Nishith Desai Associates

Indian firm with international presence Nishith Desai Associates is highly respected in the areas of labour and employment, private equity, regulatory, tax with particular strength in the technology and telecommunications sector. Vikram Shroff heads the labour and employment practice, and Vaibhav Parikh is a key partner in technology and private equity. Ananth MS and Kartik Maheshwari left the firm in 2019.

Construction

Work highlights

Represented Swan Energy in arbitration with National Marine & Infrastructure India over engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning contract for the marine and onshore facilities works and capital dredging and reclamation works for an LNG Port Terminal in Jafrabad before the Singapore International Arbitration Centre.

Key clients

Vedant Dyestuff Intermediates

Corporate and M&A

Work highlights

Advised Take Two Interactive Software, a leading American game publisher, on its acquisition of Dhruva Infotech from the Swedish game developer Starbreeze through its subsidiary Rockstar Games and the other entities at $7.9 million, for its expansion and enhancement of video game production capabilities in India.

Dispute resolution

Work highlights

Representing the directors of Unocoin Technologies in the criminal proceedings over fraud and unauthorised access to computers.

Successfully represented Viray Karia and the other petitioners against the Bombay High Court’s order to enforce the arbitral award that required the petitioners to sell their stakes in a joint venture company to the joint venture partner Prysmian Cavie Sistemi Energia at a discount of 10% to the fair market valuation.

Key clients

Enercon Technologies, Fortissimo Capital, Multisphere Power Solutions

Labour and employment

Work highlights

Advised The Walt Disney Company on issues related to the Indian employment laws, including the transition of employees after its acquisition of 21st Century Fox.

Advised Investcorp on Indian employment and corporate law issues, especially the transfer of employees as a result of the acquisition of the Infrastructure Development Finance Company’s private equity and real estate businesses.

Key clients

Crocs, Intel Corporation, Interface Performance Materials, Rockstar Games

Private equity

Work highlights

Acted for SBI Holdings, a Japanese financial services company and Beenext in making $17 million series B investment into NovoCura Tech Health Services, a health technology start-up in Bangalore, for expanding its AI-powered healthcare app Mfine’s hospital network, and developing additional services.

Regulatory

Work highlights

Advising international corporations on technology and telecommunications regulatory for their businesses in India.

Advising the Ministry of Finance on a legal framework for crypto-assets and blockchain in India.

Key clients

Novi Digital Entertainment

Tax

Work highlights

Represented a leading global engineering, construction, and project management company in a case related to taxation of turnkey contracts comprising of onshore and offshore project activities in respect of setting up power projects in India.

Represented a leading Japanese automobile company in providing real estate structuring solutions along with the consequent tax treatment of such structuring under tax laws.

Client feedback

“The firm's strengths are providing clear and practical legal advice and helping to highlight local legal requirements. It also has a large team of specialised lawyers with a consistent approach to providing service and support. They are responsive and collaborative in their approach to solve legal and commercial issues in the market. I have been satisfied with the service we have received as a client.” – Dispute resolution