AI Issue 5 2018

Acquisition International - Issue 5 2018 37 Ramni Taneja is admitted in 1980 as an Advocate in India, as well as being a Notary in New Delhi, India since 1999. Law Office of Ramni Taneja began in 2006 in New Delhi, India. She has authored a book: Foreign Direct Investment and Globalisation [Eastern Book Co., 2014], we invited Ramni Taneja to write about the firm’s expertise and her thoughts on winning this prestigious accolade. he areas of legal practice at Law Office of Ramni Taneja cover both transactional work and litigation and consist of: Acquisitions and mergers, arbitration [international and domestic], air law, banking law, commercial law, civil law, contract law, constitutional law, corporate law, company law, criminal law, due diligence, direct and indirect taxation and international taxation, extradition law, family law, foreign direct investment, international joint ventures, insurance law, initial public offerings, intellectual property law, infrastructure law, labour and employment law, media and entertainment law, migration and nationality law, maritime law, succession law, private international law, public international law, property law, to name a few. Ramni Taneja begins by telling us how it feels to have won the Leading Adviser of the Year - India award, before underlining her own role as an advisor and the areas she specialises in. “I am humbled and honoured to be selected by AI for such a prestigious international award. This award is of great significance, as I feel that internationally, I have been recognised for my dedication and professional commitment. My motto is: a commitment to the rule of law and I hope that I am worthy of such a great honour bestowed on me.” “I am an Indian advocate; a sole practitioner. I practise as an Advocate in the Supreme Court of India and in the Delhi, High Court and all other courts and tribunals in Delhi and indeed India. I also advise clients on transactional issues. The principal areas of my practice, covering litigation and transactional legal work, are: civil law, commercial law, corporate law, constitutional law and criminal law. Law Firm: Law Office of Ramni Taneja Name: Ramni Taneja Advocate and Notary Web Address: www.ramnitaneja.com Address: A 34 Defence Colony New Delhi 110 024, India Telephone: +91 11 4155 2051 A Commitment to the Rule of Law T 1802AI31 Ramni is then very keen to tell us about the extent to which advisers contribute massively to a company’s success, plus the variety of clients her firm caters for. “I can only speak for myself as an Indian advocate. It is very important for a lawyer to constantly bear in mind that when a lawyer represents a company, whether it is regarding a major corporate transaction or in court, the lawyer must maintain the highest professional and ethical standards. “The lawyer’s duty is to defend the company’s position, truthfully and honestly, within the strict rigours of the law. Upholding the majesty of the law, ensuring the primacy of the lawyer’s duty to the court, plus maintaining and upholding impeccable professional standards are also the duty of any lawyer. It is worth remembering that a lawyer is always an officer of the court. “My clients include multinational companies, Indian companies both public and private companies, statutory corporations, individual clients and clients who need my services pro bono. We are strictly prohibited under Indian law to ‘approach’ clients. The Standards of Professional Conduct and Etiquette issued by the Bar Council of India concerning Indian Advocates are strictly enforced.” In closing, Ramni highlights the role staff play in the success of the firm, plus her future plans and clear message of inspiration for all lawyers out there. “Staff do indeed play a very major role in the success of any firm; this is particularly so in the case of the legal profession. My firm’s administrative manager and my firm’s para legal manager are its pivotal strength. “My commitment to the legal profession - and my dedication to the work that I do for my clients -both represent the greatest challenge for me. Abiding by the rule of law, preserving the dignity of the legal profession and observing the highest standards of professional ethics remain for me the primary pillars of the legal profession today. Law is a very noble profession. The famous Greek philosopher, Aristotle said: ‘Law is reason free from passion’. To me, this is the quintessential message for lawyers by one of the world’s most eminent thinkers and scholars’ centuries ago. This quotation has stood the test of time and has inspired me for decades.” “Staff do indeed play a very major role in the success of any firm; this is particularly so in the case of the legal profession. My firm’s administrative manager and my firm’s para legal manager are its pivotal strength.”