Founded in 2022 with Ishita Sharma as the Managing Partner, Fathom Legal, Advocates & Corporate Consultants, a full-service law firm which has been helping startups, SMEs, and enterprises navigate legal complexities with tailored legal solutions.
Fathom Legal is a boutique law firm, offering a comprehensive range of services including general corporate advisory, Cross-border advisory, intellectual property rights, Litigation services and Ankush—solutions for safe workplaces.
With a team of seasoned professionals with 70+ years of collective experience, Fathom Legal combines legal advice, strategy, and technology to provide cutting-edge business solutions to legal challenges. The firm specialises in advisory services for businesses in India, the UAE, and the USA; its core mission is to provide innovative and groundbreaking legal solutions to protect clients from getting trapped in legal complexities.
Aligned with core values like innovation, integrity, respect, client-centricity, and results-oriented actions, Fathom Legal has cultivated a base of 150+ startup clients, 25+ SMBs, 7 enterprises and 419 satisfied clients with these principles as the cornerstone of its success. Looking ahead, Fathom Legal plans to expand to other major startup hubs in India apart from Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, Deshpande Startups, and C-CAMP to name a few where the firm is currently engaged. The firm is continuously working to enhance its expertise in tech laws, including AI ethics and blockchain compliance.
Further, the firm has expanded its practice in the SME IPO space and strategic fundraising advisory and believes in leveraging technology to streamline client interaction and case management.
About the Visionary
Ishita Sharma is leading the firm as the Managing Partner. She graduated from the National Law University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, with a law degree and holds a Diploma in Entrepreneurship Management and Corporate Laws. She has also been sponsored to pursue Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) course from Harvard University. Ishita is steering the firm with her 8 years of experience in corporate law, specialising in corporate transactions, drafting and negotiating agreements and contracts, debt recovery, insolvency and restructuring, Private equity and fundraising.
Ishita is passionate about supporting businesses of all scales. She dedicates her work to empowering these entities. In addition to her professional achievements, Ishita is also a committed social worker. She runs an NGO called Paritripta Foundation, which focuses on promoting social causes and advocating for justice.
The Genesis of Fathom Legal
The idea for Fathom Legal was born during Ishita’s interactions with startups struggling to navigate legal complexities. Many founders lacked accessible, affordable legal expertise tailored to their innovative yet fragile ventures. There was an eminent need for education and awareness amongst corporations, and therefore she founded Fathom Legal to bridge this gap and create a legal ecosystem that empowers startups, SMEs, and enterprises to thrive. Over the years, the firm has evolved and established itself as a pioneer in offering affordable and industry-specific legal expertise.
Key Service Offered by Fathom Legal
Fathom Legal offers services to meet the distinctive challenges faced by the dynamic sectors. Its portfolio includes: General Corporate Advisory: Fathom Legal offers advisory services to support startups, SMEs, and established enterprises and empower them to grow in the present competitive market.
Agreement and Policies: The firm offers a complete package of creating and reviewing a variety of policies, agreements and contract documents. The team understands the business requirements and anticipates potential risks which enables them to suggest multiple documentations such as service contracts, SHAs, term sheets, data protection policy to name a few to safeguard the business.
Dispute Resolution: The team at Fathom Legal is known for resolving varied disputes with professionalism, efficiency, and integrity. The expert team helps clients navigate complex legal challenges like transactional disputes, debt recovery issues, commercial disputes, and more.
SME IPO: The end-to-end IPO support from Fathom Legal helps startups prepare for public offerings and ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
Corporate Governance: The firm offers the service to ensure startups and SMEs adhere to governance standards and it ultimately enhances the investor’s confidence in them.
Safe Workplaces Initiative (ANKUSH): The firm introduces this unique program to help organizations create gender- inclusive, harassment-free workplaces.
Intellectual Property Rights: The firm is one of the pioneers in creating IPR strategies for novel innovations of its clients and protecting them through Trademark, Copyright and Patents globally.
The Evolution of the Legal Industry
The legal industry has undergone a major transformation due to the adoption of technology and the emergence of new-age businesses. Startups are increasingly recognising the importance of having strong legal frameworks in place. Moreover, the rise of technology-related laws has created opportunities for niche services like blockchain compliance, AI ethics, and data privacy. This shift has allowed Fathom Legal to establish itself as a thought leader in tech laws, driving its growth and enabling the team to serve a diverse clientele.
Overcoming the Hurdles
The journey of Fathom Legal has been marked by remarkable growth. However, the path was not without its challenges. One major hurdle is the rapidly evolving regulatory landscape in tech laws, making it crucial to stay updated. Startups often face financial constraints, which can limit their access to legal services. Additionally, a lack of knowledge among founders and disregard for the importance of a robust legal framework causes challenges to the team when they reach out to them in trouble.
As a leader, these challenges have shaped Ishita’s approach to be more innovative and proactive. She always encourages her team to combine legal expertise with business acumen, ensuring to provide practical, cost-effective solutions.
A Unique Operation Model
Fathom Legal operates on a hybrid model that combines personalised on-site consultations with remote, technology- enabled legal services leaving a message that law and business and intersectional at many points. This approach allows the firm to maintain strong relationships with clients while serving startups and SMEs across various geographies. Fathom Legal emphasises flexibility, ensuring that it can adapt to the unique needs of each client.
Fathom Legal: Empowering High-Value Transactions and Global Expansion
Fathom Legal stands as a trusted partner in handling transformative deals across various industries in India and globally. The firm has negotiated a $300 million investment deal for a deep tech company and has facilitated multiple such transactions for its clients. Its expertise includes strategizing and incorporating offshore entities and supporting them in establishing Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in India to enhance global operations.
Fathom Legal’s impact spans Deeptech, e-commerce, manufacturing, AI and fintech, Agritech, artificial intelligence, financial services, and international business operations, providing tailored solutions and regulatory compliance. The firm’s commitment to innovation and excellence solidifies its reputation as a leader in high-impact legal counsel.
The Significant Contribution of R&D and Technology
Research and Development (R&D) plays a crucial role in the growth of Fathom Legal. By analyzing emerging technologies and regulatory trends, the firm ensures that it stays ahead of the curve. For instance, its flagship initiative, ANKUSH, is a comprehensive program that promotes safe workplaces, particularly for startups and SMEs.
The advisories on SME IPO readiness help companies prepare for public listings by streamlining compliance and governance. Moreover, Fathom Legal is recognized as one of the emerging firms with hands-on, in-depth regulatory knowledge in the deep tech industry, particularly in areas such as blockchain and AI.
Like research and development, technology will also play a pivotal role in transforming legal services. Smart contracts, AI-driven legal research, and blockchain compliance tools are just the beginning. Fathom Legal aims to integrate these advancements to provide faster, more accurate solutions while staying aligned with regulatory developments. Fathom Legal’s journey is a testament to its unwavering commitment to empowering businesses of all scales with innovative, tailored, and business-centric legal solutions.
By seamlessly integrating legal expertise with technology and a deep understanding of industry dynamics, the firm has emerged as a trusted partner for startups, SMEs, and enterprises navigating complex legal landscapes. With a forward-looking approach, Fathom Legal is poised to shape the future of legal services, driving value for its clients and contributing to the growth of India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and beyond. Under the visionary leadership of Ishita Sharma, the firm is not just providing legal solutions but fostering an environment where businesses thrive and flourish with confidence.
“At Fathom Legal, we don’t just provide legal solutions— we create a foundation for businesses to innovate, grow, and thrive with confidence in an ever-changing world.” – Adv. Ishita Sharma.
