Among the oldest firms in this edition, Wadia Ghandy & Co is also one of the most roundly praised, with sources hailing the “valuable service” they have received in numerous practice areas. The past year has seen the promotion of three new partners across the M&A, banking and real estate teams, which, added to recent lateral hires from Freshfields and HDFC Asset Management as well as the opening of the Singapore office in 2011, demonstrate the firm’s ongoing programme of expansion. Respondents to our research said the firm had particular strengths in dispute resolution, finance and aviation work.
Mumbai’s Marylou Bilawala is praised for her aircraft leasing and financing work by sources, earning her a place in Who’s Who Legal’s recent aviation research. She is also known for her general corporate and commercial work, including M&A, joint ventures, private equity and foreign exchange law. Managing partner Ashish Ahuja is similarly well thought of for his banking and finance expertise, which extends to domestic and international flotations and listings on the capital markets and fund incorporation, and which he complements with highly regarded telecommunications, media and technology, and infrastructure work. An alumnus of the Mumbai office and now head of the firm’s operations in New Delhi, Amit Sethi is a prominent litigator who regularly appears before the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court. He has also consulted with the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion and made representations to several ministries of the government of India such as the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs on behalf of several clients.
Avolon Aerospace Leasing continues to turn to Wadia Ghandy for Indian law advice, having received counsel from the firm in transactions in recent years. Other big names among the firm’s clients include Citi Group and Barclays, as well as leading national institutions like Kotak Mahindra Bank.