REMFRY & SAGAR - Key Persons
Aarti is actively involved in advising and representing clients on contentious matters and IP enforcement issues that primarily revolve around trademark law along with potential domain name disputes, copyright and design law violations. In this capacity, she has represented clients before different courts of law across the country including the High Court of Delhi.
Prior to joining Remfry & Sagar, she worked at another premier firm wherein her work entailed advising clients in relation to initial public offerings, private placements as well as infrastructure investment trusts. Shifting to a completely new practice area at Remfry was a decision borne out of her natural interest in IP litigation.
Practice Areas
IP Litigation
Education
B.A. LL.B. (Honours)
Interests
I am a dance enthusiast who has trained in Kathak as well as Contemporary Jazz.
Aditi joined the firm in 2019 and specialises in helping clients obtain patents for electronics and mechanical inventions. She enjoys keeping abreast of developments in the ever-evolving domain of patent law and her technical fields of interest include physics, mechanical engineering and information technology, with a particular focus on telecommunications and automotive engineering.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Senior Associate / Aditya
Aditya graduated in 2016 and thereafter pursued a Master's Degree in Intellectual Property Law from the Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University, New York. He interned at the International Institute of Conflict Prevention & Resolution, New York, a sister concern of the American Arbitration Association, where he gained experience in dispute resolution methods employed in varied legal domains. He started his practise in India in 2019 before the High Court of Bombay and Gujarat in respect of trademark and copyright infringement, unfair competition and design infringement matters. Trademark and design prosecution and trademark opposition were other areas of focus.
He joined the Mumbai office of Remfry & Sagar in 2022. He assists clients in contentious matters involving trademark, copyright and design law violations and represents them before the High Court of Bombay. He actively works on civil enforcement actions before various courts/tribunals and has considerable expertise in executing civil / criminal raid operations in India.
Practice Areas
IP Litigation
Education
B.Com LL.B. (Hons.); LLM in Intellectual Property Law
Interests
Badminton, Cricket & Swimming. Cuisine Connoisseur.
Amit is a registered Indian Patent Agent with a decade of professional experience in delivering a broad range of intellectual property services. He is proficient in handling work related to different phases of the lifecycle of a patent, which include searching, drafting, prosecution, and invalidation of patents. Amit's primary expertise includes drafting and prosecuting patent applications for the US and Indian jurisdictions. He has strong technical knowledge and expertise in handling inventions related to artificial intelligence and machine learning, electrical and electronic appliances, telecommunication and computer networks, software applications, business methods, fintech, biomedical devices, food processing, and mechanical systems. In the course of his career, Amit has assisted numerous domestic and multinational clients - particularly leading US and Indian software companies - adeptly serving their diverse intellectual property requirements.
Practice Areas
Patents; Patent Drafting
Education
Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Electronics & Telecommunication); LL.B.
Interests
During his free time, Amit enjoys playing a variety of sport, working out in the gym, and traveling to new places.
Anamika's association with the Firm goes back to the year 2008. A trademark prosecution expert, her practice focuses on advising clients on the adoption and use of new brands and successfully building and managing trademark portfolios. Her long experience at Remfry & Sagar has equipped her with the knowledge of, and insight into, wide ranging issues that can arise whilst protecting, registering and maintaining trademarks in India.
She provides IP support and advice to varied domestic as well as international clients operating across a range of industries such as automobile, electronics, fashion, retail, cosmetics, entertainment and media, pharmaceutical, food and beverages, hotel, telecom. In this capacity, she attends hearings before the Indian Trade Marks Office as well.
Anamika's practice extends to the prosecution and maintenance of trademarks in foreign jurisdictions - she assists several organisations in the global management of their trademarks assets. Her expertise is especially strong when it comes to countries in the Indian sub-continent, namely, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Maldives, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.
To augment her skills, Anamika has attended many training programmes and conferences including a two week ‘Training Course for Practitioners Specialising in Trademarks' held in Tokyo, Japan that was organised by the Japan Patent Office (JPO).
Practice Areas
Trademarks; International Practice
Education
Bachelor's Degree in Political Science, LL.B.
Interests
In her spare time, Anamika practices yoga and learns various forms of dance - her favorites are rock and roll and salsa. She is an avid traveler with interests in adventure sports - so far, sky diving has been the most fun filled, frightening and life-changing experience for her!
