Foreign faithful

India has witnessed dramatic changes in the past decade propelled by global economic tremors, political transition, industry liberalization and heightened legal market activity. As we have closely monitored India-related deals, India Business Law Journal has witnessed and reported on landmark multibillion-dollar transactions, cross-border law firm marriages and break-ups, the emergence of fresh laws and regulations, a landslide election, the proliferation of new Indian law firms, and much more.

In our initial years of tracking international law firm activity on India-related deals, we saw established players reign supreme, making their mark with headline-grabbing deals and unprecedented investment. But market gyrations and a global economic collapse paved the way for lesser known law firms to clinch positions at the top. In the years when transactional work plummeted, law firm behemoths were forced to downsize, retreat into niches, or simply disappear from the India scene altogether.

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During those periods, firms with arbitration, litigation and restructuring expertise took centre stage. But over time, activity with these too died down, making way once again for a flood of mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and other partnerships. As these cycles continue, one thing remains constant: India is a vital market for international legal services.

“The world has changed,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day address, shortly after being elected in 2014. “India cannot sit isolated in one corner and determine its future.” Modi’s statement and those made more recently by others in the corridors of power suggest that in line with attracting international investment, India may be closer to welcoming foreign law firms on its soil.

However, actions speak louder than words. Firms are sceptical about India entry becoming a reality, mostly because promises to open the market have not been kept in the past. In the meantime, the country’s desperate need for investment in infrastructure, education, healthcare, energy, manufacturing and more will hopefully ensure international legal advisers remain dedicated to the India story.

IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATION

Against this backdrop of ever-changing investment tides, India Business Law Journal reveals the India-related achievements and activities of law firms around the world. Our report, now in its 10th year, draws on an analysis of more than 600 law firms from every continent that have documented deals and matters with an Indian element in the past 12 months. To maintain objectivity, our results are based on scrupulous research, vast editorial experience, wide consultation with corporate counsel and Indian law firms, and an extensive network of contacts.

As in previous years, we received hundreds of submissions from law firms and carefully studied public and other records, along with reports in Indian and international media, to ensure the accuracy of our information.

Based on this research, India Business Law Journal is pleased to present its selection of the top 10 foreign law firms for India-related work. We also list 10 firms that are considered key players for India-related deals (page 42), and an additional 22 firms that are categorized as significant players (page 45).

As always, we pay close attention to regional and specialist firms in key economies such as Australia, Canada, Japan and Singapore, and emerging regions such as sub-Saharan Africa. We pinpoint 15 firms in this category that are equipped and experienced to take on India-related mandates (see page 53).

We further feature 24 “firms to watch” (page 59) and 19 firms to watch in the regional category (page 61). Some of these firms provide a full spectrum of legal services with multiple practice areas spread across a geographically diverse network of offices. Other firms provide a laser-like focus on India, with niche specialties and robust regional relationships to help India-centric clients with their investments, funding and disputes. We believe, on the evidence available, that these firms are dedicated to India and passionate about attracting India-related work.

All of the lists are in alphabetical order. Our top 10 table consists of law firms that have unparalleled India practices and are routinely engaged to advise on complex and high-value transactions involving Indian businesses as a result of their solid reputation, multidisciplinary practices, size and geographical reach. The names in this category often stay the same, however, heightened activity by firms in the “key players” and “significant players” categories indicates that new firms could challenge the status quo in the years to come.

Allen & Overy’s India team consists of more than 100 partners and associates, including more than 80 Indian lawyers spread across London, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and New York. Expertise in banking and finance, corporate law, international capital markets and dispute resolution enables the firm to advise on a broad spectrum of deals for blue-chip clients such as Bharti Airtel, Tata, Jindal Steel, Standard Chartered and GMR. The firm was an adviser on four of India Business Law Journal’s Deals of the Year 2015. Its recent achievements include acting for AION Capital Partners, Apollo’s India fund in joint venture with ICICI bank, on its acquisition of GE’s commercial lending and leasing businesses in India; and advising JP Morgan Securities and Merrill Lynch International on the first US dollar-denominated green bond out of India for Export-Import Bank of India. It also acted as a strategic adviser to Reliance Industries, BG Exploration and Production India and Indian counsel on a special leave petition before the Indian Supreme Court challenging Indian courts’ supervisory jurisdiction over foreign-seated arbitrations.

Baker & McKenzie boosted its India team with a series of new appointments including commercial transactions partner Sonia Baldia (Washington DC), finance and projects associate principal Pallavi Gopinath Aney, local principal and finance specialist Prashanth Venkatesh, and tax expert Sanjiv Malhotra (all in Singapore). Highlights of the past 12 months include acting for Sistema on the US$800 million demerger of its Indian wireless business; Malaysia’s Metrod Holdings on its US$115 million acquisition of The Leela Goa; Café Coffee Day’s US$175 million initial public offering on the Indian stock exchanges; and acting for the Indian government on its stake sale in Indian Oil Corporation for US$1.4 billion. Virginia Tse, vice president of credit origination and syndication at Wells Fargo in Hong Kong, describes the firm’s services as “high-quality and efficient” and recommends Venkatesh, who is “familiar with both the local and international market”. The firm is working in conjunction with Cargill to provide financial and volunteering support to help the world’s street children influence government policies on their rights.

Clifford Chance makes little noise about its India practice, but the firm’s deals say it all. In May last year, it acted for the global joint coordinators, bookrunners and managers on a US$300 million high-yield bond offering by Reliance Communications. Four months later, it advised the lead managers on a US$600 million regulation S/rule 144A qualified institutional placement for Indiabulls Housing Finance. In January, the firm was counsel to Nomura Financial Advisory & Securities India, Axis Capital, JP Morgan India and Edelweiss Financial Services on the ₹13.5 billion (US$200 million) IPO by Indian pharmaceutical company Alkem Laboratories. In the same month, it represented Goldman Sachs on its US$66 million purchase of a minority stake in Samhi Hotels. Capital markets partner Rahul Guptan is one of the firm’s best known faces on India matters. Others specialists are Mark Poulton for mergers and acquisitions, Mark Brereton and Ranbir Hunjan (banking and finance) and Kabir Singh (dispute resolution).

Pratap Amin is the golden boy for India transactions at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and chairman of its India practice. With more than 30 years of experience advising international companies and government entities investing in India, it is no wonder clients choose Amin when making investment decisions in the country. In a deal that made headlines this year, Amin led a team advising Hewlett Packard on the acquisition of its 60.5% stake in Mphasis by Blackstone Group. The firm was an adviser on three of India Business Law Journal’s Deals of the Year 2015, including IndusInd Bank’s acquisition of Royal Bank of Scotland’s bullion for US$612 million. Corporate partner Arun Balasubramanian is another key member of the firm’s India practice, having advised numerous companies such as Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Bain Capital, Novartis, and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board on their India mandates.

