OVERVIEW

Akshit Kapoor has extensive experience in areas of Real Estate laws, Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Client and Family Office Practice, Banking and Finance Sector, PE Investments, Insolvency and Bankruptcy and Corporate Restructuring.

Akshit has represented and advised both Indian and International clients on general corporate matters, M&A, joint ventures and commercial contracts across various business sectors like health care, automobile, telecom, consumer goods sector etc.

Akshit has closely collaborated with a wide range of international and domestic corporations, advising them on their business operations in both India and abroad. His expertise encompasses providing general commercial guidance, handling mergers & acquisitions, private equity matters, corporate restructuring, joint ventures, fundraising activities, and drafting commercial contracts, among other areas.

As being part of the Firm’s real estate practice, Mr. Kapoor has advised some of the largest real estate companies in India and has been involved in advising numerous international clients for their projects in India.

Akshit has represented and advised HNIs and HNFs, business owners, family offices, corporate fiduciaries as well as charitable and not for profit entities on restructuring, creation of trusts and wills, migration of residency and change in citizenship.

Akshit possesses a profound grasp of the intricate commercial and legal intricacies surrounding land ownership, land acquisition, land use and conversion, regulatory and approval matters, foreign investments, and more. Additionally, Akshit offers valuable counsel on real estate financing, playing a pivotal role in structuring and drafting documentation for real estate mortgages, trust deeds, sales contracts, and various financing transactions.

As part of the Firm’s insolvency and bankruptcy practice, Akshit has gone on to advise clients on exit strategies, refinancing, debt restructuring, distressed sale etc. Akshit specializes in representing distressed funds, bidders/resolution applicants, lenders / Committee of Creditors, and insolvency professionals in the context of restructurings, insolvency resolution processes, and liquidations governed by the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.

Akshit excels in helping clients strategize and navigate complex transactions by offering guidance on structuring and negotiation.

OVERVIEW

Girish Rawat is a qualified lawyer and company secretary with close to 15 years of experience. He is a member of the Supreme Court Bar Association. Girish has been involved in numerous complex and high-profile transactions. Girish advises across several sectors, including real estate, projects, infrastructure, hospitality, technology, manufacturing among others.

Girish focuses on banking, finance and restructuring, including structured finance, cross border lending, hybrid debt financing, project finance, acquisition finance, real estate finance as well as restructuring and security enforcement assignments, and the corporate insolvency resolution process.
He actively advises clients on various investment and financing transactions, including bond/ debt securities, both listed and unlisted, buyback of listed securities. He also advises clients on their investment and disinvestment strategies as well as takeover of the listed companies.

Girish has been recognized “40 Under 40 Rising Star” by Legal Era and as “Leading Lawyer” in “Financial and Corporate” by IFLR 1000 since 2017. He has been consistently recommended for his work in the practice areas of “Banking & Finance”, “Corporate and M&A”, “Capital Markets”, “Project Finance” and “Real Estate & Construction” by Legal 500, Chambers and Partners and Asia Law Profiles. He has also been named the “Finance Lawyer of the Year- India” at the Finance Monthly Global Awards 2012 and the “Finance Lawyer of the Year – India” at Corporate Live Wire 2013 edition. Prior to joining Luthra and Luthra Law Offices India, Girish has worked as Partner with Dhir & Dhir Associates for 13 years.

SELECT REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS/MATTERS

1. Banking and Finance:
   • Advised Power Finance Corporation Limited in availing external commercial borrowing to the extent of INR 2340 Crore (US$ 360 Million) from State Bank of India, Hong Kong Branch. The transaction involved interalia advising the client on various regulatory aspects governing the said borrowing transaction and negotiating the financing documents with the counter party and also to cover the foreign currency risk by entering into hedging contract.
2. Projects and Infrastructure:
   • Advised GRT Jewelers Private Limited on setting up of solar power project with total capacity of 25 MW at various locations in the State of Karnataka. The Firm advised and assisted GRT on the matters pertaining to acquisition of the land for the said project. The scope inter-alia included structuring the acquisition of project land through KREDL, drafting of documentation/ agreement between the land owners, KREDL and GRT and conducting due diligence on the land measuring 100 acres in the State of Karnataka, drafting of turnkey EPC contract along with general conditions of contracts and special conditions of contract for construction, supply, services and operations.
3. Project Finance:
   • Acted as the Lenders’ Legal Counsel to the consortium of lenders comprising of Power Finance Corporation Limited, Rural Electrification Corporation Limited and Bank of India, led by Power Finance Corporation Limited for the financial assistance of INR 3772 Crore to Western UP Power Transmission Company Limited for part financing the cost of setting up the transmission lines in the Western Uttar Pradesh from Mainpuri – Hapur, Mainpuri- Greater Noida and Noida – Hapur Line.
4. Real Estate:
   • Advised Landmark Infracon Private Limited on acquiring land parcel of 39.0083 acres, situated in the revenue estate of Village Rajokri, Sub-Division, Vasant Vihar, District North West, Delhi. The scope inter-alia included drafting of title due diligence report, inspection/ verification of various documents and advising over legal issues regarding the title search over the 39.0083 acres, situated in the revenue estate of Village Rajokri, Sub-Division Vasant Vihar, District North West, Delhi.
5. Capital Markets:
   • Acted as the sole legal counsel to the public issue of tax free bonds in the nature of secured redeemable non-convertible debentures aggregating to INR 5,000 Crore by Housing and Urban Development Company Limited.

