About Lena Balakrishnan
Lena started her career in molecular biology, completing her Masters of Science in Genetics, and working at a Crown Research Institute in New Zealand that specialises in biotechnology research. It was through this role that she gained exposure to intellectual property, and transitioned into a career in IP law. Lena worked for more than three years as a trade mark lawyer in New Zealand, before, in 2010, moving to Australia, where she has been working as a trade mark attorney.
Lena has extensive experience in all aspects of trade mark prosecution and enforcement in Australia and New Zealand, as well as the Pacific Islands and Papua New Guinea, including conducting large scale clearance searches and global search projects; contentious trade mark actions (such as oppositions and removal actions in Australia, and oppositions, revocation and invalidity actions in New Zealand); advising clients on infringement, misleading and deceptive conduct and passing off; and the management of large trade mark portfolios, including foreign filing strategies. She has also advised clients on the interplay between trade marks and Australia's tobacco plain packaging requirements, the protection and enforcement of trade mark rights for use on emerging technologies, and provided strategic advice and assistance on cross-jurisdictional contentious trade mark disputes.
A large focus of Lena's practice involves advising clients on their options and strategies for obtaining and enforcing their Australian and New Zealand trade marks, with a particular interest in assisting businesses grow by the protection and effective use of IP rights.