disputes practice handles corporate and commercial disputes, intellectual property, tax and its fair share of domestic and international arbitrations.

Case highlights include acting for Kirloskar Brothers on resolving arbitral disputes brought by Alstom before the Swiss Chambers Arbitration Institution; acting for Alok Industries in an arbitral dispute with Peninsula Land regarding the possession of its tower blocks and units for commercial use; and representing Forbes Marshall in a suit filed by Microsoft Corporation India for copyright infringement of Microsoft’s software.

Key clients include Kirloskar Brothers, Serum Institute of India, Thomas Cook India, Alok Industries, Jet Airways, Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India, and Kirloskar Pneumatic Company.

Gandhi & Associates is a transactional boutique that has a disputes arm mainly focused on cross-border corporate and commercial disputes, with some arbitration or litigious work in intellectual property.

In one disclosable highlight the firm acted for key client BKP Enterprises in an arbitration against Dynamic International Airways for breach of contract—Dynamic has since filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy which the firm is also involved in.

The firm was founded by Vishal Gandhi who is the only partner at the firm supported by his associates. It is predominantly a cross-border corporate and intellectual property transactional practice, but bolted on a commercial disputes function in 2007 to support its clients.

Hammurabi & Solomon is a full service law firm whose litigation practice mainly acts on commercial disputes. It also has an active arbitration, mediation, negotiation and case management practice.

In one disclosable highlight the firm acted for the Bus Association seeking the stoppage of toll collection being made by Larsen & Toubro at Coimbatore Toll Plaza.

In the research period the firm hired Digajmaan Mishra from Brahmand Lexis, and brought in John Thomas as associate partner.

Hammurabi & Solomon places emphasis on the disputes management side to its practice where it aims to devise a commercially aware litigation strategy for its clients that includes pre-litigation, dispute mapping, dispute prevention, recovery settlement, litigation closure and post litigation strategies.

In the research period the firm strengthened its litigation and dispute management practice by absorbing Mumbai-based boutique law firm Brahmand Lexis including its two partners and 14 other lawyers.

HSA Advocates’ dispute resolution and litigation team handles an array of commercial, regulatory, construction, technology and patent disputes.

Case highlights include representing Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation before tax authorities contesting allegations and tax demands for seven years; acting for Nabha Power in a dispute related to the interpretation of an energy charges formula under the power purchase agreement between the client and Punjab State Power Corporation; and representing Lanco Group in challenging a termination notice issued by Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation to terminate two of the client’s projects and invoke bank guarantees.

In the research period the firm brought in associate partner Hahen Pradhan from J Sagar Associates, rehired regulatory litigator Mazag Andrabi who was independent counsel and Additional Advocate General (AAG) of Jammu & Kashmir, and hired associate partner Rajdeep Choudhury from Link Legal.

Key clients of the firm include Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, Nabha Power, Orange Renewable Power, Tata Power Delhi Distribution, Lanco Group, BST Textile Mills and Ostro Energy.

Hemant Sahai

“Hemant is one of the finest energy lawyers in the country.”

Litigation has been a core practice for IndusLaw since it was founded. The firm often handles commercial disputes, shareholder disputes, arbitration, intellectual property, tax and power disputes.

Case highlights include acting for International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Bangalore against ISKCON in Mumbai in a dispute concerning the property title of a temple in Bangalore; representing ETA Engineering against Nitesh Residency Hotels in a pay dispute for work to supply, install, test and commission mechanical, electrical, and plumbing works for the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Bangalore; and acting for RKSV Securities India in enforcing its trade mark rights for its mark ‘Upstox’ against the unauthorised and deceptively similar trade mark ‘Upstocks’ used by Sunlight Broking in relation to its identical online stock brokerage and investment consultancy business.

In the research period the firm brought in partner Sandeep Grover to its New Delhi office from Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co.

Key clients of the firm include ETA Engineering, Adarsh Developers, RKSV Securities, Citicorp Finance, Chamundeswari Electricity Supply Corporation and Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation.

Jerome Merchant + Partners handles disputes that emerge from commercial matters such as M&A, joint ventures, banking, securities, debt recovery, contractual disputes, insolvency and technology disputes.

In the past 12 months the firm has been involved in a number of confidential mandates that include acting for a group of minority investors before a domestic arbitral tribunal in India; and acting for a foreign institutional investor before a superior court in relation to its exit rights from an Indian target.

