Water & Shark Appoints Aniket Gautam: International Disputes Focus

• Aniket Gautam has joined Water & Shark as Senior Managing Partner for Cross-Border Disputes and International Legal Practice.
• His appointment stems from a strategic partnership between Water & Shark and the Indian law firm ASG & Partners.
• Gautam will lead Water & Shark Legal's international dispute resolution efforts, offering integrated solutions for complex multi-jurisdictional cases.
• He regularly appears before key Indian judicial bodies, including the Supreme Court, High Courts, NCLAT, NCLT, DRAT, DRT, and NCDRC.
• The collaboration aims to create a unified, borderless legal and advisory platform combining global and India-specific expertise.

This strategic alliance aims to deliver integrated solutions to clients navigating complex multi-jurisdictional disputes, enforcement challenges, and family-related legal proceedings across global markets.

Water & Shark has announced a significant expansion of its international legal and dispute resolution capabilities with the appointment of Aniket Gautam as Senior Managing Partner for Cross-Border Disputes and International Legal Practice. This strategic move is the direct result of a new partnership forged between Water & Shark and the Indian law firm ASG & Partners. The collaboration is designed to integrate Water & Shark's established global advisory platform with ASG & Partners' deep-rooted legal practice in India, creating a unified and borderless legal and advisory offering for clients worldwide.

This strategic alliance aims to deliver integrated solutions to clients navigating complex multi-jurisdictional disputes, enforcement challenges, and family-related legal proceedings across global markets. The initiative underscores a commitment to providing comprehensive support for intricate legal matters that often span multiple jurisdictions, particularly those with an India nexus. The partnership is set to enhance the firm's capacity to address the growing demand for specialized legal services in an increasingly interconnected global economy.

Aniket Gautam's new role places him at the helm of Water & Shark Legal's international dispute resolution mandate. In this capacity, he is tasked with collaborating closely with the firm’s existing legal, tax, and advisory teams to forge integrated solutions for clients. These solutions are specifically designed to address complex multi-jurisdictional disputes, intricate enforcement challenges, and sensitive family-related legal proceedings that span global markets. Gautam brings a wealth of experience, regularly appearing before the Supreme Court of India, various High Courts, and a range of specialized judicial forums.

These include the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunal (DRAT), Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT), and the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC). His extensive practice encompasses a broad spectrum of legal areas, from corporate advisory, private equity, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures, to international arbitration and cross-border dispute resolution. Furthermore, his expertise extends to capital markets, banking and finance, white-collar crime, insolvency, and critical regulatory and policy matters, making him a formidable asset in navigating diverse legal landscapes.

The strategic partnership between Water & Shark and ASG & Partners represents a significant development in the international legal landscape, particularly for those with an India nexus. This collaboration effectively merges Water & Shark’s established global advisory platform with ASG & Partners’ deep-rooted Indian legal practice, culminating in a unified, borderless legal and advisory capability. The objective is to provide clients with a seamless, comprehensive service offering that transcends geographical and jurisdictional boundaries.

Speaking on this pivotal alliance, Harsh Girish Patel, Founder and Global CEO of Water & Shark, reflected on a long-standing aspiration. He recalled a conversation a decade prior with Aniket Gautam, where they shared a vision to establish a global advisory firm that Indian professionals could take immense pride in. This long-held ambition now materializes through the formation of this integrated service, poised to address the evolving demands of globalized legal challenges and enhance Water & Shark India legal services.

Lawyers and compliance officers should note the formation of a new, integrated legal and advisory service offering from Water & Shark and ASG & Partners, led by Aniket Gautam, for clients facing complex multi-jurisdictional disputes and enforcement challenges, especially those with an India nexus. This development provides a new resource for referrals or a competitive consideration in the international dispute resolution landscape.

Source: Reporting based on an announcement from Water & Shark.