India

Established in 2011, Acuity Law is a full-service boutique firm with a dispute resolution practice that houses a team of 19 skilled advocates. They cover contentious matters spanning commercial and corporate, technology, media and telecommunications, labour and employment, tax, data protection, restructuring and insolvency and arbitration. The disputes lawyers have served as counsels before all court levels, including the Supreme Court of India and various tribunals such as the Securities Appellate Tribunal. In a recent case, the team represented SBS Holdings, a listed Japanese company, before the High Court of Delhi in seeking interim reliefs against a third-party litigation funder at post-award stage.

The key contacts are managing partner Souvik Ganguly, and partners Sidhartha Barua and Renjith Nair. Barua joined last summer from Luthra and Luthra Law Offices.

The dispute resolution team at Agrud Partners represents clients at all levels of courts in India. The firm has a deep understanding of procedural and substantive laws and is skilled at strategising highly complicated litigations. Clients include development and investment financial institutions, ultra-high-net-worth individuals, non-banking financial companies, public sector banks, brokerage firms, technology and outsourcing model businesses, biotech firms and manufacturing companies.

The key contacts for disputes are managing partner Sajid Mohamed and partners Sumit Raghani and Meghna Talwar. Talwar joined from Gagrats in late 2023.

One recent highlight was the team’s defence of an individual for alleged fraudulent transfer of shares of Juhu Hotel Private. The team also represented Zee Entertainment in an arbitration proceeding.

Other recent clients include Bank of Baroda, Dabur India and Vihaan Direct Selling.

Ahlawat & Associates is a full-service firm that was established in 1978. Since its founding, the firm has been primarily a litigation practice. Is disputes strengths lie in labour and employment, and insolvency. The insolvency team handles cases for and against financial creditors as well as operation creditors. It is one of the few law firms in India that has represented its clients across all 11 benches of the National Company Law Tribunals and the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal. The employment litigators have deep experience working with clients on the challenges they face in complying with labour laws in India – and when contentious matters arise, the Ahlawat team is ready to assist. The firm has offices in Delhi and Mumbai.

The team is led by founding partner Avnish Ahlawat and partner Apoorva Misra.

The firm recently represented NER-II Transmission as the respondent in a case against Tata Project, which filed the suit for invoking a bank guarantee that was utilised during the defect liability period. The team was also engaged by a UK-based recycling company in a suit to recover amounts taken fraudulently by the defendant during a commercial transaction.

Other recent clients include Apollo Fiege Integrated Logistics, BPC Technologies and Walsons Services.

The litigation and arbitration team at AKS Partners has been covering the full spectrum of dispute management for the past three decades. The firm has carved out a strong presence for contentious government and regulatory-related matters – for example, scoring wins for the Ministry of Aviation. It works regularly with national and international clients such as major corporates, banks, financial institutions, private equity houses, investors, high-net-worth individuals and brand owners. The firm recently launched a new entity in Dubai called AKSP Legal.

The principal contact is managing partner Sonal Kumar Singh. He is a dispute resolution specialist with expertise in domestic and international arbitrations. Other key partners for disputes are partners Payal Dayal and Faizur Rehman. Associate partner Paritosh Anil is a white collar crimes specialist.

Recently, the team represented National Textile Corporation in an arbitral proceeding arising out of a joint venture agreement executed for modernisation of a textile mill, wherein the joint venture partner is seeking for specific performance of the agreement between the parties.

Established in 2003, Alaya Legal celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The dispute resolution offering spans the full range of practice areas, but it has a particular expertise in contentious labour and employment matters. The lawyers are experienced working at all levels of the court in India, from district courts to the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal. Its caseload includes contract, real estate, insolvency and labour disputes, as well as construction and infrastructure arbitration matters.

The key partner leading the disputes practice is Divjyot Singh. Singh is a labour and employment specialist, but also handles civil and commercial litigation and arbitration.

Singh and his team are acting for a public sector undertaking as the respondent in an arbitration involving disputes relating to the construction of a wind farm. They are also representing Zomato Private as the plaintiff in proceedings seeking an injunction and damages from the defendants for uploading a video containing incorrect and disparaging comments on YouTube. The team was successful in procuring interim orders, including an order directing YouTube to disable the URL containing the video.

In an employment-related matter, the firm represented a software company in a petition filed by a workmer before the High Court of Delhi challenging the ruling of the Labour Court refusing reinstatement and backdated wages to the worker. On the flip side, the litigation team assisted a worker as the petitioner before the High Court of Delhi in a writ petition filed against an order of the Labour Court dismissing the application of the worker for amendment of pleadings.

In another labour-related case, the team is assisting the client in a petition filed before the High Court against an award passed by the Labour Court. This case raised several novel questions, such as whether a person performing administrative, managerial and supervisory duties can be said to be a ‘workman’ under the Industrial Disputes Act 1947 and the principles governing the grant of backdated wages as the same cannot be claimed by the ‘workman’ as a matter of right.

Established in 2007, Alliance Law provides clients with a wide scope of dispute resolution services. The firm is noted for its core strengths in contentious corporate, banking and commercial matters, and it has experience fighting battles across sectors such as finance, technology, real estate and healthcare. Particularly, the team has a strong record of acting on contentious securities-related cases. The group’s corporate and commercial litigation practice is well rounded, covering securities laws, insolvency and bankruptcy law, insurance law, writ petitions, and contentious commercial transactions and real estate matters, before various legal forums in the country.

The disputes team is led by managing partner RS Loona and includes partner Ankur Loona and associate partner Aparna Wagle.

After the securities regulator suspended the licences of many commodities brokers in India, the Alliance Law team represented IIFL Commodities before the Securities Appellate Tribunal.

Client feedback

“They had good knowledge and, attention. Execution of the case was strong.” – Securities

“Alliance Law has expertise in corporate and commercial litigation.” – Commercial and transactions

“The Alliance Law team's drafting and research skills are remarkable. Their ability to assist their clients in any legal matter and to understand the client’s need is also noteworthy.” – Securities

Ankur Loona

“He is skilled and knowledgeable. He is good at understanding the matter and drafting.”

“He is well spoken and to-the-point, kind and smart. He is often the kindest person in the room and is usually the smartest. He will come back later with the correct answer if he is not sure.”

“He is very amiable.”

“Mr Loona is very cordial in his approach and is patient while listening to his clients. He gives excellent service.”

Aparna Wagle

“She was prompt to respond to the queries, kept her timelines and was up to date on the latest case laws.”

As an intellectual property powerhouse that celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023, Anand and Anand needs no introduction. The firm is widely praised by the market across all practice areas and sectors for having the top IP litigators, particularly on the patent side. It routinely features in landmark decisions and its lawyers are highly sought after for novel, high-stakes and complex IP cases. The firm is a trusted name in court litigation, mediation, arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution methods. The figures speak for themselves, with the firm winning 116 out of 126 of the lawsuits clients instructed it on in 2022 alone. It also has a patent grant rate of more than 93%. The firm is spread out across four offices – in New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and Noida – and comprises 400 professionals, including 29 partners and three directors. The firm also launched its Digital Group practice and end-end-branding practice last year.

The firm’s western practice has collaborated with Naik Naik & Co in Mumbai to form “Anand and Naik”. The joint firm offers corporate commercial litigation and international commercial arbitration, in addition to contentious IP. There is a strong focus on media and entertainment, films, television, social media, e-commerce, sports and gaming, fantasy sports. The teams are exploring emerging areas such as OTT, broadcasting, digital media, the internet, convergence and tech-based hybrid areas such as fintech, edtech, agritech and healthtech.

Managing partner and IP litigation specialist Pravin Anand and partner Vaishali Mittal are key contacts. Other names to note are partners Dhruv Anand, Saif Khan and Shrawan Chopra. The firm recently hired the highly esteemed Dr Ajai Garg from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

The firm acted for Bollywood legend Anil Kapoor to protect his personality and privacy rights. This sparked intense media coverage and highlighted current discussions into ‘dark patterns’. The client had filed a suit raising concerns that tools such as generative AI were being used to simulate or mimic the actor and prejudice his hard-earned goodwill and reputation.

In a marquee high-profile case that served as a global precedent, the team assisted Nokia in obtaining a pro-tem security order, which was a first in India. This groundbreaking precedent was set during the pendency of its client’s SEP/Frand dispute with Oppo. The court held that Nokia was entitled to receive a security payment at the outset even before the bench went into the details of whether Nokia’s patents were infringed and valid. The judgment is certain to have wide ramifications, with the court explicitly stating that even in cases not concerning ex-licensees, the court will pass pro-tem security orders, as the interests of SEP holders need to be protected.

Amazon and Microsoft continue to engage the team for its global tech fraud issues.

Now approaching its fourth anniversary, AnantLaw continues to impress the market with its antitrust practice. It is involved in a high number of constitutional challenges to the Competition Act. Apart from its competition strength, the firm is active in representing clients on a range of civil, criminal, corporate, class action and commercial disputes.

Three partners lead the disputes group: Rahul Goel, Anu Monga and Sunil Jain. Goel and Monga are competition specialists.

In one commercial disputes highlight, the team successfully represented the minority shareholders of Solar Industries India before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal. The case revolves around a petition filed by the vice-chairman of the company, alleging acts of oppression and mismanagement by the majority shareholders of Solar Industries and by other members of the board.

The competition team successfully represented the Builders Association of India (BAI) before the Madras High Court in writ petitions filed by India Cement and Dalmia Bharat Cement challenging the impleadment of BAI as an interested party in a cement cartel investigation by the competition regulator. This was the first judgment in competition law jurisprudence to deal with ‘comity of courts’ and ‘territorial jurisdiction’ of the High Court.

Client feedback

“Strong at competition law client advisory and drafting of appeal.” – Competition/antitrust

“They take extremely good care of their clients by giving good advice.” – Tax

Rahul Goel

“Takes the interests of the client very seriously.”

Anu Monga

“Very reasonable, reliable and knowledgeable.”

Employment specialist Manishi Pathak founded Anhad Law in early 2021 after his departure from IndusLaw. The firm is one of the few law firms in the country to house a dedicated and standalone labour and employment practice. It covers the full spectrum of services for companies and employees, from advisory to mediation and litigation.

Client feedback

“Translates legal procedures and options to businesses in a way that we understand.” – Commercial and transactions

“Makes it easy for us by taking care of all legal and related administrative procedures.” – Commercial and transactions

Founded in 2021, Anirudh & Associates is best known as a Bangalore-based boutique with a specialisation in restructuring and insolvency. The team is experienced in handling R&I matters across multiple cities in India, adeptly leveraging the online hearing option afforded by the National Company Law Tribunal. In a David versus Goliath battle, the team represented numerous minority shareholders against Bharti Telecom after the telecoms giant attempted to reduce their share capital at an unfair price. After a year-long fight, the court judgment was decided in the clients’ favour.

Partner Anirudh Suresh is the key contact for dispute resolution. He is a commercial and insolvency litigation specialist.

Client feedback

“They do documentation and drafting well.” – Banking and financial services

“The team carefully understands the client’s problems, drafts a customised solution and gives personal attention.” – Bankruptcy

“They understand their client’s problem and add a humane touch to it.” – Commercial and transactions

“Good at strategic planning and the matter is seen through.” – Intellectual property

“The firm excels at company law-related matters, arbitration and white-collar criminal offences.” – White-collar crime

Anirudh Suresh

“Strong communications and case strategy.”

“He has integrity, professionalism and works on startup culture.”

“He is very energetic, clever and, above all, sincere.”

“He does lot of research and is very innovative.”

“Anirudh Suresh is an amazing lawyer. He is very experienced, positive-minded, results-oriented and a highly professional practitioner.”

“He is most energetic. He prepares well and presents in court many previous judgments which will be favourable to my case.”

ANM Global expanded its contentious IP capabilities when it merged with Mumbai-based IP boutique Literati Juris in 2022. The firm’s clients in this area range from individuals to Fortune 500 companies across a multiplicity of sectors such as media and entertainment, pharmaceuticals and life sciences, e-commerce, infrastructure, transportation and technology. The firm is keen to help protect and enforce IP rights.

The key contacts for disputes are managing partner Nidhish Mehrotra, head of IP Rahul Dhote and media and entertainment specialist Anushree Rauta. Associate partner Shwetank Tripathi was hired last summer from Khaitan & Co.

In a recent highlight, the team acted for Applause Entertainment Private in a case that featured complex legal challenges such as trademark infringement and domain name disputes. The opposition was using similar marks to the client’s without authorisation in an attempt to create an unlawful association with the client’s corporate name and trademarks.

Client feedback

“They are very responsive and savvy in their strategies.” – Intellectual property

“ANM Global excelled in supporting the task of implementing a service structure that adheres to state legal laws and tax laws by offering the following services:

1. Expertise in corporate law: The firm has extensive knowledge and experience in navigating corporate legal requirements. They provided guidance on the appropriate legal structure for the company services.

2. Tax law proficiency: ANM Global is well versed in tax laws and can ensure that the company’s service structure is optimised for both legal and tax purposes. They advise on tax planning strategies, identify potential tax benefits, and help minimise tax liabilities within the confines of the law.

3. Regulatory compliance: ANM Global has a deep understanding of state laws and regulations that govern businesses in the relevant industry. They assisted in ensuring the company services met all legal requirements, such as obtaining necessary licences and permits, drafting contracts that comply with state laws, and implementing policies and procedures that align with industry regulations.

4. Ongoing legal support: A dependable law firm. They provided continuous legal assistance to address changes in state legal or tax laws that could have affected the company’s service structure. They help with annual compliance tasks, monitor legal developments and offer proactive advice on maintaining legal and tax compliance including IP and patent-related.

5. Collaboration with experts: ANM Global provided comprehensive support. It collaborated with other professionals, such as tax accountants and business consultants, to ensure all aspects of the company’s service structure align with both legal and tax requirements.

Overall, by combining their expertise in corporate and tax law, maintaining up-to-date knowledge of laws and regulations and offering ongoing support, ANM Global successfully assisted in implementing the service structure that complied with state legal and tax laws.” – Government and regulatory

Ragini Shah

“Well versed in international law and has business savvy.”

Boutique firm Archeus Law specialises in dispute resolution in the construction, projects, insolvency, and mining and exploration areas. Notably it excels in the areas of project advisory and contract management. Its litigators have solid experience with energy, highways, bridges and urban infrastructure clients. For example, most of its cross-border disputes relates to those in the energy and infrastructure industries and pertain to projects in thermal power, renewable energy, highways and bridges, metro rail, rapid transport, smart cities and logistics. It has an active Chinese client roster in these sectors.

The firm has alliances in multiple countries to provide seamless advice to clients – including China, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Singapore, Bangladesh and Malaysia.

Founding partner Ranjit Prakash leads a disputes-focused team that includes partners Arun Mani, Rajdeep Choudhury and Anshuman Pande. Their practices cover arbitration and commercial, construction and insolvency disputes.

Tantia Constructions instructed the Archeus team for its $133 million dispute against the National Highway Authority of India in relation to a roads project in the state of Bihar.

The disputes group at Argus Partners continues to win marquee instructions with its sizeable team of experienced litigators and arbitration experts. Its clients are some of the best-known companies and brands in the global marketplace. The offering is primarily focused on commercial, contractual, insolvency, arbitration, regulatory, banking and taxation disputes. Peers have nodded to the prevalence and visibility of Argus Partners on a number of the country’s higher-profile insolvency matters. The litigators have a long track record of advising clients on strategies in litigation, potential disputes, recovery and enforcement proceedings, arbitration, conciliation and mediation, and a host of regulatory matters. The team has advocated before all levels of the court, quasi-judicial authorities and various tribunals. The arbitration group is active in domestic cases and international proceedings, with experience in matters before the SIAC and the ICC. The team has helped clients enforce or challenge awards and foreign decisions in sectors such as energy, banking and finance, construction and infrastructure, power, automation and engineering.

The practice has 10 partners covering primarily commercial, contractual and regulatory disputes, and it is active in domestic and international arbitrations. The firm has offices in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

Key figures within the team are senior partners R Sudhinder, Abeezar Faizullabhoy and Ranjit Shetty. Other disputes partners include Soorjya Ganguli, Bhavya Mohan, Murtaza Kachwalla, Namitha Mathews and Pooja Chakrabarti.

In a recent highlight, domestic giant HDFC enlisted the firm for its litigation against IL&FS before various forums including the Supreme Court of India in relation to a loan rental discounting facility. This dispute is first of its kind as the resolution of 348 group entities of IL&FS is being carried out under the aegis of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) and by a committee appointed by the NCLAT. The final outcome of the proceedings between the client and IL&FS is likely to be an authoritative judgment on the rights of a lender under a contract for assignment of receivables.

In another matter, the team acted for Capillary Technologies for its arbitration against Syngenta Asia over unpaid invoices.
The firm counts ABB, Edelweiss, ICICI Bank, KKR, Tata Group, Volkswagen Group and Volvo as loyal clients.

Client feedback

“They are detail-oriented and they managed the matter excellently. They are well prepared and have strategic inputs on how to take the matter forward.” – Commercial and transactions

Udit Mendiratta

“Very accessible and has immediate answers and inputs.”

“He is well prepared on the matter and ensures it runs smoothly.”

Intellectual property boutique Aswathh Legal focuses on IP rights, litigation, investigation and enforcement, data privacy and security, trade compliance and legal metrology. The group’s contentious portfolio cuts across a variety of industry sectors such as life sciences and pharmaceuticals, media and technology, transportation, FMCG, apparel and e-commerce. The firm’s clients include LT Overseas, Ambuja Cements, Lava International, Nivea India, Godfrey Philips India and Sugar Box Networks. Additionally, it has recently cooperated with international IP players such as Spruson & Ferguson, Wither & Rogers, Schmitt & Orlov and John Wilson Partners. On its current roster, the firm is handling 25 active IP litigations and 104 opposition proceedings.

Managing partner Prabhu Tandon is the key contact.

A recent highlight was the team defending Dabur India in a case of disparagement filed by Zydus Wellness Products against an ad run by the client for their brand and a specific product.

Client feedback

“They make an effort to understand our business and have the relevant expertise to help us.” – Intellectual property

Navreet Kaur

“Navreet is a great pleasure to work with. She is always prompt in responding to emails and is very good on drawing out her colleagues for specific expertise and bringing them into calls as required.”

Established in 2022, Axiom5 Law Chambers is a specialist competition and policy boutique firm that was founded by ex-AZB & Partners senior partner and head of competition Samir Gandhi. Gandhi’s credentials and the fact that he has been a leading lawyer in this space over the past two decades have given him a ringside view of the development of antitrust law in India. He was a counsel to the CCI in its earliest litigation; later, back in private practice, he worked on pioneering antitrust cases and merger filings. He has been a powerful voice in the formulation of competition policy in India since its inception, including as a member of the ad hoc group the competition authority on the formulation of its merger regulations and also as a special government invitee to the Competition Law Review Committee. His firm advises on the full range of issues related to competition law, including litigation and enforcement, complex merger filing advice, counselling and compliance, and competition policy and advocacy. Its sector strengths include media and entertainment, and technology.

In addition to Gandhi, the firm’s leadership includes partner Rahul Rai and counsel Shivanghi Sukumar. Just over a year ago, the team welcomed Senior advisor PK Singh, who has tenures at the CCI and Provident Fund Regulatory Development Authority.

The team recently successfully represented Tata Motors in securing the closure of an inquiry by the CCI into alleged abuse of dominance and anti-competitive vertical restraints.

The formidable AZB & Partners has a seasoned and respected dispute resolution team comprising some of the leading practitioners in the market. The firm has offices in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, with no less than 16 disputes partners covering the full range of practice areas. Its core strength is corporate disputes, stemming from its top-tier M&A, competition and private equity transactional practices. Increasingly, clients are generated by the disputes team independent of the firm’s other transactional areas. Arbitration is another key strength for the team: it played leading roles in landmark decisions that have sculpted the domestic arbitration landscape. Recently, the firm has expanded into emerging areas of practice – for example, handling disputes in new technology areas such as high-frequency trading technology, fintech, privacy and technology regulation. It has been gaining experience also in third-party litigation and arbitration. This year the firm moved into the top tiers in the construction, international arbitration and white-collar crime rankings.

