Our Team
Meet the team on the front lines.
Neil Hildreth
Founder & Managing Partner
- neil.hildreth@ch1law.com
- +91 11 46575410
- View LinkedIn Profile
Neil Hildreth is the Founder and Managing Partner of Channel 1 Law Partners. With over two decades of legal experience, Neil has played a pivotal role in shaping the firm’s vision and operations. Before establishing Channel 1, he was a partner at Lumiere Law Partners, which was also a part of the EY Law Network in India. His practice spans across commercial, regulatory, and labour laws, making him a trusted legal advisor with comprehensive expertise for both domestic and international clients.
Neil is a member of the Delhi Bar Council, the Supreme Court Bar Association, and the Delhi High Court Bar Association.
Professional Experience
Neil has a wealth of experience advising clients on a wide range of legal and compliance matters across various industries, including automotive, FMCG, pharmaceuticals, and apparel. His expertise includes:
- Compliance & Risk Mitigation: Neil advises clients on pan-India compliance issues, covering corporate law, foreign exchange regulations, environmental laws, metrology, competition law, consumer protection, data protection and privacy.
- Corporate Governance: He provides in-depth counsel on corporate governance frameworks and compliance strategies to ensure smooth business operations.
- Labour Law: He has ably represented several multinational companies before labour authorities and he regularly advises on labour law compliance across sectors.
- Litigation & Dispute Resolution: Neil is well-known for crafting tailored litigation strategies and representing clients in complex commercial disputes and regulatory matters, including white-collar disputes under FEMA, FCRA, and other regulatory laws.
Neil’s commitment to his clients, along with his extensive expertise in commercial and regulatory law, has earned him a reputation as a reliable and sought-after legal advisor.
Neil Hildreth is the Founder and Managing Partner of Channel 1 Law Partners. With over two decades of legal experience, Neil has played a pivotal role in shaping the firm’s vision and operations. Before establishing Channel 1, he was a partner at Lumiere Law Partners, which was also a part of the EY Law Network in India. His practice spans across commercial, regulatory, and labour laws, making him a trusted legal advisor with comprehensive expertise for both domestic and international clients.
Neil is a member of the Delhi Bar Council, the Supreme Court Bar Association, and the Delhi High Court Bar Association.
Professional Experience
Neil has a wealth of experience advising clients on a wide range of legal and compliance matters across various industries, including automotive, FMCG, pharmaceuticals, and apparel. His expertise includes:
- Compliance & Risk Mitigation: Neil advises clients on pan-India compliance issues, covering corporate law, foreign exchange regulations, environmental laws, metrology, competition law, consumer protection, data protection and privacy.
- Corporate Governance: He provides in-depth counsel on corporate governance frameworks and compliance strategies to ensure smooth business operations.
- Labour Law: He has ably represented several multinational companies before labour authorities and he regularly advises on labour law compliance across sectors.
- Litigation & Dispute Resolution: Neil is well-known for crafting tailored litigation strategies and representing clients in complex commercial disputes and regulatory matters, including white-collar disputes under FEMA, FCRA, and other regulatory laws.
Neil’s commitment to his clients, along with his extensive expertise in commercial and regulatory law, has earned him a reputation as a reliable and sought-after legal advisor.
Neil Hildreth
Founder & Managing Partner
- neil.hildreth@ch1law.com
- +91 11 46575410
- View LinkedIn Profile
Rahul Jain is a highly accomplished legal professional with over 14 years of experience, specializing in corporate laws and dispute resolution. As a qualified Advocate-on-Record, Rahul is a member of prestigious legal associations such as the Supreme Court Bar Association, Supreme Court Advocate-on-Record Bar Association, Delhi High Court Bar Association, and the International Council for Commercial Arbitration.
Before co-founding Channel 1 Law Partners, Rahul served as Director at Lumiere Law Partners which was a part of the EY-Law network firm, where he represented both government and private bodies in various courts across India.
Professional Experience
Litigation and Arbitration: Rahul has represented clients before the Supreme Court of India and various High Courts across the country. He has also handled complex arbitration cases before leading international arbitral tribunals such as SIAC, ICC, LCIA, and DIAC.
Rahul excels in formulating comprehensive dispute resolution strategies, supporting clients from the inquiry stage through to resolution, providing both legal expertise and hands-on guidance.
Foreign Investment: Rahul has advised clients on regulatory matters under FEMA, focusing on foreign exchange and FDI regulations, particularly in the e-commerce sector. He has also advised multinational clients on compliance with FDI regulations and related corporate law issues.
Legal Metrology: Rahul has a proven track record of working with clients across industries such as automotive, FMCG, pharmaceuticals, and apparel on legal metrology-related matters.
Corporate and Employment Law: Rahul regularly advises and represents companies on corporate governance matters, labour law compliance, employment disputes, and commercial disputes. He has worked extensively with multinational corporations, focusing on drafting compliant employment policies. He has also provided legal counsel on complex labour and employment matters.
Rahul’s broad expertise across corporate, labour, and regulatory law, combined with his hands-on litigation experience, positions him as a trusted legal advisor, capable of navigating complex legal challenges for clients across sectors.
Ashok Kumar Arya, a seasoned professional with over 33 years of experience in the Indian Revenue Service (Customs & GST), has held prominent positions such as Principal Commissioner, Member-Judge (Technical) at CESTAT, Senior Standing Counsel for the Ministry of Finance, and Assistant Professor at Jodhpur University’s Law School. His extensive expertise spans administration, vigilance, and legal affairs, with a focus on Customs, GST, and the Enforcement Directorate.
Ashok is a recognized authority on anti-money laundering and financial crime. He authored the acclaimed book “Money Laundering: Combating the Menace in Global and Indian Context”, released by the then Deputy Prime Minister of India. His research on “Money Laundering: Policy Issues” earned recognition from the University of Queensland, reflecting his deep academic insight into economic offenses. Additionally, he has represented India at prestigious international platforms, including the Multi-Regional International Visitor Leadership Project in the U.S., focusing on combating international crime through global cooperation.
Professional Experience:
- Appellate Tribunal: Ashok has served as a Member of CESTAT, where he passed judgments and orders on appeals related to violations of Customs, Central Excise & Service Tax laws.
- Tax Advocacy: As a Senior Standing Counsel representing the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Ministry of Finance, he regularly represented the Department before the Delhi High Court in various tax matters.
- Enforcement of Laws and Rules: He has extensive experience in the enforcement of laws and rules on taxation, narcotics, foreign exchange and other related areas by serving at senior positions in Enforcement Directorate, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence etc.
- Government Advisory: As Officer on Special Duty to the Vice President of India, Ashok provided administrative, academic, technical, and research inputs on matters including Union Budget, Anti-Corruption, Anti-Terrorism, Legal Affairs, and Rural Development
- Intelligence and Investigation: He led intelligence and investigation work related to economic offences and financial frauds concerning Foreign Exchange, Customs, Central Excise, Narcotics, and Money Laundering.
With his unparalleled expertise in enforcement, policy formulation, and regulatory compliance, Ashok brings invaluable strategic and technical insights to Channel 1 Law Partners, enhancing the firm’s ability to provide comprehensive and innovative solutions in areas such as anti-money laundering, financial regulation, and compliance advisory.