Anu joined the Firm in 2011 and is well acquainted with all aspects of trademarks law with an emphasis on contentious issues particularly oppositions and cancellations before the Trade Marks Office and Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB). She has advised a wide array of clients across a diverse spectrum of trade and industry, managed trademark portfolios through the entire prosecution process, developed and implemented enforcement strategies and argued several opposition/cancellation cases at the Trade Marks Office and IPAB.
Anu has also represented the Firm in various conferences and forums including the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
Before she joined Remfry & Sagar, Anu gained valuable experience at another IP firm, representing clients before the courts in a wide variety of trademarks disputes including those related to trademark infringement.
Practice Areas
Trademarks
Anupam currently handles patent prosecution matters for several multinational companies in the mechanical, automobile, electro-mechanical and medical technology domains and regularly appears before the Indian Patent Office in relation to such matters. He also works on drafting appeals in cases where a Controller'sorder is to be challenged before the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB). In addition, he analyses and advises clients on issues of patentability, validity of patents and infringement of patent rights.
Also, Anupam is a registered patent agent.
Practice Areas
Patents
Education
Bachelor's degree in Technology (Mechanical); LL.B.
Interests
In his spare time, Anupam enjoys watching movies, listening to music and catching up with friends.
Job Titles:
- Director on the Board
- Managing Partner
Ashwin leads India's oldest, and one of its largest, IP firms. He is a recognised IP thought leader and clients benefit from his experience of more than two decades in resolving complex issues, especially in matters of trademark law and patent policy.
He attends IP events and conferences around the world and speaks frequently - sharing the Indian IP perspective and contextualising it vis-à-vis global trends. He has written many articles on diverse themes and is often asked to comment on topical issues, making his a well-known name on the international circuit.
He is active on several committees and contributes to many intellectual property initiatives and business organisations:
- Long a member of INTA (International Trademark Association), he is currently on its INTA Bulletin Asia-Pacific Subcommittee;
- He is also a member of APAA (Asian Patent Attorneys Association), AIPPI (International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property), FICPI (International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys) and PTMG (Pharmaceutical Trade Marks Group);
- He leads from the front at the BRICS IP Forum - a forum set up in 2008 by Remfry & Sagar in partnership with Daniel Advogados (Brazil), Gorodissky & Partners (Russia) and CCPIT Patent and Trademark Law Office (China);
- He is a member of the Editorial Board of LSIPR - Life Sciences Intellectual Property Review - a magazine which tracks the increasing challenges for intellectual property specialists in the rapidly evolving world of life sciences;
- He is also a member of the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce and the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce;
Ashwin serves as a Director on the board of several companies.
Practice Areas
Trademarks; Patents; IP Litigation
Education
Bachelor's Degree in Economics, LL.B.
Interests
Ashwin is a nature enthusiast - he feels more alive when he's breathing in crisp mountain air, when he's carefully tending to the different species of palms and frangipani and seasonal flowers in his garden and when he's watching new sceneries unfold on his travels. He appreciates beauty in art and design and seeks to collect pieces that will complement his surroundings. One day soon he's going to take piano lessons - until then, much joy comes from time spent listening to his favourite music. Last, but definitely not least, he delights in spending time with family which includes three adorable dogs.
Job Titles:
- Agent and Member of the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu
- Managing Associate
Balamurali handles prosecution of patent applications in several fields encompassing electrical, mechanical, electronics and telecommunications, as well as computer related inventions. He also appears regularly before the Patent Office for oral hearings in connection with such matters.
In addition, he has experience in prosecution of trademark applications and attending show cause hearings in trademark opposition matters.
His previous work experience includes legal practice at another firm as well as a stint as a software engineer at HCL Technologies Ltd.
Balamurali is a registered patent agent and member of the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Practice Areas
Patents; Trademarks
Education
Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (Electrical and Electronics); LL.B. (Hons.)
Interests
In his free time, Balamurali likes to trek to experience the healing silence of nature. He is also interested in functional fitness to keep him alert right through the day. Plus, he is a cricket and mixed martial arts enthusiast.
