Menu

Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co

Overview

Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co, commonly referred to as Amarchand Mangaldas, was an Indian law firm that operated as one of the country's largest and most prominent corporate legal practices. Tracing its origins to 1917, the firm was active until 2015, when it was divided between two successor practices following a family settlement among the Shroff family, which had led the firm for several generations.

Key facts

Name Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co
Type Law firm
Country India
Founded 1917
Dissolved / split 2015
Practice areas Corporate and commercial law
Successor firms Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas; Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co

Background

The firm was rooted in a family legal tradition associated with the Shroff family of Mumbai. It carried the names of successive senior partners, including Amarchand and Mangaldas, with Suresh A. Shroff later becoming a defining figure in shaping the firm's modern corporate practice. Over the decades, the firm built a reputation in areas such as mergers and acquisitions, banking and finance, capital markets, dispute resolution, and regulatory work.

History and timeline

  • 1917: The legal practice that would grow into Amarchand Mangaldas is established.
  • 20th century: Under successive generations of the Shroff family, the firm expands its corporate and commercial practice, with offices in major Indian cities including Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad.
  • 2015: Following the death of senior partner Shardul Shroff and Cyril Shroff's father's earlier passing, and after a family arrangement, the firm is split between brothers Cyril Shroff and Shardul Shroff.
  • Post-2015: The Mumbai-led practice is reconstituted as Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, while the Delhi-led practice continues as Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co.

Practice and significance

For much of its later existence, Amarchand Mangaldas was regularly identified as one of the leading full-service law firms in India. It advised on a wide range of high-value corporate transactions, including domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, project finance, private equity investments, and complex regulatory matters. The firm also played a notable role in the development of corporate legal practice in India during the post-liberalisation period from the 1990s onwards.

Successor firms

After the 2015 split, the two successor entities continued to rank among the largest law firms in India:

  • Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas — led by Cyril Shroff, headquartered in Mumbai.
  • Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co — led by Shardul Shroff and Pallavi Shroff, headquartered in New Delhi.

References