ABOUT THE FIRM
Alpha Partners (“Firm”) is a premier full-service law firm headquartered in New Delhi with additional office in Bengaluru. The Firm is the result of merger of two law firms, namely Alpha Partners and Chambers of Rajan and Indraneel.
The Firm specializes in advising and representing large foreign and domestic corporations with diverse business interests in India. The Firm has been set up for providing corporate, commercial legal advisory as a service, by lawyers with rich experience in their respective fields of practice. Primarily, the Firm assists Indian companies in fund raise (private), inorganic expansion and growth through M&A, Corporate restructuring, insolvency, contract and compliance management and assists foreign companies in setting up or doing business in India, undertaking cross border transactions and works with foreign law firms in advising their clients for Indian laws
The Firm has also established itself firmly in dispute resolution practice where it advises and represents its clients for various commercial disputes resolution through arbitration, mediation, litigation, employment law disputes, regulatory litigation, white collar and cybercrimes and advise on international arbitration as well as represent clients in corporate disputes, shareholder disputes and liquidation and insolvency.
Akshat Vikram Pande, Co-Founder & Managing Partner E: akshat@alpha-partners.org
Rajan D Gupta, Co-Founder & Managing Partner E: rajan@alpha-partners.org
Vinita Sahitya, Partner (CorporateM&A) E: vinita@alpha-partners.org
Sumit Roy, Partner (Disputes) E: sumit@alpha-partners.org
Gaurav Singh, Partner (Disputes) E: gaurav@alpha-partners.org
Practice Areas
- Corporate,M&A
- Commercial advisory and contracts
- Private Equity, Venture Capital & Funds
- Insolvency & Restructuring
- Employment Laws and Industrial Relations
- Infrastructure (Energy, Highway, Road, Railways)
- Project Finance & Banking Laws
- Real Estate and Construction
- CompetitionLaw&Anti-Trust
- International Trade Laws & WTO
- Food laws, legal metrology, product liability & consumer litigation (Defense)
- IntellectualProperty
- Taxation – Direct & Indirect
- Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Arbitration, White Collar Crimes.
Sectors in Focus
▪ Real estate and infrastructure
▪ Retail, food, FMCG
▪ Technology, E-commerce and ITES ▪ Entertainment
▪ Hospitality
▪ Health care and pharmaceuticals
▪ Franchise and trading
▪ Manufacturing
Awards and Rankings *
- Awarded the best start up law firm of the year in 2015 by IDEX Legal
- Ranked as a recommended law firm by Legal 500 in 2016 for its corporate and dispute resolution practices
- Ranked as one of the top 10 Most Promising Legal Consultants by Consultant Review
- Ranked as a Rising Star by India Business Law Journal in 2018
- Recognized by IFLR1000 for 2019 edition for M&A and private equity practice areas
- Listed as ‘Top Law Firm’ in ‘Corporate and Commercial’ practice areas in the ‘Below 10 years’ category for 2020-21
*listings and rankings were awarded to Alpha Partners, one of the merging firms
Corporate M&A, transactions (Non-Contentions)
TRANSACTION SUPPORT
Types of transactions
- Fund raise in seed/angel to series rounds (PE/VC)
- Acquisitions and mergers (incl pre-packs)
- Joint ventures
- Business and asset acquisition
- Demerger and corporate restructuring
• Documentation
• Due diligence
• Structuring Advisory
• Compliance management
SETTING UP IN INDIA
- Entry advisory under exchange control laws and structuring
- Incorporation services
- Tax advisory related to setting up business in India:
- Template agreements
- Regulatory licenses and registrations
- Employment laws
- Office/factory
- IPR filing and prosecution
EMPLOYMENT LAW ADVISORY
COMPETITION LAW AND ANTITRUST
REGULATORY SERVICES
GENERAL CORPORATE AND COMMERCIAL ADVISORY
- Contract drafting and management
- General corporate, exchange control and commercial legal advisory
- Akshat Vikram Pande, Co-Founder & Managing Partner E: akshat@alpha-partners.org
- Vinita Sahitya, Partner (Corporate M&A) E: vinita@alpha-partners.org
- Rajan D Gupta, Co-Founder & Managing Partner E: rajan@alpha-partners.org
- Richa Hingle, Senior (Corporate M&A) E: richa.hingle@alpha-partners.org
- Richa Bhagat, Senior (Corporate M&A) E: richa.bhagat@alpha-partners.org
- Tanushree Bose, Senior Associate (Corporate M&A) E: tanushree@alpha-partners.org
Litigation & Arbitration (incl. Corporate Contentions)
- Pre-litigation strategy
- Legal Notices Specific types of matters handled by the Firm
- Arbitration and Conciliation
- White Collar & Cyber Crimes
- Consumer defence
- Regulatory litigation under Food laws, exchange control laws, legal metrology, money laundering
- Intellectual property (enforcement and infringement proceedings)
- Employment law (litigation and regulatory proceedings)
- Civil Cases:
- Suit for injunction; suit for specific performance; suit for recovery.
