The WTR 1000 focuses exclusively on trademark practice and has firmly established itself as the definitive 'go-to' resource for those seeking world-class legal trademark expertise
Bronze - Individuals: enforcement and litigation
Priding itself on its dexterous IP professionals who offer the full spectrum of services, ALG India Law Offices has earned the reputation of being a go-to legal practice in India. Its speciality lies in the retail, pharmaceuticals, luxury goods, media and entertainment sectors. As one of the first sets in India to go paperless, ALG was exceptionally well placed to cope with the covid-19 pandemic thanks to its sophisticated virtual infrastructure. Leading the charge is managing partner Sheja Ehtesham, who is hailed as “a world-class attorney”. “She impresses with her easy confidence, keen intelligence and pragmatic candour.” An expert in strategising negotiations with adversaries, she has an enviable record of structuring successful and profitable settlements. Ehtesham has also successfully represented several domestic and international clients in domain name administrative proceedings under the .IN Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy and the UDRP.
Ranked among the world’s leading IP law practitioners, Sheja Ehtesham is a trademark attorney from India. Her practice spans enforcement, prosecution and strategy. She is the managing partner of ALG India Law Offices LLP, an IP law firm with offices in New Delhi and Hyderabad.
Ms Ehtesham works closely with clients to obtain, protect and enforce their trademarks. Ms Ehtesham has experience in international portfolio management and helping clients devise global filing strategies that align with their business requirements. She advises clients in strategising negotiations carried out with adversaries and on structuring successful and profitable settlements. She assists clients in devising effective enforcement and lawsuit strategies.
She co-chairs INTA's Project Team on IP in Outer Space and is a member of the India Global Advisory Council. She previously co-chaired the INTA Bulletin Asia Pacific Subcommittee and served as an editor of The Trademark Reporter. She also served on the INTA Project Team that organised the 2022 Leadership Meeting in Miami, where she moderated a panel discussion called "Brands in Outer Space". She has been invited as a speaker and India expert at various national and international fora including the IP Owners Association, the International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys and INTA.
Ms Ehtesham has a deep-rooted commitment to diversity and under her leadership, more than 50% of her firm’s members are now women. The firm further boasts a wide representation from diverse states of India, with the firm’s members speaking more than 15 different languages.
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 leading attorneys, particularly managing partner Sheja Ehtesham for trademarks and copyright, partner Ashwani Balayan for IP litigation, partner Aparna Sreedhar for media and entertainment law, partner Abhimanyu Kumar for corporate commercial IP and partner Pranay Bali for trademark 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 practice and advises on all aspects of intellectual property, including searches and clearance, prosecution, oppositions and cancellations, enforcement, litigation, regulatory, licensing and franchising and transactions.
The firm actively deals with issues relating to retail, pharmaceutical, luxury, media and entertainment intellectual property, IP policy and frameworks. The firm is particularly known for its IT law practice and its cyber law practice. It has the expertise to handle civil remedies for IP enforcement, as well as criminal prosecution and defences for IP offences. ALG has represented several domestic and international clients in domain name administrative proceedings under the .IN Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy and UDRP. The firm has a high success rate in obtaining compliance from infringers without resorting to litigation through carefully designed multi-pronged enforcement strategies pursued in different fora, including oppositions and cancellations before IP offices and company name change proceedings before the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
ALG attorneys combine chamber practice with court practice. Over the years the firm has successfully assisted its clients in conducting searches, seizures, raids and obtaining injunctions and orders in cases of counterfeit goods, piracy, trademark infringement and passing off suits.
ALG has prosecuted thousands of trademark applications for its clients, successfully obtaining registration for an overwhelming majority. This is in large part attributable to comprehensively considered clearances and filing strategies, high-quality representations before the IP registries, and proactive and comprehensive opposition and cancellation strategies that are detail-oriented and dovetail the clients’ higher-level strategic objectives.
The firm 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 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. The firm’s partners and other attorneys are based out of diverse locations within the country, and it is through them that the firm has strength in such locations and a pan-Indian presence.
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.
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.