AZB & Partners > Mumbai, India > Firm Profile
AZB & Partners Offices
AZB HOUSE, PENINSULA CORPORATE PARK
GANPATRAO KADAM MARG, LOWER PAREL
MUMBAI 400 013
India
Profiles
AZB & Partners > The Legal 500 Rankings
India > Antitrust and competition Tier 1
With bench strength in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, AZB & Partners acts for a roster of prominent clients, such as Google, Uber and Mercedes, in high-profile, cross-border competition matters, with merger control and enforcement work prominent in the group’s workload. The team is led by the trio of Bharat Budholia, who has an impressive track record in handling merger control mandates; Hemangini Dadwal, ‘a thorough and very prompt professional‘; and Ram Kumar Poornachandran, who acts for Indian and international clients in the digital, healthcare, energy and consumer goods sectors. Gaurav Bansal is noted for his strength in handling merger filings, often for clients in the automotive, aviation and telecoms sectors. Samir Gandhi and Nikita Agarwal are key names to note.Practice head(s):
Ram Kumar Poornachandran; Bharat Budholia; Hemangini Dadwal
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘A wonderful team. Very prompt and understands clients’ needs and requirements well. Gives pragmatic advice in the simplest way possible.’
‘Hemangini Dadwal is fully up-to-date with the latest developments and has a worldwide view.’
‘Very enthusiastic team and most importantly, highly supportive and responsive.’
‘Bharat Budholia is one of the finest lawyers we have worked with so far. His reliability, timely assistance and very friendly client management services makes him stand out from the other lawyers. His expertise in the subject and professional advice given with a clean understanding of the client’s business are his strengths. ’
Key clients
Google LLC
Tata Group
Vistara
Star India / Disney Broadcasting
GSK Plc
Board of Cricket Control in India
Holcim Group
Shell Overseas Investments B.V.
Bain Capital
Reliance Strategic Business Ventures Limited
EQT AB
Vista Equity Partners and Elliott Investment Management L.P.
Rane Brake Lining
Haldiram Foods
TPG
CleanMax Solar
Work highlights
- Advising Google on abuse of dominance investigations concerning Android TV, Android smartphones and news publishers.
- Advising Tata Group on the competition law aspects of the merger of Vistara into AIL, the subsequent acquisition of shares in the merged entity and Tata Sons Private Limited, and the acquisition of shares by Singapore Airlines Limited in the merged entity.
- Representing the Star Group in proceedings before the Supreme Court, Kerala High Court, and the CCI concerning abuse of dominance claims and anti-competitive agreements.
India > Aviation (including aerospace and defence) Tier 1
AZB & Partners‘ ‘formidable’ aviation team has significant expertise acting for lessors, financiers, airlines, manufacturers, and airports on the full range of aviation-related matters. Anand Shah leads the practice and is a seasoned aviation expert, handling multi-jurisdictional regulatory civil aviation matters, aircraft finance, and aircraft deregistrations and repossessions; he is supported by senior associate Rishiraj Baruah. The firm strengthened its transactional offering with the 2022 arrival of Haseena Tapia Shahpurwalla, formerly at Gagrats. Shahpurwalla is dual-qualified in England & Wales and has significant experience advising airlines on aircraft and engine lease transactions. Another new addition to the team is Sarah Rufus, who joined from an in-house position at an airline in 2023. All lawyers mentioned are based in Mumbai.Practice head(s):
Anand Shah
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘A great team with strength in depth. One of the premier go-to firms in India. Versatile and deep knowledge of the Indian aviation market.’
‘Anand Shah is our go-to partner, very commercial and attentive. Technically excellent and has grown a superb team of aviation associates and with the addition of their new partner Sarah Rufus makes a formidable team.’
‘The AZB team is a breath of fresh air in the challenging jurisdiction. Very responsive, and provides consistently sharp, commercial advice in a user-friendly and timely manner. The AZB team is our preferred and go-to counsel.’
‘Rishiraj Baruah: super responsive and user-friendly counsel. Provides direct advice and background to each aspect of a transaction, always provides a commercial, workable solution, and will preempt issues that may arise. Rishi knows his stuff and is a great negotiator to have on your side.’
Key clients
Aercap
TATA Sons Private Limited
TATA SIA Airlines Limited (Vistara)
Air India Limited
Air India Express Limited
AISATS
InterGlobe Aviation Limited (Indigo)
Zurich International Airport AG and Yamuna International Airport Private Limited
Standard Chartered Bank
Bank of America Leasing
Shannon Engine Support Ltd.
Sculptor Capital Investments, LLC
Credit Suisse AG
Willis Lease Finance Corporation
National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF)
Work highlights
India > Banking and finance Tier 1
With a client roster comprising many leading domestic and international banks, AZB & Partners’ cross-border experience is an asset to clients with both transactional and regulatory banking mandates. The team is led by the duo of infrastructure and project finance specialist Bahram Vakil and Anand Shah, who regularly handles domestic and cross-border debt transactions. Hufriz Wadia is known for her expertise in the social and sustainable financing space, while Nikunj Maheshwari regularly advises banks, financial institutions and overseas funds on debt transactions. Other key members of the team include Hardeep Sachdeva, Ishan Handa and Karthik Mudaliar.Practice head(s):
Bahram Vakil; Anand Shah
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team has good understanding and experience in the banking and financial services sector. It provides practical and innovative solutions on all legal issues or transactions.’
‘Anand Shah and his team have an outstanding understanding of the banking field. The team is approachable and listens to the requirements carefully.’
‘Anand Shah and Hufriz Wadia are always available, response focused on client requirements and provide practical solutions.’
Key clients
Goldman Sachs
Fitch Ratings
Bank of America
Credit Suisse
Barclays Bank
JM Financial
Tata Capital
HDFC Bank
KKR
Citibank N.A.
Julius Baer
Brookfield Asset Management Inc.
Investec Bank PLC and Investec Capital Services (India) Private Limited
Tata Motors Finance Limited and its group companies
Larsen & Toubro Limited and L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Limited
Hero Enterprises group
Bahadur Chand Investments Private Limited
Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited & Kotak Mahindra Investments Limited
SBFC Finance Private Limited
ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund
Oaktree Capital Management
Jana Small Finance Bank Limited
PAG Asia Capital
Reliance
Yes Bank
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
Tata Cleantech Capital Limited
JP Morgan Chase Bank
Centrum Credit Opportunities Trust
Axis Bank
HPE Financial Services
HSBC Bank
CreditAccess Grameen Limited
ReNew Power
Tata Sons Private Limited
HDFC Limited
Bank of Nova Scotia
The Carlyle Group
Aditya Birla Finance Limited
Citicorp Finance (India) Limited
Shapoorji Pallonji Infrastructure
IIFL Finance
HDFC Capital Advisors Limited
Arpwood Partners
API Holdings (Pharmeasy)
Ampa Orthodontics (Toothsi)
Xander Investments
Varde Partners
Indusind Bank
Standard Chartered Bank
DMI Finance
Motilal Oswal
Experion Capital
Deutsche Bank
Fairfax Group
Kalpataru Group
Prestige Group
National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited
Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company Limited
Ares Asia
RMZ Group
India > Capital markets Tier 1
AZB & Partners has notable pan-India capital markets expertise, handling the full range of matters, including public offerings, qualified institution placements and rights issuances, and is active in banking, private equity, fintech and retail ventures. The team is led by Mumbai-based Varoon Chandra, who has extensive experience in assisting clients with domestic and cross-border capital markets transactions, while Lionel D’Almeida leads on securitisations. Bangalore-based Srinath Dasari‘s ambit of work includes institutional placements and securities buy-back transactions, and Agnik Bhattacharyya frequently acts for issuers and investment banks from New Delhi. The other key members at the junior end include Sweta Ananthanarayanan and Rahul Aggarwal.Practice head(s):
Varoon Chandra
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘We’ve worked with the AZB team on various capital markets issues, and they are a great team to work with. They are experienced, knowledgeable and collaborative in their approach to transaction management and execution.’
