Sudath Perera Associates fields a deep bench of lawyers that are ‘proactive, responsive and clear’ in their intellectual property and brand protection advice. The team is jointly led by Sudath Perera, an experienced litigator capable of conducting complex negotiations with international brand owners, and Himani Perera, another knowledgeable practitioner. It provides clients with a comprehensive intellectual property offering across a variety of sectors, handling trademark, patent and design prosecutions, copyright infringements and domain name disputes, licensing and distributorship agreements, as well as brand development matters. Manoj Bandara regularly assists the team with a number of significant matters.

D. L. & F. De Saram has an excellent reputation for its intellectual property expertise, acting for local and foreign clients operating across various sectors including consumer goods, logistics, leisure, healthcare and industrial products. Prabash De Saram and Hasanthie Manukulasooriya lead a group that is adept at advising on the registration and protection of trademarks, patents, industrial designs, and a range of other IP-related matters, including infringement disputes and product liability. It also performs due diligence exercises on the IP elements of high-caliber business transactions and the negotiation of licensing agreements. Associates Ziyani Marikar and Manavi Seneviratne frequently assist the co-heads.

The intellectual property division at Julius & Creasy advises on diverse matters such as patents, trademarks, copyrights, industrial designs and domain names, among others. The group represents numerous multinational clients, including Fortune 500 companies, as well as several leading Sri Lankan conglomerates, and is well-versed in issues before the National Intellectual Property Office (NIPO). It is also regularly instructed by leading global trademark agents in regions such as the UK, USA and Hong Kong. The team, which handles an array of other IP-related matters, is led by Anomi Wanigasekera who has extensive experience in the full range of enforcement, management and transactional matters pertaining to IP law.

With Chanaka De Silva, Aruna Samarajewa and Chamindi Ekanayake at the helm, Nithya Partners provides end-to-end intellectual property advice. The firm deals with a mixture of non-contentious and complex, high-calibre cases for both local and international clients. The team is skilled at managing trademark portfolios, and is handling a growing caseload in the pharmaceutical sector. Hearings before the National Intellectual Property Office (NIPO) is a particular strong point as the firm is regularly retained by companies to manage their extensive trademark portfolios, including one of the largest tea exporters in Sri Lanka. Other areas of expertise include patent portfolio management and due diligence investigations, especially in relation to M&A transactions.

The team of ‘commercially astute legal professionals’ at Varners represents a vast clientele from industries including pharmaceuticals, software and infrastructure, with notable growth being seen in the construction, media and entertainment sectors as of late. With the experienced Mahinda Haradasa and Surani Wickramaratna in control, the group have been increasingly appearing before the National Intellectual Property Office (NIPO) and the courts at all levels, and have advised on protecting and enforcing a number of famous international brands. It is primarily engaged in commercial matters such as licensing, portfolio management, optimisation of brand value, and the IP aspects of transactions. Advising on patents and areas including design rights, unfair competition and regulatory law are also strengths for the practice.

Skilled negotiator Ramani Muttettuwegama and head of the IP practice Michael Paiva lead the team at Tiruchelvam Associates. It is equipped to provide the full array of intellectual property advice and is primarily engaged in the export, biotechnology and healthcare sectors. The team is skilled at trademarks, design and patent filings, as well as prosecutions, enforcements and opposition actions. Due diligence exercises and the negotiation of licensing agreements are also strong points for the firm. The group regularly represents clients at the National Intellectual Property Office (NIPO), most notably in the tea export industry – one of the main sources of foreign revenue generation to Sri Lanka.