Mentors

Alan D. Meneghetti

Partner, Locke Lord LLP

Alan Meneghetti is a Partner in the London office of Locke Lord LLP where he undertakes a full range of commercial and regulatory work in the general commercial, hospitality, aviation and aerospace sectors. Alan's practice covers work which ranges from regulatory issues to the procurement of suppliers and responses to tenders, to data protection and privacy, IT, IP, and the drafting and negotiating of various commercial agreements (such as outsourcing, management services agreements, gift card arrangements, supply, service and R&D agreements). He has worked extensively on matters in Africa, Europe, India and the United Kingdom.

Alan is a regular contributor to publications and at conferences in these sectors, and his articles and book reviews have been widely published. He is a member of the International Advisory Committee to the Alumni Foundation, International Institute of Air and Space Law at Leiden Law School also, and co-Vice-Chair of the World Airport Lawyers Association.

Representative Experience

• Various online ticket marketplace vendors on all aspects of their legal agreements and related regulatory obligations
• A variety of airlines on their GDS/CRS negotiations and restructuring strategies
• Worldstone /Corporate Communications on a major sourcing agreement for the supply of equipment and services into an international group based in North America
• A UK airline on the sale of its landing and take off slots
• A US-based jewellery manufacturer on its franchising and distribution arrangements
• A major gas supplier on the transfer, processing and retention of employee personal data
• A major African luxury hotel group on the acquisition of a flagship property in Dar es Salaam
• An international luxury hotel group on the privacy aspects of its global gift card scheme
• Numerous UK charities on various commercial, data protection and data transfer matters, cooperation agreements and NDA's
• An international hotel and leisure group on the UK aspects of its IP reorganisation
• Ipeco Holdings Limited on all aspects of its commercial arrangements, including advising on various sale and supply agreements as well as the drafting of Ipeco's standard terms and conditions of supply and service
• Worldstone/Corporate Communications and Jersey Telecom on a variety of corporate and commercial agreements, including the drafting and negotiating of agreements for the supply and receipt of various services and projects
• The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Common-use Local User Board on its agreement for the provision of Common Use Terminal Equipment and the provision of Common Use Self Service Kiosks at the airport
• Next Generation Data on its commercial arrangements for the provision of space in its data centre and agreements related to the provision of these services
• Various African airlines on a full range of commercial, IP and IT agreements, including agreements for the provision of GDS, DCS and reservation systems
• An Indian value added service provider on its arrangements to provide its services to a major global mobile telecoms provider in 13 Latin American jurisdictions

Bishwajit Bhattarchyya

Senior Advocate

Born on 26.01.1952, Mr. Bishwajit Bhattacharyya is a Ist class double graduate from St. Stephens College, Delhi and had the distinction of being a Gold Medallist in LL.M(Ist&III term) from Delhi university. He is a visiting Professor at IIM, Ahmedabad and Visiting Faculty at the Indian Law Institute. He was, formerly, Country Manager, India International Banking ANZ Grindlays Bank. He is a former Additional Solicitor General for India.

C.R. Dua

Managing Partner, Dua Associates

Born on 3rd November, 1951 Mr. Dua is the founding partner of Dua Associates, which is one of the largest and leading law firms in India with presence in eight cities namely Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad and Chandigarh. He has successfully established and developed Dua Associates into a practice with over 150 professionals including 42 partners and senior principals. Mr. Dua has vast experience in corporate law, M&A, privatization, project finance, public issues, entry strategies, foreign investment, corporate structuring/ restructuring, infrastructure projects, international trade and taxation aspects of doing business in India. The firm has the aforementioned practice areas and a strong litigation and arbitration practice.

As Managing Partner Mr. Dua has advised a variety of clients including General Motors, AT&T, Lucent Technologies, Estee Lauder, Rio Tinto, Dow Chemical, DuPont, AIG, Prudential, Petronet LNG, Hindustan Lever, ITC, Chevron Texaco, TVS Motor, GAIL, Alcoa, IFC, Bank of America, Deutsche Bank, Citibank, Kohlberg Kravis Robertson, Chubb, Warburg Pincus, GE and McDonald's. He is a member of the Advisory Committee on Competition Advocacy and also of the Competition Commission Advisory Committee on Regulations of the Competition Commission of India. Mr. Dua was a member of the High Level Committee to suggest Scientific and Rational Regulatory Environment for Companies/Firms in India.

He is a founder member of the American Chamber of Commerce in India .Mr. Dua sits on the Boards of several leading listed public companies in India and subsidiaries of multinational corporations. He resides in Delhi and is married with one daughter.

Diljeet Titus

Managing Partner, Titus & Co.

Titus & Co.'s founding partner, Diljeet Titus completed his.BA from St. Stephens College, University of Delhi in 1986 and LL B from University of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh in 1989. He was voted one of Asia's leading lawyers in the annual Leading Lawyers survey conducted by Asia Law & Practice in 2002; one of the world's leading lawyers, by Chambers Global, 2002.His biography is included in Who's Who in the World, 2002.The firm was described as a leading private equity practice by Global Counsel 3000 in 2002.

His practice areas include project finance and development for power, industrial and telecommunications projects, corporate investment structuring and restructuring, M&A, capital markets, commercial transactions, insurance, life sciences and biotechnology, venture capital finance, IT and ADR. He has written several articles for law and business journals, magazines and newspapers and contributes a legal column, Going by the Book, to Business Today, India's leading business magazine.

He is a member of a number of professional organizations including the Delhi High Court Bar Association; Supreme Court Bar Association; Inter-Pacific Bar Association; International Bar Association; Indian Council of Arbitration; Society of Indian Law Firms; Confederation of Indian Industry and the ICC India (International Chamber of Commerce).

