Prof. Amar Kr. Sundram

Prof. Amar Kr. Sundram

Professor of Commercial Legal Practice

B.A. (Hons.); LL.B.; LL.M. (University of Delhi)

Prof. Amar Kr. Sundram is an in house Senior Corporate Legal Professional having rich experience in Strategic thinking, formulation of operational guidelines and a business enabler to complex legal issues. He has worked with best of the Indian and Multinational business houses like DCM Shriram, Birla, TATA, AT & T, Reliance, Citi, Ernst & Young and Royal bank of Scotland (Natwest Group India).

A multifaceted professional with more than 23 years of corporate work experience, Mr. Sundram has worked as National Director (Legal) and General Counsel with Ernst & Young – India & Bangladesh, based at Gurgaon where Amar advised 470+ Partners across all service lines like Advisory, Transaction, Assurance, Taxation, FIDS, HR etc and handles 18000+ employees. He was deeply involved on large scale cross-border transactions and commercial contracts involving Global Clients as well as formulation of Global policies touching around contentious cross-jurisdictional legal issues. Mr. Amar led from the front on Corporate Governance, Compliances, Anti-bribery and corruption matters as well as large scale Fraud investigations involving multi-jurisdiction.

Has handled high stake international and domestic mediation and arbitration involving critical questions of law and multi-jurisdictional complexities. Mr. Sundram has also spear-headed high-stake litigations in different high courts of India, Supreme Court of India and courts in USA.

Mr. Amar has been instrumental in setting up a functional and effective Legal department in most of the organizations he worked in and has mentored many in-house counsels. A University Topper in LL.M from Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi, Amar has gained wide exposure to legal issues in the business arena including Regulatory, Compliance, Taxation, Arbitration, Insurance, Financial laws, Employment laws, cross-border transactions, Government contracts, Power, Fraud Management, Criminal law, Corporate Fraud investigations, Issues of data privacy & client confidentiality, drafting / structuring, having interface with leading legal luminaries of India as well as top law firms of the country. Amar is also credited with many published articles in leading law journals, representing the organization in various Industry Forums and have been speaking in various legal seminars. He is also a founding member of the Indian Corporate Counsels’ Association (ICCA) (http://www.iccaonline.org.in/executive-committee.php)

In 2016 twice, Amar has figured among the Top 100 of India’s finest In-House General Counsels (“TRAILBLAZERS” – Published by ICCA and supported by Indian Ministry of Law & Justice as well as Ministry of Commerce & Industry) and again amongst Top 100 General Counsels Powerlist – from “The Legal 500 (inauguration by Justice A.K Sikri (Hon’ble Judge Supreme Court of India), Mr. Ravi Shankar Prasad (Hon’ble Law Minister of India) and Mr. Soli J. Sorabjee (ex-Solicitor General of India). (http://www.legal500.com/assets/pages/cc100/2016/india.html) (http://www.livelaw.in/legal-500-unveils-inaugural-issue-gc-powerlist-india-amidst-star-studded-evening/

Led by Amar Sundram, General Counsel – EY India Region; EY India in-house legal team have been selected amongst the top 100 in-house legal team for 2017 by Legal 500, duly recognizing them amongst the most influential and innovative in-house counsel working in the region.

(http://www.legal500.com/assets/pages/cc100/2017/india-teams-17.html)

Amar has once again been selected amongst the top General Counsels of India in 2018 by The Legal 500 GC Powerlist: India 2018 – highlights the very best GCs and senior in-house legal counsel in India. (http://www.legal500.com/assets/pages/cc100/2018/india-18.html)

Amar’s legal team in EY was amongst the top 5 finalists for Asia Legal Awards 2019.

Recognizing his contribution in the field of Corporate Law and Strategic Planning and for his exemplary commitment in legal policy implementation and corporate leadership, he was conferred with the title of ‘Honorary Professor’ by Amity University, Haryana in the year 2019.

Amar has also been honoured as “Shining Star of Indian Legal Fraternity” in 2019 by CCAI (Corporate Counsel Association of India).

Amar’s Legal team in Royal Bank of Scotland (India) was declared the best in-house legal team for India – 2019 by Legal 500.

Amar was also declared as the Best General Counsel (Banking) – 2019 – by Indian National Bar Association (INBA) on 26th November, 2019 – Indian Constitution Day. Award given by Justice Rekha Palli (sitting Judge Delhi High Court).

Delhi Law Review – 1994 (“Offence of Rape: A Reflection of Recent Supreme Court decision”).

Souvenir on 2nd Annual conference (1995) on New Challenges and Dimensions of Personnel Management / HRM by national Institute of Personnel Management (“Indian Constitution & Human Rights”).
Annual Souvenir of Employers Association of Rajasthan – 1995 (“India, Industrialisation and Excise”).

Excise Law Times (1st August, 1998) “Budget 1998-99 – Amendment in Excise 35B – Was it necessary”.