Noted partners include Rajendra Barot, Vijayendra Pratap Singh[JD(1] , Aditya Vikram Bhat, Roopali Singh, Kamal Shankar, Anindita Roychowdhury and Priyanka Shetty. Market legend and rainmaker Zia Mody specialises in commercial litigation and arbitration, regulatory and white-collar crime.

The team is representing BSR and Associates and its partner in special leave petitions filed by the Union of India and the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO). The client challenged the actions taken by the government the SFIO in connection with its sole joint audit of IL&FS Financial Services for the financial year that ended in 2018. In another high-stakes matter, the team is defending a majority shareholder and its company against allegations of oppression and mismanagement and other connected litigations. The case involves complex issues of determining whether oppression and mismanagement disputes are arbitrable or not. In this matter, the AZB team will apply a legal test to determine when a shareholder dispute can be reduced to a contractual dispute that is arbitrable, and when a claim of oppression is maintainable.

Another marquee litigation has the team championing Amazon.com for its international arbitration against the Future Group. The case spotlights the first Emergency Award under Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) arbitration enforced in India. The matter involved various issues inter alia, legal status of an emergency arbitrator and its order, validity of incorporating institutional rules that provide for emergency arbitration while the governing law is silent on the issue, the doctrine of group of companies and non-signatory as a party to an arbitration. The Supreme Court has upheld the validity of the Emergency Award. The verdict of the land’s top court has altered India’s arbitration landscape as the determination of validity and the legal status of emergency arbitration is a first of a kind and a landmark judgment in the Indian arbitration jurisprudence, with far-reaching effects internationally.

The AZB team continues to assist HSBC in the enforcement proceedings of an SIAC award before the High Court of Bombay, proceedings for interim reliefs and the contempt proceedings before the Supreme Court of India. The SIAC award grants HSBC’s claim of $60 million against Avitel Post Studioz and its promoters. The enforcement proceedings have been resisted by the counterparty, inter alia, on grounds of the inarbitrability of issues settled by the arbitral tribunal, violation of the principles of natural justice, a bias of members of the arbitral tribunal, and on the grounds that the enforcement of the SIAC award would violate the public policy of India. This Supreme Court decision on the critical issue of fraud and arbitrability is a landmark arbitration-related judgment.

The firm has some of the corporate world’s biggest stars as loyal disputes clients, such as Amazon, Facebook, Credit Suisse, IHH Healthcare, HSBC, KKR, KPMG, Nissan Motors, Standard Chartered and Tata Steel. Recent clients include Aapico Hitech, Ambuja Cements, Cloudtail India, Solar Industries India and WNS Care Foundation.

Client feedback

“The firm’s partners spend a lot of time understanding the case in detail, going through the minutest intricacies, and then recommending an overarching strategy to the client. This may also include taking the advice of third-party experts, which may fall on the borderline of legal experts. So, while many other law firms or partners may be hesitant to recommend third parties to the clients, the partner handling our case in particular is very confident in her dealings and does not suffer any insecurity. She would advise what’s best in the client’s interest. And the best part is that the firm would stand beside her.” – International arbitration

Rajendra Barot

“He has great knowledge and experience, gives practical advice, is super-responsive and leads a great team.”

Roopali Singh

“She is very dedicated. She works extra hard to understand the client’s side, the business and the industry, and the specific circumstances of the case. In our case, she was at the forefront of framing the entire legal strategy around the case, encompassing several geographies (India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sri Lanka) and several areas (criminal breach of trust, international arbitration, IP infringement) as a partner to our in-house legal team. As an important stakeholder, I felt as comfortable talking to Roopali as to my in-house legal head.”

Intellectual property boutique law firm Beruar & Beruar recently marked its sixth anniversary. It has rapidly collected a diverse client base, ranging from Fortune 200 companies to startups across IP-rich industries. The team has been representing clients in civil, commercial and criminal proceedings before all court levels in India, and before tribunals such as the Intellectual Property Appellate Board. The firm’s sector strengths are highlighted in its impressive roster of industry-leading clients, particularly in publishing and education, auto and auto components, and healthcare.

The main contact is co-founder and managing partner Rahul Beruar.

Locon Solutions engaged the firm for its trademark infringement and disparagement suit. The team helped secure an injunction against the defendants, restraining them from using the company’s name in their web series.

The firm also successfully secured a dynamic injunction against multiple third-party anonymous websites and platforms that were infringing upon client India Today Group’s trademark and brand AAJ TAK. This is one of the few dynamic injunctions granted by courts in India in trademark infringement cases, and it offers the trademark owner a cost-effective and time-efficient solution for effective enforcement of their exclusive trademark rights.

Bharucha & Partners has a widely respected disputes team, with its partners boasting a proven track record of successfully handling complex commercial disputes. The partners have more than five decades of litigation experience collectively and the firm adopts a strategy of creating lean teams of skilled lawyers to meet the needs of its clients. The firm has offices in Mumbai, New Delhi and Bengaluru, and has represented clients in more than 30 different courts, including the Supreme Court of India and the High Courts around the country. The team has also made frequent appearances before various specialist tribunals such as the Competition Commission of India, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and Appellate Tribunal, and the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity. This year the firm has been elevated into the top tier for its white-collar crime prowess.

Senior partner MP Bharucha is very well respected by market watchers. He leads a five-partner-strong dispute resolution group that includes Sneha Jaisingh, Sudeshna Guha Roy, Kaushik Moitra and counsel Sonam Gupta.

In a recent highlight, the firm represented Federal Bank before the NCLT in respect of its claims over a sizeable sum in relation to the corporate insolvency process of Reliance Capital. JSW Steel engaged the disputes team to challenge orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Western Zone Bench, for wrongly transferring matters to the NGT, Principal Bench.

Chambers of SS Pujari founder Sachin Pujari is a qualified Advocate on Record (AoR), practising before the highest court levels in India. He specialises in special leave petitions, transfer petitions, writ jurisdiction and matters pertaining to constitutional, election and service laws. He also advocates for clients before the NCLT and NCLAT for managerial disputes and insolvency proceedings. Pujari is acting for an individual who was wrongfully removed from the position of director at his own software company. He additionally successfully represented a client in a matter pertaining to a dispute arising out of an agreement between the client and a company over unpaid dues.

Chandhiok & Mahajan is a respected name among the legal fraternity for its antitrust strength. With a leading contentious competition practice, the firm is regularly instructed by clients for leniency, merger control, cartel investigation and abuse of dominance matters. Its clients in this space include blue-chip companies such as Google and Intel, Global 100 conglomerates such as Samsung, Honda and Hyundai, and Fortune 500 companies. The group is recognised as a leader in leniency mandates and recently filed leniency applications on behalf of a manufacturer for cartelising with and facilitating a cartel among its resellers. The team is also acting on a multi-jurisdictional leniency application based on untested theories of harm.

The insolvency practice has seen exponential growth in recent years, acting for lenders, investors, insolvency professionals, liquidators, creditors, promoters, and guarantors in various insolvency proceedings in India.

Competition specialist Karan Chandhiok leads the disputes team, which includes partners Deeksha Manchanda and Avinash Amarnath. Managing partner Pooja Mahajan heads the restructuring and insolvency team alongside partners Rahul Narayan and Himanshu Vidhani.

The team remains a trusted counsel to Google in an investigation before the CCI in relation to Google Play Store’s payments policy and Google’s UPI payment app. Throughout the inquiry, the Chandhiok & Mahajan lawyers strategised Google’s defence, successfully arguing that the service fee charged by Google was not excessive. This matter was the first competition law challenge to the service fee charged by app stores from app developers in the country.

Client feedback

“One aspect that stood out was the comprehensive approach taken to analyse the cases. The thorough research and insightful legal arguments demonstrated a deep understanding of the intricacies involved. Moreover, the team displayed their ability to navigate complex legal issues with precision and clarity, which significantly contributed to the success of our arbitration.” – Commercial arbitration

“We were consistently kept informed of developments, timelines, and potential implications, fostering a sense of confidence and trust in the team’s capabilities. The prompt and articulate responses to inquiries reflected great professionalism.” – Commercial arbitration

“The firm’s exemplary performance in the matters handled by them has left a lasting positive impression. I am truly grateful for the expertise, dedication, and professionalism displayed by their team.” – Commercial arbitration

“They are strong at insolvency and bankruptcy law, competition law and commercial disputes.” – Real Estate

“They are leaders in IBC-related representation before NCLTs. I have found them always up-to-date and thorough in their understanding of the laws. “ – Bankruptcy

Himanshu Vidhani

“Himanshu possesses a versatile skill set that greatly contributes to his success as a lawyer. His strengths lie in a combination of legal expertise, strategic thinking, effective and timely communication, a steadfast commitment to prioritising the client’s needs and strong negotiation skills. These attributes, coupled with his hands-on involvement in every case, have proven very helpful in successfully navigating and resolving complex disputes. His well-rounded approach and dedicated personal engagement significantly enhance the overall resolution process for complex legal matters.”
“Proactive and responsive.”

Pooja Mahajan

“Excellent legal expertise and knowledge of court functioning and advocacy.”

“She is very hardworking and focused. She gives personal attention every time I have reached out to her.”

Full-service firm Clasis Law is experienced with contentious commercial and insolvency matters. It has two offices, in New Delhi and Mumbai, and has a diverse domestic and international client base across several sectors. In addition to its litigation offering, the team is active on international commercial arbitration matters. The Clasis lawyers are currently representing various financial institutions, companies in the hospitality sector, shipping companies and information technology companies before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for initiation of the insolvency resolution process against corporate debtors.

Partners Mustafa Motiwala and Shwetabh Sinha are the key figures for general commercial disputes, contentious shipping issues and insolvency matters. Motiwala’s practice also focuses on competition, intellectual property, estate, and technology, media and telecommunications.

In one recent highlight, the firm defended an Indian company, the shareholder of an Indian chemicals company, in a shareholders dispute case before the Bombay High Court. The team acted for an investment banking adviser in invoking enforcement proceedings against Arshiya for a foreign arbitral award.

As one of the country’s largest and most successful full-service law firms, it’s not surprising that Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas has a well-honed and experienced dispute resolution team that tops nearly every table in our ranking. Its pan-India practice is part of an established legacy that has secured the trust of its clients and counsel in India and across the globe. The litigation team has vast experience in handling complex litigations involving commercial and corporate disputes, including arbitration, infrastructure, companies law-related matters, insolvency and bankruptcy, competition, government action, electricity laws, intellectual property, mining laws, white-collar and criminal law, telecoms and data privacy. The firm has experienced an uptick in contentious insolvency work and it has a panel of senior retired regulatory experts specialising in key sectors.

The key figures for dispute resolution are managing partner Cyril Shroff, and department leaders such as disputes head Indranil Deshmukh, white-collar and investigations co-heads Faraz Alam Sagar and Ankoosh Mehta, head of North India disputes Amita Gupta Katragadda, head of South India disputes Lomesh Kiran Nidumuri, and head of international arbitration Shaneen Parikh.

The disputes team successfully represented the National Stock Exchange (NSE) before the Securities Appellate Tribunal and obtained a favourable order quashing a sizeable monetary penalty imposed on the client by the Securities Exchange Board of India.

The team continues to act for the Board of Control for Cricket in India in its arbitration dispute with Rendezvous Sports World regarding the furnishing of bank guarantee under franchise agreements. On the insolvency front, the team is representing the committee of creditors during the Dewan Housing Finance Corporation insolvency resolution process.

Active clients of the firm include Bank of Baroda, BCCI, Fortis Hospitals, IDBI Bank, IFC, Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services, Narang Group, Piramal Group and State Bank of India.

Client feedback

“CAM was excellent representing us before the Arbitral Tribunal, High Courts and Supreme Court.”– White-collar crime

“They bring together different functional areas for complete dispute assistance, from litigation and corporate to tax and regulatory. They help foreign businesses navigate Indian law and dispute practices.”– International arbitration

“Knowledgeable, prompt, effective, cost-effective.” – Commercial and transactions

“Good-quality local work within a global context.” – White-collar crime

Indranil Deshmukh

“He has super knowledge, is always available and cost-effective. He has an amazing network.”

“Very knowledgeable, prompt and effective.”

Faraz Sagar

“Experienced both in local and global matters. A trusted adviser to clients.”

Full-servce firm D&T Juris was founded in 2018. It has an expansive dispute resolution practice covering arbitration, contentious insolvency, criminal, competition, IP and corporate matters, among others. The firm’s key clients include Ernst & Young, Moser Baer, Carlton London, Lava International, Pierre Cardin, Forever New Apparels and Amsterdam RAI. The team also regularly represents governmental and regulatory bodies such as the Telecom Sector Skill Council, Delhi Pollution Control Committee and Income Tax Department of India. Managing partner Nishant Datta is the key contact.

The team recently assisted a steel manufacturer to obtain a favourable outcome in a complex case involving multiple agreements and the absence of an arbitration clause in one of the agreements.

Link Legal India Law Services has a disputes practice covering a wide range of sectors, including aviation, banking and financial services, construction and energy. It is respected in the market as a leading construction, energy, projects and infrastructure player, and has strong aviation and power sector expertise. The team has been very active the past year, and a specialised arbitration group was created with work in this sphere on the upswing. Its contentious insolvency and aviation groups have expanded alongside its construction arbitration practice. The firm’s commitment to maintaining its construction pre-eminence is demonstrated through its retention of an engineer with substantial construction and project management experience as part of the team. The firm climbs into the second tier for commercial disputes this year. Link Legal celebrated the opening of a new office in New York City in 2022 and its China desk goes from strength to strength each year, having advised well over 100 Chinese clients.

Co-managing partners Atul Sharma and Nusrat Hassan lead a team of 17 partners that run the dispute resolution group. Other partners include Anand Srivastava, Milanka Chaudhury, Ravi Varma, Abhishek Sharma, Sanjay Gupta, Sidhartha Srivastava, Prasad Dhande, P Ravi Charan, and Abhinav Agnihotri.

In an aviation matter, the team is acting for Delhi International Airport in a writ petition filed against Union of India, Delhi Cantonment Board and others, wherein the client has challenged the constitutional validity of a section of the Cantonments Act while also seeking directions of the court for declaring that the land forming part of the IGI Airport is not a “cantonment” within the meaning of another section of the Cantonments Act.

The firm has been instructed by India Infrastructure Finance Company and IFCI for representation before the Supreme Court. The clients have challenged the judgment of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal where the Appellate Tribunal, while adjudicating on the alleged mismanagement of IL&FS, adopted a procedure where a Resolution Framework was approved with respect to IL&FS and its group companies.

In a high-profile antitrust matter, Link Legal lawyers are representing SpiceJet for an investigation by the Director General and in proceedings by the competition regulator with respect to alleged concerted action by various airlines in a fuel surcharge fixing scheme. The client, and other airlines, preferred appeals against the order of the CCI before the Competition Appellate Tribunal (COMPAT). After considering the matter, the COMPAT remanded the matter to the CCI and held that the CCI violated the principles of natural justice in that the airlines were not given sufficient opportunity to present their case.

The firm welcomed partners Nitin Kaushik, Jinni Sinha and Sayantani Dutta last year, the latter two coming from Ortis Law Offices and Wadia Ghandy & Co, respectively. Several members left, including managing partner Ananda Chaudhuri, Kashish Arora and Bhalchandra Palav.

Key clients of the firm are Axiom Cordages, Drake & Scull Water and Energy India, Indus Towers, Ramky Infrastructure, Spicejet and Vestige Marketing.

Client feedback

“Excellent handholding and detailed analysis in the pre-dispute stage. They were good at expanding the scope of our claim and providing ground-level support of evidence analysis. Finally, there was excellent legal support before the tribunal.” – Commercial and transactions

“Prompt, good understanding and thorough with legal issues.” – Insolvency

Sanjay Gupta

“Good analytics and great professional legal support.”

Dhaval Vussonji & Associates passed its 10th anniversary last year. It is recognised in the market for its strong real estate practice. The firm has more than 60 lawyers in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi. Four of its six partners are real estate specialists, with managing partner Dhaval Vussonji also being a chartered accountant. The disputes practice services domestic and international conglomerates, as well as high-net-worth individuals at all levels of court. In addition to Vussonji, the key contacts for disputes are co-managing partner Prachi Dave and Sonam Mhatre.

The team acted for the operational creditors of Binani Cement in a case that laid a legal precedent for the protection of rights of operational creditors during a resolution under the IBC in India. The team was equally instrumental for Honest Shelters in a long-running real estate dispute relating to a project known as “Palais Royale” in Mumbai. The legal issues involved in the case include whether temporary structures on common access forming part of the property were in a dilapidated state, whether the client was entitled to seek demolition of those structures, and whether ordering demolition would mean dealing with assets of a corporate debtor undergoing a corporate insolvency resolution process. The case also involved determining the jurisdiction of the Bombay High Court or the National Company Law Tribunal in deciding the issue.

Full-service law firm Dhir & Dhir Associates is famed for its market-leading insolvency practice. It also has an active dispute resolution group. Its core dispute specialities, in addition to insolvency, are commercial, construction and government and regulatory. The firm has handled more than 60% of all cases before the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction and its Appellate Authority, and currently handles more than 25% of total non-performing assets in India. A review of the firm’s regulatory highlights demonstrates it has been very active for the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of India in recent years, appearing on behalf of the regulator in multiple cases. The firm has five offices across the country – in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune and Bengaluru – and a representative office in Japan.

Managing partner Alok Dhir leads the disputes offering, which includes partners Maneesha Dhir, Sachin Gupta, Rahul Tyagi, Varsha Banerjee and Karan Batura.

The team demonstrated its market-leading stature by successfully handling the very first completed case of a pre-pack insolvency resolution process since it was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic. It managed to have a pre-pack scheme of a third-party approved for Amrit Indi.

The firm’s key clients include Avantha Holdings, Binani Industries, Essar Steel India, IDBI Bank, Jaypee Infratech, Jindal Steel & Power, Moser Baer India, Punjab National Bank, Metalyst Forgings, Soma Enterprise, Rural Electrification Corporation and Trident Infrahomes. Recent panel wins for the team include PFC Consulting, MOIL, India Infrastructure Finance Company, Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation and National Fertilisers.

The dispute resolution practice at DSK Legal experienced a significant shift two years ago with the onboarding of a massive litigation team from Luthra and Luthra Law Offices. The exponential growth ushered in a new era for the dispute resolution team, expanding the firm’s contentious capabilities across the full spectrum of practice areas and industry sectors. The team now has expertise in commercial, IPR, regulatory, securities, shareholder, blue-collar and white-collar crime, constitutional, employment, construction, tax, and regulatory disputes, as well as domestic and international arbitrations. With a team led by high-profile and experienced litigators across multiple areas and at all levels of court, the firm consistently finds itself on complex, novel and landmark matters. For example, the team was successful in winning one of the first arbitrations conducted under the rule of the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce. The arbitration team alone features 16 dedicated partners.

The disputes team is led by managing partner Anand Desai and includes Abdullah Hussain, Sajit Suvarna, Kunal Mehra, Kanika Chaudhary Nayar, Nirav Shah, Jatin Pore, Kirat Singh Nagra, Dinesh Pardasani, Samir Malik, Kartik Yadav, Parag Khandhar and Samit Shukla.

The team recently acted for Bharti International Singapore in an SIAC arbitration related to a contract dispute arising out of non-payment of satellite internet services. The antitrust group represented the Andhra Pradesh Excise Department and the Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation before the competition regulator in an abuse of dominance case filed by the International Spirits and Wines Association of India.

Dua Associates has a respected, experienced and truly pan-Asia dispute resolution practice that provides a full suite of contentious services. In particular, the team is adept at complex and high-stakes disputes involving the environment, constitutional and administrative laws, contracts, white-collar and regulatory matters, intellectual property, international trade, and corporate and commercial litigations. New areas of focus for the group include trademark litigation and contentious insolvency. The team is active daily before various judicial and arbitral forums in India, including state courts, the Supreme Court and numerous judicial and quasi-judicial tribunals. The group itself comprises more than 100 lawyers spread out across India, located in offices in New Delhi, Gurgaon, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune.