The firm caters to a niche set of clients and is focused on the strategic elements of dispute management including pre-litigation advice, negotiation and effective use of court and arbitral processes.

In the research period the firm rebranded from P&C Legal to its new name Jerome Merchant + Partners. The Mumbai-based firm still retains its best friend’s alliance with the Bangalore and New Delhi offices of Poovayya & Co. 

K&S Partners is a reputable intellectual property boutique with offices in Gurgaon, Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad. The firm is adept at handling patent, design and plant variety litigations and contentious matters including oppositions, invalidation actions and revocations.

Disclosable highlights include acting for Lighting Technologies in filing a suit for infringement of its design for ‘lighting fixtures’ after a purchase order was cancelled and given to Arraystorm proposing identical lighting fixtures; and representing Greenchef Applicances (GA) against Maya Appliances who filed a cancellation petition against GA’s registered design.

K&S Partners is also strong in the technology space addressing computer science and networks, embedded systems, wireless communication, electronics and communications, electro-mechanical engineering, automotive engineering, and telecommunication matters; and is also active in the pharmaceuticals and bio-pharmaceuticals industries.

Client feedback

“K&S Partners provides good communication and is very responsive and accessible.” – Intellectual property

Ravi Bhola

“Ravi is responsive, accessible, and collaborates well with the in-house team.”  

Karanjawala & Company is a dedicated litigation firm that excels in commercial litigation and arbitration where it is ranked in the top tier.

Case highlights in the past year include representing Star India in challenging a new tariff order passed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India that sought to fix the price of TV Channels and in turn fix the price of content; acting for Air Asia International and Tata Singapore Airlines in a series of litigations that began with a challenge by Dr Subramanian Swamy and the Federation of Indian Airlines against the approval of the clients to invest in the operation of scheduled passenger airlines; and advising Adani Enterprises in an ongoing arbitration dispute pertaining to the Chhendipada coal block.

Key clients of the firm include Tata Group, DLF group, Yes Bank, Star India, Astro Entertainment Networks, Piramal Enterprises, and Centrotrade Minerals and Metals.

Karanjawala & Co is also active before the National Green Tribunal and in pro bono work. For example, the firm acted for Almitra Patel in her effort to prevent open dumping of urban waste in the country; acted for the Bombay Hawker’s Union of 15000 traders; and acted for members of the Dawoodi Bohra community in challenging the practice of excommunication and social boycott within the community.

Khaitan & Co has a strong disputes practice across the board, and regularly handles matters such as commercial disputes, insolvency, construction and engineering disputes, electricity disputes and intellectual property.

Case highlights from the past year include advising the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority in a dispute involving an order to increase fares levied for metro usage; acting for a number of pharma companies such as Glenmark and GlaxoSmithKline in challenging notifications issued by the central government banning the sale of 354 fixed dosed combination drugs on the grounds that these had no therapeutic value; and representing Infinite Computer Solutions against Indium Technologies and Innfinit IT Ventures to restrain them from infringing the client’s trade mark ‘Infinite’.

In the research period the firm added partner Nalina Mayegowda to its office in Bangalore from Poovayya & Co, and brought in associate partner Nawneet Vibhaw to its New Delhi office from Luthra & Luthra.

Key clients of the firm include Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, GlaxoSmithkline, Mahanagar Gas, Infinite Computer Solutions, Saregama India, Electrosteel Steels and Vedanta.

Litigation and dispute resolution is one of the firm’s largest practice areas and works alongside its transactional practices, where the firm provides advisory and pre and post litigation strategic advice.

Khurana & Khurana is an intellectual property firm with a technology focus in handling patent litigation. The firm also handles other intellectual property, tax, and commercial litigation.

In one highlight the firm acted for DBC Corporation against Sarine Technologies in an alleged patent infringement.

Key clients of the firm include Vatech Global, DBC Corporation and Savottam Medical.

Kochhar & Co is very active in commercial disputes, particularly in construction, real estate, and energy arbitrations, and litigation in sectors such as manufacturing, aviation, pharmaceuticals, and education. 