He represents the Indian bar on the Indo American Chamber of Commerce committee on the impact of the WTO on the export of services, as well as the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry's expert group on legal and accounting services. He is a member of a number of other committees including the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry's corporate laws and governance committee; the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry's international affairs committee for Asia Pacific; the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India's USA expert committee and the Confederation of Indian Industry's infrastructure sub committee.

Hemant Batra

Managing Partner, Kaden Boriss Partners

Hemant Batra is a Corporate, Business & Strategist Commercial Lawyer, whose practice is concentrated across the globe in general, specifically in India, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Australia and UK. He is the Managing Partner of Kaden Boriss, Corporate/Commercial law firm. He is also Director-Legal Services, Kaden Boriss Consulting Private Limited, a legal/knowledge process outsourcing Company (LPO/KPO). Kaden Boriss is engaged in undertaking consulting assignments for clients seeking to outsource their legal, para-legal and strategic advisory, regulatory and compliance work. With strategic ideas and skill to implement, Kaden Boriss delivers seamless legal and logical solutions that bring tangible business value to leading organizations. In addition to the above he is also one of the Directors with Thames Tobacco Company Ltd. and Kaden Boriss (UK) Ltd. located in the United Kingdom.

He is the elected Vice President of SAARCLAW (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation in Law). As Vice President of SAARCLAW he enjoys a quasi-diplomatic status. SAARCLAW is an Association of the Legal communities of the SAARC countries namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan & Sri Lanka (Japan and China being observer members) comprising of Chief Justices, Judges, Lawyers, Academicians, Law-teachers, Government Servants and a host of other law related persons. SAARCLAW assists the SAARC countries in inducting newer laws in the face of an ever-changing society as well as helping the member nations to amend their obsolete laws. He is also the Chairperson of the Organizing Council of International Infrastructure & Construction Law Arbitration Moot (IICLAM).

He is a Member of the high-powered National Legal Affairs Committee of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce and has recently been appointed as an Advisory Board member of OIC, USA.

He began his legal career in 1991, when he was inducted in one of India's most prestigious firm of Solicitors - Amarchand Mangaldass & Hiralal Shroff & Co. Four years later he joined Ke Dass B. & Associates as a Partner and became Managing Partner of its Corporate Office. In 2005, he took over as the Director - Legal Services of Kaden Boriss Consulting Private Limited, a legal/knowledge process outsourcing Company (LPO/KPO) in addition of being the Managing Partner of the Corporate Office of Ke Dass. In 2006, the Corporate Office of Ke Dass got renamed as Kaden Boriss.

He has written as well as edited and published various papers and books. He has delivered speeches and addressed gatherings on Corporate, Commercial, Trade and Foreign Investment Policies and Issues in Australia, Singapore, UK, USA, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Maldives and Bhutan. He is a visiting Guest Speaker to the Griffith University, Brisbane, National Law School, Hyderabad and American Bankruptcy Institute, New York. He has been associated with various literary projects undertaken by Nova Southeastern University, USA and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Germany.

He is a an expert on Cross Border Investment Policy & Procedures (Regulatory Advise & Documentation), Commercial and Transactional Law (Consultancy & Documentation), Corporate Law including Corporate Management (Consultancy & Documentation), Mergers, Acquisitions, Takeovers Consulting and Documentation; and Legal Auditing Commercial and Transactional law practice and consultancy are his areas of expertise.. He has experience of 14 years in rendering strategic advice to his clients all across the globe. He extends legal opinion and consultancy on Company laws and also provides Company management services to several Companies.

Krrishan Singhania

Managing Partner, Singhania & Co.

Singhania & Co has had unrivalled success under the leadership of our dynamic and determined founder, Mr. Krrishan Singhania. As a seasoned professional with comprehensive experience covering more than 25 years, Mr. Krrishan Singhania has provided legal expertise in the areas of corporate and commercial law, arbitration and aviation law to national and international clients around the globe. As an expert in this field he regularly presents lectures on Indian law and regulation in international conferences and forums. When India opened up the aviation sector for private participation, Mr. Singhania worked for foreign aircraft leasing companies to lease their aircrafts to newly setup private airlines in India.

He has had rich exposure to various law events and legal practices acquired through memberships in global law societies and associations. As an able guide he handles new challenges with ease and utilizes his competencies to achieve client objectives. He is currently a Jurisdiction Council Member for India for the Inter Pacific Bar Association. With his vast experience and expertise, Mr. Krrishan Singhania has proved his strengths in offering world-class services in the field of arbitration. His knowledge covers a plethora of legal avenues including the nuances of the Indian Arbitration Act and ICC Rules.

Having had extensive exposure to the international legal arena, he has been instrumental in securing IPRs such as Trademark, Patent and Copyrights, for foreign companies. His opinions on foreign investment related issues are highly respected in the industry. His ideas and views can be found in popular legal newsletters and international journals. Harnessing his advanced aptitude for the legal field, Mr. Krrishan Singhania has effectively drafted critical documents such as Joint Venture Agreements and Shareholders Agreements. He has also been involved in securing permission from the RBI/ FIPB to assist international companies to set up business in India. Mr. Singhania has completed a course on Intellectual Property Law and Patents on Bio-technology Law from Cambridge U.K. He has also computed a course on Shipping Law conducted by Lloyds of London.

