6th Annual Women in Law Excellence Awards 2024

Women Leaders & Lawyers Awards 2024

Legal Era Celebrates Women’s Leadership, Innovation & Achievements of Women Lawyers at the “6th Annual Women in Law Excellence Awards 2024”

Legal Era hosted its mega flagship 13th Annual India Conclave & Awards 2024, an unprecedented gathering of legal expertise at The LaLit, Mumbai. The Conclave saw more than 500 professionals participate from 5+ countries and from across cities in India. Stalwarts and seasoned professionals participated and deliberated in the 40+ thought-provoking sessions and discussions at the India Conclave 2024, uniting legal luminaries, advocates, and scholars on a global stage.

On day 2 of this Conclave, 23rd August 2024, Legal Era proudly hosted the 6th Annual Women in Law Excellence Awards recognizing Women’s Leadership, Innovation & Achievements of Women Lawyers.

Conceptualized and organized by the Legal Era Women Lawyers Network (LWLN) & the Legal Era - Legal Media Group, the awards celebrated the commitment, expertise, and strong leadership of leading women lawyers who have made great strides in an increasingly challenging global market.

Segment by segment, the awardees got onto the stage to receive their tokens of recognition amid thunderous applause from the audience.

The Awards were presented to winners by Ms. Neera Sharma, Chief Executive Officer & Chief Legal Officer, Sistema Smart Technologies Limited and Ms. Kala Anandarajah, Partner, Head, Competition & Antitrust and Trade, Rajah & Tann Asia.

Lawyers have always been leaders in changing times owing to their philosophy and intellect. And Legal Era’s hat-tip to leading women lawyers was much appreciated.

The winners mingled with the guests over cocktails and dinner, exchanging ideas, experiences and pleasantries. Many leveraged the occasion to renew old ties as also build new ones.

As we raise a toast to this joie de vivre that it stays with all of us (and grows) till the next edition of these Awards, here’s listing the bright sparks who walked away with the honours at this edition:

WINNER NAME

Amrita Sinha, Head, Corporate Legal- Group Companies, Tata Steel Limited

Antara Roy, Assistant General Counsel, ITC Limited

Aparna Rawat, Head Legal - Group Function & Wholesale, L&T Finance Limited

Ashu Thakur, Founder & CEO, Ashu Thakur & Associates

Attreyi Mukherjee, General Counsel/Member Board of Directors, Tata Industries Ltd./Impetis Biosciences Limited

Debosmita Nandy, Head - Legal, Cinepolis India

Ekta Tyagi, Partner, DSK Legal

Gunjan Shah, Partner, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co.

Juhi Chaudhary, General Counsel, Rallis India Limited

Keshika Sengupta, Compliance Head, India, Ingram Micro India Pvt. Ltd.

Madhu Rewari, Partner, Anand & Anand

Manali Singhal, Vice President, National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Limited

Mehak Gupta, Senior Legal Counsel, Infosys Limited

Mitali Basu, General Counsel (Vice President Legal - Compliance & Corporate Governance), Eureka Forbes

Namrata Shah Saurastri, Associate Partner, Krishna & Saurastri Associates LLP

Paulome Mehta, Managing Associate, LexOrbis

Pavi Jain, Counsel, Khaitan and Co

Priyanka Walesha, Head Legal, Yum Brands

Radhika Gaggar, Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas & Co

Ranju Goyal, General Counsel, Awfis Space Solutions Limited

Saloni Mody Dalal, Partner, DSK Legal

Satya Rishishwar, Head- Legal and Compliance, "Ring/Kissht" OnEMI Technology Solutions Private Limited

Shafaq Uraizee Sapre, Managing Partner, Mumbai, Chandhiok & Mahajan

Shraddha S. Chauhan, Partner, Anand & Anand

Smreeti Prakash, Assistant General Manager – Legal, Pernod Ricard India

Sowmya Saikumar, Partner, Gaurishanker Saikumar & Co.

