Exclusive: VR Neelakantan exits Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas with three partners to join Khaitan & Co

VR Neelakantan, who has spent close to two decades at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas (SAM), has resigned to join Khaitan & Co.

He will join Khaitan's Projects and Project Finance practice along with partners Prashant Sirohi, Mrinal Sharma and Samridha Neupane.

Confirming the move, Khaitan & Co Executive Director – Human Resources Amar Sinhji told Bar & Bench,

"Yes, VR Neelakantan, Prashant Sirohi, Mrinal Sharma, and Samridha Neupane will be joining our Firm as Partners in our Projects and Project Finance practice. Their joining represents a transformative step in strengthening our Energy, Infrastructure and Projects expertise, significantly enhancing both the depth and breadth of our capabilities in this critical sector. It reflects the firm’s long-term strategic commitment and reinforces our ambition to build a best-in-class Projects and Project Finance practice, thus further cementing our position as trusted counsel to leading Indian and multinational enterprises in this sector."

It is understood that a team of associates will also follow these partners to Khaitan & Co.

A query sent to SAM did not elicit a response at the time of publication.

Neelakantan, an NLSIU alumnus, is best known for his work in the oil and gas sector, advising on PPP transactions, LNG sale-and-purchase, gas sale and transportation agreements, and farm-in/farm-out arrangements for leading Indian and multinational energy companies. At SAM, he started his career with Jatin Aneja, who heads the national Projects and Infrastructure practice at the firm.

Sirohi, also from NLSIU, focuses on commercial and infrastructure transactions across power, roads, ports, airports and oil and gas.

Sharma, a UPES graduate, has been at SAM across two stints over seven years, with a practice spanning airports and civil aviation, renewable and conventional power, rail transit, ports and on-road public transport including EVs.

Neupane, an alumnus of NALSAR Hyderabad with an LL.M. from NUS Singapore, returns to Khaitan & Co, where he has previously worked after stints at SAM, Saraf & Partners, Luthra and Tatva Legal. His practice spans infrastructure M&A, project documentation, bid advisory and project finance.

This is the second major lateral move in the Projects, Energy & Infrastructure space, following the move of four CAM lawyers to AZB & Partners earlier this month.

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