Member Profiles

Anju specializes in Banking and Finance and Private Client Practice and is also well-versed in RBI Regulations, FEMA Regulations, Labour Laws, Information Technology Laws, Real Estate Laws, and Corporate Laws. She advises on new standard product documentation for banks and non-banking financial institutions, Priority sector funding, funding against foreign guarantees, loan restructuring under the new RBI Guidelines as well as Government credit guarantee schemes, multi-currency cross-border transactions, external commercial borrowings, institutional loans, etc. in consultation with leading foreign law Firms. Anju also advises on the IBU business of the Indian branches set up in the GIFT City, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Anju advises new banks and non-banking finance companies on their entire legal set-up involving all product documentation, HR, policy reviews IT set up and commercial contracts and offers continuous legal support and advice post business commencement, including on matters related to POSH is also a part of the ICC of her clients. Anju has advised many clients, both in India and outside, on their succession planning including business and personal assets. As a part of Private Client Practice, she also regularly advises Wealth Management Teams of large banks and NBFCs including wealth management companies and family offices. Anju has been ranked amongst the ‘Top Individual Lawyers – Banking and Finance’ in the Legal Powerlist 2020 announced by Forbes India on 31st March, 2021. As a Co-Founder, Anju is on the Board of the Society of Trust and Estate Planners, India. (STEP). Professional Qualifications M.Com (Finance) LL.B. Delhi University Expertise Banking & Finance Human Resources & Industrial Relations Private Client Practice Succession & Estate Planning

Regarded as a renowned restructuring, bankruptcy, infrastructure and project finance attorney, Bahram Vakil was appointed as a key member of the Bankruptcy Law Reforms Committee (BLRC), chaired by Dr. T K Viswanathan and constituted by the Ministry of Finance to draft the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC). Bahram is also a member of the Insolvency Law Amendment Committee, constituted by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs for recommending amendments to the IBC. As part of his restructuring and bankruptcy experience, Bahram has advised bidders, insolvency professionals, domestic and international banks, hedge funds and interim financiers under the IBC, including the large stressed accounts referred to insolvency resolution by the RBI. Considered by multiple leading publications amongst the most well reputed restructuring and banking & finance lawyers in the country, Chambers Global states that, “Bahram Vakil is an instantly recognizable figure who is commended for his being able to ‘get into the details’ of more complex matters. Vakil’s strength lies in his ability to bring the commercial point of view to the table.” Bahram also served on the U.K. Sinha Committee – Working Group on Foreign Investment in India, Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Committee (FSLRC) – SEBI Advisory Group and SEBI Sub – Group on Regulatory Guidelines for Redeemable Non – Convertible Preference shares.

ZARIR BHARUCHA, a third-generation lawyer is a leading dispute resolution professional in India, with over 20 years’ experience and previously worked at magic circle firm, Linklaters in London. Zarir has acted in a number of ground breaking cases in the Bombay High Court and Supreme Court of India and regularly litigates international disputes in courts and tribunals throughout India. Zarir is also nominated by the LCIA as an arbitrator on India related disputes and has frequently given expert evidence in foreign arbitration and before courts outside India. Zarir frequently contributes articles for the trade and legal press, participates in policy contribution and on committees for new legislation (particularly in the marine area) and is a regular speaker at a number of specialist conferences such as the IBA.

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

Ms. Malavika T. Vikram, is one of De Penning & De Penning's Senior Attorney, with a wealth of experience in the field of Trademark, Copyright, Domain name protection and enforcement. Ms. Vikram started her career in Law as a Research Scholar in Criminology Department of University of Strathclyde in Scotland, United Kingdom. On her return to India, she was a general practice lawyer before the Madras High Court, with special focus on Constitutional law, Family Law, Company Law and Intellectual Property Law. Malavika Vikram has been associated with De Penning & De Penning since 2002 and is currently the Practice Head of the Trademark & Copyright division. She also heads the IP Litigation department, which handles pre-litigation investigation, discovery and enforcement strategy culminating in Infringement action. Apart from civil action Malavika and team have initiated criminal actions against counterfeit activities on e-commerce sites and in physical stores. She has also led several pre-litigation negotiations to find amicable resolution to IP disputes. Her experience extends to advising clients on IP transactions and maximizing the financial value of IP Assets. Malavika works with Indian clients on trade mark and copyright prosecution and enforcement in APAC countries she is also a regular speaker in various IP sensitization and discussion forums and was a recipient of “Powerful Women in Intellectual Property, 2023“ award by the World IP Forum.