The group recently added China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products, Shandong Lingong Construction Machinery, Volvo CE India Private, Wanhua Chemical Group, and Kempar Energy as new clients.

A unique feature of the firm is that it has a robust and dedicated Supreme Court presence through Dua Associates AoR, a firm of Advocates-on-Record (AoR) registered with the Supreme Court. The present AoR of the firm form the bulwark of the Supreme Court practice, ably supported by other partners who appear as well as assist senior counsels with their teams. The AoR firm is based in Delhi and the other seven offices of Dua Associates are in complete sync with this Supreme Court practice.

Senior solicitor and partner Shiraz Patodia is a key figure on the disputes team. The sizeable practice features 16 other partners, including Rajdeep Panda, Angad Varma, Ashish Singh, Juhi Chawla, Divya Sharma, Mayank Singhal, LK Bhushan, Amit Dhingra and insolvency specialist Chitranshul Sinha.

In a landmark matter, Dua Associates represented Dow Chemical in an extremely complex and long-running litigation before the Supreme Court. The dispute emanated from a toxic industrial disaster that occurred in Bhopal in 1984 wherein the Union of India and certain NGOs sought enhanced compensation by filing a curative petition. The decision of the Supreme Court was seminal as it covered within its ambit the aspects that relate to the scope and maintainability of a ‘curative petition’. The matter is of great importance, as the Supreme Court opined on the adequacy of the settlement fund in a mass (environmental) tort action while examining the conspectus of Article 142 for seeking reopening of a settlement. The Constitution Bench concluded that a case for grant of additional compensation over and above the settlement amount, which was found to be sufficient, was not made out by Union of India.

A recent success saw the firm act for Commercial Bank of Dubai to initiate multiple proceedings against the individual personal guarantor in aid of substantive recovery proceedings pending in the UAE. The firm represented the bank and obtained an ex parte interim injunction restraining the personal guarantor from alienating his properties which were known, and also obtained a worldwide freezing orders against unknown properties too. The subject matter of the dispute is one of a kind where the Supreme Court recognised the rights of a foreign creditor in India during pendency of the recovery proceedings in another justification and in aid of such rights.

The team represented APRN Enterprises before the National Company Law Tribunal in a high value insolvency proceeding against Sahara India Medical Institute.

The dispute resolution group at Economic Laws Practice excels in competition, international arbitration, regulatory and tax work. Its white-collar crimes practice is maturing and the team has seen increasing work in this space. These practices are regarded as some of the best in the country, with many peers and clients affirming their dominance in these areas. The team is proud of its in-house advocacy capabilities, which enable its lawyers to provide to clients with a holistic review of all relevant matters in a dispute. In the past year, the team has been active in multiple shareholder, and oppression and mismanagement disputes, as well as handling large private client and intellectual property disputes.

Multiple senior lawyers are focused purely on litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution, including partners Naresh Thacker, Jitendra Motwani, Dinesh Pednekar, Mumtaz Bhalla, Shailesh Poria and Abhay Chattopadhyay.

The team recently represented the Cricket Club of India in a shareholder dispute pertaining to the requisition of an extraordinary general meeting of the company. The dispute called into question the interpretation of a section of the Companies Act, whether the company in receipt of a notice calling for an EGM has the right in law to verify the signatures appended to the said notice to determine the validity of the notice.

Client feedback

“They are technically very astute and have a very good understanding of our business and our industry. They provide sound commercial and technical guidance.”– Trade and customs

Rohit Jain

“Rohit provides very good technical and practical guidance.”

Ediplis Counsels celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Its litigation department is best known for its IP strength. The team’s sector strengths include technology, media, consumer goods, insurance, banking, energy, sports products, online clothing retail, fashion and luxury, and food and beverage.

Five senior partners lead the firm: IP specialists Aditi Verma Thakur, Nishant Kewalramani, Vishal Jain, Ashima Chalia and Achal Shekhar. The firm has four offices in Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi and Jaipur.

The team assisted Shenzhen Reolink Technology on its enforcement strategy and successfully represented the client against a squatter action.

Founded by a former Economic Laws Practice partner in 2019, Equilex is a restructuring and insolvency-focused firm. The firm regularly advises all parties on Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) matters, including advising clients in restructuring transactions outside of the IBC process. Its client roster ranges from public banks and resolution professionals to NBFCs, funds and MNCs. Insolvency specialist Deep Roy is the key contact.

Grant Thornton Bharat engaged the firm to determine the liability of the IL&FS group companies as on the cut-off date and was required to be guided by the principles of the IBC.

Intellectual property specialist firm Fidus Law Chambers is rising in prominence for its handling of several landmark cases in recent times, with peers and clients attesting to the quality of its work. Its litigation offering encompasses the full scope of intellectual property, such as trademark domain disputes and infringement actions, and disputes relating to patent, copyright, design, trade secret and geographical indication. The team has a success rate in the high 90s.

For all IP contentious matters, the main contacts at the firm are managing partner Shwetasree Majumder and partners Diva Arora, Tanya Varma, Prithvi Singh and Astha Negi.

In a one-of-a-kind matter, the team assisted client Adobe on its lawsuit against a typo-squatter for registering deceptively similar domain names as that of the client’s trademark. In the final decision, the court awarded damages of a quarter million dollars to the client, which was the highest damages award in a cyber-squatting case in India.

Key clients of the firm include Agoda Company, Air Canada, Google, Mattel, NBC Universal, Oracle, Philip 66, Tata Digital Private, Xerox and Yum! Brands.

Client feedback

“The team communicates and gets great results.”– Intellectual property

“Responsive and knowledgeable.”– Intellectual property

“They are knowledgeable, quick, accurate, efficient and business minded.”– Intellectual property

“It is a true pleasure to work with the lawyers at Fidus. They are detail-oriented, quick, efficient and understand very well how to communicate with us in an easy and quick manner.”– Intellectual property

Shwetasree Majumder

“She communicates well and is incredibly innovative.”

“Very experienced and easy to work with. Responsive at all times.”

“Shwetasree is very knowledgeable, and she is also very easy to work with and communicate with.”

Fox & Mandal was founded in 1896 and is one of the oldest continuing law firms in the country. The full-service firm has an experienced dispute resolution team of more than 100 based in Kolkata, with a network of associates across India. Its clients come from the private and public sectors, including corporates, family businesses and high-net-worth individuals.

The key contacts for disputes are managing partner Debanjan Mandal and joint managing partner Kunal Vajani. Partners Sanjiv Trivedi, Kunal Mimani and Vikrant Pachnanda are other names to note.

In a recent highlight, the team successfully represented Union Bank of India on its claim before the Dubai Court of First Instance seeking recovery of a multi-million-dollar sum in relation to a loan advanced to a borrower company under a master facility agreement in Dubai. In addition to its claim against the company, the client also sought repayment of the amounts due from two corporate guarantors and five personal guarantors. The final judgment after a 10-day trial awarded the sum claimed, along with interest, to the bank client.

The pan-India litigation team at Fox Mandal handles a broad range of disputes. Key areas of contentious specialism include intellectual property, employment, insolvency, real estate and banking. In addition to these strengths, the team covers matters across a broad spectrum, such as disputes related to banking and non-banking financial transactions, writs, arbitration, contracts, economic offences, consumer laws, property, and family laws. The team’s domestic and international clients come from multiple sectors, such as hotels, retail shops, manufacturers, non-banking financial institutions, public sector undertakings, infrastructure companies and media houses, to name a few.

The core partners for contentious work include Kaustuv Chunder, Jeevanandham Rajagopal, Arindam Guha, Sumit Dhar, Purnima Kamble, Sreya Basu Mallick and insolvency specialist Orijit Chatterjee.

In a recent highlight, the team represented Microfinance Institutions Network before the High Court of Telangana against the State of Telangana and the State of Andhra Pradesh in a constitutional challenge to the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Micro Finance Institutions Act and Telangana Micro Finance Institutions Act.

Client feedback

“The firm represented us very well.” – Government and regulatory

Sreya Basu Mallick

“She is available, knowledgeable, and responsive.”

Gaggar & Partners is widely recognised for its expertise in competition and antitrust matters. The disputes team is also experienced in several other areas, such as advising clients in civil commercial disputes, white-collar crime, personal laws including divorce, custody, estate management, real estate disputes and arbitrations.

It represents on all sides of the competition spectrum – sometimes for the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and at other times for domestic and international private clients. It has also been engaged separately by the investigative arm of the antitrust regulator for representation in certain sensitive cases relating to the evolving jurisprudence on investigation. The firm has been involved in most of the high-stakes and jurisprudence-setting cases in the genre across various fora. For instance, the competition team has handled the largest case in Indian competition history relating to cartels and worked on the largest penalty imposed in a case for abuse of dominance. Similarly, the firm has pioneered in cases relating to the leniency regime in India.

The key individuals for dispute resolution are managing partner Monica Lakhanpal and partner Sumedha Dang. Vaibhav Gaggar is a market-leading counsel for contentious competition matters, notably for anti-competitive agreement and abuse of dominance cases.

Recently, the firm obtained a favourable order for Mega Corporation in an SEBI appeal to examine the appeal’s scope before the Supreme Court. It is also acting for Krishna Buildestate Private in multiple writ petitions by Jaiprakash Associates challenging, inter alia, the powers of the Delhi MSE Facilitation Council to refer cases to the Delhi International Arbitration Centre. The Central Association of Private Security Industry has instructed the team for its challenge against the Department of Revenue for making amendments in the notification relating to the taxation of security services.

Key clients include Citibank, Denso Ten, Fastway Transmission, Haicheng Vivo Mobile, Hyatt Hotel, Intex Technologies, Orris Infrastructure and Toyo Tire Corporation.

Founded in 2015 and with offices in Delhi and Mumbai, Gravitas Legal has robust contentious insolvency, commercial litigation and white-collar crime practices. Its team is experienced with civil writ petitions, public interest litigation, special leave petitions, family matters, recovery suits, insolvency proceedings, corporate litigation, consumer matters and medico legal cases, writs pertaining to criminal complaints, bail applications, interim applications and revision petitions.

Partners Tanuj Sud, Rahul Gaikwad and Rajeev Aggarwal are the main contacts of the disputes practice.

The team acted for the promoters of Asian Ispat and Asian Colour Coated Group India to challenge the legality of Lookout Circulars issued against the clients. The white-collar specialists represented the valuer of Punjab and Maharashtra Co-op Bank in a criminal bail application.

Dispute resolution boutique GSL Chambers was founded by two Advocates on Record (AoRs) and it is an AoR-registered firm. It is headquartered in Delhi, with offices in Indore and Bengaluru. The lawyers represent clients across all forums in India and have experience in various sectors. The team is passionate about the law and serving society, and has a thriving pro bono practice. It has an impressive client roster of leading names, such as Axis Bank, Bajaj Finserv, HDFC Bank, Johnson & Johnson, Kimberly Clark and Tata Housing Services.

Co-founding partners Arjun Garg and Abhinav Shrivastava are the main figures handling the firm’s disputes matters.

The team acted for a unitholder in the Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund insolvency, raising issues with respect to rights of unitholders during winding up. The lawyers filed a writ petition on behalf of the client raising the issues with respect to the rights of unitholders in the fund giant’s wind-up. Since the petition raised substantial issues of constitutional importance and was also supplemented with adequate factual material, it was treated as the lead petition by the High Court. This matter is a first-of-its-kind, as never before has any mutual fund scheme been wound up in India. This would settle the Securities Law on the topic of the winding up of mutual fund schemes in India.

In a public interest challenge, the firm represented the petitioner in a case filed against the Union of India before the Supreme Court in relation to the lack of fire safety measures in India. The impact of this litigation would be to have better infrastructure for firefighters and to have more accountability at every level with the introduction of a uniform stringent Fire and Emergency Safety Act by all state governments.

Hammurabi & Solomon Partners is a respected, established firm that is best known in the contentious sphere for its strong government and regulatory and restructuring and insolvency practices. Its public policy and regulatory practice is well regarded by clients for its government relations initiatives. In addition to traditional disputes services, the firm is active in pursuing ADR routes such as arbitration, mediation, negotiation and case management. The team is experienced in acting for clients in complex arbitration cases involving government bodies, and public and private international companies. The firm recently launched new offices in Kolkata, Hyderabad and Chennai.

The key names for disputes are managing partner Manoj Kumar, senior partner Shweta Bharti and partner Shantanu Malik.

The team is representing global networking and marketing agency Dentsu Aegis in various litigations across India. Mother Dairy has enlisted the team for a trademark infringement case.

Client feedback

“We recommend them for their quality and on-time delivery.” – Securities

Shweta Bharti

“Reachability, quality and on-time delivery.”

HSA Advocates has a commanding reputation in the market as a preferred firm for contentious energy, construction and infrastructure work. The firm is routinely found acting on arbitrations and litigations related to power, road, port, airport, oil, gas, clean energy and special economic zone projects. In addition to its strength in these sectors, the team supports clients in all manners of civil, criminal, commercial and constitutional law disputes across various judicial forums. In the past year, the firm scored new clients Shapoorji Pallonji, SBI Global Factors, Bundle Technologies, Assystem, Airgate Holdings, Coromandel International, Hyve Group and Inox Renewables.

Founding partner and projects specialist Hemant Sahai leads a team that includes partners Abhirup Dasgupta, Amrita Narayan, Ashish Anand, Madhumita Kothari and Faranaaz Karbhari.

In a recent highlight, the team acted for ONGC Nile Ganga in an international commercial arbitration pertaining to the recovery of monies from a North African country. This was one of the largest cross-border oil and gas arbitrations governed by the law of an African sovereign. A domestic airport instructed the firm in a litigation battle concerning a tariff order.

The dispute resolution group at IndusLaw comprises seasoned professionals handling all matters of corporate litigation and arbitration. The firm features strong, stable and competent litigation teams equally across all offices to provide true pan-Indian service. IndusLaw has offices in Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chennai. The advocacy-focused team handles a diverse range of matters, such as international and domestic arbitrations, commercial disputes, intellectual property, real estate, insolvency, writ petitions, constitutional law, recovery suits, public interest litigations and pro bono work. At present, the lawyers are handling about 2,000 live cases before different courts and judicial forums.

Nine partners lead the litigation and dispute resolution department, including noted lawyers Amit Jajoo, Mayank Mishra, Palecanda Chinnappa, Sushmita Gandhi, Padmaja Kaul, Shabbeer Ahmed and Sourasubha Ghosh. There are more than 40 disputes-dedicated associates across the three offices in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

The team represented DBS Bank India in various disputes against Religare Finvest, and acted for JC Flowers Asset Reconstruction Private in a transfer petition filed against Vadraj Cements. In an arbitration highlight, the team successfully represented Cyient in a service agreement dispute with Accenture Solutions. Indian Explosive instructed the IndusLaw lawyers for its arbitration against Siby Mining Infrastructure in relation to unreceived payments after the completion of certain works for a Hyderabad construction project.

Key clients of the disputes group include an enviable range of domestic and international conglomerates and financial institutions such as Arvind Mills, BGR Energy Systems, Big Basket, DBS, Diageo, Finolex Cables, ICICI Bank, JM Financial, Mahindra & Mahindra, PhonePe, Tata Communications, Unacademy, West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation and Yes Bank.

Client feedback

“Provided professional legal advisory and consultation for our case.”– Banking and financial services

“We liked that they had distinct teams for all sectors.” – Bankruptcy

“Our experience has been good in whatever we have brought to them.” – Commercial and transactions

“Very solid at litigation at the NCLT and high courts.” – Banking and financial services

“IndusLaw is very professional and meticulous in its approach. They demonstrated confidence, commanded respect, and presented arguments with proficiency that made the arbitrator take each utterance seriously. Throughout the arbitration, it was evident that he had a deep understanding of the law and a gift for persuasively presenting the case.” – Government and regulatory

Shabbeer Ahmed

“Great turnaround time and knowledge.”

“Excellent legal knowledge, approachability, understanding and depth of knowledge.”

Palecanda Chinnappa

“His legal expertise, dedication and unwavering commitment to us has consistently impressed me. Chinnappa possesses a remarkable ability to navigate complex legal matters. This was made evident to us during our interactions with him on our case, which encompassed legal, regulatory and practical considerations. He has always provided clear and accessible guidance to us and has simplified legal decision-making for people who do not have a background in law. His compassion and empathy make him stand out in the legal profession.”

“Palecanda Chinnapa has a deep understanding of law and great analytical skills. He has excellent problem-solving abilities and communication skills.”

“He manages his team very well.”

“Throughout the entire arbitration process that lasted three years, Chinnappa displayed a remarkable ability to analyse the intricacies of the case and develop a strategic approach for both our defence and counterclaims. On several occasions, he has burnt the midnight oil before we could develop a strategy and found evidence that mattered from among several thousand pieces of correspondence and technical reports.”

Intellectual property-focused firm Inttl Advocare is a well-known name among peers and clients for its heavyweight litigation practice. It is headquartered in New Delhi with a branch office in Mumbai. Eminent IP litigator Hemant Singh runs the firm and has handled more than 2,000 cases over his three decades of experience in all elements of IP – from trademarks and patents to copyrights and industrial designs. He has worn multiple different leadership hats at prestigious India IP associations and committees over the years and he played a pivotal role in the matter where the Supreme Court extended the term of Justice Manmohan Singh as the chairman of IPAB for another year. The firm has featured in several landmark IP judgments delivered by the Indian courts.

Managing partner Singh and senior partner Mamta Rani Jha are the firm’s key intellectual property litigators.

The firm successfully represented Taiwanese HTC Corporation in a trademark infringement suit before the Delhi High Court against Chinese company LV Degao. The case set a precedent for trademark owners to take action against infringers using their trademarks for goods outside the class of registration. It also highlighted the importance of protecting well-known trademarks and the limitations of relying solely on class-wise registration of trademarks. The ruling also clarified the scope of protection offered by a particular section of the Trade Marks Act and the grounds for challenging the validity of a trademark registration.

Client feedback

“I recommend them for everything. They have a very strong and deep IP litigation team, as well as prosecution teams. They are smart, practical, business-minded and client-focused. They always make the client feel valued and love their client’s brands as if they were their own.” – Intellectual property

“Very clear and helpful advice, and cost-efficient.” – Intellectual property

“Great at communication.” – Intellectual property

“They provide a close follow-up on the matters entrusted to their care and on their clients.” – Intellectual property

Mamta Jha

“Mamta is strong, fierce and incredibly intelligent. She is innovative and hard working. She is highly successful at managing litigation and her team as she always sees the clear solution and she is incredibly giving of her time and talents. She is respectful and highly respected.”

Yashwant Grover

“Personable with excellent written communication.”

“He cares deeply about his clients and IP cases.”

Renowned for its banking and finance prowess, it’s no surprise that one of Jerome Merchant + Partners’ core contentious strengths is in bankruptcy matters. The team has a deep bench of expertise and experience in the country’s insolvency laws. It works with investors and lenders in restructuring of their debt exposures, enforces their rights under the IBC, advises sponsors on actions brought against them, and challenges proceedings or resolution plans that have been prejudicial to such sponsors. In addition to this, the team is well versed in commercial litigation matters, providing clients with pre-litigation advice, negotiation capabilities, and effective use of court and arbitral processes. The team is experienced in general corporate, joint venture, lender, labour, contractual, IT and technology disputes, among others. A number of the firm’s confidential case submissions are related to arbitrations this year.

The main contacts for disputes matters are Murtaza Somjee and Rhia Marshall.

In a recent commercial disputes highlight, the team acted for Global Music Junction Private in litigation strategies in the proceedings before the Delhi High Court relating to a breach of a licensing agreement and specific performance of the same, seeking interim reliefs in the matter of alleged breaches.

The group’s active insolvency clients include Deutsche Bank, Horse Shoe Capital, India Infoline, Kirloskar Group, SSG Capital, Tata Motors and Videocon Group.

