The Patent 1000 focuses exclusively on patent practice and has firmly established itself as the definitive 'go-to' resource for those seeking world-class legal patent expertise.
Silver - Individuals: litigation
Recommended - Individuals: prosecution
Recommended - Individuals: transactions
For almost 25 years innovative IP boutique ALG India Law Offices has excelled on both sides of the contentious/non-contentious divide. With a six-strong technology- and business-savvy patent team split between the New Delhi and Hyderabad offices, the outfit seamlessly achieves a high success rate in prosecution matters, and crafts out-of-the-box dispute resolution strategies. Head of the patent and litigation divisions Ashwani Balayan is a seasoned all-rounder with a knack for drafting, protecting and enforcing IP rights for clients of all shapes and sizes – from academic institutions to start-ups and Fortune 500 companies. He is especially skilled in matters relating to life sciences. Also a life sciences and chemistry expert, Pooja Pant excels in handling non-contentious issues, from drafting to prosecution; she has a knack for enforcing the IP rights of both domestic and international patrons.
Ashwani Balayan heads the firm’s patents and IP litigation practice. Ashwani’s practice spans across IP litigation, enforcement, prosecution, and strategy.
In his patents practice, Ashwani’s core area of expertise is in drafting, prosecuting, and enforcing patent claims across different areas of technologies, with special emphasis on pharmaceutical, biomedical, and bioinformatics related inventions. Ashwani also assists clients on pre-grant and post-grant oppositions, patent revocations proceedings, and infringement actions in addition to advisory on patentability, validity, and enforceability of patent claims. He also assists clients in complying with and obtaining necessary regulatory approvals for protection of patents and plant varieties, such as under National Biodiversity Act of India.
Litigation, mediation, and dispute resolution constitutes a large part of Ashwani’s practice, and includes appeals, oppositions, cancellations, and revocation proceedings in relation to patents, designs, and trademarks. Ashwani regularly appears and argues matters before IP offices, Opposition Boards, and IP Divisions of High Courts and District Courts. Ashwani also assists clients in conducting search and seizures of counterfeit goods after obtaining injunctions.
Ashwani works closely with in-house counsels of several Fortune 500 companies as well as academic institutes, universities, SMEs, start-ups, and individual entrepreneurs in strategizing the protection, management, and enforcement of their IP portfolios in India. Clients value Ashwani’s advisory and inputs on the transactional matters such as rights re-structuring agreements, licensing and assignment agreements, co-ownership and coexistence agreements, etc.
Ashwani is also an active member of several International IP organizations such as FICPI, INTA, IPO, APAA, and MARQUES. Ashwani is currently Chair of Advocacy Sub-Committee in the Designs Committee of INTA. He is also serving as Co-Vice Chair of the Asian Practice Committee and Chair of India Sub-Committee of IPO. Ashwani enjoys writing and publishing on topics of interest and relevance in the IP space.
Ashwani has been recognized in the latest global ranking of leading trademark professionals by the WTR1000 2024 ranking.
IAM1000 2023 edition featured Ashwani Balayan in its rankings of top firms and practitioners for Patent litigation and prosecution.
Ranked among the world’s top 1000 law firms for both enforcement and litigation and prosecution and strategy, ALG is a top-tier technology-focused IP boutique law firm with offices in New Delhi and Hyderabad. The firm counts in its ranks, particularly managing partner Sheja Ehtesham for trademarks and copyright; partner Ashwani Balayan for IP litigation and Patents and Of-Counsel and Former Deputy Registrar of Trademarks & GI, Mr. R.A. Tiwari. The firm's practice is helmed also by leading attorneys and partners Aparna Sreedhar & Abhimanyu Kumar for Transactions, Corporate Commercial IP & Media and Entertainment law; and partners Pranay Bali and Sneha Tandon for trademarks and copyrights prosecution and enforcement. Founded in 2000, the firm's law practice in India is recognised for its eminent quality and enviable innovativeness through major awards and notable industry rankings and listings, internationally as well as in India. The firm has an international outlook and has earned the reputation of being a go-to firm in India for clients, both domestic and international, that seek quality legal advice, responsiveness and representation. ALG is particularly recognised for its understanding of the industries it serves and for its highly personalised services and strategic insights as a consequence. ALG boasts a robust IP enforcement, litigation, and advisory practice in all aspects of intellectual property, including patents, trademarks, designs, and copyrights. ALG is valued by its clients for its unique and creative dispute resolution strategies supported by a strong litigation and arbitration arm. ALG attorneys combine chamber practice with court practice. The firm is known for having a high success rate in obtaining compliance from infringers without resorting to litigation through carefully designed multi-pronged enforcement strategies pursued in different fora. Over the years the firm has successfully assisted its clients in conducting searches, seizures, civil and criminal raids, and obtaining injunctions and orders in range of cases related to counterfeit goods, piracy, infringement, and passing off. The firm has a busy prosecution and contentious IP practice which serves a diverse range of Clients across industries and jurisdictions. The firm’s clients operates in sectors as varied as pharmaceuticals, media and entertainment, information technology, green technology, luxury, hospitality, automobiles, etc. ALG’s extremely high success rates in obtaining favorable outcomes before IP offices is attributable to comprehensively considered searching, clearances, and filing strategies, high-quality representations before the IP offices, and proactive approach towards oppositions and revocations / cancellations that are detail-oriented which dovetail the clients’ higher-level business objectives. The firm also assists registering its client’s IP with the customs and borders authority, govt. agencies, and online retail markets, etc. ALG has a specialized team with expertise in handling online infringements, and representing clients in domain name administrative proceedings under UDRP and INDRP. ALG also assists its clients with obtaining compliances under Information Technology (IT) Act, such as through take-down notices to intermediaries. The firm actively deals with issues relating to IP policy, regulatory and compliance, licensing and franchising, transactions, arbitration and mediation. ALG takes pride in its sophisticated virtual office infrastructure, actively deploying technology for unleashing efficiencies. Having elected to go paperless several years ago, ALG maintains files and systems in a fully digitised format. The firm’s in-house proprietary software platform for docketing, work allocation, tracking and communication enables working from home or any location easy, and it is through the unleashing of this technology that the firm has strength in diverse locations and enables seamless working of its attorneys. ALG promotes inclusivity and diversity within the firm, taking special pride in the fact that more than 15 languages are covered among the firm’s members, over 50% of whom are women. The firm also fosters a culture of legal scholarship and learning. ALG attorneys imbibe and share the firm’s culture of ever-specialising within IP and IP+ law. ALG believes in making legal services available to all who need them, and ALG lawyers are involved in a range of pro bono work on behalf of various individuals and organisations. |