Subhalakshmi Naskar, Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas & Co

Ushasi Das, Senior Assistant General Counsel, ITC Limited

V. Divya Lakshmi, Senior Associate Director of Ethics and Compliance, Eli Lilly and Company

Amrita Sinha is the Head, Corporate Legal- Group Companies at Tata Steel. She brings 17 years of in-house experience and has played a pivotal role in navigating complex M&A transactions across India and multiple geographies including Canada, Singapore, Japan, Africa, within the metals and mining sector. She was instrumental in handling the recent restructuring of the Tata Steel and its group companies, as well as, the acquisition of Bhushan Steel through the IBC route. In addition to M&A and restructuring, Amrita has extensive experience in corporate, securities, and commercial law. She also serves on a POSH committee of the company. Amrita holds a graduate degree in Economics from Fergusson College, Pune, and is a university rank holder in law from ILS Law College, Pune.

Antara Roy is the Assistant General Counsel at ITC Limited and a seasoned in-house counsel with over eleven years of experience in regulatory and commercial advisory roles. Presently dealing primarily with the FMCG sector, including advising on business operations of the company, handling various litigations (including strategising approaches for the Company, briefing Senior Counsels and drafting/reviewing documentation connected thereto) and regulatory issues, drafting and reviewing commercial contracts, as well as compliance reviews; and certain aspects of corporate sustainability-related engagements. Professional Journey Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, Mumbai (erstwhile Amarchand Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co.) from August, 2012 to January, 2016. ITC Limited, from March 2016 onwards.

Miscellaneous Authored/co-authored several published articles on various issues such as consumer protection, commercial speech, res extra commercium, online gaming, and the Forest Rights Act, 2006.

Aparna Rawat is the Head Legal - Group Function & Wholesale at L&T Finance Limited. She is a multi-faceted legal professional with almost two decades of experience across the banking and financial services industry. She is a tech legal enthusiast and has transformed to a holistic in-house counsel from a corporate litigation and transactional lawyer. She manages the wholesale business, group functions and corporate functions, along with corporate stressed asset resolution, treasury management and reduction of the wholesale book. By leveraging her experience in real estate, private equity and stressed situations group, she has made the legal function more central to the company’s business operations. She believes law is organic in nature and its evolution is based on the needs and interests of the society. Thus, it is extremely critical for an in-house and practicing lawyer to keep pace with the same.

Ashu Thakur is the Founder and CEO of Ashu Thakur & Associates.

With qualifications as a solicitor in both India and the UK, she brings a wealth of expertise and a global perspective to her practice. Her illustrious career is marked by several prestigious accolades, including the British Chevening Scholarship (2000) and the French Lions International Scholarship (1991), reflecting her commitment to excellence and international collaboration.

Ashu is highly regarded for her leadership and vision, particularly in establishing and heading the firm’s specialized French Desk. This unique offering supports French companies and foreign nationals in navigating the intricacies of the Indian legal landscape.

Ashu's approach to law is defined by intellectual rigor, integrity, and a deep commitment to serving her clients with efficiency and precision. Her leadership has positioned Ashu Thakur & Associates as a trusted name in the legal industry.

Attreyi Mukherjee is the General Counsel at Tata Industries Ltd. and is qualified to practice law in both India and England & Wales. She is a senior legal professional in a leadership role with rich experience of business partnering as well as complex transactional matters including domestic and cross-border M&As, JVs and Technology Licensing deals.

With a focus on time-bound and successful outcomes, she has advised businesses in diverse sectors including Aviation, Aerospace Manufacturing, E-commerce, EdTech, Digital Health, Fintech, Lifesciences, Management Services and Consumer Products.

After several years of practice at reputed law firms, Attreyi joined Tata Group Legal Team (her first foray in-house) and reported to the Tata Group General Counsel. In her current role as General Counsel of Tata Industries (which is an NBFC- CIC), Attreyi briefs Boards, manages team, oversees legal functions of the portfolio businesses, hires and manages external legal resources and supports business incubation. She also supports the compliance and enterprise risk management functions. She is also a member of the POSH Committee.

