Competition & Anti-Trust Law
The Firm has one of the largest competition law practices in India with over 20 years of experience under the modernized competition regime in India. We were one of the first firms to identify this new area of law and set up a dedicated practice in the year 2003.
The team advises on the full bouquet of antitrust and competition issues, including competition investigations, litigation, compliance, advisory, merger control, and structured numerous transactions relating to acquisitions, mergers, and amalgamations. We represent clients before the Competition Commission of India (CCI), the Competition Appellate Tribunal, the High Court, and the Supreme Court of India.
The Firm has been involved in a large majority of behavioural investigations conducted by the CCI and has conducted compliance programs and antitrust risk assessments for various organizations across sectors.
Since as early as 2004, the Firm has been working closely with the CCI to establish a robust, yet practicable, antitrust regime in India.
Our Partners:
New Delhi
Arjun Nihal Singh
New Delhi
OVERVIEW
Arjun deals with intricate and complicated competition issues and assists in rendering strategic solutions in terms of the Indian Competition Law including the use of economic theory to put forth arguments before the Competition Commission of India (CCI), the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) and the Supreme Court of India (SC), in addition to making merger filings before the CCI.
He has been involved in numerous high-profile merger transactions, contentious litigations across multiple industries, including fast moving consumer goods, steel, cement, tyre, broadcasting, real estate, auto- parts, agro- chemicals to name a few. He has also represented some of the largest international corporations in cartel and abuse of dominance investigations. He regularly advises clients on comprehensive competition compliance programs and helps train top-management of companies so that they are in compliance of competition laws of the country and has specific experience in preparing clients for ‘dawn raids’.
He is a regular contributor to various international and Indian journals and his articles have appeared in various peer-reviewed journals including in publications of the American Bar Association.
He has been recognised by Legal500 in the competition/ anti- trust space and clients say ‘Arjun Nihal Singh provides excellent support to the practice with great subject knowledge. He is always accessible and available for discussion on strategy.’
New Delhi
G.R. Bhatia
New Delhi
OVERVIEW
Mr. G. R. Bhatia is a Partner in the Competition Law practice area at the firm. A former Additional Director General of the CCI and the erstwhile Monopolies & Restrictive Trade Practices Commission, he underwent intensive training in ‘Anti-monopoly Laws in Japan’ organized by the Japan Fair Trade Commission and has also attended training program on ‘Unilateral Conducts and Cartelisation’ organized by the Korean Fair Trade Commission in Seoul. He was also associated with the amendments which were made to the Competition Act in 2007, and spearheaded the Luthra and Luthra Law Offices India team that advised the FTC and the DoJ in aligning the U.S. antitrust internal reference materials with Indian laws and circumstances.
In recognition of his in-depth experience in the field of competition law, Mr. Bhatia was appointed by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India, as an Expert on the National Committee on Competition Policy.
Prior to his stint at the MRTPC, Mr. Bhatia also served as the Registrar of Companies and the Official Liquidator of Patna High Court. Mr. Bhatia is a faculty with the Indian Institute of Chartered Accountants and Indian Institute of Management for competition law and policy.
He is Consulting Editor of Manupatra Competition Law Reports and also a Member of Editorial Board of Chartered Secretary. He contributes articles regularly on Corporate and Competition law issues.
Mr. Bhatia represents and appears before the CCI and the Competition Appellate Tribunal (COMPAT) on competition issues. He is an Ombudsman for several German majors on issues relating to anti-competitive and anti-corruption in the Indian jurisdiction. He has appeared as a Competition Law Expert in various courts including the London Court of International Arbitration.
Mr. Bhatia has been consistently ranked as ‘Distinguished Practitioner’ by asialaw (2023-24/2022-23), 'Leading Individual' for Antitrust and Competition Practice by Legal500 Annual Research 2023, ‘Highly Regarded’ by asialaw (2016-2020), ‘India’s Top 100 Lawyers’ by India Business Law Journal’s A-list and as ‘Top Tier Lawyer’ by in Competition/Antitrust by Chambers and Partners (2012-2019).
SELECT REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS/MATTERS
Abuse of Dominance and Anti-Competitive Agreements
- Represented and defended Jaiprakash Associates Limited one of the largest real estate developers in an abuse of dominance inquiry before the Commission.
- Represented one of the leading real estate developers in India before the Supreme Court on matters pertaining to abuse of dominance.
- Represented Flipkart - India’s leading e-Commerce organization with respect to competition complaints relating to online sales.
Cartel Investigation & Leniency Matters
- Representing Jet Airways before the CCI in respect of competition concerns emanating from dynamic pricing of airline tickets.
- Represented one of the world’s leading airline groups in an enquiry before the CCI on matters pertaining to the adoption of a zero commission policy by airline operators.
- Represented one of the world’s largest tyre manufacturers as well as the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association in a cartel investigation before the CCI.