Legal Awards 2018

10 APAC / 2018 Legal Awards , Drawing on vast industry experience and expertise of team, ADA is a professional services firm offering wide range of services under Goods and Service Tax (GST); erstwhile Indirect Taxes; Customs and Trade & Regulatory Laws. ADA also provides advisory, training and investigation services under Anti-Corruption Laws and White-Collar Crimes to corporates. Founded by Ashok Dhingra, who is ranked among the best GST; erstwhile Indirect Taxes and Customs and Trade Laws Attorneys in India, the firm utilises his vast expertise to ensure excellence for every client it serves. Ashok is also considered an authority on Supply Chain; Prevention of Money Laundering; Anti-Corruption Laws and White- Collar Crimes. Ashok also assists clients during investigations and raid by Tax and Regulatory authorities to deal with various issues and close such matters in an efficient and compliant manner. As a result of his reputation for excellence, Ashok regularly appears before departmental adjudication and appellate authorities; Appellate Tribunals, High Court and Supreme Court in Tax and Trade matters. Ashok has an overall experience of over 42 years covering a stint in the Indian Customs for more than 22 years and over 15 years with Big4 Consulting firms like Arthur Andersen which merged with LG180005 Best Trade Law Firm 2018 - India Ashok Dhingra Associates (ADA) is a boutique professional services firm offering full spectrum of advisory and litigation services under India’s indirect taxes, customs, trade and regulatory laws. We profile the firm and Founder and Managing Partner Ashok Dhingra to learn more about howhe has driven the firm to the success it enjoys today. Ernst & Young in India, KPMG and law firms Khaitan & Co. and J. Sagar Associates (JSA). He is one of few professionals in India who carry with them experience of having worked on both sides of the table and both accounting and law firms. Hence, ADA has unique advantage of providing business solutions to clients keeping in mind possible response of authorities on contentious issues. Ashok has undergone training on GST in Canada, which has been introduced in India on July 1, 2017. Fundamentally, the firm’s key objective is to enhance value for clients by focusing on solutions that are innovative, yet practical that can be implemented. ADA aims to deliver service through highly qualified and trained professionals who blend their expertise with needs of clients and maintain uncompromising focus on highest quality. These professionals include Sonia Gupta who has dual qualification of being Chartered Accountant and attorney. Before setting up ADA with Ashok, Sonia has worked with JSA for more than 5 years and with accounting firm and Bank for almost 7 years. She has deep knowledge of working of financial institutions and Banks. Sonia focuses primarily on Customs and Trade Laws; Foreign Trade Policy & Export- Import Control and Sanctions, providing both advisory and litigation support services to clients. She regularly appears before departmental adjudication and appellate authorities and Appellate Tribunals. Sonia also assists clients in trade remedies i.e. investigation, mid- term review and sunset review for levy of Anti-Dumping Duty and Safeguard Duty before the Director General Trade Remedies in the Commerce Ministry and during appeal proceedings before higher appellate foras. Sonia also assists clients during and after raid or investigations by Customs and Regulatory authorities like Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Directorate of Inspection, Enforcement Directorate, Serious Fraud Investigation Office, etc. to take a view on key issues and options to deal with high risk positions, briefing and debriefing of employees and discussions with authorities to close the case. She has undergone training in GST in Canada to understand implementation and practical problems faced by industry in compliance thereto, which has been introduced in India on July 1, 2017. Additionally, Smita Singh is an Attorney and has worked with Khaitan & Co. and JSA for more than 8 years’ prior to setting up ADA with Ashok. Smita mainly focuses on GST and erstwhile Indirect Taxes. Smita has advised Indian and Multinational Companies on migration to GST and re-work their supply chain to operate in Tax efficient and compliant manner. She also provides litigation support to clients under erstwhile Indirect Taxes. She regularly appears before departmental adjudication and appellate authorities; Appellate Tribunals; High Court and Supreme Court as an arguing counsel in erstwhile Indirect Taxes matters. Smita assists clients during and after raid or investigations by Tax authorities like Directorate General of Goods and Service Tax Intelligence to take view on key issues and options to deal with high risk positions, briefing and debriefing of employees and discussions with authorities to close the case. As part of their drive towards supporting not only their clients, but also their industry peers, professionals at ADA publish articles and support their colleagues in the wider industry, sharing their expertise and knowledge with them to ensure support for everyone who seeks legal advice. Founder Ashok has written several articles on key Tax and Trade issues, the Foreign Trade Policy and GST, which has been well appreciated. He is also a regular speaker in national and international conferences in his practice areas. Ultimately, ADA offers clients high-quality support and service across a vast array of practice areas, and looking ahead the firm will continue to provide quality services through its continued support of its exceptional team.