Diploma in M&A, Institutional Finance and Investment Laws (PE and VC transactions)

Key Highlights

1. The course is aimed at four distinct professional groups:

• Law graduates looking for a clear career direction in transactional practice
• Litigation lawyers seeking to shift from courtroom work to deal advisory
• CAs, CS, and bankers who want legal fluency alongside their financial expertise
• Capable professionals who feel overlooked and want a competitive edge

2. This course is spread across 10 modules and 50+ topics, the syllabus covers the entire M&A deal lifecycle from NDAs and LOIs to post-closing compliance, IBC-driven distressed acquisitions, and GCC-India cross-border transactions. Each module is backed by hands-on exercises, annotated sample documents, and practitioner-led feedback. Uniquely, the curriculum also integrates AI-enabled due diligence, VDR management, ESG diligence, and DPDP Act compliance,  areas now demanded in modern deal-making. 

3. The course positions as the only M&A course in India covering the full transaction lifecycle, from first NDA to NCLT-approved merger schemes. Key differentiators include:

• 100 live classes totalling 150 hours, versus no live classes offered by most competitors
• Two full deal simulations: The Term Sheet Battle (Simulation 1) and M&A Deal Memo & Regulatory Strategy (Simulation 2)
• 600 total training hours versus fewer than 30 hours in competing courses
• A 45-day money-back guarantee and dedicated placement and freelance support, including international remote work opportunities
• LawSikho has facilitated 21,000+ work opportunities between April 2021 and June 2023, totalling over USD 3,30,000 in secured work for learners.

4. The benefits of learning in a systematic, step-by-step way by practicing skills in a safe space where you are not rebuked for making a mistake are immense. You can learn much faster and retain that learning much better. 

5. If you do not have the theoretical legal foundation for doing this work, we will provide you materials and lectures to quickly catch up. Focus is on practical skills so you can do real legal work that is done in law firms, lawyer’s chambers and legal departments in MNCs. For that, whatever you need to learn, we will teach you. 

6. Get one-on-one feedback on the quality of your work so you can improve week on week. Also you get to learn the underlying commercial aspects of various types of deals so that you can guide your clients effectively. 

What makes M&A and finance transactions so valuable?

The course  articulates several compelling reasons why M&A and institutional finance transactions are among the most valuable areas in legal and corporate practice.

Economic Scale and Deal Demand

India attracts over USD 50 billion in Foreign Direct Investment annually, with PE/VC ecosystems generating record deal volumes across technology, healthcare, clean energy, and fintech. This scale creates sustained, growing demand for skilled transactional lawyers and advisors who can navigate these mandates end-to-end.

Multi-Disciplinary Complexity = Premium Advisory Value

M&A transactions sit at the intersection of law, finance, tax, and regulation. As the document states, regulators like SEBI, FEMA, CCI, and IBC rarely appear in isolation in a real deal but professionals who can hold all of them simultaneously command far greater client trust and fees. A lawyer who can "map a deal, spot the risk, structure the solution, and put it on paper, all in one conversation" is the type clients pay a premium for.

Career and Commercial Upside

The course  highlights that transactional lawyers at Tier 1 and Tier 2 firms, investment banks, and PE/VC funds occupy some of the highest-compensated roles in Indian legal practice. For freelancers, the potential scales from USD 300–500/month to USD 10,000/month within a year for those who build a strong practice profile. External Commercial Borrowings alone grew sevenfold between 2004 and 2014, with India-GCC deal flows currently at an all-time high,  all generating continuous advisory mandates.

Irreplaceable Skill Set

Unlike most legal areas where statute knowledge suffices, M&A success depends on skills such as  deal instinct, negotiation strategy, regulatory sequencing, and documentation precision that cannot be learned from books or statutes alone. This scarcity of truly deal-ready professionals is exactly what creates the market premium: being capable is not enough; being chosen requires demonstrated deal fluency.

Who should take this course?

​Law Graduates Looking for Direction

You worked hard for your degree. Now it's time to put it to work. If you've been standing at the crossroads, unsure which path to take, this course plants your feet firmly in one of the most sought-after and high-growth areas of legal practice. Corporate transactions and M&A are where the most ambitious legal careers are built and this is where yours begins.

Litigation Lawyers Ready for a Change

You've mastered the courtroom. You can argue, analyze, and perform under pressure like few others can. But if you've been craving a shift toward strategy, toward advisory work, toward a role where you shape deals instead of disputes, then this course is your gateway. Bring everything you've learned and step into the deal room with confidence.

CAs, CS & Bankers Who Want the Full Picture

You understand the numbers. You understand the compliance. But the professionals who lead deals don't just understand one side rather they command the entire transaction. This course gives you the legal fluency to sit at the head of the table, bridge every gap in the room, and become the most complete professional in every deal you touch.

Capable Professionals Who Are Done Being Overlooked

You've been putting in the work. You've been showing up. And yet, somehow, the opportunities keep going to someone else. That stops here. This course arms you with the expertise, the credibility, and the professional edge to make sure that the next time an opportunity walks into the room, it has your name on it.

What will you learn?

You studied the law, passed the exams, and did everything right  but no one told you which door to walk through, and M&A is one of the most lucrative doors in the entire profession. This course gives law graduates the structured, practitioner-led foundation they need to step confidently into transaction work, from the first NDA to post-closing compliance. 

