Indian Law Firm Awards - India Business Law Journal

Intelligence report
40
[HSA Advocates has]
good commercial lawyers
who are easy to work with
Martijn Wilder
Partner
Baker & McKenzie
using its dominant position”, and to pay a penalty of `555
million.
Economic Laws Practice won the opportunity to draft
Afghanistan’s new competition law in an open tender conducted
by Adam Smith International, a UK-based governance
and economic consultancy. Last year, the firm was
also engaged by Google for advice on Indian merger control
requirements in preparation for its global acquisition of
Motorola Mobility. “Economic Laws Practice has proven to
be very good and I am very impressed with Samir Gandhi,
their competition law partner,” says Deepak Jacob, executive
vice-president and general counsel of legal and regulatory
affairs at Star India.
Luthra & Luthra won a case last May when the CCI
imposed fines of `100,000 each on 27 film producers that
were charged with colluding through a cartel to exploit
cinema owners. The case related to a strike in 2009 by film
producers who refused to screen their films in multiplexes
due to a dispute with cinema owners over revenue-sharing
arrangements. This was the first time the CCI imposed a
penalty for the abuse of dominant position. Senior partner
Bobby Chandhoke, partner GR Bhatia and senior associate
Ravisekhar Nair advised FICCI-Multiplex Association of
India in the case.
Construction and real estate
AZB & Partners, Federal & Rashmikant, Hariani & Co,
Kanga & Co, Luthra & Luthra and Wadia Ghandy & Co all
pick up a prize for construction and real estate.
Kanga & Co helped the Ajay Piramal Group gain the
development rights for a seven-acre plot in Byculla,
Mumbai. The group acquired the land from Mafatlal
Industries for `7.5 billion. Because the government was a
lessor of the land, Kanga had to address claims made by
the government in relation to the transfer. The firm also had
to deal with interests created in favour of third parties and
issues arising out of regulations relating to the redevelopment
of mill lands.
“We are a contented client of Mr ML Bhakta at Kanga &
Co, who was recommended to us many years ago, and we
appreciate the excellent help and advice he gives us with all
legal matters in India,” says the associate director at a UK
company. ”We have also had occasion to be involved with
Hariani & Co, whom we also found excellent,” he says.
India Business Law Journal
Indian Law Firm Awards
Hariani & Co, a 79-lawyer firm with offices in Mumbai,
Pune and Goa, has been a consistent leader for real
estate work. Last year, it negotiated several terms and
conditions in a construction contract for a large development
that its client planned to issue to a Korean
construction company. It was also involved in real estate
litigation and acquisitions. The firm’s clients include
IL&FS, Oberoi Realty, Ackruti City, Dheeraj Realty and
Parmar Builders.
Wadia Ghandy & Co worked on the sale and transfer
of a 100-acre plot belonging to Bayer CorpScience in
Thane, which had been on the market for three or four
years. The deal involved a complex title as well as negotiations
with multiple bidders. Federal & Rashmikant was
one of the advisers to the successful bidder, Agile Real
Estate.
Corporate and commercial
The winners for corporate and commercial work
are Amarchand Mangaldas, AZB & Partners, J Sagar
Associates, Khaitan & Co, Luthra & Luthra and Trilegal.
Saxena at BSES Rajdhani Power says of J Sagar
Associates: “The diligence, eye for detail, anticipation
of problems and issues is remarkable, which helps our
company obviate and pre-empt adverse situations and
possibilities.” Pramod Chaudhari, executive chairman
at Praj Industries, a client of the firm for over 15 years,
commends it for being “very thorough, professional,
offering an integrated approach and understanding
practical difficulties”.
Amarchand is also well appreciated. “I work with two
legal firms – Amarchand Mangaldas and Trilegal – and
they are equally competent,” says Upinder Singh at
Larsen & Toubro. Another client says Amarchand is
“always helpful and prompt”.
Nasser Kabir, vice-president of legal at Indian pharmaceutical
company Strides Arcolab, says of Luthra &
Luthra and AZB & Partners: “They give us the attention
and focus we seek and are a bunch of talented people.”
Sandeep Deshmukh, company secretary and head
of legal at Sterlite Technologies, uses Khaitan & Co
because it “provides all kinds of services”. Deshmukh
adds that the firm is “professional, well structured” and
offers “quality inputs and timely delivery”.
[Raian Karanjawala has taught]
me all the nuances of
litigation strategy
Nasser Kabir
Vice President – Legal
Strides Arcolab
February 2012