Kochhar & Co. > New Delhi, India > Firm Profile

Kochhar & Co. > The Legal 500 Rankings

India > Aviation (including aerospace and defence) Tier 1

The aviation, aerospace and defence team at Kochhar & Co. advises an impressive roster of clients, including international and domestic defense companies and airlines, on the full range of sector-related matters, both contentious and advisory. The team has recently strengthened its Hyderabad offering with the arrival of senior partner and airport operations expert Kaveri Srivastava in May 2023. Another addition is Sharmil Bhushan, a key name for aircraft financing advice, who joined the firm’s Mumbai team in November 2022. Mumbai’s Sheetal Sabnis, who advises international and domestic airlines on financing, leasing, and commercial contracts, now heads the team following the 2022 departure of former co-head Ajith C.R.; 2022 also saw the departure of Nishant Menon.

India > Corporate and M&A Tier 1

Acting on behalf of global Fortune 500 & 100 companies alongside major domestic companies, Kochhar & Co. handles contentious and non-contentious corporate restructurings as part of its M&A offering. With a team of experts specialising in managing corporate transactions across the energy, technology, and pharma sectors, the group is highly regarded for its advice on regulatory compliance and competition clearance. The New Delhi-based head Rohit Kochhar has vast experience of structuring complex deals, whilst Chandrasekhar Tampi focuses on capital market issues. In Bengaluru, Suhas Srinivasiah regularly assists with join ventures, and from Mumbai, Rajarshi Chakrabarti concentrates on complicated regulatory matters.

India > Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 1

The ‘remarkable’ disputes resolution practice group at Kochhar & Co. combines a large team of experienced litigators with a wide geographic spread to provide a comprehensive offering that runs the gamut of commercial and corporate litigation. Acting for governmental entities, international financial institutions, and major corporations, the team has significant expertise in construction and infrastructure-related disputes. Senior partner Krishna Vijay Singh and founder and managing partner Rohit Kochhar, in Gurgaon and New Delhi respectively, jointly oversee the team; Singh has particular expertise in handling commercial disputes including infrastructure and energy projects. Further core team members in Gurgaon include the ‘meticulous’ Pradhyuman Sewar, recommended for contract disputes and employment litigation, the infrastructure and construction-focused Manish Dembla, and principal associate Nachiketa Goyal.

India > Labour and employment Tier 1

With a large team and significant geographic spread, Kochhar & Co.‘s dedicated labour and employment team handles a robust mix of advisory, contentious, and transactional work for domestic and international corporates. The team is jointly led by New Delhi-based Rohit Kochhar and Bengaluru’s Suhas Srinivasiah; Kochhar specialises in sexual harassment matters, whilst Srinivasiah is an experienced litigator with a focus on tech and outsourcing. Also in Bengaluru, Debjani Aich acts for global IT companies on their workforce-related operations in India in addition to her anti-sexual harassment advisory work. At the same office is senior associate Sidharth Santosh, who assists on workforce restructurings and social security compliances. In Chennai, Savitha Kesav Jagadeesan is the key name for labour disputes and termination contracts.

India > Real estate and construction Tier 1

Kochhar & Co. continues to stand out in the market as one of the leading real estate practices in India, drawing on the expertise of its lawyers to regularly advise major foreign and Indian companies, as well as clients from the manufacturing, information technology, investment funds, and real estate development sectors on complex real estate transactions ranging from setting up of manufacturing units, foreign and private equity investments, and joint ventures to acquisitions and leasing of land, industrial parks, and data centres. Preetam D’Souza advises clients across the entire spectrum of real estate transactions, including title verification of immovable property and tax structuring of real estate transactions. Suhas Srinivasiah's work focuses on construction development projects, joint development ventures, build-to-fit leases, and real estate development projects to lease terminations, while Gaurav Chatterjee's clients include foreign and Indian banks, IT companies, real estate and infrastructure developers, as well as manufacturing and data centre companies. Both Ranjit Mahishi and Simrat Grover advise clients on real estate and land acquisition matters. Alok Tewari left the firm in January 2023.

India > TMT Tier 1

With a diverse tech practice offering a mixture of transactional, contentious, and regulatory compliance work, Kochhar & Co. draws upon its network of offices across India when representing global and national companies. The group demonstrates considerable strength in the IP and data privacy spheres, regularly acting on behalf of clients in trade secrets and licensing disputes. Stephen Mathias heads the Bengaluru-based department, specialising in regulated sectors including telecom, e-commerce, and infotech, whilst Rajarshi Chakrabarti is an expert on handling proceedings instituted by regulatory agencies from Mumbai. In Chennai, Savitha Kesav Jagadeesan focuses on cybercrime and e-commerce issues, and Gurgaon-based Janmejay Rai assists clients with broadcasting and telecom regulations.

India > White-collar crime Tier 1

Kochhar & Co. has a geographically broad offering, representing a diverse range of corporate and individual clients in courts across India, as well as handling high-level investigations both domestically and internationally. The firm has expertise in fraud, corruption, government agency and police work, as well as data theft and asset tracing, working with major banks and global businesses. Experienced New Delhi-based criminal and fraud practitioner Rohit Kochhar leads the team alongside Gurgaon’s Krishna Vijay Singh, with both representing a wide range of major clients in cross-border fraud and financial crime cases. Also in Gurgaon, Manish Dembla handles internal investigations and corporate malfeasance cases, Pradyuman Sewar is noted for his work with the CBI and on economic crime matters, and senior associate Nachiketa Goyal represents clients in diverse industries in litigation and arbitration relating to corporate crime.