‘Varoon Chandra is a senior and experienced practitioner who makes working together on the transaction a smooth and client-friendly experience. He is knowledgeable and commercially savvy and can combine that to deliver a high-quality experience for the client. Agnik Bhattacharyya is very hands-on, a voice of reason in difficult situations and combines his experience with deep knowledge and pragmatism.’
‘Throughout our engagements with AZB, We found their a) Extent of Detailing and b) Articulation and Simplification of the laws/provisions to be of the highest professional standards.’
‘Most individuals at AZB generally demonstrate a deep level of subject matter expertise, comprehensive and crisp solutionins, good sense of ownership, highest client commitment.’
Key clients
Allied Blenders and Distillers Limited
Anand Rathi Wealth Limited
Aptus Value Housing Finance India Limited
AU Small Finance Bank Limited
Avalon Technologies Limited
Axis Bank Limited
BIBA Fashion Limited
Blue Jet Healthcare Limited
BVG India Limited
Bharti Airtel Limited
CarTrade Tech Limited
Chemplast Sanmar Limited
Chemspec Chemicals Limited
Chindata Group Holdings Limited
Computer Age Management Services Limited
CSB Bank Limited
Data Patterns (India) Limited
Delta Corp Limited
Deltatech Gaming Limited
DLF Limited
Dodla Dairy Limited
Electronics Mart India Limited
Emcure Pharmaceuticals Limited
eMudhra Limited
Fabindia Limited
Fincare Small Finance Bank Limited
Five Star Business Finance Limited
FSN E-Commerce Ventures Limited
Global Health Limited
Go Digit General Insurance Limited
HDFC Asset Management Company Limited
HDFC Bank Limited
HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Limited
HFCL Limited
Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited
ICICI Bank Limited
ICICI Prudential Asset Management Co. Limited
IDFC First Bank Limited
IndiaMART InterMESH Limited
Indian Railway Finance Corporation Limited
Indegene Limited
Infosys Limited
InterGlobe Aviation Limited
Jana Small Finance Bank Limited
JK Files & Engineering Limited
Kalyan Jewellers Limited
KFin Technologies Limited
Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited
Mankind Pharma Limited
Max Healthcare Institute Limited
Muthoot Finance Limited
Nazara Technologies Limited
National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Limited
National Stock Exchange of India Limited
Northern Arc Capital Limited
One Mobikwik Systems Limited
Oravel Stays Limited
PI Industries Limited
Protean eGov Technologies Limited
RBL Bank Limited
Rainbow Children’s Medicare Limited
Reliance Industries Limited
Ruchi Soya Industries Limited
Sanathan Textiles Limited
Sansera Engineering Limited
Sapphire Foods India Limited
SBI Cards and Payment Services Limited
SBI Life Insurance Company Limited
Seven Islands Shipping Limited
Shriram Properties Limited
SRF Limited
Tata Consultancy Services Limited
Tata Investment Corporation Limited
Tata Motors Limited
Tata Steel Limited
Tata Capital Financial Services Limited
TVS Supply Chain Solutions Limited
Uniparts India Limited
YES Bank Limited
Axis Capital Limited
Barclays Bank Plc.
BofA Securities India Limited
Citigroup Global Markets India Private Limited
Credit Suisse Securities India Private Limited
CLSA India Private Limited
DAM Capital Advisors Limited (formerly IDFC Securities Limited)
Deutsche Equities India Private Limited
Equirus Capital Private Limited
Goldman Sachs India (Securities) Private Limited
Haitong Securities India Private Limited
HDFC Bank Limited
HSBC Securities and Capital Markets (India) Private Limited
ICICI Securities Limited
India Infoline Limited
IIFL Holdings Limited
IIFL Securities Limited
Investec Capital Services (India) Private Limited
Jefferies India Private Limited
JM Financial Limited
J.P. Morgan India Private Limited
Kotak Mahindra Capital Company Limited
Morgan Stanley India Private Limited
Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors Limited
Nomura Financial Advisory and Securities (India) Private Limited
SBI Capital Markets Limited
UBS Securities India Private Limited
CLSA India Private Limited
DAM Capital Advisors Limited (formerly IDFC Securities Limited)
Bain Capital
Blackstone
BNP Paribas Cardif S.A.
Brighton Park Capital (BPC Genesis Fund I SPV, Ltd. and BPC Genesis Fund I-A SPV, Ltd)
Carlyle
Elevar
Eight Roads
Equity International
Fairfax
FMO
Gateway Partners
General Atlantic
GIC
Goldman Sachs
IIFL Special Opportunities Fund
International Finance Corporation
Ivanhoe OP India Inc.
Kayak Investments Holding Pte. Ltd.
KKR
Lighthouse India Fund III, Limited and Lighthouse India III Employee Trust
Morgan Stanley
Nadathur Family Office
Norwest Venture Partners
Omega TC Sabre Holdings Pte. Ltd.
Sequoia
Société Beaujon
Starwood
Tata Capital
The Rohatyn Group
Tree Line
TPG
Uber B.V.
Warburg Pincus
WestBridge
Walton Street Capital
India > Corporate and M&A Tier 1
Combining extensive expertise in M&A, joint venture, and general corporate transactions, the AZB & Partners team is highly praised for its domestic and international capabilities. The practice has vast experience of representing clients from across the technology, pharma, and finance industries, and consistently demonstrates market-leading knowledge on securities law and data privacy issues within M&A. The managing partners, Ajay Bahl and Zia Mody, specialise in restructurings and private equity investment work, with the former based in Delhi, and the latter in Mumbai. Delhi-based Anil Kasturi focuses on demergers and public takeovers, whilst in Mumbai, Ashwath Rau and Kritika Agarwal routinely provide financial regulatory advice and both Nandish Vyas and Darshika Kothari assist with PE investment issues.Practice head(s):
Ajay Bahl; Zia Mody; Ashwath Rau; Anil Kasturi; Darshika Kothari; Hardeep Sachdeva; Srinath Dasari; Vaidhyanadhan Iyer; Vinati Kastia
Other key lawyers:
Nandish Vyas; Kritika Argawal; Nilanjana Singh; Daksh Trivedi; Divya Mundra; Kashish Bhatia; Nanditha Gopal; Nandita Govind; Niladri Maulik; Roxanne Anderson; Ankit Tandon; Ashish Pareek; Bhuvana Veeraragavan; Jasmin Karkhanis; Kunal Kumbhat; Atreya Bhattacharyya
Testimonials
‘It is essential that the law firm engaged are expert in this domain and keeping abreast with latest regulations to advise on M&A matters. AZB team has good expertise in the M&A domain and they supported in various corporate strategies in our organisation.’