Herbert Smith Freehills is a magnet for blue-chip companies doing business in India. Bharti, Tata, Godrej, Adani, Aditya Birla Group and Reliance Communications all feature on its enviable client list, so its presence on high-value, headline deals is naturally guaranteed. Its accomplishments in the past 12 months include roles as counsel to Bharti Airtel on the US$900 million sale of its operations in Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone to French telecom operator Orange; Cipla on the US$550 million bridge facility agreement for the acquisition of Invagen Pharmaceuticals and Exelan Pharmaceuticals; and Reliance Communications on the merger into its operations of Sistema JSFC’s Indian wireless business. Under the leadership of Chris Parsons, chair of the India practice, the firm organizes the annual national corporate law moot competition at the National University of Juridical Sciences in Kolkata, and an international negotiation competition held at the National University of Law in Delhi. The firm also runs HSF Bridge, which links law students with local charities in India.

Jones Day has always been a big hitter on India-related transactions, but its practice suffered a blow earlier this year with the exit of three key India specialists – Manoj Bhargava and Ankit Kashyap, who moved to Sidley Austin, and Sumesh Sahwney, who has launched Indian firm Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan’s London operations. Nevertheless, the firm enjoyed a good year with a solid string of mandates under its belt. Standout deals include advising Godrej Consumer Products in seven separate acquisition finance transactions in the past 12 months; representing Tata Power and its offshore subsidiary Khopoli Investments in offshore finance transactions worth US$135 million; and securing a role on the Indian government’s US$1.4 billion offer for sale of equity shares of Indian Oil Corporation. It is currently representing GAIL India on shareholder arrangements for the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline project to transport gas from the Caspian Sea. Key India contacts are Sushma Jobanputra, Dennis Barsky, Karthik Kumar and Baiju Vasani.

Capital markets heavyweight Latham & Watkins holds its turf in the top 10 after another stellar year on India deals steered by partner Rajiv Gupta. Recent achievements include acting for the global coordinators and book running lead managers on InterGlobe Aviation’s US$459.7 million 144A IPO and advising Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone in its US$650 million offer of 3.5% senior notes due in 2020. Gupta is also currently representing the book running lead managers on the proposed Nuziveedu Seeds 144A IPO. Kapil Agarwal, the joint managing director of UFO Moviez India who engaged Latham & Watkins for advice on its IPO last year, says it is “one of the finest among top international law firms”. He praises Gupta’s “thorough knowledge of the subject matter” and “easy accessibility”. In February, the firm hired three private equity (PE) and acquisition finance partners – Simon Cooke, Gary Hamp and Amy Beckingham – to support its PE and M&A practice in India.

Linklaters proved its might in the past 12 months after winning roles on five of India Business Law Journal’s Deals of the Year 2015 including the US$650 million issue of 3.5% senior unsecured notes by Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone, and Julius Baer Group’s US$6 billion acquisition of Bank of America’s private wealth management business in India. The firm continued with a spate of impressive deals, advising on the sale of the payments business of Great Indian Retail Group to German payments company Wirecard. Narayan Iyer, the firm’s India practice head, led a team that advised Brookfield Property Partners on the acquisition and financing of the entire interest in a portfolio owned by Unitech Corporate Parks and IDFC. This year it acted for Russian oil company Rosneft on the sale of a 29.9% participatory share in its Taas-Yuryakh Neftegasodobycha subsidiary to a consortium of three Indian companies: Oil India, Indian Oil and Bharat Petroresources.

Shearman & Sterling’s presence on high-value, big-ticket transactions and cases earns it another year in the top 10. The firm counts Goldman Sachs, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Jaguar Land Rover, Deutsche Bank, CX Advisors and GE Capital among its clients. The firm clinched roles on a number of M&A, PE, project development, finance and capital markets deals in the past 12 months, three of which were named in India Business Law Journal’s Deals of the Year 2015. Highlights include representing General Electric on the proposed sale of its commercial lending and leasing business in India, and acting for the underwriters in Tata Motors’ US$1.2 billion global rights offering. The firm was also engaged by French energy producer Engie on the sale of its stake in Meenakshi, a coal-fired power plant in India. Nandini Navale, counsel and compliance officer at Capital Square Partners, recommends Sidharth Bhasin for his “balanced commercial insight” and “much needed ‘dealmaker’ attitude”, and credits the team’s “24/7 accessibility and responsiveness across locations”.

Slaughter and May clinched a major victory when it was selected to advise GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) as it entered into a three-part transaction with Novartis, a deal worth US$21.25 billion. The firm is presently acting for Tata Steel on the sale of its steel facilities in Scotland. “I am extremely happy with the level of services provided by Slaughter in comparison to most other international law firms that I have worked with,” says Mihir Rale, vice president of legal and regulatory at Star India. He consults the firm for strategic and routine advice in relation to the management of Star India’s International Cricket Council rights. “Whether it’s on account of turnaround time, quality of advice received or attention provided to the client, they excel and are unparalleled in my experience.” Two new India country associates – Krishna Omkar and Samyuktha Rajagopal – have joined the firm’s India team to support practice heads Nilufer von Bismarck and Simon Hall in London.

Ashurst shares a long relationship with India and profits handsomely from a best friends tie-up with Indian Law Partners (ILP). “Ashurst provides rock-solid advice … the depth of knowledge that [its] attorneys have on India is … without parallel,” says Bharat Dube, the CEO of Strategic IP Information in Singapore. Dube commends ILP’s “excellent counsel on establishing a representative office for Cartier in India”. Christine Dure-Smith, MMM strategic finance director at Merlin Entertainment, which worked with ILP to set up a new Madame Tussauds attraction in Delhi, says: “They have been a one-stop shop with respect to legal support required for a company coming to India for the first time.” The firm advised long-time client Vedanta Resources on the proposed US$2.3 billion merger of its oil and gas subsidiaries Vedanta and Cairn India, and acted for Enel Green Power on its acquisition of a majority stake in BLP Energy. Says Mukesh Bhavnani, group legal counsel and chief compliance officer at Vedanta: “Ashurst is indeed one of the finest international firms in the India-related space.”

Thanks to its sports law strengths, Bird & Bird recently closed a case for the International Hockey Federation in the Court of Arbitration for Sports, successfully defending the decision of its congress to prefer one body’s claim over another’s to represent hockey in India. Casual Dining Group, an independent operator of mid-market restaurants in the UK, turned to the firm for advice on Bella Italia’s first international franchise in India, while English company Agility Global sought Bird & Bird’s help on a merger with Agni Motors to create Saietta Group, a UK-based design, engineering and manufacturing company. Ameet Datta, a partner at Saikrishna & Associates, has worked with the firm on a wide range of issues, from Europe and Singapore to Australia and Abu Dhabi. “Bird & Bird is the go-to firm for technology, media and intellectual property services in Europe as well as in Southeast Asia,” he says. He credits Nipun Gupta for being “superb at handling Indian client concerns” and notes that the firm is “extremely flexible” and “remarkably sensitive to Indian cost concerns”.

