Diligent senior lawyer with extensive experience specializing in a broad range of issues - both contentious and non-contentious - related to Intellectual Property Rights, Media and Entertainment and related commercial laws. Overseeing and driving entire lifecycle of complex intellectual property law matters. Demonstrated capacity to engage in effective cross-functional collaboration to enable streamlined achievement of objectives. Articulate communicator with ability to analyse, interpret, and convey complex legal concepts to stakeholders across all levels of business.
Work Profile Summary
• Advising in all matters relating to conflict issues, analysing, strategizing and enforcing intellectual property rights for various multi-national companies in sectors such as pharmaceutical and healthcare, clothing and apparel, cosmetics & lifestyle, FMCG, hospitality, media and entertainment etc.
• Adept at highly effective case management, with ability to conduct off-site inspections, organising search and seizure actions and enforcement of court orders.
• Extensive legal research, along with drafting diverse array of legal and commercial documentation such as contracts, license agreements, pertaining to the litigation e.g. petitions, interim applications, appeals, revisions, reviews.
• Proven history of successful resolution of complex intellectual property law matters, driving entire lifecycle of trademark, copyright, brand management, and industrial designs.
• Track record of skilful dispute resolution, contract negotiation, strategic legal consultancy, negotiating settlement agreements, risk analysis and mitigation, representing clients in courts, tribunals, as well as alternative dispute resolutions such as mediation and conciliation.
Career Experience
Lall & Sethi Advocates, New Delhi, IN 2016 – Present
Senior Associate/Managing Associate
Promoted through positions of increasing scope and responsibility, from Senior Associate to Managing Associate.
Delivered strategic consultancy in all matters relating to conflict issues, analysing, strategizing and enforcing intellectual property rights for various multi-national companies in sectors such as pharmaceutical and healthcare, clothing and apparel, FMCG, hospitality, media and entertainment etc. Prosecution which includes search and clearances.
• Overseeing preparations and filing new applications for trademarks, copyrights, industrial designs, and management and tracking the applications through to registration.
• Advising and guiding clients on a broad range of issues related to brand protection, enforcement, investigations, piracy issues, compliance and regulatory issues.
• Legal Drafting such as license agreements for trademarks, protection of IP in broadcasting agreements, non-disclosure agreements, copyrights (and other IP such as trademarks) transfer / assignment agreements, work-for hire agreements (music industry-producer), employee agreements, non-disclosure and non-compete agreements for employees, social media management agreements, settlement agreements, coexistence agreements.
• Collate and file diverse array of legal documentation, including affidavits of evidence, co-existence contracts, legal responses, notices of opposition, as well as settlement agreements. Represent clients at tribunals and quasi-judicial forums such Trademark Registry, Controller of Designs, Customs Office, Intellectual Property Appellate Board etc.
• Oversee and manage off-site investigations into counterfeit goods, along with extensive legal research.
• Supervising four-member team, as well as drove hiring and recruitment of new personnel.
• Representing the clients in various forums such as Intellectual Property Appellate Board, before statutory and regulatory authorities such as Registrar of Trademarks, Customs Tribunals and Controller of Designs.
Career Break 2013 – 2015
Engaged in study leave in preparation for annual Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination. Obtained extensive expertise into internal working of government departments, thereby streamlining cases related to compliance and regulatory issue. Completed extensive legal aid work, providing pro bono services to marginalised groups in matters related to migrant labour and female workplace rights.
• Delivered pro bono strategic consultancy pertaining to protection of intellectual property rights of small and medium business. Performed filing of copyright and trademark applications.
• Secured maternity benefits and compensation for female teachers at local private school, as result of pro bono work.
Lall & Sethi Advocates, New Delhi, IN 2009 – 2012
Associate
As part of training and in the starting position of associate lawyer, assisted senior counsels in a wide array of tasks.
• Advising clients with regard to search and clearence. Managing the entire life cycle of trademark, copyright and design applications from filing till the time they get registered.
• Watching services for clients with regard to publication of trademark applications which are potentially infringing the clients brasnds and trademarks.
• Drafting notices of opposition, counter-statements, affidavits of evidence, settlement proposals, cease & desist notices and co-existence agreements, search analysis reports, applications under Right to Information Act, investigation reports and other miscellaneous pleadings.
• Assisted in organizing and supervising teams with Local commissioners in effecting enforcement actions such as search and seizure on infringing third parties.
• Additional responsibilities like conducting investigations on behalf of clients into unauthorised use of brands by third parties.
Internships
Dua Associates, New Delhi, IN
AZB & Partners, New Delhi, IN
K.P. Mahvi (Delhi High Court Advocate), New Delhi, IN
Fox Mondal & Co. Solicitors & Advocates, New Delhi, IN
K.K. Pahwa (Senior Advocate), Meerut, IN
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Law (B.A-LLB)
Symbiosis Law School, Pune, IN
Diploma in Intellectual Property Law
WIPO World Wide Academy, Remote
Affiliations
Bar Council of Delhi, Member, September 2009-Present
International Trademark Association, Member, May 2016– Present
INTA Non-Traditional Marks Committee, Member, 2018 – 2019
Miscellaneous
Co-authored the chapter “Intellectual Property: Bhutan” in Manual of Industrial Property (2019) published by Wolters Kluwer IP.
Represented Lall & Sethi on the panel discussion for “What US Practitioners Should Know about International Trademark Work” organized by the Colorado Bar Association at the Rocky Mountain IP, 2018 held at Denver, Colorado, USA.