Founded in 2004, AZB & Partners is a household name in the Indian legal market and has solidified its reputation as a top-notch corporate law firm. Ajay Bahl, Zia J. Mody and Bahram N. Vakil are the firm’s founding partners. The firm has offices in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai and GIFT City.
The firm performs consistently well in banking and finance, capital markets, corporate and M&A, private equity, and restructuring and insolvency. It takes on clients from a diverse range of sectors, including banking and financial services, energy, transport, oil and gas, automotive, technology and telecommunications, insurance, and food and beverage.
In a landmark mandate, the firm advised Disney on its $8.5 billion media merger with Reliance Industries and Viacom18, creating India's largest TV and digital streaming platform. The deal, one of India's most significant media sector transactions, reaching over 750 million viewers, involved structuring a precise three-way joint venture and navigating complex domestic and cross-border regulatory frameworks.
In another standout mandate, the firm advised Bamboo Hotel and Global Centre on issuing one of the fiscal year's largest A+ rated non-convertible debentures to refinance debt and fund a major commercial project in Delhi's Aerocity. The transaction was complex due to its multi-lender structure with Nonbank financial companies (NBFCs) and mutual funds under a common security agreement, with further sophistication added by a green shoe option.
HDFC Capital Advisors, IIFL Capital Services, Canara Bank, ICICI Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, BlackRock, Visa, Indian Institute of Technology, Varde Partners Asia, Everstone Capital, Oaktree Capital Management
“AZB has developed an in-depth understanding of our bank's priorities and strategy over the years and provides prompt, relevant and accurate legal advice whenever required.” (Banking)
“They are trustworthy,
escalate concerns and are thorough in their work." (Banking)
“They stand out for their deep local M&A expertise, business-oriented approach, and consistent availability.” (M&A)
“AZB & Partners demonstrated strong cross-border due diligence capability, expertise and responsiveness throughout the transaction. Their expertise in navigating complex corporate structures ensured a seamless process. What made them stand out was their ability to work collaboratively across jurisdictions, particularly with our team at Ashitiva Advocates and Squire Patton Boggs as part of the Transaction Advisors ensuring that the due diligence exercise was not only technically sound but also commercially attuned to the project’s objectives. Their team combined technical depth with efficiency, which allowed the consortium to progress confidently.” (Project development)
“He understands very well our business and our constraints. He is pragmatic and really hands on.”
“Anuja Tiwari brought clarity and precision to the due diligence process. What stood out was her expertise, responsiveness and ability to engage constructively with our team at Ashitiva Advocates, ensuring alignment between Indian law and Kenyan regulatory requirements. She was efficient, pragmatic, and consistently solution oriented, which added real value to the transaction.”
“Prompt response.”
“Hufriz is great at understanding requirements in detail and well versed with Indian laws and regulations. She also always provides relevant advice on a timely basis.”
“She has great experience and clarity of thought and is well aware of commercial aspects of a transaction.”
