The practice of legal consulting has always been an integral part of our country’s system and governance. With the changing times, globalization and digitalization, the discipline of law has undergone a significant transformation. With it, the need for legal consultants and advisors has also surged.
This special edition titled, Prominent Legal Consultants in India, emphasizes the necessity of meeting this surging demand with quality consulting and advisory services. On the same note, we set sail to seek and exhibit firms that possess the passion and expertise in providing the best of services and solutions to clients. One name that stands out is R. K. Dewan & Co.
The Firm
R. K. Dewan & Co. was founded by Raj Kumar Dewan in 1942 and is known today to be a leading powerhouse, providing dedicated and superlative services in the field of Intellectual Property Rights for over 78 years. The firm strives towards securing IP Rights for its clients in a cost-effective manner, prioritizing client interest above all. Every case that team RKD takes up is dealt with in a client-centric manner. While building up, handling and protecting the clients’ Intellectual Property, the focus is on Personalized Professionalism and Customized Commercialism by working within the clients’ budgets and providing them with cost-effective solutions.
The firm’s mission is to deliver worldwide, a full spectrum of intellectual property services to clients ranging from individuals to large business conglomerates. RKD’s attention to quality and detail is legendary.
The four foundations on which R. K. Dewan & Co. is built are:
- Integrity – give correct and trustworthy advice to clients
- Intellectual Growth – learn continuously from and for clients & colleagues
- Excellence – ensure that work is always of the highest quality & standards
- Mutual Respect – respect the talents and worth of client & colleagues forging lasting relationships
A Close-knit Team
The Firm is presently headed by Dr Mohan Dewan, a Litigator, a Professor as well as a Registered Patent and Trademark Agent having over 50 years of Prosecution & Litigation experience in the field of IP. Dr Mohan Dewan has drafted and obtained over 8000 Patents in nearly every area of technology from Life Sciences to Engineering to Software and Electronics & Telecommunication. His areas of expertise also extend to IP commercialization including negotiating technology transfers.
Dr Mohan Dewan also serves on various committees of IP organizations such as the INTA Bulletin Committee. Frequently quoted on IP developments in India, Dr Dewan has been consistently recognized as a leading IP lawyer by various research houses such as Chambers & Partners, WTR 1000, lAMPatent 1000, MIP and Asialaw Profiles.
Leading the firm with Dr Mohan is Dr Niti Dewan, who holds a Medical Degree, and has an avid interest in Intellectual Property Rights. She is also a Registered Patent and Trademark Agent having over 25 years of dedicated practice in IP.
Currently, the firm comprises over 170 highly trained and dedicated lawyers, patent attorneys, trademark attorneys, engineers, scientists, paralegals, and administrative staff, equipped to deliver services promptly and efficiently.
The RKD team also includes a number of senior ex- Patent Controllers and Trademark Registrars & Examiners whose experience, knowledge and insight into the workings of the Patent & Trademark Offices in India are an added strength to the firm.
The firm has built a close-knit, dependable and extensive network of associates in over 125 countries. RKD is therefore able to seamlessly manage national and international IP filing, prosecution and domestic and trans-border litigation across all tiers of the judiciary. RKD also assists clients in technology transfers and commercialization through assignment, licensing and franchising globally.
A Plethora of Services cut across Industries
R. K. Dewan & Co. has, since its foundation, grown exponentially in terms of the wide spectrum of services it offers, with 7 offices strategically placed all over India- in Mumbai, Pune, New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Indore. RKD has also expanded its presence in USA and China with the establishment of dedicated liaison offices in order to cater to client needs and requirements in these locations. The firm provides services to over 4000 active corporate and individual clients worldwide including start-ups, government entities, academic & research institutions and several top Indian companies, multinational conglomerates and Fortune 500 companies.
RKD’s expertise extends to all technology areas & industry sectors including but not limited to, software, electronics & telecommunication, artificial intelligence, robotics, automobile, tools & machinery, building & construction, electrical & power, alternative energy, chemical engineering, biotechnology/ biomedical devices, pharmaceuticals, nanotechnology, textiles, agriculture, defence, education, internet, FMCGs, hospitality, food & beverages, sports, entertainment & media, fashion & luxury goods, jewellery, finance & banking and so on. It is also adept at routinely handling complex IP matters that relate to interdisciplinary subjects.
