Obhan & Associates

Firm overview: Obhan & Associates (O&A) is a reputed, skilled and professionally managed law firm with years of experience in IP and corporate law. With a team of highly qualified and experienced legal professionals, O&A offers a one-stop solution in IP and corporate law. The firm stands out for its approach towards understanding the requirements of a client and providing unique solutions with quick turn-around time. O&A has a pan-India presence with offices situated at New Delhi, Pune Mumbai and Bengaluru. The firm has a well-balanced domestic and international clientele and represents a cross-section of industries. O&A’s varied client base includes leading business houses, individual inventors, start-ups, universities and national and international corporations.

The firm prides itself on the diversity in its workplace and is committed to building a happy and supportive work environment. The firm has been ranked as the Best Law firm for Women in India by Vahura.

O&A has regularly been recognised as a leading practice in India by a number of international legal publications, including Chambers Asia Pacific, Managing Intellectual Property, IAM Patent 1000, WTR 1000, IFLR 1000,Asialaw Profiles and Legal 500. The firm has been recognised by Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific for its contribution to one of the most impactful and notable matters. The firm’s corporate practice has have been ranked in the category of ‘Recognised Firm for India’ by IFLR 1000 31st Edition. The AsiaLaw 2023 rankings also recognise the media & and entertainment, intellectual property and corporate M&A practices of the firm. O&A’s managing partner, Essenese Obhan, has been recognised as leading lawyer for IP by various publication including Chambers Asia, IAM Strategy 300, IAM Global Leaders, Asia LawLeading Lawyers and India Business Law Journal. The India Business Law Journal in its definitive list of the country’s top 100 private practice lawyers for 2018 has ranked Ashima Obhan, the head of the firm’s corporate law and M&A practice, as one of the top 100 lawyers in India. Chambers and Partners recognised Ashima Obhan and ’Highly Commended’ her in the category of Private Practice (Individual) Generational Inclusion Lawyer of the Year 2020. Asian Legal Business recognised Ashima Obhan as one of India’s top TMT / Fintech Lawyers.

Main areas of practice:
IP practice: O&A comprises of professionals from diverse backgrounds, all of whom combine excellence in their areas of specialisation with a strong understanding of the Indian IP system. O&A’s IP team has skilled professionals experienced in prosecution and contentious proceedings before the various registries under the Intellectual Property Office and courts all across the country. The IP team is qualified and has experience in the following technologies: mechanical, industrial, chemical, nanotechnology, biotech, electrical, electronics, software, telecoms and packaging. The IP team represents clients before the patent office, trademark office, the registrar of copyrights, the controller of designs and the various courts in India.

Members of the firm periodically dedicate time and resources on pro bono matters. The firm is a lead sponsor for a patent drafting course (SEAD) and encourages knowledge building and training exercises. O&A has been investing and conducting industry specific workshops and sessions for individual inventors and start-ups, apprising them of the various nuances of gaining IP rights, etc. The firm has also been working with students from IIT, Delhi and drafting and filing their trademark and patent applications as well as drafting and negotiating the commercial agreements that they propose to enter with third parties.

Corporate law and M&A practice: O&A’s highly experienced corporate team provides a broad range of transactional and advisory services and prides itself on building personal relationships with its clients and providing a responsive, tailored service that will meet the specific needs of each of its clients.

The firm’s mergers and acquisitions team has experience and expertise in acting on complex, high-value, cross-border work as well as a range of smaller transactions. The firm advises on the full range of deal structures from public takeovers/offers through to divestments, private transactions and demergers. O&A advises on structuring of investments, formation of Indian entities, joint ventures, asset purchases, acquisitions and divestments, due diligence and related regulatory approvals.

The firm has been actively advising its clients in the publishing industry on various aspects of Indian law such as author contracts, contracts granting options to buy film rights to certain books, licensing arrangements and more. The team has been undertaking legal reviews of nonfiction manuscripts prior to their publication, and advising clients on the issues that may arise from the same such as defamation, sedition, hate speech, infringement of personality rights etc.

The firm also advises international news organisations on the various regulations that apply to news entities in India, including on foreign direct investment matters, ideal organisational structures and conducting pre-publication reviews of news pieces. The firm has been advising a leading broadcaster on how to restructure its Indian newsgathering operations, organisational compliances and reviewing its newsgathering workflows. The firm has also advised such organisations on mitigation strategies and procedures to be undertaken in the event of governmental search and seizure operations.

Managing partner: Essenese Obhan
Number of partners: 7
Number of lawyers: 49
Languages: English
Offices: New Delhi, Pune, Mumbai and Bengaluru