In its second annual list, ALB showcases outstanding private practitioners in India when it comes to client service. These lawyers were selected based on client recommendations sent directly to ALB. The list is in alphabetical order, and some lawyers have been profiled.
VINEET ANEJA, managing partner and head of corporate practice, Clasis Law
Aneja, who has been with Clasis Law for over a decade, is an expert in compliance and regulatory, corporate and commercial, foreign direct investment, hospitality and leisure, labour and employment, private equity, retail, and white-collar crime.
Aneja has counselled numerous clients from various sectors on different matters. Among some of his significant work, he advised a Mexico-based fund in relation to its investment in an Indian start-up company.
In addition, Aneja advised an Indian arm of a U.S.-based entity engaged in providing document management, accounts payable automation and invoice management software, and back-office operations, in transferring its business to a tech private equity fund.
Shedding light on his firm’s approach towards clients, Aneja says: “Our client-centric approach and keeping our clients at the core of our work process, helps to understand their business, intent, and wish list and that’s primarily the USP/nucleus of Clasis Law.”
Aneja, who has earned various accolades, is on the ALB India Super 50 Lawyers list for the second consecutive time.
“Vineet not only suggests and provides answers for what is asked, but also what we need to know, even though the question may not have been asked,” says a client.
MANISHA CHAUDHARY, managing partner, UKCA and Partners
Chaudhary, who has worked at UKCA and Partners for more than 10 years, specialises in dispute resolution, restructuring and insolvency, corporate mergers and acquisitions, private equity and securities law. She regularly appears before various tribunals, high courts of different states and the Supreme Court of India.
Chaudhary has successfully advised numerous clients on various matters including Axestrack Software Solutions regarding waiver of improper share allotment and irregular appointment of directors. She also advised on the merger scheme for DLF Phase IV and group companies with DLF.
“I am particular about the letter of the law but as a human I believe that justice can have a deeper meaning,” says Chaudhary. “Clients are at the core of all we do. We work as a team to serve our clients, with a shared focus on innovation, efficiency, and agility.”
Chaudhary was a finalist for the Young Lawyer of the Year (Law Firm) at the ALB India Law Awards 2021. She is actively involved in helping various start-ups and works pro bono for social enterprises.
“Ms. Manisha’s ability to assess the overall picture quickly and provide advice accordingly is excellent,” says a client. “Also, she is available to answer our queries any time.”
MANJULA CHAWLA, co-founding partner, Phoenix Legal
Chawla, who is the co-founding partner of Phoenix Legal, focuses on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, joint ventures, strategic corporate investments, corporate finance, corporate restructuring and general corporate and commercial matters. She has been involved in some complex litigation and dispute resolution matters for her international clients.
Among some of her note-worthy matters, Chawla assisted in setting up a new subsidiary company of Cooper-Standard in India to undertake IT operations and making it operational.
Chawla also advised the Belectric group on the sale of its Indian subsidiary Jurchen Technology India to Lafayette. She further represented BYD Co on potential criminal liability and other liabilities under various Indian laws. She was one of the first handful of lawyers who chose to become a corporate lawyer and advise on cross-border transactions soon after the India economy was liberalised in 1991. By doing so, she set a path for many Indian women lawyers who were looking for an “alternate” but wished to remain in the profession of law.
“She is driven to find the best possible solution for you, and never lets you feel like you have to make do with an 80 percent outcome,” says a client. “She is also extremely patient, even over minute details.”
VAIBHAV GAGGAR, advocate, independent counsel
Gaggar is extremely well versed in dispute resolution - corporate, commercial, civil, criminal and inter-personal including arbitrations, negotiations and mediations. With an experience of close to two decades, he has been at the forefront of some high-value litigations and has argued cases which have contributed to development of legal precedents.
Prior to becoming an independent counsel, Gaggar was the managing partner of a leading firm. He has successfully advised leading multinationals, Indian corporates, banking and financial institutions, real estate players, PSUs, government departments and regulators, non-profit organisations, start-ups and HNIs including sports celebrities. He represented National Engineering Industries Limited on instructions from a leading law Firm, in a matter before the Delhi High Court and successfully obtained a discharge from an investigation before the CCI in which NEI had been wrongly impleaded as a party.
He also successfully counselled the CCI before the Delhi High Court in defending sweeping constitutional challenges made by eight top car manufacturers.
“Vaibhav always demonstrates great communication skills, and good judgement in both law and business,” says a client. “He makes you feel like you’re in very capable hands.”
