Career
Ashima Obhan heads the corporate law, M&A and Media and Entertainment practice at the Firm and is registered with the Bar Council of Delhi. She has been advising clients on complex, high value, cross-border work as well as a range of transactions across different industries such as information technology, education, publishing, retail and real estate. She has been advising clients on structuring of investments, formation of Indian entities, joint ventures, asset purchases and acquisitions and divestments. Her team is recognized for delivering excellent legal strategies and commercially viable advice within prescribed timelines.
Under her aegis, the Firm has established a robust practice in the Indian publishing sector. With over 20 years of experience, besides being an expert advisor on technology and IP licensing, she is regarded as a subject matter authority on the media and publishing sectors, as well as data protection and privacy.
Ashima and her team regularly advise publishing houses and international news organisations on issues that are specific to their industry. She has been advising clients on author contracts, film option contracts and undertakes regular review of non-fiction manuscripts before the same are published. She also advises news organisations on the various regulations that apply to news entities in India, including on foreign direct investment matters, ideal organisational structures and conducting pre-publication reviews of news pieces. In the recent past, the team has been defending its clients in defamation matters across different forums in India. Ashima has also been responsible for developing the data protection and privacy practice at the Firm. She and her team regularly advise clients on the implications of different data protection legislations on their business. She has also co-authored a book on the same, titled 'Data Protection Laws Demystified'.
Ashima and her team also work closely with members of the Firm’s IP team on licensing transactions. The Firm's commercial contract team has extensive experience in drafting, reviewing and negotiating IP licensing agreements, highlighting the legal and commercial risks and preparing clear and workable contracts. The Technology and Telecommunications Practice at the Firm has been expanding its portfolio over the years, through work on data protection policies, research and development contracts, and licensing agreements.
She is also a founding member of the AIICE, formed by the Indian Chamber of Commerce, which was launched in August 2024. The AIICE seeks to promote India's creative industries which includes media, entertainment, arts, culture and design.