AZB & Partners

AZB & Partners
Name	AZB & Partners
Headquarters	Mumbai
Founded	2004
Offices	Mumbai; Bangalore; Delhi; Pune
Founders	Zaffar Azim; Bahram Vakil; Ajay Bahl
Practice areas	Corporate; M&A; Private Equity; Litigation; Competition; Banking; Capital Markets; Real Estate; Tax; Intellectual Property
Employees	400+

AZB & Partners

AZB & Partners is a leading Indian law firm known for its work in corporate transactions, dispute resolution, and regulatory matters. The firm has acted for major multinational corporations, prominent Indian conglomerates, private equity houses, and financial institutions across high-profile mergers and acquisitions, capital markets offerings, and litigation. Its lawyers frequently advise on cross-border matters involving jurisdictions in Asia, Europe, and North America.

History

Founded in 2004 by senior practitioners who had practiced at firms in Mumbai and Delhi, the firm emerged during a period of consolidation in the Indian legal market that involved firms such as Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas. Early landmark matters linked the firm with clients in sectors represented by Tata Group, Reliance Industries, Aditya Birla Group, ICICI Bank, and State Bank of India. Over time the firm expanded its partnership roster with lateral hires from firms like AZB & Partners—not to be linked in text—and from other practices such as Khaitan & Co, J Sagar Associates, and Luthra & Luthra. The firm’s growth paralleled regulatory reforms introduced by bodies including the Securities and Exchange Board of India and legislative change involving the Companies Act, 2013.

Practice Areas

The firm’s corporate practice covers mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, joint ventures, and corporate governance involving clients like Berkshire Hathaway, Blackstone Group, Goldman Sachs, and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. Its banking and finance team handles syndicated lending, project finance, and structured finance matters for institutions such as HSBC, Standard Chartered, and Deutsche Bank. Capital markets work includes initial public offerings and follow-on offerings with issuers listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange of India. The litigation and dispute resolution group represents parties in proceedings before the Supreme Court of India, various High Courts of India, and arbitral tribunals seated under rules of the International Chamber of Commerce, London Court of International Arbitration, and Singapore International Arbitration Centre. Additional practices include competition and antitrust work before the Competition Commission of India, intellectual property prosecution and enforcement before the Intellectual Property Appellate Board, tax controversy and advisory linked to the Income Tax Act, 1961, employment and labor advisory related to the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, and real estate and construction projects interfacing with authorities like the Real Estate Regulatory Authority.

Offices and Geographic Presence

The firm maintains major offices in Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, and Pune, allowing client coverage across Indian commercial hubs such as Navi Mumbai, Noida, and Gurugram. Its Mumbai office sits in proximity to the Bombay Stock Exchange and major corporate headquarters. Cross-border mandates often involve coordination with international firms and counsel in London, New York City, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Frankfurt, and Sydney, and with regional counterparts in Bangkok and Manila.

Notable Transactions and Cases

The firm has acted on significant public and private deals, including cross-border acquisitions involving multinational buyers like PepsiCo, Coca-Cola Company, and Unilever. It has advised private equity investors such as KKR, CVC Capital Partners, and Apollo Global Management on investments in Indian businesses. Corporate restructurings and insolvency mandates have engaged the firm in processes under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 with matters before the National Company Law Tribunal. Litigation highlights include constitutional challenges and commercial disputes that reached the Supreme Court of India and landmark arbitration enforcement matters involving awards under the New York Convention.

Rankings and Recognition

Legal directories and ranking organizations have repeatedly recognized the firm in categories such as Tier 1 for M&A, private equity, banking and finance, and dispute resolution. The firm and individual partners have been ranked by Chambers and Partners, Legal 500, and IFLR1000, alongside features in Euromoney and Bloomberg commentary. Awards from bodies like the Asiamoney and India Business Law Journal have highlighted the firm’s transactional volume and litigation wins.

Firm Leadership and Partners

Senior partners and leadership steer practice groups with backgrounds that include experience at major Indian and international firms as well as secondments with multinational corporations and financial institutions. Leadership interacts regularly with regulators and market bodies such as the Reserve Bank of India, Ministry of Corporate Affairs (India), and Securities and Exchange Board of India on regulatory developments and compliance guidance. The partnership includes lawyers recognized individually by Who's Who Legal, Asian Legal Business, and Lawdragon listings.

Pro Bono and Corporate Social Responsibility

The firm engages in pro bono work supporting access to justice initiatives, legal aid clinics, and public interest litigation before bodies such as the Supreme Court of India and state High Courts of India. It also participates in corporate social responsibility projects aligned with entities like the National Legal Services Authority and NGOs focused on education, public health, and legal literacy in collaboration with organizations such as Pratham and CRY. The firm reports community engagement through training programs with law schools including National Law School of India University, National Academy of Legal Studies and Research, and West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences.

Category:Law firms of India