Anand & Anand forges new alliance with Naik & Naik to form 'Anand and Naik' in Mumbai

After recently parting ways with Khimani & Associates, Anand and Anand has forged new ties through its Mumbai practice with Naik Naik & Co to form a new vehicle christened Anand and Naik..The new entity will be a cross-border, integrated and multi-disciplinary practice led by founders of the respective firms Pravin Anand, Safir Anand and Ameet Naik.Anand and Naik will specialise in the areas of corporate commercial litigation, international commercial arbitration, corporate transactional practice, and intellectual property rights..The founders aim to create a national and international litigation practice and will extensively represent clients in domestic and international arbitration.The firm will also focus on industries being disrupted by technology, especially in the media and entertainment sector, and render services in the fields of intellectual property, data protection, fashion, films, advertising and social media, with a special bent towards emerging technologies like OTT, broadcasting, digital media, internet, convergence and tech-based hybrid areas like FinTech, EdTech, AgriTech and HealthTech..While Ameet Naik will manage the practice and head the operations of the firm as the Managing Partner, Anand & Anand will nominate one of its lead partners to co-head the practice..Commenting on the development, Pravin Anand said, “Ameet is an acclaimed corporate commercial litigator in the country. He is also one of the leading lawyers in the media and entertainment space, globally, with extensive experience in the sector and some great contentious work to his credit. Together, we are set to amplify our presence, both in domestic and cross-border litigation. We will focus on fresh thinking and creative solutions well-suited to address the biggest and most complex cases, especially in the times of virtual hearings and with substantial reliance on electronic data and technology.”Senior Partner at Anand & Anand Safir Anand further elaborated on the expansion plans and said, “Our vision is grand. This synergy will set a benchmark for not just our transactional IP practice, but also in extremely specialized areas like digital asset management, information & data, content, currencies and online reputation. Ameet has an impressive repertoire of work in top-level strategic advisory and handling big-ticket corporate transactions. With his corporate expertise, we will be a leading team of experts advising on strategically significant agreements and transactions across the globe. Expansion of our client base and operations to more locations, within and outside India, is also on cards.”Ameet Naik commented, “While Mr. Pravin Anand is undoubtedly an icon who has contributed towards strengthening India’s IP jurisprudence, Safir’s practice is extremely niche and unconventional. At Naik Naik and Co., we have a dynamic blend of the conventional and unconventional. This collaboration is, therefore, the perfect blend of insightful vintage litigation practice and refreshingly dynamic expertise that has evolved with time...We each have a strong and well-established foothold in Delhi and Mumbai respectively and the collaboration will allow each of us access to the other’s dominant presence...With this collaboration, we will create one of the largest litigation and dispute resolution practice in the country, that will focus on high-profile, high-stake and nuanced contentious matters across all forums and allow us to further our domestic and international commercial arbitration practice.”.Bithika Anand, Founder and CEO of Legal League Consulting, advised on and facilitated the synergy, along with her colleague Nipun Bhatia, President – Strategic Legal Management.