Zia Mody, 

Everybody needs Mody, whether it’s India Inc.’s brass or the government. If there’s a large deal or legislation that needs legal counsel, she’s the go-to person. This year, she was selected as part of a Ministry of Corporate Affairs committee to formulate policy on corporate governance. Key deals in the past year have been smaller than before on account of shrinking M&A activity, but Mody and AZB still saw action, including the $1.25 billion Indian Railways Finance Corporation issue of public non-convertible bonds, the $210 million deal when Thomas Cook India was acquired by Fairfax, and the $103 million acquisition of 26% of Max Healthcare Institute by the Max Group.