K.K. Lahiri

Advocate

A first division in History from Stephens College, Delhi and a First Division/Grade 'A' in LL.B from the Faculty of Law, Delhi University, Mr. KK Lahiri was awarded the Certificate of Merit several times for standing first and Certificate of Honor in several Moot courts. He is a life member of the Supreme Court of India Bar Association, Bar Association of India, SAARC Law, Indian Council of Arbitration and a member of the Delhi High Court Bar Association, Union International Des Advocates, Indian Law Institute, London Court of International, Arbitration and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

He has trained with M/s P.H.Parekh & Co. and has been at the chambers of Mr.Kapil Sibal, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India. He has expertise/experience in Arbitration, Corporate Laws, Intellectual property, Inter State Water Disputes, Taxation, ---Defamation, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Election Law, Insurance-Air travel and Mining Laws.

He has represented clients and over a hundred industrial houses mentioned in the annexure attached. He has also authored an article entitled "Whither Thou-Advocacy?" which was published in the inaugural issue of the Supreme Court Bar Association Journal in May 1998.

Annexure »

Lalit Bhasin

President, Society of Indian Law Firms & Managing Partner, Bhasin & Co.

Mr. Lalit Bhasin is currently the President of the Society of Indian Law Firms and also the Managing Partner of Bhasin & Co.

He was awarded Honorary Membership of the IBA in Melbourne in 1994 for outstanding service to the legal profession. He is also the honorary Secretary General of The Bar Association of India. He was awarded the Plaque of Honour by the Prime Minister of India in 2002 for outstanding contribution to the Rule of Law. He is the Executive President of the India Law Foundation.

According to Asia Law Profiles "the high-profile advocate and litigator Lalit Bhasin, Bhasin & Co., Advocates continues to be one of New Delhi's leading litigation firms. Bhasin is well respected for his leadership abilities in the legal community. Apart from litigation, the firm also has a good reputation for its general corporate and commercial work and has recently joined the list of firms involved in privatization. Bhasin & Co. currently maintains offices in New Delhi and Mumbai and has 28 associates."

Dr. Linda S. Spedding

Solicitor (England & Wales), Attorney (U.S.A) & Advocate (India)

Dr Spedding's vast experience of 27 years encompasses constitutional law, community law, copyright law, corporate advice, joint ventures, project finance, drafting contracts, consultancy agreements and technology transfer. Based in London, she specialises as an independent legal adviser in environmental law and has been involved in a number of donor-financed environmental projects in Asia, notably India, where she was admitted to the New Delhi Bar as an Advocate in 1989. She has advised on CSR and corporate responsibility over many years to enable organisations to integrate these concepts to improve performance within the organisations and achieve a sound reputation. Dr. Spedding has extensive experience in and knowledge of international and comparative developed and developing regulatory regimes. She has assisted with particular regulatory drafting needs, as well as implementation and enforcement aspects in various jurisdictions.

Dr. Spedding qualified as a solicitor in the UK in 1975: she left the firm where she trained to obtain more corporate experience with a more internationally minded firm. She added to her experience through an LL.M. in European and International Law and an extended work experience at the Legal Service of the European Commission in Brussels. She was invited to pursue a Ph.D. in European and International Law relating to the freedom of movement of the legal profession while continuing in practice. Over the years since her PhD. (1984) Dr. Spedding has had many works published commencing with "Transnational Legal Practice in the EEC and USA" in 1987, having been admitted to the New York Bar as an Attorney at Law in 1985. She has always maintained an interest in the freedom of legal professionals and in assisting the independence and integrity of the legal profession: hence the launch of the Women in Law newsletter that has been developed in 2002/3 and is to be launched this October under the auspices of the International Bar Association, following the announcement at the World Women Lawyers Conference in July 2003. Since then she has developed WIL's services internationally and the network has expanded into key jurisdictions.

Since the 1980's her work has been published extensively, particularly in the area of environmental law and management, energy and risk, and has spoken regularly at conferences and in-house training sessions.

Dr Spedding was awarded the Alexander Maxwell Law Scholarship Trust Award in the 1995/1996 awards for her contribution in this area. She was also nominated as a People's Peer as a result of her service in the environmental field in 2000 and runner-up as the first law society committee member in environmental law in 2002.

Dr. Spedding has dealt with environmental and energy projects that involve advising both the public and private sectors on the appropriate choice of partners, having regard to different environmental regulatory and voluntary frameworks. Having worked in various regions and mixed cultures Dr Spedding has developed a trans-boundary approach to the provision of her services. She has also assisted in the resolution of issues through alternative dispute resolution outside the usual litigation process and developed a useful understanding and negotiating ability. Over the last two decades she has spent considerable time overseas, particularly in the USA, Europe and India. This experience has enabled her to have a unique understanding in what is involved in international projects. Moreover, it has convinced her of the value of high quality personal services and the need to ensure that they are available to organisations regardless of their size and their basic resources. She has been particularly concerned with the needs of small business and regulation concerns. For three years she was External Policy Advisor to the Forum for Private Business (FPB) in the UK to assist with problem solving in this area.

As a natural extension of her legal practice and legal writing Dr Spedding has become increasingly concerned with issues of risk management and due diligence. She advises business in the UK and abroad on issues relating to ethical business practice, corporate governance, corporate social responsibility and risk. These include energy risk and carbon footprinting. Her handbooks have been published and well received internationally.

Throughout her professional life she has carried out pro bono work and assisted an ethnic minority charity assisting women, children and the handicapped in particular. She is increasingly concerned with the link between traditional positive values and modern living and has edited various sanskrit and Vedic origin texts in the area of health, yoga, the environment and lifestyle: see www.adhyatmikfoundation.org and www.balancedlives.infoShe is Vice President of AF and in this capacity she has advised the Greenbriar Spa and the Ananda in the Himalayas in relation to appropriate projects. In this context she has concentrated on substantive legal and lifestyle issues of women in law and launched the Women in Law service as the pioneering e newsletter for women: see www.womeninlaw.com and above.

