Real Estate
The Firm distinguishes itself by housing a specialized team advising on multifarious and multitudinous real estate issues on a pan India basis. The Firm focuses on client’s needs and objectives in a transaction and evaluates issues involved, formulates risk matrix, identify areas and issues which could be deal breakers and suggest appropriate rehabilitative measures and way forward strategy.
The Team has in-depth understanding of the commercial and legal complexities pertaining to the ownership of land, acquisition of land, land use and conversion, regulatory and approval issues, foreign investment, etc. assisting clients in planning the structure of and negotiating complex transactions. The Firm also advises clients on real estate financing and assists in the structuring and documentation of real estate mortgages, trust deeds, contracts of sale, and other financing transactions.
The Firm renders legal advice to both international and domestic real estate developers, venture capitalists, private equity funds and investors all types of real estate development, including commercial centres, industrial and residential complexes, hotels, resorts, golf courses, Information technology parks, multiplex entertainment centres, Special Economic Zone etc.
Our Partners:
New Delhi
Akshit Kapoor
New Delhi
Overview
Akshit Kapoor has extensive experience in areas of real estate laws, mergers & acquisitions, private client and family office practice, banking and finance, 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.
He has closely collaborated with a wide range of international and domestic corporations, advising them on their business operations in both India and abroad. As being part of the Firm’s real estate practice, he 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.
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.
New Delhi
Girish Rawat
New Delhi
Overview
Girish Rawat is a qualified lawyer and company secretary with close to 15 years of experience. Girish has been involved in numerous complex and high-profile transactions and 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.
Experience Statement
Banking and Finance
- Advised Power Finance Corporation Limited in availing external commercial borrowing to the extent of INR 2340 Crore (USD 360 Million) from State Bank of India, Hong Kong Branch.
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.
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.
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.
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.
New Delhi
Harry Chawla
New Delhi
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.
New Delhi
Kedar Sharma
New Delhi
Overview
Kedar Sharma is a Partner at Luthra & Luthra Law Offices India. He is working in the firm since 1998 and have 24 years of post-qualification experience. He specializes in the areas of General Corporate, Real Estate, Regulatory, Private Client Practice and Compliance. He has conducted a large number of legal / corporate due-diligence and possesses extensive experience in handling and liasoning with the Governmental and Regulatory Authorities. He has often worked or liaison with the officials of Ministry of Finance (MoF), Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Department of Telecommunication (DoT) and various other Ministries & Govt. departments for various clarification / approvals / licences etc
New Delhi
Maureen Z. Ralte
New Delhi
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.
New Delhi
Sanjay Mittal
New Delhi
Overview
Sanjay Mittal is a Partner at Luthra and Luthra Law Offices India and having an overall experience of more than 16 years. He is a part of the Firm’s general corporate, real estate, regulatory and private client practice team. Sanjay has extensive experience in real estate and corporate due diligence and matters relating to the regulatory practice, takeover of business undertakings and companies, bidding/tendering of PPP projects and other ancillary works.
Sanjay holds a vast knowledge of real estate laws and aspects of foreign exchange regulations relating thereto, thereby assisting clients in their ventures in the real estate sector. Sanjay has handled and undertaken the real estate due diligences and drafting of the agreements and other documents for the clients on a wide range of real estate projects including acquisition, sale, leasing, collaboration, development of townships, group housing projects, commercial developments, hospitality projects etc., across thousands of acres of land all over India. Sanjay also holds vast knowledge of issues relating to property title, encumbrances, land-use, zoning, compliances & documentations relating to regulatory and approval of projects, execution & registration of documents etc.
New Delhi
Shikher Deep Aggarwal
New Delhi
Overview
Shikher has demonstrative career with experience of almost a decade at the Bar. He specializes in advising clients on a wide variety a legal issues. Shikher has enabled various companies to establish themselves, especially where there is a lack of proper regulatory regime. Shikher regularly appears before the Supreme Court of India, Delhi High Court (till date he has appeared before 8 High Courts), districts courts and various tribunals.
At the firm, Shikher has advised and represented some of the most prominent corporates which include Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd., Renault Nissan Automotive India Ltd., ANI Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (Ola Cabs), Twitter Communications India Private Limited, M/s Fashnear Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (Meesho), Rebel Foods Pvt. Ltd. (Foodpanda), In-shorts Group, Star India Pvt. Ltd., Dish TV India Ltd., etc.
Experience Statement
- Represented former promoter group comprising of KAL Airways and Mr. Kalanithi Maran against SpiceJet Limited and its promoter Mr. Ajay Singh (M/S KAL Airways Ltd. & Anr. v. Spicejet Limited & Ors.). KAL Airways and Mr. Kalanithi Maran initiated arbitration proceedings citing various breaches / non-compliances with the terms of the Share Sale & Purchase Agreement by SpiceJet and Mr. Ajay Singh.
- Representing Crystal Crop Care Protection Ltd. in a complex criminal prosecution launched by CBI, Gandhinagar and Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in relation to alleged fraudulent claim of Terminal Excise Duty running into crores of rupees. Recently, the Adjudicating Authority, PMLA, had passed an order confirming the provisional attachment order whereby ED had attached properties worth crores of rupees. Shikher has successfully obtained a stay on the order passed by the Adjudicating Authority, PMLA. The case is currently pending adjudication before the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi.
- Represented Philips India Ltd. (Mr. Mehul Kamik of Philips India Ltd.) successfully in a pending Common-Wealth Games matter (CBI case) before the Special Judge, CBI. Shikher representing the accused on behalf of the Firm and was successfully able to seek discharged of the accused. This was the first occasion where a CBI Special Court had discharged an accused in the Common-Wealth Games scam, purely on merits.
- Advising Twitter India regularlyin relation to various compliances under the regime of the IT Act as well as the recently framed Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digit Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. Apart from this, Shikher has also assisted the clients in strategizing and formulating responses to the notices (for e.g., Notice issued u/s 91 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, take-down notice issued by various law enforcement agencies, etc.) to the client.
New Delhi
Vaibhav Suri
New Delhi
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.
He 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 ensures adequate safeguards in consonance with clients’ business objectives and commercial understanding between the parties.
His clients include 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.
Experience Statement
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
New Delhi
Varun Vaish
New Delhi
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 creating space for his team to learn, adapt and grow into an even better professional
Experience Statement
- 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 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 by Kunshan Q Tech Microelectronics (India) Private (QTech) Limited on USD 20 Million External Commercial Borrowings (ECB).