Khaitan & Co LLP > Mumbai, India > Firm Profile

Khaitan & Co LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

India > Antitrust and competition Tier 1

Khaitan & Co LLP stands out for its strength in handling multi-jurisdictional competition law matters, and has a solid track record in acting for private entities, government bodies, leading corporates and large public sector companies. In New Delhi, practice head Manas Kumar Chaudhuri advises on enforcement matters relating to anti-competitive agreements and abuse of dominance claims, and regularly appears before the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and the Supreme Court. Also in New Delhi, Sagardeep Rathi specialises in merger control filings, bid rigging and cartelisation issues. Mumbai-based Anshuman Sakle – who rejoined from Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas in mid-2022 – assists with merger control cases, abuse of dominance issues, cartel investigations, and the competition law aspects of joint ventures and distribution agreements. Anisha Chand and Pranjal Prateek are key names to note in the Mumbai and New Delhi offices respectively.

India > Banking and finance Tier 1

Khaitan & Co. relies on its pan-India presence to provide advice on complex financing transactions to a diverse client base that comprises major corporates, banks, NBFCs, and financial institutions. Key areas of expertise include acquisition financings, real estate finance work, mezzanine financings and regulatory issues. Kumar Saurabh Singh is well renowned for his expertise in all variations of debt transactions, while Devidas Banerji leads the team in Kolkata and is known for his expertise in the aviation finance space. Manisha Shroff specialises in domestic and international debt issuance transactions, while the duo of Siddharth Srivastava and Rajeev Vidhani have extensive expertise in syndicated lending arrangements and structured finance matters.

India > Capital markets Tier 1

Khaitan & Co. excels across equity and debt capital markets work in India, with extensive experience spanning initial public offerings, rights offerings and qualified institutional placements. The team has seen an increase in equity capital markets mandates and continues to advise domestic investors on the listing of companies. Sudhir Bassi, who has expertise in regulatory matters and all types of capital market transactions, leads the team, while Abhimanyu Bhattacharya focuses on follow-on public offerings, QIPs and offshore high-yield bonds. Madhur Kohli and Aditya Cheriyan have longstanding experience in handling the issuance of Basel II and Basel III bonds and international offerings. Other key members of the department are Gautham Srinivas and Manisha Shroff.

City focus: Chennai > Leading firms Tier 1

Khaitan & Co. established its Chennai office July 2021 focusing on corporate M&A, venture capital, private equity and general commercial work. Vivek Sriram, Arva Merchant and Thriyambak J. Kannan are three of the key team members who undertake an impressive range of commercial work in industries ranging from energy and industrial products to consumer products and services. Its client list is also impressive; from smaller investors to well-known global corporations.

India > Corporate and M&A Tier 1

Consisting of ‘hardworking, ambitious, and knowledgeable legal minds’, the Khaitan & Co LLP corporate practice regularly advises on conceptualisation of M&A, de-mergers, and strategic alliances. With a client base which includes Indian companies, along with entities from across the United States, Europe, and Africa, the team has expertise in the e-commerce, gaming, and pharmaceutical industries. From Mumbai, Haigreve Khaitan consistently assists companies, directors and financial institutions, Rabindra Jhunjhunwala is an expert on PE investments, and Aakash Choubey is knowledgeable on Indian corporate and investment laws. In New Delhi, Bharat Anand focuses on joint ventures, whilst Bengaluru-based Ganesh Prasad concentrates on corporate restructurings, and Rajat Mukherjee is knowledgeable in the pharmaceutical space.

India > Data protection Tier 1

Jointly led by Supratim Chakraborty and Harsh Walia, the data protection team at Khaitan & Co. stands out for its multidisciplinary approach. Drawing together specialists from various practice areas such as TMT, corporate, IP, and competition, the practice runs the gamut of advisory matters across industries such as fintech, e-commerce, insurance, and securities markets. In Kolkata, the ‘very proactive' Chakraborty advises on emerging legislation as well as the data aspects of major transactional matters. In New Delhi, Walia is routinely instructed by large tech companies, regulatory authorities, and media organisations on cross-border data transfers and security mandates; counsel Shobhit Chandra is another key name here. Also in Delhi is telecoms regulatory and data protection specialist Abhinav Chandan.

