Practice Expertise
- Foreign Investment
- Joint Ventures
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Securities
Areas of Practice
- Foreign Investment
- Joint Ventures
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Securities
- Intellectual Property View More
Profile
Stephen Mathias is the head of the Bangalore office of the Firm and co-chair of the Firm's Technology Law Practice.
Stephen is a graduate of the prestigious National Law School of India University where he did an Honours degree in Arts and Law. He is also a British Chevening Scholar and has done a diploma in European and English Law at the College of Law York and worked briefly at a leading law firm in London. He is also a solicitor on the rolls of the Law Society of England and Wales.
Stephen began his career working in the Tax and Regulatory Division of multinational accounting firm Arthur Andersen, doing mergers and acquisitions, foreign investments, joint ventures, securities law and strategic investment work.
Stephen has spent most of his career representing many of the largest companies in the world with regard to their operations in India. His expertise covers areas such as outsourcing, licensing, telecom, internet & e-commerce, privacy and intellectual property. He is particularly adept at advising businesses on legal issues associated with unique digital products and solutions. Stephen is known for his unique expertise in the voice over IP arena, including advising large offshore operations in India on legally compliant telecom configurations, and advising companies involved in unified communications, conferencing and cloud based PBX services.
He does substantial data privacy work, mostly assisting multinationals in understanding data privacy law implications in the way they deal with personal data. He has also led teams investigating and taking enforcement actions in cases of data theft.
Stephen counsels' clients on a wide variety of issues including risks relating to regulatory compliance, negotiations, dispute related strategies, employee retention and financing. In doing so, Stephen combines a vast expertise in areas such as M&A, financing, employment, litigation and regulatory compliance.
More recently, Stephen has been involved in conducting investigations of cases of corporate fraud by senior management including guiding clients on evaluation of evidence, industry standards, remedial measures and management exits.
Stephen is a graduate of the prestigious National Law School of India University where he did an Honours degree in Arts and Law. He is also a British Chevening Scholar and has done a diploma in European and English Law at the College of Law York and worked briefly at a leading law firm in London. He is also a solicitor on the rolls of the Law Society of England and Wales.
Stephen began his career working in the Tax and Regulatory Division of multinational accounting firm Arthur Andersen, doing mergers and acquisitions, foreign investments, joint ventures, securities law and strategic investment work.
Stephen has spent most of his career representing many of the largest companies in the world with regard to their operations in India. His expertise covers areas such as outsourcing, licensing, telecom, internet & e-commerce, privacy and intellectual property. He is particularly adept at advising businesses on legal issues associated with unique digital products and solutions. Stephen is known for his unique expertise in the voice over IP arena, including advising large offshore operations in India on legally compliant telecom configurations, and advising companies involved in unified communications, conferencing and cloud based PBX services.
He does substantial data privacy work, mostly assisting multinationals in understanding data privacy law implications in the way they deal with personal data. He has also led teams investigating and taking enforcement actions in cases of data theft.
Stephen counsels' clients on a wide variety of issues including risks relating to regulatory compliance, negotiations, dispute related strategies, employee retention and financing. In doing so, Stephen combines a vast expertise in areas such as M&A, financing, employment, litigation and regulatory compliance.
More recently, Stephen has been involved in conducting investigations of cases of corporate fraud by senior management including guiding clients on evaluation of evidence, industry standards, remedial measures and management exits.
Bar Admissions
Admitted to the Bar in 1995.
Past member of the Board of Directors of Information Technology Law Association (ITechLaw)
Past Co Chair of the Asia Conference of Information Technology Law Association (ITechLaw)
Education
B.A (Arts and Law), LL.B (Hons), National Law School
Solicitor on the rolls of the Law Society, London
Diploma in English and European Law, College of Law, York
Areas of Practice
- Foreign Investment
- Joint Ventures
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Securities
- Intellectual Property
Professional Career
Significant Accomplishments
Listed in Euromoney's Expert Guides for Information Technology
Recognised as Global Leader for Data - Information Technology and Labour & Employment 2021 and Thought Leader India 2020 by Who's Who Legal (WWL)
Named in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific 'Hall of Fame' for TMT 2021 and recognized as Elite Leading Lawyer for TMT (2015-2021), Recommended Lawyer for Data Protection 2021
Most recognised practitioner under TMT practice area, 2020 (Asia-Pacific circle) by Chambers & Partners. Ranked as Band 1 Lawyer for TMT by Chambers & Partners (2015-2021)
Listed in India's Top 100 lawyers and 35 legal icons by India Business Law Journal's A-List
Recognised among India's 'Top 100 Lawyers' by FORBES Legal Powerlist 2020; felicitated for expertise in Technology, Telecommunication and Fintech
Selected by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), as one of India's Young Achievers to meet and interact with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair during his visit to India in 2002
Professional Associations
Member
Computer Law Association, USA.