In practice since the year 2002, Cyril leads the foreign investment and corporate law practice of the Firm and has expertise across industries including engineering, healthcare, pharmaceutical, apparel, manufacturing, software, automobile, mining and trading. He advises clients on doing business in India with a knack to provide tailor-made solutions to suit investor's long-term India centric interests; advises on licensing, joint ventures, takeovers, corporate advisory, commercial transactions, arbitration, exchange control, competition law, advertising laws, and consumer protection laws.
His work encompasses corporate and intellectual property transactional matters and he has wide ranging experience in drafting Shareholders' Agreement/s, Business/Share Transfer/Purchase Agreements, IP Assignment/license agreements and Employee Transfer documentation etc. - negotiating deals on behalf of clients and implementing investment protection and exit strategies. On the technology front, Cyril has expertise in drafting documentation pertaining to commercialisation and protection of technology, deal structuring, technology due-diligence, entering negotiations with prospective receivers of technology and approaching appropriate dispute redressal forums for enforcement of rights.
Recently, Cyril was appointed a mediator on the ‘Mediation and Conciliation Panel' by the Indian Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
He channels the experience gained from advising large multi-nationals in hand holding start-ups and offering management advisory services; he is also on the Board of a few corporates. As he brings a well rounded legal perspective to the table, Cyril is often a speaker at conferences - both in India and overseas.
Practice Areas
Corporate - Commercial Law; Technology, Media and Telecom
Education
Bachelor's degree in Commerce, LL.B.
Interests
A fan of the outdoors, Cyril enjoys camping. He plays golf and goes swimming. Music is also a passion.
Debashish provides strategic counselling to clients predominantly in the pharmaceutical, chemical, crop protection and life sciences domains. He deals with all aspects of patent law and focuses his practice on patent enforcement and invalidation. Debashish also brings to the table rich and diverse experience in the realm of patent prosecution and oppositions. Notably, he has been lead counsel in successfully arguing scores of appeals against adverse decisions by the Patent Office.
Besides this, Debashish synergises his experience from law school and business school to craft and implement market strategies to help clients maximise their IP potential. Having spent more than a decade and a half at the bar, Debashish has in-depth knowledge of Indian patent law and practice - a key asset in meeting the challenges of his role.
Debashish actively drafts briefs and motions. His work also involves preparing opinions on patent validity/invalidity, patent infringement, freedom to operate and claim construction analysis. He has widespread experience in patent infringement investigations, pre-litigation counselling and obtaining interim relief.
He is a seasoned patent litigator having appeared before trial and appellate courts across the country in patent infringement matters. He is adept at negotiating settlements as a tool in appropriate cases.
Off the job, he is regularly invited as a speaker at national and international events and is the author of several articles on patent law and technology.
Practice Areas
Patents; Patent Litigation
Education
Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry, LL.B., Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management
Interests
Capital markets, travel, cricket, gastronome!
Deepak has been a patent professional for more than a decade and a half and has extensive experience in dealing with pharmaceutical and chemical patents. His practice includes drafting patent applications, preparing and prosecuting both domestic and international applications as well as handling foreign patent filings. He has successfully handled numerous opposition matters as well. With a specialisation in microbiology, Deepak's technical background gives him a strong foundation for understanding inventions and he helps clients think forward by identifying aspects of their inventions they might not have thought to patent, ensuring enhanced protection for valuable, market-leading innovations. His approach in drafting patent applications related to the life sciences is an aggressive one, aiming to achieve the broadest patent protection possible.
He also appears regularly before the Patent Office and has earned the reputation of a ‘problem solver' given his knack for resolving stalled matters.
That apart, prosecuting design applications is another area that Deepak has worked in extensively.
With his long and varied experience, he has been invited by several universities, IPR training institutes and clients to deliver lectures on IP law. He has also written articles for renowned IP magazines.
Practice Areas
Education
Master's Degree in Microbiology, LL.B.
Interests
When not behind his desk, Deepak is off traveling to unexplored destinations.
Devaki specialises in advising clients from a wide variety of industries on the availability of new brands and whether they can be registered. She also deals in the nascent area of geographical indications in India. Her experience covers strategising, advising and portfolio management of trademarks and geographical indications from pre-filing through till registration.
Devaki brings with her diverse, multi cultural experiences - she has studied in Scotland and New Zealand and before she joined the Firm in 2010, was working with an IP boutique in Auckland, New Zealand. Her fresh outlook to the evolving area of IP is a key asset for clients.
