Samir R. Gandhi

Education

• B.A, LL.B (Hons.), National Law School of India University, Bangalore (1999)
• LL.M, London School of Economics & Political Science, London (2003)

Work Experience

• Associate, Amarchand Mangaldas, New Delhi (1999-2002)
• Junior Legal Officer, World Trade Organization, Geneva (2003-2004)
• Partner, Economic Laws Practice, New Delhi (2005-2013)
• Partner, AZB & Partners, New Delhi (2012 onwards)
• Visiting Scholar, Columbia University School of Law, New York (2005)
• Advocate, Bar Council of Delhi: 1999
• Member and serving on the Committee of the Anti-trust Sections of the International Bar Association (IBA) & the American Bar Association (ABA)

Key practice area – Competition & Anti-Trust

• Antitrust Policy: Served as a special invitee, Competition Law Review Committee, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India (2019);
• Served as part of the official delegation of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance on the changes sought to be introduced through the Competition (Amendment) Bill (2012);
• Served as the Non-Governmental Advisor in the Indian Delegation to the VI BRICS Conference & the International Competition Network (2018-20);
• Advised the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in a DFID-funded project to draft a new competition law.
• Merger Control: Advised and made various notifications under the merger control provisions of the Competition Act, for various clients on Indian M&A transactions. Part of the Merger Working Group of the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to advise on the Combination Regulations (2011).
• Antitrust enforcement & litigation: Acted for the Competition Commission in its early cases before the Supreme Court and High Courts, including in CCI vs SAIL and CCI vs Kingfisher Airlines. Acted for numerous companies as informants and defendants before the Competition Commission of India, the Delhi High Court, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (and the erstwhile COMPAT) and the Supreme Court of India. Notable cases include the first cartel case investigated by the CCI (Multiplex Operators case); the Cement cartel case; and the Google case.

Academic & Professional Recognitions

• University Gold medal in Environmental Law, NLSIU (1999)
• KC Mahindra Scholar, London School of Economics & Political Science, London (2003)
• Commonwealth Scholar, London School of Economics & Political Science, London (2003)
• Recommended as a leading anti-trust lawyer in India by: Practical Law Company’s Competition & Leniency Multi-jurisdictional Guide.
• Who’s Who Legal, Chambers & Partners, Legal Media Group’s Guide to the World’s Leading Competition and Antitrust Lawyers, Chambers & Partners.

Publications

Relevant Book Chapters:

• Indian Issues in Antitrust in the Pharmaceutical Industry, Getting The Deal Done (2017)
• Competition Law in India, Intellectual Property & Antitrust Review, Law Business Reviews (2nd Edition, 2017)
• Cartels in India, The Asia Pacific Antitrust Review, Global Competition Review (2017)
• Antitrust in Emerging & Developing Countries, 2nd Edition, NYU Law Publication (2015)
• Merger Control in India, Merger Control Review, 6th Edition, Law Business Research (2015)
• Country Report on India, NON-TARIFF MEASURES: Evidence from Selected Developing Countries and Future Research Agenda Developing Countries In International Trade Studies, UNCTAD (2010)

Relevant Articles

• Competition Law and FRAND: Developments and Challenges in India, Competition Policy International (2015-10-13)
• Most Favored Customer Clauses in Online Retail: Best Price or Bad Deal? Competition Policy International (2015-05-13)
• Enforcement trends in India under the Competition Act 2002, Practical Law Guide, Thomson Reuters (2013)
• Regulating Voluntary Environmental Standards, Journal of World Trade (2005).