Shardul Amarchand BAGS Grofers dotcom grocery investment by Tiger, Sequoia with ARA, Themis

Thursday, 9 July 2015 By Legally India Private equity / VC

Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas had advised the Grofers Group - a start-up that delivers groceries and other sundry items to homes from nearby shops - on its $36m investment by Tiger Global, Sequoia Capital and Apoletto Asia, which closed this week.

Tiger Global was advised by ARA Law managing partner Rajesh Begur and Gunderson Dettmer New-York based senior partner Steven L Baglio.

Sequoia in-house lawyers Tanmay Amar and Sandeep Kapoor briefed Bangalore-based Themis Associates, led by partner Chetan Nagendra, principal associate Ashwani Verma and senior associate Dheeraj Khanna.

Shardul Amarchand partners Prashant Gupta and Puja Sondhi, with principal associate designate Aayush Kapoor, and senior associates Sumeet Singh and Sushrut Biswal acted for the fast-growing e-commerce start-up.

Shardul Amarchand MangaldasARA LawThemis Associates

Comments

Guest 9 Jul 2015, 15:03
+6 -6
Great work by SAM team to represent Grofers which is one of the most successful startups around. Themis and ARA are regularly representing Sequoia and Tiger respectively and both the vc funds continue to remain bullish on their investments in Indian startups. Interesting times continue for e-commerce startups.
Nominee Director 9 Jul 2015, 15:43
+18 -12
Since when did a 'Tier 1 law firm' start acting for start ups? Well, I guess its a case of desperate times calling for desperate measures.

Thats why CAM is a league apart when it comes to corporate law!
Scooter- 10 Jul 2015, 05:45
+8 -1
I agree CAM is better. However, advising startups is and should not be seen as low key. Skadden would have been kicking itself if it would have turned down advising jobs or gates when they were startups. (just an analogy- dont know if they are clients of SAMSF).

It is good strategy to hook startups with potential to become big in the future. This way you ensure that it becomes a lifelong client for having backed them when they were small and being part of the journey.

All big firms have desks which advise startups at discounted fee- cross subsidised by other deals: This is more BD and long term planning as opposed to instant gratifiation.
Guest 10 Jul 2015, 07:15
+9 -1
I pity your understanding of deals!! This was not some seed funding by angel investors but third round of investment by the some of the biggest VC investors into one of the most interesting startup in India. Throw some light on how this deal would have been different from any other PE Deal, if you even know what that is. By the way do you know who controls Apoletto Asia and how investment by Apoletto are signs for bigger things to come!! Of course you will have no clue!! Run Run google it now. Now when you have done that and just do some more homework and find out how many times CAM has represented VCs/startups in similar deals? Such cockiness won’t get you anywhere mate. Law firms are supposed to represent clients not turn them away when they approach them.
HK 10 Jul 2015, 09:16
+6 -1
SAM 'Tyre No 1'? Since when? Just been 2 months, eh? And best part is their capital markets partner doing corporate work ! No company/underwriters counsel mandates?
Scam 12 Jul 2015, 05:26
+2 -1
SAM Tier 1? Is that a Joke? They are no where close.

High hopes riding on their Mumbai hires.. but still no news!
attempt at a balanced view 10 Jul 2015, 10:02
+1 -1
it is childish to claim one firm as being better than the other. If you look at corporate law, the market plays a big role, i.e. Bombay market has an edge over the Delhi market. CAM has been here (Mumbai) longer and is a formidable player. In fact, it is one of the better (may be best) firms in areas such as capital markets and projects. But certainly not for corporate. Most of the cream corporate for CAM is services out of Bangalore (primarily on account of the lack of good corporate partners in Mumbai). There are more quality focussed firms doing much better work in Mumbai. Clients see the difference and are willing to pay more for a better skilled team.

SAM is the new kid on the block, it will take time to catch up with CAM, but Mumbai as a market, is a lot more accepting and if SAM delivers good quality, it is bound to crack the market. SAM has a smart bunch of people and the family connections in the financial space will only help. Lets not be naive and say one is better. Let their actions speak louder than their PR team's propaganda.
kianganz 10 Jul 2015, 07:55
+11 -0
No one liked the pun in our headline? For once we got to use 'bags' properly, which was very exciting! :)
Snowy 11 Jul 2015, 08:40
+1 -0
Was too obvious! we have seen better from you :P
Rainy 11 Jul 2015, 08:15
+2 -0
So Tanmay Amar was from Luthra. Sequoia has been a longstanding Luthra client. Wonder why they did not engage them then.
Rainy too 11 Jul 2015, 10:01
+1 -0
Sandeep Kapoor too is ex-Luthra. You have a point. Wonder why Luthra is never engaged
kianganz 11 Jul 2015, 10:04
+3 -0
I've heard on the grapevine that it's hard to compete with the quotes Themis gives to Sequoia...

True?
Ex Luthra 11 Jul 2015, 12:38
+0 -4
Or may be its the service Themis provides, speaks for itself. Sequoia being one of the largest VC fund would least be concerned about fee quotes..
Main Khiladi Tu Anari 13 Jul 2015, 07:46
+3 -0
Absolutely.

Themis is literally a captive of sequoia and hence represents sequoia on most of its matters.

Most firms dont even pitch to sequoia any more as it makes no sense for them to work on those rates.

Not grapevine. But true story
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