Practice Areas
Trademarks
Education
Bachelor's degree in Politics, LL.B.
Interests
Outside work Devaki is an avid traveler, who enjoys pottery and painting with oils on canvas. She also likes spending time with her family and playing football, doing arts and crafts as well as reading to her sons.
Devika has been practicing law for more than two decades and is a trademark specialist. She is a mainstay of the Firm's trademark department overseeing the acquisition, management and development of key client portfolios - this encompasses conducting availability searches, prosecution and maintenance of trademarks as well as advising IP owners on how to safeguard against usurpation and misuse of rights.
Her experience in protecting trademarks is not restricted to India alone. She is particularly well-acquainted with IP systems and protection mechanisms in the Indian Subcontinent - which includes Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and the Maldives - and regularly advises clients on prosecuting marks in these jurisdictions.
She has also been advising and helping clients register geographical indications (GIs) ever since the Indian GI statute came into force in 2003 and is the practice lead for GIs at the Firm.
A prosecution and strategy expert, she can assist on any kind of trademark and GI issue there is.
Practice Areas
Trademarks; Geographical Indications; International Practice
Education
Bachelor's degree in Sociology, LL.B.
Interests
Folk art, handloom textiles, regional crafts and designs - outside work, Devika seeks and revels in the rich and varied bouquet of Indian art and culture. She also enjoys a game of golf from time to time.
Dhruv has been associated with Remfry & Sagar since 2012. His practice encompasses trademark prosecution, opposition and cancellation; as well as copyright prosecution and enforcement. His clients are spread over a range of industries - he advises on IP strategy, and developing and implementing enforcement solutions that include facilitation of worldwide negotiations and agreements.
He has also successfully argued several opposition/cancellation cases before the Trade Marks Registry and the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB). In copyright matters, he often makes representations before the Copyright Office.
Dhruv has a LL.M. in Intellectual Property and Technology Law from the National University, Singapore. He enjoys making presentations on trending IP topics and his interest in technology has made him an integral part of the Firm's IT team in terms of managing our database management software.
Practice Areas
Trademarks; Copyright
Education
Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, LL.B., LL.M.
Interests
In his spare time, Dhruv hones his culinary and bar-tending skills. Friends, family and a few office colleagues are the usual recipients (victims!) of his creations.
Associated with Remfry & Sagar since 2017, Dishani handles contentious intellectual property work, primarily focusing on trademark opposition matters. She advises clients on a wide gamut of trademark opposition and cancellation issues and also assists in formulating strategies to secure rights which include conducting settlement negotiations. She has handled clients across a broad range of industries, including, but not limited to, technology, automotive, marketing, media, oil and gas, clothing, luxury goods, pharmaceutical, hospitality, food and restaurant services.
Practice Areas
Trademarks
Education
Bachelor's degree in History; LL.B.
Interests
Dishani is an avid swimmer. In her free time, she also likes to bake, read and paint.
Dolly's professional practice of nearly two decades encompasses all aspects of trademark prosecution with particular expertise in handling changes of ownership re trademarks and designs. A registered Trade Mark agent, she is a key member of the Firm's Recordal department. She also assists with due diligence activities and is adept at providing clients with practicable solutions. In addition, Dolly appears regularly before the Trade Marks Office for hearings appointed in connection with change of ownership requests.
Practice Areas
Trademarks
Education
Bachelor's degree in Commerce
Interests
Dolly loves DIY craft, reading, dancing and spending time with family.
Job Titles:
- Scientist
- Senior Associate
Govind's scientific background/expertise includes medicinal and organic chemistry, formulation technologies, drug discovery and development, catalytic chemistry and novel polymer based drug delivery systems. An inventor himself as well as a registered Indian Patent Agent, he has a keen understanding of the nuances of patent prosecution and formulation of strategies to overcome the objections raised in office actions. He has been involved in formulating novelty search opinions and has published extensively in international peer reviewed journals on topics ranging from cancer diagnostics and preparing advanced surfaces for devising techniques for cancer prognosis. Many years of experience as well as acquired interpersonal skills and ability to work with people from many countries allow Govind to collaborate with inventors of all types at all stages of the patent prosecution to churn out and refine their inventions and prepare patent applications to successfully obtain meaningful and defendable IP rights.
