India

Anand and Anand is widely regarded as India’s premier intellectual property boutique, with an outsized influence on the country’s evolving IP jurisprudence. The firm’s litigation team, led by managing partner Pravin Anand, a veteran advocate with over four decades of courtroom experience, and senior partner Vaishali Mittal, has notched a series of precedent-setting victories in IP and technology disputes over the past year. In addition to handling a prodigious volume of routine patent, trademark and copyright cases, the firm has taken the lead on first-of-their-kind disputes involving emerging issues like generative AI, personality rights, and high-stakes pharmaceutical patents.  

Anand and Mittal remain directly involved in the most significant matters and appeals, typically flanked by a cadre of recognised partners including Dhruv Anand and Udita Patro. Other notable partners include Saif Khan, who brings expertise at the intersection of IP and white-collar crime and cybercrime to the disputes group, and Shrawan Chopra, a seasoned IP litigator who has led significant patent and design infringement suits.  

In the past year, Anand and Anand opened a new office in Bengaluru formally launched dedicated practice groups for AI and data protection to complement its longstanding IP specialisation. The firm has been actively advising industry bodies on responsible AI guidelines and it even co-drafted a government-backed Developer’s Playbook for AI risk mitigation, underscoring its thought leadership on technology-driven legal challenges. 

One of the firm’s most significant achievements last year was its trailblazing work in defending personality and publicity rights against misuse of generative AI. Building on a 2023 win for actor Anil Kapoor – India’s first lawsuit tackling unauthorised deepfake videos – Anand and Anand cemented its reputation as the go-to firm in this niche with a series of high-profile cases. In September 2025, the firm represented Bollywood icon Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in a landmark Delhi High Court action to stop the unauthorised exploitation of her image and name. The case set a strong legal foundation for the “right of publicity” in India, which is not expressly codified in any statute but was affirmed by the court as an outgrowth of the constitutional right to privacy. The court’s sweeping order restrained a host of defendants from a range of infringing activities. The judgment was widely hailed in the media for giving much-needed clarity on publicity rights in the digital era. Importantly, it affirmed that publicity rights in India protect all individuals, not just celebrities, against misappropriation of their name, voice, or image online.  

The firm’s string of personality-rights wins continued with a series of new suits on behalf of well-known actors. In late 2025 it obtained interim relief for Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan, in which the High Court barred numerous parties from creating AI-generated images and explicit content misusing the actor’s likeness. That order, one of several secured by Anand and Anand in 2025, further underscored that even non-commercial, derogatory digital content can violate a person’s right to privacy and dignity, especially when disseminated widely online. In another recent case, the firm represented a prominent South Indian film star to stop an onslaught of fake AI-generated videos and merchandise, with the Delhi High Court again emphasising the need to prevent AI-fueled violations of personality rights. Through these cases, Anand and Anand has emerged as a pioneer in Indian courts’ response to generative AI, translating the clients’ concerns over deepfakes and AI-driven image abuse into robust legal protection. The firm’s work also dovetails with its policy advocacy: it has been instrumental in shaping industry guidelines for AI and frequently engages with government and tech think-tanks on establishing responsible AI frameworks.  

In parallel with its cutting-edge tech and media work, Anand and Anand has maintained its dominance in traditional IP litigation, especially in patents. The firm often represents global companies in complex patent disputes spanning industries from life sciences to electronics, and it has continued to secure favourable results in the face of novel legal challenges. A standout example is the ER Squibb v Zydus patent case where the firm acted for a consortium of innovators led by US pharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb. The firm obtained a precedent-setting injunction from the Delhi High Court to protect a groundbreaking cancer immunotherapy. The defendant, Zydus Lifesciences, had planned to launch a biosimilar of Nivolumab before BMS’s patent expiry in 2026, prompting what is widely regarded as India’s first biologic drug patent infringement suit. The court’s order, was remarkable for its breadth: it not only barred Zydus from making or selling its proposed biosimilar during the life of BMS’s patent, but also forbade the company from stockpiling any inventory even for post-patent launch. The ruling effectively closed a loophole by which generic manufacturers might try to build up product stock before patent expiry – a practice the judge held would itself amount to infringement. Moreover, the court acknowledged the patent’s validity and novelty at this interim stage, signaling that the patentees had a strong case on the merits. The case has been closely watched as a bellwether for patent enforcement on biologic medicines in India. 