Case highlights include acting for Oil and Natural Gas Corporation in an arbitration initiated by one of its contractors, UEM India, because its contract to construct Effluent Treatment Plants in Assam was terminated due to poor performance; acting for Bharat Petroleum Corporation in arbitration proceedings pertaining to composite works for laying an LPG Pipeline awarded to Punj Lloyd; and representing CD Pharma in a dispute also involving Actial and VSL Pharma against Claudio De Simone regarding rights over a probiotic bacteria product developed by Claudio De Simone and commercialised by VSL Pharma.

Key clients of the firm include Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation, Regus and Regus Bangalore Suburban Centre, International Air Transport Association, Simplex Infrastructure and ITD Cementation India.

Lall Lahiri & Salhotra is a dedicated intellectual property firm with offices in New Delhi and Gurgaon.  Apart from handling all facets of IP work such as managing IP portfolios and carrying out transactional work, the firm has a well-oiled IP litigation team—particularly for trade mark contentious matters.

Case highlights include representing Colgate-Palmolive Company in a design and copyright infringement matter against JHS Svendgaard Laboratories for using similar packaging and identical design on a range toothbrush sold under the brand Colgate Kids 2+ tooth brushes; acting for Porsche against Dheeraj Singhal & Ors for using a deceptively similar trade mark, Porsche, as a trade mark, trade name, and domain name for medicinal and pharmaceutical purposes; and acting for Mozilla Foundation against Ramesh Kumar Tanwani for using an identical trade mark, Mozilla, as a trade mark for wallets and purses.

Key clients of the firm include Colgate-Palmolive, Porsche, Mozilla Foundation, Oakley, NBA Properties, Frhi Hotels & Resorts and Sony Corporation.

LexOrbis is a New Delhi based intellectual property firm covering the whole range of IP law from patents, trademarks, designs, and copyrights, to geographic indications and domain names.

The firm’s IP litigation team has experienced trial and appellate court lawyers known for their work for Indian seed companies, technology start-ups, and in running pan-India anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy campaigns.

Link Legal’s disputes team is known for handling corporate and transactional disputes, disputes related to infrastructure—especially with its construction expertise and strong airport regulatory practice—and increasingly in insolvencies.

Case highlights include acting for Delhi International Airport in challenging an order passed by the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority in determining the aeronautical tariff for Indira Gandhi International Airport; representing SpiceJet in proceedings initiated against various India airlines for fixing fuel surcharge for transportation cargo; and acting for Wapcos in arbitration proceedings concerning various packages for construction of the Indo-Afghan Friendship Dam constructed on the Harihud River in Afghanistan.

In the research period the firm brought in partners Prasad Dhande, Nusrat Hassan and Hasit Seth from DH Law Associates, Siddharth Srivastava from Luthra & Luthra, and Nikhil Rodrigues from RM Partners Advocates; however, it lost associate partner Rajdeep Choudhury to HSA Advocates.

Key clients of the firm include Delhi International Airport, SpiceJet, Wapcos, Karam Chand Thapar & Bros, Vipul, Alstom Transport India and Navayuga Engineering Corporation.

In January 2017 Link Legal merged its practices with another full service law firm DH Law Associates. The merged entity continues to be known as Link Legal India Law Services with DH Law Associates co-founder Nusrat Hassan assuming the role of co-managing partner alongside Atul Sharma.

Client feedback

“Link Legal is competent in its area of work and provide services responsibly.” – Commercial and transactions

Dinesh Pardasani

“He pays attention to detail, has a willingness to learn, and is open to alternate points of view.”

Atul Sharma

“Atul is quick to assess clients’ requirements.”

MDP & Partners is a full-service law firm whose disputes practice is focused on commercial, banking and finance, shipping, real estate and intellectual property litigation.

Case highlights include advising MV Orissa and Vedanta on an order directing the arrest of a vessel (MV Orissa); acting for Birnam in a dispute that arose from an agreement where the client agreed to purchase a vessel Hong Ming from Fujian Hongming Shipping Company; and advising Helix Energy Solutions Group in a tax dispute.

The firm hired senior partner AK Mishra in the research period from Kolkata debt recovery tribunal (DRT).

Key clients of the firm include Rare Townships, Cox and Kings, Vedanta, State Bank of India, Birnam, Hubtown and Helix Energy Solutions Group.

P&A Law Offices disputes practice handles commercial litigation, international commercial arbitration and investment disputes.

