Intellectual Property
Who we represent
Aarna Law provides comprehensive advice to clients, covering IP protection, enforcement, brand building and brand remodelling. We have experience advising civil, criminal, and statutory rights and liabilities in IP. We also advise individual artists and authors, publishers and museums on matters relating to ownership and authenticity and have a particular strength in art law and related disputes.
Our clients range from local enterprises based in Bangalore to multinationals from the United States, Asia and Europe. They operate in a variety of industries, including Healthcare, Food, Retail, Automotive, and Publishing and Museums.
What we do
We advise clients on matters ranging from establishing and protecting an IP portfolio to licensing and commercialisation and enforcement, including in the courts and online intermediaries/social media.
Our services include:
- Providing advice on trademark, copyright, trade secrets, industrial design, registration, strategy, disputes and protection of IP.
- Representing parties on copyright, trademark and trade secrets before IP Appellate Boards, registries and Courts.
- Advising corporates and individuals on trade secrets, IP strategies, licensing and assignment, and assist in IP rights negotiation.
- Dealing with issues concerning Designs Act violations, Geographical Indicators, and Indigenous plant varieties.
- Drafting confidentiality, technology transfer, licensing and assignment agreements.
- Negotiating and drafting industry-specific contracts and manage international artists.
- Registering international trademarks under a consolidated application.
- Prosecuting and defending infringement claims.
Recent experience includes:
- Helping companies to build brand portfolios, identify infringements and take appropriate action, including Bhandari Construction and Developer (BCD), Nourish Organic Foods and Avanta Healthcare.
- Defending healthcare facility Narayanaswamy Super Speciality Hospital against trademark infringement and other claims.
- Responding rapidly to enforce trademarks and act against intermediary platforms and social media sites for Toyota Kirloskar Motor and Decathlon Sports India.
Frequently Asked Questions
Intellectual property law deals with the legal protection of intangible creations—such as inventions, designs, artistic works, and trade secrets. This area ensures creators and businesses can protect, commercialise, and enforce their rights across patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets.
A business should consult an intellectual property law firm when developing products, launching brands, entering new markets, or facing infringement issues. Early legal guidance ensures that registrations, filings, and protection strategies are in place from the outset.
IP protection lawyers help secure rights under four key categories: patents for inventions, trademarks for brand identity, copyrights for original works, and trade secrets for confidential business information safeguarded through legal and operational controls.
Copyright lawyers in India advise that while copyright exists automatically upon creation, formal registration strengthens enforcement. In the digital space, legal advice is critical for tackling piracy, managing user-generated content, and interpreting fair use in online contexts.
Trademark infringement defense involves protection against unauthorised use of a similar mark that may confuse consumers. Legal action is guided by visual similarity, target markets, and proof of actual confusion or intent to deceive.
IP protection and enforcement law firms recommend using NDAs, restricted access protocols, data security systems, and internal policies to protect trade secrets from leaks or misuse, especially during employee transitions or business deals.
Patent filings or copyright registrations abroad are governed by international treaties like the PCT (for patents) and Berne Convention (for copyrights). Systems like the Madrid Protocol simplify global trademark protection across multiple jurisdictions.
When intellectual property rights are breached enforcement measures becomes key. Legal remedies include injunctions, monetary damages, statutory penalties, and, in some cases, criminal prosecution for willful violations.
IP ownership whether it lies with an employer or employee is based on employment terms and IP assignment agreements. "Work made for hire" doctrines often grant ownership to employers by default.
As AI evolves, AI and intellectual property rights present new challenges—such as defining authorship for AI-generated works, managing liability, and updating legal frameworks to address autonomous creation and innovation.
Spandana Ashwath
ADVOCATE
Kamala Naganand
COUNSEL | MEDIATOR
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