If you've spent years in court but watch corporate lawyers close deals worth hundreds of crores and wonder how to make that shift, this is the bridge, built specifically for litigators who already understand how disputes are won and lost, and now want to prevent them at the drafting table. 

Chartered Accountants, Company Secretaries, and bankers already speak the language of numbers but this course teaches you to translate that fluency into legal deal architecture, so you can sit at the transaction table as a full participant, not just a support function. Across 50+ modules, you will move through every layer of a live deal: VC term sheets and anti-dilution mechanics, SPA drafting and warranty negotiations, FEMA pricing guidelines, SEBI Takeover Code triggers, CCI merger control filings, and IBC-driven distressed acquisitions. 

You will learn how to structure a share purchase versus an asset purchase versus a slump sale, and understand exactly why that choice changes the tax, stamp duty, and regulatory outcome of the entire transaction. The course covers cross-border deal flows including Press Note 2, ODI structuring, and the fast-growing India-GCC corridor so you can advise on inbound and outbound transactions with equal confidence. 

You will run two live simulations: a VC term sheet negotiation and a full M&A deal memo with regulatory strategy, because knowing the law is only half the skill and executing under pressure is the other half. AI-integrated due diligence, VDR management, ESG diligence, and DPDP Act compliance are built into the curriculum because modern deals demand modern tools, and this course doesn't ignore that reality. For professionals who already have the competence but keep getting passed over for the mandate, the role, or the credit, this course gives you the vocabulary, the frameworks, and the deal instinct that make the difference between being capable and being chosen.
 
Every module is designed the way a senior practitioner thinks: not as an academic exercise, but as a live problem with commercial stakes, regulatory constraints, and a client waiting for an answer. Whether you are finding your footing, switching lanes, crossing disciplines, or pushing through a ceiling, this course is built to take you from where you are to where the deals are.

Training Methodology

Online 24/7 access

Access study materials via our online portal & via our anroid & iOS apps.

Practical Exercises

Two practical exercises every week, each followed by written feedback.

Live Online Classes

Live online classes based on exercises, allowing questions and feedback.

Convenient Class timings

Classes held after work hours, typically on Sundays or after 8 PM on weekdays.

Live Doubt Clearing

Live doubt clearing for support and one-on-one sessions with mentors.

What is the career potential after doing this course?

​In the current Indian transaction market, M&A and investment law work is most concentrated in financial hubs like Mumbai, Delhi NCR, and Bengaluru, where the bulk of PE/VC deal activity, cross-border transactions, and banking mandates are executed. 

Tier 1 and Tier 2 law firms in these cities drive the highest volume of transactional work, but demand is rapidly expanding into emerging startup ecosystems in Hyderabad and Pune as well. 

Banks, NBFCs and financial institutions also hire a significant number of lawyers with skills in banking transactions, with knowledge of investment law, M&A, and due diligence serving as a strong additional advantage.

Today's law students and young lawyers increasingly prefer flexible, freelance, and independent practice models over traditional law firm employment or in-house counsel roles. The rise of legal tech platforms, remote work infrastructure, and direct-to-client advisory models has made it entirely viable to build a thriving transactional practice without joining a large firm. Many young lawyers are successfully catering to startups, SMEs, and founder communities as independent counsel, often commanding competitive fees.

The career potential in investment law and M&A in India today is exceptionally strong. India continues to attract over USD 50 billion in Foreign Direct Investment annually, and the PE/VC ecosystem has seen record deal volumes across sectors such as technology, healthcare, clean energy, and fintech. Roles range from deal lawyers at top-tier firms to in-house counsel at portfolio companies, fund managers, and financial institutions. Regulatory evolution including SEBI's framework for Alternative Investment Funds, RBI's gradual liberalization of External Commercial Borrowing norms, and India's growing cross-border M&A activity has created a sustained and growing demand for skilled transactional lawyers. Whether you aim for a BigLaw career, an independent practice, or a corporate role, expertise in this space offers one of the most rewarding and future-proof career trajectories in Indian law.

PE and VC investments are increasing by leaps and bounds. India is attracting over 50 Billion USD in Foreign Direct Investment every year, which has been steadily growing over the years irrespective of economic cycles. All these deals require an increasing number of deal lawyers.

External Commercial Borrowing, i.e. raising money from other countries that have lower interest rates compared to India has been increasing as RBI has been continuously relaxing norms over the years. Between 2004 and 2014 it grew sevenfold. It has also emerged as the preferred option for big companies to raise debt. We are just scratching the surface. There is a lot to be done in the next 3 years. As a result, lawyers who can handle cross border financing transactions are in very high demand.

If you want to pick up some expertise and knowledge on M&A, investment and transaction laws, this is a great time if your ambition is to work as a transaction lawyer. It will definitely go a long way to make your CV stand out, impress the interviewer, get the next promotion, or even start your own practice.

You cannot learn these things by studying any particular laws, regulations or rules, and there are no adequate books that can help you here. Success in transactional law practice requires skills that are more varied than merely knowing the provisions of various statutes

Check out the learning objectives to understand what you will exactly need to learn.

