THE MOST TRUSTED LEGAL BRAND IN INDIA
S Jalan and Co. tracing its origin to 1950, is one of the oldest and best-known firms on a Pan-India basis. The founder, the Late Mr. Shyamanand Jalan, a Senior Solicitor, was a legendary figure in the Indian legal circle for his involvement both as Solicitor in the Calcutta High Court and Supreme Court matters and for his work as a leading Real Estate Law Expert. He has also served as a Chairman & an Arbitrator in several national and international arbitrations involving foreign, multinational, and Indian parties. He served as a director on the board of several business houses. He advised various State Governments, MNCs, FIs, and educational and charitable organizations on diverse legal matters and has also written extensively on matters concerning infrastructure development and real estate laws. He was also on the board of several national and international expert committees on banking & finance, performing arts & fine arts, entertainment and media, science and technology, and arbitration and infrastructure.
Today, the firm has developed a multi-locational presence in India with its offices in Kolkata, New Delhi, and Mumbai. The firm has established a reputation par excellence in Kolkata, where it was founded, and enjoys a coveted niche in New Delhi and Mumbai, primarily through its dedication to serving our varied clientele that includes Public Sector Industries, Private Business Houses, Banks, and Financial Institutions, Multinational Companies, High Net Worth Individuals, Software Houses, Charitable and Educational Organizations, etc. The Asia Pacific Legal 500 has also named the firm among the top Law Firms in India. The Firm’s diverse client portfolio comprises an enormous variety of commercial interests and includes business houses and industries of repute spread out across the globe.
For all these amazing achievements and their notable contribution to the legal sector of our nation, Entrepreneur Insights is listing the firm as the Legal Icon of 2022.
MR. SOURAV GHOSH – THE BACKBONE OF THE FIRM
Mr. Sourav Ghosh, due to his hard work, talent, and dedication, was appointed as an Equity Partner of S. Jalan & Co. at the age of 28 making him the youngest equity partner of the firm and thereafter, he was promoted as the Managing Partner of the firm in the year 2021.
Ever since he has made a reputation as an entrepreneurial lawyer and has provided business-oriented legal solutions and advice to his clients. Mr. Ghosh’s focus was to develop a niche clientele spreading across several sectors which was beyond the already established sphere of real estate. Therefore, he started extending his clientele in banking, NBFC, telecom, mining, infrastructure, Pharma, FMCG, and various other sectors. His expertise also includes general commercial laws. Such expansion in different sectors and spheres of enabled him to gradually become a full-service law firm that it is today. For all his hard work and dedication to the field of law, Mr. Sourav Ghosh has been inducted into the Legal Power list 2020 & 2021 by Forbes Magazine in the category of Top Managing Partners of India.
CHALLENGES THAT STRENGTHENED THE WALLS OF THE FIRM IN THE FORM OF ACHIEVEMENTS
The firm often deals with complex challenges which are a part of the day-to-day activity. A remarkable achievement for the firm during all these years was that even during the period of the pandemic, Mr. Ghosh along with his team had provided advice, negotiated, drafted, and executed various due diligence reports and documents, including a Term Loan Agreement, Deed of Hypothecation, Security Trustee Agreement, Mortgage Perfection Documents, and other Miscellaneous Transaction Documents for an international financial institution in respect of a housing project conceived by one of the real estate giants of Eastern India for availing a transactional facility worth INR 300 Million.
Mr. Ghosh and his team has also acted as the attorney for one of the real estate giants wherein the firm had drafted and vetted transactional documents for purchasing land parcels at North Bengal owned by the Government of West Bengal and had prepared title search reports and conducted due diligence in respect of such land parcels.
Mr. Ghosh had also represented before the Hon’ble Supreme Court along with eminent Senior Counsels on behalf of one of the Central Government Institution in a complex legal proceeding worth millions which was pertaining to unauthorized occupants who were illegally holding onto the government land and it is because of Mr. Ghosh and his team that the tables were turned in favour of the Central Government Institution.
REVOLUTIONARY PARTICIPATION OF S JALAN AND CO IN THE LEGAL ARENA OF OUR NATION
Revolution implies bringing about a change. In all fields and aspects of life, change plays a key role in shaping society and its inhabitants.