Davis Polk & Wardwell captured roles on more deals than any other foreign firm (six in total) in India Business Law Journal’s Deals of the Year 2015, so its position as a key player is beyond dispute. Standout deals in its portfolio are Daiichi Sankyo’s US$3.2 billion exit from Sun Pharmaceuticals; Reliance Industries’ US$1 billion investment grade bond offering; and Reliance Industries’ US$200 million Formosa bond offering. The firm’s client roster includes DLF Global Hospitality, Diageo, Warburg Pincus, Rolta, Indiabulls Real Estate and ICICI Bank. The firm’s India practice was first set up in 2007 and continues to be chaired by Kirtee Kapoor, a partner based in the firm’s Menlo Park and New York offices. Kapoor regularly advises on US and cross-border M&A, and represents clients in investments, exits and joint ventures around the world in relation to both public and private companies.

DLA Piper’s core India strengths lie in capital markets, cross-border M&A, technology and outsourcing, and dispute resolution. Last year, Wipro Digital engaged the firm for advice on the acquisition of Designit, a Denmark-based global strategic design firm, while a group of investment banks selected the firm for advice in connection with the IPO of Teamlease Services this year. Also this year, the firm represented sports network Willow TV International – the only 24/7 live cricket channel in the US – and its founders on the sale of its business to Times of India Group. In addition, it took on a mandate for Mahindra & Mahindra, which sought to launch a strategic joint venture in Japan with Mitsubishi Agricultural Machinery, and acted for HCL Technologies on its acquisition of the IT services arm of Volvo and related long-term outsourcing agreement – a deal valued at over US$1 billion. Munich-based partner Daniel Sharma chairs the firm’s global India group.

Eversheds continues to make inroads into India after a year of work for clients such as Seqouia Capital, OnMobile, Kalpataru Power, Rolls-Royce, Axis Bank and Tech Mahindra. The firm’s disputes team has also seen consistent activity. Oommen Mathew, managing director of the firm’s Singapore office, was recently appointed as an arbitrator on the first international alternative dispute resolution panel of the Indian Merchants Chamber in Mumbai. Mathew is acting for an Indian conglomerate in a case before the International Court of Arbitration relating to a wind energy project in India and the enforcement of its award in Austria, and advising a global airline network organization on its litigation with Indian travel agencies. The firm is also advising Axis Bank on the restructuring of Indonesia’s largest coal producer, Bumi, and representing Practo, an Indian startup that provides a search platform to match doctors with patients on various deals including its tranched PE funding of US$125 million.

When it comes to India-related deals, Milbank makes up in value for what it lacks in volume. Last year, the firm advised Korea Trade Insurance Corporation, HSBC Bank as the export credit agency arranger and facility agent, and participating commercial banks in a US$750 million facility for Reliance Jio Infocomm, and also acted for Reliance Industries on its US$225 million US Exim Bank guaranteed notes. Last August, Glenn Gerstell who was head of the firm’s India practice, was appointed general counsel of the National Security Agency in Washington DC. He will manage more than 100 lawyers at the agency, which advises the executive branch of government and Congress on intelligence gathering and surveillance in safeguarding communications and information systems. David Zemans, the managing partner of the firm’s Singapore office and Milbank’s Asia practice, took over Gerstell’s role with support from partners Naomi Ishikawa and James Grandolfo.

Morrison & Foerster was an adviser on two of India Business Law Journal’s Deals of the Year 2015. It advised longstanding client SoftBank on both deals – a US$400 million G-series round of funding for ANI Technologies, which operates India’s Ola Cabs; and a ninth round of funding valued at US$500 million for Indian e-commerce company Snapdeal. It also represented Softbank on its joint venture with Bharti Enterprises and Foxconn Technology to develop solar power projects across India, including in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, and guided it on a series C financing of OYO Rooms, an online marketplace for affordable hotels in India. It also acted for Hitachi and Hitachi Appliances in a mandatory tender offer for shares of Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange-listed Hitachi Home and Life Solutions India, triggered by Hitachi’s formation of a global air-conditioning joint venture with Johnson Controls. The firm’s India practice runs primarily from its Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore offices.

A popular choice for banking transactions and dispute resolution, Norton Rose Fulbright racked up a respectable roster of deals in the past 12 months. Last year, the firm advised the Bank of New York Mellon on Adani Ports’ US$650 million five-year debut dollar bond issue and was counsel to Axis Bank, State Bank of India, Emirates NBD Bank and First Gulf Bank on a limited recourse project refinancing facility of US$202 million for a joint venture entity of Bumi Armada and Shapoorji Pallonji to refinance a floating, production, storage and offloading unit called Armada Sterling. The firm also advised Mitsui in its participation in a joint venture to build the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor in India, which will connect Delhi and Mumbai and form part of one of the world’s largest national integrated railway projects. Dispute resolution partner and India practice group head Sherina Petit joined the board of directors of the London Court of International Arbitration in December 2015.

Clients offer generous praise for Reed Smith. Alka Bharucha, a senior partner at Bharucha & Partners in Mumbai, says the firm has “exceptional knowledge of the Indian markets and the Indian psyche”. She recommends Roy Montague-Jones and Ranajoy Basu for transactional work and Gautam Bhattacharyya for disputes. “Apart from their undoubted competence, each is very responsive, constructive and accommodating,” she says. Cyril Shroff, the managing partner of Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, calls Reed Smith “a fine firm with a very broad practice area range”. Loyal client Debolina Partap, the general counsel at Wockhardt, has had a 15-year relationship with the firm. “Reed Smith is extremely prompt … they work round the clock on all seven days [of the week],” she says. “This is very different to other international law firms.” The firm successfully defended Barclays Bank as part of a syndicate of lenders comprising the offshore branches of various Indian banks in an English high court litigation against a Dutch company and its Indian parent.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett had no trouble clocking up deals as a result of its solid reputation as an adviser to PE and strategic clients for a wide range of investments. It welcomed a wave of activity this year thanks in part to participation in the Indian market by loyal client Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR). KKR called upon the firm for advice on the sale of all the shares of India-headquartered Alliance Tire Group to Yokohama Rubber for US$1.2 billion; its investment in financial services company Avendus Capital; and its acquisition of a significant minority stake in CA Media, an Asian media portfolio of the Chernin Group, which is focused on India, China and Indonesia, among other jurisdictions. Simpson Thacher also came on board with Alibaba Group and Ant Financial Services in their US$575 million investment in One97 Communications, the parent company of Paytm, India’s largest mobile payment and commerce platform.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has forged strong relationships with several clients, including TPG, for which it has handled a number of deals. The firm is advising TPG Asia VI in connection with its follow-on investment in Janalakshmi Financial Services; acting for TPG Growth in its acquisition of a majority stake in CTSI (Mauritius); and advising TPG Capital on a US$150 million investment in Manipal Health Enterprises, one of India’s largest healthcare networks. Aside from this, it was instructed by Firema Trasporti, a company in administration, on the sale of its business to Titagarh Firema Adler, a joint venture between Titagarh Wagons, an Indian manufacturer of train carriages, and Adler Pelzer, an automotive manufacturer. In addition, the firm represented GlaxoSmithKline on the global antitrust aspects of its three-part transaction with Novartis, valued at US$21.25 billion. Janice Wu, the deputy general counsel for Asia-Pacific at TPG, instructed the firm as transaction counsel and says the firm is “experienced in India transactions”, recommending Mike Preston and Gabriele Antonazzo.