M.L. Sarin

Senior Advocate

Manmohan Lal Sarin is a Senior Advocate practicing at the Punjab and Haryana High Court at Chandigarh. He joined the Bar on July 1, 1971 and was designated as a Senior Advocate in March 1987. He was the Advocate General of Punjab from October, 1991 to March 10, 1992 and again from September 19, 1995 to November 26, 1996. He was also the Advocate General of Haryana from November 20, 1999 to July 7, 2000. He is also the Founder Secretary of the Sarin Memorial Legal Aid Foundation, Chandigarh, which was set up in 1995 for spreading legal literacy and providing legal aid for protection of the environment and for helping special children. He has been the President of Alliance Francaise Le Corbusier de Chandigarh since 1990 and is also the Founder President of the St.John's Old Boys Association. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Blood Bank Society, Chandigarh and also a life member of the Indian Society of Blood Trausfusion & Immunohaematology (ISBTI).

He has attended international conventions and read papers at various conferences in different parts of the world. He has co-authored and revised various law books like Rent Restrictions in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh by Sarins; Company Law Digest by A.Ramaiya; Commentary on Hindu Marriage Act; Encyclopaedia of Petroleum Laws; and Compulsory Acquisition of Land in India. He is also the Editor of a number of law journals like All India Rent Control Journal; Revenue Law Reporter; Current Law Journal; Service Law Journal; Current Civil Cases; Accident and Compensation Cases; The Punjab Law Reporter; All India Prevention of Food Adultration Journal; Divorce and Matrimonial Cases; and Supreme Today.

Rajiv K. Luthra

Managing Partner, Luthra & Luthra Law Offices

Rajiv K. Luthra is admitted to Practice in India. He is the Founder & Managing Partner of Luthra & Luthra Law Offices - one of the largest law firms in India and recipient of the Asian Legal Business Award. More recently, Mr. Luthra has been identified as 'one of the most highly acclaimed legal experts in the Asia-Pacific region' in the practice areas of Capital Markets & Corporate Finance and General Corporate Practice by the 2007 Asia Law Leading Lawyers. The Lawyer.com included him among its top 40 'to have been making the biggest waves outside the UK.' He ranked amongst ALB's Hot 100 in recognition for his contribution to the Capital Markets' sector.

Mr. Luthra has been rendering advice for over 2 decades, on a vast range of complex commercial transactions involving tax and a multitude of corporate and civil law issues. He has successfully concluded transactions on more than fifty infrastructure projects in Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the People's Republic of China.

He has led and ably guided various disinvestment, privatization and restructuring assignments and has worked on some of the largest mergers and acquisitions in Indian corporate history. Mr. Luthra is also well experienced in structuring of foreign investment into India.

Appointed by the Government of India on the Advisory Board to the Competition Commission of India to assist in the framing of the general rules and regulations under the Competition Act, 2002, he has also been appointed by the Competition Commission of India to the Competition Advocacy Steering Committee. He is a member of the National Committee on Energy & the Core Group on Infrastructure Development of the Confederation of Indian Industries. The Ministry of Commerce has appointed him as a Convener of the Committee formed to advise the Government of India on liberalization of legal services under the GATT between India and the U. K.

Mr. Luthra is a member of various professional bodies such as the Supreme Court Bar Association, the Delhi High Court Bar Association, International Bar Association, the Inter-Pacific Bar Association, the International Union des Avocats, and the American Bar Association. He is a Fellow of the British Commerce Society and of the Royal Geographical Society. He also has to his credit, a number of publications in various national and international professional journals and magazines.

Sameer Tapia

Senior Partner, Founder and Senior Partner ALMT Legal

Sameer is a founding and senior partner of ALMT Legal, which was set up in London and now has offices in Mumbai, Bangalore and New Delhi. Sameer has expertise in corporate-commercial matters, dispute resolution with strong focus on aviation, real estate and private clients.

Sameer graduated from Bombay University with a bachelor's degree in Commerce. He read Law from the prestigious Government Law College, Mumbai.

He regularly acts for various multinational clients in pursuing their contentious matters in India and has been retained by several corporates where he has advised them on commercial contracts, risk insurance, liability and regulatory matters.

Sameer has represented clients before various foras including the Supreme Court of India. He has a strong commercial acumen in dealing with disputes in various arbitration proceedings as well. He has also advised clients in high profile family disputes and matrimonial matters and acted as an arbitrator / mediator in settling complex family disputes.

Sameer regularly speaks at international conferences and has submitted papers on Indian Laws. He is a regular invitee and guest speaker at law schools and other prestigious institutions in India. He has written articles which have been published in the International Bar News, India Business Law Journal and various other chamber publications.

The Indian Lawyer 250, a guide to the leading business law firms of India, has featured Sameer amongst the top 40 individual leading lawyers, under the age of 45 years, in India.

He has been awarded the Who's Who Lawyer of the year 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2012-2013.

Recent Experience

• Advising and filing proceedings for insurers and underwriters in United Kingdom in an action under subrogation in India against an Indian Company.
• Advising insurers and underwriters in United Kingdom in arbitration proceedings in UK under actions pending before Bombay High Court and various other forums relating to a power project in Maharashtra.
• Represented and advising premiere airlines against claims made for loss of cargo and successfully negotiating and settling the claims
• Advised and represented media companies and production houses on film production and distribution agreements.
• Advised and represented various Co-operative Housing Societies in the city in completing the building project by solving the Floor Space Index, TDR and encroachment problems alongwith project development and SRA projects.
• Advising and representing several international airlines in respect of matters in Indian High Courts, Tribunals and other aspects of their business activities.
• Advised and represented Indian Corporates and multinationals in initiating and defending actions for infringement of trade mark and successfully stopping usage of the trade mark, as well as in pre-litigation matters.
• Advised and represented multinational shipping companies, stewarding and clearing and forwarding agents in public interest litigation in respect of a global tender for development of a port on BOT basis filed before the Bombay High Court.
• Advised and represented Indian Corporates in respect of loan borrowing before the Debt Recovery Tribunal.
• Assisting a number of listed companies and individuals in structuring their property transactions and providing comprehensive advice, including requisite documentation therefore.

