Karanjawala & Co is a leading exclusive boutique litigation firm based in New Delhi, where it has three offices. It was founded in 1983 and now comprises about 100 lawyers. It has a stellar reputation in the market as a go-to for precedent-setting, landmark matters. The firm features in more than 625 reported judgments of the Supreme Court and has filed and dealt with more than 25,000 matters to date. Though historically the firm began its practice with a predominantly Supreme Court and High Court emphasis, it has now expanded to have a presence in all the subordinate courts and tribunals in the National Capital Region and routinely handles litigations on a pan-India basis. The leadership team comprises 10 partners who are all respected and seasoned litigators.
Karanjawala’s criminal practice has grown substantially in the past six years, and its teams appear in a number of high-stakes and high-profile matters. Recently, the firm has also carved out a niche practice for itself in the fields of consumer protection and real estate regulatory authority litigation. The group’s practice focuses not only on general consumer litigation but also on medical negligence and real estate, with the firm representing a wide range of clients before various tribunals, ranging from the district forums to the National Commission. There is also a consumer team that has filed more than 1,000 cases in the National Commission, with a high success rate. The firm’s insolvency group has extensive experience in dealing with high-profile matters while appearing for corporations and financial institutions.
Managing partner Raian Karanjawala serves as the head of the 13-partner-strong disputes department. Other key figures are co-founding partner Manik Karanjawala and senior partners Nandini Gore, Ruby Singh Ahuja, Sandeep Kapur, and Debmalya Banerjee.
The firm counts domestic powerhouse corporates and multinational banks and companies as loyal clients. It has recently worked with Adani Group, Ambuja Cement, Astro, Coca-Cola, Colgate, Disney Broadcasting, Morgan Stanley, Procter & Gamble, Star TV, Tata Steel, Twitter, Unilever, Vodafone and Wadia Group.
Work highlights
Acted for a leading domestic power company in a significant case involving the corporate insolvency resolution process of Essar Power MP, successfully obtaining approval for its resolution plan, which was upheld by the Supreme Court. The case involved complex legal issues surrounding the treatment of operational creditors.
Represented an Indian conglomerate in a major civil appeal concerning the cancellation of an exemption under the Employees Provident Fund & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, successfully challenging the order passed by the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. This case raised important questions regarding employee rights and corporate compliance.
Acted for the Public Health Foundation of India in multiple cases against several banks regarding large-scale fraud, securing a favourable outcome in the Supreme Court. The matters involved intricate legal challenges pertaining to consumer complaints and regulatory compliance.
Successfully defended the interests of DLF in a dispute regarding the enforcement of an arbitral award expressed in foreign currency, achieving a landmark ruling from the Supreme Court. This decision clarified key issues related to currency conversion and the enforceability of foreign arbitral awards in India.