- Representing clients before the District Court, High Court, specialised Tribunals and Supreme Court of India.
- Drafting of demand legal notices, plaints, written statements, rejoinders and evidence by way of affidavits.
- Drafting and representing clients in necessary applications, for temporary injunction, notice for discovery, rejection of plaint, judgment on admission.
- Representing clients in framing of issues, admission denial of documents and final arguments.
Corporate Contentious:
- Shareholder disputes, management disputes, minority rights, insolvency and bankruptcy claim and defence.
- Representing clients before Tribunals, Appellate Tribunals and before Supreme Court.
- Tribunal led M&A and corporate restructuring.
- Insolvency and liquidation proceedings.
Rajan D Gupta, Co-Founder & Managing Partner E: rajan@alpha-partners.org
Sumit Roy, Partner (Disputes) E: sumit@alpha-partners.org
Gaurav Singh, Partner (Disputes) E: gaurav@alpha-partners.org
Real Estate & Construction
Due Diligence Services
- Undertaking due diligence of various types of properties: Services include verification of ownership, title, rights, interest or lease rights and extent of such rights, adequacy and validity of registrations, approvals, licenses, encumbrance status (verifiable from public records), statutory dues, litigation and dispute searches (verifiable from public records).
Transaction Services
- Drafting, negotiation and closing of real estate transaction documents such as sale deeds, conveyance deeds, lease deeds, leave and license agreements, development agreements, joint development agreements, O&M and similar service and management agreements.
- Corporate structuring, restructuring, joint venture, investments (private equity), exits having real estate as primary asset.
- Advising lenders and financial institutions in relation to the real estate financing transactions including advice on creation of charge/mortgage on immovable properties and drafting and negotiation of mortgage deeds, memorandum of entry, security documents and loan agreements.
- Drafting standard form agreements such as agreement to sell, builder buyer agreements, lease agreements, leave and license agreements, construction contracts, EPC contracts, project management and project development contracts.
- Drafting, negotiation and closing of construction service agreements, RFP’s, bid documents for calling bids for selection of various service providers such as architects, engineers, advisors, environmental advisors and consultants, service agreements.
Real Estate Regulatory Services
- Advising and assisting in relation to procurement of project specific registrations, approvals, licenses, clearances for residential and commercial real estate projects.
- Advising clients in relation to various real estate specific laws including Land Acquisition Act, Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, REITS, SEBI – CIS, Consumer Protection Act.
Akshat Vikram Pande, Co-Founder & Managing Partner E: akshat@alpha-partners.org
Vinita Sahitya, Partner (Corporate M&A) E: vinita@alpha-partners.org
Richa Hingle, Senior Associate (Corporate M&A) E: richa.hingle@alpha-partners.org
Richa Bhagat, Senior Associate (Corporate M&A) E: richa.bhagat@alpha-partners.org
Tanushree Bose, Senior Associate (Corporate M&A) E: tanushree@alpha-partners.org
Taxation (Domestic and International)
- Comprehensive advice on tax matters & tax planning
- Advising clients on tax effective compensation structuring for their employees
- Preparation, review and filing of corporate and non-corporate returns and e-returns and withholding tax compliances
- Representation before Income Tax Authorities, judicial authorities in assessments and appeals
- Assistance in availing exemption certificates and approvals
- Conducting tax compliance review, identification of risks, planning opportunities and compliance requirements in relation to direct tax laws
Domestic Tax Services
Transfer Pricing
- Design and planning of related party transactions and arrangements
- Assistance with documentation requirements to support the planning and positions adopted including preparation of Transfer Pricing Studies
- Advice on tax-effective supply chain models
- Controversy management, including representation for audits, litigation support and assistance with competent authority negotiations
- Evaluation of seeking Advance Pricing Agreements
- Preparation of Statutory Transfer Pricing Certifications for filing to Corporate Income Tax Authorities
Corporate Income Tax Service
- Corporate Income Tax Advisory and Consulting services, Tax Planning and Compliances, Tax Structuring for EPC Contracts – pre bid stage
- Advance Tax computations and remittances to Government Treasury
- Preparation and Filing of Corporate Income Tax Returns for all international business set ups such as Foreign Subsidiary, Branch Office, Liaison Office & Project Office in India
- Representation before all levels of Income Tax Authorities including Appellate Authorities
- Litigation Services , Preparation and Filing of Appeals
- Pre Determination of Concessional Withholding Tax Rates
- Filing and Obtaining Statutory Tax Registrations such as Permanent Account Number (PAN), Tax Withholding Number (TAN).