Case highlights include acting for Amazon in a class action claim against the client for alleged misleading advertising in relation to its returns policy; acting for Japanese pharmaceutical Daiichi Sankyo in an arbitration in Singapore where the arbitral tribunal awarded damages against former promoters of an Indian pharmaceutical company in which the Japanese corporation was a majority shareholder; and representing DragonWave in a dispute arising out of an alleged breach of an equipment supply agreement for the supply of microwave links manufactured by the client and supplied to Bharti Airtel.

In the research period the firm brought in Gaurav Mahajan from C&C Associates.

Key clients of the firm include Daiichi Sankyo, General Motors, Aircel, Mercedes, LG Electronics and Amazon.

Phoenix Legal is a full service law firm—focused on tax and insurance matters—whose litigation practice handles a lot of insolvency mandates in addition to shareholder and other commercial disputes.

Case highlights in the past year include advising Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company in proceedings before the National Company Law Tribunal involving interpretation of key provisions of the new insolvency and bankruptcy code; acting for Kumar Motors in proceedings initiated against by Innoventive Industries under the insolvency code; and representing Standard Chartered Bank in insolvency proceedings against Prag Distillery also initiated under the new insolvency code.

In the research period the firm brought in former Amarchand Mangaldas Delhi tax head Aseem Chawla from his own tax advisory firm, and hired disputes partner Vasanth Rajasekaran from Seth Dua & Associates.

Key clients of the firm include Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company, Kumar Motors, Standard Chartered Bank, ICICI Bank, Chhaparia Industries, Lloyds Bank and New India Assurance.

Phoenix Legal is also active in international and domestic arbitration, mediation, and provides strategic advice on potential disputes, borrowing from other practice areas to develop compliance initiatives to help its clients reduce litigation risk.

Client feedback

“Phoenix Legal provided me with prompt responses, in-depth knowledge of the issues, keen problem solving ability and analysis driven intentions.” – Commercial and transactions

Debarshi Dutta

“Debarshi has good communication skills and judgement. He also has analytical, research, and people skills, and is perseverant and creative.”

PLR Chambers is a boutique law firm based in New Delhi that is focused on public policy and government affairs. The firm has an international trade and investment law team that represents the Government of India in investment treaty disputes and WTO law.

The firm is also very active in the food and beverage sector with highlights including advising ADM Agro Industries Latur and Vizag over allegations that its goods were sub-standard by the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006; and acting for ADM Agro Industries Kota and Akola against alleged misbranding and mis-labelling of its manufactured edible oil.

PSL - PAMASIS SanAd Legal is a boutique litigation and tax advisory firm that is active in disputes across sectors such as logistics, media, commodities, automotive, shipping and aviation.

Case highlights include acting for Indian minority promoter shareholders and an Indian logistics company in a $50 million SIAC arbitration in Singapore against a Japanese entity in a shareholder dispute; acting for an Indian precious metal exporter in a $40 million arbitration, civil suit and wind up proceedings against India’s government; and acting for Russia’s government in a $50 billion arbitral award enforcement in India.

The firm advises high-net worth individuals, including royal families, and states and businesses such as the Russian government and Alumbra Entertainment and Media.

In December 2017 the former Pamasis firm merged with litigation and corporate advisory firm SanAd Legal. The new entity will be looking to open offices in Chandigarh and Ahmedabad through tie-ups with local advocates.

Rajani Associates disputes team handles matters such as commercial and transactional disputes, construction disputes, tax litigation, and intellectual property matters.

Case highlights include acting for Jindal Vijaynagar Steels in challenging an arbitral award against Oriental Insurance Company; representing Topworth Steel & Pipes and Abhay Lodha against the State Bank of India who filed an interim application to confiscate Lodha’s passport, restrict his overseas travel, and disclose his properties; and acting for Rashtriya Metals in the context of an insolvency filing for Reliance Media.

Key clients of the firm include Jindal Vijaynagar Steels, Topworth Steel & Pipes, Rashtriya Metals, Vidli Restaurant, Maharaja Dyeing and Versatile Realtors.

RNA IP Attorneys is an intellectual property law firm with offices in Gurgaon and Chennai. The firm’s litigation team has handled over 600 IP cases in the past 10 years.

