Cecilia Falconi Pérez

● Intellectual Property & Trademark Protection — protection, management and enforcement of trademarks, copyright and intangible asset portfolios.

● IP Litigation — oppositions, nullities, cancellations, appeals and defence against infringement of protected rights.

● Trademarks & Distinctive Signs — registration, defence, coexistence, well-known mark and distinctiveness strategies, regional protection.

● Anti-Counterfeiting, Counterfeiting & Illicit Trade — administrative actions, border measures and inter-agency coordination.

● IP Portfolio Management — audits, maintenance, assignments, licences, administrative disputes and portfolio documentation.

● Copyright & Creative Assets — protection of works, characters, designs, content and creative elements against unauthorized use.

● Geographical Indications & Designations of Origin — recognition, protection and defence of signs linked to origin, quality and reputation.

● Regulatory & Foreign Trade Matters — sanitary registrations, technical standards, ECUAPASS, Ecuador's Single Window and customs procedures.

Cecilia Falconi Pérez is a Partner at Falconi Puig Abogados with more than 30 years of experience in intellectual property, regulatory matters and legal advice to domestic, international and multinational companies.

Her practice centers on the protection, management and enforcement of intangible assets, with particular emphasis on trademarks, copyright, IP portfolios, trademark litigation, anti-counterfeiting, counterfeiting and illicit trade.

She advises clients on registration, opposition, nullity and cancellation strategies, defence of well-known marks, coexistence of rights and protection of distinctive signs in Ecuador and across the Andean region, working alongside correspondent firms and strategic partners in Latin America, Europe and the United States.

Cecilia has relevant experience in highly regulated industries, including food and beverages, cosmetics, fashion, logistics, entertainment, fintech, technology, pharmaceuticals, medical and veterinary devices, and mass consumption goods. Her approach combines legal judgment, business vision and a strong understanding of Ecuador's regulatory environment.

She has also worked on matters relating to technical standards, sanitary registrations, foreign trade, Ecuador's Single Window (Ventanilla Única Ecuatoriana), customs processes, geographical indications and designations of origin.

Cecilia is recognized for her technical leadership, strategic capacity and practical orientation toward protecting high-value assets, anticipating risk and supporting business decisions in competitive markets.

• Board Member, Ecuadorian French Chamber of Industries and Commerce. June 2024 – Present.

• Chair of the ASIPI Working Group: Econometric Study on the Socioeconomic Impact of Product Counterfeiting in Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala and Mexico. Inter-American Association of Intellectual Property January 2024 – to present.

• Member of the INTA Internet Committee, Governance subcommittee, 2023 to present

• Chair of the ASIPI Anticounterfeit Committee for two periods. Inter-American Association of Intellectual Property ASIPI 2019 - 2021 and 2021 - 2023

• Chair of the ASIPI Geographical Indications Committee for two periods. Inter-American Association of Intellectual Property 2015 - 2017 and 2017 - 2019

• Member of the INTA Anticounterfeiting Committee, Latin America Subcommittee for two periods. 2018 – 2020 - 2021 to 2023

• National Ambassador for the Intellectual Property Commission of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in representation of Ecuador 2017 - 2022.

Cecilia has contributed to regional and international publications on intellectual property, corporate regulation, and anti-counterfeiting trends. She has also been invited as a lecturer in postgraduate programs in Ecuador and abroad, sharing practical insights on compliance, corporate structuring, and IP protection.

Cecilia has been trusted by global leaders such as Christian Louboutin (Xavier Ragot and Kenny Ren), Andreas Stihl (Diana Graesser), Phillips 66 Company, Consejo Regulador del Tequila, Consejo Regulador de Jijona, AMCO Admethods, Opel, Red Bull, Schneider Electric, FedEx, Banco del Pacífico, and BIC, among many others. She has guided these clients on issues ranging from trademark protection and anti-counterfeiting strategies to corporate structuring, employment matters, and regulatory compliance.

Cecilia is known for her collaborative and team-oriented style, mentoring younger lawyers within the firm and contributing to professional associations that promote higher legal standards in Ecuador. She often describes her work not only as practicing law but as helping companies find clarity and confidence in their decisions.

● Advised Christian Louboutin, a global luxury fashion house, on trademark enforcement and anti-counterfeiting protection of its signature position mark, coordinating a regional strategy across Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia with teams in Latin America and Europe — securing consistent, cross-border protection for one of the industry's most recognized distinctive assets.

● Defended a global entertainment company's creative portfolio against trademark applications that imitated protected works and characters, persuading the authority to reject the conflicting filings and reinforcing copyright and trademark protection in Ecuador.

● Represented a global entertainment company with an iconic trademark portfolio in an opposition against an application reproducing elements of its widely recognized characters, obtaining refusal of the conflicting registration.

● Defended Pilkington Automotive Argentina S.A.'s BLINDEX trademark against a cancellation action, preserving the client's IP rights through evidence of regional use and carefully built formal arguments.

● Secured a declaration of well-known mark status in Ecuador for a German industrial machinery company, building the evidentiary case on certified advertising, import invoices, distribution agreements and market studies.

● Defended Holcim Technology Ltd.'s ADIFLOW trademark application against a third-party opposition, with the authority confirming distinctiveness and no risk of confusion.

● Obtained registration of Industrias Reunidas Cía. Ltda. / Laboratorios Indunidas' TIMOCELL trademark against a third-party opposition, on grounds of distinctiveness, coexistence and absence of confusion risk.

● Brought a nullity action to stop a competitor from monopolizing a descriptive term in common use in the construction and materials industry, invalidating the challenged registration and preserving fair competition for the sector.

● Designed and executed a nine-front cancellation strategy against a global corporation on behalf of a leading construction and materials company, dismantling an alleged 'family of marks' and protecting the client's core registrations.

● Took on and rebuilt the IP portfolio strategy for a Swiss multinational cement and construction group, auditing, prosecuting and litigating a large-scale trademark portfolio to strengthen protection of its core and local brands.

● Advised a multinational food and beverage company on complex distribution agreements and regulatory compliance matters supporting its Ecuadorian operations.

● Structured corporate and regulatory market-entry strategies for agro-industrial, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, and software clients entering Ecuador, including pioneering regulatory work in the agriculture sector.

● Provided legal opinions on draft legislation and regulatory reforms, contributing technical insight that helped shape stronger IP and regulatory frameworks in Ecuador.

● Led ASIPI working groups on consumer and public-health protection, spearheading the fight against counterfeit goods affecting human and animal consumption across Latin America.

Cecilia’s experience spans over two decades, during which she has consistently advised clients in industries that are highly regulated and sensitive to market shifts. Her legal opinions are valued not only for their technical rigor but also for their balance between compliance and business opportunity. She is recognized for her role in guiding both established corporations and new entrants in adapting to Ecuador’s evolving legal landscape. Her career also reflects a strong commitment to public and institutional dialogue: she has provided technical-legal opinions in legislative reform processes and has been actively involved in collective efforts against counterfeiting, piracy, and illicit trade.

● Food & beverages

● Cosmetics & personal care

● Fashion

● Logistics & international trade

● Entertainment

● Fintech

● Technology

● Pharmaceuticals

● Medical & veterinary devices

● Consumer goods

Ecuador (full license to practice).

Regional coordination with Latin American jurisdictions, including strong correspondent networks in Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Mexico.

Cross-border collaboration with firms in the United States and Europe.