White-collar Crime Defence & Criminal Compliance & Investigations

The nuanced arena of White-Collar crimes is a reality of the contemporary world, with financial frauds on an upward trajectory across the globe.

MZM has niche expertise and is a market leader in providing a full spectrum of White-Collar Crime Solutions including Preventive Compliance, Internal Investigations, Defence, Strategy, Prosecution, et al. It has distinctive proficiency in providing both advisory and litigation services, encompassing State action and prosecutorial investigations for private clients as well as Fortune 500 multi-national corporations.

We have had the privilege of advising and defending clients on some of India’s most high-profile and widely reported investigations conducted by India’s premier investigating agencies and regulators.

The wide ambit of our service encompasses, inter alia, corruption, money laundering, extradition, financial frauds, embezzlement, black money, undisclosed foreign assets, corporate governance, defamation, foreign exchange management, sexual harassment, blood crimes, cybercrimes, extortion, and narcotics investigations.

MZM has significant international exposure and has been providing cohesive representation across geographies and jurisdictions. Furthermore, it is a founding member of the ‘Roxin Alliance’ which is an international association of white-collar crime law firms headquartered in Munich, Germany, with a significant presence in over thirty countries.

MZM has been persistently accredited in this vertical and is at the forefront of the practice. It is highly recommended for Business Crime/White Collar Crime by International rankings and publications including Chamber and Partners, Who’s Who Legal, Legal 500, Indian Lawyer 250, Legal Era, Asian Legal Business, and Global Law Experts.

Domestic & International Arbitration

Labour & Employment

The multiplicity of labour enactments and laws governing employment at the Central and State level may be an overwhelming experience for stakeholders in this realm.

MZM provides bespoke advice on navigating contracts, compliances, policies, rules, and regulations- instrumental in strengthening the client’s statutory compliances and augmenting their internal policies while prioritizing employee welfare by securing their rights.

Extradition & Mutual Legal Assistance

MZM Legal is renowned for its strong Extradition Law practice and has successfully handled several high-profile and widely-reported extradition matters. The Firm has successfully undertaken advisory and drafting work in respect of contesting and successfully representing individuals facing extradition requests from domestic and foreign States.

The wide network of associate offices across the globe affords MZM clientele to have access to in-situ assistance and access to local intelligence.

Dispute Resolution

In a global marketplace with businesses facing intense competition and managing risks on national and international scales, disputes inter se private parties, corporations, and the State are mounting in number and complexity.

As such, MZM’s objective has been to resolve such discords as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. The Firm is recommended for strategizing, developing, and seamlessly implementing innovative profitable solutions.

The team is a combination of highly-skilled, proficient, and dynamic individuals having vast experience in handling a spectrum of issues ranging from negotiation, mediation, conciliation, and conflict resolution to espousing robust courtroom strategy.

The team has gained significant experience in advising and handling complex, high-value, and sensitive International Commercial Arbitrations, Investor-State, and Ad-Hoc Arbitrations, and International Commercial Disputes before various Institutional bodies such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), and the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA). This has also enabled MZM to cultivate an extensive network of associate foreign law firms empowering the team to proficiently handle major cross-border disputes and resolve intricate international issues.

This facet of practice is expeditiously emerging as another arena where MZM exercises expertise which is evidenced by the annual recognitions bestowed upon the team.

Banking & Finance

The Indian banking sector has witnessed rapid and wide-ranging reforms, with the recent debacles in compliance and regulation, garnering great media-attention.

MZM has handled some of the most complex and media-sensitive cases; being currently investigated by the premier Indian regulatory authorities. With its global and domestic view of the market, the Firm is equipped to tackle complex nuanced deal structures which require a blend of a range of products, including financing, securitization, restructuring, and tax advisory and litigation.

Civil Litigation

Non-criminal legal disputes are a major area of contention, wherein the parties seek monetary compensation or other kinds of damages and associated proceedings.

MZM Legal has extensive experience in Civil Litigation and has successfully represented clients in various legal settings such as courts, tribunals, commissions, forums, and other authorities. MZM operates with a dedicated team with a nuanced knowledge of the substantive and procedural civil laws aiding their clients traverse challenging and diverse issues across sectors. MZM excels in providing personalized solutions by prioritizing the client’s interest, rendering transparent and expeditious solutions.

Restructuring & Insolvency

Securing the financial interests of the creditors has led to the extant statutes attempting to mitigate the monetary distress of all stakeholders.