The firm’s case highlights include acting against an online business that was distributing software of a client through cloud computing and remote server access; obtaining injunctions in several cases against manufacturers of counterfeit apparels; and obtaining an injunction against third parties for infringing the software of a client.

S&R Associates is a full-service firm with offices in New Delhi and Mumbai. In disputes the firm is active in commercial and transactional disputes, investor-state arbitration and bilateral treaty claims, intellectual property, and construction and infrastructure disputes.

Case highlights include acting for Cairn Energy in investor-state arbitration proceedings arising from a bilateral investment treaty in relation to a retrospective tax amendment; representing F Hoffman-La Roche and Genentech in intellectual property and injunction proceedings relating to biosimilar drugs before the high courts in Delhi and Mumbai; and acting for a Norwegian oil and gas company in an ad hoc arbitration against a government company in India arising from a production sharing contract.

Key clients include Cairn Energy, F Hoffman-La Roche and Genentech, Kesoram Industries, Glencore Grain, and Standard Chartered Bank.

Saikrishna & Associates is a strong intellectual property oriented firm based in Noida. The firm’s commercial litigation practice handles matters from copyright infringements to pharmaceutical patent litigations and is a known player in industries such as media, entertainment, sports broadcasting, pharmaceutical and life sciences, publishing, and information technology.

Case highlights include acting for Star India and Vijay TV in challenging draft regulations and tariff orders proposed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority Of India under the basis that it does not have the jurisdiction to regulate content and can only regulate the carriage of TV channels; representing Sanjeet Singh Kaila, a pilot in the Indian air force, in a pro bono case where the client sued the government and Hindustan Aeronautics for allegedly providing an unsafe workplace; and acting for eBay India in an action where the plaintiff sought to impose primary liability of design infringement on the client because its website allowed listing and advertising of infringing water purifiers.

Key clients of the firm include Star India, OPPO Mobile Telecommunications, eBay India, Mashal Sports, MJ Bizcraft, Vivo Mobile Communications, and Novi Digital Entertainment.

Samvad Partners disputes team is focused on corporate and commercial matters, intellectual property, insolvency, arbitration and mediation.

Case highlights include representing Citizens For Bengaluru—a Bengaluru-based non-governmental organisation—in filing applications before the National Green Tribunal, Chennai, against the Steel Flyover Project proposed by the government of Karnataka; acting for Blue Dart Aviation in filing a number of suits for breach of contract against the client’s pilots; and advising Catalytic Software, a Hyderabad-based software park, on arbitration proceedings relating to a proposed investment in the client by Polaris Consulting and Services.

In the research period the firm brought in Supreme Court advocate Arjun Krishnan as partner.

Key clients of the practice include Antrix Corporation, Diageo Netherlands, GIC, Mahindra, Catalytic Software, and Blue Dart Aviation.

Samvad Partners dispute resolution team is spread across five different offices across the country; namely, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi.

Rohan George

“Rohan is a very good listener; quick to grasp the problem and shows a real willingness to learn.”

Satinder Kapur & Associates is a small firm whose litigation team handles shareholder, contractual, and corporate disputes, insolvency, intellectual property and international, structured and ad hoc arbitrations.

In one highlight the firm is acting for Tenoch Holdings, Maxim Naumchenko and Andrey Poluketov in an ongoing bilateral treaty arbitration against the Indian state before the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague.

Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co is among India’s elite full service law firms and its disputes team doesn’t buck the trend. It excels at commercial litigation and arbitration and is regularly involved in key litigation before India’s courts raising market shaping constitutional challenges.

Case highlights include acting for Lufthansa German Airlines and Austrian Airlines in a writ appeal filed in response to a writ petition filed by an association of travel agents who had sought a direction to the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to enforce payment of commission by the airlines to the travel agents; representing Sterlite Technologies in a challenge to Aurangabad Industrial Township’s tendering process—on grounds that its elimination during the technical evaluation was biased—for selection of the master system integrator for Aurangabad smart city; and acting for State Bank of India in matters related to its initiation of a corporate insolvency process against Essar Steel India under the new insolvency code.

Key clients of the firm include Vodafone India, Lufthansa, Sterlite Technologies, DLF Home Developers, International Spirits and Wine Association of India, State Bank of India and Alstom Systems India.

Ameya Gokhale

“He’s excellent and has a good understanding of law and jurisprudence.”

