Shabbir S. Wakhariya is a Partner at BurgherGray and head of the firm’s India and East Africa practices. He is a multi-jurisdictional, multidisciplinary attorney with over 30 years of experience representing international clients, including Fortune 500 companies and other lawyers, from all over the world. He leverages his legal qualification in various jurisdictions, including New York, Washington DC, India, and England and Wales, to serve clients with legal needs that transcend national and political borders. His clients benefit from his unique ability to combine his superior knowledge of and experience with laws and tribunals across the English-speaking Commonwealth. His first-hand understanding of the laws and legal landscapes of his client’s home jurisdictions, particularly India and East Africa, bridges the communication and understanding gaps that can often result from working with counsel that are familiar only with the local legal and regulatory environment.

Shabbir spent the first 20 years of his professional career with an Am Law 100 firm in New York, followed by over 10 years cultivating an India-based private practice serving international clients doing business or seeking to do business in India and, more recently, East Africa, with a focus on clients based in the US and Europe. His practice also involves representing large Indian companies outbound to the US or Europe. In additional to serving as special outside counsel to his clients generally, Shabbir’s practice often includes him serving as external general counsel to their Indian operations. He relishes this role and the resultant experience which enables him to provide perceptive advice and counsel spanning a wide range of business strategies and industries, legal considerations, and tactical insights across various practice disciplines. Proficiently navigating the intricacies of multiple international jurisdictions, he adeptly structures and manages his clients’ Indian subsidiaries and ensures proactive compliance with local laws and regulations. This often involves providing strategic guidance to assist corporate boards of directors and senior executives in navigating and otherwise managing legal and regulatory risks, thereby facilitating compliance. His meticulous review of board communications and shareholder interactions underscores his dedication to ensuring robust corporate governance and informed decision-making.

Through the dynamic team of India-based transactional and litigation affiliated attorneys managed by Shabbir, the firm serves the needs of its target clients in India across various disciplines, whether in sophisticated corporate and commercial matters, regulatory structuring or complex litigation disputes in local courts and international arbitration tribunals. 

Beyond his contributions to the profession over his long and illustrious career, including many publications and speaking engagements, Shabbir actively participates in pro bono and volunteer activities that further reflect his sense of social responsibility and commitment to community.