Maneesha is a highly reputed litigation lawyer with over three decades of expertise in handling wide range of cases in Corporate Restructuring & Insolvency, Commercial Litigation, Arbitration (Domestic & International), Telecom and M&A. She represents a myriad client base, including Business Houses, MNCs, Banks/FIs, and PSUs besides Central and State Governments, Ministries and Departments before the Supreme Court of India, Delhi High Court and various other Courts, Tribunals and Appellate bodies.

She has served as a member on committee formed for framing rules / regulations relating to National Company Law Tribunal /National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (Adjudicating Authorities) and drafting of Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code 2016. Further, she served as Secretary of INSOL India from 2008 to 2015. She was a member of The Bankruptcy Law Reforms Committee (BLRC), which was formed to draft the structure of new Insolvency & Bankruptcy code, part of the Achutan Committee, which was formed to advise the Government on the Takeover Code of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers).

She was a member of The Bimal Jalan Committee, which was set up by SEBI to examine issues arising from the ownership and governance of Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs) and member of the committee to amend Chartered Accountants Act, 1949, Cost and Works Accountants Act, 1959 and Company Secretaries Act, 1980 to strengthen the disciplinary mechanism for regulation of the members of Institutes.

She is widely acclaimed for handling Telecom issues in both regulatory sphere and litigation. She was a Senior Counsel for The Department of Telecom (DoT), Govt. of India, which grants licenses for various telecom services. She represented DoT in a high profile and complex matter of 3G Spectrum. She was also appointed as Special Counsel by the Office of the Custodian and MCA in the matters of Satyam Computer, Maytas Infra Limited, Maytas Properties Limited, Sahara India before the Company Law Board, Delhi High Court and The Supreme Court of India and Office of custodian and MCA in the matter of Ketan Parekh & Companies.

She was appointed as a Panel Advocate/Central Government Pleader at Delhi High Court and a Senior Panel Counsel for the Union of India by Ministry of Law and Justice, Department of Legal Affairs for conducting Central Government Litigation before the Court/Tribunal. She was a Standing Counsel of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and a Retainer Counsel with TRAI.

She has been bestowed with many awards and has received various accolades for her myriad contributions such as ‘National Bar Award’ by All India Bar Association in recognition of her dedication to the study and practice of Commercial Litigation, ‘Lawyer of the Year’ by Gavel Glory, ‘Lawyer of the Year Award’ for Insolvency & Restructuring 2023-24 by Legal Era, ‘Managing Partner of the Year (Female) 2023’ by The Economic Times, and ‘Woman Lawyer of the Year 2020’ Award by Public Diplomacy Forum.

She was ranked amongst India’s ‘Top 15 Dispute Resolution lawyers’ by Asian Legal Business. She has been recently recognised as ‘Highly Regarded- Women Leader 2024’ by IFLR1000. She was also ranked as ‘Recognised Practitioner’, Distinguished Practitioner and Litigation Star by Chambers & Partners, AsiaLaw Profiles and Benchmark Litigation respectively.

She is a regular speaker at various global conferences on Insolvency Laws, Arbitration, AI and DIB and has conducted many study circles in Delhi High Court on IBC 2016. She has delivered guest lectures in various law schools and professional institutions connected with law.

She regularly contributes articles to leading publications and has published a book on Artificial Intelligence titled ‘AI For Good: India & Beyond’. She has also contributed the India Chapter on Global Legal Insights – IPO guide published by Global Legal Group in April 2024 and 2025.

Beyond professional commitments, she supports social causes and conducts pro bono matters. She also advises Rural Medicare Centre, which offers advanced healthcare at affordable cost.

LLB, 1990, Delhi University

M.A. (Mathematics), 1986, Delhi University

B.A. (Hons.) Mathematics, 1984, St. Stephen’s college, Delhi

Co-Chair – IWIRC India Network

Co Director – New Network and Regional Development – IWIRC International

Member – IWIRC DIB Committee

Member – IWIRC UNCITRAL Working Group

Member – INSOL India & INSOL International

Member – User’s Council, India International Arbitration Centre

Mediator – Delhi High Court Mediation Centre

Vice President – Women in Law & Litigation (WILL)

Member – London Court of International Arbitration

Ex Vice Chairman – Society of Construction Law

Ex Secretary, INSOL India