Alipak Banerjee, a leader in the international disputes practice at Nishith Desai Associates (NDA), has decided to go solo after a 12-year stint at the firm, establishing the Alipak Banerjee Law Chambers in Delhi.
“I had a fulfilling and rewarding career at Nishith Desai Associates where I progressed from a young associate to leading the firm’s international disputes practice in New Delhi,” Banerjee told India Business Law Journal.
“A significant portion — nearly 85% to 90% — of my practice has been cross-border [matters], giving me the opportunity to collaborate closely with leading foreign law firms and multinational corporations across jurisdictions,” he added.
His work at NDA involved commercial disputes, including international commercial and investment treaty arbitration, regulatory and commercial litigation, and more recently, white-collar crime.
Banerjee – who specialises in international commercial and investment treaty arbitration, complex cross-border disputes, and white-collar litigation – acknowledged that the decision to move was a “natural progression”.
He is a member of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) reserve panel of arbitrators and the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre’s (HKIAC) list of arbitrators, and also serves on the HKIAC domain name dispute resolution panel.
He holds roles within the International Bar Association (IBA) as treasurer and scholarship officer of the Professional Ethics Committee, and is a member of the India National Committee of the International Centre for Dispute Resolution, and serves on the IBA Arbitration Committee Taskforce on the use of artificial intelligence in international arbitration.
“This move allows me to work more closely with friends, colleagues and respected law firms— both domestic and international — bringing complementary strengths to complex mandates and delivering greater value to clients,” he told IBLJ.
He has represented clients in institutional and ad hoc arbitrations (at the SIAC, LCIA and ICC) and before the Supreme Court of India and various high courts.
Banerjee believes that with the Indian legal market on the cusp of liberalisation, it aligns meaningfully with his idea of collaborating with foreign law firms.
“My primary focus will be on high-value, complex commercial and white-collar disputes,” Banerjee told IBLJ.
“The objective is to engage deeply with each matter and deliver high-impact solutions tailored to clients’ needs. The practice will place a strong emphasis on both written and oral advocacy.
“I have been fortunate to receive strong support from clients as well as both domestic and international law firms with whom I have built trusted relationships over the years.”
