
Neerav Merchant
Partner and Head of Disputes
Neerav Merchant has over 22 years of experience in dispute resolution, arbitration, litigation, enforcement of foreign judgments and awards, asset recovery, technology and telecommunication, intellectual property, employment, anti-corruption, and real property matters.

Neerav Merchant
Partner and Head of Disputes
Neerav Merchant has over 22 years of experience in dispute resolution, arbitration, litigation, enforcement of foreign judgments and awards, asset recovery, technology and telecommunication, intellectual property, employment, anti-corruption, and real property matters.
Neerav regularly speaks at several international forums, including seminars and conferences hosted by Asian Legal Business, International Bar Association and Law Society of England and Wales. He is on the panel of arbitrators of Mumbai Centre for International Arbitration.
Recent Transactions
- Acted for MNP Interconnection Telecom Solutions India Pvt. Ltd., an Ericsson group company, before the Delhi High Court, and thereafter, before the Supreme Court, duly challenging a regulation notified by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
- Represented one of the largest Italian manufacturers and a global player in the bottle crowns and caps business in a high stakes arbitration matter emanating from the termination by our client of a majority share acquisition transaction of an Indian company.
- Advising Elementis Specialities (India) Private Limited, a listed global speciality chemicals company, on employment law matters and employee disputes.
- Representing Jeumont SA, an international industrial company with operations in 27 countries, in enforcing an ICC arbitration award in India.
- Representing SABIC UK Petrochemicals Limited, one of the world’s largest petrochemicals manufacturers, on its ongoing dispute with Punj Lloyd Limited in the Delhi High Court.
- Represented a large audit and consulting firm on an investigation into allegations of financial irregularities by its senior management in India. Conducted an internal investigation in conjunction with a forensic team and advised the client on clean-up measures and overall strategy.
- Advised SwissPost, the national postal service of Switzerland, on data protection and privacy issues under Indian law.
- Advised Givaudan (India) Pvt. Ltd., a global leader in the food flavours business, in finalizing the general conditions of contract for the appointment of contractors at its manufacturing plant being set up in Pune, Maharashtra, India.
- Advised CHEP South Africa on Indian employment law issues in connection with its Indian subsidiary, CHEP India Private Limited.
- Represented Morgan Stanley Advantage Services Private Limited on its application to the Department of Telecommunications to permit limited liability partnerships to be registered as an “other services provider” under Indian telecom regulations.
-
Ranked By
- Chambers Asia Pacific
- Chambers Global
- Asialaw Leading Lawyers
- Who’s Who Legal
- “Dispute Resolution Star” for commercial and transactions and intellectual property by Benchmark Litigation 2020
- Finalist under the category of “Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year” for the ALB 1st India Law Awards
- Practical Law Company and Indian Lawyer 250
Practice Areas
- Anti-Corruption
- General Commercial
- Real Property
- Disputes (Litigation and Arbitration)
- Employment
- Technology, Media and Telecommunications
Industry Focus
- Manufacturing and Industrial
- Pharmaceuticals and Life sciences
- Technology
Education
- BCom, Jai Hind College, University of Mumbai (1993)
- LLB, KC Law College, University of Mumbai (1996)
Admissions
- India
Memberships
- Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa
- Bombay Incorporated Law Society
- International Bar Association (Regional Representative – Asia of the Litigation Committee for 2018-2019)
- Inter Pacific Bar Association (Vice Chair, Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Committee)
Articles
Yes Bank vs Zee: a curious case of comfort & guarantee
Introduction Letters of Comfort (LoC) have been issued by the promoters of various borrower companies to Indian banks, overseas branches of Indian banks and non-bank lenders. In many cases, these have been equated with guarantees. On August 19, 2020, the Bombay High...
The aftermath of COVID-19 in India: Employment law has assumed greater importance than ever before
India is the fifth-largest economy in the world with a workforce of 400 million. Several companies across the world have wholly-owned subsidiaries in India, mainly in sectors like IT and IT-enabled services, financial services, consulting, insurance and healthcare. A...
Litigating in India in the COVID-19 era
Tolling of the statute of limitation As a result of the health emergency situation arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic, with effect from March 15, 2020 until further orders, India’s Supreme Court (SC), in exercise of its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the...
The COVID-19 lockdown: Implications for Indian companies and employers
The Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has affected almost every country in the world, and India is no exception. To control the spread, the Indian government has imposed a mandatory countrywide lockdown from March 24, 2020, until April 14, 2020. Only establishments and...