Excise Law Times (15th August, 1998) “Refund of Modvat credit / Restoration of Modvat Credit”.

Excise Law Times (1st February, 1999) “Penalty in Modvat Cases – when to be imposed?”

Excise Law Times (1st August, 1999) “Khanbhai Esoofbhai case – An Analysis”.

Excise Law Times (15th August, 1999) “Rule 173 – The Position is settled”.

Excise Law Times (1st December, 1999) “Duty on empty containers – can we wait”.

Labour and Industrial Cases (February 2000) “Delinquent Workman and the right of representation”.

Industrial update Journal (July 2000) “Section 138 negotiable Instrument Act – Some Hard Facts”.

Excise Law Times (15th June 2000) “Justice delayed is justice denied”.

Lex Witness (April 2013) – “In House Counsel’s Dharma : Ways of Running the Legal Department like a Business Unit”.

Lex Witness (April 2014) – “Whistle blower’s Protection Act, 2011: The Long Road Ahead”.

Lex Witness (May 2014) – “Employment Fraud: This road leads to Termination”.

Lex Witness (June 2014) – “Corporate Social Responsibility – A New Beginning.

“Courting Mediation” (December, 2019) – India Business Law Journal.
Co-authored the book – “Data Protection Laws Demystified” (released in October, 2019) which addresses the issues of privacy and protection of data and laws surrounding it.
“India Unplugged” (March, 2020) – India Business Law Journal.

  • By Witness on 8th – 9th September, 2011 in Mumbai – Seminar on Legal Knowledge Management. “Corporate in-house counsel – role, responsibility and management of Legal Knowledge”.
  • Lecture on “Money Laundering (Bribery & Corruption PCA)” on 20th April, 2013 – Final Year Students of National Law University, Delhi.
  • By PHD CCI, in Noida on 22nd May, 2014 – (1) Legal Career Management – Changing Dynamics, (2) Alternate Dispute Redressed Mechanism – Independence of an Arbitrator under Section 12 of the Arbitration Act, 1996

     

  • By Legal League Consulting on 23rd November, 2013 in Gurgaon – Increasing Profitability beyond the ‘More Hours’ and ‘Higher Rates’ concept. Creating a win-win situation for both Legal Departments and Law Firm”.

     

  • By GOAL (Global Outsourcing Association of Lawyers) – Global LPO Conference and Exhibition, on 21-22 January 2014 in New Delhi – Litigation – Strategies to Manage Costs”.

     

  • By ICCA (Indian Corporate Counsel Association) –  4th Corporate Law Officers Summit 2015 (26 February 2015, New Delhi)  – “The ever changing and challenging anti-corruption environment in India”

     

  • By ICCA (Indian Corporate Counsel Association)- The Great Indian General Counsel Retreat, 2015 (30th April, 2015, Kovalam, Kerala) –”THE RISE AND RISE OF INDIAN MNCs: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES”

     

  • By PHD CCI, in Noida on 9th July, 2015 – 2nd Corporate Legal Counsel Summit – “The Art of drafting an Arbitration Clause”.

     

  • By ICCA (Indian Corporate Counsel Association) – Resurgent India – Opportunities for Indian Legal Sector and Professionals (21st March, 2016, New Delhi) – “Regulatory Framework on opening up Indian Legal Sector to foreign law firms

     

  • By ICCA (Indian Corporate Counsel Association) The Great Indian General Counsel Retreat 2016, Langkawi, Malaysia (9th – 12th June, 2016) – “Litigation – Focus on Result Oriented and Time Bound Litigation”.

     

  • By ICA (Indian Council of Arbitration- Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry –FICCI) “INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION IN INDIA: CHANGES & CHALLENGES” (11th July, 2016), New Delhi. Seminar inaugurated by Justice S.S. Nijjar a former judge of the Supreme Court of India. The session moderated by Matthew Gearing QC(International Arbitrator) of Allen & Overy. Event captured by the renowned Global journal Global Arbitration Review.
  • Panel Discussion on INNOVATION FOR SHARED PROSPERITY: IPRs, TECHNOLOGY AND POLICY – By O.P.Jindal Global University, Sonipat, India (on 19th August, 2016 in New Delhi) Chaired by Dr. M. V. Rajeev Gowda Member of Parliament, Adjunct Faculty, IIM Banglore.

     

  • Special Invitee on “International Arbitration in BRICS: Challenges, Opportunities and Road ahead” on August 27, 2016 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Participation by leading arbitrators of the BRICS. Inaugration of the conference by Mr. Arun Jaitley, Hon’ble Finance Minister of India. Mr. Ravi Shankar Prasad, Hon’ble Law Minister of India.

