Shabbir S. Wakhariya

Founder, Wakhariya & Wakhariya

India’s thriving position on the global stage, with revolutionary transformations across industries is attracting numerous global businesses to leverage the young and dynamic talent and immense resources that the nation has to offer. To encourage more businesses to expand in India, various governmental reforms are taking shape to enhance ease of doing business, with numerous regulatory norms being revamped. However, India’s laws still remain highly complex, with several unrequired procedures causing businesses to experience unnecessary delays.

To help clients navigate the labyrinth of legal complexities, the need for competent legal firms is continually rising, especially firms that have cross-border business facilitating experience. Within this niche, Wakhariya & Wakhariya, a 1998 established full-service, boutique law firm backed by a legacy of over 75 years stands as a trusted partner making it simpler for international clients to maneuver through the legal intricacies of both Indian and International laws, and promising the highest standards of integrity and ethics.

“Although we are only 26 years old, our practice is deeply entrenched in the 70-year legal legacy of Saifuddin N. Wakhariya, who was known and admired for his passion for excellence and integrity in the practice of law and ethics. We strive continually to uphold the same passion for excellence and integrity in practice for delivering effective legal solutions that meet the diverse needs of our clients”, shares Shabbir S. Wakhariya, Founder, Wakhariya & Wakhariya.

Adding Value for Clients

Since 1991, the Indian market suddenly opened new avenues, leading to the diversification of law streams, and emergence of specialized lawyers across diverse areas of law. Growing from this, the legal landscape in India has grown significantly through the decades, yet there remains a lot of room for improvement, especially from the perspective of international clients, leading clients to experience grave frustrations.

Adding to this misery, the limited knowledge of locally specialized lawyers within India and abroad, often leaves clients to struggle in trying to corroborate diverse rules and laws. Wakhariya & Wakhariya, with its expansive experience across nations, eliminates such issues, providing clients a one-stop solution for their legal needs. The firm adds value for the clients in numerous ways.

Firstly, the founder, Shabbir Wakhariya, a seasoned professional with over two decades of experience, having been trained in New York and being qualified to practice law in multiple jurisdictions in the US, the UK, and India, builds trust with clients as a partner that understands the nitty gritties of the unique legal landscape in those regions, and the client requirements with respect to data privacy, M&A and dispute resolution, among others. Moreover, the firm, being operational in India and New York, enables clients to avail services round-the-clock as the diverse and competent team at Wakhariya & Wakhariya has been trained to work and think on the same wavelength as its founder, offering consistency in solutions. With a vast cross-border experience and presence, the firm also offers clients one-stop legal solutions for their businesses for international expansions, not only saving time and effort, but also considerable savings.

“We have nurtured a strong and nimble team of skilled attorneys who possess a wealth of experience across various industries and sectors. Leveraging the knowledge and passion for the law that these professionals bring, we provide top-tier and timely legal representation, no matter the complexity of the matter. Additionally, our attorneys are fluent in multiple languages, enabling us to provide clients with a global perspective and a deep understanding of local legal systems. We are truly global in our approach, yet local in our understanding of client needs”, further shares Shabbir.

Practice Areas & Expertise

As a full-service firm, the Wakhariya team offers expertise across diverse domains including corporate and transactional practice, regulatory and governance practice, disputes resolution practice, securities law practice, international project finance practice, charities and non-profit law practice, intellectual property practice, sports law practice, employment law, franchising, HNI, wills, and succession planning, and real-estate. Recently, the firm has also expanded to the domain of sustainability and ESG, aligning with the shifting priorities of its clients.

“At Wakhariya, our core purpose is to help clients, period! This usually begins with formulating their entry strategy and the method of their foreign direct investment. We help them put together, draft, and negotiate contracts, whether those be licensing agreements, joint venture agreements, shareholder agreements, even senior employee agreements, distribution agreements, in various industries. Our diverse specialties vary greatly, with mine encompassing telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, broadcasting satellites, oil & gas, and more. Beyond this, we assist with compliance, cybersecurity, laborlaws, and with representing our clients in courts all the way up to the Supreme Court”, further adds Shabbir.

Housing experienced professionals, the firm is driven by a motivated team that believes strongly in retaining a certain quality of service, to a certain client base. For facilitating superior services, the firm also focuses on employee well-being, prioritizing work-life balance, opportunities to enjoy life outside of office, opportunities for career growth, vacation time, time for practicing one’s faith, and more.

Journey & Future Roadmap

The founding of Wakhariya & Wakhariya was an unplanned event, encouraged by Shabbir’s then New York based law firm, who also encouraged the name of the firm to be taken after his father, who was a very senior and well-reputed lawyer in India at the time, building credibility for the firm instantaneously. In 2012, the firm became a solo operation, and established itself as a strong entity, serving select clients, to retain a premier position for assuring quality of solutions.

The firm’s journey has been one marked by several milestones, as it expanded across nations to open several branches, offering convenient legal solutions to its international clientele. Even during Covid, the firm successfully seized the opportunity to open a local branch in Pune, where it serves European and German clients who are well-settled in Pune, and last year, it reestablished its presence in New York city. Across its endeavors, the firm is fueled by its passion to serve the community.

“What we at Wakhariya & Wakhariya do is serve the community and everything that has happened in our journey is because our passion is to service the community, which includes both our personal community as well as our business community. With this goal, we do a lot of pro bono work as well, where we help individual clients and small businesses, resolve their issues in an amicable manner”, further shares Shabbir.

Having established its competence across borders, Wakhariya & Wakhariya has a tremendous legacy to carry forward, and huge ambitions for expansion in the coming years. One of the biggest plans for the firm is to expand in East Africa as this region becomes a hotspot for businesses across the globe to explore. With numerous international companies planning expansions in this region, team Wakhariya is well ahead with its plans to establish a strong foothold on the African continent. As it plans every one of its future endeavors, the firm is guided by its passion to serve the community in the best manner possible.