In August 2015, Clyde & Co confirmed its marine expertise when it advised Anglo-Eastern Ship Management Group on its global merger with Univan Ship Management Group – touted as one of the largest mergers of independent ship management companies to date. The merger created an entity with more than 1,700 shore-based staff, 24,000 seafarers, 600 ships under full management and 100 ships under crew management only. The firm’s corporate and commercial team in Hong Kong led the transaction, with support from offices in other key jurisdictions including Singapore and India. In India the transaction was headed by Clasis Law, Clyde & Co’s affiliate. Dubai-based partner Abhimanyu Jalan, a member of the India team, is licensed to practice in England & Wales, India and Ontario.

The India desk at CMS – the world’s sixth-largest law firm – is led by a team of partners and senior associates based in London, Stuttgart, Dusseldorf, Vienna, Zurich and Rome. Its recent accomplishments include acting for an Indian car manufacturer on a €1.8 billion (US$2 billion) greenfield investment in a car manufacturing plant in Slovakia; representing Acrysil, an Indian-based manufacturer of kitchen sinks, on the acquisition of UK-based distributor Homestyle Products; and advising generics pharmaceutical company Cipla on a restructuring and divestment exercise across several jurisdictions in Europe. Gaurav Kumar, head of corporate strategy at Apollo Tyres, which consulted CMS on the setup of a greenfield manufacturing plant in Hungary, said he had “a very good experience” and will “continue to have a long-term engagement with CMS”.

Covington & Burling’s lawyers have worked on India-related matters for more than 15 years, representing clients on delisting transactions, project financings, joint ventures, trade and regulatory matters, and investigations. The firm prides itself on serving an even mix of major Indian companies and companies based in the US and Europe, rather than focusing exclusively on inbound transactions. Its recent achievements include acting for Mindtree, a Bangalore-based software and technology company, on three separate acquisitions of Relational Solutions, Magnet 360 and Discoverture Solutions. It also represented Famy Care on its US$800 million sale to Mylan Laboratories; acted for Lightbridge Communications on its US$240 million sale to Tech Mahindra; and advised Anheuser-Busch InBev on the termination of its Indian brewing joint venture with RJ Corp along with the transition of the business to Crown Beers India. On the disputes front, the firm successfully defended Indo Count Global against US patent litigation claims brought by a competitor in the Indian textiles industry.

Debevoise & Plimpton’s India team draws primarily on lawyers in New York, London and Hong Kong. The firm caters to international investment banks, PE firms, international strategic investors and Indian corporates looking to raise capital or acquire companies outside of India. Hong Kong-based life insurer AIA Group turned to the firm for assistance on a landmark exclusive bancassurance partnership with Citibank that encompasses 11 markets in the Asia-Pacific region, including India. Nereus Capital engaged Debevoise for advice on its joint venture with Hareon Solar and Treasury Group to create Nereus Capital Investments Singapore, which will invest in solar power projects in India. Capital International also reached out to the firm when it acquired an 11% stake in India’s Mankind Pharma from another private equity seller, ChrysCapital. Debevoise hopes to capitalize on its extensive experience in insurance across Asia at a time when the sector in India’s is undergoing substantial change.

Since March 2015, Foley Hoag has represented the Indian government in the investor/state arbitration Louis Dreyfus Armateurs SAS v Republic of India. The arbitration is being heard by a three-member tribunal under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules and is being administered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. On the transactional side, the firm assisted Jana Care, a start-up company tackling diabetes in India, in establishing its US operations in Boston. It regularly assists clients such as United Villages, Oxigen and iGate Computer Systems on corporate matters, and is counsel to Sphaera Pharma, Lupin Atlantis and other drug manufacturers on purchase agreements, patent prosecution and other intellectual property (IP) matters. Ami Karnik, co-founder and head of strategy at Azoi, a US company with a research and development centre in Ahmedabad, recommends Prithvi Tanwar who “is an excellent lawyer and my go-to guy. He is extremely responsive and I can fully trust him to give me advice in the best interest of the company.”

Goodwin Procter packs a punch year after year with its PE prowess. One of the firm’s long-term PE clients says it provides “unlevelled expertise on India-related matters and an understanding of international business that is second to none”. The client uses Goodwin Procter for PE, venture capital and other private investment structures in India including tax structuring. “They are one of the best firms in the world to deal with India-related services among international law firms,” says the client. “Yash Rana has deep and broad experience in India, and understanding of their laws and the structuring there, too.” The firm completed a spate of deals in the past 12 months including acting for DST Global and Falcon Edge on the series G and H funding rounds worth US$400 million and US$500 million, respectively, for ANI Technologies, which runs India’s Ola Cabs. It also represented Warburg Pincus on the sale of its investment in QuEST Global Services to an affiliate of Bain Capital.

Gowling WLG was formed in February after the merger of Canadian firm Gowlings with UK firm Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co (WLG). Ragi Singh heads up the India practice at the combined firm, which has more than 1,400 legal professionals. The India team has a solid reputation for M&A, equity capital markets, banking and real estate expertise, and sector strengths in energy and natural resources, advanced manufacturing, technology, life sciences, and hospitality and leisure. Sunil Kakkad acted for the independent directors of Greenko when it sold its assets to the government of Singapore’s investment arm – GIC – for approximately US$1.3 billion. “I highly recommend Sunil,” says Keith Henry, Greenko Group’s chairman. “Obviously a very experienced lawyer, very thorough, hardworking and organized, [he] skilfully led a diverse internal and external team involved in a complex transaction with the correct balance of patience and persuasion to coordinate/coerce all the parties to meet their deadlines.” Eicher Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Lalit Hotel Group and TVS Logistics are also clients.

Much of the India work channelled through Kaye Scholer relates to the aviation sector. With a deep bench of senior lawyers in its aviation finance and leasing practice, the firm is a magnet for financial institutions, aircraft operating lessors, aircraft and engine manufacturers, PE and hedge funds, and airlines, which it serves in relation to commercial, cargo and private jet aircraft transactions. Since their appointment in 2014, partners Philip Perrotta and Sidanth Rajagopal have increased the size and scope of the firm’s aviation finance capabilities throughout the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, with a specific focus on India. The firm recently advised TruJet, a regional airline based in India, on the setup of its operations including the lease of three ATR 72-500 aircraft. It also represented SpiceJet on the restructuring and renegotiation of its leased aircraft portfolio following its recent private acquisition. Air Costa, IndiGo Airlines, Kingfisher Airlines, Abric Leasing and GoAir are other India clients.

