Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas is routinely sought out by various blue-chip tech companies, financial services corporations, and key entertainment industry players for assistance on a range of corporate and commercial matters, including high-profile cross-border acquisitions and implementations. The TMT group is jointly led by Bangalore-based technology specialist Arun Prabhu, and Mumbai-based Bharat Vasani and Anu Tiwari, who lead on media and financial regulatory matters, respectively. Prabhu is noted for his prolific transactional and advisory practice, working continually with an array of high-profile businesses and investors active in the tech sector. Vasani’s recent highlights include various licence and contract negotiations on behalf of major studios and distributors, while Tiwari – who arrived from AZB & Partners in September 2020 – heads up the team’s fintech offering, representing various entities at the domestic and international level.
TMT in India
Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas
Practice head(s):
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Testimonials
‘The team has experience working on the most complex and high-profile matters in the market. ’
‘Arun Prabhu is a strong advocate in negotiations and is great at spotting potential issues.’
‘One of the leading firms with a great team. The Bangalore team lead by Arun Prabhu is highly knowledgeable and experienced. Timely and business-friendly advice is where CAM excels.’
‘Arun Prabhu is a highly qualified, experienced, and yet approachable partner in CAM’s Bangalore team. He and Anirban Mohapatra are always available for advice and are extremely business-friendly in their approach and advice.’
Key clients
Ajay Devgn Films LLP
Maddock Films Private Limited
Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment Private Limited
Equinix Asia Pacific Pte. Limited
Sequoia Capital
Warburg Pincus
Adani Enterprises Limited
Apollo Hospital Enterprises Limited
Western Union
Experian
IndusLaw
With offices nationwide, IndusLaw‘s TMT practice is well situated to advise on complex, technical matters for a broad roster of high-profile domestic entities and multinational corporations. Delhi-based Avimukt Darr boasts a wide-reaching corporate and commercial practice, with recent highlights including regulatory analyses and multi-jurisdictional online listing agreements. Also in Delhi, newly promoted partner Shreya Suri is a key contact for clients operating in the fintech, cryptocurrency, and cybersecurity spaces. In Bangalore, Namita Viswanath is recommended for her extensive IT and telecoms experience, while Suneeth Katarki regularly advises on data privacy, fintech, and consumer tech regulations. Seasoned adviser Srinivas Katta is recommended for his expertise in the start-up arena.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Shreya Suri; Namita Viswanath; Suneeth Katarki; Srinivas Katta
Testimonials
‘The media law capability and the tech know-how of Indus Law is exceptional.’
Key clients
Pine Labs
Crowdstrike
Remarkable
BigBasket
Graymatter
Unacademy
Zolostays
Airmeet
Swasth Digital Health Foundation
Oyo Hotels and Homes Private Limited
Molekule, Inc.
The Viral Fever
MX Player
Xarpie Labs
Work highlights
- Assisted Unacademy with the vetting of agreements to enable educators to upload and share educational content on its online education platform.
- Advised Macmillan on legal and regulatory analyses of plans to expand its business activities to the B2C market via e-commerce initiatives.
- Advising Altisource on the terms and conditions governing OSP registration and various other compliance matters.
Khaitan & Co LLP
Khaitan & Co LLP‘s sizeable TMT practice handles a broad array of regulatory and corporate advisory instructions for some of the most high-profile domestic and international entities in the market. New Delhi-based Harsh Walia is highly experienced in a range of TMT matters, most recently in relation to national telecoms policy and regulatory frameworks. Rahul Dutt specialises in technology licensing, while Kartick Maheshwari regularly leads on high-value, cross-border transactions. Tanu Banerjee focuses on advising OTT platforms, digital media companies, and production houses. Abhinav Chandan is recommended for his expertise in telecoms regulatory, IT and data protection matters, and commercial media sector transactions. Shobhit Chandra advises clients on satellite communications, cloud services, and virtual network operators.
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Testimonials
‘Very good knowledge of the subject. Good connections with regulators, good understanding of the concepts, hardworking.’
‘Strong team, very agile, in-depth knowledge of the transactions.’
‘Strong knowledge of the transaction at hand, and understand the commercial issues and expectations of the client really well.’
Key clients
Accenture Solutions Private Limited
Panasonic Corporation
Genpact India Private Limited
Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited
Salesforce India Private Limited
Reliance Industries Limited
British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI)
Tower Infrastructure Trust (an InvIT sponsored by Reliance and Brookfield)
UCWeb Inc.
Softbank
Metro AG
3i Infotech Limited
Saregama India Limited
Universal Music India Private Limited
STX Filmworks, Inc.
Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc.
