Shailaja Lall is a Partner at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co and heads the Insurance & Reinsurance practice of the firm.

She has worked extensively in the field of insurance law for over 20 years and is recognised as a leading practitioner of insurance law in India with remarkable domain expertise. Her experience includes advising insurers, reinsurers, insurance intermediaries and other financial services entities on a full range of non-contentious and contentious insurance matters.

Shailaja is a member of CII National Committee on Insurance & Pensions. She was the Vice Chair of the Lex Mundi Insurance & Reinsurance Practice Group (2012-16) and a member of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s (FICCI) Insurance and Pensions Committee (2014-15).

Shailaja has been recognised among the “Thought Leaders” in Who’s Who Legal – Insurance & Reinsurance Thought Leaders – 2021-22. The Legal 500 2018-23 has recognised Shailaja as a “Leading Individual” for Insurance, which quotes “As a practice head Shailaja Lall is a key name to note for non-contentious matters”.

She has also been consistently ranked by Chambers and Partners since 2016 and as a Band 1 Practitioner in 2024 for insurance matters. Chambers states that, “Shailaja Lall both heads the team and takes the leading role in most of its key mandates, enjoying market recognition as a “very bright” practitioner who is equally at home in both the transactional and regulatory spheres. A client reports that she valuably combines “a fantastic understanding of the sector” with “a very good understanding of our structure” and “a very clear approach.” Legal 500 describes her simply as ‘outstanding’, whereas Chambers & Partners has quoted her clients as saying “She understands time pressures and the intensities. There were many break points and she made sure that we got the advice and that the negotiations didn’t break down”, and “knowledgeable, with strong research skills”.

Shailaja regularly advises on key regulatory developments impacting the sector. Clients endorse her for her comprehensive and nuanced knowledge of all aspects of the practice, including share and business acquisitions, joint ventures, setting up reinsurance entities and branches, reinsurance arrangements, bancassurance and distribution arrangements, MISP and POS arrangements, group re-organisations and her in-depth understanding of the IRDAI’s registration and licensing requirements. She is also considered as an expert who advises in relation to investment structures, registration/ licensing requirements and applicable regulatory compliances in the insurance sector.

She is often invited to share her experience and insights at public events, seminars and conferences and regularly writes for leading newspapers and journals.

Select Experience Statement

• Oben Ventures LLP on establishing Go Digit Life Insurance Limited (Go Digit Life) as a life insurance company and on structuring their investment in Go Digit Life.
• Vidal Healthcare Services Private Limited and its group entities, on its acquisition by Bajaj Finserv Health Limited.
• Multiples Private Equity Fund III in its investment in Acko Technology & Services Private Limited, the 100% parent company of Acko General Insurance Limited, as part of the Series D fund raise by Acko Technology & Services Private Limited.
• Willis Towers Watson in relation to increasing its stake to 100% in Willis Towers Watson India Insurance Brokers Private Limited.
• Advising the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority of India, the pension fund regulator of India jointly with Boston Consulting Group on: (a) segregation of roles and responsibilities of the NPS Trust and PFRDA basis the framework prescribed under the PFRDA Act, 2013 and applicable regulations; (b) advising on amendments to the existing management and administrative structure of the NPS Trust, PFRDA and settlor; (c) framing governance principles for functioning, management and inter-relationship of the NPS Trust, PFRDA and settlor.

Professional Memberships

• Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa

Education

• B.S.L. LL.B, ILS Law College, Pune