Debosmita Nandy is the Head - Legal at Cinépolis India and has over 15 years of experience as a legal professional. Her journey commenced in the dispute resolution team at Khaitan & Co, handling diverse civil, commercial, and IP litigation cases and successfully representing clients before various tribunals and courts.

Transitioning to an in-house role at ITC Limited, she spent the subsequent decade honing skills in contract drafting and negotiation, devising intricate litigation strategies for complex disputes, and advising on legal issues across a spectrum of business functions – Sales, Marketing, Finance, IT, Construction, Operations, and Business Development. Her extensive experience spans multiple industries, including FMCG, Hospitality, and Retail, both in India and Sri Lanka. Currently, she leads the Legal function for Cinépolis India, part of the global multiplex chain Cinépolis, overseeing a team of skilled lawyers and collaborating with a group of driven and expert professionals in their respective fields.

Ekta Tyagi is a Partner in the Dispute Resolution Team of DSK Legal. She specializes in white collar criminal law and advises on all aspects of commercial litigation and arbitration (including pre-litigation and litigation strategy). She also has significant experience in corporate transactional practice (including M&A and PE).

Ekta represents clients on matters investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), Serious Fraud Investigation Organisation (SFIO), Economic Offences Wing (EOW) etc. She appears before High Courts, Sessions Courts, Arbitral Tribunals, NCLT, investigation/enforcement agencies as well as forums established under special statutes (such as the Appellate Tribunal and Adjudicating Authority under PMLA). Ekta also conducts investigations arising out of whistle blower complaints and fraud/FCPA-related allegations.

Ekta has been ranked as a Recommended Lawyer by the Legal 500 Asia-Pacific in 2023 and 2024. She is a senior member of the White Collar Crime Defence and Investigation Practice of DSK Legal which has been recognized as:

Outstanding – Asialaw Profiles 2024 White-collar Crime Law Firm of the Year – 13th Annual LegaEra Indian Legal Awards 2023-24 Recommended – Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2024

Gunjan Shah is a Partner at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. and a long-standing member of the firm’s Management Board. She is a prominent practitioner in mergers and acquisitions, private equity, debt and equity restructuring, and Indian securities law.

Gunjan has extensive experience representing global and domestic private equity funds and corporates in large, complex, and innovative transactions.

In recognition of her contributions to the legal field, she was named 'Lawyer of the Year' for Corporate & M&A at the Legal Era Awards 2023 and 'Star Woman Lawyer of the Year' at the Legal Era Women in Law Excellence Awards 2022.

Juhi Chaudhary is the General Counsel at Rallis India Limited, where she leads the legal and compliance functions. With extensive experience in the legal services industry, she specializes in negotiation, mergers & acquisitions, corporate governance, joint ventures, and legal writing. Prior to her role at TATA Rallis, she served as Head of Legal - Private Equity at Essel Finance/Navi and as Legal Counsel at Thomson Reuters, contributing to cross-border transactions and regulatory compliance. Juhi's expertise makes her a distinguished leader in the legal field.

Keshika Sengupta is the Compliance Head, India at Ingram Micro India Pvt. Ltd. She holds a law and business administration degree from Symbiosis Law School, Pune (June 2009), and a postgraduate degree in Business and Constitutional Law from Pune University (June 2012). Keshika’s professional journey of 13+ years has enriched her with diverse and a multi-faceted experience. Beginning her maiden stint with teaching law at her Alma- Mater, provided her by default an opportunity to Mentor young aspirants and guide them on their path to meet their aspirations. It stimulated her leadership Skills right at the threshold of her career. She moved forward exploring her competencies in litigation to Being an in-house legal counsel and further graduating to a compliance & ethics officer.

All through her Journey, she has imbibed the role of a contributory team member of essence and relevance; she has successfully endeavoured to be part of the growth teams of organizations she has been part of playing her role as a strong and motivating team member.