Potential employers

a. India's Tier-1 law firm landscape spans the full spectrum of high-value transactional and regulatory work. The top firm dominates M&A, private equity, capital markets, banking, energy, and pharmaceuticals while aggressively expanding its partnership bench, and the similar firms are the go-to for cross-border M&A, financial services regulation, and foreign institutional investors entering India through structured vehicles. A full-service firm covers banking, insurance, FMCG, industrials, and infrastructure, bridging domestic conglomerates and global investors, while a sector-specialist firm focuses on technology, telecom, energy, and infrastructure, handling both regulatory clearance and transactional documentation. 

Another firm combines M&A, private equity, financial regulatory work, and commercial disputes with strong government advisory ties in infrastructure and public sector transactions, and a capital markets-focused firm serves global institutional investors in high-complexity financial services, technology, and consumer sector deals. 

Rounding out the tier, one firm concentrates on technology M&A, PE, and VC-backed founder exits in digital, fintech, and consumer tech, while another operates at the intersection of law, policy, and deal structuring through international tax, PE fund formation, technology law, and cross-border investment advisory across financial services, pharma, and media.
 

b. The tier-2 and boutique law firm landscape spans a broad range of transactional and advisory practices. The firms cover TMT, private equity, healthcare, and cross-border M&A with particular strength in mid-market technology, life sciences, and consumer deals, and also focuses on M&A, banking, finance, and real estate with depth in asset-heavy sectors such as lending, project finance, and property title structuring for both domestic and foreign clients. It serves PSUs, MNCs, and financial institutions across corporate law, infrastructure, energy, power, and commercial disputes, and also specialises in financial services, real estate structured transactions, and insolvency and restructuring mandates spanning banking, credit, and property investment. 

These firms operate at the intersection of taxation, international trade, and regulatory M&A, advising on FDI structuring and multi-jurisdictional tax compliance across manufacturing, pharma, and digital commerce, and yet another focuses on inbound FDI, cross-border M&A, and competition law for foreign investors across financial services, healthcare, consumer, and technology sectors. 

It also offers broad mid-market M&A, private equity, infrastructure, banking, and real estate coverage with partner-led attention across conventional and emerging industries, and have carved a niche in venture capital, private equity, and startup ecosystem transactions covering fintech, consumer tech, and healthcare, with particular expertise in term sheets, shareholder agreements, and founder exit structuring. 
 

c. The global and international law firms collectively cover the full spectrum of cross-border transactional and regulatory legal work. These are a generalist powerhouse handling cross-border M&A, acquisition financing, and regulatory approvals for global institutional clients across major industries, and focuses on India-connected transactions, combining FDI structuring, international arbitration, and capital markets expertise with dual fluency in Indian and international law. 

These also lead in competition law, specialising in merger control filings and antitrust clearances which is a growing priority as Indian deal values rise and regulatory scrutiny intensifies, and further carve a niche in technology-driven work, covering AI transactions, digital infrastructure, and capital markets for US-listed entities operating in India. It bridges global reach with a mid-market India focus, spanning M&A, private equity, and project finance across infrastructure, energy, and financial services.

In crux, they represent a tiered ecosystem from broad-spectrum global advisory to sector-specific and jurisdiction-specific practices reflecting the increasing complexity of cross-border deals involving Indian markets.
 

d. At the apex of global M&A advisory sits the  banks, commanding the most structurally complex cross-border transactions across technology, financial services, energy, and virtually every other regulated industry,  making its in-house legal and compliance functions a window into the full breadth of international deal-making. Closely behind, the  bank brings a similarly expansive advisory reach, with a particularly strong footprint in India across infrastructure, financial services, and technology, where its legal teams navigate both transactional complexity and regulatory depth on large-ticket mandates. Anchoring the domestic landscape, the  banks have built an unrivalled pipeline through deep promoter relationships, consistently leading on IPO advisory and PE syndication across conventional and new-age businesses alike. Meanwhile, the banks have carved out a distinct identity at the frontier of India's startup and growth-equity ecosystem, specialising in founder exits and PE-led buyouts across the rapidly evolving digital, fintech, and life sciences sectors. 

The banks round out the mid-to-large market with a well-established multi-service platform spanning equity capital markets, M&A, and debt syndication serving Indian conglomerates and mid-market companies across a broad sweep of industries. 

Rounding off the group, the banks operate as a pure advisory house, bringing a focused, high-stakes orientation to complex M&A and restructuring mandates globally, including significant Indian transactions across financial services, energy, technology, and infrastructure.
 

e. The India-focused private equity and venture capital landscape features some of the world's most sophisticated institutional investors. The largest global private equity and real estate platform by assets deployed concentrates on real estate, IT services, and financial services in India, with in-house legal teams managing structured acquisition finance, regulatory approvals, and portfolio governance. Another leading global firm deploys capital across financial services, healthcare, infrastructure, and technology through buyouts, growth equity, and co-investment transactions at scale, with counsel handling regulated sectors, large-cap buyouts, and infrastructure assets. A multi-sector investor spanning technology, consumer, and pharmaceuticals executes growth equity and buyout mandates with in-house legal functions covering deal structuring, regulatory filings, and portfolio company M&A across consumer and life sciences industries. One of the most tenured PE investors in India focuses on financial services, healthcare, and consumer businesses with long hold periods, generating layered transactional and compliance mandates across governance, regulatory strategy, and exit structuring. 

India's largest homegrown PE firm concentrates on technology-enabled businesses, financial services, and healthcare with deep domestic deal origination capabilities, offering India-first investment exposure across sectors central to the country's economic growth. 