     

  • Speaker on the orientation programme for new law students (Academic Session 2016-17) on 30th August, 2016 at GD Goenka University, Gurgaon (India).
  • Speaker at “General Counsels Roundtable” conference at O.P.Jindal Global University (10th October, 2016).
  • Speaker at India Legal Summit & Award 2017‘-‘Building Effective Business Legal Innovation’ (8th December, 2017) at Delhi (India) organised by Biz Integration – ‘Today’s Leaders discuss the Lawyer of Future’
  • Judge Semi-final – SK Puri Memorial Moot Court Competition at Law Centre II, North Campus (University of Delhi) on 25th March, 2018. Final Award given to the finalist by Justice A.K.Sikri (Hon’ble judge Supreme Court of India).
  • Guest of Honour –Initiative on Advocacy and Litigation Summit, by Jindal University (Sonipat, Haryana, India) on 13th October, 2018 – Co-speaker with Mr. KTS Tulsi (Ex ASG- India), Ms. Pinki Anand (Addl Solicitor General – Government of India), Mr. Lalit Bhasin.
  • Chief Guest at the Constitution Day Celebration (26th November, 2018) in Ansal Law College, Gurgaon, together with Justice Manmohan Sarin – Ex Chief Justice of J&K High Court, Retd Judge Delhi High Court and Mr. Sushil Ansal (Chancellor, Ansal University).
  • Guest at the “International Commercial Arbitration Competition – 2018”, Moot Court organised by GD Goenka, School of Law together with Hon’ble Justice Mr. Deepak Misra, Former Chief Justice of Supreme Court of India. Judge in the Semi-Final round (2nd December, 2018).
  • Key note speaker on 3rd Amity International Conference on “Criminal Justice System : National & International Perspective” (9th November, 2019).
  • Key Speaker on the session “International Contracts and Cross Border Disputes” – Indian International Dispute Summit – organised by FICM (Federation of Integrated Conflict Management) – TIIDM 2019 – held in New Delhi on 18th November, 2019.
  • Panel Speaker on the topic – “Paradigm shift in GC’s role, future challenges for legal professionals and how to prepare for it” – organised by INBA (Indian National Bar Association) on the 70th Constitution Day – 26th November, 2019.
  • Key note Speaker – Billings of legal services: General Counsels, Law Firms & Lawyers. Business World Global Legal Summit, 12th December, 2019 (New Delhi). Other speakers included Mr. Shardul Shroff, Justice AK Sikri.
  • Key note speaker on the “Role of Todays General Counsels” – Telecast on channel NewX (11th January, 2020) – Legally Speaking.
  • India Disputes Summit, 2020 – by Legal 500 on 23rd January, 2020 – Key note speaker in the Panel moderated by International Law Firm Stephenson Harwood – “Strategic considerations at different stages of arbitration” – the life cycle of an arbitration, views from GCs on how they manage the life cycle of an arbitration, from drafting the contract to settling a matter. Other Key note speakers included Justice AK Sikri (Retd) (Supreme Court of India) and Mr. Cyrus Shroff.
  • Grand Masters 2020 – by WITNESS – 6th February, 2020 – “The Ever-Changing Regulatory Dynamics” – Key Note Speaker on Corporate Frauds, Over-reach of Regulators and POSH.
  • Key note Speaker – “Entry of Foreign Law Firms in India – Challenges & Opportunities” together with Mr. Lalit Bhasin, President, Society of Indian Law Firms – organised by Global Legal ConfEx on 19th June, 2020.
  • Panel Speaker – Corporate General Counsels Colloquium – “Law & The Future of Business Responding to Risks, Regulation & Compliance” – organised by Jindal Law University, on 24th June, 2020
  • Founding member of Indian Corporate Counsel Association (ICCA).
  • Life Member of Indian Council of Arbitration (FICCI – Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry), India.
  • Member, Governing Council, SCL, India (Society of Construction Law {SCL}, India is a Not-for-Profit Organization, which was formed with an affiliation to the Society of Construction Law, UK founded in the year 1983).

     

  • Honorable member of the Board of Studies, School of Law, GD Goenka University, Gurgaon (India) (2016)
  • Appointed as Honorary Consultant of the Centre for Transnational Commercial Law (CTCL) by National Law University, Delhi (September, 2016).
  • Member of International Board of Advisors, Jindal Global Law School (India) (2017).
  • External Member of Board of Studies, Amity Law School, Gurgaon (India) (2018).
  • President – Indian Lawyers Association (ILA), Gurgaon Chapter.
  • Member of Editorial Board (Corporate) – Law magazine LawZ.
  • Honorary Professor’ Amity University, Haryana in the year 2019
  • Honorary Member of the INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF ADVISORS of the Jindal School of Banking & Finance (JSBF) at O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana (India) (2020).
  • Member of the Advisory Council of the School of Law-Sushant University (Erstwhile Ansal University) (2020).
  • Academic Expert – Board of Studies (BOS) UPES School of Law, Dehradun (India) (2020).
  • Member Advisory Committee – ‘International Conference on Infrastructure Development: Theory, Practice and Policy – Adani Institute of Infrastructure Management (2020).