‘AZB team and lawyers are expert in M&A domain and hands on with latest regulations and law that impacts M&A activities in an organization. Some of the key qualities are their domain expertise, knowledge about M&A, understanding about regulations and latest changes in that which is essential for advising clients on various strategic initiatives.’
‘Top notch, sophisticated legal advice. Very responsive and very knowledgeable across all legal areas. They are clearly very accustomed to working with clients and law firms from around the globe.’
‘Darshika Kothari was a pleasure to work with. She and her team were very helpful (and understanding of unreasonable deadlines and requests), and they led us to a successful completion of our transaction.’
Key clients
Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited
Holcim Group
Citibank
KKR
Larsen & Toubro Limited
TotalEnergies Gaz & Electricité Holding
HDFC Life Insurance Company Limited
Tata Motors Limited
London Stock Exchange Group
Metro AG
Wipro Limited
Zifo Technologies
IHC Capital Holding LLC
Heubach GmbH and SK Capital Partners, LP
Spark Capital
Trelleborg Holding Ab
Egis Engineering
IHC Capital Holding
Wipro Limited
Tata Sons Private Limited
Oiltanking GmbH
Trans Union LLC
Eltropy Inc.
Eqova Healthcare Private Limited
Ulink Agritech Private Limited
Bharti Airtel Limited
Jubilant Enpro Private Limited
Max Life Insurance Company Limited
Max Financial Services Limited
LT Foods Limited
GlaxoSmithKline Plc
Hydreq Pte. Ltd.
Amazon
OFB Tech Private Limited
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
Bharti Realty Limited & Bharti Enterprises Limited
Sequoia Capital India LLP
Scholiverse Educare Private Limited
LC Nueva AIF
Housr Technologies Private Limited
Perfect Day, Inc.
Varde Partners Asia Pte. Ltd.
Experion Capital Private Limited
Accion Digital Transformation Fund, LP
Plutus Investments and Holding Private Limited
Accordion Partners LLC
Yasuda Logistics Corporation
Diliigent Power Private Limited
Gensol Engineering Limited
Clean Max Enviro Energy Solutions Private Limited and its founder, Mr. Kuldeep Jain
Max Estates Limited and Acreage Builders Private Limited
Blu-Smart Mobility Private Limited and Mr. Anmol Singh Jaggi
Hero Enterprise Venture Partners
India > Dispute resolution: arbitration Tier 1
The ‘formidable’ and market-leading dispute resolution team at AZB & Partners regularly handles high-stakes domestic and international arbitrations, advising clients at every stage of a dispute, from forensic analysis to settlement negotiations. Acting for a stellar roster of clients that includes blue-chip tech companies, financial institutions, and domestic corporations, the team has extensive expertise representing clients across a broad range of sectors. The team is jointly led by Rajendra Barot, Vijayendra Singh, and Aditya Vikram Bhat. Barot, based in Mumbai, regularly represents clients across all levels of courts and tribunals, while Delhi’s Singh has deep experience handling international and domestic arbitrations. Bhat, in Bengaluru, has a strong focus on cross-border arbitrations. Roopali Singh and Sonali Mathur left the practice in April 2023.Practice head(s):
Rajendra Barot; Vijayendra Singh; Aditya Vikram Bhat
Testimonials
‘The team is diligent and very hardworking. For a first-time client they make the process very easy and handhold you from the beginning. AZB is extremely professional and thorough in the work that they do.’
‘A good team that is always available and focussed on the matter at hand.’
‘Associates have been exceptionally good in their due diligence and reachable on the matters of interest.’
‘Good understanding of arbitration issues in the context of Indian and international litigation.’
‘The team at AZB is a formidable unit which delivers results. The hallmark of any successful team is trust, dependence and subject matter expertise. The team at AZB is endowed with all these traits.’
‘Quick-thinking and innovative team.’
‘The convergence of new thinking, a breadth and width of knowledge and time-tested experience is a fantastic resource for any party that finds itself in a dispute.’
‘Aditya Bhat is a quick thinker, good strategist, and fights hard for clients.’
Key clients
Amazon.com Investment Holdings LLC
LSF10 Rose Investments S.à r.l
Cube Highways and Infrastructure II Pte. Ltd.
B S R & Associates LLP
Tata Steel Limited
Solar Industries India Limited
Discovery Networks Asia- Pacific Pte. Limited and Discovery Communications Limited
KM Toll Road Private Limited
GF Toll Road Private Limited
IHH Healthcare Bhd.
Ambuja Cements Limited
HSBC PI Holdings (Mauritius) Limited
The National Stock Exchange of India Limited
Aapico Hitech Public Company Limited
Edelweiss Financial Services Pvt. Ltd
Standard Chartered Bank
Grant Thornton LLP
Catalyst Trusteeship Limited, Ecap Equities Limited, Edelweiss Finance Company Limited and India Credit Fund II
Credit Suisse AG
Google LLC
ORE Holdings Limited and ORE Trust
Xiaomi Technology India Pvt. Ltd.
Work highlights
- Advised Amazon in landmark arbitration proceedings and connected litigations which confirm the enforceability of an emergency award.
India > Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 1
The ‘first-class‘ dispute resolution team at AZB & Partners leverages the firm’s broader capabilities across practice areas to provide a holistic offering spanning civil, criminal, commercial, and constitutional disputes across all levels of the judicial system. Counting multinational blue-chip technology companies, large financial institutions, as well as domestic and international corporate heavyweights among its clients, the ‘formidable’ team stands out for its strong track record advising on corporate disputes. Senior partners Rajendra Barot, Vijayendra Pratap Singh, and Aditya Vikram Bhat now jointly lead the team; Barot is based in Mumbai, while Singh and Bhat operate from Delhi and Bengaluru, respectively. Other key names include ‘pillars of strength’ Abhijnan Jha, Aditya Jalan, and Anindita Roychowdhury, all in Delhi. Sonali Mathur and Roopali Singh left the firm in April 2023.Practice head(s):
Rajendra Barot; Vijayendra Pratap Singh; Aditya Vikram Bhat
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘V.P. Singh – Astute with legal knowledge and practical industry insights. Priyank Ladoia – Good understanding of how Judges will view an argument. Very good drafting skills Kshitiz Rao – Good understanding of legal arguments while drafting petitions. Diligent. ’
‘AZB provides a first-class disputes capability, combining great client service with legal and tactical acumen.’