India > Dispute resolution: arbitration Tier 1

With sector-specific expertise in the engineering, heavy industry, finance, and hospitality spaces, the disputes team at Khaitan & Co. regularly acts for individuals, state-owned companies, and multinational corporations. Fielding a large team with broad geographic coverage, the group has experience representing clients in complex foreign-seated arbitrations as well as ad-hoc domestic proceedings. In Noida, Ajay Bhargava and Sanjeev Kapoor are the key names, while Kingshuk Banerjee, Chakrapani Misra, and Raj Panchmatia handle commercial and contractual arbitrations from the firm’s Mumbai office. Rajat Jariwal and Mayuri Tiwari left the practice in 2023.

India > Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 1

Praised by clients for its ‘depth of knowledge and exceptional talent,’ the litigation team at Khaitan & Co. assists clients at all stages of contentious matters, across all levels of the courts. The team has notable industry strength in energy and natural resources, representing both oil and gas companies as well as clients in the renewables industry. Core names in the team include Sanjeev Kapoor, an experienced litigator with a broad practice and particular expertise in cross-border litigations and multijurisdictional disputes, Ajay Bhargava, who handles constitutional and corporate disputes, and Raj Panchmatia, who is recommended for commercial litigation and enforcement matters. Kapoor and Bhargava are based in Noida, while Panchmatia is based in Mumbai.

India > Insurance Tier 1

The team at Khaitan & Co LLP is renowned for advising on complex interpretational and compliance issues, corporate transactions, and has further seen an uptick in insurance companies and intermediaries requiring representation before the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) in appeals against the orders of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). Operating from Noida, Nikhil Narayanan leads the practice alongside Singapore-based Anuj Shah and Mumbai-based Niren Patel, drawing on their combined expertise in M&A to advise multinational insurance giants on significant transactions in India’s insurance sector. Other recommended individuals include Saswat Subasit, an adviser to investors, brokers and web aggregators on their dealings with insurance companies and intermediaries; Nayantara Kutty, who provides strategic advice across a number of sectors, including insurance; and principal associate Harsh Khemka, who ‘has a sharp-mind, strong work ethic and is extremely client-centric’. All named individuals are based in Mumbai unless noted otherwise.

Intellectual property Tier 1

With a presence across Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangaluru and Chennai, Khaitan & Co LLP supports its clients with complex matters relating to patents, designs, trademarks, copyrights, domain names and other related issues. The experienced Mumbai-based duo of Adheesh Nargolkar and Shailendra Bhandare head the renowned IP practice, which is well versed in local and international filings, prosecution, transactions and enforcement. IP all-rounder Nishad Nadkarni is part of the International Association for the Protection of IP (AIPPI) and is also based in Mumbai; he comes recommended alongside registered patent agent Smriti Yadav and principal associate Sourav Dan, a notable figure in the team’s transactional and commercial IP practice. In New Delhi, the main contacts are Ankur Sangal, a regular representative before the Appellate Board, High Court and Supreme Court, and Nirupam Lodha, who specialises in IP and tech-related transactions. The team also draws on support from the firm’s Singapore desk.

India > Labour and employment Tier 1

Counting major domestic and international corporates among its impressive roster of clients, Khaitan & Co. assists on the full-range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters, including industrial disputes, workplace harassment and discrimination, and workforce management matters. Mumbai-based Anshul Prakash leads the team and has a broad practice that covers the full suite of contentious and advisory cases. In Bengaluru, Vinay Joy is the key name for corporate and M&A-related work, whilst New Delhi’s Jeevan Ballav Panda takes point on labour disputes. The practice also fields a strong team of associates, including senior associate Kruthi Murthy and principal associate Abhimanyu Pal; both are Mumbai-based and recommended for their expertise in domestic and cross-border employee transfers and relocations, as well as social security and benefits issues.

India > Private client Tier 1

India > Private equity and investment funds Tier 1

Khaitan & Co LLP represents a range of domestic and international financial sponsors on funds, investments and regulatory matters. Haigreve Khaitan co-heads the practice from Mumbai, advising on corporate matters including investments, corporate governance and restructuring across a spectrum of sectors including financial services, manufacturing, retail, and infrastructure. Aakash Choubey supports Khaitan as co-head, advising on various corporate and commercial transactions with proficiency in private equity investments. Siddharth Shah has experience advising foreign and domestic funds on regulatory and tax matters involving the structuring on investment and funds platforms, while Bharat Anand focuses on private equity transactions and joint ventures. Ganesh Prasad and Kartick Maheshwari are also key contacts in the team, with expertise spanning the e-commerce, IT and gaming, healthcare, financial services and real estate sectors between them.

