Manika Brar
Manika Brar joined the firm in Feb 2007 and was promoted to partnership in the Competition Law Practice in June 2015. She has carved her niche in enforcement and merger control cases.
On the cartel enforcement front, Manika acted for Indo National Limited in successfully overturning a finding of cartelisation for flashlights by the Director General’s office before the CCI, despite leniency applications filed by the two other market players. She also represented Carlsberg India Private Limited on the suo moto proceedings initiated by the CCI against beer companies in India for price fixing and cartelization. Manika has been involved in numerous other domestic and global cartel investigations, including in the auto parts sector.
Manika is regarded as a well-seasoned and experienced abuse of dominance specialist as well. She regularly represents DLF before the CCI, NCLAT and Supreme Court of India in several abuse of dominance cases against the real estate major. She successfully defended the National Stock Exchange before the CCI against allegations that the provision of colocation services was anti-competitive. She is also acting for the National Stock Exchange on its appeal before the Supreme Court of India and in the compensation claims filed before the NCLAT, in a predatory pricing case.
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On the merger control front, Manika has advised various international and domestic companies on merger control aspects of creation of joint ventures, reorganizations, asset sales etc. In the past, she represented Bain Capital in obtaining merger approval for its global acquisition of control over DSM Sinochem Pharmaceuticals. She has also acted for Suzuki Motor Corporation in relation to its global transaction with Toyota Motor Corporation and obtained an expedited approval for the transaction. Manika has many notable successes on this front including obtaining clearances for Konecranes Plc and Terex Corporations on Konecranes Plc’s USD 1.3 billion acquisition of Terex Corporation’s Material Handling Business, CMA CGM SA on its USD 2.4 billion acquisition of NOL Limited, Nestle SA on its joint venture with PAI Partners, American & Efird’s acquisition of majority ownership of Vardhman Yarns and Threads Limited, H. J. Heinz on its USD 28 billion acquisition by Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital, investment in Future Consumer Enterprise Ltd, the food and consumer goods arm of Kishore Biyani-led Future Group by Black River Asset Management, the private equity arm of US food and agriculture company Cargill, Reliance’s acquisition of the Retail & Wholesale Business and the Logistics & Warehousing Business of the Future group and EQT Fund Management S.à r.l. and the Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. acquisition of Parexel International Corporation.
Manika was called out among the four “Most Highly Regarded” partners in Asia Pacific lawyers in WWL Future Leaders 2019 and acknowledged for having a reputation as “one of the best for matters related to competition law”. Manika has also made valuable contributions to the market intelligence chapters on cartels for Getting the Deal through. She has also been listed as a foremost practitioner under 45 in “Who’s Who Legal: Competition – Future Leaders”. She was also recognised as Global Leader in Who’s Who Legal 2021 and 2022 Global Guides, Competition Law.
Manika also leads our Competition practice’s internal learning and development initiatives.
Manika holds an LL.B from the Faculty of Law, Delhi University, and an LL.M in Corporate Law and M&A from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia.
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Professional Memberships
- Bar Council of Delhi
Education
- LL.B, (Faculty of Law, Delhi University)
- LL.M, (University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia)