Essenese Obhan

Managing Partner

Recognitions

Essenese Obhan, has been recognized by WIPR  2024 Leaders as a “leading IP strategist” and WIPR Leader” in the 5th edition of the directory.
Essenese Obhan has been ranked as a Litigation Star 2024.
WTR 1000: The World's Leading Trademark Professionals since 2023
Essenese Obhan has been ranked by IAM Strategy 300 as one of the World’s Leading IP Strategists in 2021
Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars: Essenese Obhan ranked as a leading IP practitioner
IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners 2021: 'Managing partner and mechanical engineer Essenese Obhan’s services are highly sought after by Fortune 500 companies and some of India’s most prominent businesses alike.'
Essenese Obhan has been featured as a ‘Leading Individual’ in the Legal 500 Rankings "Essenese Obhan leads on the full range of IP matters at Obhan & Associates with significant recent instructions involving international infringement arbitration, patent and trade mark dilution litigation and other enforcement actions before the tribunals and registries across India."
Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific 2020 "Essenese Obhan has accumulated considerable experience in the IP space, and is particularly noted for patent work. "Obhan is the practitioner who is good at patent drafting," commentators point out. On top of patent filings, he is also well versed in patent prosecutions, oppositions as well as litigations."
IAM Strategy 300 – 2019 "Essenese Obhan has been ranked by IAM Strategy 300 as The World's Leading IP Strategists 2019"
Chambers Asia – Asia's leading lawyer for business 2019 "Essenese Obhan described as "a dominant personality with gravitas, who walks into the courtroom and holds his own."
IAM Patent 1000 – The World's Leading Patent Practitioners 2019 "In just 12 years, founder Essenese Obhan has steered his eponymous outfit Obhan & Associates to an enviable position in the Indian IP market, establishing a fantastic reputation for “proactive guidance” and “consistently high-quality work” in the process."
Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars – 2019 "Essenese Obhan and partner Aparna Kareer are the key individuals for patents."
The Legal 500- 2019
Chambers Asia – Asia's leading lawyer for business 2018 "Essenese Obhan is noted by a peer as a “very dynamic” practitioner with an increasing prominence in the market."
IAM Patent 1000 – The World's Leading Patent Practitioners 2018 "Essenese Obhan is an exceptional professional, delivering patent advice that is “clear and straight to the point."
Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars – 2018 "Essenese Obhan is respected for litigation support, opinion work and oppositions."
The Legal 500- 2018
Whos who legal 2018 "Essenese Obhan has been selected as being one of the world's leading Patent Agents."
Corporate Intl Magazine Global Award 2018 - IP Patents Law Firm of the Year in India
The Legal 500: Asia Pacific as Leading Lawyer since 2016
IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners since 2013
Managing Intellectual Property: IP Star since 2010
Chambers Asia Pacific: Asia’s leading lawyer for business since 2009
About Essenese :

Essenese Obhan is the managing partner of Obhan & Associates, ranked among India’s leading firms. As an Intellectual Property lawyer and Patent Agent he is considered “a strategically minded IP veteran with several high-stakes, high-profile licensing disputes under his belt”, and “is the first choice for many Fortune 500 companies and leading domestic businesses.”

Described as “versatile and meticulous” and “an ideal IP attorney” for his “sharp understanding of technology”, Essenese has been instructed on matters involving IP infringement, passing off and dilution, international arbitration involving IP disputes, and other enforcement actions before the courts and tribunals across India. Besides these, he also leads the team in non-contentious matters including handling global portfolios, IP acquisition and transfer exercises and prosecution services.

Essenese leads a “well-respected practice” with three offices across India – Delhi, Pune and Bangalore – and is considered “adept” at handling IP work for sectors such as engineering, electronics & communications, IT, software, biotechnology, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, nanotechnology and agribusiness.

Frequently sought out by major multinationals for “his business-savvy advice on portfolio management, strategy and licensing”, Essenese has successfully led the team in several litigious matters for clients, including ad interim patent and trade mark injunctions, securing permanent trademark injunction for the security solutions provider G4S; defended clients against multiple claims of infringement from patent trolls; and advised a leading domestic advertising agency in copyright dispute against a global ad major. Essenese also oversees the enforcement team that has deep experience in conducting local commissions against counterfeiters across the country, in response to court orders for this purpose that it receives routinely.

Known for being “very professional”, “extremely capable”, and for providing responsive, tailored quality service, Essenese has built a “prompt and approachable” practice that is increasingly an instinctive choice for clients for everything – from managing large portfolios to prosecution, licensing, as well as contentious proceedings, including oppositions in trademark or patent matters before various IP offices.

Essenese has been consistently recognised for over a decade, for his practice across leading directories, including Chambers 500, the Legal 500, IAM 1000, WTR 1000, AsiaLaw, Benchmark Litigation, and Managing IP:

Chambers 2024: “Essenese Obhan is very professional and has exemplary service quality. He is extremely capable and what stands out is he anticipates what a client wants in advance which is comforting.

The Legal 500 2024: “Essenese Obhan is an expert in his field, and we greatly value his counsel and

thought through advice” and is known for “In-depth knowledge on intellectual property matters and responsiveness to a client’s needs.”

WTR 1000 2024: “Versatile and meticulous managing partner Essenese Obhan handles drafting, prosecution and often high-profile, SEP-related licensing and litigation matters. Major multinationals seek out his business-savvy advice on portfolio management, strategy and licensing.”

IAM Patent 1000 2023: “Managing partner Essenese Obhan is a strategically minded IP veteran with several high-stakes, high-profile licensing disputes under his belt, some of which pertained to SEPs. His mechanical engineering background gives him an edge when it comes to drafting, prosecuting and litigating complex technical inventions, and his sharp mind allows him to dispense excellent advice to major companies seeking to develop and manage their IP portfolios.”

Essenese is a frequent speaker on patent protection and enforcement issues across the country and abroad, and conducts customized IP training modules for companies. He serves on the executive council of the Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA). He is also a member of the International Trademark Association (INTA) and the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI). The firm has also  been recognised by the Legal 500 (2022) for its efforts in corporate social responsibility, pro bono advice, and promoting artists and supporting underprivileged children.

Practice Areas :

Other Intellectual Property

A design right protects the distinct appearance of a product, by providing a monopoly over the design of the p...

Design Litigation

The Firm has qualified attorneys with expertise and vast experience in litigation, appearing regularly in all ...

Trademark & Copyright Litigation

The Firm has qualified attorneys with expertise and vast experience in litigation, appearing regularly in all ...

Patent Litigation

The Firm has qualified attorneys with expertise and vast experience in litigation, appearing regularly in all ...

Employment Litigation

The Firm has qualified attorneys with expertise and vast experience in litigation, appearing regularly in all ...

Corporate Commercial Litigation

The Firm has qualified attorneys with expertise and vast experience in litigation, appearing regularly in all ...

Litigation

The Firm has qualified attorneys with expertise and vast experience in litigation, appearing regularly in all ...

Plant Variety Protection

Plant variety protection provides legal protection of a plant variety to a breeder in the form of Plant Breede...

Design Laws

A design right protects the distinct appearance of a product, by providing a monopoly over the design of the p...

Copyright Laws

A copyright comes into existence as soon as an original published or unpublished literary, artistic, dramatic,...