Kirthi Srinivas stands at the intersection of markets, mandates, and modern regulatory strategy. As a Partner at AZB & Partners and one of India’s prominent voices in competition law and antitrust advisory, he brings together legal precision, economic insight, and commercial awareness to some of the most complex regulatory matters in the country. His work reflects the evolving role of competition law in shaping fair markets, ensuring regulatory balance, and guiding businesses through increasingly sophisticated compliance landscapes.
In this episode of The Koffee Conversation, Kirthi shares insights into how regulatory law interacts with the real economy. From merger control and antitrust investigations to market studies and policy evolution, he explains how competition lawyers must constantly anticipate the regulator’s thinking while guiding clients through high-stakes decisions. The conversation highlights how regulatory advisory today demands not only legal expertise but also strategic foresight and collaborative execution.
Kirthi’s career journey began soon after graduating from ILS Law College, Pune in 2013. His first role as a management trainee at Indiabulls Housing Finance provided an early exposure to in-house legal operations. Shortly thereafter, he joined HSB Partners in Chennai, where he worked under the mentorship of seasoned practitioners and developed strong foundations in corporate and transactional work, particularly at a time when India’s Companies Act and regulatory environment were undergoing significant transformation.
A defining chapter of his professional life unfolded during his long association with senior competition law expert Shveta Kakkar, first at Khaitan & Co. and later at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas. Over nearly eight years of working together, Kirthi honed his expertise in antitrust advisory, merger control, and regulatory strategy. In 2022, he became a Partner in the team, and later moved to AZB & Partners—where he continues to advise leading domestic and international clients on complex competition law matters shaping modern Indian markets.
Key Highlights of the Koffee Conversation with Kirthi Srinivas
- Competition law operates at the intersection of law, economics, and regulatory policy
- Effective regulatory advice requires anticipating how the regulator may interpret a transaction
- Execution speed matters in transactions, but strategic thinking must come first
- Multidisciplinary collaboration is essential in complex regulatory matters
- Antitrust investigations often involve significant reputational and governance challenges
- India’s competition law has evolved rapidly compared to many global jurisdictions
- Understanding the regulator’s long-term direction is critical for advisory lawyers
- Leadership as a partner requires empowering teams and allocating the right talent to matters
- Mentorship must adapt to individual motivations and strengths within a team
- Tools like document comparison software remain core to transactional legal practice
- Legal AI is still in early stages but is gradually influencing drafting and research workflows
- Young regulatory lawyers must combine curiosity with willingness to put in long learning hours
- Access to information today is abundant, but experience still shapes practical judgment
- The legal profession demands continuous adaptation as markets and regulations evolve
- Consistency and disciplined thinking remain the foundations of a successful legal career
▶️ Watch the full episode on YouTube to explore how competition law, regulatory strategy, and disciplined legal thinking are shaping the future of markets in India.
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