In addition to such headline cases, Anand and Anand’s dispute resolution practice continues to handle a steady stream of complex multinational IP disputes. In a trademark battle decided in September 2025, the firm successfully represented Belgian drugmaker Exphar SA in suing an Indian pharmaceutical company for adopting a confusingly similar name and logo. In another matter, the firm represented Hamdard in a defamation and trademark disparagement suit against a competitor that had launched a smear campaign against Hamdard’s flagship beverage brand. These cases, alongside dozens of other successful enforcement actions in the past year, reflect the range and reach of Anand and Anand’s disputes portfolio. 

Client feedback

“Anand and Anand provided highly professional services.” - Intellectual property 

Vaishali Mittal

“Vaishali Mittal consistently approaches our legal challenges proactively and offers creative, well-reasoned solutions. Her insights into Indian legal practice have materially contributed to the success of our matters."

Dua Associates was founded over 20 years ago, with offices in New Delhi, Gurugram, and Mumbai. The firm advises clients across a range of corporate and commercial matters and is particularly focused on disputes and regulatory-facing work. Its client base includes multinational businesses as well as domestic entities, and the firm’s practice is structured to address issues that commonly arise in complex cross-border transactions, multi-jurisdiction contracting relationships, and regulated commercial industries. 

The firm is well-recognised for its dispute resolution practice. Its disputes team is positioned to advise throughout the life cycle of a matter, including pre-arbitration strategy, the formulation of case theory, the drafting of pleadings and supporting submissions, and steps taken to secure urgent relief where required. The team advises on procedural and substantive issues in both domestic and international contexts. It additionally has experience managing arbitrations where parties seek interim measures, where jurisdictional challenges are raised, or where enforcement of awards forms a central part of the dispute strategy. 

Alongside arbitration, the firm maintains an active litigation practice. It handles commercial litigation spanning multiple industry sectors, including construction, real estate, telecommunications, and energy. The work typically involves disputes where the legal questions are closely tied to commercial documentation and evidentiary analysis. In advising clients in civil proceedings, the firm’s approach emphasises risk assessment at early stages, identification of litigation leverage points, and management of procedural steps designed to shape the trajectory of the case. This includes advising on approaches to pleadings, evidentiary submissions, interim applications, and practical considerations relating to likely outcomes and enforcement exposure. 

The firm has been involved in environmental litigation, including matters arising from the Bhopal Gas Tragedy proceedings. The firm has also advised and represented clients in cartel and competition-related investigations before the Competition Commission of India, including matters where compliance principles, procedural fairness, and the assessment of evidentiary frameworks are critical to outcomes. 

The firm’s leadership includes key partners whose practices support the breadth of its dispute capabilities. Shiraz Patodia is a senior dispute resolution partner whose practice includes deep experience in litigation and international trade. Amit Dhingra brings significant experience in arbitration and constitutional litigation. Rajdeep Panda concentrates on corporate advisory and litigation, while Angad Varma and Ashish Singh have backgrounds in civil and commercial law, including white-collar crime-related matters.  

“They did well and were able to get an ex-parte order against the counterparty in the first hearing.” - Commercial and transactions 

“Excellent drafting and arguments” - Commercial arbitration 

“They excel at clearly communicating difficult technical guidance and effectively to help business leaders make critical decisions.” - Tax 

Ashish Singh

“Ashish Singh is extremely professional, reliable, and easy to work with. His attention to detail and commitment to delivering quality work truly stand out. He communicates clearly, supports us proactively, and consistently ensures smooth execution. Overall, we are very satisfied with his service.” 