India > Projects and energy Tier 1

The team at Khaitan & Co. is highly regarded for its expertise in the infrastructure and energy space, and regularly handles complex M&A transactions and development mandates. The group has a solid track record in advising clients on operation and maintenance agreements, renewable energy projects, and cross-border bidding processes for infrastructure tenders. Based in Noida, Dibyanshu is a dual-qualified Indian and US lawyer, with expertise in project development matters; in Mumbai, Akhil Bhatnagar acts on joint ventures and corporate commercial matters and Gahan Singh acts for private equity funds. In Bengaluru, Swathy Ramanath is a key name for financing and concessions work, and Shivanshu Thaplyal focuses on corporate structuring transactions.

India > Real estate and construction Tier 1

Khaitan & Co LLP’s real estate and construction team regularly advises clients on both traditional real estate matters and private equity transactional issues across the industrial, commercial, retail, residential, and hospitality sectors. On the traditional real estate front, the team handles large agricultural land title diligences, redevelopment and joint venture transactions, conveyancing, leasing, construction contracts, and matters relating to technology parks. From the Mumbai office, both Harsh Parikh and Devendra Deshmukh specialise in title diligence, drafting and negotiating transaction documents such as JDA, DA, and DMA, conveyance and lease deeds, and licence agreements. Deshmukh also undertakes title diligence exercises for agricultural lands and urban properties, while from the New Delhi office, Avnish Sharma advises on foreign investment in real estate, onshore and offshore structuring, development and collaboration transactions, as well as SEZ and private equity investments. Sudip Mullick and Yigal Gabriel focus on disputes and litigations arising out of construction contracts.

India > Tax Tier 1

Specialising in both direct and indirect tax, the practice at Khaitan & Co LLP regularly advises large domestic companies, multinational corporations, funds, insurance companies and high-net-worth individuals. Advising on a range of matters, the team’s expertise covers domestic and international tax advisory, transfer pricing and supply chain structuring. Sanjay Sanghvi handles high-end tax controversy matters before tax and transfer pricing authorities, while Bijal Ajinkya specialises in international/cross border tax matters. Ritu Shaktawat sits in the direct tax practice while Indruj Rai also specialises in direct tax, both advisory and litigation matters. On the indirect tax front, Dinesh Agrawal specialises in customs valuations, classification, GST and trade remedies; Sudipta Bhattacharjee is well-versed in indirect tax advisory, controversy and contract documentation; Mayank Jain is also a key member specialising in indirect tax.

India > TMT Tier 1

Consistently delivering ‘solutions on a timely basis’ Khaitan & Co. works alongside the corporate department, enabling it to cover tech and media transactions with contentious data breach litigation. The team has expanded its remit into the new tech space, boasting substantial expertise in artificial intelligence, metaverse, and blockchain matters. Based in Mumbai, Tanu Banerjee specialises in the commercialisation of tech content and film financing, whilst Supratim Chakraborty is an expert on data privacy and protection. In Noida, Harsh Walia focuses on telecoms licensing and commercial contracting in the TMT sector, while Abhinav Chandan concentrates on telecoms regulatory compliance.

India > White-collar crime Tier 1

Khaitan & Co. represents a wide range of major clients, including Uber India, Microsoft, and an array of high-profile domestic clients, throughout investigations by the CBI, state-level authorities, and police forces, up to high-stakes cases before the courts. The team also handles internal investigations, as well as cross-border proceedings, and offers multi-industry expertise across bribery, corruption, money-laundering, and harassment cases, among others. Key names in the practice include Susmit Pushkar, an experienced litigator who regularly represents clients before state High Courts and the Supreme Court, Rajiv Bhatnagar, who also regularly handles trials relating to fraud and financial crime, and Mumbai’s Manavendra Mishra, who advises clients on regulatory investigations by domestic and global authorities, with particular strength in POCA and money laundering cases. Principal associate Ishan Khanna is a key name for anti-corruption and money laundering cases, and is notably active in the IT space.

India > Aviation (including aerospace and defence) Tier 2

India > Life sciences and healthcare Tier 2

India > Restructuring and insolvency Tier 2

Khaitan & Co LLP is a go-to firm for clients seeking advice on distressed lending, corporate debt restructurings, and the insolvency resolution process. The experienced team includes Kumar Saurabh Singh, an expert in debt transactions and restructuring, and Ashwin Bishnoi, who is recommended for distressed investments. Siddharth Srivastava has handled some of the firm’s largest insolvency matters and regularly advises bidders on the preparation of their resolution plans. Other notable practitioners include Rajeev Vidhani and Nikhil Narayanan as well as principal associates Ashwij Ramaiah and Riya Agicha.