Our Practice Areas
We leverage the width of our experience to offer a range of corporate legal services
Mergers & Acquisitions
With expert guidance from our market-leading team of corporate lawyers we can help you to successfully achieve your business goals. We offer a full range of services, including advice on mergers and acquisitions, shareholder arrangements, restructuring and joint venture arrangements.
We regularly help our clients navigate:
• Mergers, acquisitions and disposals of companies based in India and internationally
• Public takeovers of companies listed on Indian stock exchanges
• All types of private equity transactions
• Venture capital and venture debt funding
• Innovative equity and debt financing arrangements
• Fund formation and regulation of financial institutions
• Corporate governance and related matters, including investigations
We invest time to get to know you and understand how we can best support your business. Whether you are a start-up company backed by investors, entrepreneurs and venture capital, a growth company looking to scale-up and raise new investments, or a large multinational with full-service legal requirements, we are familiar with your requirements and available to assist.
Our commitment is to be your partner throughout the deal process, supporting you and helping you achieve the right result.
Restructuring & Insolvency
Insolvency and related restructuring is invariably a complex, time-consuming and emotionally charged process for all stakeholders. We aim to make this as smooth and straightforward as possible.
We act for a range of clients including corporates, promoters, investors, financial creditors, operational creditors, directors and other stakeholders. In the past, our guidance has encompassed:
• Pre-sale restructuring
• Post-acquisition integration
• Legal entity rationalisation
• Directors’ duties, disqualifications and mitigation of personal liability
• Considerations for continued trading during an insolvency process
• Review of antecedent transactions
• CIRP process under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016
• Distressed M&A
• Administration sales and acquisitions
• Assignment of claims
• Enforcement of security
• Schemes of arrangement
• Shareholder exit
Our approach is to make sure we fully understand varying considerations for stakeholders all around the table, consider your specific circumstances, and work closely with office holders, lenders, creditors and directors until your objectives are achieved. In a complex area fraught with uncertainty, we aim to provide practical and pertinent advice. We understand the dynamics of both restructuring and insolvency and the importance of moving quickly and decisively.
Private Equity and Venture Capital
The private equity and venture capital world is fast paced, with ever-changing structures and practices. Our team has experience of advising a number of Indian and international private equity houses, management teams, promoters and sellers on private equity and venture funded transactions.
We advise on the full range of acquisition, investment and divestment documentation. With experience of advising on all sides of transactions which combine debt, equity and management investments, along with vendor and investor exits through secondary buy-outs or trade sales, we understand the market and its expectations and can share the benefit of our experience in getting a deal successfully completed.
From fund formation, MBOs, buy-and-builds, secondary buy-outs, through to investment and ultimate exit, members of the team have experience of working across a range of such transactions in India and internationally.
We have experience in advising:
• entrepreneurs as they seek to establish and develop their businesses and raise capital, or to merge their businesses with those of other entrepreneurs / corporates;
• early stage and high growth companies seeking investment, additional rounds of venture capital funding or growth capital investment;
• venture and growth capital investors, (business angels, high net-worth investors, venture capital or venture debt funders or growth capital providers);
• management teams and private equity houses; and
• family offices, high and ultra-high net worth individuals as well as business owners.
Banking, Financial Services and Fintech
We are uniquely versatile in acting on deals of all sizes, from major debt transactions for large corporates through to smaller value loans for SMEs and start-ups. We tailor our advice and pricing depending on the size and complexity of the financing.
We advise lenders as well as borrowers on banking and finance matters, including acquisition finance, real estate finance and asset-based lending. We also act on restructuring transactions.
India is a hotbed for activity in the Fintech sector and our team has significant experience in guiding start-ups, technology companies and regulated entities on various intersects between business considerations and the ever-evolving regulatory landscape in an area that is a perennial bug-bear for financial sector regulators.
Our team is practical, proactive and knowledgeable and capable of providing bespoke services for entrepreneurs, technocrats, lenders and businesses. Our clients include large publicly listed banks, start-up insurance companies, fintech start-ups and established businesses, individual entrepreneurs and technology partners in the area of fintech.
Private Clients
Individuals have very different needs when compared to businesses, both emotionally and practically. That said, business and personal life often go hand in hand. Our experienced team will support you and your family, here or abroad, in your personal and professional lives. Our approach is always collaborative. We will work together with your existing financial and wealth advisors to provide an integrated single solution to protect your wealth across all areas of your life.
Helping you to protect, grow, share and enjoy your wealth, we provide advice from wealth planning to disputes, drafting wills and succession planning, establishment and maintenance of trusts, endowments and real estate. Trusted for our expertise in high value and complex cases, we’re noted for our discretion and integrity.
Our clients range from families with modest wealth through to rich-list individuals, globally wealthy families, leading financial institutions, trustees, family offices and individuals in the sport and music industries. We also have particular expertise in advising fund managers and entrepreneurs.
Investigations
We regularly assist clients facing corporate crises with complex representations. We work strategically and effectively with external partners, experts and specialists to anticipate and respond to risks, and to swiftly identify the root of any problem.
Our experience includes strategy formulation for defending against criminal prosecutions and civil enforcement actions, securities-related litigation, conducting internal investigations, designing and implementing a course of action to respond to whistle-blower complaints, negotiating complex settlements, and facilitating cooperation with government regulators. The team also routinely counsels clients regarding preventive measures, compliance programs and the collateral consequences of criminal proceedings.
Our team combines this unique understanding of the enforcement landscape with a deep appreciation for client business issues. The practice also tailors its solutions, placing an emphasis on flexibility and knowing when to shift gears and adapt to best meet the needs of each unique circumstance.
Regulatory Proceedings and Commercial Litigation
In today’s increasingly regulated environment, awareness of regulatory obligations is essential to reduce exposure to risk and preserve commercial reputation as well as identifying where competitors, customers or suppliers may be non-compliant. Our team has experience of advising clients on the full range of regulatory obligations, in a large variety of sectors.
We assist our clients with strategy, counsel identifications and briefings and hand-hold them through a regulatory or commercial dispute process. Our experience covers all aspects of this area, including:
• Raids and investigations by ED, CBI, CVC
• Preparing defences and strategies
• Internal enquiries and investigations
• Responding to information requests from regulators or judicial authorities
• Making complaints to regulators
• Third-party claims
• Managing the media
Our team of commercial disputes resolution experts know the techniques and legal principles to resolve issues promptly and conclusively. Even if you are not currently involved in a dispute, we can advise if you could be at risk in the future.
We will take the time to understand your specific circumstances so you have a lawyer who appreciates your situation and has the knowledge to pursue the outcome you require. Our advise will be unambiguous and based on extensive knowledge and expertise.