PRADEEP KUMAR JAIN, managing partner, Singhania & Co
An expert in arbitration, banking, corporate and restructuring matters, Jain has been with Singhania & Co for nearly two decades. He focuses mainly on commercial disputes and arbitrations, and appears frequently before the arbitral tribunals in India as well as abroad. He represents clients on matters related to maritime, contractual and trade disputes. Jain has represented leading business groups, public sector undertakings, banks and financial institutions, multinationals, etc. on an array of legal issues.
Among his important matters, Jain is advising his client for the refinery asset sell-off of one of the subsidiaries of Kuwait Oil Company. In addition, he successfully counselled Rediff India in relation to a petition filed under section 9 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. Besides this, Jain pursues academic interests and works for causes like education.
About his approach to client service, Jain says that his endeavour has always been to “learn more about my clients’ business, understand it and then assist them with the required legal strategy while advising them on how to overcome challenges.”
Jain is “patient and has a strong ability to reach acceptable outcomes even when dealing with multiple conflicting parties,” says a client.
AMIT JAJOO, partner, IndusLaw
Amit Jajoo, admitted to the Bombay Bar in 2004, is a specialist in dispute resolution having experience in commercial litigation and white-collar crime. He also specialises in IPR disputes, some of which culminated into landmark judgments. He is involved in several domestic and international arbitrations.
He started his practice with a solicitor firm where he was involved in several high-stake mergers such as Tata Sky. In his early days, he has worked with some of the top criminal lawyers and has represented McKenzie, Golden Tobacco, Mahindra and Mahindra and GHCL.
Jajoo regularly appears before the Supreme Court of India, various High Courts, SIAC, NCLT, SEBI, and has also advised his clients in niche areas of practice such as Bilateral Investment Treaty disputes.
Jajoo also actively takes part in pro bono work. He appeared before the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission to ensure that farmers in rural Maharashtra received access to electricity at nominal prices.
ALB recognised Jajoo as one of the Top Disputes Lawyers of India 2020.
“Amit is approachable, warm, professional, empathetic, interested and interesting, down-to-earth with a well-developed sense of humour,” says a client.
DEEPAK JOYCE, founding partner, JoyceLaw
A specialist in private equity, venture capital, structuring, corporate advisory and transactions, Joyce has been in the legal industry for more than two decades. He founded JoyceLaw in 2018, which focuses on the Indian startup ecosystem. He has advised and negotiated transactions ranging from seed round funding to jumbo financings and acquisitions, with ticket sizes ranging from $100,000 to $250 million.
A few of his noteworthy matters include representing Community Innovations (CityMall) on its $22.5 million Series B funding round. He has also counselled Parviom Technologies (Park Plus) on its $11.5 million Series A funding from Sequoia and Matrix, as well as represented Samast Technologies on its $7 million pre-series D bridge funding (including from an external corporate VC).
Regarding his firm’s approach to client service, Joyce says that his “team works with a laser focus on problem-solving, efficiency and agility. We measure our value based on the extent our advice enables our clients to take the correct decisions.”
Joyce also enjoys writing and speaking at various forums on topics that are relevant in the journey of a founder.
“He is very sharp, with detailed domain knowledge and possesses excellent drafting and negotiating skills,” says a client.
ANU MONGA, partner, AnantLaw
Monga, who has worked in the legal space for nearly 16 years, focuses on technology, media and telecommunication (TMT), antitrust/competition and trade and WTO laws. She has handled some high-profile matters in the competition law space and has represented clients before the Competition Commission of India (CCI), Competition Appellate Tribunal, high court(s) and Supreme Court of India.
Moreover, her international trade practice involves advising stakeholders on trade matters before anti-dumping and CVD authorities. She represents clients on WTO law, free trade agreements and assists them in their understanding of the impact of changes in free trade agreements and bilateral trade agreements.
A few notable cases that Monga and her team handled include representing clients in the recent investigation initiated against Google. She also represented the informant in a cement cartel matter and obtained a landmark order from CCI.
Monga, who was named on the ALB India Super 50 Lawyers 2020 list, says that she and her team are “driven by rigorous understanding of our clients’ needs, sector dynamics and legal setting.” Says a client: “Ms. Monga is a phenomenal lawyer whose advice and assistance added great value to my litigation.”
RUDRA KUMAR PANDEY, partner, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas
Pandey’s areas of expertise include corporate structuring, mergers and acquisitions, takeovers, delisting’s, private equity investments, joint ventures, real estate, banking and finance, project finance, establishment and management of funds (onshore and offshore). Furthermore, he leads the Japan and China desk of the firm.
His experience encompasses key industry sectors including manufacturing, automobile, etc.
A few matters that Pandey has represented on include advising Sarla Holdings in relation to a private equity investment by Reliance Alternate Investment Fund. He has also acted for Bajaj Finance in drafting of standard documents for their entire products. In addition, he also counselled Jindal Thermal Power in relation to their project financing.