Kelley Drye & Warren has seen a spike in activity relating to the Indian generics drug business. Lawyers in the firm’s India practice have a deep understanding of the drug approval and development process, and are able to guide Indian clients through the complexities of the US Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act (Hatch-Waxman Act). As a result, it has seen a rise in instructions from Indian pharmaceutical companies, which it defends against false claims act allegations. It has also made strides in other areas, acting for the Louis Berger Group in connection with the preparation and negotiation of commercial contracts relating to multiple infrastructure projects across India, and providing compliance guidelines to an Indian joint venture company in the defence industry on US regulations relating to its International Trade in Arms and Defence Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement. Talat Ansari and Deepak Nambiar are the firm’s principal India contacts.

King & Spalding’s India practice lawyers are spread across Atlanta, Dubai, Geneva, London, New York and Singapore, and work under the leadership of Atlanta-based partner Rahul Patel. The firm has taken on a number of sensitive cases for clients including a dispute in New Delhi under the UNCITRAL rules relating to a production sharing contract with the Indian government, and two International Commercial Court arbitrations being held in Singapore. On the corporate front, the firm was counsel to affiliates of the Avantha Group on multiple M&A-related transactions including the sale of one of its subsidiary companies, Pyramid Healthcare Solutions, to Anthelio Healthcare Solutions. It also served as international counsel to Adjaristsqali Georgia (owned by Tata Power), Clean Energy Invest of Norway and IFC InfraVentures, during the development, financing and construction of a 400-MW portfolio of hydropower facilities located in Georgia, and a cross-border Georgia-Turkey transmission project. This project is expected to be the largest hydropower plant to be constructed in Georgia in the past 30 years.

Ulrich Baumer heads the India practice at Osborne Clarke. In October 2015, the firm advised Wirecard on its acquisition of the payments business of Great Indian Retail Group, a leading electronic payment and retail-assisted e-commerce group in India and Southeast Asia. Wirecard acquired 100% of the shares of companies operating payment services in India, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia under the brands iCASHCARD, Smartshop, StarGlobal and Commerce Payment, as well as several segment brands. The firm was also engaged by Bangalore’s Mindtree on its acquisition of independent consultancy Bluefin Solutions. Other clients include Tech Mahindra, Aditya Birla Group, Jet Airways and State Bank of India. The firm has a best-friends relationship with Mumbai-based BTG Legal, which was set up by former Osborne Clarke India group co-head Prashant Mara.

Penningtons Manches’ India practice is driven primarily from its London office. The firm picked up mandates from New Call Telecom on its acquisition through a Dutch subsidiary of the business and assets of Nimbuzz and its subsidiary Nimbuzz Internet India, and from Tata Advanced Systems on its joint venture with Boeing. Penningtons has also been active on contentious matters, acting for Indian pharmaceutical company Markans Pharma in its claim against Peter Beck & Partner – a German vulture fund – and representing HDFC as claimants in the English Commercial Court for the recovery of a substantial sum against a well-known Indian steel company. It is currently involved in proceedings in the Chancery Division of the English high courts for Syndicate Bank to recover substantial sums owed to it by a customer. Rustam Dubash, Phillip D’Costa, Ajit Mishra and Teja Picton-Howell are key India contacts.

Ropes & Gray handles a broad spectrum of work for India-focused clients. This includes anti-corruption diligence and compliance matters, internal and government investigations and litigation matters, M&A, fund formation, healthcare, financing, life sciences, real estate, and credit and special situations transactions. In the past three years, the firm’s anti-corruption team has handled over 50 matters involving India and conducted more than a dozen training sessions in India for global or Indian entities and their portfolio companies and subsidiaries. On the corporate side, the firm attracted mandates from Goldman Sachs’ Hong Kong-based Asia Special Situations Group for its investment in YUM! brand franchisees operating more than 200 Pizza Hut, KFC and Delifrance outlets in India and Sri Lanka, and the Carlyle Group on its purchase of a stake in Metropolis Healthcare, a chain of pathology laboratories with a presence in India, Sri Lanka, the UAE, South Africa, Kenya, Mauritius and Ghana.

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton enjoyed a busy year on India-related deals. The firm advised Alembic Pharmaceuticals in Hatch-Waxman litigation matters and other patent-related issues; acted for Comviva Technologies on litigation matters; provided trademark prosecution and patent advice to Recon Oil; and advised Symbiotec Pharma Lab on US Food and Drug Administration, M&A, and patent matters. Tata is one of the firm’s main clients. Atanu Sarkar, the general counsel of Tech Mahindra, praises the firm’s quality and user-friendliness. “They are responsive, flexible and cost-efficient,” he says. “Rob Friedman serves as our ‘relationship partner’ and I highly recommend him. He always makes himself available and is extremely responsive. Overall as a [team] they are well knit and come across very well. Their attentiveness and commitment to client service has always stood out to us as a differentiating factor.”

A strong capital markets practice has enabled Squire Patton Boggs to sail effortlessly through to the Significant Players category. In 2015, the firm completed more than 35 rule 144A and regulation S securities offerings and M&A transactions worth a total value of more than US$4 billion and acted as special US securities law counsel to Indian and international banks such as Barclays, HSBC, Hinduja Group, the Zee Group and State Bank of India on Indian IPOs and other offerings. Under the leadership of Biswajit Chatterjee, the firm was an adviser on IPOs by Equitas Holdings, Infibeam, Quess Corp, Hinduja Leyland Finance, Prabhat Dairy, VRL Logistics and Power Mech Projects. It is currently representing Bharat Heavy Electricals, Citigroup Global Markets India and Edelweiss Financial Services on BHEL’s US$1.5 billion offer for sale. One Indian client says Chatterjee offers a “very mature and measured approach” and is “available 24/7”. Parag Raval, the chief administrative officer at Infibeam, says the firm is “very professional and responsive”.

Clients speak enthusiastically of Stephenson Harwood’s India team. Sujan Malhotra, a member of the legal team in the shipping claims department at Scorpio Group in Mumbai, who sought the firm’s help with charter party disputes, says “we rely on Stephenson Harwood to give us solid advice and solutions”. He says Max Lemanski and Alex McCue are “extremely proactive and sensitized to the shipping world” and understand “that not all battles need to be taken to court or arbitration”. Viren Miskita, a partner at MT Miskita & Co, has had “excellent interactions” with the firm on cross-border real estate-related transactions. “We consider them as our first choice for cross-border work,” says Miskita. Kamal Shah is “a practical thinker; his knowledge of law and ability to put through a matter are a great asset”. Unitech, Piramal Group, Reliance Industries, Vedanta Resources and Axis Bank are among its marquee clients.

