Updated last on 23/12/2023
The firm was founded in the year 1952 by Late Shri M.Subbaraya Aiyar, a person who was not only a leading advocate but also a visionary. Shri.Subbaraya Aiyar was well-known for being instrumental in the establishment of renowned institutions such as Madras Institute of Technology (M.I.T, Chennai), Vivekananda College etc.
The firm was initially formed with Shri.Subbaraya Aiyar, Shri M.M.Ismail, Shri Sethuraman and Shri.Padmanabhan as Partners. However in the year 1960, the firm was reconstituted with Shri.Subbaraya Aiyar, Shri.Padmanaban and Shri K.R.Ramamani as Partners and was renamed at M/s. Subbaraya Aiyar, Padmanabhan and Ramamani Advocates(S.A.P.R). The firm has been in active practice in the field of Corporate Law and Taxation for close to 60 years
The firm has been involved at the forefront of taxation issues throughout its history and has produced and/or been associated with many legal stalwarts and doyens right from its inception. Some of the notable alumni of the firm who have served or currently serve in the judiciary are Late Justice M.M.Ismail, Late Justice S.Sethuraman, Justice P.P.S.Janardhana Raja, former Justice of the Madras High Court, Smt.Asha Vijayaraghavan, former Judicial Member , ITAT. The firm has also produced or been associated with many Standing Counsels and around half a dozen Senior Advocates over the last six decades. It can be said that many of the leading advocates in South India today, in the field of taxation, have been associated with the SAPR firm at some point of time or other in their career.
The firm is now ably lead by Shri.R.Vijayaraghavan, Late.Shri.K.R.Ramamani's son-in-law, along with enterprising junior Advocates specializing in different branches of laws thereby providing a single window facility to the business community for all their legal requirements in the form of taxation consultancy, opinion, arbitration and conciliation, documentation approvals and litigation.
The areas of specialization of the firm are in all statutes concerning Direct and Indirect Taxes. The firm also advises corporate as to tax planning activities in both direct and indirect taxes. It also handles requirements with reference to Registration under Indirect-tax Laws. The firm provides assistance and advice for incorporation, amalgamation, mergers and demergers of Companies. The firm also handle all requirements with Reserve Bank of India, Secretariat of Industrial Approvals (SIA) in connection with any approval or permission that needs to be obtained for a Joint Venture, Equity Participation, Acquisition of Shares, Foreign Collaboration, External Commercial Borrowings etc., The firm undertakes Registration of Patent, Copy Rights and Trade Mark and also appears before the Authorities in connection with the same.
The firm represents clients in all Forums including Registrar of Companies, MRTP commission, Company Law Board, ITAT, High Courts and Supreme Court of India.