The Legal 500 > Asia Pacific > India > Real estate and construction

AZB & Partners advises investors, lenders and developers on all aspects of real estate transactions, including joint ventures and foreign investments in mixed-use developments and in commercial, residential, warehousing and special economic zone projects. Real estate dispositions, financing and debt restructuring are other areas of expertise for the department, which also advises clients in relation to leasing, licensing, sale arrangements and applicable local levies, including zoning and land use regulations. Real estate investment expert Sai Krishna Bharathan leads the practice alongside Hardeep Sachdeva and Nohid Nooreyezdan, who regularly advises on the transfer of immovable land.

The 'extremely capable and proactive' team at Hariani & Co., Advocates and Solicitors represents the full range of participants in the real estate sector, with particular strength in acting for developers, property purchasers and sellers, and real estate financiers. The practice covers all aspects of real estate transactions, including the purchase and sale of residential flats, agricultural land, and commercial and office premises. High-value real estate finance is another core area of activity for the department, which includes managing partner Ameet Hariani.

Khaitan & Co LLP offers advice on all stages of real estate transactions, namely acquisitions, developments, leasing and property sales, across India. The team also brings cross-practice expertise in funds, tax and commercial law to the table in real estate matters. Typical instructions include advising on real estate finance as well as construction disputes. Practice head Sudip Mullick specialises in commercial, industrial and residential real estate, and Harsh Parikh is experienced in joint development transactions. Avnish Sharma joined from Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, while Abhishek Sharma departed to co-head the real estate practice at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas.

L&L Partners Law Offices handles a wide range of real estate matters on a pan-Indian basis. The practice has experience advising on the ownership and acquisition of land, land use and conversion, construction approvals and foreign investment in real estate. Financing matters and the leasing and development of commercial, residential and industrial real estate, such as IT parks and mega-city and slum rehabilitation projects, feature among the firm's instructions. The practice witnessed a recent change in leadership, as former head Amaresh Singh left the firm and Sachit Mathur, who is highly active advising in relation to land aggregation for renewable energy and warehousing parks, took over as head of the department alongside Vaibhav Suri, who is noted for handling due diligence for real estate projects, and Rajiv Luthra.

Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co covers the full spectrum of real estate matters, including commercial leasing, asset sales, acquisitions, private equity investments and real estate finance. Offering a pan-India service, the firm is also well equipped to act as local counsel on issues pertaining to land and property. Litigation is another core area of work for the department, which is experienced in settling claims arising from contract, construction and title disputes, as well as loan services and foreclosure issues. Managing partner Akshay Chudasama and Mrinal Kumar, whose areas of expertise include land acquisition and foreign direct investment, lead the practice, which also advises on the establishment of real estate funds managed by both domestic and international institutions.

The real estate team at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas handles the full gamut of mandates, ranging from title due diligence to drafting and negotiating conveyance deeds, leases, licences and construction contracts. The practice is proficient in dealing with complex real estate transactions, including equity and debt financing and joint development arrangements, and also provides advice on land acquisition, township developments and slum rehabilitation projects. Namrata Kolar, who handles disputes in the sector, jointly heads the department with Abhishek Sharma, who joined from Khaitan & Co LLP and specialises in commercial and retail real estate transactions. Mridul Kumbalath, who is based in the Bangalore office, has experience in advising on construction laws concerning development control regulations, buildings rules and bye-laws.

DSK Legal advises on all aspects of real estate matters, including sales and acquisitions, leasing and property development. Typical instructions also include advising on the formation of real estate funds and the structuring of real estate investment trusts. Leading the practice is Sajit Suvarna, who regularly assists with regulatory issues around land aggregation for large townships and industrial, warehousing and logistic parks. The team is well versed in private equity investments as well as real estate finance. Saloni Mody, whose experience covers equity and debt investments in the real estate sector, is another key practitioner.

Kochhar & Co. provides advice across India on the entire gamut of real estate and construction law matters. The firm is particularly active managing companies' real estate portfolios in the country, offering advice on joint ventures, foreign investment, and the setting up of factories and manufacturing units, as well as on the acquisition and lease of land. Practice head Alok Tewari advises on the structuring of real estate transactions and on complex issues related to local land acquisition, while Rupali Sharma's core area of expertise is commercial real estate, including property development and due diligence.