National Centre for Employee Ownership, USA.
The Law Society, London.
Indian Association of Arbitration.
The Indus Entrepreneurs.
Inter Pacific Bar Association (IPBA).
Listed in Euromoney's Expert Guides for Information Technology
Recognised as Global Leader for Data - Information Technology and Labour & Employment 2021 and Thought Leader India 2020 by Who's Who Legal (WWL)
Named in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific 'Hall of Fame' for TMT 2021 and recognized as Elite Leading Lawyer for TMT (2015-2021), Recommended Lawyer for Data Protection 2021
Most recognised practitioner under TMT practice area, 2020 (Asia-Pacific circle) by Chambers & Partners. Ranked as Band 1 Lawyer for TMT by Chambers & Partners (2015-2021)
Listed in India's Top 100 lawyers and 35 legal icons by India Business Law Journal's A-List
Recognised among India's 'Top 100 Lawyers' by FORBES Legal Powerlist 2020; felicitated for expertise in Technology, Telecommunication and Fintech
Selected by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), as one of India's Young Achievers to meet and interact with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair during his visit to India in 2002
Professional Associations
Member
Computer Law Association, USA.
National Centre for Employee Ownership, USA.
The Law Society, London.
Indian Association of Arbitration.
The Indus Entrepreneurs.
Inter Pacific Bar Association (IPBA).
Articles
Haryana’s state law on employment of local candidates declared ‘unconstitutional’ – a win for private employers!
By Stephen Mathias, Anirudh Mukherjee, Pankaj Anil Arora |December 2023Technology Law Advisory – Analysis of the Data Protection Bill, 2021 – INDIA
By Stephen Mathias, Kochhar & Co. Advocates & Legal Consultants |January 2022
Supreme Court Judgement on Privacy: what does it mean for privacy, Aadhaar: Indian Express; August 25, 2017
Indian Privacy Judgment, Society for Computers and Law, September 2017
Chambers Global Practice Guides, TMT Chapter for India
OSP Regulations, 2021, Mondaq, June 2021
Fintech in India - Lexology
Data Protection & Privacy in India - Lexology
Technology Law Updates - Foreign Investment in E-Marketplaces
Technology Law Updates - New Intermediary Regulations, 2021
Technology Law Updates - Encryption Policy
Technology Law Updates - Personal Data Protection Bill
Employee Share Plans In India: Regulatory Overview - Mondaq
A Thumbnail Guide to IP Rights for Fintech Businesses in India
First Step Analysis -Fintech Regulation in India
Analysis of Land Acquisition Amendment
Personal Data Handling and Processing in India
Q & A-Data Protection Legal Framework in India
Fintech in India
Fintech Regulation in India
Karnataka Maternity Benefit (amendment) Rules,2019
Data-Protection-and-Privacy-in-India
Employment & Labour Law in India
Managing the Employment Relationship in India
Collection, Storage and Transfer of Data in India
Data Security and Breach Notification in India
Global Employee Termination Law-India
Recruitment and Wage & Hour Law in India
Electronic Marketing and Internet Use in India
Data Security and Cybercrime in India
India’s New Maternity Benefit Laws Take Effect
Amendment to the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965
Amendment to The Employee's State Insurance (central) Rules, 1950
Proposed Amendments to The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961
The Start-Up India Initiative-a Look at its Viability
Regulating the Digital Economy-Need for a Light Touch Approach
India and Net Neutrality
Govt Defines E-Commerce Marketplace Rules, Allows 100 FDI
Law and the Technology Explosion
New Intermediary Rules
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