Delving into Practicing Minds
Coming back from the US after earning a Master’s degree on a study sabbatical, this woman entrepreneur decided to implement all that learning on IP licensing and IP Asset Management into practice thereby bridging a very palpable gap between IP Prosecution and IP litigation. Sunita K Sreedharan, the woman behind this mastermind law firm, is a “go-to lawyer” for many, including the World Health Organization and Bhutan’s Ministry of Health. Her team of 12 specialist lawyers, patent agents and patent engineers have been trained to put an end to miseries of many, since 2007.The firm’s team members have effectively leveraged their vast experience to help several international companies set up and grow their businessin India. The firm is also a member of trade and professional bodies such as the Licensing Executive Society, the International Trademark Attorneys Association, the FICPI, AIPPI and APAA.
Crafting Wider Avenues
Based out of Delhi, SKS Law Associates emerges as one of the most influential names in the panorama of Intellectual Property services in India. This professional firm houses expert lawyers and patent agents, offering integrated services in the area of intellectual property law to Indian and foreign companies. SKS started its journey in 2007 with the sole vision of assisting businesses with the creation of a robust intellectual property portfolio and its effective management and commercialization in the prevailing and evolving Indian as well as international IP regime. Headed and established by the visionary Ms. Sunita K Sreedharan, she is termed as a seasoned lawyer and a patent agent whose entire experience involves practicing in the High Courts and the Intellectual Property Offices in India. Besides, how can we ignore the fact that Sunita has been recently honored as one among the ‘Top 100 Powerful Women in Law’and has been accorded the title “IP Gems of India 2018”. Also, her name is listed in Marquis Who’s Who.
Product Offerings
The Law firm’s portfolio is developed to address clients’ specific needs, wants and it aims to serve them as a backbone to their business module by helping them create, maintain and optimize their IPR Portfolio as per their business perspective. Here’s a glimpse of the key highlights of the service portfolio:
Advisory services – advisory services on all forms of intellectual property and the applications; can be engaged on a nominal retainership or on case to case basis; advisory services are offered for issues listed below:
• drafting and filing applications for patents, trademarks, copyrights, industrial designs, geographical indications, plant variety etc.
• litigation
• entering new jurisdiction with a given form of intellectual property
• protection of trade dress, trade secrets and confidential information
• biodiversity related issues under the Biological Diversity Act etc.
Prosecution – a team of trained patent agents, analysts and lawyers with subject matter expertise capable of handling a wide range of technology; major services include prior art searches, patentability opinion as well as drafting, filing and prosecution of applications in India and abroad.
IP Management and Licensing – assistance is provided in negotiating and drafting Technology Transfer / Licence / Assignment (IP acquisition) agreements of IP portfolios; services for freedom to operate searches, legal opinion, and due diligence on IP matters pre acquisition
Litigation – in High Courts of Delhi, Mumbai and Madras, Arbitration, IPAB, and at the Intellectual Property Offices before the Controller of Patents and Designs, Registrar of Trade Marks, Registrar of Copyrights, Registrar GI and Chairperson of National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs).
IP Management and Licensing – Provides services in negotiating and drafting Technology Transfer / Licence / Assignment (IP acquisition) agreements of IP portfolios; conducting freedom to operate searches and IP due diligence prior to IP portfolio acquisition.
Litigation – in High Courts of Delhi, Mumbai, Allahabad and Madras, Arbitration, IPAB, and at the Intellectual Property Offices before the Controller of Patents and Designs, Registrar of Trade Marks, Registrar of Copyrights, Registrar GI and Chairperson of National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs).
Knowledge does speak for itself
Having obtained her LL.B. (awarded Gold Medal) from The School of Legal Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Sunita started her legal career at the High Court of Kerala at Ernakulam handling a variety of matters chiefly, writ petitions and appeals. Moving to the IP hub of activities, she was an associate and then a Partner in the Delhi based firmAnand and Anand. She has really grown into her power after setting up her own law practice. Alongside, she has also been legal advisor on the Central Technology Management Institute, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and has been actively engaged in the drafting of various parliamentary bills requiring protection of various intellectual properties including the access and benefit sharing of traditional knowledge.
Well, the expertise doesn’t come to an end here, Sunita is also counted amongst few of those profilic authors, and having authored a book titled “Introduction to Intellectual Asset Management” published by CCH India a division of Wolters Kluwer. Her articles, analysis and commentaries have been published in MIP, Business Briefing – Pharma-tech and IAM among others. She is also a frequent speaker at various fora, including WIPO and LESI seminars.
Contributions do Count
The Team provides services in all IPR matters; specializing in Patent matters which includes conducting due diligence, drafting, filing, prosecution, litigation and commercialization of patent portfolios along with the trade secrets and know-how. IP Due Diligence services include work related to patent portfolio acquisitions, patent landscapes, prior art searches, freedom-to-operate searches, competitive intelligence, IP Audits etc.
The USP of the SKS Team is that advice is provided on the entire gamut of IP Rights including domain names, know-how protection and trademarks at the time of providing the initial advice on creating a new IP right as well as at the time of IP acquisition and commercialization.
Of late, SKS Team has gained reputation as experts in biodiversity laws and has been advising Indian and foreign clients as well as the government and the World Health Organization on biodiversity-related issues and traditional knowledge.
