The Legal 500

AZB & Partners is particularly accomplished at handling fund-related and capital markets aspects of real estate work. In this regard, Gautam Saha represented Sun-Apollo on the $23m acquisition of Parsvnath Buildwell.

‘One of the best’, Luthra & Luthra’s team has a ‘solid grasp of the real estate market and how it functions’. It regularly handles the real estate elements of major corporate M&A and projects transactions; Amaresh Singh advised Abbott Laboratories on its $3.72bn acquisition of Piramal’s healthcare business which involved extensive real estate due diligence and statutory approvals. The group acts for a mix of developers, financial institutions, private equity firms and multinational corporates including Aman Resorts, Oman Investment Fund, HDFC Bank, Blackstone Group, CapitaLand and Tishman Speyer.

Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co’s sizeable real estate team advises on everything from land acquisition and conveyancing to real estate financing and funds work. Recent highlights include advising India Property Fund’s Rs120 crore buyout of Ramprastha Group’s Skyz housing project. 
Other more traditional work included advising the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on 
leasing of commercial premises in New Delhi.

J Sagar Associates’ extensive real estate practice has handled a raft of work for Khajrana Ganesh Properties including the leasing of two separate properties in Gurgaon, to Nokia and Li & Fung Private. The team also regularly advises real estate funds on their investments.

At Seth Dua & Associates, the ‘very commercial’ Sunil Seth heads a team that represents numerous leading clients, among which are Emaar MGF, Woodside Developments and Pro-India Investments. The team is advising the Ministry of Housing on the drafting on a new real estate bill to harmonise development processes across India. The practice is praised for its ‘excellent commercial sense’ and is 
particularly accomplished on the development side; it is advising Woodside Developments 
on the development of a high-end luxury residential resort in Himachal Pradesh.

Dua Associates has a particular niche advising and structuring both financial and strategic investments in real estate companies in India such as Emaar MGF, Metro Cash & Carry, Eldeco, IL&FS and Banyan Real Estate Company. Neeraj Sharma and Shashivansh Bahadur are recommended.

FoxMandal Little benefits from a pan-India presence and tie-ups with a number of local law firms. It advises domestic and international clients on various matters including due diligence, title searches and handling property transfer documentation.

Kochhar & Co displays ‘excellent client service and responsiveness’, and is ‘very business and results oriented’. Able to ‘navigate the nuances of local cultural differences and business practices’, and benefiting from numerous offices, the firm is particularly accomplished at advising foreign corporates on the real estate 
elements of businesses in India. Recent 
highlights include advising Panasonic in acquiring land and setting up a factory. Other clients include PwC, Honeywell International, HSBC and Regus. Team head Alok Tewari is ‘very good on real estate matters and is a client 
service standout, always responding with sound advice in a very timely manner’.

At Titus & Co, managing partner Diljeet Titus handles real estate work for developers, lessors and end users. Recent work includes 
advising Knorr-Bremse on its $15m real estate acquisition project for the purposes of expanding its business operations.

Trilegal handles a significant amount of financing work out of its Mumbai office, and represents a sizeable roster of real estate 
fund clients. Real estate is not a core area of 
focus for the New Delhi office, but it often contributes projects-related expertise. Sitesh Mukherjee is the principal contact.

Archer & Angel represents owners, operators, developers, project managers and contractors across a broad mix of real estate transactions including the development of healthcare centres and hospitals.

Bhasin & Co has a strong reputation for advising hospitality sector clients on real estate and construction projects.

Although the bulk of DSK Legal’s work is led from Mumbai, the New Delhi office also has significant real estate experience, particularly for advising on traditional real estate matters and foreign direct investment (FDI).

Jafa & Javali regularly acts on FDI instructions and has been advising UK-based Ready2invest on the legal, policy and regulatory framework and approvals pertaining to foreign investment in India. Other clients include Renaissance Furniture, Aakar Developers and Nile Tech.

K. R. Chawla & Co is well regarded in the market for its advice to clients establishing resorts and hotels. Other more traditional work includes development and planning work for domestic and foreign entities.

KSB Partners advises real estate funds on commercial and retail real estate project investments.

The ‘proficient, professional and committed’ team at Kaden Boriss Partners advises 
domestic and foreign corporates on acquiring land. The team recently handled due diligence and title reports for Bayer BioScience, which is seeking to build a new research and development laboratory. Amiya Ranjan Nayak heads the practice.

LexCounsel has an excellent reputation for advising retail and education sector clients on real estate maters. For example, Seema Jhingan 
led the team in representing Educomp Infrastructure on several matters including advising it on the leases associated with setting up a school in a township. Other clients include Power Machines, Conversion Management Associates and Omaxe.

O.P. Khaitan & Co. Solicitors and Advocates advised a leading domestic realty and infrastructure company on FDI in township projects. Other clients include Emaar MGF, 
Agni Properties and RMJM Group.