Sawolabs Technologies Private Limited
Hindustan Unilever Limited
Synechron Technologies Private Limited
Happiest Minds Technologies Limited
Black Dragon Capital, LLC
GEA Group
RP – Sanjiv Goenka Group
CESC Ventures Limited
Siemens Industry Software Inc.
Majesco Limited
Schneider Electric Industries SAS
Mastek Ltd
Citigroup Global Markets India Private Limited
Synapse Design Automation Inc
Work highlights
- Advised Accenture with respect to the provision of outsourcing services to its enterprise customer, including the overall flow of calls vis-à-vis permissibility under Indian telecoms laws.
- Advised Panasonic Corporation on the India leg of a global transaction in relation to its acquisition of Blue Yonder Holding, Inc.
- Acted as Reliance group co-counsel in respect of the investment in the Fibre Trust by Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF).
Kochhar & Co.
Kochhar & Co.‘s TMT capabilities make the firm a strong choice for a diverse array of blue-chip multinationals and major Indian companies seeking assistance on privacy law, outsourcing, licensing, and e-commerce. The team is especially noted for its expertise in voiceover IP, acting for some of the largest telecoms providers in the market on a gamut of licensing and compliance instructions. The practice is jointly led by space and satellite law expert Stephen Mathias and cyber security specialist Savitha Kesav Jagadeesan, who are based in Bangalore and Chennai, respectively. In addition to his work alongside Mathias on voiceover IP and telecom mandates, Naqeeb Ahmed Kazia has a niche expertise in OSP registrations and cloud PBX offerings. Dual-qualified solicitor and engineer Arun Babu is also recommended.
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Testimonials
‘The Kochhar & Co team provides international level advice and service. They provide clear, business focused, practical and thoughtful advice.’
‘Stephen Mathias has been excellent to work with and I would recommend him.’
‘Stephen Mathias is a real subject matter expert. He always delivers as promised. He is very objective in his views and very proactive.’
‘I find Kochhar extremely professional and knowledgeable. They are thorough in their advices.’
‘The team are very professional, with timely responses and good etiquette. They keep us informed of the progress of the case and involve other colleagues on an as-needed basis.’
Key clients
Dell
Deutsche Bank
British Airways
Cisco Systems
Western Digital/San Disk
Oracle
Wells Fargo
Nuance
Akamai Technologies
Bosch
SGX (Singapore Stock Exchange)
Target Corporation
ExxonMobil
NICE inContact, Inc
Fedex
Cardinal Health
Anthem
Bitfinex
Work highlights
Naik Naik & Company
Naik Naik & Company enjoys a sterling reputation in the media and entertainment space, working with some of the largest studios, distributors, broadcasters, and OTT platforms on a host of commercial and contentious matters. Practice head Madhu Gadodia also spearheads the firm’s IP practice alongside Abha Shah. Vasundhara Kuthiala is noted for her broad experience in endorsement contracts, including celebrities’ rights, product placement and media production, while Lavin Hirani‘s expertise encompasses copyright-related transactions, IP rights management, and litigation. All named lawyers are based in Mumbai.
Practice head(s):
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Key clients
Azure Entertainment Private Limited
Sony Pictures Films India Private Limited
Southbay Sound LLP
Super Cassettes Industries Private Limited (“Scipl”).
Mriga Films LLP, KA Productions LLP, Meghna Gulzar and Deepika
Padukone
Amitabh Bachchan
Work highlights
- Advised Azure Entertainment Private Limited on the acquisition, transfer of rights and settlement deal between five parties in relation to the Indian remake of a Korean film.
- Advised Sony Pictures Films India Private Limited on the licensing of the rights to produce a Hindi film based on a German film and an acquisition agreement with Ellipsis Entertainment Media.
- Advised Southbay Sound on drafting and negotiating an agreement with Dabaki for the Dabaki Festival 2021.
Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co
Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co‘s sizeable practice and broad geographic footprint enables the firm to act on a range of corporate and commercial transactions for numerous technology, media, and telecoms companies, both at home and abroad. In addition to heading up the firm's arbitration practice, Tejas Karia is noted for his expertise in IT law, including data protection, privacy, and confidentiality. Former practice head Gv Anand Bhushan left the firm for an in-house role in August 2021.
Other key lawyers:
Work highlights
Trilegal
Trilegal‘s TMT practice is renowned both for its size and the scale of its expertise, advising some of the biggest names in the market – both domestically and internationally – on telecoms regulatory challenges, outsourcing contracts, policy matters, e-commerce, and alternative internet service provider models. Practice head Rahul Matthan is a highly experienced technology practitioner who regularly works with the government on policy pertaining to spatial data infrastructure, IP, and e-governance solutions. Nikhil Narendran concentrates on telecoms and tech work, and has a particular niche in content liability issues. Upasana Rao is especially adept in the transactional space, advising numerous leading entities in the data centre arena. Newly promoted partner Jyotsna Jayaram is recommended for her capabilities in data privacy, telecoms licensing, and OTT services. All named lawyers are based in Bangalore.
