Founded in 1911, Khaitan & Co is one of the India’s oldest full service law firms, which combines a rich heritage of over a hundred years with modern, cutting-edge and solution-oriented legal practice that offers full service legal solutions to its domestic and international clients. The firm has a strength of over 540 fee earners, including more than a 110 Partners and Directors across its various offices. It is also recognised globally as a leading Indian law firm.
Khaitan & Co being a full-service law firm, offers specialized advisory services to clients across all major practice areas including Banking and Finance, Capital Markets, Competition /Antitrust, Corporate and Commercial, M&A, Dispute Resolution, Energy, Infrastructure and Resources, Environment Law, Private Clients, Funds, Hospitality, Intellectual Property, Labour and Employment, Real Estate, Taxation, Technology, Media and Telecom and White Collar Crime. The firm’s lawyers are widely regarded as much sought-after experts in their respective domains and bring a commercial and pragmatic approach to the practice of law in addition to rigorous legal analysis.
The Rich Heritage and Legacy
Khaitan & Co was founded in Kolkata by Late Mr Debi Prasad Khaitan, who went on to become a member of the Constituent Assembly (which framed the Constitution of India). He was subsequently joined by his brothers, Late Mr Lakshmi Prasad Khaitan and Late Mr Bhagwati Prasad Khaitan in establishing the firm and managing it.
Mr DP Khaitan started the firm to serve the purpose of representing the Indian business community in Kolkata during the pre-independence era as there were not many lawyers representing the Indian business community during those days. A majority of the law firms existing during that era would represent only British clients and hence, Khaitan & Co was set up to cater to the needs of a growing Indian business and mercantile community. The firm then gradually expanded their offices in Delhi (1970), Bengaluru (1994) and Mumbai (2001) in response to its clients’ needs as also the business opportunities offered by the post-liberalisation Indian economy.
Over the years, the firm has grown both organically and inorganically and is a professionally-run law firm that does not have the concept of a Managing Partner. The firm is managed by an Executive Committee (EC), elected by the partners of the firm. The EC comprises of partners and senior management professionals that oversee and manage the company’s strategy and operational functioning. With expertise in commercial & corporate / M&A laws, Mr. Haigreve Khaitan serves as one of the senior Partners of the firm and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee.
Accolades and Attainment of Success
Khaitan & Co has advised several Indian and International clients on noteworthy transactions across practice areas and sectors and has won some of the most prestigious national and international awards regularly over the years; it has also been ranked as a top tier firm across various leading international and Indian law firm directories, rankings and publications.
Some of the more recent awards and recognitions are Law Firm of the Year – India and Law Firm of the Year – South Asia, Asia law Asia-Pacific Legal Practice Awards 2017, India Deal Firm of the Year – Asian Legal Business (ALB) SE Asia Law Awards 2017, Law Firm of the Year and M&A Law firm of the Year – IDEX Legal awards 2017, Law Firm of the Year – Indian Business Law Journal – Indian Law Firm awards 2016, and Tier I Indian law firm – Corporate & M&A and Capital Markets – IFLR 1000 2017. A few of the Client Testimonials that highlight the firm’s innovative legal advice on complex transactions include:
“Outstanding pan-India firm highly regarded for its capacity to handle high-profile transactions on behalf of international private equity firms, investors and funds. Advises on the full range of corporate mandates includes M&A, joint ventures, pre-IPO placements, public takeover offers and corporate restructuring. Impressive track record represents clients in the defence, insurance, e-commerce and pharmaceutical sectors.”
“Khaitan & Co is very professional and deeply committed to ethics and integrity. Khaitan & Co’s corporate team delivers value for money and timely and quick responses to their clients.”
“Khaitan & Co has impressive expertise across a number of practice areas. Its corporate M&A practice in particular received a lot of compliments, as one client says: “The team has deep knowledge and provides strong support in providing solutions.” And another client adds, “Khaitan will deal with matters promptly and efficiently. They will always seek to give our clients sound commercial advice.”
Contribution to the Legal Industry of the Nation
Khaitan & Co has made a huge contribution towards the creation of the current mature legal market immediately after the liberalisation of the Indian economy. The firm has also partnered directly with the Government and Industry bodies and played a key role in drafting and advising on new laws and regulations, coming up with recommendations on various Government regulatory initiatives. It has been a part of the many committees drafting legal policies or frameworks. It has also been active in framing Constitutional law matters before the Supreme Court of India and various High Courts from time to time, for both individual and corporate clients.
The firm endeavours to provide all its clients with relevant, commercial and holistic advice to allow them to achieve their objectives in a legally robust and practical manner. This is achieved by developing deep industry knowledge and expertise which allows for a more meaningful and valuable advisory relationship between the firm and its clients.
Khaitan & Co: The Foremost Expert in the Practice of Law
