Ahetesham Ahmed A. Thaver

ALMT Legal is a dynamic and progressive full-service Indian law firm that provides high quality Indian law and regulatory expertise. With approximately 70 lawyers and 20 partners across offices in strategic commercial centres of Mumbai and Bangalore, ALMT Legal has an established reputation as one of India’s top bracket firms. ALMT Legal’s practice areas encompass all aspects of Indian law and regulations ranging from corporate and commercial to tax, employment, dispute resolution, intellectual property, shipping, aviation and even immigration laws.

We realise that success is dependent on efficient, cost effective and timely services. Easy and quick access to top quality service providers is crucial for clients and we strive to achieve this.

We also pride ourselves in providing a practical and commercially sound approach to solving business issues to overcome the complex commercial, regulatory, legal, and technical issues, characteristic of doing business in India. Maintaining relationships with each client and ensuring that our rigorous standards are maintained in all matters, large or small, is the culture at ALMT Legal.  We ensure that a dedicated partner handles each matter.

In cities where we do not have our own offices and cannot for any reason fully handle the matter remotely, we rely on a responsible, dedicated and handpicked group of correspondents that enables us to service client requirements on the same basis and with the same quality assurance that ALMT Legal is proud to offer. At all times we retain the care, control and supervision of all matters referred to any correspondent offices that act under our guidance and instruction.

Asialaw Profiles 2021 Edition recommends ALMT Legal for capital markets, construction, corporate and M&A, energy, infrastructure, labour and employment, private equity, real estate, and tax. 2021 Corporate Intl Global Awards has awarded ALMT Legal as ‘Employment Law Firm of the Year in India - 2021’ and ‘Cross Border Tax Law Firm of the Year in India - 2021’. 2020 Global Law Experts Awards has awarded ALMT Legal as ‘Employment Law Firm of the Year in India – 2020' and ‘Cross Border Tax Law Firm of the Year in India – 2020'. Asian Legal Business 2020 has recognised ALMT Legal for Intellectual Property (Patents) and M&A. Asia Pacific Legal 500 2020 Edition has recommended several of our partners and designated some as leading lawyers in various practice areas such as  banking and finance, capital markets, corporate & M&A, dispute resolution, investment funds, labour and employment, real estate & construction, shipping, technology, media & telecoms (TMT) and tax. India Business Law Journal Award 2019 and 2020 has awarded ALMT Legal award-winning law firm India for ‘Labour and Employment’ and ‘Shipping and Maritime’. 

Our Team

ALMT Legal partners come from diverse backgrounds, bringing together a wealth of legal, business, and cultural experiences.

All our lawyers have first-hand knowledge and experience of the Indian market and are duly qualified Indian advocates with a right of audience throughout India. We also have lawyers admitted to the Law Society of England and Wales, who enrich our talent pool and bring their experience in working with international firms to ALMT Legal.

Associates at every level at ALMT Legal are provided a vibrant and challenging environment in which to develop and expand the skills and expertise that go a long way in assisting our clients.

Our member partners Aliff Fazelbhoy and Ryna Karani have been recognised as leading lawyers by various publications.  Most recently, Aliff Fazelbhoy was featured in Asian Legal Business magazine’s 'A-List of India's Super 50 Lawyers in 2020’. Asia Law Profiles 2021 Edition has recognised Aliff as ‘Distinguished Practitioner’ for Labour and Employment and Corporate M&A 

Ahetesham Ahmed A. Thaver is an Associate in the employment team at ALMT Legal. He has been with the firm since 2016 as an Associate, prior to which he worked with ALMT Legal as a Paralegal since 2015.

Ahetesham specialises in Labour & Employment laws and has worked on a number of matters relating to employee disputes, employment documentation including structuring company policies, workforce restructuring including implementing terminations and closure of undertaking, data privacy laws and other employment advisory matters. Ahetesham has also worked on a number of matters on Intellectual Property laws and general corporate advisory matters.

His expertise in the employment law has been largely derived from advising several multinational companies on all aspects of Indian employment laws, which include drafting employment agreements, human resource manuals and policies and advising clients on all legal and practical issues arising out of the employment or engagement of employees, directors and independent contractors, dispute matters between employers and employees and sexual harassment laws in India.

RECENT EXPERIENCE

In his areas of expertise, Ahetesham has represented and advised the following clients:

• An international client which is the world's largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide and its Indian subsidiary on a review and analysis of all their employment and other human resource and company policies, both global and specific to India. The project included review and advice on over 40 polices dealing with conditions of work, employment terms, sexual harassment, anti-bribery, whistleblowing, health and safety, flexible hours, maternity benefits, grooming and client care and others;

• A leading multinational software company on reduction in workforce, employment law queries such as requirement of payment of bonus, compliance under sexual harassment laws and closure of undertaking. Also, advised on the provisions relating to conciliation proceedings, powers of the conciliation officers and powers of the Labour Court under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 and represented the clients in the conciliation proceedings;

• A British company in preparing a survey report on employment laws in India, immigration requirements, engaging consultants and the background check requirements in India;

• A leading IT company on the law relating to working hours in India and implications of providing flexible working options. Assisted the clients in drafting a flexible working options policy;

• A leading multinational IT company and a global leader in data storage solutions on the provisions of Maternity Benefits Act, 1961 in relation to termination of employment of women employees during pregnancy;

• A leading manufacturer of drugs, pharmaceuticals and diagnostics products having operations in India, about the applicable employment laws and the specific compliances therein such as registrations, employee hiring procedures, employment contracts, methods of termination of employment, social security measures and health and safety measures as well as review of employment offer letter and employment contract;

• A leading media and entertainment company on the applicable provisions relating to retrenchment and the ‘last in, first out’ principle under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947;

• A Canadian firm in preparing a presentation giving an overview on the application process and related regulations applicable to employment, dependant and journalist visas for foreign nationals coming to India;

• A leading portfolio advisory company on the law governing disciplinary proceedings in India and assisting the clients in holding the disciplinary proceedings and preparing requisite documents;

• A global organisation on the provisions of Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 relating to its applicability, requirement of obtaining license and other compliance obligations therein on a contractor. Also, advised the clients on the alternative models that can be taken into consideration for the contracting business plan of the clients;

• An international group of multispecialty hospitals for their newly set up hospital in Nagpur on the employment laws and drafting employee handbook, sexual harassment policy, guidance notes for the members of the Internal Complaints Committee and the company in regards to the compliance under the sexual harassment laws, memo on termination of employees in India, data privacy policy, employment agreement for various kinds of employees, retainer agreement to be entered into with doctors/medical consultants; and

• Several clients on the compliance under sexual harassment laws and creating awareness at the workplace including preparing and conducting training sessions for the Internal Complaints Committee members, the Human Resource department and the management staff.

PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS AND ACTIVITIES

• Member of the Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa
• Member of Inter-Pacific Bar Association

QUALIFICATIONS

• LLB., University of Mumbai

 AWARDS

• Ahetesham has been recognised and ranked as ‘Rising Star’ by the Legal500 in 2020 - https://www.legal500.com/c/india/labour-and-employment/