Practice head(s):
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Key clients
Accenture
Amazon
Truecaller
Singapore Technologies Telemedia (STT)
Tata SIA Airlines (Vistara)
Emtex Engineering
Mavenir Systems Private Limited
Work highlights
- Advised and represented QV in relation to its proposed $100 million investment in Jio Platforms.
- Assisting Amazon with the review and negotiation of its commercial agreements with Onida for the launch of the Onida FireTV edition smart TV in India.
- Reviewed data protection laws for Accenture, including an analysis of European Court of Justice rulings in related cases.
ALMT Legal
Under the joint leadership of Mumbai-based tech regulatory specialist Statira Ranina and Bangalore-based sports law expert Souvik Paul Mazumdar, ALMT Legal routinely advises high-profile clients across the worlds of tech, media, entertainment and telecoms. In recent months, the team has been engaged on a number of contract reviews and product endorsements for film and television industry artists, as well as a number of master services agreements for various IT businesses. Mumbai-based Siddhi Ghatlia is recommended for her experience in commercial transactions and telecoms regulation.
Practice head(s):
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Key clients
August Jewellery Private Limited (Melorra)
Cineah Technologies LLP
Mr. Danish Sait
Deccan 365 Web Assets
FQUO Solutions Private Limited
Ms. Kubbra Sait
Sanghvi Beauty and Technologies Pvt Ltd
Work highlights
- Advised Sanghvi Beauty and Technologies Pvt. Ltd on its endorsement arrangement with Ms. Shraddha Kapoor, a Bollywood film actress.
- Assisted FQUO Solutions Private Limited in drafting, negotiating and finalising Master Services Agreement and Platform Collaboration Agreement with Mubadala Investment Company, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
- Advised and assisted August Jewellery Private Limited (Melorra) in reviewing, negotiating and finalising a celebrity endorsement agreement.
AZB & Partners
The sizeable team at AZB & Partners boasts extensive transactional capabilities across the TMT sector, working with a mix of Indian corporates and blue-chip conglomerates. Gautam Saha regularly advises leading multinationals, financial institutions, and private equity funds on acquisitions, sales, and investments, while Rachit Bahl is a key contact for foreign companies seeking assistance regarding Indian market strategy and operations. Bangalore-based Srinath Dasari handles both transactions and regulatory mandates, particularly in the areas of payment processing, data privacy, and telecoms law. Sachin Mehta and Mumbai-based Darshika Kothari are both noted for their cross-border experience. All named lawyers are based in Delhi unless stated otherwise.
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Testimonials
‘Gautam’s team is one of the best in the telecoms and data sector and we use them extensively.’
‘Gautam Saha has in-depth knowledge of the sector, both from a regulatory and practical viewpoint.’
Key clients
JP Morgan Chase & Co.
New Mountain Capital L.L.C. (“NMC”)
Reliance Industries and Jio Platforms Ltd
Tata Consultancy Services
JP Morgan Chase & Co.
Wipro Limited
Bharti Airtel Limited and Bharti Infratel Limited
Brookfield Asset Management Inc.
Accenture
AT&T Inc.
Honeywell International Inc.
Panasonic India Private Limited
Bharti Telemedia Limited
Sportzsquare Ventures Private Limited
International Finance Corporation
Makers Fund II Company Limited
Courtside Ventures II, L.P. and CSV Winzo LLC
Class 21A Technologies Private Limited
JAFCO Asia Technology Fund VII Pte. Ltd.
CISCO Systems
Intel Corporation & Intel Capital
Lightstorm Capital
Omnicom Group
Work highlights
- Advised JP Morgan on the Indian leg of the acquisition of the global loyalty division of cxLoyalty Group Holdings, Inc., including on structuring aspects and Indian regulatory implications.
- Advised TPG in connection with its minority investment in Dream Sports Inc., the group that owns and operates the Dream11 online fantasy sports platform in India
- Advised BIF IV Jarvis India Pte. Ltd. (“Brookfield”), which is an affiliate of Brookfield Asset Management Inc. in its investment in the units to be issued by Tower Infrastructure Trust (“Trust”).