Govind is a formulation scientist by training with a PhD degree in Pharmaceutics. He is also a visiting scholar at Freie Universität, Berlin and a member of their alumni association. He is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in law.
A prolific author, he has written several articles on issues connected with his areas of expertise. He is also an Associate Member (AMRSC) of the Royal Society of Chemistry, London.
Practice Areas
Patents
Education
PhD in Pharmaceutics
Interests
Govind enjoys playing cricket and badminton.
Gaurav has extensive litigation experience in the field of trademarks, copyright and unfair competition having actively prosecuted a number of cases before courts throughout the country. He has effectively devised and implemented brand protection strategies for clients from diverse sectors such as publishing, consumer goods, healthcare, apparel, automobile, real estate etc. Also, he is the go-to person at the Firm for companies seeking anti-counterfeiting advice and action against infringing activities.
In addition to intellectual property, commercial litigation and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) too form part of his portfolio.
His knowledge of the Indian Courts apart, Gaurav also handled the Firm's erstwhile operations in the People's Republic of China. Currently, he is the face of the Firm for the Chinese IP community and well placed to assist any client who is looking for IP advice vis-à-vis the Chinese market.
With his wide experience, he often shares his legal views and perspectives before various domestic and international fora.
Practice Areas
IP Litigation; Commercial Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
Education
Bachelor's degree in Social and Legal Sciences; LL.B.
Interests
Gaurav being a percussion enthusiast, likes to jam with musicians sharing his interest in 80's rock and 90's alternative music. Long distance running is another interest he enjoys pursuing.
Gurneet is a part of the patents team and presently handles prosecution and opposition matters across various sectors of technology, including computer related inventions, electrical/electronics and mechanical.
She has previous experience in handling trademark prosecution and opposition as well as domain name disputes.
Gurneet is a registered patent agent.
Practice Areas
Patents
Education
Bachelor's degree in Technology (Computer Science); Diploma in Patents Law; Diploma in Cyber Laws; LL.B.
Interests
Gurneet loves to travel, trek and explore different places and cuisines. Once in a while, she likes to bake as well.
Himani is a registered patent agent with expertise in the domains of patent searching, patent drafting, Indian and foreign patent prosecution and handling hearings at the Patent Office. Her practice spans diverse fields of technology including biotechnology, biochemistry, chemistry, medicinal chemistry, cell biology, immunobiology, pharmaceuticals and biomedical engineering. She is proficient in handling searches including patentability searches, invalidity searches and freedom to operate searches. She also offers clients strategic advice on techno-legal aspects of complex patent matters.
Practice Areas
Patents
Education
Master's degree in Biotechnology; LL.B.
Interests
Himani is a sports enthusiast. She actively participates in a range of fitness activities and loves to play badminton. She is also an avid dog lover and enjoys spending free time with her dog.
With over 20 years of professional experience, Jayanta has handled a diverse spectrum of intellectual property matters for several prominent domestic and international companies. He is a patent expert, especially strong in drafting and prosecuting applications, and handling oppositions in respect of mechanical, electrical and electronic patents. He focuses on complex matters that require a deep understanding of the law and striking a balance with the practical needs of industry.
His current practice is complemented by comprehensive previous experience involving trademark and design laws.
At ease with the varied nuances of protecting IP in India, he often represents the Firm at various forums in India and overseas. Countries in the South East Asian region are a particular area of focus and currently, he is also in charge of the Japan desk at the Firm.
Practice Areas
Patents; Patent Drafting
Education
Bachelor's degree in Physics, LL.B.
Interests
When he's not wearing his lawyer's hat, Jayanta likes to spend time with family and catches up on reading.
Jessica developed a profound interest in intellectual property rights at a nascent stage in law school. This led her to intern at various IP boutique firms and upon qualifying as a lawyer, channel her passion into a profession. She is part of the trademark prosecution team at Remfry & Sagar and her practice focuses on addressing varied queries posed by clients on pre/post filing issues, attending to office actions issued by the Trademarks Office as well as appearing before quasi judicial bodies in relation to the registration of trademark rights. She also handles international trademark filings for the Indian sub-continent.
