Litigation, Arbitration, Technology, Media & Telecom and Estate Planning

Anand has extensive specialist experience in the fields of financial services, private equity, M&A, intellectual property rights, media and entertainment, real estate, and outsourcing issues. Anand advises and appears for various large corporates, funds and high net worth individuals on diverse issues, including commercial litigation, cyberlaw, and white-collar crime.

Specific Expertise

Anand has been involved in a several crucial projects in diverse areas of law including:

Litigation and Arbitration before the Bombay High Court, the Supreme Court of India and international arbitrations in respect of commercial real estate, tax and constitutional disputes. Real Estate development and redevelopment projects, construction contracts, structuring and advising on statutory and contractual rights, stamp duty, tax. Banking and Financial Services: advising leading nationalized, cooperative and foreign banks and finance companies, mutual funds, asset management companies and trusts, including on structuring and loan acquisitions. FDI: advising several funds in the course of their private equity and distressed asset funding of Indian corporates, including structuring advise. Intellectual Property and Technology Laws: copyright, trademark, design, cyberlaws. Corporate Laws: advising on investments and joint venture structuring, mergers, amalgamations and acquisitions, WTO compliance issues, corporate due diligence. Insolvency and Restructuring: Advising on acquisition of distressed assets and documentation pertaining to the same. Advising on reconstructions, receiverships, administration and liquidations. White Collar Crimes: Advising and appearing for banks, corporate houses and individuals in matters relating to various kinds of white-collar crimes, including cybercrimes.

Professional Activities

Anand Desai has been appointed as a member of the Court at the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA). Appointed by the Government of India, Ministry of Law and Justice, Legislative Department, as Chairman of a Committee to recommend amendments to the Specific Relief Act, 1963. President of TiE Mumbai from April 2016 until June 2018. National President of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce for the year 2011-2012. Involved with several well-known NGOs as trustee for L&T Employees Welfare Foundation, advisory roles at Swades Foundation, Yuva Parivartan, and Paani Foundation. He also chairs the Tribal Mensa Nurturing Program and is a council member at Vision Foundation of India. Anand has been a speaker at various fora including CII, ASSOCHAM, Indo-American Chamber of Commerce GOOS (1, 2 and 4), Economist Corporate Network, SILF, Indian Film Festival at Los Angeles, Wisconsin Department of Trade, University of Wisconsin etc., addressing a wide range of issues.

Recognition

Featured in the book titled “100 Legal Luminaries of India”, published by Lexis Nexis. Featured in the A-List of India’s 100 Top 100 Lawyers and 50 Legal Icons published by India Business Law Journal, as a Legal Icon. Awarded best Managing Partner for the year 2014 by Legal Era. Ranked as an “Eminent Practitioner” for Dispute Resolution by Chambers Asia-Pacific and Chambers Global. Ranked as an “Elite Practitioner” by Asialaw Profiles. Ranked as a “Leading Individual” for Dispute Resolution and White-Collar Crime by Legal500 Asia-Pacific. Ranked as “Highly Regarded” by IFLR1000. Ranked as a “Litigation Star” by Benchmark Litigation. Listed as one of the leading lawyers in India by Who’s Who Legal, Forbes India, Asian Legal Business and others.

Anand has served as the National President of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, and has also served and continues to serve on various committees. He has been elected as President of TiE Mumbai from April 2016, and is currently involved with several well-known NGOs including as trustee of L&T Employees Welfare Foundation, director of Paani Foundation, advisory board member of Swades Foundation and Yuva Parivartan, Chairman of the Tribal Mensa Nurturing Program, and managing council member of Vision Foundation of India.

Managing Partner

Anand has bachelor degrees in Commerce and Law from Bombay University and LLM from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.