Bharucha & Partners
An interdisciplinary team of litigators and transactional attorneys ensures that Bharucha & Partners‘ TMT practice is well placed to handle a variety of deals, regulatory reviews, and contentious mandates for major companies. The team is especially active in the entertainment law space, advising major studios, producers, artists and OTT platforms on distribution and production agreements and defamation claims. Kaushik Moitra works across multiple sectors, with a distinctive, cross-platform focus on media litigation and policy advisory. Swathi Girimaji is recommended for her broad experience with tech start-ups. Shreya Sircar joins the team from Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co.
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Testimonials
‘Kaushik Moitra and his department stand out for their commitment to the task at hand and efficient understanding of the client’s requirements. They also have a robust document management system which has enabled them to work seamlessly online during COVID. Their professionalism and client focus is to be lauded.’
‘Kaushik Moitra is adept at having detailed conversations with the client to understand where the client is coming from. This is very important to set the ball rolling. He has a good understanding of the legal requirements as well as the strategic reach of the matter at hand. He has very good communication, strategic and legal skills which enable the efficient resolution of tasks.’
‘They understand our business and its intricacies and their advice has always managed to negotiate a stronger position for us.’
Key clients
Sony Pictures Network India Private Limited
Grain Media Limited
Vodafone Idea Limited
Minnow Films Limited
Alt Digital Entertainment Limited
Balaji Motion Pictures
Netprophets Cyberworks
Digivive Services Private Limited
Cinepolis India Private Limited
Ashish Kaul (Folklore Entertainment)
Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA)
Diabos Global FZE
Unitech Wireless
Eleeanora Images Private Limited
Vedific Learning Solutions Private Limited
Raima Meditech Private Limited
Media on Wheels Production
Happily Unmarried Marketing Private Limited
Kaahaniwaaley Media and Entertainment Ventures Private Limited
ATC Telecom
NexG Devices Private Limited
Work highlights
- Advised Sony Pictures Network India Private Limited on multiple issues of regulatory law, copyright, broadcasting, distribution issues, and cyberlaws.
- Advised Vi on a range of regulatory, intellectual property, and technology law matters.
- Advising and representing Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Pvt. Ltd. in the case of CBI v. A. Raja & Others (the 2G spectrum case) before the Special Court and the Delhi High Court.
DSK Legal
DSK Legal handles corporate, commercial, and contentious work for established companies and start-ups across the TMT sector. The team boasts key strengths in the media and entertainment space, where Mumbai-based managing partner Anand Desai represents numerous actors and talent agencies in high-profile lawsuits before some of the highest courts in the country. Chandrima Mitra acts for an equally strong roster of entertainment industry clients, handling contract negotiations, trademark licensing, and IP clearance issues. In New Delhi, technology specialist Rishi Anand regularly advises new age technology driven businesses on structuring and regulatory matters, often alongside IT and software expert Nakul Batra. Jitendra Soni has key experience in major e-commerce transactions.
Practice head(s):
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Testimonials
‘The team led by Ms. Chandrima Mitra is extremely hard working. The team is very dedicated and always prioritise their client deadlines and provide exemplary service.’
‘Ms. Chandrima Mitra is a partner at the firm and leads their media practice. She is extremely competent and knowledgeable. With her vast experience and knowledge not just of law but also the media business, she is able to help find solutions on various structures, litigation, and potential problems. She manages a majority of the marquee transactions in the industry.’
Key clients
Mr. Sonu Sood and Sonu Infotech Private Limited
Mr. Sonu Sood and Sood Infomatics LLP
Digital News Publishers Association
Mr. Salman Khan (Indian film actor) and Salman Khan Ventures
Mr. Amitabh Bachchan (Indian film actor)
Mr. Aamir Khan (Indian film actor) and Aamir Khan Productions
Mr. Siddharth Roy Kapur and Roy Kapur Productions
RSVP Movies
Rakeysh Mehra and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra Productions
Mr. Rahul Bose (Film Actor)
Matrix India Entertainment Private Limited
Mumbai City FC
Uniworld Being Talented LLP
Versis Entertainment LLP
Film & Television Producers Guild of India
The Story Ink (Inking Great Stories)
Mrs. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Aditya Dhar Films
India Today Group
In10 Media Private Limited
Locomotive Global Media LLP
Mr. Hrithik Roshan ((Indian film actor) and HRX (a fashion brand owned by Mr. Hrithik Roshan)
Tiger Baby LLP
Mrs. Asha Bhosle
Jaipur Pink Panthers (Indian Pro Kabaddi League team)
Mumbai City FC
Disha Patani
Earthsky Pictures LLP
Starlight Pictures Private Limited
Prione Business Services Private Limited
Relicense AG
OnePlus Technology (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd.