‘Aditya Bhat – my first choice for India dispute resolution. A determined, skilful litigator with a strategic approach, excellent on detail and very client-friendly.’
‘The team was fantastic, clear approach, they work fast and well, drafting was fantastic. As a first time legal case, we were very stressed, AZB handled the process seamlessly. ’
‘Large, responsive team with good strength and depth.’
‘Rajendra Barot – smart, incisive. He advises with commercial realities in mind rather than just telling you the law.’
‘Aditya Bhat – quick thinker, tenacious and effective.’
‘The members of the team, Abhijnan Jha, Aditya Jalan and Anindita Roy, are the pillars of strength on which the practice is rested and has grown to being one of the most formidable and respected litigation teams in the industry in India. ’
India > Private client Tier 1
International private client work is a core area of expertise for AZB & Partners. The team has a particular focus handling matters involving Indian-origin individuals living in the UK, USA and Singapore; Bangalore-based practitioner Shreya Rao has a particular specialism in such work. In Mumbai, Anand Shah is a regular advisor to high-net-worth individuals on matters of intergenerational wealth transfer, family governance, and estate and succession planning. Mumbai-based co-founder of the firm and managing partner Zia Mody also specialises in estate and succession planning matters, as well as family disputes work. In New Delhi, fellow co-founders and managing partners Ajay Bahl and Hardeep Sachdeva come highly recommended.Practice head(s):
Ajay Bahl; Anand Shah; Shreya Rao; Hardeep Sachdeva
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘AZB is one of the top law firms in India and Zia Mody, who heads the firm, is a lawyer of immense repute and a well-known figure in legal circles in India and abroad.’
‘We have consulted AZB on various occasions and been provided with sound advice.’
‘They are well-versed in the laws relating to Foreign Exchange which governs Indian enmities establishing overseas subsidiaries. They were well-prepared at every meeting. We believe AZB are second-to-none.’
‘The AZB team were always well-prepared at every meeting. They had a clear understanding of the issues involved.’
‘Their expertise helped us present a very convincing case to the relevant regulatory authorities.’
‘A quality, client-centric and solutions-oriented approach.’
‘Zia is an exceptional leader and others follow suit.’
‘Thoroughly impressed with their professionalism, commercial understanding of the transaction and timely delivery.’
Key clients
Goldman Sachs
Kotak Mahindra
JP Morgan
Entrust Family Office
Griffin Family Office
DBS
Merrill Lynch
Edelweiss Wealth Management
Centrum Wealth Management Limited
India > Private equity and investment funds Tier 1
AZB & Partners offers a ‘thoroughly professional’ service in its diverse representation of private equity investors across various sectors. The firm’s advisory scope encompasses regulatory protocols, exit strategies and negotiation processes. Ashwath Rau brings experience in private equity and investment funds, supported by Zia Mody’s specialisation in acquisitions, joint ventures, restructurings and inward investments. Darshika Kothari specialises in private equity investments, extending her expertise to marquee private equity clients, as well as domestic and international corporations and financial institutions, while Anil Kasturi’s ability to ‘think outside the box’ complements his capability in the private equity arena, engaging with a wide spectrum of sectors including healthcare, telecom, education and real estate.Practice head(s):
Ajay Bahl; Zia Mody; Ashwath Rau; Anil Kasturi; Darshika Kothari; Srinath Dasari; Vaidhyanadhan Iyer; Vinati Kastia; Hardeep Sachdeva
Other key lawyers:
Atreya Bhattacharyya; Daksh Trivedi
Testimonials
‘Ajay Bahl is one of the best lawyers and thought leaders in the country.’
‘Anil Kasturi is practical and solution-oriented in his approach and has the ability to cut through to issues very quickly. His domain knowledge is excellent and has the ability to think outside of the box.’
‘Zia Mody, Ashwath Rau and Atreya Bhattacharyya provide solid and practical advice that is actionable and solution oriented.’
‘The firm is thoroughly professional, understands the commercial aspects of a transaction and an individual’s legal requirements. The firm has been delivering outstanding service over the years.’
‘The team is easily approachable, has in-depth knowledge and expertise of the subject matter and has a quick turnaround time. They work well together and provide quality legal service.’
‘Daksh Trivedi at AZB has been nothing short of phenomenal, bringing insights proactively to transactions and identifying problems and counter-measures before they even arise.’
‘The team has a deep level of subject matter expertise, offering a comprehensive service and a high level of commitment.’
Key clients
Warburg Pincus LLC, U.S.A
Softbank Group
Brookfield Asset Management
Sequoia Pine Investment Holdings
Tiger Global Management
Westbridge Capital
KKR & Co Inc.
Schneider Electric Industries SAS
Temasek Holdings Private Limited
TPG Capital
Bain Capital, U.S.A
Hero Enterprise Venture Partners, India
Ecom Express Private Limited, India
AM Marketplaces Private Limited (Limeroad)
Maiden Marketing Pte. Ltd
Cinven Capital, United Kingdom
Xander Group
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation
Filter Capital (Mauritius) Ltd
Dragoneer Partners
Premji Invest
Addition Capital
Vitruvian Partners
Bodhi Tree (BTS Investment 2 Pte. Ltd.)
PAG (Sekhmet Pharmaventures Private Limited)
Stone Plant Investments B.V. (an affiliate of Warburg Pincus, LLC)
R Systems International Limited
BC Asia Investments X Limited (an affiliate of Bain Capital)
Discovery Row Bidco 1 & Discovery Row Bidco 2 (affiliates of Cinven)
Cashgrail Private Limited (Zupee)
Ghisallo Master Fund LP
Sunshine Teahouse Private Limited (Chaayos)
LC Nueva AIF
Sequoia Capital India LLP
Housr Technologies Private Limited
Varde Partners Asia Pte. Ltd.
Amazon
Bharti Realty Limited & Bharti Enterprises Limited
Scholiverse Educare Private Limited
Hydreq Pte. Ltd.
Accion Digital Transformation Fund, LP
India > Projects and energy Tier 1
The practice at AZB & Partners is routinely instructed in high-profile infrastructure projects involving the renewable energy, oil and gas, and mining sectors. The team has extensive experience in the project finance sphere, and advises domestic and international companies on all aspects of regulatory and compliance matters and EPC and O&M contracts. In Mumbai, firm founding partner Bahram Vakil is well versed in advising on foreign direct investment, while Qais Jamal handles M&A and joint ventures within the projects and energy field. New Delhi-based Anuja Tiwari specialises in renewable energy project matters, and Atreya Bhattacharya focuses on private equity and structured finance transactions. Mallika Anand, who made partner in April 2023, is a key name for project development work. Aditya Periwal is also recommended.Practice head(s):
Bahram N Vakil; Qais Jamal; Aditya Periwal; Anuja Tiwari
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘AZB & Partners has a team of thorough professionals, who are extremely meticulous in their areas of expertise. During the course of our dealing with them, we found them to be very vocal in flagging risk areas and also recommending alternate solutions withing the legal framework. We had an interactive and meaningful collaboration with the firm.’
