Jerome Merchant + Partners

Jerome Merchant + Partners is active in banking and finance, corporate and M&A as well as private equity. Partners Sameer Sibal and Vishnu Jerome lead most of the key deals, while another partner Murtaza Somjee handles major dispute resolution cases. 

Banking and finance

Work highlights

Advised Tata Motors in obtaining revolving perpetual working facilities at the amount of $126 million from a consortium of banks, including Kotak Mahindra Bank, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank.

Key clients

Altico Capital India, Centrum Capital, Citicorp Finance (India), Kotak Mahindra Bank, ING Bank, State Bank of India, Tata Group, Trent, Westpac Banking Corporation

Capital markets

Work highlights

Advised SMECorner, an online lending service platform, on raising $7 million from Capital First and the existing investors through equity and debt.

Key clients

Writers and Publishers

Construction

Work highlights

Advised a social organisation that aims to preserve Indian art, culture and heritage on the reconstruction, renovation and development of property regarding relevant statutes, terms and conditions as well as procurement of approvals from several authorities.

Corporate and M&A

Work highlights

Advised Crestline Direct Finance on the acquisition of Indian assets through purchasing the interests of special purpose vehicles in Europe and the US.

Advised Centrum Financial Services on its acquisition of L&T Finance at a value of Re8 billion.

Key clients

Aroma Chemical Agencies (India), General Electric Company, Euromoney Institutional Investor (Jersey), Mahindra Lifespace Developers, Mahindra World City (Jaipur), Tapzo

Dispute resolution

Work highlights

Advising a leading cash management service provider in India in the arbitration proceedings and other related proceedings over the contractual monetary claim of $5 million before the Bombay High Court.

Defending an automotive manufacturer in India against a leading commercial bank in a dispute over the specific performance in a high-stakes real estate transaction concerning a property valued at $30 million before the Bombay High Court.

Private equity

Work highlights

Advised IIFL India Private Equity Fund on the Re250 million acquisition of a majority stake in Infigo Lifesciences, a company that establishes comprehensive eye care centres and hospitals.

Key clients

Evolvence Capital, Evolvence India Fund II, IIFL Seed Ventures, India Infoline, Mayfield Partners, Qi Healthcare, VH Capital XI

Restructuring and insolvency

Work highlights

Advising a lender on a pre-litigation strategy for the recovery of the debt that exceeds $35 million from an Indian company’s offshore subsidiary. The firm is also analysing available remedies under India’s insolvency laws.

Key clients

Deutsche Bank, Kirloskar Electric, SSG Capital Management