Sim & San is a firm best known for its intellectual property practice, but it also handles commercial litigation, mediation, and arbitration across sectors such as energy, sports, telecommunications, transport, banking, infrastructure, real estate, media, entertainment and pharmaceuticals.

Case highlights include representing Lifestyle Equities in a case where the Madras High Court deliberated on the issue of the arbitrability of IP disputes for the first time; acting for Gionee Communications in a patent litigation against Ericsson asserting its flagship patents for 2G and 3G technology; and representing Rushydro International India in an arbitration against an Indian public sector undertaking (PSU).

In the research period the firm brought in associate partner Bharadwaj Jaishankar from Saikrishna & Associates.

Key clients include Lifestyle Equities, United Biotech, Bright Enterprises, Gionee India, Rushydro International India, Darzi on Call and Communication Component Antenna.

Client feedback

“Sim & San is a young and upcoming law firm in India. It is enthusiastic towards its work, agile and speedy.” – Intellectual property

Mohit Goel

“Mohit is well informed and responsive.”

Singh & Associates strength is in commercial litigation, arbitration, and insolvency in a host of sectors including real estate, energy, mining, shipping, construction, and manufacturing.

Case highlights include acting for Themis Medicare in an ongoing dispute with a competitor relating to an investigation into parenteral use of excipients—an inactive pharmaceutical ingredient; representing Era Infra Engineering (EIE) against Aravali Power Company (APC) in an arbitration relating to the civil works executed by EIE at APC’s power plant at the Indira Gandhi Super Thermal Power Project; and acting for Jindal Urban Infrastructure in a public interest litigation involving the construction of a waste to energy plant and the risk of environmental pollution.

Key clients include Jindal Group, Mahesh Timbers, Hexa Tradex, Novartis India, Annapurna Infrastructure Private, Adel Landmarks and Cosmos Infra Engineering.

The firm is among the fastest growing in India—also handling transactions, tax, and intellectual property—and is known for its in-house advocacy expertise. It also has an active pro bono practice partnering with Advocates for International Development to undertake legal work for non-profit organisations addressing poverty in India.

Singh & Singh is a top tier intellectual property firm that excels in intellectual property rights and telecommunications. The firm also handles media, tax, and arbitration matters.

Case highlights include acting for Prius Auto Industries in a long standing case where Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha had initiated a suit against the client alleging trade mark infringement of its marks Toyota, Innova and Toyota device and passing them off with respect to its mark Prius; representing Info Edge and Sanjeev Bikchandani in an action to restrain Sumanta Bhattacharya from using the mark ‘Naukrie.com’ on grounds that it is identical and deceptively similar to the plaintiff’s domain name ‘Naukri.com’; and acting for Anchor Healthcare—as the registered proprietor of the trade marks—against Procter & Gamble for the use of the taglines ‘Allround’ and ‘Allaround Protection’ in relation to oral care products.

Key clients of the firm include Prius Auto Industries, Info Edge, QRG Enterprises & Havells India, Anchor Healthcare, Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Monsanto Technology and Reliance Life Sciences.

Singhania & Partners is an Indian firm that handles commercial and intellectual property disputes. It is best known for its work in the defence, construction, infrastructure, real estate, concession agreements and PPP projects.

Case highlights in the past year include acting for Sri Maruti Wind Park Developers in an arbitration raise by Regen Infrastructure and Services due to non-commissioning of a wind farm in south west India; representing Simplot India in a $15 million dispute with joint venture partner Himalaya International; and acting for the National Highways Authority of India against Obedullaganj Betul Tollways in a $105 million dispute pertaining to a concession and loan agreement in Madhya Pradesh.

Key clients include Sri Maruti Wind Park Developers, Simplot India, IJM Corporation, National Highways Authority of India, Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Bravura Solutions and Sinosteel Equipment & Engineering.

Shilpa Shah

“Shilpa Shah is a good strong litigator who fought our trade mark case and advised us well.”

SK Singhi & Co is a young firm based in Kolkata with further offices in Mumbai and New Delhi.

The firm’s disputes practice is focused on commercial litigation with expertise in real estate, infrastructure, manufacturing, financial services, insurance, shipping, and e-commerce. It also handles arbitration and mediation matters.

In the past 12 months the firm has been involved in a number of confidential cases involving manufacturing and tourism contractual disputes, banking disputes, insolvency mandates, and arbitration matters.

