Practice Areas
We advise on equity and debt public issues, private placements, and also matters of securities law. Our lawyers’ expertise in understanding the nuances of the legal and regulatory regime, and also in hearings before regulators, is recognised and appreciated.
The Firm has advised and represented issuers and intermediaries on primary and secondary offerings including initial public offers, qualified institution placements, and rights issues in the equity market as well as debt issues. In addition, the Firm has acted, and is acting, on private and publicly placed debt. Our sector experience includes telecom, manufacturing, logistics, energy, banks, roads, financial technology, and non-banking financial companies.
One of the Firm’s strengths is structuring and executing innovative deals, and the Capital Markets and Securities Law Practice is proud to have advised on structured products and complex securities issued through private placement and otherwise.
We have also advised listed companies and securities market intermediaries on registrations with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and matters of compliance including issues with respect to insider trading, price manipulation, and front running. In the course of our securities litigation practice, we regularly appear before SEBI and the Securities Appellate Tribunal as well as in appeals before the Supreme Court of India.
Our multidisciplinary ethos and frequent interaction with sector regulators and stock exchanges co-opted with the perspective gained in the course of the securities litigation practice enables us to identify potential issues and structure complex transactions efficiently and allows us to help clients successfully navigate the Indian regulatory framework.
Indicative Experience
- Advising the underwriters with respect to the initial public offering of equity shares by Hexagon Nutrition Limited aggregating over INR 5 billion.
- Advising DreamFolks Services Limited with respect to its initial public offering of equity shares aggregating over INR 7.5 billion.
- Advising the issuer and the underwriter with respect to the initial public offering of equity shares aggregating over INR 4 billion by Gujarat Polysol Chemicals Limited.
- Advising Inga Capital Private Limited, Investec Capital Services (India) Private Limited, and Srei Capital Markets Limited, the underwriters on the public issue of equity shares by Bharat Road Network Limited aggregating approximately INR 6 billion.
- Advising the issuer and the underwriters with respect to the initial public offering of equity shares Neogen Chemicals Limited aggregating around INR 1.36 billion.
- Advising Snowman Logistics Limited on its initial public issue of equity shares aggregating approximately INR 2 billion.
- Advising the issuer as the special counsel with respect to the initial public offering of equity shares by Adlabs Entertainment Limited aggregating INR 3.745 billion.
- Advising Idea Cellular Limited (now Vodafone Idea Limited) with respect to its initial public offering of equity shares aggregating INR 24.4 billion.
- Advising the underwriters with respect to the qualified institutions placement of equity shares by Marico Limited aggregating INR 1.513 billion.
- Advising the issuer and the underwriter with respect to the qualified institutions placement of equity shares by AIA Engineering Limited aggregating INR 1.249 billion.
- Advising the issuer and the underwriter with respect to the qualified institutions placement of equity shares by Development Credit Bank Limited (now DCB Bank Limited) aggregating INR 810 million.
- Advising State Bank of India with respect to its rights issue of equity shares aggregating approximately INR 160 billion.
- Advising Aurum Proptech Limited with respect to its rights issue of equity shares on a fast track basis aggregating INR 3.430 billion.
- Advising Reliance MediaWorks Limited, the issuer, and Axis Capital Limited, the lead manager, on the issue of shares on rights basis of the issuer, aggregating approximately INR 6 billion.
- Advising Jyoti Structures Limited, the issuer, on the rights issue of non-convertible debentures (NCDs) along with warrants of the issuer aggregating approximately INR 1.25 billion, and advising Edelweiss Financial Services Limited, the global coordinators and book running lead managers (GCBRLM), on the qualified institutional placement (QIP) by the issuer aggregating INR 1 billion.
- Advising Suzlon Energy Limited with respect to its rights issue of equity shares aggregating INR 13 billion.
- Advising IL&FS Investment Managers Limited with respect to its issuance of Global Depository Receipts.
- Advising State Bank of India and IDBI Bank Limited with respect to setting up their respective Medium Term Note Programmes of USD 5 billion and USD 1.5 billion and issuances thereunder.