Rounding out the landscape, an active mid-market firm invests across consumer, healthcare, financial services, and technology with a hands-on operational philosophy, its growing AUM generating meaningful deal responsibility across India's most active consolidation sectors.
 

f. The Big 4 advisory landscape in India spans a range of M&A capabilities across sectors and deal sizes. India's most active Big 4 M&A advisor on large-ticket transactions covers financial services, cement, banking, and infrastructure deals exceeding $500 million, providing integrated advisory across tax structuring, due diligence, and post-merger integration across virtually every regulated sector. Big 4 is expanding aggressively into large-cap M&A advisory across financial services, manufacturing, consumer, and technology sectors, leveraging an integrated tax, deals, and consulting platform with strong domestic promoter relationships that generate a consistent advisory pipeline. They are also scaling rapidly in large-ticket M&A advisory by combining financial advisory, tax, and risk consulting for transactions across industrials, financial services, and technology, with a multi-disciplinary deal structure that appeals to professionals operating at the intersection of law, finance, and business strategy. 

Rounding out the group, a well-regarded firm focuses on due diligence, regulatory advisory, and transaction structuring across industrials, manufacturing, and financial services, with a growing M&A advisory presence driven by corporate consolidation across infrastructure, consumer, and financial sectors.
 

g. India's most dynamic in-house legal opportunities are concentrated across its leading conglomerates and sector champions. The most acquisitive conglomerate drives multi-sector transactional complexity across digital platforms, retail, new energy, and petrochemicals, offering unparalleled exposure to large-scale M&A across technology, energy, and consumer sectors. One of India's most prolific strategic acquirers spans aerospace, semiconductors, consumer technology, financial services, and hospitality, with group companies across IT services, power, aviation, and financial services each generating independent deal mandates. Central to the infrastructure M&A landscape, another major group pursues high-profile acquisitions across airports, ports, energy, cement, and data centres, with in-house legal work encompassing regulatory approvals, antitrust filings, project finance, and concession agreement structuring across heavily regulated sectors. 

A diversified conglomerate active across automotive, agri-business, IT services, real estate, and financial services is rapidly expanding into electric vehicles and clean energy, positioning its in-house legal teams at the forefront of both traditional and emerging sector-defining transactions. India's leading private and public sector banks sustain continuous mandates in structured finance, regulatory M&A, banking sector consolidation, and large syndicated lending, with legal and compliance teams managing complex regulatory interactions across the RBI, SEBI, and CCI on an ongoing basis. 

New-age technology and fintech platforms executing acquisitions, strategic investments, and secondary transactions across digital commerce, food delivery, payments, and social commerce offer in-house lawyers fast-paced exposure to VC, PE, and M&A mandates at the cutting edge of digital economy regulation.

Specialised and emerging sector employers span a broad spectrum of legal and regulatory practice. Trade law, taxation, and technology regulation firms with growing M&A practices offer deep exposure to compliance-driven transactions in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and digital commerce. IP and technology law practices expanding into blockchain, fintech, and digital infrastructure M&A position lawyers at the intersection of intellectual property, emerging technology, and investment structuring. Startups and growth-stage companies in fintech, SaaS, and consumer tech seek counsel on VC term sheets, ESOP structuring, shareholder agreements, and early-stage M&A, offering strong deal exposure across India's innovation economy. 

LegalTech platforms hiring across product, compliance, and advisory roles blend legal expertise with technology in contract management, digital signatures, and litigation finance, placing professionals at the frontier of transactional transformation. 

Regulatory bodies overseeing securities markets, banking, competition, and insolvency provide foundational grounding in the policy and adjudicatory dimensions of M&A and investment regulation, yielding experience that is highly transferable to law firms, investment banks, and in-house roles across all major sectors.

h. India's most dynamic in-house legal opportunities are concentrated across its leading conglomerates and sector champions. The most acquisitive conglomerate drives multi-sector transactional complexity across digital platforms, retail, new energy, and petrochemicals, offering unparalleled exposure to large-scale M&A across technology, energy, and consumer sectors. One of India's most prolific strategic acquirers spans aerospace, semiconductors, consumer technology, financial services, and hospitality, with group companies across IT services, power, aviation, and financial services each generating independent deal mandates. Central to the infrastructure M&A landscape, another major group pursues high-profile acquisitions across airports, ports, energy, cement, and data centres, with in-house legal work encompassing regulatory approvals, antitrust filings, project finance, and concession agreement structuring across heavily regulated sectors. 

A diversified conglomerate active across automotive, agri-business, IT services, real estate, and financial services is rapidly expanding into electric vehicles and clean energy, positioning its in-house legal teams at the forefront of both traditional and emerging sector-defining transactions. India's leading private and public sector banks sustain continuous mandates in structured finance, regulatory M&A, banking sector consolidation, and large syndicated lending, with legal and compliance teams managing complex regulatory interactions across the RBI, SEBI, and CCI on an ongoing basis. 

New-age technology and fintech platforms executing acquisitions, strategic investments, and secondary transactions across digital commerce, food delivery, payments, and social commerce offer in-house lawyers fast-paced exposure to VC, PE, and M&A mandates at the cutting edge of digital economy regulation.