Panag Babu & Sarangi (PB&S) is renowned for its dispute resolution practice, which is well-recognised for its expertise in international arbitration, high-stakes commercial disputes, regulatory matters, insolvency proceedings, and white-collar defence. With dual headquarters in New Delhi and Bengaluru, the firm handles cases across India and frequently manages cross-border disputes involving multiple jurisdictions.  

The firm takes a strategic, business-driven approach to litigation. Rather than prolonging courtroom battles, its lawyers tailor dispute strategies to achieve each client’s targeted commercial objectives. A dedicated group of over 20 disputes lawyers integrates meticulous case preparation with strong advocacy and in-house project management to navigate even multi-jurisdictional cases. This approach has enabled the firm to handle arbitration claims exceeding US$2.5 billion as counsel to major multinational conglomerates. The practice is led by key partners Sherbir Panag and Samudra Sarangi, whose reputations reflect the firm’s strengths. Panag, the firm’s founder, is one of India’s top white-collar defense attorneys and a crisis-management specialist. Sarangi, who chairs the disputes and arbitration practice, is known for steering high-value arbitrations and litigation across all major Indian courts and arbitral forums. Under their leadership, PB&S’ disputes team regularly represents Fortune 500 companies and large domestic corporations in enforcement actions and sensitive cases that demand coordination with regulators and courts worldwide.  

Several highlight cases from the past year highlight the team’s capabilities in dispute resolution. In one example, the firm is counsel to a large construction conglomerate in an international arbitration seated in Singapore, involving approximately US$100. In another matter, the firm represented one of India’s biggest renewable energy companies in a complex domestic arbitration in New Delhi, a proceeding presided over by a tribunal that included three former Chief Justices of India. These cases illustrate the firm’s ability to handle technically intricate disputes and substantial financial stakes, whether in foreign arbitration venues or before India’s highest-profile arbitral panels.  

P&B also excels at managing parallel proceedings across borders. In a recent technology contract dispute, the firm obtained emergency relief for a US-based client via an emergency arbitration in Singapore, successfully freezing certain actions by the opposing party. Simultaneously, the lawyers moved in the Indian courts – securing interim orders from the Telangana High Court – to bolster the client’s position in the same dispute. This coordinated two-front strategy, spanning an international arbitral forum and local judiciary, showcased the firm’s agility in cross-border conflict resolution.  

The firm’s dispute resolution docket extends to insolvency and enforcement scenarios with international elements. Notably, the firm is acting for a court-appointed trustee from the US in efforts to locate and recover assets of a major Indian ed-tech company undergoing insolvency proceedings in India. The firm is guiding the US trustee through Indian legal processes, an unusual cross-border mandate that underlines the firm’s versatility in transnational matters. In another highlight, the firm defended a leading wind-turbine manufacturer in an insolvency-related dispute that reached the Supreme Court of India, addressing enforcement of a corporate debt resolution.  

Beyond commercial and financial disputes, PB&S also handles high-profile regulatory and white-collar cases. For example, the firm successfully represented an international construction company in challenging a government blacklisting order in an Indian High Court and has advised well-known public figures facing allegations of corruption and fraud.

Poovayya & Co. has established itself as a disputes‑focused firm with a strong national footprint and increasing cross‑border visibility, advising on complex commercial, technology‑driven and insolvency‑linked disputes across Indian courts and international arbitral forums. The firm’s dispute resolution practice is anchored in Bengaluru and New Delhi and brings together a combination of constitutional litigation, commercial arbitration, white‑collar defence and restructuring‑related contentious work, frequently involving novel questions of law and regulatory interpretation

The team is engaged across the full lifecycle of disputes, including high‑stakes civil and commercial litigation before High Courts and the Supreme Court of India, domestic and international arbitration, and proceedings before specialist and regulatory forums. A notable strength lies in matters at the intersection of technology, free speech, intermediary liability and public law, an area in which the firm has been repeatedly instructed by global technology platforms in precedent‑setting litigation. These instructions span constitutional challenges, writ proceedings and public interest litigation, often involving questions of statutory interpretation under the Information Technology Act and the permissible scope of government takedown and blocking powers.