Based in Hyderabad, Juris Prime was founded in 2005 and now has four partners with a team of more than 25 practitioners. The firm has a strong focus on the banking and financial services sector, being empanelled with multiple banks, NBFCs and ARCs such as ICICI Bank, SBI, DBS Bank, Axis Bank, IDBI Bank, PNB, IndusInd Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Yes Bank, Bank of Baroda, JM financial and Edelweiss. The team has had a robust year in the contentious insolvency space. For example, the team acted for the RPs of Indu Projects and Galada Power Telecommunications before the NCLT Hyderabad to have their resolution plans approved.

The key contacts for disputes are managing partner VVSN Raju, senior partner AVP Reddy and partner Praveen Kumar Jain.

Krishnamurthy & Co (K Law) has an active dispute resolution practice staffed with seasoned litigators. Its intellectual property expertise is well known. The team is experienced in resolving commercial, civil, criminal and constitutional law matters for clients across many sectors. Its members have advocated in various judicial, quasi-judicial and administrative forums around the country. This year the firm moves up a rank in the commercial and transactions table.

The key dispute contacts are senior partner Ayush Agarwala and partner Shujath Ahmed. Agarwala is an insolvency and projects specialist, while Ahmed is a contentious IP expert. Nikhil Krishnamurthy is the firm’s IP guru.

In a significant highlight, the team continues to represent the Material Recycling Association of India in a writ petition filed in the Supreme Court seeking strict implementation of the orders and directives passed by the government for non-levy of demurrage, detention charges and other penal charges from importers across India by shipping lines and container freight stations. When the case concludes, it will have a nationwide impact on all importers in the country who have been forced to pay penal charges to shipping lines, container freight stations and inland container depots.

The IP group is acting for Peel-Works Private in a trademark infringement matter against GTS Bullet Rice. The proprietor of GTS Bullet Rice obtained an ex-parte order of injunction against the client on the ground that selling GTS products on its mobile app, Taikee, would amount to infringement of the proprietor’s trademark and copyright. The contention was raised that GTS products having been lawfully acquired by Peel-Works, they were entitled to sell them on Taikee, as provided for under the Trademarks Act. The Bangalore civil court, upon considering the defence raised by Peel-Work, vacated the ex-parte order and held that since the client was using the Plaintiff’s registered trademark only for the purpose of identification of goods or services as those of the proprietor, the same does not amount to infringement.

Litigation partner Aditi Mittal departed for Kochhar & Co mid-2022.

The firm’s key clients includes Axis Bank, Bank of India, Caterpillar India, Edelweiss, Flipkart Internet, IL&FS Engineering and Construction, L&T Finance Holdings, Mahindra & Mahindra, TTK Prestige and Xander Finance.

K&S Partners is a top-tier intellectual property specialist firm that excels in handling contentious matters. Its dispute resolution practice has highly experienced litigators equipped to handle all aspects of enforcement of IP rights through civil and criminal proceedings, as well as border enforcement measures. It also has a niche expertise in geographical indications. Its patent litigators all have technical qualifications, providing them with an edge in complex patent cases. The firm represents both domestic and international clients across all sectors of business and has been involved in landmark, precedent-setting IP cases. Its five offices in Gurgaon, Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad house 120 legal professionals.

The criminal enforcement team regularly deals with enforcement agencies and is known among clients for its capabilities in internet monitoring, investigations and surveys, filing cyber complaints with cyber cells, actions against online counterfeiters, conducting raids, negotiations in plea bargaining proceedings and obtaining successful judicial convictions. The firm has acted for both domestic and international clients in enforcement matters across sectors such as pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, automobiles, software, clothing, footwear, electrical and electronic products. The team also has the bandwidth to advise clients on trademark enforcement matters in some of India’s neighbouring countries – namely, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan.

The IP disputes team features key partners and trademark specialists Prashant Gupta, Ashish Marbaniang, Deepak Gogia and Shashank Singh, as well as patent partner and litigation chair Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari. Firm founder and legal fraternity stalwart Jyoti Sagar still plays an active role on the team.

Delhi-based Karanjawala & Co is a leading exclusive boutique litigation firm based in New Delhi, where it has three offices. It was founded in 1983 and now comprises about 100 lawyers. It has a stellar reputation in the market as a go-to for precedent-setting, landmark matters. The firm features in more than 625 reported judgments of the Supreme Court and has filed and dealt with more than 25,000 matters to date. Though historically the firm began its practice with a predominantly Supreme Court and High Court emphasis, it has now expanded to have a presence in all the subordinate courts and tribunals in the National Capital Region and routinely handles litigations on a pan-India basis. The leadership team comprises 10 partners who are all respected and seasoned litigators.

Karanjawala’s criminal practice has grown substantially in the past five years, and its teams appear in a number of high-stakes and high-profile matters. Recently, the firm has also carved out a niche practice for itself in the fields of consumer protection and real estate regulatory authority litigation. The group’s practice focuses not only on general consumer litigation but also on medical negligence and real estate, with the firm representing a wide range of clients before various tribunals, ranging from the district forums to the National Commission. There is also a consumer team that has filed more than 1,000 cases in the National Commission, with a high success rate. The firm’s insolvency group has extensive experience in dealing with high-profile matters while appearing for corporations and financial institutions.

Managing partner Raian Karanjawala serves as the head of the 13-partner-strong disputes department. Other key figures are founding partner Manik Karanjawala and senior partners Nandini Gore, Ruby Singh Ahuja, Sandeep Kapur, Meghna Mishra and Debmalya Banerjee.

The firm counts domestic powerhouse corporates and multinational banks and companies as loyal clients. It has recently worked with Adani Group, Ambuja Cement, Astro, Coca-Cola, Colgate, Disney Broadcasting, Morgan Stanley, Procter & Gamble, Star TV, Tata Steel, Twitter, Unilever, Vodafone and Wadia Group.

Client feedback

“The team is excellent for the filing and management of litigation in the constitutional courts in India.”– Government and regulatory

Debmalya Banerjee

“Solutions-oriented with keen observation.”

Dispute resolution boutique Keystone Partners was formed by a group of first-generation lawyers who specialise in commercial litigation, international arbitration, construction disputes and contentious regulatory matters. Each partner has a particular focus on different sectors, allowing the team to cover a varied suite of disputes practice areas, and one partner is an Advocate-on-Record of the Supreme Court. The firm also routinely handles contentious energy, technology and trade sector matters. In the past year, its instructions grew in the technology, media and telecommunications law arena and it has multiple panel appointments representing the state of Karnataka in the Central Sales Tax Appellate Authority at New Delhi, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Competition Commission of India. Keystone has offices in Bengaluru, Mumbai and New Delhi. In the past year, the firm upscaled to handle trials for large-scale international arbitrations and has had some of its partners appointed as advocates in these.

Senior partner Pradeep Nayak leads a nine-partner strong disputes group that includes notable names such as Sita Kapadia, Pritha Srikumar Iyer, Arun Sri Kumar, Sulabh Rewari, Anupama Hebbar and Vikas Mahendra.

One recent highlight was the firm acting for several charities in case involving the filing of a curative petition seeking setting aside of a Supreme Court judgment which looked at the effect of an unstamped contract containing an arbitration agreement. The matter is likely to affect the way Indian courts approach appointment of arbitrators.

Client feedback

“Documentation and representation to the court and panels and research on a particular case are their strengths. They give the right arguments. They study cases well and understand the cases and the client. They are prompt in attending the cases and come with plan in coordination with various stakeholders well. Their drafting skills are good and they engage clients well.”– Real estate

“The team are well versed with NCLT proceedings and they guided us in every step of filing the international arbitration and representing us at hearings.” – Bankruptcy

“Recommend the firm for their drafting and in-court arguments. They explain to clients in detail and also guide us.” – Commercial arbitration

“I would say they are strong at everything: client-oriented advice, flexibility, deep knowledge and great performance.” – Commercial arbitration

“Excellent subject matter knowledge and client management.” – Government and regulatory

“They negotiate for the client and get the client what they need.”– Real estate

“The lawyers understand and prepare the grounds of the case well.” –Bankruptcy

“Advised us on the relevant laws and proactively ensured that no orders were passed by Honourable Courts against us.” – Class actions

“They understand the law and replied in a concise manner. They also honestly advised that we do not need to answer rejoinder notice.”– Commercial and transactions

Aditya Chatterjee

“Very professional approach and inclusive in nature. His knowledge is good over legal matters. Very transparent and comes across very open as a person. Quite impressive in nature.”

Anupama Hebbar

“Subject matter knowledge is expansive.”

“Excellent in strategy and execution.”

“Good listener, adaptive and honest.”

Pradeep Nayak

“Patient, understanding and has good knowledge.”

“Communication skills are excellent.”

Vasudha Sharma

“We appreciated her accessibility, cooperation, flexibility and knowledge, and she is good at strategic design.”

Arun Sri Kumar

“Very knowledgeable, very good communicator and listener.”

“Very quick to understand the issue and has been prompt and effective in providing solutions.”

Khaitan & Co sits on top of the tables in all the core commercial and corporate areas of dispute resolution. It has won many plaudits from the market for its consistency and deep bench strength across all practice areas, including commercial and transactions, competition, international arbitration, construction and government and regulatory. Key to the firm’s success is its expertise in different practice areas, with its market-leading transactional teams supporting its advocacy and disputes lawyers, particularly in construction, competition, regulatory, tax and insolvency.

The firm has more than 30 disputes partners and 150 lawyers in the group. Key practitioners guiding the teams across four offices in Bengaluru, Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi include commercial and IP specialist Ajay Bhargava, commercial litigation expert Sanjeev Kapoor, competition expert Manas Kumar Chaudhuri, tax specialists Sanjay Sanghvi and Bijal Ajinkya, and construction specialists Yigal Gabriel and Sudip Mullick. Other notable lawyers are commercial litigation specialists Atul Shanker Mathur, Chakrapani Misra, Kingshuk Banerjee, Raj Panchmatia and Tomu Francis.

The team recently acted for Antrix Corporation on its high-value dispute with Devas Multimedia Private. In another highlight, it represented Swiss Singapore on its dispute against RS Fuels.

Key clients of the firm include Aditya Birla Group, Bennett Coleman & Company, Blue Dart, Cosmo Foods, Fidelity International, ICICI Bank, Larsen & Toubro, Mahindra & Mahindra, Sapphire Foods India, Reliance and Standard Chartered.

Client feedback

“They excel at researching and providing the best possible advice as well as being creative in their approach in designing transaction structures.”– Commercial and transactions

“The have good litigation strategy and understand the Indian legal system very well.”– Commercial and transactions

“Strong on strategy, negotiating on documents and general advisory.”– Commercial and transactions

“Khaitan & Co India has very good counsels and connections across India. They have the capability to attend any matter across the country with engagement with good quality lawyers and senior counsels.” – Commercial and transactions

“They have extensive knowledge of applicable laws, and the ability to craft persuasive arguments. They have proficiency in negotiating settlements, understand industry-specific nuances and have skilled negotiators. They have rock-solid integrity and have won every single time in our favour. I started liking lawyers for a change after empanelling them.” – Commercial arbitration

“Their partner and the team had in-depth knowledge of the project documents, industry practices and were able to propose acceptable solutions in the areas of conflict with the borrowers. Further, their turnaround time is praiseworthy.” – Energy

“KCO understands the peculiar nature of our business and accordingly provides prompt advice on litigation strategy and executes the agreed plan in tight timelines.” – Intellectual property

“It plans the litigation strategy meticulously and executes the whole litigation well.” – Intellectual property

“They are very effective at crafting opposition filings, cease and desist letters, and settlement agreements with outside parties.”– Intellectual property

“They are extremely attentive to detail and understand our budgetary concerns. They are also good at negotiating with outside parties.” – Intellectual property

“Strong litigation, advisory and prompt support.” – International arbitration

“Good advice and good service.” – International arbitration

“The firm’s relevant partner has deep and practical competence to deal with criminal and civil matters and the advice has been prompt and practical. They have been able to handle the dispute within the expectations.” – White-collar crime

Kingshuk Banerjee

“Good knowledge and very responsive.”

Ajay Bhargava

“Ajay is very approachable and his advice is very sound and practical. His understanding of the Indian judicial system is very good and he has great connect with external counsels and senior counsels.”

“Prompt support, excellent advisory, very experienced and all-round international support.”

“Ajay has a very good understanding of the Indian legal system and knows the counsels across the country very well, so can advise on who would be the best fit for a particular legal matter.”

Prasenjit Chakravarti

“Prasenjit steps into our shoes and treats the matters at hand as his own. He will always give us the most beneficial advice. While primarily he is in M&A, he helps us across all legal domains and ropes in the relevant partners for different aspects when required – but he always follows through to ensure our needs are met.”

Haigreve Khaitan

“Reliable, accurate, gives quick responses and – above all – calm and composed.”

“Excellent negotiating skills, very good at problem solving, and good international contacts.”

Nirupam Lodha

“Nirupam is very responsive and knowledgeable about our business.”

“The team is excellent and I think that is due at least in part to Nirupam’s leadership and training of his team.”

Anchit Oswal

“1. Rock solid integrity and professionalism.

2. Listens to our needs carefully and comes back with relevant strategies.

3. Deftly navigates through deceptive manoeuvres of the opposing side.

4. Puts across a strong defence that exposes and challenges dubious tactics of the opposing side and doesn’t let them get away with their underhand tactics.

5. Strong domain expertise in relevant laws and regulations.

6. Diligent and thorough legal research.

7. Always approachable with a client-focused approach.

8. Clear communication and transparency.”

Susmit Pushkar

“He has superb competence in white-collar crime and overall handling of criminal matters. He did well in understanding the issue in depth and very thoughtfully and meticulously dealt with the resolution of the matter. The work distribution in his team was commensurate the complexity and demands of the matter. He thought out of the box to come up with best-case and worst-case scenarios and accordingly came up with a measured plan to deal with each scenario.”

Arvind Kumar Ray

“Quick understanding and gives excellent advice.”

Ankur Sangal

“Has a positive outlook towards any problem and comes up with ideas that helps minimise risk and maximise favourable results.”

Ankur Sengal

“Ankur Sengal always thinks about the overall welfare of the client. He always thinks well in advance and out of box. He takes extraordinary care in planning the litigation and executes it meticulously.”

Siddharth Srivastava

“Siddharth is an exceptional task master. He brings diligence, rigour and speed in the legal documentations.”

“Excellent with strategic litigation and IBC advisory. He is very sharp and provides apt solutions in tricky situations. One of the best Insolvency lawyers in India. I reckon he is also one of the first law firm partner to do a PhD in insolvency laws.”

The IP practice at Khurana & Khurana handles the firm’s most prominent disputes. The firm is currently handling more than 350 litigation matters across the country and recently won Avery Dennison, Jio, Huawei, Daimler, Xiaomi and ISRO as clients. The firm employs more than 200 professionals across its 10 offices in India, seven in southeast Asia, and two branch offices in the UAE and the US. The firm recently launched its data privacy and protection practice.

Founding partner Vinod Khurana, managing partner Tarun Khurana and partner Meenakshi Ogra are key contacts.

In a recent highlight, the litigation team acted for appellants SD Containers before the Supreme Court in relation to its case against Mold-Tek Packaging.

Kochhar & Co provides the full suite of dispute resolution services and has one of the largest litigation practices in the country, with 60 dedicated litigators. The pan-India litigation practice, with accomplished teams in Delhi, Gurgaon, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai, handles more than 300 cases annually. The group’s mainstay is corporate and commercial litigation, with notable expertise in more specialist areas such as white-collar crime and tax, customs and international trade. It has one of the largest white-collar litigation practices in the country, with more than 30 dedicated lawyers in this space, and is active on more than 100 criminal cases annually. The firm has recently seen an uptick in debt restructuring litigation, joint venture and shareholders disputes between foreign corporations and their Indian partners, and complex trade and customs-related battles.

The robust dispute resolution team is led by chairman and managing partner Rohit Kochhar, and includes senior partners Krishna Vijay Singh, Manish Dembla, Reena Khair and Shahid Khan.

In a recent highlight, the team represented CMA CGM Asia Shipping before the High Court and Supreme Court in relation to a shipping collision between a container vessel owned by the client and an Indian fishing boat off the coast of India where 12 fishermen died. The matter is significant as the decision of the Supreme Court will lay down the law on applicability of certain maritime regulations and clarify the ambit of Article 97 of United Nations Convention on the Law of Seas.

Client feedback

“The team advises well in legal and commercial issues. They are good at developing litigation strategy and deploying appropriate lawyers. They treat us well and provide continuous support even in difficult times.” – Bankruptcy

“Proactive and transparent.” – Commercial and transactions

“Negotiated and closed the matter in a timely manner.” – Commercial and transactions

Stephen Mathias

“Proactive and professional.”

KV Singh

“He is very practical in his approach an provides sound advice in resolving matters. Unlike most other lawyers, KV tries to resolve matters much faster than one would expect. He believes in solving matters out of court and advises accordingly.”

Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan is best known in the market for its leading tax and IP practices. It has 14 offices across 12 cities. The IP group is famed for its contentious patent know-how, where the subject matter requires deep and detailed knowledge. The firm is a market leader in plant genomics and plant variety protection. The firm’s robust tax practice specialises in GST, income tax, customs and litigation. In addition to these areas, the firm is active in antitrust and insolvency litigation.

The firm’s key contacts for disputes are managing partner and tax specialist V Lakshmikumaran, executive partner and IP expert Prashant Philips, and competition and tax partner Charanya Lakshmikumaran.

The IP team recently represented Microsoft Technology Licensing in an appeal against a refusal order from the Indian Patent Office. The competition team successfully represented and obtained a favourable order for the Federation of Corrugated Box Manufacturers of India in a case relating to an all-India cartel in the kraft paper industry.

Client feedback

“Highly recommended for IP, tax and liaising with the respective authorities. They are also proactive in strategy.” – Intellectual property

“LKS puts complex tax matters into simple terms and explains these issues to arbitrators, which actually is well appreciated by them.” – Tax

“With their simplicity and clarity in arguments, we won many arbitration cases.” – Tax

Charanya Lakshmikumaran

“Simplicity and clarity in her arguments.”

“Many of the arbitrators do not have experience in tax-related disputes. Ms Charanya explains them in terms they could understand, which was appreciated by all the arbitrators.”

Malathi Lakshmikumaran

“Personal and committed connection to the client; understands the business; takes initiative and ownership.”

“She ensures that there is thought given to forward paths and strategy.”

Established in 2017, the Law Offices of Panag & Babu has roots in white-collar crime, compliance and investigations. The firm has the largest dedicated white-collar crime team in the country, acting for sophisticated clients at both the preventative and prosecution stages. Peers acknowledge the firm’s quick rise to prominence in this space. The firm specialises in representing clients ensnared in modern-day financial crimes. It has specialities in defence against law enforcement, criminal proceedings defence stemming from anti-corruption and anti-money laundering laws, securing pre-trial bail on behalf of those accused of criminal conduct under India’s anti-financial crimes, anti-corruption and anti-money laundering laws, and conducting criminal trials on behalf of those facing allegations of criminal wrongdoing under the same framework of white-collar offences. Apart from its white-collar crime focus, the firm has a 20-strong standalone commercial disputes and international arbitration team.

The white-collar crime defence team has a 100% success rate in obtaining pre-trail bail in each and every case where a client required such a relief. The firm has offices in Bangalore and Delhi, and has more than 65 lawyers.

Dispute resolution partners Sherbir Panag, Samudra Sarangi and Shruti Raina lead the team.

Core clients of the firm include Cashgrail, Fortive Corporation, Gilbarco Veeder Root, ICICI Prudential, JM Financial Asset Reconstruction, Nipro Medical and Wirecard.

Legacy Law Offices has a disputes practice focused on construction and infrastructure-related litigation and arbitration. It also has an active contentious labour practice. Its partners are leading counsels for construction arbitrations and have advocated in several landmark matters in this space. Managing partner Gagan Anand is a highly sought-after arbitration counsel. The firm has some impressive statistics with regard to construction project disputes. It also has a high success rate in obtaining stay orders against contract terminations, encashments of bank guarantees and debarring from arbitral tribunals and from courts and also in writ jurisdiction. The law firm has offices in New Delhi, Chandigarh, Panchkula, Solan and Kurukshetra, an associate office in Mumbai, and representative offices in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the UK and the USA.