OVERVIEW

Harry Chawla has extensive experience in the areas of Banking & Finance, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Real Estate. Harry has advised clients in the banking and financial services sector, real estate sector as well as the hospitality, health care, automobile, aviation, telecom, IT, ITES, consumer goods sectors.

He has represented some of the largest players in the Indian real estate market, including several Indian companies as well as foreign investors. He has also assisted the Government of India as well as State Government(s) in the drafting of legislations in this sector.

Harry has worked closely with a large number of international and domestic corporations with respect to their business in India and abroad, in the areas of general commercial advice, mergers & acquisitions, private equity, corporate restructuring, joint ventures, fund raising and commercial contracts, etc.

He has advised and represented clients on issues pertaining to corporate finance (both domestic and cross border), debt restructuring and refinancing, securitization, acquisition finance, structured finance, bonds and similar instruments. He has acted for both lenders and borrowers and been involved in complex transactions involving multiple lenders across jurisdictions.

He has also participated in the evolution and formulation process of business strategies with several clients, vis-à-vis their new ventures and business initiatives and has advised in establishing, operationalizing and implementing such business strategies of the clients. He has also advised several clients on strategizing in dispute resolution, negotiation and settlement etc.

RECOGNITION

• Ranked in India Business Law Journal’s A-list of Top 100 lawyers in 2020 and 2022-23.
• Recognized as the Real Estate Lawyer of the Year at the 12th Legal Era Awards, 2022-23.
• Awarded Corporate Law Firm of the Year – 2022 and Real Estate Law Firm of the Year – 2020 by Global Law Experts.
• Awarded Real Estate Law Expert of the Year 2022 by The Lawyer Network.
• Awarded Leading Legal Mind in Corporate Finance (India) by APAC Legal Awards 2020.
• Awarded M&A and Banking Finance Law Firm of the Year in India by 2020 Corporate INTL Global Awards.

OVERVIEW

Maureen Z. Ralte is a Partner in the M&A and Corporate Practice of the Firm. She has over 15 years’ experience in mergers & acquisitions, private equity, real estate and general corporate advisory. She has worked on a wide variety of corporate transactions across sectors including real estate, hospitality, automobile, renewable energy, banking & finance, tourism, entertainment, marketing, information technology, etc.

She has represented domestic and multinational companies in the negotiation, structuring, preparation and review of transaction documents, in the areas of general commercial advice, mergers & acquisitions, private equity, corporate restructuring, insolvency, joint ventures/ collaborations, fund raising and commercial contracts. She has advised clients on issues relating to general corporate compliances, corporate governance issues, real estate and exchange control laws.

Maureen has worked closely with the in-house departments of leading corporate houses and routinely advises them on complex legal issues.

OVERVIEW

Vaibhav Suri is a Partner in the Real Estate practice at the Firm with more than ten years of experience. Vaibhav is a transactional lawyer and has rendered advisory and legal assistance in the field of real estate and property laws and associated regulatory works to a host of on-shore and off-shore real estate developers / investors / high net-worth individuals etc.

Vaibhav is experienced in real estate transactions and projects of acquisition, development, investment structuring, sale, leasing, collaboration and construction contracts on a pan India basis. He has in-depth understanding of multi-state issues pertaining to ownership, leasing, documentation, stamping and registration of documents, permitted usage of the properties, regulatory and approval issues in the multi-state scenario in India.

His expertise includes property due diligence /title verification on a pan India basis, structuring of real estate transactions; drafting of transaction documents including joint venture agreement, development agreements, agreements to sell, sale deeds, lease deeds, settlement agreements, leave and license agreements and all such real estate related documents; and negotiations to ensure adequate safeguards in consonance with clients’ business objectives and commercial understanding between the parties.

