HSA Advocates

HSA Advocates has a commanding reputation in the market as a preferred firm for energy, construction and infrastructure work. Sophisticated clients know this is the firm for complex, multi-party, long-term infrastructure projects, as it has decades of experience working with all stakeholders from the beginning to the end of a project life cycle. The firm provides a complete suite of solutions for development, financing, transactions, restructuring and dispute resolution support. The firm is routinely found advising on power, road, port, airport, oil, gas, clean energy and special economic zone projects.

This year the firm vaunts into the top tier for energy projects, and moves up in the technology and telecommunications table. In one of the largest defections in recent years, the firm lost a total of 26 lawyers, including seven partners, to DSK Legal in early 2019. However, its capabilities in its core areas remained undiminished and the firm has since restored its balance with the hiring of no less than eight new partners and nearly 20 associates to fill those voids. Founding partner and projects legend Hemant Sahai is a key contact.

Banking and finance

Work highlights

Advised Power Finance Corporation on debt financing to Wind One Renergy in relation to the Gujarat project.

Acting for Rural Electrification Corporation regarding the assignment of debt granted in respect of a hydropower project situated in Sikkim.

Key clients

Allahabad Bank, Deutsche Bank, HDFC Bank, IFC, IndusInd Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, State Bank of India, Yes Bank

Construction

Work highlights

Assisting the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Cambodia and the Cambodian government on structuring and drafting the contractual framework and documentation for the establishment of rice warehouse facilities.

Advising City Industrial Development Corporation on the implementation of the $2 billion Navi Mumbai International Airport project.

Key clients

Actis Global Services, Rosgeo Group

Corporate and M&A

Work highlights

Advised DS Group on its acquisition of a minority stake in Swiss-listed entity Lalique.

Acted for Vishakhapatnam Port Trust and others on their acquisition of 100% of the government of India's shares in Dredging Corporation of India.

Key clients

Mindgate Solutions, Renascent Power Venture, Sansera Engineering, Tata Power Company

Dispute resolution

Work highlights

Successfully represented Renascent Power Venture in obtaining a favourable judgment from the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity by setting aside an order from the Uttar Pradesh Regulatory Commission, granting its conditional approval by reducing the bid out power-purchase agreement tariff.

Acted for Sembcorp Energy India in disputes arising out of power-purchase agreements with states in Andhra Pradesh. 

Represented Mumbai International Airport in the matter where the levy of development fee at the airport has been challenged before the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority Appellate Tribunal by airlines on various grounds.

Key clients

Adani Group, Avantor Performance Materials, GMR Group, L&T Finance, Mytrah Energy, Welspun Group

Energy

Work highlights

Acting for Niti Aayog and the government of India in a first of its kind initiative where Niti Aayog will lead a bid process for the national mission on transformative mobility and battery storage. There is no precedent for such a subsidy mechanism offered by the government and similar projects encouraging battery manufacture.

Key clients

AMPsolar Urja, Atria Wind Power, Canadian Solar India, Eden Renewables India, TEP Solar India, Think Gas Distribution

Infrastructure

Work highlights

Engaged by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation to review the legal, regulatory and institutional framework and contractual documents for the development of the regional rapid transit system (RRTS) corridor in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and New Delhi.

Working with Vizhinjam International Seaport on the development of its greenfield deep-water multi-purpose seaport.

Key clients

National Highways Authority of India

Regulatory

Work highlights

Advised Hindustan Power and its subsidiaries on various regulatory issues concerning its solar, thermal and hydropower projects before different adjudicatory bodies.

Key clients

CLP Group, Greenko Group, Holisol Logistics, Reliance Nippon Life Assets Management, National Solar Energy Federation of India

Client feedback

“Lots of partner involvement in the deal and good sector knowledge of the lawyers.” – Infrastructure

Harsh Arora

“Harsh has very strong sector knowledge, especially in project finance.”