“Taylor Wessing brings to the table great knowledge of regulation and markets alike, good quality of work product and a strong sense of responsiveness,” says Rajiv Luthra, the managing partner of Luthra & Luthra. He notes the firm’s “keen interest where India-related work is concerned” and highly recommends India practice head Lawrence Lieberman. “He is well clued into the Indian market and understands the ropes, seemingly instinctively,” says Luthra. “Philip Shepherd is also recommended, for his responsiveness and knowledge of the regulatory, compliance and business complexities in India.” In the past 12 months, the firm has advised Cipla on a range of contentious and non-contentious commercial matters throughout Europe, rendered pan-European patent advice and guided the company on employment and immigration matters; represented Ranbaxy in relation to its appeal to the general court against the European Commission’s decision in the Lundbeck case; and acted for forklift provider Linde on arbitration proceedings brought by the Container Corporation of India.

Mark Beeley and James Loftis are key contacts for the India practice at Vinson & Elkins. In the past 20 years, the firm has advised on range of projects and disputes throughout India, while also representing large companies on investments. The firm is advising a consortium of international and domestic companies on a series of long-running disputes against the Indian government regarding the profit sharing from an oil and gas production field valued at more than US$1 billion, including three UNCITRAL arbitrations and at least five cases before the Indian courts. It is also acting for an investor in the Indian telecom sector on a claim regarding the cancellation of 3G licences.

New entrant Watson Farley & Williams saw a hive of activity with India-related deals this year, advising clients in its core areas of expertise: maritime, shipping, energy, commodities, natural resources and information and communications technology. The firm advised Standard Chartered Bank on a US$91 million loan facility to Great Eastern Shipping Company to refinance the acquisition cost of seven offshore support vessels; acted for UK Export Finance, TD Bank and BNP Paribas on the export credit agency-backed financing of six A320 aircraft for IndiGo airlines; and represented India’s Zee Digital on the launch of its mobile and online television portal in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The firm recently established an India working group headed by Dubai-based partner Suhail Mirza to coordinate the firm’s approach towards India matters.

Wedlake Bell has made significant strides in rendering employment law advice to parties investing in India in partnership with its subsidiary, London-based iGlobal Law. iGlobal specializes in managing the international labour law needs of global businesses in over 60 jurisdictions including India. It has sector expertise in biopharma, electronics, insurance, IT, oil and gas, medical equipment, software and telecommunications. Wedlake Bell itself attracts clients on the basis of its corporate work and expertise in intellectual property protection and litigation, real estate and commercial litigation. Clients include Wipro, Bharat Heavy Electricals, Larsen & Toubro, Jindal Steel & Power and Tata. Partner Kim Lalli heads up the India group

Despite a notable slowdown in India-related work, White & Case still enjoys a good reputation among Indian companies and international entities with an interest in India. In the past, it has advised clients such as Petroneft Resources, Asian Development Bank, Axis Bank, Pfizer, Wockhardt India and Deutsche Bank. This year, longstanding client GMR Infrastructure and GMR Energy (GEL) consulted it in relation to a proposed US$300 million primary capital investment by Tenaga Nasional, Malaysia’s largest electricity utility company, for a 30% equity stake in a select portfolio of GEL assets. New York-based partner Nandan Nelivigi leads the firm’s India practice and focuses on the development and financing of major energy and infrastructure projects.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune caters to Japanese clients interested in investing in India through M&A, joint ventures and the setup of subsidiaries. In the past 12 months, the firm advised on two additional investments by Nippon Life Insurance in Reliance Capital Asset Management and Reliance Life Insurance. This year, the firm was counsel to Nippon Paint Automotive Coating in a deal that saw the Japanese company and Berger Paints India bolster their joint venture company – BNB Coatings India – by transferring two of their business divisions through a slump sale. Sumitomo Corporation, Meiji Seika Pharma and NTT Communications are also clients.

With close to 90 lawyers, full-service Kenyan firm Anjarwalla & Khanna has sealed its reputation as one of the leading legal advisers for Indian companies in East Africa. It has handled a slew of deals for companies such as Essar Telecom, Tata Communications, Tech Mahindra and Bharti Airtel. The firm works closely with Anjarwalla Collins Haidermota, its regional office in the UAE, which aims to capture work in the Middle East, as well as in India. As a founding member of the Africa Legal Network, an alliance of independent top-tier law firms across 12 African jurisdictions, Anjarwalla & Khanna is well placed to provide local, regional and cross-border legal services in those locations. Pankaj Phadnis at Godrej Industries, who dealt with the firm when Godrej East Africa Holdings acquired Kenya’s Canon Chemicals, recommends Karim Anjarwalla “since he acts as a problem solver and has a good domain expertise”. Anne Kiunuhe and Akash Devani are also recommended contacts for India deals.

Canadian firm Blake Cassels & Graydon advises Indian companies and conglomerates with respect to their business activities in Canada and the Gulf region. The firm’s core areas of expertise include infrastructure, oil and gas, power, mining, agribusiness, banking, telecommunications, IP and IT. Kam Rathee is special adviser for India at Blakes and has access to a large network of relationships in India and Canada. Prior to being president and executive director at the Canada-India Business Council for several years, Rathee headed a Toronto-based international consulting firm, assisting Canadian companies in India and Indian companies in Canada. Key achievements include representing Bangalore-based Indegene LifeSystems on its purchase of Canadian company Aptilon, and acting for Punj Lloyd in its defence against a claim launched in British Columbia by Point Grey Capital, a Vancouver-based venture capital firm.

Singaporean firm Colin Ng & Partners provides niche expertise in investment funds, M&A and financial sector regulation for the offshore leg of transactions. Within the investment funds sector, the firm deals with hedge funds, PE funds and real estate funds. Recent transactions include advising on the launch of DMIIF, a Singapore-domiciled, India-focused fund that looks for opportunities in Indian corporate debt; acting on the launch of ASOF, a Singapore-domiciled Asia-focused fund that looks for special situations opportunities in Asia, particularly in India; and advising two India-focused fund managers on obtaining registered fund management company status and a capital markets services licence from the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Australian firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth offers strategic advice in several key areas including energy and resources, public-private partnerships and infrastructure, technology and biotechnology, water and clean energy, and agribusiness. The firm recently appointed former Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co lawyer Shaun Star as an India-based consultant to its India business group chaired by Bruce Adkins and Arvind Dixit. Star is the co-founder and chair of the Australia-India youth dialogue and has a network of contacts in the federal and state governments, business, education, and not-for-profits in Australia and India. Corrs recently advised Pune-based Persistent Systems on its acquisition of Australian company PRM Cloud Solutions; acted for Chennai-headquartered Ramco in relation to its Australian operations, including the preparation of template Australian contracts; and cooperates with the Victorian government business office in Bangalore to assist Indian organizations entering the Australian market. “We work closely with Corrs as a partner and find them to be very professional,” says one client.

