Our People

 

Mrinal Ojha

Partner | Solaris Legal

V Card – E: mrinal.ojha@solarislegal.in

M: +91 99109 00575

Mrinal is a founding partner at Solaris Legal, focusing on commercial disputes in diverse sectors, including infrastructure, energy and insurance/reinsurance, media, broadcasting, and telecom.

He represents Indian and foreign clients in a variety of high-value, complex and fact-intensive disputes, frequently with a cross-border element, in domestic and international commercial arbitrations, as well as various courts including the Supreme Court of India.

Mrinal also assists Indian insurers and overseas reinsurers on a variety of claims arising from errors and omissions, directors and officers, cyber risks, employment practice liability, commercial general liability, public liability, machinery breakdown, and business interruption covers. Where there is no coverage issue or conflict, he also acts as defence counsel for insured and assists in subrogated recoveries for insurers/reinsurers.

Selective Experience Statement

  • Advising reinsurers under a claims-control provision on a claim against an Indian software company in relation to a claim by its UK-based client in relation to allegations of errors and omissions in providing software services. Assisted in achieving a settlement at GBP 400k (initial claim value was c. GBP 7.5m).
  • Advised a Japanese entity in a dispute with its Indian joint venture partner arising from divergent views on governance and control of the JV. The role involved active communication and negotiations with the representatives of the Indian joint venture partner on the interpretation of the joint venture terms with a view to avoid escalation of the dispute between the partners. The advice extends to implications of a provision providing for an ICC arbitration seated in Singapore and excluding part I of the (Indian) Arbitration & Conciliation Act 1996.
  • Represented the Federation of Indian Airlines in relation to an action before the Delhi High Court concerning the interpretation of Flight Duty Time Limitation related regulations applicable to pilots and cabin crew.
  • Representing a large infrastructure company in execution proceedings before the Delhi High Court in relation to a US$ 25m award issued in an international commercial arbitration held at London, UK.
  • Advised a large US company in the IT sector on FCPA related investigation arising from alleged employee misconduct at its Indian subsidiary.
  • Advising a US-based investor in the health sector in India on a shareholders’ dispute with the promoter of the investee company including issues of oppression and mismanagement and board control.

Recent Recognitions

  • Listed in Legal500 (a leading legal industry publication) as a Leading individual for Dispute Resolution in India and for Insurance & Reinsurance. Legal500’s 2021 edition cites Mrinal as a lawyer who “handles pressure well and gets the work done within strict timelines”.
  • Ranked as a Recommended Global Leader for Insurance & Reinsurance by Who’s Who Legal (WWL), and as a Thought Leader. WWL cites Mrinal as a lawyer praised by clients for “his excellent work and is a strong presence in court” and:
  • “a superb insurance and reinsurance lawyer with in-depth knowledge of coverage and liability issues, working with both domestic and overseas insurers“;
  • “a leading name in insurance claims” with a “notable reputation in the London and Indian markets”;
  • “a top-tier litigator, known for his adept handling of complex and high-value disputes.”
  • Cited in Chambers & Partners 2021 for his “very useful and unique advice on insurance matters.”
  • Ranked by IFLR1000 as notable practitioner in India jurisdiction
  • Mrinal featured in the RSG Consulting’s Top 20 Emerging Leaders 2019 Report for India.
  • Asialaw Survey 2017 has cited a client highlighting Mrinal’s “knowledge on insurance contracts and disputes“.

Publications & Speaking Engagements

  • Mrinal has been invited to speak on various legal issues by bodies such as the Bombay Chambers of Commerce and Industry; Indian Merchant Chambers; Mumbai Court of International Arbitration; National Insurance Academy, India; Corporate Counsel Forum, Singapore; Society of Women Lawyers, India; OP Jindal Global University and GAR Live.
  • Mrinal has co-authored a chapter on execution of arbitral awards in a book, Enforcing Arbitral Awards in India (a Lexis Nexis publication).

Education

  • B., Campus Law Centre Delhi University Diploma in Cyber Laws, the Indian Law Institute, New Delhi
  • A. (Economics), University of Pune