Dr Malathi Lakshmikumaran

Dr Malathi Lakshmikumaran is an Executive Director and practice head at Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (L&S), one of India's leading full-service law firms, based in New Delhi. Her recognition as recipient of the Corporate INTL Global Awards 2026 — Intellectual Property Law Firm of the Year in India reflects the firm's standing as a powerhouse of intellectual property practice in one of the world's fastest-growing innovation economies.

The firm

Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan was founded in 1985 and has grown into a full-service firm with a team of more than 360 legal experts. Guided by the values it expresses as "Integrity. Knowledge. Passion.", the firm integrates deep, multidisciplinary expertise across all major practice areas, offering clients more than thirty distinct practices ranging from arbitration, customs and direct tax to data protection and technology, employment, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, securities law and sustainability. Within this broad platform, intellectual property is a flagship strength. The firm's IP practice covers patents, trademarks, IP litigation and plant variety protection, and it is recognised by major international directories including Chambers & Partners, The Legal 500 and IAM 1000.

A leader in intellectual property

As Executive Director and head of practice in New Delhi, Dr Malathi Lakshmikumaran leads work at the forefront of Indian intellectual property law. Her leadership role within a firm of this scale places her at the centre of significant patent, trademark and IP-litigation matters, advising innovators and businesses on how to secure, manage and defend their intangible assets. The combination of a large, specialised IP team with the resources of a full-service firm enables the practice to handle everything from prosecution and portfolio management to complex enforcement and cross-practice matters where IP intersects with tax, corporate and regulatory law.

Intellectual property in India

India has emerged as one of the most important jurisdictions in the world for intellectual property. A large and technically sophisticated economy, a thriving pharmaceutical and technology sector, and a rapidly expanding base of domestic innovation have made the protection and enforcement of IP rights a central commercial concern. India's legal framework provides for patents, trademarks, copyright, designs, geographical indications and the protection of plant varieties, administered through dedicated offices and supported by specialised courts and tribunals. Patent practice in fields such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and software raises distinctive and closely watched questions, and enforcement of rights through litigation has become increasingly significant.

For domestic and international businesses alike, navigating this landscape requires advisers who combine technical understanding with procedural and litigation expertise. Whether the task is building a global patent portfolio, protecting a brand across a vast and diverse market, defending or challenging rights in court, or securing protection for new plant varieties, clients need counsel with both depth and breadth. A firm that has specialised in these areas for decades, with a large IP team and consistent recognition from leading directories, is well equipped to meet that demand.

India's importance in the global innovation economy continues to grow, with rising numbers of domestic patent and trademark filings, an expanding start-up ecosystem, and multinational companies increasingly treating the country as a centre for research and development rather than merely a market. This shift heightens the need for sophisticated IP strategy: protecting inventions and brands, licensing technology, resolving disputes and enforcing rights efficiently across a large and complex jurisdiction. Leading Dr Malathi Lakshmikumaran's practice within a firm of L&S's scale means guiding clients through exactly these strategic and technical challenges, and helping them extract lasting commercial value from their intellectual property.

Recognition

By naming Dr Malathi Lakshmikumaran and Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan Intellectual Property Law Firm of the Year in India for 2026, the Corporate INTL Global Awards recognise a market-leading practice. With its substantial team, comprehensive coverage of patents, trademarks, IP litigation and plant variety protection, and its integration within a wider full-service firm, L&S offers clients the expertise needed to protect and enforce intellectual property across India's dynamic and increasingly important market.