The firm has assisted clients in protecting, enforcing and commercializing their IP over decades. As a boutique law firm, it offers a one-stop-shop for all IP and Corporate services including filing, prosecution, litigation, conveyancing, Patents, Trademarks & Service Marks, Designs, Copyright, Litigations & Anti-Counterfeit Actions, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Agreements, IP Audit, Transfer Of IP Rights (IP Commercialization/ Monetization), IP Training & Education, IP Strategy & Consulting (Advice & Opinion). RKD represents the best of IP services that are offered in India and puts the country in a good light in front of international stakeholders.
Spot Light:
Dr Mohan Dewan has seen the law fraternity evolve for more than 50 years. He describes this journey as one long learning experience which never fails to amaze him. Given a choice, he would love to live his life all over again without a change. When you have such an industry veteran, it is inevitable for questions to pop up and amazing pearls of wisdom to be shared. So here’s what the stalwart, Dr Mohan Dewan has to say:
On e-court platforms and digitization:
The e-court platforms and digitization of the judicial process is a welcome move as it will reduce and do away with delays, laches, administrative limitations and constraints in the legal fraternity, the Courts and most importantly, for the Clients/Parties. It will also serve towards the conservation of resources, reduce turnaround time and at the same time will also remove the time restraints of the legal process and time lags in litigations. However, one needs to be cautious regarding its limitations, such as, compromise on the security of information which needs to be handled effectively.
On Law Education in India:
The traditional Law education in India only aids lawyers in learning law and does not train them to practice. There is no emphasis on human skills and how lawyers should deal with the courts, judges and clients. The court-craft is absent and lacking. At RKD, we train lawyers on how to apply the law they have learnt and teach them the skills that go beyond the course.
The Future of Legal Industry:
As lawyers, we need to adapt constantly. The Law fraternity needs to grow organically and improvise continuously. As lawyers, we don’t know what kind of clients we have to deal with every day. RKD, in a day, gets clients ranging from someone in the automobile sector to sanitizer to homeopathy medicine to an agricultural tool. The next client is as unique as the previous one and we need to be ready for it. The future, like the present times show, will be focused on how a lawyer doesn’t need be physically present in the courts to take care of the legal needs of clients. The current e-court system is a half-hearted attempt and I’m sure things will improve as the system evolves.
On the Future of RKD:
We envision spreading IP awareness across the country so that every person irrespective of age or background or industry sector – whether he/ she is a student, a manager, working in R&D, or owning a small paan shop on the roadside – every Indian is aware of the benefits of IP and knows how to take measures to successfully protect, enforce and/or commercialize his/her IP, whether in India or internationally, to gain a definite business advantage.
Patents
- Drafting patent specifications
- Filing and prosecuting applications at the Indian Patent Office and under the PCT
- Filing and prosecuting applications internationally in cooperation with our foreign associates
- Journal watch services
- Comprehensive patent searching with analysis & legal opinion for:
– Prior art
– Novelty
– Patentability
– Freedom to operate/practice (FTO)
– Invalidation
– Litigation support
– White space analysis
– Technology maps
- Oppositions
– Pre-grant & post-grant
– Observation submissions
– Ex-parte and inter partes proceedings
- Invalidation/revocation proceedings at Appellate Board
- Post registration services such as renewals and filing statement of working
Patent Fields of Expertise
Chemical
Life Sciences
Engineering
Computer Implemented Inventions
Nanotechnology Robotics & Artificial Intelligence
Internet of Things
Interdisciplinary Technologies
IP Policy
- Establishing & implementing institution-wide IP policies
- Establishing corporate IP cells
Madrid Protocol
- Filing international registration for Indian owners
- Responding to objections of the national offices
- Opposition proceedings
- Post registration services
Trade Marks and Service Marks
- Registration of trademarks/ service marks in India and internationally
- Registrations internationally with the cooperation of our foreign associates
- Opposition and revocation proceedings
- Searches locally and internationally
- Clearance of title & Brand selection advice
- Journal watch services & Renewals
- Appellate Board proceedings
IP Valuation
- Technical
- Legal
- Commercial
Litigation
- Prosecuting and defending civil suits for infringement of trademarks, patents, designs and copyrights
- Suits for passing off
- Criminal cases for trademarks and copyrights
- Anti-piracy measures
- Anti-counterfeit actions
- Appeals from orders of the patent & trademark office
- Writ petitions
Alternate Dispute Resolution
Designs
- Applications for registration of designs
- Searches locally and internationally
- Journal watch services
- Infringement and opinions on the validity of Designs
- Cancellation proceedings
- Renewals
Copyright
- Copyright registrations in India