Ulrich Steppler

Partner, Arnecke Sibeth

Ulrich Steppler heads the Transportation, Aviation and Logistics (TAL) practice group at ARNECKE SIBETH's Frankfurt office. The firm is one of the leading aviation practices in Germany and frequently recommended by the German JUVE, international legal publications such as Legal500, Legal Experts and others.

Ulrich studied in Marburg, Germany and Canterbury, England and earned a Master's degree from the University of Applied Sciences Mainz, Germany. He was trained in London, Toronto, Dusseldorf and New York. Ulrich Steppler has specialized in aviation matters, with a particular focus on passenger air transport.

Ulrich Steppler represents various international airlines, industry participants, lessors, banks, insurers and organizations in all relevant areas. Ulrich has published numerous articles, case notes, recensions and two books: one concerning IATA interlining and the other one on the inclusion of the airline industry into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). He is the German correspondent to the International Law Office (partner to the IBA) for Aviation and is a member of the International Panel of the law journal 'AIR and Space LAW' (Wolters Kluwer).

Ulrich is also admitted to act before the Austrian Courts and institutions.

Vivek Vashi

Senior Partner, Bharucha & Partners

In 1999, as an undergraduate, Vivek joined MP as a trainee with Amarchand & Mangaldas. After qualifying, he signed articles and qualified as a Solicitor in 2004. In 2006 he was made Senior Associate with Amarchand & Mangaldas. He joined Bharucha & Partners as one of the founding partners. Vivek deals with complex commercial, corporate and intellectual property related litigation. He has honed his skills across a wide spectrum of issues ranging from airport privatization, bankruptcy protection, derivatives, employment laws and real estate. His litigation skills have helped listed companies to protect and manage their intellectual property portfolios including internet domains and media campaigns.

The insights that he has gained as a litigator have been particularly helpful in contentious M & As, advertisement concession for airports and shopping malls and internet based commodities, trading and FX platforms. He has represented Enercon GmbH in transnational corporate, intellectual property related disputes in diverse Courts and Tribunals across India; Dai-Ichi Karkaria Ltd. in domestic corporate litigation and arbitrations including against a leading oil major; the Raheja group of real estate developers in defending various claims in excess of US$ 500 mio; and other IPR claims. These are some of the major representations made by him at a national and international level for Bharucha & Partners.

Advisors

Ajay Thomas

Advocate

Ajay was, until recently, Registrar of the London Court of Arbitration India in New Delhi. Prior to that he was counsel and head of the South Asia desk at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, where he oversaw Indian and South Asian operations. Ajay joined SIAC in 2007, also serving as assistant counsel at the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration. In 2008 he helped SIAC and an umbrella body for the Indian construction industry to establish the Construction Industry Arbitration Council in New Delhi, which provides an Indian form of institutional arbitration.Before joining SIAC, Ajay practised as an advocate at the Chambers of Mr S Venkiteswaran, Senior Advocate. Originally from Goa, he speaks English, Hindi, South Indian language Malayalam and the official language of Goa, Konkani.

Gaurang Kanth

Managing Partner, Kanth and Associates

Mr. Gaurang Kanth has wide experience both in the Indian as well as the American legal system. In the United States, he worked with a San Diego based law firm of O'Connell & Zuffoletto LLP, the law firm of A. Quinn, and as a legal intern with the Plotkin Law Group, PC, Denver, Colorado. He has extensive experience in Corporate and Commercial laws. He has assisted clients ranging from start-up companies to some of the largest multinational companies in the world. He represents buyers and sellers in all aspects of public and private company, mergers and acquisitions including conducting due diligence investigations, asset and business acquisition through contractual arrangement and legal processes, negotiating and drafting transaction documents and coordinating closings.

He advises domestic as well as foreign clients on the laws and procedures for incorporating funds in India and also guides the clients on the required governmental approvals from the various regulatory agencies in India. He also acts as legal advisor to renowned corporate houses including players in the export houses, manufacturers and industrial players in the Real Estate, Media, Construction, Fashion and Education sectors. He also renders his expert advice in area of Competition Laws. He has an expertise in areas of real estate, infrastructure and construction projects, project finance and power sector. Some of the important transactions include:

• Representation of a public outsourcing company in connection with the sale of its supply chain management division.
• Representation of a large energy Corporation in connection with the spin-off of its subsidiary, and subsequent merger with Holding Company.
• M&A counsel to a seller of telecommunications assets, including video, voice and data distribution systems.
• Negotiating and documenting roll-up of several limited liability companies holding oil and natural gas properties in the western United States.
• Representing a natural gas exploration and production company in connection with obtaining a $30 million production loan from a large multinational bank.
• Legal advice to US clients on setting up of 100% STPI Company in India.

Worked on a merger deal for an educational institute in Belgium.

G. R. Bhatia

Partner, Luthra & Luthra Law Offices

Mr. Bhatia advises and appears before the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and the Competition Appellate Tribunal (CAT) on competition issues. He is Competition Law expert of London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA).