Amazon Digital Services Private Limited
HDFC Securities Limited
MoneyClub Technologies Private Limited
Work highlights
- Represented and advised Mr. Sonu Sood and Sood Infomatics LLP (SIL) in relation to SIL’s investment in and endorsement of Spice Money Limited.
- Advised, assisted and represented a consortium of plaintiffs (including Producers Guild of India and three Bollywood industry associations and thirty-four leading Bollywood producers) by filing a Suit before Delhi High Court.
- Representing and assisted the India Today Group in various issues related to the broadcasting industry.
HSA Advocates
Working across the firm’s offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Kolkata, HSA Advocates assists a range of TMT clients with both transactional and advisory matters, including outsourcing, cybersecurity, data protection, processing and localisation issues. The team is also experienced in representing clients before ministries, regulators and various regional and national courts.
Ikigai Law
Ikigai Law specialises in an array of technology and innovation matters, working with start-ups and mature companies alike on commercial, regulatory, and policy-based mandates. Core competencies include contract development and negotiation, UX modelling, and strategic policy advice. Founding partner Anirudh Rastogi is a key contact for numerous cutting-edge entities in the tech space seeking advice on a host of transactional and regulatory issues. Nehaa Chaudhari heads up the firm’s tech-focused public policy practice, advising numerous clients on IT and data governance regulation throughout South Asia and beyond. Aparajita Srivastava heads up the dedicated fintech and regulatory offering, with recent highlights including instructions from businesses in the payment services and consumer goods sectors. Sreenidhi Srinivasan is noted for her expertise in data governance and cyber security. All named lawyers are based in New Delhi.
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Testimonials
‘They have a diverse team covering different areas across TMT. Being able to cross-leverage different specialties in data, competition and IP is an added asset. The team is swift in execution and disciplined in implementation.’
‘Individuals stand out because they are competent and humble. Given the many clients in the TMT practice, they have a strong edge in delivery over other competitors.’
‘Ikigai’s TMT practice is outstanding for such a young firm – they are able to cover a whole range of new and emerging areas and industries that many firms are yet to catch up to.’
‘The dedication and discipline of the team at Ikigai is reflected in their work and their client base as well as the output they are able to show. The team is always one step ahead, and able to anticipate client and industry needs.’
Key clients
Navi
Mobile Premier League
Godly
Nasccom
Zaakpay
Zaggle
Stage
Cutting Chai Content
IAMAI
WellPlayed Inc
Work highlights
- Undertook a comprehensive review of the MPL platform to assess regulatory compliance across data protection, IP, advertising laws, platform liability, payments regulation and KYC.
- Helped NASSCOM examine how data transfers between the EU and India will be affected by the Schrems II ruling of the European Court of Justice.
- Advised Navi on future-proofing its product by stress-testing customer journey against India’s proposed data protection law.
J Sagar Associates
J Sagar Associates‘ technology, media, and entertainment practice is routinely instructed by leading figures from the worlds of film and television production and distribution, music production, digital media, professional sport, and video game development. The team is also regularly engaged by clients in print media to advise on contractual issues and editorial content licensing. Probir Roy Chowdhury is recommended for his broad transactional expertise in IT and fintech. The highly experienced Sajai Singh is noted for his capabilities in cross-border mandates, as well as his deep knowledge of the domestic tech market.
Work highlights
Majmudar & Partners
Majmudar & Partners regularly handles transactional and advisory mandates for major clients from the worlds of fintech, telecoms, e-commerce, IT, AI, cloud computing, and semiconductors. The triple-qualified (in India, England and Wales, and California) Akil Hirani is highly experienced in the areas of tech M&A, IT regulation, and strategic IP. Neerav Merchant is an equally seasoned tech sector practitioner, with niche expertise in data privacy and trademark law. South Indian lead N. Raja Sujith is recommended for his knowledge of corporate transactions and outsourcing.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Exceptionally knowledgeable, very diligent, with a deep understanding of the subject.’
Key clients
Finicity Corporation
Betterworks Inc.
Empaxis Data Management
Abbott Laboratories
Naver Z Corp
Charles Schwab, US
Maven Silicon Softech Pvt Ltd.
ChargePoint, Inc.
Gallagher Service Centre LLP
MBB Labs Pvt Ltd.
Work highlights
- Acted as the Indian legal counsel to Finicity Corporation in its sale to Mastercard.
- Acted as the Indian legal counsel to Betterworks Inc. in its acquisition of HyphenMark, Inc.
- Advised Empaxis Data Management on finalising a major IT services contract for its Indian subsidiary.
