Next Generation Partners

Intellectual property in Sri Lanka

LegalBase

Ali Tyebkhan leads the ‘outstanding’ IP team at LegalBase, which fields expertise in handling brand protection matters, regulatory IP issues and the IP aspects of NFTs and Metaverse-focused mandates. The caseload often involves multi-jurisdictional IP matters. Sudath Perera stands out for his abilities in advising on piracy, anti-counterfeiting, and brand protection matters. Natasha Burhan is a key figure to note in the team.

Practice head(s):

Ali Tyebkhan


Other key lawyers:

Sudath Perera; Natasha Burhan


Testimonials

‘LegalBase are excellent. Their cutting-edge technology is market-leading and they keep enhancing and upgrading their tech to keep ahead of new developments. The team are very sharp, proactive and have deep domain knowledge and experience.’

‘They are particular strong and effective at handling complex and sophisticated matters. This is coupled with the practical and commercial forward-thinking solutions they come up with to any issues we have to deal with.’

‘The team led by Ali Tyebkhan has highly skilled professionals with deep experience. Ali is outstanding. We really value the client service, billing transparency and value and their ability to partner with us rather than operate as an external adviser.’

Key clients

Edible Arrangements


M Advocates


Al Dahbashi Gray


Symons IP


The Smarty Train Limited


Marvel Limited


Role Models


Dilmah


K10 Apprenticeships Limited


Broker Back Office Limited


Eswaran Brothers


Mithril Asset Management


George Petch International UK


Printsource


Work highlights


  • Acted for Plasseraud IP in trade mark infringement matters in the sports and food and beverage sectors.
  • Advising Hemaya on online IP protection and reputation management in the Middle East.
  • Acts as longstanding intellectual property counsel to Smarty Train.

Sudath Perera Associates

At Sudath Perera Associates, firm managing partner and IP practice co-head Sudath Perera garners praise for his ‘good sense of the market’. Practice co-head Himani Perera is very experienced in advising prominent international clients on a plethora of IP issues, for example Apple Inc. and Puma. Key areas of instruction include advising on counterfeiting matters and infringement claims. Deshan Hewavithana and Manoj Bandara are key practitioners, and Chathurika R. Soyza, who heads up the trade marks division of the department, frequently assists with portfolio matters.

Practice head(s):

Sudath Perera; Himani Perera


Other key lawyers:

Manoj Bandara; Deshan Hewavithana; Chathurika R. Soyza


Testimonials

‘An easily accessible practice.’

‘Sudath Perera is good at client outreach.’

‘The team has been phenomenal and is able to provide exceptional service and advice in a timely manner.’

‘Sudath always understands cases from a client’s perspective.’

Key clients

Victoria’s Secret Stores Brand Management LLC


PUMA SE


D. Samson & Sons (Pvt) Ltd


Ralph Martindale & Company and The Chillington Tool Company


Apple Inc.


LEGO Juris A/S


AerCap Holdings N.V.


Work highlights


  • Acted for Ralph Martindale & Company and The Chillington Tool Company in a case involving the infringement of the ‘Chillington’ trade marks by a local counterfeiter.
  • Assisted D. Samson & Sons Ltd (DSI) with a brand infringement matter.
  • Acted for the Ralph Lauren Corporation in an infringement case, involving the seizure of counterfeit clothing.

D. L. & F. De Saram

The IP group at D. L. & F. De Saram advises across the gamut of IP matters, with a particular focus on the registration of trademarks and patents on imports into Sri Lanka, industrial designs and product liability matters. The team has experienced IP specialist Prabash De Saram and Hasanthie Manukulasooriya at the helm. Associate Ziyani Marikar left the firm in May 2023.

Practice head(s):

Prabash De Saram; Hasanthie Manukulasooriya


Other key lawyers:

Sanuji Munasinghe


Testimonials

‘The team is prompt, always up-to-date and responsive.’

‘Very courteous and responsive.’

‘They have impressive collaboration in the team.’

‘They provide advice in a timely manner.’

‘Hasanthie is a standout partner.’

