With transactional, disputes, and regulatory capabilities, DMD Advocates is relied upon by notable aviation, banking, and financial services businesses seeking assistance with high-value, multi-jurisdictional mandates. The group has particular expertise advising on acquisitions, financing and leasing, and reassessment proceedings, and its strengths also span litigation, commercial agreements, and procurement, as well as repossessions, sales, and aircraft registrations and deregistrations. Vihang Virkar co-heads the practice alongside Ayesha Rai. Virkar stands out for his breadth of corporate and commercial experience which encompasses M&A, private equity transactions, and joint ventures, alongside restructuring, regulatory compliance, and contractual matters. Rai specialises in financing and regularly advises lessors, financiers, and commercial airlines on sale and leaseback arrangements, investments, and operating and finance leasing. She is also adept at handling aircraft, helicopter, and engine leasing, regulatory issues, and related labour and employment cases.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Client satisfaction: Billing & efficiency
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The Aviation team at DMD Advocates has an excellent understanding of the aviation market, is able to offer solid advice on complex matters and is huge asset to any deal team. We have been working with this team for several years now and are very happy with their support.'
- 'They are able to offer flexible approaches to billing and hence it an always a pleasure to work with them. Also, DMD offers a full service aviation and defence practice, covering legal, contractual, disputes, regulatory and tax advice. This is very helpful and limits the number of advisors on a deal.'
- 'We work with Vihang Virkar and Ayesha Rai. Both these partners are prominent aviation and defence law practioners. Given the decades of experience they have in the Indian aviation space, Vihang and Ayesha have been able to provide us with commercially solid advice on transactions. They are both diligent, approachable and easy to work with. We rarely get this level of partner involvement on transactions from other firms.'
Key clients
- Jazeera Airways Company K.S.C.P.
- Ghodawat Enterprises Private Limited
- Italia Trasporto Aereo
- Babcock & Brown Air Funding
- Air France
- Bhutan Airlines
- Alafco Irish Aircraft Leasing
- Chailease International Financial Services Co., Ltd
- Natixis Transport Finance
- Bucephalus Air Inc.
- International Financial Services Centres Authority
- SMBC Aviation Capital Ltd.
Work highlights
Advised Jazeera Airways on the transfer and novation of one aircraft by Zephyrus Leasing 3 Limited to Aircastle.
Advised Jazeera Airways on the transaction documentation pertaining to the amendment of the lease agreement for one aircraft between Dubai Aerospace Enterprise.
Advised Jazeera Airways on the transaction for the transfer and novation of two Airbus A320-NEO aircraft from ALAFCO to Macquarie Aviation Finance Ireland (3) Limited.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Vihang Virkar; Ayesha Rai