Malavika Vikram

Malavika T Vikram is a senior intellectual property attorney and practice head at De Penning & De Penning, the oldest established firm of intellectual property lawyers in India, whose practice has been recognised as Copyright Law Firm of the Year in India at the Corporate INTL Global Awards 2026. As practice head for litigation, trademarks, copyright and designs, she leads work that protects and enforces the creative and commercial rights on which businesses and creators depend.

The Corporate INTL Global Awards recognise leading advisers across jurisdictions and disciplines, and an award in copyright law is a significant distinction in India, home to vibrant creative industries and a fast-growing technology sector. For the country's oldest intellectual property firm, the honour of Copyright Law Firm of the Year in India reflects both an unmatched heritage and a modern, enforcement-focused practice.

India's oldest intellectual property firm

Founded in 1856, De Penning & De Penning is the oldest established firm of intellectual property lawyers in India. The firm traces its origins to George Alfred De Penning, who filed the first patent application in India that year, and it has now provided intellectual property services for more than 165 years. This remarkable heritage places the firm at the very foundation of the Indian IP system, and it continues to serve a substantial client base from offices in Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

The firm's practice spans patents, trademarks, designs, copyright, domain names, geographical indications, market investigations, portfolio management and database search services. This full spectrum of intellectual property work allows De Penning & De Penning to support clients across the entire life cycle of their IP rights, from securing protection to enforcing rights against infringement. Within this practice, copyright and the enforcement of creative rights form an important strand, and it is here that the 2026 award focuses.

Malavika T Vikram's role and expertise

As practice head for litigation, trademarks, copyright and design, Malavika T Vikram holds a senior leadership position at the firm. Described as one of De Penning & De Penning's senior attorneys, she brings a wealth of experience in the fields of trademark, copyright and domain name protection and enforcement. Her work sits at the contentious and protective end of intellectual property practice, where rights are defended and enforced against misuse, and where strategic litigation can be decisive in safeguarding valuable brands and creative works.

Copyright law protects original works of authorship, from literary, artistic and musical creations to software and other content, and its enforcement is increasingly important in a digital environment where works can be copied and distributed with ease. Leading a practice that combines copyright with trademarks, designs and litigation gives Malavika T Vikram a broad vantage point over the ways in which intellectual property is protected and enforced in India.

• Copyright protection and enforcement
• Trademark protection, prosecution and enforcement
• Design rights and related IP matters
• Intellectual property litigation
• Domain name protection

Protecting rights in a major IP jurisdiction

India is one of the world's most significant intellectual property jurisdictions, with a large and growing economy in which brands, creative industries and technology businesses all rely on robust IP protection. Enforcing copyright and related rights requires both technical legal knowledge and practical experience of litigation and dispute strategy, precisely the combination that a senior practice head brings. For rights holders, whether Indian or international, having experienced counsel to protect and enforce their works is essential to preserving their value.

De Penning & De Penning's recognition as Copyright Law Firm of the Year in India at the Corporate INTL Global Awards 2026 reflects both the firm's unmatched heritage and the strength of its contemporary practice. Under the leadership of senior attorneys such as Malavika T Vikram, the firm continues a tradition of intellectual property excellence that began with the very first patent filed in India, offering clients the reassurance of deep experience combined with a modern, enforcement-focused approach to copyright and related rights.