Lall & Sethi

The firm: Lall & Sethi was founded by Mr Chander M Lall and Mr Sandeep Sethi, both of whom are designated senior advocates. Lall & Sethi is an IP boutique with a focus on IP laws including trade marks, copyright, designs, patents, confidential information and trade secrets, entertainment and sports laws, information technology laws. The firm provides a complete range of services including filing and prosecution of applications, oppositions and cancellation proceedings, searching and watching services, renewals, licensing and registered users, franchising, IP audits and enforcement of rights through civil, criminal or administrative measures.

Lall & Sethi ensures that its attorneys and staff are trained in best practices followed across the globe and understand and respect client needs. Such training and knowledge has resulted in some of the ground-breaking decisions in the region, with intellectual property begun on the desks of Lall & Sethi offices, be it decisions on well-known and famous marks, version recordings in music, unique region-specific John Doe and Anton Pillar type search and seizure orders. All litigation including drafting and court appearances is handled by in-house experienced litigators.

The firm takes pride in having the best IT systems in the world. Its IP management software, developed in-house, ensures that timely responses are sent and deadlines are strictly adhered to. The docketing systems have minimal manual interface, virtually eliminating human errors. On other fronts, an assembly-line approach ensures that each task is undertaken by a member of staff who is thoroughly familiar with the task. On client reporting, it is possible for a client to monitor the work on a real-time basis by requesting password-protected access to the database. An optional fixed fee schedule ensures that the cost benefits of repetitive services on bulk files and use of efficient systems is passed on to the client.

Areas of practice
Trade marks: Lall & Sethi provides the full range of services in the field of trade marks including filing and prosecution of applications including applications under the Madrid treaty, oppositions and cancellation proceedings; searching and watching services; renewals; drafting of licences, assignments, registered user agreements, franchise agreements; IP audits and initiating and pursuing civil, criminal and administrative enforcement actions.

Patents: the patent practice at Lall & Sethi encompasses a complete package offering the services of watching and searching including opinions on validity, enforceability and infringement, filing and prosecution of patent applications, pre-grant and post-grant proceedings, dispute resolution, strategising and advising, portfolio management, and enforcement of patents. The patent professionals of the firm have wide experience in drafting applications of various technologies and liaising with inventors, technical experts and in-house patent counsels in the preparation of specifications. The firm also helps its clients devise a patent strategy across various jurisdictions. The firm is capable of handling patents from varied fields which include chemistry, polymers, biochemistry, biotechnology, pharmaceutics and related subject matter, mechanical, electrical and electronics, telecommunication, IT and software, medical devices, packaging and related subject matter.

Copyright: Lall & Sethi provides the complete range of services in the field of copyright including filing and prosecution of applications and pursuing civil, criminal and administrative enforcement actions. In its erstwhile avatar, Lall & Sethi was responsible for the anti-piracy operations in India of the Motion Picture Association (MPA), a consortium of the seven leading Hollywood studios. By strategically using a combination of criminal, civil and administrative enforcement procedures film piracy levels were brought down throughout India by several percentage points.

Designs: Lall & Sethi provides the complete range of services in the field of designs including filing and prosecution of applications; cancellation proceedings; searching services; drafting of licences and assignments; IP audits and pursuing civil and administrative enforcement actions.

Geographical indications: Lall & Sethi provides the complete range of services in the field of geographical indications including filing and prosecution of applications and pursuing civil and administrative enforcement actions.

Brand protection:  Lall & Sethi provides Total Legal & Business Solution (TLBS), Brand risk Management & Strategy, Investigations, Enforcement, Customs & Border Protection.