Khaitan & Co

Khaitan & Co
Name	Khaitan & Co
Headquarters	Kolkata
Founded	1911
Founders	Jugal Kishore Khaitan
Practice areas	Corporate law; Arbitration; Litigation; Mergers and Acquisitions; Banking and Finance; Competition; Insolvency; Intellectual Property
Employees	800+ lawyers

Khaitan & Co is a leading Indian full-service law firm with origins in Kolkata and a presence across major Indian cities. The firm advises corporations, financial institutions, sovereigns and multinationals on matters involving Reserve Bank of India, Securities and Exchange Board of India, Ministry of Corporate Affairs (India), and international dispute mechanisms such as the International Chamber of Commerce and International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes. Its clients have included conglomerates and multinationals associated with Tata Group, Reliance Industries, Adani Group, Mahindra Group, and foreign investors from jurisdictions like the United Kingdom, United States, Singapore, and United Arab Emirates.

History

Founded in 1911 by Jugal Kishore Khaitan in Kolkata, the firm expanded through the 20th century into Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad. Over decades it advised on landmark matters involving the Indian Companies Act, 1956, Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999, and transactions relating to privatisations tied to Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum. The firm played advisory roles in restructurings during episodes affecting Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India and engagements with international counterparts such as Herbert Smith Freehills, Linklaters, and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in cross-border mandates. Its growth mirrored shifts around the 1991 economic liberalisation in India, the evolution of Competition Commission of India, and the introduction of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.

Practice Areas

Khaitan & Co’s practices span transactional and contentious work in areas including Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity, Banking and Finance, Project Finance, Capital Markets, Competition Law, Arbitration, Insolvency and Reconstruction, and Intellectual Property. It routinely interfaces with regulators such as the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. The firm provides sector-specific counsel for Energy Regulatory Commission, Real Estate Regulatory Authority, Pharmaceuticals firms tied to Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, technology clients connected with Infosys and Wipro, and infrastructure projects involving National Highways Authority of India and Indian Railways.

Notable Cases and Transactions

The firm has advised on high-value transactions including acquisitions involving Tata Steel, financing arrangements with State Bank of India syndicated lenders, and private equity exits involving Sequoia Capital and Warburg Pincus. It acted on cross-border disputes before London Court of International Arbitration and Singapore International Arbitration Centre, and on insolvency proceedings under the National Company Law Tribunal for corporate groups linked to Essar Group and Videocon. Khaitan & Co advised on securities offerings involving Bombay Stock Exchange listings and mergers requiring clearances from Competition Commission of India and approvals under the Foreign Direct Investment framework monitored by the Ministry of Home Affairs (India) for sensitive sectors.

Offices and Global Presence

Headquartered in Kolkata, the firm maintains offices in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad. It services cross-border mandates through networks with international firms in jurisdictions including the United Kingdom, United States, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Australia, Germany, and Japan. The firm’s work touches transactional corridors between Hong Kong, Mauritius, Netherlands, and Cyprus structures used in corporate finance and investment funds associated with BlackRock, KKR, and Bain Capital.

Rankings and Awards

Khaitan & Co has been ranked by legal directories such as Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, and IFLR1000. It features in domestic lists published by Bar & Bench and Legally India and has received awards at events hosted by Euromoney and Asialaw for practices including M&A and Banking and Finance. Partners have been individually recognised in guides like Who's Who Legal and annual rankings by India Business Law Journal.

Leadership and Key Partners

The firm’s leadership has included senior litigators and corporate partners who have practiced before bodies such as the Supreme Court of India, the Allahabad High Court, and the Delhi High Court. Key partners have experience advising multinational clients including Google (company), Amazon (company), Microsoft, General Electric, Siemens, Bharti Enterprises, and Larsen & Toubro. Senior counsel have backgrounds interfacing with institutions like the International Monetary Fund and contributing to policy dialogues with NITI Aayog.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Pro Bono

Khaitan & Co engages in pro bono initiatives with organisations such as Legal Aid Society, supports access to legal services through partnerships with Bar Council of India programs, and participates in CSR activities aligned with healthcare NGOs like CARE India and educational initiatives connected to Pratham. The firm’s pro bono roster includes representation in public interest litigations before the Supreme Court of India and assistance to non-profits operating in sectors overseen by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (India).

Controversies and Criticism

Like other major firms, it has faced scrutiny in public discourse surrounding high-profile corporate disputes involving conglomerates covered by The Economic Times, The Hindu, and Mint (newspaper). Criticisms in commentary have mirrored debates over law firms’ roles in advising on transactions linked to politically sensitive bidders and regulatory interventions from authorities such as the Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation. The firm has responded through standard professional disclaimers and internal compliance frameworks aligned with norms set by the Bar Council of India and applicable Indian Penal Code provisions.

Category:Law firms of India