Ishraga Abutaha

Abutaha Intellectual Property is a prominent IP company providing protection, enforcement and commercialisation of IP rights in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA), Europe and the US. As one of the leading IP companies in the UAE, the firm provides a comprehensive portfolio of services, including: trademark: registration, opposition, cancellation, renewal and enforcement; patent: drafting, prosecution and litigation, focusing on complex technical innovations; copyright: protection of creative works, including software, music, digital content and literary works; IP litigation and dispute resolution: representation before local and regional courts, arbitral tribunals and administrative bodies for IP disputes; as well as trade secrets and licensing: extending to the protection of business innovations through trade secrets, licence agreements and franchising arrangements.

With more than 25 years’ IP specialisation, Founder and Managing Director Ishraga Abutaha has built a reputable career affording counsel to multinational corporations, regional businesses and government entities on complex IP matters. Ms Abutaha’s services go beyond advisory – also spanning landmark IP litigation and arbitration, wherein she has played a key role in setting precedents in the region. Her key contributions include serving for 15 years as a court-appointed expert, providing technical and legal expertise in landmark IP cases. In addition, she has successfully developed more than 25 judicial principles aligning regional IP law with international best practices, such as trademark and patent disputes. She has acted as an arbitrator and mediator in IP disputes, helping clients achieve fair and enforceable solutions. Meanwhile, her professional affiliations include: member – AIPPI UAE; member – INTA; registered arbitrator – WIPO Arbitration Center; as well as associate member – DIAC.

Ms Abutaha noted: “I distinguish myself from my peers by prioritising long-term relationships with clients, and I take the time to fully understand their unique needs. My strengths include an ability to simplify complex legal issues and sharp attention to detail – combined with my strong commitment to deliver results quickly and efficiently. Typical clients comprise businesses and startups, as well as international and local clients who are seeking expert guidance in navigating complex challenges. Recent trends I have observed relate to digital copyright enforcement, such as music rights in digital media, which present their own specific complexities. With the rise of streaming sites and online content sharing, music copyright and royalty enforcement has been further complicated by piracy, lack of licensing regimes and jurisdictional problems. However, we continually seek solutions, and as such, we recently assisted a major international record label in successfully enforcing digital copyright in the MENA region.”