Over the years, MZM has established a structured and robust practice in this sector. The firm regularly advises, inter alia, large corporates, corporations, financial institutions, and industries in identifying and managing risk, to avert potential situations of financial distress. MZM offers practical, comprehensive, and frugal advice on an array of contentious and non-contentious issues being encountered at various stages.

The Firm is adept at representing a gamut of stakeholders, ranging from corporate debtors experiencing financial difficulties to lender groups; agents to syndicated lenders; insolvency officers, committees of creditors, financial institutions, accountants, and financial advisers.

MZM Legal has been involved in advising on some of the most prominent and high-stake restructuring and insolvency matters in India.

Intellectual Property

The statues governing the intangible assets of their creators and owners are well-entrenched in India.

A dedicated team at MZM helps their clients to protect and enforce their rights over their intellectual properties. The team works in close association with of counsels to strategize, implement and navigate any contingency in an expeditious manner. The team regularly advises and acts for corporates and industry leaders in several areas of practice, inter alia, copyright, trademarks, patents, and, trade secrets.

Real Estate

As a massive contributor to India’s GDP and one of the largest employment generators, considerable litigation arises in this sector.

MZM’s Real Estate team comprises lawyers with decades of experience in all aspects of property law including litigation, real estate acquisition, due diligence for residential/commercial acquisition, development, SEZs, townships, et al. A dedicated team ensures competent execution of intuitive strategy, with a robust network across geographies and is at the forefront of advising the premier market leaders in this sector.

The Firm’s strength lies in its intrinsic understanding of the domestic real estate market, and its legal and regulatory environment, which enables it to provide cost-effective, practical, and commercial advice.

Telecom, Media & Technology

MZM Legal’s advertising, media, and entertainment team has a pre-eminent practice in this sector and is highly regarded amongst its peers and contemporaries for their intrinsic knowledge and experience. Over the years, the team has worked with leading firms and individuals in the entertainment industry providing clients with solution-oriented, business-friendly, and bespoke legal advice.

Privacy & Data Protection

The Supreme Court has recognized that privacy is a fundamental right of each citizen of India and thus, it has become a necessity to generate awareness in this realm to differentiate and establish delinquent behaviour.

Prosecutions initiated by Indian regulators as well as prosecutions initiated by private parties, with a focus on the importance of safeguarding data in the era of digitization. The team at MZM advises its clients on key developments in this arena across various sectors and also helps them create cogent safeguards against potential breach.

Family & Matrimonial Disputes

Cognizant of the recent change in jurisprudence in the matrimonial legislations prevalent in India by the various Courts exercising jurisdiction, MZM has endeavoured to remain abreast with a dedicated team specializing in this vertical.

The firm regularly represents the country’s high-net-worth individuals and elite families in complex family and matrimonial disputes. Systematically and sensitively navigating separations and divorces involving large estates, inheritance, international trusts, complex commercial transactions, custody tussles, and business separations are our forte. The team, spearheaded by its Managing Partner, displays the ability to synthesize complex legal and factual materials and arrive at holistic solutions amidst familial turmoil.

Investigation & Compliance

Internal Investigations are a mechanism of exercising vigil. These practices are being adopted by most industries as they are effective in nipping any irregularity at the inception stage before it is aggravated or there is an unanticipated reporting to the enforcement agencies.

Engaging the team at MZM affords a preliminary understanding of the unperceived situation and helps create good practices and diligent compliance mechanisms. The Firm works closely with experts in the field of forensic auditing and private investigation. MZM’s extensive knowledge of the criminal law helps the clients to conduct a proper investigation in investigating voluminous documentary evidence traversing multiple jurisdictions. The Firm has actively partnered & works closely with global giants like FTI, MAZARS, BERKELEYS RESEARCH GROUP (BRG), etc.

Energy, Infrastructure & Resources

The legislative inclination towards sustainability has led to a plethora of mandatory registrations and compliances in India and the need for legal intervention.

MZM regularly opines for conglomerates, industries, and businesses and comprises a trusted team of industry leaders, driven by attaining the best corporate compliances and comprehensive solutions to our clients.

Corporate & Commercial Advisory

The corporate practice team at MZM Legal works to render commercially viable strategies and pragmatic solutions for its varied clientele. The Firm’s corporate advisory and structuring services provide valuable insights into structuring options for organizations with a view to enhancing stakeholders’ value.

MZM caters to select Fortune 100 and 500 companies; building strategies to seamlessly navigate multifarious compliances and intrinsic complexities. The Firm is widely recognized for providing proficient and frugal resolution amidst a spectrum of internal and peripheral conflict – amidst the workforce, government agencies and standardization requirements.