The core leaders are Anand, senior partner Sadiqua Fatma, and partners Parveen Moudgil, Roopali Chaturvedi, Ramanjit Singh and Ishan Khanna. Chaturvedi is an Advocate-on-Record.

The team recently represented Rohan Rajdeep Rajasthan Infra Projects in a dispute involving the construction of a tunnel. Rohtak Panipath Tollways engaged the firm for its arbitration against the National Highways Authority of India involving a four-lane highway in the state of Haryana.

Client feedback

“The services rendered by the firm are more than adequate. Lawyers from the firm handle all cases assigned to them with diligence and professionalism. Mr Gagan Anand is heading the firm with excellence. He and Ms Sadiqua Fatma provide us with the requisite guidance and advice, as and when required.” – Commercial arbitration

“Legacy has a unique business model, where they work through client service groups. This model has proved to be efficient in the nature of services required by us. I am also impressed by the way they have adapted to technology to enhance their efficiency.” – Commercial arbitration

“The team at Legacy has highly skilled legal professionals, with specific skill sets and expertise suited to handle cases within different practice areas. Legacy is regarded as one of the best law firms operating within the construction and infrastructure sector, known to have rendered legal services for new and developing projects undertaken within different formats of PPP.” – Commercial arbitration

Gagan Anand

“Mr Anand is a widely recognised legal practitioner with wide experience ranging over two decades. He has expertise within the construction and infrastructure sector, and has handled numerous disputes for the company. Mr Anand has been extremely helpful for our matters, which is reflected through various favourable orders and awards passed in favour of the company.”

“Gagan Anand possess a distinguished skill set and expertise in different sectors and has been awarded and recognised for his excellent legal services towards development of different PPP projects.”

“Gagan Anand has been the pillar of the firm and is an excellent litigator. His varied expertise in construction disputes is outstanding and is well displayed in his method of handling cases.”

Sadiqua Fatima

“She knows the subject and is good at litigation.”

Legal Scriptures Advocates & Solicitors has a wide-ranging dispute resolution offering spanning commercial litigation and arbitration across multiple sectors and industries. Its specialities include white-collar crimes and contentious mandates in the FMCG, banking, real estate, telecoms, utilities, manpower resources and oil and gas sectors. The firms’ client base includes national and international companies, start-ups and government organisations. Key clients of the firm include American Express, P&G Group, Itron, AGP City Gas Private, American Tower Corporation, Samsung Data Systems India Private, Jindal Saw, Orion Group, Galaxy Group, Punjab National Bank, Western Union and Advance Infrastructures Private.

Partners Abhijit Mittal and Anukalp Jain are the key contacts for dispute resolution.

The team recently advised the Union of India in a matter against an individual regarding government employee-related issues. The Delhi High Court in a landmark judgment held that all the personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces are entitled to get benefits of the old pension scheme.

Client feedback

“Proactive, prompt and able to understand issue from client’s perspective.” – Banking and financial services

“We appreciate their ability to help us assess risk and find workable solutions. They are a dependable partner and provide timely and reliable advice.” – Labour and employment

Abhijit Mittal

“Proactive and solutions-oriented.”

“Dependable and reliable partner committed to finding workable solutions for us.”

Luthra and Luthra Law Offices retains one of the country’s largest disputes teams, with 24 dedicated litigation and arbitration-focused partners and 120 counsels. The group was bolstered with the arrival of seven Atlas Law partners last summer, including current firm managing partner Harry Chawla and acclaimed litigator Ritu Bhalla. The arbitration practice is active in handling and representing Public Sector Undertakings in complex and high-stakes commercial arbitrations and disputes arising out of EPC contracts. The firm works with clients in both a preventative and responsive role in anti-corruption and white-collar defence work.

The key contacts for disputes are Chawla, Bhalla, and insolvency expert Venancio D’Costa, competition specialist Gurdev Bhatia, arbitration partner Nakul Sachdeva and litigation partner Sanjeev Kumar.

The firm defended the Committee of Creditors of Reliance Capital in the company’s R&I before the Supreme Court of India. The firm also represented the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association before the NCLAT in one of the most contentious matters in the competition law space in India. Kroll Group has enlisted the firm to fight against a civil suit for recovery of monies based on torts, alleged to have caused the destruction of a large diamond business of the claimant.

Maheshwari & Co offers the full range of dispute resolution services to onshore and offshore clients at all levels of judicial forums in India. In particular, its strengths are in the banking and finance, manufacturing, telecommunications, infrastructure and energy sectors. The team handles various contentious commercial, criminal, civil and white-collar matters. The firm operates three core offices in New Delhi, Mumbai and Lucknow and has network offices in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Goa, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Pune, Surat and Shimla.

Managing partner Vipul Maheshwari is the main contact for disputes, alongside partner Dharmender Verma.

The Majmudar & Partners dispute resolution practice has a 75-year heritage and is well regarded in the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court of Delhi. The firm prioritises quality over quantity, and regularly engages in novel, complex disputes matters. It specialises in litigation strategy for civil and criminal actions across the country, injunctive actions, banking disputes, ad hoc and institutional domestic and international arbitrations, intellectual property suits, testamentary matters, debt recovery, commercial claims and breach of contract disputes. In the wake of the pandemic, the team has experienced an uptick in commercial litigation, debt recoveries, breach of contract disputes and insolvency-related court work.

The key dispute resolution contacts are partner Neerav Merchant and counsel Fraser Alexander. The team recently welcomed partner Mustafa Kachwala from Kachwala Misar & Co.

In a recent highlight, the team acted for Powerband Industries as co-counsel in an arbitration proceeding in London, governed under SIAC rules in a case against respondents alleging fraudulent misrepresentation in relation to an SPA.

The dispute resolution team at Masukhlal Hiralal & Co excels at high-stakes securities, commercial and government litigation. It has a long history stretching back to 1910 and has a disputes practice with a deep bench of experience. It focuses on arbitration and mediation and civil litigation, and works on contentious matters spanning insolvency, real estate, tax, intellectual property rights, banking and employment. The firm comprises 25 fee earners and has offices in Mumbai and Delhi. The firm was empanelled in 2021 with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), and has represented the regulator in multiple cases before the High Court and Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT). The team secured another impressive empanelment with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation in early 2022. It has also been advocating on behalf of the resources giant before arbitral tribunals, the High Court and the Supreme Court.

The main contact for the disputes practice is partner Bhushan Shah. He has expertise in securities, white-collar crime and insolvency litigation. Another name to note is white-collar crime specialist Purvi Shah Asher.

Client feedback

“They did thorough research and had a solid understanding of the case. They planned for all the various legal actions possible. Most importantly, they are always available for consultation.” – Commercial and transactions

Purvi Asher

“Good listener and good understanding. Offered various options, always accessible and has transparent working approach.”

Mason & Associates is a specialist intellectual property boutique. Focused on handling all matters of IP, the firm has carved out strengths in contentious IP matters, litigation strategy, anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy enforcement, patent litigation and competition matters. It has a market-recognised speciality in copyright and IT matters. Key clients include B9 Beverages, Snapdeal, Thomas Cook India, Renew Power, Everest Industries, Super Cassettes Industries, Marche Retail and French Bakery.

Intellectual property specialists managing partner Neel Mason and partner Sabia Veqar are the main contacts at the firm for disputes work.

The team represented AceVector as the plaintiff in a case filed against Twitter in relation to several web URLs available that were infringing on the trademark and copyright of the client. An injunction order was passed in favour of the client, directing Twitter to take down the infringing URLs.

MSA Partners has a focused dispute resolution team that is noted for commercial litigation and arbitration in the electricity, telecoms, natural resources and infrastructure sectors. Apart from these specialisms, the team also actively represents and advises clients across a broad range of civil, commercial, regulatory, corporate, intellectual property rights, and other issues. The lawyers regularly appear before the Supreme Court, various High Courts, electricity regulatory commissions and the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL), the National Company Law Tribunal and Appellate Tribunal, Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board, and other quasi-judicial tribunals and appellate tribunals.

Partners Anand Ganesan and Swapna Seshadri are the key contacts for disputes. They both specialise in contentious energy, commercial and government and regulatory matters.

One highlight saw the firm acting for Sai Wardha Power Generation against the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission in appeals filed before APTEL. The outcome of the matter would have far-reaching consequences, as the interpretation of a rule of the electricity regulations is an issue being adjudicated upon. Before the same tribunal, the team is assisting Kamal Encon Industries in an appeal regarding right to inter-state supply without there being a separate feeder to identify the power generation.

Charotar Gas Sahakari Mandali, DNH Power Distribution,KSK Mahanadi Power Company andMahindra & Mahindra also engaged the firm last year.

Naik Naik & Co is a full-service firm with an experienced litigation and arbitration department. The litigation team comprises more than 40% of the firm’s fee-earner numbers. While the firm is best known in the market as a pre-eminent firm for media and entertainment matters, its industry expertise also includes financial services and oil and gas. The firm’s disputes offering is extensive and covers commercial disputes, corporate litigation, white-collar crime, frauds and scams, cybercrimes, consumer protections disputes, debt recovery matters, and domestic and international arbitrations. A key recent development was its alliance with Anand and Anand in western India, which focuses on bolstering its IP litigation expertise.

Managing partner Ameet Naik is the key contact for disputes work. Other notable practitioners include deputy managing partners Abhishek Kale and Madhu Gadodia, and partner Abha Shah.

The team acted for plaintiff Amitabh Bachchan alongside Anand and Anand in a Supreme Court case involving safeguarding the clients’ personality rights. The Delhi High Court acknowledged that the client’s prominent personality is recognisable among the masses at large, and therefore he is entitled to be protected against all known and unknown unlawful acts of exploiting his personality. The court granted a ‘first of its kind’ ad-interim injunction order restraining the defendants and the world at large from exploiting Bachchan’s personality.

Client feedback

“Solid understanding about the subject and provides guidance accordingly.” – Commercial and transactions

Madhu Chaudhary Gadodia

“She has a sharp understanding of the subject.”

Leading firm Nishith Desai Associates offers a full range of dispute resolution services. The firm has a distinct international flavour, with ample dispute-related experience for clients from around the globe. Its government and regulatory litigation, tax litigation and international arbitration practices rank among the best in the market, and the firm has an enviable roster of technology, media and telecoms clients. The firm has a specialist international dispute resolution and investigations team, as well as a bilateral treaty investment arbitration team. Its new sub-practice groups for construction litigation, technology disputes and white-collar crimes and investigations have had a busy past year. As cryptocurrency and blockchain technology matters gain prominence, the Nishith Desai lawyers have advised multiple clients on related contentious issues. The members of the international disputes team are spread across Mumbai, New Delhi and Singapore, and the firm has dedicated European and Japan desks. The firm has been present in Singapore for more than a decade and was the first Indian registered foreign law firm there.

Two senior leaders run the disputes groups: Vyapak Desai chairs the international litigation and dispute resolution group, with Sahil Kanuga as the co-head. Partners Ashish Kabra and Alipak Banerjee are also noted figures within the team.

In a complex international arbitration, the team represented one of the country’s most prominent cryptocurrency exchanges in a high-stakes, multi-billion-dollar arbitration at SIAC.

Client feedback

“They work quickly with very bright thinking.” – Commercial arbitration

“Overall commitment to the client is very good.” – International arbitration

Alipak Banerjee

“He is accessible and bright.”

Nine-year-old boutique tax firm Nitya Tax Associates is primarily focused on indirect tax advisory and related litigation. The firm has offices in Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi that house more than 50 tax professionals overall. The firm holds the achievement of being one of the very few tax firms that successfully represented clients in obtaining favourable orders from various authorities for advance ruling under the newly introduced Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime. A few years back, the firm expanded to focus on matters of international trade and commerce, including advice on the recently introduced Customs Rules 2020 and Remission of Duties or Taxes on Exported Products Scheme.

The key contacts are managing partner Puneet Bansal and partners Dharnendra Kumar Rana and Deepak Suneja.

A recent highlight saw the firm represent Avenue Supermarts before the Bombay High Court against a rejection of application filed under a legacy dispute resolution scheme.

Three-year-old firm Numen Law Offices focuses on corporate advisory, dispute resolution and criminal litigation at present. The firm handles all contentious matters relating to commercial disputes at all levels of the courts and has a dedicated arbitration team. For criminal matters, it offers prompt representation in relation to the full spectrum of criminal conduct, from road traffic offences to murder and money laundering. Expertise includes defending and initiating criminal proceedings, white-collar crimes, economic offences, cybercrime and data theft, drug-related offences, sexual offences and harassment, serious fraud investigation and organised crime. Its clients include individuals and Fortune 100 companies.

The four key disputes partners are Arush Khanna, George Thomas, Chaitanyaa Bhandarkar, and white-collar crime specialist Lakshmi Raman.

A recent notable highlight was the firm acting for an ex-director of First Step Properties involving an investigation based on allegations of fraudulent conduct to defraud company members.

While best known for its intellectual property, technology and media practices, the litigation team at Obhan & Associates is also adept at handling complex commercial disputes. It has represented clients on a range of disputes relating to equity and debt investment, corporate laws, intellectual property laws, employment laws, competition laws and on bi-lateral investment treaty disputes. The lawyers also provide key pre-litigation strategies to clients in industries such as media, entertainment, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, franchising, machinery and equipment manufacturing, outsourcing and financial services. The firm has offices in New Delhi, Pune and Bangalore.

Key contacts for contentious matters are managing partner Essenese Obhan and partner Ashima Obhan.

The team defended Pine labs before the Karnataka High Court on a patent infringement suit filed by Innoviti Payment Solutions. The validity of the patent by way of a counterclaim for revocation has also been filed. The firm was successful in obtaining a vacation of an ad-interim injunction that was passed against the client by the court.

Client feedback

“They are really passionate about their work, and they provide clear and practical advice. I also like that they take proactive steps and give strategic advice and are not just responding to our specific queries.” – Intellectual property

Essenese Obhan

“He is very knowledgeable, highly respected in the profession and always available on WhatsApp or calls even when he is travelling.”

P&A Law Offices has an experienced and established dispute resolution practice that is multi-jurisdictional and sector-agnostic. Market watchers praise the firm for its stellar client roster and involvement in some of the country’s meatiest corporate fights. The litigation and arbitration team comprises more than 40 lawyers who work with clients across a variety of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, financial markets, telecommunications, automotive and consumer goods. The P&A team are known for their leading roles in high-stakes and complex disputes for household-name clients, particularly in the competition and international arbitration areas. The firm is also proud of its lengthy track record of acting for the Indian government in contentious investment treaty matters.

Managing partner Anand Pathak leads a team of eight active disputes partners, including Shashank Gautam, Nabik Syam and Ravish Kumar.

The firm continues to act for Amazon.com NV Investment Holdings in the appeal filed before the Supreme Court of India challenging the order passed by the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal. The matter is related to a landmark dispute between the client and Future Group. The appeal is currently pending before the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court granted interim protection to Amazon NV and has directed the Competition Commission of India to not take any coercive steps against the client. This matter raises several important questions of law relating to the Competition Act, including the power of the competition authority to inquire into combinations which were notified, approved and given effect to, more than two years ago.

Client feedback

“1. Their drafting is very good and covers the entire case. It is reviewed at multiple levels and counter points are thought through and discussed before putting any point into pleadings.

2. Research is a strong point of the P&A Law Offices. They are up to date with recent developments and also go deep into the case/matter before advising strategy to be used in particular case.

3. High degree of involvement in the case. A sense of ownership is taken for each matter.

4. Excellent coordination and communication with other side and the arbitral tribunal.” – Commercial arbitration

Vijay Purohit

“Good communication, good legal knowledge, open to ideas and practical.”

The dispute resolution team at Phoenix Legal have pan-India capabilities and are “crisis management specialists” with experience handling complex and sensitive contentious matters. The firm works on various constitutional, public interest, corporate, civil, corporate crimes and criminal matters before multiple forums across India, from the small causes courts up to the Supreme Court of India. The firm’s arbitration team is experienced in domestic and international ADR processes covered under various forums such as SIAC, HKIAC and LCIA. Key clients of the team include 3i infotech, Sapphire Foods India, Sojitz India, Camions Logistics Solution, PPK Newsclick Studio, Mersen and Intuitive Surgical India.

Co-founding partners Abhishek Saxena, Manjula Chawla and Saket Shukla lead a disputes group that includes partners Gautam Bhatikar, Gaurav Dudeja and Aman Avinav.

The firm acted for ARG Outlier Media before the Bombay High Court in an action for trademark infringement and passing-off against media house Rayudu Vision Media.

Client feedback

“Works very professionally and fast. Takes into account all wishes of a client." – Shipping

Gautam Bhatikar

“Top professional acting personally as a lawyer. Good manager for his team.”

“Very professional, communicative with clients and team. Good aggression in business.”

The litigation team at Pioneer Legal covers a diverse range of dispute matters, including complex commercial disputes, project execution disputes, corporate frauds and white-collar crimes. The team provides strategic litigation advice, including during the pre-arbitration and pre-litigation stage, representation in all levels of courts and arbitration forums, drafts communications and pleadings, assists in mediation and settlement, and works on insolvency code-related matters.

The key lawyers for disputes are managing partner Satish Kishanchandani and partner Narendra Dingankar.

In one recent highlight, the firm represented plaintiff National Bulk Handling Corporation and filed a commercial suit on behalf of the plaintiff to recover money from another party it had an MoU with. In another case, the team acted for Multi-Verse Technologies in a commercial suit it instituted against Zee Entertainment Enterprises, MarkScan and various entities of Google. The client is seeking damages and an injunction against unlawful suspension of its app on the Google Play Store.

Poovayya & Co is well known in the market for its robust dispute resolution and real estate practices. With offices in Delhi and Bangalore, the firm has worked extensively with technology companies, on both the buy-side and the sell-side. The team is well versed in domestic litigations and has been instructed in multi-billion-dollar disputes across various jurisdictions including the US, the UK, the UAE and Mauritius.

The firm’s disputes team is led by partners Manu Kulkarni, Mrinal Shankar, Dharmendra Chatur and Saransh Jain.

In a landmark highlight, the team represented X (formerly Twitter) on its challenge to blocking orders ordered by the central Government. This is a first-of-its kind litigation where blocking orders of the central Government have been challenged by an intermediary.

Delhi-based Prosoll Law is a respected criminal law boutique, featuring three experienced advocates. Within the criminal law space, the firm handles all cases, ranging from anti-corruption matters, money laundering issues, regulatory disputes, white-collar crime, fraud and economic offence-related litigation, constitutional challenge disputes and civil litigation. The firm works with a diverse range of clientele that includes leading bureaucrats, politicians, government officials, former judges, high-net-worth individuals, business conglomerates, educational institutions, NGOs and start-ups.

Founder of the firm Harsh Sharma is the main contact. He is a respected criminal lawyer with several landmark judgments under his belt. His practice focuses on anti-corruption, economic offences, constitutional remedies, conventional crime, tort, service matters and alternative dispute resolution. Associate partner Vaibhavi Sharma is another name to note. The team welcomed associate partner Arjit Benjamin last year from the Law Offices of Panag & Babu.

One ongoing work highlight has the team defending the co-founder and managing director of Micromax Informatics. Its client is accused of accepting a bribe for the unauthorised construction of a banquet hall.

Client feedback

“They have excellent domain expertise and are very professional in delivery.” – White-collar crime

Harsh Sharma

“A though professional who does lot of research work before making petitions. He is a good listener, possesses domain expertise, and presents his arguments effectively in the courts.”

PSL Advocates & Solicitors is a boutique law firm with strengths in international commercial arbitration, corporate, insolvency, construction, regulatory and tax disputes. It has offices in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. The firm has desks in Russia, Japan, Dubai and China. The firm has ongoing empanelment with a slew of government departments such as the Union of India, the Department of Revenue Intelligence, the Ministry of Finance, the Airports Authority of India, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes, the Central Bank of India, the State Bank of India and the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority.

The main practitioners for the seven-leader strong dispute resolution team are founding and managing partners Sameer Jain and Sandeep Bajaj, and partners Suvigya Awasthy, Soayib Qureshi and Aakanksha Nehra.