Specialised and emerging sector employers span a broad spectrum of legal and regulatory practice. Trade law, taxation, and technology regulation firms with growing M&A practices offer deep exposure to compliance-driven transactions in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and digital commerce. IP and technology law practices expanding into blockchain, fintech, and digital infrastructure M&A position lawyers at the intersection of intellectual property, emerging technology, and investment structuring. Startups and growth-stage companies in fintech, SaaS, and consumer tech seek counsel on VC term sheets, ESOP structuring, shareholder agreements, and early-stage M&A, offering strong deal exposure across India's innovation economy. 

LegalTech platforms hiring across product, compliance, and advisory roles blend legal expertise with technology in contract management, digital signatures, and litigation finance, placing professionals at the frontier of transactional transformation. 

Regulatory bodies overseeing securities markets, banking, competition, and insolvency provide foundational grounding in the policy and adjudicatory dimensions of M&A and investment regulation, yielding experience that is highly transferable to law firms, investment banks, and in-house roles across all major sectors.

What kind of recruitment and placement support will I get?

Training That Sets You Apart

We are the only organization in India delivering fully exercise-based, hands-on legal training,  a methodology that leading employers, top law firms, and corporations have come to recognize and trust when hiring candidates.

Career Pathways We Open

Excelling in our programs can directly unlock:

• Full-time placements at respected law firms and corporate legal departments
• Internships and assessment internships with renowned practitioners
• Freelance and consulting opportunities across the legal and M&A ecosystem

Dedicated Placement Team

From Day 1, our placement team works alongside you to:

• Set clear, achievable career goals
• Build a standout CV tailored to the legal market
• Sharpen interview and presentation skills
• Provide active support through your critical first month on the job or internship

A Network That Hires

We have built enduring partnerships with recruiters who actively prefer our trained students  giving you a measurable competitive edge from the moment you enter the job market. Our network does not just introduce you to opportunities; it advocates for your placement within them.

Here are a few examples of some students who secured jobs in the last 6 months:

Rohit Maheshwary, a 2021 law graduate from Christ University, Bengaluru, received a job offer from Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (CAM).

Nikunj Mehta, a 2021 law graduate from Christ University, Bengaluru, received a job offer from Khaitan & Co. 

Fauzia Khan, a 2019 graduate from Jitendra Chauhan College of Law, Mumbai, received a job offer from Dhir & Dhir Associates.

Apurv Umredkar, a 2020 law graduate from KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, received a job offer from Samvad Partners.

Sneha Inampudi, a 2018 graduate from SVD Siddhartha Law College, received a job offer from Fox Mandal & Co.

Abhilash Tyagi, 2022 BBA LLB graduate from O.P Jindal Global Law School has received a job from Trilegal.

Isha Patnaik, 2023 LLB Graduate from SOA National Institute of law has received a job from Amogha Legal as Legal Trainee

Shreya Pola, BA LLB 2019 Graduate, School of Law, Christ University Bangalore, received a job offer from Inventus Law.

What is unique about this course?

• The course is not limited to a provision-by-provision study of some statutes and associated case laws alone
• The course trains you on different kinds of actual work that is required to be performed by lawyers and other professionals. After finishing the course, you will know as much practical knowledge as a lawyer working at a big law firm in these teams will know after a year or two.
• It is not a mere theoretical study, but hands-on practical lessons where you will have to draft a lot of documents.
• The course is tough and intensive, you will not be awarded the certificate unless you complete all the exercises.
• You have to spend 8-10 hours per week on this course.
• You will get personal attention and coaching from the trainer, and get individual feedback on the quality of work you produce
• You will be writing an article every month and with our guidance publish the same either on iPleaders blog or various other industry publications
• We will provide you with a free course on professional networking, CV writing and interview skills so that you can easily find jobs.
• Those who perform well in class will be recommended to top law firms for internships and jobs. If you do not need such help, let us know in what other way we can help you.
• After completing the course, you will be able to perform various tasks that fall in the domain of corporate transactional law and be at ease with different aspects of corporate transactions, whether you work in banking & finance, M&A, Private Equity or Venture Capital.
• We also recommend this course to other professionals like bankers, accountants, finance professionals, who can immensely benefit from this knowledge.

How is this course better than other online courses?

Can I get remote freelance work after doing this course?

Here are a few examples of learners who secured remote freelance work:

Ankit Bhargava, a law graduate from B.R. Ambedkar University, Agra, 2016, was a struggling criminal lawyer, but he also started performing remote work for US clients through multiple platforms such as People per Hour and UpWork, Freelancer.com, etc. in January 2021, after enrolling in the course on US IP Prosecution, Enforcement and Licensing.

In 3 months, he worked on 150 projects for more than 50 clients, across 35 countries, including US, Canada, most of the European Union, UK, Ukraine, Russia, Australia, earning USD 100 or more per project.

Muraleedharan R., a lawyer with 33 years of legal experience and a practice in Kerala, was doing service law matters, and his practice was impacted during the pandemic. Our team helped him create a freelance profile that was accepted, and he soon got projects for over USD 1200. His story is shared here.

Sparsh Agarwal, 4th year student in Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad, 23 jobs, shares how he earned USD 1K+ in 1 month here.

How can you be sought out as a professional who provides that kind of value to your clients?

Most lawyers and CAs who enter the M&A space know the theory. What clients pay a premium for is someone who can map a deal, spot the risk, structure the solution, and put it on paper,  all in one conversation.

