Ajay Sahni & Associates (ASA) is a boutique corporate law practice focused on intellectual property, innovation and technology. The firm was founded in 1983 with the objective of rendering creative, robust and effective strategic legal advice and representational services.

ASA is committed to delivering out-of-the-box, avant garde solutions to complex problems faced by its clients. The team strives to work with its clients as partners, helping them manage risk and navigate challenging legal and business landscapes.

ASA has a very strong disputes and enforcement practice with over 100 reported judgments in leading law journals and reports to its credit. The firm handles large IP portfolios for many Fortune 500 clients (both Indian and international) on the prosecution side. It has various awards and listings to its credit, such as the International Client Choice Award (Trademark), World Trademark Review (Leading firm and individual in enforcement & litigation as well as prosecution & strategy categories), Thomson Reuters Asian Legal Business IP Rankings (Tier 1 firm for Trademark and Copyright, Tier 2 firm for Patent) and Thomson Reuters Asian Legal Business India Rising Stars 2019, among others. Its members serve on various committees and expert groups in international associations, as well as government bodies.

ASA works with a sophisticated artificial intelligence and automation based in-house trademark portfolio management system to manage compliances, monitor threats and alerts for clients. It is also the first law firm in India to offer blockchain-based IP protection services.

ASA is led by its founder Ajay Sahni, who has been practising IP law since 1983 at the Supreme Court, high courts, district courts and tribunal levels across India. He has argued numerous landmark cases, many of which have been reported in leading law reports and journals. His dispute resolution experience covers a wide spectrum of industries, including pharmaceutical, retail, infrastructure, real estate, automotive, finance, fast-moving consumer goods, power, telecommunications, education, chemical and industrial products.

A strong founder

Mr Sahni’s experience is evident in the number of key positions he holds or has held:

• former vice president at Intellectual Property Attorneys Association, New Delhi;
• former vice president at Asian Patent Attorneys Association (India Chapter);
• invited by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat (upper house of the Parliament of India) and examined as an expert witness by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce in relation to the Trademarks (Amendment) Bill 2007;
• member on the Advisory Board of The Patents and Trademarks Cases, a leading monthly journal of IP case law in India;
• regular speaker on IP laws at the Institute of Company Secretaries, the Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Haryana Police Academy and the Export Promotion Council of India; and
• formerly appointed as a senior panel counsel in the High Court of Delhi for conducting central government cases.

In addition, Mr Sahni has written extensively on the subject of IP law, including as:

• a revising author of Lal’s Commentary on the Indian Copyright Act, 1957; and
• a co-author of seven volumes of the book titled Cases and Materials on Trademarks and Allied Laws.

Firm’s key service offerings

Litigation, enforcement and dispute resolution

• Handling civil, criminal and regulatory cases on infringement of patent, trademark, copyright, design, trade secrets, unfair competition; commercial mediation and arbitration
• IP dawn raids, enforcement cases and domain name disputes
• Dispute strategy, risk assessment, drafting of submissions, preparation of documentation, evidence, witnesses

Prosecution, compliance and audit

• IP prosecution
• Entry assistance: clearance searches, landscape studies, freedom-to-operate searches
• IP audits and health checks
• IP compliance management services
• Cutting-edge tools based on automation and AI for 360-degree IP monitoring, threat assessment and compliance management services

Transactional

• Acquisition and commercialisation of IP assets
• IP valuation
• Technology transactions and licensing
• Safeguarding IP assets in mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures Advisory and public policy

Advisory and public policy

• Anti-counterfeit investigations, forensics and enforcement strategy
• Customs border protection assistance and strategy
• Branding, advertising, marketing, packaging and labelling strategies
• Drug and pharma regulatory filings, representation and support
• Data protection and privacy
• Public policy advisory, advocacy and strategic litigation support