‘We worked with Aditya Periwal and his team who were very diligent and worked very meticulously. One special attribute of Aditya and his team is that they always come up with possible solutions. Very transparent with their conduct and high on integrity.’
Key clients
Holcim Group
BlackRock Real Assets
Shell Eastern Petroleum (Pte) Ltd.
KKR & Co. Inc. and funds/vehicles managed by it
First Solar – FS India Solar Ventures Private Limited
Norwegian Investment Fund for developing countries (Norfund)
LM Wind Power Technologies (India) Private Limited
Ravindra Energy Limited
National Investment and Infrastructure Fund
Amazon Web Services
Ayana Renewable Power Private Limited
United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)
Export Development Canada (EDC)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
MUFG Bank, Ltd.
O2 Power Private Limited
Alstom Transport India Limited
GE Power India Limited, GE Renewables India Private Limited
Cube Highways & Infrastructure Pte Ltd
EDF HQ Singapore Pte Ltd
Eren Industries
Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Private Limited and Shapoorji Pallonji Roads Private Limited
TotalEnergies Gaz & Electricité Holding
Clean Max Enviro Energy Solutions Private Limited
TMH International
India > Real estate and construction Tier 1
With footholds in four key cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, and Bangalore), AZB & Partners houses a distinguished real estate and construction practice, assisting clients across regions in all phases and aspects of real estate development, such as financing, acquisition, investment, disposition matters, and restructuring real estate-related debts. Head of practice and senior partner in the New Delhi office Hardeep Sachdeva brings his in-depth real estate knowledge together with a vast experience in private equity, structured financing, and tax structuring, while Nohid Nooreyezdan heads the practice from Mumbai, drawing on his experience in acquisitions and transfers of immovable land, drafting and negotiating transactional documents, conducting due diligence and applicable local levies. Monika Bhonsale’s expertise ranges from real estate acquisition and sale of immovable properties to joint venture matters, development transactions, and complex land diligence.Practice head(s):
Nohid Nooreyezdan; Hardeep Sachdeva
Other key lawyers:
Monika Bhonsale; Abhishek Awasthi; Alpesh Parekh; Priyamvada Shenoy; Ravi Bhasin
Testimonials
‘Truly professional team, they always think in the best interest of the client, and in that context they will not shy away dissenting with grace and dignity if they do not agree with the client to protect their interest.’
‘AZB has been a well-renowned name that carries a lot of respect in the market. The team lives up to the market expectations in terms of their deliverables. They demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the subject. They understand the client’s requirements and objectives, and match their actions accordingly. Furthermore, they work on a good turn-around time.’
‘Monika Bhonsale brings a good clarity of thoughts in her dealings. She is very much accommodative and directly focuses on the issues. There is no beating around the bush when it comes to giving her observations and opinion on the matters, even if the same is not in your favour.’
Key clients
Applied Materials India Private Limited
Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Limited (part of Tata Motors Group)
R House Realty Private Limited (part of JSW Realty Group)
Palava Induslogic 2 Private Limited (a joint venture of Morgan Stanley and Lodha Group)
Varde Partners Asia Pte. Ltd.
Paras Buildtech India Private Limited
Standard Chartered Bank
Xander Group
Godrej Properties Limited
Indusind Bank Limited
BPTP Limited
Max Estates Limited
Hines India Real Estate Private Limited
Ashiana Housing Limited
DLF Limited
Eka Life
Adani Realty
Bharti Realty Limited
Emaar India Limited
Experion Developers Private Limited
Logos Group
Deutsche Bank
Sekhmet Pharmaventures Pvt. Ltd. (and Gamot API Pte. Ltd.)Kohlberg Kravis Roberts
Suresh Khemani Family Trust
KrisSumi Corporation
KGK Realty Private Limited & Dhoot Infrastructure Projects Limited
India > Restructuring and insolvency Tier 1
Co-founder Bahram Vakil leads the team at AZB & Partners, which represents a broad range of stakeholders and has in-depth experience handling complex refinancings, foreign investments into stressed assets, and acquisitions of distressed companies. Senior figure Nilang Desai regularly advises banks, IBC resolution applicants, and creditor committees. Senior associate Saloni Thakkar has worked on some of the firm’s most prominent cases and remains an increasingly active team member. Avinash Subramanian in the Mumbai office and Anindita Roy Chowdhury in the Delhi office are also recommended.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Nilang Desai; Suharsh Sinha; Saloni Thakkar; Avinash Subramanian; Anindita Roy Chowdhury; Hardeep Sachdeva
Key clients
Reserve Bank of India
Deloitte India Insolvency Professionals LLP and Mr. Nageswara Rao Y (RBI nominated Administrator of Reliance Capital Limited)
Ernst & Young and Mr. Rajneesh Sharma (RBI nominated Administrator in the insolvencies of SREI Infrastructure Finance Limited and SREI Equipment Finance Limited)
Varde Partners
Grant Thornton and Mr. Ashish Chhawchharia (erstwhile RP of Jet Airways (India) / Monitoring Committee formed in the resolution of Jet Airways (India)
Alvarez & Marsal and Mr. Abhilash Lal (Resolution Professional of Jhabua Power Limited)
Reliance Industries Limited
Welspun Corp Limited
TATA Steel Limited
Monitoring Committee of Sical Logistics Limited and Ernst and Young
ASG Hospital Private Limited
Perfect Day Inc.
Oaktree Capital
Adani Infrastructure and Developers Private Limited
Tata Steel Limited
Plutus Wealth
Asia Pragati Strategic Investment Fund
KGK Realty Private Limited & Dhoot Infrastructure Projects Limited
Experion Developers Private Limited
India > Tax Tier 1
Praised for being ‘very commercial and easy to work with‘ the tax practice at AZB & Partners assists its clients with tax advisory, litigation, corporate tax planning and international tax matters. The firm has a particularly strong market presence in tax litigation and is regularly tasked with matters before the ITAT, the High Courts and Supreme Court. The team is co-led by Ajay Bahl, Deepak Chopra and Suresh Varanasi. Bahl is well regarded for his expertise in transfer pricing issues, while Chopra is a key name for tax disputes and Varanasi is the contact for indirect tax matters. Shreya Rao is the main contact for the Bangalore office. Aditya Singh Chandel, Abhinav Ashwin and Harpreet Singh Ajmani are also key partners to note. Since publication, the team welcomed Shruti KP in its Mumbai office.Practice head(s):
Ajay Bahl; Deepak Chopra; Suresh Varanasi
Other key lawyers:
Harpreet Singh Ajmani; Abhinav Ashwin; Shreya Rao; Aditya Singh Chandel; Shruti KP
Testimonials
‘AZB’s tax team were completely integrated between contentious and non-contentious members. Their advice and work product was top-drawer. They were very commercial and easy to work with. ’
‘The first-rate Shreya Rao is a delight to work with. Her advice is excellent and clear. She handles the most difficult, emotional and intellectually challenging issues with grace and apparent ease.’