Madhu Rewari is a Partner at Anand and Anand, specializing in trademark prosecution. With over 16 years of experience in the intellectual property (IP) field. She has successfully represented leading Indian companies and multinational corporations, including Fortune 500 firms, across India and the Indian subcontinent.

Madhu offers strategic counsel on brand adoption, protection, enforcement, and commercialization, along with drafting and negotiating various contracts. She is also proficient in assisting clients with the development of essential policies, such as Brand Usage, Internet, and Privacy Policies.

Her expertise extends to conducting due diligence for companies acquiring IP assets and providing advice on related commercial issues. Madhu is well-versed in contentious matters, including IP violations, misleading claims, and advertising disputes, and has successfully represented clients in high-profile cases. Additionally, she has handled several Domain Name Disputes before WIPO and the .IN Registry.

Manali Singhal is the Vice President at the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Limited. She joined the firm in 2019 and is based out of the Mumbai office. She has an experience of over 6 years in private equity and mergers & acquisitions. At NIIFL, she is responsible for overseeing the legal aspects pertaining to fund raising and investments and providing operational and compliance support Prior to NIIFL, Manali was associated with Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas for 5 years. During her stint with the firm, she worked on several critical engagements that involved advising on the merger of 3 nationalized bank (Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank with Bank of Baroda), capital raised by Janalakshmi Financial Services Limited (JFS), investment by a venture capital fund in a startup, various schemes of restructuring for Hindustan Unilever Limited, Indian Hotels Company Limited, demerger of Tata Teleservices’ consumer mobility business to Bharti Airtel Limited, represented Hotel Leela Ventures Limited to sell the Leela Goa group of hotels.

Mehak Gupta is Senior Legal Counsel at Infosys Limited. She is a seasoned professional in the legal field and has participated in and led several 'first-of-their-kind' transactions in the IT services sector. These transactions involved advising on innovative structures to provide IT services, negotiating complex and high-value software development, and licensing agreements, and representing the organization in private and public tendering processes. As the lead counsel for the Panasonic India Innovation Centre, Gupta provided end-to-end legal advisory and solutions for Panasonic’s newly developed technology platforms such as MirAIe (Smart Appliance Application), SignEdge Solution, and eCareWiz. She has consistently played a pivotal role in navigating the complexities of the global market, safeguarding interests, and achieving policy and financial goals. Currently, at Infosys, she helps navigate the regulatory landscape, addressing unique needs and challenges intertwined with the rapid evolution of technology.

Mitali Basu is a General Counsel (Vice President Legal - Compliance & Corporate Governance), at Eureka Forbes, brings over 22 years of experience in handling a comprehensive spectrum of legal services. She has worked in specialized boutique law firms in Mumbai and Kolkata before serving for the past 6 years as Associate Vice President – Legal, heading the function at a listed electrical goods manufacturing company based out of their corporate head office in Mumbai. Prior to this, Basu was with India’s oldest FMCG house for nearly four years as Head – Legal, managing a team of 10 reportees. She is adept in handling various functions related to mergers, demergers, acquisitions, litigation, IPR, contract management, company secretarial duties, manufacturing compliances, and other non-litigation functions, including legal metrology and food laws. Basu has extensive experience in managing IPR matters both nationally and internationally, and has carried out significant actions in brand protection. She is proficient in drafting listing documents, mergers, acquisitions, demergers, caution notices, plaints, complaints, due diligence reports, and more. Known for exceptional analytical and negotiation skills, Basu is an effective communicator with the ability to relate to people at all levels of business and management.

Namrata Saha Saurastri is an Associate Partner at Krishna & Saurastri Associates LLP. Her expertise includes handling commercial disputes, company disputes, partnership disputes, money recovery disputes, family disputes, succession disputes, real estate, securities disputes, and insolvency and bankruptcy laws. She has appeared in several complex matters before the High Courts, City Civil Courts, District Courts, Small Causes Courts, National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT), Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), and Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA). Her services include developing a pre-litigation strategy, drafting and settling of notices, pleadings and evidence, and attending hearings in the courts/authorities/appellate authorities/tribunals. She has also handled several domestic and international arbitrations where the governing law is of India. She is familiar with the rules framed by the International Chamber of Commerce, Mumbai International Arbitration Centre, Singapore International Arbitration Centre, and the London International Arbitration Centre.

