Upholding a legacy of excellence
Heir to a legacy of legal excellence, leading Advocate Nishant Datta is a Managing Partner at Datta & Co. and Founding Partner at D&T Juris.
Renowned for his 2 decades of rich experience, sharp legal acumen, innovative strategy, bold approach, and successful deliverance, Nishant represents his two firms in all areas of Commercial Law before the Supreme Court of India, High Court of Delhi, National Company Law Tribunal, National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, and other tribunals and commissions. With a speciality in Litigation and Arbitration, he has represented various government entities including Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Income Tax Department, and until recently was on the panel of DSIIDC.
Born and based in New Delhi, India, Nishant is a 3rd generation lawyer in a family of legal stalwarts. His grandfather O.P. Dutta was a successful Criminal Law practitioner, while his father Vinod Datta enjoyed a blend of High Court cases (civil and public law) in addition to Trial Court level practice of both civil and criminal cases.
Recalling growing up in such a stimulating environment, Nishant says, “One of the biggest benefits of growing up in a family of lawyers is that you get to hear the elders talk shop in your younger days. You learn things like people handling in terms of managing expectations and the manner of making full disclosure about cases, which goes a long way in retaining clients.”
Nishant was privileged to attend the prestigious Ramjas College, Delhi University to complete his B.Com (Hons). He then pursued his legal education with an LL.B from Campus Law Centre of the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, and a Post Graduate Diploma from the Indian Law Institute in IPR Laws, following which he joined his family practice – Datta & Co.
Datta and Co. was established as a legal firm more than 60 years ago by Nishant’s grandfather. Today, Nishant and his wife Ruchita, also a lawyer, have taken the company pan India. They specialize in litigation and arbitration, with a special focus on cases on the Original Side of the High Court of Delhi as well as in the newly introduced genre of commercial suits.
Widely sought after for his commercial law expertise, Nishant also co-founded D&T Juris in 2018. D&T is a general legal practice law firm with a brilliant team and a wide array of services. 5 years since its inception, it has emerged as a reputable national law firm under Nishant’s able leadership.
Nishant’s commitment to providing fast, efficient and effective legal solutions; mentoring young lawyers; and giving back to the community, has left a positive impact on the industry. His key achievements comprise:
- Fast Resolutions
- Successful Arbitration Cases
- Interim Orders/Injunctions
- Mentoring Interns and Junior Lawyers
- Pro Bono/Legal Aid Cases.
Such unwavering dedication has seen Nishant win many honours. Quick to make light of these, he says, “I don’t believe in counting merit badges and trophies. All cases and wins are equally important to me.” Nevertheless, he has handled close to 1,000 cases and won the Global Legal Association’s Outstanding Litigator Award 2023 in Amsterdam, and the Lex Falcon Award 2023 in Dubai. However, his most cherished trophies are the young lawyers he mentors and victories like helping the senior citizens get what they wanted in a timely manner.
Where does he find the inspiration to make an impact, we ask him. “The mentors I had in life, especially my mother, are the real driving force behind my efforts. My late mother Dr. Savita Datta was a Lecturer of Astrophysics among other subjects and she went on to become the Principal of two colleges in Delhi – Deshbandhu College followed by Maitreyi College, and later became the Director of School of Open Learning at Delhi University.”
With an accomplished career spanning over 20 years, Nishant has stood out with his ability to take risks, innovate, and evolve. He feels adding newer dimensions and genres to your law offices and having collaborations with specialists is essential for business and growth.
In addition, he has been a trailblazer in adopting technology to the legal practice; for undertaking legal research and dictation to virtual client meetings. “From the early days of my practice, I had digitized my office, making us more efficient and effective in our work. This has helped us stay ahead of the curve and deliver superior service to our clients,” he tells us.
With qualities of perseverance, persistence, and fairness, Nishant has not only developed long-term relationships with clients and colleagues, but also earned himself an industry wide reputation of excellence. However, he feels that the pursuit of equilibrium in personal-professional lives is a continuous struggle. “As lawyers, we do not realize when day turns into night while working. The most important thing that helped me maintain this balance was having an additional office with a large library at our residence, which enabled late night brief reads and research while also spending time with my family.”
In true leadership style, Nishant’s personal approach is one which balances a dynamic and aggressive pursuit of opportunities while focussing on sustainable growth and preserving quality and excellence.