Initially, the firm under the guidance of eminent legal luminary Shyamanand Jalan focused primarily on real estate laws. However, with time and under the supervision of Mr. Ghosh, the firm has expanded the scope and area of work to various other fields by engaging in litigation, advisory and documentation in the field of Banking and NBFC, infrastructure, mining, telecommunications and pharmaceuticals, endorsement contracts, sports law and many other Corporate Clients. With the growth of the economy, vast avenues and opportunities are made available for the legal sector. With this approach, the firm has also expanded its offices and at present it has offices in Kolkata, New Delhi, and Mumbai and is presently working on our expansion to Chennai and Hyderabad.
Radical change within the industry and the legal perception
With the passage of time, the laws are advancing, and as such the traditional methods and practices also have to evolve to be in tandem with the service-oriented practices.
Mr. Ghosh believes that such technological advancements have to be incorporated as in the coming future the role of the internet and technology will grow significantly even in the legal industry. Efficiency, being a key aspect for a corporate legal firm, can be achieved by adoption of the modern and state-of-the-art technologies as well as embracing the technological changes in the system of the firm. Over the years, Mr. Ghosh has taken initiatives for the incorporation of modern technologies in all the offices of the firm, so that litigations in different avenues and platforms can be conducted virtually in an efficacious manner, which has also enabled the firm to gain an advantage over its peers and is recognized as one of the Premier law firms of the Country.
THE HUGE CLIENT BASE OF S JALAN AND CO.
At the time when Mr. Ghosh became a part of the firm in the year 2002, the firm’s primary clientele and engagements were restricted to land-related matters which included documentation, registration and litigation arising out of land transaction, etc. It is then that Mr. Ghosh had envisioned expanding the work and branches of the firm and making it a full-service Pan-India Law Firm.
Presently, the firm handles and advises clients on a wide range of matters, including Infrastructure Contract Litigation and Arbitration inclusive of International Arbitrations; Financing of Infrastructure Projects; General Commercial Litigation; Banking & Financial Laws; Constitutional Writ Matters and Real Estate Matters.
Under the able guidance and mentorship of Mr. Sourav Ghosh, the Firm has received wide media coverage in leading magazines and other media platforms having a national presence.
ROLE OF RESEARCH, LEARNING, AND CREATIVE THINKING WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION
The Lawyers of the firm relentlessly strive to take part as well as organize seminars, webinars, and other such events concerning legal issues for the purpose of promoting a vibrant culture of debate and discussion. They have also authored copious articles in order to create awareness and expand the horizons of legal knowledge. On account of this, they have also been recognized as trusted legal advice providers. Some of the recent articles that have been published in leading legal magazines having a nationwide reach include Insight Success Magazine, Witness Magazine, etc. The firm has been recognized as one of the 10 most Trusted Business and Commercial Law Solution Providers.
FUTURE ENDEAVORS OF S JALAN AND CO.
Mr. Sourav Ghosh says, “We at S. Jalan & Co. believe in the Organic growth of the Firm. We have expanded as a PAN India Law firm and envision being an International Law firm, keeping ourselves aligned with our objective of providing trusted legal services. We have our offices at several locations and our business strategy has always been to integrate harmonious coordination between our offices and Associates to bring out the best of every resource we possess.
Keeping up with our long-term goal of developing ourselves as an international firm, we are also dealing with new aspects and practices such as Sports Law alongside our existing areas of practice namely Infrastructure laws.”
BEST ADVICE FROM MR. SOURAV GHOSH TO THE READERS
Mr. Ghosh comments “India, as a nation is rich in diversity, while knowledge possessed by our population is not uniform, as such many are not aware of their legal rights. Thus, it becomes our duty as legal professionals to lead by example. Hence it is advisable to spread Legal Awareness and ensure that trusted legal services are extended to the poor and needy. Our firm views access to justice as a pro-bono initiative. As a Firm, we support causes like Senior Citizen Rights, child rights, disability rights, Labour Rights and workplace ethics, women’s rights, and the environmental rights and policies associated to such cause. Further, we encourage Social Entrepreneurs to carry out their missions of positive social change and enhance the livelihood of the emancipated & distressed. We have also undertaken pro-bono work for the CSR activities of corporate clients on regular basis; advising pro bono to many charitable institutions and religious trusts.”
–Indrani Banarjee