Technology, Media, Telecoms (TMT) | Asia-Pacific

Trilegal offers a skilled practice especially prominent in the handling of telecoms-related contentious and regulatory matters and of cross-border mandates, where it acts for an impressive range of multinational technology clients. The team regularly handles alternative internet service provider model, infrastructure sharing and network neutrality issues. The team is further highly sought after for its expertise in e-commerce and fintech mandates and advice on data privacy, outsourcing transactions and electronic content delivery. Its key clients include Zee Entertainment, National Payments Corporation of India and Telenor.

AZB & Partners fields a highly reputed practice, regularly instructed on major transactions in the TMT field, including investments, private equity and joint ventures. The firm also enjoys a particularly impressive following in the media, technology and sport industries, regularly assisting both domestic and international clients with the key technological and regulatory considerations attending their deals, including competition, employment and taxation issues. Noted clients include Reliance Industries and Jio Platforms, Asian Development Bank and Coinbase.

Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas is highly regarded for its handling of both transactional and advisory TMT mandates and further noted for commercial work in the media, broadcasting and entertainment spheres and the maintenance of a TMT-related litigation capability. The team is highly sought after for advice on fintech, e-commerce and cloud-based services. The team often acts for the providers of data centre networks and is well known for its expertise in data protection, including compliance with the provisions of the 2019 Personal Data Protection Bill and data retention issues. Notable clients include Hinduja Global Solutions, AdaniConnex and Soul Vision Creations.

DSK Legal enjoys a flourishing reputation for providing an array of specialist advice, particularly where contractual arrangements or contentious issues in the media and entertainment industry are concerned, but also embracing significant technology-related transactions in, among others, the biotech and bioinformatic sectors. The firm also offers regulatory advice on issues pertaining to data protection and cybersecurity as well as e-commerce and counts well-known corporates, high-profile media personalities and advertising agencies among its clients. Its key clients include Healthquad Fund II, Salman Khan Ventures and Glamyo Technologies.

IndusLaw's prominent practice is noted for its advice to established technology companies and start-ups on data privacy and protection, VoIP and telecoms regulation and cloud-based services. The team is particularly adept at advising on e-commerce and fintech-related mandates, including business structuring and regulatory compliance, and also handles related technology disputes as well as transactional TMT mandates. Notable clients include Moody's Corporation, Seagate Technologies and Pine Labs.

JSA fields a respected practice, offering expertise across a wide range of issues in the TMT space, covering matters relating to mobile devices and payments, cloud computing, data privacy and telecoms regulatory advice. The firm is also well regarded for its skill in related transactional work and retains an impressive roster of clients among blue-chip international technology and telecoms companies. The team additionally represents a roster of emerging and established fintech companies in relation to a full suite of issues including licensing, regulatory work and dispute resolution. Notable clients include A91 Partners, Netflix and Glance.

Khaitan & Co maintains a robust practice recognised for its skill in corporate and commercial issues across the telecoms, media and technology spheres, including investments, acquisitions and demergers. The team also demonstrates expertise in telecoms-related transactions and regulatory advice and is further noted for assisting with regulatory issues in the e-commerce space. It advises a diverse client base, including numerous major media services, software and telecoms companies, with key clients including Reliance Jio Infocomm, the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and Tata Motors.

The Naik Naik & Co TMT team is widely recognised as an experienced group for media work, offering expertise across transactional and contentious matters. The firm handles areas as diverse as licensing arrangements, distribution rights, talent and production agreements, OTT broadcasting and copyright. The team has additional capability in competition and trade mark-related matters in the media space and maintains an impressive client base of pre-eminent international and domestic entertainment companies, with key clients including SPE Films India, Pooja Entertainment and Panorama Studios.

Saikrishna & Associates is widely acknowledged as one of the leading IP firms, with specialisms in telecoms, technology, and media and entertainment. The firm offers particular expertise in litigation, including counterfeiting, copyright and trade mark infringement cases. It also handles transactional mandates such as film acquisitions and enjoys an impressive client following among media companies and major publishing houses.

The Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co team is highly respected for transactional TMT work, especially financing and investment in the technology, media and telecoms industries. The firm is also recognised for skill in telecoms regulatory mandates as well as data protection and licensing. It acts for an impressive roster of international social media companies as well as e-commerce and mobile companies and cloud service providers.

Spice Route Legal provides comprehensive coverage of the technology, media and entertainment sectors, embracing transactional, contentious and regulatory mandates and acting for leading players from both the domestic and international markets. The firm is particularly active on matters in the fintech space, including blockchain-related issues, and in the representation of both investors in tech-focused businesses and of start-up investees. It advises extensively on data protection and privacy issues and maintains co-counsel relationships with a number of noted foreign firms. Notable clients include Srijan Technologies, Equinix and BharatPe.

Luthra and Luthra Law Offices India fields a well-regarded practice, noted for proficiency in M&A and joint venture work in the TMT space. The team is also in demand for related regulatory and licensing matters, as well as for handling disputes, trade mark infringements and enforcement work. Key clients include Tata Motors, Bajaj Finance and Wells Fargo.

Obhan & Associates makes a boutique-style offering, providing IP management and protection support across the TMT space and maintaining a particularly close focus on the publishing sector, where it also advises across a broad range of transactional and potentially contentious issues. The team additionally counsels clients from a variety of technological subsectors on data privacy and protection concerns, particularly within the context of interactions between the EU's GDPR and developing Indian legislation. Key clients include Euler Motors, Penguin Random House India and HarperCollins Publishers India.

Saraf and Partners is a recently established firm with a fast-rising TMT team based primarily in New Delhi, with additional offices in Mumbai and Bengaluru. The team is well positioned to handle an array of transactional TMT matters, including advising on seed funding. It also regularly advises payments and telecoms clients on regulatory issues and the set-up and structuring of their platforms. Its key clients include Uniorbit Technologies and Blacktail Mindhouse.