M M Sharma

M M Sharma is an Advocate at the Delhi High Court and heads the Competition Law & Policy practice of Vaish Associates, which he has led since 2009. He has over 30 years of experience, including judicial experience as a Judge Advocate in the Indian Navy for over 10 years.

He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Economics of Competition Law from King’s College, London. He worked at the Competition Commission of India (CCI) as an Additional Registrar during 2006–2008 and was responsible for drafting the Implementing Regulations under the Competition Act, 2002. He also worked as Head-Legal and in-house counsel at Jindal Steel and Power Ltd. (JSPL) before joining VA in 2009.

Mr Sharma advises and represents clients as independent counsel on competition and antitrust issues such as cartels, abuse of dominant position and M&As before the CCI, and in appeals before the Competition Appellate Tribunal (COMPAT) — now before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) — and High Courts. He also represents enterprises and industry groups as a consultant or advisor on a part-time basis before various ministries and government authorities for policy interventions.

A prolific writer on competition issues, his articles are published in noted journals and financial newspapers such as the Economic Times, Business Standard and Financial Express, and he is frequently quoted on competition issues in leading financial newspapers. He also appears on TV interviews on CNBC TV18, ZEE Business, MagicBricks and ET News as a subject expert.

He teaches competition law as a visiting faculty member at various universities and institutions, including the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and is widely regarded as a subject expert in various committees of apex business chambers such as FICCI, CII, ASSOCHAM and PHD CCI.

Mr Sharma runs an independent blog, the Antitrust & Competition Law Blog, providing updates on competition issues and cases in India, and is the editor of the firm’s bi-monthly Newsletter, the Competition News Bulletin, now in its ninth year of publication.

His practice areas are competition and antitrust, with related practices in antitrust law and competition law. He speaks Hindi and English.