Dispute resolution: arbitration in India

With leading practitioners across its New Delhi and Mumbai offices, AZB & Partners‘ dispute resolution team continues to win top domestic and international arbitration instructions and is ‘particularly effective in assisting foreign parties resolve their disputes in India‘. Its diverse experience includes energy and financial services sector matters and extends to emerging areas including new technology, fintech and privacy issues. Thanks to the firm’s cross-practice collaboration, the group is also well-versed in private equity and corporate disputes emanating from its M&A practice. Mumbai-based Rajendra Barot leads the team alongside Vijayendra Pratap Singh in New Delhi.

Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas‘s dispute resolution team has the breadth of expertise to handle a full range of domestic and international arbtitration for prominent Indian and multinational clients. The group offers full national coverage with offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Hyderabad and combines a wide range of experience in corporate, contractual and infrastructure disputes with regulatory and sector specialisms in the financial services, TMT and energy spaces. A leading name for international arbitration, Shaneen Parikh leads the team from Mumbai where Indranil Deshmukh, the ‘outstanding‘ Aditya Mehta and Shalaka Patil are also based.

Spread across its four offices, Khaitan & Co.‘s hefty dispute resolution team handles a full range of domestic and international arbitrations. Sanjeev Kapoor, who counts private equity and venture capital investment-related and joint venture disputes among his areas of expertise, is a key contact in the New Delhi office alongside Ajay Bhargava, Vanita Bhargava and Atul Shanker Mathur. In Mumbai, contractual and M&A disputes expert Kingshuk Banerjee and Chakrapani Misra (who specialises in commercial and maritime arbitration) is noted while Kolkata-based Nandini Khaitan advises on contentious commercial and environmental issues.

New Delhi-based disputes boutique PSL Advocates and Solicitors handles a full range of domestic and international commercial as well as bilateral investment treaty arbitrations. Sandeep Bajaj and Sameer Jain jointly lead the practice and both have a breadth of experience in disputes arising from joint ventures, shareholder agreements, general commercial contracts and investments. The firm has continued to build on its pan-India coverage with a new office in Bengaluru which has a focus on building its technology sector practice. Other sectors of focus include real estate, infrastructure and power and energy matters.

Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co‘s dispute resolution team has a reputation for handling a range of Indian and international arbitrations. Managing partner Pallavi Shroff and Tejas Karia jointly head the team from New Delhi and are particularly strong for commercial disputes while Mumbai-based Rishab Gupta counts investment treaty arbitration among his areas of experience.

S&A Law Offices dispute resolution team counts domestic and international commercial and public law arbitrations, and infrastructure disputes among its areas of specialism. The ambitious firm has continued to bolster its practice with new lateral hires; among the recent additions are Reeta Mishra who joined from Kochhar & Co., construction dispute expert Jyoti Kumar Chaudhary from Hammurabi & Solomon Partners and new partner Apoorve Vashistha from L&L Partners Law Offices. New Delhi-based founding partner Manoj Kumar Singh has particular experience in cross-border financial, investment and infrastructure disputes and jointly leads the team alongside Vijay Kumar Singh and Nilava Bandyopadhyay  (who are both also based in New Delhi) and Gunita Pahwa in Gurugram.

Praised for its ‘great service‘ and ‘good value for money‘ Economic Laws Practice‘s dispute resolution group has a breadth of experience acting for both Indian and foreign companies in a range of domestic and international commercial arbitrations. Based in Mumbai, the ‘smart‘ Naresh Thacker (who is well-versed in large infrastructure project and post-M&A disputes) leads the team which includes the ‘up-and-coming‘ associate partner Alok Jain.

Singhania & Partners LLP‘s dispute resolution team has carved a niche in infrastructure and construction arbitration; within which it has experience acting for domestic and international private corporates as well as public bodies. New Delhi-based construction sector specialist Ravi Singhania, Shambhu Sharan (who has a breadth of arbitration experience across a range of tribunals),  Madhu Sweta who excels in public-private contract disputes, and Vikas Goel jointly lead the team alongside Shilpa Shah in Bengaluru.

Mumbai-based dispute resolution boutique Singularity Legal has quickly made its mark in the arbitration space since launching in 2017. The ‘dedicated‘ practice frequently handles cross-border disputes including in the energy, construction, shipping and entertainment sectors. ‘Fierce advocate‘ Prateek Bagaria leads the team; he attracts praise for ‘always trying to find creative solutions for his clients‘ and benefits from a strong roster of consultants, litigation funders and asset tracing experts among his contacts.

With experience across a full range of domestic and international disputes, Bharucha & Partners‘ Mumbai-based practice is noted for its experience in corporate, commercial and construction arbitration. Due to his combined contentious and transactional experience, practice head MP Bharucha excels in corporate and M&A disputes; for disputes arising from defaults, Karthik Somasundram is noted while Sneha Jaisingh counts energy, industrials, manufacturing and telecoms sector disputes among her areas of expertise.

Dhir & Dhir Associates‘s dispute resolution team handles domestic arbitration. Managing partner Alok Dhir excels in corporate, debt recovery and construction disputes while Sachin Gupta has expertise in commercial arbitration arising from corporate and capital market transactions.

DSK Legal‘s litigation and arbitration practices are led by managing partner Anand Desai who is a seasoned litigator in the Bombay High Court , the Supreme Court and various domestic and international arbitration venues. Nirav Shah  is also highly experienced in both domestic and international commercial arbitrations including at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre. Jatin Pore  is noted for providing clients with ‘valuable strategic as well as tactical advice’ in the course of both litigation and arbitration cases. Kirat Singh Nagra, Dinesh Pardasani  and Samir Malik are the other key partners who advise clients in an array of industries.

MZM Legal, Advocates & Legal Consultants‘ dispute resolution team frequently handles domestic and international arbitration. Founder and managing partner Zulfiquar Memon is popular with high-net-worth individuals while Waseem Pangarkar has a growing roster of corporate clients. Principal associate Abhishek Gupta and senior associate Nadiya Sarguroh are also recommended.