Paulome Mehta is the Managing Associate in the Trade Mark and Copyright team at LexOrbis. She holds a degree in Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) from University of Mumbai, a degree in Bachelor of Law (LL.B) from University of Mumbai, and Masters of Law (LL.M) in Corporate and Financial Laws from O.P. Jindal Global University. She is registered with the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa and is also a registered Indian Patent Agent.

She has 10 years of work experience and has handled both contentious and non-contentious matters in various aspects of IP. She has assisted and appeared in IP matters before various forums such as the Bombay High Court, Indian Patent Office, Trade Mark Registry, and National Green Tribunal. Having worked with a wide variety of national and international clients from various industries such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, FMCG, textile, auto, agriculture, she has gained an in-depth understanding of the IP industry. She has worked on several aspects of trade marks such as searching, strategy, prosecution, oppositions, renewals as well as trade mark litigation. She also has experience on various aspects of patents such as searching, prosecution, drafting and patent litigation.

Paulome is an avid reader and has a keen interest in writing and has co-authored articles on various aspects of IP

Pavi Jain is a Counsel at Khaitan & Co in Mumbai, focusing on Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity. A pivotal member of the firm’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practice group, Pavi provides expert advice on ESG matters and manages the firm’s relationship with the Indian Venture Capital Association (IVCA), where she also participates in the Climate Council.

Pavi has a distinguished track record in Private Equity, advising The Blackstone Group on key investments, including acquisitions of warehousing businesses and exits like CMS Info Systems Limited and Gokaldas Exports Limited. She has also guided Apax Partners on their exit from a surgical manufacturing company and their acquisition of GlobalLogic, Inc.

In Mergers & Acquisitions, she has worked with Charoen Pokphand Group (Thailand) on their bid for Metro Cash & Carry’s India business and Reliance Brands Limited on several strategic acquisitions. Her experience spans sectors such as cybersecurity, asset management, gaming, and ship management.

A recognized speaker and author, Pavi has contributed to various publications and has chaired numerous international arbitrations.

Priyanka Walesha is the Head of Legal at Yum Brands, with over 14 years of professional experience in the legal domain. She leads the Legal Division at Yum Digital and Technology. Before joining Yum, Walesha headed the legal division for GnPS-Technology Consulting (Advisory LoS) at PwC, Pan India. As a seasoned professional, she has extensive experience in establishing and managing legal and compliance functions, including Board management requirements for corporations. She has hands-on experience in end-to-end contract management, including drafting, negotiating, reviewing, and handling post-negotiation issues across various geographies in India.

Walesha spearheads large and complex technology and consultancy agreements and provides advisory services to senior management on business operations and legal compliance. Her role also encompasses handling litigations, policy-making, and providing pre- and post-litigation support, as well as communicating with external counsels on contentious matters. As part of the corporate and business leadership team, she offers strategic inputs to facilitate business growth in a complex regulatory environment, enhances legal processes, and leads policy advocacy efforts. Known for her resourcefulness and acumen, she is adept at assessing and protecting the interests of the organization through a professional approach, producing results within strict deadlines, and ensuring effective legal documentation and representation.

Walesha has a demonstrated track record of working with high-profile clients, protecting corporate interests, and achieving favorable results through extensive legal knowledge. She also has a keen interest in technological changes and their legal implications.

Radhika Gaggar is a Partner and Co-Head of the Private Client practice at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas. She advises on general corporate matters with a focus on private acquisitions and both inbound and outbound foreign investments related to India.