Jessica enjoys legal writing and has previously been associated with the Indian Law Journal as an Associate Editor. She has also written on different aspects of IP on several legal blogs. She keeps up with legal trends and developments and in this connection, has successfully completed the CopyrightX course organized by Harvard Law School and the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University.
Practice Areas
Trademarks; International Practice
Education
Bachelor's degree in Business Administration; LL.B.
Interests
A zealous dog lover, Jessica can be spotted feeding strays in her neighbourhood. She is also a voracious reader and one who enjoys painting as a hobby. Keen on nature, she revels in being surrounded by the mountains.
Karan began practicing law in 2019 when he started appearing before the Bombay High Court and other courts / tribunals in matters relating to general civil and commercial litigation including arbitrations. He joined the Mumbai office of the Firm in 2023 and assists clients on a range of contentious matters primarily involving trademark and copyright violations and represents them before various courts / tribunals. He also has expertise in executing civil raid operations in India. Karan has represented the Firm in several conferences.
Practice Areas
IP Litigation
Krisna joined the firm in 2022 with a prior experience of 3 years in IP litigation and advisory. He assists clients in contentious matters involving trademark, design, unfair competition and copyright violations and represents them before various High Courts and the Supreme Court of India, as well as several administrative tribunals and custom authorities. Krisna has conducted seizures with the police and court appointed commissioners. He is also involved in negotiating and pursuing settlements and mediations.
Practice Areas
IP Litigation ; Customs Practice
Job Titles:
- Agent and Member of the Bar Council of Delhi
- Managing Associate
Mahua has extensive experience (nearing two decades) in the field of intellectual property rights with a focus on patent filing and prosecution. She is a key member of the Firm's patent filing department - ensuring a patent application complies with all procedural criteria prescribed by the law before it is filed at the Patent Office, and provides clients with a clear picture in case of any lacuna or weakness. She, along with her team, maintains the filing docket and keeps clients updated of imminent deadlines.
She is expert at addressing pre-filing queries and also assists clients in obtaining foreign filing license(s) from the Indian Patent Office.
Mahua is a registered patent agent and member of the Bar Council of Delhi.
Practice Areas
Patents
Education
Bachelor's degree in Bio Sciences, Master's degree in English, LL.B.
Interests
Cooking varied cuisines, baking cakes and brownies, singing, playing badminton with her son, watching television and shopping - are some of Mahua's other interests.
Manju is a trademark prosecution expert. Her experience spans over two decades and she is acquainted with most any issue that arises before the filing of a trademark application, during its prosecution, upon its clearance for registration and at the post registration stage. Her expertise is particularly strong when it comes to problems and procedures associated with registering trademarks and securing an owner's title through appropriate documentation.
She liases frequently with the Trade Marks Office - this also involves attending hearings connected with the prosecution of marks.
Manju is tech-savvy and her skills have been of immense help to the firm's IT department in overhauling the Firm's docket management system.
Manju is a Registered Trademark Agent.
Practice Areas
Trademarks; International Practice
Education
Master's degree in Commerce
Interests
In her free time, she loves to travel, read, cook and spend time with her family.
Neeraj joined the Firm in 2006 and is a key member of its mechanical patent practice. He has over a decade of industry experience, specializing in the technical fields of physics, mechanics and electronics, including optoelectronic and laser devices, optical fibres, medical devices and software, image processing, sensors, telecommunications, consumer electronics and security systems. He advises several multinational corporations as well as small and medium enterprises on drafting, preparation and prosecution of patent applications, and also provides opinions on patent validity and infringement.
He is a registered patent agent and appears regularly before the Controllers of the Patent Office for official hearings.
Practice Areas
Patents
Education
Master's degree in Computer Applications, LL.B., Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management
Interests
In his spare time, Neeraj likes to read books and watch movies. He also enjoys a good run.
A registered patent agent, Neha primarily handles prosecution of patent applications and assists in patent drafting in the areas of mechanical, electrical, electronics and telecommunications engineering. She regularly represents many of our Japanese clients before the Indian Patent Office. She is also involved in conducting patentability searches and managing patent portfolios for Indian and overseas clients - regularly advising on the various provisions of the Indian Patents Act, its interpretations and manner of enforcement, with a view to ensuring the successful acquisition of patent rights.
