Intellectual Property Practice
Intellectual Property Lawyer in Bangalore
Trademark registration and disputes, copyright, patents and designs for founders, creators and businesses: registrations done right the first time, and enforcement that actually stops the copying.
We aim to respond within 24 hours.
- Trade Marks Registry, commercial courts & Karnataka High Court
- Confidential by default
- KUIDFC-empanelled founder
- Pro bono Fridays, by prior appointment
Your brand and your work are assets. We treat them that way.
Most people search for an IP lawyer at one of two moments: something needs registering, or something is being copied. As an intellectual property practice in Bangalore we handle both ends, starting with trademark registration done properly: a real availability search, the right trademark classes, and objection replies that are argued rather than templated.
On the enforcement side, we act in trademark infringement and passing off, copyright and design piracy, and the newer battlegrounds: brand keywords bought by competitors, lookalike listings on marketplaces, and content lifted wholesale. The right first move is usually a well-drafted notice; the credible threat behind it is a suit we are prepared to file.
For startups, IP is a funding question as much as a legal one. Our startup IP work runs alongside our corporate and commercial practice, so assignments, licences and diligence answers come from one team that knows your cap table as well as your brand.
The law at a glance
45
Trademark classes under the Nice Classification
Classes 1-34 cover goods, classes 35-45 cover services. Filing in the wrong class is the most common self-filing mistake we see.
10 yrs
Trademark registration validity
Renewable every ten years under S.25 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999, so a properly maintained mark can last indefinitely.
Life + 60
Copyright term for most works
Copyright in literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works runs for the author's lifetime plus sixty years under S.22, Copyright Act, 1957.
20 yrs
Patent term from the filing date
Under S.53 of the Patents Act, 1970, subject to annual renewal fees. Software claims must clear the S.3(k) bar first.
Terms and timelines are statutory positions and indicative ranges, not commitments. Every matter turns on its own facts.
What we handle
Intellectual property services in Bangalore
From first filing to final injunction, these are the matters our IP desk handles for individuals, startups and established businesses.
Opposition & Rectification
Opposing conflicting marks after journal publication, defending oppositions against your mark, and rectification of wrongly registered marks.
Licensing & Assignment
Licences, assignments and franchise IP terms drafted so ownership, royalties and quality control survive a falling-out.
The framework
The statutes your IP rights turn on
Each kind of intellectual property has its own statute, registry and remedies. Most matters we handle move under one or more of these.
Trade Marks Act, 1999
- S.9
- S.11
- S.18
- S.21
- S.25
- S.29
Absolute and relative grounds of refusal, applications, opposition, ten-year renewals and infringement of registered marks.
Copyright Act, 1957
- S.13
- S.14
- S.22
- S.51
- S.55
What copyright protects, the bundle of exclusive rights, the term of protection and civil remedies for infringement.
Patents Act, 1970
- S.2(1)(j)
- S.3
- S.48
- S.53
What counts as an invention, the exclusions in S.3 including computer programs per se under S.3(k), patentee rights and the twenty-year term.
Designs Act, 2000
- S.4
- S.5
- S.11
- S.22
Registrable designs, the application route, a ten-year term extendable by five, and remedies against piracy of a registered design.
Geographical Indications Act, 1999
- S.21
Rights conferred by registration of geographical indications, relevant to producer collectives and regional brands.
Commercial Courts Act, 2015
- S.2(1)(c)
- S.12A
IP disputes are commercial disputes, heard by commercial courts, with pre-institution mediation unless urgent interim relief is sought.
How a matter moves
From search to certificate, and to court if needed
Trademark registration is the spine of most IP work, so this timeline follows it. Copyright, design and patent matters follow the same shape with their own registries.
- 1
IP audit & clearance search
Week 1We map what you actually own: brand names, logos, content, code, designs and inventions, then run register and market searches to see what is free to register and where the conflicts sit.
- 2
Filing in the right classes
1-3 weeksTM-A applications in the correct Nice classes, copyright applications with the right work category, or design filings, with claims of use and priority set up correctly the first time.
- 3
Examination & objection replies
3-9 monthsThe Registry examines the application and often objects under S.9 or S.11. The reply is due within 30 days and this stage decides most applications, so it gets argued precedent, not a template.
- 4
Publication & opposition
4-month windowAccepted marks are published in the Trade Marks Journal. Anyone may oppose within four months. We prosecute and defend oppositions with evidence, and negotiate coexistence where that is the smarter outcome.
- 5
Registration & maintenance
OngoingCertificate on registration, a renewals calendar so nothing lapses, and watch alerts for conflicting applications so problems are opposed early instead of litigated late.
- 6
Enforcement when needed
As it arisesCease and desist notices, marketplace and ad-platform complaints, and suits for infringement or passing off with interim injunctions where the copying is costing you sales.