In her private client practice, Radhika specializes in estate and succession planning, particularly its cross-border aspects and interactions with Indian exchange control regulations, takeover regulations, and personal laws. She is adept at handling family settlements, drafting family constitutions, and establishing trusts. Her extensive experience includes advising families, promoters of major corporate houses, and professional wealth management and fiduciary service providers on the setup and operation of trusts, both domestically and internationally. Radhika has played a key role in restructuring existing trust structures, establishing private trust companies, and defining the rights and obligations of fiduciaries and beneficiaries. She has also been instrumental in negotiating and implementing high-profile family settlements and advises on the establishment of charitable institutions to support philanthropic endeavors by individuals, families, and corporations.

Ranju Goyal is the General Counsel at Awfis Space Solutions Limited, bringing over 24 years of experience in leading legal and secretarial functions across various sectors, including power, cement, chemicals, real estate, logistics, supply chain, and co-living/co-working industries.

As a Fellow Member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, with a post-graduate diploma in Business Administration and a degree in Law from Campus Law Centre, Delhi University, Ranju has a robust background in corporate governance and legal management. Her expertise includes handling multiple rounds of private equity and debt funding for logistics and co-living startups. She has also spearheaded the IPO and listing of a power company and supported the IPOs of two other power companies throughout her career.

Saloni Mody Dalal is a Partner at DSK Legal, specializing in the firm’s real estate practice group, as well as its banking and finance, corporate commercial, and M&A practice groups. Her expertise encompasses equity and financing transactions in real estate and related sectors, including investments in residential and commercial projects, affordable housing, retail, townships, SEZs, and IT parks.

Saloni has provided advisory services to both offshore and domestic funds, as well as Indian companies, on private equity, M&A, disposals, demergers, joint ventures, restructurings, corporate governance, and regulatory compliance, with a particular focus on FDI transactions in real estate, infrastructure, hospitality, and related sectors. Her practice also covers all forms of debt and mezzanine funding.

She plays an active role in formulating, negotiating, and implementing structures for private equity and financing transactions, as well as strategic investments in real estate and allied sectors. Saloni works closely with portfolio companies throughout the investment lifecycle, providing ongoing legal and regulatory guidance.

Satya Rishishwar is the Head of Legal and Compliance at Ring/Kissht, ONEMI Technology Solutions Private Limited. With a decade of legal experience, including seven years leading legal departments in the NBFC and fintech sectors, Satya combines practical expertise with a strong academic background.

She is adept at providing balanced legal support to business teams, focusing on contract management, litigation, and non-litigation matters at the group level. Satya’s approach integrates strategic thinking with comprehensive legal oversight, ensuring robust management of legal and compliance functions.

Shafaq Uraizee Sapre is the Managing Partner of the Mumbai office at Chandhiok & Mahajan, with over 23 years of expertise in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, fund investments, commercial law, cross-border transactions, and corporate advisory. She has advised both Indian and international clients on joint ventures, technology collaborations, investment strategies, and regulatory compliance. She has led numerous M&A transactions and provides end-to-end solutions for structuring and restructuring investments across various sectors.

Shraddha S. Chauhan is a Partner at Anand and Anand with 13 years of distinguished experience in Intellectual Property law. Her expertise spans all areas of Patent Law, from prosecution to strategic litigation counseling. She has a strong track record in representing clients in Invalidity and Infringement Proceedings before the Indian Patent Office, the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB), and various High Courts.

Shraddha manages patent portfolios for several multi-billion dollar companies and adeptly handles complex technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, Consumer Appliances and Electronics, Data Storage & Software Solutions, Hybrid Engines, Internet-of-Things (IoT), Medical Devices, Renewable Energy, Semiconductor Assemblies, and Telecommunications (covering 3G, 4G, LTE/LTE-A, 5G, and more).

In addition to her regular practice, Shraddha specializes in conducting Essentiality Evaluations of Patents in line with Technical Standards for telecommunications bodies such as ETSI and 3GPP. She is also skilled in strategic patent planning, advising on pre/post-grant proceedings, licensing, and pre-enforcement strategies.

