He is hailed for being "very strong technically and at the same time very pragmatic" and for "his attention to detail, promptness in advice and documentation.
Sawant Singh
Co-founding Partner
Mumbai
Sawant's areas of expertise include private equity, project finance, securitisation, asset reconstruction, consortium banking, domestic and external commercial borrowings and debt restructuring. He also advises clients on a host of corporate and commercial, labour/employment and real estate issues including inbound and outbound foreign investment, corporate restructuring, mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures.
Sawant’s services have been widely recognized and he is known for having a "great reputation" in the market. According to Asialaw Profiles, Sawant "is highly respected by peers and much acclaimed by clients" and according to Chambers and Partners, Sawant "has great clarity of thought and varied exposure, and handles very big transactions with ease". He also has been referred to, by Chambers & Partners, as one of India's most in-demand banking practitioners and has been listed in the 'A-List: India's Top 100 Lawyers' by the Indian Business Law Journal.
Clients praise him for his "solution-focused and practical approach" in addition to his "very calm demeanor, which is a huge plus in high stakes negotiations". They admire him for being "accessible, smart and quick in his responses" and for being "able to see the commercial aspects of the matter". Chambers and Partners has also certified Sawant as "Highly recommended as a leading lawyer in Banking and Finance" in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021,2022 and 2023. According to them Sawant is described as being "a very well-regarded lawyer on the banking side," and a "project finance veteran".
- Suburban Diagnostics (India) Private Limited, a leading healthcare company involved in the business of establishing, maintaining, running and managing diagnostic centres, radiology centres, cardiology centres, and centers for providing preventive health check-ups on their acquisition by Dr. Lal Pathlabs Limited.
- Standard Chartered Bank and IDFC, on the financing of the Jammu-Udhampur section of National Highway 1A by a Shapoorji Pallonji. Foreign currency loan of USD 350 million and rupee loan of INR 5.5 billion.
- Citibank, devising and successfully implementing India’s first revolving securitisation for working capital loans.
- IFMR Capital, structured the world’s first multi-originator securitisation issuance with the underlying pool being micro-loans.
- Sanctum Wealth Management on the management buy-out of the Indian private banking and wealth management business of the Royal Bank of Scotland, including assistance with obtaining approvals under the Competition Act, 2002.
- Deutsche Mutual Fund on the acquisition of its mutual fund schemes and portfolios under management by Pramerica Mutual Fund, including assistance with obtaining the relevant regulatory approvals under the SEBI (Mutual Fund) Regulations, 1996, the SEBI (Portfolio Managers) Regulations, 1993 and the Competition Act, 2002.
- Advised clients such as the Hilti Group, J.P. Morgan, Paypal, Deutsche Bank, Mizuho Bank, Australia and New Zealand Bank, Messe Frankfurt, MoneyGram, KCG Holdings Inc. and RuderFinn on various issues relating to employment laws.
- Sojitz, on a USD 40 million joint venture (including equity infusion, credit support, exclusive supply arrangement and technical services) with the Archean Group to set up and operate a marine chemicals plant.
- Sawant Singh have been recognised as Thought Leader for the India-Banking sector respectively by Who's Who Legal in their 2024 rankings.
- Sawant Singh is recognised as one of the best financing lawyers in India – he impresses with his formidable expertise, solutions-focus approach and impeccable advice. -Corporate M&A, Legal500 2024.
- He is our most preferred legal partner due to his proactive approach and ability to deliver solutions in a timely manner.
- Sawant Singh has been recognised among the LawWiser's Lawyers Power League: 100 Leading Law Firm Professionals of 2023.
- IFLR1000 has recognised Sawant as a “highly regarded” lawyer for Banking.
- Asialaw Leading Lawyers 2023 recommended Sawant as a Distinguished Practitioner in Banking and Finance.
- Sawant Singh has been recognised as Leading Lawyer, Banking and Finance by Legal Era Rankings 2023.
- He is highly rated for his work acting for domestic and foreign financial institutions on loan facilities and banking regulatory issues. "He's pretty clued into the regulations."' Banking & Finance - Chambers and Partners
- Sawant Singh has been fantastic with advice on company structure and growth strategy. Legal500, 2022
- Sawant Singh has been recommended for Project Finance by Who’s Who Legal 2022 and describes Sawant Singh as “very well regarded” and as having “deep knowledge on a wide range of project finance matters”.
- Sawant Singh has been ranked by the Legal Era - Legal Media Group in their “Leading Lawyers Rankings 2022”.
- Sawant Singh has been recognised as Thought Leader for the Banking sector by Who’s Who Legal 2022 and states that “Sawant Singh stands out as a go-to for debt restructuring, private equity deals and complex finance transactions”.
- Asialaw Leading Lawyers 2022 recommended Sawant as a Distinguished Practitioner in Banking and Finance.
- IFLR1000 has recognised Sawant as a “highly regarded” lawyer for Banking and Project Finance.
- Sawant Singh advises a range of prominent foreign and domestic banks on project and real estate finance, as well as regulatory issues. A source reports that “Sawant is the go-to person for tactical solutions” and “always makes himself available.” ‐ Banking & Finance, Chambers and Partners Asia Pacific 2020.
- “Sawant Singh is always at hand to provide the client with quality and practical solutions. He has a very pleasant interactive style which is a big positive.” ‐ Labour and Employment, Legal500 2020.
- “Sawant Singh is recognised by clients and peers as one of the top financing lawyers in India. He impresses clients with his ability to make difficult transactions seem simple and provides clients with first class advice” ‐ Corporate and M&A, Legal500 2020.
- Recognised as a ‘Distinguished Practitioner’ in Banking and Finance by Asialaw Profiles 2020.
- A ‘Recommended Global Leader’ in Project Finance (Who’s Who Legal 2019 rankings), Sawant Singh has been praised for standing out among peers for his “clear and quick responses” as well as his “clarity of thought” and “ability to give great solutions to problems and understand commercial rationales”.
- A ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in Corporate M&A, Banking/Finance (RSG Consulting 2019), Sawant has been applauded for his “sound and firm legal advice” and praised for “providing solutions to complex legal problems”.
- Sawant is described by one market observer as “quite active,” and the same source notes that he has been “in this space for a long time, so he is quite experienced.” – Banking and Finance, Chambers and Partners 2019.
- Described by peers as “a very good corporate lawyer,” Sawant Singh has considerable experience in power and renewable energy ‐ Projects, Infrastructure & Energy, India by Chambers and Partners 2019.
- Asialaw Leading Lawyers Survey 2019 quotes Sawant Singh for his “prompt response, good knowledge of the financial services industry and clean, crisp accurate advice.”
- Sawant for consecutively for years has been included in ‘The A-List: India’s top 100 lawyers’ published by India Business Law Journal.
- Asialaw Leading Lawyers Survey 2018 has quoted Sawant, “for his timeliness of delivery and accuracy of delivered documents”.
- Chambers and Partners Asia has quoted “Sawant Singh is hailed for being “very strong technically and at the same time very pragmatic” and for “his attention to detail, promptness in advice and documentation.” He is experienced advising on a wide range of finance matters, spanning from cross‐border lending to project finance.
- Chambers and Partners Asia has quoted “Sawant Singh is a project financing practitioner who has garnered a significant reputation acting for major lenders across the region. He has notable experience advising on the financing and refinancing of power and renewable energy projects.
- Sawant has been recognised as a ‘notable practitioner” by IFLR1000.
- Recognised as a Market-Leading Lawyer ‐ Asialaw Leading Lawyer survey 2017‐2019 in Banking and Finance; Project and Infrastructure.
- Sawant has been the recipient of the ‘Client Choice in Banking & Finance Law Award’ in India held by Legal’s Finest 200 Awards, 2015.
- Asialaw Leading Lawyers Survey observed and recommended Sawant as one of the most highly recommended Asia‐Pacific focused lawyers in Banking, Labour, and Employment.
- Highly recommended as a leading lawyer in Banking and Finance and Projects, Infrastructure & Energy, Chambers Asia-Pacific. Sawant has been ranked in Band 2 of lawyers for Banking and Finance practice area by Chamber’s Asia and Chamber’s Global Guide.
- Sawant has also been ranked for Projects, Infrastructure, and Energy practice area by Chamber’s Global Guide.