Mani Chengappa & Mathur
Well positioned in the regional hub of tech sector activity, Mani Chengappa & Mathur‘s Bangalore-based boutique practice acts for numerous emerging and fast-growth start-ups active in a myriad of industries, ranging from financial services and blockchain to EdTech, AI, healthcare, and telecoms. Samuel Mani specialises in multi-jurisdictional tech and outsourcing mandates, including venture capital investment structuring and licensing agreements. Neil Mathur focuses on data protection and regulatory compliance, working with numerous banks, IT businesses, and Fortune 500-listed pharmaceutical companies. Sindhushree Gadasalli is a key figure for the firm’s start-up clientele, advising on early-stage investments and general commercial transactions.
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Testimonials
‘We have worked with Neil Mathur and he has an in-depth knowledge of IT-related issues, be it contracting and negotiating IT agreements, infringement allegations or IPR matters.’
‘Great thought leadership and big picture advice.’
‘Fantastic work by Samuel Mani.’
Key clients
Exfinity Technology Fund
Nasadiya Technologies Private Limited
AIOT Foundry Private Limited
Lavelle Networks Private Limited
Draftspotting Technologies Private Limited
Work highlights
- Assisted and advised Exfinity in its investment in Lyceum Technologies, Inc.
- Assisted Nasadiya Technologies Private Limited in drawing up bespoke agreement templates for different business needs.
- Acting as the primary legal advisors to AI Foundry and chapter.ai.
Nishith Desai Associates
Nishith Desai Associates handles a range of IT and business process outsourcing matters for a myriad of tech and telecoms heavyweights. Key focus areas include inbound investment structuring, regulatory approvals, internet of things, and e-commerce. Practice head Gowree Gokhale is high rated by clients for her expansive knowledge of technology, media, telecoms and gaming. Nishchal Joshipura is recommended for his expertise in cross-border corporate transactions.
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S&R Associates
S&R Associates advises a number of renowned multinationals, Indian companies, and investment funds on corporate transactions and issues pertaining to data sharing and data privacy. Mumbai-based practice head Rajat Sethi is highly experienced in major TMT sector corporate deals, both for foreign and domestic clients. Sandip Bhagat advises issuers and major international and Indian investment banks on a wide range of capital markets transactions, with recent highlights in the tech venture capital space. New Delhi-based Mohit Gogia is a key figure within the team for data protection concerns.
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Testimonials
‘The team have assisted us with numerous acquisitions of technology services companies with subsidiaries and operations in India. The team are exceptional in their ability to communicate Indian law issues effectively to attorneys and business leaders at multinationals outside of India. This is a skill I have found difficult to find among attorneys in India, even among some of the best law firms, and makes working with them easy and confidence-inspiring.’
‘Venkatesh Vijayaraghavan has been a great partner to work with across a number of acquisitions, and is tireless in his efforts and consistent in providing exceptional service.’
Samvad Partners
With a client base that ranges from fast-growth start-ups to multinationals, Samvad Partners is regularly involved in TMT disputes, regulatory challenges, and commercial transactions. Natasha Mahajan works closely with a number of tech-focused businesses, most notably at the intersection of tech and financial services. New Delhi-based Ashwini Vittalachar is highly active in the e-commerce space, advising clients in relation to IT law, data privacy, and regulatory compliance. Neela Badami routinely handles investments and business structuring matters for media companies and fintech businesses. All named partners are based in Bangalore unless stated otherwise.
Practice head(s):
Ashwini Vittalachar; Harish Narasappa; Natasha Mahajan; Neela Badami; Nivedita Nivargi; Rohan George
Testimonials
‘Samvad’s legal team have been able to convey our point of view in negotiations and have always reached a result which has worked for us. They are both well informed and client centric.’
‘Nivedita Nivargi has been an outstanding client partner for us. She is always very supportive and available when we need her advice even during odd hours.’
‘The team is extremely accessible and responsive, and ensure timely and satisfactory delivery on all matters.’
‘Ashwini Vittalachar is exceptional. She always makes time to discuss things at the shortest notice.’
Key clients
Algonomy Software Private Limited (formerly known as Manthan Software Services Private Limited)
Ampere Computing
APCOA Parking Holdings GmbH
Asteria Aerospace (Reliance Jio Digital Portfolio Company)
C-Square Info Solutions (Reliance Jio Digital Portfolio Company)
Competition Commission of India
Dhiway Networks Private Limited
GILDEMEISTER Beteiligungen GmbH (DMG Mori AG)
GPS Renewables Private Limited
Green Agrevolution Private Limited (DeHaat)
Healthium MedTech Pvt. Ltd.
Hevo Technologies India Private Limited
Inventus Capital Partners
Jio Haptik Technologies Limited (Reliance Jio Digital Portfolio Company)
Koinearth Pte Ltd.