- Copyright registrations internationally
- Cancellation proceedings
Other Services
- Business transfer
- Technology transfer
- Assignment, licensing, franchising
- Software development
- Joint venture
- Confidentiality & Non-disclosure
- Employment
- Vendors, distributors, manufacturers
Corporate Services
- Incorporation (Company, LLP, non-profit, Partnership Firm)
- Drafting/Vetting Corporate Agreements
- Due Diligence and Consultation on Merger/Amalgamation/Demerger along with all related compliances
- Consultation on Foreign Collaboration including Joint Venture and compliances related thereto
- Representation/Appearance before the National Company Law Tribunal & Commercial Courts
- Compliance under Corporate Laws including Annual Compliances
- Compliances relating to Alteration in Company Information
- Consultation and Compliance – Foreign Direct Investment
- Cases under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code
- Arbitrations on a full range of civil matters and company law matters
IP Training and Education
- Conducting workshops and seminars for law students, corporations, trade associations, government entities
- Lecturing at law colleges, engineering colleges and universities
Transfer of IP Rights
Due Diligence & Negotiation
- Assignment
- Licensing
- Mortgaging
- Identification of partners for assignment, licensing, joint-ventures
- Franchising
- Transfer of technology
- Transmission
IP Audit
- Inspection & scrutiny of IP portfolios
- Preparing comprehensive reports
Social Media Enforcement
Internet Domain Issues
Accreditations and Accolades
R. K. Dewan & Co. is accredited with ISO Certification and has been consistently recognized as a Leading IP firm. During the years 2017-2018, the firm received awards from World Trademark Review 1000 (Gold Tier), Chambers & Partners, Legal 500 (Band 1) and was ‘Highly Recommended’ by IAM Patent 1000. It received the Client Choice Awards – Patents in 2018 and has been verified by MIP as one of the top 3 PCT filers from India for 3 years in a row.
R. K. Dewan & Co. as a firm and its professional team of Lawyers and Patent Engineers and other professionals are members of various IP bodies such as INTA (International Trademark Association); AIPPI (International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property); AIPLA (American Intellectual Property Law Association); APAA (Asian Patent Attorneys Association), CIPA (Chartered Institute for Patent Attorneys); Marques, PTMG (Pharmaceutical Trademarks Group); FICPI (International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys), CII (Confederation of Indian Industries); MCCIA (Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture) and ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India).
Raising IP Awareness
Frequently invited as a speaker at conferences, Dr Dewan is passionate about teaching IP and conducts training workshops for IP office examiners, judges, corporates, government entities & academic institutions. The firm and its members also take active steps towards increasing IP awareness in the country. RKD conducts several IP Training and Education programs, from arranging workshops and seminars for corporations, trade associations, government entities, to lecturing at law colleges, engineering colleges and universities.
The Keys to R. K. Dewan & Co.’s Success
The firm is constantly working on fine-tuning and moulding its services to meet the expectations of the client and to adapt to the changes in laws. Over the years, RKD has emerged as a highly reliable, trustworthy and efficient firm. Of the several reasons that make it the go to choice in a highly competitive legal market, here are some that resonate with what the clients feel:
- Responsive – the firm responds to clients within 24 hours, at the maximum
- Technical, commercial and legal expertise along with attention to detail
- A pan-India presence
- Provision of innovative and customized solutions for clients
- Cost-effectiveness and values of honesty, transparency and respect
- Incredible infrastructure and policies that allow the firm to handle a large number of matters while giving individualized attention to clients
- One stop for all verticals of IP and all matters ranging from prosecution, enforcement to monetization, including corporate law
- Giving clients the assurance that their interests are well looked after
“A hub of IP Excellence, R. K. Dewan & Co. continues to gain momentum and recently opened several new offices, expanding its network to six cities across the country. Domestic titans such as Tata Consultancy Services flick to its doors for cradle-to-grave brand protection- a testament to the consistently high quality of its work. Its finely tuned prosecution leaves no stone unturned, while its contentious firepower allows it to take any dispute by the horns without breaking a sweat. At the top of the totem pole is Mohan Dewan, who has spent over four decades at the IP coalface; From leading anti-counterfeiting actions to shepherding lucrative transactions to close, he has seen and done it all.” – Source: WTR 1000 Rankings 2017
“The team’s performance is undoubtedly flawless, report sources, adding: It has a good worldwide reach and the lawyers are quick to listen to feedback. Market Commentators state: The team is very professional and knowledgeable, as well as well-connected in many countries, which helps us a lot.” – Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific 2017