Key clients
Boston Scientific Group
LF Investment Group
Alliance Bernstein India Growth (Mauritius)
Golden State Capital
Softbank Vision Fund
Lintas India
Tenable Network Security Ireland
Indus Tower
Aedas
Applied Research International
Benetton India
Genpact India
Xiaomi
Oppo
Coperion Ideal
Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies
AllianceBernstein
Toshiba Corporation
General Electric Power
Airinc
Bechtel
Accion
Schneider Electric
One 97 Communication (Paytm)
Clifford Chance
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories
Galactus Funware Technology (Mobile Premiere League)
Orange
Amazon
Work highlights
- Represented Xiaomi Technology India before the High Court of Karnataka in the provisional attachment of fixed deposits.
- Represented ANI Technologies before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal in its appeal against withholding tax default order.
- Represented Google India before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal on the issues of characterisation of payments made for purchase of online advertisement space as royalty.
India > TMT Tier 1
Counting private equity firms, international conglomerates, and financial institutions among its key clients, AZB & Partners is highly regarded for handling major transactions and regulatory compliance matters. The team displays a strong offering in the fintech and NFT sphere, regularly advising clients on all aspects of data protection, intellectual property, and licensing issues. Operating out of Delhi, co-heads Anil Kasturi and Rachit Bahl are specialists in managing M&A within the TMT sector, whilst Rohan Bagai and Sumit Ghoshal are experts on e-commerce and privacy policy affairs. In Bengaluru, co-head Srinath Dasari regularly assists companies with information tech matters, and the other co-head, Mumbai-based Roxanne Anderson, has deep experience in representing media and sport corporations.Practice head(s):
Anil Kasturi; Srinath Dasari; Rachit Bahl; Roxanne Anderson
Other key lawyers:
Rohan Bagai; Sumit Ghoshal; Aman Gera; Shagun Badhwar; Nipun Sawhney; Navdeep Baidwan; Shubham Parkhi
Testimonials
‘The team that we work with are highly qualified to provide inputs and legal counsel on various commercial matters.’
‘Knowledge, expertise and ability to be thorough in their work, demonstrated by Roxanne and her entire team.’
Key clients
Star India Private Limited
The Walt Disney Group
KKR
GCX
Bharti Airtel Limited
WIPRO
Hero Enterprise Venture Partners
Tiger Global
Addition Capital
Livspace
India > White-collar crime Tier 1
AZB & Partners is noted for its end-to-end capabilities in a wide variety of white-collar cases, representing clients in internal investigations, regulatory actions, and full trials in allegations of bribery, money laundering, and corporate malfeasance. The team offers cross-border expertise, advising on actions taken by the US DOJ and UK agencies relating to the FCPA and POCA, among others, and is able to provide in-house corporate and employment support to major corporates across various industries. Key names in the practice include Vijayendra Singh, who has great experience in fraud and asset tracing, criminal investigations, and governance issues, forensic investigations specialist Soumit Nikhra in Mumbai, and litigator Rajendra Barot, who has represented a number of major clients before state and federal courts. Joining the firm from an in-house position in September 2022, Mumbai-based Ajay Upadhyay heads up the firm’s internal investigation and compliance team. Bengaluru-based Aditya Vikram Bhat is also noted for his expertise in agency investigations brought by the SFIO, ED, and CBI, among others.Other key lawyers:
Rajendra Barot; Nohid Nooreyezdan; Vijayendra Pratap Singh; Aditya Vikram Bhat; Ajay Upadhyay; Soumit Nikhra; Priyank Ladoia
Testimonials
‘Very experienced team providing excellent advice.‘
‘Aditya Bhat, leading the team advising us, is very experienced and business savvy.‘
‘Exceptional domain knowledge in white-collar crime, prompt, quality work, prompt and decisive, understand client challenges, willing to adapt, innovative in thinking, stretching oneself to meet client needs, well connected to provide resources across India.‘
‘Strong, and perhaps unique, ability to work with US/Western law firms on multinational matters.’
Key clients
Amway India Enterprises Private Limited
Coastal Energy Private Limited
PWC India Private Limited
Cloudtail India Pvt. Ltd.
Amazon Seller Services Private Limited
B S R and Associates LLP
LSF10 Rose Investments S.à r.l.
US multi-billion-dollar PE firm
Signify Innovations India
Bharti Airtel
HSBC
Siemens
Q Investment
India > Fintech and financial services regulatory Tier 2
Transactional work in the fintech space and regulatory advisory services, including around payments issues are core pillars of AZB & Partners‘ fintech and digital practice. The team, praised for ‘understanding the entire life cycle of an issue’, has corporate expertise spanning capital raisings, joint ventures and big-ticket M&A. On the regulatory front, the team is active on mandates such as representations before Indian regulators and internal investigations. Ashwath Rau drives the team’s offering and has a strong track record in handling the regulatory aspects of major M&A involving financial institutions. G. Padmanabhan‘s expertise extends to payments work; he is frequently mandated by major players in the space to advise on the regulatory landscape in India. Vipul Jain is geared to handle entry strategy, licensing and compliance work for clients such as banks and offshore private equity firms.Practice head(s):
Ashwath Rau
Other key lawyers:
Vipul Jain; G. Padmanabhan; Rushabh Maniar; Rohan Bagai; Aditya Alok; Karthik Mudaliar; Gautam Ganjawala
Testimonials
‘Very competent legal professionals . Well versed in market realities and the regulatory landscape – Always available and have a collaborative approach.’
‘ The firm understands the entire life cycle of an issue or matter including the way in which a regulator / court may perceive it.’
‘The team is able to understand technology well and proactivity communicates developments which they think may affect clients. They are also able to tap on their links to give insights on regulatory intent and provide a better understanding of new developments.’
Key clients
Mercury Technologies Inc.
MP Payments Limited
SWIFT S.C.
HDFC Limited
Citibank N.A.
Visa Inc.
Adyen
Tiger Global Management
HDFC Bank Limited
Standard Chartered Bank Limited
People Center Inc. (Rippling)
Payglocal Technologies Private Limited
Greenizon Agritech Consultancy Private Limited (Jai Kisan)
Uniorbit Technologies Private Limited
Sporta Technologies Private Limited (Dream11)
Newbazaar Technologies Private Limited (Shopse)
HDFC Property Ventures Limited
HDFC Venture Capital Limited
HDFC Capital Advisors Limited
Airbnb Inc.