Durations are indicative and depend on Registry workload and whether objections or oppositions are raised. An unopposed trademark commonly registers in 8 to 18 months.
Choosing a remedy
Trademark infringement or passing off: which action fits
Whether your mark is registered decides which action you bring, what you must prove and how fast relief can come. This is the honest version of that choice.
| Trademark infringement (S.29) | Passing off | |
|---|---|---|
| Registration needed | Yes. The mark must be on the register. | No. S.27(2) of the Trade Marks Act preserves the action for unregistered marks. |
| What you must prove | Use of an identical or deceptively similar mark for the same or similar goods or services. | Goodwill, misrepresentation likely to confuse buyers, and damage: the classical trinity. |
| Reliefs available | Injunction, damages or an account of profits, and delivery up of infringing material. | The same reliefs, but the burden of proving reputation through sales and advertising evidence is on you. |
| Speed (indicative) | Interim injunctions can come within weeks in a strong, documented case. | Usually slower to start, because goodwill evidence has to be assembled first. |
| Where the suit is filed | District or commercial court, including where you carry on business, under S.134. | District or commercial court under the ordinary CPC jurisdiction rules. |
Timelines are indicative, drawn from how these suits typically move before Bengaluru's commercial courts.
Where you might be right now
IP situations we handle every week
Most clients do not arrive asking for a statute. They arrive with a deadline or a copycat. These are the situations we see most, and what we actually do about each.
Received a trademark examination report?
You have 30 days to respond or the application is treated as abandoned. We draft argued replies to S.9 and S.11 objections with precedent and evidence of use, and appear at show-cause hearings.
Someone copying your brand, logo or packaging?
We preserve evidence first, then act: a cease and desist notice where it will work, and a suit with an interim injunction application where the copying is eating your sales.
Competitor bidding on your brand name in Google Ads?
We combine platform complaint routes with legal notices, and litigation where the ad text or landing page crosses into infringement or passing off.
Investor diligence flagged gaps in your IP?
We fix chains of title: assignments from founders, ex-employees and vendors, clearance searches and priority filings, sequenced so the round can close on time.
Your content, code or designs used without a licence?
Takedown notices under the intermediary rules, followed by S.51 and S.55 remedies. Many matters settle at the notice stage on payment of licence fees.
Received a cease and desist notice yourself?
Do not reply in panic and do not ignore it. We assess whether there is a real infringement, respond within the timeline, and negotiate coexistence or a controlled rebrand where that is cheaper than a fight.
Fees, honestly
How we charge for IP work
Registration work is predictable, so it is priced that way. Contested work is not, so it is staged instead of open-ended. Either way the structure goes into writing before any work begins.
- Fixed fees for defined filings. Trademark, copyright and design applications, objection replies and notices are quoted as one figure before we begin.
- Official fees are billed at actuals and shown separately. For example, the e-filing government fee for one trademark class is Rs. 4,500 for individuals, startups and small enterprises, and Rs. 9,000 for other entities.
- Stage-wise fees for contested work: oppositions, rectifications and infringement suits are broken into stages stated in the engagement letter.
- No outcome is ever promised. Registration and litigation both depend on the Registry and the court, and anyone guaranteeing a result is overselling.
Protect it before someone else uses it
A short conversation is usually enough to know what should be registered, what is enforceable and what it will cost. Friday is our pro bono day: send the question in first and we confirm a slot as availability allows.
Every enquiry is privileged and confidential. Nothing you share leaves this firm.
Frequently Asked Questions
What intellectual property matters do you handle?+−
We advise on trademarks, copyright, and patent basics, along with IP licensing and assignment agreements and disputes arising from infringement or unauthorised use. We assist individuals, startups, and businesses in Bangalore at both the registration and enforcement stages.
What is the difference between a trademark, a copyright, and a patent?+−
A trademark protects brand identifiers such as names, logos, and slogans; copyright protects original creative works such as writing, art, music, and software code; and a patent protects new inventions and processes. Each is governed by a different statute and has its own registration process and term of protection.
How is a trademark registered in India?+−
Trademark registration generally involves a search for conflicting marks, filing an application in the relevant class before the Trade Marks Registry, examination, publication for opposition, and registration if no valid objection succeeds. We assist with the search, filing, and responses to examination reports or oppositions.
Do I need to register my copyright?+−
Copyright in an original work exists automatically on creation and is not dependent on registration. However, registration under the Copyright Act, 1957 provides useful documentary evidence of ownership, which can help in enforcement. We advise on whether registration is worthwhile in your situation.
What can I do if someone infringes my intellectual property?+−
Depending on the facts, remedies can include a cease-and-desist notice, opposition or rectification before the Registry, and civil or, in certain cases, criminal proceedings seeking injunctions, damages, or account of profits. We assess the strength of your rights and recommend a proportionate course of action.