In the arbitration space, Poovayya & Co. is active in both domestic and international commercial disputes, with mandates spanning infrastructure, construction, real estate, technology, biotechnology and energy. The firm has acted in several large‑value arbitrations arising out of long‑term commercial arrangements, joint ventures and franchise agreements. Recent matters include representing a multinational technology company in a high‑value arbitration concerning termination and restitution arising from a delayed commercial real estate development, as well as advising manufacturing and EPC entities in disputes connected with infrastructure and solar power projects involving claims and counterclaims running into tens of millions of dollars. These proceedings frequently involve complex factual matrices, questions of waiver and implied contractual terms, and parallel regulatory or insolvency considerations.

The firm’s cross‑border credentials are further underscored by its involvement in multi‑jurisdictional disputes and insolvency‑linked litigation. A recent highlight saw the firm act on claims arising out of the collapse of a major Middle Eastern healthcare group, involving proceedings before the Abu Dhabi Global Market courts and the High Court of England & Wales alongside parallel litigation in India and other jurisdictions. The team also featured in international arbitrations seated outside India, including SIAC proceedings tied to joint venture breakdowns in the biotechnology sector, reflecting its ability to coordinate seamlessly with foreign counsel and manage disputes involving multiple governing laws and forums.

White‑collar and regulatory disputes form another important pillar of the practice. The firm routinely advises corporates and individuals in proceedings involving serious fraud allegations, regulatory investigations and politically sensitive matters, including challenges to investigative actions under company and criminal law statutes. These mandates often require a coordinated approach across criminal courts, High Courts and regulatory bodies, and are handled alongside related commercial and insolvency disputes where applicable. 

The disputes practice is led by a group of partners with complementary expertise. Manu Kulkarni plays a central role in constitutional, public law and technology‑related litigation, including challenges to government action affecting digital intermediaries and online platforms. Ankit Parhar, who leads the New Delhi disputes team, is particularly active in commercial litigation, arbitration and high‑profile technology and media disputes, including defamation and personality rights litigation, where the firm has successfully advanced arguments around jurisdiction, satire and intermediary liability. Dharmendra Chatur brings a strong focus on arbitration, insolvency‑related disputes and cross‑border litigation, and has been involved in complex international matters spanning multiple legal systems. They are supported by a growing bench of partners and senior lawyers across offices, allowing the firm to deploy lean but highly specialised teams on demanding matters.

Client feedback

“The firm offers good, sound and practical advice ensuring fast resolution.”

Ankit Agarwal

“He is prompt in responding with legal advice, his advice is legally sound, as well as practical with regards to business opportunities.”

ThinkLaw’s dispute resolution practice is centred on complex commercial disagreements that span litigation, arbitration, insolvency, regulatory proceedings and investigations. From its Mumbai base, the team regularly appears before the Supreme Court of India, multiple High Courts, and specialist tribunals, including the National Company Law Tribunal, Securities Appellate Tribunal and other sector‑specific fora.

The practice has continued to see steady activity over the past year, with a notable volume of shareholder and promoter‑related disputes before the NCLT, including oppression and mismanagement proceedings arising from breakdowns in family‑owned and closely held businesses. The team is also active in insolvency and enforcement proceedings involving stressed companies and lenders, representing stakeholders in insolvency resolution processes and related appellate work before the NCLAT and High Courts, as reflected in its regular engagement with company law forums in Mumbai and other jurisdictions.

Regulatory and securities litigation forms another important strand of the practice. Following the induction of Ragini Singh last year, the firm has handled disputes and enforcement‑related matters before SEBI‑linked bodies and the Securities Appellate Tribunal, acting for listed entities, intermediaries and market participants in proceedings involving alleged regulatory breaches and market conduct issues.

