Our Key People
Professional Memberships
Member of the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa
Core Areas of Practice
Banking and Project Finance, Insolvency and Bankruptcy, Sharia Compliant Transactions, Project Advisory, Debt Restructuring, Bonds and Capital Markets, Litigation with specialization in NCLT matters
Experience
Ishtiaq is the Founder and Managing Partner of Orbit Law Services. With over four decades of extensive experience both as an in-house counsel with Industrial Finance Corporation of India Limited (IFCI) and as a project finance and transaction lawyer in private practice he has carved a name for himself amongst the top project finance lawyers of India.
In his over two decades as an in-house counsel, he spearheaded various project, transactions, negotiations and preparations of multi-party documentations including joint venture agreements for infrastructure projects in diverse sectors such as Port, Airport, Hospital, Road, Oil & Gas and Power projects. He was involved in matters relating to debt restructuring under BIFR/ NCLT and CDR. He has also led complex due diligence/ appraisal teams for various infrastructure projects. Ishtiaq was on the Board of various assisted companies of IFCI as its Nominee Director.
In 2002, he started his private practice with India Law Services as a Partner and thereafter with ALMT Legal and Clasis Law where he headed the project finance practice before setting up Orbit Law Services. In his career spanning more than 4 decades, Ishtiaq has represented many Indian and foreign banks and institutions in structuring and financing critical infrastructure projects including debt restructuring. As part of Ishtiaq’s litigation practice, he regularly advises the Committee of Creditor (COC) and Resolution Professionals (RP) and also appears before NCLT/ DRT and Bombay High Court.
His other areas of expertise include Forensic Audit; Trade Finance matters relating to asset based lending and structured finance; Factoring and Equipment lease financing.
His overseas accomplishments include him being part of Deloitte Consortium Team as an ‘International Project Finance Expert’ wherein he acted as a counsel and advised on the (i) PPP Centre of Philippines (Central Government Body) for privatization of airports and hospital projects; (ii) World Bank PPP Projects in Tanzania; and (iii) Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Ministry of Transport) with respect to privatization of road projects under PPP and drafting of the Bidding Documents based on international best practice for PPP Projects.
Ishtiaq is also closely associated with the introduction and development of Sharia Compliant Transactions in India along with the Sharia Finance Experts. Widely known for his expertise in infrastructure and project finance area, he is a regular guest speaker at national and international forums and is also an independent director on the boards of many leading Indian Companies.
Qualifications
- Master of Laws (LL. M), Aligarh Muslim University
- Bachelor of Laws (LL. B), Aligarh Muslim University
- Bachelor of Science (B.Sc), Aligarh Muslim University