KTB Network
Lentra AI Pvt Ltd
MesIndus Ventures Private Limited (Reliance Jio Digital Portfolio Company)
Ms. Alexandra Elbakyan
MoveInSync Technologies Private Limited
NoBroker Technologies Solutions Pvt Ltd
NTT Data Corporation
Policy Bazaar (Etechaces Marketing and Consulting Private Limited)
Reliance Jio Digital Services Limited
Rich Relevance, Inc.
Rupeek Fintech Private Limited
Sankhyasuktra Labs Private Limited (Reliance Jio Digital Portfolio Company)
Securens Systems
Socion Advisors LLP
Trojan Horse Media
VenusGeo Solutions LLC
Wandx Solutions Private Limited
Wellthy Therapeutics Private Limited
Xiaomi Technology India Private Limited
Work highlights
- Advising Reliance Jio Digital Services Limited and its portfolio companies in relation to various agreements with key stakeholders.
- Advised Algonomy Software Private Limited on its acquisition of and resulting merger with Rich Relevance Inc.
- Representing the Competition Commission of India before the Karnataka High Court in a challenge to its investigation into alleged anti-competitive conduct in the e-commerce space.
Scriboard
The New Delhi-based Scriboard is routinely sought out by high-profile domestic and international companies for its tech, new media, and IP capabilities. Founding partner Rodney D Ryder is highly regarded for his expertise in IT law, working with multiple corporate clients on major compliance reviews and cyber fraud investigations. Data privacy specialist Ravi Goyal is another highly active member of the team, regularly advising a number of the firm’s Fortune 500 clients on digital brand management, IP prosecution and domain name disputes.
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Testimonials
‘Scriboard is a well-known name in the TMT practice area because of its founder – Rodney Ryder. Rodney and the team are efficient and have been always able to help us out with other issues.’
‘All team members at the firm – including Rodney Ryder and Ravi Goyal – are exceptional when it comes to providing client services. They are both easily reachable and give as much time as is required to discuss and resolve our issues.’
‘The on-hands support and understanding of the client’s needs is one of the USPs of Scriboard. Both Rodney and Ravi go out of their way to make the client comfortable.’
‘Ravi Goyal tries to exactly understand what the client wants and then delivers accordingly. Both Rodney and Ravi are experts in their domain and one can rely on their advice without hesitation.’
Key clients
Amazon Seller Services Private Limited
Cepheid India Private Limited
Nike India Private Limited
Hindustan Unilever Limited
Amazon Internet Services Private Limited
Facebook India
ITC Limited
IndianOil Corporation Limited
Livonics Infotech Private Limited
Hach DHR India Private Limited
The Comedy App Limited
Transcorp International Limited
Work highlights
- Assisted Hindustan Unilever Limited with specific queries related to various compliance demands.
- Advising Amazon on matters related to IT law and other issues.
- Assisting Nike with specific queries related to e-commerce and compliance with the Information Technology Act.
Spice Route Legal
Underscored by the opening of a new dedicated tech and fintech office in Pune, Spice Route Legal has continued to cement its position as one of the fastest growing TMT practices in the market. In recent months, the team has acted for some of the world’s foremost tech companies on content licensing and acquisition mandates, enforcement actions, and trademark disputes. Bangalore-based practice head Mathew Chacko is noted for his wide-ranging experience in tech M&A, blockchain and data legislation. Ankita Hariramani leads on the full gamut of fintech work from the firm’s Pune office. Aadya Misra is recommended for global data privacy and regulatory advisory issues.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘We are pleased with the services provided by Aadya Misra and Mathew Chacko.’
‘Spice Route Legal has been our only and go-to legal adviser for all Asia Pacific deals since our first deal in the region. Flexible, timely, and effective.’
‘Spice Route Legal is small enough for me to receive the right amount of attention from the team and large enough that they can cover various aspects of my needs. They very quickly became my one-stop shop for all things legal in India. The team is a pleasure to work with.’
‘The team has also been very helpful in providing practical advise on telecoms regulations. The business-focused view SRL is able to provide is crisp, to the point and carries advice on how it can be implemented.’
‘TMT is SRL’s core strength, with brilliant levels of specialisation. In addition, they bring to the table excellence in related fields like IP, data and regulatory aspects surrounding that landscape. As an e-commerce client, our needs are varied and touch upon various legal regimes. The ability to have those nuances answered in depth at SRL makes them a uniquely placed one-stop shop. SRL has the deep talent pool to also advise on the related aspects specific to our business.’
‘Mathew and the TMT team at SRL are leading players in the account aggregator and open finance space in India. They know the latest happenings and represent many of the stakeholders.’
