Subsequent to the unlocking of Indian economy, through the reforms of 1991 onwards, it is one amongst the leading economies of the world and, despite various odds, finds place in the few economies which are looked up to by the world in general. Unleashing of the potential of the economy has made Indian economy a very dynamic and vibrant one. Suddenly, the legal profession has not only been discovered as a newfound necessity, in growing the size of the business and its diversification, but it has also gained tremendous respect.
This growing importance for the field of law has been substantially accentuated by the forces of the new economy which are leveraged on High Tech industries based on the latest advancements in digital computing. Unlike in the past, niche boutique law firms, specializing in the entire in-depth intricacies of specific limbs of law, are the need of the day. Bright amongst them stands KK Sharma Law Offices (‘KKSLO’/‘Firm’), established in 2012, based out of New Delhi, specializing in Competition Law, Tax, Regulations and Government Relations. These specialized areas being its focus does not mean that it disappoints the clients when they have got some other pressing matters. It does do handholding in such situations to optimize assistance to the clients.
Top Notch Legal Advice
Not only KKSLO has been instrumental in getting huge penalties imposed for the violations of law but at the same time, it has also provided a safety net for its clients against the allegations of competition law violations by over-zealous competitors or unscrupulous market players. Over a short period of time, the KKSLO has emerged as the top law house of the country.
It’s a matter of great pride for the Firm that owing to its dedicated endeavors, extremely high imminent penalties have been spared on its clients. Leading companies rely on the Firm for various cases, which has always been amply reciprocated with the sterling performance in all matters.
Apart from handling the cases brought by its clients, the firm has, on multiple instances, been approached for second expert opinion on matters being dealt with by other leading firms in the country and beyond.
The firm and its chairman are frequently asked to contribute scholarly articles on the various aspects of competition law by several prominent publications from across the globe- such as:
The chapter on ‘Vertical Restraints’ being included in Global Legal Group (‘GLG’) publication titled ‘International Comparative Legal Guide’ and a similar other chapter on Private Antitrust Litigation in Global Competition Review being some examples.
The Visionary Polestar
The person responsible for the success of the firm is none other than Mr. KK Sharma, the Founder/CEO. An IRS officer who took VRS from service, he is known for his exceptional contributions to the direct tax administration management in the country. Having headed the nascent Competition Commission of India (‘Commission’) in its early stages, he shaped its organizational philosophy and gave wings to its vast potentialities. Having been given powers of enforcement in May, 2009, despite the law having been enacted in January, 2003, in the face of stiff opposition from business, at large, the Commission now is one of the respected competition agencies in the world having been the co-chair of International Competition Network, Merger Working Group. The Regulation, Formats and Protocols – either for merger regulation, competition law investigation or antitrust – survive till this day. Therefore, Mr. Sharma is justly known as ‘Father of Indian Competition Law’ internationally.
Marching towards Success
KKSLO has always upheld customer service and satisfaction as the primary reason for existence of the firm. Throughout its illustrious journey, the Firm has made many noteworthy achievements. It has served a wide range of clientele including the Government of Turkey, Belgium Chamber of Commerce, Reliance Industries Limited, Pharma Giants, leading public sector undertakings (PSUs), port regulatory bodies, and various industry associations covering a wide range of sectors including automobiles, real estate, insurance, liquor manufacturing and trading, shipping industry, manufacturing, oil chemical industry, bulk road transportation, future trading of agricultural commodities, power generation and transmission, to name a few.
Mr. Sharma has also authored the following books:
1. Competition Commission Cases: A Compendium of CCI Cases from 2009 to 2014, LexisNexis, June 2014
2. Chinese Companies in the Indian Market- Challenges Faced (Chapter 29): China International Institute of Antitrust and Investment, First Annual Antitrust Symposium 2013, Edited by Frank L. Fine, LexisNexis ( November , 2013)
3. Guide To Competition Law: Thomson Reuters, 2016
4. Indian Philosophy and Walt Whitman: Abhishek Prakashan, 2016
KKSLO has been consistent in terms of value delivery to its clients in various matters and, on numerous occasions, saved clients from colossal penalties – both imminent and real. As an instance a potential penalty, of USD 428 million, for alleged antitrust violations, on a group of public sector insurance companies, was limited to USD 96 million by deft navigation during investigation. This was further reduced to nearly nil (USD 0.3 million) in first appeal.
Words for Budding Lawyers
Mr Sharma states, “Honesty and sincerity may look cliché but cannot be over emphasized in any walk of life. It is equally true to the law profession”. He believes that if the persons behind any venture are truthful to themselves, committed to their cause, and honest and sincere to the clientele they serve, the entire universe would help them for sure.
Future Footprints
The company does not believe in measuring its performance in terms of goals or marks. However, it consistently emphasizes in delivering value and proceeding in its work with total commitment to the clients with utmost honesty and sincerity.