Mr. Bhatia is a Former Additional Director General, CCI and of the erstwhile Monopolies & Restrictive Trade Practices Commission, New Delhi. He underwent extensive training on various dimensions of anti-trust laws with Japanese and Korean Fair Trade Practices Commission. He is a former Registrar of Companies, J & K and Official Liquidator, High Court of Patna. He is also Consulting Editor of Manupatra Competition Law Reports and also a Member of Editorial Board of Chartered Secretary.

Government of India nominated him as a Member of Expert Committee to suggest draft of National Competition Policy and the amendments to be made in the Competition Act, 2002. He has been ranked as Lead Anti-trust Counsel in Asia by Chambers & Partners, 2011.

Manisha Chaudhary

Managing Partners, UKCA and Partners

Background

Manisha is a Master of Laws graduate from the prestigious Ivy League Cornell University Law School, United States. She read law at the prominent Amity Law School and also holds a certificate in Corporate Law and Governance from the renowned London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom.

Experience

Manisha is the Managing Partner at UKCA and brings to the firm an extensive view of Corporate Laws from the biggest players around the world. She has the experience of working with some of the top lawyers and law firms of the country prior to joining UKCA. While at Cornell, she was under the guidance of the top lawyers and management professionals from New York City thus gaining tremendous insight on the corporate and legal culture in America.

Her forte lies in the field of Negotiations, Mergers and Acquisitions, Competition Law, Corporate Law Litigation and Consultancy. She has also been handling matters relating to Capital and Financial Markets Regulations before various authorities. She has been a part of the Corporate Law Committee at PHDCCI and has been akin with organizing the workshops on Companies Act, 2013. She is also credited with liaising in good faith and for the benefit of the clients with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), Rerseve Bank of India (RBI), Competition Commission and other statutory and governmental bodies. She regularly appears before various tribunals such as the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and its appellate authority (NCLAT), Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR) and its appellate authority (AAIFR), Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) and its appellate authority (DRAT), Competition Commission of India (CCI) and its appellate authority (COMPAT), and High Courts of various states and the Supreme Court of India.

Manisha is an avid writer and has many published articles in various legal and corporate magazines. She has also presented varied subjects at seminars held all over India. Manisha has been at the forefront of enhancing legal education and is regular guest lecturer at various law schools and judge at moot courts.

She is actively involved in helping various start-ups with their legal issues and funding and works pro bono for social enterprises in order to help them better serve the general public. Children rights and women empowerment are two other subjects that are very close to her heart.

Nitin Sarin

Managing Partner, Sarin and Co.

Nitin Sarin is a dual qualified lawyer (in both India & England and Wales) and also the Managing Partner of Sarin and Co.; Nitin completed his B.A.; LL.B from the Army Institute of Law, Mohali . He has also completed his Advanced LL.M. in Air and Space Law from Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands. He is a licensed advocate with the Punjab and Haryana High Court and a Solicitor of the Superior Courts of England and Wales.

During his B.A., LL.B. he interned with a variety of law firms and Senior Advocates. Some of which included Dua Associates in New Delhi, Kaden Borris, Legal Process Outsourcing Company, Gurgaon where he did extensive research on matters relating to Company law, FEMA and SEBI, Service Tax Law and handled various legal outsourcing requests from international firms, etc. He also interned in the office of Mr. Iqbal M. Chagla, Senior Advocate in Mumbai.

He also worked for Pepper Hamilton, LLP, Philadelphia, USA and Airbus Industries Toulouse, France where he dealt with matters relating to medical liability and work preparing aircraft sales contracts and purchase agreement contracts, airframe warranty agreements, etc. He worked as a trainee in Aercap Holdings in Netherlands, where he worked on the transaction for the purchase of 4 Airbus A320- 200 aircraft and was also in charge of advising on a bank guarantee deposited in a Court of Law in India.

At Sarin and Co. he handles various Aviation, Consumer, Asset Financing, Labour, Rent, Corporate, Trademark law cases. He has extensive experience and interest in the field of aviation law and civil land matters. He saw through the execution of an affiliation agreement with Donald H Bunker & Associates (Dubai) for aviation related legal matters.

Nitin is a member of the IGAL, AIJA, UIA and the IBA. He is a member of the aviation enthusiast community http://www.airliners.net and has contributed to their database of aviation photographs.

Pramod Kumar Dubey

Criminal Lawyer

Pramod Kumar Dubey is a leading criminal lawyer and has been practising since 1995. He is practicing mainly in anti- corruption cases, white collar crimes, economic offence cases, money laundering cases and criminal offences involving FEMA and MACOCA. He was Empaneled as a Grade A Counsel in the Supreme Court Of India. He was also appointed as a Member of the Vishwanathan Committee, PM Division, Department of Law & Justice, MHA.

Some of the high profile cases that he has been involved in include:

• Leading the trial of Tarun Tejpal in Goa Court
• Appearing for Gautam Khaitan in Augusta Westland, NEERAJ Singhal MD Bhushsn Steel in Syndicate Bank scam
• Appearing for Lt Gen (Rtd) Tejinder Singh in bribery case (Tata Tetra)
• Coal Block Scam for Rathi Udyog Ltd.
• Global Energy Power Ltd.
• Appearing for Zee News and Essel Infrastructure Ltd.
• CBI Vs Atul Dikshit
• CBI Vs Nirvikar Singh (Former ADC to Governor Punjab)
• CNG Fitness Scam
• State vs Asian Hotels Pvt Ltd (Hyatt)
• Goyal MG Gas
• CBI vs Premier Vinyl Flooring Ltd.
• ITO vs ASHOK Jaipuria (Foreign Block Black money deposit)
• ITO vs Spice Jet
• Sahara India before different forums
• Jessica Lal Murder Case
• Navy War Room Case
• CWG (Defending V.K.Verma)
• Kargil coffin case (Maj Gen Arun Roye)
• CWG Street Light Scam
• CWG Overlays Scam
• Rail-Gate Scam (CBI Vs Mahesh Kumar & Oths)
• DDA Scam
• Appeared for Delhi Police Officers (Special Cell) in false Encounter Cases
• Special P.P in Stock Guru Scam
• Special Counsel in High Court of Delhi in Murder Case of Captain Rajiv Agarwal (High Sea Case) Special Counsel in High Court of Delhi in Geetika Sharma Murder case
• Appeared in the Supreme Court in Arushi Talwar Murder case for CBI
• Appeared for Jajit Industries, Ansal Bulildwell, Milk Food, Rockman Group
• Appearing For K C Agarwal (VP corporate LML)
• Appeared for Ashutosh Verma (Income Tax Officer)
• Appeared for Ketan Desai in MCI case
• Defended Cobra Post (Aniruddha Bahal)
• Appeared in Venkataswamy Commission on behalf of Tehelka.com
• Appeared for Brig. Ujjwal Das Gupta (Espionage Case)
• Appeared for Ambumani Ramadoss(Ex- Union Health Minister)
• Appeared in Dhananjay Singh v Jagriti (Death of Maid servant)
• Appeared in Karam Chand Thapar Case
• Appeared in various wildlife protection cases
• Devas Antrix (ISRO) matter
• Pawanjay Stell Pvt. Ltd (coal scam)
• Nav Bharat Pvt Ltd. (coal scam) (Essar Group)

Satvik Varma

Advocate, Corporate Counsel and Founder, Independent Law Chambers

Satvik Varma is an Advocate and Corporate Counsel and founder of Independent Law Chambers. His practice focuses primarily on corporate/commercial litigation, domestic and international arbitration and providing corporate legal advisory on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, foreign direct investment and private equity placements. Prior to founding Independent Law Chambers, Satvik was a partner at India's premier law firm, Amarchand Mangaldas. Prior to Amarchand, Satvik was Vice-President and Counsel of the corporate law group at Lehman Brothers (2003-2005) at their headquarters in New York. Satvik started his career as a litigator and for several years (1998-2001) worked at the Supreme Court of India and the High Court of Delhi. While practicing in Courts, Satvik had the opportunity to participate in and argue various constitutional law, insurance and family law related cases.

Satvik holds a Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) in History and a Bachelor in Law (LL.B.) from the University of Delhi. Satvik earned a Masters of Law (LL.M.) from Harvard Law School, where he was a part of the South Asian Lawyers Association. Satvik is dual qualified and licensed to practice in both India (1998) and the State of New York (2003). Satvik is a frequent speaker at various panels, seminars and workshops and is often featured on television debates for his views on legal matters. He regularly writes on business, law and policy for most of India's leading business newspapers, magazines, and journals.

Satvik has a keen interest in global and regional affairs and serves on the advisory board of the Asia Society India Centre, a United States not-for-profit. Satvik has been selected from amongst many as an Asia 21 Young Leader, where he actively engages with others from the Asia-Pacific to discuss issues of common interest to the region. Satvik is also a member of the Young Indians, an initiative operating under the aegis of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), to help motivate the youth to shape the economic and social agenda of India. Most recently Satvik was selected from a very large and diverse group of nominees as an Aspen India Leadership Fellow.

Vyapak Desai

Partner, Nishith Desai and Associates

Vyapak Desai is a Partner & also heads the International Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice at the multi-skilled, research-based international law firm, Nishith Desai Associates (www.nishithdesai.com). Vyapak is also a Senior Attorney in the Corporate and Securities Practice group at the firm. Vyapak holds a Bachelors degree in law and a Masters degree in Commercial Laws. He is also a trained Mediator.

Vyapak is a member of Arbitration Committee of the International Bar Association (IBA) and the Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa.

Vyapak represents clients in a wide-range of services with a special focus on cutting edge cross-border and complex litigations and international commercial arbitrations. He is a leading attorney in the advisement and representation of clients involved in media, entertainment, franchising, oil and gas, and financial services sectors for pragmatic and effective pre-litigation strategies, arbitrations and litigations before various forums including the Supreme Court, High Courts and Tribunals of India.

He has represented clients before international arbitration centers such as the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR- AAA) amongst others.

Vyapak advises clients on several Indian and international public offerings, fund investments, mergers & acquisitions, PIPE deals, issues related to corporate and securities laws, foreign direct investment and other exchange control laws.

Vyapak is often on the speaker circuit for both domestic and international conferences and has authored several articles on various topics concerning Cross Border Dispute Litigations and International Commercial Arbitration.

Recognition:

• IDEX Legal Awards 2015: Nishith Desai Associates won the "Best Dispute Management Firm" and "Best Dispute Management lawyer" (Vyapak Desai)
• Vyapak Desai is recommended by Legal 500 consistently for Dispute resolution practice.
  • Nishith Desai Associates advises international banks, corporations, and private equity clients on complex cross-border disputes, and is currently handling arbitration matters. Vyapak Desai is recommended.

EDITORS

Naina Pachnanda

Senior Associate, Luthra & Luthra Law Offices

Ms. Naina Pachnanda upon completion of high school, pursued an integrated degree in law and arts from the National University of Juridical Sciences at Kolkata, India focusing on criminal law. While at NUJS, she interned at several law firms in India, as well with lawyers at the Supreme Court and High Court of Delhi. She has also been selected for presenting papers at various law conferences and has authored articles in several publications. After graduating from NUJS in 2014, she started her practice in the chambers of Mr. Paramjit Singh Patwalia, an Additional Solicitor General for India. Presently she is working as an Associate with Luthra & Luthra Law Offices, a premier law firm in India, focusing on litigation and alternate dispute resolution. She may be contacted at naina.pachnanda@gmail.com.