‘Aadya is an absolutely joy to work with on the technology and IP side. She is very professional and courteous but robust.’
Key clients
Microsoft
Facebook Inc.
Disney+ Hotstar
IBBIC Pvt. Ltd. (formerly known as Blockchain India Consortium)
ICICI Bank
Airtel
Adobe Inc.
AT&T / Warner Media (Xandr)
Quintype
Foundamental GmbH
IdeaForge
Impelsys Inc.
Instamojo Inc.
Locus
Milaap Inc.
ShopX
SETU
Srijan Technologies
Bank Open
Yodlee Inc.
VeriSign
Gamestream SAS
Machaao, Inc.
Urban Company
Telia
Freespee
Smartly.io
Fiserv
Talview
Work highlights
- Assisted Super Unlimited with the acquisition of Bharat Browser.
- Represented Cashfree in a multimillion-dollar enforcement action on the first-of-its-kind question of a payment gateway’s role in an online gambling racket.
- Assisted IBBIC (a joint venture of 14 leading commercial banks controlling 95% of India’s trade finance business) on incorporation, licensing and the implementation of a blockchain-focused trade finance platform.
Advaita Legal
Based in Bangalore, Advaita Legal advises clients across the TMT sector on business establishment issues, data privacy, IP, and various other corporate and commercial concerns.
Dhir & Dhir Associates
Dhir & Dhir Associates' offering spans the full spectrum of the TMT sector, with the team advising clients on a mix of contentious and non-contentious matters including regulatory compliance, IP matters, content licensing and adjudicatory proceedings. Managing partner Maneesha Dhir is recommended for her litigation and regulatory expertise in the telecoms sphere.
Fox Mandal & Associates
With offices in Chennai and Bangalore, Fox Mandal boasts national capabilities in the TMT space, advising a host of e-commerce platforms, media houses, banks, and telecoms companies on contentious and non-contentious matters. Chennai office lead Jeevanandham Rajagopal is an experienced adviser who routinely assists clients operating at the intersection of tech and renewable energy. Bangalore-based Rajesh Vellakkat is highly regarded by a range of tech start-ups, with recent highlights including advising on master collaboration agreements, IP post-separation settlements, and platform development reviews.
Practice head(s):
Key clients
Mphasis
Providence Global Centre
SEG Automotive
Reyocto Agrimation
Avocore Technologies
Zoon LLC
Vegam Solution
Snap2Insight
Juris Corp
Juris Corp fields numerous offices and TMT practitioners across the length and breadth of India, routinely advising a range of high-profile clients from the worlds of tech and financial services. The team is increasingly active in fast-growth and emerging sectors, advising clients in the healthtech, edutech, cryptocurrency, and peer-to-peer lending spaces. Bangalore-based Arunabh Choudhary heads up the group’s fintech offering, and is recommended for his expertise in regulatory and policy analyses, as well as joint ventures, fund establishments, and other transactional matters. Mumbai-based Avikshit Moral is another experienced adviser who is frequently sought out by major tech and finance groups.
Practice head(s):
Link Legal
Link Legal's reputation in the telecoms disputes space ensures that the team is regularly sought out by a number of India's leading service providers for representation in arbitration and litigation. TMT practice head Nusrat Hassan focuses chiefly on cross-border corporate deals for the firm's most high-profile US, European and Indian business clients. Prasad Dhande acts for multinationals and Indian corporates on a broad range of commercial issues, often appearing before the Supreme Court of India as well as various High Courts and the Securities Appellate Tribunal. Sidhartha Srivastava has extensive litigation experience.
Practice head(s):
Key clients
Indus Towers Limited
Tata Communications Payment Solutions Ltd.
ProstarM Info Systems Ltd.
Sify Technologies Limited
Bharti Airtel Limited
Reliance Communications Limited
ATC Telecom Infrastructure Private Limited
Tower and Infrastructure Providers Association
Work highlights
- Successfully handled a litigation on behalf of Reliance Communications Limited on the issue of enforceability of a bank guarantee.
- Filing an application on behalf of Indus Towers Limited against Aircel Limited and Dishnet Wireless Limited before the National Company Law Tribunal, Mumbai.
- Successfully handled a litigation on behalf of the Tower and Infrastructure Providers Association before the Aurangabad Bench of Bombay High Court.
Phoenix Legal
Phoenix Legal‘s TMT practice advises clients on a sweep of matters ranging from software development to regulatory compliance, foreign direct investment, e-commerce, and licensing issues. Telecoms legislation and policy analysis is also a core competency. New Delhi-based Manjula Chawla is a key contact for cross-border transactions and strategic investments.