Aliff, who was a founding partner in another law firm in Mumbai, merged his practice with ALMT Legal in 2003 to enhance the Firm's tax and M&A practice. Aliff is listed among the “Top 100 Private Practice Lawyers in India” by India Business Law Journal in 2018-19, 2020-2021, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Aliff’s tax experience includes advising on cross border tax structuring and issues such as creation of permanent establishment, obligations in relation to withholding tax, transfer pricing, characterization of software payments etc. and more recently on the two pillar approach and India’s stand on issues such as digital tax and nomads. Aliff also advises on indirect tax issues particularly GST and customs issues for various international and domestic clients. Aliff has also been actively involved in various high stakes direct tax litigation matters handled by the firm involving international tax issues such as indirect transfers, transfer pricing disputes and mutual agreement procedures.
The Tax Directors Handbook has highly recommended Aliff for his tax practice. Aliff has authored articles for international publications including for the IBFD and been a panelist at various international tax and M&A conferences and seminars.
Aliff’s M&A and corporate practice is mainly focused on domestic and cross-border transactional work for domestic and international multinational companies and private equity funds. He is highly regarded for his drafting and negotiation skills in a complex transaction as well as his practical approach towards resolving many structuring and regulatory issues within the framework of the law. Aliff also advises several clients in relation to certain capital markets transactions including registration of and investments by foreign portfolio investors as well as primary and secondary investments by a range of investors in publicly listed companies.
Besides his tax and M&A practice, Aliff has helped develop a thriving employment law practice for the Firm and assists several multinational clients on a wide spectrum of employment law issues. In addition to structuring contracts, drafting employment policies and procedures for clients, including issues relating to sexual harassment and anti-sexual harassment policies, and advising on social security schemes, Aliff has also advised on implementing terminations, both as a reduction in workforce as well as termination for misconduct, the enforceability of post termination obligations as well as dispute resolutions. Aliff has also conducted training workshops in companies in relation to effectively dealing with sexual harassment complaints, anti - bribery, data privacy and workplace ethics.
Aliff has been consistently recognized as one of India’s leading lawyers by www.almtlegal.com
global legal publications like Legal 500, Asia Law Profiles, IFLR 1000 and Chambers & Partners, who has specifically recommended Aliff for his tax, corporate and M&A, employment practice. As examples, Aliff is featured in Asian Legal Business magazine’s 'A-List of India's Super 50 Lawyers’ in 2023 and 2020. Asia Pacific Legal 500 2024 Edition has featured Aliff in ‘Hall of Fame’ for his tax practice and has recognised Aliff as a ‘Leading Lawyer’ for Labour and Employment. Legal 500 India 2024 awards shortlisted Aliff for ‘Tax Lawyer of the Year’ and ‘Labour and Employment Lawyer of the Year’. Legal Era 2022 Rankings has recognised Aliff as ‘Leading Lawyer Champion’ for Tax. Legal Era 2024 India awards has awarded Aliff as ‘Lawyer of the Year – Labour and Employment’ and nominated Aliff for ‘Lawyer of the Year – M&A’. Asia Law Profiles 2023 Edition has recognised Aliff as ‘Distinguished Practitioner’ for Corporate M&A and Labour and Employment. IFLR 1000 2023 Edition recognises Aliff as ‘Highly Regarded Lawyer’ for M&A and Private Equity. LawWiser has featured Aliff in ‘Lawyers Power League 2023 – 100 Leading Law Firm Professionals’ list.
Professional appointments and activities
Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa, India (1988)
Law Society of England and Wales (1992)
One of India's representative authors for the International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation (IBFD)
Member of the Indian Chapter of the International Fiscal Association (IFA)
Qualifications
Bachelor of Laws – 1988 University of Bombay (was awarded the gold medal for securing the first rank overall)
Bombay Incorporated Law Society (Solicitor's exam) - 1990 (secured the first rank and highest marks in all 5 subjects)
LLM - 1991 University of Cambridge, UK
Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test - Law society of England and Wales - 1992