Tata Motors Finance Limited
India > Insurance Tier 2
A team of four partners based in Mumbai and New Delhi anchor the insurance practice at AZB & Partners: Rajendra Barot, an adviser to leading names from the life, non-life and health insurance sectors on their entry into the Indian market through joint ventures or a stake acquisition in existing insurance companies; Anil Kasturi, who assists with complex insurance-related transactions; Niladri Maulik, an expert in high-value investments with experience working across the healthcare, insurance, financial services and energy sectors; and Kashish Bhatia, whose workload often includes bancassurance, broker and group insurance policies arrangements. Arvind Ramesh left to join Vritti Partners in January 2023.Practice head(s):
Rajendra Barot; Anil Kasturi; Niladri Maulik; Kashish Bhatia
Testimonials
‘Pragmatic without loosing sight of the details.’
Key clients
Dabur Invest Corp
Max Life Insurance Company Limited
Max Financial Services Limited
Mr. Analjit Singh
Max Ventures Investment Holdings Private Limited
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.
HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Limited
SBI Life Insurance Company Limited
Ageas Insurance International NV
HDI Global SE
Munich Re
Housing Development Finance Corporation
ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited
Max Life Insurance Company Limited
Go Digit General Insurance Limited
Intellectual property Tier 2
With offices located in Mumbai, New Delhi and Gurugram, AZB & Partners‘ strength in IP ranges from creation and protection to monetisation and litigation. Akhilesh Kumar Rai – a senior partner in the New Delhi office – co-heads the practice with registered patent agent Nandan Pendsey in Mumbai; both are a regular port of call for domestic and international clients, drawing on their combined expertise in IP litigation, transactions and portfolio management. Pendsey is an experienced representative before various tribunals, the high courts and the Supreme Court. At the senior associate level, the Gurugram-based Sugandha Bhatia specialises in Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) and National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) matters, while the Mumbai-based duo Rashmee Kumar and Sudeshna Panigrahi can regularly be seen advising on trademark prosecution and enforcement.Practice head(s):
Akhilesh Kumar Rai; Nandan Pendsey
Other key lawyers:
Sugandha Bhatia; Rashmee Kumar; Sudeshna Panigrahi; Ritul Singh; Soumili Das
Testimonials
‘The team is very experienced in Indian trademark law and highly responsive. The team is good at explaining the peculiarities of Indian law and expecially the court system.’
‘Akhilesh Kumar Rai is a very knowledgeable trademark expert with a profound understanding of the needs of a multi-national company. He really cares about his clients and shows great creativity and responsiveness.’
Key clients
Bayer AG
The North Face Apparel Corp
VF Corporation
Suzlon Energy
Dell Inc.
Monsanto Technology LLC
Amazon Technologies, Inc.
Maruti Suzuki India Limited
Owens Corning
Glanbia Performance Nutrition Limited
Apex & Partners Limited
MX Healthcare GmbH
Unilever
Wrangler Apparel Corporation
Pitney Bowes Inc.
Mastercard International Incorporated
Valent Biosciences LLC
Skechers USA Inc.
Shopify Inc.
FSN E-Commerce Ventures Private Limited (Nykaa)
Delta Corp Limited
Piaggio & C.S.p.A and Piaggio Vehicles Private Limited
Warburg Pincus LLC
Welspun Global Brands Limited
Allstate Solutions Private Limited
Philip Morris Brands Sarl
Star India
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Richemont Group
Lenskart Solutions
Work highlights
India > Labour and employment Tier 2
The ‘very diligent’ labour and employment team at AZB & Partners leverages the firm’s strength in litigation, corporate, and tax to provide a comprehensive offering across the full-range of matters. In Mumbai, Nohid Nooreyezdan advises on workforce restructurings, employee benefits and stock option plans, while New Delhi’s Sunila Awasthi and Rachit Bahl are recommended for their expertise in internal investigations and severance programs, respectively; the three jointly head the practice. The ‘highly innovative’ Jatinder Singh Saluja is another key member of the Delhi team. In April 2023, the Mumbai practice was strengthened with the arrival of Ajay Singh Solanki, previously at Nishith Desai Associates; Solanki is a specialist whose practice has a particular emphasis on enforcing restrictive covenants, sensitive confidentiality and IP matters, and anti-discrimination law work. Former co-head Veena Gopalakrishnan left the practice in December 2022 and is now at Trilegal.Practice head(s):
Nohid Nooreyezdan; Sunila Awasthi; Rachit Bahl
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The AZB team, especially Rachit Bahl and Jatinder Saluja, consists of business-oriented lawyers who try to provide solutions that help our business objectives. Their advice is always practical and easy to follow.’
‘Rachit Bahl and Jatinder Saluja have always been highly innovative and delivered solutions in a time-bound manner.’
‘AZB & Partners have provided sound legal advice for many matters and issues. They have a good, practical understanding of legal frameworks in labour law areas. They are very diligent in their preparation.’
‘Rachit Bahl has good insights into legal applications; has the history of why a particular enactment was put in place and always a practical way of looking at issues. Jatinder Saluja is very collaborative and understands the legislative framework well.’
Key clients
Citibank N.A.
Amazon Seller Services Private Limited and group companies
Smile Train India
Women’s World Banking
Glanbia Performance Nutrition India Private Limited
Work highlights
India > Life sciences and healthcare Tier 2
AZB & Partners advises hospitals, pharma companies, private equity investors, and a range of other clients on transactions, regulatory issues, and intellectual property matters across the pharma, medical device and diagnostic industries. The team is particularly involved in innovative regulatory issues relating to medical devices, digital health, and drug classifications, as well as handling cross-border M&A and private equity deals. Nandan Pendsey co-leads the team, and has strong intellectual property and regulatory expertise, notably advising on product licensing and exports, while fellow co-head Anand Shah is heavily focused on transactional work, particularly in the e-pharmacy space, working with established and growth companies. Darshika Kothari is also active in transactions, working with global PE investors such as Advent International on their investments in India.Practice head(s):
Nandan Pendsey; Anand Shah
Other key lawyers:
Darshika Kothari; Sumit Ghoshal; Jatinder Singh Saluja
Key clients
Advent International Corporation and Bharat Serums and Vaccines Limited
AMPA Orthodontics Private Limited (“AMPA”)
Cellcure Cancer Centre Private Limited (“Cellcure”)
API Holdings Limited (“API”)
Osler Diagnostics Limited
Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC
Bristol Myers Squibb Company
India Medtronic
Novartis India
C.R. Bard
Pfizer India
India > Data protection Tier 4
AZB & Partners' multidisciplinary data protection offering has considerable expertise in healthcare, IT, e-commerce, and emerging technologies, and handles both advisory, transactional, and compliance mandates both domestically and across borders. Key members of the team include Mumbai-based IP and IT specialist Nandan Pendsey, recommended for his regulatory expertise, as well as Rachit Bahl and Rohan Bagai, both in Delhi; Bahl advises multinational corporations on the data privacy and protection aspects of e-commerce, online healthcare, and surveillance issues, while Bagai has a special focus on payments and emerging technologies, routinely acting for fintech businesses.Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Detailed, well-considered advice on a fast evolving subject matter. Responsive and practical in their outlook.’
