Law Firm in Chennai — LexNova Legal Associates, Saidapet

Our Chennai office

Legal services in Chennai, by practice area

Each practice area below has its own page describing the work, the documents to bring and the questions clients most often ask. Individual services within each area link to dedicated pages.

• Corporate & Commercial Law in Chennai — End-to-end counsel for businesses on their commercial dealings, contracts and regulatory obligations.
• International Business & Cross-Border Services in Chennai — Guiding foreign companies, NRIs and cross-border transactions through India's legal and regulatory landscape.
• Intellectual Property in Chennai — Protecting and managing the brands, creative works and designs that carry your business's value.
• Company Formation & Registrations in Chennai — Getting new ventures legally structured, registered and compliant from day one.
• Real Estate & Property Law in Chennai — Diligence, documentation and dispute resolution across the property lifecycle.
• Family & Personal Laws in Chennai — Sensitive, discreet counsel through some of life's most personal legal matters.
• Motor Accident Claims in Chennai — Representing victims and claimants in accident compensation matters before the tribunals.
• Dispute Resolution in Chennai — Resolving conflicts through litigation, arbitration or negotiated settlement, whichever serves the client best.

Chennai courts, tribunals and authorities

Chennai is the seat of the Madras High Court and of the state benches of most national tribunals, so a large share of the firm's work is filed and heard within a few kilometres of the office.

Madras High Court

Original and appellate civil work, writ petitions, commercial division matters, company and arbitration petitions, and intellectual property suits.

City Civil Court, Chennai

Civil suits for money, property, injunctions and specific performance arising within Chennai city limits.

Motor Accident Claims Tribunals

Compensation claims under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 before the MACTs sitting in Chennai and neighbouring districts.

Family Courts, Chennai

Divorce, maintenance, custody and guardianship proceedings under the personal-law and secular statutes.

NCLT Chennai Bench and DRT Chennai

Company law petitions and insolvency applications before the National Company Law Tribunal; recovery proceedings before the Debts Recovery Tribunal.

Consumer Commissions

District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions in Chennai and the Tamil Nadu State Commission.

Trade Marks Registry, Chennai

Trade mark applications, examination replies, oppositions and hearings for marks filed in the Chennai jurisdiction.

Registrar of Companies and Sub-Registrar offices

Incorporations and statutory filings with the RoC, Chennai; registration of sale deeds, powers of attorney and leases at Chennai sub-registrar offices.

Judgments Chennai clients most often ask about

These reported decisions of the Supreme Court of India frame the advice we give on property, family, accident, trade mark, arbitration and recovery matters. They are cited for general information; the law applies differently to each set of facts, and the firm makes no claim to have appeared in these cases.

Property and conveyancing — Suraj Lamp & Industries (P) Ltd v. State of Haryana, (2012) 1 SCC 656

The Supreme Court held that a 'GPA sale' — a general power of attorney, agreement to sell and will used together — does not transfer title to immovable property. In Chennai, as elsewhere, ownership passes only by a registered sale deed, which is why title verification looks for the registered chain of conveyances rather than powers of attorney. Related practice area.

Family and succession — Vineeta Sharma v. Rakesh Sharma, (2020) 9 SCC 1

A three-judge bench confirmed that a daughter is a coparcener by birth under the amended section 6 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, with the same rights as a son, whether or not her father was alive when the 2005 amendment came into force. It shapes partition and succession advice for Hindu families holding ancestral property in Tamil Nadu. Related practice area.

Motor accident compensation — National Insurance Co. Ltd v. Pranay Sethi, (2017) 16 SCC 680 and Sarla Verma v. Delhi Transport Corporation, (2009) 6 SCC 121

Together these decisions set the framework Motor Accident Claims Tribunals apply: the multiplier method for loss of dependency, standardised additions for future prospects, and fixed conventional heads such as loss of estate, loss of consortium and funeral expenses. Related practice area.

Trade marks — Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha v. Prius Auto Industries Ltd, (2018) 2 SCC 1

The Supreme Court applied the territoriality principle: a foreign brand asserting goodwill in India must show that its reputation had actually reached Indian consumers at the relevant time. It matters to Chennai businesses adopting marks and to overseas owners deciding when to file in India. Related practice area.

Arbitration — Vidya Drolia v. Durga Trading Corporation, (2021) 2 SCC 1

Laid down the four-fold test for when a dispute can be arbitrated. Landlord-tenant disputes under the Transfer of Property Act are arbitrable, but disputes governed by special rent-control legislation are not — a distinction that arises regularly in Chennai commercial leases. Related practice area.

