Asian Legal Business completed its entry into the Indian market with the triumphant staging of its first-ever Law Awards in that country, which saw more than 200 in-house counsel, private practice lawyers and corporate executives attend.

Held at the Grand Hyatt Mumbai on Feb.27, the event witnessed awards being given out in a total of 34 categories, and many of these were won by the Indian legal market’s biggest names. Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, for example, picked up the coveted India Law Firm of the Year title, to go with its Dispute Resolution Law Firm of the Year award. It also won in two individual categories: Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year (for Misha) and Young Lawyer of the Year - Law Firm (for Natashaa Shroff). 

Meanwhile, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas picked up Managing Partner of the Year (for Cyril Shroff) and Banking and Financial Services Law Firm of the Year, among others. Khaitan & Co won Dealmaker of the Year (for Haigreve Khaitan) and Deal Firm of the Year. And AZB & Partners snapped up Woman Lawyer of the Year – Law Firm (for Zia Mody) and Technology, Media and Telecommunications Law Firm of the Year.

But it wasn’t just the big names that shone; many of the winners were fast-growing smaller firms or those with niche practices. The Boutique Law Firm of the Year went to Ikigai Law, while MZM Legal was named Criminal Law Firm of the Year. Argus Partners and Singularity Legal won Restructuring and Insolvency Law Firm of the Year and Rising Law Firm of the Year, respectively.

On the in-house side, the competition was no less intense. While Mahindra and Mahindra won the big prize – India In-House Team of the Year – to go with the Young Lawyer of the Year - In-House award (for Hoshedar Havewala), Aditya Birla Retail had two important wins: In-House Lawyer of the Year – India (for Gopal Naik) Retail and Manufacturing In-House Team of the Year.

With the successful staging of the inaugural India Law Awards, ALB now has three offerings in the South Asian country, the others being the annual ALB India In-House Summit (held for the second time on Feb. 27)  and the ALB India E-magazine, which you can read by clicking on the link HERE>>. 

Find the full list of winners at the ALB India Law Awards 2019 HERE>>.