The JSW Centre for the Future of Law at NLSIU is hosting Prof. Umakanth Varottil, Director (Visiting), JSW Centre for the Future of Law & Professor of Law, NUS Singapore on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.

Prof. Umakanth will deliver two talks at the University campus as per the details below:

Topic: Capital Markets and the Regulatory State in India
Day & date: Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Time: 9.00 AM – 10.50 AM
Venue: OAB 201
Attendees: Session for IV Year students (both sections) in the Financial Markets Regulation course

Abstract:

This session will examine the contours of the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (SEBI) regulatory powers through the lens of investor protection. Using the paper Capital Markets and the Regulatory State in India, the lecture will explore the legal and institutional foundations of SEBI’s authority in the securities market, the evolution of its regulatory role, and the tensions that arise between market development, regulatory intervention, and investor welfare. The session will also address more recent developments and emerging challenges, including contemporary debates in securities regulation and the implications of the draft Securities Market Code, 2025.

Topic: India to Singapore: Reflections on Graduate Legal Education
Day & date: Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Time: 2.00 PM – 3.00 PM
Venue: OAB 102, NLSIU
Attendees: Open to NLS Community

Abstract: 

Why should one pursue law after law school? This talk considers that question by reflecting on what graduate legal education offers that undergraduate study often cannot. It will also discuss the different reasons students may choose postgraduate study. The session will also introduce the graduate law programmes at NUS, including the LLM, JD, and PhD, and explore the differences between graduate legal education in India and Singapore.

About the Speaker

Prof. Umakanth Varottil (NLS BA LLB ’95) is a Professor and the Vice-Dean of Graduate Studies at the National University of Singapore (NUS). He specialises in corporate law and governance, mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance. While his work is generally comparative in nature, his specific focus is on India and Singapore. He has co-authored or co-edited five books, published articles in international journals and founded the IndiaCorpLaw Blog. He has also taught on a visiting basis at law schools in Australia, India, Italy, New Zealand and the United States.