His clients have included companies such as Godrej Properties Limited, Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited, ATS Infrastructures Limited, Anant Raj Industries Limited, Soma New Towns Private Limited, HDFC Bank Limited, CapitaLand Limited, Blackstone Real Estate Partners etc.

SELECT REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS/MATTERS

• Advised Godrej Properties Limited in its joint venture investment in three group housing projects on lands admeasuring 48 acres in Gurgaon, Haryana. The work involved land due diligence encompassing comprehensive evaluation and analysis from the perspective of complex title, zoning, available FSI, protected monuments and forest which could have restrictive implications on construction development all in synergy with the governing State laws. The Firm also assisted Godrej Properties Limited in the transaction structuring, drafting and negotiating the joint development agreement and other transaction documents.
• Advised SkyPower Services ULC, Canada, one of the largest companies in the renewable energy sector and having presence across India. Advised on structuring the acquisition of ~ 2,000 acres on purchase / lease basis and undertook comprehensive title verification of the lands, advised on local land laws & issues including land ceiling laws, conversion, and prior permissions from revenue authorities. Navigated the client through all title issues / red flags, advised and assisted in obtaining local permissions and in documentation.
• Advised the USG towards the sale of the “Washington House” situated at a prime location in Mumbai, Maharashtra for a significant consideration (USD 62 Million approximately) to Lodha Developers Limited.
• Advised Cyber Pearl Information Technology Park Private Limited (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ascendas India Trust) in acquisition of 100% stake in Ascendas IT SEZ (Chennai) Private Limited (CyberVale) from Ascendas Land International Pte. Ltd, entailing detailed legal due diligence on the property and extensive advise of local stamp duty and regulatory laws prevalent in Chennai.
• Advised Blackstone Real Estate Partners in their real estate transaction worth over USD 250 million involving comprehensive land due diligence of the properties at Gurgaon, Pune, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Mohali, Hadapsar, Noida and Ghaziabad encompassing issues like title, permissive usage as per the zoning regulations, encumbrances, compliance of local laws and enactments towards the proposed development at the properties.

RECOGNITION

Vaibhav has been recognised as 'Top 10 Influential Real Estate Lawyers’ by Business Today, ‘Notable Practitioner’ in the 2023/24 edition of asialaw, 'Top Individual Lawyer' for Real Estate & Construction Practice in the Legal Powerlist 2021 by Forbes India and has also been recognised by Chambers and Partners 2023.

OVERVIEW

Varun comes with over a decade of experience in M&A, Private Equity and General Corporate Advisory. Varun’s involvement in various transactions help both the investors as well as the target company navigate a very uncertain regulatory environment and close large investment rounds. He has played instrumental role in bringing clarity on certain grey areas of the regulatory framework, for instance, surrounding restructuring of such ECB Loans. His insights and legal advisory on transactions in relation to private acquisitions of assets during ongoing insolvency of the asset owner’s group companies has been incredible.

Varun’s approach towards solving client’s problem is one of his strongest forte. He brings solution-oriented mind set to the table, helping client navigate the transactions in the most reasonable and timely manner and simultaneously VARUN VAISH Partner v.vaish@demosite.finlabsindia.org Delhi creating space for his team to learn, adapt and grow into an even better professional.

SELECT REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS/MATTERS

• Advised Apollo Hospitals in its INR 450 Crore hospital asset acquisition in Gurugram, Haryana.
• Advised a leading real estate company on the resolution and eventual acquisition of a landowning company owning 110 Acres of land valued at over USD 140.5 Million under the Pre-packaged insolvency regime.
• Advised M3M India Private Limited (M3M) on INR 900 Crore Debt infusion by Oaktree Capital through subscription to NCDs.
• Advised a leading real estate company on its acquisition of real estate assets valued at USD 40.6 Million from Indiabulls Housing Finance.
• Advised IFFCO and reviewed financing documentations and corresponding amendments thereto, arising out of the restructuring of the credit facilities amounting to USD 850 Million availed of by IFFCO’s foreign subsidiary i.e. Jordan India Fertilizer Company.
• Advised on USD 20 Million External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) by Kunshan Q Tech Microelectronics (India) Private (QTech) Limited.
• Advised QTech on USD 13.5 Million purchase of Havells Land in Greater Noida.

RECOGNITION

• Varun has been recognized as one of the ‘Top 100 Lawyers’ (below 10 years) experience in Forbes Legal India Powerlist 2022.