This course trains you to do exactly that. Here is what will make you indispensable:

You will be able to originate and structure deals, not just execute instructions

• You will learn to ask the right commercial questions first, why is this deal happening, what does the client actually want, and what structure best protects them before you begin drafting a single clause.
• After completing this course, you will be able to advise a startup founder raising a Series A, a PE fund structuring a buyout, or a corporate looking at a cross-border acquisition and speak the same language as the investment banker across the table.

You will bring rare regulatory fluency

• Most professionals can read FEMA or the Takeover Code. After this course, you will be able to apply them simultaneously, knowing which provisions trigger, in which order, and what the filing timelines mean for deal execution.
• CCI merger control, SEBI open offer obligations, FEMA pricing compliance, and IBC proceedings rarely appear in isolation in a real deal. This course trains you to hold all of them at once.

You will be able to work independently on the documents that matter most

• From a first-draft SPA with warranties and a disclosure letter, to a post-closing compliance memo, to a CIRP petition before NCLT,  you will leave this course having drafted all of these, with instructor feedback, not just having read about them.
• Clients and employers seek out professionals who reduce their exposure. When you can identify a liability cap gap, a gun-jumping risk, or a DPDP compliance obligation that no one else caught, that is the kind of value that builds a practice.

You will understand what the other side wants

• This course trains you to represent acquirers, targets, investors, founders, lenders, and creditors and not just one type. That perspective makes you a sharper negotiator and a more effective advisor.

You will be able to generate work independently

• With the writing assignments, simulations, and article publication support built into this course, you will develop a visible track record as an M&A and investment law practitioner before you even complete the course.

Here are some contracts and other legal documents you will learn how to draft

​Contracts and Other Legal Documents You Will Learn to Draft 
M&A and Investment Transaction Documents

• Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA): buy-side and sell-side
• Letter of Intent (LOI) / Term Sheet:  VC, PE, and M&A
• Share Purchase Agreement (SPA): complete drafting with warranty schedules
• Asset Purchase Agreement
• Business Transfer Agreement (Slump Sale)
• Shareholders' Agreement: with anti-dilution, drag-along, tag-along, board composition, ESOP, and exit clauses
• Share Subscription Agreement
• Disclosure Letter: qualifying warranties in an SPA
• Warranty Schedule and Indemnity Provisions
• Post-Closing Compliance and Adjustment Memo

Listed Company and SEBI Documents

• Open Offer Public Announcement
• Letter of Offer (Takeover Code compliant)
• Delisting Public Announcement
• SEBI CCI Combination Filing (Form I / Form II as applicable)

Cross-Border and FEMA Documents

• FEMA Compliance Checklist and Pricing Certificate
• ODI Structuring Memo and Application
• Foreign Currency Convertible Bond (FCCB) Term Sheet
• Press Note 2 Beneficial Ownership Disclosure Note

Distressed M&A and Insolvency Documents

• CIRP Petition before NCLT: Financial Creditor (Section 7)
• Section 9 Petition: Operational Creditor
• Scheme of Arrangement (Merger / Demerger):  NCLT-approved
• Resolution Plan Term Sheet

Debt Finance and Security Documents

• Term Loan Agreement:  single bank
• Syndicate Loan Agreement (APLMA-style)
• Share Pledge Agreement
• Mortgage Deed
• Deed of Hypothecation
• Corporate Guarantee
• Promoter Guarantee
• Non-Disposal Undertaking (NDU)
• Debenture Trust Deed
• Inter-Creditor Agreement (summary clauses)

Employment Documents in M&A Context

• CXO Employment Agreement (with golden handshake, non-compete, and ESOP acceleration)
• ESOP Plan Amendment (post-acquisition acceleration clause)
• Retrenchment Notice and Severance Documentation

General Commercial Contracts (Foundational)

• Non-Circumvention and Fee Protection Agreement
• Advisory Agreement (M&A mandate)
• Consultancy Agreement
• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
• Power of Attorney (transactional)
• Joint Venture Agreement

How will you clear my doubts and help me if I am struggling to understand or learn a concept?

• In our live classes, you can ask questions, share your screen, receive personal feedback, and have your doubts cleared.
• If you need more help after getting feedback on an assignment or want career advice, you can schedule a private one-on-one call. Our evaluators and mentors are here to assist you and give you advice that's tailored to your needs.

Money-back guarantee

If you take this course, follow it diligently for a month, do all the exercises but still do not find value in it, or not able to understand or follow it or not find it good for any reason, we will refund the entire course fee to you. It is a 100% money-back guarantee with only one condition, you must pursue it properly for a month. If you don’t find it valuable after that, get your entire money back.

