Full-service firm DSK Legal made a stunning move this summer with the hiring of over 60 lawyers, including two senior partners, from L&L Partners. With this bold expansion, the firm buttresses core offerings and builds new practice groups. The new addition of 21 partners and their teams span competition, intellectual property, real estate, labour and employment, international trade law, regulatory, construction, energy, restructuring and insolvency and notably, dispute resolution. The two senior partners that joined are elite disputes veterans Bobby Chandhoke and Sudhir Sharma.
Under the guidance of topflight real estate partner Sajit Suvarna, the firm’s real estate offering is regarded as one of the strongest in Mumbai. With an added capacity on the corporate side from recent additions, the firm posted a strong showing by closing over 50 sizable M&A deals. The firm’s specialised media and entertainment department is well-received by the market. It boasts many A-list Bollywood film stars as clients, along with local and international media houses and platforms like Disney and Star India. Key contact and managing partner Anand Desai is a venerable figure in the legal industry for banking and finance, corporate and M&A, disputes, and media and entertainment. Deputy managing partner Suvarna is a banking and real estate specialist.
Client feedback
“They give practical advice in a time bound manner.” – Banking and finance
“Precise legal opinions, proactive responses, reasonable fees, responses any hour of the day and good behaviour.” – Corporate and M&A
“We value their knowledge, business understanding, accessibility and commitment.” – Dispute resolution
“They have first-rate knowledge on the infrastructure sector from a legal perspective. They are good at dealing with authorities and have good negotiation skills.” – Infrastructure
“Experienced, resourceful, responsive and dependable.” – Media and entertainment
“The team is trustworthy, principled and organised. They are available 24/7.” – Media and entertainment
“They are very client oriented. They always act based on what is best for the client and above all, protect the client from any potential liability.” – Media and entertainment
“I appreciate their commitment to clients and prompt feedback.” – Media and entertainment
“They are commercially aware of project costs and understand that quality of advice is not dependent on the size of the project.” – Media and entertainment
“They do in-depth analysis, provide clear guidance and support, and also understand the client's requirements. The team is headed by experts in the subject which comforts the client as we will not have to make the client understand the basics.” – Privacy and data protection
Anjan Dasgupta
“He is an excellent lawyer and very approachable.”
“He has excellent knowledge of the sector, a solution-oriented approach, puts client interests as a top priority, and provides an authority perspective. Other elements we value are his integrity, transparency, negotiation strategy and wider professional network.”
Chandrima Mitra
“She's extremely hard working, principled, well-mannered and brilliant at her job.”
“Committed, hardworking, experienced, dependable, resourceful and relentless.”
“She has a great wealth of experience in all facets of the media business due to her background and extensive list of clients. Aware of the day-to-day workings of the industry and current matters.”
“She is very capable and experienced in the media sector. She is extremely well informed of the current business attributes due to a vast client representation in the industry.”
“The media head Chandrima Mitra is quite exceptional at her work and leads a competent and hard-working team that is a one stop shop for all our work.”
Nakul Batra
“He is always responsive. He thinks out of the box and delivers positive results.”
Vikrant Singh Negi
“He is one of the best lawyers I have come across. His understanding and experience is something we can bank on.”
“He is always alert and involved. He is interesting and interested in our issues.”
“Humble and easy to work with.”
Work highlights
Advised Stelis Biopharma and its promoters on its fundraise from multiple investors.
Acted for Bharat Innovation Fund in relation to an investment in ZumutorBiologics Private.
Represented SBI Life Insurance Company in relation to an investment in Baring Private Equity India AIF 2.
Key clients
ICICI Venture, Infifresh Foods, Tata Capital Healthcare Fund, Wyridian Advisors
Work highlights
Represented Bhansali Productions and others in a suit filed by an individual who claimed to be the adopted son of Gangubai, whom a movie was produced on.
Assisted Salman Khan on his suit filed against Parody Studios, Google and Google India seeking a permanent injunction and take down of a game available on the Google play store that makes defamatory and derogatory statements against the client.
Advised Alstom System India on dispute related to differences between the client and Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India arising out of a contract for signalling and telecommunications works on the Easter Dedicated Freight Corridor of India.
Key clients
Bharti International, Hitachi Rail STS India, Larsen & Toubro, Sterlite Technologies
Work highlights
Represented Kotak Investments Advisors in connection with the drafting and submission of a resolution plan for Prius Commercial Projects.
Assisting the RP of Dighi Port on the company’s corporate resolution process.
Advising Vaayu Infrastructure and its RP on the client’s corporate insolvency resolution process.
Key clients
MTC Business, Prestige Estates Products, UPL, Steels Strips Wheels
Work highlights
Advised ReNew Power Private on its joint venture with Mitsui & Co.
Represented Finar and its promoters on the divestment of their entire stake in Finar to Aceto Pharma.
Acted for IDP Education in the marquee acquisition of the entire issued and paid-up share capital of BC Examinations and English Services India Private from the British Counsel and its UK affiliates.
Key clients
Bharat Innovation Fund, Neuberger Berman, Paine Schwartz Partners, PSA India Intermodal, SBI Life Insurance Company
Work highlights
Advised ECL Finance and Edelweiss Alterative Asset Advisors in relation to their financing to GMR Enterprises Private by way of subscribing to secured, listed, rated, non-convertible debentures issued by GEPL in four series and two tranches.
Acted for Aseem Infrastructure Finance on the issuance of unlisted, secured, rated, non-convertible debentures from various investors.
Assisted Bharat Serums and Vaccines in relation to the corporate guarantee proposed to be extended by it to BSV Bioscience for facilities availed by the subsidiary from ICICI Bank.
Key clients
Arka Fincap, Canara Bank, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, Union Bank of India
Work highlights
Representing Salman Khan Ventures Private on the script review and film clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for the movies “Radhe – The Most Wanted Bhai” and “Antim – The Final Truth.”
Assisting RSVP Movies in various script and film clearances and assessments of content in order to obtain CBFC clearances for OTT platforms.
Advising digital marketplace that auctions Bollywood memorabilia as NFTs, Bollycoins.
Acting for Tiger Baby Digital to draft and negotiate various contracts with distribution platforms, directors, writers, artists, numerous cast and crew members, for its first in-house productions of films that will adapt the legendary Archies comics in India into a feature film.
Key clients
India Today Group, Matrix Entertainment, Mumbai City FC, Producers Guild of India, Qyou Media, Uniworld
Work highlights
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Advised Prestige Estates Projects on the implementation of the resolution plan for the takeover of a housing project in Mumbai from a debt-ridden company.
Acted for Sunteck Realty Holdings Private and two individuals on the joint development of a property in Village Khativali, Taluka Shahapur.
Represented Indospace Capital Asia in setting up a joint venture platform with Pune-based KSH Infra, with an aim to develop 10 million square feet portfolio of world-class warehousing and logistics parks across the country over the next five years.
Key clients
Apollo Asia, Godrej Properties, HDFC Capital, ICICI Prudential, Piramal Group, Prestige Group, Shapoorji Pallonji Group
Work highlights
Represented HDFC Securities on the acquisition online trading platform software from Tradelabz Fintech.
Advised Appcino Technologies in relation to an investment by Xebia Holding.
Acted for Glamyo Technologies Private in relation to its Series A investment round lead by Ananta Capital along with Udtara Techinvest, COD9 Advisors and other investors.
Key clients
Healthquad Fund II, Herbalife International, Reliance Retail, UltraTech Cement