- Advising Greenlam Industries Limited and DAM Capital Limited with respect to the open offer to public shareholders of HG Industries under the SEBI (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 2011.
- Representing B. Ramalinga Raju and B. Rama Raju before the Securities Appellate Tribunal with respect to the issues under the SEBI Act, 1992, the SEBI (Prohibition of Insider Trading Regulations), 1992, and the SEBI (Prohibition of Fraudulent and Unfair Trade Practices Relating to the Securities Market) Regulations, 2003.
- Representing Diageo plc before the Securities and Exchange Board of India and the Securities Appellate Tribunal with respect to the issues under the SEBI (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 2011.
- Advising Ebix, Inc. and Centrum Capital Limited with respect to the open offer to public shareholders of Mumbai-based Reserve Bank of India (RBI) registered authorised dealer, Weizmann Forex Limited, under the SEBI (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 2011.
- Advising Essel Group and ICICI Securities Limited with respect to the open offer to public shareholders of Mumbai-based non-banking financial company, LKP Finance Limited, under the SEBI (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 2011.
- Advising ICICI Securities Limited and a number of acquirers with respect to the open offer to public shareholders of Delhi-based non-banking financial company, Intec Capital Limited, under the SEBI (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 2011.
- Advising the merchant banker Equirus Capital Private Limited and HAL Offshore Limited with respect to the acquisition of shares of the Mumbai-based company, Seamec Limited from Technip SA. and also on the subsequent open offer to public shareholders of Seamec Limited under the SEBI (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 2011.
- Advising Clearwater Capital Partners (Cyprus) Limited, with respect to the open offer made under the SEBI (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 1997 to the shareholders of Sayaji Hotels Limited on conversion of the foreign currency convertible bonds held by them.
- Representing Almondz Global Securities Limited before the Securities Appellate Tribunal with respect to the issues under the SEBI (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2009.
- Representing W. S. Industries (India) Limited before the Securities appellate tribunal with respect to the issues under SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure requirements) Regulations, 2015.
- Advising Lotusdew Wealth and Investment Advisors Private Limited with respect to their registration as an investment adviser under SEBI (Investment Advisers) Regulations, 2013.
- Advising a commodity broker with respect to its role in the National Spot Exchange of India Limited scam for alleged violation of the Forward Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1952.
Testimonials
Highly qualified team acting on the full range of corporate matters including M&A, foreign direct investment and joint ventures. Provides general corporate advice to major companies, financial institutions and investors on both the sale and purchase sides. Provides support to private equity and venture capital entities as well as target companies on the entire life-cycle of investment and fund issues. Handles fund formation, management buyouts, minority and controlling-stake acquisitions and a range of follow-on transactions. Notable ability in the financial services, telecommunications, logistics and energy sectors.
They are very thorough, proactive and knowledgeable.
They are a competent team, very capable.
They are customer centric and respond in detail to points raised or opinion sought. They are not ambiguous in their response.
MP Bharucha is lauded by market sources as “one of the leading lawyers in the country” who “has been on the top of his game for a long time. Active on a range of commercial disputes, he maintains a particularly high reputation as a litigator in the Mumbai market.”
Alka Bharucha “boasts a stellar reputation in corporate transactions. She is renowned for her expertise in cross-border M&A as well as her proficiency in providing advice on general corporate issues, in particular within the power, telecommunications and banking sectors.”
Hiroo Advani “is highly sought after for the breadth of his experience in arbitration issues. He often takes on cases in the energy, infrastructure and construction sectors.”
Justin M Bharucha “specialises in foreign direct investments in highly regulated sectors. He is regularly active on complex cross-border transactions, utilising his deep knowledge of inbound and outbound M&A.”
Vandana Pai “commands a strong reputation among market commentators, who praise her excellence in providing assistance with private equity transactions. Her clients are effusive with praise, with one reporting: ‘She foresees business and legal issues and is very proactive in addressing potential concerns.’
We receive top-notch partner time. They are realistic in negotiations, which results in the work being handled faster in a more congenial atmosphere.