Corporate and commercial law covers company incorporation and structuring, drafting and enforcing commercial contracts, shareholder and director disputes, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory compliance, and — where things go wrong — winding up or insolvency. The primary statute is the Companies Act, 2013, which governs how companies are formed, run, and dissolved in India, alongside the Indian Contract Act, 1872 for commercial agreements generally and the Competition Act, 2002 for anti-competitive conduct.
Disputes between shareholders or between shareholders and management — over mismanagement, oppression of minority shareholders, or breach of a shareholders' agreement — are typically heard before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) rather than ordinary civil courts. Contract disputes (breach, non-payment, termination) can be pursued through civil suits or, if the contract contains an arbitration clause, through arbitration under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, which is often faster and more confidential than litigation.
It's worth involving a lawyer at the drafting stage — for founders' agreements, vendor contracts, or NDAs — rather than only after a dispute arises, since well-drafted contracts materially reduce the odds of expensive litigation later. If you're already facing a shareholder dispute, contract breach, or regulatory notice, a lawyer can help assess which forum (civil court, NCLT, or arbitration) is appropriate for your situation.