‘The team comes with an abundance of knowledge in all areas and is well-informed. Where required, they coordinate with overseas parties very well when needed.’

‘The partners and associates are very resourceful and come with a diverse range of knowledge, which is not limited to their area of expertise.’

‘An excellent team of individuals.’

Key clients

ExpoLanka Holdings PLC


Go Bungy International Pte Ltd


CMC Engineering Export GmbH


Sena Mills Refineries Exports (Pvt) Ltd


The Swadeshi Industrial Works PLC


Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology Lanka (Pvt) Ltd


AVS Cargo International (Pvt) Ltd


Natural Wonders (Pvt) Ltd


Perera and Sons Bakers (Pvt) Ltd


Quickee Delivery Solutions (Pvt) Limited


Riococo Lanka Pvt Ltd


Blue Diamonds Jewellery Worldwide PLC


Kalbe International Pte Ltd


Panasonic Ecology Systems Co., Ltd


Melchers Lanka (Private) Limited


Printcare PLC


JF &I Pckaging (Pvt) Ltd


Work highlights


  • Handles the entire trade mark portfolio for Swadeshi Industrial Works PLC, as well as assisting the client with various IP-related matters.
  • Assisting Expo Lanka Holdings PLC and its subsidiaries with trade mark searches and registrations.
  • Assisting Perera and Sons Bakers (Pvt) Ltd with the registration of its trade marks relating to the food industry in Sri Lanka.

Neelakandan & Neelakandan (formerly Murugesu & Neelakandan)

The IP practice at Neelakandan & Neelakandan (formerly Murugesu & Neelakandan) is jointly led by Pranavan Neelakandan and Sivananthavalli ThuraRaja, and is well-known for its strength in advising a solid client base of prominent entities on high-profile contentious matters involving alleged infringements of trade marks. The team is equally adept at advising on IP protection matters, and the general management of key portfolios.

Practice head(s):

Pranavan Neelakandan; Sivananthavalli ThuraRaja


Other key lawyers:

Nivedhaa Hariharan


Key clients

Rolls-Royce PLC


Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited


Mini


Audi AG


Volkswagen AG


BMW AG


Bugatti International SA


Ferrari SPA


Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A


Honda Motor Company


Yamaha Corporation


Suzuki Corporation


Kawasaki Corporation


Nissan Corporation


Datsun


Kia Motor Corporation


Hyundai Motor Company


Toyota Financial Services Corporation


Kubota Corporation


JCB Corporation


Caterpillar Inc


Konecranes Global Corporation


TVS


Research in Motion


Panasonic Corporation


Mitsubishi Electric Corporation


Samsung Electronics


LG Electronics


Canon Corporation


Nikon Corporation


Fujifilm Corporation


Seiko


Marriott Worldwide Corporation


Sheraton International IP LLC


Hilton Worldwide


Ritz Carlton Hotel Company


Steigenberger Hotels AG


Hard Rock Cafe


Movenpick Holdings AG


Virgin Enterprises Limited


TUI AG


Standard Chartered Bank


DBS Bank


Deutsche Bank AG


Deutsche Telekom


Cargill Incorporated


Nando’s Limited


Kraft Food


Sunkist Growers Inc


Tramontina SA


Visa International


American Express


Emirates Airlines


Qantas Airways


Air China


Akzo Noble Coatings International BV


Asian Paints


Hafele GmbH


Bayer


Basf SE


Debenhams


Hermes International


NGB Corporation


NSK Limited


YKK Group


Philip Morris Products SA


Staedtler GmbH


Monami Co. Ltd


Grunenthal GmbH


Daiichi Sankyo Company Limited


Sun Pharmaceutical


USV Pharmaceutical


Kingfisher


ThyssenKrupp


Schneider Electric


AT&T


Puma


HEAD Technology GmbH


Tesco Store Limited


United Biscuits (UK) Limited


Dennemeyer


TWG Tea


Levi Strauss


Giorgio Armani S.p.A.