AZB & Partners > Firm Profile
The firm: AZB & Partners is one of the most prominent law firms in India. Its aim is to provide clear, concise and practical advice based on an in-depth knowledge of the legal, regulatory and commercial environment within which its clients operate. The firm’s services are tailored to the needs of individual clients, drawing on the collective knowledge of the firm and its members. It aims to add value at all stages of a project, from its initiation, through its planning right up to its execution.
The firm was named ‘Best Indian Law Firm 2017’ at the International Legal Alliance Summit Awards, ‘Client Service Law Firm of the Year, 2017’ by Chambers Asia-Pacific, and ‘Law Firm of the Year, 2017’ by VC Circle. It was also ranked No 1 in M&A league tables compiled by Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters and Mergermarket.
Its clients are central to everything it does. Their needs determine how the firm organises itself and the range of specialised services it provides. The firm aims to work in partnership with clients to anticipate and deal successfully with the legal and regulatory aspects of their business aims and objectives.
Areas of practice: The principal areas in which legal services are provided by the firm are: corporate and M&A, private equity, competition and antitrust, dispute resolution and litigation, capital markets, banking and finance, funds, real estate, insurance, intellectual property, restructuring and insolvency, TMT, energy (transaction and regulatory), employment, tax, IT and business process outsourcing, transport (aviation), alternative investment funds, ethics and compliance and white-collar crime
Contacts: Zia Mody, Ajay Bahl, Bahram N. Vakil, Ashwath Rau, Darshika Kothari, Sai Krishna Bharathan, Nohid Nooreyezdan, Gautam Saha, Anil Kasturi, Srinath Dasari, Vinati Kastia, Samir Gandhi, Rajendra Barot, Vijayendra Pratap Singh
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
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M&A and general corporate | |||
Private equity | |||
Capital markets | |||
Funds practice | |||
Banking and finance | |||
Microfinance | |||
Infrastructure and project finance | |||
Real estate | |||
Media and entertainment | |||
Employment | |||
Insurance | |||
Intellectual property | |||
TMT | |||
Taxation | |||
Aviation | |||
Competition | |||
Litigation and arbitration | |||
Compliance and investigation |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Zia J. Mody | Co–Founder & Managing Partner | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of lawyers : 400 (approx) Number of partners : 80 (approx)Languages
English Gujarati HindiAZB & Partners > Firm Profile
AZB & Partners, one of India’s premier law firms was founded in 2004 with a clear purpose to provide reliable, practical and full–service advice to clients, across all sectors. The firm brought together the practices of CZB & Partners in Mumbai and Bangalore and Ajay Bahl & Company in Delhi. Having grown steadily since its inception, AZB & Partners now has offices across Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, and Pune.
We have an accomplished and driven team of 450+ lawyers committed to delivering best–in–class legal solutions to help clients achieve their objectives.
Our greatest strength is an in–depth understanding of legal, regulatory and commercial environments, in India and elsewhere. This strength enables us to provide bespoke counsel to help our diverse clients negotiate any dynamic or volatile business environment. At AZB & Partners, collaboration is an everyday reality – we combine individual and mutual strengths to achieve collective growth.
Our purpose is to be excellent lawyers, working as a team. To deliver creative solutions to problems, timely execution and seasoned judgment. To focus relentlessly on the interests of our clients as their business partners.
The firm’s clients include an array of domestic and international companies. These range from privately owned to publicly listed companies, including Fortune 500 entities, multinational companies (MNCs), investment banks and private equity firms. The firm has also built, through its many professional engagements, strong relationships with specialists, regulatory authorities and several international law firms.
AZB & Partners is proud of the quality of professional talent it fosters. Every lawyer is firmly dedicated to serving clients and delivering effective counsel at all times. Though our lawyers represent a diverse mix of backgrounds, they each share a proven record of academic and professional excellence. Several professionals in the firm are graduates from premier global universities, including Harvard, Columbia, Cambridge, Oxford and the London School of Economics, among others. Several partners are members of international bar associations, notably New York.
Besides a law degree, some partners hold professional accounting qualifications, ideally placing the firm to address complex finance and tax matters. AZB & Partners lays significant emphasis on continual development for its people. Besides one–on–one mentoring from partners, we ensure periodic and comprehensive professional training for all our associates.
The firm has received wide national and international acclaim within the legal sphere, some of which include “Rank No.1” by RSG Top 40 India law firm ranking 2019, “Band 1 Firm” for Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Competition/Antitrust, Corporate/M&A, Dispute Resolution, Life Sciences, Private Equity, Real Estate, Restructuring & Insolvency, Tax and White–Collar Crime & Corporate Investigations by Chambers Asia–Pacific Rankings 2022, “Outstanding Firm” for Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Competition/Antitrust, Corporate/M&A; Dispute Resolution, Private Equity, Restructuring & Insolvency and Real Estate by Asialaw Profiles 2022, and “Tier 1 Firm” for Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, M&A, Private Equity and Restructuring & Insolvency by IFLR1000 2022.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Compliance & Investigation / White–Collar Crime, Corporate / Mergers & Acquisitions, Dispute Resolution, Private Client Practice, Private Equity & Venture Capital, Regulatory & Securities | Zia J. Mody | zia.mody@azbpartners.com | +91 22 4072 9999 |
Corporate / Mergers & Acquisitions, Dispute Resolution, Private Client Practice, Private Equity & Venture Capital, Regulatory & Securities, Tax | Ajay Bahl | ajay.bahl@azbpartners.com | +91 120 417 9999 |
Staff Figures
Lawyers : 450+Languages
English Hindi and other Indian languagesMemberships
IBA World Law Group INSOLLegal Briefings
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Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 - practical challenges for stakeholders
The Supreme Court of India has recognised the right to privacy as a fundamental right, which is intrinsic to life, personal liberty and is inseparable from human existence. To codify this right, to put in place a robust regime for data protection, and to safeguard against encroachments on privacy by state and non-state actors, the … -
Real estate in India
FDI in construction development sector Regulatory regime India allows foreign direct investment (FDI) of up to 100%, under the automatic route, in the construction development sector, which includes projects such as townships, residential/commercial premises and hospitals and the like.
Comparative Guides
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India: Competition Litigation
Published: July 2023
Authors: Hemangini DadwalShruthi N RaoShivangi Pradhan
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Competition Litigation laws and regulations applicable in India.
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India: International Arbitration
Published: November 2023
Authors: Dr. Abhimanyu ChopraSayobani BasuAman ChaudharyAkash Ray
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of International Arbitration laws and regulations applicable in India.
- Antitrust and competition
- Aviation (including aerospace and defence)
- Banking and finance
- Capital markets
- Corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution: arbitration
- Dispute resolution: litigation
- Private client
- Private equity and investment funds
- Projects and energy
- Real estate and construction
- Restructuring and insolvency
- Tax
- TMT
- White-collar crime