India > WTO/international trade Tier 1

Kochhar & Co. is noted for its capability in remedy and anti-dumping disputes for both domestic and multinational clients. Leading the practice in New Delhi is Reena Asthana Kahir, who handles high-profile cases involving anti-dumping, countervailing, and safeguard duty laws in India, along with international trade remedial investigations. Gagan Verma advises domestic and international corporations, including Fortune 500 companies, on their India market entry strategies, with recent expansion into international trade remedy laws. Supporting the team, senior associate Shreya Dahiya collaborates closely with Kahir on various international trade matters, including applications for anti-dumping and safeguard duties, as well as preparing exporter questionnaire responses for key clients.

India > Banking and finance Tier 2

Kochhar & Co. fields a team of dedicated banking and finance lawyers who work closely with the firm’s bankruptcy and litigation teams to assist clients with financing transactions. Key areas of strength include project finance, syndicated lending, acquisition finance and trade finance mandates. Pradeep Ratnam is known for his expertise in cross-border and international financings; he jointly heads up the team with Sujatha Rangachari and Sharmil Bhushan, who handles debt restructuring, security enforcement and insolvency resolution assignments. Other key members of the team include Parul Verma and Swapnil Sant, who have particular expertise in handling project finance transactions in the real estate and infrastructure sectors.

India > Data protection Tier 2

India > Dispute resolution: arbitration Tier 2

The ‘very smart and highly trustworthy’ arbitration team at Kochhar & Co. stands out for its wide geographical reach as well as its strength in corporate, commercial, and construction disputes. Senior partner Krishna Vijay Singh and founder and managing partner Rohit Kochhar, in Gurgaon and New Delhi respectively, jointly oversee the team; Singh has particular expertise in handling commercial disputes including infrastructure and energy projects. Mumbai-based litigator Sheetal Sabnis focuses on civil and commercial disputes, including in the aviation sector. In Gurgaon, Manish Dembla is also recommended for arbitrations concerning highways and metro projects. Nishant Menon left in November 2022.

Intellectual property Tier 2

The IP practice at Kochhar & Co. has notable expertise in trademark, patent and industrial design prosecutions, in addition to investigations and litigation. The team includes Gurugram-based partner Tarvinder Singh, an expert in patents work and a regular advisor to large global corporations, and Savitha Kesav Jagadeesan in Chennai, who handles various IP portfolios for clients across a wide range of sectors, including consumer goods, education, media and IT. The Bangalore-based Lynn Lazaro is an essential contact on the transactional IP side, an area in which Daksh Kumar in New Delhi also excels, in addition to his contentious work. IP all-rounder Anshuman Sharma in Gurugram is also recommended.

Intellectual property > PATMA: patent and trade mark attorneys Tier 2

Kochhar & Co.'s services span the filing and prosecution of patents and trademarks, in addition to portfolio management, which it carries out for its broad roster of domestic and international clients. Gurugram-based patent attorney Tarvinder Singh is a regular fixture on patent and trademark filing and prosecution matters; much of his recent work has involved the automobile, aviation, telecoms, biotech and energy sectors. Other recommended individuals include trademark and transactional attorney Lynn Lazaro (in Bengaluru) and Savitha Kesav Jagadeesan (in Chennai).

India > Projects and energy Tier 2

At Kochhar & Co., the team specialises in advising on complex project financing matters, M&A transactions, and commercial EPC contracts. The group also regularly advises large domestic companies and multinational infrastructure entities on investments in India, as well as renewable energy, financing, and e-mobility matters. Pradeep Ratnam and Krishna Vijay Singh co-head the practice, and stand out for bringing vast experience in infrastructure development and structured finance matters to the group. Parul Verma handles concession and joint venture agreements. Principal associate Humera Niyazi is well versed in handling project development matters, and associate Swapnil Sant acts on behalf of sponsors and developers. All named practitioners are based in New Delhi.

India > Tax Tier 2

Praised for having a ‘single support system for all tax related issues‘ the tax practice at Kochhar & Co. is well regarded for its counsel on international tax treaties, the withholding taxes and tax disputes. On the direct tax front, the team regularly advise its clients on mitigating tax withholding, tax effective repatriation and exit arrangements under double taxation avoidance agreements. In addition, the team’s advisory also encompasses the tax elements of M&A transactions and indirect tax. The team also routinely advises its clients on GST-related matters. Shahid Khan  oversees the direct tax matters and draws on more than 40 years of experience. The ‘meticulous and practical‘ Reena Khair heads the indirect tax side of the practice. Senior associate Shreya Dahiya remains a key name in the team.

India > Antitrust and competition Tier 3

India > Fintech and financial services regulatory Tier 3

Kochhar & Co.‘s broad fintech offering encompasses on NPCI issues, online digital payments and data and privacy issues. The unit is additionally well placed to advise on matters concerning blockchain and cryptocurrencies. Savitha Kesav Jagadeesan frequently assists start-ups to navigate issues associated with e-commerce and internet-related transactions. Stephen Mathias is a data privacy expert. Anuj Kaila‘s varied practice extends to advice on digital lending matters. Sharmil Bhushan, who joined in November 2022 from HSA Advocates, is well versed in debt restructuring mandates.