The team successfully defended New Okhla Industrial Development Authority in a dispute involving issues relating to land acquisition and payment of compensation amounting to more than $60 million.

Client feedback

“Tenacious yet courteous pursuit of the law.” – Commercial and transactions

“The depth of knowledge demonstrated by PSL Advocates & Solicitors and the entire legal team was evident in their approach. It instilled confidence and assurance during what was undoubtedly a challenging and complex legal matter.” – Commercial and transactions

“Communication has been a key factor in my overall satisfaction with the firm. I found the team to be consistently responsive and proactive in keeping me informed about the progress of the case. This transparency greatly contributed to my understanding of the legal processes involved and helped manage my expectations effectively.” – Commercial and transactions

“I would like to express my gratitude for the professionalism exhibited by the PSL team throughout our engagement. The ethical standards upheld by the team were evident in every interaction, reinforcing my confidence in the firm’s commitment to integrity and client-centric values.” – Commercial and transactions

Aakanksha Nera

“She possesses tenacity and a sense of propriety.”

Sameer Jain

“He has a thorough understanding of the legal intricacies and his ability to grasp the facts of the matter greatly contributed to my confidence in his representation.”

“His communication throughout the process has been exemplary. His timely responses to my enquiries and his ability to convey legal concepts in a way that was easy to understand were particularly appreciated. It made a significant difference in keeping me well informed and alleviating any concerns I had.”

“I want to acknowledge his strategic approach to handling the case. His keen attention to detail and thoughtful consideration of all possible avenues demonstrated a high level of professionalism and skill. I felt reassured knowing that the case was in capable hands.”

Rahul Chaudhary & Partners is an IP specialist firm and its experience stretches back four decades – it was first known as Lall Lahiri & Salhotra. The team spans two offices and comprises 68 lawyers and 15 partners. The litigation team has represented a wide range of rights-holders from across the globe in multiple industries. The anti-counterfeit and enforcement team is also highly active. The disputes team has handled more than 1,000 cases and claims a success rate of 95%.

The key contacts for contentious IP are managing partner Rahul Chaudhry, founding partner Anuradha Salhotra, and litigation partners Sumit Wadhwa and Naval Kastia.

In one highlight, the team represented domestic electronics brand AIWA on its lawsuit against entities making use of deceptively similar names as that of their registered mark – and used them for a range of goods, including identical products. The primary defendant, AIIVA Homeappliances,misused the AIWA registrations to create its brand and trading style. The court granted an order of seizure, allowing the plaintiff client to seize a sizeable quantity of the impugned products.

The team also assisted Hero Investcorp to secure the rights on its trademark, “HERO”, with respect to counterfeit oil products.The defendants were found to be selling counterfeit oil products using the mark “HERO” in packaging that misappropriated and was identical to the HERO-branded products.

Purple Innovation, Reckitt Benckiser India, The Coca-Cola Company, US Green Building Council and Zed Lifestyle Private are on the firm’s client roster for contentious IP issues.

Multi-service law firm Regius Legal has a special focus on dispute resolution and civil and criminal litigation. The firm was established in 2018 with dispute resolution as the core pillar of its offering. Now, the Mumbai-based firm houses more than 40 lawyers. The team has a solid track record of handling high-profile and media-sensitive cases involving serious criminal charges for a wide range of clients. On the commercial disputes side, the team is experienced in all stages of commercial litigation, handling a variety of transactional, real estate, commercial, shareholders disputes, and liabilities such as debt collections, fraud, procurement claims or administrative battles. In the past 12 months, the firm has handled more than 200 cases with an accrued value of more than $77 million at stake.

The main disputes contacts are founder Kiran Jain, senior partner Ish Jain and partner Heenal Jain.

A recent highlight has the team representing Vardhaman Estate Corporation in a dispute relating to the redevelopment of a prime land parcel in Mumbai and the subsequent legal disputes over conveyance rights. The case highlights the complexities of real estate development in densely populated urban areas and the legal challenges that can arise over property rights. The pending litigation could affect the property’s ownership, development rights and the future of the disputed land, making it a matter of considerable importance for all parties involved.

Leading intellectual property law firm RK Dewan & Co has been in the market for more than 81 years. It has a very active IP litigation practice that is present pan-India and houses more than 180 IP specialist practitioners. The team is in a position to file and defend suits in nearly all district courts across the country, and appears regularly before the various High Courts and the Intellectual Property Appellate Board. The firm says that nearly 74% of the work it handles is domestic. It is currently the top PCT filer from India and more than two-thirds of its clients are domestic. During the review period, the firm was handling more than 150 ongoing litigations in India. The firm recently celebrated the 6th anniversary of the establishment of its liaison office in Dallas, Texas, US. Its China office in Dalian celebrated its fourth anniversary recently. Its Chinese outpost has led to an increase in China-related business of 30%.

Five senior lawyers lead the disputes-related group, including principal Mohan Dewan, head of patents Niti Dewan, Delhi head Nirbhay Bhardwaj, senior advocate Anju Agrawal and head of international trademarks Dinesh Nair.

In a successful trademark infringement litigation, the team represented Bajaj Auto to file a suit at the Pune District Court against a defendant over the client’s registered mark ‘CHETAK’.

Client feedback

“Timely work, high-quality advice and cost-effective.” – Intellectual property

Niti Dewan

“Niti is very personable and knowledgeable. She has a strong presence at international conferences and markets her firm well.”

Founded in 2015 through the restructuring of an 86-year-old commercial law chambers, RPV Legal is a boutique firm with a broad commercial and white-collar defence and investigations practice. The seasoned lawyers have long track records acting on commercial disputes across a wide swathe of sectors such as aviation, banking, construction, infrastructure, real estate, energy, life sciences and technology. They have acted as counsel in multiple landmark litigations and complex domestic and international arbitrations. In particular, the team specialises in high-value international and multi-jurisdictional arbitrations under ad hoc and institutional rules. The firm’s roster of clients comprises sovereign states and state corporations, business conglomerates, non-governmental organisations, trusts, banking and financial institutions and several high-net-worth individuals in India. The firm is headquartered in New Delhi and has a strong presence in the appellate courts and the Supreme Court. In the past year, the firm’s diverse disputes portfolio handled cases worth more than $10 billion.

The key contacts for disputes are co-managing partners Shashank Verma and Kunal Verma, and partners Sooraj Sharma, Jatin Kochhar and Vipul Agrawal.

Client feedback

“RPV Legal is renowned for its exceptional expertise in commercial and white-collar crime law, offering personalised, client-focused services that ensure tailored legal solutions. The firm stands out for its agility and experienced team, adept in navigating complex legal challenges with precision and efficiency.” – Commercial and transactions

“RPV Legal comprises a team of advocates who are industry experts and have expertise in dealing with corporate civil disputes, including but not limited to insolvency and bankruptcy laws, arbitration laws and white-collar crimes.” – Commercial and transactions

“Practical approach to client’s requirements for legal remedy under contractual laws.” – Commercial arbitration

“We recommend the firm for international arbitration and fraud investigation." – International arbitration

“As a principal at another law firm, I have had the privilege of co-counselling with RPV Legal on several occasions. Their expertise in appellate court proceedings in India, as well as in managing transnational disputes before both Indian and international courts and arbitral tribunals is truly impressive. Their proficiency in commercial law and white-collar crime is outstanding, making collaboration with them both seamless and rewarding.” – International arbitration

“All assistance provided in critical cases was well briefed and drafted, including submissions. They always appeared on time, the case was well managed and successfully closed.” – Trusts and estates

“Highly professional and diligent. They don’t over-promise and always deliver on time.” – White-collar crime

Vipul Agarwal

“Good experience in legal advocacy and advisory in commercial disputes and arbitration.”

“He always meets deadlines, despite the hard work and hours required.”

Sooraj Sharma

“Sooraj is an incredibly intelligent and hardworking lawyer who understands the needs of the client.”

“I have worked with him as co-counsel in a number of matters and Sooraj’s insights have always helped us navigate through any roadblocks that arise on our way to winning legal battles together.”

“He has exceptional legal analysis and problem-solving skills, multi-jurisdictional experience and network.”

“Sooraj excels in handling especially complex international arbitrations and transactional crime cases. His profound understanding and strategic approach make him an exceptional lawyer in this challenging field.”

“Professional, hardworking and remarkably sharp.”

Indresh Upadhyay

“Extremely sharp and brilliant in court room advocacy.”

Shashank Verma

“Shashank’s expertise in commercial law is exceptional. His strategic approach brought clarity and success to our complex legal challenges. His professionalism and dedication stand out, making him an invaluable asset to any business legal team.”

Founded in 1993, S Majumdar & Co is a well-reviewed IP law firm with notable strength on all matters pertaining to patents across a wide spectrum of industries such as technology, engineering, telecoms, software, electronics, chemistry, pharmaceuticals and life sciences. The firm has recently expanded its specialisation to include biotechnology, FMCG and polymer technology and packaging. The litigation team is experienced in advocating for numerous Indian generic pharmaceuticals companies in multiple matters, and it has successfully defended and enforced its clients’ patent rights. It is present in three cities across the country – namely, Kolkata, New Delhi and Mumbai.

Managing partner Subhatosh Majumdar is a highly regarded IP litigator.

In a recent highlight, the firm was instructed by Cipla for its defence in a suit for patent infringement against Vifor. The matter was extensively argued on the patentability and infringement of a product by process patent. The court held in favour of the client and refused to grant an interim injunction, stating that the process of the client did not infringe Vifor’s patent.

Client feedback

“They provided us with perfect and professional advice to proceed with the filing.” – Intellectual property

Suhrita Majumdar

“Her quick correspondence helped me to provide my client with timely advice.”

Formerly known as Singh & Associates, S&A Law Offices is a full-service firm with offices in Bengaluru, Bangalore, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Gurugram. Its litigation and alternative dispute resolution team is one of its four core practice areas. The team had a very active year with commercial disputes and arbitration work, while the Bangalore and Mumbai teams have begun growing its contentious infrastructure practice. The disputes group focuses on all types of litigation instituted and prosecuted within India and abroad, including commercial disputes, recovery proceedings, property disputes, infringement of intellectual property rights, constitutional matters, custody claims, service matters, banking claims, insolvency, criminal matters, white-collar crimes and other disputes. During the period under review, the firm added new significant client mandates from Adani Group, GMR Group and Dineshchandra Infracon.

The six main contacts for disputes at the firm are all experienced litigators in their respective areas: Founding partner Manoj Kumar Singh, joint managing partner Gunita Pahwa, senior partner Vijay Kumar Singh, senior partner Nilava Bandyopadhyay, and partners Manish Gopal Singh Lakhawat and Anurag Abhishek.

The team recently represented RattanIndia Enterprises in its dispute against several individuals relating to the shareholders agreement between them and the client over obligations between the parties with respect to the running and functioning of Revolt Intellicorp.

Client feedback

Rajdutt Singh

“Good at making detailed notes for hearing and understanding the depth of the matter.”

S&R Associates has offices in Delhi and Mumbai. With market-leading capital markets and corporate practices, its dispute resolution offering aligns with that strength and routinely works with clients on complex commercial and transactional, regulatory and intellectual property disputes. It also handles investor-state arbitration and bilateral investment treaty claims, and anti-corruption and internal investigations. The team values quality over quantity and is sought after for complex, high-value disputes. The disputes lawyers have appeared extensively before all levels of the courts and various international arbitration forums. The firm expanded its contentious offering into the tax arena with the joining of tax specialists Ajinkya Gunjan Mishra from Luthra and Luthra Law Offices, and Sumit Bansal from PwC India. White-collar crime and investigations expert William Vivian John was also added to the team from Luthra and Luthra in late 2022.

Key figures in the disputes practice are partners Niti Dixit, Shahezad Kazi, Abhishek Tewari and Raunaq Mathur. Dixit is known for her commercial litigation, arbitration and regulatory work.

The team represented McDonald’s in a complex shareholder dispute, involving LCIA arbitration proceedings and proceedings before the Indian courts and tribunals, and in the settlement of disputes with the JV partner. The team also successfully assisted the Committee of Creditors to revive Indian Steel Corporation under the IBC.

Bangalore-based Saakshya Law is a corporate litigation outfit specialising in contentious issues involving public law, mining and natural resources and renewable energy. The team has represented clients at domestic and international arbitrations and is well versed with all the legal, procedural and regulatory compliances needed for various arbitral forums and chambers. Its key clients include Ajax Engineering, Bharat Electronics, Canara Bank, Greenko Group, JSW Steel, KCIC Group, Mfar Holdings, MSPL, Paschim Hydro Energy, Vedanta and West Coast Paper Mills.

Leading the disputes team are partners Aditya Narayan and contentious tax specialist Megha Malhotra Narayan.

In a recent highlight in the mining sector, the team acted for the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries on proceedings for the removal of production caps on iron-ore mining in the state of Karnataka. The challenge gives rise to important questions of law relating to the power of the Supreme Court to impose legal restrictions on carrying on industrial operations and raises important environmental law questions including in respect of application of the principles of sustainable development and the precautionary principle. In the event the suits are allowed, it will have systemic effects on the industry as a whole by increasing availability of raw material.

Client feedback

“It helped us by quickly turning around the pleadings, summarising our submissions for briefing the senior arguing counsels, and ensuring focus and attention from the managing partner himself on the matter.” – Government and regulatory

“The team worked pro bono for us, given that this was a social cause. However, despite it being pro bono, the team, starting from the partners through to the entire team, gave it all the requisite attention and focus like any other commercial client. The team is extremely professional with regard to its engagement.” – Government and regulatory

“They understand the issues at hand and address them in the most ethical manner.” – Real Estate

Aditya Narayan

“Extremely knowledgeable and very socially conscious and responsible. Very professional in his approach.”

“Responsiveness to the need of client and quality of input are key positive attributes.”

“We appreciate his probity, integrity and problem solving.”

The dispute resolution practice at Saga Legal offers services across litigation, regulatory and pre-dispute advisory assignments. The team has an impressive caseload at the Supreme Court level. It is experienced at advocating for clients through all the stages and forms of dispute resolution from the initiation or defence of proceedings before forums to settlement negotiations, and from representation during arbitral proceedings to enforcement of awards. In seven years of operation, the firm has more than 250 reported judgments and has been active on more than 100 ADR matters.

Founder and managing partner Gaurav Nair is the key contact for disputes. Partner Sanika Mehra is another practitioner to note.

In one highlight, the firm acted for a confidential client before the NCLAT in an appeal on behalf of the ex-directors of the corporate debtor engaged in the business of construction and civil works, challenging the order of liquidation on the grounds that the said order was passed ex-parte and without exploring the viability of other resolution plans. The appellants had contended that the decision of liquidation was not arrived at unanimously by the committee of creditors. rather by only a majority of financial creditors.

Client feedback

“Saga Legal excels in providing accessible and affordable legal services. Their diverse range of services caters to various client needs, while their commitment to transparent communication and customer service ensures a supportive and clear legal experience for individuals and businesses alike.” – Bankruptcy

Gaurav Nair

“Gaurav Nair stands out as a lawyer due to a blend of key attributes and skills. His extensive legal expertise is foundational, allowing him to navigate intricate legal landscapes with ease. What sets him apart is not just his knowledge but his ability to dissect complex issues, employing analytical skills to identify pivotal aspects crucial to his clients’ cases.“

Sagus Legal is a full-service boutique that just celebrated its fourth birthday. The commercial litigation practice handles a plethora of disputes, such as shareholder disputes, partnership disputes, antitrust bankruptcy avoidance actions, and conflicts related to securities, commercial contracts, lender liability, real estate, labour and trade and customs. It has a strong power and electricity speciality, as evidenced by its impressive power company client roster. At the time of submission, the firm was handling disputes worth a cumulative value of more than $7.5 billion. It has offices in New Delhi, Bhubaneshwar and Gurugram.

Commercial litigation specialists and partners Anand Shrivastava, Shruti Kanodia and Shivam Sinha are the main contacts for disputes-related work. Shrivastava and Kanodia are empanelled with REC and the firm is empanelled with PFC – two government organisations in the power sector.

In a notable power sector matter, the team is representing Odisha DISCOMs in an appeal filed by Indian Railways before the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity. The matter is one of a kind, with Indian Railways seeking the status of a ‘deemed distribution licensee’ under the Electricity Act, claiming itself to be a nationwide power distribution utility, in view of expansive provisions under the Railways Act. Distribution licensees of various states were collectively contesting the status of deemed distribution licensee as sought by Indian Railways. If Indian Railways succeeds, it could result in a complete re-juggling of the long-term power contracts in India and will have severe cascading effect on the retail tariff paid by power consumers across the nation.

Saikrishna & Associates is a top-tier firm for contentious intellectual property and technology, media and telecoms matters. In particular, its copyright litigation team is arguably the best in the country, regularly recognised and name-checked by peers and clients. The firm has featured in numerous first-of-its-kind litigations that helped shape the landscape of various industries, such as media and entertainment, sports broadcasting, standard essential patents (SEPs), pharmaceuticals and life sciences, intermediary liability, publishing, information technology and new media and online anti-piracy. In addition to its supremacy in the IP sphere, the disputes team regularly handles a range of commercial, competition, white-collar crime and regulatory cases.

Key contacts for disputes include managing partner Saikrishna Rajagopal and partners Ameet Datta, Sidharth Chopra, Nitin Sharma, Safia Said, Sahil Sethi, Savni Endlaw and Sneha Jain.

Amazon Seller Services engaged the team for its investigation initiated by the Narcotics Control Bureau due to misuse of the online marketplace and its logistics services by perpetrators functioning as sellers or delivery partners. This case will have significant ramifications on intermediary liability and safe harbour available to them if the intermediary’s systems are misused to perpetrate crimes. It also raises issues of the stringency of the due diligences conducted by intermediaries while allowing customers and sellers to engage in sale-purchase transactions on their platform. This affects all players engaged in logistics and delivery services whose services may be used to move any prohibited substances throughout the country.

Key clients include Apple TV, Adobe Systems India, Audible Singapore, Bytedance, Fox Star Studios, HarperCollins, Panasonic, Penguin Books, Star India, Walt Disney Company and WeWork.

Client feedback

“Strong at media and entertainment.” – Government and regulatory

“They have in-depth industry knowledge. They are proactive and efficient and they effectively executed tasks.” – Government and regulatory

“They are the numero uno law firm when it comes to the media and entertainment sector, as they have the deep knowledge and insight of the legal and regulatory landscape. It isn’t only the private sector that engages them – even the administrative ministries such as the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology and the sectoral regulator for both telecoms and broadcasting, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), and others consult them on policy issues.” – Intellectual property

“The firm has expertise in intellectual property matters. The firm is proactive in providing their support in various matters and legal advices.” – Intellectual property

“They are very experienced and able to represent our interests on the negotiating table very ably and persuasively against difficult targets, many of whom are not legally trained or proficient.” – Intellectual property

“Saikrishna & Associates provides all-round legal solutions for effectively managing the intellectual property of the company.” – Intellectual property

“Extremely high levels of ownership, with the ability to provide advice within tight timelines.” – Intellectual property

Siddharth Chopra

“He is hard-working, committed, efficient and effective. He has an in-depth knowledge of industry issues.”

“Siddharth Chopra, who is one of the senior team members of Saikrishna, is very capable and almost independently drives the issues.”

Sneha Jain

“I work closely with Sneha Jain as she keeps a close watch on the legal and regulatory landscape from the policy point of view. Since technology, media and telecommunication are dynamic fields with all the action centred around this segment, we exchange knowledge on a regular basis. This helps me hugely in my articulation before policy-makers and regulators. She is a great listener and her interpretation of law is always amazing.”

“Sneha displayed an unrelenting commitment to her work and clients. She is able to understand the problem and provide problem-solving advice very well. Her depth of knowledge from a regulatory perspective vis a vis the media sector is unparalleled. She understands client needs and is able to give relevant advice depending on the matter at hand.”

Suhasini Raina

“Very effective communicator and litigator.”

Meghana Singh

“Meghana is always reachable, eager to provide support and information whenever required. She has good knowledge about the subject matter.”

