{{Short description|Indian corporate law firm}} {{Multiple issues| {{advert|date=December 2018}} {{more citations needed|date=December 2018}} {{Update|date=November 2019}} }} {{Infobox company | name = AZB & Partners | logo = AZB_&_Partners_Logo.svg | type = Partnership Firm (90+ partners) | industry = [[Law Practice]] | fate = | predecessor = | successor = | founder = | defunct = | hq_location_city = | area_served = | key_people = {{Unbulleted_list|[[Zia Mody]]<br>{{small|(Founder & Managing Partner)}}|Bahram Vakil<br>{{small|(Founder & Managing Partner)}}|Ajay Bahl<br>{{small|(Founder & Managing Partner)}}}} | products = | owner = | num_employees = 500+ | num_employees_year = | parent = | website = {{URL|https://www.azbpartners.com/}} | founded = {{Start date and age|2004||}} | num_locations = 6 }}
'''AZB & Partners''' is a corporate [[law firm]] in [[India]], with offices in [[Mumbai]], [[National Capital Region (India)|Delhi NCR]], [[Bangalore]], [[Chennai]] and [[Pune]]. The firm comprises over 150 partners specialising in [[Corporate law|General Corporate]], [[Mergers and acquisitions|M&A]] and Banking and Finance practice and other specialised verticals such as [[dispute resolution]], real estate, [[competition law]], [[intellectual property]], [[Capital market|capital markets]], compliance & investigations, funds, employment law, etc. AZB & Partners' domestic and international clients range from privately owned to publicly listed companies, including [[Fortune 500]] entities, [[Multinational corporation|multinationals]], i[[Investment banking|nvestment banks]] and [[Private equity firm|private equity firms]].
== History == [[Zia Mody]], an alumnus of [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge University]] and [[Harvard Law School]] who had worked with [[Baker McKenzie|Baker & McKenzie]] in [[New York City]] established her own Litigation practice in [[Mumbai]] as the sole proprietor of the Chambers of Zia Mody.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mukherjee |first=Udayan |date=12 June 2022 |title=Ace Lawyer Zia Mody on Why She Became a Lawyer |pages=1 |work=www.businesstoday.in |url=https://www.businesstoday.in/magazine/interview/story/ace-lawyer-zia-mody-on-why-she-became-a-lawyer-335788-2022-05-31 |access-date=12 June 2022}}</ref> She had been friends with Bahram Vakil,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sai |first=Aparna |date=4 February 2021 |title=ALB CONVERSATIONS: BAHRAM N. VAKIL, CO-FOUNDER AND SENIOR PARTNER, AZB & PARTNERS |pages=1 |work=www.legalbusinessonline.com |url=https://www.legalbusinessonline.com/other-news/alb-conversations-bahram-n-vakil-co-founder-and-senior-partner-azb-partners |access-date=4 February 2021}}</ref> a graduate of [[Columbia University]] who also practiced for 2 years in the [[United States]] before returning to [[India]] and working as a partner at Little & Co.. The two chose to partner and established CZB (Chambers of Zia and Bahram). Ajay Bahl started his career as a [[Chartered accountant|Chartered Accountant]] but was persuaded by [[N. K. P. Salve|N.K.P Salve]] to study law and intern with prominent lawyer [[Soli Sorabjee]] (Zia's father), after which Ajay set up his own practice in New Delhi.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legallyindia.com/wiki/Ajay_Bahl|title=Ajay Bahl's Profile|last=|first=|date=|website=|access-date=}}</ref>
AZB & Partners was formed in 2004 when CZB & Partners in Mumbai merged with Ajay Bahl & Company in Delhi. The firm has moved away from the traditional family-style set-up, however, and has a clear partnership track in place, which has led it to be credited for the modernity of its practice.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://indianlawyer250.com/firms/16/inl250/353/azb-partners/|title=Indian Lawyer 250 - Firm Profile - AZB & Partners|last=|first=|date=|website=|access-date=}}</ref> The firm entered into a "best friends agreement" with [[United Kingdom|UK]]-based [[Clifford Chance]] in early 2009,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-37486720090116|title=Reuters India AZB - Clifford Chance agreement|last=|first=|newspaper=Reuters|date=16 January 2009|website=|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709180246/http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-37486720090116|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 9, 2012|access-date=}}</ref> which was terminated by mutual agreement in January 2011.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legallyindia.com/201101211707/Law-firms/breaking-azb-clifford-chance-end-best-friendship|title=AZB - Clifford Chance end best friendship.|last=|first=|date=|website=|access-date=}}</ref>