International Tax Services
- Advisory on cross border transactions and tax structuring advisory on M&A transactions, advisory on applicability/ availability of tax benefits under SEZ Policy, EOU & Domestic Tax Laws
- Advisory on availability/ applicability of tax benefits under the CEPA and FTA’s signed by India with other Countries
- Advisory on Corporate Tax including Withholding Tax & Personal Income Tax Matters under the Domestic Income Tax Act and Tax Treaties considering the Action plan as set out in BEPS project
- Evaluation of tax treaties to examine taxability and availability of tax treaty relief post adoption/ implementation of MLI.
- Representation before Appellate Authorities in T ax Assessments and Appeals
- Obtaining Advance Rulings from Authority of Advance Rulings & Obtaining Concessional Withholding Tax Determinations
- Assistance in preparation and filing of Withholding Personal Income Tax & Corporate Income Tax Returns
- Managing State Level Taxes/Compliances
- Foreign Asset Disclosures for Expatriates Working in India
- Advisory on Advance Pricing Arrangements for International Transactions
- Payroll Structuring including Global Salary and Tax Compliances for Expatriates including Income Tax Clearances Certificates at time of relocation from India
Rajan D Gupta, Co-Founder & Managing Partner E: rajan@alpha-partners.org
Vinita Sahitya, Partner (Corporate M&A) E: vinita@alpha-partners.org
Infrastructure & Project Finance
Infrastructure
- Advising clients for infrastructure projects such as road, rail, Tunnels, urban water, airports, entertainment infrastructure.
- Drafting, review and negotiations of RFP’s, RFQ’s, concession agreements, PPP agreements, representing clients in pre-bid meetings with authorities, drafting of bid documents and submissions.
- Structuring and formation of Joint ventures/Consortiums.
- Drafting and negotiations of agreements and other documents for Joint ventures/Consortiums, EPC Contracts, Sub-Contracts, Offshore & Onshore Supplies, etc.
- Advising and handling of claims and counter-claims.
- Disputes arising out of projects execution.
Project Finance
- Due Diligence of projects and assets.
- Advising on legal, regulatory and tax implications of transactions.
- Structuring of transactions.
- Drafting and negotiations of financing agreements, inter-creditor arrangements and trust retention agreements, project finance documents, securitization, etc.
- Assistance in Closing of transactions.
Rajan D Gupta, Co-Founder & Managing Partner E: rajan@alpha-partners.org
Vinita Sahitya, Partner (Corporate M&A) E: vinita@alpha-partners.org
Richa Bhagat, Senior (Corporate M&A) E: richa.bhagat@alpha-partners.org
Tanushree Bose, Senior Associate (Corporate M&A) E: tanushree@alpha-partners.org
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Memberships
- IAG Global – Network of law firms across 67 jurisdictions
- Inter Pacific Bar Association
- International Bar Association
- Eurojuris
Country Focus
- Japan Business Desk
- Europe
- Best friend collaboration with European law firm Bajer & Bajerova Advokati, s.r.o. headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic www.akbajerovi.cz
- Working relation with a number of European law firms for corporate M&A, litigation in India and advisory.
- South-East Asia
- Best friend collaboration with Southeast Asian country law firm, ALB & Partners headquartered in Vietnam.
- Working relation with a number of Asian law firms for corporate M&A, litigation in India and advisory.
