ESTABLISHED IN 1935
Total number of professionals: 225 (42 partners)
Principal office: Mumbai
Other offices: Gurugram, Pune
Key practice areas
Anti-corruption & anti-bribery; arbitration & ADR; automotive; aviation; banking & finance; boardroom strategy & risk management; capital markets; chemicals; competition & antitrust; consumer goods, retail & e-commerce; corporate & commercial; data protection; defence & aerospace; employment & labour; energy & natural resources; environmental, social & governance (ESG); fintech, blockchain & cryptos; funds; hospitals & healthcare; hotels & hospitality; inbound investment; infrastructure & project development; insolvency & bankruptcy; insurance & reinsurance; joint ventures; labour & employment; licensing & franchising; litigation & dispute resolution; manufacturing & industries; media & entertainment; mergers & acquisitions; mining & minerals; oil & gas; outbound investment; outsourcing; pharmaceuticals & life sciences; private clients, trusts & estates; private equity, venture capital & startups; project finance; real estate & construction; regulatory & compliance; restructuring; securitisation & structured finance; sports & leisure; technology; telecommunications; transport & logistics; water; white-collar crimes & investigations.
Our services
With a legacy spanning almost 90 years, Desai & Diwanji is among India’s leading law firms, helping clients achieve their goals by combining the highest global standards with local expertise. With offices in Mumbai, Gurugram and Pune, the firm caters to a wide variety of client needs across practice areas and jurisdictions, and specialises in knowledge of both the legal framework as well as the specific business requirements of various industry sectors.
As a full-service firm, Desai & Diwanji offers a broad range of services to clients that include governments, regulators, multilateral organisations, funds, banks, lenders, multinational companies, Indian business houses and high net-worth individuals. Our highly experienced lawyers are widely recognised in the industry and trusted for being able to offer innovative, customised, and effective solutions that balance a client’s business objectives with the complexities of the Indian legal framework. We draw on the experience of members from across the firm’s practices to create collaborative teams that provide clients with robust legal advice coupled with a seamless service experience.
Our lawyers have a deep understanding of the statutory and regulatory landscape in India as well as the constantly evolving practices among business leaders, and work on some of the most challenging, complex, and stimulating domestic as well as cross-border assignments. The firm is a market leader across various verticals and has received various awards and recognitions for its work in several practice areas, including banking & finance, project finance, infrastructure & project development, mergers & acquisitions and private equity.
Independent intelligence on this law firm
The following information is sourced directly from India Business Law Journal and/or Law.asia and is not part of the directory listing provided by the law firm.
Testimonials
Pankaj Ghai, managing director at Olympus Capital Asia worked with Aneesh Gupte, Shreya Iyer and Shireen Langrana on investment and exit processes. He commends their “deep understanding of regulatory requirements”, and their ability to ensure a “balance between law and practical realities”.
KC Woody, COO at Midrex Technologies, says “Desai & Diwanji has always provided a personal touch”. He praises “Joebin Devassy’s professionalism and dedication to his clients, [which] makes him one of the best lawyers I have ever dealt with.”
Notable Deals
Recognised by India Business Law Journal as Deals of the year
| NIIF backs electric scooter maker Ather | 2022 | US$128 million | Details |
| Piramal acquires insolvent Dewan | 2021 | US$4.6 billion | Details |
| Restructuring of Shapoorji Pallonji’s debt | 2021 | US$2.69 billion | Details |
| TrueNorth, others invest in Fincare Business Services | 2017 | US$78 million | Details |
| KKR’s refinancing for Amtek Global Technologies | 2014 | US$293 million | Details |
Contact us
Mumbai
Lentin Chambers
Dalal Street, Fort,
Mumbai – 400 001, India
T: +91 22 4296 1000
E: mail@desaidiwanji.com
Gurugram
16th Floor, Building No. 5 Tower C
DLF Epitome, DLF Phase III
Gurugram – 122 002, India
T: +91 124 485 0300
E: gurugram@desaidiwanji.com
Pune
SmartWorks, 16th Floor, AP81
Koregaon Park Annex
Pune 412 202, India
T: +91 22 2265 1682
E: pune@desaidiwanji.com