Samvad Partners is a multi-specialist law firm with a market-approved dispute resolution offering. The firm’s core litigation areas encompass commercial, employment, competition, intellectual property and financial disputes. The team regularly appears in high-stakes cases before the High Courts, Supreme Court and all relevant tribunals. The litigation and arbitration team comprises four partners and nearly 20 associates spread across the firm’s five offices in Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi. It is rapidly developing its mediation and insolvency and debt recovery practices in the wake of Covid-19. Another interesting feature is the firm pioneering and advocating for more online dispute resolution.

Four partners round out the disputes team: Arjun Krishnan, Poornima Hatti and Rohan George and Savani Gupte. Collectively, they cover antitrust, construction, government, insolvency, IP, labour and international arbitration dispute matters. The firm’s commercial and tax disputes practice was bolstered with the arrival of partner Aditya Bhattacharya from Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan in September 2023.

The firm’s client stable includes Delhivery, Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction, Healthmap Diagnostics, MGH Group, Phasorz Technologies, QD Seatoman Designs, Society for Informal Education and Development Studies, Tata Projects, Yes Bank and Zetwerk Manufacturing Businesses.

Client feedback

“We recommend Samvad Partners for their connection with top lawyers across the country, knowledge of handling criminal matters, availability and maintaining confidentiality.” – Class actions

“They provided end-to-end service in all steps of the arbitration and engaged partners in the business areas where they may have been short on expertise.” – Commercial and transactions

“Strong drafting and quick responses.” – Construction

“Clear communication and considered advice.” – Intellectual property

Rohan George

“He is an extremely intelligent fellow with wide-ranging interests, which meant that he understood the context in which our agreements were being negotiated.”

Poornima Hatti

“She offers an end-to-end process and collaborative approach.”

Ankur Singh

“We appreciate his commitment, communication, transparency, feedback, knowledge and reachability.”

Dispute resolution is a core business for Bengaluru-based Sanctum Law. Apart from this, the firm is focused on real estate and general corporate law. In the south, the firm is recognised for its expertise in construction agreement-related arbitrations and agreement negotiations, and regulatory litigation against the government. The team’s experience covers a wide range of sectors, such as commercial, regulatory, real estate and intellectual property litigation, domestic arbitration and contentious matters relating to company, family, competition, consumer, service, labour, trade and criminal law. In the past 12 months, the firm has been proud of the 87% success rate, winning 20 of the 23 matters that were closed. There are still 167 matters pending.

The key contact at the firm is founder Sammith S. His practice spans government, tax, construction, labour, white-collar crime and commercial disputes. Sammith S is the sole empanelled legal adviser on the board of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India for Bengaluru and Karnataka. Senior consultant Shivananda S is an additional name to note for contentious regulatory matters.

The team secured numerous wins for its clients, such as successfully representing Kamalalaya Hiisoft before the High Court of Karnataka in overturning a trial court order of asset attachment.

Client feedback

“We recommend the firm for arbitrations in real estate and any other disputes in real estate .” – Real estate

“We have used their services for real estate. They advised us well for all our queries related to property.” – Real estate

“Very good advice and follow-through in land matters.” – Real estate

“Assimilation of facts is done well by the entire team at Sanctum Law. Before the matter is presented, it is discussed in detail with the clients.” – Real estate

“Sanctum has an excellent team in handling real estate litigation and has always got us good orders. The team is very prompt in responding and also quick in drafting and filing the petitions and ensures that they are taken up at the earliest, considering the huge backlog of cases in the courts.” – Real estate

“We appreciate their attention to detail and advice on the right direction and manner.” – Trust and Estates

Sammith Shivanand

“He is great at addressing clients’ calls and respecting their privacy.”

“Sammith tries to make time despite his busy schedule and is driven.”

“Excellent at everything.”

“He understands our queries really well and uses his legal knowledge to give us a long-term solution.”

“Very calm, results-oriented and the best performer.”

“He has an excellent knowledge of law in our area and comes up with solutions or otherwise backed with case laws in the most convincing manner. He is a leader and has built a team of like-minded professionals who have almost the same kind of approach. Kudos to him and his entire team.”

“Great attention to details and problem-solving attitude.”

“He is extremely knowledgeable and strategises very well, in addition to being very accessible and involved.”

“Sammith’s knowledge in the areas of practice is excellent. His responsive nature and leadership quality is very good. Having about 11-12 years of experience and managing a firm on his own is commendable.”

Saraf and Partners was established three years ago. It has a fully fledged dispute resolution offering that encompasses litigation, domestic and international arbitration, and other forms of dispute settlement. The firm’s formidable corporate transactional capability dovetails nicely with its contentious practice, as exemplified by its projects litigation and insolvency litigation groups. The practice has been active in high-stakes commercial disputes around India, as well as in specialised advisory and representation in international and cross-border challenges. The firm also has a skilled and experienced white-collar crime team. It has specialities in energy, contractual, consumer, insurance, competition, antitrust and defamation cases. The firm further strengthened its real estate practice by merging with SRGR Law Offices, a boutique real estate law firm with a team of 20.

The 10 partner-strong dispute resolution team is led by founder Mohit Saraf. Other core members include Manmeet Singh, Sanjeev Sharma, Vaibhav Kakkar and Abhishek Swaroop. The group welcomed disputes-focused partners Anugrah Robin Frey, Sairam Subramanian, Vijay Kaundal and Anirudh Krishan Gandhi from L&L Partners, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, SRGR Law Offices and LALIVE, respectively.

The team successfully represented Fortis Healthcare and Fortis Hospitals (Fortis Group) against Daiichi Sankyo (Daiichi) in several petitions stemming from the enforcement petition of an arbitral award. Certain disputes arose between the parties in relation to an alleged misrepresentation in the sale of the business Ranbaxy to Daiichi. As a consequence, Daiichi initiated arbitration proceedings in Singapore and secured a foreign arbitral award in its favour. The Supreme Court decision rendered in the Ranbaxy-Daiichi feud was a landmark one and has become precedent in the context of the enforcement of foreign awards, as well as the scope of contempt proceedings in India.

Client feedback

“Both advisory and litigation services are outstanding.” – Bankruptcy

“Recommended for its deep knowledge and for being client focused.” – Bankruptcy

“They stick to the legal framework, yet they are practical and sound business advisers. Their practical judgement makes them stand out from other law firms which go strictly by the letter of the law.” – Technology and telecommunications

Bikash Jhawar

“Excellent interpretation of statutes, judgments, listening, management, advisory and risk analytical skills.”

Manmeet Singh

“Dedicated and deep expertise.”

Sanjeev Kumar Sharma

“Sanjeev is a highly skilled and experienced lawyer. His litigation experience, combined with practical judgment, sets him apart from other counsel. Sanjeev’s legal acumen and problem-solving ability is par excellence. I have been associated with him for the past 10 years and I have found his services better with each passing year.”

Delhi-based Sarthak Advocates is a full-service firm with a robust commercial litigation and arbitration practice, particularly in the infrastructure and construction sectors. It has offices in Mumbai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chandigarh and Lucknow, and has expanded its presence in Japan. The group’s insolvency practice is also widely recognised and has had an active past year. The firm is empanelled with some of the largest public sector undertakings such as Bharat Heavy Electricals, Engineers India, National High-Speed Rail Corporation, National Skills Development Corporation and Shipping Corporation India. This year the firm climbs up a notch in the commercial dispute rankings.

The main practitioners to contact include dispute resolution specialist and partner Mani Gupta and managing partner Abhishek Tripathi, who is known for insolvency and arbitration work.

The team recently represented the Unique Identification Authority of India in an arbitration arising out of a dispute between the client and the claimant regarding payment of the amount for services rendered during the term of the contract and the deduction of liquidated damages.

Client feedback

“They have a great team, their drafting is excellent and the notes they prepare for hearings are quite exhaustive.” – Bankruptcy

“Strong pleadings, drafting and arguments.” – Commercial arbitration

“Sarthak was able to clearly construct the landscape with past judgments to outline where there are black and white borders and where there is a grey area and guidelines on how to navigate them. What they do particularly well is to help CEOs understand the trade-off between various choices that complex legal landscapes present.” – Intellectual property

“Recommended for their advice and handling of court cases.” – Labour and employment

“They are very client-centric and FCC solution focused. They build relationships. They gave a very high degree of integrity. Santosh, my contact, is now a trusted friend and a go-to resource.” – Tax

Mani Gupta

“Good legal knowledge, accessibility and communication.”

“She is dedicated to her work and she manages the team very well.”

Santosh Pandey

“He is an ex-Unilever colleague and nothing more needs to be said in terms of honesty, integrity and customer-centricity.”

“Committed, client-centric and gives personal attention.”

Abhishek Tripathi

“He is a patient listener, explains the complexities of legal matters in simple terms and makes it actionable for the leadership teams.”

Seraphic Advisors is a multi-specialist firm with an experienced dispute resolution practice, notably for commercial and regulatory matters. The firm has offices in Delhi, Gurugram, Chandigarh and Mumbai. An example of the high regard government organisations is its instruction from the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority to battle the Airports Authority of India in a matter relating to a tariff order issued by the client for Chennai International Airport.

The key contact for disputes at the firm is partner KPS Kohli, whose sector focuses include aviation, TMT and government and regulatory.

Client feedback

“We have sought advice from them on our commercial contracts and issues arising out of the same, and they are very knowledgeable in this domain.” – Commercial and transactions

“They are timely in their replies, and provide detailed analysis and their clear POV.” – Intellectual property

KPS Kohli

“KPS is always willing to jump on a call to work through any obstacle.”

“He is extremely knowledgeable and advises on risks accordingly.”

“Advocate KPS Kohli is a very down-to-earth person. He never rushes into the discussion and invests time to understand the issue. He has always provided us with timely advice.”

Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co (SAM) is a leading firm in dispute resolution. It has strengths in core corporate and commercial dispute practice areas and has a truly pan-India presence, with offices in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Gurugram, Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi. The disputes practice has more than 145 lawyers, including market-leading senior litigators who cover diverse sectors and industries including financial services, banking, telecoms, construction, energy, heavy industries, oil and gas, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, media and information technology. In addition, it has robust arbitration and white-collar crime and investigation practices. The firm regularly features in some of the country’s most high-stakes and complex disputes. This year the firm moves into the top tiers of the government and regulatory and white-collar crime rankings.

Managing partner Pallavi Shroff leads the dispute resolution group, which has 25 partners. Apart from Shroff, leading lawyers from the group include Tejas Karia, Ameya Gokhale, Manu Nair, Ajit Warrier, Ajoy Roy, Anirudh Das, Misha, Smarika Singh and Binsy Susan.

The team is acting for Punjab National Bank (PNB) against the two jewellers and their affiliate firms, companies and entities, for defrauding PNB out of more than $3 billion – in what has been called India’s largest banking fraud. In addition to advising PNB on various regulatory issues connected to banking laws and regulations of the Reserve Bank of India, the SAM team is assisting on the overall dispute resolution strategy for recovering the losses incurred by PNB, and to safeguard the client’s interests in court proceedings that are ongoing in India and the US.

The team is representing Facebook India Online Services in arbitration proceedings initiated by Parsvnath Estate Developers. The dispute pertains to payment of outstanding monthly sub-licensing fees and damages, and refund of security deposit, arising out of the sub-licence agreement and maintenance agreement entered into between the parties. This matter involves pertinent questions of law, including interpretation of a force majeure clause during Covid-19. In another commercial case, the firm is acting for JK Tyre & Industries in a high-value arbitration against an Indian conglomerate. The dispute relates to breach of key representation and warranties given under a share purchase agreement, including non-compliance with applicable laws by the share transferor and the consequent third-party claims and financial impact on the client.

PayPal Payments instructed the firm to challenge an order of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) claiming it wrongly declared PayPal a “reporting entity” under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The order of the FIU also subjects the client to a series of regulatory compliances that would have serious ramifications on its business operations. This matter is of great significance as it raises substantive legal question qua the definition of payment system operators under the PMLA and whether the definition can be expanded to bring within its ambit entities which are functioning as online payment gateway service providers.

The firm is assisting Resilient Innovations Private, which operates popular fintech brands BharatPe, PostPe and Payback, in a case pertaining to an internal inquiry into issues related to gross negligence, wilful misconduct, abuse of position and fraud by the founder and other employees of the client. On the antitrust front, the team advised and successfully represented a confidential complainant who filed a case against Google before the CCI, alleging that Google was abusing its dominance in the smart phone ecosystem, including in relation to digital payment services.

The firm recently welcomed white-collar crime partner Samarth Gupta from Luthra and Luthra Law Offices, as well as general disputes specialist Shally Bhasin from Agarwal Associates. Partner Anuj Berry left for Trilegal last year.

Recent disputes clients include Axis Bank, FIS Payment Solutions & Services India, Hilton Worldwide Management, PayPal Payments, PVR, Tata Communications and Yes Bank.

Client feedback

“Did a good job helping us with the completion of the demerger through the court.” – Government and regulatory

Arjun Perikal

“Good advice and timely follow-ups.”

Singh & Singh is top-tier intellectual property firm with four partners and six associate partners. The team is known for its contentious IP work, but it also has experience in media and telecoms, arbitration, competition, tax and pharmaceuticals laws. In all those areas, it provides litigation, advisory, regulatory, prosecution and enforcement expertise.

The litigation arm is led by partners Sudeep Chatterjee, Bitika Sharma, Saya Choudhary and Ashutosh Kumar.

In a landmark case that that resolved the issue of conflict regarding application of patent and competition laws, the Singh & Singh team represented clients Ericsson and Monsanto in their cases against the competition regulator, CCI. The Delhi High Court rendered its judgment in the summer of 2023 in favour of both clients, holding that provisions of the Patents Act would prevail on the issue of exercise of rights by a patentee under the Patents Act.

Singhania & Partners is an established, respected full-service firm with a sizeable and experienced dispute resolution team. Its core litigation and arbitration areas are commercial, construction, and government and regulatory. The firm has developed specialities in disputes related to contracts with government authorities, consulting agreements, construction projects, building contracts and road construction. It is part of the TerraLex and IR Global law firm networks, and it sits on the legal advisory panels of Abhyudaya Housing & Constructions, Bawana Infra Development, Ramky Infrastructure, National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation, National Hydropower Corporation and Shapoorji Pallonji & Company. The firm has brought on board a new CEO from Google, Varun Jain.

The disputes teams are led by multiple senior lawyers, including managing partner Ravi Singhania, senior partners Shilpa Shah, and partners Vikas Goel, Shambhu Sharan and Madhu Sweta. Last year, the team welcomed disputes specialist Tarun Dua from Luthra and Luthra Law Offices.

The firm is representing Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL) in an arbitration against a joint venture between Tata Projects and Aldesa Constructions in relation to disputes over delays and the non-fulfilment of other contractual obligations for the construction of a portion of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor.

Client feedback

“Always follows deadlines and all the required compliance.” – Government and regulatory

Seven-year-old Singularity Legal has a unique business model, billing itself as an Asia and Africa-focused law firm specialising in international dispute resolution. Unlike conventional domestic firms that focus on legal services governed by Indian law, Singularity handles only international cross-border disputes and acts based on the various countries’ governing laws and transnational laws. The boutique law firm has developed a strong track record for handling transnational disputes, unearthing frauds, obtaining injunctive reliefs and assisting in debt recovery. The firm possesses a licence to practise before the courts at Dubai International Financial Centre, becoming the very first Indian firm to be Part-I registered solicitors at this forum. Lead partner Prateek Bagaria is also registered as a Part-II lawyer with full rights of audience before the DIFC Courts. His practice focuses on international arbitration, construction disputes, and commercial and corporate litigation.

Since its inception, the firm has handled claims of more than $4 billion in cross-border conflicts across various sectors, including energy and resources, construction and infrastructure, international trade, and sports and entertainment. It is a cross-disciplinary, one-stop dispute-resolution shop for high-stakes, complex international litigations and arbitrations. To date, the firm has worked on contentious matters in India, Israel, Indonesia, Nigeria, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Turkey and the UAE. The firm is a pioneer in frontier areas of dispute resolution, such as digital asset dispute resolution, recovery and enforcement and litigation finance. The firm recently launched a new office in Singapore.

The firm remains active for global litigation funders, including one on its investments in an India-related construction portfolio, and another on its investment in a dispute relating to the construction of a Saudi Arabia-based oil and gas facility.

SKV law Offices is a specialist energy and regulatory firm. Established in 2013, the firm has grown its reputation for working on novel and complex energy and infrastructure mandates. Its client base includes corporations, governments, banks, consultants and other energy-sector market participants. The list of names the firm routinely represents is impressive: NTPC, The Tata Power Group, Reliance Power, Adani Power, Power Grid, NHPC, Vedanta, RattanIndia Power, Jaiprakash Power Ventures, GMR Energy, Hindustan Power, Mytrah Energy, Punj Lloyd, the Association of Power Producers, the National Solar Energy Federation of India, the Indian Wind Power Association and the Indian Sugar Mills Association.

Managing partner Shri Venkatesh is the lead contact for contentious work.

In a recent highlight, the team acted for Delhi Airport Metro Express on its battle against Delhi Metro Rail Corporation in relation to a dispute involving the construction of a high-speed airport express line. The team additionally successfully represented Tata Power Company against the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission in a dispute relating to the granting of a transmission licence on nomination basis. The Supreme Court of India by way of this judgment settled the position that large infrastructure projects can be awarded on nomination basis, departing from the competitive bidding route provided under a section of the Electricity Act.

SNG & Partners is well known for its strength in the banking and finance arena. Its dispute resolution offering complements this with a wide-ranging arbitration and litigation offering that covers banking and finance, competition, criminal, foreign exchange, human resources, employment and industrial laws. The firm also represents clients in economic offences, conciliation and arbitration work. It also routinely handles matters relating to the Economic Offences Wing and the Enforcement Directorate. Litigation work for the firm is handled by the group entity, SNG Consultants.

Three senior lawyers lead the disputes group, including senior partner Sanjay Gupta and partners Ajay Monga and Ateev Mathur. Their practices focus on a wide range of areas such as arbitration, banking disputes, insolvency battles, labour disputes and criminal litigation.

The team acted for Future Corporate Resources as petitioners challenging two sections of the Recovery of Debts and Bankruptcy Act, arguing that these provisions are ultra vires to the constitution of India.

Client feedback

“SNG & Partners are well versed with the area, responsive and adapt to clients’ needs.” – Banking and financial services

Ajay Monga

“Ajay is well versed with the domain, responsive and helpful. He always makes himself available when a matter is urgent and listens to clients’ needs.”

Solomon & Co, with offices in Mumbai and Pune, was founded in 1909 and brings rich history and experience to its dispute resolution offering. Its disputes team has more than 25 lawyers dedicated to the practice and the group averages eight to 10 proceedings per day in Mumbai alone. Jonathan Solomon, who heads the dispute resolution team, has more than 50 years of experience and has specifically been appointed by the Bombay High Court to assist in several high-stakes litigations in the past. The firm’s commercial, construction, insurance, insolvency, intellectual property and arbitration work has kept the team busy.

Senior partners Jonathan Solomon and Aaron Solomon lead the disputes team, which includes partners Michelle Solomon Le Page, Soniya Putta and Shruti Maniar.

In one highlight, the firm successfully represented Pigments and Allieds in an arbitration dispute in the Bombay High Court for appointment of an arbitrator on the basis that the photocopy of the arbitration agreement was insufficiently stamped and the original agreement was unavailable. In another commercial matter, the team defended several IDBI group entities before the arbitral tribunal – it rejected a claim for refund of a forfeiture amount, which was held to be valid.

Partner Anagha Subramaniam departed last year to set up her own practice as an advocate.

Notable clients of the firm include Baroda Pioneer Mutual Fund, Gammon Infra, Genting Energy, Godrej Foods, HSBC, ING Bank, Larsen & Toubro, Shapoorji Pallonji Group and Yahoo India.

SPN Legal is a full-service law firm based in New Delhi and Bangalore. Its dispute resolution team regularly provides pre-litigation strategy advice and opinions to its clients and represents them before all court levels and tribunals across India. It has a track record acting on cases related to corporate, commercial, labour, IP rights, trade secrets, constitutional, criminal family and debt recovery disputes, among others. Partners Karan Nagrath and Nupur Kumar are the key contacts for dispute resolution.