Solomon & Co is among the oldest law firms in India and its litigation and disputes practice is one of the oldest in the firm. It regularly handles banking, securities, shareholder, real estate and insurance disputes.

Case highlights include acting for Hewlett Packard Financial Services in defending itself before the Delhi high court and assisted in filing an application to set aside an ex-parte injunction order restraining the invocation of bank guarantees; representing HCL Technologies in an insurance policy dispute carried out by arbitration against HDFC Ergo General Insurance Company; and acting for IKF Technologies on an appeal against its ban by the Securities and Exchange Board of India from issuing equity shares or any instruments which can be converted into equity shares or alter its capital structure for a period of 10 years.

In the research period the firm lost real estate partner Omar Vanjara to law firm Desai & Diwanji.

Key clients of the firm include Hewlett Packard Financial Services, HCL Technologies, IKF Technologies, EPRS Prepaid Recharge Services India, European Gateway, HSBC and Maharashtra Chess Association.

Tandon & Co’s litigation team is predominantly focused on intellectual property disputes in the technology, media, and entertainment space, but it also handles insolvency, shareholder and corporate disputes and arbitration matters.

Case highlights include representing Sony Pictures Networks against the Telecom regulatory Authority of India in a dispute relating to a tariff order for fixed price of channels without differentiating between ordinary subscribers and commercial subscribers; and acting for the same client against Videocon challenging disconnection notices issued by Sony under allegations that the client was providing one of its channels free of cost to DD Free Dish.

Key clients of the firm include Sony Pictures Networks, Bennett Coleman & Co and IndiaCast Media Distribution.

thiru & thiru’s litigation practice is best known for commercial disputes, boardroom and shareholder disputes, insolvency, debt recovery, intellectual property and real estate disputes.

In one disclosable highlight the firm defended Lotus Shopping Centres against insolvency proceedings filed by Axis Bank.

Key clients of the firm include Nikhil Construction, Subadra Textile, Bangalore Electricity Supply Company, Reliance Industries, Vijaya Bank, Vishwa Vinayaka Educational Trust and Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company.

Thiru & Thiru is also known for its pro bono and public interest litigation work and has worked on matters involving orders to construct apartments for families who lost their houses; reopening of a public sector airport; and better conditions for inmates at Bangalore Central Jail.

Trilegal is known for its commercial and regulatory disputes work. It also handles real estate disputes, insolvency, arbitration, infrastructure disputes, and intellectual property disputes in the media and entertainment sector.

In the research period the firm lost disputes partner Faraz Alam Sagar who left to join Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas.

Key clients of the firm include Ricoh, Embraer, Akzo Nobel, Cognizant, Power Grid Corporation, Sterlite Technologies, and Odisha Power Generation Corporation.

Trilegal also aim to provide clients with holistic services when it comes to disputes. It will devise litigation strategies aligned to clients’ commercial objectives, and its lawyers will provide pre-dispute strategic advice and handle final arguments without instructing external counsel and senior counsel.

Veritas Legal is focused on commercial litigation and arbitration and also disputes in real estate, pharmaceuticals, and intellectual property.

Case highlights include acting for Pfizer in challenging notifications issued by the central government banning the sale of 354 fixed dosed combination drugs on the grounds that these had no therapeutic value; representing insolvency professional Sunderesh Bhat in one of the few cases under the new insolvency code where the corporate debtor challenged the appointment of Bhat on the grounds of bias and that certain acts of his are illegal including the constitution of the committee of creditors; and acting for Apex Realty in an arbitration against the government of Maldives regarding a contract for construction and development being awarded and terminated.

Key clients of the firm include Pfizer, Moneywise Media, Apex Realty and Lodha Group.

Client feedback

“Veritas provides strategic advice and has business acumen. Further, it is able to deliver within stringent timelines with high quality advice and drafting. It also has strong negotiation skills.” – Commercial and transactions

“The firm is very responsive, has strong bench strength and well-seasoned professionals. Access to partner time and attention on matters strengthens clients’ confidence in working with the firm.” – Commercial and transactions

Rahul Dwarkadas

“Rahul has excellent business acumen and provides strategic legal advice.”

Abhijit Joshi

“He is an excellent lawyer and adept in his respective areas of expertise.”