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Specific Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Deal Architecture & Structuring

• Map the M&A deal ecosystem: identify all players (acquirer, target, advisors, regulators) and understand how each is engaged in a transaction
• Advise a client on the optimal deal structure from among Share Purchase, Asset Purchase, Slump Sale, Business Transfer, Court-approved Merger, or Demerger
• Understand and explain the commercial logic of M&A, VC, and PE transactions using real Indian case studies (Zomato-Blinkit, Tata-Air India, VC round structures)
• Implement post-closing compliance obligations including purchase price adjustments, regulatory filings, and earn-out mechanisms

Investment Documentation

• Draft a term sheet for a VC/PE transaction from both investor and founder perspectives
• Draft a Shareholders' Agreement with anti-dilution, drag-along, tag-along, ROFR, ROFO, and board composition clauses
• Understand and apply Full Ratchet vs. Weighted Average anti-dilution and advise clients accordingly
• Draft MAC, Force Majeure, Notices, and other boilerplate clauses with commercial precision
• Structure warranties, indemnities, and liability caps in an SPA; draft a Disclosure Letter to qualify seller warranties
• Draft exit-related provisions and dispute resolution clauses for PE and VC-backed investments

Valuation, Finance & Due Diligence

• Apply DCF, EV/EBITDA, and comparable transactions valuation methodologies as a deal lawyer
• Read and interpret financial statements (P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow Statement) in the context of a transaction
• Set up and manage a Virtual Data Room (VDR) and run an AI-integrated due diligence process
• Identify due diligence red flags, ESG risk factors, and prepare a comprehensive due diligence report with actionable observations

Listed Company Transactions

• Identify SEBI Takeover Code trigger points and advise on open offer obligations, pricing, and timelines
• Draft an open offer public announcement and navigate SEBI filings end-to-end
• Understand SEBI PIT Regulations and insider trading compliance obligations in listed company M&A
• Advise on a delisting transaction including reverse book-building, escrow, and stock exchange approvals

Cross-Border Transactions & FEMA

• Structure inbound FDI transactions under both automatic and approval routes and prepare FEMA compliance documentation
• Advise on FEMA pricing guidelines and RBI reporting obligations for investment transactions
• Structure outbound investments and overseas acquisitions by Indian companies
• Advise on Press Note 2  implications for Chinese and other ODI-restricted investors, and identify beneficial ownership disclosure obligations

Regulatory Approvals: Competition Law

• Assess whether a merger or acquisition requires a CCI filing and determine the applicable form
• Apply updated deal value thresholds and advise on Green Channel exemptions
• Understand gun-jumping risks and draft standstill obligation compliance protocols
• Analyse recent CCI orders and apply learnings to a live transaction scenario

Taxation

• Advise on capital gains implications, tax-efficient exit structuring, and use of SPVs in M&A
• Analyse GST applicability in slump sale vs. itemised asset sale and advise accordingly
• Advise on stamp duty obligations in cross-border and domestic M&A transactions
• Structure withholding tax obligations for foreign investors in Indian M&A deals

Sector & Emerging Area M&A

• Identify sector-specific regulatory approvals for Real Estate, Pharma, Healthcare, and FinTech M&A
• Advise on DPDP Act compliance obligations in a FinTech acquisition
• Understand GCC-India cross-border deal dynamics and structure a Gulf-origin investment into India

Employment & Distressed M&A

• Advise on employment law implications of a business transfer including retrenchment, ESOP acceleration, non-competes, and golden handshakes
• Draft and file a petition before NCLT for approval of a scheme of merger or demerger
• File an insolvency petition before NCLT as a financial creditor under the IBC (CIRP initiation)
• File an insolvency petition as an operational creditor and advise on the Section 9 process

Debt Finance & Security

• Advise on the choice of debt financing instrument: term loan, ECB, NCD, or debenture
• Draft key clauses in a syndicate loan agreement, share pledge agreement, and deed of hypothecation
• Structure an ECB transaction including end-use restrictions, reporting requirements, and security creation over Indian assets
• Understand inter-creditor agreement dynamics and priority of security in multi-lender structures

To sum up, the course of enable you to

​Deal Architecture & Structuring

• Map the entire M&A deal ecosystem, identifying all players such as acquirer, target, advisors, and regulators 
• Advise on the optimal deal structure from among Share Purchase, Asset Purchase, Slump Sale, Business Transfer, Court-approved Merger, or Demerger 
• Implement post-closing compliance obligations including purchase price adjustments, regulatory filings, and earn-out mechanisms 

Investment Documentation

• Draft term sheets, Shareholders' Agreements (with anti-dilution, drag-along, tag-along, ROFR, ROFO, and board composition clauses), and full Share Purchase Agreements with warranty schedules 
• Structure warranties, indemnities, and liability caps; draft Disclosure Letters to qualify seller warranties 

Valuation, Finance & Due Diligence

• Apply DCF, EV/EBITDA, and comparable transactions valuation methodologies as a deal lawyer 
• Set up and manage a Virtual Data Room (VDR) and run an AI-integrated due diligence process, including ESG risk assessment

Listed Company Transactions

• Identify SEBI Takeover Code trigger points and advise on open offer obligations, pricing, and timelines
• Advise on delisting transactions including reverse book-building, escrow, and stock exchange approvals

Cross-Border Transactions & FEMA

• Structure inbound FDI transactions under automatic and approval routes, and advise on FEMA pricing guidelines and RBI reporting obligations 
• Advise on Press Note 2 implications for ODI-restricted investors and structure outbound investments by Indian companies 

Regulatory Approvals & Competition Law

• Assess CCI filing requirements, apply deal value thresholds, advise on Green Channel exemptions, and understand gun-jumping risks 

Taxation

• Advise on capital gains, tax-efficient exit structuring, GST in slump sales, stamp duty obligations, and withholding tax for foreign investors 

Sector & Emerging Area M&A

• Advise on DPDP Act compliance in FinTech acquisitions, sector-specific approvals for Real Estate, Pharma, and Healthcare, and structure GCC-India cross-border investments

Employment & Distressed M&A

• Advise on employment law implications in business transfers (retrenchment, ESOPs, non-competes) and draft/file NCLT petitions for mergers and CIRP initiations under the IBC

Debt Finance & Security

• Advise on debt financing instruments (term loans, ECBs, NCDs), draft syndicate loan agreements, share pledge agreements, deeds of hypothecation, and structure full ECB transactions including security creation

In summary, the course enables you to go from understanding theory to independently originating, structuring, documenting, and closing deals while simultaneously managing the full regulatory stack of SEBI, FEMA, CCI, and IBC obligations that arise in any live Indian M&A transaction.