Shraddha contributes to niche publications and serves as a guest faculty member at the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Intellectual Property & Management (RGNIIPM) in Nagpur.

Smreeti Prakash is the Assistant General Manager – Legal at Pernod Ricard India, where she focuses on strategy and new business ventures in the alco-bev sector. With 14 years of diverse legal experience, Smreeti has worked both as an in-house attorney and with a reputed law firm and Big 5 consultants. Her expertise spans sectors including energy & infrastructure, hospitality, and media & entertainment.

Previously, Smreeti was with Senvion, a German MNC in the wind energy sector, where she managed corporate and transactional matters. She played a pivotal role in negotiating and advising on infrastructure projects, including M&A, deal structuring, and various agreements such as EPC, O&M, technology transfer, and power purchase agreements.

Sowmya Saikumar is a Partner at Gaurishanker Saikumar & Co., practising as an Advocate since 2009. She has represented various domestic and international clients before the Supreme Court of India, High Courts, and various Tribunals. Sowmya has handled domestic and international arbitrations under ICC, ICA, and DIFC-LCIA rules and has adjudicated disputes as an Arbitrator in domestic arbitrations.

She appears regularly in the Supreme Court, High Courts, Tribunals, and in arbitrations and mediations. Sowmya has argued several precedent-setting cases in Insolvency and Bankruptcy, arbitration, electricity laws, and consumer protection laws. Her experience in Insolvency & Bankruptcy includes representing a diverse range of clients, including operational and financial creditors, homebuyers, resolution professionals, and ex-directors.

Subhalakshmi Naskar is a Partner and Co-Head of the Projects & Infrastructure practice at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas. With extensive experience in the infrastructure sector, she has represented a range of clients including strategic developers, investors, and funding institutions, both domestic and international.

Subhalakshmi specializes in advising on infrastructure projects, project financing, refinancing, structured financing, and cross-border transactions. Her work spans the roads, ports, and renewable energy sectors, where she provides expertise on power projects, roads, and airports. She represents developers, sponsors, lenders, and contractors in infrastructure and project finance transactions.

Her clientele includes major infrastructure players, leading Indian banks, and international investors such as Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, CDPQ, International Finance Corporation, Goldman Sachs, and the Adani Group.

Ushasi Das is the Senior Assistant General Counsel at ITC Limited, having joined the company in 2016. Leading a team of lawyers, she oversees strategic initiatives across ITC’s diverse portfolio, which includes FMCG, Hotels & Hospitality, Paper & Paperboards, and ITC Services.

Her core expertise encompasses Mergers & Acquisitions, Investments, and Restructuring, playing a crucial role in ITC's inorganic growth efforts. Ushasi has extensive experience navigating regulatory issues related to securities and foreign exchange laws and manages both contentious and non-contentious matters in these domains. She also advises the Tobacco Division and has supported the Personal Care Products’ Business through the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ushasi is actively involved in ITC’s sustainability initiatives, serving on the Sustainability and Compliance Review Committee. Before joining ITC, she worked with prominent law firms such as AZB & Partners, J.Sagar Associates, and Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, focusing on inbound and outbound investments, acquisitions, and divestments. She graduated from the National University of Juridical Sciences, where she also served as the editor of the NUJS Law Review.

V. Divya Lakshmi is the Senior Associate Director of Ethics and Compliance at Eli Lilly and Company, she is a seasoned legal and compliance professional with a proven track record in providing strategic counsel and fostering a culture of compliance. At Eli Lilly, she excels in overseeing the legal department, managing complex matters, and ensuring adherence to compliance standards.

Her expertise encompasses contract negotiation, regulatory compliance, risk management, corporate governance, and team leadership. Known for aligning legal and compliance objectives with business goals, she is recognized for her visionary leadership and ability to deliver innovative solutions.

Previously, she has led compliance efforts at LCCI, driving efficiency and adherence to a robust compliance culture without formal authority.