Aashit chairs the Finance Practice at JSA. He specialises in banking & finance, debt restructuring and insolvency, mergers & acquisitions, private equity and investment funds.
He regularly advises Indian and multinational banks, NBFCs, financial institutions, debt funds and Indian borrowers in relation to (i) credit facilities to Indian borrowers, including in relation to capital expenditure, project financing, real estate financing, acquisition financing and trade finance, (ii) credit facilities to overseas subsidiaries of Indian entities for the purpose of overseas acquisitions and leveraged buy-outs, and (iii) structuring and implementing debt, quasi-debt and equity transactions, which are compliant with Indian exchange control and banking regulations. He has been actively involved in various debt restructuring and security enforcement assignments, and the corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP) under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC).
He has also advised arrangers, investors and issuers on various privately placed non-convertible debentures which may be listed on Indian stock exchanges.
In the areas of M&A, private equity and foreign investment, Aashit advises corporates, financial institutions, multinational institutions and funds in their acquisitions of, investments in and divestments from Indian companies across a variety of sectors. Aashit has also assisted in devising and implementing exit strategies from Indian investments. He also advises in setting up of private equity funds, offshore funds, venture capital funds and alternative investment funds.
Aashit has been practicing law since 2001 and has been at JSA since 2005. Prior to JSA, Aashit worked with a couple of other reputed Indian law firms.
Aashit has been recognised as a leading lawyer for private equity and M&A by IFLR 2019 and a leading lawyer and distinguished practitioner in the banking and finance practice and insolvency practice by international publications such as IFLR, Chambers and Partners Global, Chambers and Partners Asia Pacific, Legal 500, AsiaLaw, Whos Who Legal and Legal Era.
He was recognised amongst:
- India’s A List of Lawyers for 2023-24 by India Business Law Journal
- India’s Super 50 Lawyers in 2022 by the Asia Legal Business
- India’s Top 100 Lawyers (A List) in 2022 by India Business Law Journal
- India’s Top 100 Lawyers in 2022 by Forbes.
He also received the Banking and Finance Lawyer of the Year 2020 award for India by IFLR 1000.
“Aashit is an industry veteran and a very respected voice on the street due to his responsiveness and ability to think clearly and creatively.” – Chambers and Partners Asia Pacific
“He is very commercially sound and has a lot of knowledge on both debt and equity. Aashit wants to get deals through and focuses on what the client wants.” Chambers and Partners Asia Pacific
“Aashit provides very sound and reliable legal advice and understands a client’s commercial concerns. He is a problem solver and great in negotiations.” – AsiaLaw
“Aashit Shah maintains a sound reputation in the market. He acts on regulatory issues as well as on acquisition financing, real estate and trade finance. Interviewees find him “easy to deal with” and “very intelligent”. – Chambers and Partners
“Excellent; knows his stuff and commercially minded. A very safe pair of hands on deals.” – IFLR 1000
“Aashit Shah is a stand-out Indian law firm partner who is invariably our first stop for advice on finance deals. He is sharp, energetic and personable. We recommend Aashit without reservation. His team is also great.” Legal 500
Memberships
- Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa
- The Law Society, UK
- International Bar Association
- INSOL International
Publications
- Chambers Global Practice Guide: Acquisition Finance – 2019, 2021 to 2023 – India chapter
- Getting the Deal Through: Acquisition Finance – 2020 – India chapter
- Lexis Nexis: Cross Border Joint Venture and Strategic Alliance Guide – 2020 and 2021 – India chapter
- Chambers Global Practice Guide: Project Finance – 2019 – India chapter
- Lexis Nexis: Cross Border Banking and Finance – 2016 – India chapter
- International Acquisition Finance, Law and Practice (2nd Edition) published by Oxford University Press, 2011 – India Chapter
Education
- B.L.S. LL.B, University of Mumbai
- LL.M. in International and Comparative Law, Chicago Kent College of Law, IIT, USA
Languages
- English
- Hindi
- Gujarati