We have been trusted advisers for almost 30 years to Indian clients and to businesses operating in the Indian market in relation to the resolution of disputes. We have been commended for our “great industry knowledge” (The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2018), “depth of understanding” and “appreciation of the Indian market and how clients in the market like to be advised” (The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2020).
As an experienced and well-recognized India practice, we provide our clients with disputes advice and solutions that are “flexible and commercial” (The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2020) and clients rate the team as “experienced and pragmatic” (The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2019). We have a “strong track record on India-related arbitration work” (Chambers Asia Pacific 2020) and extensive experience advising on a range of heavyweight disputes and investigations for Indian clients and/or arising out of projects, transactions and ventures involving a number of industry sectors in India.
Our seasoned practitioners are “extremely well-attuned” (The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2020) to the historical, cultural and social aspects of navigating disputes involving Indian parties. We have a solid record of accomplishment built on our deep understanding of our Indian clients’ requirements, and India’s history as a country and as a commercial marketplace.
Our global footprint, in particular our offices in London, the United States, Singapore and the Middle East, positions the firm perfectly to advise on disputes relating to India. Our offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and our long-standing experience in the Middle East region enable us to advise on investment and trade between India and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, while Singapore is universally regarded as a gateway to commerce with, and a preferred disputes hub for, Indian clients. Like other non-Indian law firms, we do not practice Indian law, but given the needs of each matter, we leverage our excellent and long-standing relationships with law firms in India to enable us to source the best local legal counsel for clients.
Our international arbitration team handles arbitration proceedings pursuant to all the major arbitral institutions and rules, including the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) and the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC). In addition to our arbitration expertise, we have considerable experience of the enforcement of, and challenges to, arbitral awards, mediations and the negotiation of settlements.
Our clients benefit from our strong sector focus, with particular experience in arbitration in the energy and natural resources, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, health care, shipping, telecommunications, media and technology, and finance industries. We partner with and guide our clients every step of the way, acting as trusted advisers to clients including banks, global corporations, high net worth individuals, and leaders in the fields of, for example, pharmaceuticals, health care, energy, natural resources and commodities, and whether they are already operating, or are planning to operate, in India.
Our lawyers continue to be at the forefront of thought leadership in the region, including partnering with Global Arbitration Review to devise and co-chair its inaugural GAR Live India event in Mumbai in 2019, followed in 2020 by GAR Live New Delhi. In addition to writing for leading publications, the team is regularly invited to speak on India arbitration-related topics at key events, including ones organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Indian Council of Arbitration (ICA) and the International Bar Association (IBA), among others.
Adept at handling cross-border disputes, our team includes lawyers highly ranked in leading, independently-researched legal directories for their work in India dispute resolution and named in the India Business Law Journal’s International A-List 2020: a list of the top 100 India-focused international lawyers. Gautam Bhattacharyya, co-chair of our India Business Team, received the International Lawyer of the Year Award for his India-related work at the Legal Era Awards 2018 and was named as one of the 2019 EMpower 100 Ethnic Minority Executives. The India Business Law Journal recognized Reed Smith as a key player for India-related matters in 2019 and 2020, and we were named International Law Firm of the Year at the 2017 India Legal Summit & Awards.