Clients express high praise for Kenyan firm Coulson Harney. Jaydev Mody, the chairman of Delta Corp, who consulted the firm primarily for real estate matters in Kenya, says “Paras Shah has been fantastic, proactive and solid in every sense”. Nikhil Patel, the chief legal officer of Cipla in South Africa, adds that Shah is “exceptionally good on Indian inbound M&A and private equity matters”. Patel entrusted the firm with complex IP and trademark matters. “They know their market, the local law procedures, they are business savvy and they have tons of experience representing foreign corporations in Kenya,” he says. He credits John Syekei for being “extremely conscientious, often making himself available after hours and on weekends to assist me with answers”, and for his “astuteness in fighting for client rights, especially in the IP space”. Coulson Harney is part of the Bowman Gilfillan Africa Group, a pan-African legal advisory services firm with offices in Botswana, Kenya, Madagascar, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.

Singaporean firm Drew & Napier routinely works with Indian and South Asian clients on corporate matters, dispute resolution and IP matters. The firm has acted on high-value arbitrations and court actions, and taken on advisory roles in disputes involving a wide range of issues from international sanctions to multimillion-dollar plant, infrastructure, and resource development. Clients include Tata Capital, BrandFund Asia, Paramound Investments and Aarken Technologies. David Chong, the managing partner of David Chong Law Corporation, who consulted Drew & Napier for contractual disputes and general legal advice relating to India, says Hri Kumar and Tham Feei Sy are “able and diligent advocates”. Other key India contacts are Davinder Singh, Cavinder Bull, Randolph Khoo, Petrus Huang, Priyanka Ahluwalia, Farhana Siddiqui, Blossom Hing and Wendell Wong.

Singapore-based Duane Morris & Selvam has quickly risen up the ranks on capital markets deals in India thanks to the expertise of Jamie Benson. Benson has advised on more than 100 equity and debt offerings globally with total proceeds of approximately US$19 billion. Babita Ambekar and Saionton Basu are also key members of the India group. Ambekar advises multinationals on international aspects of transactions involving India. Basu heads the India practice in London and advises international clients who are active in India, as well as Indian companies doing business in the UK and Europe. The firm recently advised Intelligent Energy Holdings on the structuring and financing through Singapore of its £1.2 billion (US$1.74 billion) hydrogen power project with GTL in India and acted as US counsel to the Indian government on the sale of 1.25 billion shares in NHPC for approximately US$406 million in an offer for sale on the stock exchanges in India.

Hengeler Mueller focuses on India-related transactions within the Indo-German corridor. The firm’s recent achievements include advising an Indian conglomerate on the defence claims made by an original equipment manufacturer due to potential defect and recovery under the client’s insurance policies; representing Lupin on the acquisition of a specialty product portfolio from Temmler Pharma; acting for Tata Steel UK on German merger control aspects regarding the sale of its European long steel business to Greybull Group; and representing Varroc Group on the enforcement of an arbitral award in Germany. The firm’s key practice areas in relation to India work are corporate, M&A, labour law, banking and finance, and arbitration. Principal contacts are Daniela Favoccia, Rainer Krause, Thomas Cron, Carsten van de Sande and Abhijit Narayan.

Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek is an active player within the Indo-German business corridor, specializing in commercial transactions; sourcing, supply and agency distribution; energy; IP; media and technology; and logistics. “Heuking Kühn is our most trusted partner and adviser on German law issues,” says V Lakshmikumaran, the managing partner of Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan. The firm advised Equity Consulting on the sale of all the shares in REGE Holding to Amtek Global Technologies; acted for Dusseldorf-based shipping company Martrade Holding und Management in connection with its shareholding in the Indian joint venture company TM International Logistics, Kolkata; and is currently representing a German company in the steel industry on compliance matters and representation in white collar criminal proceedings in India. In addition, it was counsel to Tech Mahindra on the German part of its purchase of a controlling stake in Italy’s Pininfarina, and Ahmedabad-based Rotex Group on its acquisition of a majority shareholding in Magwen Valves. Martin Imhof heads the India desk.

Canadian firm McCarthy Tétrault’s areas of specialty include communications, competition and antitrust, tax, infrastructure, oil and gas, and mining. The firm’s IP group provides advice and assistance for firms based in India to obtain patent and trademark protection for their clients in Canada. It recently advised Essar Global Fund on its agreement to provide a near-term cash infusion to Essar Steel Algoma and a substantial deleveraging of Algoma’s balance sheet. It also took on a mandate for IKYA Group, part of Fairfax Financial Holdings, held through its Indian-listed subsidiary Thomas Cook India, in its acquisition of IT and engineering company Brainhunter’s Zylog Systems (Canada).

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto holds a strong record for advising on Indo-Japan deals. It frequently sends its lawyers on secondment to Indian firms to increase their understanding of business practices unique to India. In addition, two Indian-qualified lawyers – Pavritra Iyer and Soni Tiwari – work with the firm. Tokyo-based Iyer focuses on domestic and cross-border M&A, PE investments, corporate finance, transactional IP and corporate advisory. Singapore-based Tiwari is an M&A lawyer. Clients include Japan Bank for International Cooperation, Nihon Nohyaku, SBS Holdings, Hitachi, Toshiba, Helios Techno Holding and Misumi India. Chisako Takaya is the principal contact for India.

Singapore firm Shook Lin & Bok runs an energetic India practice with a deal list stretching from banking mandates to litigation and international arbitration. In the past 12 months, it acted as Singapore counsel to Softbank on its series D round of investment in Grofers International, an Indian online grocery shopping application, and represented a foreign subsidiary of a private sector Indian bank on a US$30 million term loan facility granted to a UK tea producer. On the contentious side, it acted for a Turkish client in an international arbitration against an Indian apparel company in a joint venture dispute involving the construction of a production facility in Bangalore, and advised an Indian cooperative in an arbitration involving a US$75 million claim against a US-listed company and one of its major shareholders. Key India lawyers are Aditi Mathur, Sarjit Singh Gill, Debby Lim and Pradeep Pillai.

Canadian firm Torys proved its clout with a busy year on India-related deals. The firm advised Emcure Pharmaceuticals on its acquisition of Marcan Pharmaceuticals; Novelis and some of its US, English and German subsidiaries in its US$370 million and €170 million (US$190 million) receivables factoring facilities with an international syndicate of banks; and is advising Essar group on the restructuring of Essar Steel Algoma under Canada’s Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act and chapter 15 of the US Bankruptcy Code. ICICI Bank Canada recently used the firm when arranging a loan for Essar Power Canada secured by guarantees from Indian companies and their subsidiaries. “Torys proactively focuses on problem solving and protection of client rights,” says Anthony Coulthard, the bank’s senior vice president of legal and corporate secretary. “I would recommend them to any party that is entering Canada or the US as a new jurisdiction, as they excel at translating legal and cultural differences where other firms may focus only on executing instructions in a vacuum.”