The team also remains active in both domestic and international arbitration, including disputes arising out of infrastructure, real estate and shareholder agreements, as well as cross‑border contractual arrangements governed by Indian law but seated overseas. Its arbitration work frequently runs alongside court proceedings under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, including applications relating to interim relief, appointment of tribunals and enforcement issues before Indian courts, aligning with prevailing jurisprudence from the Bombay High Court and Supreme Court on arbitral procedure.

White‑collar and investigation‑related work continues to form a meaningful component of the caseload. The practice advises on fraud allegations, economic offences and regulatory investigations, including matters involving digital evidence, forensic review and technology‑driven disputes. This capability dovetails with the firm’s technology and data practice, supporting contentious mandates linked to employee misconduct, data misuse, intellectual property and technology‑enabled commercial arrangements.

The practice is led by founder and managing partner Tushar Ajinkya, who remains closely involved in headline disputes and strategy. His work covers commercial litigation, insolvency and restructuring, shareholder disputes and arbitration, and he is frequently engaged at the pre‑litigation stage to shape dispute architecture and risk allocation. Supporting him is a growing bench of partners and senior lawyers, including Ragini Singh, who joined the firm in 2025 and brings a focus on securities litigation and regulatory proceedings before SEBI‑related bodies and appellate forums.

Trilegal has firmly positioned itself as one of India’s leading disputes practices, with a broad and increasingly sophisticated offering across international arbitration, public and constitutional litigation, construction and infrastructure disputes, and tax controversy. The firm is particularly well regarded for its ability to manage complex matters that unfold simultaneously across arbitral tribunals and domestic courts, often involving regulatory, insolvency, or constitutional dimensions. Recent work highlights Trilegal’s strength in navigating multi‑forum proceedings where procedural coordination and strategic sequencing are critical to protecting client interests.

In international arbitration and court‑connected proceedings, the disputes team has been closely involved in overseeing high‑value investor and commercial disputes, including proceedings seated offshore and before Indian courts. On tax and regulatory disputes, the partners are engaged in technically detailed challenges to indirect tax demands arising from complex commercial transactions, while the construction and infrastructure practice draws on partner‑level experience in managing arbitrations and related litigation arising from large‑scale engineering and power projects.

International arbitration remains a central pillar of Trilegal’s disputes practice, with the team frequently instructed on high‑value, cross‑border matters seated both in India and offshore. A notable recent mandate has seen Trilegal advising Cleantech and Hexis in arbitration proceedings arising from a commercial dispute with ARS Steels, alongside Section 9 petitions before the Madras High Court. The counterparty sought interim relief in the form of attachment before judgment, alleging potential dissipation of assets.  The Trilegal team successfully resisted these measures by demonstrating that Hexis was financially capable of meeting any potential adverse award and that there was no evidence of intent to obstruct enforcement. On this basis, the petitions were disposed of without any adverse orders, reinforcing established principles governing interim relief in support of arbitration and underscoring the evidentiary threshold required to justify protective measures.

The firm has also demonstrated its ability to drive commercially decisive outcomes in investor disputes. In a separate mandate, the firm represented India RF in a Singapore‑seated arbitration conducted under the SIAC Rules against an investee company and its promoters following a failed investment. The proceedings concluded with a negotiated settlement formalised through a consent award, resulting in a recovery exceeding 150 % of the initial investment on a claim valued at approximately INR 612 crores. The matter illustrates the firm’s effectiveness in leveraging arbitration strategically to secure efficient commercial recovery in complex, cross‑border disputes involving both corporate and individual respondents.