List of Weekly Exercises

• Exercise: Mapping the M&A deal ecosystem such as identify players and their roles in a live transaction
• Exercise: Drafting a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) for a prospective acquisition
• Exercise: Drafting a Letter of Intent (LOI) with exclusivity and no-shop provisions
• Exercise: Drafting key clauses of a Shareholders' Agreement (anti-dilution, drag, tag, ROFR)
• Exercise: Choosing between Full Ratchet and Weighted Average anti-dilution, case-based analysis
• Exercise: Drafting MAC, Force Majeure, and Notice clauses for an SPA
• Exercise: Structuring warranties, indemnities and liability caps in a Share Purchase Agreement
• Exercise: Drafting a Disclosure Letter to qualify warranty obligations
• Exercise: Advising on Share Purchase vs. Asset Purchase vs. Slump Sale that is  transaction advisory memo
• Exercise: Drafting a Share Purchase Agreement, full first draft
• Exercise: Advising on post-closing compliance obligations and adjustment mechanisms
• Exercise: Designing an exit structure for a PE-backed portfolio company
• Exercise: Advising on M&A dispute resolution, arbitration clause drafting and strategy
• Simulation 1: The Term Sheet Battle full negotiation exercise on a VC term sheet
• Exercise: Valuation methodology selection: DCF vs. EV/EBITDA for a given acquisition
• Exercise: Reading and interpreting a financial statement from a deal lawyer's perspective
• Exercise: Setting up and managing a Virtual Data Room (VDR): checklist and protocol exercise
• Exercise: AI-integrated due diligence that is using AI tools to flag red flags in a data room
• Exercise: Drafting a due diligence risk report with action points and deal impact assessment
• Exercise: Conducting ESG diligence that is drafting an ESG risk questionnaire and summary note
• Exercise: Advising on SEBI PIT Regulation compliance in the context of a listed company acquisition
• Exercise: Identifying SEBI Takeover Code trigger points that is case-based analysis
• Exercise: Drafting an Open Offer public announcement and filing checklist for SEBI
• Exercise: Advising on a delisting that is reverse book-building mechanics and board resolution
• Exercise: Structuring a secondary transaction that is drafting tag-along and drag-along notice
• Exercise: Advising on a PE-backed control acquisition that is structuring memo
• Exercise: Advising on FDI eligibility and choosing between automatic route and approval route
• Exercise: Drafting FEMA pricing compliance note and RBI filing checklist for an FDI transaction
• Exercise: Structuring an outbound ODI transaction that is holding structure memo
• Exercise: Advising on Press Note 2 compliance and beneficial ownership disclosure
• Exercise: CCI merger control analysis that is  filing requirement assessment memo
• Exercise: Advising on deal value threshold and recent CCI landmark case that is  comparative analysis
• Exercise: Green Channel filing exercise that is eligibility checklist and filing strategy
• Exercise: Drafting standstill obligation compliance protocol for pre-closing period
• Exercise: Advising on capital gains tax in an M&A transaction that is tax structuring memo
• Exercise: GST implications in a slump sale vs. itemised asset sale that is comparative note
• Exercise: Transaction tax structuring that is stamp duty optimisation and withholding tax analysis
• Exercise: Advising on DPDP Act compliance in a FinTech M&A transaction
• Exercise: Sector M&A advisory memo that is choose one of Real Estate, Pharma, or Healthcare
• Exercise: GCC-India cross-border deal analysis that is structuring and regulatory issues memo
• Simulation 2: M&A Deal Memo and Regulatory Strategy that is  full transaction simulation
• Exercise: Advising on employment issues in a business transfer that is retrenchment, notice, ESOP
• Exercise: Drafting a petition for NCLT approval of a merger scheme
• Exercise: Filing insolvency petition as financial creditor under IBC that is draft CIRP application
• Exercise: Filing insolvency petition as operational creditor that is draft demand notice and petition
• Exercise: Advising on debt finance structure that is term loan vs. ECB vs. NCD
• Exercise: Drafting key clauses of a syndicate loan agreement
• Exercise: Drafting a share pledge agreement and deed of hypothecation
• Exercise: ECB compliance exercise that is end-use restrictions, reporting requirements, security creation
• Writing Assignment 1:  M&A Deal Structure Analysis (individual topic assigned)
• Writing Assignment 2: Investment Law Regulatory Deep Dive (individual topic assigned)
• Writing Assignment 3: Cross-Border Structuring Note (individual topic assigned)
• Writing Assignment 4: Distressed M&A / IBC Practice Note (individual topic assigned)
• Writing Assignment 5: Sector-Specific M&A Commentary (individual topic assigned)

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