== Locations == The Firm has a total of 7 offices in India: Two each in Mumbai and Delhi NCR and one each in Bangalore, Chennai and Pune.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chambersandpartners.com/asia/firm/2269/azb-partners|title=Chambers & Partners Profile- AZB (see: offices)|last=|first=|date=|website=|access-date=}}</ref>
== Practice Areas == The major practice areas of the Firm include:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chambersandpartners.com/asia/firm/2269/azb-partners|title=Chambers & Partners - AZB Profile (See: Practice Areas)|last=|first=|date=|website=|access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legal500.com/firms/32059-azb-partners/32309-mumbai-india|title=Legal 500 - Firm Profile - AZB & Partners|last=|first=|date=|website=|access-date=}}</ref>
* Mergers & Acquisitions * Joint Ventures & General Corporate * Private Equity & Funds * Banking & Finance * Real Estate * Insurance * Competition * Dispute Resolution * Capital Markets * Employment * Compliance & Investigation * Tax * Technology, Media & Telecommunication * Intellectual Property * Projects & Energy *Funds *Private Client Practice
== Partners == The firm has more than 150 partners.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legallyindia.com/lawfirms/azb-promotes-15-to-partner-across-offices-delhi-does-9-20190401-9957|title = AZB promotes 15 to partner (40% women) • Grows to 105 • Symbi most, 2 each from NUJS, NLU-J, GNLU}}</ref>
== Awards == AZB & Partners has received wide national and international acclaim within the legal sphere, some of which include 'Ranked No.1' by RSG Top 40 India law firm ranking in 2019 and 2017,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rsg-india.com/rankings|title=RSG India Law firm Rankings (2017)|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809082144/http://www.rsg-india.com/rankings|archive-date=2020-08-09|access-date=|url-status=dead}}</ref> 'Best Overall Law Firm of the Year- 2017' at India Business Law Journal's Indian Law Firms Awards, 2017–18,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vantageasia.com/indian-law-firm-awards-2017-18/|title=IBLJ Indian Law Firm Awards|last=|first=|date=15 March 2018|website=|access-date=}}</ref> 'Law Firm of the Year- 2017' by [[VCCircle|VC Circle]] (topping the tables in both deal count and volume)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vccircle.com/flashback-2017-top-law-firms-of-the-year/|title=VC Circle Flashback 2017|last=|first=|date=27 December 2017|website=|access-date=}}</ref> 'Client Service Law Firm of the Year - 2017' by [[Chambers and Partners]] Asia-Pacific Awards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chambersandpartners.com/chambers-asia-pacific-awards-2017|title=Chambers APAC awards 2017|last=|first=|date=|website=|access-date=}}</ref> For the first quarter of 2018, the firm was ranked on top in both M&A deal count and volume on the league tables published by [[Merger Market]], [[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]] and [[Thomson Reuters]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legallyindia.com/lawfirms/azb-leads-q1-by-value-and-volume-of-deals-across-mergermarket-thomson-reuters-and-bloomberg-leagues-00011130-9270|title=M&A league Q1 2018 Legallyindia|last=|first=|date=|website=|access-date=}}</ref> In May 2024, AZB & Partners was recognized as the "Best Overall Law Firm" category at the India Business Law Journal's Indian Law Firm Awards 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 May 2024 |title=Indian Law Firm Awards 2024 |url=https://law.asia/iblj-awards-2024/ |website=Law.asia}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Portal|Companies}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:AZB and Partners}} [[Category:Law firms of India]] [[Category:Law firms established in 2004]] [[Category:Legal organisations based in India]]