Dhruv Chhatralia BEM

Experience

Dhruv works on both domestic and cross-border transactions representing corporates, private equity houses, venture capital houses, financial institutions and high net-worth individuals, particularly in the Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Financial Services and Insurance sectors.

Dhruv is the Head of our UK Venture Capital Group, which is the largest venture capital group of any law firm in the UK with over 75 lawyers in 10 offices.  He regularly acts as trusted adviser to the different participants within the venture capital and growth capital industry on the full span of activities affecting them throughout their lifecycles. His clients in the industry include: equity and debt funds, angel investors, corporate venture capital investors, growth companies, accelerators, incubators, and funding platforms.

Dhruv acts for some of the most high-profile investors and also companies at the centre of global financial and technological innovation on all aspects of venture capital and private equity activity including: all different series of equity funding rounds, growth raises, venture debt raises, acquisitions, joint ventures and the exit (whether by way of trade sale or secondary buyout).

Dhruv is also the Head of DWF's India Group, which is the largest India group of any law firm based outside India with over 95 lawyers in 9 jurisdictions, 16 practice areas and 9 sector groups. Dhruv advises Indian companies, financial institutions and high net worth individuals and families on a wide range of cross border transactions including mergers, acquisitions, disposals and investments in the UK.  

Dhruv was named to the India Business Law Journal’s International A-List 2024 featuring the world’s top-tier international lawyers outside India, based on recommendations by general counsels and lawyers at Indian law firms, for his work on cross-border aspects of India-related matters.  DWF was shortlisted for the award of “Legal Practice of the Year” at the 6th Annual UK-India Awards in 2024 based on the achievements of the DWF India Group headed by Dhruv.

His practice is both domestic and international in nature and the transactions he advises on include a variety of complex and high value transactions across diverse industries. 

Dhruv was included in the Queen's New Year Honours List 2020 for his voluntary service to charities and developing young people and was presented with the UK national award of the Medal of the Order of the British Empire in October 2020.

Dhruv was also presented with the Bharat Gaurav lifetime achievement award in India in January 2016 for outstanding service to society and landmark achievements in the fields of law, literature, education and social outreach.

Dhruv has written 21 books, which have been shared with leading corporations and politicians across the UK and outside the UK including the Prime Ministers of the UK, India and Nepal, a former president of the USA and the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Home Minister, Business Secretary, Environmental Secretary and several other UK ministers of state.

He has given talks in the UK and mainland Europe on topics ranging from 'Managing a Cross-Border Transaction' to 'Doing Business in India' at both the House of Commons and the House of Lords of the UK Parliament and at the offices of multinational and domestic companies.

He has also authored articles in numerous publications about legal developments in corporate law and international trends in mergers and acquisitions.

Testimonial

• Named to the India Business Law Journal’s International A-List 2024 featuring the world’s top-tier international lawyers outside India, based on recommendations by general counsels and lawyers at Indian law firms, for his work on cross-border aspects of India-related matters.
• DWF shortlisted for the award of “Legal Practice of the Year” at the 6th Annual UK-India Awards in 2024 based on the achievements of the DWF India Group headed by Dhruv.
• Rated as a Rising Star in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and business affairs by the Super Lawyers publication.
• Rated as a Key Lawyer in Venture Capital by the Legal 500 directory for three consecutive years in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
• Presented with the Medal of the Order of the British Empire after being included in the Queen's New Years' Honours List 2020 for voluntary service to charities and developing young people.