Neha's previous professional experience encompassed prosecution of patent and trademark applications as well as the handling contentious patent matters.
Practice Areas
Patents
Education
Bachelor's Degree in Science (Physics); LL.B; LL.M (IPR)
Interests
Being a dedicated cinephile, Neha tries to watch almost every movie released. She also likes to teach young students and has a professional degree in education.
Neha is a seasoned patent attorney. A Partner at the Firm, she is the lead person at its Bengaluru office. She has over 15 years of experience in representing patent matters for leading companies and counselling clients on IP strategy and portfolio management. Her practice focuses on patent drafting, filing, prosecution, searches, oppositions, and providing opinions on patentability, invalidity, infringement and biodiversity related issues.
With her deep understanding of complex technical issues, Neha has successfully represented clients across diverse areas of technology including pharmaceuticals, chemical and life sciences. Her expertise in the field of biotechnology, including genetic engineering/gene editing, biotherapeutics, antibody-based technologies, and medical devices is particularly noteworthy. Her long and varied experiences equip her with the ability to provide solution centric advice tailored to the commercial goals of clients, and secure patents of precedential value.
In her present role, she is also involved in innovation capture, strategic IP management and IP risk mitigation related activities pertaining to R&D portfolios of several multinational companies. Her in-depth knowledge of Indian Patent Law enables her to advise across diverse platforms and lead successfully through initiatives aimed at setting up of new processes with operational efficiency. She also frequently advises budding entrepreneurs, start-ups and MSMEs on managing IP portfolios and developing effective patent protection and enforcement strategies in India.
A biotechnologist-turned-lawyer, Neha is a qualified attorney and registered patent agent. Prior to joining the Firm, she was associated with The Energy & Resources Institute (TERI) where she worked on projects and programmes sponsored by the Biotech Consortium India Limited (BCIL) and Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India.
She speaks often on patent issues, and has also authored several articles on patent law and practice published in leading intellectual property publications. In addition, she represents the Firm at several international and national conferences including the Association of Biotech Led Enterprises (ABLE), which collectively represents the Indian Biotechnology Sector.
Practice Areas
Patents; Plant Varieties and Bio Diversity
Education
Master's Degree in Biotechnology, LL.B.
Interests
Outside of her IP work, Neha is committed to philanthropic causes and devotes her time supporting and driving initiatives focusing on providing quality education, affordable healthcare and economic empowerment. She is also a keen bibliophile, and enjoys reading and painting in her free time.
Niharika joined the Firm in 2018 and advises clients on all aspects of trademark protection, with her primary focus being trademark prosecution. Her work profile includes tackling examination reports and provisional refusals issued by the Trade Marks Office, advising clients on how to best secure their rights and arguing for acceptance of marks before the Trade Marks Office.
Practice Areas
Trademarks
Education
B.A. LL.B (Honours), LL.M. (Kings College, London)
Interests
Niharika is a globe trotter. She loves to travel - she has trekked the icy wastelands of the Arctic Circle and the sand dunes of the sub-Saharan desert. Dancing is another passion and she is a trained classical dancer.
Nipun has more than 20 years of professional experience in intellectual property and is a trademark prosecution expert at the Firm. With his deep understanding of the laws and procedures governing protection of trademarks in India, one of his key roles is to formulate strategies for managing IP portfolios. He focuses his practice on both domestic and international trademark prosecution, due diligence, recording changes in title and licensing of marks. He has represented the Firm at several international conferences, including APPA and INTA meetings.
Practice Areas
Trademarks
Education
Bachelor's Degree in Socio Legal Sciences, LL.B., Diploma in Labour Laws and Labour Welfare, Diploma in Consumer Protection Laws
Interests
Nipun loves travelling, reading, and spending time with his family. He is an active runner and enjoys taking photographs.
Nitin is a lawyer and a registered patent agent with particular expertise in the domain of electronics, communications, signal processing, computers and related technologies.
His practice includes drawing up filing strategies, patent drafting, prosecution, conducting patent searches (novelty and invalidation) and technological landscaping - he currently handles patent prosecution portfolios for multinational companies across several domains. He also works closely with the Firm's patent litigation team as a subject matter expert and takes up patent opposition matters before the Indian Patent Office.