Abercrombie & Fitch Europe SA


Asos PLC


Geox SPA


Klipsch Group Inc


Seagate Technology LLC


St. Gobain Abrasives Limited


CIMA – Chartered Institute of Management Accountants


Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC


Ceylon Biscuits


Finlays Colombo Limited


Himalaya Herbals


United Breweries


TNT Express


Armani Exchange


VFS Global Services


Macmillan Publishers


University of Cambridge


Belmond


Bremont Watches


Shinsegae International


Yupo Coporation


China Central Television


Pigeon Corporation


Speedo


Wacoal Corp


Next Holdings Limited


Fulgar S.p.A


Alfa Parf Group S.p.A


British Medical Association


OTR Wheel Engineering Inc


Denk Pharama GmbH & Co


Makita Corporation


Work highlights


  • Challenging various alleged trademark infringements for BMW.
  • Acts as longstanding IP counsel to Marriott Hotels.
  • Acting for Cargill Inc against Cargills Ceylon in IP litigation.

Nithya Partners

Chamindi Ekanayake heads up the IP practice at Nithya Partners. The department has strong abilities in advising a wide range of clients on a broad array of IP matters, including trade mark registrations, the drafting of patents, and management of portfolios. The team is also well equipped to handle contentious mandates in the intellectual property space.

Practice head(s):

Chamindi Ekanayake


Testimonials

‘We are quite impressed with the firm’s impeccable work ethic and dedication to providing legal advice.’

‘Chamindi treats even the smallest question with a lot of precision in a timely fashion.’

‘Chamindi is an extremely competent and dedicated lawyer. Our organization is very lucky to have found a legal counsel of her calibre to assist us with our trademark matters.’

Key clients

Maliban Biscuit Manufactories (Pvt) Ltd


Citizens Development Business Finance PLC


Renuka Group


Anverally and Sons (Pvt) Ltd


Hatton Plantations PLC


Ceylon Fresh Teas (Pvt) Ltd


Ecolab


Gets Pharma International FZ LLC


CCL Pharmaceuticals


Barista Coffee Lanka (Pvt) Ltd


Little Lion Associates (Pvt) Ltd


KIK Lanka (Pvt) Ltd


Work highlights


  • Assisted the client with registration at the National Intellectual Property Office.
  • Successfully defended a healthcare client against a refusal by the NIPO to register trade marks.
  • Acted for Maliban Biscuit Manufactories (Pvt) Ltd in a case involving the NIPO’s initial refusal of the client’s trade marks, which were later successfully accepted for publication.

Varners

The IP practice at Varners is noted for its strength in representing clients before the NIPO, and is equally adept at advising on patent rights and regulatory issues. The client base includes aviation, technology, energy, telecoms and fashion industry names. Mahinda Haradasa specialises in advising on the IP aspects of corporate work, and leads the practice alongside Surani Wickramaratna. Senior associate Trehani Wickramaratne is a key individual in the department.

Practice head(s):

Mahinda Haradasa; Surani Wickramaratna


Other key lawyers:

Achala Jayawardena; Trehani Wickramaratne; Sahan Perera


Testimonials

‘Throughout our collaboration, Varners has demonstrated a level of professionalism, expertise, and dedication. Their team of experts possesses a deep understanding of challenges and complexities, and they go above and beyond to ensure client satisfaction.’

‘Surani Wickramaratna is not only knowledgeable and skilled in the field of IP but also possesses the unique ability to adapt and thrive in various challenging situations.’

‘A well-experienced and dynamic team that you can place trust in!’

‘Sahan Perera is a dedicated professional who is very dependable.’

‘The team at Varners is very capable of handling every kind of trademark query from complex transactions to simple ones. Their advice is always comprehensive and complete and the turnaround time for the response to any query is also very quick. It’s a pleasure working with them.’

‘Surani is a delight to work with. Her advice on any matter is always complete and up-to-date with the current practice. She is prompt with her replies.’

‘Sahan is very diligent with his advice and it has been a pleasure working with him.’

‘The team is very accessible and knowledgeable with regard to registration of trademarks.’