Law Point fields a team of experienced lawyers and chartered accountants who primarily assist developers and builders with real estate matters, including development agreements, joint ventures, assignments of leasehold lands and conveyancing. The practice is also well equipped to act for clients in real estate financing as well as litigation proceedings. Practice co-head Joyita Sabharwal assists with title due diligence and land acquisitions, as well as development and transaction documentation. Other key practitioners include Dharmesh Shah and Samir Sanghavi, who is experienced in the structuring of real estate transactions from a tax-efficient perspective.

Advaita Legal fields a team of regulatory experts who have longstanding experience of drafting and negotiating lease agreements and sale deeds. The practice is well versed in all types of real estate projects, namely residential, commercial and industrial, offering advice on related foreign direct investments and the structuring of real estate transactions such as joint developments and conveyancing. Shailendra Singh, who regularly advises on issues arising out of the legislative changes introduced by the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA) leads the department.

BRUS CHAMBERS, Advocates & Solicitors assists with due diligence and title verification for property stocks on a pan-Indian basis. As well as representing clients in real estate disputes, the practice handles conveyancing and related transactional work, including the acquisition of special purpose vehicles, investments, lease deeds, land purchases and project development. Redevelopment matters under RERA and the registration of projects with the Real Estate Regulatory Authority are a particular area of expertise for Uttam Hathi, who leads the practice alongside Shrikant Hathi and Suhail Farooqui.

Dhir & Dhir Associates has experience handling large-scale real estate transactions, with a strong track record of advising on complex joint development arrangements concerning special economic zones, technology parks, hotels, tourism and township projects. Alok Dhir and Girish Rawat lead the practice, which also assists with construction contracts and the licensing of commercial and residential properties, as well as due diligence and title search reports. The team is also adept at representing parties in arbitration proceedings arising from real estate disputes. Guranpreet Sarna, who is experienced in financing matters related to real estate projects, is another key practitioner.

Dua Associates fields a real estate team that handles acquisitions, leasing matters, and the assignment and transfer of property assets, as well as regularly conducting title due diligence on parcels of land. The practice group is led by Shashivansh Bahadur, who brings multi-disciplinary expertise in corporate and banking transactions to real estate matters.

Under the leadership of Shailesh Vaidya, Kanga & Company Advocates and Solicitors handles a broad array of real estate matters, including investments and transactions, as well as construction projects.

Singhania & Partners LLP advises on real estate matters from its four offices in New Delhi, Gurugram, Hyderabad and Bangalore. The practice has wide-ranging expertise in real estate projects and construction disputes, which encompasses leasing matters, title searches, the takeover of assets in liquidation proceedings, and the acquisition of land parcels, as well as financing arrangements. Foreign investors, developers and government authorities seek the team's advice on real estate transactions and the construction of commercial and residential immovable property. Ravi Singhania and Shilpa Shah, who have experience acting for both domestic and international clients, are the names to note.  

The real estate and construction practice at Economic Laws Practice handles due diligence and provides transactional support. The team's broad service offering covers foreign and domestic investments, land acquisitions, joint development arrangements and leasing, as well financing for various types of properties, such as slum rehabilitation projects, mega food parks, logistics projects and integrated townships. Practice head Babu Sivaprakasam brings deep experience in finance matters to the table, while Aakanksha Joshi focuses on transactional work.

LexCounsel advises on real estate transactions and title verification across India. The practice assists clients with the acquisition and lease of land, and construction contracts for office premises, commercial spaces and residential properties. Advising educational institutions on their real estate matters is a core area of activity for the practice.

Phoenix Legal advises various participants in the real estate sector on foreign direct investment, conveyance deeds, and the registration of documents, as well as construction and engineering contracts. The firm is regularly involved in the structuring and negotiating of lease deeds, and is also adept at advising on real estate financing, developments and related contentious matters. Siddharth Hariani, who is based in the Mumbai office, is experienced in foreign direct investment in the real estate sector, as well as acquisitions and property development.

Solomon & Co. Advocates & Solicitors handles both contentious and non-contentious real estate and construction matters, including title searches, property development, licences and conveyancing. With a particular focus on the tourism sector, the practice regularly assists with the negotiation of agreements on the sale and transfer of interest in land and properties, as well as advising on development regulations. Key practitioners include Saurabh Gupta and Kunal Shah.