Asma S. Chandani

An accomplished attorney with nearly a decade of experience in the legal industry, Asma Chandani bears distinction as the first U.S. citizen to obtain a Master of Business Laws (M.B.L.) from the National Law School of India University (NLSIU).  Asma Chandani previously received her Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree in the United States at Columbia Law School.  She began her professional career as an associate at the international law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP, in its Los Angeles and Palo Alto offices, where she focused on litigation, finance, corporate and energy matters.  Asma Chandani relocated to Akin Gump’s New York office at One Bryant Park in 2010, to focus her efforts on international cross-border corporate and investment funds work, and to further develop the firm’s burgeoning footprint in emerging markets such as India.

As an investment funds lawyer, Ms. Chandani assists clients in all phases of the fundraising and fund formation process, including (i) reviewing road-show materials, (ii) drafting of offering documents and charter documents of the fund entities, (iii) structuring and documenting upper-tier arrangements between principals, (iv) review of subscription materials received from potential investors, (v) implementation of any investor-specific arrangements, and (vi) fund closing.  Ms. Chandani further assists her clients with the formation and ongoing management of special purpose vehicles for portfolio investments, and provides counsel on transactional matters including joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions and related securities and regulatory considerations.

Asma Chandani has spent a significant amount of her professional career in India and Africa, establishing a network of contacts in the alternative investments, corporate, tax and legal industries. Her specialized expertise in Indian law enables her to advise her clients on the structuring and implementation of their Indian portfolio investments and divestments and assist with the procurement of requisite licenses from India’s regulatory authorities.  Ms. Chandani maintains close relationships with key players across India’s business, investment funds, legal, accounting, tax and investment banking sectors. Asma Chandani is also actively involved in the initiatives of the U.S.-India Business Council, an organization sanctioned by the United States government that seeks to enhance investment flows between the United States and India.