We have been trusted advisers for over 30 years to Indian clients and to businesses operating in the Indian market in relation to the resolution of disputes. Legal directories have commended our practice and our lawyers for our great industry knowledge, depth of understanding, and appreciation of the Indian market and how clients in the market like to be advised.
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.
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.
- “Awestruck with their understanding of the foreign market and its business complexities, and their solution-focused approach.” Legal 500 APAC – India 2021
- “Reed Smith is our most preferred foreign law firm. They have a great team of lawyers and are well equipped to handle transactions in any geography.” Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2022 India
- “Especially well versed in arbitrations arising from contractual, joint venture and shareholder disputes. ” Chambers Global: India 2022
- “The Reed Smith team really understands how businesses in India like to be advised. The firm’s network of offices in Europe, the US, Middle East and Asia make it well-placed to advise clients on business transactions and disputes across the globe.” Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2022 India
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, GAR Interactive India in 2021 and GAR Connect India in 2022.
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, 2021 and 2022: a list of the top 100 India-focused international lawyers. Gautam Bhattacharyya, chair of our India Business Team, was selected as a winner at the Legal Era Global Achievers Awards 2022 – India-focused awards recognizing cross-border lawyers at global law firms for their legal accomplishments. He also 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.
