Recently, she has led critical matters for her clients and thought leadership for the industry on the proposed data protection framework which resulted from the Srikrishna Expert Committee and the nation-wide consultations it held. Shahana has not only been instrumental in the formulation of the industry points of view to the proposed framework, she has also presented industry viewpoints on the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 and has deposed before the Joint Parliamentary Committee set up to analyse and revise the proposed draft of the data protection bill in India. Shahana has also assisted clients in their engagements with the Committee of Experts on Non Personal Data Governance which is proposing a legal framework for the governance of non-personal data in India.

Further, she has advised domestic and international clients on technology product structuring and compliance in compliance with privacy laws and principles in India. Some of the key data protection projects she has advised on include workplace privacy and employee investigations, GPS data and location sharing, biometric data collection, Aadhaar-based authentication, targeted advertising and marketing, cloud computing, setting up data centers, digital product and enterprise solutions reviews and cross-border data transfers.

Shahana has also assisted social media clients in formulating content policies, engaging with the government on content liability rules and litigation strategy, assisting multinational clients on negotiating compliance with content regulation laws and law enforcement requests.

With respect to the healthcare, pharma and life sciences sectors, Shahana has advised on interpretation and implementation of price control orders and other aspects of the Drugs Price Control Order, regulatory and systemic nuances governing pharmaceuticals and medical devices, new health delivery protocols and innovative distribution structures, engagement with healthcare professionals, clinical trials, issues impacting start-up healthcare institutions,  and emerging regulatory challenges created by the intersection of technological solutions in the healthcare space such as telemedicine, virtual medical consultations, e pharmacies and online prescriptions.

Shahana also works on issues relating to the development sector and as part of this heads the Firm’s pro bono practice, and her team has been recognised for its excellence for their outstanding contribution to advancing legal pro bono in India .  The Firm was honoured with Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation Awards, 2021 for providing exceptional and critical pro bono legal services, helping to strengthen the global rule of law, support the global social entrepreneurship movement and improve lives and communities around the world. The award was bestowed to only five law firms across the globe with SAM & Co. being one of them.

Finally, she has led the data protection and telecom aspects of some of the largest transactions in the field of technology in recent times, including Facebook’s biggest FDI investment of US$ 5.7 billion in Reliance Jio, which was  recognised among the “star deals” in the India Business Law Journal Deals of the Year 2020. Shahana is among one of the key active partners in the firm in terms of media interactions and regularly contribute articles on policy and regulatory affairs in various leading journals and newspapers.

Prior to Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, she has worked with S&R Associates, New Delhi and the U.S. Congress, Washington D.C.

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