Gaurav Bhalla

Gaurav leads Ahlawat & Associates' Intellectual Property (IP); Technology, Media and Entertainment (TME); Online Gaming; Data Protection; Cryptocurrency; E-commerce and Advertising practice areas. He has been assisting a diverse clientele including multinational corporations (including Fortune 500 companies), foreign law firms, MSMEs, startups as well as individuals with their legal requirements. His expertise in the technology law domain includes assisting technological platforms including social media intermediaries, online gaming platforms, etc. with ensuring legal compliances. He is also well versed with handling investigations by CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) as regards any potential data breaches. Gaurav is also highly proficient in handling intellectual property matters in respect of trademarks, copyrights, industrial designs, etc. on various stages including preparation of a brand protection strategy, prosecution, opposition, enforcement, litigation, etc. He also has immense experience in handling domain name disputes before the NIXI (National Internet Exchange of India) as well as before the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization). Gaurav has also assisted multiple domestic and offshore Virtual Digital Asset providers with observing compliances under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as well as registering with the FIU-India. He has also assisted clients from various industries with observing compliances under the existing Indian data protection statute. He has also been actively advising clients on the appropriate preparation for observing compliance with the requirements under the recently enacted Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDPA). Gaurav empowers clients to operate confidently in the ever-evolving legislations and judicial precedents pertaining to evolving technologies. With deep expertise and a forward-thinking approach, he ensures that the clients’ legal worries are taken care of in a time and cost-effective manner.

Awards & Recognition:

1. Recognized in the list of Top IP Lawyer in India, 2023, Asian Legal Business (a Thompson Reuters publication)
2. Recognized as a Trademark Star 2023, IP Stars (Managing IP)
3. Recognized in the list of Top TMT/Fintech Lawyer in India, 2023, Asian Legal Business (a Thompson Reuters publication)
4. Recognized in the list of Top IP Lawyer in India, 2022, Asian Legal Business (a Thompson Reuters publication)
5. Recipient of the Tomorrow’s Leader Award, 2019, International Trademark Association (INTA)