Stratage Law Partners came on to the scene in the summer of 2020. It has a growing commercial disputes practice that aligns with its transactional strengths. The lead partner for disputes, Bhavin Gada, is also a VC and funds specialist, so he is adept at drafting, reviewing and strategising for shareholder, commercial and regulatory disputes. The team has experience on investor-promoter disputes, specific performance of investor rights, corporate governance and actions taken by regulators and tribunals including SEBI, RBI, ED and other similar enforcement agencies.

The key figures for disputes are managing partner Darshan Upadhyay, senior partner Bhavin Gada and disputes specialist Ameya Deosthale.

In marquee highlight, the team represented Kamat Hotel India before the Bombay High Court in a challenge against a direction issued by the Enforcement Directorate for freezing the client’s bank accounts.

Client feedback

“Excellent understanding of regulations and law.” – Securities

Bhavin Gada

“We appreciate his availability and knowledge.”

New Delhi-based intellectual property boutique Sujata Chaudhri IP Attorneys has been in operation since 2014. The firm provides services for all contentious IP matters, be it prosecution, litigation or enforcement. Its clients span multiple sectors, such as fashion, fast-moving consumer goods, luxury and pharmaceuticals, among others. The team has a steady success record of handling infringement, passing off, and counterfeit disputes before several district courts and the Delhi High Court, in addition to handling domain name disputes and other enforcement-related matters. The firm recently started its patent practice, with 25 lawyers and patent agents focused on this side of IP.

Managing partner Sujata Chaudhri is the main contact at the firm. She she is supported by partners Urfee Roomi and Deeksha Anand. The team welcomed its new head of patents, Pradeep Kumar Bhupatiraju, from Altacit Legal last summer.

In one notable matter, the firm acted for blockchain initiative Centre Consortium before the Delhi High Court, where the client sought to cancel a trademark registration owned by the respondent. This case is significant because it is the first decision on the issue of jurisdiction of a High Court in cancellation actions under the Trade Marks Act. It is bound to have an impact in times to come because it has paved the way for cancellation petitioners to obtain relief conveniently without having to file the cancellation actions either at the Trade Marks Registry or the High Court, within whose jurisdiction the relevant office of the Trade Marks Registry is situated.

Client feedback

“Recommended for all manners of intellectual property, specifically trademark enforcement and litigation.” – Intellectual property

“SCIP provides very responsive services, as required for a major US brand. SCIP is particularly skilled at enforcement and litigation.” – Intellectual property

“They respond quickly, are well informed and have control over all ongoing matters." – Intellectual property

“The firm is very attentive and knowledgeable. It has fast responses, creative solutions, high quality of work product, proactive work and fair pricing.” – Intellectual property

“Responsive and clear advice.” – Intellectual property

Sujata Chaudhri

“Sujata embodies all the best attributes of her law firm – thoughtful, responsive, engaged and professional.”

“Experienced and smart.”

Urfee Romi

“Very attentive, driving matters forward, good work product and creative.”

The core disputes speciality at Tandon & Co is intellectual property, though it does offer a range of services in the areas of commercial litigation, real estate, product liability and recall, and contentious banking and project finance matters. The firm has offices in Delhi and Mumbai. In addition to representing clients before all national court levels, the firm has also appeared before the Delhi International Arbitration Centre, the Singapore International Arbitration Centre and the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration. Last year, the firm was very busy acting on multiple insolvency-related and commercial litigation matters for national clients. Key clients of the firm include Bank of Baroda, Central Bank of India, HDFC Bank and Step by Step Junior School Society.

Founding partner Kunal Tandon is the main contact.

The firm acted for Zee Entertainment Enterprises to defend against a distribution platform operator that filed a petition challenging the client’s disconnection notice for non-payment of additional demand. The team is defending the client’s audit report and its audit demand.

Tatva Legal is a leading firm based in Hyderabad with a dispute resolution services that spans several sectors and jurisdictions. The experienced litigators have advocated at all levels of the courts, tribunals and commissions within the country. Apart from the routine corporate, contractual, commercial and trade-related disputes, the group provides legal services for disputes relating to employment, IP, real estate, criminal law, and public law. The key contacts for disputes are partners Sanjay Kishore and K Shivacharan Reddy.

In a recent highlight, the team represented VSoft Holdings in relation to the enforcement of orders passed by the Supreme Court of Mauritius and in litigations relating to oppression and mismanagement claims, cross-border insolvency and the acquisition of control of the Indian subsidiary of a Mauritian entity.

Hyderabad-based Tempus Law Associates was founded by seasoned Indian- and New York-licensed lawyers. Its dispute resolution practice has a long track record of working on contentious insolvency, competition, employment, corporate and private client-related matters. Apart from court litigation, the firm regularly handles arbitration matters in commercial disputes. Recently, the team acted for a pharmaceuticals R&D company before the NCLT in a matter concerning mismanagement and oppression by the directors of the client.

Co-founders P Raviprasad and Sundari Pisupati lead the disputes team. They are corporate litigation specialists and Raviprasad additionally has expertise in real estate, employment, immigration and estate planning disputes.

Based in Mumbai, ThinkLaw was established in early 2021. It bills itself as a “new age law firm” and it has grown from an initial team of five practitioners to more than 20 lawyers. Dispute resolution is one of the firm’s two core verticals. The firm has a specialism in advising and representing promoters and large families on various aspects of family disputes. This includes pre-litigation strategy, litigations and disputes before various forums in India, mediation or conciliation, family settlements and shareholder matters. The team additionally specialises in complex commercial disputes and arbitrations involving large companies, including publicly listed companies.

Managing partner Tushar Ajinkya is the key contact for dispute resolution.

In a recent highlight, the team acted for M2M Ferries in proceedings it initiated against port authorities in respect of certain charges and levies claimed by the authorities. It assisted the client to successfully obtain interim orders against the counterparties.

TLC Legal is a sophisticated indirect tax-focused boutique that brings together lawyers, tax consultants and chartered accountants. Many on the legal side have additional accounting qualifications. The firm specialises in advisory and litigation relating to indirect tax, covering goods and services tax, customs, central excise, service tax, VAT, foreign trade policy, Foreign Exchange Management Act and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The firm has offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Bengaluru.

The main contacts at the firm are all indirect tax specialists: managing partner Vipin Jain, senior partners Vishal Agrawal and partner Aqeel Sheerazi.

In an ongoing novel and complex highlight, the team is representing Sterlite Technologies as the appellants against the Union of India and Sumitomo Electricals before the anti-dumping bench of the Customs Excise & Service Tax Appellate Tribunal. The client had challenged the central government’s decision to not impose safeguard duty as recommended by the director general of safeguards.

Client feedback

“TLC Legal has pool of great talent. They provide best solution to indirect tax issues, be it litigation or advisory. Their thorough knowledge helps clients to resolve the issue with the revenue department. Their preparation for arguing an issue before court is commendable. Their approach and ability to explain is exceptional.” – Tax

Vipin Jain

“He is a very good listener. He is a great solution provider. He is very accessible. He possesses in-depth knowledge of law. His representation skills are exceptional.”

Trilegal is a prominent full-service firm with a sizeable team of seasoned dispute resolution experts. The firm excels in all traditional corporate areas but has particular disputes strengths in competition, complex commercial litigation, international arbitration, insolvency, tax, and white-collar crime. The team has a track record covering a broad spectrum of litigations across all forums, including the Supreme Court, various High Courts, lower courts, tribunals, and other regulatory and quasi-judicial commissions. A substantial portion of the firm’s caseload has a major international component – for instance, sensitive M&A-related disputes and complex commercial transactions. The firm consistently features in extremely complex high-stake disputes and multi-jurisdictional mandates.

Trilegal has deep and long-standing relationships with a large network of top-tier foreign law firms. With its place locked in among the best global disputes firms, the international arbitration team is a go-to choice for various international and domestic clients, including the ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India, Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Mitsui and Co, Wipro Enterprises, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Resilient Innovations, Goldman Sachs and GMR.

Dispute resolution head and partner Shankh Sengupta leads a team of disputes-focused partners that includes Jafar Alam, Ashish Bhan, Nitesh Jain, Tine Abraham, Pallav Shukla, Siddharth Ranade, and Anuj Berry. Other key figures are partners with practice specialities that overlap with the disputes group, such as competition specialist Nisha Kaur Uberoi, white-collar crimes investigation specialist Kunal Gupta and tax specialist Samsuddha Majumder. Last year, the firm welcomed disputes partners Payel Chatterjee and Milanka Chaudhury to bolster the team, as well as counsels Ashly Cherian and Naina Pankaj Dubey. Infrastructure and aviation litigation specialist Chaudhury and Dubey joined from Link Legal.

The firm recently advised Resilient Innovations in a recovery suit against its former managing director for misappropriated amounts and for compensation for loss of goodwill, reputation and brand value suffered by the company and other connected suits and proceedings involving issues of corporate defamation. This is the first proceeding in India where a unicorn start-up has initiated proceedings against an ex-founder and CEO to uphold corporate governance norms and recover the funds misappropriated.

Client feedback

“Trilegal is always spot on with their advice and invariably seem to know things better than other law firms.” – Banking and financial services

“Prompt deliverables. Great grasp on matters and research skills.” – Bankruptcy

“It provided pragmatic and actionable advice on a messy commercial dispute in a jurisdiction that favours homegrown players.” – Commercial and transactions

“Recommended for their proactiveness and subject matter expertise.” – Competition/antitrust

“They are results-oriented. An efficient team of lawyers providing inter-departmental advisory for devising litigation strategy.” – Energy

“Trilegal is a full-service law firm. They excel in every assignment they have taken up, be it corporate, regulatory advisory or disputes. I primarily work with the disputes team, and they have done that work extremely well.” – Energy

“Very professional, quick and clear.” – Government and regulatory

“They perform very well with laying out potential risks and potential actions we can take within a pressing timeline.” – International arbitration

“We saw a very good team working on multiple tasks in parallel, enabling efficient pleadings and responses during the hearing of the SIAC arbitration process.” – International arbitration

Tine Abraham

“Excellent understanding of the matter from the legal as well as the business point of view.”

“Extremely efficient with in-depth knowledge of the sector, along with the ability to provide innovative strategy for disputes.”

Rajat Jariwal

“Prompt and clear outlook.”

Charandeep Kaur

“She is always very keen to provide appropriate services to us, irrespective of size or nature. She is very attentive and very good at listening to our requests.”

Mohammed Shameer

“Understands every aspect of the dispute and provides valuable legal opinion with facts and references.”

Vishrov Mukherjee

“Vishrov has a great network, which allows him to understand the upcoming regulatory issues and take a considered approach for different parties. Also, given his background, he has great value before different courts, so all appearances and submissions are well considered. He understands the legal and practical aspects of every dispute and gives holistic advice.”

Shruti Rajan

“Very supportive.”

Mohit Rohatgi

“Mohit provided pragmatic and actionable advice regarding a messy commercial dispute in which the counterparty was acting extralegally. He helped us manoeuvre the situation, taking into account local laws and customs.”

Nisha Kaur Uberoi

“Top-notch knowledge of the subject matter and of the client’s business. She is proactive.”

Triumvir Law is a boutique multi-specialist law firm with offices in Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi. The dispute resolution team focuses on domestic and international commercial arbitration, BIT arbitration, and cross-border strategic litigation. The rest of its portfolio shows ample experience in disputes relating to consumer issues, and in specialised domains such as information technology, product liability, and R&I.

The dispute resolution team is led by partners Anubhab Sarkar and Aakash Parihar.

The team recently represented Movements Digital India before the Delhi High Court against an order from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting refusing permission to the client to shift its channel from a US satellite to an Indian one. This is the leading matter in the Indian media industry as 175 channels have been refused permission to migrate from USA satellite to Indian satellite, resulting in a substantial loss of revenue.

Client feedback

“Triumvir Law understands the problem well and provides effective and quick solutions to ensure quick recovery of stuck money. Triumvir Law is efficient in drafting petitions to be filed before court and represents well before the courts.” – Commercial arbitration

“The firm demonstrates a professional approach to navigating intricate legal landscapes and offering strategic advice to individuals and businesses The firm’s commitment to excellence is evident in its ability to deliver positive outcomes for clients by combining legal expertise with a client-focused approach.” – Commercial arbitration

“Triumvir Law is very active in its response and very active in understanding our problems. They formulate a good strategy to find effective solutions to our legal problems.” – Commercial arbitration

“Triumvir Law is very thorough with their work and has good legal knowledge. They made a very good plaint for us to file and get a stay from the court. They are representing us very well before the Delhi High Court.” – Intellectual property

“Without Gagan, the associate partner at the firm, it would not have been possible to go ahead with such a complicated case. I have a huge amount at stake and I trust only him.” – Real estate

“Triumvir Law’s dedication to excellence, coupled with its client-centric approach, distinguishes it as a reliable and proficient legal partner. Overall, the firm’s strengths lie in its legal acumen, ethical practices, and commitment to client success.” – Real estate

“Triumvir Law is excellent in their research and drafting. The team are very efficient with their work and maintain strict timelines. They were effective before the benches as well.” – Tax

“Although Triumvir Law is a relatively new law firm, I believe they have a good mix of specialisation in their organisation. They are able to prioritise and offer personalised assistance with diverse perspectives. The personalised service and friendly approach is crucial for us to continue working with them. They have a passionate and dedicated team, and are always available in demanding situations. Founding partner Mr Anubhab Sarkar is highly approachable at all times, which is tremendously comforting when dealing with high-voltage and challenging legal matters.” – White-collar crime

Gagan Narang

“Gagan is available round the clock to cater to our needs. Gagan gives ample time to understand our legal problems and then customise effective and time-efficient solutions to ensure results.”

“Gagan is accessible at all times and even at remote hours, considering Iranian people have time differences compared with India. Gagan is prompt with his research and is thorough with his drafting and representational skills before the court.”

“He upholds a high standard of ethics and integrity, maintaining honesty and trustworthiness in all dealings. He has the ability to analyse complex legal issues, identify key points, and develop effective strategies.”

“Gagan is very clear in his communication and very thorough with his research. He is solutions-oriented and works well in short deadlines. He is patient in understanding the problem and providing tailored solutions.”

“He is well prepared in relation to the dispute and has deep knowledge regarding the NCLT.”

“His legal acumen is exemplary, characterised by a profound understanding of intricate legal matters and a keen ability to apply this knowledge strategically. His exceptional communication skills, both written and oral, enable him to articulate complex legal concepts with clarity. Gagan is known for his outstanding research abilities, ensuring that his advice and strategies are well founded and up-to-date.”

Anubhab Sarkar

“It is the friendliness and tenacity of Anubhab Sarkar, the founding partner, that is reflected in the values collectively exhibited the firm. I have witnessed the kindness with which he treats his associates and makes them feel appreciated. A dedicated junior associate worked well on our case, and he personally asked me to send a note of appreciation for her efforts, which I did. He even mentioned to me about the support his firm provides for his female colleagues, because of which they feel motivated go out of their way to deliver great results for the firm. These things reflected to me the positive work environment at Triumvir.”

New Delhi-based Trust Legal has a robust dispute resolution and arbitration practice. It currently is handling more than 1,600 active cases for clients across various courts, tribunals and forums in India. The team focuses on commercial and corporate disputes, and has TMT sector speciality. It has an excellent track record in representing its clients for broadcasting regulatory concerns before specialised legal forums such as the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) and is well versed on working with the News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority, and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It also has experience in litigation related to regulatory challenges against the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and various other petitions including broadcasting petitions filed by or against various sector participants. The firm’s clients in this space include leading production houses, television channels, multi-system operators and direct-to-home operators.

Partners Sudhir Mishra, Ritwika Nanda and Petal Chandhok lead the commercial disputes practice. Mishra and Chandhok are also specialists in contentious IP matters.

The team defended Oil India against a civil appeal filed before the Supreme Court of India pertaining to the complex enviro-litigation arising out of the blowout in a gas well in the state of Assam in 2020. It also acted for Kakade Infrastructure Private against the State of Maharashtra in a contentious dispute over the wrongful withholding of the tender amount of the client upon cancellation of the tender. Zee Entertainment Enterprises relied on the firm in a contentious dispute against Indiabulls Housing Finance revolving around four loan transactions. The same client additionally instructed the team for its defence against a copyright infringement suit filed by a leading Indian novelist.

Recent disputes clients include Essel Lucknow Raebareli Toll Roads, Exploring Infinities, Forty-Five Positive Tech, SITI Networks, Tetra Pak India, Yuccabe Italia and Zapped Technologies.

Boutique commercial firm Veritas Legal has grown steadily since its establishment in 2015. Its dispute resolution team handles contentious corporate and commercial matters across all practice areas, offering litigation and arbitration services. This work accounts for almost a third of the firm’s entire law practice. It has developed an active white-collar crime practice and has strong reviews for its real estate offering.

Head of litigation and dispute resolution Rahul Dwarkadas leads the group that includes partners Neveille Mukerji and Prachi Dhanani.

The firm continues to represent the co-founder of People Interactive India in various disputes with other shareholders and directors of the company. The client has filed an oppression and mismanagement proceeding in the NCLT after attempts were made by other shareholders to take over the board and sell shares of the company to a competitor. The judgment passed in the proceedings in Singapore decided the point of law as to whether the law of the seat of arbitration or proper law of the arbitration agreement should be applied to determine the arbitrability of disputes. There is little jurisprudence on this point of law and the judgment is one of first few precedents which deals with and decides on such issues.

The firm counts Armstrong, Bombay Stock Exchange, Central Depository Services, Honeywell, Lodha Group, Schloss Hma Private and Tata Group as key disputes clients.

Client feedback

“In every matter, irrespective of type, Veritas has always been brilliant.” – Commercial and transactions

Sanaya Contractor

“She provides timely updates, and has excellent drafting skills and interpersonal communication skills.”

The dispute resolution team at Wadia Ghandy & Co is robust and well established, aligned with the firm’s renowned strength in banking and financial services work. The firm has a historical connection with courts in Mumbai reaching as far back as 1883. At present, the team specialises in domestic and international commercial arbitration. Its key clients include major banks and financial institutions, industrial houses, manufacturers, infrastructure companies, pharmaceuticals companies, PE funds, media houses, real estate businesses and high-net-worth individuals.

The key contacts for disputes are partners Bindi Dave, Pradeep Bakhru and Sameer Pandit.

In a recent highlight, the team represented Welspun against Wasco Coatings. The respondent had breached the non-compete and business exclusivity clauses of the shareholders agreement.

Client feedback

“Wadia Ghandy is excellent at commercial disputes, both in courts and arbitrations. We also work extensively with the firm for litigations before the Company Law Tribunal.” – Commercial arbitration

Bindi Dave

“Extremely astute, focused and a deep thinker. Bindi strategises brilliantly and comes up with innovative options.”

ZBA is a boutique firm best known for its banking, shipping, dispute resolution and debt capital markets capabilities. The firm specialises in complex commercial disputes, with a focus on maritime law. It works with owners, offshore contractors, banks, mortgagees, charterers, cargo underwriters, insurers and reinsurers, protection and indemnity clubs, shipyards, commodity traders and financial investors. Managing partner Zarir Bharucha is a respected figure for shipping disputes. He is often nominated as an arbitrator for shipping-related arbitrations in the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) and he is a member of the maritime sub-committee of the IBA.

The lead partners running the disputes group are Bharucha and Niloufer Lam.

The team acted for Banque Cantonale De Geneve in a case against the owners and parties interested in the vessel MV Polaris Galaxy. This matter is connected to the global Gulf Petrochem fraud saga, where global trade financing banks financed the purchase of fuel oil by Gulf Petrochem for transportation on a vessel and onward sale to a third party, while retaining the original bills of lading as security for the financing. The present case is one where, without the instructions of the client, which is the named consignee in the bills of lading, the ship mis-delivered the fuel oil to a stranger without production of original bills of lading. Thus, the client instituted an admiralty action in the Madras High Court for mis-delivery of cargo and sought and obtained arrest of the vessel MT Polaris Galaxy.