Rachel Eng, Andre Maniam and Kah Keong Low are the key members of WongPartnership’s India practice. The firm was selected for a number of high-value deals this year including advising Kohlberg Kravis Roberts on its acquisition of a significant minority stake in CA Media and acting for KKR Credit Advisors (US) on the proposed investment of US$150 million by KKR Jupiter Investors in JBF Industries and its Singapore subsidiary. It also represented QuEST Global Services, the parent company of Bangalore-based engineering services company QuEST Global Engineering, in relation to Warburg Pincus’ exit through the sale of its shares in QuEST Singapore to Bain Capital and GIC for US$325 million.

Akin Gump’s global investment funds practice enjoys a solid reputation in emerging markets. The firm has a strong focus on India. Last year it advised Everstone Group on the closing of its third PE fund, Everstone Capital Partners III, worth US$730 million.

Singapore-based Deepa Deb-Rattray is the head of Berwin Leighton Paisner’s India practice. The firm’s India clients include Lodha Group, Hinduja Group and Go Airlines.

Cravath Swaine & Moore was an adviser to Indian private sector bank HDFC on its US$1.27 billion offering of American depository shares and concurrent qualified institutional placement last year. Philip Boeckman, Gregory Baden and Yannick Adler were international counsel to HDFC on the deal, which was named in India Business Law Journal’s Deals of the Year 2015.

Tomasz Dąbrowski and Pirouzan Parvine are the key contacts at Dentons India desk in Warsaw. The firm’s India team is spread across the UK, Europe and the Middle East, and offers particular expertise in sectors including automotive, healthcare, infrastructure, business services and new technologies.

The India desk at Garrigues has taken on a number of mandates for Indian clients in the past few years. It has advised Indian and foreign parties on joint venture, manufacturing, supply chain and licensing agreements. It has also acted for a supplier of wind turbines in a US$33 million London seated ICC arbitration and mediation, and represented an Indian party in a London seated arbitration and related high court proceedings in a dispute with a European supplier arising out of a US$500 million agreement for the supply of multi-crystalline silicon wafers for the manufacture of photovoltaic cells in solar panels. The firm has offices in Spain, Portugal, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Poland, Morocco, Brussels, London and New York. Joe Tirado, who has handled India deals in the past, recently joined from Winston & Strawn.

Kirkland & Ellis was an adviser to New Jersey-based Indian technology company iGate in its US$4.04 billion sale to Capgemini, one of the world’s leading providers of consulting, technology, outsourcing and local professional services. In addition, New York-based partner Srinivas Kaushik advised Infosys on its acquisitions of Panaya and Kallidus for a total of US$320 million. Both were India Business Law Journal’s Deals of the Year 2015.

Sidley Austin represented the underwriters in a rule 144A IPO and Indian stock exchange listing for Syngene International, an Indian contract research organization. It was India’s first pharmaceutical company IPO in five years and the second-highest subscription to an IPO in 2015, after VRL Logistics. The firm also advised the underwriters in a rule 144A IPO on the National Stock Exchange of India by Quick Heal Technologies, a provider of security software products and solutions in India. The firm is poised to climb the league tables following the appointment of India specialists Manoj Bhargava, Ankit Kashyap and two associates. Prabhat Mehta is the firm’s key India contact.

Chris Horton, David Neuville and Karun Cariappa are the go-to lawyers for India work at Simmons & Simmons. In the past, the firm has worked on transactions by Indian banks as lenders, on corporate finance deals and capital raising exercises for Indian companies, as well as capital markets work, joint ventures and alliances between Indian companies and non-Indian investors, and energy and infrastructure companies establishing offices and investing in India. Recently, the firm advised Bangalore-based Mindtree on corporate and disputes matters in the UK.

Arun Nigam, the founder of Hong Kong-based Arun Nigam Associates (ANA), is a frequent adviser to Indian public and private sector banks in Hong Kong such as ICICI Bank, Canara Bank and Union Bank on financing transactions that require the taking of security. The firm’s litigation partner Mark Pierrepont acts for Indian banks in Hong Kong on breaches of facility agreements and defaults on loans, as well as fraudulent transactions. RV Venkatesh, the managing director of Gencor Pacific, which provides botanical ingredients for the healthcare sector, consulted ANA on corporate-related matters and other issues in Hong Kong. He found the firm “professional” and says the services and efficiency that Gaganjot Kaur provided were excellent. Piyush Gupta, the CEO of Riqueza Capital Advisory Services, says the firm is “flexible and competitive”, offering “the Indian understanding of things along with international knowledge and expertise”.

Singapore firm Collyer Law was launched by Azmul Haque only in October last year, however it has already attracted a number of India-related assignments. Anuj Kacker, the co-founder and vice-president of start-up Mycash Fintech in Bangalore, has used the firm for all its legal needs in Singapore including initial start-up documentation, pre-investment restructuring and documentation related to the capital financing for its Singapore company. “Collyer Law is unique among international law firms in their clear focus on the early-stage economy,” says Kacker. “They have an entrepreneurial mindset and senior lawyers who have worked extensively in India [and] internationally. We enjoy working with Azmul … he is responsive and … commercial and pragmatic.” Another attraction for Kacker was the firm’s move away from hourly billing rates. “When dealing with them we don’t feel that the clock is ticking.” Rahul Budhraja, the director of Analytic Edge, says Collyer Law provides “good counsel, are responsive and take the time and effort to ensure client satisfaction”.

In the past eight to 10 years, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has called upon Brazilian firm Montaury Pimenta Machado & Vieira de Mello for assistance with patent prosecution, claims and status checks in Brazil. Sharvani Jadhav, intellectual property manager at Glenmark Pharmaceuticals in Mumbai, has worked closely with Evandro Félix Ribeiro Leite and Bruna Rego Lins. “We find them very competent, diligent and responsive,” she says.

Singaporean firm Straits Law recently completed a restructuring of a facility granted by the Hong Kong branch of Indian Overseas Bank to a Singapore company that is the subsidiary of an Indian company in the hospitality industry in India. It also advised on an acquisition and financing requirement for Tata Power’s Trust Energy Resources subsidiary, and acted for Mayar Group’s Singapore subsidiary, Global Wellness Holding, in the financing and acquisition of spas and beauty salons in Singapore and Malaysia. Financing was provided by the Hong Kong branches of Punjab National Bank and Union Bank of India. KV Rao, the resident director, ASEAN, at Tata Sons in Singapore says: “We are happy with [Straits Law’s] service, attention, competence and approach for our local group companies based in Singapore for matters relating to Singapore and region as needed.”

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