“I first understand the mindset and needs of my clients and then provide practical advice within the contours of the applicable law,” Pandey says about his approach to clients. “I guide the client through key issues that they need to be aware of and assist them in taking an informed decision.”
“Rudra’s greatest strength is his ability to blend legal savvy, commercial experience and pure common sense,” says a client. “A very understated – and underrated – lawyer, he’s a major asset on any transaction.”
ANSHUL PRAKASH, partner, Khaitan & Co
Prakash, whose practice focuses on employment, labour and benefits (ELB), advises clients on contentious and non-contentious employment law and related matters. Some of these include employee documentation and policies, labour compliance and HR practice audits, secondments and deputation, outsourcing of operations, workforce management, and onboarding and exit scenarios.
He also represents clients on issues concerning social security, industrial relations, transition due to business transfers, workplace harassment and discrimination, structuring benefits and incentives, health and safety, staff misconduct, etc.
Prakash also leads transaction support work for Khaitan’s other practice areas and has been advising on various marquee deals.
Furthermore, Prakash and his colleagues have been working towards updating clients and creating awareness within the industry regarding the recently introduced Labour Codes 2020.
Talking about his approach to client service, Prakash says that he has a practical and business-oriented approach while rendering focused and crisp advice to clients.
“Anshul is exceptionally prompt and accurate in providing advice,” says a client. “He takes the pain to understand the context and tailors his advice making it fit for purpose.”
SAKET SHUKLA, co-founding partner, Phoenix Legal
Shukla is a corporate M&A and governance, disputes, insurance, corporate frauds and investigations expert. He counsels strategic advisory work and high-end complex transactions across various sectors.
With more than two decades of experience, Shukla also regularly represents clients on their India strategy from inception to exit. Among his noteworthy matters, Shukla and his team represented Arnab Goswami, editor-in-chief of Republic TV and managing director of ARG Outlier Media, in proceedings seeking his interim bail and to challenge criminal proceedings following his arrest in November 2020. A landmark judgement was later passed by the Supreme Court in this matter.
Shukla also advised Intervet India (Intervet), a Merck company, in a dispute with the State Government of Maharashtra and predominately the forest department.
When it comes to clients, Shukla and his team believe in offering high degree of partner involvement and availability, high-quality legal advice, availability and responsiveness and legal research and analysis based corporate advisory. Shukla is “very calm and professional,” says a client. “Provides creative and innovate legal solutions and advice. Reliable and always provides assistance as and when required.”
S K SINGHI, founder, managing partner, S K Singhi & Co
Singhi was a practicing company secretary, before he decided to establish a full-fledged law firm. With an extensive experience of over 25 years, he specialises in commercial transaction, restructuring and insolvency, investigations and white-collar crime, arbitrations and litigations, real estate, tax and banking matters. He represents various large corporates on high profile litigations and dispute issues.
Among his important matters, Singhi is advising Funtail Enterprises in an arbitration arising out of contractual dispute and representing the client (claimant) to get the unpaid license and charges due from the respondent. In another issue, he counselled Saraf Agencies and represented the client in an arbitration matter to get the amount spent by the client for the project shelved by the opposite party.
Regarding handling his clients, Singhi says that the first consultation provided by the firm is free of any commercial fee, thereby creating no undue obligation for a prospective client. The entire process flow is explained to the clients by the partners and associates so that the clients can take an informed decision. The partners are accessible to all clients 24x7.
“Mr. Singhi has a very deep knowledge of the laws, is extremely hard working and very punctual with timelines,” says a client.
THE LIST
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Vineet Aneja Puneet Bansal Shweta Bharti Ganesh Chandru Ipshita Chaturvedi Manisha Chaudhary Manjula Chawla Deepak Chopra Manisha Singh Rahul Dhote Tomu Francis Bhavin Gada Vaibhav Gaggar Mohit Gogia Himanshu Goswami Naina Krishna Murthy Nikhil Krishnamurthy Dr Manoj Kumar Pradeep Kumar Jain Amit Jajoo Milind Jha Deepak Joyce Rabindra Juhnjuhnwala Sanjeev Kapoor Charandeep Kaur |
Rohit Kochhar Pooja Mahajan Sachin Mehta Rajat Malhotra Zulfiquar Memon Manoj Menon Raghubir Menon Siddharth Mody Anu Monga Bharath MS Nishant Nigam Jeevan Ballav Panda Rudra Kumar Pandey Shyam Pandya Anshul Prakash Shwetambari Rao Abhishek A Rastogi Srabonee Roy Mohit Saraf Anshul Saurastri Saket Shukla SK Singhi Alok Sonker Aradhana Syal Darshan Upadhyay |
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