Nitin has represented the Firm at domestic and international fora - and speaks often on a variety of patent issues. He understands the needs of businesses and works closely with innovators to formulate strategies for building and maintaining their IP portfolios.
Practice Areas
Patents
Education
Bachelor's degree in Engineering and Technology (Electronics & Communication), LL.B.
Interests
Nitin has an abiding interest in playing and watching sport - chess, tennis, squash and table tennis. He has also been part of the Firm's cricket and table tennis teams and taken on many a rival with his sporting prowess.
Pankaj leads the Patent Litigation practice at the Firm with several successes before High Courts in India for Fortune 500 clients. He is recognised for his expertise in creating successful litigation strategy and handling technical aspects of claim construction and infringement/invalidity analysis. With experience in patent litigation in Federal Courts in the United States, his technical expertise includes Electronics/Telecom, Mechanical and Medical Devices litigation. He has also led client negotiations relating to litigation settlements and cross-licensing agreements.
In charge of the US desk at the Firm, he manages a team of patent prosecution attorneys handling electrical/electronics, computer and mechanical inventions.
He is a recognised strategist (IAM Strategy 300) and has advised clients (including startups) on creating and managing IP portfolios and setting up effective patent protection and enforcement strategies in India, especially in the technology, media and telecom (TMT) domain. He has also provided litigation advisory services to clients in the SEP/FRAND space in India, and helped them in creating effective strategies relating to licensing of patent portfolios.
An author of several articles on IP in India, Pankaj is a sought-after speaker in various fora across the globe. He is admitted to practice in India, New York and New Jersey.
Pankaj is also:
Patents; Patent Litigation; Technology, Media and Telecom
Pawan is a registered Trade Marks Agent who has been associated with the Firm since 2007. His practice focuses on trademark opposition matters - he has experience in drafting opinions, pleadings, preparing settlement/cease and desist letters, collating and submitting evidence and attending hearings before the Trade Marks Registry.
Practice Areas
Trademarks
Education
Bachelor's degree in Arts
Interests
Listening to music and playing cricket.
Payal focuses her patent practice in various fields of technology including biotechnology, chemistry and pharmaceuticals. She has more than a decade's experience in drafting, filing and prosecuting patent applications, handling oppositions and appeals, advising clients on portfolio management, conducting patentability searches and providing feasibility opinions.
She is a registered patent agent and brings strong technical expertise to her practice from previous research trainings at prominent universities. She advises clients in numerous technology-focused industries including biologics, stem cell technology, gene therapy, nanotechnology, diagnostic, healthcare, bioinformatics, polymer, agriculture biotechnology, pharmaceutical formulations and drug delivery; and assists them in prosecuting patents domestically and in overseas jurisdictions.
Payal's other responsibilities at the Firm include managing the patent annuity department, assisting clients in restoring lapsed patents and appearing in restoration proceedings before the Indian Patent Office.
Filing and prosecuting design applications and handling design cancellations is also part of her practice. That apart, she also advises on various aspects of plant variety protection in India.
Practice Areas
Education
Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences (University Gold Medalist), Master's Degree in Biotechnology, LL.B.
Interests
Outside work, Payal likes to travel and explore the world.
Patents; Designs; Plant Varieties and Bio Diversity
Trademarks; Designs; International Practice; Fashion & Luxury Law
Shubhankar's practice covers diverse areas of general corporate and commercial law including foreign investment, joint ventures and private equity. He also advises on corporate governance issues; commercial agreements including franchise agreements; leases for retail and commercial real estate; technology licensing, services agreements and outsourcing agreements. He has assisted clients from the inception of an acquisition, contributed during negotiations and helped in completion of the transaction. He is regularly conducting due diligences, advising parties on setting up business in India, rendering day-to-day legal advice, aiding with corporate compliance, business structuring and restructuring across a variety of industries and sectors.
In addition, Shubhankar has extensive experience in advising clients on information technology and data privacy, retailing, e-commerce, foreign exchange, incorporation, bankruptcy laws, labour and employment, matters relating to FCRA, food laws and legal metrology.
Practice Areas
Corporate - Commercial Law; Technology, Media & Telecom
Education
Bachelor's degree in Arts, Qualified Company Secretary, LL.B.
Interests
Off-road biking, listening to audio stories, researching facts and current affairs, and watching Satyajit Ray's movies.