Anand Desai

Anand is the Managing Partner at DSK Legal since it was founded in April, 2001 and has helmed its journey to being recognized as a Top Tier firm. Recognized as a leading practitioner in India, Anand has over 40 years of extensive domestic and international experience, being a trusted counsel to several large multinational and Indian corporates and high net worth individuals, including business leaders and celebrities. An astute litigator and negotiator, Anand has developed a strong track record of successfully representing high profile clients in criminal and civil litigation including in the areas of real estate, commercial disputes, white collar crime, intellectual property, anti-trust, information technology, insolvency and restructuring. He has also succeeded in getting several large commercial transactions concluded across a wide range of industries and geographies. Clients value his innovative and strategic inputs along with his pragmatic result-oriented approach to optimise their strategy, particularly when facing crisis situations that include adverse press and social media coverage, or potential criminal law consequences.

Professional Activites

Appointed as a member of the Court at the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA).

Appointed by the Government of India, Ministry of Law and Justice, Legislative Department, as Chairman of a Committee to recommend amendments to the Specific Relief Act, 1963, which were duly made into law.

Vice Chair of CII National Committee on Legal Services

Involved with several well-known trusts and NGOs including as a trustee of L&T Employees Welfare Foundation, director of Paani Foundation, advisory board member of Swades Foundation and Yuva Parivartan, Chairman of the Tribal Mensa Nurturing Program, and managing council member of Vision Foundation of India.

Past National President of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce.

Past President of TiE Mumbai.

Recent Key Assignments

Successfully appeared as lead counsel in a LCIA arbitration involving an Indian multinational pharma company and a global pharma company.

Successfully appeared as lead counsel in a SIAC arbitration involving an international private equity fund and an Indian infrastructure group.

Appeared as lead counsel in trial in the Bombay High Court for determination of a claim to succession as leader of a religious denomination.

Assisted and advised on resolving a complex situation involving a leading Indian business house and family facing criminal and civil action, including media pressure, across a slew of cases.

Assisted in concluding a complex transaction involving several investors, including international private equity funds, investing into an Indian pharma company.

Recent Awards and Recognition

Thought Leader in Whos Who Legal

Eminent Practitioner in Chambers Global

Leading Individual in Asia-Pacific Legal 500

Elite Practitioner in Asialaw Profiles

Litigation Star in Benchmark Litigation

Highly Regarded in IFLR

Leading Lawyer Legend by LegalEra

Best Managing Partner by LegalEra

Featured in the book titled “100 Legal Luminaries of India” published by Lexis Nexis

Listed in the Top 100 A-List published by India Law Journal