Long-standing service to the Tata Group draws on cross-practice resources

The Indian-owned Tata Group comprises over 100 operating companies exporting products and services to 85 countries across six continents. With revenue in 2012 of more than $100 billion, the conglomerate’s companies employ over 450,000 people worldwide and operate in seven business sectors - communications and information technology, engineering, materials, services, energy, consumer products, and chemicals.

The UK is Tata’s leading international market with 19 companies generating over £20 billion and  employing 50,000 people  - half of whom work for Jaguar Land Rover, Tata’s highest profile company in the UK.  Other major Tata UK companies include Tata Steel Europe, Tata Global Beverages Limited which incorporates Tetley Tea, Tata Capital PLC, and Tata Motors European Technical Centre.

Trusted adviser

The Tata Group has been a Penningtons Manches Cooper client for almost two decades during which our corporate, commercial, IP, banking and finance, employment, immigration and commercial dispute resolution practice groups have advised the group companies on a wide range of issues.

Many of our partners have built long-standing relationships with Tata directors and legal counsel and we are proud to be considered as a trusted adviser.

Across the seven sectors

We have advised companies within each of Tata’s seven business sectors. Here are some ‘at a glance’ examples of the breadth of our advice in the engineering, IT and communications and services sectors:

Engineering:

• establishing a cross-jurisdictional joint venture for the manufacture of components for electric vehicles
• advising on joint sponsorship of the Williams motor racing team for the Formula 1 Championship
• drafting and negotiating agreements appointing distributors in European countries and new frontier markets such as Afghanistan and Iraq
• advising on compliance with EC competition law including the Motor Vehicle Block exemption.

IT and communications:

• advising on international trade mark filings and prosecutions, domain name disputes and Community Trade Mark oppositions over the last 13 years
• successfully defending a Tata technology company against a six figure whistleblowing claim made by an employee
• advising on contract to provide repair support services to a national aerospace company
• defending a £1 million claim for a Tata design company from a dispute over the design of a wheel chair.

work highlights

• completing a complex $90m cross-border acquisition for the international trading arm of the Tata conglomerate
• advising on a supply agreement with Rolls Royce plc
• negotiating contracts with outsourced IT providers
• advising on the incorporation of Tata Capital plc in the UK
• advising on service agreements entered into by Tata companies with international  companies.

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