Shashank Manish

Advocate

Shashank Manish completed his B.A. LLB (Hons.) from Gujarat National Law University in the year 2010 and is presently working in the Chambers of Mr. Mahesh Agarwala in the Supreme Court of India. Prior to this, he served as a Law Clerk cum Research Assistant to Hon'ble Mr. Justice Deepak Verma, Judge, Supreme Court of India for almost two years followed by working in the chambers of Mr. P.P. Rao, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India for one year. He has authored several articles in various national journals and has also presented many research papers at various national and international Conferences. He has also co-authored a book titled "International Relations: Theoreticians Insights into the Novae Discipline". He has been a member of the organizing committees of several national and international Conferences which were organized by GNLU. He was also the founder Student Editor and later the Student Executive Editor of GNLU Journal of Law, Development and Politics. He may be contacted at shashankmanish@gmail.com.

Vishwam Jindal

Advocate, India and Solicitor, England and Wales

Vishwam Jindal pursued law from National Law University, Delhi and is practising as an advocate in the Supreme Court of India and the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He is working with DLA Piper in the Litigation, Arbitration and Regulatory Investigations team. He is qualified to practice as an advocate in India and as a solicitor in the senior courts of England and Wales.

Vishwam worked with Linklaters in London for two years and was involved in cross border M&A, IPO and bond offerings, Investment grade and leverage finance lending, project developments (including project financings) and code takeovers in UK. He worked on leading international arbitrations and matters before the High Court of England and Wales. Previously, he worked with Mr. Puneet Jindal, senior advocate on numerous matters before the courts and tribunals in Delhi and Chandigarh.

Vishwam regularly speaks at numerous conferences and summits and his research papers have been published in books, journals, magazines and compendiums. He is a member of numerous international arbitral and mediation institutions. He can be contacted atA jindalvishwam@gmail.com .

Deputy Editors

Aditya Shivkumar

Advocate

Aditya Shivkumar completed his LLB (Hons) from Cardiff Law School, UK and thereafter worked in the chambers of the Tamil Nadu Advocate General, Mr. P.S. Raman. He is presently practising in the Madras High Court and also successfully runs a mediation centre in England called the Dispute Resolution Cardiff. He has also written articles for several journals.

Ananya Kapoor

Advocate

Ananya Kapoor is presently an Advocate practising in the Supreme Court of India and Delhi High Court. Prior to this, she pursued her BCL (masters in law) from University of Oxford, UK, on a full scholarship awarded by the University. She is also a recipient of the J.N.Tata Scholarship. Ananya completed her B.A. LL.B (Hons) from Amity Law School (affiliated to GGSIP University), New Delhi, wherein she was awarded the Gold Medal for excellence in academics. Ananya is also the sole recipient of the 'Student of the Year' award at her university for all five years. Currently, she is also an editor at The Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal.

Guru Prakash

Advocate

After completing his Law from National Law school, Bhopal and Masters from Indian Law Institute, Guru Prakash is presently pursuing his doctoral research on topic of Article 370 of the Constitution of India from the University of Delhi. He also writes on socio-political issues on a freelance basis with various publications. He is also looking after the youth outreach program of Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DICCI) www.dicci.org. Also associated as an activist with Human Rights Defense International, New Delhi based NGO working for the issues of Human Rights concerning the Indian diaspora. With deep interest in establishing a nation where development is viewed in tandem with equitable growth and social justice.

With profound interest in reading, writing and leadership, Guru Prakash is a keen follower of political developments in India and around the world. As mentioned above, Guru Prakash is responsible for the Youth Outreach program of DICCI. With legal education from National Law School, Bhopal, he has participated and organized various national and international legal issues. After completion of his Ph.D. he intends to work in his home state Bihar through social entrepreneurship innovation and initiatives at the village level. He can be contacted at guruprakash88@gmail.com

Shreyas Gupta

Associate, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co.

Shreyas Gupta completed an integrated law course from Jindal Global Law School. He has been a consistently meritorious student and has also taken a keen interest in variousco-curricular/ extra-curricular activities on and off campus. Shreyas is thestudent editor of JGLS' flagship law journal - Jindal Global Law Review (JGLR). He is one of the founding associate editors of JGLS' first student-edited law review, the Jindal Law Journal (JLJ). Shreyas has authored several articles for legal journalism websites and has published in various emerging national and international journals. He has had the opportunity to present his papers at conferences/ seminars organized by Kyung Hee University, Seoul, IIT Bombay, IIM Shillong, CNLU Patna, and RGNUL Patiala amongst others. Shreyas is a Board Member of JGLS' Career Development and Placement Division. He has interned with leading law firms such as Amarchand Mangaldas, J Sagar Associates,Fox Mandal & Co. and International Organizations such as Thomson Reuters and UNHCR. Currently, he is an Associate at Shardul Amrachand Mangaldas and Co. which is one of India's premier law firms.

Assistant Editors

Abhishikha Moyal

Student, Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab

Akriti Shikha

Advocate

Anirveda Sharma

Advocate

Doorva Tripathi

Student, National Law Institute University, Bhopal

Dushyant Kishan Kaul

Student, Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat

Manasi Bhushan

Advocate

Miheer Jain

Student, NMIMS School of Law, Mumbai

Prachi Dutta

Advocate

Raghav Pandey

Policy Researcher, India Foundation & Assistant Professor, Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai

Rahul Garg

Student, National Law University, Jodhpur

Rhea Rao

Student, Government Law College, Mumbai