Ms Rameeza Hakeem

Arbitrator, arbitration counsel and legal advisor with a law practice of 25 years before the Supreme Court of India, other High Courts as well as Arbitral Tribunals, with experience of cross jurisdictional work in finance, power and energy regulation, white collar crime, aviation, defense, telecom, construction arbitration as well as high net worth individuals’ family arbitration /settlements.

Secured her law degree from the University of Bombay, and being the Gold Medalist of the University of Mumbai- Faculty of Law Year 2000, was invited to begin her career as the Junior/First Assistant to Advocate General, Government of Maharashtra in the year 2000 and then as First Assistant to the Solicitor General of India, before the Supreme Court of India, in 2004.

Appointed as Counsel to the Government of India in the Supreme Court of India in 2005. Working closely with the Government of Maharashtra and the Government of India, was part of teams which dealt with the Enron Power Arbitration Dispute re jurisdiction of Power Regulatory Tribunals vis-à-vis Arbitral mechanism under the Generation/ Power Purchase agreements, was legal advisor to the Airport Tariff determining Authority (AERA) on issues relating to airport tariff, development fee, parking fee of private aircraft, and was also appointed by Government of India as Co-Member to the High Powered Committee for redrafting of The Cinematograph Act 1955.

Representing the Indian capital markets regulator- Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI), she has defended the market regulator as well as financial and market intermediaries and companies in relation to take over of private companies, and also advised and represented SEBI in a writ action brought by Anand Rathi , the (then) President of the Bombay Stock Exchange which was a landmark case, setting out the regulatory powers of SEBI. Also advised and appeared in litigation relating rights of admission of contests winners at the Cricket World Cup 2003.

Experience in the telecom sector, has ranged from representing the collective Cellular Operators Association of India with regard to licensing rights to collaboration with the Office of the Prime Ministers’ Office in the 2G Spectrum matter before the Hon'ble Delhi High Court.

Building on having represented the Hon'ble Speaker of the House in the Maharashtra State Legislative Assembly in a writ action filed by 13 members of the Assembly who had politically defected and were disqualified from membership, was later retained to represent His Highness, the Maharaja of Patiala, Captain Amarinder Singh, before a five Hon'ble Judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, successfully challenging his wrongful expulsion from the Punjab Legislative Assembly which went onto become a landmark case on Parliamentary Privileges.

Appointed as Additional Advocate General for the Government of Punjab in 2017 and was responsible for advising the Chief Minister of the State, the Cabinet and the Council of Ministers on key State policies, apart from appearing before the Supreme Court of India and the High of the State of Punjab & Haryana in contentious litigation relating to State security, elections, constitutional issues, regulatory and policy matters relating to finance, power, taxation, infrastructure contracts etc.

Advised clients on defense procurement/other government tenders, as also appeared in white collar crime litigation under money laundering laws and other fiscal legislation. Advised and appeared in several National and International arbitrations with an arbitration practice ranging from corporate family disputes to shareholder acquisition matters as well as high claim constructions contract arbitrations.

Apart from being the Gold Medallist of the University of Mumbai- Faculty of Law Year 2000, was also conferred with the N.M. Wadia Gold Medal for Excellence in Law , The BJ Patel Memorial Trust Gold Medal for Excellence in Law, The VN Bhudhisagar Gold Medal for Excellence in Law and The Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Award for Excellence in Law.

Born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, to a business family and continues to advise her family business holdings spanning real estate, capital/wealth funds and securities.