Cross-border contracts — Bharat Aluminium Co. v. Kaiser Aluminium Technical Services Inc., (2012) 9 SCC 552

The Constitution Bench held that Part I of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 does not apply to arbitrations seated outside India. The choice of seat in an international contract therefore decides which courts supervise the arbitration — a clause we review closely for Chennai companies contracting abroad. Related practice area.

Debt recovery and insolvency — Mobilox Innovations (P) Ltd v. Kirusa Software (P) Ltd, (2018) 1 SCC 353

An operational creditor's insolvency application must be rejected where the debtor shows a genuine pre-existing dispute. It determines whether a Chennai supplier's unpaid invoice is better pursued before the NCLT Chennai Bench or as a commercial suit. Related practice area.

Tamil Nadu and Chennai-specific legislation

Tamil Nadu Regulation of Rights and Responsibilities of Landlords and Tenants Act, 2017

Requires written tenancy agreements in Tamil Nadu to be registered with the Rent Authority and sets out the deposit, eviction and dispute framework for Chennai residential and commercial lettings.

Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 — TNRERA

Projects and agents in Chennai must be registered with the Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority; buyers may complain to TNRERA for delay, deviation or refund.

Commercial Courts Act, 2015

Commercial disputes of a specified value in Chennai are heard by the Commercial Division of the Madras High Court or designated commercial courts, with pre-institution mediation required where no urgent relief is sought.

Registration Act, 1908 and Tamil Nadu stamp rules

Sale deeds, long leases and powers of attorney affecting Chennai property must be stamped under the Tamil Nadu schedule and registered at the local sub-registrar office to be enforceable.

Areas of Chennai we serve

Clients come to the Saidapet office from across the city — T. Nagar, Guindy, Adyar, Velachery, Nungambakkam, Anna Nagar, Alwarpet, Mylapore, Kotturpuram, Porur, Tambaram and the OMR and GST Road corridors — and from the wider Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts. Indian-law matters for clients elsewhere in India and abroad are handled remotely.

Frequently asked questions

Where is LexNova Legal Associates located in Chennai?

At No. 1 Karaneeswarar Koil Street, Saidapet, Chennai 600015, Tamil Nadu. The office is close to Saidapet MRTS and metro stations and within easy reach of the Madras High Court and the City Civil Court. Visits are by appointment, Monday to Saturday, 9.30 am to 6.30 pm IST.

Which courts in Chennai do the firm's advocates appear before?

Advocates enrolled with a State Bar Council may appear before the Madras High Court, the City Civil Court, Family Courts, Motor Accident Claims Tribunals, consumer commissions, the NCLT Chennai Bench, the Debts Recovery Tribunal and arbitral tribunals, as well as registries such as the Trade Marks Registry and the Registrar of Companies, Chennai.

What types of legal work does the firm handle in Chennai?

Eight practice areas: corporate and commercial law, international and cross-border services, intellectual property, company formation and registrations, real estate and property law, family and personal law, motor accident claims, and dispute resolution including arbitration and commercial litigation.

Do I need to visit the Saidapet office, or can matters be handled remotely?

Most matters can begin by telephone, video call or WhatsApp, and documents can be shared electronically. Court filings, registrations and some signings need physical presence or a registered power of attorney; we tell you at the first consultation which steps require you in Chennai.

Does the firm act for NRIs and foreign companies with matters in Chennai?

Yes. NRIs with property, succession or family matters in Tamil Nadu, and foreign companies setting up or contracting in India, are a regular part of the practice. Work is coordinated across time zones and, where needed, through a registered power of attorney in favour of a representative in Chennai.

How are fees decided?

Every matter is scoped and priced in writing before work begins — a fixed fee for defined tasks such as registrations, agreements and opinions, and staged or hourly fees for litigation and negotiations. Court fees, stamp duty and registration charges are separate and are estimated in advance.

In which languages can I deal with the firm?

English, Tamil and Hindi. Documents for Chennai registries and courts are prepared in English or Tamil as the forum requires.

How quickly can I get an appointment?

Call or message 073580 88817, or use the consultation form. Enquiries received during office hours are usually answered the same working day, and urgent court or registration deadlines are prioritised.

More about the firm

• Our credentials, team and standards
• Chennai office listings and NAP details
• Legal insights for Chennai businesses and families
• Corporate law firm in Chennai
• Property lawyer in Chennai
• NRI legal services in Chennai
• Contact and consultation