Anu Monga has over 16 years of experience in crafting unique legal solutions for clients and driving landmark judgments. She represents multinational and Indian corporate clients with a combined market capitalisation of over 100B$. Anu advises on legal matters related to antitrust/competition; policy and regulatory issues; international trade and WTO, across a broad range of sectors. She advises clients from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, aviation, chemicals, explosives, oil and gas, energy, steel, cement, telecommunications, broadcasting, media, information technology (including privacy and data protection), fintech, hospitality, insurance and real-estate.
Anu has advised her clients on litigation matters before courts/ tribunals in India and overseas. This includes representation before the US Department of Commerce, Chinese Authorities, Canadian Border Service Authorities, Competition Commission of India, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, High courts in India, National Company Law Appellate Tribunal, Directorate General of Trade Remedies, Department of Telecommunications, Government of India and Supreme Court of India.
Anu has consistently represented the Government of India on trade related matters. She has represented Indian government on trade dispute matters before the US Department of Commerce.
Anu has established herself as one of the most influential women lawyers in India. She was awarded the ALB’s Super 50 Lawyers in India (2020). She featured in Thomson Reuters 50 most influential lawyers in India for the year 2021. Her research interests in policy making drives Anant Law’s participation in consultation processes with Government of India and related ministries to submit proposals, and papers on required changes in the extant policy on behalf of clients.
Professional Experience
Antitrust/ Competition
Anu spearheads the firms advise to clients on behavioural and adversarial matters, merger control and general compliance, including audit and training. She has a thorough understanding of competition economics and collaborates with clients on competition economics analysis. A few examples of her contribution in competition and antitrust are:
• Represented the Informant in the cement cartel matter and obtained the landmark order from CCI imposing a penalty of INR 65 billion (USD 1 billion) on 11 Cement Manufacturers.
• Obtained landmark judgment from the Supreme Court of India on “imposition of penalty on the basis of relevant turnover” (Excel Crop Care Ltd. v CCI): 2017
• Obtained the landmark order from the High Court of Delhi directing CCI to decide the issue of jurisdiction first before going on merits of the case (Delhi Development Authority v CCI): 2014
• First order by CCI granting cross examination of Informant and witnesses (Maruti & Co. v Karnataka Chemists & Druggist Association of India): 2013
• Advised and facilitated Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), Government of India and HPCL in HPCL-ONGC Merger and assisted the Government of India in issuing the exemption notification for Central Public Sector Enterprises from obtaining merger approval from CCI (2018).
• Advised RECL in the PFC-REC Merger and represented RECL before the CCI.
• Enabled a multi-national company in resolving an antitrust issue in the South Asia Region.
TMT
Anu advises and assists stakeholders and companies including international carriers, mobile and landline telecom operators, ISPs, submarine cable operators/ owners, cable landing station operators, IT companies, fintech companies, online content providers (including news networks), media and entertainment (including online gaming, virtual gaming) companies on the most challenging legal and regulatory issues in India. She enables companies in doing and setting-up businesses in India and obtaining all approvals, licenses, registrations and clearances including foreign investment approvals. She advises on various provisions of the Information Technology Act and laws/ guidelines relating to social media platforms, OTTs, gaming, cloud, Artificial Intelligence (AI) etc.
International trade and WTO
Anu’s International Trade practice involves advising and representing stakeholders on trade matters before the Directorate General of Trade Remedies, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. She advises clients on WTO law, free trade agreements and facilitates clients in their understanding of the impact of changes owing to inter-alia, the free trade agreements and other bilateral trade agreements.
Anu actively advises and opines on barriers to entry, which include foreign investment regulations, policies and commitments under various trade agreements, customs duty etc. She represents clients before different authorities (Indian and foreign) with respect to inter-alia seeking export-import licenses/permissions and claim-settlements.
Awards & Recognition
• Legal Era – Star Woman Lawyer (2021)
• Legal 500 (2020)
• Asian Legal Business (ALB) – 2020 India Super 50 Lawyers
• GCR Awards (2014) – Nominated for Excel Crop Care Matter i.e. obtaining Supreme Court judgment on imposition of penalty on “Relevant Turnover”
• GCR Awards (2013) – Nominated for the Cement Cartel Matter
Fellowships & Memberships
• Bar Council of Delhi
• Supreme Court Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• International Bar Association
• Governing Body, Campus Law Centre Alumni Association (University of Delhi)
Qualification
• LL.M (NUS), Singapore
• LL.B Campus Law Centre (CLC), University of Delhi), India
The Firm
AnantLaw is a full-service Indian law firm which always puts clients first and bring fresh ideas and engagements to all our engagements. The focus on trust, ethics and building a collaborative approach helps in driving excellence for our clients and bridge the gap between what is and what can be.
Our multi-faceted team is committed to providing clear, concise & practical advise with time-bound deliverables to support our clients’ objectives. Servicing leading enterprises including Fortune 500 companies across all major sectors.
Guided by Sanskrit word ‘Anant’ which means ‘endless’, ‘limitless’, ‘eternal’ or ‘infinite’; and drawing inspiration from the infinite form of ‘Energy’ and ocean of knowledge, we are committed to practical wisdom, that is, ‘Phronesis’.
Our corporate identity is drawn from the symbol “Phi” (φ); the first alphabet for ‘Phronesis’ “φρόνησις”, in Greek, that guides us in setting our standards of excellence tri-vided by proficiency skill and practical wisdom.
Our agility, problem-solving approach, and one-team attitude helps us in unlocking value and defining the future.
Our leaders feature as some of the most influential lawyers in India and have been recognised with accolades by Legal 500, Chambers & Partners, ALB, AsiaLaw & Practice to name a few. While the firm does not inherit a legal lineage, our leaders have worked hard to establish their own legacy in the space. Our can-do attitude and zeal to achieve the impossible creates an entrepreneurial spirit in the firm that drives us towards excellence from every aspect of legal services we provide.
The Anant Way
Emphasis on building a culture that does not focus on rote learning, memorisation and standardised application of this memory; but on discerning analysis that is effective, reliable and readily accessible.
The golden ratio representative of symbol ‘phi’ (φ) is to act as a reminder that one is to balance courage with risk; diligent patience with urgency and rules with instinctive quick-on-the-legs improvisation. These principles lead to the emergence of our ethos – “The Anant Way’ – demonstrating a balance of proficiency, skill and practical wisdom which is respectful of ideals and ideology in legal ethics.
We respect and honour the quality of human character, moral purpose and deft skill – which are sorely missing/ extinct from fettishist rule-based institutions that are based on incentivising work and relationships (with clients and employees).
The Right thing done the right way. We are client-focussed and believe in working honestly, accountably and efficiently for our clients. We wish to be recognised as the antidote to the mistrust associated with ephemeral quick-fixes; therefore, recognising and enacting wise decisions.
