Samir co-founded Axiom5 Law Chambers after having spent more than two decades at various law firms – most recently as a Senior Partner and the head of the competition law practice at AZB & Partners. He advises his clients on all aspects of competition law and has had a ringside view of the development of this law in India: first as counsel to the Competition Commission of India (CCI) in its earliest litigation and then as a practitioner in some leading antitrust cases and merger filings.
He has appeared before the CCI and superior courts, including the Supreme Court of India, in complex litigation involving difficult constitutional challenges in sectors as diverse as automobiles, pharmaceuticals, digital markets, and media.
Samir has been deeply engaged with the formulation of competition policy in India since its inception – including as a member of the ad hoc group advising the CCI on the formulation of its merger regulations, and later as a special government invitee to the Competition Law Review Committee.
He lives in New Delhi with his wife, daughter, and golden retriever. His current interests include attempting to grow San Marzano tomatoes in the Delhi heat, and brewing the perfect espresso.
some representative work:
-
Advised and led arguments before the Competition Commission of India in antitrust cases involving cartel defence and unilateral conduct/dominance cases in a wide range of markets, including medical devices, pharmaceuticals, television and broadcast media, healthcare pharmaceuticals, hospitality, automobiles, auto-components, technology, and digital markets
-
Advised on numerous complex merger filings including Lafarge/Holcim, Syngenta/Chinachem, GE/Alstom, AT&T/Time Warner, Agrium/PotashCorp, Abbott/St Jude, and others. This includes designing appropriate remedy packages where required, working with monitoring trustees, and advising on complex gun-jumping and non-compliance proceedings
-
Counselled clients on competition compliance issues by working with business, product, and commercial teams to propose bespoke solutions, including dawn raid protocols and redesigning agency, distribution, and franchise models
-
Non-Governmental Advisor to the CCI
-
Visiting faculty at the National Law School of India University
education
- B.A., LLB. (Hons.), National Law School of India University, Bangalore, India (1999) (University Gold Medal).
- LL.M, London School of Economics & Political Science, London, United Kingdom (2002) (Commonwealth Scholar & KC Mahindra Fellow).
- Visiting Scholar, Columbia University School of Law, United States (2004).
bar admission
& membership
- Advocate, Bar Council of India (1999).
-
Senior Vice Chair, Antitrust Section, International
Bar Association (2025). -
Vice-chair, Global Private Litigation Committee,
ABA Antitrust Section (2025).
Samir is a co-founder of Axiom5 and has spent over two decades at various law firms – most recently as the Senior Partner heading the competition law practice at AZB & Partners. He advises his clients on all aspects of competition law and has had a ringside view of its development in India from the time of its enactment.
He has served as counsel to both the regulator – the Competition Commission of India (CCI), as well as to private parties in complex litigation before appellate courts, including the Supreme Court of India. He has worked on noteworthy cases involving difficult constitutional challenges in sectors as diverse as automobiles, pharmaceuticals, digital markets, and media, and on complex multi-jurisdictional merger filings, often requiring a careful consideration of divestitures and remedies.
Samir has been deeply engaged with the formulation of competition law and policy in India since its inception – including as a member of the CCI’s 2008 ad hoc merger group; a government invitee to the Competition Law Review Committee in 2019; and has deposed before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on amendments to India’s competition law in 2013 and again in 2022.
He lives in New Delhi with his wife, daughter, golden retrievers and cat. His current interests include attempting to grow San Marzano tomatoes in the Delhi heat and brewing the perfect espresso.
some representative work:
-
Advised and led arguments before the Competition Commission of India in antitrust cases involving cartel defence and unilateral conduct/dominance cases in a wide range of markets, including medical devices, pharmaceuticals, television and broadcast media, agrochemicals, hospitality, automobiles, auto-components, technology, fragrances, advertising, and digital markets.
-
Advised on numerous complex merger filings including Lafarge/Holcim, Syngenta/Chinachem, GE/Alstom, AT&T/Time Warner, Agrium/PotashCorp, Abbott/St Jude, Hitachi/ABB, Brookfield/ATC and others. This includes designing appropriate remedy packages where required, working with monitoring trustees, and advising on complex gun-jumping and non-compliance proceedings.
-
Counselled clients on competition compliance issues by working with business, product, and commercial teams to propose bespoke solutions, including dawn raid protocols and redesigning agency, distribution, and franchise models
-
Non-Governmental Advisor (NGA) to the CCI.
-
Visiting faculty at the National Law School of India University
awards & recognition
-
Chambers & Partners, Asia Pacific & Global Editions
- Band 1 in Antitrust / Competition, (2025). -
Asialaw - Elite Practitioner for Competition Laws, (2025).
-
Lexology / Who’s Who Legal - Global Elite Thought Leader for Competition, (2025).
-
India Business Law Journal - A-List of India’s Top 100 Lawyers, (2025).
-
Benchmark Litigation - Antitrust Litigation Star, (2025).
awards & recognition
-
Chambers & Partners, Asia Pacific & Global Editions - Band 1 in Antitrust / Competition, 2025.
-
Asialaw - Elite Practitioner for Competition Laws, 2025.
-
Lexology / Who’s Who Legal - Global Elite Thought Leader for Competition, 2025.
-
India Business Law Journal - A-List of India’s Top 100 Lawyers, 2025.
-
Benchmark Litigation - Antitrust Litigation Star, 2025.
-
Chambers & Partners, Asia Pacific & Global Editions - Band 1 in Antitrust / Competition (2025).
-
Asialaw - Elite Practitioner for Competition Laws (2025).
-
Lexology / Who’s Who Legal - Global Elite Thought Leader for Competition (2025).
-
India Business Law Journal - A-List of India’s Top 100 Lawyers (2025).
-
Benchmark Litigation - Antitrust Litigation Star, (2025).
education
- B.A., LLB. (Hons.), National Law School of India University, Bangalore (1999).
- LL.M, London School of Economics & Political Science, United Kingdom (2002) (Commonwealth Scholar & KC Mahindra Fellow).
- Visiting Scholar, Columbia University School of Law, United States (2004).
bar admission
& membership
- Bar Council of India (1999).
- Senior Vice Chair of the Antitrust Committee, International Bar Association (IBA).
- Vice-chair, International Comments & Policy Committee of the American Bar Association (ABA)’s Antitrust Section.