Beyond arbitration, Trilegal has built a strong profile in technology‑linked disputes, particularly where private law claims intersect with constitutional and regulatory questions. The firm acted for the Wikimedia Foundation in closely watched litigation initiated by ANI Media before the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court of India. The proceedings concern allegedly defamatory content published on Wikipedia and have traversed multiple judicial levels, including single‑judge and division bench proceedings as well as special leave petitions before the Supreme Court. The team played a central role in coordinating a multi‑forum litigation strategy that addresses not only defamation claims but also broader constitutional issues relating to freedom of expression and intermediary liability. Notably, the matter resulted in a significant Supreme Court judgment clarifying judicial limits on court‑ordered content takedowns, particularly in cases involving reporting on judicial proceedings. The team also assisted in devising a privacy‑preserving mechanism for service that protected the anonymity of platform users while maintaining procedural fairness. The matter remains ongoing and is widely regarded as having important implications for digital platforms and media organisations operating in India.

Construction and infrastructure disputes continue to form an important component of Trilegal’s contentious practice, with the firm regularly advising EPC contractors and subcontractors in arbitration proceedings arising from large‑scale power and infrastructure projects. Recent confidential mandates have involved claims relating to performance obligations, delay, termination, and payment disputes under complex engineering contracts, often running in parallel with insolvency‑related or property‑law proceedings before Indian courts and tribunals. While client identities and project details remain confidential, these matters reflect the firm’s experience in managing technically complex disputes involving overlapping questions of construction law, insolvency principles and arbitral jurisdiction, frequently across multiple fora.

The firm is also active in tax disputes, advising clients on challenges to indirect tax demands under India’s service tax and GST regimes. Recent work includes disputes concerning the classification of professional and commercial services and the availability of input tax credits, requiring detailed engagement with statutory interpretation and regulatory guidance. Although certain matters remain fully confidential, Trilegal’s tax controversy work highlights its ability to handle technically nuanced disputes with material financial exposure, often arising from broader commercial transactions and restructurings.

The dispute resolution practice is led by a deep bench of partners across offices, including Shankh Sengupta, Ashish Bhan, Nitesh Jain, Tine Abraham, Jafar Alam, Pallav Shukla, Siddharth Ranade, Anuj Berry, Vishrov Mukerjee, Milanka Chaudhury, Rajat Jariwal, Shalaka Patil, Mohit Rohatgi, Ketan Gaur, Sushmita Gandhi, and others, supported by an expanding cadre of counsel and senior associates promoted in recent years.

Client feedback

“The Delhi team was very prompt and efficient in work and technical aspects of law.” – Banking and financial services

“They are good with research and advisory.”– Government and regulatory

“The firm distinguished itself through clear communication and sound legal guidance. They safeguarded our position by advising on preventive measures, including the adoption of straightforward internal policies and the incorporation of appropriate contractual clauses, which helped us avoid potential notices and strengthen our compliance framework.” – Intellectual property

“The team was able to provide valuable advice based on Indian law to understand the implications of the options company has and also the pitfalls we should be worried about.” – Labour and employment

“Proactive, thorough and flexible” – Tax

Tine Abraham

“Excellent client management, great legal acumen and grasp on commercial wisdom as well.”

Kirti Balasumbramanian

“Her ability to grasp both the legal intricacies and the broader organizational dynamics allows her to provide advice that is not only technically sound but also strategically aligned with business realities. This balanced perspective makes her guidance highly practical and impactful in safeguarding our interests while supporting long‑term corporate objectives.” 

Sushmita Gandhi

“Ms. Gandhi is quite upfront and clear in her advice to the clients. She has never said no to any task and has been instrumental in getting favourable orders in litigations. She has been quite good at blending commercial with legal so as to ensure that the interests of the client are safeguarded.”

 Nitesh Jain

“He is excellent with strategy and scenario planning”

 Charandeep Kaur

“Charandeep is always accessible and able to provide the right lawyers for the work in quick time. As a relationship partner, she understands our company and its requirements well and helps to meet deadlines and the budget.”

 Jaideep Reddy

“Jaideep is a skilled dispute resolution lawyer known for his sharp analytical ability, strategic thinking, and calm, solution-oriented approach. His strong communication skills, ethical standards, and commitment to client service further enhance his reputation as a dependable and competent dispute resolution professional.”