Key clients

Crocodile International


Alkem Laboratories Limited


The Proctor & Gamble Company


Colombo Port City Economic Commission


Abans Group of Companies


Volvo Trademark Holding AB


Federal Oats Mills SDN. Berhad


Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC


ICC Business Corporation FZ LLC


TVS Group of Companies


Alfa Laval Corporate AB


F. J. & G. De Saram

F. J. & G. De Saram‘s team of ‘highly skilled, experienced and professional’ practitioners is well versed in handling a wide scope of IP matters. The group's workload includes advising on alleged trade mark infringements, patent and design registrations and trade mark renewals. Shehara Varia specialises in IP protection matters, particularly in the corporate space, while Upekha Senaratne and Jayathri Kulatilleke both have expertise in registration and renewal work; the trio co-head the cohort.

Practice head(s):

Shehara Varia; Upekha Senaratne; Jayathri Kulatilake


Other key lawyers:

Shevanthi Perera


Testimonials

‘The team members are highly skilled, experienced, and professional.’

‘Jayathri’s communications are clear and comprehensive.’

Key clients

BASF SE


Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts


Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Inc,


Bayer Intellectual Property GmbH


Sunshine Holdings PLC


Spa Ceylon


Hayleys Adventis Limited


CBL Group


HILTON COLOMBO


Jetwing Hotels Limited


Work highlights


  • Advised the client on a trade mark opposition case, involving a a conflicting trade mark application.

Julius & Creasy

The IP offering at Julius & Creasy is led by Anomi Wanigasekera, who is very experienced in advising on enforcement, management and transactional IP-related matters. The department is noted for its strength in representing clients before the National Intellectual Property Office in cases involving infringements, injunctions, and search and seizure order cases.

Practice head(s):

Anomi Wanigasekera


Key clients

Honda Motor Company


Suzuki Motor Corporation


Bajaj Auto Ltd


Unilever PLC


Takeda Vaccines Incl


Victoria’s Secret Stores Brand Management Inc


Japan Tobacco Inc


Axiata Group Berhad


Apple Inc


Abbott Laboratories


Work highlights


  • Advised International Cricket Council on IP rights-related matters.
  • Assisted Apple Inc with trademark opposition matters.
  • Acted for Hayleys PLC on contentious IP matters.

Tiruchelvam Associates

The IP team at Tiruchelvam Associates is experienced in handling trade mark and patent design filings, and assists with managing IP portfolios. The group is also strong in contentious IP matters, often appearing before the NIPO in enforcement cases. Managing partner Ramani Muttettuwegama, senior associate Michael Paiva and associate Adheeba Ilyas are at the practice’s helm. Associate Thuwaraka Ganeshan left for an in-house role in December 2022.

Practice head(s):

Ramani Muttettuwegama; Michael Paiva; Adheeba Ilyas


Testimonials

‘Usually when we choose to cooperate with an IP company, we will consider the price, responsiveness and professionalism. They are positive in all three areas.’

‘The team responds quickly to our queries.’

Key clients

Unitalen Attorneys at Law


Shailendra Thatte & Associates


SCG Legal Counsel Ltd


FarmaPatent IP


Withers KhattarWong LLP


Remfry & Sagar


Guangzhou ZhuanLi IP Law Firm


Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP


C. S. TANG & CO. Advocates & Solicitors


JK Marcam LLP


Mohamed Idris & Bros


Morgan, Lewis & Bockius


Studio Bonini srl


APIA Proprietate Industriala


Anuation Research and Consulting LLP


Anakamus Manufacturing


BARNES & THORNBURG LLP


ATMD Bird & Bird LLP


Nanaviti Associates


Maha Chemicals (Asia) Pte Ltd


AnovIP


Saint Gobain


Shanghai Zenorr


IP ANTS


Sarvodaya Seeds Limited


CDM International (Private) Limited


Sarvasaara Agro Research and Technology Center Limited


EMIRATES PATENT & Trade Mark Attorneys & Legal Consultants


D.S.Associates


Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd


Jin Wang Cheng International Intellectual Property (Beijing) Co., Ltd.


MEGA TREND LANKA


BERENGUER & POMARES Abogados


Dhairya Shah & Associates (DSA)