P H Parekh & Co has particular expertise at real estate work within the hospitality and construction industries.

At Vaish Associates, the ‘very experienced’ Vinay Vaish often handles real estate matters as part of his varied practice.

A ‘leading firm’ for real estate work, Federal & Rashmikant advised Ananta Landmarks on the $53m purchase of factory premises from Clariant Chemicals. In addition to transactions, the firm is also recommended for its real estate dispute resolution practice.

Kanga & Co advised Neepa Real Estate on the $178m purchase of industrial real estate from Borosil Glass Works. Managing partner M L Bhakta is recommended.

Mulla & Mulla & Craigie Blunt & Caroe is at ‘the forefront of the real estate market’, and is particularly recommended for its transactional work.

AZB & Partners advised Securities 
Private Limited and Kotak Mahindra Capital Company on a $320m IPO. Other clients include Kalpataru and Tata Realty and Infrastructure. Kalpana Merchant and Sai Krishna Bharathan are recommended.

Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co advised JPMorgan India’s real estate investment fund on selling part of its stake in B Raheja Builders to builder group K Raheja for $25.4m.

Hariani & Co has advised clients such as Dewan Housing Finance Corporation. The firm is particularly good for transactions.

J Sagar Associates advised Runwal Developers (RDPL) on its co-investment with HDFC Asset Management Company into an SPV to acquire and develop a parcel of land. Akshay Chudasama is recommended.

Law Point’s ‘client-focused’ team presents a ‘clear strategic overview’ and has ‘excellent knowledge of law in the real estate sector’. Clients include Urban Infrastructure 
Trustees, Wadhwa Group and Kamla Landmarc Real Estate Holding. Joyita Sabharwal and 
Samir Sanghavi are recommended.

Wadia Ghandy & Co has a significant real estate practice.

ALMT Legal advised the Kumar Company on the title of various properties totally across the city of Pune. It also represented 9-Globe Industries in acquiring land in Mumbai for the purposes of redevelopment. Sameer Tapia, Hitesh Jain and Bangalore-based Prashant Popat are the team’s key individuals.

Crawford Bayley & Co is known for its experience on large-scale developments, including regional real estate developments. 
It also advises on residential and commercial 
sales as well as leasing and financing. 
Recent clients include Clariant Chemicals.

DSK Legal advised KEC International on the purchase of 54 acres of land; and acted for 
Cosmos Group on purchasing land and 
six bungalows at Village Aksa, Borivili. 
Anand Desai, Sajit Suvarna and Jatin Pore are the key figures.

Economic Laws Practice is highly recommended for its real estate expertise.

Gagrats advised Jet Airways (India) on 
the development of a major commercial property in Mumbai. It also advised the Phoenix Group on the commercial development of its Phoenix 
Mills property in Mumbai.

Khaitan & Co. advised Borosil Glass Works on the $178m transfer of industrial land to Neepa Real Estate. Other clients include Hindustan Composites and Inox Leisure. Savita Singh and team head Sudip Mullick are recommended. Abhishek Sharma was recently promoted to associate partner.

Majmudar & Co’s ‘practical’ real estate team advised Schlumberger on the acquisition of property in Maharashtra. The ‘excellent’ Neerav Merchant heads the three-partner team.

Nishith Desai Associates’ ‘thoroughly professional’ team has acted for clients including Starlight Systems, Orbit Corporation and Lokhandwala Group. The team advises a number of real estate funds on investment deals.

Brus Chambers, Advocates & Solicitors has been retained by Mumbai-based 
Wadhawan Group to advise on its Indian property deals. It also advised Soham Group on 
establishing several affordable housing projects in Mumbai.

D H Law Associates advised Pizza Hut on opening outlets in Ahmadabad and Mumbai.

Desai & Diwanji advised Lavazza SpA on the acquisition and leasing of 1.5m sq ft of space at an SEZ in Chennai. It also acted for Tata Realty and Infrastructure on the acquisition of 3.3m sq ft of SEZ land in Noida.

FoxMandal Little’s real estate practice is a reliable choice for international and domestic companies.

JBSS & Co represents several charities. It advised ISKCON Food Relief Foundation on its leave and licence agreements for two new units in Maharashtra. It also advised a leading 
public charitable trust on several land 
acquisitions. Abhay Ahuja is recommended.

Kochhar & Co advises Honeywell 
International on its vast Indian property 
portfolio. It also advises Recticel India and Quintilles Research on real estate.

Luthra & Luthra has advised on a number of high-profile real estate transactions.

MDP & Partners advises owners and developers, as well as corporate or individual investors, on a range of real estate transactions.

Manilal Kher Ambalal & Co’s clients include Larsen & Toubro and Konkan Unnatri Mitral Mandal, the latter a registered trust. Vikram Trivedi heads the team.

S.N. Gupta & Co’s clients have included ACPI Investments.

Vaish Associates fields a real estate team with significant experience.